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Morning Prayers

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:19:12 GMT

Prayers for God's Presence

For the next few days, I want to share some of what I like to think of as "prayer, kick-starters." While what I'll share are prayers, the hope and plan is they will become springboards for us into more prayer time. Grab a cup of coffee (or not) and let's begin thinking about morning prayer [time].

Saying a morning prayer is a great way to focus our minds attention on God, as the first priority of your day! Let me encourage us to use these suggested morning prayers as we seek God’s plan for our day and ask Him to guide our thoughts and actions. And let them become a springboard into more prayer, that, may well, begin to flow from your heart in your own words.

Friends, a morning prayer [time] is a wonderful way to focus your time and attention on seeking God’s plan for the day ahead. Whether you need encouragement, peace, strength, or rest; the truth is, God can meet you in a very real and present way when you come before Him with a humble heart. Seek God’s presence each morning before your energy and attention are pulled by all the tasks you have ahead. A prayer-filled morning is the best defense against a chaotic world.

In a world filled with distractions and demands, starting the day with a morning prayer will help remind you to prioritize your faith journey before your feet hit the ground running. Let me challenge each of us to embrace the presence of God every morning, it will help to safeguard your connection with Him before the demands of the day divert your energy and focus toward the numerous tasks of the day ahead.

Today, I am thankful for the privilege of prayer - that I/we can go to and have conversation with the God of the universe, the Creator of everything. He listens and He will speak to us if we will give Him an opportunity. How amazing and wonderful is that?!!

What about you? What are you Thankful for today?

Devotional:

30 Morning Prayers To Start Your Day Encouraged

Here are some morning prayers to help jump-start your day in God’s presence. Some of these prayers you will find more fitting to your life than others; some you will find yourself going back to on a regular basis, and others less often.

They are not meant to be an "end all," but a springboard; especially on days you feel like you don’t know what to pray/say. While I am not the author or original prayer of most of these prayers, I do feel they can and will be places we can start our time of prayer on any given day. At the end of the series, you will find a list of people who contributed one or more of these prayers.)

1. A Morning Prayer for God’s Presence.

Lord, may nothing separate me from You today. Teach me how to choose only Your way today so each step will lead me closer to You. Help me walk by the Word and not my feelings. Help me to keep my heart pure and undivided.

Protect me from my own careless thoughts, words, and actions. And keep me from being distracted by MY wants, MY desires, MY thoughts on how things should be. Help me to embrace what comes my way as an opportunity… rather than a personal inconvenience. And finally, help me to rest in the truth of Psalm 86:13, ‘Great is your love toward me.’

You already see the ways I will fall short and mess up. But right now, I consciously tuck Your whisper of absolute love for me into the deepest part of my heart. I recognize Your love for me is not based on my performance. You love me, warts and all. That’s amazing. But what’s most amazing is that the Savior of the world would desire a few minutes with me this morning.

Lord, help me to remember forever what a gift it is to sit with You like this. Amen.

2. A Prayer to Start the Day and/or Week.

Dear God, at the start of each day, help me to recognize You above all else. Enlighten the eyes of my heart that I might see You and notice how You are at work through my life.

Give me wisdom to make the best choices, and fill me with a desire to seek after You more than anything else in this world. Let your Spirit and power breathe in me, through me, again, fresh and new.

Thank You that You are greater than anything I may face in this day. Thank you that Your presence goes with me and that Your joy is never dependent on my circumstances, but it is my true and lasting strength, no matter what I am up against.

I ask that Your peace lead me, that it would guard my heart and mind in You. I ask for Your grace to cover my life this day. I love You, Lord… I need you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Continued

Psalm 119:176

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 12:44:31 GMT

Psalm 119:176

Psalm 119:176 “I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commands.”

There is a reason why we are called sheep and why Jesus is called the Good Shepherd. Sheep don’t have a lot of common sense. If sheep are not led from one pasture to the next, they will continue to eat until there is nothing more to eat. Then they start to eat their own waste. We need to be led. We don’t even know enough o stay on the straight and narrow path. We need a shepherd who will continually and gently guide us.

In this verse, David is expressing how we would be naturally lost without a shepherd. He says, “Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commands.” He says, “Jesus, I love You, I have not forgotten You. However, when I go down the wrong path, seek me out, correct me.”

He is expressing a complete dependency upon his Shepherd. David is dealing with something that plagues us all; we don’t instinctively seek spiritual things. Spiritual desire must be developed. Hebrews 5:14 teaches us that by reason of use, we train our spiritual senses.

Fortunately for us, we have a Good Shepherd. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, continually, gently, compassionately, corrects us. How fitting for David to finish this great Psalm with a focus on the One who perpetually seeks us out. “‘Because he loves me’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him’” Psalm 91:14-15.

Our Good Shepherd seeks us out. How awesome is that?!! This is the One who deserves all our praise. This is the one to whom we owe our life!

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; call on your Good Shepherd to see you out and lead you on His good path.

END

Psalm 119:175

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 15:27:28 GMT

Psalm 119:175

Psalm 119:175 “Let me live that I may praise you, and may Your law sustain me.”

Let my life be a continual praise to You. David didn’t want to praise God once in a while. He wanted his life to be a praise unto God. He says, in essence, “Let me live for the purpose of praising You.” He goes on to say that he will gain his life through God’s law. “May Your laws sustain [life] me,” he cries. David knew the very life of God is contained within His law and that through praise, God is enthroned in his heart.

Through keeping God’s law, we find the life of God. When we practice righteousness, the very quality of God we display becomes a reality in our own lives. When we are kind to another person, kindness fills our very heart. When we are patient with another, patience fills us. When we are gentle with someone, gentleness fills us to overflowing.

The very life, or presence, of God is released through our deeds of righteousness. These qualities are actually the fruit of the Spirit itself. They are the very essence of God Himself. Thus, His life, or qualities, sustain us or life us, as we obey His law. Not only does our obedience to God bring life to us, it brings the life of God to others as well.

Through keeping His law, our very lives become continual praise unto God. There is more than one way to praise unto God. We focus on the actual verbal praising of the Lord with our lips more than anything.

However, your very life can become a praise as we reveal God to others through righteousness. Certainly, we want to offer praise with our lips, but we can also praise God with our obedience. David said he wanted to live so that his whole life became a praise unto his God.

Take some time today to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself how much of your life is a praise unto God.

Continued

Psalm 119:174

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 12:48:26 GMT

Psalm 119:174

Psalm 119:174 “I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight.”

David lived by the law of the Lord, even though he never did see the salvation he so longed for. He lived in anticipation of the Messiah. To prove his dedication, he made the law of God his delight. David is one of those who died in faith, believing the messiah would one day come. In the great chapter on faith, Hebrews 11, we read, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth” Hebrews 11:13.

All of those listed in Chapter 11 were completely bankrupt. They were aliens and strangers on earth; they had nothing but faith. They, too, longed for the salvation of God just like David did. In verses 32 and 33 we continue, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness turned to strength.”

All of these deeds of “faith” were accomplished because of a hope they had for their Messiah. Today, we too, are to live by faith in the same Messiah. Jesus is to be who we long for. Because of deep desires for Him, we keep His law. Even though today we are saved by grace, we still keep The Ten Commandments.

Our longing for Him is what purifies us and keeps us on the right path. We have salvation through Jesus. However, we still long for His return. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let them who hear say, ‘Come’” Revelation 22:16.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask God to give you even more of a longing for Jesus. Continued

Psalm 119:173

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:11:58 GMT

Psalm 119:173

Psalm 119:173 “May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.”

This verse could also read, “I have chosen Your instructions [precepts], therefore, I live in complete confidence of Your help, O Lord.” What a comforting thought! God’s hand is ready to open doors, create opportunities, and nurture those who do things according to His instructions.

The hand of God represents our needs being met, while the face of God represents our relationship with Him. When God encourages us to seek His face, He is wanting us to draw near to Him. His hand is that which is always ready to supply our every need.

Often times, when the people of God became afraid of their situation and how they were going to make it, God would respond to their cries by saying, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?” meaning He could still reach His people with all their needs (see Numbers 11:23). They were not out of the reach of God. God’s hand can extend to wherever we are with any need we may ever have.

In Matthew 6:31 we read the words of Jesus, “So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ of ‘What shall we wear?’” These types of worries fall under the care of God’s hand. It is the hand of God that provides what we eat, drink, and wear.

Then in verse 33 He says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given (handed) to you as well.” Those who have chosen God’s precepts, as David did, or those who “seek first God’s kingdom,” have all their needs met automatically. Those who do not follow His precepts spend all their time worrying about such things.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself how much worrying you do concerning the hand of God. Continued

Psalm 119:172

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:15:46 GMT

Psalm 119:172

Psalm 119:172 “May my tongue sing of Your Word, for all Your commands are righteous.”

David is praying, “May my tongue sing of Your Word.” The song writer had it right when he wrote, “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing.” Singing the Word of God is one of the ways to tame the tongue. When your tongue sings or speaks the Word, you speak perfectly. James says the tongue “is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” James 3:8. Earlier in the same chapter he says that if anyone can tame the tongue he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

The only time a person is perfect (mature) is when they never errs with their tongue. When one never errs, they are able to control their whole body. When one sings the Word of God, when their lips are full of praise to God, their tongue is tamed. That is one of the only times you speak without any kind of error whatsoever. When your life is a continual praise, when you sing and speak the Word of God, you again control your body because you do not sin as you speak God’s Word.

“With our tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people... Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing, this should not be" James 3:9-11. The more we give ourselves over to singing and praising God, the less we will curse people. If we had hearts like David’s, hearts that seek God, our lives would be full of praise to God. This would keep us from praising and cursing out of the same tongue (mouth).

The reason David sang the Word was because God’s commands are righteous. Righteousness has to do with the right treatment of others. When we sing the Word because we love the righteous treatment of people, we no longer curse out of the same tongue. We then use our tongue to bless people.

Take some time today to meditate on this verse. As you do, consider whether or not you have tamed your tongue through praise. Continued

Psalm 119:171

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 13:32:45 GMT

Psalm 119:171

Psalm 119:171 “May my lips overflow with praise, for You teach me Your decrees.”

When something overflows, it floods. A flood describes something that is more than enough. David wanted his praise to God to be more than what was necessary. He wanted it to go far beyond just the adequate amount. David always seems to take extreme measures when it comes to expressing his love for God.

Often, David’s life is convicting because when it comes to spiritual things, it is common for us to do just what is required of us and nothing more. We don’t typically flood God with anything. We pray just enough to feel good, we give just enough to the poor, and we get upset when the church has more meetings in a week than what we are used to. Not quite a flood!

Even if our lips did overflow with praise, we would never come near that of offering back to God the worship due Him. When we think in terms of “What is the minimal I need to do for God?” rather than “I want to do far more than I really need to,” we hurt our relationship with Him. What if a husband’s attitude was, “I will provide just the minimal amount for my family,” rather than having an attitude that says, “I want far more for my family than just the minimal.” Providing more than enough comes from the heart of God. In Ephesians 3:20 we read, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” God not only is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or think, He actually does more than we ask or think. God not only provides the means for our sins to be forgiven, He removes them, “as far as the east is from the west” Psalm 103:12. He not only forgives our past, He forgets our past. He goes far beyond just what is necessary. He floods us with mercy.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if your praise of Him could ever be more than enough.

Continued

Psalm 119:170

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:54:37 GMT

Psalm 119:170

Psalm 119:170 “May my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your promise.”

In the Old Testament, it was more difficult for supplications to come before the Lord because the standard of the law was an arduous thing to maintain. In Isaiah’s day, God was tired of all they were trying to do to find favor with Him: “When you come to appear before Me, who has asked this of you… Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations – I cannot bear… They have become a burden to me… When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood” Isaiah 1:12-15. God was tired of their prayers, religious holidays, and sacred assemblies that contained no repentance of sin. It’s not so much that these things were that displeasing to God, it’s that these things without repentance, mean nothing to God.

In the New Testament, it is, relatively, easier for our supplications to come before God because of Jesus. Jesus is the standard by which the law is fulfilled. Therefore, if we have Jesus in us, we qualify for our prayers to go straight to God himself. The only way for Jesus to be in us is through repentance.

When a person repents of their sin and receives Jesus, then their prayers gain new life. “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Hebrews 4:16. Our confidence is that we are “in Christ.” Christ is our confidence that our supplication comes before God. At His throne we find mercy and grace. This is our deliverance. Our deliverance is according to God’s promise to have mercy on us.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, thank God for His mercy and grace and that He hears your supplication.

Continued

Psalm 119:169

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:57:55 GMT

Psalm 119:169

Psalm 119:169 “May my cry come before You, O Lord; give me understanding according to Your Word.”

It is comforting to know that the cry of our heart comes before “The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” Exodus 34:6-7. Can you imagine praying to a god who is anything less than our God? HE is what gives prayer its hope. This is our hope of glory!

David’s cry is that he would understand according to the Word of God. The Word is God, and God lives within His Word. To gain understanding according to His Word would be to learn how to treat all other people the way God treats us. What understanding would we need other than how to treat our fellow man? We can fulfill the entire law through the simple act of loving God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and loving our neighbor as our self.

We understand the Word according to our level of love. God is love. To understand His Word we too, must love. “Whoever does not love does not know God” 1 John 4:8. If we do not love, we do not need to pray to understand the Word, for there is no understanding outside of love. We must understand love before we will understand judgment, suffering, or righteous indignation.

Without a full understanding of God’s love for all, parts of the Word will seem to be a contradiction of itself. God’s love is expressed in mercy. Because of God’s desire to have mercy on everyone, it becomes entirely necessary for certain “negative” things to happen. However, if those “negative” things ultimately draw us close to God, they are no longer “negative” at all.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask God to give you understanding according to His Word.

Continued

Psalm 119:168

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:31:41 GMT

Psalm 119:168

Psalm 119:168 “I obey Your precepts and statutes, for all my ways are known to You.”

Precepts are the instructions God gives is for life. They are the how-to’s, when’s, and where’s are all laid out to You. Therefore, it would be wisdom on my part to follow your precepts and your statutes rather than my own.

Have you ever put a plan together and then later asked God to forgive you for putting your plan before His? We are full of our own ways. Solomon once said, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” Proverbs 14:12.

David so wanted to follow the precepts and statutes of God that he prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” Psalm 139:23. He, in essence, said, “Show me my heart. Show me the things that are in my heart that are not of You. Show me the plans that I have in my heart that are contrary to Your plans.” Then he said, “Test me and know my thoughts.” Now that is a courageous prayer, one we should all pray regularly.

Thoughts have to do with desires. Anything that is a desire of your heart occupies your thoughts. Our “plans” typically evolve out of the thoughts that occupy our hearts. This is why we are to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. When our thoughts (desires) are obedient to Christ, we won’t find ourselves doing our own thing.

He then goes on to pray in the next verse, “See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Psalm 139:24. An offensive way can be as simple as any “way” that is not in God’s direction. It wouldn’t even need to be a sinful way for it to be an offensive way. We want to be in the “way everlasting.” That “way” is determined by God. All our “ways” are known to God already. All we need to do now is submit them to God.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; commit your “ways” unto Him. Continued

Psalm 119:167

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:55:26 GMT

Psalm 119:167

Psalm 119:167 “I obey Your statutes, for I love them greatly.”

In this verse David prays, “I obey… for I love.” To obey out of love rather than duty describes submission. It is one thing to obey out of duty. It is quite another thing to obey out of desire.

The Pharisees obeyed out of duty. They saw their obedience as something they had no option with. They had to obey to be a good Pharisee. We must also obey to be a good Christian. However, if we only obey because we feel we have no choice, we simply become a Pharisee.

David obeyed because he loved. David brought himself under God. To love is to give yourself away. To lust is to gain for yourself. David loved (gave himself to) God. He saw his life was not nearly as important as God’s.

Therefore, he was willing to die to his desires and bring himself under God. Those who “lust” God, are people who obey out of personal benefit. They obey because of how it will benefit them. Those who love God obey because of how it will benefit God.

Make no mistake about it: Our obedience works to our benefit, but we must have a more worthwhile motive than simply our benefit. God doesn’t just flippantly design statutes to see if we will obey them. Rather, each one has the express purpose of bringing life to us through obedience. That life is the life of Jesus. The more alive we are with Christ, the more others will see Him and be drawn to Him.

John (Praying) Hyde, missionary to India, had a philosophy on winning souls that was based on the presence of Christ. He felt the only way to draw people to Christ was to emulate Christ. He would spend so much time in prayer that others would see Christ in him and be drawn to him. Whenever he became ineffective in influencing others he would go back to the prayer closet. He knew his effectiveness out in the open came from the time he spent closed in with Christ.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself why you obey His statutes.

Continued

Psalm 119:166

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:07:00 GMT

Psalm 119:166

Psalm 119:166 “I wait for Your salvation, O Lord, and I follow Your commands.”

David was looking for the Messiah, his salvation. Today we, too, look for the Messiah, for His return. We are to live with the same kind of anticipation for His second coming as they did for His first coming. Jesus is coming for those who look for Him. The proof that we are excited about His return is that we live by His commands. His commands are expressions of His will which are to be obeyed.

If there is an area of disobedience in our lives, we lose our desires for His return. An Evangelist friend of mine told me this: “I once addressed a group on the soon return of Christ. A few days later I had several people call me to complain because I taught that Jesus is coming soon. In each case, the call came from a person who was not living according to all that God commands and who was upset with the thought that He is coming soon.” The reality, friends, is this: The idea of Christ returning soon is very convicting to those who are living in disobedience to Him.

The Book of Revelation is the most exhaustive material we have on the second coming of Jesus. Near the end of this great testimony we read, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’” Revelation 22:16-17. Jesus is the root of David which means David has the heart of Jesus. His heart says, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

David is showing us the true heart of a bride in waiting. The very nature of the bride is one of anticipation. The true bride of Christ has this nature, also. Her heart’s cry is that of “Come, Lord Jesus!” She lives with a longing to be with her Groom. She brings her life in obedience to His will. She is taken up with Him!

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, give yourself over to expressing your desire for Him to return soon. Continued

Psalm 119:165

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:27:19 GMT

Psalm 119:165

Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have they who love Your laws, and nothing can make them stumble.”

Those who love His laws know they are following principals that cannot fail, no matter what people may do to them. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You” Isaiah 26:3. We stumble when we are standing on something that is unstable.

The one who stands on the law of God will never stumble because nothing could be more stable. When our mind is steadfast, when it is fixed on God, we live in perfect peace. The apostle Paul lived in this same confidence. “Who shall separate is from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Romans 8:35. It’s not that loving God’s law will keep you from trouble, it’s that trouble will no longer cause you to stumble in your walk with God because of the peace that comes through loving God’s law.

Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” When Paul says, “Let the peace of Christ rule,” he is teaching something very important. The word “let” means it will happen if we don’t prevent it. In Isaiah, Jesus is called The Prince of Peace, and when He is in our hearts, there is supposed to be “peace that passes all understanding.” In fact, peace is the norm for the believer – but we can prevent it is we are not careful. Peace will happen naturally when we love the law of God.

Anything we love, we Long to be with. Do we long to study (or read) the law of God? Do we diligently search the Scriptures to find His teachings? If we don’t do these things, we prevent the peace of God from ruling our hearts. Peace is natural for those who live the normal Christian life.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; consider those practices you have which promote the peace of God in your heart. Continued

Psalm 119:164

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:25:31 GMT

Psalm 119:164

Psalm 119:164 “Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous laws.”

We do not know whether David literally praised God seven times a day or not. That really is not the issue, anyway. The issue is that he had a priority of praising God for His laws. In Psalm 34:1 we read, “I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” Obviously, David is expressing a pattern of life in this verse rather than something literal.

No one would be able to praise God every waking moment of the day. However, one could become so pleasing to God that their very life becomes a praise to God. In either case, what we find is that David never lost his heart of praise.

In the New Testament, we are encouraged to “pray without ceasing.” It would be very difficult at best (if not impossible) to maintain a continual state of prayer. However, it is possible to develop a lifestyle of prayer. It is possible for us to develop a “praying heart” to where prayer is a permanent part of our life. It may not be that of praying every waking moment of our life, but it is that of having a God-consciousness about our self so that our life becomes more, and more of a life of praying always.

David had a heart of praise. Seven times a day he would set aside time to praise God for His righteous laws. Throughout this Psalm, the word “law” is used as the translation of the word “teach.” David would praise God for the things he was taught by God. The things God teaches us, become laws in our lives.

To develop a heart of praise, we must purposely praise God for His teachings, also. Do we realize we would not have life if it were not for His laws (teachings)? A person would be wise to read the Proverbs, and each time we find something that gives is advice, praise God for it. If we did this seven times a day, it would change our lives.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself if you ever really take time to praise God for His laws.

Continued

Psalm 119:163

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:53:23 GMT

Psalm 119:163

Psalm 119:163 “I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love Your law.”

Truth represents God; falsehood represents Satan. The reason we should hate and abhor falsehood is because it is a misrepresentation of God. We should be as absorbed with this as David was. We should literally hate anything that is not a true representation of our God. Sometimes I think we don’t fully understand how important this is. What is more important than our God? Who is more important than our God?

Anything that distorts who He is should be hated, especially by those who profess to love Him. The law of God is truth. It leads people to life. Falsehood leads people to death.

It is interesting to see how we allow certain falsehoods, in our lives as adults, but get very upset when our children/grandchildren allow the same ones in their lives! We allow the world to entertain us. We allow worldliness to set our standard of dress. However, when our children begin to reflect some of the things this world stands for, it upsets us as parents. Why is it upsetting to us? Because it is a falsehood that is leading them to death. It’s leading them to an existence without the presence of God. Too often we tolerate evil rather than hate it.

“Keep falsehood and lies far from me… Otherwise, I may… say ‘Who is the Lord’” Proverbs 30:8-9. The attitude here is, “Who does God think He is?” Falsehoods keep us from the truth of who God is. I believe we have lost a true sense of the glory and majesty of our God. We, too, have this flippant attitude of “Who is God anyway?”

The influence of falsehoods have convinced us that we can live a wholesome life without fully honoring God. That is a lie and anyone who has believed that lie lives in great danger of eventually not sensing any need for sanctification or holiness. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself if you truly understand the glory and majesty of your God.

Continued

Psalm 119:162

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:05:00 GMT

Psalm 119:162

Psalm 119:162 “I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil.”

David was both a ruler and a warrior. He knew the thrill of collecting the spoil after the battle. Few things could compare to walking through the camp of the defeated to gather up for themselves anything they wanted. However, David knew then true treasures of life were not in the spoil of the enemy but in the promises of God.

Often, we are so earthly-minded that we are no heavenly good. I once had the opportunity to be in the same town that was hosting an international triathlon event. The contestants swam for 2 ½ miles, then they bicycled for 110 miles, and finally they ran for 26 miles. They do all that in one day. I learned how one contestant has a regular routine of exercising eight hours every day for this. It is possible in these situations for their body to become their god.

In 1 Timothy 4:8 we read, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with physical fitness. However, it only benefits this life. Godliness on the other hand, benefits not only this life but also eternity. Physical fitness allows us to gain some of the treasures of this life, but that is all.

The promises of God affect eternity, while the spoils from battle affect only this life. The only time eternal truths truly cause us to rejoice is when we see more than just this life. “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” Colossians 3:1. What kind of relationship with God would we need to be able to say that God’s promises mean as much to us as attaining those things that benefit this life only? We would need a relationship like David’s.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; consider what your affections are really set upon. Continued

Psalm 119:161

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:42:07 GMT

Psalm 119:161

Psalm 119:161 “Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at Your Word.”

An earthly ruler or king is a powerful person, at least from human perspective. It’s been said that the president of the United States is the most powerful person on earth. Even though David was being persecuted by powerful men, he understood that only the Lord was to be feared. I have watched people tremble at what another person could do to them. David, however, was one who could honestly say that his heart did not tremble at the potential of people, but rather he trembled at the thought of living in disobedience to God’s Word.

In 1 Samual 17 we read of the account where David slew Goliath. In verse 24 it says, “When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.” From man’s perspective, Goliath was to be feared. From God’s perspective, it was quite another story.

David asked, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1 Samuel 17:26. David’s heart trembled at the Word of God, not the mere challenges of man. Many times we have giants in our lives that dominate us because our fear of man. Do you respect the Word of God to the point that you would suffer persecution rather than disobey it?

A true story is told of a minister who was put in prison for preaching the gospel in Russia. After 12 years of incarceration, he was told he could go free if he would remain quiet about God for just one week. His reply was, “I cannot accept these terms. What if God tells me to say something to someone before the week is over?” He would not compromise his obedience to God, for even one week. He went back to prison because his heart trembled at the Word of God, not at what the rulers could do to him.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself if you live in fear of people or God.

Continued

Psalm 119:160

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 12:53:55 GMT

Psalm 119:160

Psalm 119:160 “All Your words are true; all Your righteous laws are eternal.”

“God is not a man, that He should lie” Numbers 23:19. Every Word of God is true! The Word of God is the purest thing we know. It has no bias. It has no motive. It is the way to God, it is the truth of God, and it is the life of God. Paul said that if we want to find the God of peace, we must think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable” Philippians 4:8. These things all describe the Word of God and the God of the Word!

There are two facets to the Word of God: there is the written Word of God, the Bible; and there is the living Word of God, Jesus. They are the very essence of truth.

In that light, when the Word says that God’s righteous laws are eternal, it can be believed. Throughout this section (Resh) of Scripture, we see David going through a time of suffering. He asks God to come to his defense, for he is being persecuted by many foes. He now ends his thoughts by reaffirming to himself that God’s laws are eternal. He comes to the realization that if he lives in obedience to God’s laws, they will continue to produce good throughout all eternity.

To say the Word of God is true and to not live in obedience to it is a contradiction. When David states that God’s Word is true and that His laws are eternal, he proves it by his obedience to God. These are not trite words, they are the words of David’s life. In this section David has prayed three different times, “Preserve my life.” He fully recognizes his life comes through obedience to God. James puts it this way, “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourself. Do what it says” James 1:22.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, think about how the proof of your belief in God’s Word lies in your obedience to it.

Continued

Psalm 119:159

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:04:10 GMT

Psalm 119:159

Psalm 119:159 “See how I love Your precepts; preserve my life, O Lord, according to Your love.”

“Precepts” generally mean instructions for living. It is God’s way of showing us how to live on a daily basis. Instructions are given as to what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. We all have a responsibility of daily life before God. (I am not sure if that can be emphasized enough.) Do you seek Him daily, or read His Word daily, or worship Him daily? David did. Therefore, he could say, “See how I love Your precepts.” His daily life was an example of one who loved God’s precepts.

In Psalm 90:12 we read, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” This can help us in our daily life before God. Numbering our days aright deals with establishing a list of priorities. Another way to phrase this would be, “Show us the most important thing to the least important thing for us to do today.” Through making this a daily prayer, you gain a heart of wisdom because you are developing a lifestyle of giving yourself to the things that God considered the most important.

David then says, “Preserve my life, O Lord, according to Your love.” Life me, according to Your love, would be another way of saying it. This is the third time he has asked God to life him in this section (Resh) of Scripture.

The first time, it was according to Your Promise, the second time it was according to Your promise, and now it is according to Your love. What a wonderful security we have knowing our obedience to God results in God preserving our lives. Jesus is the preserver while Satan is the destroyer. All we need to do is live in obedience to Jesus and our lives are preserved. He lifes us!

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; consider your daily life before God. Do you show your love through obedience?

Continued

Psalm 119:158

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:54:13 GMT

Psalm 119:158

Psalm 119:158 “I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey Your word.”

David is expressing his zeal for God in this verse. His love for God’s Word is so great that he is disgusted with those who do not obey it. It is easy to relate to the contempt David felt when it comes to those who mock God and His Word.

It is one thing to be zealous for God, it is another thing to be like God. In our zeal for God, we could feel quite justified in loathing those who don’t love God. However, if we have zeal without the balance of mercy, we could actually do damage to the work of God as we try to promote it. Proverbs 19:2 says, “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge.”

We need a knowledge of what God is like. God is slow to anger, and full of compassion. Jesus even expressed His disgust with the religious leaders of His day who did not know God. However, the trait we need to pick up is Jesus’ immediate forgiveness for anyone, no matter how loathsome they were. Zeal without knowledge is not good. The knowledge we need centers around God’s mercy. Without an understanding of mercy, we would stand ready to condemn a person to an eternity without God.

Jesus’ disgust was based on His love for His Father, not on a hatred for the people themselves. Zeal without knowledge can cause us to hate the sinner rather than the sin. As much as Jesus hated sin and was disgusted with those who mocked His Father, He always stood ready to forgive anyone who sought forgiveness. We can do no less. We must intermingle our zeal for God with His mercy and be ready to lead anyone to Jesus if they express repentance – regarless of how loathsome they may seem to be.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself how ready you are to lead the unlovely to Christ.

Continued

Psalm 119:157

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:53:20 GMT

Psalm 119:157

Psalm 119:157 “Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from Your statutes.”

“Statutes” are explicit laws. They distinctly mean laws that God has laid down and to which He expects obedience under any and all circumstances. This is especially important in light of what David is facing. He is being persecuted, yet he has not turned from God’s statutes. In 1 Samuel 24:4-6 we read, “Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward he said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.’” David knew that even if it meant his own life, he could not turn from God’s statutes.

When we are persecuted, we seem to feel justified in turning from God’s way of doing things. After all, we are being persecuted. This will always be a problem for the person who thinks their life is more important than God’s life. David loved his Lord more that he loved himself. Therefore, he could remain obedient even in the face of persecution.

In Communist China, an elderly man was persecuted for being a. Christian. Since he was also a. musician, they took his finger and sliced them with a razor blade. Then they held them in a fire so he would never be able to play the cello again. In our, typical, way of thinking, that would be grounds for retaliation. Listen to the words of this old man: “If I had a thousand hands with a thousand finger on each hand, I would gladly do it all over again for Jesus. I once used these fingers to bring music. Now I have Jesus and I am music.” His life has become a song that all should sing.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself how you would handle persecution. Do you turn from God’s statutes or obey them?

Continued

Psalm 119:156

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 13:03:38 GMT

Psalm 119:156

Psalm 119:156 “Your compassion is great, O Lord; preserve my life according to Your laws.”

We gain our life through the law of God because of His compassion. Moses experienced this like no other person has. In Exodus 34 we read the account of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. God has instructed Moses to chisel out two tablets and bring them to Him. “Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed His name, the Lord” Exodus 34:5. Then, He goes into great detail as to what His name means in verses 6-7, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” The truth is: All of these traits can be summed up in one word, mercy. The compassion (mercy) of God is great!

Prior to this incident, Moses had witnessed God in great power. He watched Him part the Red Sea, destroy his enemies, and lead him through the wilderness by a cloud and a pillar of fire. Now as God calls Moses to the mountaintop, he stands in great reverence and fear as God reveals Himself to him. Much to his surprise, he finds that He is not an angry dictator but rather a loving compassionate, slow to anger, loving God. What a relief! What joy! To find out that God (who could have wiped him out with His breath) is full of mercy, must have caused Moses great pleasure.

We read of his reaction in verse 8, “Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.” What could be more appropriate than that? When Moses found out what the Lord’s names means, he bowed down and worshiped Him. Because His compassion is great, because He IS compassion; His laws life us. His law brings life to us.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; worship your great, compassionate God.

Continued

Psalm 119:155

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:34:39 GMT

Psalm 119:155

Psalm 119:155 “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out Your decrees.”

A decree is a decision. In this case it is a decision God has made to give us direction for life. The proof of our salvation is that we live in obedience to God’s decrees. However, in order to live in obedience to them we must first seek them out. To “seek” is to be in pursuit of. To be in pursuit of God’s decrees indicates a certain level of love for Him.

The gospel is a love story. It is the greatest expression of love that has ever been displayed. In the Psalms, David is expressing his pursuit of God. However, in The Song of Solomon we see God’s pursuit of His bride.

God loved us long before we ever loved Him. God was seeking us out before we ever thought of seeking Him. “You have stolen my heart, my sister my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes” Song of Solomon (Songs) 4:9. If you have ever pursued someone, you know how a single glance of their eyes can cause your heart to flutter. We were sought out by God. Just turning our eyes to Him and looking to Him is how we can steal His heart.

If a relationship is healthy, it is mutual. There has to be a seeking on both parts. My father often told me, “Your mom chased me until I caught her.” At the same time God is seeking us out, we are to be seeking Him out.

“Salvation is far from the wicked.” The proof of that is they do not seek out God’s decrees. “In His pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” Psalm 10:4. The wicked live for themselves. Therefore, there is no pursuit of God. They do not have thoughts of God.

Take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself if you have a true pursuit of God. Do you seek Him?

Continued

Psalm 119:154

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 16:29:39 GMT

Psalm 119:154

Psalm 119:154 “Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to Your promise.”

David is saying, in essence, “Defend my cause by redeeming me, which will life me!” If you are a Christian, you have a cause. And that cause is Jesus! There is no other cause we are to give ourselves to, other than this one. The whole essence of the work of God is that we are to reveal Christ to others.

For David to pray, “Defend me,” indicates that he has been either imprisoned because of his cause, or that he has charges against him. Jesus paid a price for just one cause; that of revealing Himself to the lost. This one cause will bring our nation back to being everything we want it to be. Christ’s feelings are so strong about this cause that He was willing to pay any price to redeem us.

The word “freedom” means to liberate by means of payment. Jesus liberated us by means of paying with His own life. He gave His own life to set us free so we could have the liberty to show others the way to freedom. Our redemption is the justification of our cause. Through our redemption, our cause is enhanced. Our redemption lifes us. It brings the very life of Jesus into us.

David prayed, “Redeem me; preserve my life [life me].” We reveal Christ to others through reflecting His likeness. This is the defense of our cause. When we reveal Jesus to others, our cause is justified. The revelation of Christ to a lost world is viewed by the Father as most significant. Any cause that fails to reveal the character and nature of Jesus is pointless.

I have witnessed many people standing up for many causes. However, in the midst of promoting their cause they failed to reveal anything about the nature of who Jesus really is. The revealing of Christ should be the thing that compels us beyond anything else.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; consider whether or not others see Jesus when they see you.

Psalm 119:153

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 14:49:38 GMT

Psalm 119:153

Psalm 119:153 “Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten Your law.”

In this verse, David is seeking deliverance. He is using his remembrance (practice) of God’s law as his premise for asking for deliverance. Obedience is a symbol of love. Our love for God is directly related to our obedience to Him. If a person declares their love to God but does not follow God’s law, their declaration of love is considered false by God.

We read of this, in Ezekiel 33:31, “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they DO NOT PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE (emphasis mine). With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.” Devotion is measured by our obedience to God, not by our statement of love. It is one thing to tell God how much we love Him; it is quite another thing to live in obedience to Him. Obedience is the measure of love.

In Psalm 34:4 we read, “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, He delivered me from all my fears.” Deliverance comes through seeking God, not necessarily from seeking deliverance. We find God in our obedience to Him. Therefore, if we are truly seeking God, we will live in obedience. David, in essence, is praying, “Deliver me on the basis of my obedience, which signifies my love for You.” The presence of God is our deliverance.

The New Testament puts it this way, “God is love,” 1 John 4:8. Later, in that same chapter, John says, “But perfect love drives out all fear” 1 John 4:18. Perfect love (God) is what delivers us. It is our love relationship with God that delivers us from fear as well as from suffering. If we live in fear, it’s because our love relationship with God is not what it should be. We are not spending adequate time in His presence.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself how obedient you are to God.

Continued.

Psalm 119:152

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 14:48:08 GMT

Psalm 119:152

Psalm 119:152 “Long ago I learned from Your statutes that You established them to last forever.”

Statutes distinctly mean a law laid down. It means an explicit law. It has to do with the divine order of things. David learned in his youth the need to obey God’s divine law. He had gone through many different trials because he did not explicitly obey the statutes of God. Now he refers back to days gone by and says, “Long ago I learned from Your statutes.”

As wise as David’s son Solomon was, he lacked the heart of his father. David was unique in that his heart was one of conviction. Solomon had wisdom. But not the same conviction his father had.

In 1 Kings 3:3 we read about Solomon, “Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.” The high places are the altars of idols. Solomon did what his dad did. He walked according to God’s statutes. However, he would not tear down the high places. He mixed godliness with ungodliness.

Because Solomon lacked the same kind of intensity David had for pursuing God, his heart lacked conviction. He followed tradition. When a person follows tradition, they do things the way Mom and Dad did things. However, they also allow all types of other things in their life because they don’t have the same purity of heart.

All of Solomon’s wisdom could not cause him to develop a heart like David’s heart developed out of a love for God and God alone. He was not taken up with lifestyle; he was taken up with the Author of life.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; consider whether you allow a little ungodliness to intermingle with your godliness.

Continued.

Psalm 119:151

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:05:08 GMT

Psalm 119:151

Psalm 119:151 “Yet You are near, O Lord, and all Your commands are true.”

This is the continuation of the previous verse. In it, David said the wicked are near. In this verse he states, “Yet You are near, O Lord.” Romans 5:20 puts it this way, “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” When the wicked seem to be overwhelming us, the presence of God becomes all that much more powerful.

David put everything into perspective. He said the wicked were near, but they were far from the law of God. God is near also, and His commands are true. The wicked plan schemes which are ultimately false, the commands of God are true. We can put our trust in God’s plan.

A command is an uttered expression of God’s will, which is to be obeyed. When we obey His commands, we no longer have to live in any fear of the wicked. Some may ask, “Why does God demand so much obedience?” The answer is He wants to protect us from the schemes of the wicked; God doesn’t demand obedience so He can show Himself as some type of tyrant or mean-spirited dictator.

Obedience to God works in our benefit. It becomes our protection. All the promises of God are conditionally based on our obedience to Him. When we come to the full revelation that God’s commands are true, we need never live in envy of the success of the wicked.

“You are near, O Lord.” David knew the true fountain of life came in the form of God’s presence. The presence of God is experienced through following the commands of God. Whether or not we obey God is determined by our love of His presence. Are you content with the presence of God, or must you have more? When we MUST have more, we are in danger of falling into the schemes of the wicked.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself how content you are with just the presence of God.

Continued

Psalm 119:150

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:02:43 GMT

Psalm 119:150

Psalm 119:150 “Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from Your law.”

The word “law” means teaching. Wicked schemes are the opposite of the teachings of God. Those who devise wicked schemes seem always to be successful. In Psalm 10:2 we read, “In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises.”

The next few verses say the wicked man blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. Because of his pride, he does not seek God at all. Verse 5 says, “His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him.” We are often upset at the prosperity of the wicked. However, what would be better; to be prosperous and far from the teachings of God, or to be humble and a follower of God?

To fall into the schemes of the wicked does not necessarily mean our material ruin. However, being far from God’s law will ultimately mean our spiritual ruin. The key is discernment. What it teaches us is that not all material blessings are of God. The wicked are often prosperous. First Timothy 6:5 teaches us that godliness does not always result in material gain. “Men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” Friends, the truth is, Godliness only guarantees spiritual gain.

Ephesians 6:11 teaches us, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” The devil has trapped many spiritually weak people under the guise of material success. All the Scripture is teaching us is to put on the whole armor of God so we can discern whether something is of God of or of the devil. David said, in this verse, that the wicked were near and were often successful from a fleshly perspective, but not from a spiritual perspective for they are far from the law of God.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; determine that you are not going to go the way of all flesh, but will stick to the teachings of God.

Continued

Psalm 119:149

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 14:59:42 GMT

Psalm 119:149

Psalm 119:149 “Hear my voice in accordance with Your love; preserve my life, O Lord, according to Your laws.”

If God hears us in accordance with His love, then we can rest assured He always hears us. What a wonderful thought. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that we ask anything according to His will, He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him” 1 John 5:14-15.

God’s love is the same as His will. The love of God insists on mercy. To pray according to God’s will is to pray with mercy as the motive. If we pray for anything with the desire for God to be merciful, we pray according to His will. If our heart is sincere, when we pray for God to bless our life so we can continue to bless others, that is a prayer of mercy.

If we pray for God to bless our life so we can heap upon our lust, we pray outside the will of God. James puts it this way, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” James 4:3. Mercy is our source of life. The mercy prayer is a prayer of life. We have life because God chose to have mercy on us. When we pray asking God to have mercy on others, we are in essence asking God to life that person, or to bring life to that person. When we have a desire for others to have life, we continue to receive life our self. The merciful continue to get mercy (see Matthew 5:7).

David in essence is saying, “Hear my voice in accordance with Your love, and life (preserve) me.” When we pray out of a merciful heart, that prayer becomes our very source of life. God will life us. He will put us to life through this simple prayer, “Lord have mercy.”

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; examine the motive behind your prayers. Do you pray for the sake of mercy?

Continued

Psalm 119:148

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 14:56:03 GMT

Psalm 119:148

Psalm 119:148 “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promises.”

David had a heart that burned for God. In Psalm 39:3 we read, “My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned.” David would stay awake throughout the night just to meditate on the Word. And the more he meditated, the more the fire burned. I don’t imagine David was able to stay awake all night, every night. However, the challenge before us is: do we have any sense of fire at all? Have we ever missed any sleep in order to meditate on the Word of God? De we have a burning within us for God?

David had a fire that guided him through the night. Nighttime and darkness are often equated with times of oppression or trouble – it’s when things are not quite as clear as they are in the light. The children of Israel knew of the fire of God, also.

In Exodus 13:21 we read, “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.” The children of God were guided through the night by the fire of the Lord. The fire of God will guide us through the darkness of oppression. When we are in the heat of battle, when we are in the darkest valleys, the fire of God that burns within us keeps us going.

Burn-out comes when we lose the fire. When there is no longer a burning in our hearts for our God, we burn out. There’s no flame left. In Exodus 3:2 it says, “There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the flames of the fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn out!”

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask God to put a new fire in your heart for Him.

Continued

Psalm 119:147

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 13:43:23 GMT

Psalm 119:147

Psalm 119:147 “I rise before dawn and cry out for help; I have put my hope in Your Word.”

There was a determination in David’s life that shames most of us. He had an aching in his soul for the Word of God. Because of the hope he had in God’s Word, he would rise early just to hear from Him. David said, “I have put my hope in Your Word.” The hope of our lives lies not only in God’s written Word, but also in Him spoken Word. Whenever and however God speaks to us, it is a powerful and moving experience.

That which determines whether or not we “hear” from God is our love for the Word. Our love for the Word is tested by our obedience to it. If we are not obedient to it, if we do not have the kind of resolve David had, we will be open to deception.

In Deuteronomy 13:1-4 we read about the power of the false prophet. The account tells us that they can perform miraculous signs and wonders. However, in verses 3-4 it says, “You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart… It is the Lord your God you must follow… Keep His commands and obey Him.” Those who love God and keep His commands will not be taken in by the miraculous power of the false prophet. This “testing” sorts out the true bride of Christ from those who are simply church-goers.

The “test” of the Lord comes in the form of experiential Christianity versus Biblical Christianity. Today, it seems we are trying to prove whether or not something is from God by our experiences rather than by the Word of God. If we are a Biblically uninformed society, then, anything that appears miraculous will be considered to be from God. The problem with this is that not all things miraculous are from God.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself if your hope is in God’s Word.

Continued.

Psalm 119:146

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:50:49 GMT

Psalm 119:146

Psalm 119:146 “I call out to You; save me and I will keep Your statutes.”

David is making a new commitment to God because of oppression. In essence, he is saying, “If You save me I will keep Your statutes.” His call to be saved is not a call for salvation in the sense of being saved from sin, but rather a saving from evil men. Once again, he is being oppressed by evil men. However, oppression may not always be bad if it drives us to new commitments to God.

Proverbs 16:4 says, “The Lord works out everything for His own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster.” “The wicked,” or the “day of disaster,” can be a part of God’s plan for our life. God works everything for His own ends. Everything God does is done to, ultimately, bring glory to Him. However, God is not seeking glory to quench His ego. It’s not that He has a need to be glorified; it’s for the good of us.

When Jesus is lifted up (glorified), all people will be drawn unto Him. Even the wicked have a role in this. If the wicked can be used as a catalyst to cause people to keep God’s statutes, then they play a vital role in the plan of God. (Just let that settle in.)

Proverbs 16:19 goes on to say, “Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share in plunder with the proud.” We are all in the process of taking on the mind of Christ. We don’t naturally think as Jesus thinks. Our thoughts are often limited to this life only. God wants us to see there is more than just this life to be concerned with. In this verse, He is telling us just that. In essence, he is saying, “If living among the oppressed will develop lowliness in you, if it will cause you to keep my commandments and statutes, that is better for you than to live the good life with those. Who don’t seek Me.”

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself which is eternally better for you: to live with those who love you, but who never cause you to seek God; or to live among those who oppress you and cause you to seek God?

Continued

Psalm 119:145

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 17:12:09 GMT

Psalm 119:145

Psalm 119:145 “I call with all my heart; answer me, O Lord, and I will obey Your decrees.”

There are several things David did “with all his heart.” He followed God with all his heart (1 Kings 14:8), he would praise God with all his heart (Psalm 9:1). He would seek God with all his heart (Psalm 119:34), he sought God’s face with all his heart (Psalm 119:58), and he kept God’s precepts with all his heart. What a wonderful quality. This was what distinguished David from others.

David had a pure heart, which is the opposite of a deceitful heart. A pure heart can seek God with all that it is because it has nothing to hide. The heart is who we are. When it is pure, so are we. If the heart is deceitful, so are we. If there is deceit in our heart, we are hindered in our pursuit of God.

We read about the deceitful heart in Hosea 10:2-3: “Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones. Then they will say, ‘We have no king because we did not revere the Lord.’”

The deceitful heart is a divided heart. It cannot focus on God wholly. David was able to give his heart wholly to God because there was no deceitfulness in it. The people in Hosea’s day recognized that they had no king because they did not revere the Lord. To do anything unto God with our whole heart is to recognize His as our KING. David called unto his KING with his heart. “Answer me, and I will obey.”

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, consider the condition of your own heart. Continued

Psalm 119:144

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 16:24:46 GMT

Psalm 119:144

Psalm 119:144 “Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live.”

Understanding is the doing of wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge and insight. Understanding is putting our feet to our wisdom. It is the doing, or acting upon, what we know. While prayer is the chief thing we do, it cannot be the only thing we do. It is one thing for us to pray for our family; it is another thing to be a godly example in front on them. It is one thing to take our kids to church; it is entirely another thing to go to church with them. The man who has understanding will go with them. He will put to practice the wisdom God has given him.

David was asking for understanding so that he could live according to the statues of God. Statutes are laws. David knew the wisest thing he could do would be to obey God’s laws. Our life comes through our obedience to God. David said, “Give me understanding that I may live!” There is no life in disobedience to God.

In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Satan steals life through enticing us to be disobedient. Through disobedience, the life of God is destroyed. Jesus came so we may have life. That life comes through our understanding which promotes obedience.

If you have an area of disobedience in your life, think how much of life you have been robbed of. A person should counter disobedience with obedience. Every time you are obedient to God, you are taking back the life Satan stole from you.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask God to give you understanding so that you will have life. Continued

Psalm 119:143

Fri, 30 May 2025 17:07:07 GMT

Psalm 119:143

Psalm 119:143 “Trouble and distress have come upon me, but Your commands are my delight.”

Trouble and distress are a part of the normal Christian life. (Oh, that they weren’t.) It’s not a matter of if trouble will come, it’s more of a matter of when it will come. According to Jesus, if you have the Spirit of Christ in you, the world is going to hate you. That alone will cause trouble. The key is not that of avoiding trouble, because it cannot be avoided. The key is that of having delight in God. If we do not delight in God, those troubles will overwhelm us.

In the midst of trouble, we typically want to retaliate as best we can so as to relieve ourselves. However, that is the very thing God does not want us to do (retaliate). When we get mad at our God, we want another god, but the command of God says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” If your delight is in His commands, this one command will keep you from sin.

When a teenager gets mad at Mom and Dad, God says, “Honor your father and your mother.” If the teen’s delight is in the command of God, this one will keep him/her from sin. Right about the time troubles and pressure challenge us to not be quite as committed to the things of God, God reminds us of His command, “Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy.”

Our delight in the commands of God will keep us from sin in the time of trouble. It’s during trouble that one seems most vulnerable to temptation and sin. That which pulls us through is our desire to please God. If we delight in His commands, it’s because we have a basic desire to please Him.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; meditate on His commands, You shall have no other gods before me, You shall not make for yourself an idol, You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain, Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy, Honor your father and your mother, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, You shall not covet.

Continued

Psalm 119:142

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:24:04 GMT

Psalm 119:142

Psalm 119:142 “Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true.”

Righteousness is everlasting, it keeps on going and going and going. Righteousness never ends; it has an eternal effect on the things it touches. We are eternal beings because of the righteousness of God. Through His righteousness, we have gained eternal life. Now that we have been made righteous, through the blood of Christ, we are called to perform acts of righteousness (see Revelation 19:8). Our acts of righteousness have an eternal effect on the ones they touch.

Things that are eternal may not come to pass for some time. We are so prone to thinking in terms of the day in which we live in that we forget some things may not take effect until the life to come. Consider this. When Moses was walking on this earth doing acts of righteousness, do you think he had any idea those acts would have an effect on us today? When Moses was trudging through the wilderness listening every day to the grumblings of his people, do you think he had any idea that one day, because of his acts of righteousness, he would appear with the Son of God on the Mount of Transfiguration?

In 1 Kings 17:3-4, we read of the time when God called Elijah to the desert, “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” As Elijah was in the desert being fed by raves, do you think he had any idea that because of his righteous acts, one day he not only would stand with the Son of God on the Mount of Transfiguration, but also be the prophet referred to in the New Testament, 30 different times? What is it you may be doing for Jesus today, that could have an effect on eternity?

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; remember there is more to this life than what you see and hear today. Continued.

Psalm 119:141

Wed, 28 May 2025 16:21:10 GMT

Psalm 119:141

Psalm 119:141 “Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget Your precepts.”

“Precepts” are instructions. In this case, they are God’s instructions to David. David was determined to obey God’s instructions even though they caused the world to hate him. David said he was, lowly and despised. Lowliness is a love of nothingness. When we willfully give everything to Jesus, we are left with nothing. God keeps taking away and taking away until the only thing we have left is God!

Once we have only God, we have everything. However, that sate of nothingness is convicting to others because it reveals Jesus. Jesus told us the world hates Him because He testifies that what it does (the world) is evil (see John 7:7). Lowliness makes the same statement. The one who is lowly is often despised because of how their life reveals Jesus, and the world hates Jesus. However, if we will remain obedient in the face of persecution, we will be saved. In Matthew 10:22 Jesus tells us this also, “All people will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

The one who continues to follow God’s precepts, even in the face of persecution, will be saved. Jesus was, “despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not” Isaiah 53:3. Yet, in the face of all that rejection, He still followed His Father’s instructions and became obedient unto death.

Typically, we are quick to give up doing things God’s way when persecution comes. However, if lowliness comes through obedience, and obedience is one of the most effective ways to reveal Christ, what option do we have?

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if you have a love for nothingness. Continued.

Psalm 119:140

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Psalm 119:140

Psalm 119:140 “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and Your servant loves them.”

The testing referred to here deals with the purifying power of the Word of God. It could read, “Your Word is pure” or “Your Word is a purification,” this is why Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you,” John 15:3. It’s not saying that the promises are a pure thing (though they are) but rather that they are something that purifies. Your promises have been tested or, I have run Your promises through the fire, and they purify me.

When we are being tested, we put the Word to the test. In the midst of the test (fire), we are being purified by the Word of God. Jeremiah says, “Is not my word like a fire,’ declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces’” Jeremiah 23:29. In a trial, we often feel as though we have come up against a rock or something immovable. As we cling to the Word of God, it begins to purify us.

After purification takes place, the Word then becomes like a hammer that removes the trial (rock). It breaks it into small pieces. As Christ was led into the wilderness to fast and pray, the Word of God was His only sustenance. Later, it became a hammer which crushed His opposition. Every time Satan tempted Him, Jesus quoted the Word.

It’s no wonder David loved the promises of God! David was a servant. Servants need tools with which to accomplish their service. The service God’s servants perform is the exaltation of God through the defeat of the enemy. Satan is defeated by us becoming the opposite of him. The Word of God is the perfect tool for the task. God’s Word is truth. Satan is the father of lies. The way the father of lies is defeated is through the working of truth in our lives. The Word not only purifies us, it also removes that which hinders further service.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. Can you say that you love the Word of God? Continued.

Psalm 119:139

Wed, 21 May 2025 17:29:13 GMT

Psalm 119:139

Psalm 119:139 “My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore Your words.”

David was not only consumed with his zeal for God, his zeal was consuming him. He was becoming weary with the lack of attention the ungodly were giving his God. Phinehas was also a man filled with a zeal for God. When Moab seduced Israel with the Midianite women, Israel fell into sin. The men of Israel even began to worship Baal.

At one time, the sin became so blatant than an Israelite man brought a Midianite woman into Israel’s camp. “When Phinehas son of Eleasar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly and took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them… Then the plague against Israel was stopped” Numbers 25:7-8. In VS 11 God says, “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned My ager away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them.”

Phinehas was able to turn away God’s anger because of his zeal for God. He was a zealous over the honor of God as God was. David has a similar heart. He, too, was zealous over the honor of his God. Do you have a zeal for the honor of God? Are you compelled to see His name glorified? Are you driven to cause others to see the majesty of God? Are you anywhere near being burned out for God?

John “Praying” Hyde was once examined physically, only to find that his heart had shifted to the right side of his body. His doctor told him that he was too burdened for the work he was doing and suggested he stop. However, Praying Hyde was consumed with a zeal for the glory of God to shine in India. He never stopped, even though it was literally taking his life from him.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; examine your zeal for God. Do you have any? Continued

Psalm 119:138

Tue, 20 May 2025 16:13:53 GMT

Psalm 119:138

Psalm 119:138 “The statutes You have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.”

Continuing on the same theme from the previous verse, David now declares that even that statutes of God are trustworthy. They are worthy of our trust. A statute is a law laid down, there is no wavering in our obedience to it. The good news is that the statutes are fully trustworthy. It is nice to know that since God has made a statute as something that must be obeyed, He also reassures us that they can be fully trusted.

God is asking nothing more of us than to put our lives in His hands. To put our life in the hands of God is more than just going to church, reading our Bible, and praying once in a while. We are being asked to give up the control we are used to having. We try to maintain control over our lives through things like savings accounts and insurance policies. Though there is nothing wrong with either of those things, they aren’t nearly as trustworthy as the statutes of God. When our trust is in temporal things, there is no security in our life even though we have those things for the sake of security.

George Muller was a great man of faith who built several orphanages without ever asking anyone but God for financial help. Late in his life, he was asked once by a young preacher how much he was worth. The young preacher assumed this man of faith must have acquired much in all his years of service to God.

Muller was quite disturbed at this, so he reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin purse. Inside were a few meager coins. He looked up and said, “Young man, this is all that I possess in the entire world. My trust is not in this, but in my God.” George Muller was in his nineties at the time, without even the means for retirement, yet he lived with no uncertainty about his future.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; ask yourself if you really believe you can trust your life to God’s statutes. Continued

Psalm 119:137

Mon, 19 May 2025 18:30:37 GMT

Psalm 119:137

Psalm 119:137 “Righteous are You, O Lord, and Your laws are right.”

The Lord is righteous, therefore, His. Laws are upright. Righteousness addresses our relationships with people, while godliness speaks of our relationship with God. The person who is righteous is a person who treats people the way God has treated them. Anything you do “in the Name of Jesus,” is considered an act of righteousness. If you bring someone a drink of cold water because you believe that is what Jesus would do for them, that becomes an act of righteousness.

The righteousness of God is displayed in His treatment of people. God’s very nature is that of treating people “right.” Therefore, all the laws He has laid down simply line up with His character. Typically, we view laws as restrictions.

We believe laws keep us from doing what we want to do. God sees His laws as protection from harm. They are designed to bring good into our lives. God lives within His Word. You find the life of God in His Word. Outside His law is evil of every type.

In Jeremiah 6, the prophet expressed how those who had left the law of God were in danger. He states in VS 15, “Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen.” Because they had left the law of God, they fell into sin. Eventually their conscience became so seared that they no longer even felt shame for their sin. Then Jeremiah called them back to the law of God in VS 16, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths (laws), ask where the good way is, and walk in it.’” All of God’s laws are right.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, consider the fact that all that God does is right for He is righteous.

Continued

Psalm 119:136

Fri, 16 May 2025 18:34:18 GMT

Psalm 119:136

Psalm 119:136 “Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.”

David was so taken up with his God that he wept when His laws we not obeyed. Have you ever been broken over the broken heart of God? Have you ever wept over the sinfulness of mankind? The constant theme of David’s life was that he had a heart for God. We can often be guilty of weeping over the lawlessness of people, not because they are lost, but because of how their disobedience is making life harder for us. David was concerned about the heart of his God.

In Psalm 6:5-6 we read, “No one remembers you when they are dead. Who praises you from the grave? I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” In these verses, David is weeping over the lost praises of the dead.

We often misunderstand the true wealth of worship. David was a worshiper, and he saw it for what it truly is. His tears were shed over those who died without God; primarily because God would no longer be able to be praise by them.

Sometimes I think we miss the point when our sorrow for the lost is based simply on their loss. What about God’s loss! We are all His children. Ephesians 1:5-6 says, “He predestined us to be adopted as His sons and daughters though Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will – to the praise of His glorious grace.” Every saved soul is a glorification of His grace.

We are the praise His grace. When a person dies without God, God has lost their praise forever. That is the true tragedy of sin. Once we see the need to bring people to Christ for God’s sake, rather than for their own sake, we will find our motives will become much purer in praying for them.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask God for a heart like David’s. Continued

Psalm 119:135

Wed, 14 May 2025 15:50:19 GMT

Psalm 119:135

Psalm 119:135 “Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your decrees.”

David is basically asking the Lord; Give me a sense of Your approval. Let me know by the testimony of Your Spirit, in my conscience, that I am reconciled to You. The goldy throughout all the ages have derived their happiness from a consciousness of divine favor. The witness of God’s Spirit in the souls of believers is an essential principal in religion today, as it has always been. The greatest need people have is to know that God approves of them. “Restore us, O God; make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” Psalm 80:3. The face of God shines out of darkness.

When His face shines upon us, it is a sign that we have passed from darkness to light. When Moses spoke to God face to face, the radiance of God glowed on his face. The glory of God was too strong for others to handle. Therefore, Moses was asked to put a veil over his face. What is the radiance og God? It is Jesus!

2 Corinthians 4:6 tells us, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of the darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.” Jesus is the glory of God. To have Him in your heart is to reflect Him in your face. There should be a radiance to our lives.

“Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame” Psalm 34:5. The face that lacks Jesus is a face full of shame. When Jesus shines His face on us, it removes the shame. It causes us to know that one day when we all stand before Him, there will be no shame. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord makes His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace” Numbers 6:24-26.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask to shine upon you. Continued

Psalm 119:134

Tue, 13 May 2025 16:01:13 GMT

Psalm 119:134

Psalm 119:134 “Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey Your precepts.”

The word “redeem” means to liberate by means of payment. The cry of David’s heart is to be set free from the oppression of the spirit of this world. The spirit of this world burdens us through peer pressure. Young people are not the only ones affected by peer pressure. I once read a note to young people that said, “Don’t laugh at the way your dad wears his hair; it’s the way all the people he works with wear theirs. Don’t laugh at the kind of car he drives; it’s just like his friends’ cars. Don’t mock Mom for wearing the dress she does, it’s what Hollywood is telling her to wear.”

The answer to David’s prayer has come to us in the form of a Saviour. Jesus liberated us through paying a great price. He came to set us free. We no longer need to worry about the world’s “look” and “status” because we are now free of its pressure. This is what overcoming the world means.

In visiting with a friend who had a fairly shady past, he said to me, “When I was first saved, I was amazed at the freedom I had, to not do what I used to do. The pressure I always felt, to be like everybody else was gone. I was redeemed.”

Paul says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” [oppression] Galatians 5:1. Today it seems the Church has gone full circle concerning freedom. Today the cry is, “We are free to do what the world is doing.” Paul warned us of that. We are free to go back to the same “party spirit” we were saved from. To go back to that is to go back to the oppression of men. “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature” Galatians 5:13. David wanted to be free so he could follow the precepts of God more closely.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself how you use your freedom in Christ. Continued

Psalm 119:133

Mon, 12 May 2025 16:25:04 GMT

Psalm 119:133

Psalm 119:133 “Direct my footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me.”

Sin cannot rule over the person whose footsteps are directed by the Lord. An amazing thing happens when a person humbles themselves before their God in a renewed determination to obey God. The devil flees. The devil must flee because through humility Jesus comes on the scene. So often we have a mental picture of spiritual battle that being od Satan giving one blow after another to Jesus. Then Jesus musters His strength and answers each blow with a counter blow. That is not so! The battle is won, the devil is defeated.

Satan would like to direct our steps away from God. He would like to take the easy path where he could then rule over us. However, if we determine to submit ourselves to God, Satan must flee. James puts it this way, “Submit yourselves to God. Come near to God and He will come near to you” James 4:7-8. The devil will flee from those who submit and resist. When we take one step toward God, we find that He has already taken a hundred steps toward us.

If we look at James 4:6 we read, “But He gives us more grace. That is why the Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” Through submission, we resist the devil. Through pride we resist God. If we will walk according to the Word of God, no sin will rule over us because our submission to it brings Jesus. When Jesus is present, the devil flees. There is an amazing freedom over sin that can be experienced by anyone willing to humble themselves before God. Typically, humbling comes through confessing your sin to someone and asking them for help. The instant we do that, God gives us grace. If we fail in this, we fail in everything.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, consider whether your life is directed by His Word. Continued.

Psalm 119:132

Wed, 07 May 2025 16:37:14 GMT

Psalm 119:132

Psalm 119:132 “Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love Your name.”

God has mercy on those who love His name. What’s in a name? In the name of Jesus, there is everything! There’s deliverance in His name, there’s healing in His name, and there’s salvation in His name. His name is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. To love His name is to love all that it represents, not only for yourself but for others too. I love the salvation that is in His name, but I love it for others, also. I want others to name the name of Jesus also because of what that name will mean for them. If I desire mercy for others, God will give it to me also.

What will cause God to turn to you and have mercy on you? It will be your desire for others to experience the mercy of God. Can you imagine God turning to you? Can you see yourself standing with the multitudes in heaven worshipping Jesus when suddenly He turns to you and gives you His personal attention? What would cause that? A love for His name!

Isaiah 26:8-9 says, “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for You in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for You. When Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.” The eye of the true prophet sees judgment as merciful. He sees judgment as separation of evil from good.

In verse 10, Isaiah goes on to say that if judgment doesn’t take place, they will continue to do evil, “And regard not the majesty of the Lord.” If the world doesn’t understand what the name of Jesus means, they will never regard the majesty of the Lord. Do you want God to turn to you and have mercy on you? Love, respect, and honor His name!

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you have true desires for His name.

Continued.

Psalm 119:131

Tue, 06 May 2025 22:09:25 GMT

Psalm 119:131

Psalm 119:131 “I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commands.”

“I open my mouth and pant,” is a metaphor taken from an animal exhausted in the chase. It runs, open-mouthed to take in the cooling air, its heart beating rapidly, its muscular force nearly expended through fatigue. Nothing could demonstrate its earnestness in a stronger way. David sought the things of God with the same intensity one would use to run from a ferocious beast.

David was a shepherd. He had much experience concerning the habits of animals. He most likely witnessed the attack of savage wolves on his flock. He probably observed the graceful deer in need of water. He most likely monitored the hungry hawk as he scanned the earth in a relentless search for food.

In all of these instances, he learned of the determination which drove them toward their goal. He likens these things to his own pursuit of God. He panted after the things of God as an animal in desperate need. He knew his very life was contained in the law of God.

There was another time that David talked about panting. In Psalm 42:1-2 we read, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Have you ever prayed, “Lord, make me hungry and thirsty for You – just You?”David had a longing in his heart that puts us to shame. His heart cried, “When can I go and meet with God?” Too often our hearts cry, “When will the prayer meeting be over?”

Martha Wing Robinson once said, “Take all the time you have, all the thought you have, all the energy you have to spare, and follow on to know Jesus, Jesus!” David’s cry in this verse was, “I have completely expended myself in pursuit of my God.”

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you seek God with a true sense of desperation.

Continued

Psalm 119:130

Mon, 05 May 2025 16:15:31 GMT

Psalm 119:130

Psalm 119:130 “The unfolding of Your Words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

Here is our hope: God gives understanding to the simple. That understanding comes through the unfolding of His Word. God can only reveal to us what we can handle. No person can see God and live. That statement has two meanings.

If God were to completely show Himself to us in all His glory, before we were ready, it would be our earthly end. God would consume us. Another way to view this, is that no person can see God and live the way they have been. A revelation of God would change our lives forever. Saul had one of those experiences on the road to Damascus. He saw Jesus and it blinded him. However, after he regained his sight, he was never the same again.

God has to unfold His Word to us. “Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk” 1 Peter 2:2. Babies cannot handle the full revelation of God’s Word. The meat of the Word is for those who have learned to chew. “Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk to those just taken from the breast? For it is: Do and do, [precept upon precept] do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule, a little here, a little there” Isaiah 28:9-10. The Lord is teaching those who have been weaned from milk. Even then, He is teaching very slowly. It is line upon line, or unfolding upon unfolding.

We receive revelation according to our capacity to take it in. T. Austin-Sparks once said, “Truth received and not responded to means spiritual declension and loss of capacity.” Our capacity to acquire is determined by our response to the truth we have already received. If God speaks to our hearts concerning some area of obedience, and we do not obey, our capacity to receive further truth will diminish.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, think of God’s wonder. Continued

Psalm 119:129

Fri, 02 May 2025 19:12:50 GMT

Psalm 119:129

Psalm 119:129 “Your statutes are wonderful; therefore, I obey them.”

When we consider something to be “wonderful,” we often think in terms of it being marvelous or unusually good. God’s “wonderful” statutes, in this case, means that they are beyond comprehension. They are too amazing for our minds to comprehend. A statute is an explicit law which is to be obeyed.

David is expressing his explicit love and obedience to God by saying in essence, “Even though Your statutes are beyond my ability to understand, they are full of wonder. I will obey them because of my trust in You.” Another way of phrasing this is found in the writing of David’s son, Solomon, in Proverbs 3:5, “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

In Judges 13, we find the account of Samson’s birth. An angel appeared to Samson’s mother and told her she would have a baby boy. In verse 8, Manoah, Samson’s father, prayed, “O Lord, I beg You, let the man of God You sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” After the angel reappeared and instructed them, Manoah inquired of the angel and said, “What is your name?”

In verse 18 the angel replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” The word “understanding” literally means, “wonderful.” The angel replied, “My name is too wonderful for you to even understand.” We are not to base our obedience to God on what we understand about God. Who understands God? Do you?

David had a simple love for God that made his relationship with Him something sweet. It was David who said, “My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me” Psalm 131:1. The proud person must have everything explained to them before they will obey. The humble person simply says, “God You are too wonderful for me, I will innocently obey You.”

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, think of God’s wonder. Continued.

Psalm 119:128

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:04:10 GMT

Psalm 119:128

Psalm 119:128 “and because I consider all Your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.”

The evil path is the one that does not follow God’s instructions. “Precepts” is the word “instructions.” When God instructs us, we are to follow those instructions explicitly. Wavering from God’s instructions is evil. David lived under the oppression of King Saul for many years. He knew first hand that disobeying God’s instructions was evil.

In 1 Samuel 15:3, God had instructed King Saul, “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” He was instructed to destroy all traces of the Amalekites. In verse 9 we read, “But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs – everything that was good.” In verse 10-11 we read, “Then the Word of the Lord cane to Samuel: “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.’” God gave explicit instructions to destroy everything that represented the Amalekites.

The Amalekites were very fleshly, carnal people. They represented man’s continual struggle with the flesh. If Saul would have completely destroyed them, we would not be so subject to fleshly problems today. However, Saul did not carry out God’s instructions completely. His actions were considered so evil by God that He ultimately removed Saul from his position as King. David so loved his God that he literally hated everything that was not in accordance with God’s precepts.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you obey God explicitly, or do you have little “insignificant” areas of disobedience in your life? Continued

Psalm 119:127

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:29:02 GMT

Psalm 119:127

Psalm 119:127 “Because I love Your commands more than gold, more than pure gold,”

Though this verse is not complete (it continues in verse 128), it makes a very important statement. David considers God’s commands to be more precious than gold. He is expressing his understanding of true wealth. The Hebrew meaning for wealth is that of attaining peace of mind. In the first few verses of this section (Ayin), David does not have a peace of mind. He is being oppressed by ungodly men. However, by this verse the Word of God is working in his heart bringing him true wealth. David is discovering that money cannot purchase peace of mind.

David said in essence, “Your commands have given me something greater than gold.” Peace of mind. The truly wealthy person is a person of contentment. Peace of mind comes through knowing you are right with God. In 1 Timothy 6, we read about the false doctrine of the love of money. Verses 3-4, say that anyone who gives themselves to false doctrine and rejects the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ is conceited and understands nothing. Verse 5 says that their corrupt mind believes that godliness is a measure to financial gain. Verse 6 sets us straight when it clearly states, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” Peace of mind is wealth.

Peace of mind will never come through trying to gain control of our life, but rather through giving control of your life to God. Keep in mind that it is the conceited person, the self-centered person, who desires to control others. That is why 1 Timothy 6:20 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” It is evil to desire to control others or even our self, rather than giving God control of our life.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you truly love the commands of God more than gold. Continued

Psalm 119:126

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 16:35:13 GMT

Psalm 119:126

Psalm 119:126 “It is the for You to act, O Lord; Your law is being broken.”

In the previous verse, David prayed for discernment concerning the men who were oppressing him. In this verse, it appears that he received his instruction. He is to do nothing! It is the time for the Lord to act! David came to the realization that God will defend His law. The Law of God was being broken, and that carries its own consequences. David doesn’t have to do a thing. God will do it all.

God has established divine order, or government, by which this universe is run. This order is detailed in His law. When we follow the Law of God explicitly, we benefit from our obedience. However, if we fail to obey God’s Law, government comes into play. Another term for government is that of reaping.

The New Testament equivalent of government is found in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” To be disobedient to the Law of God is to mock God. Don’t be deceived: God cannot be mocked. We will reap what we sow. Deception comes in the form of thinking we are a god unto our self. That is what the deception of sin is all about.

When the serpent deceived Eve, he did so by telling her she would be like God. To be like God would mean we could control the effects of sin. Satan deceives us into thinking that we can sin without it having any effect upon us. He says to us, “One more time won’t hurt anything. Go ahead and sin.”

Paul says, “Don’t be deceived, you will reap what you sow because God cannot be mocked.” You cannot play God. You cannot control government. David finally came to this revelation and said, “They are breaking Your Law. You will act. I don’t have to.”

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you concern yourself with other people’s sin more than you have to, or do you depend on God to deal with them. Continued

Psalm 119:125

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 16:05:42 GMT

Psalm 119:125

Psalm 119:125 “I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand Your statutes.”

David is asking for discernment so he may understand. Even though the statutes of God are explicit laws, there is more to understanding them than what the intellect can offer. Our intellect gives us one type of understanding, our spiritual life and insight give us another. The Word of God is alive and active; God lives within His Word. To be properly understood, it takes the Spirit of God. David was being oppressed by arrogant men, and he wanted to know the godly way to deal with them.

In John 16:13, Jesus says, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears.” The Spirit of God guides us into all truth. Our intellect does not necessarily guide truthfully. Our intellect is biased. It has preconceived ideas, and when we depend on it wholly, it can lead us astray. The Spirit of God, however, has no bias. He does not speak on His own; He only speaks what He hears the Father tell Him.

To pray for discernment is to ask God to take away any bias we may already have. It is to open our mind to the pure unadulterated Word of God. It is to hear what the Holy Spirit hears. However, to be able to discern, we must have a standard. Discernment is impossible without a norm.

Jesus, the Word, is the norm by which we compare or discern. Everything must be measured by who Jesus is. This applies to understanding that statutes of God or discerning the spirit of another person. Discernment is that of comparing what we see in others and what we read in the Bible to who we know Jesus to be.

Since Jesus is the standard for all discernment, we need to spend time in His presence. If we fail to pray and read the Word daily, we lose a sense of who He is and what He is like. Hence, we lose the ability to discern because we have no norm.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask God to guide you into all truth. Continued

Psalm 119:124

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:44:10 GMT

Psalm 119:124

Psalm 119:124 “Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees.”

We could not hope for a better situation than to be dealt with according to God’s love. What could be better than to be in the hands of a loving God? David is beginning to “see” his deliverance here. In the past few verses, he has been oppressed by the enemy, but he is now starting to see his way out of it.

Often, we look for God to pick us up out of a situation and place us on another piece of ground where we will no longer be in it. That may happen one day at His second coming. However, today we still need deliverance. Our deliverance does not come through changing our situation, but rather by changing us.

David prayed. “Deal with me.” My situation is not the problem. I am the problem. Or at least, the solution to the problem lies within me. Deal with me. This was an inward prayer. David saw that the things God can accomplish within us are what set us free. Then the situation does not even have to change in order for us to find deliverance.

Deliverance comes in the form of God, and God is within us. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” The comfort of the sufferer is the Lord Himself. When we suffer, we find the Lord in a more real way that we ever do in times of comfort.

Our problem is that we begin to worship our comfort more than our God. When that happens, God removes us from our comfort zones. Then we begin to cry out to God. As all of our comfort fades away, we have no choice but to look within. When we look inside, we find God; hence, our deliverance. God removes the things we trusted in, in order to bring us back to Him. As risky as it may sound, “Deal with me according to Your love,” is the safest prayer one could pray.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask God to take you inward. Continued

Psalm 119:123

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:12:39 GMT

Psalm 119:123

Hello, and welcome back to our verse by verse study through the longest Psalm and Book of the Bible. According to me records, we last looked at vs 122, meaning today we will dive into vs 123.

Psalm 119:123 “My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise.”

The previous two verses reveal that David is going through a time of oppression in his life. What he speaks of in this verse is typical of us all; we look for deliverance. He is looking for God’s salvation, His righteous promise. He feels that he has been looking for so long that his eyes are failing him.

David was looking for the Messiah’s first coming. We look for His second. It is very much a part of our born-again nature to look for His return. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say. ‘Come!’! Revelation 22:17. Come, Lord Jesus!

It is uncharacteristic of a bride in waiting to not live in great anticipation of the groom. It seems in some ways the church has lost the natural characteristics of the bride of Christ. What groom would be content with a bride who does not have a deep longing just to be with him?

Today, we should not look for His return as a deliverance as much as a longing for Him. He is our deliverance already! When troubles come, we go into Him. Much like Noah’s Ark, Jesus can carry us through the time of trouble. However, we must go “in;” God would like to develop an inwardness in all of us. When our outside world falls apart, we tend to, or at least should, go inward.

In times of trouble, we tend to look at ourselves in a different light. When we look inward, we find Jesus. He lives inside, but He is meek and lowly, and He speaks with a still, small voice. He is not boisterous and aggressive. He must be sought out. When He is found, we will have our deliverance. Since Jesus is already our deliverance, our desires for Him, the crying of our heart and spirit, which says, “Come!” should be based on a longing just to be with Him.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you truly have desires just for Him.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 40

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 01:00:04 GMT

The Revelation of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the final day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we have taken just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is revelation. Now, I’m not talking about the book of Revelation, which we did a series on a few years ago. I am talking about the simple definition of revealing something that is true. In this case, the cross is a revelation of the character of God. Up until the time of Jesus, God’s character was mostly revealed through His interactions with the nation of Israel as recorded in the Scripture.

With the coming of Jesus, suddenly the world had a perfect revelation of the character of God. This is because Jesus was and IS God. In a way we can’t completely understand, Jesus and the Father are One. That’s why Jesus could say to His disciples that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father.

Every word that Jesus spoke, every miracle He presented, every action He did was a revelation of the character of God. And one of those actions was His sacrifice on the cross. The cross reveals the character of God. Looking strictly at the Old Testament, many people had, and still have, a picture of God as a God of pure holiness and wrath.

There is no question that IS part of God’s character. But in the life and ministry of Jesus, we also see this meek, peaceful, enemy-loving revelation of God’s character. This is also part of who God is. God is not a one-dimensional caricature. There are many aspects of God’s character and ALL of them are perfect.

So, the cross is also a revelation of God’s character. Hebrews 1:3 says of Jesus, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Jesus made purification for our sins by dying on the cross.

And the WAY Jesus faced the cross reveals God’s very nature and reveals how God conquers evil. Jesus faced the cross with humility. He faced the cross as a servant. Jesus hung upon the cross as an act of self-sacrificial love for those who had cursed Him. The cross is a revelation of the character of God.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a few minutes and think about what the cross reveals about God’s character, and how that affects your relationship with Him.

Father God, I thank you for the cross which revealed your character to us. Reveal yourself to us today, and reveal Yourself again this Sunday, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. In His Name we pray, Amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today and the past 40 days. Please take some time to think about the cross as a revelation of who God is. And please be sure to go to worship Him on Sunday as we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death and the grave. The resurrection also reveals the character of God! End.

Next week, we will get back to our study through Psalm 119.

40 Days of the Cross: Day 39

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 08:49:10 GMT

The Goodness of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the thirty-ninth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is good. Tomorrow is Good Friday. Perhaps you have wondered why we call it “good.” I mean after all, some of the words we’ve used to describe the cross in our journey thus far have been judgment, rejected, agony, curse, and death. I certainly remember as a young Christian wondering how we could call the horrific death of our Savior, good. We are commemorating a dark and bleak day. And yet for hundreds of years, Christians have called this day good. It is a bit of a paradox. Some places are different. I know in Germany the day is called “Karfreitag” which translates to “Sorrowful Friday”.

And it IS a day that includes sorrow. We feel sorrow when someone we love is hurt. Certainly, what Jesus went through on the cross should cause sorrow. If you attend a Good Friday – Tenebrae service, you will see that it is not the typical upbeat gathering that many church services are. It is a somber, quiet, reflective time where we remember the suffering of Jesus. Our very act of communion contains symbols of a body that is broken and blood that is shed. And yet, we call this day of remembrance, good. We call the cross, the instrument used to execute the sinless Messiah, good.

But the goodness of the cross is a reality. It was good for us. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross provided a way for us to receive a new, righteous life. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” The way to God was denied to us by our own sinfulness. So, Jesus took those sins in His own flesh on the cross. Because of this, we can be dead to sin and receive a life of righteousness. Not our own righteousness, mind you, but the perfect righteousness of Jesus through the shedding of His blood.

Yes, the cross is good for us. And despite its cost, the cross is good to God. It reestablished His relationship to us. And that brings Him joy. The cross allows God to reveal Himself to us. We’ll talk more about Revelation tomorrow on the last day of our journey.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a few minutes and meditate on why the cross is good.

Father God, although this day is somber and heavy, it is also good. The weight of your grace and compassion makes it good to us. Help us today to remember well and apply this goodness to our lives. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the goodness of the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 38

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:24:04 GMT

The Judgment of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the thirty-eighth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is judgment. Judgment is the end result of justice. And we all cry out for justice, don’t we? At least until we are on the receiving end of it. I don’t know many drivers who see the flashing blue lights in their rearview mirrors and shout, “Hooray! Justice!” We want justice until it comes looking for us, and then we plead for mercy.

So, if we’re looking at the cross today, how can it be justice? How can the execution of an innocent man, one who has never sinned, be justified? How is the judgment of Jesus anything but an act of Injustice? You’re right. The death of Jesus on the cross was an act of injustice by the Romans and religious authorities in Jerusalem. The justice of this judgment doesn’t come from the acts of these men, but from the act of God on the cross.

You see, justice is essential to God’s nature. He is holy and can abide no sin. God is just, and so sin MUST be punished. It is unrighteous to allow sin to flourish forever, and God cannot be unrighteous. There must be judgment on sin. That is what is right and just. All of us have sinned. And deep down all of us know that it is right that there should be judgment pronounced on our sinfulness.

The good news is that the Father poured out His judgment for sin on His Son Jesus, as He hung on the cross. On the cross, Jesus took the punishment that we deserve. The cross WAS a place of judgment. But it wasn’t Jesus who was judged. It was our sin. That doesn’t seem fair, for Jesus to take our punishment, but it was justice. Sin was punished. Judgement was carried out.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and JUST to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It is JUST for Him to forgive us because the judgment on sin has already been carried out. It was carried out on the cross. And that’s a good thing. We’ll talk more about good tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to spend some time and think about how God’s judgment on our sin was poured out on Jesus on the cross.

Oh Father, Your holiness and justice are pure and everlasting. I thank you that your mercy is as well. Thank you for Jesus and the cross. Thank you that the judgment of our sin has been paid in full. In the name of Jesus, I say amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about how the cross is a place of judgment on our sin. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 37

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:40:28 GMT

Reconnection at the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the thirty-seventh day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is reconnection. Separation from those you love can be hard. Especially when you don’t understand the reasons why. This was the case on the night that Jesus shared His last Passover meal with His disciples. The dinner was strange. It didn’t go according to the script of a normal Passover meal. Jesus had washed their feet; He had called out the one disciple, who would betray Him, and another who would deny Him.

Jesus knew His path would soon lead Him to the cross, and so He told them that He would be taken away from them. But He also told them not to be troubled, because He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. Thomas complained, saying, “How can we get to the Father’s house? We don’t know the way.” Jesus’ response echoes through the millennia and reaches us today. John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

The only way to be connected to the Father is through Jesus, and that connection is made through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Because of His shed blood, we can be washed clean and be connected to God. You might say, “But I thought the word for today was Reconnected.” That’s right. Reconnection implies a previous connection to God. Maybe you as an individual weren’t previously connected to God, but humanity was.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take some time to think about how humanity was reconnected to God through the cross, and how you can enjoy that blessing.

Father, I may not understand all the mechanics of how it worked, but I know I am connected to You through the cross of Jesus. I thank you for the cross, and how reconnection has been made possible for us. And in the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about how the cross reconnected us to God. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 36

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:30:45 GMT

The Rejection of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the eighth week and the thirty-sixth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is rejected. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God faced rejection. On the eastern side of the Galilee, Jesus healed a demon possessed man. The people from the surrounding communities pleaded with Jesus to leave their land. When Jesus was in Nazareth, the town He grew up in, the town was so upset by the things He said that they wanted to throw Him over a cliff!

I have a friend who has stood on that cliff and he tells me, it’s a long, long way to the bottom. In the events that led to the cross, Jesus faced yet another rejection. When the Roman governor offered to release a prisoner to the people of Jerusalem, he offered them either Jesus or the murderer Barabbas. And as Jesus looked out upon the people He loved, He heard them cry, “We want Barrabas.”

The ultimate rejection was a call for Jesus to be crucified. A call for Jesus to die upon the cross. The cross was symbol of the rejection of Jesus. But Jesus had told the Pharisees a parable about the rejection of the cross. In Matthew 21, Jesus tells them the story of a vineyard owner who leased out his vineyard to tenant farmers. When the time came for the owner to receive his share of the crop, he sent his servants to collect, but instead of paying their fair share, the tenants killed the servants.

Finally, the owner sent his own son to collect. But the tenants rejected the son and killed him too. Then Jesus asked the Pharisees what the owner should do to those tenants. The Pharisees said that the owner should put the tenants to a miserable death. But this is how Jesus responded in verse 42, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’”

Yes, the cross is a symbol of rejection. But this is a rejection that God used as the cornerstone to build His Kingdom. The rejection of Jesus led to the cross, and the cross led to our acceptance by God. His rejection leads to our acceptance. It is because of the cross that we do not have to worry about being rejected by God. Because of the cross we no longer have to fear being disconnected from God the Father. Because of Jesus on the cross, we are reconnected. We’ll talk more about reconnection next time.

After we pray today, I encourage you to meditate upon the idea of the rejection that Jesus faced which led to the cross, and how that led to our acceptance.

Heavenly Father, I am brought into Your Kingdom because Your Son was rejected, rejected even to the point of dying on the cross. Thank you for that sacrifice. Let me stand in confidence when I am rejected by men for Your sake. For You are my example. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about how the rejection of Jesus by men led to the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 35

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 16:26:06 GMT

The Cross Speaks of the Incarnation

Hello, and welcome to the thirty-fifth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is incarnation. When we speak of the incarnation, we are talking about God Himself, taking on the flesh of humanity. Missionary Paul Zobody put it this way when he wrote, “the Sovereign of the universe hung on an umbilical cord in a poor Jewish girl” and He did so gladly. We usually talk about the incarnation at Christmas time. God taking on the form of a human baby. But Jesus was God incarnate for His entire ministry on earth. Jesus was God incarnate as He hung on the cross. In fact, the cross depended on the incarnation.

The earliest picture of the crucifixion we know of, is making fun of the cross. It is scratched onto a wall in Rome and it may be as old as the second century. It’s a shocking image. It shows a man with a donkey’s head nailed to a cross, and next to the cross is a crudely drawn man wearing the clothes of a slave. Scratched into the surface of the wall is the phrase, “Alexamenos worshipping his god.” (Here is a link to the picture: https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=3079 .)

Presumably, one of Alexamenos’s fellow slaves scratched this little cartoon to make fun of him. The meaning seems clear. How can you worship a crucified God? If He’s a god, how can He die on a cross? As we saw earlier in this series, it was because of the weakness of His human form that Jesus could be killed on the cross. The very incarnation which made God understandable to us, made Him vulnerable to death on the cross.

The cross was not just the result of the incarnation, it was the PURPOSE of the incarnation. In the gospel of John, chapter 12, Jesus tells some of His followers that the time of His death is approaching. And then in verse 27, Jesus prays the following. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose, I have come to this hour.” The incarnation, Jesus becoming man, was designed to bring Him to the cross so that He would be killed as a sacrifice for our sins. And through that sacrifice, we now have the opportunity to receive forgiveness and eternal life. He was rejected so we can be accepted. We’ll talk more about rejection on Monday.

After we pray today, I encourage you to spend a little time thinking about how the incarnation of Jesus, God becoming man, made the cross possible.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your willingness to become vulnerable in humanity through Your Son, Jesus. Thank You that the vulnerability of human flesh allowed for the sacrifice of the cross. And thank You for what the cross means to me. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about how the incarnation led to the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 33

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:25:26 GMT

The Burden of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the thirty-third day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is burden. After Jesus had been betrayed, tried, beaten, and mocked, the time came for Him to be led up the path to His execution. In an act of ironic cruelty, the Roman soldiers forced Jesus to carry His cross, the instrument of His own death, up the hill to where He would be crucified. Scripture tells us that the burden of the cross was too great for His human body, and the soldiers forced a man named Simon to lift the cross and carry it for the weakened Jesus.

The physical weight of the cross may have been too great a burden for Jesus’ body, but the spiritual burden of the cross was not too great for Jesus to bear. Philippians 2:8 tells us that Jesus, became obedient to the point of death, even to death upon the cross. God was under no obligation to redeem us from our sin. There was no requirement for Jesus to carry the burden of the cross so that our sins could be forgiven through His sacrifice. But Jesus did! Within Him dwelled the fullness of God and the Spirit within Him was more than equal to the task to carry the spiritual burden of the cross.

And Jesus asks the same of us. In Luke 9:23, Jesus is talking to those who are following Him, “And He said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” Jesus asks us to carry the burden of OUR cross as well. What is this burden that Jesus asks us to carry as His followers? Looking at the context of this verse, Jesus is asking people to surrender their lives to Him.

Our cross is the burden of surrender, just like it was to Jesus. Every day, Jesus asks us to give ourselves over to Him. That may seem to be a really big burden, and it is. But the same Spirit that dwelled within Jesus, the same Spirit that raise Him from the dead dwells in you. And He will empower you to fulfill your commitment to take up the burden of your cross, just as Jesus took the burden of His cross. The same Holy Spirit dwells in us. We’ll talk more about holy tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to spend some time contemplating the burden of the cross that Jesus carried, and the burden of our own crosses that He calls us to carry.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus and His willingness to bear the burden of the cross. Please empower me by Your Holy Spirit to bear my cross so that my life will daily be given to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the burden of the cross and what it means for our life in Christ. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 34

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:18:05 GMT

Holiness at the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the thirty-fourth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is holy. Holy isn’t a word that’s understood very well. It has been used in exclamations of surprise, as in “holy smokes!” and in the church world it’s often used to describe something pure or perfect, and that is a little closer to what it truly means. But the definition of the word holy is something that is dedicated or set apart for God. In the Scripture it is something pure that has been given over to God for His use.

Under the Old Covenant, before the coming of Jesus, God set up the sacrificial system as a shadow of what was to come. Humanity was broken and anything but pure, so the people of Israel would bring a pure and spotless lamb for a sacrifice to seek forgiveness. But this was only a temporary solution. What was needed for a sacrifice was someone truly pure, without sin. That is why the Father sent Jesus, His Son, to earth. When the angel appeared to Mary to tell her she would be pregnant He told her that her child would be the Son of God, and that He would be holy. Only a righteous sacrifice could bring God’s righteousness to us.

And so, Jesus went to the cross as a holy sacrifice. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that God sent Jesus “who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The cross was set aside for a God’s purpose. Jesus Himself was set aside for the purpose of being a perfect sacrifice for our sins. What will our response be to Jesus’ holy act of mercy on the cross? In Romans 12:1, Paul says we should give ourselves as a living sacrifice. And the Bible says that this will be a holy sacrifice, pleasing to God. The holiness of the cross makes our offering to God holy as well.

After we pray today, I encourage you to meditate on the holiness of the cross for a while and what it means to us.

Heavenly Father, accept my life as a holy sacrifice to you. Thanks to the sacrifice of Your Son on the cross, my broken spirit has been made holy. Guide us now through Your Holy Spirit so that we can live out Your holiness in our lives. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about Jesus holy sacrifice on the cross provided holiness for us. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 32

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 16:21:18 GMT

The Mystery of the Cross

Hello and welcome to the thirty-second day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is mystery. Jesus’ message, and His sacrifice on the cross were a mystery to those that the world might consider wise. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul is reminding them that when he was with them, he preached the message of the cross. He told them that this message of the cross, demonstrated with the Spirit and with power, imparted wisdom to them, but to the rulers of the world, it was a mystery. In 2 Corinthians 2:7-8, Paul writes, “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.“

Although the mystery was revealed to those who would believe, it was still a mystery to those who would not accept the teaching and the purpose of Jesus’ ministry. But you know, even for those of us who believe, there is still some mystery surrounding the cross. What I mean is, how did it all work? We know that Jesus became a sin offering for us. How did that work? How does His sacrifice appease the wrath of God? How does the shedding of His blood on the cross remove our sinfulness and make us holy? To be honest, I’m not exactly sure how it works. Oh, but friends, I know it does.

I know it does because the Bible tells me it does. The Bible tells me that Jesus became a sin offering for me, and you. You and I, we don’t have to know the mechanics of how that worked in order for us to accept it and benefit from His sacrifice on the cross. The benefits of the cross are not based on my understanding. Some aspects of the cross will remain a mystery to me. But I don’t have to have it all figured out. I just know that through the cross, my sins are forgiven and I can surrender my burdens to Him. We’ll talk more about burden tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to think a little bit about the mystery of the cross and surrender yourself to its glory.

Heavenly Father, I don’t understand everything about the cross, but I see you glorified through it, and I rejoice at the forgiveness I have received. Thank you, Father. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the mystery of the cross and submit to the power of love and forgiveness that the cross shows us. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 31

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:35:57 GMT

The Silence of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the seventh week and the thirty-first day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is silence. On the cross, the execution of Jesus took about 6 hours to complete. For a crucifixion, that was actually a fairly short period of time. Roman crucifixions could last for days. But in those six long hours, Jesus only spoke about 60 words. That averages out to about 10 words an hour. By far the great majority of Jesus’ time on the cross was spent in silence. Why is that? It was certainly possible for Jesus to speak. Why was Jesus so silent on the cross?

A sheep being sheered does not complain about its sheering. In the same way, Jesus did not complain or protest His crucifixion. Despite the unfairness of the cross, Jesus remained silent. This was because the cross was His purpose. All of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth, all of human history since the Garden of Eden had pointed to this moment. Jesus was fulfilling God’s plan for the redemption of humankind through the death of the Son of God, taking the punishment for our sins.

Jesus was silent, not raising a voice of objection or dissent, because He was in the place He needed to be. Jesus would rather silently endure the pain and injustice of the cross than raise His voice dissent. He endured the cross in silence because He loves us. That kind of love is a mystery to me. We’ll talk more about mystery tomorrow.

After we pray today, maybe you can take a few minutes in silence to meditate on the silence of the cross and what it means to you.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love which allowed Your Son to suffer the cross in silence. Help us to understand the silence of the cross and to seek Your will with just as much willingness to submit to Your plan for our lives. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the silence of the cross, and what it shows us about the sacrifice of Jesus. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 30

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:21:57 GMT

The Darkness of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the thirtieth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is darkness. One of the unusual things that took place when Jesus was on the cross was an unnatural darkness. In describing the crucifixion, Matthew writes the following in Matthew 27:45, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.” In the Jewish marking of time the sixth hour is noon and the ninth hour is 3:00 pm. There’s no natural reason for darkness to rule the sky in the middle of the day. This was a supernatural action from God. What does this supernatural darkness mean?

One probable answer is that throughout scripture, a darkened sky was a sign of judgment from God. From the time of the Pharaoh who held the children of Israel captive in Egypt, through the prophets, and into the book of Revelation, we see darkness in the sky as a sign of God’s judgment. So, there as Jesus hung on the cross on a hill outside Jerusalem, we see the darkness of God’s judgment.

What was God judging? The Bible tells us that Jesus did not sin, so God wasn’t judging Jesus. Instead, God was judging the sin that Jesus was being sacrificed for. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

The darkness of the cross was a sign of God’s judgment on our sin. But listen to this! Because of that judgment, that darkness, that sacrifice, we no longer have to dwell in the darkness. We are brought into the glorious light of God’s presence and freed from the darkness of sin. The light of God’s presence dwells within us because of the darkness and silence of the cross. We’ll talk more about silence on Monday.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a little time to consider how the darkness surrounding the cross brings us the light of God’s salvation.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your judgment on sin signified by the darkness surrounding the cross. May we seek to flee the darkness and run towards Your light. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the results of God’s judgment of sin shown by the darkness surrounding the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 29

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:25:43 GMT

The Liberation of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twenty-ninth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is liberation. Singer songwriter Bob Dylan wrote a song that was featured in his album, “Slow Train Coming.” The title of the song is “Gotta Serve Somebody.” The message of the song is that no matter who you are, no matter what your accomplishments, no matter how important you think you are, we all serve somebody. The two choices Dylan repeats in his song are, “it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” And, his sentiment is basically true. There are two spiritual powers competing for the devotion of your heart. The kingdom of this world, led by the spirit of Satan, and the Kingdom of God, led by the Spirit of Christ.

The bad news is that we are born serving the power of the evil one. Just as the children of American slaves, for 100 years, were born into slavery, all of humankind was born into slavery to sin. But the good news is that the cross has provided us liberation from the slavery of sin. We have been liberated from the bondage of sin; however, Bob Dylan was right: we have to serve SOMEbody.

The apostle Paul put it this way in his letter to the church in Rome. Romans 6:17-18 says, “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” We have been liberated from our bondage to sin thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, but in turn we surrender our freedom to the One who sacrificed Himself on the cross. This is a willing surrender of ourselves to Him who paid for our liberation by His death on the cross. He who showed His ultimate love for us, freeing us from darkness, deserves our ultimate surrender. We’ll talk more about darkness tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a few minutes to meditate on the liberation from sin that was purchased for us by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the cross, and for liberating us from the bondage of sin. Help us by the power of Your Spirit to continually surrender ourselves to your loving hand. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the liberating power of the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 28

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:08:25 GMT

The Victory of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twenty-eighth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is victory. We love our little victories in life. Those times we come up against a problem and we conquer it. It gives us that little rush of accomplishment that makes us feel good about ourselves. What we hate is facing a problem that conquers US. Those problems that seem insurmountable. Sometimes those problems are financial and we find ourselves in great debt. So much debt that people have to declare bankruptcy to admit their failure.

One of those debts we all have is the debt of sin. No matter how hard we work to gain the victory over sin, the debt is too great. No amount of doing good things can conquer the broken, sinful, core of our nature that pushes us towards selfish, prideful, sinful behavior. That sinfulness is a debt that we have no hope of overcoming, no hope of gaining victory.

Paul wrote a letter to the church in Colossae that was trying to gain victory through meeting the legal demands of the laws of the Old Testament. But Paul told them this was foolish and that the victory had already been won. Colossians 2:14-15 tells that Jesus achieved the victory. That He did so “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Our triumph, our victory, was not accomplished by us. It was accomplished through Jesus on the cross. We desire to live lives of righteousness to please God, not to gain victory over our sin. That victory is already accomplished. That victory was won through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. He has gained the victory and liberated us from the debt of our sin. We’ll talk more about liberation tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a few minutes to contemplate how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross purchased victory for us.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for times when we try to gain victory on our own. Help us to see the cross of your Son Jesus as the symbol and the battleground of the victory that was won FOR us. And in the name of Your Son we ask this, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about victory has been won through the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 27

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:11:32 GMT

The Healing of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twenty-seventh day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is healing. When we talk about healing and the events around the cross, we usually talk about the stripes laid upon the back of Jesus during His scourging by Roman soldiers. That is certainly an important part of the equation. Both Isaiah chapter 53 and 1 Peter chapter 2, tell us that our healing comes from the wounds of Jesus. The Greek word in 1 Peter refers specifically to the wounds left from whipping. What the whipping that Jesus took has to do with our healing, I don’t know. The connection isn’t explained in Scripture, and I’m not going to hazard a guess. But the Scripture is true, and reliable, so there is a connection.

But I want us to think about this today. The cross also plays a large part in our healing. As we’ve shared several times during our 40-day walk so far, it is through the cross that our sins are forgiven. The greatest sickness we had was the sickness of sin. It was a disease we were born with and we were unable to heal ourselves. But Jesus, in paying the price for our sins, taking the punishment for our sinful nature, healed us from the sickness of sin. Not just the symptoms, Jesus has healed the root cause of our sinfulness: our very sinful nature itself. Our sinful nature no longer has dominion over us, it has been conquered by the cross.

Our physical healing is also provided for us through the cross. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” Jesus’ death on the cross allows us to live in righteousness, His PERFECT righteousness. As we mentioned before, that righteousness purchased on the cross allows us access to the very presence of God. It is in God’s presence that we are able to come to Him with our appeals for our physical healings. The cross gives us access, that access allows us to receive physical healing and ultimate victory. We’ll talk more about victory tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take a few minutes to meditate on the connection of the cross to your healing.

Heavenly Father, I ask today that for all those listening and suffering from physical ailments, that You would open their hearts to receive Your healing made available to us through the cross. I ask this in the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about how the cross gives us access to healing. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 26

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:48:58 GMT

The Cross and Eternity

Hello, and welcome to the sixth week, and the twenty-sixth day, of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is eternity. One famous representation of the cross is the Celtic cross. It is a cross combined with a circle. One of the things the circle symbolizes is eternity. It has no beginning and no end. The cross is the place where time intersects eternity. The cross was a real event in time. There was a real cross, planted in real dirt, at a real location, on an actual date in history. But, the effects of the cross affect all of eternity.

The cross intersects eternity past because it has always been part of God’s plan. 1 Peter 1:18-20 says, “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” All of eternity past was pointing to the time when Jesus would shed His blood on the cross to ransom us away from our sinful nature.

And the cross also intersects with eternity future. Jesus’ act of sacrifice on the cross restores the life with God that humankind had in the Garden of Eden. Now, instead of being under the curse of death, the cross brings us the blessing of life. And not just life, the cross brings us life for all eternity. Jesus’ death on the cross took the punishment for our sins. Because of the cross, the forgiveness of our sins can be applied to all who will believe, turning from their old lives, and surrendering themselves to the God who made this all possible. The cross gives us access to forgiveness, to new life, to healing, and to eternity. We’ll talk more about healing tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take a few minutes to consider how the cross of Jesus Christ intersects time and eternity, so that eternal life is offered to us.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the limitless bounty of Your grace that we will enjoy for all eternity to come. Thank You for welcoming the cross from eternity past, for enduring its suffering, and for securing life for all eternity for those who follow after You. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about how the cross gives us access to eternity. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 25

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 19:16:00 GMT

The Weakness of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twenty-fifth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is weakness. A few years ago, we were studying through the book of Revelation; in chapter five, John the Revelator found himself in the very throne room of almighty God. Surrounded by angelic creatures and elders, is the throne of God the Father, Himself. In God’s right hand is a scroll which is perfectly sealed with seven seals. This scroll contains part of the message that John has been called to record. But at first it looks as if no one is worthy to open the scrolls. But then one of the elders tells John that there is one who has conquered and who can open the scroll. It is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

But it is not a conquering Lion who appears. Look at what it says in Revelation 5:6, “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.” It is not a conquering lion that appears, but a bloodied lamb. That doesn’t look like a powerful conqueror. A lamb is weak. But, it was in weakness that the Lamb of God conquered. It was through weakness that Jesus conquered sin, death, and the grave when He died on the cross. No one can kill God. That’s ridiculous. Unless God makes Himself weak. And that’s exactly what He did. Taking on human frailty, God the Son weakened Himself so that He could die upon the cross.

Jesus’ weakness was a choice He made so that He could die on the cross. Through His weakness His death on the cross was possible. And through the cross, our weakness, the weakness of sin, was conquered. Think about that. His choice of weakness led to the conquering of our weakness. The weakness of the cross allowed Jesus to conquer death so that we could be offered eternal life. We’ll talk more about eternity on Monday.

After we pray today, please take some time to meditate on how weakness led to the cross and how that weakness conquered death.

Heavenly Father, our weakness separated us from You. But Your Son’s acceptance of human weakness allowed Him to give His life on the cross. Thank you for Your sacrifice which was empowered by Your love for us. In the name of Jesus, who is love, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the weakness that led to Jesus’ work on the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 24

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:04:56 GMT

The Fellowship of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twenty-fourth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is fellowship. We’ve discussed over the last few weeks how the cross brought us into fellowship with God. Jesus’ death on the cross bridged the gap of sin that stood between humankind and God. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross our sins can be forgiven, and we can be made holy which gives us access to the presence of our holy God. That access leads to our fellowship with God. We come to Him as more than servants. Because of the cross, we are now able to come to God as friends. And, we can sing, with confidence, the song, "I am a Friend of God."

But that’s not the only fellowship that the cross brings us. Look what it says in Romans 6:3, "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" All of us who are believers who have been baptized into Jesus, are baptized into Jesus’ death on the cross. Baptism is a symbol of Jesus’ death and burial and when we are baptized into His death. All of us. So, the cross of Jesus brings us into fellowship with all other believers.

All of us as believers have brought our sins, our hurts, our burdens to the foot of the cross. We are made equal at the foot of the cross. We become children of our heavenly Father at the cross. That means we are joined together as brothers and sisters in fellowship at the foot of the cross. In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us that we share in each other’s struggles and in each other’s comforts. We are bonded in fellowship with our fellow believers, not because of anything we have done, but because of what Jesus did upon the cross. We walk our journey of faith together in fellowship, all because of the cross. He did this for us despite our weakness. We’ll talk more about weakness tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take some time to think of how the cross brings us together in fellowship.

Heavenly Father, it is through Your cross that all good things happen. And our fellowship with each other is a very good thing. I thank you that you walk with us through every chapter of our lives, and I thank you that I take my journey together, in fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. In the name of Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the fellowship with others that is available to you through Jesus' work on the cross.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 23

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:17:28 GMT

The Plan of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twenty-third day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is plan. Some people look at the cross as a catastrophe. By definition, a catastrophe is a sudden event causing damage or suffering. There’s no doubt the crucifixion caused suffering to Jesus and to His disciples. But this was by no means a sudden event. Jesus had told His disciples over and over again that He would be die and rise again three days later. Back when Jesus was a baby, a prophet told Mary that a tragedy was coming to Jesus that would pierce her heart.

Even before Jesus was born, the prophets foretold of the Messiah who would suffer to bring redemption to the people. You can go all the way back to the fall of humankind in the Garden, and God’s prophecy that a Son of Man would crush the head of the serpent even as the serpent bit the heel of the man. The cross was tragic, but it was not unexpected.

In fact, when Peter was preaching his first sermon on the day of Pentecost, he was confronting the Jews gathered at the Temple about Jesus, who had performed mighty miracles in their midst. And then Peter said this in Acts 2:23, “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” Yes, it was evil men who perpetrated the deed, but it was God Himself who did the planning. Peter even emphasizes that it was a definite plan.

Years after the day of Pentecost, Peter wrote that the cross had been planned from the foundations of the world. God created this plan because of our sinfulness, His justice, and His love for us. It was because He loved us that the Father was willing to have His one and only Son die upon the cross, so that if we believe in Jesus and give our lives to Him, we can have eternal life with God. That was God’s plan from the beginning. To bring us into fellowship with Him through the death of Jesus on the cross. We’ll talk more about fellowship tomorrow.

After we pray today, let’s take some time to meditate on what that means to us. That the cross was planned by God because of His love for us.

Heavenly Father, Your plan was completed in the death of Your son on the cross. And your plan for me has continued in my repentance as I have given my life to you. Help me to continue to follow Your plan for my life, and may all who listen and read see Your love for them. In Jesus name, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to think about the implications to your life of God’s plan for Jesus to die on the cross for you.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 22

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:13:55 GMT

The Demonstration of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twenty-second day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is demonstration. In recent years, demonstrations have become commonplace. People demonstrate against injustice, against violence, against poverty, and any other number of causes. We call it a demonstration because people are demonstrating their anger or their passion. Here it is!

It’s important enough for me to show to you how much I care about this cause! It’s worth gathering together with others; it’s worth sitting on the steps of the state capitol; it’s worth me singing a protest song and carrying a sign. You are proving your feelings and your heart, regarding “this” matter.

When something is important to you, you can demonstrate how important it is to you. If your passionate about a cause, you can prove it through your actions. Perhaps you’ve donated money to a charity, walked in a protest march, written to a congressman, or some other action. That is a demonstration of how strongly you believe in that cause. If you believe in a cause, but you have done nothing about it, then there is no real proof of your belief or your passion. Your actions are a demonstration of how strongly you feel.

In the same way, the cross is a demonstration. Look at what it says in the book of Romans, chapter five, verse eight. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The apostle Paul is saying that the proof of God’s love is in His actions. And what an action it was. God’s demonstration of His love is that Jesus died on the cross. And not when we were redeemed and holy, but while we were still broken sinners, God demonstrated His love through the cross. God planned the death of Jesus on the cross to demonstrate His love. We’ll talk more about God’s plan tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take some time to think about the cross as God’s demonstration of His love.

Heavenly Father, I believe the death of Your Son on the cross was a demonstration of Your love for us. Help us to demonstrate our love for You by surrendering our lives to you and following Your Word. I ask this in the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and think about how the cross was a demonstration of God’s love. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 21

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 16:36:00 GMT

The Cross Pays the Wages of Our Sin

Hello, and welcome to the fifth week and the twenty-first day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is wage. Now, this might seem to be an odd word to relate to Jesus’ death on the cross. But we’ve talked about this word a few times already because of an important Scripture verse to know, when it comes to understanding what God has done for us. That verse is Romans 6:23, and that verse starts out with, “For the wages of sin is death…”

Think about the word “wage” for a minute. When we think about a wage as something we earn, right? We think about the minimum wage, which is the smallest wage a person can earn per hour in our state. Here where I am in Minnesota, the minimum wage, as of 1/1/25, is $11.13. Your wage is what you’ve earned. If you worked an hour, or a day, or a week, your pay is your wage. It is what is legally due to you.

So, Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. Our sin has earned death. Death is the wage we earn because of our sin. It is the legal and righteous cost of our sin. Sin has done it’s work and that sin leads to death. Not just physical death, but a spiritual death which will separate us from God, from all that is good and joyous, for all eternity. And that sin was present in all of our hearts. The wage of that sin is steep, and all of humankind was set to pay it.

But Romans 6:23 continues. It says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Instead of paying the wage of eternal death, we are given the free gift of eternal life in Christ! That’s fantastic, but the legal and righteous cost of our sin is still death, so how did God give us this free gift of life? It is because God paid the wage of sin for us. The wage of sin is still binding, it is still death, but God paid that wage through the death of Jesus on the cross. Jesus’ death paid the wage for our sin. And now forgiveness for that sin is available to all who will repent of their sin and follow after Jesus. God demonstrated His love for us by paying the wage of sin and giving us the gift of eternal life. We’ll talk more about the word “demonstration” tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take some time to meditate on how Jesus paid the wages for our sin on the cross.

Heavenly Father, words and time cannot fully express our thanks to You for paying the wages for our sin. Help us to show our thanks by accepting Your gift of life and following You. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, who paid those wages on the cross, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and think about how the wages for sin were paid for us when Jesus gave Himself to die on the cross.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 20

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:12:29 GMT

The Cross Pays Our Ransom

Hello, and welcome to the twentieth day of our “40 days of the cross” series and the end of another week. We’re already halfway through! Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is ransom. When we think of ransom, we think of kidnapping, or perhaps ransomware attacks on computer systems. Whatever it is, it is the payment someone demands for holding someone or something hostage. If you want to see your wife alive again, you’ll pay us a million dollars in ransom! So how is the word ransom related to the cross?

In Matthew chapter 20, Jesus is describing to His disciples what it means to be great in the Kingdom of God. He tells them that in order to be great in the Kingdom, you need to serve others. And then He says this in verse 28, “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus said that His giving of His life on the cross would be a ransom for many. A ransom, as we’ve seen, is a price paid to release a prisoner or a hostage. Who are the many that Jesus is paying with His life as a ransom to be released?

That’s us. We were the hostages. We were hostages to the bondage of sin. And what was the ransom demand? What would it have said in the ransom note for our release? It would say that the ransom was death. Death was the price that had to be paid to release us from the bondage of our sin. And, Jesus paid the ransom. On the cross He paid the price to free us from the bondage of our sins. Jesus Himself gave His life as a ransom to free us from the bondage of sin. The paid the wage for our sin. We’ll talk more about wages on Monday.

After we pray today, please take some time to think about how we were a hostage to sin, and how Jesus paid the ransom for our sins on the cross.

Heavenly Father, I praise You today for the love You showed to us through Your Son as He hung upon the cross to pay the ransom in order to release us from the bondage of sin. We were unworthy, but You were willing to pay the price for my freedom. Thank you, Lord. And it’s in the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and think about how that on the cross Jesus gave His life as a ransom for us. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 19

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:07:05 GMT

The Hope of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the nineteenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is hope. Six hundred years before Jesus died on the cross, the prophet Jeremiah declared that God had a plan for our lives that would bring us hope. In Jeremiah 29:11, God speaks through Jeremiah and says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God already knew the plans He had for the people of Israel, and for every person who would hear His call.

That plan would give them a future and give them hope. The Bible says that the plan of God for Jesus to be crucified on the cross was planned from the foundation of the world. It is the plan of the cross that gives us hope! But what is that hope?

There is hope for the removal of our sins. All of us were born with a predilection towards sin. Pride, selfishness, greed, lust are all things we have to deal with because there is an essential nature within us that leans towards sin. Try as we might, we can’t remove these sins ourselves. But on the cross, Jesus took the punishment for our sins so that God will forgive our sins and cleanse us from the results of that sinful nature.

There is hope for restored relationship with God. Our sins had separated us from God. God is holy and cannot allow sin into His presence. But when we come to Him with repentance, our sins are forgiven because of the death of Jesus on the cross. So, God looks at us as pure and holy and we can have a relationship with Him.

And, there is hope for the future because of the cross. God said through Jeremiah that He would give us a future and a hope. We know that, as much as we enjoy His presence now, there is an eternity waiting for us where we will be with God face to face. And we are able to hope for this because God sacrificed Himself upon the cross.

All this hope is ours because Jesus paid His life as a ransom for us on the cross. We’ll talk more about the word ransom tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take some time to meditate on how Jesus’ death on the cross gives us hope.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the cross which gives us hope. You give us hope for today as well as hope for the future. Help us to have the courage, through Your Spirit, to share that hope with others so that they too see the hope of the cross. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and think about how the cross gives us hope. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 18

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:40:54 GMT

The Cross Draws Us

Hello, and welcome to the eighteenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is draw. Now when I say the word draw, I don’t mean draw as in draw a picture. I mean the act of pulling or gathering, as in I would like to draw your attention to the cross today. I pick this word today because of a scripture verse that a lot of you already know. Jesus is speaking to a group of people who have just heard a voice from heaven declaring that God is glorifying Himself through Jesus. He tells the crowd that the time has come for judgment and for the defeat of the ruler of this world. And then Jesus says this in John 12:32, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Now we sing songs about lifting Jesus up; and that He will draw people to Himself when we do so. But this Scripture has nothing to do with lifting Jesus up in praise. It is not about God’s people worshiping Jesus and lifting up His name. The very next verse in John tells us what this “lifted up” is about. Verse 33 says, “He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.” “When I am lifted up...” is not about God’s people proclaiming the Name of Jesus. It is about His body being nailed to a cross and lifted up into the air on a hill outside the city of Jerusalem.

Jesus does not say He will draw people to Himself when they proclaim His name. Jesus is saying that through His death on the cross, He will draw all people to Himself. It is Jesus on the cross which pulls people to Him. The cross is a sign of the love that Jesus has for us. That love, that act of sacrifice, will draw people to Jesus. The cross had been a symbol of disgrace, but through Jesus’ death, the cross has become a symbol of love and hope which draws people to Him. We’ll talk more about the word hope tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take some time to remember how Jesus drew you to Himself through His death on the cross.

Heavenly Father, the death of Your Son on the cross drew me to You. As I think upon the cross, I continue to be drawn to You. Thank You for accepting me. Let us all be continually be drawn closer to You and let us share the message of the cross with others who need to be drawn to You. In the name of Your Son Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and think about how the cross draws us to Jesus.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 14

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 17:10:48 GMT

The "Access" of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the fourteenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is access. In the movies, when the hero is trying to break into the enemy’s computer system, he often types the wrong password first. An alarm will go off (WAP! WAP!) and the screen will flash in red: ACCESS DENIED! He can’t get to the information that is needed to defeat the bad guys. But then, suddenly, he figures out the password and the screen lights-up green: access granted. Now he’s into the system and can get what he needs to win.

There are other things that give us access. We have a key (or a key fob) that gives us access to our cars. If we have insurance, we have access to life-saving medical treatment. If we have a ticket, we have access to a Twins, Wild, or a Packer’s game. But what password or key or ticket is there to give us access to God? Unfortunately, we could try everything in our power, but all we would get is the response: access denied. There is nothing we have, no price we can pay, to gain access to God who is holy. Our best efforts and our purest actions cannot overcome the sinful nature within us that blocks our path to God.

So, since we could not gain access, God did something to provide access to men and women with broken hearts. And it was the cross. The cross provides access to the Father, for those who will accept that gift with surrender and faith. The death of Jesus on the cross provided the key that allows us to gain access to God. We who were broken, now with healed hearts can access God because He provided Himself as the sacrifice on the cross. Ephesians 2:16 tells us that we are reconciled to God and to each other through the cross. And two verses later, in Ephesians 2:18, it says, “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”Through Jesus, we have access to our holy God, able to receive love, peace, comfort, and joy. We’ll talk more about joy tomorrow.

I’m going to pray in a moment. When we’re done, I encourage you to take a couple minutes and consider how the cross of Christ gives us access to the very throne room of God.

Heavenly Father, I am able to come to you in prayer today because of the work of Your Son, Jesus, on the cross. Help me not to take this access for granted, but instead with thanksgiving, remember the work of Jesus on the cross. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross grants us access to the Father. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 17

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 17:00:49 GMT

The Unity of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the seventeenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is unity. Even back in the Old Testament, the importance of unity was expressed as a blessing. Psalm 133:1-3 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It is like the precious oil on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” God blesses us when we live in unity. We should be an example of what true unity is to the world around us.

But what does unity have to do with the cross? When the apostle Paul was chastising the Corinthian church for their division, he specified that the problem was that people were throwing their loyalty behind different apostles. There was a lack of unity in the Corinthian church because people were saying, “I’m a disciple of Apollos” or “I’m a disciple of Paul”.

Now it’s no problem to love a pastor (or give him/her birthday presents) but when that loyalty results in disunity, then it is harmful to the Church. So as an example of the foolishness of these arguments and division, Paul asks the following in 1 Corinthians 1:13, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?” The obvious answer is, NO! Paul is saying, “I wasn’t crucified for you! Jesus was!” Disunity happens when we look to men, unity takes place when we look to Jesus, crucified for us.

Today we still find unity in the cross. No matter your background, your skin color, your culture, your income, your personal history, your credit rating, your denomination, we are unified at the foot of the cross. Christ died for all upon the cross and as He was lifted up He drew ALL people to Him. We’ll talk more about the word “draw” tomorrow. Jesus’ death on the cross unified all those who will follow Him as their Savior and their Lord.

After we pray today, please take some time to meditate on how we are unified under the cross.

Heavenly Father, across the world, we as believers are unified under You. I thank You for the cross which provides that unity. Help us Lord to not be distracted by petty differences, but rather embrace the blessing of family that You have provided for us. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and think about how the cross brings us unity. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 16

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:12:02 GMT

The Glory of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the fourth week and the sixteenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is glory. Much like the work joy yesterday, we don’t often look at the horror of the cross and think, “glory.” Looking at Jesus, broken and dying, hanging from the cross, looks anything but glorious. When we think of Jesus glorified, we think of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, standing between Moses and Elijah, covered with shining radiance. We don’t think of Jesus on Golgotha, hanging between two thieves, covered with blood, sweat, and the scars of humiliation. How can the cross be glorious?

As Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, just hours before He would be arrested, whipped, tried, and crucified, He prayed for glory. It’s found in John 17:1, “When Jesus had spoken these words, He lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,’” The hour that was coming was His death on the cross! How can the cross bring glory?

First, the glory of the cross came from obedience. The plan of the Father, from the foundation of the world, was that He would send His Son to die for the sins of men and women. Jesus fulfilled the plan of the Father out of obedience. Now to be sure, Jesus desired the salvation of humankind. But even Jesus prayed that if there was another way, He would rather that He be spared the cup of the cross. But obedience lifts up the One we are obedient to. Jesus’ obedience glorified God.

Secondly, true glory comes through suffering. Those of you who are parents probably have a similar memory to mine. I have never seen such agony and pain in the face of my wife than when she was in labor. The delivery of our daughter, and then, both of the boys was full of suffering. And yet the result was glorious. What was birthed by the cross was the unification of God and His children. That was glorious. And the glory of that unity was the result of the suffering of the cross. We’ll talk more about unity tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take some time to consider how the cross of Jesus shows the glory of God.

Heavenly Father, the cross of Your Son glorifies You. This glory was birthed through suffering. Help us to look at suffering in a new way. Help us to look at the glory of the cross in a new way. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross shows the glory of God. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 15

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:41:32 GMT

The Joy of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the fifteenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is joy. When we think of the cross, the word “joy” may not leap to mind. The day was dark, filled with horror and pain. Isaiah chapter 53 is one of the great messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. Isaiah describes the Suffering Servant of God, like a lamb led to the slaughter. Look what it says in Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt…” This hardly seems like a joyous situation. How can the cross be associated with joy?

Well, for one reason, Isaiah 53:10 continues, “…he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” Who are the offspring of Jesus on the cross? We are. We are children of God as a result of what Jesus did for us on the cross. The cross was the signing of adoption papers to make us God’s offspring.

And despite God’s sorrow at seeing His one and only Son cruelly crucified on the cross, there was also joy in God’s eyes, for He saw the results of the cross at the same time. He saw men and women, boys and girls, coming to Him as children; to be loved, cared for, and nurtured. And God knew that the cross was only temporary. The days of His Son are eternal and what Jesus puts His hand to, prospers.

Even Jesus endured the cross because of joy. Hebrews 12:2 says, “…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” Jesus foresaw the joy that would come when people accepted His gift of forgiveness; and that joy was worth the suffering of the cross.

And although we rightly look upon the cross with horror, we can also look at the cross with joy. For it is through the cross that we are able to have salvation. And it is that relationship with God that brings us joy unspeakable and full of glory. We’ll talk more about glory on Monday.

I want to encourage you to take a little time to meditate on the joy of the cross after we pray today.

Heavenly Father, I ask that you help us to see the joy that comes from suffering, especially the suffering of Your Son on the cross. Let us see the cross as an opportunity for joy. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross brings joy. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 13

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 16:20:29 GMT

The Atonement of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the thirteenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is atonement. Atonement is making reparations for a wrong that’s been done. It is paying someone, through money or actions for an injury that you’ve caused. In a spiritual context, the idea of atonement can be seen back in the Old Testament through the sacrificial system. People made sacrifices to God to atone for their sins. Their sins were the wrongs that were done to God that needed to be atoned for.

It was through the shedding of blood on the sacrificial altar that people paid for breaking their covenant they had made with God. But the sacrificial system was incomplete. The death of an animal couldn’t make reparations for the broken covenant, especially a promise that was consistently being broken. The sins of the people broke the covenant with God and therefore separated the people from God. Their attempts at atonement were only a picture of what was to come.

It is the cross of Christ which was the fulfillment of that picture of atonement. 1st Corinthians 15:3 says, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” He died on the cross in atonement for our sins. It is our sins that are the wrongs we’ve done to a holy God that need to be paid for. Jesus took the act of atonement upon Himself so that the price could be paid for the broken covenant that separated us from God.

So, through the cross, we are able to be reunited with God into a relationship that He created us for. Romans 5:10 says, “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” It is the cross which provides atonement for our sins. It is this atoning act of grace that provides us with access to God so we can be His children. We’ll talk more about access tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take some time to consider how the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was an act of atonement to pay for our sins.

Heavenly Father, it would take all of eternity to give you the thanks you deserve for the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. And I thank you that because of that atonement we WILL have all of eternity to be in your presence, filled with joy, and able to thank you for all you have done for us. May we share the message of your atonement with those who need to hear it. In the name of Jesus, amen

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross is a symbol of atonement. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 12

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 16:10:07 GMT

The Grace of the Cross

Hello, and welcome to the twelfth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is grace. When we are reading a story or watching a movie, we will often see a character do terrible things. That’s the bad guy. And what we want to happen is for the bad guy to get what’s coming to him! We want the bad guy punished!

In the 1986 movie, The Mission, the bad guy is a slave trader named Mendoza, in 18th century South America. He is capturing men, women, and children from the indigenous tribes in the jungle and selling them into slavery. We as the audience want him punished, maybe even killed. But in a major twist, Mendoza becomes a Christian. He asks the priest who is a missionary to the indigenous tribes for penance. Mendoza’s punishment is to drag a heavy bag of old rusty armor through the jungle, up the waterfall, to the village where he must present himself to the tribe he had persecuted.

As Mendoza and the priests climbed the mountain to the village, the villagers saw them coming. One of the village leaders asked the priest why this man was dragging this heavy weight by himself. The priest said he was being punished for his sin. “What was his sin?” the village leader asked. The priest told him that this was the man who had kidnapped, beaten, and sold his people. The villager pulled out his machete and ran down to the former slave trader. He began to scream at Mendoza in a language Mendoza did not know. Then he took his machete, and cut the rope holding the bag which went tumbling down the mountain. The priest said to Mendoza, “He has forgiven you and released you from your burden.” Mendoza sank to the ground and began to weep. This was an act of grace. Instead of getting what he deserved, he got what he needed.

The cross was an act of grace. In this case, we were the bad guys. It was we who deserved the punishment for the sins of our words, our actions, and our thoughts. There was no penance that could be paid that would remove our sins. So Jesus took the punishment for us. He didn’t give us what we deserved; He gave us what we most needed. That is grace. That is what Jesus’ death on the cross did for us. That grace gave us atonement. We’ll talk more about atonement tomorrow.

I want to encourage you to take a little time to meditate on the grace of the cross after we pray today.

Heavenly Father, there’s a reason we call Your grace amazing. We stand amazed that you would give us what we needed instead of what we deserved. Thank you for the cross of grace, in the name of Jesus, Your Son, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross shows God’s grace. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 11

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 13:49:56 GMT

The Unfairness of the Cross

Hello and welcome to week three and the eleventh day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is unfair. We are all born with an innate sense of justice. From the earliest age we know when something is unfair. And we express it without hesitation, “Mom/Dad that’s not fair!” And we’d often get the response, “Life isn’t fair.” It was a hard lesson, but one we needed to learn. Life ISN’T fair.

All of humankind is born with a selfish, broken, sinful nature that leads to unfairness. And yet, there is that scale of justice in our hearts that makes us notice when things are unfair. You see, the justice of God is imprinted on the hearts of men so that we realize when things are unjust, and we see our need for a God of justice. That sense of justice in our hearts is one of the ways God tells us He is there.

And as we look at the cross, we can’t help but see it as unfair. Even a thief who hung beside him on another cross saw the unfairness of Jesus’ punishment. Luke 23 tells us that one of thieves who hung on one side of Jesus mocked Jesus on the cross. The other thief rebuked the first thief, saying, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” That thief, the followers of Jesus, and even Pilate the governor saw that Jesus’ death on the cross was unfair. Jesus had done nothing wrong.

And to compound the unfairness of the cross, Jesus was taking the punishment for our sins! This was the punishment we deserved. Romans 3:25 says, “God sent Christ to be OUR sacrifice. Christ offered HIS life’s blood, so that by faith in him WE could come to God.” (emphasis, mine) Well, that’s not fair. Jesus paid the price so we could come to God?

Not only does that seem to be unfair, we have to come to terms with the fact that God ORDAINED this act of unfairness. From the foundations of this world, God had planned to use the unfairness of the human heart to redeem the human heart. Does that make God unfair? It would if Jesus was an unwilling victim. But Jesus chose the unfairness of the cross. It was an act of grace. We’ll talk more about grace tomorrow.

After closing in prayer today, please take a little time to meditate about how the cross was unfair and how that unfairness redeemed those who believe in Christ and repent of their sins.

Heavenly Father, the unfairness of the cross is evident, and we see how we reap the benefit of the sacrifice of Your Son. Help our sense of justice reveal your compassion and your greatness to our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how Jesus chose the unfairness of the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 10

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 18:11:52 GMT

The Cross speaks of "Substitution"

Hello and welcome to the tenth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is substitute. A lot of you know that I really enjoy cooking (most of the time). My friend told me, "I love trying new recipes, especially unusual ones from distant lands. One of the problems in cooking authentic recipes from other nations is that they often contain exotic ingredients that you can’t find at your local Grocery Store. Sometimes you can find them on Amazon, but I’m not sure I want to pay a lot of money for a bag of Kaffir Lime leaves that I’m going to use once a year to make a Thai curry. So, what I do is google 'kaffir lime leaves substitute'." This will provide him an option for a substitute that won’t be as costly to him. "Ah look," he said, "I can use a little lime zest as a substitute for the kaffir lime leaves.”

The lime zest is a substitute that saves my friend a little money. The cross is a substitute that saves my soul. The price of my sin was great. In fact, the only way to pay that price was my own spiritual death: eternal separation from God. But through the plan of God, a substitute for my death was procured. Jesus’ death on the cross was a substitute for my spiritual death. His death on the cross was the substitute for all of us. He took our punishment as a substitute.

2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.” The Greek word “for all” and “for their sake” is huper. It means in place of, on behalf of, a substitute for. Swiss theologian Karl Barth said it was the most important word in the New Testament. Because it shows that Jesus on the cross was a substitute for us paying the wages for our sins. We deserved the punishment. Jesus took it freely upon Himself. Maybe that seems unfair. We’ll talk more about unfair on Monday.

After we close in prayer, I’m going to ask that you spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about how Jesus was our substitute on the cross.

Heavenly Father, the price for our sins was too great for us to bear. So Your Son Jesus, bore our sins upon His shoulders as He hung upon the cross to die in our place. Thank you for the love that caused Him to be our substitute. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today, this week. Please take some time to meditate on how the cross is our substitute. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 9

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 17:44:53 GMT

The Curse of the Cross

Hello and welcome to the ninth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is curse. When God gave the Law of Moses to the people of Israel there were laws of blessing as well as laws that concerned curses. One of those laws concerned criminals who were hung upon posts in the ground. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.” This is part of the reason the Jews hurried to remove the bodies of those crucified before the sun set and the Sabbath began.

Anyone who was crucified was cursed according to Jewish Law. This curse, for the people of Israel, meant a separation from the covenant God had with Israel. Separation from the covenant meant separation from God. This curse meant you were no longer part of the nation of Israel, no longer one of God’s chosen people. You were damned to an eternal death.

But this law was just a shadow of the reality of the situation. In fact, ALL people were under a curse. This curse was the curse of sin. The Law was given to show humankind that no one could follow the Law completely. The book of Romans says that all have sinned, and the wages of that curse of sin is death. The same death as that covenantal separation from God. An eternal death with no hope of reprieve.

But look at what it says in Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” On the cross, Jesus BECAME the curse. Instead of the curse of eternal death, because of the cross, we are offered the gift of eternal life. He substituted Himself so that the curse of sin no longer had power over us. But we’ll talk more about “substitute” tomorrow.

Let’s close in prayer now, but after I’m done praying, would you spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about how Jesus became a curse on the cross to conquer the curse of sin for us?

Heavenly Father, Your Law is just and holy. It is a reflection of who You are. All of us deserve the curse of sin. So, we thank you for the cross which frees us from that curse. Thank you for Jesus and the love He showed for us by becoming the curse so that we could have eternal life. In the Name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to meditate on how the cross defeated the curse of sin. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 8

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 18:24:35 GMT

The Agony of the Cross

Hello and welcome to the eighth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is agony. I think maybe there are times we take the cross for granted. We tend to gloss over the suffering of the cross. It’s an image around our necks or at the front of the church. And if we picture Jesus on the cross, we often picture him hanging majestically with a look of serene sorrow. But Jesus was not beautiful on the cross.

Isaiah prophesied about the suffering of Jesus on the cross, and look at what the prophet says in Isaiah 52:14. “As many were astonished at you his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind.” He was so beaten, so scarred and bruised, that His face hardly looked human anymore.

And it wasn’t just His physical body that was battered; Jesus' very spirit was in agony. The Scripture tells us this. The Bible tells us that Jesus went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, walked a little ways away and knelt with His face to the ground, asking the Father if there was a way to avoid the agony of the cross, yet pledging to follow the will of the Father, even if it led to the anguish of His crucifixion. An angel came to strengthen Him, yet still His torment remained. Luke 22:44 says, “And being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Crucifixion was arguably the most painful method of execution ever developed by man. It’s believed that the nails driven into the end of the forearms and feet severed the nerves that would cause a severe burning sensation in the limbs, except for the hands and feet which would be permanently paralyzed. The victim can only draw deep breaths if they push their weight up on the nails driven into the feet. The legs become weaker and weaker. The shoulders and elbows would dislocate. Eventually the victim would either suffocate or they would suffer a heart attack.

Why share the horrible details of Christ’s agony? Because that was part of the cost He paid for our sins. If we are going to meditate on the cross, we need to understand the reality of the cross. It’s no wonder the cross was considered a curse. But we’ll talk more about the curse tomorrow.

Jesus was willing to suffer this agony to reestablish a connection between God and man that had been lost since the Garden of Eden. So, after we close in prayer today, would you spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the agony Jesus was willing to suffer out of love for us?

Father, this is difficult for us to consider. We can’t conceive of what it was like for you to watch Your only Son in agony. Thank you for your love for us and thank you for the cross. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to meditate on the agony of Jesus on the cross, and why He was willing to suffer it for us. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 7

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:34:16 GMT

The Example of the Cross

Hello and welcome to our seventh day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is example. The cross stands for us as an example to us. Think of what the cross represents. It represents love, sacrifice, humility, obedience, and other character traits that stand as an example for us to follow. Jesus is the Son of God, and He was sent to SHOW us who God is and what His Kingdom is like. His sacrifice on the cross didn’t just free us from our sins. It set for us an example to follow in our own lives.

The apostle Peter was teaching on submitting to those in authority over us. As an example, he pointed to the cross. He said the following in 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 21, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Peter is telling us that the suffering of Jesus is also an example for us to follow. And the perfect picture of the suffering of Christ is His suspended form, in agony, dying on the cross.

Stephen, one of the first deacons in the Christian Church, certainly followed the example of the cross. Stephen was proclaiming the truth of the good news of Jesus and he found himself in a very similar situation to the cross. Stephen angered the religious officials and they brought him before them in a mockery of a trial, much like what Jesus faced in Jerusalem. And like Jesus, Stephen was sentenced to death and brought outside the city to be killed.

In this case, Stephen was surrounded by religious officials who threw large stones at him until he was dead. But Stephen looked at the cross as his example, and with his dying breath, Stephen called out to God to forgive the men who were killing him. Jesus had done the same thing on the cross and Stephen followed HIS example.

The cross continues to be an example for us. It shows us the nature of Jesus, and as followers of Jesus, we should seek to copy that example. Even in the agony of the cross, Jesus showed Himself as an example for us. We’ll talk more about agony tomorrow.

We’re going to close in prayer now, but after I’m done praying, would you spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about how you can follow Jesus in the example He set on the cross?

Heavenly Father, You have left for us a hard example to follow. For Jesus faced the curse of the cross while still maintaining His holiness. Please help us remember that through the aid of the Holy Spirit, we are able to follow the example of the cross in our lives. Thank you for the cross. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to meditate on how you can follow the example set for us by Jesus on the cross. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 6

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:46:17 GMT

The Shadow of the Cross

Hello and welcome to our second week, and our sixth day, of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is shadow. We had mentioned Friday that the Old Testament sacrificial system was a shadow of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. When you stand between a light and a wall, your shadow will be on the wall. Now that shadow is not you. It has the basic form of you and it may remind people of you, but it is not the real you. In the same way the system of sacrifice for sins in the Old Testament, where the blood of an animal would be shed upon an altar, was the basic outline of what the cross would be. It placed the idea of sacrifice into the hearts of people so that they would recognize the reality of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

Just as the shadow of the cross falls back upon the Old Testament, if also falls forward upon all of us as we live under the covenant of the New Testament. Everything we see in the New Testament is shadowed by the cross. In Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church, he explains his salvation to them. And in Galatians chapter 2, verse 20, he says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul is saying that the crucifixion of Jesus casts its shadow upon him. That Paul has sacrificed his own self for the cause of Christ. The old man, the old heart, has been put to death and now Paul’s new life is the risen Christ, living in him.

The shadow of the cross falls upon us as well. The sacrifice of Jesus paid the price for our salvation. The sacrifice of Jesus paid for our healing, our access to God, our joy, our strength, everything we are able to receive from God is the result of Jesus’ sacrifice upon the cross. The shadow of the cross falls upon all of us, every day. And it is an example for us in our lives. We’ll talk more about example tomorrow.

I want to close in prayer, but I encourage you, after I’m done praying, to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about how the shadow of the cross continues to fall upon us as believers.

Heavenly Father, my very ability to come to you in prayer today is the result of Your Son’s sacrifice on the cross. The shadow of the cross rests heavy upon us. Help us to remember that, help us to be thankful, and may our meditation draw us closer to you. In the name of Your Son Jesus, Amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to meditate on the shadow of the cross today. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 5

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:40:39 GMT

The Meaning of the Cross: Sacrifice

Hello and welcome to our fifth day (and end of the first week) of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is sacrifice. We are far removed from the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant established in the Law of Moses. Sacrifice doesn’t quite mean the same thing to us today as it would have meant to the 1 ^st century Christians who read the words of the New Testament. When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, he described Jesus’ work on the cross as a sacrifice.

Ephesians 5:2 says, “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” The church in Ephesus would have recognized sacrifice as something very specific. The background of most of the Ephesians was pagan idolatry, although there were some Jewish Christians in the church as well. But in either case, sacrifice in the form of a burnt offering was the common practice. Offering animals to be slaughtered and burned, or even fruits of their harvest was common practice amongst the pagans and the Jews.

But on the cross, Jesus did away with the sacrificial system. There was no longer a need to try to appease God, or an idol, by a burnt offering. Jesus became that burnt offering. As we studied in the book of Revelation, Jesus’ appearance before the throne of the Father is first as the sacrificial Lamb. The cross has become the new sacrificial altar. And instead of a repeated sacrifice for sin, Jesus has become the sacrifice, paying the price for our sin once and for all.

Hebrews 9:28 says, “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many…” It is done. As He hung on the cross Jesus declared “It is finished.” Not just His life, not just His suffering, the SACRIFICE was complete. As we saw yesterday, justice had been satisfied. Our sins were paid for on the cross. New life is now available to those who will follow Him.

The old sacrificial system was just a shadow of the ultimate sacrifice which was to come. We’ll talk more about shadow on Monday.

As we close in prayer. I encourage you, after I’m done praying, to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

Heavenly Father, You sent your Son to be the sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Our debt is paid and the way to the Kingdom is available because of that sacrifice. May our understanding of the cost of Your sacrifice on the cross increase as we grow closer to You. In the name of Your Son Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to meditate on the sacrifice of Jesus today. Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 4

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 18:23:55 GMT

The Meaning of the Cross: Justice

Hello and welcome to our fourth day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is justice. Perhaps this seems like an odd word to associate with the cross. After all, the trial and execution of Jesus was a travesty of justice. Jesus had committed no crime against the state. One of His fellow prisoners realized this. Even His judge, Pilate, realized Jesus was innocent. But because of the politics of the situation, Pilate allowed the religious leaders to carry out their plan to have Jesus nailed to the cross. Certainly, that was not justice.

No, the justice of the cross is not found in the actions of men. The justice of the cross is found in the action of God. A verse we read yesterday, 1 John 1:9 says that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Our forgiveness is just. On the scales of justice, the death of Jesus on the cross was a suitable payment for the sins of humankind. Justice was satisfied by Jesus giving Himself on the cross.

Now that doesn’t seem fair. Jesus was a man without sin. He was the eternal Son of the Father. Even as He took human form and was tempted like the rest of us, Jesus knew no sin. And yet our sins were place upon Him on the cross so that through His death, the punishment would be given, the price would be paid, and justice would be satisfied. It doesn’t seem fair because it’s not.

But Jesus wasn’t concerned about fairness, He was concerned about us. We had no way to balance the scales of justice, no instrument to offer the payment for our sins. Knowing that we were damned without divine intervention, God intervened in the affairs of men, offering Himself as payment for our sin. Justice was satisfied because of His love for us, because Jesus became the sacrifice. We’ll talk more about sacrifice tomorrow.

I’m going to close our time in prayer. I encourage you, after I’m done praying, to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the justice of the cross.

Heavenly Father, thank You for paying the price for our sins. You are holy and just, so is your forgiveness, so is the cross. Keep me near your cross so I may learn more of your justice. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to meditate further on God’s justice today.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 3

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 19:44:12 GMT

Day 3: The Meaning of the Cross: Forgiveness

40 Days of The Cross

The Meaning of The Cross: Forgiveness

Hello and welcome to our third day of our “40 days of the cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t always looked at as a virtue these days. I’ve seen it on TV talk shows and Facebook memes. Why would you forgive someone who is probably going to hurt you again? Why would you forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it? And I can understand why people feel that way. Forgiveness isn’t easy. When we are hurt, the natural response is to close ourselves to that person, or perhaps even hurt them back.

But that is not God’s response. Although He is under no obligation, God forgives people. And the cross is God’s instrument of forgiveness. Romans 8:1 says “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ.” Why, even when Jesus hung on the cross, He looked at His accusers and the executioners around Him and said, “Father, FORGIVE them.”

The cross is God’s instrument of forgiveness because it was on the cross that the sacrifice was paid for our sins. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. The cross is the place where Jesus shed His blood. That blood was shed for us. The cross moved from being an instrument of execution to becoming an instrument of forgiveness in God’s hands.

I am so thankful for God’s forgiveness. I know that I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The Bible says that all of us have. We are all broken. All of us were separated from God because of our sins. But the cross makes it possible for God to forgive us. How about you? Have you confessed your sinfulness to God? Or do they still separate you from His presence? If you have never confessed your sins and given your life over to God before, today can be the day that God uses the cross as an instrument of forgiveness in your life.

It’s a promise from God. 1 John 1:9 says that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to FORGIVE us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God says it’s the just thing to do. We’ll talk more about justice tomorrow. If you’d like more information about giving your life to God, feel free to contact us at the church. The contact information is in the video description.

After the prayer, I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the cross as God’s instrument of forgiveness.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the forgiveness that was purchased for us by the shedding of Jesus’ blood in His death on the cross. May we grow in our understanding of that forgiveness and how it affects our lives. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please continue to meditate on God’s forgiveness as you go throughout your day.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 2

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:22:35 GMT

Day 2: The Cross Means Death

Day 2: The Meaning of the Cross: Death

Hello and welcome to our second day of our 40 days of the cross series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is death . I know. It’s not a very attractive word. But the cross wasn’t very attractive. These days crosses are worn around necks made of gold, sometimes studded with diamonds to make beautiful pieces of jewelry, and that’s fine, so long as the person wearing it still understands what the cross means.

And the cross MEANS death . The cross was an execution to carry out a death sentence. If, after a certain amount of time, the Roman soldiers thought the person on the cross might still be alive, they would break the victim’s legs so that they could no longer support themselves on the spike driven into their feet. You see, they needed to support their weight on that spike to lift themselves up to draw a breath.

Once they couldn’t do that, the victim suffocated. The gospel of John tells us that the soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves hanging on crosses to either side of Jesus. But then it says this in chapter 19, verse 32 . “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.”

When you see a cross, remember that it was an instrument of death. Jesus died on the cross. The apostle Paul said that the death of Jesus was the most important doctrine. In 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul wrote, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.”

So, do we have a symbol of death on the front of our church? Is there a symbol of death hanging on gold chains around the necks of people all around the world? Yes. That’s what the cross is. A symbol of death . But that death had a purpose. As we just saw Paul say, Jesus died FOR OUR SINS. It was the only way sins could be forgiven. But we’ll talk about forgiveness more tomorrow. For now, let’s pray.

After I finish leading in prayer, I encourage you, to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the aspect of Jesus’ death as it relates to the cross .

Heavenly Father, it is with sober hearts that we give thanks for the death of Your Son, Jesus . It almost seems callous to thank You for something that cost You so dearly. And yet, this gift of love freed us from our sin. I also thank You that Jesus rose again into new life to offer us new life as well. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to meditate on Jesus’ death today.

Continued

40 Days of the Cross: Day 1

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:20:48 GMT

Day 1: The Meaning of the Cross

The Compassion of The Cross

Greetings, Friends! Today we are kicking off a series for our devotional, that is a repeat from last year – and because I missed the first day; today you will see, the first two segments. Beginning today and going through Good Friday we are going to be walking through “40-days of the Cross,” looking into The Meaning of The Cross . Now, if you do the math, we are further out than 40-day – but, we will not be having the devotional on the weekend, so we are beginning before Ash Wednesday and ending on Good Friday… so, welcome to our first day of our 40 Days of the Cross series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is compassion . Compassion was shown throughout Jesus’ ministry, but nowhere was it more evident than when Jesus hung on the cross, on a hill, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Jesus’ death on the cross was His greatest act of love.

Look at what Jesus Himself said in the book of John, chapter 15, verse 13. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus gave His life for us, as a supreme act of love. No matter who you are, no matter how unlovely you might thing you are, Jesus loves you . His compassion is shown in His sacrifice for you on the cross.

The cross was horrible. It was the most gruesome of all forms of execution. No one would have put a cross around their necks in the first century any more than you or I would put a little gold hangman’s noose around our necks today. But that first century church began to deal with the paradox of the cross as a symbol of horror, becoming a symbol of love. And now, almost 20 centuries later, we have grown accustom to a symbol of capital punishment hanging in just about every Christian church and adorning countless necks. That is because Jesus’ act of compassion was so great that we easily associate the cross with an act of love.

Now, the cross is still symbolic of death. We don’t often dwell on that too much. But we will talk about that more tomorrow. For now, let’s take a moment, wherever we are and pray.

Each day of these 40 days, I will lead us in prayer, but I encourage you, after I’m done praying, to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the aspect of the cross we’ve discussed. In this case, the aspect of compassion .

Heavenly Father, we thank you today for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. This act of compassion is our greatest gift. Help us to better understand the depth of Your love for us. Help us to see that Your compassion for us is not limited by our brokenness. For Your compassion is shown to us in that while we were still sinners, Your Son died on the cross for us . May you expand our own compassion as we consider Yours. In the Name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to consider the compassion of the cross.

Continued tomorrow

A Look at Psalm 119:122

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:10:24 GMT

Prove it!

 Psalm 119:122 “Ensure your servant’s well-being; let not the arrogant oppress me.”

This must have been a time in David’s life when he was insecure in his relationship with God. He is challenging God to prove Himself. “Ensure my well-being,” he cries. The Hebrew meaning of “ensure” is to give a pledge or token in times of trouble. The verse could also read, “Be bail for your servant,” or “Pledge yourself for me, so I can know that You will pronounce me safe on the Judgment Day.”

Have you ever come to the place in your relationship with God where you have said, “God, if I’m going to make it, it will be because of You and not me”? In this verse, as well as the previous one, David is feeling oppressed. He seems to be expressing dismay over how the arrogant are oppressing him. His heart is crying, “Prove to me again, that You can keep me. Be my bail.” When the oppressor comes on strong there are times when we sit back and wonder if we really know God.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse over the weekend. As you do, think about God being your surety.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:121

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:24:11 GMT

Justice

 Psalm 119:121 “I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors.”

Everyone who has the Spirit of Christ in them has a sense of justice. That can cause conflict in our attempts to understand how God deals with us. Justice says, “If I keep up my end of the bargain, you must keep up yours.” The problem for us is, we feel that God treats us this way, also. Subsequently, we try to earn His blessings. We tend to expect God to be good to us when we have been good. Make no mistake friends, being “good” is God’s objective for us. However, grace sees beyond our actions, forgives us, and grants blessings even when we don’t deserve them.

It helps our ego to think we have earned something. It’s humbling to receive something we don’t deserve. David displayed this mentality when he said, “I have done what is right, therefore deliver me from my oppressors.” The Kingdom of God belongs to those who are poor in spirit. The poor in spirit are those who have been reduced to the lowly position of asking (see Matthew 5:3 ).

“What does the Lord require of you?” Micah 6:8. God does not want us to live just the way David did. He wants us to do what is right. He wants us to treat others justly. However, our personal motivation should not be that of doing these things... so we can get something from God.

These things should be a part of our nature now that we have Jesus in us. The reason God delivers us from the oppressor is so we can continue to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. God delivers so we can continue to be a blessing to others.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you do what is righteous and just so you can be blessed, or so your life can reveal the Son of God to others. Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:120

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 17:33:33 GMT

Standing in the Presence of God

 Psalm 119:120 “My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.”

Who can stand in the presence of God? Only the forgiven! It is difficult to fathom that one day we will stand in His presence. It brings a certain chill and wonder to think of that day. However, when that day comes, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess He is Lord. What an awesome day that will be!

David said his flesh actually trembled in reverence of his God. David knew that his God is a just and holy God. And that HE “requires truth in the innermost parts” Psalm 51:6. “God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth” John 4:24.

The assurance we can gain is through an interest in God’s mercy. That alone will save us from the overwhelming fear of one day standing in His presence. Our God is an awesome God (that should be a song), and if it were not for mercy, we would have no hope. If the whole earth were not full of His mercy, we would be crushed under the weight of our own sin.

It’s from an understanding of mercy that our fear is transformed to reverence. Prior to understanding mercy, one is actually fearful of God. A true concept of God’s judgment and mercy creates reverence. Man uses power to destroy and manipulate. God uses power to create.

Knowing that God could destroy us with a single breath of His nostril creates a certain fear of God until we realize that God is full of mercy. Mercy is a life-giving force. The realization that God could destroy us, but won’t, should cause us to bow in reverence to Him.

If we will bow our knee to Him today, we will one day be able to stand in His presence. Only when we purposely bring ourselves down or humble ourselves does God lift us up. “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth” Proverbs 27:2.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, thank God for His mercy.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:119

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:23:36 GMT

A Pure Heart

 Psalm 119:119 “All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes.”

The Word of God is the only truly pure thing in the world. It is without hidden motive; it is undiluted love. Throughout this Psalm, we find David expressing his love for God’s Word. In this case, it is God’s statutes. In other places David spoke of his love for God’s commands, precepts, testimonies, or judgements.

David tells us that every facet of God’s Word offers cleansing. The more of God’s Word we have in us, the purer we are. The Word serves as a refiner’s fire; it removes any dross. As believers, we are to subject ourselves to this fire willingly. To pray for a pure heart is healthy, even though it may hurt us to gain it.

The wicked will not willingly subject themselves to God’s refiner’s fire. Subsequently, their lives are full of dross. Dross is defined as scum, waste, or foreign matter (see Matthew 5:8 ). The wicked have no purity of heart because they will not allow God to inspect their lives. We are wise to openly ask God to inspect our lives and take us through the fire. The whole idea behind a trial is to purify our lives. The trial is the fire. Before we pass through the fire God works to remove the dross from our lives through His Word. That’s where the inspection comes in.

Before metal can pass through the fire, the scum at the surface is swept off. If it is not swept off first, it would melt into the metal as it passes through and the metal would not be pure at the end. Prior to the fire, the wickedness of our lives is discarded. That is the inspection or confession process. Then comes the trial or the test to see if we were sincere in our confession. The trial is the final cleansing process.

David said he loved the statutes of God. David realized that through following God’s statutes he was preparing (cleansing) himself for any trial that may come his way.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, pray this prayer, “Father, remove the dross from my life.” Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:118

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:18:09 GMT

A Clear Conscience

 Psalm 119:118 “You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain.”

To be rejected means to be downtrodden or put down. Those who stray from God’s decrees are proud people who will not bring themselves under God’s authority. In their disobedience they lift up self above God. Ultimately, they will be rejected by God.

“Their deceitfulness is in vain.” Proud people become rich and great by putting others down. They seem to have the world by the tail and appear to be happy, but in reality it is all false. Without obedience to God, one cannot have a clear conscience. Without a clear conscience, there is no true happiness.

A clear conscience comes through our continual pursuit of God. 2 Timothy 1:3 speaks about Paul’s clear conscience: “as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.” Paul constantly remembered to pray. His consistency in prayer cleared his conscience.

A clear conscience is a necessity in life, and never more so than in a time of crisis. When we enter a crisis with a clear conscience, we will be able to pray our way through it. However, if we have failed to be constant in prayer prior to the crisis, we will experience great difficulty in our attempts to clear our conscience in the midst of that crisis.

1 Timothy 1:9 teaches us that if we discard a clear conscience; we shipwreck our faith. Without faith it seems almost impossible to believe God for anything. Nevertheless, the mercy of God overlooks our faithlessness and He even comes to our aid in the midst of our struggles.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, pray this prayer, “Father, bring me down.” If you pray that prayer, you will never be rejected by God.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:117

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:50:27 GMT

Upheld: Protected and Provided For

 Psalm 119:117 “Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees.”

To be upheld, someone must be strengthened and supported. David was asking God to strengthen him and support him for the purpose of deliverance. Our deliverance comes through God. However, it’s not as much a literal, physical deliverance as it is a spiritual one.

Consider fear for a moment. Some say fear comes from the unknown. Not true! Fear comes from feeling you need to be your own protector and provider. When a person feels they are responsible for their own protection, then the unknown becomes a factor. However, what would a person fear if they walked hand in hand with Jesus? The unknown would not even be a factor. When Jesus supports us and strengthens us, we are automatically delivered from fear. We don’t even have to be physically removed from our situation to be delivered.

If a person feels they are solely responsible for their own provision, they, too, will live in a world of fear, especially in an unstable economy. When they fully realize Jesus is their provider, their fear leaves. No health care plan in the world can give us the peace Jesus can. When we know Jesus is our strength and support, it removes the pressure that providing and protecting bring.

The New Testament sums all of this up quite nicely, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). There is no fear in maturity because the mature person understands God’s love for him/her.

Understanding God’s love means we understand His protection and provision for us. If a person still lives in fear, it’s because their relationship with the Lord is not what it ought to be. The only way to turn that around is through the daily life of prayer.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse today. As you do, ask God to uphold you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:116

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:28:37 GMT

Having Hope

Psalm 119:116 “Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.”

No one wants their hopes to be dashed. If it were not for hope, life would contain no stimulation. However, hope is an interesting subject. Romans 8:28 teaches us, “Hope that is seen is n hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” David put his hope in the life that comes through the promises in God’s Word. He asked to be given life through God’s promises so that his hope would be sustained.

We must all have hope. However, hope that is seen is not hope at all. Hope is a cousin to faith. Faith believes the unseen. Someday, our faith shall have sight, but today our faith is in things we cannot see. If we could see, there would be no need for faith. As Romans said, “Who hopes for what they already have?”

Our hope needs a foundation, a basis which is found in the promises of God. Our earthly existence is not as much a basis for life as are the promises of God. This life drains us. (Can I get an amen?!) God’s promises, sustain us. Sustain me… and I will live. What hope would we have if it were not for the promises of God? “Life me Lord according to Your promise.”

Our hope comes from the promises like these: “ I will never leave you or forsake you, ” “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with me that you might be where I am.” Edward Mote was correct when he wrote, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust in the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, think of a promise God has made to you; therein lies your hope.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:115

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 19:52:38 GMT

Away from me, you evil-doers!

Psalm 119:115 “Away from me, you evil doers, that I may keep the commands of my God.”

Keeping the commands of God was a theme of David’s life. Though we know David was not without his own personal problems, his love for obedience to God was what continually brought him back to seeking God. He began his book by saying, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord” Psalm 1:1-2. From the very beginning, we have been warned to stay away from evil-doers if we are to keep the commands of God.

An attraction to evildoers reveals a hidden desire to worship their idols. Evildoers are all idol-worshipers in God’s eyes. They worship the evil they do. When godly people are attracted to them, they set themselves on a path of destruction. Eventually they will no longer keep the commands of God because to do so would mean to do away with the evil in their lives. Instead, they become idol-worshipers.

“What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said, ‘I will live with them and walk with them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you’” 2 Corinthians 6:16-17.

The children of God are the temple of the living God. Therefore, touch no unclean thing. Do not dwell among evildoers. We are not to have a regular influence of evil in our lives.

Do not mistake this with bringing evil people to Christ. We are to have no intimacy with evil. However, to have contact with evil people for the purpose of winning them to Christ is a totally different thing. This contact is to influence them to receive Christ as their Savior.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask God to show you the evil influences you still have in your life.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:114

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:05:55 GMT

Refuge

Psalm 119:114 “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your Word.”

Do you trust God enough to put your hope, your life, or your family’s wellbeing in God’s Word? There is no safer place in all the universe than in the hands of our loving God. To place yourself there, you must have trust. There must be enough trust in God to put your hope in what He says. When you do that, He becomes your refuge.

Another term for refuge is the “strong tower.” We often read of the strong tower in the Scriptures as the place of safety. The tower was often located someplace in the vineyard where one could run when danger came. The vineyard was a type of church. The keepers of the vines were considered ministers. God was their refuge, their strong tower. They were to go into Him for safety.

In Bible days, the tower was impregnable. With the weapons available in those days, one was completely safe upon entering the strong tower and shutting the door. Though the weaponry of the enemy has changed today (it is no longer arrows and stones, but rather guided missiles and nuclear bombs), our strong tower (Jesus Christ) is just as safe a place as He has ever been. The key is that we must “shut the door.” If the door is not shut, the enemy can easily follow us inside.

The door to the refuge is shut through our hope in the Word of God. Isaiah 59:19 gives us hope, “For he (Satan) will come like a pent-up flood that the breath (Spirit; standard) of the Lord drives along.” Another way to phrase this would be, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will put him to flight.” We stop the flood of the enemy through our hope in God’s Word. Through our trust in the Word of God, we shut the door of our refuge to any further satanic influence.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if your hope is securely founded on God’s Word.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:113

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:18:49 GMT

Double-minded?

Psalm 119:113 “I hate double-minded men, but I love your law.”

The law of God is our unswerving standard. The law is constant. It never changes.

Even in this day of grace, the law remains as it did originally. Jesus said, “ I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” Matthew 5:18. David loved those whose hearts were fixed upon the Law of God. However, for those who wavered, he had another opinion.

James 1:8 tells us that a double-minded person is unstable in all they do. The double-minded person can rest assured that they will receive nothing from the Lord – James 1:7 . Why would David use such a strong word as “hate” to describe his feelings for double-minded people? We must recall David’s desire to please his God. David was bent on pleasing God. Whenever someone is motivated, they want others to be, also. Therefore, he hated those who did not desire to please his Lord.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God.” It is from a lack of faith that a person is double-minded. Double mindedness can be described as someone who asks God for direction concerning something they are facing, and while doing so is figuring out what steps to take when God doesn’t answer them. At the same time they are saying, “God I need Your help,” they are figuring out what they can do to answer the prayer themselves. They have two minds. They are unstable because their heart is not fixed upon the unwavering law of God.

Take some time to meditate on this verse today. As you do, ask yourself if you have ever been caught in double-mindedness.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:112

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 18:43:51 GMT

Is your heart set?

Psalm 119:112 “My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”

David’s heart was fixed on God. To be “set” or “fixed” means to be attached. His heart was steadfast – there was no wavering. No longer was he tossed to and fro, carried about by the wind of every doctrine. He knew his God and that was that.

He was determined to obey God right up until the last day, the very end. We live in a day wherein people’s hearts are failing them for fear of what is coming upon the earth. If our hearts are not fixed on God, they could fail us also.

David had a unique heart. It seems that from his early days he had a desire for God that others admired. A steadfast heart is not necessarily one which never errs. David had many sins, yet he is not known for them. He is known as a man after God’s own heart.

That is reflected in his confession of adultery with Bathsheba. In Psalm 51:10 and 17 we read, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.”

David’s key was that his heart was fixed on God. Even though he sinned from time to time (and these were not small sins), he always ultimately returned to God and said, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love… for I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” David was always in heart surgery. He knew the central point of his relationship with God was the heart.

Nothing has changed today. The heart is still the central issue. The heart is the home of Jesus. It needs to be pure and it needs to be broken. Those two things develop the steadfast, fixed heart. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask God for a pure, steadfast heart.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:111

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 15:22:37 GMT

Heritage

Psalm 119:111 “Your statutes are. My heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.”

In Psalm 119:57 David said, “God is my portion.” In this verse, he states he has taken the statutes, or testimonies of God, as his heritage. He is the heir of the statutes of God. He inherited them from his fathers, and he is determined to leave them to his family forever.

If a person passes away and leave nothing to their children but a Bible, in that, they impart the greatest treasure in the universe. David was the heir of the testimonies of God. He was the recipient of all that God said he was. What a heritage!

Consider Isaiah’s rendering of the heritage of the Lord, "All your sons will be taught by the Lord. And great will be your children's peace. In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed from you; it will not come near you. If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. No weapon formed against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this s their vindication from me, declares the Lord" Isaiah 54:13-15, 17 .

The great news is that it is our heritage, also. "Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His glory" Romans 8:17. We are heirs of the One who is compassionate and patient. If that is His testimony, it is to be ours also. If we are to pass our heritage on to our family, we must have the same testimony as the Lord. What a wonderful heritage!

How will we pass this heritage on? By being born into His Kingdom, we become recipients of eternal life. However, leaving a heritage has to do with my personal obedience to God. To leave a heritage for my family, I must live today according to God’s statutes.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, thank God for His heritage.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:110

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 23:01:26 GMT

No worries...

Psalm 119:110 “The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts.”

David is saying, “The wicked are trying to trap me, but I do not stray from Your precepts (instructions), I have nothing to worry about.” The precepts of God are His instructions to us. If we lie in accordance with them we do not need to live in fear of what the wicked may try to do to us. In Numbers 23:23 we read, “There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel,” There is no direct attack by the enemy that can do anything against the child of God.

If Satan were to come to you and say, “I just want you to know that I will be tempting you real soon, to destroy your family and ministry, so beware,” you could easily fight against that. That’s what Proverbs 1:17 says, “How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!” When the enemy lets you know what he is up to, he has defeated his own plan. The only way for the plan of Satan to work is to get our eyes off of the precepts of God. If he can get us to no longer follow God’s instructions, then we lose our spiritual insight. Without insight, we can fall prey to his plan.

Listen to the Word of the Lord in Proverbs 1:24-26, “But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you.” He concludes his thoughts in verse 33, “But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you have ever fallen prey to the enemy’s plan because of a lack of following God’s precepts.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:109

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 21:37:53 GMT

His Law Gives Life

 Psalm 119:109 “Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget Your law.”

Though I constantly subject myself to things that could take my life, I will not forget Your laws. In fact, it is because of those things that I will not forget Your laws. Every time we drive our cars, we are taking our lives in our own hands. Every time we ride in an airplane, we take our lives in our own hands. We constantly take our lives in our own hands. That can be a wonderful blessing if we allow it to cause us to press in to God. When we know our lives are on the line, we tend to be more serious in our pursuit of God. When our lives are in danger, we tend to remember His law.

The rod and staff represent the law of God. The rod is for correction, while the staff is for strength and direction. When the shepherd needed to bring correction, he used the rod. He did not spare the rod, because he loved his sheep. The staff could be leaned upon when tired or even used as a tool to assist in walking. David learned that the law of God could keep him in relative safety even though his life was in danger. If he allowed it to correct and strengthen him, danger was not so stressful.

David knew the Lord was his Shepherd. Because of that, he lacked nothing. HE makes me lie down in green pastures, HE leads him beside quiet waters, HE restores his soul; HE lifes him. He guides him in paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake. Even though he constantly takes his own life in his own hands, he will fear no evil, for God is with him; HIS rod (law) and HIS staff (mercy) comfort him.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, thank God for His life-giving law and mercy.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:108

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 19:00:35 GMT

Prayer/Praise

Psalm 119:108 “Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me Your laws.”

David loved God’s presence, which made his praise acceptable to Him. There are true worshipers, and there are false worshipers. There are those who worship God and those who worship. John 4:23 says, “The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” The other kind of worshiper, which the Father does not seek, is described in Matthew 15:8-9 “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” They worship Him in vain. Not all worship is acceptable to God.

When we worship a god we no longer pray to, we are false worshipers. David was a person of prayer. Therefore, his worship was acceptable to God. David did not just have a prayer in his life; his life was centered around prayer. He loved the presence of God.

Some people say. The reason they worship is to enter into the presence of God. Therefore, they feel they love the presence of God. That may not necessarily be true. If you are a worshiper without being a prayer, then God may view your worship as honoring Him with your lips, but your heart being far from Him. There is a tendency to worship feelings we receive from worship rather than God.

Worship does not bring us into God’s presence as much as prayer does. In the Old Testament, God inhabited the praises of His people. Today, God inhabits His people. God lives in us! He is released through our brokenness, not through our praise.

The prayer life is meant to break us and humble us. Then the sanctuary fills with the presence of God. When the alabaster box is broken, then its fragrance fills the room. What we must remember is that prayer is a form of praise, and praise is a form of prayer. We must have both in our lives.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, worship HIM from your heart. Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:107

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 18:07:48 GMT

Preserve my life, even through suffering...

 Psalm 119:107 “I have suffered much; preserve my life, O Lord, according to Your Word.”

It has been said before, but it must be said again. God “lifes” us. Through praying this 119th Psalm, we are praying the things the Holy Spirit would have us pray. We don’t normally think the way God does, so when we see David praying “Preserve my life,” we need to take it very seriously and pray it for ourselves. God is continually trying to remind us of our need for Him and that He is our only source of life.

As we go throughout life, we, too, identify with David praying, “I have suffered much.” There is a tremendous price to be paid when you vow your life to God. Saul committed himself to Jesus on the road to Damascus and went from the teachings of the greatest scholars of his time to humble, no-name men who were simply led by the Holy Spirit.

Moses vowed his life to God, and he was taken from a position of royalty to the desert for 40 years. Joseph was a man with a heart for God and he was sold into slavery. Daniel would not stop praying and ended up in a lion’s den. In each case, God preserved their lives.

There is no life outside of God. Our own efforts to better ourselves without God, only results in death. David knew firsthand the futility of trying to handle his own life. Some of the things he suffered were from his own disobedience to God. However, some of his suffering simply came from his devotion to God. The unique thing about David was he always came back to his source of life. Over and over, he says, “Bring life to me, preserve my life, quicken me, life me.”

To take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, make that your prayer also. Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:106

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 14:44:48 GMT

Taking an Oath

Psalm 119:106 “I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow Your righteous laws.”

I have taken an oath. I have made a vow. Those are serious words. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 gives us some advice in this matter, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.” David made a vow and then confirmed it. The only way possible to confirm an oath is through obeying it. David followed the righteous laws of God.

In Proverbs 20:25 we read, “It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.” A person is trapped by their own words when they make a vow. A vow is considered a holy act by the Lord. Even if a vow is made without much consideration (rashly), we are bound to it.

Once, I was counseling a young woman who was determined to leave her husband for not a good reason. I said, “What about your wedding vows?” She said, “Those words didn’t mean anything to me.” Whether they meant something or not when she made them, the fact remains she made them in the form of a vow and she is bound to them.

Consider the most important vow of your life. You spoke it when you surrendered your life to Jesus. You vowed your life to Him. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Through your vow, God began a good work in you, and He is not about to leave it unfinished. Our problems begin when we don’t want God to complete the work He has begun in us. His completion comes in the form of the refiner’s fire. When God starts to refine us, we often want out of our vow. God won’t let us go, for He loves us way too much.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, consider whether or not you can identify with David. Have you made a vow and confirmed it, or is God still working with you?

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:105

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:43:30 GMT

A Light for Your Path

Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

I remember memorizing this verse as a kid during Sunday School. I challenge each of us to help our kids and grandkids memorize verses like this that can impact them for the rest of their lives.

We live in a world of darkness. Without the Word of God there would be no light at all. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep… And God said, ‘Let there be light’” Genesis 1:1-3. The spoken Word of God brought light. Today it is the same. God’s Word to us, whether it is spoken or written, is our only source of light.

God brings light to that which is dark. David experienced this firsthand. In Psalm 51:6-7 we read, “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the innermost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” God desires truth in the inner or hidden parts of our heart. Here in Psalm 51 David is confessing his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. God is taking him through a cleansing. The only way for David to be cleansed completely is for him to see his sin. The Word of God. Was revealing the sin of David’s heart, and also lighting a path for him to follow from that point on.

When the revealed Word of God is that which lights our path, we will continue moving toward God. God desires truth in the hidden parts of our heart, because our heart is what we follow. When we open our hearts to the Word of God it enters in and reveals all the dark parts.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go’” Exodus 7:14. The Word of God came to Pharaoh’s heart in the form of Moses, over and over. Pharaoh would not let the Word into his heart and subsequently, it hardened. There was no light in it. Pharaoh walked a path that took him farther and farther from God.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask God to give you a heart full of light.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:104

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 18:30:31 GMT

Do You Hate Evil?

Psalm 119:104 “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path.”

I hate every wrong path! Those are the words of a prophet. The prophet is the one known for his “hard” stand on things. For David to say he hates every wrong path means that he is not only talking to the world, but to the church also. He hated everything that did not bring glory to his God.

Romans 12:9 tells us to hate what is evil. Sometimes, I think that we tolerate evil rather than hate it. If that is the case, it is because we spend so little time in His presence. Isaiah hated evil. In his book we read, “ Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord” Isaiah 26:10 . Isaiah was crying out for the judgment of God to come down. However, he was not just looking for some type of vengeance; he wanted the majesty of the Lord to be known.

In a land of uprightness, or a land where all the people think they are okay, they will go on doing evil. To hate evil is to love God. It is not to hate the evildoers. To love God means that you will hate anything that does not truly reflect Him.

To hate evil is to preach against it. If we don’t speak out against it, the world and the Church will continue to sin. History shows us that when the church stops preaching against sin, when it only preaches “love,” it gets worse instead of better. If grace is shown on the day when judgment is needed, the wicked never learn righteousness, and they will not regard the majesty of the Lord.

David wanted his God glorified. He did not long for judgment, he longed for others to regard the majesty of his God. Subsequently, he hated everything that kept people from seeing who his God really was.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if you really hate evil or if you simply tolerate it.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:103

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 20:27:06 GMT

His Words are Sweeter than Honey

 Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”

The Word of God can be sweeter than honey. Have you ever experienced that? Have you ever heard something from the Lord that was luscious? Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” When words are pleasant, they are received much more quickly. It is not always what is said, but rather how it is said. Whenever the Lord speaks to us it comes from a heart of love. In that light, He could speak words of discipline in an encouraging way.

In Proverbs 16:23 we read how our own pleasant words can be sweet to those who hear us. “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.” A wise person is a person who fears God. Their heart is full of the Lord. When they speak from their heart, it adds persuasiveness to their lips. When we speak from our hearts, there is a sweetness to our words that make them persuasive because we have an instructed tongue.

Jesus had the same type of tongue. Isaiah prophecies about Him in his book. “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary” Isaiah 50:4. Jesus knows how to speak a word in season to the one who is weary. He then proceeds to tell us how He gained an “instructed tongue.”

“He awakens me by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Morning by morning Jesus rose to spend time in the presence of His Father and to be taught by Him. Anyone who spends time in God’s presence, being taught by Him will gain the “instructed tongue” which knows how to speak a word in season to the one who is weary.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask God to help you develop the same kind of tongue Jesus had.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:102

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 17:03:41 GMT

Are You Being Taught by God?

 Psalm 119:102 “I have not departed from Your laws, for You Yourself have taught me.”

The key thought in this verse is that God Himself taught David. When the Lord teaches us something, it is not easily forgotten. We have an option. We can either learn through obedience to the Word of God or through the Lord’s discipline. When I was a kid, my mom had a phrase she repeated quite often, “Wait till Dad gets home!” that was a dreaded phrase. The rest of the day was spent wondering what his “teaching” would entail.

If we discipline ourselves to obey the Word of God all on our own, it would save us a lot of trouble. Obedience to the Word, through our own discipline, is much like listening to mom when she gave instructions. If you listened, things went along quite nicely. If you didn’t listen to her, then you heard that dreaded phrase.

Why was Dad’s discipline (teaching) more severe than Mom’s? It’s not just that he was physically stronger and could spank harder. It’s that he represented Jesus in the home. When God has to deal with us because we won’t listen to those in authority over us, the discipline is much more lasting. Many times, my Dad didn’t even know why he was spanking me. His anger/frustration was due to the fact that I didn’t listen to Mom.

This is what Jesus teaches us in Matthew 21:44 when He says, “He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” The one who falls on the stone is the one who disciplines him/herself. The one on whom the stone falls is being disciplined by the Lord. When the Lord Himself teaches us, we do not soon forget.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, think back to a time when the Lord taught you something.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:101

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 18:47:39 GMT

Strength perfected through weakness

 Psalm 119:101 “I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey Your Word.”

The Psalmist walked in the paths that brought glory to God. He did not walk in evil paths, for then he could not live in obedience to the Word of God. The Bible gives us many examples of evil paths. In Romans 13:13 – 14 we read, “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

Rather than walking in ways that gratify the sinful nature, clothe yourselves with Jesus Christ. Let me tell you the testimony of my old friend, Ron (now with Jesus). He said, "I was brother with an evil path many years ago. I had prayed over and over for release of its grip. One day I decided I was going to have to put on the Lord Jesus Christ instead. I picked out five missionaries to pray for, and then I served notice to the enemy that whenever he tempted me, I would consider that as a reminder to pray for one of those missionaries. I then thanked him (Satan) in advance for the development of my prayer life. The more he tempted me, the more I prayed. Rather than walking in evil ways, I put on Christ." (Some of you remember Pastor Ron Auch - that was his testimony.)

What I know is this: When we are tempted to walk in an evil path, let that be our reminder to pray. This is how strength is perfected through weakness. Paul had prayed three times for the thorn to be taken from him. Each time God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask God to show you how the weakness of your life can be the source of His strength. Then you too, can have the testimony of David, “I have kept my feet from every evil path.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:100

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 18:57:19 GMT

Obedience brings understanding

 Psalm 119:100 “I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey Your precepts.”

David spoke more fully about Christ than any who had gone before him. In that sense, he had more understanding than those who were his elders. The Psalms are full of references to the mercy and salvation of God, which describes Jesus. David gained more understanding than those who went before him because he obeyed God’s precepts. “Precepts” means instructions. David followed God’s instructions. That was the source of his understanding.

The very mysteries of heaven will be opened up to the one who obeys God. Jesus teaches us this in Mark 4:22 – 23, “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Jesus tells us that all we have to do is to hear what God is saying, for God is revealing mysteries. “If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”

You might be saying, “I listen but never hear God.” Jesus anticipated that. In the very next verse, He shows us how to sharpen our hearing. In Mark 4:24 we read, “Consider carefully what you hear,’ He continued, ‘With the measure you use, it will be measured to you – and even more.’” In this portion of Scripture, Jesus is talking about spiritual hearing. He first says, “If anyone has ears to hear let them hear.” Then He says, “But be careful because the measure of your response to what you hear the first time determines what you hear the second time.”

The phrase, “With the measure you use,” deals with our obedience or response to what we hear. Then He finishes verse 24 by saying, “and even more.” In other words, when you hear the Lord speak to you, if you will obey you will hear Him again, but you will hear more. Daivid gained more spiritual insight than his elders because he obeyed.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse today. As you do, consider your own obedience to God. Can you say with David, I obey Your precepts”?

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:99

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 15:25:20 GMT

Gaining Insight

Psalm 119:99 “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on Your statutes.”

When the Spirit of God leads you into truth, you gain more insight than those who merely teach according to human understanding. In the past two verses, we see David pursuing the law of God, the commands of God, and the statutes of God. David was taken up with the things of God. Subsequently, he has discovered the knowledge of God Himself.

In Proverbs 2:1-5 we read, “My son, if you accept my words and store my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

People can help you know about God, but pursuing God through prayer can help you know God. There is a world of difference between knowing about God and knowing God. Jesus said, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” Matthew 22:29. You are in error because you do not know. Once again, we are dealing with the heart knowing, rather than head knowledge. You err because you do not know the Scriptures. This does not mean you have a wrong interpretation of the Scriptures. It means you do not have a knowledge of the One who inspired them. Subsequently, you do not know the power of God; you merely know of it.

To have more insight than your teachers, you must understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. That will only come through a pursuit of Him. Does your heart throb at the thought of spending time with Him? Can you identify with Isaiah, when he says, “My soul yearns for You in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for You” Isaiah 26:9.

Now let me encourage you to take some time today to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if you really pursue the Lord.

Continued

Getting Wiser

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 15:38:05 GMT

Getting Wiser

 Psalm 119:98 “Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.”

When you meditate on something, it is literally always with you. The commands of God were always with David, making him wiser than his enemies. David was a man of God; therefore, his enemies would have been ungodly men. "The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” David’s obedience to God automatically made him wiser than those who opposed him.

This is not just a matter of intellect. The Proverbs teach us that obedience to God is the pinnacle of wisdom. A person could be highly intellectual without being wise at all. Wisdom is determined by obedience to God. An evangelist was once telling his audience that an average person could take Jesus into their life and gain more wisdom than most highly educated, ungodly people. Suddenly a college student stood to his feet and said, “I believe that is hogwash!” The evangelist thought for a moment and then said, “Sir, I believe you are correct. I have seen the gospel make many pigs clean. In that sense it is hogwash.”

Wisdom deals with being instructed by God Himself. Daniel was instructed by God, and he was found to have more knowledge than any of the Chaldeans, magicians, soothsayers, etc. Soon his wisdom appeared to the whole nation as being vastly superior to theirs. God instructs us through our obedience to Him.

Wisdom operates only in conjunction with humility. That is why wisdom comes in response to obedience to God. Obedience breeds humility; only the humble obey God. Through the humility obedience produces, wisdom can operate. Were it not for humility, wisdom would turn instantly to pride.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, search your heart to see if you take pride in your knowledge or if you have a truly humble spirit which simply obeys God. That’s wisdom!

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:97

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 15:37:14 GMT

Oh, How I Love Your Law!

 Psalm 119:97 “Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could live a life of meditating on the things of God all day long? Some would say, “Yes.” Others would say, “I’m not so sure.” And still others would say, “No.” The key word here is “love.” “Oh, how I LOVE Your law!” Not until we love the things of God the way David did, will we really be taken up with meditating upon them all day long.

David is expressing first-love desires in this verse. The one with a first-love desire is completely taken up with the one they are pursuing. I remember once when I received a letter from my wife before we were married. I read that letter over and over. Her very words were a comfort to me. I literally meditated upon those words for days. Why? Because I was in love. When you are in love even the words of those you love are important to you. David said, “I love Your law (Lord) so much that I meditate on it all day long.”

The word “law” in the Hebrew language means “teaching.” It means “law,” especially in the sense of the teaching of an authority, whether patriarch, king, or rabbi. In other words, the teaching of the King is law. The Supreme LORD not only utters laws as we think of them, but His utterances are teachings.

Whenever Israel backslid, it was because they fell away from the teaching God gave them in His Word. Then when a godly king arose, he was commanded to teach people how to serve God. So, when David expressed he loved the law of God, he was also expressing he intended never to stray from his God.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, examine yourself to see if you really do love to meditate on the Word of God.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:96

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 20:08:30 GMT

Our Limits/God's Limits

 Psalm 119:96 “To all perfection I see a limit; but Your commands are boundless.”

The literal meaning of the word “perfection” is “human origin.” In other words, everything of human origin has its limits and end; but, the commands of God are boundless, God’s commands know no end. All things human, whether arts, sciences, languages, or inventions, have their limits of creation.

A command is an uttered expression of a will which is obeyed. God imparts His will directly by His commandments. Man’s problem is that we often try to accomplish the will of God through our own means. Our perfection is limited (just in case you had forgotten). We can only go so far in revealing God to others. Therefore, we need to be dependent upon God. Whatever God requires of us, He can, by His grace, work in us.

When God told the lame man to take up his bed and walk, the lame man knew instantly there was a limit to his own ability to do so. However, through the grace of God, which is not limited to human ability, the lame man stood to his feet and walked. Mankind’s ability is limited, but God knows no boundaries.

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ve done all I can do!” I know I have been guilty of saying it. Many times, God will allow us to come to the end of ourselves so we will finally look to Him. At that point, God’s limitless commands take over and accomplish what we never could.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse today. As you do, thank God for the times He has come through for you when you had reached your end.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:95

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:46:36 GMT

How to Withstand the Wicked

 Psalm 119:95 “The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder Your Statutes.”

The word “statutes” here is better translated “testimonies.” Throughout the Bible, the word “testimony” implies the significance of a “witness.” The testimonies” of the Lord are witnesses which He gives of Himself.

How often the wicked wait to destroy us through the lack of a right testimony. We claim Jesus is the way while we aren’t satisfied with serving God. We say Jesus is our peace while we fret over what’s coming on earth. We say Jesus is love while we can’t get along with our neighbor. Through the lack of “witness,” the wicked destroy us.

In Acts 1:8 we read, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” The power of the Holy Spirit is to enable us to be witnesses. We often interpret this as meaning the Holy Spirit gives us power to go out and “do witnessing.” What it is really saying is that the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to emulate the Son of God. Then, from within that framework, we may find ourselves witnessing.

However, this verse points more to our being than our doing. Doing religious things is not what’s important. Being like Jesus is important. When we cease to be like Christ, the wicked destroy us.

Knowing that the wicked wait for the opportunity to destroy us, we, too, diligently consider the testimonies (statutes) of God. His testimony, or witness, is that “He is good” and that “His mercy is forever.” That must be our testimony also if we have the very Spirit of Jesus living in us.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself, “What kind of witness am I? Do I give the wicked ample opportunity to damage the Kingdom of God through my lack of witness, or do I hold the enemy back because of my witness?”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:94

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 18:43:19 GMT

Knowing God's precepts enables us to not fear

 Psalm 119:94 “Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out Your precepts.”

I am Yours. That is a term of endearment. I am Yours, O Lord. The one who can say this never needs to fear again. In all trials, temptations, dangers, afflictions, persecutions, I am Yours. Is there anything we can face that is bigger than our God? If we are His what can the enemy do to us? Save me for I am Yours.

In the previous verse, we saw how the precepts of God can bring spiritual life. In this verse, we see them affecting our physical life. Because we are His, we have the spiritual quickening to search out His precepts. David sought out the precepts of God. It is God’s instruction to us that literally saves our lives from physical dangers.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings” Proverbs 25:2. It is to God’s glory to hide a matter and ours to search it out. Searching out the precepts of God brings us into more obedience to Him and greater maturity. Wouldn’t school have been much easier if the teachers would have simply told us all the answers instead of making us search them out? Where would we be today if we never had learned the benefit of searching out a matter? How would you feel about having a brain surgeon work on you if she had never been required to search out the matter of brain surgery?

It’s what we know about the precepts of God through our searching that enables us to live free of fear of our enemies. When we discover something through our own search, that information becomes a part of us. It is quite different from the information we gain through others informing us.

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you are really a searcher of it you are content with gaining other people’s knowledge.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:93

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 17:28:36 GMT

God's Precepts Bring Us Life

 Psalm 119:93 “I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have preserved my life.”

The word “precepts” covers what we generally mean by “instructions.” In any position of responsibility, explicit instructions are given for carrying out a person’s assigned responsibilities. The same is true of our responsibility for daily life before God. Instructions for living can be expressed as “precepts.” The Psalmist states that he will never forget the precepts of God because they are the source of his life. God’s instructions to us preserve our life. The word “preserve,” is also the word “quicken” or “life.” God’s instructions bring life to us, which is just the opposite of Satan’s instructions which bring death to us.

We are attempting, through meditation on the Word and character of God, to understand the mind of Christ. Believing that all Scripture is given under (or by) the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we must also believe that God prompted David to write this, because of the spiritual good in never forgetting the precepts of God. " Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” Colossians 3:1-2.

Would you ever forget the name of someone who saved your life? If a person were to come to your house in the middle of the night and awaken you and your family because your house is on fire, would you ever forget their name? It is not very likely. Spiritually speaking, the precepts of God awaken us to our great need for God. They life us, or bring life to us. If we are spiritually minded, we too will have the attitude of David and say with him, “I will never forget the precepts of God for they life me.”

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do ask God to “life” you according to His precepts.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:92

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 19:30:18 GMT

Making it through the hard times

 Psalm 119:92 “If Your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.”

In the previous verse, we saw how through servanthood, the law of God endures. We will not even want to serve God until we delight in His law. Moreover, only through servanthood or humility are we able to endure affliction. Without humility, affliction would kill us. When a person loves God enough to serve Him, they endure because they no longer live for themselves, they live for God.

To endure affliction, we must be focused on something greater than ourselves. A parent can endure affliction because of their love for their children. A husband can endure affliction because of his love for his wife – or vice versa. A servant can endure affliction because of their love for their master. David said that if it weren’t for his love for the law of God, his affliction would have killed him.

Egocentric people have a terrible time with affliction because it attacks the one thing, they love above everything else – themselves. When we were children, we were egocentric. We thought and reasoned like children. The only things that seem reasonable to a child are their own comfort and pleasure. However, when we became adults, we put away childish things (or should have). As mature adults, we understand that this life is not about us, it’s about Jesus. No longer should we seek presents from God, but rather, we should seek the presence of God. Our love should be centered on Him.

If we are filled with love for God, we can endure any affliction because… “love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-11

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse and while you do, ask God to help you put away childish thought and reasoning.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:91

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 19:28:52 GMT

Created to Serve

Psalm 119:91 “Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve You.”

All things have been appointed to serve God. This verse could also be phrased, “Your laws endure to this day because all things serve You.” Our service to God keeps the laws of God alive. God is faithful; because of that, we serve Him. Our serving Him maintains the very life of God on earth. If no person served God, there would be no life of God on earth. God lives through and in us.

Satan has always sought to destroy true Christianity, for without it there would be no witness of God on earth. However, our humble service to the Lord defeats Satan because it keeps the life of God alive. His laws endure to this very day because men and women have served God. If all people everywhere served God, this would be heaven on earth.

Servanthood is a position of humility. It is only through humility that the life of God is released from within us. Humility comes through dying to self. In John 12:24 we read Jesus' words, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” There is life within the kernel of wheat, just as we have the life of Christ within us. However, unless it dies, no life comes from it. The kernel dies in order for its hard outer shell to break open.

That hardened shell is representative of our human nature or our soul. When that kernel of wheat submits, it opens, releasing life. Likewise, when the human soul submits and dies to its self-centered ways, it opens itself to be filled with service to God, releasing the life of Jesus to others. The presence of God is most powerful when the church service is full of broken people. People who have submitted their will to God keep His laws alive.

The opposite of humility is pride. Pride does not want to serve others, it wants to be served by others. The laws of God endure when people serve God. Even Jesus said in Matthew 20:28 “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse and while you do, consider whether you desire to be served by others or to serve others.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:90

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 18:19:56 GMT

His Faithfulness Endures

 Psalm 119:90 “Your Faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures.”

The earth endures! The earth is the oldest thing man knows. Our bodies came from the earth and will return to the earth. Everything we see, feel, hear, taste, and smell comes from this earth. It is our total, carnal, source. It has endured flood, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, and world wars. In spite of all of that, it continues to be the source for all of our temporal needs. The earth has never failed man. Man has failed man, but the earth never has.

It is to this standard (earth) that God likens His faithfulness. His faithfulness continues through all generations. The faithfulness of God is as enduring as the earth. All generations are given the opportunity to partake in His faithfulness. The whole earth is filled with the mercy of God.

Every generation from the beginning of time has been given the chance to experience His faithfulness, whether they deserved it or not. So it is not an issue of what we deserve. If we received what we deserved, we would all be lost. It is an issue of the faithfulness of God. Because God is faithful, every generation has had an equal opportunity to benefit from it.

His faithfulness is tested through trials. Though the earth has gone through horrendous trials, it always comes through. It always endures. We cannot even relate to the faithfulness of God until we go through trials. In the midst of trials, we must remember the faithfulness of God. His faithfulness will endure.

Let me encourage you to take some time today to meditate on this verse and while you do, think of the faithfulness of God, and how He has always ultimately come through.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:89

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:19:58 GMT

His Word is Eternal

Psalm 119:89 “Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”

The Word of God is eternal! It stands firm in the heavens, yet the Word says, “Heaven and earth will pass away” Matthew 24:35. There are three heavens mentioned in the Scriptures. The first heaven is our atmosphere; it is what we see when we look to the clouds and the stars. The second heaven is Satan’s domain. Ephesians 2:2 says, “And the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Satan is the prince of the power of the air. His realm (the second heaven) is not visible to the naked eye yet is nonetheless real.

The third heaven is God’s domain. This is what we speak of when we talk of going to heaven one day. Paul referred to this in 2 Corinthians 12:2, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven.” The heavens that pass away are known as the first heaven, our visible world. Therefore, the eternal Word is that Word which is established in God’s heaven. This earth will pass away, but the eternal Word of God will exist forever in the presence of God.

The Word one day became flesh and dwelt among us. Now that same Word dwells in us. The same eternal Word which will never pass away is dwelling in our very being. That means those of us who have Jesus Christ, the Word, in us are eternal beings, who will live forever in the third heaven, or forever in the presence of God. Heaven and earth may pass away but we never will!

Now let me encourage you to take some time today to meditate on this verse and while you do, thank God for putting His eternal Word in you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:88

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 18:17:57 GMT

Life Me!

 Psalm 119:88 “Preserve my life according to Your love, and I will obey the statutes of Your mouth.”

Throughout this whole section of Scriptures, we see David’s life being drained from him. In the previous verse, he described how he was almost wiped out from the earth. Now through a simple prayer, his whole situation changes. It is important to note that his enemies were not done away with. Those who persecuted him were still around, but now it no longer mattered because of this simple prayer, “Life me,” (preserve my life) according to Your mercy.”

Satan’s name means, “destroyer.” Jesus means “preserver.” In the last seven verses David’s life was being destroyed. In this verse, his life was being renewed when Jesus came in as the preserver. “Preserve me, quicken me, life me,” all mean the same thing. Everything God does, He does unto life. He is the author of life. Therefore, any work of God within us is a work unto life.

David had been going through a judgment. The judgment of God separates evil from good. Therefore, judgment is not negative, it brings life. God judges us unto life. To pray, “Life me Lord,” is to ask God to remove everything that brings us to death.

David mentioned the proud people who are persecuting him many times. Sometimes the Lord permits people to do outrageously mean things to us, just to get us down (humble ourselves); and if we don’t get down, then we don’t go through. God did not want David to be a proud man. He wanted him to be humble. In the same way, our life is to be so low that the only life we have is Jesus. It is then that we experience newness of life. Rex Andrews once said, “We are to get so small that we could go through the eye of a needle with plenty of room on each side.”

Meditate – chew on this verse – let it soak into your heart. Then ask God to “Life you.” Ask Him to bring the very life of Jesus into your soul.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:87

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:12:06 GMT

No Matter What

Psalm 119:87 “They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.”

In this verse David expresses how he feels about almost being murdered by his persecutors. However, David’s persecutors failed to realize that they could not take the life of one whose entire life was founded in the precepts of God. Instructions for living can be termed “precepts.” It’s almost as if David is crawling through the desert under a scorching sun and with his last breath is saying, “I’m almost gone Lord, but even still I have not forsaken Your instructions as to how I should live.” He was under an oppressive spirit and yet he obeyed his God.

How many times have we heard “Christians” say, “I’ve had enough, I know I shouldn’t do this, but I can’t take it any longer.”? Then they do something that goes directly against God’s instructions to them. David said, “I’ve had enough, I can’t take it any longer. However, I will not forsake God’s instructions to me. I’d rather die believing God than forsake His precepts.”

In the New Testament, Jesus challenges us to a similar commitment when He responds to the question, “How much should we forgive others. Seven times?” His answer was that we should never stop forgiving others. Even if someone is about to wipe us off the face of the earth, we should still forgive them. David said, “They almost wiped me from the earth.” Jesus was wiped from the earth, by us. Yet, while He hung on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Even in the face of death Jesus would not forsake His Father’s precepts.

Now, take some time today to meditate on this verse. Let it sink in and then, ask God to show you where you are quick to forsake His instructions. Then, ask Him to forgive you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:85

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 03:15:26 GMT

Staying out of the pitfalls

Psalm 119:85 “The arrogant dig pitfalls for me, contrary to your law.”

David is complaining about how the proud recite unholy fables to him, which are not according to God’s law. They want David to receive their system of idolatry, and the tales concerning their gods. In the midst of our suffering, we can often become subject to many of “Job’s comforters.” They offer their advice, but that advice is often contrary to the Word of God. If we follow their advice, it becomes a pitfall, or trap. There is a great danger in putting yourself into the hands of this world and discovering what kind of hope we have then.

When Job was going through his troubles, one of his comforters, Bildad, tried to help him through the philosophy of positive confession. Earlier Job had responded to the “comfort” of Eliphaz by saying, “I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit” Job 7:11. Bildad then says to him, “How long will you say such things?” Job 8:2. In other words, “Don’t be so truthful. How do you expect God to do anything positive while you confess negativism?”

Job’s response to this was, “If I say I will forget my complaint (become positive), I will change my expression and smile,’ I would still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. …you would plunge me into a slime pit” Job 9:27-31. Job was trying to make them see that if we believe God only responds to positive confessions, we will go into a pit of deception.

Job knew God responds to those who are poor in spirit, those who simply ask. The poor in spirit are beggars who are willing to confess their great need. They understand that asking is the rule of the Kingdom. However, asking is completely contrary to those who are proud in spirit. It’s the arrogant who develop pitfalls. They depend upon their deceptive philosophies which keep them entrapped in their own pride, self-sufficiency, and reasoning.

As you meditate on this verse, I challenge you to do something dangerous: Ask God to show you the philosophies in you that may be contrary to His law. “Search me, O God.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:86

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:13:46 GMT

Be Still

 Psalm 119:86 “All of your commands are trustworthy; help me, for men persecute me without cause.”

If we consider something trustworthy, it means we put our trust in it even when we don’t have the evidence that it is going to come true. God’s commands are trustworthy. A command is an expression of God’s will. Not only do they show us what we should do, they also show us what we should leave alone. They direct our life.

David declared a truth concerning God’s commands, and then he said, “Help me.” It’s as simple as that! We don’t need to make it any more complex than that. Help me! What more of a cry would a loving parent need from a hurting child? “Help me,“ is sufficient. No other explanation is needed.

Sometimes we think we must “get right” with God before He will help us. That would be like thinking once we are perfect, we are then worthy of salvation. If that were the case, none of us would come to understand mercy. God comes to us when we can no longer help ourselves. If we could pull ourselves out of a pit, there would be no need for the mercy of God. “Help me,” could also be interpreted, “God have mercy on me.” No other prayer is needed. No other action is needed.

To believe the command, “Be still and know that I am God,” means that there will be times when even though we could handle a certain situation, we are to do nothing. (Gayle and I are learning this again, as we prepare to go to Ukraine, as full-time missionaries.) We simply put our trust in the mercy of God. When people persecute us without cause, we have many options. We can sue them, we can pay them back and get even, or we can trust in His commands. We must believe that when we are going through a rough time, God is still trustworthy. We must put our trust in what He knows, not in what we understand.

As you meditate on this verse today, ask yourself if you really trust in the mercy of God.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:84

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 23:58:12 GMT

Wait for it!

Psalm 119:84 “How long must your servant wait Lord? When will you punish my persecutors?”

How long must I wait Lord? When are You going to answer my prayer? Can you relate to those questions? We turn back to the prophet Habakkuk again for some direction. In Habakkuk 1:2 he said, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” Everything was going wrong in the country: there was violence, injustice, and destruction. God was nowhere to be found, or so it seemed.

Finally, God answered the prophet with, “Though it linger, (the answer) wait for it; it will certainly come and I will not delay” Habakkuk 2:3. God’s answer to Habakkuk was, “Keep on praying. The answer is on the way, so keep praying for it.” In this case, the continuance of prayer was a sign of faith, not a lack of faith.

In Luke 18, Jesus taught us that to persist in prayer is a sign of faith. Because the widow would not stop asking, she finally received justice (Luke 18:5) . Jesus ended His teaching in verse 8, saying, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” He likens faith to those who continue praying against all odds.

Contrary to popular teaching, and belief, faith is not tested in the answers we get. It is tested in the answers that we don’t get. Hebrews 11:39 says, “These (heroes of the faith) were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what they had been promised.” That begs the question of you and me… "Will you / I still serve God, even though you/I don’t seem to have the answers you/I are looking for?” Faith gives us the ability to lay our life in God’s hands. Faith allows us to trust God, even though those who persecute us seem to flourish while we suffer. Faith gives us the ability to die to self.

As we wrap up this one-verse devotional, let me encourage you to take some time even today to meditate on this verse, asking God if you have the kind of faith that can continue to pray, against all odds, and not give up.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:83

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 23:54:08 GMT

Yet will I rejoice

 Psalm 119:83 “Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your decrees.’”

Years ago in the eastern countries, bottles (water pouches) were made of skin. In order to have a hot drink, people would hang the pouch (bottle) in the smoke of a fire. With time the outer skin became parched and shriveled. In this verse, David likened the exhausted state of his body and mind to a wineskin in the smoke. David had such a pure heart that he said, in essence, “Even though my body and mind are completely exhausted, I won’t forget Your decrees.”

David did not have a martyr complex. Like any of us, he did not relish his suffering. He wanted deliverance! However, in the midst of his suffering, he learned a great lesson – never give up on God.

I have heard some say, “God didn’t answer my prayer, so I gave up on Him.” Do they think their prayer will be answered sooner by giving up on God? David did not forget God’s decrees or decisions. He walked as God directed him, even in the midst of suffering. In a time where everything seemed to be going wrong, he walked with his God.

The prophet Habakkuk gave us some good advice. “ Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls [you can insert your own dilemma here], YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOR” Habakkuk 3:17-18. The prophet in essence said, “Even though everything on God’s green earth is going wrong, I will still rejoice in the Lord.”

Habakkuk knew you never give upon God. We would be wise to follow the apostle Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to help you rejoice in Him even in the midst of trouble and difficulty.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:82

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 23:21:07 GMT

Keep my eyes fixed on You!

 Psalm 119:82 “My eyes fail, looking for Your promise; I say, ‘When will You comfort me?’”

David is obviously going through a very hard time in his life at this point. His eyes now fail him in the same way his soul fainted with longing in the prior

verse. He is still looking for his salvation, Initially, he looked with great expectation. However, his eyelids gradually became very heavy.

When I was a boy, I loved to have my grandparents visit – even though they only lived a few miles away; they ran a dairy farm and seemed to seldom have

the time to go visit people, but they would always welcome anyone to come visit them. When I knew they were coming I would wait and watch, sitting on

the couch, watching out the window to see if the next car would be theirs, coming down the driveway. Often, while I waited, my eyes would begin to fail. I

would lose some of my eagerness, but I had looked too long too long to stop looking.

David had been looking for his salvation (deliverance) for so long he said, “Lord, when will you comfort me?” When will I see Your face, Lord? When will I enter into Your presence? Sometimes the sinfulness of man weighs us down. We become weary to the point that we long like never before to see our Savior. However, we have no other option but to continue to look for Him. David knew that he needed to keep looking for the promise of God. The heart of

David can be heard on the following poem:

My heartstrings groan with deep complaint;

My soul lies panting, Lord for thee;

And every limb and every joint, stretches for perfect purity.

Let this verse sink in. As you do, ask God to help you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:81

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 23:13:59 GMT

I have put my hope in Your Word

Psalm 119:81 “My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word.”

In this verse, David is expressing the longing of his heart for his salvation. Salvation, in this instance, refers to the complete purification and restoration of

his soul, which is what Jesus is and does for us. The intensity of David’s desire for it was so great, his own spirit was exhausted. Have you ever been so

mentally drained that you felt you might faint?

There is a battle being waged over the soul of every person. Satan is constantly attempting to wear down the saints. Sometimes we become weary, and our soul begins to long for Jesus to come and rescue us. “The Spirt and the Bride say, ‘Come’” Revelation 22:17.

David then reassures himself by saying, “But I have put my hope in your word.” His hope was in the unmovable Word of God. Though his soul was fainting with longing for Jesus (his salvation), he had not yet found Him. Therefore, he re-established, in his own mind the basis for his faith.

His faith was in God’s Word, regardless of what he was facing. Sometimes in our thinking, we believe ourselves to be the center of this life. That is not so!

The Word of God stands true, regardless of what we have gone through or what we are currently experiencing. The Word of God is the center of all things.

When we come to places in life where our soul almost faints with longing for Jesus, where we just can’t seem to make it any longer, we need to do as David

did. David said, “But I have put my hope in your word.” We must take a stand and say, “The Word of God will NOT fail me.” Heaven and earth may pass

away but the Word of God will stand forever.

Take time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to give you a heart that is fixed on His Word.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:80

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:39:00 GMT

A Blameless Heart

Psalm 119:80 “May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.”

In this verse, David is going through a little heart surgery. To gain a blameless heart, we must be willing to open every aspect of it to God. David had a unique

ability to lay himself bare before his God. He understood there was nothing he could reveal about himself that God didn’t already know.

In 2 Chronicles 29 , Hezekiah has just become king. He was only 25 years old at the time, and yet one of the first things he did was to open the doors to the

house of the Lord. The house of the Lord today is our hearts. We, too, should be willing to open our hearts and say, “God, search me, and know my heart.”

Then Hezekiah repaired the doors of the temple. This represents or signifies the subject of forgiveness. The door is the means into the temple. The entryway into the heart (temple) is through forgiveness. When God reveals something to us that is displeasing to Him, we are to ask for forgiveness. This is what repairs the doors.

After he repairs the doors, the priest enters into the innermost part of the temple to remove all the uncleanness he found. Uncleanness signifies a need for repentance. We must first lay our hearts out in the open where God can see it. He then will repair the door of the heart through forgiveness so that it will no longer open for sin. He then goes deep within the heart, and with a scalpel, He purifies it by removing all the uncleanness He finds. Repentance! It is one thing to ask for forgiveness, it is another thing to repent of a sin.

Heart surgery has three parts to it. First, we ask God to show us our heart. Secondly, we ask Him to forgive us of every sinful thing He shows us. Thirdly, we repent and turn from our former way of life. Now our heart is blameless! Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to give you a blameless heart.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:79

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 03:01:13 GMT

Becoming an Example Worth Following

Psalm 119:79 “May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes.”

Once again David tells is using his own life as an example for others to follow. All he is really saying is, “Follow me, as I follow Christ.” In the Old Testament especially, godly men were the only example anyone had to follow. They were an example of righteousness for others.

In the New Testament, Jesus is our example of righteous living. When He left this earth, He said , “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you” John 16:7. In verse 10 of the same chapter, He tells us that the Holy Spirit will convict us of righteousness because He (Jesus) is going to be with the Father, where we will no longer be able to see Him.

While Jesus was on earth, He was our example of righteousness but now that He is with the Father, we no longer can see Him. Therefore, He sent us His Spirit, to remind us of how He lived. Those who understand His statutes, or those who obey His laws, can now turn to the Counselor for direction as to how to live. The Counselor will convict us as to how Jesus lived.

The Holy Spirit will often use a person who understands the statues of God as a source of conviction. Those who understand God’s statutes and live by them, find that their very lives convict others. So in essence, David said, “You who understand the statutes of God, and you that fear the Lord, turn to me. Follow me as I follow Christ.” David’s very life served as a source of conviction to those who desired to follow God.

Take some time to let this verse sink in; ask God to give you a heart like David’s. He was willing to pattern his life after his Lord’s so that he could become a living example for others to follow.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:78

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 02:56:17 GMT

Am I a Reflection of Jesus?

Psalm 119:78 “May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.”

David tells us in this verse that even though he has been wronged, he will follow God’s instruction. The word “precepts” generally means “instructions.” He is describing the essence of spiritual warfare. At the core of spiritual battle is the image a person projects.

Satan does not want us to project the image of Christ, that of lowliness and humility. When we are confronted by an arrogant person, Satan wants us to react in kind. He wants us to project the same image as the arrogant person confronting us.

In Matthew 11:12 Jesus is looking for forceful people who can lay hold of heaven or take heaven by force. He then ends His teaching in verse 29 of the same chapter by saying, “ Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble .” The powerful people in the Kingdom of God are those who emulate Jesus Christ.

In Spiritual warfare, Satan is defeated as we become the opposite of him. We are to never go head to head against him. Pride in the life of someone else cannot be defeated by our becoming more proud than they. This is why a militant foe will never be defeated by a militant church. Jesus is the opposite of Satan in every respect. What David is teaching us in essence is this: the arrogant (the enemy) will be put to shame by our meditation on the precepts of God. Our undying dedication to God will silence all of our critics.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; consider how you react to the arrogant. Do you show them Jesus?

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:77

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 02:49:31 GMT

A Heart of Mercy

Psalm 119:77 “Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.”

In the previous verse, David talked about the unfailing love of God. God’s unfailing love is demonstrated through His compassion or mercy. Life itself is a display of God’s mercy. Why has God done what He has done for you? Is it because you deserved it, or is His goodness to you a pure act of mercy?

When I think back to my days of trying to run from God’s calling on my life and all the things I did, in an attempt, to somehow “disqualify” myself from His call; I cannot come up with a single reason why God should have forgiven and saved me. I was doing everything exactly the opposite of what one should do to get close to God. My salvation, as well as that of everyone else who has ever lived, is the result of one thing: God chose to have mercy on us. Hs mercy has come to us for one reason, that we might have life and life abundant.

David said, “Your law is my delight.” The word “law” is translated, “teaching.” Your teaching is my delight. What does the New Testament teach concerning mercy? Matthew 5:7 gives us a little insight into this matter, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” God’s mercy came to us to give us life.

When those who have received mercy show mercy to others, they continue to receive mercy. In other words, those who are life-givers, continue to receive life from God. Having mercy on others is the same as giving others life. It is giving them the very life of God Himself, through your kindness.

Can you say with David, “Your law (teaching) is my delight?” Do you delight in having mercy on others (even those you don't like)? There is a difference between simply having mercy on someone else and delighting to have mercy on someone else. David’s delight was to have mercy. If that is not our delight, we are in danger of losing our very lifeline to God. Only those who give mercy receive mercy and only those who delight in it turn it into a lifestyle. “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy” Jesus.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to give you a heart of mercy.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:76

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:54:34 GMT

Unfailing Love

Psalm 119:76 “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.”

Since the time of Jesus, there has not been a greater example of love than that expressed through the heart of a mother. Jesus is obviously the greatest earthly example of love we have ever seen, but a loving mom certainly typifies that love. Mothers display unfailing love for their children that comes straight from the heart of God.

A story is told of a rebellious son, who, in an act of violence and hatred, took a knife and cut out the heart of his own mother. In a panic he began to run from the scene with his own mother’s heart in his hand. When his foot struck a large rock, he stumbled and fell to the ground. As he struggled to get back to his feet, he heard his mother’s heart say, “I hope you didn’t hurt yourself, my son.”

How many times have we cut out the very heart of God through our own disobedience to Him, and yet found that His greater concern was for our well-being? How many times in an act of rebellion have we crushed our wonderful Savior and yet He comes to us with outstretched arms saying, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

The unfailing love of his father brought the prodigal son back home. He had taken great advantage of his inheritance. He squandered his wealth in wild living. Yet when he returned home, his father ran to him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. David said that the unfailing love of God is his comfort. Knowing that even if we forsake Him, He will never leave us or forsake us brings great comfort. That is His promise to His servants.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; consider the times God has welcomed you back into fellowship with Him.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:75

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 04:45:52 GMT

God's Laws are designed for our right treatment...

Psalm 119:75 “I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.”

God’s laws are righteous. What does righteousness mean? Righteousness has to do with our relationship with people, while godliness has to do with our relationship with God. We are made righteous through the shed blood of Christ and no other way.

We cannot earn righteousness. However, being made righteous, we are to do acts of righteousness. Acts of righteousness have to do with the right treatment of other people (even those we feel like we don’t like). Anything I do for another, in the name of Jesus, is an act of righteousness.

David said, God’s laws are designed for our right treatment. Subsequently, God allows affliction when necessary. When we violate the righteous laws of God, we will ultimately experience affliction. To treat others cruelly or to seek vengeance is to be in violation of the righteous laws of God. Therefore, because of the righteousness of God, He must allow affliction in our lives. Affliction may be the most merciful thing God could do to us because of how affliction brings us back to God.

We have a choice in the matter. We either live a life of obedience or we live a life of sacrifice. Because of affliction, we are brought to places of sacrifice. 1 Samuel 15:22 says, “To obey is better than to sacrifice.” The reason obedience is better than sacrifice is that obedience goes before sin and sacrifice comes after sin.

If we will obey, we will not sin. If we sin, the righteousness of God will allow affliction, which brings sacrifice and renews fellowship with God. Once we commit our life to Him, He begins a work in us which He is going to continue right up until the day Jesus returns. He loves us too much to not bring us back into obedience.

Take some time to let this verse sink in. Then thank God for His faithful afflictions and that He never gave up on you, even when you gave up on Him.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:74

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 16:03:51 GMT

Because I believed

Psalm 119:74 “May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your Word.”

God lives within His Word. To put our hope in His Word is synonymous with putting our hope in God. Romans 4:18 says, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations.” Have you ever put your hope in God against all odds, fully expecting God to honor your faith, and then find that everything seemed to go all wrong? If so, you are not alone. God will ultimately reward you for your faith, but some things take time. In those times of waiting for God to act, we need to have our hope in His Word.

The Word proves itself to be true in the lives of those who fear God. David was a testimony to that. “May those who fear you rejoice when they see me.” In essence he was saying, “May those who see the faithfulness of God in my life rejoice, knowing that the same demonstration of mercy can be in their lives also.”

We have all heard the phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do.” That’s a powerful statement. In Philippians 4:9 we read, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice.” Would you find it comfortable or uncomfortable to say to another, “Do as I do, and will you will be drawn close to God?” Can those who fear God rejoice when they see you, knowing that their hope is the Word will one day pay off for them regardless of what they are currently facing?

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; then, ask God to help you be an example others can follow. Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:73

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 01:34:18 GMT

Be Still

Psalm 119:73 “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.”

David reveals something very crucial to life in this verse. God made us and formed us! He is the Potter, we are the clay. In designing us, He created a place within us for Him to dwell. His dwelling place is to be in our hearts.

The heart defines who we really are. The heart’s condition determines how much spiritual understanding we have. When our heart is conditioned toward God, our ability to understand His commands increases. When our hearts are surrendered to God, then God becomes our life.

Psalm 49:3 says, “The utterance from my heart will give understanding. ” There is no understanding outside of God. David asked God to give him understanding so that he could learn HIS commands. That understanding came through the utterance of his own heart and the still small voice of God.

A.B. Simpson once asked, “Is there any note of music in all the chorus as mighty as the emphatic pause? Is there anything that can so touch our hearts as the power of stillness?” There must be stillness in our lives is we are to gain understanding from God. God waits at the depths of our being to talk to us – if we would only get still enough to hear His voice. Getting still is not just a matter of being quiet. It’s more a matter of removing the ever-present sounds of self and pride from the heart.

In Psalm 46:10 we read, “Be still and know that I am God.” The emphasis of this verse is that we need to stop all of our own efforts to do things and simply let God do them. The problem we encounter lies on our desire for self-glory. We like to be able to say, “I did it!” David’s understanding came from knowing that God made him and formed him, and that he was to simply be still.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; then, ask God to help you be still.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:72

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 01:30:44 GMT

More Precious than Gold...

Psalm 119:72 “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”

The law from your mouth, or the spoken word - is there anything sweeter than that? There are very few instances in the Bible that have more significance than when God actually spoke to someone. Hearing the spoken Word of God will change any person’s life. Saul of Tarsus was a well-educated man, circumcised on the eight day, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee and a Zealot. However, on the road to Damascus, he saw a light and heard these words, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” Acts 9:5-6 . Those very words changed his life forever. Those very words continued to motivate him for the rest of his life.

David said, “The law from your mouth is more precious… than gold.” What would you prefer? Would you prefer an unlimited supply of silver and gold, or access to the presence and words of God? Most of us prove, by our actions, that we prefer silver and gold over God.

Our jobs can make tremendous demands on us and yet we sacrifice to keep them. They can take us away from our families for long periods of time. They even keep us from sleep. Our pursuit of silver and gold mandates our lifestyle while Jesus cannot get us to attend church with any regularity. If only we felt like David, that the things of God are more precious than money.

Living in obedience to His law is what sharpens our spiritual hearing. Not until we love that which proceeds from His mouth more than we love this world, will we develop David’s kind of obedience to Him. That obedience brings us into a communion with Him. That obedience generates His presence.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; express to the Lord your desire to follow His law.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:71

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 01:27:47 GMT

Affliction... good?!

Psalm 119:71 “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”

Can you say along with David that affliction is a good thing? David said it was good because it caused him to learn more things about God. We tend to believe that our comfort is more important than anything else. When you stand before God, what is it that will give you peace of mind; the comfort you lived in, or your obedience to God? We must come to the realization that nothing is more important than obedience to God. As I have said many time, He is far more concerned about our character than our comfort.

1 Timothy 1:19 says, “Holding on to faith and good (clear) conscience. Some have rejected these and shipwrecked their faith.” If I have learned anything about the prayer life, it’s the clear conscience one develops from it. Many times prayer is simply hard work. I don’t always have the sensation that my prayers are even being answered. However, the one thing I always feel is the satisfaction a clear conscience gives me.

Consistency in our obedience and in our pursuit of God is what gives us a clear conscience. Without a clear conscience, we shipwreck our faith. Without faith, we cannot please God – Hebrews 11:6. When we stand before God, our obedience to Him is what will give us peace of mind.

Not until we see the great need for, and benefit of, obedience to God will we ever have a proper perspective of affliction. The apostle Paul wrote about the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. He said that the intimate knowledge of Christ gained through suffering was worth more than all the gold in the world. He said everything outside of fellowship with God is worthless. Therefore, fellowship with Him is the essence of life. If affliction brings us into a greater intimacy with God, then it is a good thing.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; know that fellowship with HIM is more important than your comfort.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:70

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 23:58:10 GMT

A Calloused Heart?

Psalm 119:70 “Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law.”

The callous and unfeeling heart is a reference to the “arrogant” in the previous verse. David kept the precepts of God with all his heart. The arrogant one’s heart has a single focus: self. David’s heart delighted in the law of God. He delighted in putting God first.

The arrogant do not like the message of self-denial because that would ruin all that they are trying to accomplish in life. Those who are arrogant in their knowledge of God find no difficulty in stepping on others, even brothers and sisters in Christ. Their hearts have become callous. Somehow, they have come to believe that what they are doing pleases God because they are getting the job done.

Jesus had the perfect balance for being both task-oriented and people-oriented. Jesus set His face like a flint concerning His purpose. Nothing could sway Him from accomplishing what God wanted Him to accomplish. However, in the midst of that, He never lost sight of the needs of those around Him.

The fact is that there will never be anything that God calls us to do that doesn’t focus on the needs of others. The task before us, the call of God on every Christian’s life is to do the will of God. What is God’s will in every situation, the will of God for every Christian? It is to have mercy on others. There is no will of God outside of this one thing.

The arrogant chafe at the thought of having mercy on everyone because that might hinder them from accomplishing their goals. The humble see all others as better than themselves, subsequently they love the law of God. They love to show mercy to others because it exalts Christ. The arrogant want to exalt themselves.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to show you the calloused areas of your heart, areas that are more concerned with your accomplishments than the people around you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:69

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 23:52:05 GMT

Pray... even for your enemies

Psalm 119:69 “Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart.”

The word “precepts” generally means “instruction.” “Instructions for living” can be expressed as “precepts.” As children of God, we have been given instructions through the Word of God as to how we should conduct our lives.

Jesus, the living Word, is our supreme example. When He was smeared with lies before Pilot, His response was to not react at all. He knew His Heavenly Father would ultimately take care of things and that vengeance was the Lord’s, not His.

Jesus did, however, respond to their smears. He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” Luke 23:34 . Jesus prayed for forgiveness of those who smeared Him. Long before He ever went to the cross, Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies. In Matthew 5:43-44 we read, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemies.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Pray for our enemies! That’s a tough precept to follow when we feel we have been smeared. The great lesson here, though difficult to learn, is that life does not revolve around us (you or me)… just let that settle in your heart & mind for a moment. God is the center of life, and obedience to Him is our highest call. The biggest problem we have with following God’s precepts is in the humility it takes to follow them when we feel our rights have been violated. Not until our hearts want what God wants will we be able to follow Him at all times.

David said, “I keep your precepts with all my heart.” In essence he was saying, ‘Your precepts describe who I am,” because the heart of a person is who they really are. If you want to see into the heart of David, look at the precepts of God. David was a man who meditated on the Word of God, a man full of mercy. God’s precepts detail David’s life.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to help you in your obedience.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:68

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 23:46:34 GMT

God is Good... all the time

Psalm 119:68 “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.”

David is continuing his thought from the previous verse. Even though God may allow affliction in our lives, we must always remember that God is good, and what He does is good. Affliction is a type of judgement. Judgement is the separation of good from evil.

We may view affliction as being anything but good. However, if affliction brings us to a place of learning His (God’s) decrees, it is ultimately good for us. A decree is a decision God has made. To view all of God’s decisions in light of His goodness helps us to accept them. All that God does, He does for our good. (Allow that truth to settle into your heart and mind.)

Hebrews 5:8 says, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” Even the Son of God learned through affliction. What if Jesus had not learned obedience and then disobeyed His Father? That would have been the greatest tragedy mankind would have ever known. Jesus knew that God is good, and even suffering is ultimately for good.

Hebrews 12:5-6 sheds more light on this, “My son do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves.” To be able to express God’s goodness in the face of affliction is a sign of maturity. It’s accepting the discipline of life as a part of God loving us and shaping us.

In Psalm 103:10 we read, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”

We must always remember, the goodness of God is not expressed on what we are going through. It is expressed in how He has kept us from going through all we deserve. We deserve eternal punishment. We deserve an eternity separate from the presence of God. The next time you suffer affliction, thank God for keeping you from all you deserve.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; thank HIM for HIS goodness.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:67

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:49:04 GMT

Our Weakness/His Strength

Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.”

David is revealing something very important in this verse. It’s a revelation of how we develop obedience to God through tribulation. Jacob, a great example of this, began life as a supplanter and a deceiver. Jacob would trip people up. But one day, he came face to face with his God.

In Genesis 32 , we are told how he wrestled with an angel of the Lord all night long. By daybreak, he was a different man. As a result of this encounter with God, Jacob walked with a limp the rest of his life because the angel of the Lord touched his hip. Even his name was changed: he became known as Israel.

Before Jacob was afflicted he went astray, but now he obeyed. God touched him in the hip to constantly remind him of his need for Him. Jacob used to trip people up. If the hip socket is weak, one can hardly walk on it much less use it to trip others. God weakened Jacob so that His (God’s) strength could be perfected in him. That weakness would be his constant reminder of how much he was dependent upon God.

The story is told of a shepherd who had a little lamb that constantly strayed away from the herd into dangerous areas. In order to teach the lamb obedience, the shepherd broke one of its legs. The shepherd then carried the lamb around his neck until the leg healed. During the healing process, the lamb’s affection for the shepherd grew to a point that once it was able to walk on its own, it never strayed again. It may have walked with a limp, but it never strayed again. In this same way, our afflictions can actually serve as protection, keeping us from truly harmful things.

Take some time to let this verse sink in. Consider your afflictions and thank God for His protecting hand upon you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:66

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:45:47 GMT

Need Wisdom? Obey God!

Psalm 119:66 “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.”

Knowledge and good judgment define the word “wisdom,” in a much truer way than does the word “intellect.” Many times, intellectualism and wisdom are miles apart. The Bible tells us that the fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

No matter how intelligent a person is, if he/she says there is no God, she/he is a fool and lacks wisdom. James 1:5 tells us that we can pray for wisdom, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God.” The wisdom given by God is all the knowledge and understanding needed to live a consistent Christian life.

Wisdom is knowledge and good judgment. In the book of Proverbs, a study on the subject of wisdom would show that wisdom is consistently connected to obedience or good judgement. In essence, what it teaches us is that the wise person obeys God. The wise person uses the knowledge God has given him/her to make good judgments. The pinnacle of wisdom is obedience to God. It would be virtually impossible to cite an example of a person wiser than one who is completely obedient to God. There is no greater wisdom than that.

Wisdom is found in David’s words, “I believe in your commands.” A command is an uttered expression of a will (God’s) which is to be obeyed. The interesting thing about wisdom is that it comes through obedience, and obedience then produces more wisdom. The more we obey the commands of God, the more we do things the way God wants them done. With time and experience we begin to take on the mind of Christ. This results in more wisdom, more knowledge, and good judgement.

Take some time to let this verse sink in. As you do, consider the things God has taught you through obedience.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:65

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 00:41:20 GMT

God does good for His servants!

Psalm 119:65 “Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord.”

God does good to His servants! Are you a servant, or do you like to be served? If you have the Spirit of Christ in you, you should have a desire to serve others. Jesus came not to be ministered unto but to minister. We are attempting to gain the mind of Christ through meditating on these verses. What becomes quite obvious, as we meditate on them, is that being served gives much more pleasure to our flesh than serving does. When we think we really are something, we want to be served rather than to serve.

Paul tells us in Philippians to have the mind of Christ. Then he gives us a description of Christ’s mind, as he says that Jesus “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” Philippians 2:7. The servant’s nature is that of nothingness. A servant is to be a conduit. He/she is to be the source of blessings for others. I once heard a minister say these words: “What makes a conduit or pipe effective? Nothingness! A pipe must have nothing inside of it in order for it to do what it is designed to do. When a pipe is filled with itself, it no longer can serve others.”

To some, being nothing is a frightening thought. They say things such as, “How will our needs be met if all we do is serve others?” The answer to that is, the goodness of God is given to those who serve. God does good to His servants.

What could be missing in a life where God is bringing good into it? If we look to be served by man, then all we have to look forward to is what man can bring into our life. If we look to serve others, then we can look forward to what God will bring into our life.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to show you how you can become more of a servant. Let that mind be in you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:64

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 16:50:38 GMT

The Difference is (Real) Love

Psalm 119:64 “The earth is filled with your love, O Lord; teach me your decrees.”

David is asking to be taught the decrees of God. A decree is a decision. In this case, they are decisions God has made. Obviously, God decided to reveal His love through His creation. The whole earth is filled with God’s love. Nevertheless, it is quite apparent that our world is suffering from the effects of the fall of man. What this verse reassures us of is, all things good and lovely are from the Lord, even in this fallen world. It is actually the love of God that keeps this world from completely destroying itself.

Love is the balance to all the evil in this earth. For every evil act, there is to be a countering act of love or mercy. It may be that evil things get more attention in this world. Yet, in actuality, good things far outnumber evil things.

The earth is filled with God’s love, and because of it, we gain an understanding about God’s decrees. It teaches us that even in an evil world, God’s will is for us to be merciful to others. God’s decision (decree) is to continue to have mercy on others, even on an undeserving people. Mercy is what will keep them from completely destroying themselves before God has an opportunity to lead them to repentance.

Our own decision should be that of following this decree. We are to be living a life of returning good for evil. When we show kindness to others, the world begins to see that the earth IS filled with His love. They begin to see that the source of kindness is Jesus. Let the fact that the earth is full of the mercy of God get deep into your heart so it will motivate you to be part of this revelation to others.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to give you a heart of mercy.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:63

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 16:47:41 GMT

Membership

Psalm 119:63 “I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.”

David considered himself a friend to all who feared God. Not only are we automatic friends with those who fear God, we are family, also. If we fear God and follow His precepts, it’s because we are part of His family. The word “precept” is what we generally refer to as “instruction.” To be in the family of God, we follow God’s instructions to us.

In Matthew 12:47, someone told Jesus that His mother and brother were outside. Jesus then asked the question, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” In verse 50, He answers His own question. "For whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” There is one constant in the will of God. It is God’s will, in every case, for the Son of God to be revealed through the kindnesses we do for others. In all that we do, it is the Lord’s will for others to see Jesus. They see Him through the mercy we have on them.

David said he was a friend to all those who revered (feared) God to the point that they followed God’s instructions. Jesus said that those who are in His family are followed God’s instructions. Jesus said that those who are in His family are the ones who do the will of God (follow His instructions). Jesus was not being unkind to His earthly mother when He was told that she was outside and He responded with, “Who is my mother?” He was not excluding her at all.

He was simply revealing to us that we, too, can be in His family. We do not earn membership in the family of God through good works. However, if we are a true member of the family of God, it will be revealed by our kindness to others.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; consider whether you respect God to the point where you reveal Jesus in all your actions.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:62

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 23:14:59 GMT

Thanksgiving...

Psalm 119:62 “At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.”

David would rise to give thanks. Thanksgiving is one of the most spiritual acts we can involve ourselves in because it is the only thing we can actually offer God. We have nothing to offer God other than this one simple thing. It was David who taught us to “enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”

It’s humbling to be able to do nothing more than thank God for His goodness to us. We naturally would like to do something “significant.” In God’s eyes, thanksgiving is most significant. The kingdom of God comes to those who ask for it, not to those who try to earn it. Having done nothing to earn it, all we can do is humble ourselves and give thanks for it.

David would rise from his sleep to give thanks. Sleeping is one of the more carnal things we do. Nothing nurtures the flesh like sleeping. However, sleeping is not an evil activity because God created each of us with a basic need for it. Not only is giving thanks a spiritual activity, but to deny yourself of one of your fundamental needs, in order to give thanks reveals a little of David’s heart.

We often think of midnight as the middle of the night. Actually, it is the beginning of a new day. David had a heart that wanted to put God before everything. At the beginning of each new day, David would rise to thank God for His righteous laws.

When I was courting my wife-to-be, I willingly missed some sleep just to be with her. Why? Because I wanted to be with her. If I could have arranged to meet her each night at midnight, I would have done that also. Just as we each have these same desires; we should also have a longing to be with God.

Take some time to let this verse sink in and consider: did I thank God today? Don’t let another midnight come and go without telling Him, “Thank You!”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:61

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 21:04:02 GMT

Obedience - no matter what

Psalm 119:61 “Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law.”

David feels bound by the evil of men in this verse. The wickedness of the ungodly often threatens our freedom. However, David has found the freedom of obedience to God. In the midst of persecution, he declares, “I will not forget your law.”

In the New Testament, Jesus sums up the law with these words, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And the second [commandment] is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” Matthew 22:37, 39-40. David knew he had to keep this law even though he was being mistreated.

What does the cross of Calvary mean to us? Obviously, it serves as a reminder that Jesus died for us. However, there is another meaning to it also. The Cross means the righteous die for the unrighteous. It means the godly die for the ungodly. To take up your cross and bear it means that you are to give your life for the sake of others. David was doing just that in this verse. Though the wicked bound (persecuted) him with ropes, he did not forget God’s greater law of dying for the sake of others.

Jesus taught us that confidence is how little you react when falsely accused. When He was before Pilate, He didn’t even defend Himself because He knew that the accusations were false. He knew that truth would eventually win out. David practiced this also when King Saul sought to kill him. He certainly would have been justified in defending himself. Instead, he allowed vengeance to be God’s role, not his.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; consider your reaction to those who falsely accuse you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:60

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 20:59:13 GMT

Are You Quick to Obey?

Psalm 119:60 “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”

In the previous verse David turned his steps toward the statutes of God. In this verse, he is running (hastening) toward God. Life is very fleeting. The reality of life’s transient state will never be more real than when we stand before the Lord one day and realize how much time we wasted on things of little intimacy with Him. David hastened to obey! We should do no less.

In the Song of Solomon 1:4 we read, “Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers.” The bride, in this verse, is expressing her craving to be brought into intimacy with the groom. “Take me away with you,” is a simple prayer which expresses a longing for God and God alone. The “chamber” is literally the bedroom. The bride understands the urgency of being brought into this place of closeness with God, so she says, “Let us hurry!”

To pray this simple prayer of “Take me away with you,” will eventually move us into intimacy with God. This prayer helps us to overcome all of the fleeting urges of life so that God alone is our true desire. Did you know that Jesus does not want to be number one on your list? HE WANTS TO BE YOUR ENTIRE LIST!

Jesus is not interested in being one of many loves. He is not even interested in being the one we love more than our other loves. He wants to be the only love of our life. When He is our only love, our prayer life will reach a new level of intimacy with Him.

A person hastens to obey God only when there are no hindrances in his relationship with Him. Every hindrance to obedience reveals the existence of other loves in our life.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; pray the simple prayer, “Take me away with You.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:59

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 20:55:52 GMT

I Choose

Psalm 119:59 “I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.”

David considered his ways. To be able to even consider our ways requires us to examine the freedom of our will. It is from this same freedom to choose our way that we may or may not choose to even consider our way. Much of the Christian walk constrains us to reshaping our will.

Too often it is our will vs God’s will. Yet a person can exercise their will over God’s. They can, in the sense that Christianity does not demand that we give up our free will. Being a Christian means our will should be submitted to God’s, but you can choose not to do so.

If God were to take away our free will, He would remove the whole essence of what a relationship means. The beauty of a relationship is the free will. If I were able to manipulate my wife’s life so that she had no choice but to live with me, what fulfillment would there be in that? The beauty of my wife’s relationship with me is that she has the freedom to leave but wants to stay with me. Similarly, God could manipulate us, but He is not interested in making puppets out of His people. He wants those who want Him.

David considered his ways and then he turned. Turning obligates one to repentance. David repented of placing his will over God’s. I can easily relate to David here. Many years ago, I also considered the way of my life and realized that it was not God’s way. I was following the way of man’s reasoning.

Scripture teaches us that there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is death. I was on that path of death because I had made a choice to live my life placing my will over God’s, in an effort to not have to follow His will. So, I turned my steps toward His statutes (repented) and gave my life to Him.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; consider the “way” of your life. Does it line up with God’s way?

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:58

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:35:54 GMT

I have Sought Your Face...

Psalm 119:58 “I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.”

In the Song of Solomon 4:9 we read of the groom’s words concerning the bride, “You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.” With a single glance of our eyes, we can make the heart of God flutter. David understood the intimacy of his relationship with God; thus, he says, “I have sought your face.” One of my favorite illustrations is that of the two types of seekers found in the Scriptures: seekers who are beggars and seekers who are lovers.

Seekers who are beggars, look to the hand. I have been approached by beggars on many occasions. They are interested in one thing: what will my hand pull out of my pocket to give to them? Thus, they look to the hand.

Seekers who are lovers look to the eyes. When someone is in love, the most important thing to them is to know that the one they love, loves them in return. Subsequently, they look to the eyes because the eyes tell the story. The Old Testament often encourages those who love God to seek His face, and yet we often only seek His hand.

It is not uncommon to read God’s declaration, “My arm is not shortened.” In other words, He is saying, “I can reach you where you are; don’t worry about My hand. I will be there to meet your needs, seek My face.”

David sought the face of God with all his heart. His words in Psalm 27:8 express his innermost feelings: “My heart says of You, ‘Seek His face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask yourself if you seek His hand not His face.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:57

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 21:03:02 GMT

My Portion

Psalm 119:57 “You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words.

David said that God was his portion or life. In Exodus 16:4 God states, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.” When God sent the manna for His people, He asked them to gather just enough for each day.

He sent them a portion large enough to sustain life. They were not to gather enough manna for two days in a row (except for the sixth day) because it would spoil. Each day they would receive bread from heaven in just the right portion for their need.

In John 6:35 Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. ” Jesus is the bread of heaven. Consider what Jesus was praying in the Lord’s prayer when He said, “ Give us today our daily bread.” He is teaching us of our daily need of Him. We need “daily” bread. What we gained of Jesus yesterday through prayer is not sufficient for today. Yesterday’s spirituality will grow stale and rot today.

David ended this verse by saying, “I have promised to obey.” It takes strength to obey God. Manna provides that strength. Our daily portion of Jesus is what enables us to live in obedience to God. However, obedience drains us, for it requires that we give away, or empty ourselves.

Through continued obedience, a natural hunger and need for refilling occurs within us as we persist in giving up ourselves. Without obedience, there would be no hunger or sense of need, for we would remain filled with self. In Numbers 11:6 , the Israelites typified this fullness of self which comes through disobedience, as they complained, “We never see anything but this manna.” They were literally tired of Jesus, the Bread of heaven.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – meditate on it and pray this prayer: “Lord, you are my portion. Give me today my daily need of You.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:55

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 20:52:21 GMT

In the Night I Remember Your Name

Psalm 119:55 “In the night I remember Your name, O Lord, and I will keep your law.”

“In the night I remember Your name.” There is a stillness in the night that creates a wonderful setting for intimacy with God. God instructs us in His Word to be still and know that He is God. Daytime represents activity. Typically, it is during the day that we are most active. When God calls us to be still, He may be calling us to a place of intimacy with Him.

There is something about stillness that brings us close to God. When we cease from our own activities, we develop a greater understanding that He is God. Many times, in our “doing” we forget that God is ultimately in control. Our “doing” becomes our god. Could it be that God is calling you to cease from your own labor and simply be still?

Night can also refer to a dark time. Often, we pass through “dark times” in our lives. This could be a phase that lasts for some time. David had many dark times in his life, but he never gave up on God. He said that in the night he would remember the name of his Lord. The only one who can bring us out of darkness is He who is the Light of the World. The one who is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace is the one who brings the light of day to our darkness.

David also said that even though he was in the “night” he would still keep God’s laws. This quality is what distinguishes David from most of us. Our tendency is to use the dark times as an excuse to disobey God. We feel that our situation is exceptional and therefore God will understand our lack of obedience to Him. David said, in essence, “Even though I can’t see the light of day, I will still obey your laws.”

Take some time to let this verse sink in. Meditate on it, and consider how often you call upon His name in the stillness of the night.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:54

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 17:15:55 GMT

Is There a Song in Your Heart?

Psalm 119:54 “Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.”

Do you have a song in your heart? Do you find yourself going throughout your life, much less your day, with the praises of God on your lips? God’s decrees were the theme of David’s song wherever he lodged. David had a great heritage to draw from.

As God’s children were wandering through the wilderness they would sing of Him. As they journeyed to Zion for special religious holidays they would sing of Him. “Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,” was one of their songs (Psalm 48:1). As they travelled, they looked for the holy mountain where Zion was located. When they were close enough to actually see the city, they would sing. “It is beautiful in its loftiness, it is the joy of the whole earth” Psalm 48:2.

Wherever they lodged for the night their praises could be heard echoing throughout the stillness of the night. “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” Psalm 48:1-2; KJV.

Today we are not much different than the people of old. We, too, are looking for the city of God. When we get a glimpse of our future it should cause us to sing. The songwriter has it right in his classic, “Amazing Grace:” “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first begun.” Our song of praise will never end.

Revelation 15:3 tells us about a day yet to come, “and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.’” One day all of heaven will sing out this song and those left on the earth will listen with envy as our praises fill the universe with worship of our King.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it. As you do, ask yourself if you have a song in your heart.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:53

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 21:56:09 GMT

Righteous indignation

Psalm 119:53 “Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law.”

In this verse David is continuing his thoughts about the laws of God. In the previous verse, he expressed the comfort he found in obedience. Now, in this verse, he voices indignation toward disobedience. This is true righteous indignation!

The word “righteous” indicates the right or godly treatment of others. Righteous indignation signifies a type of constructive anger, being upset for the right reasons. In contrast, our tendency is to simply get angry at people and call it righteous indignation. Oftentimes our anger (indignation) has nothing to do with righteousness.

What is it that upsets us when our own children disobey? Do we want to destroy them because of their disobedience? Do we pray, “God, annihilate my children because they forsake your laws?” Never! Yet we seem to pray that way for others. We forget God has no desire to destroy those who disobey Him. His intent, to bring them to obedience, is founded in a love which is even greater than the love we have for our own children.

When our children disobey us, we become upset because of the damage it brings to their lives. We want them to obey for their own good. More importantly, we want them to obey, so that God can be glorified through them. If our indignation is truly centered around the glory of God, then it will not be directed toward the disobedient person himself. It will be more focused on the spirit of disobedience which has gripped the heart of that mankind.

Ephesians 2:2 says that the prince of the power of the air (Satan) is the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. Our indignation should be directed toward that spirit more than toward man.

Take some time to let this verse sink in. Meditate on it, and as you do, ask yourself if you direct your anger toward others or towards the spirit of disobedience.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:52

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 18:00:29 GMT

Comfort in God's Laws

Psalm 119:52 "I remember your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them."

The word “laws” in this verse is translated "judgments" or “customs.” Judgments are the decisions by which a custom is established. It’s like saying, “These are the laws of the land.” The judgments of God are the decisions He has made in order to establish the customs, or way of life, for the people of God.

David found comfort in God’s ancient laws. Even today, if the ancient laws of God, or the Ten Commandments, were the standard by which we lived, we, too, would be comforted. The ten commandments are basic to the health of any society. When people live in obedience to these laws, they live in relative comfort. For instance, one of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not murder."

If everyone followed that law, society would not be in the state of anxiety it finds itself today. Another ancient law of God is, "You shall not steal." A friend of mine had an occasion to visit Japan with a group of people. A girl from their party accidentally left her purse on a bench in a public park. Hours later they returned and found the purse still there. The custom in Japan, even today, is that you do not take what is not yours.

What comfort there would be if only people lived in accordance with God’s ancient laws! David purposely remembered, or called to remembrance, the ancient laws of God. We would do well to do the same. When was the last time you purposely set aside time to dwell on the Ten Commandments?

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; as you do, consider God’s ancient laws:

You shall have no gods before me;
You shall not make for yourself an idol
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy
Honor your father and your mother
You shall not murder
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor
You shall not covet.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:51

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:13:48 GMT

Strong enough to be meek

Psalm 119:51 “The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law.”

In this verse, we see one of the primary battles of the ages: the proud against the humble. When David says he will not turn from God’s laws, he is expressing his willingness to obey God. Willingness to obey necessitates a spirit of meekness. Only the meek can truly obey God in the face of mockery. It is commonplace to perceive meekness as weakness. Not so! In actuality it takes tremendous strength to stand in opposition to one’s peers.

Meekness portrays strength of character. The arrogant lack character. Subsequently, they cannot restrain their mockery for others. Arrogant people are full of pride or self. They attempt to exalt themselves by demeaning others. They do not possess the kind of character qualities required to show restraint. David clung to the law of God even though he was being challenged to break it. He expressed humility.

The humble (meek) are willing to endure because their obedience to God is a primary motivator in their lives. This kind of humility was displayed by Jesus when He stood before Pilate. The arrogant mocked Him without restraint, yet Jesus did not retaliate in the way they expected He would. Instead, He obeyed the law of His Father. Jesus knew that His obedience to His Father was far more important than their false accusations about Him. Instead of coming to His own defense, He turned the other cheek and died for them.

Mockery and persecution are a testing ground to prove if we are as meek as we think ourselves to be. It is one thing to consider oneself humble when we are not facing any kind of criticism, but it is an entirely different thing to actually put humility into practice in the face of arrogance.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate over it. As you do, consider how you react when falsely accused.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:50

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:45:08 GMT

Your Word gives me life!

Psalm 119:50 “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”

Once again, David is expressing trust in the Word of God. The only comfort he knows during his time of suffering is found in the Word of God. However, he found more than simple comfort. He states that the promise (God’s Word) preserved or quickened his life. The Word of God put him to life, which is the opposite of being put to death.

There is more to life than simply breathing and having good health, things that have to do with our physical life (though they are important to our earthly existence). David’s emphasis was more than just these things. He stated, “Though I may be suffering in my physical condition, I find comfort in it.” The comfort he found was the very life of God himself. In essence he said, “Your promise brings the very life of God to me.”

Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” God draws near to those who suffer in a very special way. When we are suffering in body, we tend to take the Word of God more seriously. We tend, in those times, to read it with great interest and cling to every promise we read. In our needy state, we find that our very life comes through the Word of God.

All life comes from God, and God lives within His Word. The prophet Isaiah expressed it this way, “But those who hope in [wait upon] the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31) . This is a promise that actually preserves our life.

Take some time to let this verse sink in. Meditate on it, and as you do, ask God to “LIFE YOU” through His Word.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:49

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:06:30 GMT

You have given me HOPE

Psalm 119:49 “Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope”

Hebrews 1:1 tells us that God spoke to the prophets in many different ways. God has the ability to speak to us through others, through prayer, through a prophetic voice, or even through a miraculous sign. However, the most common way for God to speak to us is through His Word, whether written or spoken.

Have you ever had the Word of God speak to you? Has God ever given you a Scripture in a time of need that you have desperately clung to? David expressed that very thing. He is saying in essence, “My hope is in your Word, please don’t forget your promise to me.”

David had many experiences in his lifetime: he single-handedly killed a lion and a bear. He felled the giant Goliath with a stone. He was pursued by King Saul who was trying to kill him. He was a mighty warrior. Toward the end of his life things changed for him. He fell into sin with Bathsheba and he had her husband murdered.

Throughout all his many trials David’s standard was the Word of God. The Word of God is the only standard of truth this world can ever know. It is the only thing upon which we can base our entire future. It is not only an accurate record of the past, but of the future also. There are many times when the only hope we have is in what God says in His Word about the future.

The Word of God is our hope. Just as David said, “For you have given me hope,” we must also say the same. If we fail to put our hope in His Word, we will have no hope. Men’s hearts are one day going to fail them out of a fear of what is coming on earth (Luke 21:26) . However, those who know the Word of God have a stability this world cannot understand.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – meditate on it. As you do, contemplate the role the Word of God plays in your life. Is it your hope?

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:48

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:15:26 GMT

I surrender!

Psalm 119:48 “I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.”

David lifted his hands to God. The lifted hand is symbolic of surrender or submission. If someone put a gun in your back, by lifting up your hands you indicate you have surrendered to them. David stated that his life was surrendered to God.

What is it to surrender to someone? It means we become their captive. They own us. We are subject to their whims. To become captive to mere man could be quite devastating. However, you always dwell in places of safety when you are a captive of God.

David was a bondservant of God. A bondservant places himself in a position wherein the Lord has complete mastery over him. A bondservant is one who has the freedom of choice but chooses to continue to serve out of love. In Luke 2:29 we read of Simeon who said, “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace.” The word, "Lord," in this verse is not the typical word for Lord. It literally means authoritarian or dictator. Simeon looked upon himself as the servant of the Lord under His absolute mastery. The Lord was his complete master. Simeon was a mastered, subdued, and subjugated man. To think of the Lord as a dictator becomes negative only when we do not want to be controlled. David loved his God. He did not view being a bondservant as a negative thing because his desire was to be controlled by God. He submitted himself to God. He lifted his hands in surrender to his God. This was what separated David from most others.

Today we don’t often understand such devotion. We tend to live for ourselves and to use God to get our way. We don’t see Him as the One who has complete mastery over us, yet we are quick to call Him Lord. Luke 6:46 says, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

Take some time to let this verse sink in. Meditate on it and as you do, consider the Lordship of Jesus in your own life.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:47

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 17:19:16 GMT

Loving God's Commands = Obedience

Psalm 119:47 “For I delight in Your commands because I love them.”

This is a continuation of the previous verse. The reason David saw no shame in speaking of the things of God, even to earthly kings, was because he loved the commands of God. There is no shame in loving God. When we love something, we submit to it. Submission requires that we bring ourselves under the authority of the one to whom we have submitted. In that light, our only life comes through our obedience to that one.

Obedience should always be the result of submission. When we simply are obedient to someone, we tolerate their rules. However, when we submit to someone, our obedience is coupled with a desire to obey. The basis for such submission is love, and that love compels is to obey. Obedience to God is based solely on what one should do, without a desire to obey, may in essence mean there is no submission at all.

David said that his delight was in the commands of God because he loved them. Through his obedience, he found life. Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10. To be full of life, we must be full of the kind of obedience that comes from submission.

God is found in the obedience of people. To enter into the presence of God, we must submit to Him. There is more to following God’s commands than simply doing them. In our desire to do them, we find the life of God. In Ephesians 4 , we are instructed to "put off our old corrupted-self; to put away lying, and to speak truth; to no longer steal, but to labor; to no longer allow corrupt communication to rule our tongue, but that which is good. In doing so, we will not grieve the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 4:22-30) . Just as the Holy Spirit is grieved by our disobedience, His presence is enhanced by our obedience.

Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew (meditate) on it; ask yourself if you truly love the commands of God.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:46

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:07:09 GMT

Never Ashamed

Psalm 119:46 “I will speak of Your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame.”

Have you ever done any name dropping? Why do we do that? Is it to gain some type of status? It is very convenient for us to use someone of stature to gain access, acceptance, or even credibility. In our world, we work hard to become acquainted with those of influence. If we can say we know someone, it speaks well of us, especially in a society that worships men/women over God.

When we speak of the statutes of God, it is different than when we speak of knowing people. When we testify of knowing Jesus, we can’t take any credit for it. Knowing Jesus comes through surrendering our self to Him. No one can take any self-glory in that. The Kingdom of God is for those who are poor in spirit, those who keep giving themselves away.

It is a humbling thing to realize that we cannot gain God through our own efforts. In the world’s eyes Christians are often viewed as weaklings. They are viewed as not being strong enough to be their own people because they have given themselves away.

David knew something the world does not know. He knew there was no shame in speaking about the things of God. David knew the One true King. He knew that his King would not put him to shame. David saw things in light of eternity, while we are prone to only see things in light of today. David knew he was talking to mere men who were earthly kings about the King of kings. There was no shame in that. Even if the world presently does not respect our King, one day they, too, will bow and worship Him.

Take some time today to meditate on this verse. As you do, consider whether you speak boldly about your King or whether you speak of Him rather timidly.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:45

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:52:29 GMT

Freedom comes through obedience

Psalm 119:45 “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out Your precepts.”

David sought out the precepts of God. “Precepts” are “instructions.” The precepts (instructions) of God are given us to tell us what to do, when and how to do it, etc.

David discovered the freedom of obedience in patterning his life after the precepts of God. Typically, we consider instructions as perimeters or boundaries. We sense a loss of freedom when we must follow them. But that sense of loss actually contradicts God’s intent in giving us His precepts. John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Only freedom comes in the form of forgiveness. Jesus forgives. The only freedom there is, is in forgiveness. When we are forgiven we are free of self-worship. Self-worship is sin. To forgive someone puts them on the same level as you. If you worship self, you want to keep yourself above them. “Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” John 8:34.

It is interesting how people in the world think they are free because they do not obey the precepts of God. Yet in truth, they are in bondage to worship of self. David said, “I walk about in freedom.” Freedom only comes through obedience to God. The one who walks in obedience is free to have his/her life inspected. She/he has nothing that needs to be covered up or hidden or excused. Is your life an open book? Would you feel free to have anybody inspect your walk?

If there is an area of sin in our life, we walk about in secret. If we have not sought out and submitted to the precepts of God, we walk in bondage. People who feel free from any sense of obedience to God are actually slaves to the sin that controls their lives.

Let me encourage you to take some time today to consider whether you actually seek to know God’s instructions for your life, or if you do your own thing

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:44

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 16:06:40 GMT

For ever and ever

Psalm 119:44 “I will always obey Your law, for ever and ever.”

This is a simple statement of David’s love for God. “I will always obey Your law, for ever and ever.” David considered his commitment to God as something without end. He understood obedience to God to be forever. It doesn’t end at the time of death; it goes on into infinity - or, to quote Buzz Lightyear, “To infinity and beyond!"

We are prone to make commitments only for a specified period of time. It is typical for us to discipline ourselves up to a certain point. We go on two-week diets, or twelve-month exercise programs. Most of our commitments have a time limit. However, when we consider our obedience to God, we need a different frame of mind.

Everything about this earth has a beginning and an end; therefore, it is natural for us to think in those terms. Yet, when it comes to God, we need a heavenly frame of mind. God has no beginning and no end. Heaven is a permanent state. The popular hymn says, “When we’ve been there ten thousand years.” The problem with that is, we won’t be thinking in those terms once we are in heaven. Consider what the Bible says regarding time in heaven: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day” 2 Peter 3:8. At best, 10,000 years will only seem like 10 days. When we get to heaven, it will seem as if only moments have passed by for those loved ones who went before us.

It would be to our benefit to start thinking with a heavenly frame of mind rather than an earthly one. We have surrendered our hearts to Jesus, for forever, not just for now. Our commitment to His Word is everlasting, for His Word says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away” Luke 21:33. There is no time frame in heaven, there is only eternity. David had a heart of commitment forever. He loved God more than he loved himself. Subsequently, his commitment was everlasting.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do, ask yourself how heavenly minded you are.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:43

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 17:03:23 GMT

Does your life reflect your words?

Psalm 119:43 “Do not snatch the Word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in Your laws.”

This verse is dealing with hypocrisy. David is saying that anyone who fails to walk their talk does not deserve to be a steward of the truth of God’s Word. He said, “I have put my hope in Your laws.” David so believed God’s Word to be true that he patterned his life according to it. He maintained the customs (laws) of God. Thus when he spoke, his words were true.

The Pharisees, on the other hand, had the Word of truth snatched from them because they did not walk their talk. They were hypocrites. They may have spoken the Word of God but there was no life-transforming truth in their words because they broke the commands of God for the sake of their traditions (see Matthew 15:3 ).

God’s Word proves to be true when it actually shows forth as evidence in a life. If a person preaches that God can deliver another while they are in need of deliverance themselves, their words lack truth and persuasiveness. Proverbs 16:23 says, “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.” That is what David did not want taken from him. He wanted the Word of truth (persuasiveness) to remain. To insure that it would, David patterned his life after the laws of God.

Are your words true? Do you tell people to do things that you haven’t done? Do you say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Do you tell people to stop doing the very things you are still doing? God never offers solution without sacrifice. In other words, God never asks us to do anything that He hasn’t done Himself. When Jesus tells us to turn from sin, it is because He turned from sin. When He tells us to love our enemies, it is because He loves His enemies. When He tells us to turn the other cheek, it is because He turns the other cheek. The reason Christ’s Words are so powerful and persuasive is because He speaks the Word of truth from His heart.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this. As you do, ask God to give you the “Word of truth.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:42

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 17:22:02 GMT

Revenge? or Mercy?

Psalm 119:42 “Then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in Your Word.”

This verse is a continuation of the previous verse. David is looking for the promise of God so that he can answer those that taunt him. This is not an unfamiliar situation for believers to face. It is common for Jesus to be mocked and for Christians to be ridiculed. In that sense, we too look for Him.

We look forward to the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord! That will be the day when all our efforts to serve Him will come to fruition, when all of our consecration to His Word will be worth it all.

Our answer to those who taunt us, needs to be Jesus Himself. However, this is not to be presented in a vengeful way. We should not long for the Son of God to be revealed simply for the purpose of telling someone else, “I told you so.”

When I first really let my friends know that I had surrendered my heart to Jesus, many of them taunted me for that decision. I didn’t want them to see who Jesus really is to prove myself right. These were my friends! I cared about and for them. My honest desire was for them to see Jesus, not only so they would stop taunting me, but so they themselves would surrender their lives to Christ!

It should always be our desire that Jesus would be as merciful to others as He is to us. In that light, we should never desire vengeance for anyone. “Look, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the people of the earth will mourn because of Him” Revelation1:7. When Jesus is revealed to a lost world, we will not need to add a single word. His manifestation will say it all. They will see that they are lost when they see Him. Our desire should be to bring as many into Christ before that day we can.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask God for a heart of mercy rather than a heart of vengeance.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:41

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:47:35 GMT

Unfailing Love

Psalm 119:41 “May Your unfailing love come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your promise.”

The cry of David’s heart is for the unfailing love of God. He is longing for the Messiah. Jesus is the unfailing love of God. Throughout all of the Old Testament, we see the prophets and patriarchs looking for the first coming of their Messiah. Today, after His birth, death, and resurrection, we continue to look for Him but with a different focus. We still look for the unfailing love of God but we also look for His second coming. We have our salvation through His blood. Now we long for His return.

Have you ever considered why you long for Him? It seems so often that we seek His return so He can take us away from the drudgery of this world. If that is our only motive, we miss the greater blessing of longing for Him. David longed for the Messiah Himself. It will certainly be a wonderful experience to enter into His presence. However, there is another facet to this we should consider. It is that of being a blessing to Him.

Martha Wing Robinson once said, “He did not ask for you to have experiences: it was not that we should be wonderful. He asked for yourself for one purpose, that He might have you for Himself.” It seems that we are always looking for some wonderful experience in our walk with God, and when we run into peril we ask Jesus to come and take us out of it. That really is more of a focus on self than on Him. Have you ever considered what it would be for you to be Jesus’ wonderful experience?

Take some time this weekend to meditate on this verse, contemplating on that great day when Jesus returns and takes you up in His arms like a child. On that day, you will be His wonderful experience.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:40

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 17:13:22 GMT

Being treated the way I treat others

Psalm 119:40 “How I long for Your Precepts! Preserve my life in Your righteousness.”

David longed for the precepts of God. “Precepts” denotes what we generally mean by “instructions.” In any position of responsibility, explicit instructions are given for doing whatever is a person’s charge. In our position as believers, we are instructed to treat others righteously. Righteousness deals with our relationship with others. Godliness deals with our relationship with God. To treat someone in a righteous manner would be to treat them the way God treats us.

David was mistreated many times in his life. King Saul pursued him in an attempt to kill him. This caused David to live on the run for some time. Later in his life his son, Absalom, rebelled against him in an attempt to take his kingdom from him. Absalom even attempted to kill his own father. However, when David heard of his son’s death he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you” 2 Samuel 18:33 . Love like that comes only from the heart of Jesus.

David longed for righteousness. Jesus emphasized in the New Testament, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” Matthew 5:6. David hungered and thirsted for others to be treated properly. When that is our longing also, we too will be filled with God’s righteousness. Whatever we long for we will eventually be filled with, whether good or evil.

David ends his prayer with, “Preserve my life in Your righteousness.” In whatever way we treat others, we will be treated. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” Matthew 7:12. David longed for others to be treated righteously. Therefore, his life was preserved because of the righteousness of God. God treated David the way David treated others.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do, consider whether or not you long to follow God’s precepts.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:39

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:31:12 GMT

“God saved me, not only knowing what I was, but He saved me, knowing what I would become.”

Psalm 119:39 “Take away the disgrace I dread, for Your laws are good.”

The thing which we probably dread above all others is our failures before God. We dread our disobediences to Him, for such things are a disgrace to us. They hang over us like a black cloud. However, God can remove the disgrace.

The word “laws” in this verse means “teachings.” God’s law is our teaching. If we follow His laws, He will remove the disgrace of our past by bringing us into judgement. Nevertheless, His judgements are good for they are designed to separate good from evil in our lives.

Another term for laws could be, “customs.” In some cultures, customs are so strict and ingrained into society that to break one could mean death. However, when a person opens themselves to God and begins to follow His laws a dividing takes place in their life. This dividing between two opposing ways of doing things judges one as “right,” and the other as “wrong.” God’s judgments are meant to maintain His true customs and are designed to remove the evil and leave the good.

I once heard a saying that has become a favorite of mine: “God saved me, not only knowing what I was, but He saved me, knowing what I would become.” It is not uncommon for believers to feel they have failed God and to be filled with disgrace. Sometimes we may even think that God is probably upset with the fact that He even saved me in the first place, since I have failed Him so much. The truth is, NOTHING could be less true! God not only knew what you were, He also knew what you would become, and yet He still saved you. There is obviously something God knows about you that you do not know about yourself!

Take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do: Thank God for removing your disgrace, and then ask Him to help you submit more and more to His laws.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:38

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 17:04:07 GMT

Letting God be God

Psalm 119:38 “Fulfill Your promise to Your servant, so that You may be feared.”

We inherently have a desire for God to be God and we glory in His glory. The most devastating thing we could discover would be to find out that God is not able to fulfill His Word.

As a young boy I had great hope in my earthly father. It was not uncommon to hear us on the school playground, boasting about our dads. “My dad is stronger than your dad,” or “My dad is the best mechanic in town.” Whether or not dad was strong or weak, short or tall, handsome or not was not the issue. The issue was whether he was faithful or not. Did he live up to his word? Did he fulfill his promises? These are significant concerns of all children.

We tend to have ideals and expectations of our parents that may be difficult, if not impossible, for them to live up to. However, as children we long for those things to be true of them. We want them to be the best. My father used to be one of the world’s strongest men, but that was because I was only four years old at the time. When you are four years old, your father IS one of the world’s strongest men (at least to you).

David was expressing that type of feeling when he said, “Fulfill Your promise.” In other words, he was saying, “Be all that You say You are, God, because all my hope is in Your faithfulness to Your Word.” We could easily pray along with David, “Be the Lord of lords and the King of kings, for then my reverence for You will be strengthened. Then I will fear You as I should.”

In his psalms, David often listed God’s attributes and qualities. It is good for us to practice this as well, periodically expressing to the Lord all the things you believe about Him. This practice will serve as a reminder of your constant need to revere your God.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, think about (maybe even write down) who God really is.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:37

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:25:02 GMT

Are you focused on worthless things?

Psalm 119:37 “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to Your Word.”

Worthless things are vain, or empty things – things that exalt self over God and have no eternal value. Worthless things are dead things. They have no life in them, therefore, they bring no life. The only life we have is from God. That is why David ends his thoughts by saying once again, “Preserve my life.” Life me! To pray, “preserve my life according to Your Word,” would be like praying, “Life me as I focus on Jesus, Your Word.”

The key to this is in turning our eyes from self to God. David further emphasizes some of his thinking from verse 36 where he prayed, “Turn my heart from gain to God.” In that verse he was dealing with the heart. In this verse he is dealing with the eyes.

The eyes are what actually fill the heart. Our heart is who we are, and we are what our eyes have allowed into our heart. Jesus tells us this, about the eye, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” Matthew 6:22-23.

The good eye, or the single eye is an eye that only sees Jesus, or only sees what Jesus sees. It does not focus on self or vanity. It is an eye that is not turned inward; it sees beyond itself to others and their needs. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light, or Jesus. If your body is full of light, there is no room for darkness. That’s what Jesus meant in saying that the only way for the body to be full of darkness is through eyes that are bad.

The bad eye focuses on self. It looks upon everything in an attempt to see how self can benefit. Focusing on ourselves opens the gate for all evil. Whenever our needs and desires become more important to us than the desires and needs of others, we fill ourselves with darkness.

Now, let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do: pray David’s prayer, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things, turn them toward You.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:36

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 16:09:02 GMT

Not selfish, but selfless

Psalm 119:36 “Turn my heart toward Your statutes and not toward selfish gain.”

This is possibly the most powerful prayer in this entire Psalm. “Turn my heart toward You, and not toward me!”

Herein lies the battle of the ages: My will or God’s? My gain or God’s? The benefits of serving God are so tremendous that one could serve God for selfish gain. Ezekiel encountered this problem, “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you and listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain” Ezekiel 33:31 .

Why do we seek God? Do we seek God so we can use God, to fulfill our own plans and desires, or do we seek God so God can use us to fulfill His? There is a world of difference between these two motives. Think of the error there is in seeking to gain from the One who gave His life for us. Jesus came to earth to empty Himself for you and me.

To take advantage of what serving God means is error. The Christian is subject to many blessings. He works hard, she is honest, and they are loyal. These qualities alone, will bring blessing. To use those blessings for personal gain is a mistake. There is one reason for gain. It is so we can continue to meet the needs of others.

This life is not about selfish gain, it is about selfless devotion. The church of Laodicea focused on selfish gain. It had the nicest building in town, the sharpest people in town, and the latest programs available. It had everything... but Jesus. In Revelation 3:20 , Jesus says. “ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in… ” Jesus was on the outside trying to get in to the Church, in to the hearts of His people.

I encourage you to take some time today to meditate on this verse. As you do, make David’s words your own: “Turn my heart from gain to God.”

A Look at Psalm 119:35

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 17:07:53 GMT

A Delightful Path

Psalm 119:35 “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.”

There is a path of delight for those who follow God’s commandments. In Proverbs 22:6 we read, “Train a child in the way they should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” " Training” means more than just taking our children to church and teaching them about God. These are both wonderful things - but training a child in the way he or she should go really has little to do with church attendance. The more accurate truth is that when we train someone, we teach them by doing, in their presence, what we want them to do. In other words, we live the life we want them to live.

David wanted to be directed in God’s path. God has a path, or that which comes naturally, for each of us. Proverbs goes on to tell us in chapter 30:18-19 , “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.” There is a naturalness in each of these cases that is hard to explain. It is an expression of inborn desire or drive that God has put in each of us. We experience delight when we are following in the path God has designed for us. If parents can find the intrinsic path God has for their children and train them in it, their child will have a life full of delight.

“There is a way that seems right to a man; but in the end it leads to death” Proverbs 14:12. Man’s way is death God’s way is life. When we line our lives up with the commands of God, we discover the natural path God has for us. Therein we find the fullness of delight.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse today. As you do, ask God to show you the natural path He has designed for you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:34

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:53:47 GMT

We can trust Him

Psalm 119:34 “Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law and obey it with all my heart.”

The greatest understanding we can attain is knowing that we can trust God even though we cannot fully understand Him. We learn this from scriptures like Proverbs 3:5, where we read, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” We must realize there is a vast difference between our understanding and God’s. When we consider the incomprehensible qualities of God, including His unfailing love, we begin to realize that God understands from a perspective we simply do not have and will never have.

Mrs. Albert Einstein was once asked to explain her husband’s “Theory of Relativity.” After pondering the question for a moment, she stated, “I cannot explain his theory at all, but I know Albert, and he can be trusted.” In a similar way, the parent–child relationship requires the same development of trust over time. There are times when a parent will ask a young child to simply obey them. The child may reply, “I don’t understand why I should obey.” The parent responds with, “You don’t need to understand, you just need to obey!”

There are some things parents cannot explain to their children and children cannot understand because they lack the experience and maturity of the parent. However, if a child will simply trust, and obey, it will work to their benefit. The songwriter had it right when he wrote, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

Take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do: consider whether you trust God’s understanding and simply obey, or whether you require Him to first explain according to your understanding before you obey.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:33

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:43:39 GMT

Teach me to follow

Psalm 119:33 “Teach me, O Lord, to follow Your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.”

“Teach me to follow.” That’s a statement of love. David says in essence, “Lord, I want to follow You forever.” He didn’t intend to follow God temporarily or when it was convenient. He intended to follow Him to the end, or right up until the day of the Lord’s return.

Jesus teaches us that this type of commitment will be equally important to us, especially in the last days. In Luke 18:8 it says, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” By the time Jesus returns, will He find those who have followed Him up until the very last days? The Bible indicates that in the last days, times will be difficult. People's hearts will fail them for fear of what is coming on earth. There will be a growing apostasy in the Church.

In the parable preceding Jesus’ words, He teaches us of the need to persist in prayer. It begins by saying, “Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” Luke 18:1 . This expresses David’s heart when he said, “I will keep them [God’s decrees] to the end.”

David’s key was that he was a follower of God. He said, “Teach me to follow.” Many of us want to be leaders, rather than followers of God. We say, “Teach me to lead.” We study leadership, we read about great leaders, and we are fascinated with champions. The problem is that we cannot be leaders of people until we are followers of God. David was content with God getting all the glory. Subsequently, he could follow God even when things were not going well.

When the Son of Man returns will He find faith in your heart? He will, if you are a follower of God.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do, consider whether you are content with following? or must you lead?

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:32

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:40:39 GMT

Set my heart free!

Psalm 119:32 “I run in the path of Your commands for You have set my heart free.”

In the previous verse, we saw David holding fast to the statutes of God.

A person of strong conviction will ultimately experience some type of persecution their life. Persecution is like a prison. When you are persecuted, you feel separated from the rest of the world. If anyone understood this, David did. More than once, David found himself imprisoned (figuratively imprisoned) because of his convictions. But, because he would not violate God's statutes, he found his life being directed by those persecuting him. David’s convictions would not allow him to harm King Saul, even though Saul, while in his pursuit, would readily have taken David’s life.

Because David honored God, his life became subject to the whims of others. However, David discovered the secret of being set free, in the midst of his prison. He learned that God can enlarge a heart; He can set it free. David had freedom because God had enlarged his heart.

As a father, I never take pleasure in seeing one of my kids suffer (even as adults); but when one of them does, I draw them near to them in a special way. Here is an account from one of my friends who has just one child. He said, “When my son was little, he was afraid of the dark. When he would go to bed he would crawl under the covers and hide. The bed became a prison for him. If I happened to enter the room, suddenly, he had all kinds of freedom. He was free to get out of bed and actually look under his bed or go into his scary closet. My presence set his little heart free.”

That is exactly how God sets our hearts free! If, through obedience to God, we have come into some type of prison or persecution, God draws near to us in a way that we cannot experience through any other means. This sets us free in the midst of our prison. We are then able to literally run in obedience to Him.

Take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, consider the freedom you will find when God sets your heart free.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:31

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 14:38:13 GMT

Dedicated to God's Way

Psalm 119:31 “I hold fast to Your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame.”

There is no shame in obedience to God. There is shame in disobedience to God. David is asking God to come to his defense only because he has been faithful to the statutes of God. God will always defend those who live in obedience to Him. Though there may be times of temporary setbacks because of our obedience, eventually there will be honor, not shame. If you are a person of conviction, you will ultimately gain the respect of others even if they do not necessarily agree.

Mikhail Gusenberg, the man who brought the communist message to China, was once asked why he put so much effort into his task. He responded, “I am not here for my health, or I would not be working in this barbarous heat. I serve an ideology. And with an ideology, it is not numbers that count. It is dedication. It is not a matter of whether we enjoy our work here. The work is necessary. That is all that counts.” Gusenberg’s ideology was (and still is) wrong, however, his unswerving dedication to it is to be respected. He succeeded in bringing communism to China. He was sincerely wrong, but at least he was sincere.

As Christians we, too, should be committed to an ideology. Our ideology should be that of doing whatever is necessary to bring glory to our God. If that is our ultimate objective, then every subordinate decision should line up with that. Too often, our objective is to get to heaven one day rather than to bring glory to God. Subsequently, we do not see service to God as something that should direct our lives. Therefore, any discomfort keeps us from working for Him.

It will take commitment to hold fast to the statutes of God the same way David did. David had a commitment to God that was driven by a deep love for God. We are to have nothing less than a heart that is just as committed to God as David’s.

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray over/through this, to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask God for a deeper commitment to Him.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:30

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 14:35:26 GMT

Doing it God's Way

Psalm 119:30 “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.”

David has his heart set on the laws of God. Because of that, he has chosen the way of truth.

We all have certain ways of doing things. We get dressed in a certain way, we eat our food in a certain way, we even drive our cars in a certain way. All of these ways have either been learned or chosen by us. When it comes to the law of God there is a way in which we are to live.

Whenever we are faced with temptation, a most important factor comes into play. At the point of temptation, we are faced with choosing a way in which to respond. Temptation puts our way of doing things to the test. It is a challenge to see whether or not we will follow God’s way or ours. The way we choose determines the lordship of our life.

Have you ever considered how you concede to the Lordship of Christ in your life? It’s through our obedience to Him, specifically during times of temptation. Temptation is a challenge to come out from under submission to God. David chose the way of truth, God’s way, because his heart was set on God’s law. Not until a person’s heart is set as David’s was, will they be able to constantly choose God’s way during temptation. There must be an abiding love in the heart for something greater than oneself.

David’s heart was set on God. He expresses it in Psalm 67:7, “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.” To be steadfast is to be fixed upon something in the same way one board would attach to another with a nail or screw. One board would be fixed to the other. When the heart is fixed or steadfast, there is no wavering.

Take some time to pray over this today, meditating on this verse. Then consider the way of your life. Is it lined up with God’s way?

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:29

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:39:05 GMT

I need God's grace!

Psalm 119:29 “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.”

Jesus is not only the way, the truth, and the life, He is also the only way into truth and life. Jesus is truth. The best way to be kept from deceitful ways is to go into Jesus. We need to become so absorbed with Him that we never want to come out into the flesh again.

David prayed, “Keep me from deceitful (lying) ways.” The only reason for a lie to continue is to protect the liar from others discovering who he/she really is. Its source is pride. Pride is the basis for all deceit.

It is entirely possible that the only way to keep from deceitful ways is through the humbling of oneself. However, this humbling of ourselves becomes a problem if we fear how God will respond to us. We may even avoid humbling ourselves out of fear of what God may put us through. We forget too easily that, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

David then says, “Be gracious to me through your law.” “Be gentle with me Lord.” We are interesting creatures. When we are not very kind to God, we think He will respond to us in kind. God never responds to us according to what we deserve. He is full of grace and mercy. He gives grace to those who humble themselves.

The word “law” here means “teach.” Teach me graciously so that there are no deceitful ways in me. Jesus can teach us! In Mathew 11:29 , we read, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle [gracious] and humble [no deceitfulness] in heart.” We need never worry about what will happen to us when we humble ourselves, for God is very gracious to us.

I encourage you to take some time to pray over this. Meditate on this verse, then ask God to help you become more and more like the One who is humble and gracious.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:28

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:59:28 GMT

God, give me strength!

Psalm 119:28 “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.”

David begins this section of Scripture (Daleth) by proclaiming he has been laid low in the dust. Then, he expresses the weariness of his soul. It is not atypical for us to go through times of exhaustion. However, it’s through the weariness, and times of exhaustion, that we realize our lives are beginning to accomplish something for God.

I once heard of a man who said, “We are not carnal beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a carnal experience.” This is what Jesus expresses to us in Hebrews 10:5: “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.’” Jesus was a spiritual being, who came from heaven, into a body that God had prepared for Him. God was not looking for sacrifices of animals and burnt offerings, although the law required them to be made (Hebrews 10:8) .

That which God was looking for was someone who would willingly offer his own body in service to the will of God. “Then He (Jesus) said, ‘Here I am . . . I have come to do your will, O God’” Hebrews 10:7. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice because He offered His prepared body in service to God. When we do the same, it will result in weariness from time to time; it may even feel like total breakdown. However, it is because of what Jesus did through His body that you and I can experience salvation today. When we give our bodies for the doing of God’s will, ultimately others will see Jesus and be saved.

We must learn, like David, to draw our strength through the Word of God. Remember our prayer: “Put me to life”? It is applicable here also. “Bring new life, new joy, in me through Your Word.”

Take some time today to pray over/through this, meditating on this verse. Then thank God for the life that comes through His Word.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:27

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 20:48:01 GMT

Have You Considered God's Wonders Lately?

Psalm 119:27 “Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.”

“Precepts” are instructions. David is asking for an understanding of the teaching of God’s instructions. He wants to understand how God’s instructions apply to life. There is no understanding outside of God.

1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God.” Jesus is our wisdom from God. He is our understanding. To gain more understanding, we need more time in His presence. God is trying to convey His very life to us.

His Word is not just an instruction book we are trying to learn. We are attempting to understand what the life of God is all about. How could it ever be learned outside of prayer? Through the door of prayer we enter in God’s life.

Proverbs teaches us that if you spend time with an angry man, you will become angry; if you spend time with a wise man, you will become wise. We seem to take on the spirit of the people we spend time with. The same is true of God. The fruit of the Spirit begins to develop within the heart of those who spend time in God’s presence.

Through prayer we gain an understanding. That understanding is so incomprehensible, we simply stand in awe of our God. What we understand is this: God is beyond our comprehension. Therefore, our only option is to trust and obey His precepts. Our God is full of wonder.

There are many things that are too wonderful to explain. For instance, I cannot explain how divine healing works, but I can testify to it. I cannot explain how God supplies our needs, but I can testify of it. Once David understood the teachings of God’s precepts, he gave himself to meditating on God’s wonders.

Let’s each take some time to pray over/ through this - to meditate on this verse, Then, give thought to the wonders of God.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:26

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 13:59:40 GMT

Do my plans line up with God's plans?

Psalm 119:26 “I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees.”

In essence David is saying, “I announced or declared my plans (ways) and God showed His approval of them by answering me.” We are to never take pride in our own plan. We are to submit ourselves to the plan of God, and then line up our lives with it.

Many people have great plans for God. They decide how He should answer prayers, they decide how He should heal, and how He should supply needs. It is very common to ask God to bless what we are doing, rather than to do what God is blessing. The blessings of God lie within His plans for us, not necessarily within our plans for Him. When our “ways” are the same as God’s, He answers. I once saw a plaque that said, “If it pleases you to please God, you can go ahead and do as you please.”

David then went on to ask God for further direction in understanding God’s decrees. Decrees are basically the same as decisions. In this case, it would be God’s decisions. When God sees that we want to be taught His decisions, He also sees that we have a desire to please Him.

To desire to be taught His decisions is a sign of maturity. It’s a recognition of our own inability to direct our lives without Him. “There is a way that seems right unto man but the end of it is death.” We often think we know what is best for ourselves when, in reality, we don’t. God does! There is nothing more fulfilling than lining up our life with God’s plan. God lives within His decisions. Psalm 16:11 says, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” When we follow God’s plan or path of life, we experience the fullness of joy.

Take some time to pray over/ through this today, meditating on this verse. Then ask yourself how desirous you are to be taught His decrees. Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:25

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 13:52:29 GMT

Give me life!

Psalm 119:25 “I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word.”

“The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” Genesis 2:7. What an incredible thought! God formed us from dust, and then breathed His life into us.

We came from dust, and we return to dust. Our only life comes from the One who created us. Isn’t it interesting to think of how man rebels against God from time to time, thinking he can exist without the very One who gives him life. We have no existence outside of God; He is our very subsistence. To rebel against Him means certain death.

God breathed life into us. His breath, or word, is the source of our life. God lives within His Word. His Word, the Bible, is our constant source of new life. The more we are in the Word, the more life we gain. We must be in the Word in order to be alive unto Christ.

It is not uncommon for us to use the phrase, “put to death.” However, the phrase, “put to life,” is not as familiar to us, though it should be. Have you ever prayed, “Put me to life according to Your Word,” or “Put me to live through Your Word”?

David prayed, “preserve my life,” which is what “put me to life” means. The name, “Jesus,” means, “preserver.” Satan is the destroyer. Jesus, the Word, preserves our life from Satan, the one who destroys life. In essence David’s prayer goes something like, “I came from dust and I return to dust; I am nothing but dust. The only life I have comes from You; life me Lord, through Your Word.”

Let’s all take some time today to meditate on this verse. As you do, pray for God to “life” you through His Word.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:24

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 15:57:18 GMT

Need A Counselor?

Psalm 119:24 “Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.”

The statutes of God were the Psalmist’s delight! Are they yours? Do you find your delight in gaining your counsel from the explicit laws of God? A statute is a “law laid down.” It is unswerving. If you are not flexible, an unswerving law will break you. I once was driving past a church that had a sign on their front lawn that said, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” The statutes of God are established, divine orders, that cannot be altered. The only way they could be our delight is when we desire to line up our life with God.

The captain of a ship was noticing the light of another ship approaching him one foggy night. He radioed ahead, “Change your course.” The response came back, “You change your course.” This made the captain angry for he knew he was the biggest ship in the immediate waters. A second time he radioed, “You are on our course, change your course.” The response came back, “You change your course.” Finally, he identified himself and said, “This is the captain, change your course.” The response came back, “This is the lighthouse, change you course.”

God’s Word, His statutes, are the lighthouse for our lives. We often we try to get God to line up with our lives, our plans and dreams, instead of making our lives line up with Him. We say things like, “God, try to understand why I am the way I am” - while we should be saying, “God, help me to become what You want me to be.” We tend to think we are the center of life. We are not! The Word of God is the center of all things. Regardless of what we are going through, the Word of God stands true.

Take some time today to pray over/through this, meditating on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if you can say with the Psalmist: “The statutes of God counsel me. His Word guides my life.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:23

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 15:48:24 GMT

How do you react?

Psalm 119:23 “Though rulers sit together and slander me, Your servant will meditate on Your decrees.”

A decree is a decision. It is a decision handed down to us by God Himself. David knew that even though others were slandering him, his only option was to meditate and subsequently follow God’s decrees (decisions).

David began his book of Psalms by admonishing us to meditate on the Word of God. “And on His Law he meditates day and night” Psalm 1:2 . To meditate on the Word of God is to become absorbed with it. It is to give the mind over to it. Through that, we become as stable as a tree. “He (who meditates) is like a tree planted by streams of water” Psalm 1:3. Stability is a much-needed quality for the one who feels that others are desirous of persecuting him.

David would meditate on God’s decrees. Many times, we feel quite justified in countering someone’s slander of us in kind. However, God’s decision on how to handle this is to turn the other cheek. It’s to go the second mile. It’s to pray for our enemies. If we would truly come to the revelation that vengeance is the Lord’s, we would become as stable as a tree in the midst of the storm of persecution.

Bill Gothard once said, “Confidence is how little you react when falsely accused.” When Jesus was brought before Pilate, He was falsely accused. However, He did not react. He was stable, knowing first of all that vengeance is His father’s business, and, secondly, that false accusations will ultimately be found out.

In the midst of slander, meditate on God’s decisions for your life.

Let’s each take some time to pray over/through this - to meditate on this verse; then, ask yourself how you react to false accusations. If you meditate on the word of God, you develop the stability of a tree.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:22

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:36:01 GMT

A Statute to Love

Psalm 119:22 “Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep Your statutes.”

A statute is an explicit law. Jesus gave us a statute in the New Testament. In Luke 10:25 we read, “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?” In verse 27, “He [Jesus] answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

If you keep that statute, scorn and contempt will be taken from you, because they cannot exist within the framework of love. If you truly love your neighbor the way you love yourself, it will be virtually impossible to harbor negative feelings toward them. The key to this is not on focusing on our doing away with ill feelings, but in developing a heart that will keep God’s statutes.

We really have no choice in the matter. To remove scorn and contempt we must love. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:43. To remove scorn and contempt we must pray for our enemies.

What happens when you pray for those who persecute you? You begin to love. What would happen if we prayed, “God bless their (the enemies’) lives. Shower them with fulfilling mercies. Bless their life the way You have blessed mine. Do the same good to them that You have done for me.”

This manner of praying is called mercy prayer. It helps us to fulfill the statutes, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and “pray for your enemies,” because it causes us to see what God sees in them. When we pray for someone else, we begin to gain God’s perspective.

I encourage you to take some time to pray over this, meditating on the verses. Then ask God to show you where you have scorn and contempt, and then remove that scorn and contempt by praying the mercy prayer for them.

Continued

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 16:27:01 GMT

Not by accident

Ruth 4:18-22

Now these are the generations of Pharez…”

A ten-generation lineage from Pharez (Perez) to David. This was the royal line of the lion (ruling) tribe, Judah.

In conclusion:

The book of Ruth is not in the Bible by accident.

It gives a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Kinsman-Redeemer
It shows the results of wrong decisions and disobedience in the life of God’s people in the sad story of the move to Moab
It shows the loss that can result when a person fails, because of earthly attractions, to enter doors that God has opened to them. To Orpah, it meant the loss of eternal life. To the unnamed kinsman, it meant the loss of the opportunity to become the ancestor of the royal family and of the Messiah, an honor so desired by people of Israel
It shows how God can turn the picture around for His people when they make right decisions and are obedient to Him
It shows that lives that have been empty can, by God’s grace, become full again
It shows the value and results of industriousness, obedience in the family, kindness and love to others
It shows that our decisions and our daily lives will have lasting and eternal results. (“I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me” 1 Samuel 2:30; Ruth 2:12).
It is a graphic illustration of the truth of Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them (NLT).

Thank You, God, for giving us this story, for working in the lives of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz so that I can see that what You have done for them You can do for me. Help me to trust You more, and, like Ruth, declare that You will be my God – with no reservations, no looking back. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:13:44 GMT

From "Bitter" to "Blessed"

Ruth 4:13

So Boaz took Ruth and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.

Remember, Ruth had been married before, but had no children. Her ability to conceive and bear a child now was a miraculous work of God.

Ruth 4:14-15

And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be to thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher in thine old age: for thy daughter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him. KJV

Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” NLT

The women recognized God’s hand in the birth and gave Him praise for it.

The “kinsman: spoken of in verse 14 is Obed, Naomi’s grandson (as “him” in verse 18 indicates).

“Better to thee than seven sons” – this was the ultimate compliment in that culture. To have seven sons was, in their minds, to have a complete and perfect family. Ruth, in her love and devotion, was better than that! What a testimony!

If Ruth represents the Gentile Church, perhaps Naomi, in some ways, may represent Israel. Is not the true Church a greater and truer blessing to Israel than a multitude of unsaved Jews? Is not the true Church to be a restorer of life to Israel through the preaching of the Gospel? Will not the true Church be a nourisher of Israel in the end time?

Perhaps the picture goes deeper, and Obed, as an ancestor of Christ, may be another picture of Christ in His role as kinsman, restorer, and nourisher of Israel in the end time.

Isn’t it amazing how the fabric of God’s redemptive work through Christ is woven all through the scriptures (see Luke 24:25-27, 44-47)?

Ruth 4:16

And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

There is a sense of adoption here. The child was still Ruth’s, but he became a replacement for the husband and sons Naomi had lost through death. What a happy “grandmother!” Naomi, who was emptied and had become “Mara” (“bitter”) had now become full and was “Naomi” (“pleasant”) again.

Ruth 4:17

And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi: and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. KJV

Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. ¹⁷ The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. 4:16-17 NLT

Obed means “serving.” Naomi was neither the natural mother nor grandmother, but she was a legal mother under the laws and customs of that day.

Look at the joy and happiness that came to Naomi, Ruth and Boaz, because, by faith, they chose to serve God and to do and say and be what was right, even though at the time they made those choices, the future looked dark and impossible.

Naomi faced sorrow, loneliness, poverty, hunger – yet she returned to her homeland.
Ruth faced sorrow, loneliness, widowhood, poverty, hunger, a despised and hated position as an alien in an enemy country. She had no husband. No family. And no hope of having one.
Boaz was kind to Ruth with no expectation of any reward or any response from her. After she asked him, he expected that his cousin might want her.

Dear God, You are truly the God who gives beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair (Isaiah 61:3). How amazing You are, God! May I learn to cling to You even in the hard times, and wait for Your full purposes to be fulfilled. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 15:24:43 GMT

Redeemed

Ruth 4:7-8

Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things, a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee; so he drew off his shoe. KJV

Now in those days it was the custom in Israel for anyone transferring a right of purchase to remove his sandal and hand it to the other party. This publicly validated the transaction. ⁸ So the other family redeemer drew off his sandal as he said to Boaz, “You buy the land.” NLT

“Former time” – evidence that the book was written later.

“Changing” – property title transfer

“A man” – the seller

“His neighbor” – the buyer

The shoe became the physical evidence of the title transfer to the new owner. It signified his right to walk on the property as his own (see Genesis 13:17).

Ruth 4:9-10

And Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people. Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

It is very interesting to see how things worked in those days. There were no papers to sign, no fees, no clerk or judge or attorneys. In just two simple sentences, the property was conveyed to its new owner and civil requirements for the marriage were taken care of.

Ruth 4:11-12

And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem: and let the house of Israel be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman. KJV

Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied, “We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. ¹² And may the Lord give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah.” NLT

Everybody said, “Amen!” in those days, when a good share of the townspeople witnessed the transaction, there would be no need of a formal signed document. People would remember and talk about the event for years to come.

There was a united prayer for God’s blessing upon Ruth. She is placed alongside the mothers of their nation, Rachel and Leah. In addition, they prayed God’s blessing upon Boaz and the descendants of their clan in the tribe of Judah. “Do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem” – a Hebrew poetic expression. Ephrathah and Bethlehem were names of the same place, one meaning “fruitfulness,” the other meaning, “house of bread.”

In the mention of Rachel and Leah, the founding mothers of Israel, and the words, “build up the house of Israel,” the Israelite readers of Ruth would have seen a prophetic reference to the rebuilding of the nation by King David, the descendant of Boaz and Ruth, after its near extinction in 1 Samuel 4.

In the mention of Pharez (Perez), whose birth came about through a union based on a variation of the “levirate” practice of raising up an heir to a deceased brother, the Israelite readers of Ruth would have seen a prophecy of the raising to leadership of King David, the descendant of Ruth and Boaz, even as the descendants of Perez had already brought the tribe of Judah into the place of leadership among the twelve tribes.

The Christian can look beyond David to see the fulfillment of the types and prophecies of this book in the great David, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, in His humanity, was a descendant of Boaz and Ruth.

Boaz is a type of our kinsman redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. As Son of man, He became our kinsman. As Son of God, He is our Redeemer.
Ruth as a Moabite Gentile, is a type of the Gentile church. Ruth chose to leave Moab, the heathen world she knew and lived in, and chose to serve God and join in life and fellowship with His people. In like manner, we choose to leave the world and join in the life and fellowship in Christ’s Church. We call this repentance. Naomi and Elimelech (and Ruth as their heir), had lost – through their own disobedience – their birthright inheritance in the land. Ruth in her proposal was asking Boaz to redeem it. In like manner, we as heirs of Adam and Eve, have lost our spiritual birthright, and come to Christ and ask for pardon and redemption. Boaz freely granted her request, even as Christ freely grants our request for forgiveness of our sins and for our redemption.
Boaz took Ruth as his bride. In like manner, we become members of the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22-23; Matthew 22:2-14; Revelation 19:7-10; 21:2, 4, 17; Isaiah 54:5-7; Hosea 2:19-20).

Dear God, How amazing You are! You planned for every detail for our redemption, and then You left clues and gave examples of how we can receive that redemption. Thank You, for inviting me to be Your bride. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 15:28:38 GMT

Doing the right thing for the right reasons

Ruth 4:1-2

Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: And, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. (KJV)

Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, “Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you.” So they sat down together. ² Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses. (NLT)

The gate – a public square just inside the main gate of the city. It was the place of business where everyone passed in and out to their fields and where merchants and travelers came. It was the place of news, market, and civil and criminal court.

Here comes the kinsman, the nearer relative. “Hey, there! Come over here and sit down!”

The elders were heads of families of local officials. They needed to call two or three elders into consultation for common matters, but ten were required for property transfers and other important matters. Boaz was calling the local civil court into session. How simple it was then: no delays, no hassle to get scheduled onto a court docket, no preliminaries, no papers to fill out. (They saved a lot of worries and ulcers!)

Ruth 4:3-4

And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: and I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. (KJV)

³ And Boaz said to the family redeemer, “You know Naomi, who came back from Moab. She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. ⁴ I thought I should speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish. If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses. But if you don’t want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you.”

The man replied, “All right, I’ll redeem it.” (NLT)

“Before the inhabitants” – everyone would be crowding around to see and hear the action. They would have plenty of witnesses to the transaction.

It was not easy to acquire land in those days, except by inheritance. We cannot be sure about the details of Naomi’s land ownership. Perhaps Elimelech had not sold the field or his right in the common fields before he left for Moab. Since no mention of a field has been made previously, it is more likely that he had sold the field, but under the law, retained the right for himself or his heirs to buy it back. In this way, Naomi would have the right of redemption – but lacking the money to buy it back, she must depend on a kinsman redeemer to do it for her. It is the right of redemption that Naomi is selling.

Boaz says, “Here is your chance to buy Naomi’s land. You have the first refusal of it, but if you don’t want it, I’ll buy it.”

The relative said, “It’s a good deal. I’ll buy it.”

Ruth 4:5

Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth and Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. KJV

⁵ Then Boaz told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.” NLT

“Just a minute, cousin. There’s just one more little item connected with the deal.” It is a package deal: a wife comes with the property.

Ruth 4:6

And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. KJV

“Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it.” NLT

It was a different story now that he had all of the facts. “Thanks, but no thanks.” We do not know this man’s family situation. If married already, perhaps he may not have wanted a second wife – but that is not what he said. He said, “Mar (endanger, NLT)” my own inheritance. There were four possibilities of this happening:

He was not already married
He had no children by his first wife
He had only daughters by his first wife
He had a son or sons by his first wife, but they had all died before he did

In each of these cases, if he DID accept the redemption of the land, his estate would pass out of his family and name into Elimelech’s.

Actually, this relative’s risk was no greater than that of Boaz. What this man did was not illegal, but in the laws and culture of that time, it was considered shameful and selfish (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10 ). This relative’s name is never mentioned. Perhaps it was not mentioned to spare embarrassment to his descendants, but more likely it was to highlight the unselfish character of Boaz in his generosity and kindness to the two widows in comparison with this relative’s zero performance.

The relative’s actions showed a lack of faith in God to supply his needs and to preserve his own inheritance.

Dear God, It’s hard to do the right thing all of the time! It’s hard to give when I need it for myself. Teach me, God, remind me again, to trust You for everything I need. Help me to remember that You see the big picture – far beyond my today – and that You will provide for me now and then, if I will only trust You. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 15:02:36 GMT

Who are you?

Ruth 3:15

Also he said, Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

Her “veil” (KJV) would have been a shawl, about four feet by six feet in size, made of linen. Boaz poured about 75 pounds of barley into it as she held it, and then tied it up and put it on her shoulder. It was a token or pledge of her love and favor to her and to Naomi. He had nothing else at hand to give her, and it was a welcome gift.

Ruth 3:16-17

And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said, These six measures of barley gave he to me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.

“Who art thou” – exactly the same words that Boaz had asked. Naomi has been anxiously waiting and probably praying. She wants to know how things had gone: “Are you Ruth the widow? Or are you Ruth the bride-to-be?”

It is true today. It is more important who we are than what we have of the world’s fame or goods. We cannot compare our relationship with Christ vs our physical or material circumstances.

Ruth 3:18

Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

Sit still. There is nothing more you can do. Don’t worry: it is out of your hands. There is a time to act and a time to wait and let God and others do their part. Why is it so hard for us to sit still and let God work things out?!

Naomi knew enough about a man’s nature – and Boaz in particular – to know that he wouldn’t sit on the fence. He would be anxious to settle the matter. Boaz was a prompt, diligent, faithful person.

It is possible that Boaz had previously been attracted to her, but dared not dream that Ruth would be interested in someone as old as he. His kindness to her had produced unexpected dividends. Now he wonders, “Will she be my bride or not?” Either way, it was going to be a short engagement.

Dear God, Who am I, God? When it’s all stripped away, will I be a person after Your heart? Will others – will I? – see me as someone who follows You, someone who is kind, loving, compassionate? Am I a person who resembles You? Make me like You, Jesus. May I always be recognizable as “having been with Jesus.” Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 16:44:43 GMT

Waiting for God's Way

Ruth 3:10-14

And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followeth not young men, whether poor or rich.

And now, my daughter, fear not, I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.

Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman unto thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth. Lie down until the morning.

And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. (KJV)

^10-13 He said, “God bless you, my dear daughter! What a splendid expression of love! And when you could have had your pick of any of the young men around. And now, my dear daughter, don’t you worry about a thing; I’ll do all you could want or ask. Everybody in town knows what a courageous woman you are—a real prize! You’re right, I am a close relative to you, but there is one even closer than I am. So stay the rest of the night. In the morning, if he wants to exercise his customary rights and responsibilities as the closest covenant redeemer, he’ll have his chance; but if he isn’t interested, as God lives, I’ll do it. Now go back to sleep until morning.”

¹⁴ Ruth slept at his feet until dawn, but she got up while it was still dark and wouldn’t be recognized. Then Boaz said to himself, “No one must know that Ruth came to the threshing floor.” The Message

Verse 10

Ruth had not followed her own fleshly instincts in looking for a younger husband. She had done what was right according to the law and the advice of her mother-in-law. “More kindness in the latter end than at the beginning” – perhaps he was comparing her kind treatment of Naomi in relation to her proposal to him. It is evident he was pleased with her request. Perhaps it was something he had thought of, but did not dream would be possible.

We can see from these verses that Boaz did not consider himself a young man. He seemed surprised that she would not be anxious for a young husband.

Verse 11-12

Boaz recognizes that her motives were pure in coming there. Her life has been a good testimony to her faith and trust in God. She is no man-chaser.

Boaz accepted her proposal, but with one reservation: he is not the nearest kinsman. He could take her as wife without asking permission of the nearest kinsman, but he was a man of character and wanted to do things right. He must give the nearest kinsman the first opportunity for Ruth’s hand in marriage, even if it meant that he would lose Ruth.

It is a great temptation in life, especially in our day, to be afraid that we won’t get what we want unless we shortcut the system. Boaz wasn’t like that.

Verse13

Ruth could not return home until morning. The city gates were closed and locked at night. She was to stay there under his protection until morning.

The words of Boaz showed absolute trust that God will work the matter out for the best for all of them. He wants Ruth, but if it would be best for his cousin to have her, he is willing. Boaz shows her true love, not selfish love, for her. “As the Lord liveth” - calling God to witness his commitment.

Verse 14

The writer makes it very clear that nothing improper went on between them, and she left before it was light enough for anyone to see who she was. The night watch at the threshing floor was strictly a man’s affair and the motives of a woman coming to the floor would be suspect. Boaz wanted to make sure that no gossip was circulated.

Dear God, Teach me integrity and patience. Help me to wait for Your will instead of making things happen on my own, circumventing the process. Give me understanding that when I do things You way – even though it may mean an outcome other than what I want – it will always work out for my best. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:02:20 GMT

We can ask for God's protection

Ruth 3:7

And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet and laid her down.

“Heart was merry” – felt very cheerful. It was a happy time.

“At the end of the heap” – as close to the grain as possible to protect it. Did you ever notice that thieves are lazy? They like to wait until the work is done before they steal the goods.

Servants often slept crosswise at the feet of their masters, men with men and women with women as a bodyguard. In doing as she did, Ruth was humbling herself as a servant. “She came softly” and quietly so as not to waken anyone.

Ruth 3:8

And it came to pass at midnight that the man was afraid and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

As he came into a lighter stage of sleep, his senses warned him of someone close by. He turns to look and a woman is lying at his feet. Who wouldn’t be startled?

Ruth 3:9

And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman.

“Who are you?” “I’m Ruth, your female bondservant” – again placing herself in the position of a humble servant.

“Skirt” – his mantle or outer garment. “Spread” – it was part of the Jewish marriage ceremony for the groom to spread his mantle over the bride to signify that she was being placed under his protection. What Ruth was doing was proposing marriage to him. The proposal would ordinarily have been made by her father, or if he were not living, by a brother, but she had no one to do it for her.

“Near kinsman” – one who has the right to redeem.

Dear God, I give myself to You, Lord. Place Your mantle over me. Give me Your protection, Your covering. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:40:11 GMT

Some Advice from Naomi

Ruth 2:21-23

And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men until they have ended all my harvest. And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest and dwelt with her mother-in-law.

It was a wise plan to stay with the crew of Boaz for her protection as well as the other benefits Boaz had granted. Naomi recognized the wickedness prevalent in the time of the judges. There would be those of the worst kind working among some of the harvest crews. They would be only too glad to take advantage of a young, unprotected, foreign woman. The end of the wheat harvest came in mid-June.

Ruth 3:1

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

We see Naomi’s unselfishness in this verse. She could have thought of her own comfort and welfare. She could have claimed the right of the kinsman-redeemer for herself. Ruth 1:13 seems to indicate that she still had a possibility of bearing children, but she surrendered that possibility to Ruth.

“Rest” – that is, in your own home with your own husband.

“Well with thee” – in the Old Testament seems to have to do with domestic well-being (Psalm 128).

Ruth 3:2-4

And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou was? Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight in the threshing floor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in and uncover his feet, and lay down: and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. (KJV)

One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. ² Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. ³ Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴ Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.” (Ruth 3:1-4 NLT)

The cutting and shocking of the grain had been completed, and the dried sheaves had been carried to the threshing floor.

The threshing floor was a hard, smooth, level, open area of exposed rock or hard-packed and rolled clay. Threshing floors were located on the down-wind side of the village and were carefully chosen for favorable exposure to the prevailing winds. Threshing to remove the grain from the straw and chaff was usually done by the treading of the hooves of cattle (Deuteronomy 25:4) , but other means were sometimes used, such as iron-tooth threshing sledges (Isaiah 41:15; Amos 1:3) or the wheels of carts (Isaiah 28:28) . The winnowing to separate the grain from the chaff was done by tossing the grain into the air with winnowing forks (Jeremiah 15:7 NIV) so that the wind or land breeze which came up for a few hours in the afternoon and early evening would blow away the chaff, leaving the heavier grain on the threshing floor (Psalm 1:4) . Afterward, the grain would be carefully swept up and cleaned with a sieve to remove other foreign materials (Amos 9:9) .

There was something timely about Naomi’s instructions.

During the harvest there was no time to think of other matters. The precious year’s supply of grain must be gotten in at all costs. Now that the crop was harvested, land transactions could be made more easily and it was a time of general good feeling in the community.
Boaz was staying overnight at the threshing floor – it was important to protect the grain from loss by careless handling or theft.

And now for Naomi’s instructions:

Boaz had always seen Ruth in her everyday work clothes in the hot, dusty fields. Now she is to bathe, apply a perfumed ointment and put on her best clothing. She is to go down to the threshing floor, but keep out of sight until everyone has gone to bed for the night, watching for where Boaz would lie down.

In those days, people slept in their ordinary daytime clothing He probably slept on the ground with some straw and a blanket or animal skin under him, and with his outer cloak spread over him. Ruth is to slip into the area, lift up the cloak by his feet, and lie down at his feet. And Naomi says, “the rest is up to him; he will tell you what to do.”

What do you think of these strange instructions?

Ruth 3:5-6

And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.

Naomi’s instructions probably seemed strange to Ruth as well. She was a foreigner and not used to Israeli customs, but she was absolutely unquestioning and obedient.

It is never a good thing for us to judge the customs of others by our own native customs. Ruth had no father to make arrangements for her. Under the customs of the day, she could not go to the house of Boaz or approach him in public. This was probably the only opportunity she would have to get his attention privately.

Dear God, Thank You for putting people in my life who are wiser, smarter and more knowledgeable than I am. Help me to be gracious in hearing their advice, and humble enough to follow their wise counsel – especially that of those who are older than me. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 14:35:13 GMT

A Redeemer

Ruth 2:15-16

And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: and let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

In that day the ripened standing grain was cut with hand sickles, usually by the young men. The cut grain was then bound into sheaves, usually by the young women, ready for carrying to the threshing floor.

“Handfuls of purpose” – Boaz could just have given her some grain, but there was a real kindness in this. It is wise, when we help the needy, if we can give without seeming to. It helps to keep a person’s self-respect if they can feel that they have earned what they receive. This is something that our welfare society seems to have forgotten today.

Ruth 2:17-18

So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

An ephah was about 3/5 bushel (27-29 pounds), an unusually large amount for one day’s gleaning. “That she had reserved” – her doggy bag of leftover lunch that she had saved to bring home to Naomi. “Beat out” – a small amount of barley could be threshed with a heavy stick of wood.

Ruth 2:19

And her mother-in-law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned today? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother-in-law with whom she wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought today is Boaz.

“Wrought” – that is, “worked.” “Where did you get all that grain?! Someone had to have favored you in some way. You couldn’t get that just by ordinary gleaning!”

Ruth 2:20

And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin to us, one of our next kinsmen.

Naomi really got excited when she heard the name of Boaz! This man is a close relative. “One of our next kinsmen” – that is, one of our Kinsmen Redeemers (NIV).

In Bible days, the kinsman redeemer was responsible for protecting the interests of needy members of the extended family. This included:

Providing an heir for a brother who had died (Deuteronomy 25:5-10)
Redeeming land that a poor relative had sold outside the family (Leviticus 25:25-28)
Redeeming a relative who had been sold into slavery ( Leviticus 25:47-49 )
Avenging the killing of a relative (Numbers 35:19-21) . “Kinsman-redeemer” and “avenger” are translations of the same Hebrews word, ga’al meaning “redeem,” that is, “to buy back,” “redeemer,” the “one who buys back.” This word is used everywhere in Ruth except 2:1. In 2:20, the Hebrew for “near of kin” is quorob basa – “near flesh.” In 2:1, it is yapa, “to know” (as a relative).

As we look at the book of Ruth and see first the emptying and then the filling of Naomi and how God used Boaz to accomplish his redemptive purposes in the lives of Ruth the Gentile and Naomi the Jewess, we see a picture of how God used His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, our kinsman-redeemer, to bring redemption to us. In His birth, He became our kinsman. In His death and resurrection He became our Redeemer.

Notice the change in Naomi from chapter 1, verses 20 and 21. There is excitement and hope, and praise and thanksgiving to God. She recognized God’s hand in what had happened. This verse marks the turning point in the story.

Dear God, Thank You so much for Jesus, my Kinsman Redeemer! How amazing it is, that You planned for my redemption from before time began, and that You stuck with Your plan so that I could be reconciled to You. Jesus, I receive You as my Kinsman Redeemer. And I am forever grateful! Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 15:03:44 GMT

Unexpected and Overflowing Provision

Ruth 2:10

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

Ruth couldn’t believe that anyone would show such kindness to a poor foreign widow woman.

Ruth 2.11-12

And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed to me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto t people which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Everyone in town had heard the remarkable story of this young Moabite woman who had left her family and homeland to love and care for her mother-in-law. From the words of Boaz, we see that Ruth’s care of Naomi did not just begin the day they left Moab.

Boaz prays God’s rich blessings to be poured out on Ruth.

“Under whose wings” – a figure of speech, like a mother hen protecting her chicks who have come for shelter under her wings. God was working in the lives of His people in Bethlehem through the influence of Ruth’s life.

The words of Boaz show that he was a godly person.

Ruth 2:13

Then she said, Let me find favour in they sight, my lord; for that thou has comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thy handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. KJV

The NLT is a much easier read: “I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.”

“Find favor” – that is, continue to find favor. She was so appreciative of his kind and comforting words.

“Not like unto” – she was still feeling some culture shock in her new community. But who needs to be like everyone else?

Ruth 2:14

And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed and left.

What a wonderful invitation: “Come join us for lunch every day, all you want to eat!”

The people of that land were (are) fond of “dips” for their bread, usually something with a sour taste such as clabbered sour milk, or wine vinegar.
“Parched corn” – roasted grain, not maize corn, but wheat or barley. Barbara Bowen writes, “A quantity of wheat or barley is plucked with the stalks attached and tied into small parcels. A blazing fire is kindled with thorn bushes, and the grain heads are held in it until the chaff is burned off. The grain is then eaten and people all over the country are exceedingly fond of it. During barley harvest the wheat is still in the milk…. The green wheat is cut and mixed with a pile of dry barley straw, which when set ablaze is of sufficient quantity to roast the green wheat. They then rub these ears of wheat together with their hands and winnow out the dross. The reapers still, as in the days of Boaz, make parched corn a part of their meal, for it is very delicious when eaten fresh.”

“Reached” is an old fashioned word for “passed.”

“Was sufficed” – the Hebrews word means “filled to satisfaction.”

“Left” (KJV) is better translated as “had some left over” (NIV). It was just like God to supply her need in this unexpected manner.

Dear Lord, Make me like Boaz: when I find myself in a place of leadership – whether with children, youth or adults, or even in my own family, may I be on the look out for what is good in them. And may I not only see it, but remind me to commend them when they are kind, when they do their tasks effectively, when they have been a help. And may I learn to serve graciously, like Ruth, caring for my family, and doing my very best at whatever I am working on. And thank You, for Your unexpected and overflowing provision for me! Amen.

Life Lessons from the book of RUTH

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 15:11:23 GMT

Love God. Love Others.

Ruth 2:4

And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you! And they answered him, The Lord bless thee!

From Bethlehem – farmers did not live on their farms in that day. They were town dwellers for better security against enemies and went out each day to tend their crops and livestock. During certain seasons, of course, come of the workmen stayed overnight in the fields to tend livestock or protect crops.

What if your boss greeted you this way on the job? What does his greeting and their response tell you about them? God meant something to them and they acknowledged His work in their lives.

Ruth 2:5-7

Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, ‘It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab. And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.’

Boaz saw an unfamiliar face. “Who is this young woman?”

Notice that her request had been for a favored spot among the sheaves. Anyone could glean what was left after the sheaves were removed to the threshing floor.

“The house” – a booth of branches or stone, or sometimes a tent, provided as a shelter for the watchmen at harvest. It served as a shady resting place and a place for food and water during the heat of the day. Such shelters are still common in many parts of the world where manual labor is used in fieldwork.

Ruth 2:8-9

Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide herefast by my maidens: let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels and drink of that which the young men have drawn. KJV

⁸ Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. ⁹ See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.” NLT

“Listen, my daughter!” “My daughter,” a term of kindness and affection.

“I want you here; don’t glean in another field; don’t go away.” She is to watch where Boaz’s crew is harvesting and follow them. “Fast by,” = stay close to the young women working for Boaz.

Boaz told the young men in his crew not to bother her. Any time you have a crew of young men working away from home, you are likely to find a bad apple or two in the barrel. It would be easy for a foreign girl to be treated rudely and even harmed.

Not only this, but “don’t bother to bring your own water; just help yourself from the water jars in the shelter.

Dear God, Jesus told us that all of the Law (10 commandments) can be summed up into two: Love You. Love others. Help me to love others – not just from a distance, but actually seeing them, and to provide for them whenever I can – even with the smallest of blessings (like water). Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 17:50:58 GMT

Working behind the scenes

Ruth 2:1

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

Kinsman = relative. “Mighty” – that is, “chief,” or “powerful.” Wealth is a Hebrew word meaning “force” or “resources” wealth, or ability or reputation).

The Bible is no mystery story and it often introduces characters ahead of time. The NIV calls Boaz a “man of standing” in the community.

Ruth 2:2

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go my daughter.

“Ears of corn” – that is, heads of grain. Gleaning, picking up grain missed by the reapers was an ancient means of help to the poor (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 24:19-22).

We find something more of Ruth’s character in these verses. Her outward condition was low and poor, but her character, her inward condition was high and rich. Here are a few observations of what we see in this verse concerning her character?

She had humility. She was willing to stoop to the lowly task of gleaning.
She was industrious. Gleaning is hard work for little return.
She was considerate in asking Naomi’s permission.
She had courage. It was a risky thing to venture out into the harvest fields among people whose character she did not know.
She had initiative and was timely in her action. She did not wait around to be asked. She did not sit around expecting God or someone to meet their need for food.
She had faith that God would honor her initiative and grant her favor so that she would be permitted to glean in a suitable place.

Ruth 2:3

And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

Her “hap” = Hebrew miqreh, meaning something met with. NIV translates it well: “as it turned out.” This did not happen by chance. God was at work! Here is Boaz, her deceased father-in-law’s relative.

“Part of the field” – this probably would have been a common field, owned by the villagers and divided by lot each year so that each would eventually have a chance to plat one of the better parts of the field. Fields were usually laid out in long narrow strips for ease in plowing and harvesting. The had no fences or walls, but had stone corner landmarks, and the narrow ends of the strips would usually adjoin the road to even out the loss of grain to those who passed by (as described in Luke 6:1).

Dear God, Watching Your story unfold makes me smile – I can see You setting the stage for Ruth (and Boaz and Naomi). Give me patience to watch Your story unfold for my life, too, God. And help me to be more like Ruth, ready, willing, and doing what needs to be done to provide for myself and my family – even if it may seem like a demeaning position (or a job for a high schooler). Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 15:56:56 GMT

Are you pleasant? or bitter?

Ruth 1:18

When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking to her.

The matter now had become settled in both their minds. There was peace. No more words needed to be said about it.

There is a lesson in this for us: it is important to make clear-cut decisions in our relationship with God and in our attitude towards sin and the things of the world. James 1:8 states, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Temptations and problems at school, at work, in the business and social world will be resolved a lot sooner if we come out with a clear-cut stand on our relationship with Christ and give our reasons for not partaking of harmful and sinful practices.

I have found that others may not agree with you or like you for it, but they will usually respect you.

A B Simpson had this in mind in the hymn “Launch Out,” when he said,

And others just venture away from the land

And linger so near to the shore

That the surf and the slime that beat over the strand

Dash o’er them in floods evermore

Why face the same old decisions over and over? You’ll have enough new ones.

Ruth’s decision was final and it brought peace because it was in God’s will.

Ruth 1:19-21

So they two went until they came to Bethlehem and it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, ‘Is this Naomi?’ And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty; why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?”

The distance to Bethlehem from the central region of Moab was about sixty miles, a three-day journey.

The people of Bethlehem were “moved.” We might say “shook up.” They hardly recognized her: ten years of time had brought changes, but beyond that, sorrow, poverty, widow’s garments and the weariness and dust of the road had taken their toll. They hardly recognized their old friend and neighbor.

She had borne up well under all of her afflictions, but now as she saw her old home and townspeople again, her situation hit her like a ton of bricks. “I’m not pleasant” (Naomi); “I’m bitter (Mara). As she thought of the happy times there in years gone by, she said, “I went out full;” the Lord brought me home again empty.”

In the emotion of the moment, she forgot a few things:

It was God who had given her her family and all they had in the first place
It was she and her husband who went out against God’s direction
Her affliction was the result of their own actions
She still had her life, her health and Ruth; and she was once again living in God’s will and among His people.

Ruth 1:22

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Notice how often we are reminded that Ruth was a Moabitess. The writer doesn’t want us to forget it.

In those days, the barley harvest in that area began at the end of March (by our calendar).

Dear God, Please forgive me! I’ve made my own choices, and, like Naomi, have blamed You for the outcome. It’s easy to take the credit when it turns out good; not so easy when it turns out less than good. Open my eyes to see Your hand at work around me, and help me to learn to be grateful in all things. Thank You, God, for always being at work in my life. Thank You for Your patience. And thank You for never giving up on me (Philippians 1:6). Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of RUTH, 7

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 18:20:08 GMT

We need to know, feel AND do!

Ruth 1:16-17

And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for thither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.” (KJV)

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. ¹⁷ Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” (NLT)

These beautiful words of love and devotion are the kind of vows that are appropriate for marriage partners. There is total commitment here. Ruth said, “Don’t try anymore to discourage me. I have completely made up my mind!”

Ruth made six decisions here:

I will follow you in your pathway of life, wherever it leads
I will live in whatever kind of dwelling you live in, no matter how poor it may be
I will accept your relatives and friends, no matter how imperfect they may be
I will receive, love and serve your God
Nothing but death shall part us – a complete commitment
Don’t even send my body back for burial with my family – this meant a lot in that culture: she was burning every bridge behind her.

She confirmed her commitment with a strong call to God to give her double the punishment she deserved if she failed to keep her word.

Ruth’s motives in her decision were of the purest and highest nature. They were based solely on her love for Naomi and Naomi’s God.

Naomi could only offer her:

Poverty
Sorrow
Loneliness away from family and friends
Second-class citizenship in an alien country (which viewed the people of her nation as accursed by God). She could expect to be hated and shunned.
Employment only as a servant of the lowest class.
Continued widowhood with the unlikelihood of marriage.

To Ruth, to have Naomi and her God was worth it all. Her decision was complete, without reservation, and totally unselfish. Hers was a true conversion from sin to the Living God.

Is it any different today? Jesus said, “If any will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross; and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24-26). The so-called gospel that promises worldly wealth, success and never any sickness or sorrow to its followers is not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!

God has wonderful things for us and the best things come when we leave the choice to Him. The evidence of our salvation is our faith in God no matter what comes. It is not in our material possessions, pleasant circumstances, health or other people’s opinions about us. Any faith built on these things will crumble.

The old hymn by Priscilla J. Owens expresses the matter well:

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,

Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

Let’s look for a moment at the natures of Orpah and Ruth as they faced this serious life choice. We have three parts to our nature: intellect, emotion and will.

Intellect – both Orpah and Ruth knew the way of God as Naomi had taught them
Emotion – both girls felt true sorrow at the thought of leaving Naomi and her God
Will – but only Ruth determined to go with Naomi and God.

Applying this to our day:

If we apply only our intellect to God’s Word, we can be scholarly and have a head full of Bible knowledge that we never apply to our own lives
If we only react to God’s Word with our emotions, we can weep over our shortcomings and sins during the Sunday service and then go out and live the rest of the week just as we did before
If we only respond with our will, we can go through all sorts of religious effort without actually accomplishing anything for God. Paul called this “zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”

God wants all three parts of our nature to be functioning in the power of the Holy Spirit, that we might live well-rounded lives pleasing to Him. We need to KNOW, to FEEL and to DO. We must believe, receive and obey. Ruth did all three.

Dear God. Let me learn about You, to fall in love with You so deeply that I am consumed by You with all of my heart and soul, pursuing You and Your plan for every moment of my life. Not just my head, God, but my heart and my soul, too! I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth, part 6

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:57:24 GMT

We choose

Ruth 1:14

And they lifted up their voices and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her. (KJV)

Orpah was deeply affected emotionally. Naomi spoke the same words to both girls, but each reacted differently.

Orpah let her own fleshly nature have the upper hand. In her mother’s household there would be food and friendship. In her community there would be the possibility of marriage.

With Naomi, there was only the unknown. She would be a stranger, and poverty seemed certain. Difficulties sent Ruth on, but they sent Orpah back. Orpah’s return strongly highlighted Ruth’s loyalty and selfless devotion to her desolate mother-in-law.

Orpah had affection for Naomi, but didn’t love well enough. Jesus said to Peter, “Lovest thou Me?” (John 21:15-19) . Many people have Christ’s life and teachings and have an affection for Him, yet they come short of salvation because they cannot find it in their hearts to forsake other things for Him. We choose the things we love the most.

To Orpah, good food, a comfortable home, family and neighbors, and the prospect of marriage meant more than God and His people. Orpah went back to her family, her Moabite friends and to Chemosh, her Moabite god. She also disappeared into oblivion as far as the record goes; it is the last we hear of her. Orpah didn’t hate Naomi or her people; she didn’t hate God. She was a kind, loving person, but she just put personal, temporary, material security in first place to her affections.

God did a wonderful thing when He made humankind. He made us with a will by which we can choose to love and serve God, or we can choose to love and follow our own desires. God seems to have wanted someone who would love Him by choice, not by force. The choice is ours:

We can have our own way, follow our own desires for our brief stay on earth – and spend eternity in torment apart from the presence of God
We can choose to go God’s way – and have life now and forever with Christ

This is why God sent His Son to live and die for our sins and rise again to make us righteous. “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7) .

Ruth did more than show affection. She clung to Naomi (KJV “clave”). She would not let Naomi go without her.

Each one of us is personally accountable to God. We cannot excuse our failure to love and serve God because of:

Our national or family background
Our religious background
Unknown or difficult things in the present or future
The decisions and actions of other people

Remember: The same life situation and the words of Naomi that sent Orpah back only increased Ruth’s desire to go on with Naomi and her God!

Ruth 1:15

And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law.

Naomi has one more word for Ruth. She wanted Ruth to be absolutely sure of her decision. She really put her on the spot. Notice that it was a choice not only of “her people,” but also of her God.

Dear God.

I choose. Today, and tomorrow, and the day after that, I choose You. I accept Your Son, Jesus, as my Savior, my Lord. I put You first place in my life, Sovereign over all of my todays and tomorrows. I choose You. Amen.

https://followchrist.ag.org/

Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:38:28 GMT

Hope when it all seems hopeless

Ruth 1:11-13

And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb? That they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also tonight, and should also bear songs; would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. (KJV)

¹¹ But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? ¹² No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? ¹³ Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord himself has raised his fist against me.” (NLT)

These verses may sound strange to modern ears, but look at the laws and customs of their time in Deuteronomy 25:5-6 (see also Mark 12:18-27 ).

The chances of a Moabite widow finding a good husband in Israel was extremely remote. The only sure chance under the law was for her deceased husband to have a brother still living. This appeared to be impossible. Both brothers were dead. Naomi considered herself too old to find a husband. Even if she did and was able to bear sons, it might be more than twenty years before they could be married. By then, the girls might be beyond child-bearing age.

In the natural, the situation was hopeless. The hopelessness of it all was bitter to Naomi. She blamed herself and she recognized God’s hand in her life – but she thought His hand was against her.

How little we know of God’s ways! God was for her all of the time. He only emptied her life that He might fill it with better things.

Do you think Naomi was wise in trying to discourage the girls from returning with her? Wasn’t she actually driving them away from God and back to the heathen idolatry of Moab? It WAS wise, because:

They might have been influenced by hopes impossible to realize
Under the temporary excitement of emotion they might come just for her sake and later regret it.
The strength and sincerity of their spiritual conversion would be thoroughly tested.
They must make it their own deliberate choice as they counted the cost of following her.

When we are faced with choices in life, it is good for us to be told the worst, even though we may not like to hear it. Jesus strongly expressed the importance of this in Matthew 8:19-20; 19:16-22 and Luke 14:25-33 . In our Christian witness, we need to tell it straight:

Don’t promise things God hasn’t promised. Tell what He has promised
Don’t ask people to come to Christ for your sake. Ask them to come for Christ’s sake and the sake of their own immortal souls.
Warn them of testings to come. Tell them that God will help them go through every test in life.

Dear God. Empty me! May I let go of the things I grasp so tightly so that I may finally find Your perfect, pleasant will at work in my life, so that I can see those perfect plans You have for me come true. Get me out of the way, God, so that You can do Your work! Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 14:38:17 GMT

Is Your Life Drawing Others to Jesus?

Ruth 1:8-9

And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice and wept.

It is probable that they had been on the way less than half a day and were still within the girls’ home area.

Notice Naomi’s kindness and consideration:

She released the girls from their legal obligation to serve, obey and follow her.
She commended them for their kindness to her and their deceased husbands
She prayed for God’s blessing upon their lives and that they might enter into happy marriages.
She showed them great affection. A kiss – the best she had to offer.

To have loved ones is far greater riches than any material wealth. Why are we so often slow to realize this?

Ruth 1:10

And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

Naomi’s life and influence had drawn them not only to herself, but to her people Israel. May our lives draw others to God’s people!

Dear God, Thank You for my family. May I be a godly influence into their lives. May my life be a candle for You, drawing those around me to its warmth, its light. (Matthew 5:14-16) . Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 15:40:01 GMT

Bite your tongue!

Ruth 1:6-7

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited His people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her: and they went on the way to return into the land of Judah.

There was bread again in the House of Bread! The news probably came through merchants traveling between the two countries. God had lifted His hand of correction and the famine ended ( Psalm 103:7-14 ).

It was a several-days trip around the north end of the Dead Sea. Legally the daughters-in-law were bound to Naomi. With no men left, she was now the head of the family. Her will and word were to be obeyed by them.

How many of you have sons-in-law or daughters-in-law? Under similar circumstances, would they want to move with you? In-law relationships can be difficult at times. There may be cultural differences, differences of temperament, different ways of doing things. Perhaps some may be unsaved. What are we going to do about these things?

It may be difficult at times, but may God help us to bury our own wishes and desires and love them and pray that both them and ourselves would become the kind of persons God would have us to be.

Our tongues are our worst enemy in these relationships and sometimes we need to bite it to keep things on the right path. I’m sure Naomi did. Remember that her daughters-in-law came from idolatrous heathen families.

Dear God, Forgive me for those times when I respond harshly to my family and to those around me. Help me, fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that I may bear fruit ( Galatians 5:22-23 ) that honors You, and that will bring peace and Your presence to those around me! Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:12:34 GMT

The Providence of God

Ruth 1:3-5

And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

The bottom had completely dropped out of Naomi’s world. The law did not expressly forbid intermarriage with Moabite women, but Israel’s relationship with them is spelled out in Deuteronomy 23:3-6 ( see also Judges 3:12-30) . We don’t always understand God’s ways, but as we look back we can see that the death of Naomi’s sons was a providential part of God’s plan for the lives of Naomi and Ruth. If the sons had lived, Naomi, under the customs of that day, could never have left Moab as long as the sons stayed. With Moabite wives and the wives’ family ties, it is unlikely that the sons would ever have moved back to Bethlehem.

It is surprising that no children were born to Orpah and Ruth during those years. The boys’ weak physical condition may have had something to do with it, but again, it just could be that God had a hand in it.

Here again the girls’ names are interesting. Orpah has the thought of being stiff-necked or stubborn, and Ruth means friendship or friend. How descriptive these names are of their individual natures!

Naomi has now had her life emptied. All of her own family are dead, she cannot expect any financial help from her widowed daughters-in-law. The stage is now set for God to begin His restoring work in her life.

The Book of Ruth has a two-fold lesson in it concerning the making of moves in our lives:

When adversity comes, we should not “just up and run” from it. God may be using it to instruct us and enrich our lives and draw us to Himself for help.
When we are down and out, we should not just sit there and die in our misery. We need to arise, believe God for better things and move out. We must not let the past keep us down.

In both situations, we can only see the outward circumstances, but God sees the whole picture, so it is absolutely essential that we seek His will from His Word, and in prayer, until we know God’s mind in the matter.

Dear God, Thank You for seeing the whole picture clearly! Help me to trust Your timing, and to be on the look out for Your providence in my life. Grant me the courage to arise, to see with spiritual eyes, and believe You for better things. Increase my faith, so that I can be sure of what I hope for, and be certain of what I cannot now see ( Hebrews 11:1 ). Amen.

Life Lessons from the Book of Ruth

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:05:24 GMT

"I can do it myself!"

Ruth 1:1-2

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-Judah. And they came into the country of Moab and continued there.

God had made a two-fold promise to Israel: Blessing for obedience; a curse for disobedience. Famine was to be an integral part of the curse for disobedience ( Leviticus 26:19-20 and Deuteronomy 28:15-28, 23-24; 38:40, 42 ). The "days when the judges ruled" (or judged) were dark days of disobedience in Israel and God in His loving kindness sent this famine in an endeavor to call them back to the path of obedience.

The names in these verses are fascinating: Bethlehem means "House of Bread." Judah means "praise." Ephrath means "fruitfulness." Moab means "from the mother's father." Elimelech: "My God is King." Naomi: "pleasant." Mahlon "sickly" or "weakling." Chilion means "pining," "failing, " or "consumption."

There was famine in the land. There was no fruitfulness in Ephrath, no bread in Bethlehem and no praise in Judah.

What would you do in this kind of situation? From the world's view, Elimelech was wise and commendable in moving from the famine area in order to take care of the needs of his family. God, however, had promised the land to Israel and had commanded them to occupy the land. Elimelech's situation was probably no different than that of his neighbors and relatives who stayed and saw it through. Elimelech refused to accept God's correction. He forgot that God is the sovereign King of the universe. In moving to Moab, he dishonored God, weakened the hands of his relatives and neighbors and set a bad example for his family and those who knew him.

Of all places, why move to Moab?! Wicked, idolatrous Moab, enemy of Israel, whose very name - meaning "from the mother's father" - was a constant reminder of its beginning in the incestuous relation of Lot's daughter and her father ( Genesis 19:30-38 ).

Most of us have made, or will make, moves in this life. In making any move, it is vital to make sure of God's will in the matter. If God has called you to the place where you are, don't move for trivial reasons. The loss in an unwise move may not always be physical or financial, it may be the loss of spiritual life in the family. God sees and knows the future and all of the hidden dangers and pitfalls that we do not see. We must rely on Him for guidance.

It says he "went to sojourn." Sojourn is Hebrew guwr, meaning to turn aside from the road for a brief stay. It says they "continued there." Continued is Hebrew hayah meaning to exist. What an apt description! Any stay outside of God's will is a mere existence - and theirs certainly was. Elimelech planned for just a temporary stay, but for him and his sons, it was permanent. His plan to save them from starvation ended in death.

Today, people think they can step out of God's will for a while and then step back in again whenever they are through with having their own way. Sa to say, the move it too often permanent and final.

Dear God, Forgive me for choosing my own way. Help me today to trust You and OBEY no matter what. Give me wisdom and courage to stay where You have put me, and to look to You for my provision, especially in times of physical and spiritual famine. May my heart follow Your Word so closely that I will not be tempted to go to the easy place, but will endure, knowing that Your ways are the best. Your plans are far higher than mine. And that in You alone is my hope and my future ( Jeremiah 29:11 ). Amen

Random thoughts

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 18:24:35 GMT

Sure cure for a bad day

Having a bad day? Here’s a quick fix to make it a little better. and if you do this every day, you’ll find that no matter what happens, you’ll be better prepared to face whatever – or whoever – happens to you.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.

Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT

Don’t let yourself be distracted by the stuff. Look at things that are true: Jesus, God’s Son came to earth to die for your sins and mine. He took a beating so that we can be healed. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

What is honorable? What is right? Look around you and catch people in the act of doing good – being kind to one another. Waiting patiently in line at wal-mart. Allowing someone into your lane of traffic (even when they don’t use a turn signal). Being a person of integrity, and finding others with integrity – they’re out there, but since they aren’t shouting, “Watch me!” we don’t often notice them.

Pure, lovely, admirable – how long has it been since you’ve watched a child being a child?! Moms, do you remember how proud they were when your child picked and presented you a dandelion bouquet? Dad, is your son or daughter watching you work on the car or practicing casting a line – they really only want to be with you and do what you do!

Did you see the sunrise this morning? The beautiful blue sky? God’s amazing creation?

Whatever is excellent and worthy of praise… (meditate on Jesus! He is excellent and oh, so worthy of praise!) – think about these things, and even your bad days will be better!

A Look at Psalm 119:21

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 15:01:16 GMT

Arrogance vs Humility

Psalm 119:21 “You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from Your commands.”

Arrogance, or the loss of humility, is the root of every sin and every evil. The reason they (the arrogant) are cursed is because they walk in conflict with the commands of God. All of the commands of God are expressions of His Will which are to be obeyed. Obedience is the spirit of meekness. The meek person is willing to obey God in all things.

Complete obedience to God will result in ridicule from other people. When a person is full of pride, they are not willing to take ridicule from other people. Thus, they walk in disobedience to God so as to avoid the humbling experience of ridicule. When a person worships him/herself, they cannot handle ridicule because that tears at the very heart of what they worship. However, when a person worships God over themselves, they can endure ridicule because they do not see themselves as exalted. Subsequently, the meek do not stray from God’s commands.

“The one who sows to please his sinful nature [arrogance], from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit [meekness], from that Spirit will reap eternal life” Galatians 6:8. The reason the arrogant are cursed is not because God has cursed them but because they are living in violation of divine order. The sinful nature simply reaps destruction.

Divine order is given for our protection. If it were not for the fact that God rebukes us when we are disobedient, we probably would never turn from certain sins.

I once talked with a man who had gone through a serious illness. He told me about how he had simply been “playing” with his commitment to God. Finally, through his struggles, he committed his life deeply to God. He said, in reference to God, “Once Daddy spanked, I straightened out.”

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray through this verse, meditating on it. As you do, ask God to help you humble yourself in His presence.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:20

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:49:22 GMT

Consumed

Psalm 119:20 “My soul is consumed with longing for Your laws at all times.”

“For our God is a consuming fire” Hebrews 12:29. Our God consumes us. To give ourselves to Him means we can no longer exist because God consumes us. When something is consumed, it is destroyed. David said his soul was consumed with longing for God. The soul represents human nature. When the soul has been consumed with a longing for God, it has been consumed with a longing for God, it has been destroyed of its humanness. Human nature is one of the primary obstacles to spirituality.

Galatians 5:17 describes this dilemma, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” When the sinful nature is consumed or destroyed, we have wonderful spiritual freedom. However, the soul must be destroyed.

Everything that has physical life experiences hunger. The same is true of spiritual life. If we are spiritually alive, we have spiritual hunger. Spirituality is like carnality in this one sense: its craving is destined by its feeding. The more we feed it, the more it craves. If we were to respond to God each time we felt His prodding (prompting - the 10-second rule), soon we would feel His prodding more often. In time, our soul would be consumed (destroyed) with a longing for God.

David’s soul was consumed with longing. This is where most of us differ from David. He was totally occupied with a longing for the Lord. There must be a longing in each of our lives if we are ever going to approach the spiritual craving of David’s heart. David had a heart that chased after the heart of God. It has often been my prayer, “God, give me a heart that wants You, a heart that longs for You, a heart that is completely taken up with You.”

Take some time even now to pray over and to meditate on this verse; then, ask God for a heart that wants Him.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:19

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:46:10 GMT

Strangers

Psalm 119:19 “I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.”

A command is an uttered expression of a will which is to be obeyed. The qualification for receiving or understanding His commands is that we be as strangers on earth. When we were separated from Christ, we were excluded from the covenants of the promise ( Ephesians 2:12 ). We are to live an existence separate from this world’s system. It’s our separation that reveals God’s commands to us. Separation from the world is the key to revelation.

Separation from the world is used to describe both sanctification and holiness. Sanctification describes the process; holiness describes the end result. In either case, they are both a separation. When we make ourselves strangers on earth, we are separating ourselves. This becomes the sum total of all revelation.

How can God reveal anything about Himself to those who are not separate from the world? However, the separation hurts! To understand healing, one must be separated from good health. In the midst of illness, God can “reveal” divine healing. It cannot be revealed any other way.

The only way to understand God as a Provider is to separate ourself from our money. When we give tithes and offerings (even though our banking account or our budget may show that we cannot afford to), we see (experience) God as Provider. Living a separate life in this world enables God to reveal Himself to us.

The more the Church is like the world, the more clouded her revelation of Him becomes. When we become strangers on earth, we become citizens of heaven. When we become citizens of heaven, we are to live an existence that differs from the rest of the world. We are to live our lives according to God’s uttered Will.

I encourage you to pray and meditate over this, considering the ways of this world that may still be in you. Then determine before God, that you are going to be a stranger on the earth.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:18

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:43:45 GMT

Open My Eyes

Psalm 119:18 “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.”

All that God teaches us through His law, statutes, testimonies, commandments, precepts and judgments are life to us. However, our flesh tends to so cloud His life that we need a revelation to be able to “see.” What we are talking about is spiritual sight, not physical sight. Paul once prayed, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart [understanding] may be enlightened in order that you might know…” Ephesians 1:18.

The question must be asked, “Does God give us wisdom apart from Himself?” The answer is No! He cannot, for there is no wisdom apart from Him. 1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us that “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.”

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” To see Jesus is to see all things. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus is the wonder of the law. God’s law is not just a bunch of rules. His law is our means to life. All seeing (knowing) comes from God. There is no revelation apart from Him. In His presence our eyes are opened.

From the beginning of time, God has been putting everything in order for the revealing of His Son. The entire Old Testament points to the coming Son of Man. In the Gospels, we have the account of when He came. The Bible ends with the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the book which shows us events surrounding His second coming. Everything in this entire universe points to the Son of God. To see Jesus is to see the wonder of God, it is to see the miracle of the law.

Let’s all take some time to pray over and through this verse, meditating on its words. Then, ask God to show you “His wonder.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:17

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:14:16 GMT

The Goodness is in the Doing...

Psalm 119:17 “Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your Word.”

Here David is asking God to do good to him so that he may live. All life comes from God, and because of that we are to live in obedience to His Word. God’s Word, whether it is spoken or written, is the very source of our life.

To obey the Word of God is to do more than simply believe that it is the infallible Word of God. The word “obey” is a verb. Verbs demand action. To obey the Word of God means we must live what it says. That is the action that must follow belief. We cannot simply believe in prayer without having a prayer life. You may believe that there is such a thing called prayer, but to believe in it we must do it. The same is true of tithing; we cannot believe in it without doing it.

The goodness is in the doing, not just in the believing. We can believe all we want in prayer, but until we do pray, no good comes from it. To say with David, “Do good to your servant,” we must be willing to do the Word of God. Life comes when we do (obey/practice) the Word of God.

Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Blessed are those who practice having mercy on others; through that, they receive mercy. This is one example of how the good that comes from through obedience brings life. Mercy is life. Mercy is our salvation. God, through mercy, gave us grace. We are saved through grace. To continue to receive life (mercy) from God, we must have mercy on others.

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray over this verse, meditating on it. As you do, ask God to show you areas where you can do His Word, so that, through this, He will bring life to you.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:16

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:11:56 GMT

Delighting in Obedience

Psalm 119:16 “I delight in Your decrees; I will not neglect Your Word.”

The Psalmist found his delight in God’s decrees. Decrees are the decisions God has made. Have you ever asked God for directions and found that God actually gave them to you? When He directed you, did you delight in it or did you tolerate it? (Think 10-second rule) I have found many people following God’s decrees, but hardly delighting in it.

I have often come upon a situation where I say something like, “I see you are teaching Sunday school class.” With quite a bit of disappointment in their voices they respond, “Yeah, God wants me to do it, so I have no choice; besides that, nobody else will do it. I’m just doing God’s will.” That may be following God’s decree, but it is a far cry from delighting in it. The Psalmist’s delight was to follow God’s decrees and not neglect His Word.

In John 15:10-11 we read, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Have you discovered the joy of obedience? Do you want to find a sad, frustrated person? Find one that God has given direction to, but who has remained disobedient. The joy of obedience is knowing that we have pleased God. That is why Jesus said that if we obey, we will remain in His love.

When we love God, our greatest desire is to please God. A number of times, during Jesus’ earthly life, a voice came from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The words I look forward to hearing more than any other are, “Well done, enter into the joy of the Lord.” Our obedience to His decrees and Word will bring us to that place one day. And won’t that just be, “The Best Day Ever?!”

Take a little time today and meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if you truly delight in obedience to God.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:15

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:08:46 GMT

Consider God's Instructions

Psalm 119:15 “I meditate on Your precepts and consider Your ways.”

No wonder God said David was a man after His own heart! David was absorbed with his God, meditating and considering the precepts of God.

“Instructions” is the term we generally use instead of precept. Has God ever instructed you in anything? Have you ever set aside time to simply meditate on that instruction? Have you ever considered His ways? I once worked for a large corporation. It was common to hear people respond to instructions with the phrase, “Who said I had to do that?” When the answer came, “The boss,” there was no hesitation. We followed his instructions because we respected his position.

Without the daily practice of being in the presence of God and meditating on His Word to us, we tend to lose the reality of who God is. We don’t lose our theological definition of God, we simply lose a real living sense of who He is. There is a great difference between the God we know in our head and the God we know in our heart.

Our head is full of rationale while our heart is full of emotion. The head takes a very legal look at God and bases its obedience on that. The heart takes a very loving look at God and bases obedience on that. The head cannot change the heart but the heart can change the head.

It’s the heart that is changed through prayer and meditation. When we give our self over to time in the presence of God, we are making our self a living sacrifice. Through that, our heart begins to conform to the character of God. As the heart changes, the head follows suit. Eventually we are transformed by the renewing of the mind. Ultimately, we take on the mind of Christ because we have taken Christ into the heart.

When we know God in our heart, we tend to be more obedient to Him. We obey Him out of respect. His instructions become our meditation. Let me encourage you to take some time to pray and meditate on this verse, considering your level of respect for God.

Continued

Do You See Me? part 4

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 15:58:51 GMT

He will hear you

Her son was named by God Himself: Ishmael – “God hears.” From this point on, every time she looked at her son, every time she would hear his voice, every time she washed his clothes, made him a lunch, played a game with him, watched him sleep, Hagar would forever know that GOD HEARS. God hears HER!

Yes, God hears. Even when we don’t realize it, He hears, and He has already taken action on our behalf. Hagar needed to know that she wasn’t alone. And the Angel of the Lord showed up just when she was at her most desperate. And this one encounter forever changed the way she looked at God.

13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” 14 So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

15 So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born (Genesis 16:13-15).

Good times, bad times, and the in-between times, God is watching over you. He’s not waiting to pounce on us, to catch us when we’re at our worst. He’s there watching for opportunities when He can show off for us, when He can say, “Hey, I’m right here with you! You’re not alone. You are NEVER alone because I am with you!” Is it any wonder that these were some of the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples? “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT) .

Hagar’s is an Old Testament story, recorded thousands of years ago. But God doesn’t change. He is timeless. And He doesn’t play favorites. If God was there for Hagar, a slave from a foreign county who served at the whim of her master, if He heard her heart’s cry, if He saw her, He will do the same for us - for me, and for you.

Do you need to be seen? To be heard? God is with you! Jesus, God’s Son, came to earth, born as a baby, and His name is called Emmanuel, God with us! Yes, God is with you! So when you need to be seen and to be heard, just call out to Jesus. He will hear. He will see. And He is acting right now on your behalf to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11) .

Do you see me? part 3

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:06:55 GMT

Your character? Or your comfort?

Just when Hagar thinks she can’t go on, the Angel of the Lord (quite possibly Jesus, in His pre-incarnate form – a “theophany”) FINDS Hagar (verse 7). He knew exactly WHERE she was. He knew exactly WHO she was. And He knew her past situation, and her future (verse 8).

Our situation may not change. We may still be dealing with health issues, we may still have kids who don’t listen, a spouse who is disengaged, a boss who doesn’t care… but every situation in which we find ourselves is an opportunity for us to draw closer to Jesus. It’s a chance for us to humble ourselves and say, “Okay, God. I realize my situation isn’t changing – but CHANGE ME! Help me to be the person You created me to be. Let me honor You with my words, with my actions, with my reactions. Make me into the best me I can be!” It’s not about them. It’s about you. It’s about me. Pastor Brad has often said that “God is more concerned about our character than our comfort.” Are you letting your present situation be the place where God can further develop your character?

But even as the Angel of the Lord made Hagar see herself just as she was in her present situation, He also gave her hope for the future.

11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.”

Hagar’s situation wouldn’t change: she would still be a servant to Sarai. She was still pregnant. But she would have a son, with a rather wild future, but he would thrive. He would raise his fist at the world, and he would survive!

But her son was named by God Himself: Ishmael – “God hears.” From this point on, every time she looked at her son, every time she would hear his voice, every time she washed his clothes, made him a lunch, played a game with him, watched him sleep, Hagar would forever know that GOD HEARS. God hears HER!

GOD HEARS YOU! That’s one of the things that sets God (Jehovah) apart from all other gods. He’s not made of wood or stone, or some precious metal or jewel, an inanimate object that neither hears nor sees (Isaiah 44). He DOES hear. He DOES see. He DOES act. And He does it because He loves you. He wants a relationship with you. Not just when it’s an emergency, but every day.

He’s always there for us. Are we always there for Him?

Continued tomorrow

Do You see me? part 2

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:17:24 GMT

Does any see me?

As Hagar walked (Genesis 16) , her desperation grew. She had no one to turn to. She was literally alone in a desert place. There was no food, and she was at the end of her rope, physically and emotionally exhausted.

Ever been there? You were doing pretty well, getting along, and then suddenly, the rug is pulled out from under you. Sometimes, it ISN’T our fault. Sometimes, if we’re honest enough to admit it, it is. But no matter how we got there, we find ourselves desperate and alone. We need help, but there is no one around to hear us. No one knows who we are or what we’re going through. No one is listening. No one sees us.

Or is there?

7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.

9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” 10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”

Hagar HUMBLY admitted who she was. She didn’t say that she was (soon to be) the mother of her master’s only son. She was Sarai’s servant.

And the Angel of the Lord gave her direction – and oh, how hard that can be, to return to your position, to do the job you were required to do, and to do your best without complaint, simply because, “that’s your job!” Whether it’s being the best son or daughter for your parents (even when your parent may not be the best parent!), to be the best employee – even when your boss may be a jerk; to be the best student, the best friend, the best spouse – even when they don’t deserve it. It’s not about them. It’s about YOU!

Our situations may not change. We may still be dealing with health issues, we may still have kids who don’t listen, a spouse who is disengaged, a boss who doesn’t care… but every situation in which we find ourselves is an opportunity for us to draw closer to Jesus. It’s a chance for us to humble ourselves and say, “Okay, God. I realize my situation isn’t changing – but CHANGE ME! Help me to be the person You created me to be. Let me honor You with my words, with my actions, with my reactions. Make me into the best me I can be!”

It’s not about them. It’s about you. It’s about me.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

Do you see me? part 1

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 18:07:43 GMT

Please help me!

Are you listening to me?!!

Have you ever wanted to shout these words to the person you are talking to? You’re in a conversation with your spouse, your boss, your best friend, and you’re talking about something that you feel is important – but they look like they’re dreaming about their next cup of coffee, or the meeting they have coming up in half an hour, or about the weekend. Or, worse yet, you find yourself in a terrible situation – bad medical diagnosis, a child running off the rails, job loss – things that really play a number on your emotional state – and the people you hope you can trust to help you carry the emotional load or who may even have an answer to your situation, are just staring at you blankly.

Hagar, an Egyptian slave in Abram’s (later to be named Abraham) household, found herself in just such a position. And there are three people (four?) at whom you could, with validity, point a finger and say, “It’s all her fault!” or “it’s all his fault!" But there’s a point when you just don’t care who started the downhill slide. You just need help.

Here’s the story, as recorded in Genesis 16 :

16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)

4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”

6 Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she [Hagar] finally ran away.

Yes, there are three people involved in the story, and each one carries some responsibility in how it played out. But now Hagar finds herself - pregnant, evicted from her home, alone, crossing the desert (did she even have an idea of where she was going?). And if, by some miracle, she arrived at said destination, would she be received? Could she earn a living? Find a home? What hope was there for a pregnant, single female who hadn’t been able to even keep her job as a slave?

As she walked, her desperation grew. She had no one to turn to. She was literally alone in a desert place. There was no food, and she was at the end of her rope, physically and emotionally exhausted.

Or is there?

Continued tomorrow

A Look at Psalm 119:14

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:12:42 GMT

I rejoice in following Your statutes...

Psalm 119:14 “I rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.”

Statutes are distinctly laws laid down. They are explicit laws. The Psalmist would rejoice in these laws as one rejoices in great riches. Have you ever dreamt of great riches? The reason we think riches would be so wonderful is because we think it would mean we could live the kind of life we so desire.

What kind of life do you really desire? Is it a life that finds only fulfillment in material things? David understood that true wealth was obedience to God. He truly felt that following God’s statutes would result in the kind of life that would give him true satisfaction. It was the kind of life that no material wealth could buy.

Our minds tend to get clouded by the spirit of this world. We see pictures of people willing millions of dollars in some type of contest, and they are depicted as the happiest people on earth. The joy is understandable from a fleshly perspective. However, that which challenges us is David’s rejoicing over the statutes of God in the same way a person rejoices over great riches. It takes a truly spiritual man to see that spiritual growth is as beneficial as temporary gain.

The Word of God teaches us that we are to take the mind of Christ. Our carnal minds rejoice in getting all we can for ourselves. The mind of Christ says, “And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” Matthew 5:40. If we struggle with the thought of giving someone our cloak then we are fooling ourselves if we think we are as spiritual as David, who rejoices over the statutes of God.

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray, meditating on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if you truly have the mind of Christ.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:13

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 16:14:42 GMT

More precious than gold

Psalm 119:13 “With my lips I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth.”

The word “laws” has to do with the “teachings” of God. The Old and New Testaments are teachings on how to live. The Psalmist would recount all the things that God had taught him through the law. He recognized the source of his life as being his obedience to God. With his lips, he would declare all of God’s “laws.” He knew that, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are tight, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous” Psalm 19:7-9 .

David knew God’s law as his source of life. He fully realized that the laws of God are “more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb” Psalm 19:10.

David wanted to be kept from willful (presumptuous) sin (Psalm 19:13) . He did not want to live a life of continually making sacrifices for his sins. He did not want to live a life of continually sinning on the premise that god would forgive him. He knew that obedience was better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) . Therefore he wanted a clean heart. The heart is cleansed through meditating on and declaring the law of God.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight” Psalm 19:14. Our heart is pleasing to God when it is centered on the Word of God, when our mouth is declaring His Word and when our heart is meditating on His Word. This is when we are most pleasing to God.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, asking God to make your words and meditations pleasing to Him.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:12

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 15:19:35 GMT

Teach me Your decrees...

Psalm 119:12 “Praise be to You, O Lord; teach me Your decrees.”

“Decrees” are decisions. In this case, they are the decisions God has made. In Psalm 63:4 we read, “I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your Name I will lift up my hands.” The lifted has is a sign of surrender or submission. With lifted hands we worship and praise of God. In essence the Psalmist is saying, “Through praise I learn Your decrees (decisions) because I am bringing myself under You.” Bringing ourself “under” is what submission means. It means we are giving our will to God. We can now pray with Jesus, “Not my will but Thine.”

Through submission, we gain a teachable spirit. Praise makes us teachable because of the submissive spirit we must be in in order to worship God. The true worshipers not only worship in spirit but also in truth. We come into truth through being teachable. God does not force feed us. He waits for our spirit to open to Him so that He can gently teach us of Himself. Matthew 15:8-9 says, “These people honor (worship) Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship Me in vain.” They worshiped God, but it was futile because their hearts were not pliable.

“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him” Psalm 25:14 KJV. The secret of the Lord Himself cannot be learned through study, but through submission. There is no way our limited minds can understand the Lord. A person’s spirit must commune with His Spirit. This is done through true worship of God. As we worship Him and lay our lives in His hands, we begin to understand things (decrees) about God that cannot be understood any other way.

We learn more about God through submission than we do through self-exaltation. Pride is a lifting up of ourselves. Submission is a lifting up of God. When we bring ourselves down and worship from a position of lowliness He is exalted.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, making David’s words your own, “Father, I submit to You. Bring me down, so You can be exalted.”

A Look at Psalm 119:11

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 15:45:36 GMT

I have hidden Your Word in my heart...

Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

To hide the Word in our heart is to do more than just read the Bible or to memorize it. To memorize or to read the Word puts it in our head. However, everything must get from the head to the heart before transformation can happen. The heart is who we are. When we allow the Word of God to get deep within our heart, we are allowing it to shape the very essence of who we are.

The Word of God is hidden deep within the heart through the practice of prayer. God speaks to us in many different ways and at many different times. However, if we will take the Word that God speaks to us into the prayer closet, and talk to Him intimately concerning that Word, we will rise as beings. In the secret place of prayer, the spoken Word of God becomes the very thing that keeps us from going back to the old way of sin.

Equally powerful is that of praying the written Word of God. When we pray the written Word of God, we express things we do not ordinarily express. Praying the Word of God teaches us to say the things the Holy Spirit wants us to say. The value of it is that it brings us into the knowledge of God while increasing our desire for God. This knowledge and desire for God’s Word keeps us from sin.

David said, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates.” God has always intended for His children to hide the Word in their hearts. Meditation accomplishes this in a most effective way. Meditation is done through running a particular verse over and over in your mind. Just like a cow chewing her cud, we are to meditate (chew) on the Word of God.

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray, meditating on this verse. As you do, I challenge you to pray the words in this verse: “Lord, help me to hide Your Word in my heart! May Your Words always come to mind at just the right time, so I don’t sin against You.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:10

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 14:20:51 GMT

With All My Heart

Psalm 119:10 “I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.”

A command (commandment) is an uttered expression of a will which is to be obeyed. When we seek God with all out heart, the chances of us straying are minimized. However, we still have the ability to stray in the sense that seeking God does not remove our free will. The purpose of seeking God is to bring your will in line with His. When God has all of our heart, we won’t want to stray, although we still possess the ability to do so.

Our heart is who we are. We have no existence other than what is in the heart. That’s why Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” Luke 6:45. When we seek God with our whole heart, we are seeking Him with all that we are. David said that he sought God with his whole heart. That’s convicting! Can you say the same? David is expressing his love for his God. “God, You have my whole heart, I keep nothing for myself; do not let me stray.” What a powerful prayer!

In Jeremiah 24:7 we read, “I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart.” When we have a heart knowledge (rather than just a head knowledge) that He is the Lord, we tend to serve Him with our whole heart. We tend to fully realize that we are His people and He is our God. That is the kind of revelation knowledge that will keep us serving Him even though we have the freedom to stray.

Have you ever bowed in His presence and said, “Lord, I want a heart to know You. I want to seek You with my whole heart”? This type of praying developed steadfastness in David’s heart. He may have sinned from time to time, but he always returned to God.

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray through this, meditating on this verse. As you do, ask God to give you a heart like King David’s.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:9

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 14:43:43 GMT

How to Stay Pure

Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word.”

The word, “WORD” is a general term which includes, law, statute, testimony, commandment, precept and judgment. It refers to the utterances of God by which we are to live our lives. David, being a man, related best to men, and so asked, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” However, this is applicable to all people, not just young men. The way we keep our lives pure is by submitting (bringing under) our ways to God’s Word. That Word may come through the Bible or through the spoken word; but regardless of how it comes, it is to be lived.

It’s when we live according to God’s Word that our way remains pure. When something is pure, it is not mixed with anything else, nor is it diluted. We are talking about a man’s/a woman’s “way” in this verse. The only way for our way to remain pure is when our way is in harmony with God’s Word.

The Word of God - however it is received - is the only pure thing there is. All other “words” are mixed (not pure) with motives of men. God’s Word has only pure intentions. Men’s words, no matter how godly they are, are all mixed with their own intentions.

This is a challenge to “come under God." To live according to God’s Word means we are to leave our ways, and bring ourselves under God. It means we must leave our way of doing things. It means we are to abandon our plans, goals, and ambitions. The impurity in “our way” comes from our self-centered motives. There is a life of purity available to all who will come under God. Our lives are full of impurity only when we come out from under God, choosing instead to do our own thing and make our own decisions.

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray over this, meditating on this verse. As you do, ask God to show you the impurity of your ways, then ask Him to help you come under His ways.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:8

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:17:27 GMT

He will never desert us!

Psalm 119:8 “I will obey Your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.”

“I will obey Your decrees!” That’s a statement full of fortitude. “I will,” is a strong statement in itself. “I will obey,” is even stronger. What would give a person such resolve? Knowing that God will not forsake us gives us a great resolve.

We have a wonderful promise in the New Testament which says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” Hebrews 13:5 . The Greek meaning of the word “forsake” has to do with the way the soul abandons the body at the time of death. In other words, God’s promise to us is that He will never abandon us; He will never take His life away from us.

A decree is a decision. David said that he would obey God’s decrees (decisions). His obedience became his assurance that God would never leave him. When we follow God in His decisions we walk with Him. God rarely asks us to go do something for Him. He primarily asks us to go with Him. The work of God is not something we do on our own. It is something we do with God. When we walk in His decisions we walk with Him. God would never abandon those who walk with Him.

We live in a day where there is very little integrity. It is becoming more and more difficult to believe the promises people make: fathers are abandoning their homes, mothers are abandoning their children, pastors are abandoning their congregations. Yet in the midst of it all, we have a promise we can cling to: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind” Numbers 23:19. Not only is God telling the truth, He also will never change His mind. What a comforting thought today!

Let me encourage you to take some time to pray through this, to meditate and focus in on that one thought: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:7

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 15:09:56 GMT

Having an Upright Heart

Psalm 119:7 “I will praise You with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.”

An upright heart is a heart full of truth. “The true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth” John 4:23. The only way to enter into the true spirit of worship is through truth. We must have an upright heart to worship God. However the upright heart is gained through learning what His righteous laws are.

Righteousness deals with our relationship with other people, while godliness deals with our relationship with God. We are made righteous through the blood of Christ. However, being made righteous we are to go and do acts of righteousness. Righteous acts could be termed the right treatment of other people. It’s treating other people the way God has treated us. We cannot worship God with an upright heart if we have a wrong relationship with another person.

We who have the Spirit of Christ in us are to represent Him on earth. I do not represent Jesus if I hate another person. I cannot come to God and worship Him in the Name of Jesus while I have something against another person. In Mark 11:25 Jesus says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” If I have the sin of resentment in my heart, it is not an upright heart. I must have an upright heart in order to worship God. I cannot gain the upright heart until I make everything right with my fellow man. I must do the same good to others that God has done to me.

Prayer plays a very important role in developing an upright heart. The more time we spend in the presence of God the more we see what God sees in others. The upright heart sees the things that God sees. Subsequently, those with this type of heart tend to treat others from that perspective.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask God to help you develop an upright heart.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:6

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 15:16:28 GMT

God's Will: Mercy

Psalm 119:6 “Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all Your commands!”

There is no shame in obedience to God, there is only shame in disobedience. A command is an uttered expression of a will (God’s) which is to be obeyed. When God reveals His Will to us, to obey it means we will have no shame when we stand before Him.

What is the Will of God? God’s Will in all things is to have mercy. In Matthew 9:13 we read, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice.’” God desires mercy in all things. The Will of God for every believer in every situation is to show mercy. If we would just obey that one command, we would never be brought to places of sacrifice. What are places of sacrifice? They are those places we bring ourselves to when we have been disobedient. They are something we make or do after we have done wrong.

In 1 Samuel 15:22 we read, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and in sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” To obey is better than sacrifice because obedience goes before sin, while sacrifice goes after sin. It’s not that God does not accept our sacrifices and renewed commitments to Him. It is just that if we would simply obey Him in the first place we wouldn’t be brought to the place where we need to make sacrifices.

Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy….’” Mercy has been described as the ardent desire to meet the need of someone else. If we would go and do mercy to others, we would then learn that mercy is God’s Will for all people. If we would follow that single command, we would never be put to shame.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse. As you do, ask yourself if you show mercy to all people.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:5

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 15:13:39 GMT

What is the Greatest Influence in Your Life?

Psalm 119:5 “Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying Your decrees!”

The word “decree” is the same as “statute.” A statute is an explicit law. David’s prayer was that his ways would be steadfast in obeying God’s explicit laws. To be steadfast is to be adamant, firm, or resolute. It means it has been settled. There is no wavering in obedience to God’s decrees.

We relate better to the apostle Paul in Romans 7:15 , where he writes, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” The average Christian wants to be steadfast in their obedience to God but faces this constant conflict. Paul summed up his thoughts with this, “Thanks be to GOD – through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin” Romans 7:25.

The battle for obedience is real friends, and it is won or lost in the mind. If Paul had become a slave to the law of God in his mind, then he ultimately won the battle regardless of the struggle he may still have faced with his flesh.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” When we meditate on the Word of God (hide it in our heart), we begin to renew our mind. When the mind is renewed, the flesh becomes subject to it. If we fail to take on the mind of Christ, our flesh continues to control our thought and actions.

How much time do you spend meditating on God’s Word? Consider what is the greatest influence in your life: whatever you spend the most time doing influences you the most. Do you spend more time in front of the television or on social media or on your phone than you do in prayer and the Word? If so, it stands to reason that you cannot get victory over flesh problems.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do: ask God to help you become steadfast in your obedience to Him.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:4

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:30:50 GMT

Our Obedience to God Works for Our Benefit

Psalm 119:4 “You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.”

The word “precepts” covers what we generally mean by “instructions.” Instructions are given as to what to do, when, how, etc. The precepts that God has laid down work to our benefit.

We receive instructions in all things. If you are a secretary, you are to do your job according to God’s precepts. The same is true of a plumber, a doctor, a farmer, a preacher, etc. God will tell us how, when, and what. These are to be fully obeyed. If we go through life obeying the instructions of God, then we can go through life fully expecting His blessings.

It is very similar to how a parent instructs a child. A parent has the child’s best interest in mind. In Luke 11:11-13 we read, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” We, being evil, know how to provide good things for our children. When we instruct our children, it is so we can provide good things for them.

The same is true of our Heavenly Father but to a greater degree. When God lays down precepts, they are to be fully obeyed because they work to our benefit. God is not demanding obedience just because He has some kind of unquenchable ego. He wants obedience for the same reason a parent wants obedience. It is for the good of the child.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do, ask yourself if you really believe that everything God asks you to do is for your good.

Continued next week

A Look at Psalm 119:3

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 14:52:03 GMT

Walk like Jesus

Psalm 119:3 “They do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways.”

What a wonderful testimony to be said of anyone; they do nothing wrong! Is it your testimony? This whole Psalm is an inspection of the heart because the heart is the home of Jesus. Do you love Jesus enough to do nothing wrong? Do you love Him enough to walk in His ways?

Our love of God is demonstrated by our obedience to Him. This is why rebellion is considered Satan worship. Rebellion is exactly the opposite of obedience. 1 Samuel 15:23 says, “For rebellion is like the sin of divination [witchcraft], and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” Those who have any rebellion in them cannot have the testimony “they do nothing wrong.”

We are quick to quote John 15:7, “If you remain on Me and My Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.” The word “remain” means to “live.” If you live in Christ, or if Christ occupies your whole heart, you can ask whatever you wish in prayer and it will be given you.

Some people live under the impression that since they are believers, they have the right to ask for anything they want from God and He must give it to them. However, there is a condition that must be met before we can simply ask for anything and have it given to us. The condition is to have the testimony that we do nothing wrong, that we walk in His ways. “To abide” means more than just having Jesus in our heart. It is to live the life He lives.

1 John 2:6 puts it this way, “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” To walk as Jesus walked means our flesh has been dealt with and it no longer controls our actions or desires. When a person is so submitted to God that they do nothing wrong, they gain the privilege of asking for anything they want and it will be granted to them. The idea behind this is that when our flesh has been dealt with, we will no longer as for things that would be out of God’s Will.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do, ask God to help you gain the testimony that you do nothing wrong.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:2

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 15:21:27 GMT

Is there prayer in your life? or do you live a life of prayer?

Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart.”

A statute is a distinct law, an explicit law. There is no compromising a statute – it must be obeyed. Blessed are those who practice the fear of God to the point that they recognize there is no wavering when it comes to a statute.

The only way to develop unwavering obedience is through seeking God with all our heart. “Their heart is deceitful [divided], and now they must bear their guilt” - Hosea 10:2 tells us that because the people of God did not have their hearts focused wholly on God, they did not seek Him wholly. Subsequently, they developed idols. Psalm 10:4 says, “In his pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” The primary idol which causes us to not seek God is called self.

The people of Hosea’s day had divided hearts. They could not fully seek God because they had more than one love. David tells us that the wicked, because of pride, do not seek God. Is there any greater occupation than self? When self becomes an idol, we are no longer able to keep God’s statutes. It’s only through the keeping of His statutes that we are able to seek Him with all our heart.

To seek something with all our heart means our heart is surrendered to that thing. When we idolize self, our heart is not fully surrendered to God. Whether self is an idol or not is determined by our prayer life. If we spend relatively small amounts of time in prayer, it’s because we are not God-centered, we are self-centered. We cannot just have prayer in our life. All Christians have some type of prayer in their lives. We must have a prayer life, which, when defined, means someone whose very life comes from their time of prayer. That life is centered around prayer.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do: ask God to help you develop a heart that seeks Him wholly.

Continued

A Look at Psalm 119:1

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:45:42 GMT

Blameless because of Mercy

Psalm 119:1 “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.”

Are you one of those who are blessed because your ways are upright, with no hidden agendas? “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death,” Proverbs 14:12. The only way for our way to be blameless is to walk according to the law of the Lord.

What is the summation of the law of the Lord? Mercy. We can measure all our ways by that one standard. Will our way result in others being blessed? Only when we think in terms of mercy will we be blameless in all our ways. If we do everything we think in terms of mercy we will be blameless in all our ways.

If we do everything for the sake of blessing others, no one can blame us of doing anything wrong. Do you understand what the result of most sin is? Sin is the deprivation of someone else. The reason sin hurts God is because of how our sin hurts those He loves.

The law of the Lord is mercy. In all that God does, He does it to show mercy to us. If a man murders another man, it is such a tragedy from God’s perspective, because the murdered man no longer has the opportunity to be a recipient of the mercy of God. Whenever we sin, we rob someone else of the mercy of God. If a father or mother has a “way” in their life that is not blameless (a “way” full of self-centeredness), they deprive their own children of God’s mercy.

To walk blamelessly, we must walk in mercy. It is the merciful who continue to receive mercy. We must understand that the Will of God is mercy. It is God’s desire to reveal His mercy to all people at all times; therefore, everything we do should be done in that light. To walk according to the law of the Lord is to do so with the intention of revealing God to others through having mercy on them.

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do: ask God to show you all the ways of your heart that do not yet reflect Him.

Continued

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice, part 5

Fri, 31 May 2024 15:20:30 GMT

Obedience is a Commitment

Obedience is a choice; Obedience is a relationship; Obedience is a journey, and finally, Obedience is a commitment. It’s a commitment to God, to His will, and to follow His commands. It is a commitment that requires perseverance, determination, and courage. It’s a commitment that is tested and tried, refined and purified, that is strengthened and solidified through the fires of adversity.

As we reflect on the significance of Obedience in our spiritual journey let’s make the choice to obey God, to trust in His commands and submit to His will. Let’s nurture our relationship with God through Obedience, trust, and love. Let’s embark on the journey of obedience, taking each step with faith, courage, and determination. And, let us make the commitment to obey God and to stand firm in that commitment, even in the face of adversity.

I can assure us of this: in doing so, we will find holiness and righteousness, and we will find the very essence of our spiritual goal – to be closer to God. And closer to fulfilling His will for our lives.

As we wrap this up, let’s remember that God is not a God of empty rituals, but a God of relationship. He doesn’t desire our sacrifices as much as He desires our hearts. He wants us to obey Him, not out of obligation, but out of love and reverence for who He is.

God’s love for us is so immense, so profound, that He sent His One and only Son to die for us. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, the perfect act of obedience. And because of His obedience, we can receive the gift of eternal life. We have been given the opportunity to live in relationship with our Creator, to know Him, and to be known by Him through Jesus’ act of obedience on the cross.

So, let’s strive to live lives of obedience, not because we have to, but because we want to show our love to the Father. Let’s seek to honor God in all we do, to live in a way that reflects His love and righteousness. And, let’s remember that it’s not about the sacrifices we make, but about the state of our hearts, and the direction of our lives.

Let’s pray together: Dear Lord, we thank You for Your love, grace, and mercy. We thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, and for the example of obedience He set for us. Help us, Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, to live lives of obedience, to seek Your will in all we do, and to honor You with our lives. We ask this in Jesus’ Name, Amen. END

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice, part 4

Thu, 30 May 2024 17:53:19 GMT

Obedience is a Choice

Holiness Found in Obedience

As we turn our focus to the final point, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a transformative understanding. This understanding is that holiness, the very essence of our spiritual aspiration is found in Obedience. Obedience to God’s commands, Obedience to His will, and Obedience to His divine plan for our lives.

The first thing to consider, is that Obedience is a choice. It is a decision we make every day, every moment to align our actions, words, and thoughts with the will of God. It is not a passive state of being but an active, dynamic process of choosing God’s way over our own. It’s about making the conscious decision to say, “Yes” to God, even when it’s difficult, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense and goes against our own desires or expectations.

In his book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” Rick Warren writes, “Obedience is not a lack of freedom; it is the key to it.” That statement is a powerful reminder that Obedience to God is not about restriction or limitation, but it is truly about freedom.

It’s about finding freedom in the boundaries set by God, freedom in the structure and order of His divine plan, about understanding that true freedom is not found in doing whatever we want – or feels good at the moment, but in doing what is right, good, and pleasing to God.

Obedience is a choice and Obedience is a relationship. It’s a relationship between each of us and God; one that is built on trust, love, and mutual respect. It’s about understanding that God’s commands are not arbitrary or impulsive, but they are rooted in His heart and love for us; in His desire for our well-being; and His perfect plan for our lives.

In the words of C.S. Lewis, “Obedience is the road to freedom, humility the road to pleasure, unity the road to personality.” Listen friends, Obedience is not a burden, it is a blessing; it’s not a chore, but a choice, and it is not an obligation, but an opportunity.

Obedience is a choice; Obedience is a relationship; and Obedience is a journey. It is a journey that begins with a single step, a single decision to follow God’s commands, and then it continues with each subsequent step and decision. It is a journey that is marked by challenges and difficulties, by trials and tribulations, and I can testify that it is also one of victories and triumphs, of growth and transformation.

Continued tomorrow

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice, part 3

Wed, 29 May 2024 14:58:15 GMT

Listening with Intent to Act

Let’s think about the context of this statement for a moment. In the time of Samuel, sacrifices were a common part of religious practice. People would bring animals, grains, or other offerings to the tabernacle as a way of showing their devotion to God. The sacrifices were seen as a way of atoning for sins, of seeking God’s favor, and expressing gratitude for His blessings. However, Samuel suggests that the sacrifices, while important, were not the ultimate expression of a person’s devotion to God. Instead, Samuel says, it is Obedience to God’s commands that truly pleases Him.

This is a radical idea, one that challenged the religious practices of their time. It suggests that our relationship with God is not based on what we can give to Him, but on how we live in accordance with His commands. It’s not about the physical offerings we bring, but about the spiritual Obedience we demonstrate. This is a powerful reminder for us today as we seek to live in a way that honors God.

The word used for “obey” in this verse is the Hebrew word “shama,” which means to hear, to listen, to obey. This word is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to the act of hearing and obeying God’s commands. For example, in Deuteronomy 6:4, we find the Shema, which is a central prayer, in the Jewish tradition and it begins with the words, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” NIV. In this verse, the word “hear” is the same word used in 1 Samuel 15:22 . We need to get this; it’s not just about hearing God’s commands, but about obeying them.

In another instance, in Genesis 22:18 , God tells Abraham, “…and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me” NIV. Again, the word “obeyed,” in this verse, is the same word used in our main passage for today. It’s about hearing God’s commands and acting on them.

That word “shama” carries a sense of active listening, of paying attention, with the intent to act. It’s not just hearing God’s commands, but also putting them into practice. This is the kind of obedience that Samuel is talking about.

Continued tomorrow

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice, part 2

Tue, 28 May 2024 16:17:14 GMT

Obedience is a Crucial Part of Honoring God

When we love God, we naturally want to obey Him. We want to do what pleases Him, not because we are afraid of punishment but because we genuinely desire to honor Him.

The second is the relationship between Obedience and trust. When we obey God, we are showing that we trust Him. We trust that His commands are for our good, that His plans are better than our own. We trust that He knows what’s best for us, even when we don’t understand or when it’s hard. Trusting God in this way requires humility. It requires us to admit that we don’t have all the answers that we are not in control. But when we trust God and obey Him, we find a peace and security that we cannot find anywhere else.

The third is the role of Obedience in our spiritual growth. When we obey God, we are not just doing what’s right; we are also growing in our relationship with Him. Listen, every act of Obedience, is a step closer to God, a step deeper into His love and grace. Honestly, Obedience is a form of spiritual discipline, it’s a way of training ourselves to live in line with God’s will. I can assure you it is not always comfortable or easy, but it is always, always worth it.

The fourth is the impact of our Obedience on others. When we obey God it’s not just about us. It’s also about the people around us. Our Obedience can be a powerful testimony to others, showing them the reality of God’s love, and the transformation that comes from following Him. Our Obedience can inspire others, challenge them, and even lead them closer to God.

In all of this, Obedience is a crucial part of honoring God. It’s not just about following rules or avoiding punishment. It’s about love, trust, growth, and witness. It’s about aligning our lives with God’s will and seeking to honor Him in all we do. It’s about saying, with our actions as well as our words, “I love you, Lord, and I trust you. I want to follow you, no matter what.”

Heeding God’s Commands over Sacrifices

As we continue to reflect on the words of Samuel, we are drawn to the notion of heeding God’s commands over offering sacrifices. This is a significant shift from the practices of the time, where sacrifices were seen as the primary way to please God. Samuel challenges that perspective, suggesting that God values Obedience to His commands far more than the rituals of sacrifice.

Continued tomorrow

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice, part 1

Mon, 27 May 2024 17:14:20 GMT

We honor God through complete obedience

It is always good to be together in the presence of our Lord, to learn from His Word and grow deeper in our understanding of His will for our lives. This week, we going to be looking at a portion of a larger passage, found in the book of 1 Samuel , where we will be focusing on chapter 15, verse 22, where we read, “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams’” NIV.

In this passage, we find a powerful reminder of the importance of Obedience to God. Obedience is not just a matter of following rules or adhering to certain rituals. Instead, it is about aligning our hearts and minds with the heart and mind of God. It’s about embracing His will for our lives, seeking to live in a way that reflects His love and righteousness.

Honoring God through Complete Obedience

When we think about what it means to honor God, we might first think of worship, prayer, or acts of service. These are all important, but there is something even more fundamental at the heart of honoring God: Obedience. When we obey God, we are not just following rules. We are showing our love for Him, our trust in Him, and our commitment to His ways.

Let me tell you from first-hand experience that Obedience isn’t always easy, partly because it requires us to put aside our own desires and plans and to surrender our will to God’s will. It might mean making difficult choices or sacrifices. But when we choose Obedience, we are choosing to honor God in the most profound way possible.

The first aspect of this idea that we need to understand is the connection between Obedience and Love. In John 14:15 , Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commands.” Jesus is not making a conditional statement here. He is not saying, “If you love Me, then you have to do what I say.” Instead, He is showing us that love and Obedience are inherently linked.

Continued tomorrow

Amazing Partner, Amazing People, part 5

Fri, 24 May 2024 16:05:12 GMT

Amazing poeple are people with an exhortation

Secondly, again from 1 Corinthians 14 , we learn that the expression of speaking in tongues is both personal and corporate. In this chapter Paul teaches that speaking in tongues has a personal purpose and a corporate purpose. There is a little phrase that Paul uses, “But in the Church,” as he wrote to correct some abuses within the Church. He was not, in his correction, trying to eliminate tongues in the corporate worship time, but rather pointing out that there was a different gift of tongues for the corporate setting that not every believer would have even though every believer should have tongues as evidence of the Holy Spirit in their life.

Amazing People are People with an Exhortation

That word, “exhortation,” is an old word that means “words that encourage or inspire.” Amazing people want to see others become amazing people too, so they look for the ways and words to inspire others to become all they were created to be.

One the Day of Pentecost, Peter could have stopped with His explanation of what was happening, but he wanted everyone in the crowd to move beyond the facts of what was happening to personal faith and relationship. That was the purpose of his message: his words were to instruct and inspire. How many of us want those we know and love to come to a personal faith and fullness in Christ?

Peter’s Spirit-enabled answer gives us two keys to life-changing communication.

Words that change lives are relevant. Peter was answering the question the crowd was asking (Isn’t that a novel approach!). Life-changing communication doesn’t begin with the question, “what am I going to say,” it begins with the question, “who am I trying to talk to, what are the real needs and issues they’re wrestling with?” Spirit enabled exhortation meets people where they are.

Words that change lives are Christ-centered. The theme of Peter’s exhortation was Jesus. If we truly want to help people live amazing lives, it will not happen with indoctrination to our “belief system;” it will only happen with an introduction to Jesus.

As we close let me ask us all again, “How many want to be Amazing People?” How many of us want to live such an amazing life that people will wonder what happened to you – and if it can happen to them? END

Amazing Partner, Amazing People, part 4

Thu, 23 May 2024 19:09:42 GMT

The Spirit-Filled Life

Now let’s look and seek the explanation we need to know and that we need to make known.

The Purpose of the Spirit-filled Life

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Two purposes are found there: “Be my witnesses” – speaking of who we are; and “Witnesses in Jerusalem…” – what we are to do.

The Precedents for the Spirit-filled Life

It is important to watch what happened when the Holy Spirit worked in and through those He filled because it sets the precedents for the ways He wants to work in and through us.

Let me just give you some Scripture references to look at later Acts 2:4, Acts 8:14-19, Acts 19:44-48 and Acts 19:6-7 . As I have said in the past, what we learn from these passages about precedents is; First, Baptism in the Holy Spirit is for every believer and secondly, every one of the people that were “filled with the Spirit,” spoke in tongues as a result.

As a pastor (and a fourth-generation Pentecostal), it is frustrating for me that one of the most needed empowerments of the Holy Spirit is so often misunderstood, misused, and misrepresented. Because of all the confusion and abuses over the use of the Spiritual language, many have chosen to forfeit this incredibly needed dimension the Holy Spirit brings to the believer’s life.

I encourage you to read all of 1 Corinthians 14 later, but let me reference a few verses now as we consider two foundational facts about speaking in tongues. First, the essence of speaking in tongues is Prayer and Praise (see 1 Corinthians 14:2,14,16 ). On the day of Pentecost ( Acts 2 ), what did all the people of other languages say about those who were speaking in tongues? “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.” And you can also read Romans 8:26-27 , as it tells how the Spirit enables us to pray.

Continued tomorrow

Amazing Partner, Amazing People, part 3

Wed, 22 May 2024 15:52:58 GMT

Amazing people are people with an explanation

A person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument.

Our Experience with the Holy Spirit is a Communication Builder!

We communicate most effectively what we know most experientially. Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” The reality is, the more my heart and life are filled with the Holy Spirit, the more relational experience I have with Him, the better I am able to communicate the amazing life I am called to live.

The Spirit filled Disciples model one of the first keys to being an amazing person – it is the characteristic of experience.

Amazing People are People with an Explanation!

Peter wanted the curious and confused crowd to understand what they were hearing and seeing. Look back quickly at Acts 2:12–14 “Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you.’”

The curious crowds that day reacted to the dynamics of Pentecost in three basic ways: Some were amazed and perplexed, some asked honest and sincere questions and some ridiculed and mocked the Spirit-filled believers. Interestingly enough, all of those reactions are often still the reactions of people today when they first encounter Spirit-filled people. There are many who aren’t opposed to a Spirit-filled life, they’re just curious and amazed about it. Others are hungry for an amazing life; they sense deep within that there’s got to be more to life than what they’re living, and they ask, “What is this ‘Spirit-filled’ life all about?” Still others are critically sarcastic: their attitude seems to be, “These are just flaky people addicted to emotion or experience.”

Look at this account: Peter wasn’t defensive or threatened by any, or all, of their reactions to the Spirit-filled life. By the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, Peter gave them a Biblically based explanation for the amazing praises and prayers they were hearing in their native languages.

Actually, I believe that the confusion of the crowds is often the confusion of the Church, as many believers wrestle with the dynamics of the Spirit-filled life. Have any of you ever been confused about the ways and working of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives? Have you ever witnessed something you didn’t understand or know how to take? The place to start if we want to clear up the confusion about the dynamics of the Spirit-filled life is the Word of God.

Continued tomorrow

Amazing Partner, Amazing People, part 2

Tue, 21 May 2024 16:33:46 GMT

Every believer is meant to have an ongoing personal experience with the Holy Spirit!

How many of us want to live such and amazing life that people will wonder what happened to you – and if it can happen to them?

Three characteristics of the amazing people are highlighted in Acts chapter 2, characteristics that offer both instruction and inspiration for all who desire to live and model a truly amazing life.

Amazing People are People with an Experience!

What made the disciples so compelling to the crowds that had gathered? We read that answer in the first 4 verses of the chapter. Acts 2:1-4, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

It was the experience they had with the person and power of the Holy Spirit! The people coming out of the upper room of that house were not the same ones who went into it. Yes, physically they were the same, but spiritually they were not even close.

Dr. Robert Heidler helps us understand the importance of experience when it comes to our relationships. He writes, “A relationship between two people involves mutual interaction. They communicate with each other… they experience each other.” He said, “I have a relationship with my wife. We talk to each other. I share my heart with her and she shares her heart with me. I can experience her presence. We can hold hands and or embrace one another. I do things to please her and she does things to please me. We express our love to each other. There is two-way interaction; that’s what relationship is all about.”

Heidler goes on to say, “Let’s suppose I decide to have a relationship with Abraham Lincoln. I might study Lincoln’s live to learn what he was like. I could read his writings and the writings of those who knew him. I could gain a great appreciation for the kind of person he was and the things he accomplished. I could even travel to Lincoln’s tomb, stand near where his body lies and attempt to talk to him. But I would not have entered into a relationship with Honest Abe.

Relationship requires interaction. Abe could never talk to me, acknowledging my presence, shake my hand or give me a pat on the back. Without the ability to experience Lincoln, I can never have a true relationship with him. I may end up knowing about him – even more than anyone else does, but I can never know him.”

There is an incredible difference between knowing about someone and knowing someone. Experientially, we could simply ask those who had been in the upper room – they went from knowing about the Holy Spirit to knowing the Holy Spirit and their lives were never the same again. Let me assure us of this fact – we are meant to have an ongoing personal experience with the Holy Spirit.

There are two reasons why it is vital for believers to experience the person of the Holy Spirit and the ability He brings.

Our Experience with the Holy Spirit Builds Confidence!

How many know that a person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument.

A bunch of year ago now, a great Evangelist by the name of H.A. Ironside was preaching on the streets when a well-known professor, who was a very vocal and active atheist, began to heckle him and his message. Ironside kept trying to preach but this bitter professor kept yelling, “There is no God, Jesus is a myth!”

Old Ironside kept right on preaching. The antagonistic professor got more belligerent and began to taunt Ironside by shouting, “I challenge you to a debate! Are you afraid to debate me?”

Ironside knew that a debate wouldn’t prove much, but he needed to respond to the attacks, so he said, “Sir I accept your challenge, but with one condition. When you come to the debate, I ask that you bring with you ten men and women whose lives have been changed for the better by the message of atheism. Bring some alcoholics and drug addicts who have been set free by the power of atheism; bring former prostitutes, criminals and outcasts and let them tell us how atheism has lifted them out of the pit.

And sir,” Ironside said, “if you can find ten such men and women, I will be happy to bring with me two hundred men and women from this very city whose lives have been transformed in just those ways by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The professor turned quietly and walked away. Because, you see a person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument.

Continued tomorrow

Amazing Partner, Amazing People, part 1

Mon, 20 May 2024 18:31:26 GMT

God wants us to be amazing people!

This week, as we reflect on another Pentecost Sunday, I felt as though, especially since we are a Pentecostal Church, we should continue to study of the Holy Spirit. So this week, we are going to look at our “Amazing Partner” and how He desires to cause us to be an “Amazing People,” using Acts 2 (the whole chapter) as a basis for this week’s study.

Let me first begin by sharing with you some comments made by a famous British preacher, G. Campbell Morgan, as he wrote about the accusations made concerning those who were first Baptized in Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

You will remember that many in the crowd began accusing the 120 who were “Filled with the Spirit” of being drunk. Morgan writes: “Carefully consider Peter’s answer to the accusations – “These are not drunk as you suppose” – that is, in the way you think they are. Compare this with Paul’s injunction in Ephesians 5:18 – “Don’t be drunk on wine – but be filled with the Spirit.” The one is a false and destructive method of attempting to realize life in its fullness. The other is the true and effective method.

Has anyone ever charged you with being drunk with your Christianity? O God, how seldom men have thought us drunk. We lack the flashing eye, and the pulsating song, and the tremendous enthusiasm of an overwhelming conviction. That is what the city needs, to create the opportunity for prophetic proclamation!

The Church’s responsibility is that her members be so Spirit-filled that the Spirit may be able to produce the new phenomena required to startle this age. The Church has been far more anxious about wealth, and theologies, and organizations, than about the Spirit…what’s the use of preaching when the world is not amazed?” And I say, Wow, what a mouthful!

How many of us really believe that God wants us to be – an Amazing People? How many believe that amazing people are hard to ignore – the world cannot help but check out people whose lives are so full of life that they are compellingly different!

Listen very carefully: Every one of us, reading through this devotional, have been created to live an amazing life – a life of incredible purpose, passion, and power – but the reality is, we cannot live that kind of amazing life on our own or in our own strength!

We cannot live an amazing life without an amazing partner, life is often just too hard – that’s why Jesus promised His disciples a partner – a Paraclete, who would be with them and in them forever – because the fullness of their lives depended on how full they were of the Holy Spirit. That partner Jesus promised to His disciples, of course, was the Holy Spirit and He is the promised partner of every believer who will receive Him.

In Acts 2, we not only encounter some amazing people – we discover some of the key characteristics that made them so compelling to their generation. Let’s take a minute here and read that chapter as our study passage for this week. (Please take a moment or two and read Acts 2 – I’ll include it here, so you don’t need to open your Bible.)

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs — we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

25 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to the grave, nor did His body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’”

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” Acts 2:1-47 NIV.

How many of us want to live such an amazing life that people will wonder what happened to you – and if it can happen to them?

Continued tomorrow

What are you living for? part 5

Fri, 17 May 2024 16:08:38 GMT

A Career? or a Mission?

Dr. Benjamin Mays wrote the following:
I have just one minute — only sixty seconds in it,
Forced upon me — can’t refuse it; didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it,
But it’s up to me to use it. I must suffer if I lose it, give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute — but eternity is in it.
Dr. Mays was spot on! It may only be a minute, “but eternity is in it.”

Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal

In one of his sermons, Dr. Ravi Zacharias told the story of Robert Jaffray of Canada. Jaffray came from a wealthy family, and in fact, he was the heir to a large newspaper fortune in Toronto. When he was a young man, he learned the Chinese language and was offered a large salary by Standard Oil of New York; if he would forego his missionary career and work for them.

He refused, so they doubled their salary offer. He refused again. The words: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last,” rang in his ears. They contacted him with this message: “Robert Jaffray. At any cost.”

He replied, “Your salary is big. Your job is too small.”

He went on to spend 35 years as a missionary in China and helped translate the Bible into Cantonese. When World War II broke out, he and other missionaries were placed in an internment camp. He died there two weeks before the end of the war. Did he waste his life? It depends on your perspective.

If you spend your life in the service of the Kingdom of God, the road may not, and most likely will not, be easy. But ten thousand years from now, you won’t regret your decision. We only get one chance to do whatever we’re going to do on planet earth. Soon enough - sooner than we think - our little space of time will be over.

Do you just have a career? Or do you have a career AND also are on a mission for God? The answer to that question makes all the difference in the world.

I’d like to repeat the two questions I asked in the beginning, asking you to ponder them again in the light of what God’s Word says.

What do you do for a living? (Most of us can answer that question easily.)
What are you living for? That’s the harder question.

May God help us to live for Christ today and every day. END

What are you living for? part 4

Thu, 16 May 2024 17:15:25 GMT

Don't waste your life

It’s nice to have a career. It’s far better to have a career and be on a mission for God.

Serving God in a Communist Prison

Having gone to Ukraine many times, I have had the opportunity to learn about a pastor from St. Petersburg, Russia. He shares what it was like to grow up in a Communist country.

His father (a pastor for over forty years) used to tell his mother, “Some night we may be sleeping when suddenly there will come a knock at the door. When that happens, don’t be surprised if the KGB takes me away and you never see me again. When that happens, don’t give up the faith. After I am gone, remember the Lord will never leave you.”

During the Communist years, many Christians were taken to the prison camps and psychiatric hospitals and were made to suffer because of their faith. Some believers spent twenty-five years or more behind bars for the sake of the Gospel. A few of them came out and wrote books about their experiences. But most of those who suffered for God did not write any books because they did not want any publicity. They viewed their time in prison as part of their ministry for God. Their attitude was, “ If God can use me more effectively in prison, then that’s where I will serve Him.”

Let’s put it this way: Jesus calls His followers to be totally sold out to His Kingdom. That applies to all Christians all the time not just to “full-time Christian workers” such as pastors or missionaries. Suppose you are an electrical engineer or an attorney. Here is God’s job description for you: You are a missionary, cleverly disguised as an engineer. You are a missionary, cleverly disguised as a manager and so on.

It’s nice to have a career. It’s far better to have a career and be on a mission for God. It is certainly not wrong to have a career and do well by the world’s standards. Nor is it sinful to move across the country. But motivation is everything. Two people may follow the same career path, and both may end up at the top. Yet one may be living solely for their career, while the other sees their life as a divinely ordained mission from God. One has lost their life; the other has saved it, just as Jesus said.

Ask yourself: Did Jesus have a career? No; He had a mission from God to be the Savior of the world. Nothing He did makes sense from a career point of view. Being crucified is not a good career move. Yet, by His death, He reconciled the world to God. Was He a success or a failure? The answer is obvious.

“So Much Wasted Time!” A few years ago, David Cassidy died at the age of 67. He is best remembered for his role in the 1970s sitcom “The Partridge Family.” According to his daughter Katie, his last words were, “So much wasted time!” I think that’s the fear of many people: that we will come to the end and look back with regret. That we will come to the end and realize we wasted our one and only life.

Don’t waste your one and only life. Sooner or later we all come to the end of our earthly journey. What will we have to show for our time on earth? No doubt we can all look back on too much wasted time.

Continued tomorrow

What are You Living for? part 3

Wed, 15 May 2024 15:57:45 GMT

Do you have a career? or a mission?

Jesus made clear why He did what He did when He said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit” John 12:24 CSB. As most of us know, out of one seed comes a vast harvest, but that seed must die, in order to multiply. As long as the seed “saves” its life, it remains alone. But when it “loses” its life, it multiplies into a harvest. You can’t “save” your own life, but you can “lose” it.

It’s simple, really. If you try to “save” your life, in the end you “lose” it. But if you dare to “lose” it for Jesus’ sake, in the end you “save” it. Jesus Himself is the supreme example of this principle.

Career vs. Mission

There is yet another way of looking at this whole question of “losing” and “saving” your life. That is to ask the question: Is your life a career or a mission? There is a vast difference between those two concepts. A quick glance at a dictionary reveals the essence of the difference:

A career is something you choose for yourself.
A mission is something chosen for you, by someone else.

I think we can all agree, there is a huge difference between living for your career and being sent on a mission.

The truth is, the Bible never talks about having a career. You will never find that word in the Bible. Having a career is not a Biblical issue. Having a mission is. Please understand: it’s not that believers don’t have careers. We do. Some of us are engineers, some are doctors, some are farmers, some are bankers, nurses, teachers, and some are writers. But the difference is this: The people of the world live for their careers; the people of God don’t.

When your career is central in your life, then you are career-driven and career-minded while you climb the career ladder. You take a job and leave it two years later because it’s a “good career move.” You break all the significant relationships in one place and move across the country because your career demands it. Everything is calculated to get you someday to that elusive place, called “the top.” When you get there, your career will be complete, and the world will applaud your achievements.

I am suggesting that being career-minded, in this sense, is precisely what Jesus meant when He said, “He who would save his life will lose it.” Your career may well keep you from fulfilling your mission in life, and your mission may never make much sense as a career.

Your career is the answer to the question, “What do you do for a living?” Your mission is the answer to the question, “What are You Living For?”
Your career is a ladder to climb… Your mission is a journey you take.
Your career takes you to the top… Your mission leads you to the cross.
Your career makes you a professional… Your mission makes you a disciple.
Your career takes you to the top… Your mission leads you to the cross.
Your career is about the here and now… Your mission is about eternity.

If you are just here to eat, sleep, go to college, get a degree, get married, get a job, have some children, climb the ladder, make some money, buy a summer home, retire gracefully, grow old and die then what’s the big deal? All of that is okay. Please understand: I am not saying any of it is bad or a sin, but if that is all there is to life, then you are really no different from the pagans who don’t even believe in God.

Continued tomorrow

What are You Living For ? part 2

Tue, 14 May 2024 15:51:02 GMT

Who will you serve?

The psyche is the real you that lives and breathes and makes decisions. “Life” is not a bad translation so long as we remember that “life” means more than just a physical existence.

What’s the Best Deal You Can Make?

With that background, allow me to paraphrase yesterday’s verses from Matthew 16 this way:

“Now that you know who I am, are you ready to take up your cross and follow Me? Before you answer, let Me warn you that following Me will seem, in the eyes of the world, as if you are wasting your life. The people of the world will never understand what you are doing. It will seem to them that by following Me, you are throwing your life away.

You always have another option. You can try to save your own life by following your own desires. Many people do that. They live as if their career was all that mattered. But the people who live only for this life, in the end will find they wasted it on things that don’t really matter.

They try to save their life by living for themselves, but in the end, they will lose it. They have wasted their lives on trivial pursuits.

But if you follow Me — though the way will not be easy and you will often be misunderstood — in the end you will save your life. And the people who laugh at you now, will not laugh at you then. They will see you were right, and they were wrong.

After all, what good will it do if you become the richest person in the world or climb to the top of the corporate ladder or rise to the highest salary level in your company or win the applause of the world? What good will all that do if in the end you find out it was all wasted? What good will that shiny new Lexus do for you then? Will you be able to trade it in for another life?

No, you won’t. But if you want to live that way, go ahead. Millions of people do. In the end they will be sorry, but by then it will be too late to do anything about it.

So, what will it be? The way of the Cross? or the way of the world? You’ve got to invest your life somewhere. What’s the best deal you can make?”

That reminds me of the famous words of Bob Dylan: “You’re gonna have to serve somebody. Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord. But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” On this point, Bob Dylan and Jesus agree. You’re going to serve somebody.

The question is: Who will you serve? What’s the best deal you can make?

Was Jesus a Failure?

The life of Jesus is the best answer to that question. Consider the facts of His life and His career:

He was born in an obscure village in an out-of-the-way province of the Roman Empire.
He never went to college or seminary; He had no professional training at all; He never had a bank account;
He owned no property except the clothes on His back;
He never held public office;
He never wrote a book
He never had a wife or children.
His closest friends were blue-collar workers.
He felt at home among the outcasts of society;
His ministry consisted of preaching in the countryside; teaching in synagogues; answering difficult questions; healing the sick and casting out demons.
His opponents openly accused Him of consorting with the devil.
Along the way, He made many powerful enemies by exposing corruption in high places.
Finally, His adversaries captured Him, tried Him in a kangaroo court. and put Him to death.

Was Jesus a failure? To be perfectly honest, by most modern standards, looking only at the surface data, we would consider Him and His career a failure. He never made it to the top. If ever a person seemed to waste their life, it was Jesus.

But consider this: After more than two thousand years…

His words are remembered and repeated around the world.
His followers number in the billions and can be found on every continent.
His personal integrity stands untarnished amidst the attacks of the cynics and the sneers of the ignorant.
His death, which seemed to be a tragedy, has become the means by which we can be reconciled to God.
His whole mission on earth, which seemed to be a failure, has now become history’s greatest success story.

How can this be? Jesus was humiliated to the point of death and seemed to lose His life for no purpose whatsoever. Yet, through His death, God exalted Him to the very highest position in the universe: Philippians 2:10-11 “So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth – and under the earth – and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” CSB.

Continued tomorrow

What are you living for? part 1

Mon, 13 May 2024 17:48:46 GMT

Jesus wants more than a confession; He wants a commitment

There is a man who likes to share his faith using two simple questions. When he is meeting someone for the first time, he will ask them, “What do you do for a living?”

The person will answer, “I’m a doctor” or “I teach Spanish at the high school” or “I run a nonprofit” or “I’m a farmer” or “I’m an electrician,” or whatever it is they happen to do. That question works because we all do something. So, it’s easy to get people to talk about what they do for a living.

Then comes his second question: “What are you living for?” Usually, there is a moment of silence because people don’t know how to answer that question. But it’s a good question because just as we all do something, we all live for something, even if we don’t know what it is.

It’s a good thing, to pause and ask ourselves, “What are am I living for?” Some people live for money; some people live for fame; some live for approval. What about you? What are you living for?

A Question from Jesus

To help us answer that question, let’s take a trip back in time to a place called Caesarea Philippi, a Roman outpost city located north of the Sea of Galilee. A huge rock cliff dominates the landscape. At the base of the cliff a stream flows on its way to the Jordan River.

We find Jesus in this city in Matthew 16 . It is a critical moment for Jesus. All Israel is buzzing with talk of this man from Galilee. Who is He? By what power does He perform His miracles? What does He want?

After a wave of early popularity, Israel is now becoming more divided. True, Jesus now has a wide following among the common people. It is also true that among the rich and powerful, opinion is slowly crystallizing, against Him. In the distance, the drums of angry opposition are beginning to beat. Before too many more months, the sound of those drums will become a deafening roar.

Knowing all this and knowing that it would end in His death, Jesus gathers His disciples, in this quiet place, to draw out from them a deeper commitment than they had given to this point. It is here, in this setting that Jesus asks the famous question, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13).

It is here that Peter makes his confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

But the conversation doesn’t end there. You see, Jesus is seeking more than a confession. He is also seeking a commitment: In essence He is asking, “Now that you know who I am, are you willing to commit your life to me?”

This is how Jesus puts the issue in Mark 8:34-37, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” NIV.

Take a careful look at those verses. The New International Version uses the word, “life,” twice, and the word, “soul,” twice. But in Greek, those are not different words. The Greek word is “psyche,” from which we get our English word, psychology. Sometimes, it refers to the immaterial part of a person (their soul) as opposed to their body. But more often, it refers to the whole person, or, to the inner, conscious self we call the personality.

Continued tomorrow

God is Able, part 5

Fri, 10 May 2024 15:41:55 GMT

God's Ability Demonstrated

Demonstrated in Perfection

He is a God of perfection. Whatever He started to do, He can bring it to perfection (completion).

He is able to bring His word and promises to fulfilment. In Genesis 17:1 God speaks to a 99-year-old Abram, promising to give him a son. In Romans 4 we are told that by this time, Abram’s body was “as good as dead,” yet he trusted that God was able to do what He had promised.

In the face of all of his very understandable doubts, God reassures Abram by calling Himself, El Shaddai, which means God Almighty. This was God’s way of telling Abram, “Don’t look in the mirror, Abram, look at Me! If I say you are going to have a son, it is going to happen. Age means nothing to Me. I Am Almighty God.” Maybe, just maybe, He is saying something similar, to you, right now.

Demonstrated in Restoration

God has power to restore what the enemy has killed, stolen, or destroyed. He can restore our lost health, our lost wealth, and our lost hope. He even promised to restore our wasted years, those years we followed the enemy or our own selfish desires; or, while we were trying to run away from what God was calling us to be or do. He achieves this by giving divine speed, to achieve exploits of many years in a few months.

Demonstrated in Protection

He protected Daniel in the lion’s den. King Darius spent a restless, sleepless night wondering, “if” God was able to do it. Daniel, on the other hand, enjoyed the Lord’s peace and rested throughout the night with lions, knowing full well, God is able.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown in the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar stood with an anger on his face as he sentenced the three Hebrews boys and defiantly bellowed, “Who can deliver them?!” Those young men, before they were thrown into the fire, and as they came out of the furnace, were shouting, “God is Able!”

Demonstrated in Provision

The Widow of Zarephath stood watching as the prophet ate the last of her bread and wondered if, God was Able to sustain her and her son. Three years later they were still eating, while all around them were starving, and whenever they finished a meal, she could whisper with all the assurance of her soul, God is Able.

Demonstrated in Destruction

God is able to destroy all the works of the enemy. The Scriptures tell us, in 1 John 3:8 that He came for the purpose of destroying all the works of the devil. Because of this, we can believe Him for the destruction of evil works, plans, and imaginations against us in every area of our lives.

Demonstrated in Salvation

If anyone has any doubt about God’s power to save, look at the Apostle Paul. He was a blasphemer, a persecutor of the church, he hated Christ, and he showed it by seeking to destroy all who followed Him. He hated Christians and he hated Christianity, seeing it as a threat to his religious system. Yet God in His power came and saved and transformed and worked through such a man. The God who is so powerful that He can do the impossible did the impossible in Paul.

Think of the times He has delivered you, when He saved you, and the times He has moved mountains in your life. Remember His power and all that He has done! Let His past works remind you that He is Able.

Be sure of this, no matter what you face in life today or tomorrow, God IS able, and He will come through for you every time. Let the past be your reminder and choose to trust Him no matter what! END

God is Able, part 4

Thu, 09 May 2024 17:11:39 GMT

What do you believe God can do?

He is ABLE to Heal and Deliver. Matthew 9:28 says, “When He had gone indoors, the blind men came to Him, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I Am Able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied” NIV.

In Mark 9, there is an account of a boy who was demon possessed and his father brings him to Jesus’ disciples to cast the demon out, but they couldn’t do it. Then, i n verse 15 , Jesus comes on the scene. Let’s pick up the account in verse 25, “When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed the boy violently, and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up” NIV.

Whatever we can believe Him for is what He can do for us. No sickness is too great for Him to heal and no oppression or affliction is too great for Him to remove.

He is ABLE to keep us from falling. Jude 24 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault” NLT.

Acts 20:32 says, “ And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for Himself” NLT.

Hear me, friends: we do not have to fall in our spiritual walk. His eye is on the smallest bird; He knows the exact number of hairs on our head. What we need to do is to open our hearts and make Him Lord of our spirit, Lord of our mind, and Lord of our body. Let the Unlimited God be the God who is able to do all things needed in our life and in our family, and trust in His grace to establish His will.

The Demonstration of His Ability

The ability of God has been demonstrated in seven different areas:

1. Demonstrated in Creation: He created the world by the power of His word. “God said, ‘Let there be…’” And still today, whatever is needed that is not in place, God is able to speak it into being. In Isaiah 43:18-19, God said He can and will make a way in the wilderness and create rivers in the desert.

Continued tomorrow

God is Able, part 3

Wed, 08 May 2024 15:47:52 GMT

The Dimension of God's Ability

The Dimension of His Ability

He is ABLE, to save to the uttermost. The author of Hebrews puts it this way in Hebrews 7:25: “Therefore He is able also to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” NIV. Jesus took our place that we might have His peace. He took our sin that we might have His salvation. When God saves us, all the sins we had committed to that point in our life are forgiven and forgotten forever.

He is ABLE to help those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:18 says, “Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is Able to help those who are being tempted” NIV. The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy.

He is ABLE to bring all things under His control. Philippians 3:21 says, “He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control” NLT. Listen, friends, God can take that which is even of no use and make it wonderful.

He is ABLE to deliver from the fires of life. Listen to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they speak the confidence of their hearts, in Daniel 3:17, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty” NLT. The Devil will always try to scare us with the fiery furnace, threatening us that unless we bow, we will burn. In whatever fiery furnace we may be facing, or even passing through, right now, we need to remain steadfast in our trust in God for deliverance.

Look at God’s promise as He states that He is Able and we should not worry: Isaiah 43:2-3, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” NIV (emphasis mine).

He is ABLE to build us up. Acts 20:32 says, “And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He set apart for Himself” NLT.

He is ABLE to do above our expectations or imaginations.

We’ve read this already, but look at it again, Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” NLT (emphasis mine). He cannot be predicted or limited. He is able to do what mankind cannot conceive or imagined. For instance, when the Israelites got to the Red Sea and the Egyptian Army was behind them, they could not conceive or imagine that God would be able to make a path – of dry ground – through the Sea. Or, when Jesus had been preaching for days and wanted to feed the crowd made up of thousands of people, with a few fish and loaves of bread, the disciples could not conceive or imagine a way that, that could be possible.

Continued tomorrow

God is Able, part 2

Tue, 07 May 2024 14:46:02 GMT

A Description of God's Ability

God’s power and grace are far beyond - infinitely beyond - all we can ever ask, think, or imagine. God is able to do what is beyond the bounds of possibility. He is able to do what seems to be unattainable.

Over the next few days, we are going to consider “God is Able” by looking at three “D” words:

The Description of His Ability
The Dimension of His Ability
The Demonstration of His Ability

The Description of His Ability

God is all-powerful, and, if you will allow me to be a little redundant, His power is infinite and unlimited. He can do with power anything that power can do.

God has the power to do all He wills to do. He has both the resources and the ability to work His will in every circumstance in the universe – all at the same time. He is able, to do everything He needs or wants to do, at any point.

There are four categories of Scripture that properly described the ability of God

Nothing is too hard for God. – Jeremiah 32:17 “O, Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” NLT. And Luke 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God” NLT.
No one can stop God’s plans. – Job 42:2 “I know that You can do anything, and no one can stop You” NLT.
He made all things and all things serve Him. – Psalm 119:91 “Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve You” NIV
He does whatever He pleases. – Psalm 115:3 “Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him” NIV.

We naturally try to limit the sovereign, eternal, and absolute power of God to our own understanding, to our own concepts; or to our own imagination. But listen: God’s power is far beyond any and all of that. That ought to, first of all, encourage us to pray, and it ought to encourage us to believe when we pray.

But based on His holy and unchanging character, there are at least four things the Bible says that God cannot do.

He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13)
He cannot lie (Titus 1:2)
He cannot be tempted to evil (James 1:13)
and He cannot change His basic nature (Numbers 23:19).

In short, friends, God will never act contrary to His own holy, righteous, and unchanging character.

Continued tomorrow

God is Able, part 1

Mon, 06 May 2024 15:34:23 GMT

Bring even your wildest dreams to God!

The title of our study for this week is “God is Able.” Before we get into this study or even read the scripture passage below, we should each ask ourselves, “Do I really believe that God is Able, in my circumstance, with my illness, in my marriage, with my kids, in my struggle, for my retirement, if I pay tithes and give to missions…? We could go on and on asking, “Is God really able?”

Ephesians 3:14-21 “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen” NLT.

Now, the word “able” refers to the power one has by virtue of inherent ability and resources. “Able” describes that which has sufficient, or necessary power, means, skill, or resources to accomplish an objective.

Friends, God is able to exceed your expectation. He is able to do infinitely more (another translation says, “exceedingly abundantly more than you can ask or imagine”). God is able to do the humanly impossible in our lives.

How many of you have experienced God doing the humanly impossible in your life? It is good for us to be reminded of God’s ability to answer and to do all that we ask and request. Never forget: He has the power and the ability to do all that we ask of Him or can even imagine Him doing.

Therefore, friends, we should be bold and courageous in our praying. Let’s bring what we consider to be our most impossible requests to God. Let’s be bold to bring all our wildest dreams to God, for there is absolutely no danger of any of us, or all of us combined, ever exhausting God’s ability or power to answer.

Continued tomorrow

Are you willing to wait? part 5

Fri, 03 May 2024 14:53:13 GMT

Wait on the Lord

The fact of our coming death can make us timid, or it can make us bold. Joseph said to the cupbearer: “Remember me.” It makes perfect sense. Joseph didn’t settle; He was faithful in prison, He was ready in prison, He was bold in prison.

What do you while you wait? Be faithful… Be ready… Be bold…

Verse 23 gives us the end of the story: “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, he forgot him” CSB. That’s a bummer. Right?! After all that, the cupbearer forgets Joseph. But the reality is that happens all the time in life. We make promises we don’t keep. We intend to stay in touch, but we don’t. We plan to call an old friend, but we don’t. When the cupbearer got out, he promptly left the prison far behind.

Joseph must have had many questions: What if the cupbearer never remembers? What if I die in prison? What if I never get to clear my name? The truth is: The “What if’s” of life will kill you. What if I lose the job? What if he never asks me out on a second date? What if I never get married? What if we can’t have children? What if things don’t work out? What if we run out of money? What if my husband makes a bad decision? What if I lose my job? What if our children get sick? What if I don’t get accepted? What if the chemo doesn’t work? What if he or she files for divorce?

Put yourself in Joseph’s place. The only people who can help him think he’s dead, or they think he committed a vile crime, or they have forgotten him completely. What do you do then?

I believe it all depends on how big your God is. How big is your God when you’ve been: Betrayed? Enslaved? Falsely Accused? Imprisoned? Forgotten? Maybe you feel like you are living that out right now. Let me remind us all, God never hurries. Joseph’s experience in prison reminds us that God doesn’t keep time the same way we do. He is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2) . And “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8) .

A. W. Tozer said it this way: “God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work.” Friends, what I have learned is; God is bigger than the clock and He’s never in a hurry. He’s never late. He’s never behind schedule. Even though the cupbearer forgot Joseph, God did not.

What do you do while you wait? Wait on the Lord because, “those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint” Isaiah 40:31 NJKV. Your Redeemer is on the way. He’s just not working on your schedule.

This week’s study ends where it began — with Joseph in prison. Falsely accused. Unjustly imprisoned. Alone and forgotten. Apparently, he’s hit a dead end. This story is over, or so it seems. But let me remind us: the story is not over - and neither is your story!

So let me ask the key question one more time: Are You Willing to Wait for God? END

Are you willing to wait? part 4

Thu, 02 May 2024 15:08:23 GMT

Get busy living, or get busy dying

Joseph’s willingness to interpret their dreams means that he has not yet given up on his own dreams. Even though many years have passed and he has endured the pain of rejection, enslavement, false accusation, and imprisonment, down deep inside he still believes that one day God will cause those early dreams to come true. Otherwise, he would have said to the men: “My advice is to forget about those dreams. They don’t mean anything. I had dreams of my own once and look where I am now.” But he didn’t say that. And he doesn’t say: “Don’t worry, fellows. I’m an expert in dreams. I can figure this out for you.”

Rather than giving in to despair or relying on false optimism he points the men to God, saying: “Don’t interpretations belong to God?” (v. 8). His answer means something like this: “There is a God in heaven who gives dreams to people. He and He alone can explain the dreams you had. I don’t have the answer in me, but I know the Lord and He can help you out.”

Joseph stood out among his own generation because he saw God’s hand everywhere! He had a big God and therefore he knew that being in prison was no hindrance to the Almighty.

Did you know that God does some of His best work in prison? John Bunyan goes to prison and out comes “Pilgrim’s Progress.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer goes to prison and out comes “The Cost of Discipleship.” Chuck Colson goes to prison and out comes the worldwide ministry of Prison Fellowship. Friends, we serve a God who is not stopped by barbed wire and high walls! Your High Walls, whatever they may be, are not a barrier that can keep God from accomplishing HIS purpose in and through your life. Please, never forget that. Prison doors can never keep Him out.

Joseph’s example leads me to ask this question: “Are you ready to serve God right where you are; even when you’d rather be somewhere else?”

Be Bold

When you read Genesis 40 , you discover that Joseph tells the cupbearer that he will be released in three days and restored to his former position (vs 12-13) . No doubt the cupbearer was delighted to hear the news. Then Joseph adds a personal request in verse 14: “But when all goes well for you remember that I was with you. Please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this prison” CSB.

While preparing this message, I ran across a Bible teacher who calls this a lack of faith on Joseph’s part. I don’t agree with that at all. If Joseph has been unfairly treated and if he’s not guilty, then why shouldn’t he seek his release? I know, if I were in prison and if a buddy of mine was about to get out, I would look to heaven and say, “Lord, Your will be done,” and then turn to my buddy and say, “Help me get out of here!”

In Joseph’s case, he truly hadn’t done anything wrong. On one hand, he is faithful and ready to serve God where he is. On the other hand, he doesn’t want to stay in prison forever. It’s as if he’s saying, “I’m here, but this is not my whole life. I accept where I am for the moment - but I hope to be set free eventually.” Two years later, this request will lead to his release.

The whole episode reminds me of a scene from the movie Shawshank Redemption when Andy, who was falsely accused of murdering his wife and her lover, was talking with his friend, Red, in the prison yard. They were discussing Andy’s hope of getting out someday, when Red says, in essence, “You gotta give that up. Look at us. We’ll never get out of here.” Andy pauses for a moment and then says, “It comes down to a simple choice. Get busy living or get busy dying." Folk singer Joan Baez put it this way. “You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die, or when. You only get to choose how you’re going to live now.”

Not long ago I celebrated my 62nd birthday. That fact in itself is not notable (unless you want to buy me some coffee to help me celebrate),but it’s good to use your birthday as a means of taking stock of where you are in life. When a man turns 60, he becomes a philosopher of sorts. They say that 60 is the new 50 (which may be true), but it is not the new 30. When you turn 60, you can’t kid yourself anymore about where you are on your journey. I’m definitely closer to the end than to the beginning.

Last year, a friend sent me a note that said, “Birthdays are good for your health. The more you have, the longer you live.” As you can imagine, that really cheered me up.

Continued tomorrow

Are you willing to wait? part 3

Wed, 01 May 2024 14:40:52 GMT

Just do the next thing

It’s easy for us to live in the never-never land of what we plan to do, tomorrow. We dream about starting a diet, getting a new job, or meeting someone who will sweep us off our feet, or somehow finishing that term paper, or painting the living room, or learning Spanish, or calling on a new client, or going back to college, or any of a thousand other worthwhile ideas. Meanwhile, there is work to be done, much of it tedious, that somehow gets left undone while we are dreaming about what we are going to do “someday.” Unfortunately for most people, someday never comes.

In one of her books, Elisabeth Elliot talks about what to do when you hit a wall and feel stuck. When that happens, she advises people to just get up and do the next thing because “there is always a next thing that needs to be done.” That’s good advice! It may be a small or trivial task, but there is always something that needs to be done: cleaning, writing a note, making a phone call, paying bills, filling an order, putting gas in the car, picking up the kids, taking your pills, saying your prayers, weeding the flowers, or even feeding your dog or taking him for a walk. While you are waiting on God, just do the next thing.

Martin Luther King, Jr. put it this way: Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A person should do their job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better. If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, like Shakespeare wrote poetry, like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, “Here lived a great street sweeper, who swept his job well.”

Think of it this way: because God’s hand was upon him, Joseph was promoted by the captain of the prison to be in charge of all the other prisoners. Because he was faithful, he didn’t shirk his duty when these two new men entered the prison. Little did he know that by taking care of them, he was advancing the cause of his own freedom.

Let me sharpen that point just a little. I said, “Little did he know.” But really, I should have said, “It was impossible for him to know.”

Faithfulness is its own reward. So here is a question for all of us. Will we be faithful where we are, even when life seems to make no sense and all we’re doing is waiting?

Be Ready

Genesis 40:5-8, “The king of Egypt’s cupbearer and baker, who were confined in prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked distraught. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” 8 “We had dreams,” they said to him, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams” CSB.

There are dreams all through Joseph’s story. First, he has dreams (Genesis 37) then, these two men have them (Genesis 40) then, Pharaoh will have a two-part dream (Genesis 41) . In each case, the dreams prove crucial in Joseph’s life. In Genesis 37 , Joseph has dreams that he shares with his brothers, provoking their hatred of him even more. But in Genesis 40, the baker and cupbearer turn to Joseph to help them interpret their dreams.

Continued

Are you willing to wait? part 2

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:31:17 GMT

The secret of your future is found in your daily routine...

Unfortunately, we all have to wait, whether we like it or not. Truth be told, most of life is waiting. For instance, when you watch a football game on TV, most of the time nothing happens. By rule, the actual game takes 60 minutes to play but the average NFL telecast lasts three hours. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, in the average NFL telecast the actual playing of football takes up eleven minutes. If that’s true, then what happens the rest of the time? In that three-hour block of time, you have:

60 minutes for commercials,
75 minutes when the players are standing around,
17 minutes for replays.
After a few other miscellaneous things are thrown in, such as crowd shots and talking heads in the booth and shots of the cheerleaders, what we are left with is 11 minutes of actual football.

I take that as a parable of life itself: The action of life is small. The waiting is large.

Pastor and Bible Commentator, Warren Wiersbe, says this about Joseph’s time in prison: “God permitted Joseph to be treated unjustly and put in prison to help build his character and prepare him for the tasks that lay ahead. The prison would be a school where Joseph would learn to wait on the Lord. He would learn that God’s delays are not God’s denials” (Be Authentic, p. 111).

We will all spend a lot of time waiting for something to happen. The question then becomes… “What do you do while you wait?” I find three answers from Joseph’s prison time in Genesis 40.

Be Faithful

Genesis 40:1-4 “After this, the king of Egypt’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guards in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to them as their personal attendant, and they were in custody for some time” CSB.

We don’t know how long Joseph had been in prison when the cupbearer and baker arrived. It must have been more than a day or two. Perhaps he had been in prison for a few months, maybe a few years when suddenly, these two new inmates showed up.

In thinking about this story of Joseph, it’s vital that we view it from Joseph’s perspective. Joseph did not know the future. As far as he is concerned this is just another day in prison. Even though he may be the leader of the prisoners, he is still imprisoned, with no hope of getting out. He could not see into the future. The cupbearer would eventually be his ticket out, but Joseph had no way of knowing that at the time - and it wouldn’t come to pass for two more years.

What do you do when you are unjustly accused? What do you when people you trusted turn against you? What do you do when your dreams turn to ashes? Even though all those things were true for Joseph, he remained faithful to God and to his duties.

I somewhere read, “The secret of your future is found in your daily routine.” How true that is! The things you do every day, especially the little things that make up the routine of life; those are the seeds of your future that you sow every day. It reminds me of what the Teacher said in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your strength…” CSB.

Eugene Peterson, author of The Message paraphrase of the Bible, offers a punchier version of this phrase: “Whatever turns up, grab it and do it.” I like that… because it emphasizes the unpredictable nature of life. No matter how well planned your day may be… something unexpected is always bound to “turn up.” When it does… “grab it and do it.” This verse challenges us to take hold of the ordinary responsibilities of life and make sure they get done.

Continued tomorrow

Are you willing to wait? part 1

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 18:27:27 GMT

Waiting for the story to unfold

Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” NKJV.

This week we are going to be looking at Genesis 40 , which happened more than a thousand years before Isaiah 40 was written. In Genesis 40 , the person we’ll be focusing on is in prison, yet he seemed to already know the truth behind what Isaiah would write all those years later. (He was in prison, not because he did something wrong but because he did things right.)

Here is the single most important fact about Genesis 40 . At the beginning of the chapter, Joseph is in prison; and at the end he is still in prison. I will be quick to say, “That’s not fair,” but there it is. And I think it’s there, in part, because we will all, occasionally, face circumstances that seem very unfair.

This week I am going to challenge you by asking, “Are you willing to wait for God?”

In this chapter, Joseph is waiting because, to put it simply, there is nothing else he can do. He can’t get out of prison, he can’t appeal his sentence, and he certainly can’t escape. He’s stuck in an Egyptian prison far from home (where they think he’s dead anyway). And he has been falsely accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife - you have to know that you don’t have very many friends in that situation! So instead of whining and complaining, Joseph trusts God and he waits.

The truth is: Most of us hate to wait, especially when we feel life isn’t being fair. At this point most readers of this story face a problem: because we know how Joseph’s life ends up, it’s easy for us to read Joseph’s story in light of how it ends. We know that eventually he emerges triumphant and that he will one day say to the brothers, who betrayed him, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good…” Genesis 50:20, CSB.

The problem is that we tend to read this whole story as if Joseph himself knew how it was going to end. But that just isn’t true. Yes, Joseph had some God-given dreams and he trusted God - but dreams die fast when life is unfair and there is no end in sight. It is vital for us to remember that when Joseph was thrown into the pit by his brothers, he had no idea what was going to happen next. He knew as much about his future at that point as you and I do about ours right now. It’s not as if God whispered, “Hang tough, kid! Don’t let ‘em get you down. Pretty soon you’ll be the Prime Minister of Egypt.” It just didn’t happen that way. This is not a fairy tale. While Joseph is stuck in prison, he has absolutely no inside knowledge regarding how, when, or even if he will ever get out. He certainly knows nothing of the baker and the cupbearer at the beginning of this chapter. Joseph has been given zero “inside knowledge;” yet, he chooses to trust God and wait.

So, let’s read Genesis 40 , as Joseph would have lived it, with no hint of what the future might hold. Here’s a short summary of this chapter: Joseph in jail; two men join him in the prison; two dreams; two interpretations; one lives, one dies; one man forgets; Joseph still in jail. That’s the whole chapter right there.

Meanwhile, Joseph waits to see what will happen next. Waiting is perhaps the hardest discipline of the Christian life. Most of us hate to wait. I know I do. Probably all of us are waiting for something at this very moment - waiting for your grades; waiting to graduate; waiting to be accepted to college; waiting for your first job offer; waiting to see if the bank will give you a loan; waiting for the right time to start a family; waiting for a new job; waiting for retirement; waiting for your loved ones to come to Christ; waiting to meet the right guy or the right girl; waiting to be married; waiting to find out what God wants you to do; waiting for someone to buy your house; waiting for your prayers to be answered; waiting for your spouse to come home from a business trip; waiting for your child to come back to the Lord.

Prison – this prison of waiting - became a School of Spiritual Growth for Joseph.

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship, part 10

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:34:06 GMT

Don't refuse the One speaking to you!

The truth of the matter is: If all we have is knowledge and theology, then we tend to get involved in discussions and arguments about God that are irrelevant, even if we are correct. So, what if your theology is correct, but you have no intimacy with Him, no doing of His Will? Without intimacy, theology becomes all-consuming.

Would you rather be one of the disciples of Christ or one of the Pharisees? The disciples had a bunch of bad theology, but they also had a longing for abiding fellowship. As they began to do the Will of God, God straightened out their theology. The Pharisees had their theology down pat, but they had no desire to abide with Him. They had no desire to spend time in His presence or to do His Will.

“Don’t refuse Him who is speaking to you.” The word refuse is often associated with intimacy. Don’t refuse Him. Develop a desire to be with Him. Do you have a prayer life? Do you have any sense of longing for His presence?

I have traveled on many short term Mission trips, and have even taught pastor’s conferences in few different places around the world. Being gone from home causes me to think about communication with my family. I used to say, “Suppose God allowed me to invent an apparatus that allowed me to be in my family’s presence without being home. It would be kind of like a time machine, but it’s a presence machine instead. It would be even better than the telephone where you simply hear their voices or even FaceTime where you see them, but don’t really experience their presence. This tool would be free – no usage charges, and my family could literally get a hold of me wherever I am. With this apparatus you could actually experience the presence of the one person. The only problem with this invention is that it is too large to bring with me on an airplane. I don’t fully understand why God could not have helped me to invent this thing a little smaller, but He didn’t. I had to leave it at home.

So here is the dilemma. My family needs to initiate the use of it. I could call them on the phone and prompt them and encourage them to use it. I even left a great owner’s manual they could read and learn all about using it so we could experience each other’s presence. But they just are not interested. They have no desire for abiding fellowship.

Pretty soon you would have a situation like the one God has with our prayer lives. God has come up with a way for us to spend time in His presence – it’s called prayer. The problem with prayer is that it must be initiated by us. He prompts us, He draws us, He woos us, but many times we are just not interested. He has left us a great owner’s manual to read, and we often do read it, far too often do we take the time to put it into practice. It would appear that we really have no desire for abiding fellowship.

It would seem that Christians in America have learned how to refuse Him who is speaking, while convincing ourselves that we have a great relationship with Him. We have put justification over sanctification. Subsequently, we have very little spiritual capacity, so we drift off and come back, we drift off, and we come back.

Don’t refuse Him who is speaking. Determine to develop a prayer life that consists of a pursuit of Him, not just things from Him, but He Himself. END

Abiding Fellowship, part 9

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 16:42:42 GMT

We've got to put action to our words

Picking up with the story from Mel Tari that I referenced as we wrapped up yesterday.

“When I was in Houston, Texas, a lady came to me and said, “Brother Mel, I love Jesus.” “That’s nice,” I said, “Why are you coming to me? If you love Jesus, everything is right in your life!”

“No, everything in my home isn’t all right,” she said, “My husband isn’t as spiritual as I am. That is why we have so much trouble at home.”

“My dear, what is the trouble?” I asked. “He’s a hypocrite,” she said, “He doesn’t love the Lord as I do.” Then she really ran her husband down.

“I came to ask you to pray that the Lord would help my husband repent and really love Jesus,” she continued.

I said, “OK!” so we started to pray. As we were praying the Lord showed me that the husband was not the problem, but rather the woman was.

After prayer I said, “Sister, your husband isn’t the problem – the problem is in you.” She said, “But I love Jesus.” I said to her; ”Yes, you love Jesus but you have spiritualized your love. You love someone who is in heaven while you don’t love the one you live with here on earth.”

“Be honest with me: Do you really love Jesus? Jesus says, As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you – continue in my love (John 15:9)” We cannot say we love Jesus until we show it, feel it and practice it, one to another. Basically, this verse is asking, “How can you say you love God when you can’t love those you see and touch in this life?”

I asked her again, “Do you really love Jesus, and your husband?” She said, “I love Jesus. But how can I love my husband when he is not as spiritual as I am?” Then she said, “I don’t even like him.”

I said, “Do you ever call him honey while he is at home?” “No,” she said, “I just call him by his first name.”

“Do you make a nice lunch for him when he comes home from work. A lunch that he likes rather than what you like? When he walks in the door do you ever greet him with a kiss?” She said, ”No.”

“Sister, that is your problem. I don’t believe you truly love Jesus. You are spiritualizing your love. When Jesus talked about love, He made it simple and practical. But you make it so spiritual that you cannot even apply it to your own husband.”

I continued, “What if Jesus would have continually confessed his love for his Father while he was on earth – but refused to go to the cross for us? Would his confession of love for the Father have been true, or would it have benefited us in any way?”

“You will never prove your love for Jesus, until you love your husband.” He went on to tell her to start doing things for her husband - simple things like calling him “honey” and preparing him meals the way he liked them.

Their problems had been going on for their entire marriage. Within one month after she began showing kindness to her husband, the man got saved. Here is what the woman’s husband said after she began trying what had been suggested: “Before, she would tell me that she loved Jesus, but I never believed her. How could she love Jesus and never show love to me? I just couldn’t believe it. But, oh, when she began to treat me kindly, I knew she really loved Jesus!”

That woman had no spiritual capacity until she began to actually do the Will of God. Until she became a doer of the Word, she was willing to live in disobedience to God’s Word, thinking she was the spiritual one.

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship, part 8

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 16:15:39 GMT

There must be more than just knowing about God...

Jesus once said, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in my love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” John 15:10

I had a minister friend once that died of cancer. His death was long in coming and so, in the midst of dying, he wrote his memoirs. He wrote all about his ministry in Africa and various parts of the world, but when it came to writing about his prayer life, he said this: “I was never the type of person to actually spend a lot of time in prayer. But rarely was there a moment in my life when I was not god-minded.” In other words, he was saying that he thought about God all the time, but never really sat down to spend time with Him.

It sounds good to be god-minded, however, how would that sound if he were writing about his relationship with his wife? Suppose he wrote, in regard to his marriage and said, “Concerning my wife, I was not the type of person to actually spend time with my wife, but I rarely found myself not thinking about her.” You can be married and not have a closeness with your mate at all, just like you can be saved and not actually desire to spend any time in Christ's presence.

This is a very common attitude. Somehow, we have come to believe that reading the Bible is the same as prayer. We somehow think it accomplishes the same thing in our relationship with God as prayer does – but it does not. There must be more than just knowledge of God and theology, there must be a knowing of God that can come by no other means than spending time in His presence.

I have a friend who has been reading a book called, “Like a Mighty Wind,” by Mel Tari. My friend is encouraging me to get I a copy to read as well. The book is about the revival that swept through Indonesia in the 1970’s. Mel Tari was only 18 years old when the revival hit but God used him mightily. Eventually the Lord sent him to the US to preach and share about what was going on in his country.

I’m going to share something from a chapter in that book (which my friend shared with me) because it relates to spiritual capacity. We’ll start with that quote tomorrow.

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship, part 7

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:17:32 GMT

Intimacy with Jesus = Spending time in His presence

The habitual exercise (doing), of the Will of God is what increases our capacity. The “doing” of the Word of God increases our ability to grow spiritually. This is why we have people today that have grown up hearing the Gospel, can quote one Bible verse after another, and never miss a church service and yet when something hits them hard, they can’t handle it.

Let’s go back to the Sarah Smiley quote, “Many of the hidden truths of God’s Word require more spiritual-intelligence than most Christians can bring to them. To apprehend them, requires a certain measure of spiritual capacity and habitual exercise in the things of God, which all do not possess for want of abiding fellowship with Jesus.” “Most,” she says, “do not possess this spiritual capacity because they lack a desire for abiding fellowship with Jesus.”

Our opening verses, of this larger study, began by saying, “Don’t refuse Him who is speaking.” If we lack a desire for abiding fellowship with Jesus, it’s because we are refusing Him who is speaking. Jesus woos us. His Spirit was sent as a drawing agent into an intimacy with Him. He wants us attached to Him.

Unfortunately, many to most Christians do not possess this type of intimacy with Christ simply because they do not desire it. Why do we lose our passion for Christ? What happens to our first love desires? Why doesn’t our heart pant for the presence of God in the same way the deer pants for the water brook? I am confident, it is because we have learned to refuse Him who is speaking. In so doing, we are on shaky ground, we lack intimacy, we lack closeness. And the result is that any, little, thing can throw us for a loop.

Let’s get back to this issue of abiding fellowship. Abiding fellowship is different from being saved. I realize that being a Christian means we house the Holy Spirit and, subsequently, we take Him wherever we go. But, there is a difference between having the Holy Spirit with you and desiring abiding fellowship with Jesus.

It’s like the difference between being married and having a good marriage. If you are married, you are married whether or not you spend much time with your mate. If you have a good marriage, you have a desire to be with your mate. You want to be in their presence.

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship, part 6

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:13:58 GMT

We've got to be Doers!

Look at what James says about this in his letter, James 1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” Be doers of the Word not hearers only. Hearers only deceive themselves. They think they are doing well while they are gradually dying. To have a diet of milk only – without the balance of meat, will ultimately kill us, spiritually.

John 4:30‑34 “They went out of the city and were coming to Him. 31 In the meanwhile the disciples were requesting Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’ 32 But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ 33 The disciples therefore were saying to one another, ‘No one brought Him {anything} to eat, did He?’ 34 Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the Will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.’” Jesus said, “My food, or meat, is in doing the Will of God.” So here is how the Word of God becomes meat to us. When I bring a teaching from God’s Word to you, the most I can present to you is milk, that which I have digested. If it is going to become meat to you then you must do (act on) the Word of God. It must be lived out in your life: 2 Timothy 3:7 “Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Suppose you went to every prayer seminar you could possibly attend. You learned everything there was to learn about prayer. You sat under the best teachers on the subject there are. But you never prayed. You never did spend any time in the presence of God. Without “the doing” of what you have taken in, you will forever live in a spiritual state of staleness, you will always be learning but never be able to come to the knowledge of the truth, never really acting on the truth you know.

This, in my opinion, is a large part of what’s wrong with the church in America today: we hear the Gospel from 100 different sources and do nothing about it. We have deceived ourselves into believing that hearing alone is healthy. James says, “Don’t be deceived, be doers, not hearers only.”

That brings us right back to the issue of spiritual capacity, or, the ability to learn spiritually.

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship, part 5

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:56:21 GMT

Meat or Milk?

Tozer is speaking of more than just a study of God’s Word but rather a devouring of God’s Word as sustenance to the soul. He is talking about more than just taking God’s Word into the core and center of our beings, he is talking about the desire to have the Word of God there. The desire is what creates spiritual capacity – not the mere study of it. Hebrews 5:13 “For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food is for the mature. ”

Solid food or “meat” is for the mature. The babe has no capacity for meat. Just think of that little stomach that has never had anything but fluids. It’s all shriveled-up, there is nothing in it. You have to introduce meat to it in very small quantities until it finally gets big enough to handle – lots. Babes are on milk, the mature are on meat. There’s a difference between the meat and the milk of the word.

Milk or Meat?

1 Peter 2:2 “... like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” Let’s take a moment to consider the milk and the meat of God’s Word. Many consider the milk of the Word to be the light stuff and the meat to be the deep stuff. I tend to disagree with that. The Bible does talk about these different aspects of God’s Word, but I don’t believe the difference between milk and meat has much to do with depth.

Milk is a food that has gone through the digestive system of something else before you receive it; whereas meat is a food that you must digest yourself. In light of that truth, I cannot present to you, meat, but rather milk. I can only present to you, what I have digested no matter how deep or shallow it is. You cannot receive anything more than milk from me. The writer of the book of Hebrews said the difference between milk and meat is determined by the receiver, not by the Word itself. The only thing the babe can receive is milk. Meat is for the mature.

So, what is the difference between the babe and the mature? Reason of use. Remember what Hebrews 5:13-14 said: “For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” The reason they are mature is because of practice, or reason of use.

Practice of what? Well, it’s a practice of doing the Will of God (obedience) – no matter what that means for you. Maybe, God’s Will is for you to develop a deep prayer life – or Word life – or evangelism – or developing a skill/talent He has given you to share with others, whatever it is, the doing of God’s Will, is what is being referred to, as reason of use. Or having our senses trained through practice.

Continued Monday

Abiding Fellowship, part 4

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Make God's Word a daily habit

Smiley continues; “To apprehend them, requires a certain measure of spiritual capacity and habitual exercise in the things of God.” To understand the Scriptures, one must have a certain spiritual capacity. One must have the ability to house spiritual truth. And that ability comes through habitual exercise in the things of God.

Habitual exercise in the things of God is what is what seems to be missing in our lives today. How are we ever going to come to the place of great spiritual capacity without the daily exercise of prayer and spending time reading the Word of God?

Hebrews 5:11-12 “Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. (that’s a reference to spiritual intelligence) 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” Solid food is for the mature, who, because of habitual exercise in the things of God, have their senses trained, or you could say, have come into a spiritual enlightenment. The writer of Hebrews begins by, in essence, saying, “Look, I’ve got some deep, meaty, things to say to you but it’s very hard for me to explain these things to you because you don’t have any spiritual capacity.” (Another way of saying “dull-of-hearing” could be, “no spiritual enlightenment.”)

In his book, The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer wrote the following

“Sound Bible exposition is an imperative and a must in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term.

But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience, they are not the better for having heard the truth.

The Bible is not an end in itself, but, a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know that inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.”

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship, part 3

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 15:47:43 GMT

Enlightenment - one of the keys to discipleship

Enlightenment

First, we are going to speak about enlightenment. It is one of the keys to discipleship, and has a lot to do with drawing close to the one who is speaking.

Hebrews 12:25 is a reference to the Son of God. Jesus is certainly able to speak to us in many, different ways, but one of the primary ways He speaks to us is through His Word. The Word of God is not a dead book! Don’t ever let anyone deceive you into thinking it is, or even that parts of it are. Friends, it is very much alive! It will speak to us, it will guide us, it will correct us and discipline us, so don’t refuse Him who is speaking.

Sarah Smiley wrote these words: “Many of the hidden truths of God's Word require more spiritual-intelligence than most Christians can bring to them. To apprehend them requires a certain measure of spiritual capacity and habitual exercise in the things of God, which all do not possess for want of abiding fellowship with Jesus.”

I find the first line of this quote, “Many of the hidden truths of God's Word require more spiritual-intelligence than most Christians can bring to them,” which talks about spiritual intelligence quite interesting. The truths of God’s Word are revealed through spiritual-intelligence. Just think of the task Jesus had in trying to get His followers to see things spiritually!

I believe there is a “spiritual-intelligence quotient” referred to in the Bible. In Ephesian 1:18 , Paul said, “I pray that the eyes of your heart [understanding] may be enlightened.” In John 3:3 we read, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see [understand] the Kingdom of God.’” A person has no spiritual understanding, until they are born-again.

Jesus often referred to this “spiritual-intelligence quotient” when He said, “I have many things to say that are too hard for you to understand” (John 16:12). The “hard” sayings of Jesus were not solely a reference to Him saying things that are hard for us to take. Many times, the reference to something being “hard” refers to spiritual-intelligence or the ability to understand.

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship, part 2

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:23:04 GMT

Salvation is just the beginning

If just getting saved was sufficient, then why did they need to send Peter and John to them so that they might pray for them to get baptized in the Holy Spirit? It’s because salvation is merely the first step into the Kingdom of God – following that is discipleship and discipleship is most effectively accomplished by the power and passion that accompanies the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Paul does not tell us so much of his anxiety to reach the hardened heart, as he does of his desire to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Colossians 1:28-29 “And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”

The Scriptures do not speak so much of what we are saved from as they do what we are saved unto. The current teachings of the church in America have reversed this. Her efforts have been concentrated more upon the conversion of sinners than the nurture of the saints. As a result, we have fewer and fewer shepherds who feed their flock and the issue of justification is more frequently and fully presented than sanctification. Subsequently, we have created churches that are filled with people who are happy they are saved, without any sense of holiness or following the Word of the Lord.

Whenever justification is prioritized over sanctification, you will always find people are adamant about their salvation while living lives wholly incompatible with practical Christianity.

The purpose of discipleship is not just to make Christians toe the line, but rather to make them more effective in winning the lost and discipling them. If you win a person to the Lord as an undisciplined Christian – that is exactly what your convert will be. Soon, we would have a church full of “believers” who have no desire for the things of God. This will ultimately leave the church ineffective in influencing society.

Hebrews 12:25 “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking.” I want us to think about what that means, “...to refuse Him who is speaking.” And as you likely guessed, we'll get into that tomorrow.

Continued tomorrow

Abiding Fellowship part 1

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 17:07:58 GMT

We need to grow up

There is something that I believe the Church in America needs to consider. I am a bit concerned about the worldly activities many Christians seem to be completely taken up with – but that’s not it, entirely. I’m not as concerned about our activities as I am about what that says concerning the sufficiency of Christ in our lives. There are many who name the Name of Christ, who consider themselves believers, who, at the same time, live for worldly entertainment, because they have not sufficiently encountered Christ.

That raises the issue of discipleship. We need to be aware, though, that discipleship has two facets to it. One is what are you being fed. Are you being adequately taught about the things of God? The second facet of discipleship is your capacity to receive. Do you have the spiritual capacity to actually desire to grow in the Lord?

The majority of the Apostle Paul’s writings deal with discipleship while only 5% of his writings deal with evangelism. That does not mean that evangelism is not critical – it’s just as critical to the growth of the church as giving physical birth is to adding to the size of your family. However, evangelism without discipleship is as pointless as giving birth to a new baby would be but then failing to feed it.

Those of you who are parents do not sit around and only talk about the day your child was born. You may have fond memories of when they were born - but that’s almost not even the issue anymore. Now it’s helping them grow up into responsible adults. Yet it seems that is the greatest concern of the church today: we are uncommonly excited about the new birth of a believer but are failing in the absolute necessity for that person to mature in the things of God.

Acts 8:14-15 “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.”

The New Testament church was going and growing. The Gospel took over Samaria. It was doing everything we think we want to happen in our community. Acts 8:14 says that Samaria received the Word of God. Wouldn’t it be great if something similar happened in our own community?! That’s what we want right? Not entirely, it would seem.

If just getting saved was sufficient, then why did they need to send Peter and John to them so that they might pray for them to get baptized in the Holy Spirit?

Continued tomorrow

Faith, part 5

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 16:33:43 GMT

Fight for your faith in prayer

If we are going to “fight the good fight of faith,” we must be people of prayer. Praying is how we engage in the battle for faith. When life is more than we can handle, we pray. When we enter into the closet of prayer, there we find peace and security. Paul said to pray in the Spirit at all times. That can mean many things, but it primarily means to enter into the spirit of what you are praying for, in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. If you are up against an overwhelming battle, then your prayer has to be filled with energy; you must be engaged. You are not to just sit back and wish things were better. You will have to fight in prayer.

Hebrews 5:7 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.” This is an earthly picture of how Jesus prayed. He prayed with loud crying and tears. He was up against all the evil in this world. He couldn’t just sit back and mouth a nice prayer filled with all kinds of high-minded theological nuances. Charles Finney used to say, “benevolent thoughts do not constitute prayer.”

There may be many times when prayer has a gentle tone to it. If you are simply in the presence of God – loving Him and worshipping Him – that is quite different from the type of prayer Jesus modeled for us here.

James 5:16 “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” The word for “effective” is the Greek energeo. We get the word energy from it. So, it’s the energized prayer of a righteous man that accomplishes much. Not all prayers offered by righteous people are effective. Many times we pray with doubt. We can simply mouth prayers without any heart or passion. The effective prayer, is energized. Then, James goes on to explain what an energized prayer is like.

James 5:17 “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” He had a nature like ours. He could have just as easily given up, rather than pray. But he prayed earnestly. Then he prayed again and watched God move a second time. Within his prayer he prayed again.

I feel that too many of us are allowing a defeatist attitude determine our lifestyle. God wants us - He longs for us - to fight for our faith. He wants us to pray with determination; He wants us to pray effectively, energized. He wants us to pray earnestly.

What are you believing God for? Don’t let go of that. God will grant it, if only we will hang on to our faith – realize that His promises are true – that He cannot lie – but we must believe. END

Faith, part 4

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:37:51 GMT

Sometimes you have to fight for your faith

It is because heaven is so real to us that we are compelled to bring people into the knowledge of truth which promotes godliness. But if you are not heavenly minded, and all you really see is this life, then maybe you would get upset with the church when we say that something is a sin. What is the purpose of correction if it’s not needed? Without the reality of heaven in the mind, a person only sees this life; and if you only see this life, with no God setting a moral standard, then why shouldn’t all things be acceptable? Why be so upset and adamant about living in a godly way, if God is not in their thinking.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “In the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power...” This is what we are up against.

However, we are not up against these people as much as we are up against this type of knowledge. This knowledge is not according to godliness and yet we have been called to help bring people into that kind of knowledge. Notice that they hold to a “form of godliness.” They have a basic belief that there is a God and there is a heaven; but their lifestyle suppresses the power of God. They don’t know His power, subsequently, their spirits do not bear witness with the Spirit of God that they are on their way to heaven – so they live for today. They are lovers of pleasure not lovers of God.

Let’s go back to one of the verses we looked at earlier. 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” Paul set an example of one who fought the good fight of faith. We started this study looking at his calling. He was called to help God’s chosen people to build up their faith. Everything comes down to faith. Our faith is in the fact that God cannot lie, that all the promises of God are true, and that we have an eternity with Jesus waiting for us.

But there are a lot of things that want to oppose that faith. All those things we just read about - how people will be in the last days - stand against us. There are boastful, arrogant people who revile others (and especially the godly). There are ungrateful, unholy people who mock righteous living. There are unloving, malicious gossips who won’t hesitate to lie about us if it makes us look bad. These things are against us; therefore, we must stand with our faith in our God in the midst of this kind of persecution.

It seems even our own flesh wants to turn against us. When life goes bad, when our marriage goes bad, when our health goes bad, when our children turn from God, when we lose our jobs… all of these things work against our faith, trying to get us to turn our backs on God – as though that will, somehow, help us.

All these things fight against our faith. What are we going to do about the day we are about to face? Most of us believe we are living in the last days and that things are not going to get better in America in the near future. What are we going to do if it does get worse? Are we going to give up on our faith?

No, we are not! We are going to stand in our faith in Jesus. Just like it says in Ephesians 6, we are going to stand having our loins gird about with truth, with the breastplate of righteousness on, having shod our feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, taking up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying and making petitions at all times in the Spirit!

Continued tomorrow

Faith, part 3

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:25:24 GMT

Faith and godliness

Isn’t this why we teach our kids about God? It’s not just a general knowledge of God we are trying to give them but rather knowledge that is according to Godliness. We want them to live in a way that brings glory to God not only for their own sake but because we want everyone we encounter in life to go to heaven also.

I got to thinking about this issue last week. It all has to do with faith. We believe there is a heaven, don’t we? Most of the world believes it also. They may have different approaches as to how to get there, but for the most part, people believe in heaven. However, a born-again Christian does more than just believe in heaven: he/she knows it is real, their spirit bears witness with the Spirit of God as to its truth. Subsequently, we are far more driven to see to it that others go there than those who only kind of believe in heaven.

This is why helping others gain knowledge, which leads to Godliness, is so critical to us and not to others. We know we are on our way to heaven and we want our loved ones to join us there someday - and not just our loved ones but everyone.

What came to me this past week as I was thinking about this was this: if a person is not heavenly minded, if their affections are set upon this earth and not on heavenly things, they don’t see life from the same perspective as we do. Therefore, when we tell people they shouldn’t live certain ways, it is interpreted as hate speech.

The truth is, we, along with God, want all people to go to heaven, so our positions on issues are all based on whether a lifestyle promotes godliness. If it doesn’t, we oppose it because it will be detrimental to their eternity – not because we have anything personally against them as human beings.

The opposite is true. If we knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that a particular lifestyle would send someone to hell instead of heaven – and if we truly hated them – we would not feel compelled to warn them. We would just remain silent on the issue and let them live without any interference, secretly knowing that they will burn in the flames of hell when they die. That lack of correction is hatred.

That reminds me of a time at Bible Camp, back in my Youth Ministry days (I’ve probably shared this before, but it fits here well). There was a boy who seemed to find himself in trouble every day. He was determined the Camp rules didn’t apply to him. On the third day as he was being disciplined (yet again), a couple of us were talking with him. He was convinced that we hated him because we were disciplining him. We told him we loved him and that was why we were disciplining him. We shared a few Bible passages with him and he became very quiet. Then he said, “I just discovered I am not loved at home: My parents have never disciplined me for anything.” Yes, that conversation continued on for quite some time and we were able to really minister to that boy and he was a very different person the rest of the week.

Continued tomorrow

Faith, part 2

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:24:52 GMT

Our faith is based in Jesus

When I think back to some of the wonderful saints whose funerals I have been to, and or have been a part of, the only thing that matters is that they all made it to heaven. It doesn’t matter in the least how wealthy they were in life, it doesn’t matter in the least how much they were able to travel during this life, it doesn’t matter in the least how good looking they were (which is a big relief for most of us): when you pass from this life to the eternal, all that will matter is that you will be in the presence of the One who died for you. His presence will heal everything.

We will finally relate firsthand to what Paul meant, when he said in the book of Philippians, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ” (3:7). Paul wanted nothing more than to be found in Christ, not having a righteousness of his own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Jesus - the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. He wanted to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection.

I believe, Paul’s great faith was based on who he understood Jesus to be and the reward waiting for him at the end of his life. One of the verses I read and meditated on, this past week is from 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.” Paul understood what his future held for him, and it allowed him to endure everything this life was handing out to him. We have an eternity to look forward to that will surpass even the greatest of persecutions and trials we may be facing today.

Understand that the Righteous Judge is going to award us: If we endure our trials and not lose our faith we will be rewarded. That’s why Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:5 “… keep your head in all situations, endure hardship.” Keep your head – keep focused – don’t get all crazy about what life is handing you because this life is not going to last forever.

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it?” “Nor a son of man,” means God is not a frail mortal. Some might say, “But Jesus was a man.” That’s true but He was fully man and fully God at the same time. In that sense, He greatly differs from you and me. We have to get this into our thinking. God is not a man. He is not like man in his fallen state. A state where we all too often lie and create false images, and because we are prone to do that, it can cause us to question the promises of God. The verse emphatically states that God cannot lie. He is not like us.

We look at certain men or women and we call them people of character, therefore we feel we can trust them. If a man of character tells us something we feel we can trust him, but there is always the possibility that he may not be able to live up to his words. What God has said He will do, He will do!

God has more than a strong character. It’s deeper than that, it’s that God cannot lie. It is not possible for Him to lie because that would be indicative of the fallen nature of man. There is no sin in God’s realm subsequently there is no possibility of a lie, which is why the idea of ever needing to repent does not exist in His thinking.

Lying and repenting are things we have to deal with as men under the curse. Our fallen world is filled with deception and sin therefore when we hear something we wonder if that person is really telling the truth or not, because they could be lying. But not so with God, He cannot lie. God has promised eternal life for those who love Him and profess Him as Lord. Our purpose in life therefore is to get men to believe the Word of God. The only thing more important than our own salvation is the salvation of our loved ones and friends. It’s been asked, “What could be more important than going to heaven?” The answer is; going to heaven knowing that your loved ones will be following you there.

That brings us to the next point. Paul said, his purpose was to help build the faith in those who were chosen by God so that they could come into the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness. In other words, our objective is to help people secure, or recognize truth which tends toward piety. It’s not just the general acquisition of knowledge; you can get general knowledge in any school. It’s knowledge which promotes godliness. The truth Paul was appointed to secure, was not scientific, historical, or political truth: it was that which would lead people to a holy life, and to prepare them for a holy heaven.

Continued tomorrow

Faith, part 1

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:22:30 GMT

Without faith, it is impossible to please God...

We are going to be looking into the subject of faith this week.

The Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please God…” so we can see the importance this topic.

Titus 1:1-2 “Paul, a bondservant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago.” Isn’t verse two a great verse?! God, who cannot lie, has promised us eternal life. The fact that God cannot lie should give all of us hope for the life to come.

I was thinking the other night about the call I received one Tuesday night, while I sat in a church board meeting. My dad had suddenly died of a heart attack. He was only 60 years and one week old. It came suddenly and unexpectedly. Fortunately, he was a believer and follower of Jesus.

Later that evening I was watching the news on TV, and packing for a trip to Wisconsin when it struck me that life continues as it was for those of us still living, even though everything about my dad’s life had just dramatically changed. In a heartbeat (or the lack of one) he was transported from life on earth to life in the presence of the Lord.

I wonder what he now thinks about the issue of faith and the need to believe God’s Word, about who He is, and what He has for us. I wonder if he thought about the things he was taught about faith while still on earth.

That is what Paul was getting at in Titus 1:1. This verse deals with the call of God that was on Paul the apostle. Paul was called of God to minister to, and to build up the faith of those chosen of God, in order to make the hope of eternal life a reality in their lives.

Eternal life is the issue. God wants us to live with Him forever. Isn’t that a wonderful thought?! We are not begging God to allow us to go to heaven; God is, in essence, begging us to have faith in who He is and His promise to us because He wants us to go to heaven when we leave this life. If anything, God is begging us to believe Him. We are not fighting against God to get there, He wants us there! (Praise the Lord!)

Even though Paul was describing the call that was on his life to help build up the faith of others, this call was not exclusively his.

A while back we talked about the gift of God that is in each of our lives and how we are to stir up that gift – to fan it into flame – so that we can be most effective in working for and in God’s Kingdom. But the ultimate objective in all that we do for Him, no matter what that is, is to instill the hope of eternity in others. Nothing else matters.

Remember how Paul said that we need to take pains in the development of our gifts; and to be absorbed in them? 1 Timothy 4:16 “… for as you do, you will save both for yourself and your hearers.” If we persevere in these things, we will not only ensure our own salvation, but those to whom we minister will be saved also.

What a great word of encouragement! Isn’t that why we do everything we do?

Continued tomorrow

Come forth! part 5

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:32:30 GMT

Come forth!

Jesus comes to us and says, “Do you believe I can take care of you financially?” We say, “Yes, Lord,” while in the back of our minds we are thinking of our rich uncle we can go to for help, or that small loan we can take out. That is being double-minded. It’s faith for the future but not necessarily for the moment.

John 11:43-44 “When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’ ”

Think of Lazarus in the tomb. He had been in there for four days – just dead. Just lying there, when suddenly he hears Jesus say, “Lazarus, come forth!” and life comes back to him and he came, out still wrapped in his grave cloths. He didn’t fix himself up first; it seems he didn’t even take time to catch his breath. He left that tomb just as he was.

How would you respond to that? How would you respond to God performing a miracle for you? Here is my point: some people might not really want to receive the miracle they are asking for because by now they are known for their request. They are known as the person with that disease, or the person with that mate, or the person with that troubled home – and that becomes their identity. They get to walk around with a “woe is me!” attitude. If God really answered their prayer; it would change everything about them. Some people desperately need a miracle, but have come to affectionately embrace their situation and their lot in life.

My old friend, Pastor Ron Auch once told me this: “Since my first book came out, Prayer Can Change Your Marriage, I can’t tell you how many women I have counseled about their ungodly husbands – only to find out once their husband got saved – they didn’t know how to handle it. Some of them actually struggle with it. They used to be the spiritual leader – how are they going to give that up. They used to be the only one who would take the kids to church. They used to be the martyr in the home – now they’ve lost that identity too. Now they have to listen to their husband give the family devotions each day – and what does he know.”

At some point, Jesus said to these women (to whom Pastor Ron referred), “Come Forth!” and He brought life to their situation; He raised up a dead husband and he came to life in disarray, still having his grave cloths on, but ready to move on with life in Christ. But the wife is not ready to come forth, because her hair is a mess, she feels scruffy, she needs a little time to figure out how this is going to work before she can just come forth. And she begins to give all sorts of excuses as to why she can’t really receive this miracle. Jesus says, “Do you want to be healed? Do you really want this thing you are asking for? Just die to your reputation, and get out here! Come forth!”

Jesus said to Mary and Martha, “If you believe, you will see the glory of God. Just believe; stop making excuses; stop trying to figure it out. Just believe.” The only way we can receive the very thing we need is to set aside the excuses and believe. Your circumstances do not matter to God. He has never been hindered by anything other than unbelief (and in those cases, He chose not to do any miracles because God would not have been glorified through them).

Jesus is saying to those of us who believe, (and to those who have yet to choose to believe):“If you believe you will see the glory of God. This is all about God’s glory. It’s not about the miracle; it’s about the glory of God. END

Come forth! part 4

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 16:57:43 GMT

Do you believe, but...?

John 5:7 “The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going, another steps down before me.” He just gives excuses as to why he can’t be healed. There is no one to put me into the pool – others always get there before me, etc. etc.

When Jesus went to Mary and Martha, they both said, “If only you had been here.” They, too, had their reasons of why their brother died. They had faith for the past. If only you had been here, if only that accident hadn’t happened, if only my dad had raised me differently, if only me schoolmates had treated me differently – things would be different today. Faith for the past is easy.

They also had faith for the future. We know that one day in the resurrection everything will be good again. One day I’ll be over this problem, one day I’ll be able to get my mate to do this or that and life will be better. One day my neighbor will stop kicking my dog and life will be good again. Faith for the future is easy.

Faith for today is what Jesus is dealing with in both of these cases. But instead of faith, we give excuses as to why it won’t work. Another word for unbelief could be the word excuse. We continually make excuses as to why we can’t be healed or receive the miracle we need. We believe in Jesus as our Savior, but we are struggling with believing for the miracle we now need.

We are double minded.

James 1:6-8 “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James says the double minded man will not receive anything from the Lord.

Double mindedness relates to having two minds at the same time. When Jesus said to the lame man, “Do you want to be healed,” don’t you think in his mind he was saying, “Yes, that is why I’ve been lying here for 38 years hoping to get into the pool when it is stirred”? He is of two minds; he wants to be healed, but at the same time he is telling Jesus why he can’t be.

Mary and Martha, do you want to see your brother again? “Yes, Lord we do, that is why we are saying if only you had been there.” In both cases Jesus was trying to get them to believe. "If you believe you will see him rise from the dead.” To the lame man, “If you believe you can just take up your bed and walk - but you must believe without excuse.

Continued tomorrow

Come Forth! part 3

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 15:10:52 GMT

Is it a miracle? or a healing?

Mark 6:5 “And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them.”

There is both the word “miracle” and the word “heal” in this verse. Jesus did not do a miracle in their midst, but He did heal some. You may have heard me say before; that there is a difference between these two items. The word “healed” in this verse is the Greek word, therapeuo (ther-ap-yoo'-o). It’s where we get the word therapy from.

But there are deeper meanings to the word. It means to wait upon someone to relieve them of disease. The picture it paints would be, like a nurse or a mom – one who waits on someone to relieve them of disease. However, that is quite different than what the word miracles means.

MIRACLE is the word dunamis (doo'-nam-is) which means force. It’s where we get the word dynamite or power from. A miracle rarely relates to what the word healing means. Many of the times when we read of Jesus praying for someone and healing them, it doesn’t really relate to something that happens in an instant. It relates to a healing that comes through the natural process of time – therapy. Jesus calls those things that are not as though they were – so when Jesus prayed for them, He called them healed even if it took some time for it to take place.

A miracle is something much different than a healing. A miracle is instant; it violates the natural order of things whereas therapy follows the natural order of things. Miracles are powerful. Many times, we are asking God for a healing when we really need a miracle. If I break my finger and ask God to heal it, it will gradually get better, because all healing comes from God. But if I take my broken finger and present it to the Lord and it is instantly healed, that’s a miracle.

Jesus didn’t do any miracles because of their unbelief, but out of His mercy He did a few healings. Healings are not so controversial because people don’t have to believe they come from God. You can go to your doctor and proclaim that Jesus healed you and, most likely, your doctor will condescendingly agree with you until you leave the room. However, miracles force everyone to consider the fact that Jesus is Lord.

It’s one thing to not believe as a non-believer. But when believers struggle with believing, that complicates the matter. In the case of the non-believer, they are dealing with believing for their salvation. With the believer, our struggles come with believing for miracles, not our salvation (we have already believed for that).

I’m going to site two instances in the chapters we have read so far. The first one has to do with our text for this week.

John 11:21 “Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John 11:32 “Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Now we are going to go back to some verses from earlier, in John 5 there is the account of the lame man who had waiting by the pool for 38 years in order to get healed.

John 5:5-6 “One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”

What an interesting question. Do you want to be healed?

Continued tomorrow

Come forth! part 2

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 16:42:20 GMT

Because of their unbelief...

There are two facets of believing we are going to look at: one has to do with non-Christians and the other has to do with Christians. We are not forgetting this account concerning Lazarus in John 11 , but I first want us to see something else regarding believing.

Mark 6:5-6 “And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief.” As I was studying John 11 , I started looking at some other instances where Jesus healed people and I found something interesting. At first glance, it would appear that the people’s unbelief was blocking Jesus’ ability to do miracles. It says, “He could do no miracles there...” But it wasn’t an inability on Jesus’ part.

I believe the answer is found in the Lazarus account. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, some believed, and some didn’t. John 11:45 “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what He did, believed in Him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.” I find it incredible that some of those who just witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time – a man being raised from the dead – not just a newly dead man but a man dead long enough to stink – has his life returned to him. Some believed while others ran and told the authorities on Jesus. His life was now threatened because of the miracle.

Can’t you just see the type of person that cannot shake themselves away from the law – even in the midst of a miracle that proves who the Son of God is?! “Nope, nope, nope, I cannot accept that; it goes against the law. I’m telling on you.” They are so hung up on how it is supposed to be; that they simply cannot see grace or mercy. Mercy is what made Jesus so controversial. His acts of mercy seemed to be contrary to the law which subsequently was used against Him, in order to justify crucifying Him.

Here is what I concluded: When it says He could do no miracle in Mark 6 it’s not referring so much as to His ability to perform a miracle as it relates to how useless it is to do these great acts in the presence of those who do not believe. I don’t believe, it would be proper to suppose that His POWER was limited by their unbelief; but that they were so “prejudiced,” and so set against Him, that nothing would convince them. They would have charged it to derangement, or sorcery, or the devil.

When Jesus told them in John 10 that He was the only way into the Kingdom of God they accused Him of having a demon. John 10:20 “Many of them said, ‘He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to Him?’” It would have been of no use in proving TO THEM that He was from God, or to have worked miracles; subsequently He simply healed some of them.

Continued tomorrow

Come Forth! part 1

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:28:57 GMT

Our faith is based on believing

Our title for this week may make it sound like a study we should have done the week before Easter, and at some level that is true. However it is my prayer that this week’s study will help us remember that God has a purpose in all He does, allows, in our lives and that He uses everything for our good and to reach others with the message of the Gospel.

We are going to look at several different verses this week so I would encourage you to keep your Bible handy, when you open the devotional this week; in the event you would like to highlight, and or underline, one of the verses or make a note for study purposes. This week’s study, as you can see above, is called, “Come Forth” – can you guess why? Those were the very words Jesus spoke as He raised Lazarus from the dead.

John 11:1-3 "Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

I just think this is so revealing of human nature. Here are the sisters of Lazarus saying, “Lord, the one you love is ill.” Isn’t it typical to think that God likes us best – or at least our children or family? “Lord, please touch my grandchild – you know who I’m talking about – she’s the smartest, cutest, godly grandchild ever – and I’m not just saying it because she’s my grandchild. You know her; she’s the one you love more than the other little children in church.” I find that Jesus’ response to this request almost funny. John 11:6 “So, when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.”

If you didn’t realize that God has purpose in all that He does and nothing is done just to be funny, you would almost think that’s what He did here. However, He explains Himself in verses 14-15. John 11:14-15 “Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Now we start to get to the crux of the matter. Jesus wanted to make sure Lazarus was good and dead before He got there so that there would be no way to mistake what was about to take place. When He asked them to roll away the gravestone they said to Him, “by now he was been dead so long that he stinks…” John 11:39. Jesus was doing all He could to get people to believe He was the Messiah.

The whole idea of faith is based on believing. It is the “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Our salvation is faith based. Our sustenance is faith based. When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” that is an expression of faith acknowledging that God is ultimately our source, even of the food we eat. It’s seems, everything Jesus focused on, in these first few chapters, dealt with believing.

One Wednesday night, a couple years ago, I spent a little time dealing with John 6:29 during our prayer time, “Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’” What is there within, what we call the work of God that does not relate to believing? Everything we do is to help people believe. If all men and women everywhere would believe on the Name of Jesus Christ to be saved, there would be no work to do (outside of some discipleship).

Not only does it take a simple belief in the Son of God to be saved, there is a continuing need for us to believe for every other aspect of His Kingdom. Healing requires believing, peace of mind requires believing, we believe God for our finances, we believe God for our marriages, we believe God to take care of our children. Everything comes down to believing. Jesus spent His entire ministry on earth trying to get people to believe that He was the Son of God. What is more critical than a person believing Jesus for their salvation?

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 40

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 15:33:55 GMT

The Revelation of the Cross

Welcome to Day 40, the final day of our series, “40 days of the cross.” Each day we have taken just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is revelation.

Now, I’m not talking about the book of Revelation, which we did a series on a few years ago. I am talking about the simple definition of revealing something that is true. In this case, the cross is a revelation of the character of God. Up until the time of Jesus, God’s character was mostly revealed through His interactions with the nation of Israel as recorded in the Scripture.

With the coming of Jesus, suddenly the world had a perfect revelation of the character of God. This is because Jesus was and IS God. In a way we can’t completely understand, Jesus and the Father are One - that’s why Jesus could say to His disciples that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father.

There is no question that that IS part of God’s character. But in the life and ministry of Jesus, we also see this meek, peaceful, enemy-loving revelation of God’s character. This is also part of who God is. God is not a one-dimensional caricature. There are many aspects of God’s character and ALL of them are perfect.

The cross is also a revelation of God’s character. Hebrews 1:3 says of Jesus, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Jesus made purification for our sins by dying on the cross.

The WAY Jesus faced the cross reveals God’s very nature and reveals how God conquers evil. Jesus faced the cross with humility. He faced the cross as a servant. Jesus hung upon the cross as an act of self-sacrificial love for those who had cursed Him. The cross is a revelation of the character of God.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a few minutes and think about what the cross reveals about God’s character, and how that affects your relationship with Him.

Father God, I thank you for the cross which revealed your character to us. Reveal yourself to us today, and reveal Yourself Sunday, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. In His Name we pray, amen.

Thanks for reading these 40 days. As always, we invite you to join us in person at Christian Assembly, especially this Sunday as we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death and the grave. (The resurrection also reveals the character of God!) END

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 39

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:32:39 GMT

The Goodness of the Cross

Welcome to day 39 of our “40 days of the cross.” Each day we have taken just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is good.

Tomorrow is Good Friday. Perhaps you have wondered why we call it “good.” I mean after all, some of the words we’ve used to describe the cross in our journey thus far have been judgment, rejection, agony, curse, death. I remember, as a young Christian, wondering how we could call the horrific death of our Savior, good. We are commemorating a dark and bleak day. Yet for hundreds of years, Christians have called this day good. It is a bit of a paradox.

Some places call it by different names. In Germany the day is called “Karfreitag” which translates to “Sorrowful Friday”. It IS a day that includes sorrow. We feel sorrow when someone we love is hurt. Certainly, what Jesus went through on the cross should cause sorrow. If you attend – in person or online - our Good Friday Tenebrae Service, here at Christian Assembly, you will see that it is not the typical upbeat gathering. It is a somber, quiet, reflective time when we remember the suffering of Jesus. Our very act of communion contains symbols of a body that is broken and blood that is shed. Yet we still call this day of remembrance “good.”

And we call the cross, the instrument used to execute the sinless Messiah, good. The goodness of the cross is a reality. It was good for us. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross provided a way for us to receive a new, righteous life. 1 Peter 2:24 (our verse of the week) says, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” The way to God was denied to us by our own sinfulness, so Jesus took those sins in His own flesh on the cross. Because of this, we can be dead to sin and receive a life of righteousness - not our own righteousness, but the perfect righteousness of Jesus through the shedding of His blood.

Yes, the cross is good for us! And despite its cost, the cross is good to God, reestablishing His with us, and that brings Him joy. The cross allows God to reveal Himself to us. We’ll talk more about Revelation tomorrow, the last day of our journey.

Thanks for reading today. After we pray, I encourage you to take a few minutes and meditate on why the cross is good.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 38

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:21:05 GMT

The Cross Means Judgment

Welcome to Day 38 of our series, “40 days of the cross,” taking just a few minutes each day to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is judgment.

Judgment is the end result of justice. And we all cry out for justice, don’t we? At least until we are on the receiving end of it. I don’t know many drivers who see the flashing blue lights in their rearview mirrors and shout, “Hooray! Justice!” We want justice until it comes looking for us, and then we plead for mercy.

If we’re looking at the cross today, how can it be justice? How can the execution of an innocent man, one who has never sinned, be justified? How is the judgment of Jesus anything but an act of INJUSTICE? You’re right. The death of Jesus on the cross was an act of injustice by the Romans and religious authorities in Jerusalem. The justice of this judgment doesn’t come from the acts of these men, but from the act of God on the cross.

You see, justice is essential to God’s nature. He is holy, and can abide no sin. God is just, and so sin MUST be punished. It is unrighteous to allow sin to flourish forever, and God cannot be unrighteous. There must be judgment on sin. That is what is right and just. All of us have sinned. And deep down all of us know that it is right that there should be judgment pronounced on our sinfulness.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and JUST to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It is JUST for Him to forgive us because the judgment on sin has already been carried out. It was carried out on the cross - and that’s a good thing. We’ll talk more about “good” tomorrow.

Thanks for reading today. After we pray today, I encourage you to spend some time thinking about how God’s judgment on our sin was poured out on Jesus on the cross.

Continued

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 37

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 18:10:05 GMT

The Cross Means Reconnection

Welcome to Day 37 of our series, “40 days of the cross,” when we’ve taken just a few minutes each day to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is reconnection.

Separation from those you love can be hard. Especially when you don’t understand the reasons why. This was the case on the night that Jesus shared His last Passover meal with His disciples. The dinner was strange. It didn’t go according to the script of a normal Passover meal. Jesus had washed their feet; He had called out the one disciple, who would betray Him, and another who would deny Him.

Jesus knew His path would soon lead Him to the cross, and so He told them that He would be taken away from them. But He also told them not to be troubled, because He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. Thomas complained, saying, “How can we get to the Father’s house? We don’t know the way.” Jesus’ response echoes through the millennia and reaches us today: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” John 14:6.

In the beginning, man and woman walked in complete fellowship with God. But the connection was broken when humanity chose sin and rebellion. Suddenly Eden wasn’t good enough. Ever since, man has been disconnected. But from before the beginning, God planned the cross as a way for men and women to reconnect to Him. To partake once again in His paradise, and to avoid His judgment on sin. We’ll talk more about judgment tomorrow.

Thank you for reading today. After we pray, I encourage you to take some time today to think about how humanity was reconnected to God through the cross, and how you can enjoy that blessing.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 36

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:12:53 GMT

The Cross Means Rejection

Welcome to the week eight and day 36 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day, we have looked at a word that helps us to better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is rejected.

Throughout the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God faced rejection. On the eastern side of the Galilee, Jesus healed a demon possessed man. The people from the surrounding communities pleaded with Jesus to leave their land. When Jesus was in Nazareth, the town He grew up in, the town was so upset by the things He said that they wanted to throw Him over a cliff!

I have a friend who has stood on that cliff. He tells me, it’s a long, long way to the bottom. In the events that led to the cross, Jesus faced yet another rejection: when the Roman governor offered to release a prisoner to the people of Jerusalem, he offered them either Jesus or the murderer Barabbas. And as Jesus looked out upon the people He loved, He heard them cry, “We want Barabbas.”

The ultimate rejection was a call for Jesus to be crucified, a call for Jesus to die upon a cross. The cross was symbol of the rejection of Jesus. Jesus had told the Pharisees a parable about the rejection of the cross. In Matthew 21 , Jesus tells them the story of a vineyard owner who leased out his vineyard to tenant farmers. When the time came for the owner to receive his share of the crop, he sent his servants to collect, but instead of paying their fair share, the tenants killed the servants. Finally, the owner sent his own son to collect. But the tenants rejected the son and killed him too. Then Jesus asked the Pharisees what the owner should do to those tenants. The Pharisees said that the owner should put the tenants to a miserable death. This is how Jesus responded: “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’” (Matthew 21:42) .

Yes, the cross is a symbol of rejection. But this is a rejection that God used as the cornerstone to build His Kingdom. The rejection of Jesus led to the cross, and the cross led to our acceptance by God. His rejection leads to our acceptance. It is because of the cross that we do not have to worry about being rejected by God. Because of the cross we no longer have to fear being disconnected from God the Father. Because of Jesus' rejection on the cross, we are reconnected. We’ll talk more about reconnection tomorrow.

After we pray, I encourage you to meditate upon the idea of the rejection that Jesus faced which led to the cross, and how that led to our acceptance. Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 35

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 18:05:16 GMT

The Cross Reminds Us of Incarnation

Welcome to the Day 35 of our series, “40 days of the cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.Today’s word is incarnation.

When we speak of the incarnation, we are talking about God Himself, taking on the flesh of humanity. Missionary Paul Zobody put it this way when he wrote, “The Sovereign of the universe hung on an umbilical cord in a poor Jewish girl” and He did so gladly.

We usually talk about the incarnation at Christmas time. God taking on the form of a human baby. But Jesus was God incarnate for His entire ministry on earth. Jesus was God incarnate as He hung on the cross. In fact, the cross depended on the incarnation.

The earliest picture of the crucifixion we know of makes fun of the cross. It is scratched onto a wall in Rome and it may be as old as the second century. It’s a shocking image, showing a man with a donkey’s head nailed to a cross. Next to the cross is a crudely drawn man wearing the clothes of a slave. Scratched into the surface of the wall is the phrase, “Alexamenos worshipping his god. ”

As we saw earlier in this series, it was because of the weakness of His human form that Jesus could be killed on the cross. The very incarnation which made God understandable to us made Him vulnerable to death on the cross.

The cross was not just the result of the incarnation, it was the PURPOSE of the incarnation. In John, chapter 12 , Jesus tells some of His followers that the time of His death is approaching. And then, in verse 27 , Jesus prays the following. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose, I have come to this hour.” The incarnation, Jesus becoming man, was designed to bring Him to the cross so that He would be killed as a sacrifice for our sins. And through that sacrifice, we now have the opportunity to receive forgiveness and eternal life. He was rejected so we can be accepted. We’ll talk more about rejection on Monday.

After we pray today, spend a little time thinking about how the incarnation of Jesus, God becoming man, made the cross possible.

Thanks for reading today

Continued Monday

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 34

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:29:08 GMT

The Holiness of the Cross

Welcome to day 34 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is holy.

Holy isn’t a word that’s understood very well. It has been used in exclamations of surprise, as in “holy smokes!” - and in the church world, it’s often used to describe something pure or perfect. While that is a little closer to what it truly means, the definition of the word holy is "something that is dedicated or set apart for God." In the Scriptures, it is something pure that has been given over to God for His use.

Under the Old Covenant (before the coming of Jesus), God set up the sacrificial system as a shadow of what was to come. Humanity was broken (and anything but pure), so the people of Israel would bring a pure and spotless lamb for a sacrifice to seek forgiveness + but this was only a temporary solution. What was needed for a sacrifice was someone truly pure, without sin.

That is why the Father sent Jesus, His Son, to earth. When the angel appeared to Mary to tell her she would be pregnant He told her that her child would be the Son of God, and that He would be holy. Only a righteous sacrifice could bring God’s righteousness to us. Jesus went to the cross as a holy sacrifice. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that God sent Jesus who “knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The cross was set aside for a God’s purpose. Jesus Himself was set aside for the purpose of being a perfect sacrifice for our sins. What will our response be to Jesus’ holy act of mercy on the cross? In Romans 12:1, Paul says we should give ourselves as a living sacrifice. And the Bible says that this will be a holy sacrifice, acceptable and pleasing to God. The holiness of the cross makes our offering to God holy as well.

After we pray today, I encourage you to meditate on the holiness of the cross for a while and what it means to us.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 33

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:05:58 GMT

The Burden of the Cross

Welcome to day 33 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

The physical weight of the cross may have been too great a burden for Jesus’ body, but the spiritual burden of the cross was not too great for Jesus to bear. Philippians 2:8 tells us that Jesus became obedient to the point of death, even to death upon the cross. God was under no obligation to redeem us from our sin. There was no requirement for Jesus to carry the burden of the cross so that our sins could be forgiven through His sacrifice. But Jesus did. Within Him dwelled the fullness of God and the Spirit within Him was more than equal to the task to carry the spiritual burden of the cross.

Jesus asks the same of us. In Luke 9:23 , Jesus is talking to those who are following Him, “And He said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” Jesus asks us to carry the burden of OUR cross as well. What is this burden that Jesus asks us to carry as His followers? Looking at the context of this verse, Jesus is asking people to surrender their lives to Him.

After we pray today, I encourage you to spend some time contemplating the burden of the cross that Jesus carried, and the burden of our own crosses that He calls us to carry.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 32

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:37:13 GMT

The Mystery of the Cross

Welcome to Day 32 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is mystery.

Jesus’ message and His sacrifice on the cross were a mystery to those that the world might consider wise. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul is reminding them that when he was with them, he preached the message of the cross. He told them that this message of the cross, demonstrated with the Spirit and with power, imparted wisdom to them, but to the rulers of the world, it was a mystery. In 2 Corinthians 2:7-8 , Paul writes, “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.”

I know it does, because the Bible tells me it does. The Bible tells me that Jesus became a sin offering for me, and you. You and I, we don’t have to know the mechanics of how that worked in order for us to accept it and benefit from His sacrifice on the cross. The benefits of the cross are not based on my understanding. Some aspects of the cross will remain a mystery to me. But I don’t have to have it all figured out. I just know that through the cross, my sins are forgiven and I can surrender my burdens to Him. We’ll talk more about burden tomorrow.

Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, I don’t understand everything about the cross, but I see you glorified through it, and I rejoice at the forgiveness I have received. Thank you, Father. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for reading today. Please take some time to think about the mystery of the cross, and submit to the power of love and forgiveness that the cross shows us.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 31

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:38:32 GMT

The Silence of the Cross

Welcome to the seventh week and day 31 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we take just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is silence.

On the cross, the execution of Jesus took about 6 hours to complete. For a crucifixion, that was actually a fairly short period of time. Roman crucifixions could last for days. But in those six long hours, Jesus only spoke about 60 words. That averages out to about 10 words an hour. By far the great majority of Jesus’ time on the cross was spent in silence. Why is that? It was certainly possible for Jesus to speak. Why was Jesus so silent on the cross?

This silence was a fulfillment of a prophecy in Isaiah. And in this prophecy, we get a clue about the reason for Jesus’ silence. Isaiah 53:7 says, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” A lamb led to the slaughter does not open its mouth to protest; a sheep being sheered does not complain about its sheering. In the same way, Jesus did not complain or protest His crucifixion. Despite the unfairness of the cross, Jesus remained silent. This was because the cross was His purpose. All of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth, all of human history since the Garden of Eden, had pointed to this moment. Jesus was fulfilling God’s plan for the redemption of humankind through the death of the Son of God, taking the punishment for our sins.

After we pray, I encourage you to take a few minutes to meditate on the silence of the cross and what it means to you.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 30

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:09:53 GMT

The Darkness at the Cross

Welcome Day 30 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is darkness.

One of the unusual things that took place when Jesus was on the cross was an unnatural darkness. In describing the crucifixion, In Matthew 27:45, Matthew writes, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.”

In the Jewish marking of time the sixth hour is noon and the ninth hour is 3:00 pm. There’s no natural reason for darkness to rule the sky in the middle of the day. This was a supernatural action from God.

What does this supernatural darkness mean? One probable answer is that throughout scripture, a darkened sky was a sign of judgment from God. From the time of the Pharaoh who held the children of Israel captive in Egypt, through the prophets, and into the book of Revelation, we see darkness in the sky as a sign of God’s judgment.

There, as Jesus hung on the cross on a hill outside of Jerusalem, we see the darkness of God’s judgment. What was God judging? The Bible tells us that Jesus did not sin, so God wasn’t judging Jesus. Instead, God was judging the sin for which Jesus was being sacrificed. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

The darkness of the cross was a sign of God’s judgment on our sin. But listen to this: because of that judgment - that darkness, that sacrifice - we no longer have to dwell in the darkness! We are brought into the glorious light of God’s presence and freed from the darkness of sin. The light of God’s presence dwells within us because of the darkness and silence of the cross. (We’ll talk more about silence on Monday.)

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a little time to consider how the darkness surrounding the cross brings us the light of God’s salvation.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your judgment on sin, signified by the darkness surrounding the cross. May we seek to flee the darkness and run towards Your light. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued Monday

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 29

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 17:26:25 GMT

The Cross Brings Liberation

Welcome to day 29 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word that will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is liberation. Singer/songwriter Bob Dylan wrote a song that was featured in his album, “Slow Train Coming.” The title of the song is “Gotta Serve Somebody.” The message of the song is that no matter who you are, no matter what your accomplishments, no matter how important you think you are, we all serve somebody. The two choices Dylan repeats in his song are, “it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”

His sentiment is basically true. There are two spiritual powers competing for the devotion of your heart. The kingdom of this world, led by the spirit of Satan, and the Kingdom of God, led by the Spirit of Christ. The bad news is that we are born serving the power of the evil one. Just as the children of American slaves, for 300 years, were born into slavery, all of humankind was born into slavery to sin. But the good news is that the cross has provided us liberation from the slavery of sin. We have been liberated from the bondage of sin. But Bob Dylan was right: we have to serve SOMEbody.

In his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul put it this way: “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). We have been liberated from our bondage to sin thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, but in turn, we surrender our freedom to the One who sacrificed Himself on the cross.

This is a willing surrender of ourselves to Him who paid for our liberation by His death on the cross. He who showed His ultimate love for us, freeing us from darkness, deserves our ultimate surrender. We’ll talk more about darkness tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a few minutes to meditate on the liberation from sin that was purchased for us by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 28

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 16:01:11 GMT

The Cross Means Victory

Welcome to Day 28 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is victory.

We love our little victories in life. Those times we come up against a problem and we conquer it. It gives us that little rush of accomplishment that makes us feel good about ourselves. What we hate is facing a problem that conquers US. Those problems that seem insurmountable. Sometimes those problems are financial and we find ourselves in great debt. So much debt that people have to declare bankruptcy to admit their failure.

Paul wrote a letter to the church in Colossae that was trying to gain victory through meeting the legal demands of the laws of the Old Testament. But Paul told them this was foolish and that the victory had already been won. Colossians 2:14-15 tells that Jesus achieved the victory. That He did so by “canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

After we pray today, I encourage you to take a few minutes to contemplate how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross purchased victory for us.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 27

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:24:06 GMT

The Cross Brings Healing

Welcome to Day 27 of our series, “40 days of the cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is healing.

When we talk about healing and the events around the cross, we usually talk about the stripes laid upon the back of Jesus during His scourging by Roman soldiers. That is certainly an important part of the equation. Both Isaiah chapter 53 and 1 Peter chapter 2 tell us that our healing comes from the wounds of Jesus. The Greek word in 1 Peter refers specifically to the wounds left from whipping. What the whipping that Jesus took has to do with our healing, I don’t know; the connection isn’t explained in Scripture, and I’m not going to hazard a guess. But the Scripture is true and reliable, so there is a connection.

I want us to think about this today: the cross also plays a large part in our healing. As we’ve shared several times during our 40-day walk so far, it is through the cross that our sins are forgiven. The greatest sickness we had was the sickness of sin. It was a disease we were born with and we were unable to heal ourselves. But Jesus, in paying the price for our sins, taking the punishment for our sinful nature, healed us from the sickness of sin. Not just the symptoms, Jesus has healed the root cause of our sinfulness: our very sinful nature itself. Our sinful nature no longer has dominion over us, it has been conquered by the cross.

After we pray today, please take a few minutes to meditate on the connection of the cross to your healing.

Thanks for listening/reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 26

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:38:04 GMT

The Cross Intersects Time and Eternity

Welcome to the sixth week, and Day 26 of our series, “40 days of the cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is eternity.

One famous representation of the cross is the Celtic cross. It is a cross combined with a circle. One of the things the circle symbolizes is eternity. It has no beginning and no end. The cross is the place where time intersects eternity. The cross was a real event in time. There was a real cross, planted in real dirt, at a real location, on an actual date in history. But the effects of the cross affect all of eternity.

And the cross also intersects with eternity future. Jesus’ act of sacrifice on the cross restores the life with God that humankind had in the Garden of Eden. Now, instead of being under the curse of death, the cross brings us the blessing of life. And not just life, the cross brings us life for all eternity. Jesus’ death on the cross took the punishment for our sins. Because of the cross, the forgiveness of sins can be applied to all who will believe, turning from their old lives, and surrendering themselves to the God who made this all possible. The cross gives us access to forgiveness, to new life, to healing, and to eternity. We’ll talk more about healing tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take a few minutes to consider how the cross of Jesus Christ intersects time and eternity, so that eternal life is offered to us.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 25

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:55:50 GMT

The Cross Speaks of Weakness

Welcome to Day 25 of our series, “40 Days of the cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is weakness.

A couple years ago, we were studying through the book of Revelation. In chapter five, John, the Revelator, found himself in the very throne room of almighty God. Surrounded by angelic creatures and elders, in the throne of God the Father, Himself. In God’s right hand is a scroll which is perfectly sealed with seven seals. This scroll contains part of the message that John has been called to record. But at first it looks as if no one is worthy to open the scrolls. But then one of the elders tells John that there is one who has conquered and who can open the scroll. It is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

But it is not a conquering Lion who appears. Look at what it says in Revelation 5:6, “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.” It is not a conquering lion that appears, but a bloodied lamb. That doesn’t look like a powerful conqueror; a lamb is weak. But it was in weakness that the Lamb of God conquered. It was through weakness that Jesus conquered sin, death, and the grave when He died on the cross. No one can kill God. That’s ridiculous. Unless God makes Himself weak. And that’s exactly what He did. Taking on human frailty, God the Son weakened Himself so that He could die upon the cross.

Jesus’ weakness was a choice He made so that He could die on the cross. Through His weakness, His death on the cross was possible. And through the cross, our weakness, the weakness of sin, was conquered. Think about that. His choice of weakness led to the conquering of our weakness. The weakness of the cross allowed Jesus to conquer death so that we could be offered eternal life. We’ll talk more about eternity on Monday.

After we pray today, please take some time to meditate on how weakness led to the cross and how that weakness conquered death.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued next week

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 24

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:53:53 GMT

The Cross Leads Us into Fellowship

Welcome to Day 24 of our series, 40 Days of the Cross. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is fellowship.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve discussed how the cross brought us into fellowship with God. Jesus’ death on the cross bridged the gap of sin that stood between humankind and God. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross our sins can be forgiven, and we can be made holy which gives us access to the presence of our holy God. That access leads to our fellowship with God. We come to Him as more than servants. Because of the cross, we are now able to come to God as friends.

But that’s not the only fellowship that the cross brings us. Look what it says in Romans 6:3, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” All of us who are believers who have been baptized into Jesus, are baptized into Jesus’ death on the cross. Baptism is a symbol of Jesus’ death and burial and when we are baptized into His death. All of us.

So, the cross of Jesus brings us into fellowship with all other believers. All of us as believers have brought our sins, our hurts, our burdens to the foot of the cross. We are made equal at the foot of the cross. We become children of our heavenly Father at the cross. That means we are joined together as brothers and sisters in fellowship at the foot of the cross. In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us that we share in each other’s struggles and in each other’s comforts. We are bonded in fellowship with our fellow believers, not because of anything we have done, but because of what Jesus did upon the cross. We walk our journey of faith together in fellowship, all because of the cross. He did this for us despite our weakness. We’ll talk more about weakness tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take some time to think of how the cross brings us together in fellowship.

Thanks for listening/reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 23

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 17:41:58 GMT

The Plan of the Cross

Welcome to Day 23 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

In fact, when Peter was preaching his first sermon on the day of Pentecost, he was confronting the Jews gathered at the Temple about Jesus, who had performed mighty miracles in their midst. And then Peter said this in Acts 2:23, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” Yes, it was evil men who perpetrated the deed, but it was God Himself who did the planning. Peter even emphasizes that it was a definite plan.

After we pray today, let’s take some time to meditate on what that means to us - that the cross was planned by God because of His love for us.

Thanks for listening/reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 22

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 17:11:22 GMT

The Demonstration of the Cross

Welcome to Day 22 of our series, “40 Days of the cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is demonstration.

In recent years, demonstrations have become commonplace. People demonstrate against injustice, against violence, against poverty, and any other number of causes. We call it a demonstration because people are demonstrating their anger or their passion. Here it is! It’s important enough for me to show to you how much I care about this cause! It’s worth gathering together with others, it’s worth sitting on the steps of the state capitol, it’s worth me singing a protest song and carrying a sign. You are proving your feelings and your heart regarding this matter.

When something is important to you, you can demonstrate how important it is to you. If you are passionate about a cause, you can prove it through your actions. Perhaps you’ve donated money to a charity, walked in a protest march, written to a congressman, or some other action: that is a demonstration of how strongly you believe in that cause. If you believe in a cause, but you have done nothing about it, then there is no real proof of your belief or your passion. Your actions are a demonstration of how strongly you feel.

In the same way, the cross is a demonstration. Look at what it says in Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The apostle Paul is saying that the proof of God’s love is in His actions; and what an action it was! God’s demonstration of His love is that Jesus died on the cross, Not when we were redeemed and holy, but while we were still broken sinners, God demonstrated His love through the cross. God planned the death of Jesus on the cross to demonstrate His love. (We’ll talk more about God’s plan tomorrow.)

After we pray today, please take some time to think about the cross as God’s demonstration of His love.

Thanks for listening/reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 21

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 19:10:24 GMT

The Cross Reminds Us of Our Wages

Welcome to the fifth week and Day 21 of our series, The Meaning of the Cross. Each day we’ve taken a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is wage.

Now, this might seem to be an odd word to relate to Jesus’ death on the cross. But we’ve talked about this word a few times already because of an important Scripture verse to know when it comes to understanding what God has done for us. That verse is Romans 6:23 , and that verse starts out with, “ For the wages of sin is death… ”

Think about the word “wage” for a minute. We think about a wage as something we earn, right? We think about the minimum wage, which is the smallest wage a person can earn per hour in our state. Here, where I am in Minnesota, the wages of minimum wage work, as of 1/1/24, is $10.85 per hour for (large business) employers and $8.85 for (smaller business) employees. Your wage is what you’ve earned. If you worked an hour, or a day, or a week, your pay is your wage. It is what is legally due to you.

Romans 6:23 says that the “wages of sin is death.” Our sin has earned death. Death is the wage we earn because of our sin. It is the legal and righteous cost of our sin. Sin has done it’s work and that sin leads to death. Not just physical death, but a spiritual death which will separate us from God, from all that is good and joyous, for all eternity. And that sin was present in all of our hearts. The wage of that sin is steep, and all of humankind was set to pay it.

It is because God paid the wage of sin for us. The wage of sin is still binding, it is still death, but God paid that wage through the death of Jesus on the cross. Jesus’ death paid the wage for our sin. And now forgiveness for that sin is available to all who will repent of their sin and follow after Jesus. God demonstrated His love for us by paying the wage of sin and giving us the gift of eternal life. (We’ll talk more about the word, “demonstration,” tomorrow.)

After we pray today, please take some time to meditate on how Jesus paid the wages for our sin on the cross.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 20

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 17:06:34 GMT

The Cross Paid Our Ransom

Welcome to Day 20 of our series, 40 Days of the Cross. Today marks the half-way point as we take a few minutes each day to look at a word that helps us better understand the meaning of the cross.

In Matthew chapter 20 , Jesus is describing to His disciples what it means to be great in the Kingdom of God. He tells them that in order to be great in the Kingdom, you need to serve others. And then in verse 28 He says, “…even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus said that the giving of His life on the cross would be a ransom for many.

A ransom, as we’ve seen, is a price paid to release a prisoner or a hostage. Who are the many that Jesus is paying with His life as a ransom to be released? That’s us. We were the hostages. We were hostages to the bondage of sin. And what was the ransom demand? What would it have said in the ransom note for our release? It would say that the ransom was death. Death was the price that had to be paid to release us from the bondage of our sin. Jesus paid that ransom. On the cross He paid the price to free us from the bondage of our sins. Jesus Himself gave His life as a ransom to free us from the bondage of sin. He paid the wage for our sin. (We’ll talk more about wage on Monday.)

After we pray today, please take some time to think about how we were hostages to sin, and how Jesus paid the ransom for our sins on the cross.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 19

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 17:55:13 GMT

The Cross Gives Hope

Welcome to Day 19 of our series, 40 Days of the Cross. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is hope. Six hundred years before Jesus died on the cross, the prophet Jeremiah declared that God had a plan for our lives that would bring us hope. In Jeremiah 29:11 , God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah and says, “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God already knew the plans He had for the people of Israel, and for every person who would hear His call. That plan would give them a future, and give them hope.

The Bible says that the plan of God for Jesus to be crucified on the cross was planned from the foundation of the world. It is the plan of the cross that gives us hope! But what is that hope?

There is hope for the removal of our sins. Every one of us was born with a predilection towards sin. Pride, selfishness, greed and lust are all things we have to deal with because there is an essential nature within us that leans towards sin. Try as we might, we can’t remove these sins ourselves. But on the cross, Jesus took the punishment for our sins so that God will forgive our sins and cleanse us from the results of that sinful nature.

There is hope for restored relationship with God. Our sin had separated us from God. God is holy and cannot allow sin into His presence. But when we come to Him with repentance, our sins are forgiven because of the death of Jesus on the cross. So, God looks at us as pure and holy and we can have a relationship with Him.

Because of the cross, there is also hope for the future. God said that He would give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). We know that, as much as we enjoy His presence now, there is an eternity waiting for us where we will be with God face to face, and we are able to hope for this because God sacrificed Himself upon the cross.

All of this hope is ours because Jesus paid His life as a ransom for us on the cross. We’ll talk more about the word ransom tomorrow.

After we pray today, I encourage you to take some time to meditate on how Jesus’ death on the cross gives us hope.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 18

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:04:53 GMT

The Cross Draws Us

Welcome to the Day 18 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.” Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Now, we sing songs about lifting Jesus up and that He will draw people to Himself when we do so. But this Scripture has nothing to do with lifting Jesus up in praise. It is not about God’s people worshiping Jesus and lifting up His name. In the very next verse, John tells us what this “lifted up” is about: “He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die” (John 12:33). “When I am lifted up” is not about God’s people proclaiming the name of Jesus; it is about His body being nailed to a cross and lifted up into the air on a hill outside the city of Jerusalem.

After we pray today, please take some time to remember how Jesus drew you to Himself through His death on the cross.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 17

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:14:17 GMT

The Cross Brings Unity

Welcome to Day 17 of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is unity. Even back in the Old Testament, the importance of unity was expressed as a blessing. Psalm 133:1-3 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It is like the precious oil on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” The truth is this: God blesses us when we live in unity. We should be an example of what true unity is to the world around us.

Now it’s no problem to love a pastor (or give him birthday presents) but when that loyalty results in disunity, then it is harmful to the Church. So as an example of the foolishness of these arguments and division, Paul asks the following in 1 Corinthians 1:13, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?” The obvious answer is, NO! Paul is saying, “I wasn’t crucified for you! Jesus was!” Disunity happens when we look to men, unity takes place when we look to Jesus, crucified for us.

After we pray today, please take some time to meditate on how we are unified under the cross.

Heavenly Father, across the world, we as believers are unified under You. I thank You for the cross which provides that unity. Help us, Lord, to not be distracted by petty differences, but rather embrace the blessing of family that You have provided for us. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 16

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 19:25:40 GMT

The Glory of the Cross

Welcome to the fourth week and Day 16 of our “40 Days of the Cross” series.

Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is glory. Much like the work joy on Friday, we don’t often look at the horror of the cross and think, “glory!” Looking at Jesus, broken and dying, hanging from the cross, looks anything but glorious. When we think of Jesus glorified, we think of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, standing between Moses and Elijah, covered with shining radiance. We don’t think of Jesus on Golgotha, hanging between two thieves, covered with blood, sweat, and the scars of humiliation. How can the cross be glorious?

As Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, just hours before He would be arrested, whipped, tried, and crucified, He prayed for glory. It’s found in John 17:1... “When Jesus had spoken these words, He lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You,’” The hour that was coming was His death on the cross! How can the cross bring glory?

First, the glory of the cross came from obedience. From the foundation of the world, the plan of the Father was that He would send His Son to die for the sins of men and women. Jesus fulfilled the plan of the Father out of obedience. Now to be sure, Jesus desired the salvation of humankind, but even Jesus prayed that if there was another way, He would rather that He be spared the cup of the cross. But obedience lifts up the One to whom we are obedient; Jesus’ obedience glorified God.

Secondly, true glory comes through suffering. Those of you who are parents probably have a similar memory to mine: I have never seen such agony and pain in the face of my wife than when she was in labor. The delivery of our daughter, and then, both of the boys, was full of suffering. And yet the result was glorious. What was birthed by the cross was the unification of God and His children; that was glorious. And the glory of that unity was the result of the suffering of the cross. We’ll talk more about unity tomorrow.

After we pray today, please take some time to consider how the cross of Jesus shows the glory of God. Heavenly Father, the cross of Your Son glorifies You. This glory was birthed through suffering. Help us to look at suffering in a new way. Help us to look at the glory of the cross in a new way. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 15

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 17:25:03 GMT

The Cross Means Joy

Welcome to Day 15 of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is joy. When we think of the cross, the word “joy” may not leap to mind. The day was dark, filled with horror and pain. Isaiah chapter 53 is one of the great messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. Isaiah describes the suffering servant of God, like a lamb led to the slaughter. Look what it says in Isaiah 53:10,“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt…” This hardly seems like a joyous situation. How can the cross be associated with joy?

Despite God’s sorrow at seeing his one and only Son cruelly crucified on the cross, there was also joy in God’s eyes, for He saw the results of the cross at the same time. He saw men and women, boys and girls, coming to Him as children to be loved, cared for, and nurtured. And God knew that the cross was only temporary. The days of His Son are eternal and what Jesus puts His hand to prospers.

Even Jesus endured the cross because of joy. Hebrews 12:2 says, “…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” Jesus foresaw the joy that would come when people accepted His gift of forgiveness and that joy was worth the suffering of the cross.

Although we rightly look upon the cross with horror, we can also look at the cross with joy. For it is through the cross that we are able to have salvation. And it is that relationship with God that brings us joy unspeakable and full of glory. We’ll talk more about glory on Monday.

Let’s pray together: Heavenly Father, I ask that you help us to see the joy that comes from suffering, especially the suffering of Your Son on the cross. Let us see the cross as an opportunity for joy. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, amen.

Thanks for reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross brings joy. Continued

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 14

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 17:47:11 GMT

The Cross Gives Us Access to the Father

Welcome to day 14 of our “40 Days of the Cross” series.

Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is “access.”

In the movies, when the hero is trying to break into the enemy’s computer system, he often types the wrong password first. An alarm will go off (WAP! WAP!) and the screen will flash in red: ACCESS DENIED! He can’t get to the information that is needed to defeat the bad guys. But then, suddenly, he figures out the password and the screen lights-up green: access granted. Now he’s into the system and can get what he needs to win.

Since we could not gain access, God did something to provide access to men and women with broken hearts, and that was the cross. The cross provides access to the Father, for those who will accept that gift with surrender and faith. The death of Jesus on the cross provided the key that allows us to gain access to God. We who were broken, now with healed hearts can access God because He provided Himself as the sacrifice on the cross. Ephesians 2:16 tells us that we are reconciled to God and to each other through the cross. And two verses later, in Ephesians 2:18 , it says, “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Through Jesus, we have access to our holy God, able to receive love, peace, comfort, and joy." We’ll talk more about joy tomorrow.

Let’s take some time to pray together now. Heavenly Father, I am able to come to you in prayer today because of the work of Your Son, Jesus, on the cross. Help me not to take this access for granted, but instead with thanksgiving, remember the work of Jesus on the cross. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for reading today. Please take some time today to pray and meditate on how the cross of Christ gives us access to the very throne room of God.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 13

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 18:12:26 GMT

The Cross Represents Atonement for Our Sins

Welcome to Day 13 of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

It is the cross of Christ which was the fulfillment of that picture of atonement. 1 Corinthians 15:3 says, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” He died on the cross in atonement for our sins. It is our sins that are the wrongs we’ve done to a holy God that need to be paid for. Jesus took the act of atonement upon Himself so that the price could be paid for the broken covenant that separated us from God.

Thanks for reading today. Please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross is a symbol of atonement.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 12

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:37:29 GMT

The Grace of the Cross

Welcome to Day 12 of our series, “40 Days of the Cross.”

Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is grace. When we are reading a story or watching a movie, we will often see a character do terrible things. That’s the bad guy. And what we want to happen is for the bad guy to get what’s coming to him! We want the bad guy punished!

In the 1986 movie, The Mission, the bad guy is a slave trader named Mendoza in 18th century South America. He is capturing men, women, and children from the indigenous tribes in the jungle and selling them into slavery. We as the audience want him punished, maybe even killed. But in a major twist, Mendoza becomes a Christian. He asks the priest who is a missionary to the indigenous tribes for penance. Mendoza’s punishment is to drag a heavy bag of old rusty armor through the jungle, up the waterfall, to the village where he must present himself to the tribe he had persecuted.

As Mendoza and the priests climbed the mountain to the village, the villagers saw them coming. One of the village leaders asked the priest why this man was dragging this heavy weight by himself. The priest said he was being punished for his sin. “What was his sin?” the village leader asked. The priest told him that this was the man who had kidnapped, beaten, and sold his people. The villager pulled out his machete and ran down to the former slave trader. He began to scream at Mendoza in a language Mendoza did not know. Then he took his machete, and cut the rope holding the bag which went tumbling down the mountain. The priest said to Mendoza, “He has forgiven you and released you from your burden.” Mendoza sank to the ground and began to weep. This was an act of grace: instead of getting what he deserved, he got what he needed.

Dear Heavenly Father, there’s a reason we call Your grace amazing. We stand amazed that you would give us what we needed instead of what we deserved. Thank you for the cross of grace, in the name of Jesus, Your Son, amen.

Now that we’ve prayed together, please take some time to pray and meditate on how the cross shows God’s grace. Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, day 11

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 16:43:12 GMT

The Cross is Unfair

Welcome to week three and the eleventh day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

All of humankind is born with a selfish, broken, sinful nature that leads to unfairness. Yet there is that scale of justice in our hearts that makes us notice when things are unfair. You see, the justice of God is imprinted on the hearts of men so that we realize when things are unjust, and we see our need for a God of justice. That sense of justice in our hearts is one of the ways God tells us He is there.

As we look at the cross, we can’t help but see it as unfair. Even a thief who hung beside him on another cross saw the unfairness of Jesus’ punishment. Luke 23 tells us that one of thieves who hung on one side of Jesus mocked Jesus on the cross. The other thief rebuked the first thief, saying, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” That thief, the followers of Jesus, and even Pilate the governor saw that Jesus’ death on the cross was unfair. Jesus had done nothing wrong.

To compound the unfairness of the cross, Jesus was taking the punishment for our sins, a punishment we deserved. Romans 3:25 says, “God sent Christ to be OUR sacrifice. Christ offered HIS life’s blood, so that by faith in him WE could come to God.” Well, that’s not fair: Jesus paid the price so we could come to God?

Not only does that seem to be unfair, we have to come to terms with the fact that God ORDAINED this act of unfairness. From the foundation of this world, God had planned to use the unfairness of the human heart to redeem the human heart. Does that make God unfair? It would - if Jesus was an unwilling victim. But Jesus chose the unfairness of the cross. It was an act of grace. We’ll talk more about grace tomorrow.

After we close in prayer, please take a little time to meditate about how the cross was unfair, and how that unfairness redeemed those who believe in Christ and repent of their sins.

Thanks for reading today.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 10

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:25:52 GMT

The Cross Reminds Us of Jesus' Substitution

Welcome to the tenth day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is substitute. One of the problems in cooking authentic recipes from other nations is that they often contain exotic ingredients that you can’t find at your local Grocery Store. Sometimes you can find them on Amazon, but I’m not sure I want to pay a lot of money for a bag of Kaffir Lime leaves that I’m going to use once a year to make a Thai curry. So, what I do is google “kaffir lime leaves substitute”. This will provide me an option for a substitute that won’t be as costly to me: I can use a little lime zest as a substitute for the kaffir lime leaves.

The lime zest is a substitute that saves me a little money. The cross is a substitute that saves my soul. The price of my sin was great. In fact, the only way to pay that price was my own spiritual death: eternal separation from God. But through the plan of God, a substitute for my death was procured. Jesus’ death on the cross was a substitute for my spiritual death. His death on the cross was the substitute for all of us. He took our punishment as a substitute.

2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.” The Greek word “for all” and “for their sake” is huper . It means in place of, on behalf of, a substitute for. Swiss theologian Karl Barth said it was the most important word in the New Testament, because it shows that Jesus on the cross was a substitute for us paying the wages for our sins. We deserved the punishment; Jesus took it freely upon Himself. Maybe that seems unfair. We’ll talk more about unfair on Monday.

I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about how Jesus was our substitute on the cross after we close in prayer.

Heavenly Father, the price for our sins was too great for us to bear, so Your Son, Jesus, bore our sins upon His shoulders as He hung upon the cross to die in our place. Thank you for the love that caused Him to be our substitute. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Continued on Monday

The Meaning of the Cross, day 9

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:59:47 GMT

The Curse of the Cross

Welcome to the ninth day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is curse. When God gave the Law of Moses to the people of Israel there were laws of blessing as well as laws that concerned curses. One of those laws concerned criminals who were hung upon posts in the ground. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “ And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.” This is part of the reason the Jews hurried to remove the bodies of those crucified before the sun set and the Sabbath began.

According to Jewish Law, anyone who was crucified was cursed To the people of Israel, this curse meant a separation from the covenant God had with Israel. Separation from the covenant meant separation from God. This curse meant you were no longer part of the nation of Israel, no longer one of God’s chosen people. You were damned to an eternal death.

This law was just a shadow of the extent and the reality of the situation. In fact, ALL people were under a curse. This curse was the curse of sin. The Law was given to show humankind that no one could follow the Law completely. The book of Romans says that all have sinned, and the wages of that curse of sin is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23) - the same death as that covenantal separation from God. An eternal death with no hope of reprieve.

But look at what it says in Galatians 3:13. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” On the cross, Jesus BECAME the curse. Instead of the curse of eternal death, because of the cross, we are offered the gift of eternal life. He substituted Himself so that the curse of sin no longer had power over us. But we’ll talk more about substitute tomorrow.

We’ll close in prayer now, but would you spend a little time in meditation and prayer today, thinking about how Jesus became a curse on the cross to conquer the curse of sin for us?

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 8

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:45:41 GMT

The Agony of the Cross

Welcome to the eighth day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is agony. I think maybe there are times we take the cross for granted. We gloss over the suffering of the cross. It’s an image around our necks or at the front of the church. And if we picture Jesus on the cross, we often picture him hanging majestically with a look of serene sorrow. But Jesus was not beautiful on the cross.

Isaiah prophesied about the suffering of Jesus on the cross. Look at what the prophet says in Isaiah 52:14, “But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man" (NLT). He was so beaten, so scarred and bruised, that His face hardly looked human anymore.

It wasn’t just His physical body that was battered. Jesus’ very spirit was in agony - the Scripture tells us this. The Bible tells us that Jesus went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, He walked a little way away and knelt with His face to the ground, asking the Father if there was a way to avoid the agony of the cross, yet pledging to follow the will of the Father, even if it led to the anguish of His crucifixion. An angel came to strengthen Him, yet still His torment remained. Luke 22:44 says, “And being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Jesus was willing to suffer this agony to reestablish a connection between God and man that had been lost since the Garden of Eden. After we close in prayer today, I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the agony Jesus was willing to suffer out of love for us.

Father, this is difficult for us to consider. We can’t conceive of what it was like for you to watch your only Son in agony. Thank you for your love for us and thank you for the cross. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 7

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 17:07:51 GMT

The Cross is Our Example

Welcome to our seventh day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is example. The cross stands for us as an example to us. Think of what the cross represents. It represents love, sacrifice, humility, obedience, and other character traits that stand as an example for us to follow. Jesus is the Son of God, and He was sent to show us who God is and what His Kingdom is like. His sacrifice on the cross didn’t just free us from our sins. It set for us an example to follow in our own lives.

The apostle Peter taught about submitting to those in authority over us, pointing to the cross as an example for submission. He wrote the following in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 21, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Peter is telling us that the suffering of Jesus is also an example for us to follow, and the perfect picture of the suffering of Christ is His suspended form dying on the cross in agony.

Stephen, one of the first deacons in the Christian Church, certainly followed the example of the cross. Stephen was proclaiming the truth of the good news of Jesus when he found himself in a situation very similar to the cross. Stephen angered the religious officials and they brought him before them in a mockery of a trial, much like what Jesus faced in Jerusalem. And, like Jesus, Stephen was sentenced to death and brought outside the city to be killed.

We’re going to close in prayer now. After we’ve prayed, would you spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about how you can follow Jesus in the example He set on the cross?

Heavenly Father, You have left us a hard example to follow for Jesus faced the curse of the cross while still maintaining His holiness. Please help us remember that through the aid of the Holy Spirit, we are able to follow the example of the cross in our lives. Thank you for the cross. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, Day 6

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:40:45 GMT

The Cross Casts a Shadow

Welcome to our second week, and, our sixth day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is Shadow. I mentioned Friday that the Old Testament sacrificial system was a shadow of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. When you stand between a light and a wall, your shadow will be cast on the wall. Now that shadow is not you - it has the basic form of you and it may remind people of you, but it is not the real you. In the same way the system of sacrifice for sins in the Old Testament, where the blood of an animal would be shed upon an altar, was the basic outline of what the cross would be. It placed the idea of sacrifice into the hearts of people so that they would recognize the reality of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

Just as the shadow of the cross falls back upon the Old Testament, if also falls forward upon all of us as we live under the covenant of the New Testament. Everything we see in the New Testament is shadowed by the cross. In Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church, he explains his salvation to them. And in Galatians 2:20 , he says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul is saying that the crucifixion of Jesus had cast its shadow upon him, that Paul has sacrificed his own self for the cause of Christ. The old man, the old heart, has been put to death, and now Paul’s new life is the risen Christ living in him.

The shadow of the cross falls upon us as well. Jesus’ sacrifice paid the price for our salvation. His sacrifice paid for our healing, our access to God, our joy, our strength; everything we are able to receive from God is the result of Jesus’ sacrifice upon the cross. The shadow of the cross falls upon all of us, every day. And it is an example for us in our lives. (We’ll talk more about example tomorrow.)

After we close in prayer, I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about how the shadow of the cross continues to fall upon us as believers.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, part 5

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 16:07:17 GMT

The Cross Means Sacrifice

Welcome to our fifth day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series.

Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is sacrifice. We are far removed from the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant established in the Law of Moses. Sacrifice doesn’t quite mean the same thing to us today as it would have meant to the 1st century Christians who read the words of the New Testament. When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, he described Jesus’ work on the cross as a sacrifice. Ephesians 5:2 says, “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” The church in Ephesus would have recognized sacrifice as something very specific. The background of most of the Ephesians was pagan idolatry, although there were some Jewish Christians in the church as well. But in either case, sacrifice in the form of a burnt offering was the common practice. Offering animals to be slaughtered and burned, or even offering fruits of their harvest, was common practice amongst the pagans and the Jews.

On the cross, Jesus did away with the sacrificial system. There was no longer a need to try to appease God, or an idol, by a burnt offering. Jesus became that burnt offering. As we studied in the book of Revelation, Jesus’ appearance before the throne of the Father is first as the sacrificial Lamb. The cross has become the new sacrificial altar. And instead of a repeated sacrifice for sin, Jesus has become the sacrifice, paying the price for our sin once and for all.

Hebrews 9:28 says, “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many…” It is done. As He hung on the cross Jesus declared, “It is finished.” Not just His life, not just His suffering, the SACRIFICE was complete. As we saw yesterday, justice had been satisfied. Our sins were paid for on the cross. New life is now available to those who will follow Him. The old sacrificial system was just a shadow of the ultimate sacrifice which was to come. We’ll be talking more about the foreshadowing of the sacrificial system next week.

After we close in prayer, I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation, thinking about Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

The Meaning of the Cross, part 4

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 18:32:26 GMT

The Justice of the Cross

Welcome to our fourth day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is justice. Perhaps this seems like an odd word to associate with the cross. After all, the trial and execution of Jesus was a travesty of justice. Jesus had committed no crime against the state. One of His fellow prisoners realized this. Even His judge, Pilate, realized Jesus was innocent. But because of the politics of the situation, Pilate allowed the religious leaders to carry out their plan to have Jesus nailed to the cross. Certainly, that was not justice.

No, the justice of the cross is not found in the actions of men. The justice of the cross is found in the action of God. A verse we read yesterday, 1 John 1:9 , says that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Our forgiveness is just. On the scales of justice, the death of Jesus on the cross was a suitable payment for the sins of humankind. Justice was satisfied by Jesus giving Himself on the cross.

But Jesus wasn’t concerned about fairness; He was concerned about us. We had no way to balance the scales of justice, no instrument to offer the payment for our sins. Knowing that we were damned without divine intervention, God intervened in the affairs of men, offering Himself as payment for our sin. Justice was satisfied because of His love for us, because Jesus became the sacrifice. (We’ll talk more about sacrifice tomorrow.)

Let’s close our time in prayer. After we pray, I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the justice of the cross.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, part 3

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:56:55 GMT

The Cross Reminds Us of Forgiveness

Welcome to our third day of our “40 Days of the Cross” series.

Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t always looked at as a virtue these days. I’ve seen it on TV talk shows and Facebook memes - why would you forgive someone who is probably going to hurt you again? Why would you forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it?

I understand why people feel that way: forgiveness isn’t easy. When we are hurt, the natural response is to close ourselves to that person, or perhaps even hurt them back. But that is not God’s response. Although He is under no obligation to us, God forgives us. And the cross is God’s instrument of forgiveness. Romans 8:1 says “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ.” Why, even when Jesus hung on the cross, He looked at His accusers and executioners around Him and said, “Father, forgive them.”

It’s a promise from God. 1 John 1:9 says that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God says it’s the just thing to do. (We’ll talk more about justice tomorrow.) If you’d like more information about giving your life to God, feel free to contact us at the church or click on this link .

After we pray, I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation and prayer thinking about the cross as God’s instrument of forgiveness.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, part 2

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 17:49:13 GMT

The Cross = Death

Welcome to our second day of our 40 days of the cross series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross.

Today’s word is death. I know. It’s not a very attractive word. But the cross wasn’t very attractive. These days crosses made of gold are worn around necks; sometimes they are even studded with diamonds, making a beautiful piece of jewelry - and that’s fine, so long as the person wearing it still understands what the cross means.

The cross means death. The cross was an execution to carry out a death sentence. If, after a certain amount of time, the Roman soldiers thought the person on the cross might still be alive, they would break the victim’s legs so they could no longer support themselves on the spike driven into their feet. You see, they needed to support their weight on that spike to lift themselves up to draw a breath. Once they couldn’t do that, the victim suffocated. The gospel of John tells us that the soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves hanging on crosses to either side of Jesus. But then it says this in chapter 19, verse 32. “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.”

When you see a cross, remember that it was an instrument of death. Jesus died on the cross. The apostle Paul said that the death of Jesus was the most important doctrine. In 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul wrote, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.”

Do we have a symbol of death on the front of our church? Is there a symbol of death hanging on a gold chain around the necks of people all around the world? Yes. That’s what the cross is: a symbol of death. But that death had a purpose. As we just read Paul’s words, Jesus died for OUR SINS. It was the only way sin could be forgiven.

We’ll talk more about forgiveness tomorrow. Now, let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, it is with sober hearts that we give thanks for the death of Your Son, Jesus. It almost seems callous to thank You for something that cost You so dearly. And yet, this gift of love freed us from our sin. I also thank You that Jesus rose again into new life to offer us new life as well. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

I encourage you to spend a little time in meditation and prayer this afternoon, thinking about the aspect of Jesus’ death as it relates to the cross.

Continued tomorrow

The Meaning of the Cross, part 1

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 18:53:01 GMT

The Compassion of the Cross

Today we are kicking off a series in our devotional that is nothing like we have done here in the past. Beginning today and going through Good Friday, we are going to be walking through “ 40-days of the Cross ,” looking into the Meaning of the Cross. If you do the math, we there are more than 40 days to Good Friday, but since we will not be having the devotional on weekends, we are beginning before Ash Wednesday and ending on Good Friday.

Welcome to our first day of our 40 Days of the Cross series. Each day we are taking just a few minutes to look at a word which will help us better understand the meaning of the cross. Today’s word is compassion. Compassion was shown throughout Jesus’ ministry, but nowhere was it more evident than when Jesus hung on the cross, on a hill, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Jesus’ death on the cross was His greatest act of love.

Look at what Jesus Himself said in John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus gave His life for us as a supreme act of love. No matter who you are, no matter how unlovely you might think you are, Jesus loves you. His compassion is shown in His sacrifice for you on the cross.

Now, the cross is still symbolic of death. We don’t often dwell on that very often - but we will talk about that more tomorrow. For now, let’s take a moment, wherever we are and pray.

Each day of these 40 days, I will share a prayer, but I encourage you, after you have read it, to spend a little time in meditation and prayer, thinking about the aspect of the cross we’ve discussed – in this week’s devotional, the aspect of compassion.

Heavenly Father, we thank you today for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. This act of compassion is our greatest gift. Help us to better understand the depth of Your love for us. Help us to see that Your compassion for us is not limited by our brokenness. For Your compassion is shown to us in that while we were still sinners, Your Son died on the cross for us. May you expand our own compassion as we consider Yours. In the Name of Jesus, amen.

Thanks for listening/reading today. Please take some time to consider the compassion of the cross. Continued tomorrow

Serving God's Purpose, part 5

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 17:18:56 GMT

Submitting leads to better serving...

However, once the Spirit of God touched Jacob’s heart he was a changed man. His change was so drastic that God gave him a new name. He was no longer to be called Jacob but rather, Israel.

Paul and Barnabas were two examples of men whose hearts had been touched by God. Acts 13:50-52 “…They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” How many of us would be filled with joy over the fact that we had just gotten expelled from a city? Paul and Barnabas could see beyond themselves. They didn’t even think about the fact that they got kicked out. They were happy to have served their God.

Stubbornness un-yielded, get its feelings hurt every time. Folks, I don’t consider myself as submitted to God as I could be, but I can tell you this: If I didn’t have some element of submission in my life I would have given up this position as your pastor a long time ago. A person cannot live fully for himself or herself and fully serve God at the same time, because there are too many things that come at you. Pastoring is taking care of sheep, and sometimes sheep bite. But I love the sheep God has entrusted to me, so I continue.

Stubbornness is self. Self has no spiritual perception. Self cannot see beyond itself. It cannot see the greater meanings and causes of things, but submission can. Submission has great spiritual perception. Maybe that’s why women more naturally sense things in the spirit realm, they live submitted. Men have a harder time spiritually because we look at submission as weakness.

Look at what the women’s liberation movement did to ruin the spirituality of women by scoffing at the idea of submission. Many feminists have almost a hatred for God because they believe God wants to infringe on their body’s rights. Their lack of submission to God has ruined their spiritual perception.

It takes stubbornness to be a good leader, but it must be a submitted stubbornness, which then becomes submission to God’s purpose. We should go from a stubbornness of what we want to a stubbornness of what God wants. A good spiritual leader is one who is unmoved concerning the Will and Word of God. If they believe it is the Will of God for something then nothing is going to change their mind. Now the very traits and experiences of your life become of value to you because they have come under God’s care.

If you don’t bring yourself under God’s care then the scars and deep-seated hurts in life will continue to hinder you and mess up your life. However, a yielded person will find that those very scars and hurts have now become the source of your influence. You can now serve God’s purpose in your generation because of what you have gone through in life.

Here is my final point: Do you want to serve God’s purpose? Then bring your life under His. Our praying and fasting was meant to bring ourselves under God. Did those of you who were able to fast notice how quickly you wanted to rise up rather than stay down? In the midst of a fast we get into a battle of wills, don’t we? In the midst of a missions emphasis, we get into that same battle. That is why we just ask you to ask God what HE would have you do for missions over the next year.

Paul once said, “I die daily.” That means that these types of activities - giving, praying, and fasting - need to be a regular part of our lives. We have a continual struggle with the flesh. And once it rises up, we cease to serve God’s purpose; we go back into the flesh and do things our way. But if we can keep it down, then we will begin to fit into what it is God has for us to do in His Kingdom. END

Serving God's Purpose, part 4

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 17:30:40 GMT

Jacob: A Lesson in Leadership Development

The same could be said for each one of us. Why were you born into the family you were born? I believe it’s because you gained something from your family upbringing, whether that was good or not, which is necessary for you to serve God’s purposes to your generation. Not everybody’s family experience was or is pleasant but that doesn’t matter – that’s really not the point. The point is this: you are who you are, and you experienced what you did, because God has a purpose for your life.

One of the verses in Job that really intrigued me is in Job 33:14 “For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it.” One of the points I like to try to make is how often God answers prayer in ways that we do not recognize because we are quite sure how He should answer our prayer. I mean, we’ve laid the situation out before the Lord, we’ve given Him good instruction as to how He should handle this, we’ve most assuredly impressed Him with our wisdom and compassion and then we think He’s not answering us because nothing seems to be happening regarding our prayer.

Generally, God answers prayer in a way that brings glory to Him rather than us – and that’s what messes us up. We tend to think that if only God would do it my way, then everyone around me could see how spiritual I am! The problem comes back to this issue of cultivating the heart. Sometimes, when it comes to leadership; God must wait until the cultivating is finished before He can use a person. And many times, cultivating means broken, shattered, torn-apart, and then put back together, so that the qualities God put in you can finally be put to His use.

Consider Jacob and Esau for a moment. God chose Jacob over Esau, not because of Jacob’s goodness, but because of Esau’s weakness. Esau was not the type to allow his heart to be cultivated. God was narrowed down to these two sons in carrying out the promise of Abraham. Jacob was contemptible in his moral dealings.

However, he had the qualities of leadership (which were completely lacking in his older brother Esau). Jacob’s moral character was a serious hindrance. God had to deal with him in almost inconceivable ways to finally get use of his strong mental capabilities. His body had to be weakened before his mental power would yield.

After Jacob deceived his earthly father and stole his older brother’s birthright, the sentence upon his life seemed quite stiff. He was sent away never to see any of his family again for over 20 years. He never saw his mother again at all. His life was spent in hard servitude. He had to come face to face with God in a wrestling match before he was willing to submit, and even then, not until God touched his hip socket and knocked it out of joint so that he walked with a limp the rest of his life.

The short of it was that Jacob had leadership qualities but he was stubborn. Stubbornness is strength not strong enough to yield. Stubbornness can be an excellent leadership quality once it is yielded to God. Then it is no longer stubbornness; it’s submission. Stubbornness yielded becomes submission. And every good leader operates from a position of submission.

Do you know what it means to be stubborn? In the New Testament the word stubborn is translated “hard hearted.” So when you read the words, “hard hearted” you could substitute the word “stubborn” there. Its Greek meaning is someone destitute of spiritual perception. Every one of us has qualities that God could use, but because of a lack of spiritual perception, i.e. stubbornness, we often fail to serve God’s purposes.

Though Jacob was chosen to be a leader of his people, it took God twenty years to get Jacob to “see” it. Hardheartedness equals stubbornness, which equals the lack of spiritual perception. Jacob spent twenty years in hard labor because he refused to submit to God. I’m not trying to relate all hard labor jobs to the lack of spiritual perception. I’m merely relating to Jacob’s case where God was trying to get a spiritual message to him and it took twenty years for him to finally yield to God’s purpose. And even then it wasn’t until there was a knock down drag out fight with God. (Let me just add here that having to have a knock down drag out fight with God is NOT something one would brag about.)

Continued tomorrow

Serving God's Purpose, part 3

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 18:04:57 GMT

A Cultivated Heart

The required qualities for serving are heart qualities. Every person has the ability to cultivate heart qualities. In his epistle to the Romans, Paul talked about our “reasonable service,” which applies to every one of us as believers. All believers should serve God’s purposes - but not all do, because of the failure to cultivate certain heart qualities. God’s Spirit must touch the human heart in order for it to gain the qualities needed for service.

But in order for the Spirit of God to touch us we must cultivate the heart. I use the word “cultivate” on purpose. To cultivate means to break up fallow ground, to prepare the soil to receive the seed. A month ago we went on a three-day fast as a church. I believe praying and fasting is a part of the cultivating process. Praying, fasting, and giving all dig into our heart and work it over. Many times, in order for the Spirit of God to touch our human hearts, there needs to be a brokenness in the heart first.

Do you really want to find out the kind of person you are? Then sacrifice something. Sacrifice your money. Sacrifice your time, or energy, or _________ (fill in the blank – your choice). Whenever we sacrifice our money, or sacrifice our time by spending it in prayer, or sacrifice meals to focus on God and His Word, we suddenly see ourselves a little differently. However, the reason we see ourselves differently is because those practices open us up to the Holy Spirit’s work in us.

At the beginning of this message, I asked two questions: Have you ever wondered why you were born when you were? And why you were born where you were? God has purpose in all He does. You weren’t just born, without purpose. The Bible says that in the fullness of time, God sent His Son.

Fullness of time basically means, when all things are ready. When all things were ready, God sent His Son. John the Baptist had been making straight a path in the wilderness, the Roman empire had constructed a network of highways the like of which the world had never seen before, which meant the spreading of the Gospel would be much easier than prior to that. The stage was set, the fullness of time had come, and Jesus came on the scene.

Continued tomorrow

Serving God's Purpose, part 2

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:23:23 GMT

Living with a mission in mind

I just love something I read by Dick Brogden, one of our A/G Missionaries serving in the greater Arab world (he also leads what we know as the “Live Dead Experience”): “Two uncomfortable truths make up the Good News: Everyone is a sinner, and God died for everyone’s sin. The Good News is weird and wonderful. Our role is to witness to the mystery. If we are but a voice for the marvelous, it does not matter what others think of us. We are not the point of the Gospel. If our voice is rejected or silenced, another voice will rise, for the power is not in our voice, the power is in the message.”

Doesn’t that address this whole issue of everyone wanting to be different from what they are? I think one of the great hindrances in us sharing the Gospel is that we fear rejection. We want to be liked, and yet, as Brogden brought out, our role is to witness to the mystery… it does not matter what others think of us. When I think of my friend in ministry, Dean Niforatos, he could care less if you like him or not. He feels God has given him an assignment in life and he is determined to serve God’s purpose in his generation whether we like him or not. That’s part of what makes him a most effective evangelist.

Here is a second quote from Dick Brogden: “A worldview driven by cultural anthropology leads people to make concessions to culture in order to be accepted. Missional living guided by biblical theology leads people to prioritize the King’s message, which inevitably makes a majority of the populace dislike them. This tension cannot be reconciled without heresy, so it must not be reconciled.”

We are going to focus a little on people who are living “missional” lives, meaning they are guided by Biblical theology, which often puts them in conflict within the cultures they live. In a word, they are “missionaries.” I consider today’s missionaries to be modern day Apostles, and to be that, you need to have a heart like the Apostle Paul (another person who couldn’t have cared less about what people thought of him - as long as he was serving God’s purpose to his generation).

In one of my Bible reading plans, I have been reading through the book of Job for a number of weeks. One of the things I find interesting is how all of Job’s comforters were determined to find out what was wrong with Job, or how Job had to change, or repent if he was ever going to rid himself of all the things plaguing him at the time. But Job holds his ground, doesn’t he? He never gives in to his comforters’ challenge for him to change. And in the end God tremendously blesses Job’s life so that the end of his life was even greater than the first of his life.

Serving

Having said all of that I now want to turn our attention to the subject of serving. There is an old saying: “Salvation is for all. Service is for those willing to serve.”

Just to be clear, there is a difference between our service to God and the use of our talents. If God hasn’t given you the talent to play the guitar, then He is not expecting you to play the guitar. Within our service to God, we take advantage of the talents God has given us. But certain talents are not required before we can serve God.

Continued tomorrow

Serving God's Purpose, part 1

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:04:24 GMT

Being Who God Made You to Be

Have you ever wondered why you were born when you were? Have you ever wished you had been born in a whole different time? Or better yet, have you ever wondered why you were born where you were? Why were you born in America? Some of you might not relate to that because you were born in another country, or maybe your parents were, or your grandparents. But regardless of all that, you are in America today… Why?

Acts 13:36 “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep.” Once David had completed what God wanted him to do, he died. From that, we can suppose that the fact that we are still living means we still have something God wants us to do. So this thought will either motivate you to get busy about the kingdom’s business or slow you way down not really wanting to go to heaven any time soon.

Let’s consider what it means to serve God’s purpose.

A few years ago, I heard a missionary speak at a conference. He was the son of a millionaire, so when he announced that God had called him into the mission field, many people were quite shocked that a young man - who had the potential of making millions of dollars if he had followed his father’s footsteps -was giving all of that up to work in Africa. But he did. And he worked there for many years.

As he was sharing about the church he pastored in Kenya (a church of about 3,000 people) and how they are reaching out to businessmen, dignitaries, and diplomats, I was struck with the thought that he was serving God’s purposes in his own generation. His entire upbringing, and the world of finances he was accustomed to, turned out to be training for God’s ultimate purpose for him.

I believe God puts within us all the desire to be something or to do something significant for our generation and for God. I remember reading a book by a man named Don Miller, I want to share a quote from him: “Everybody wants to be fancy and new. Nobody wants to be themself. I mean, maybe people want to be themselves, but they want to be different, with different clothes or shorter hair or less fat. It’s a fact. If there was a guy who just liked being himself and didn’t want to be anybody else, that guy would be the most different guy in the world and everybody would want to be him.”

Isn’t that an interesting point? Who is the one person in all of history that was content with who He was – never expressing the desire to be somebody else? Jesus! And now everybody wants to be Him, just like Don Miller said.

“There is a side of Christianity that promises to make us new.” That is one of the most appealing aspects of it. That is why most people get saved: they begin to realize that who they are is not the person they want to be. And they realize that what they are doing is not what they want to do in life. I don’t mean job wise. I mean influence wise, or significance wise. People want to influence other people, but often the only way to do that is to start being who God made you to be.

Continued tomorrow

The one who overcomes, believes; the one who believes, LOVES - part 5

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 18:00:54 GMT

True love for God is seen in loving our neighbor...

We love, even if it is not going to produce a trophy for our efforts. Jesus tells us to love our neighbor in the same way we love our self.

So the next logical question we need to answer is: what does it mean to love our self? C. S. Lewis wrote, “… When I look into my own mind, I find that I do not love myself by thinking myself a dear old chap or having affectionate feelings. I do not think that I love myself because I am particularly good, but just because I am myself and quite apart from my character. I might detest something, which I have done. Nevertheless, I do not cease to love myself. In other words, that definite distinction that Christians make between hating sin and loving the sinner is one that you have been making in your own case since you were born. You dislike what you have done, but you don’t cease to love yourself. You may even think that you ought to be hanged. You may even think that you ought to go to the Police and own up and be hanged. Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.”

We see our own sin and dismiss it as something that is not what we are going to base our own love of self upon. However, often we then to see others sin and decide that their sin is what we are going to base our love for them on. We look only at the sin and we do not love sin so we tend then to not even love the sinner.

We often hear and even quote the cliché, “Love the sinner; hate the sin.” Perhaps you even said it to yourself before reading it here a moment ago. Though it is not a saying found in the Bible, Jude 1:22–23 contains a similar idea when it says: “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear — hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” According to this, our evangelism should be characterized as having mercy on the sinners and a healthy hatred of sin and its effects as to keep us from partaking in ourselves.

The question that we must then ask ourselves is: How much do we hate our neighbors to not have mercy on them? It makes me think again of Jesus’ words in Luke 10:2-3; “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”

God’s Word has a way about it that it comes at just the right time. But just as our scriptures this week have pointed out – true love for God is found in loving your neighbor.

Will you love with me? I’m asking the best of the best. I love you guys and, together, we have seen miracles; we have prayed together and witnessed the hand of God move. He is not going to move in a church that does not seek Him. But proper worship in obedience is taking the hope we have to those who have not.

How about Christian Assembly leading the charge to win this City for the King?

1 Corinthians 13:2 “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” END

The one who overcomes, believes; the one who believes, LOVES - part 4

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 19:12:55 GMT

Just who is my neighbor?

This victory of God as an overcoming force is now ours and assures us that we can love God and obey His commandments.

The marks of the new birth: belief, love, obedience. This life is not a life of burden but rather a life of victory and celebration. Victory is first and only preceded by confession that “Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 2:22 “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?”) . Then in chapter 4 we read, “ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15).

In our main Bible passage this week, the word LOVE is used five times in the first four verses alone. Love is a prominent theme, not just of our study passage this week, but also for the life of a believer.

In Mark 12 , Jesus answers a Scribe who asked Him which commandment is the greatest or most important. Mark 12:29 “Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

We know well the first part, right? I think that most of us now have a good understand of what is required in loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. But the second command, which Jesus throws alongside the first (making it seem as the two together are really mutually dependent upon each other), indicates that you cannot love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength if you are not able to love your neighbor as yourself. And vice versa: you can’t truly love your neighbor if you do not fully love God. And you cannot fully love God if you do not love your neighbor.

For a few moments, let’s examine what it means to truly love our neighbor as ourselves and the practical application of this saying.

First, let’s ask the age-old question, “Who are my neighbors?” In Luke 10 , Jesus was asked a question of what to do to be saved. In response, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans did not play nice together, but in this parable, you have a Samaritan helping a Jewish man.

Jesus concluded this parable with a question. “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell to the robbers?” The Samaritan, the one who showed mercy. Jesus says, “Go and now do likewise.” So the moral of the story is this: your neighbor is not limited to physical location as it pertains to your house, but rather, your neighbor is anyone that you might be able to show mercy towards.

Continued tomorrow

The one who overcomes, believes; the one who believes, LOVES - part 3

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:05:45 GMT

Faith in Jesus is where we get the ability to overcome...

John links loving our brother and sisters in Christ to “carrying out His commands.” Look again at 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

John is distinguishing between the emotional feelings of love for God by defining one who truly loves God as one who “keep(s) His commandments.” The true lover of God is the obedient one. This person not only has an emotional love but also has a praise of physical response to that love. True love (agape) requires action.

This kind of love displayed in humanity would be to “lay down your life for another.” This kind of love directed to God would be a life that is living out an active love for God. A life that is eager and never tired of obedience. This will be a life that is marked by a defining relationship as a “Child of God.” This child will be defined and known for their absolute obedience and service to God, their ultimate source of Love. A child of the king, who has been shown relentless love, will, in turn, choose to love unquestionably.

Moving on to verse 4: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” “It is not the man but his birth from God, which conquers” (Alfred Plummer, Commentary on the Epistles of St. John, CGT [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1894], in loc.).

It was on our behalf that Jesus has made us born of Him. It is with this new supernatural birth that God is transplanting humanity, by the blood of Jesus, from the kingdom of death into the Kingdom of Life. It is through this new life and through the byproduct of this new relationship, Faith, that we overcome the world’s darkness. The victory has already been won on our behalf. We are to now continue to have faith in the One who is victorious, Jesus. Through our faith we too are victorious. It is by faith we now have access to what was once accomplished by and through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.

Now to verse 5: “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” John is asking a simple question, isn’t he? But could it really be that simple? Yes! Faith In Jesus is where we get the ability to overcome. Verse 1 tells us, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God….” It begins with the new birth, the begetting act of God. It is when this new birth is experienced that the believer moves into faith and faith into action. It all boils down to the believer’s confession of faith in the Jesus. That Jesus is the Son of God and He is the victory of God.

Continued tomorrow

The one who overcomes believes; the one who believes, loves - part 2

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 16:39:03 GMT

Living out an ACTIVE faith

We have a unique opportunity (which the Scriptures afford to us) to gain advice and wisdom by looking and learning from the examples of old. Looking at verse 1 of 1 John 5: “Everyone – who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him.” It is very important to note that, this verse, in the Greek, is to be read in the present tense: “Everyone who (is) believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who (is consumed with) loving the Father (is also currently actively loving) loves whoever has (also been born, as you have) been born of Him.” Emphasis was added by using ( ). This is also written in the present tense because it is a continual belief in Jesus the Christ, not a past belief. It is the same as: Everyone who is living an active faith….

Far too often the church can seem to get caught up with the wrong perspective by declaring, “I have already accepted Jesus as my Savior.” However, a correct perspective for the overcoming believer is to be, “I am, right now and always will be, accepting Jesus as my Savior always.” Not “I was saved,” but “I was saved, and I am being saved.” That is, at least, on this side of eternity you can say this.

“Believing” in Jesus is a direct result of our “having been born of God” and therefore becomes an “assessment” or a type proof of that new birth. Verse 2 continues, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments.”

This statement causes us trouble because it reverses what is expected. We often like to read it as: “And this is how we know that we love God: by loving His children and obeying His commands.” But, instead, John concludes: “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands.” 1 John 5:2

Even as one cannot love God without loving His children, it is also impossible to truly love the children of God without also loving God. As active believers in the deity of Jesus the Savior, if we claim we love our brother and not God, we are not truly recognizing our brother as one who has also been born of God, and we do not offer him the true love that comes only from the Father. “If love to men proves the worth of our love to God, love to God proves the worth of our love to men” – G. G. Findley.

Continued tomorrow

The one who overcomes, believes; the one who believes loves, part 1

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 18:58:20 GMT

Love - a diagnostic tool

1 John 5:1-5 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” ESV

What we just read was written to existing believers to remind them to keep love as the primary motivation when dealing with other believers. But not much is known about the condition or location of the church to whom John wrote this letter (epistle).

Often times in historical or ancient writings, the location or some hint as to the identity of the church can be understood when clues such as names of prominent people are mentioned or geographical locations are revealed. 1 John includes no such hints. However, extra Biblical sources believe John was writing to the church he was a part of (probably even planted) while living in Ephesus.

With a full reading of this epistle, three things can be understood about the identity of the church and its condition. First: He is writing to a Christian Church (yes, I realize that that should be obvious). Second: John appears to know them well, and vice versa. Thirdly: False teaching was spreading through this church, a teaching that came from within their own community. It was a threat which was both serious and which appears to have arisen from within their own church community:

Look with me at 1 John 2:18-19 in the NASB. “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.”

It would seem to me that the point John is trying to make in these two verses is this: Love, and its application within the members of the community of God, works as a diagnostic tool to determine who has held fast to the Gospel teaching about who Jesus is; and the lack of love will determine who has departed from the community and followed the teaching of the secessionist opponents.

Continued tomorrow

Why Fast II? part 5

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 17:17:59 GMT

Let's Go All In!

The day we live in is so under spiritual attack that we really have no other option. We must be people of prayer and fasting. If we would desperately seek God before we are desperate, we could save ourselves a lot of desperation.

I feel such a strong urge to call us as a church to a deeper walk with Jesus! This really isn’t about promoting a church or a thing… it’s about promoting the presence of Jesus. The Lord began to deal with me regarding my own personal prayer life back in 1982. The things I experienced in the privacy of my prayer closet were so transforming that I just couldn’t get away from the idea of influencing as many as I could toward the same thing, knowing that, once they tasted and saw that the Lord is good, they would want more.

We’ve talked about fasting; now let me talk a little about prayer, because the two go together… hand in glove. Did you know that prayer has always marked the Pentecostal movement? Robert C. Cunningham, the past editor of a publication formerly called The Pentecostal Evangel, wrote about Pentecostals and prayer, encouraging readers to “keep in vital touch with God through prayer.” Cunningham explained, “Pentecostal people know something about the power of prayer. All we have received from God has come through the avenue of personal prayer.” The church was birthed in prayer on the day of Pentecost – and it is sustained through prayer.

Cunningham expressed concern that Pentecostals, in some quarters, had lost their spiritual vitality. He warned against prayer-less Pentecostalism, which he described as a “dried-up stream devoid of power and beauty.” “Without prayer,” he wrote, “our lives will be empty and our testimony a hollow echo.” He described prayer-less Pentecostals as miserable and noted that we can “go through Pentecostal ritual, but without prayer it will be as dry as dust.”

How should Pentecostals pray? Cunningham pointed to Acts 1:14 as a scriptural model: “The disciples were worshiping God, mixing praises with their prayers. They prayed through until their souls burst forth in a torrent of praise.” When the disciples prayed in this way, they encountered God in a miraculous way: “They magnified God; their souls became enveloped with the divine glory; the Holy Ghost took full control of their enraptured souls and it was then they began to speak in other tongues the wonderful works of God their souls had been contemplating.”

In Cunningham’s estimation, prayer was as important to the disciples as preaching. What happened when the disciples prayed? The lost were saved, the sick were healed, those who had been arrested and persecuted by hostile authorities were delivered, and the church grew. According to Cunningham, this kind of prayer — that which is powerful and effective (James 5:16) — continues to be needed today.

Don’t you feel as though the Church is just missing something today? We have all of our theology down pat, but knowing what’s right and living the right way are two different things. My challenge to our church is this: if we are going to do this thing called Christianity, let’s go all the way into it. Let’s Go ALL IN! END

Why Fast II? part 4

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 18:20:29 GMT

If you struggle with fleshly desires, just fast...

I found Jesus’ response to their question about whom she will be married to in heaven quite intriguing. Luke 20:34-35 “Jesus said, ‘Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God” The Message.

What Jesus was basically saying is that we are too carnal in our thinking. The flesh is a preoccupation to us. One day all intimacies will be directed toward God, because we will be (we are), the children of God. We really are preoccupied with the flesh aren’t we? Since my mom and dad have passed to the next life, and since they were Christians, I have found myself saying many times, “Well now they are together.” According to Jesus that’s not true. They are both there but they are not taken up with each other – they are fully taken up with Jesus, and He is sufficient.

We keep thinking in terms of our humanness, don’t we? That would be our ideal, wouldn’t it, that we will have all of our family together, the way a hen gathers her chicks, and we will all be happy. It’s true we will all be happy in heaven and we will love each other, but there really will be no need for those kinds of relationships in heaven. Jesus alone will suffice.

Let me share a dream one of my pastor friends had, not long after his mom passed away. He told me, “I dreamt I died and went to heaven. When my mom met me, I expected her to dote over me and help me tuck in my shirt and comb my hair, you know, mom stuff – but it wasn’t like that at all. It’s not that she didn’t care that I was there; instead, she was preoccupied with me meeting Jesus face to face. I was kind of like, “Ok mom, I’m here, make a big fuss over me – instead she took my hand and said, ‘You must come and see Jesus.’”

We can’t think of heaven any other way because that would be bringing the thinking of this carnal world into the heavenly realm. The Lord’s Prayer does not say, “Thy will be done in heaven, as it is on earth,” but rather, “Thy Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Jesus was continually trying to get us to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth.

If you struggle with fleshly desires, just fast. Fasting burns away carnal desires and that is what pleases the Lord. If a week later you are still struggling, just fast again. Sometimes I wonder if some of the great men of God we read about fasted on a regular basis just to keep themselves in check. When you read about Charles Finney or George Mueller, you find that they, and many others, fasted on a weekly basis. The Apostle Paul even gave a warning about making his body his slave so that after he preached to others, he would not be disqualified for the prize.

I just know this: There is something about fasting that literally kills carnal desires. Not necessarily our hunger, but our carnal desires. I believe that’s part of what Jesus was getting at when He said, “You guys are too preoccupied with marriage.” In other words, unless you learn to deny yourself periodically you will be absorbed with this world's perspectives.

Continued tomorrow

Why Fast II? part 3

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:49:47 GMT

Filtering out the toxins

When a person is saved, the Spirit of the Lord entering into their heart transforms them to a certain degree. Fasting assists and furthers this process because of what it does to the mind.

Let’s go back to the young mom from Lodi, WI and look at what was going on in her heart. One of the physical benefits of fasting is that it cleanses. It cleanses the body of toxins and various poisons that have built up within our systems. The primary reason we have headaches and body aches while fasting is because of the things being dumped into our blood. When we fast, our bodies redirect energy from digestion to house-cleaning. The entire body turns into a refinery.

The blood acts as a sewer system and removes the toxins. With our cells cleansed of toxins we experience a newness of life. Every nerve fiber in our body will come alive and our senses will be sharper. When we eat, blood rushes to our stomach; when we exercise, blood rushes to our muscles. But when we do neither of those two things (neither eating, nor exercising) when we fast, blood rushes to the mind. All of our senses become sharper during an extended fast. This is why, on an extended fast, many people receive revelation; their mind is sharper.

In the book of Leviticus we read of when the priests would offer an animal as a sacrifice to God. They would trim off the fat of the animal along with some of its internal organs and burn it on the altar. Leviticus 3:16 “The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s.”

The burning of the fat rises as a sweet-smelling savor unto the Lord. When we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, the fat, which burns during the fast, rises up as something sweet to the Lord. However, this does not mean that Jesus just loves the smell of burning fat; it’s that the fat represents the carnal life. Fasting burns up carnal thinking.

The same thing happens spiritually when we fast, as it does physically. After three days of fasting at the Solemn Assembly Pastor Ron was leading in Lodi, the junk in people’s lives began to come to the surface and they were ridding themselves of it through confession. It may have taken a little longer for the young mom whom the Lord told was lukewarm, but she eventually laid it out on the altar - and that is what pleases the Lord.

Now, I want to take you to at least one of the verses I read in my devotional readings this past week. In Luke 20, Jesus was being challenged about the resurrection by the Sadducees, who did not believe in a resurrection (which is why they are "sad, you see"). Trying to trap Jesus yet again, they asked Him about a widow who ended up marrying seven brothers because they kept dying on her. She married the first brother; he died. She married the second brother; he died. She eventually married all seven of the brothers, and they all died.

Continued tomorrow

Why Fast II? part 2

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 17:17:16 GMT

Fasting: Going all in

Some of you may remember my friend, Pastor Ron Auch. He once shared the following story about an experience he had in Lodi, WI.

“I was leading a three-day Solemn Assembly. The church fasted the entire time, and we spent the whole day in church. We arrived each morning around 6:00 am and didn’t leave until about 9:00 pm. The days were filled with prayer and the Word. We encouraged people to come to the church and just camp out for the day. Many of them brought pillows and their Bible, found a place they wanted to park themselves, and just stayed in an attitude of prayer all day long.

I conducted this each year for a number of years. One year in particular we had a very powerful incident. In the evenings, there was always a teaching on prayer and then a time of reflection. During this particular meeting, God began to move on the hearts of the people and they began to confess their sins publicly.

You could tell it was a move of God because there was no condemnation coming from anyone. People were free to open their hearts. This went on for the first two nights. On the third and final night, it started happening again - but the meeting was really capped off by a young mom getting up and confessing something. She and her husband were very successful: they had a new home; a new car, and things were going very well for them. They were kind of like the Laodicea church: rich and no need of anything.

After several others had come forward to share, she came up to the mic toward the end of the meeting, very broken. She confessed that she had been very critical of those who had been coming up and making public confessions of their sins the two previous nights. She said, “While you were all up here sharing about the problems in your life, I was sitting back there telling God that there is no need for that, and that they should not be doing that.” Then she went on to explain something that had happened to her the night before.

In the middle of the night her two-year-old daughter got sick so she got up and was tending to her when she realized that she was about to throw-up. So she picked her up with her back to mommy, facing forward (which is the best way to carry a child who’s about to throw up). She got half way down the hallway when her daughter threw up all over everything. After she got her daughter back to bed, she knew she had to clean up the mess (husbands never seem to wake up for this kind of thing – they’ll even sleep through the smell). She got a bucket and a sponge, and as she took a swipe of the mess she heard a voice say, “Lukewarm.” She wasn’t quite sure if that’s exactly what she heard so she took another swipe and heard it again, “Lukewarm!” Suddenly it hit her, this is the voice of the Lord.

As she stood before us weeping she shared with us how God had to get her on her knees before Him, knee-deep in vomit, before she could realize that what she was cleaning up is what she had become to Jesus. She repented of being lukewarm and asked the crowd to forgive her for her critical thoughts about them.”

My honest response to that, once again, is this: if we are going to do this thing called Christianity, why not go all the way with it (Go ALL IN!)? Why settle for anything less than what Jesus has for us? And if that means setting aside a few days to seek God through prayer and fasting, so be it.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.” I have always felt that offering our bodies as a living sacrifice can apply to fasting, even though there may be other applications of this verse. When we fast, we are living; but offering ourselves to the Lord. We are a living sacrifice. This is our true and proper worship. Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Continued tomorrow

Why Fast II? part 1

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:56:31 GMT

No excuses

As we were winding down last week’s study, Why Fast, I began feeling as though we really shouldn’t stop, on Friday, with the ending of that study. So we’re going to continue to look into this topic again this week. We need to be a people of prayer AND fasting!

I want to start with a statement we ended with last week. I was quoting one of the comments a Missionary friend made as he shared with me concerning how the Lord prompted him to go on a three-day fast.

As God was dealing with him he finally came to the point of accepting the fact that for 30 years he had made up excuses as to why he couldn’t fast and that if he was going to do this thing, called Christianity, he was going to do away with all those excuses and go with it all the way (Go ALL IN!). (I can identify with that to a certain degree.) I was looking back at a prayer journal I had when I first really starting praying. I logged how much time I spent in prayer (and fasting), the things I was praying about, how the Lord was speaking to and dealing with me. I used to fast a lot. However, because I was very honest in my journaling, I admitted to breaking fasts early from time to time. Usually it was during extended fasts of 14 days or more.

The easiest things to make excuses for are our carnal desires. And those excuses seem very real and convincing at the time. I read about one of my fasts and it says that on day ten, I had lost 17 pounds. Can you imagine that? 10 days from today some of us could be 17 to 20 pounds lighter! But that should be a side effect of a fast for spiritual purposes, not the purpose nor the motivation of it. When I look back at the times I gave up early, I have to accept the fact that the flesh won those battles.

I think we should all agree with my missionary friend and say that if we are going to do this thing called Christianity, why not go all the way with it? Go ALL IN! Because, the truth of the matter

In one of the books I’ve read on prayer, the author makes reference to a Bible teacher who asked his class two questions. He said, “How many of you would say you could care less about spiritual things? You do absolutely nothing to enhance your own spirituality or advance the Kingdom of God?” Much to his relief, not one raised their hand.

Then he asked, “How many of you would say that you do absolutely all that you can for Jesus, that your life is consumed with growing spiritually and advancing the kingdom of God?” Much to his chagrin, not one person raised their hand.

He then said, “Ok, what you are saying is that you are neither hot nor cold, but rather lukewarm.” He obviously set them up, however it’s rather convicting isn’t it. Especially in light of Jesus saying, Revelation 3:16 “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit.” The Message

The context of these verses is a message to the Church of Laodicea. Laodicea was a church that basically stated that they had all they needed, and that there was no need to pursue her relationship with Jesus any further.

Continued tomorrow

Why Fast? part 5

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 18:03:00 GMT

Some practical advice on fasting

Here is our conflict – and here is where fasting becomes most powerful: since the outer person is only broken through external pressure, we, through fasting, are showing God our deep intent to become what He wants us to be, by voluntarily altering our external world. Fasting creates external pressure. Fasting is voluntary: we are showing God how serious we are to become what He wants us to be by voluntarily applying pressure on our carnal nature.

Practical Tips

Let’s consider some practical things about fasting. If you have never fasted in your life, I challenge you to do so. If you have medical issues which require you to take certain foods, then you may want to fast something other than food (most medicines are absorbed into your system through food). Or you may want to do a partial fast.

Usually, without an intake of food, vitamins and medications pass right through us. Maybe you should fast television or social media, or internet and determine to read one of the books of the Bible in a day. Read the book of Revelation. If you must eat, eat very sparingly – just enough to satisfy your doctor’s orders.

Often, a one-day fast seems to be anything but spiritual because it is not uncommon to get a little crabby. You will also get faster’s breath because of the release of toxins.

Arthur Wallis talks about the three different kinds of fasts in his book, God’s Chosen Fast.
1. The normal fast – abstaining from food for one or more days. Usually the normal fast is a three-day fast (water only).
2. The absolute fast – no food or water for no more than three days. The human body cannot go without water for more than three days – unless supernaturally sustained.
3. The partial fast – using a restricted diet, like Daniel’s fast.

When we fast, the first thing our body feeds on is carbohydrates. Any group of organic compounds - that includes sugars, starches, celluloses - serve as a major energy source in the diet. So when you begin to fast, it eliminates your energy source. The elimination of carbohydrates does not satisfy hunger, that is why, in the first few days of a fast, you experience hunger pains.

Then when the carbs are all gone, the body begins to feed on the fat cells (stored fat). Fat cells do help eliminate hunger pains, subsequently the longer you fast the better you feel. Feeding on fat cells is like driving a car on regular gas when it should be using premium: there is energy there, but not as much. You can fast as long as you have fat cells to feed on. The average-weighted person can fast around 40 days. Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness. Matthew 4:2-3 “After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.”

After the fat cells are gone the body begins to feed on muscle tissue. Muscle tissue does not satisfy hunger, so it returns. That is God’s natural way of telling us it’s time to end the fast. When a person starts to feed on muscle tissue, they are no longer fasting; they are now starving.

Do you remember the Missionaries I mentioned earlier? Following is a portion of an email I received from one of them recently.

“I arrived on Sunday and, after an hour-long wait in line, passed uneventfully through Passport Control! This was a major answer to prayer as it was the first potential problem I was going to face on this return trip!

On Monday, I met with my new school administrator. While he expressed enthusiasm about my teaching at his school this year, the English Department Head who was responsible for hiring me, de-friended me on Facebook and warned the administrator that we would both end up in jail for my participation in events trying to overthrow the government. The administrator, however, is choosing to keep me at the school, as long as the government does not tell him otherwise. Not the warmest of welcomes, but an open door, nonetheless.

On Tuesday, I was visited by three police officers for about 45 minutes. Had my friend not been present at the time of their visit, I would have certainly been taken to the police station for questioning. As it turned out, we answered their questions; they made some phone calls and took notes; then shook my hand and left. The visit was a bit unnerving, but truly I want them to investigate me if that's what it will take to clear my name.

God’s Spirit reminded me today that our safety, comfort and an easy life weren't things He guaranteed me (nor were they things that I had sought after in returning overseas four years ago). This situation I'm in will require continual prayer (and fasting) and a deep dependence on Him. He is the one who opens and closes doors and He wants us to look to Him rather than rest in a state of comfort or some perceived security. Please continue to pray for favor and for the government to grant me a work permit.

Thank you for standing with me. This is by no means a one-man job. I have already felt the onslaught of the enemy but sensed a greater peace of the Spirit of the Living God!”

Then he said this: “Tell your church I have been fasting with you, in this week of prayer and fasting.” Don’t you think that’s cool!

Let’s close this study in prayer. As you pray, the first thing I want you to do is to talk to God about your involvement in fasting. Maybe before this week you’ve never really even considered fasting – and now you are thinking God wants you to do some fasting. If you feel you need some spiritual encouragement, then I would love the opportunity to pray with you. END

Why Fast? part 4

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 19:14:51 GMT

Death brings life

John 12:24 “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” The grain of wheat looks like the soul and spirit of man. The soul of man represents his fleshly nature. It is the hard outer shell that houses the spirit.

There is life within the grain of wheat, but it is encased and captured by this very difficult outer shell. Therefore, the only way for the life within the shell to come forth is by the death of the outer shell. If it dies it produces many seeds. In referring to a grain of wheat, death means the cracking open of the hard outer shell. Once the shell is split open, the wheat begins to grow. The question is not whether there is life within, but whether the outside shell is cracked open.

John 12:25 “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” The word “life” in this verse, is the Greek word, psuche (psoo-khay’) from which we get the word soul. The person who loves their fleshly life to the point that they will never deny it (defend it) – will ultimately lose it. But the person who hates their psuche in this life will keep it. In other words the person who will allow their hard outer shell to be broken – the person who will die to their fleshly desires – will ultimately gain eternal life.

In order for us to allow the spirit life to come forth – to be able to do those things that seem good to the Holy Spirit – it is imperative that the hard, outer, shell be dealt with. If the outward remains unbroken, the inner life will never be able to come forth.

Many of us live a carnal existence. We have the life of God available to us and yet we settle for a life without the power of God being made manifest in us. If you are a Christian, you have the life of God within you. If you are a carnal Christian, you keep that life bottled up by not giving yourself to spiritual pursuits. You want the life of God to flow through you but you don’t want to have to pay a price to get it.

So, what does this have to do with fasting? Simply this: Fasting helps break that outer shell through applying external pressure. When a grain of wheat falls to the earth outside forces begin to work on it. The temperature of the soil, and the moisture of the soil all work on the hard outer shell in an effort to break it open so that the life inside can come forth.

Outside forces are what cause our hard carnal nature to finally break, so in our case, we are going to have three different focuses or you might say forces. These are three pressure points: sin, health, and our need for revival. These are three circumstances of life that God might use to get us to seek him. Folks, in all honestly, we need revival. Our church needs revival, our Community, State and Nation need revival and probably each of us, as individuals, need revival. Unfortunately for us, it usually takes outside forces to get us to pray.

Wouldn’t it be nice if God forced us to be spiritual? But here is the dilemma: God does not use the inner man to break the outer man. He does not use the Spirit to break the flesh. The inner seed does not force itself through the hard outer shell. It waits until the outer shell is broken – then it comes forth. In the same way the Spirit of God within us does not force His way through our will. That would be like becoming spiritual against our wills. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine waking up one day as a spiritual giant – against your own will? You wake up one morning saying, “Verily, verily, how didst this happen? I didn’t want to be spiritual, but behold – I’m now a spiritual giant.” It doesn’t work that way. The sinful nature has to willfully die.

Continued tomorrow

Why Fast? part 3

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 19:47:40 GMT

Why fast?

Nee said that once sin has secured control, the body exhibits its strength in self-defense. It opposes anything, which may interfere with its comfort and pleasure. Let me give you an example. The category is food. If food has secured control in our body, then when we are challenged in that area, the first thing we do is defend our current condition. Some people will say, “I can’t fast because I get headaches.” What they are really saying is, “When I don’t eat, I don’t feel good, and I like feeling good.” That is a defense your body is putting up. And in some cases, our defenses will not allow us to obey God.

I have had people assume that, when they fast, God should supernaturally zap them so that they don’t have any discomforts or any hunger pangs. What would the purpose of fasting be if that were the case? Others have said, “If God wanted me to fast I would not get headaches.” Can’t you just hear the defenses within your body at the very mention of a fast!

If you have studied fasting at all you will know that sugar and caffeine are the two greatest causes for headaches when you fast. Therefore, if you get headaches when you fast, that is probably God’s way of showing you why you need to fast. Your body is full of toxins. If you want to go on a three-day fast, I recommend that, three days before you begin your actual fast, cut out sugar and caffeine. This will diminish the withdrawal headaches you get, and you won’t fail in your fast and then defense won’t cause you to sin against God’s Will for your life.

That brings us to our primary question this week: Why Fast? Fasting, by definition, is a voluntary abstinence of food for one or more meals. Our flesh is probably the biggest problem we have in serving God. The flesh does not want to serve God, the Spirit does.

Proverbs 30:8-9 “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” This passage is speaking to a great problem we have with the flesh. We are constantly trying to satisfy the flesh and yet when the needs of the flesh are met our tendency is to stop seeking God.

I have often found that, most of the time, our motives in prayer are off-base. We seek flesh-satisfying things from God rather than God Himself. Subsequently, once God gives us the things we are praying for, we stop praying. We often ask God to do for us the very thing that will cause us to stop spending time in His presence because we tend to seek things from Him rather than Him.

The primary objective of fasting is for us to come to a place where the spirit will have dominion over the flesh. By denying ourselves of our most basic needs we are expressing our desire to become what God wants us to be. We are showing God that He is what we are pursuing – not things.

Continued tomorrow

Why Fast? part 2

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:22:32 GMT

Fasting strikes at the heart of our rebellion

This week, I’m going to re-teach something I have taught in the past on the subject of fasting, looking at it from a Biblical perspective.

Genesis 2:15-17 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’” This is the first command God gave to man and it has to do with food.

Genesis 3:1-6 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

This is the original sin. Most of the time when we refer to this sin, we talk about the fact that Eve disobeyed God, which she did. But I want to ask the question, “How did she disobey God?” The answer is: with food. We could go into all the implications of this action having to do with man’s desire for self-determination rather than being God dependent, but the bottom line to this sin was that it had to do with food. The first temptation to man was with food. That makes food quite an issue in our lives. It is also why fasting is such a difficult thing to do. It strikes at the heart of our rebellion.

This one action thrust mankind into an ongoing conflict between the spirit and the flesh. Jesus said it well when He said in Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

This is one of the reasons fasting is such a difficult thing to do. It’s not just that we are denying ourselves nourishment, but when we fast, we are willfully entering into one of the greatest spiritual conflicts known to man: complete dependency upon God. The devil used food to break man’s dependency upon God, so God uses fasting as a means to re-establish a person’s dependency upon HIM.

Have you ever broken a fast prematurely? I’ve probably broken more fasts too soon than I’ve actually completed. Think of what we are doing when we break a fast before the Lord tells us to. We are taking back control of our lives. Have you ever been in a fast and got hungry? Most of us have. The next question is – did you ever allow that hunger to drive you to eating before the fast was over? If you answered, “yes” then in those times the flesh was victorious over the spirit. The flesh said, “I’m going to continue to control this person.”

Galatians 5:17 “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” This is the battle we are all involved in. The spirit and the flesh are at odds with each other.

In Watchman Nee’s book, “The Spiritual Man,” he talks about the necessities of the human body. He says they can be classified into three categories: nourishment, reproduction and defense and that every sin man commits falls into one of these three categories. Nourishment is the first category and this is where fasting would fall under. In the same way that the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil enticed Eve, so drinking and feasting have become a sin of the flesh today. (This is pretty convicting stuff.)

The second category is reproduction. After the fall of man reproduction was changed into human lust. The Bible connects lust with the flesh. Even in the garden the sin of covetous eating immediately aroused lusts and shame. Directly after eating the fruit they noticed they were naked. Look at how Paul puts these two items together in 1 Corinthians 6:13 “‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food’ – but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

The first two categories of sin are nourishment and reproduction. Most sin relates to one or both of these two areas. But there is a third category of sin also and that is called defense. We’ll look at that tomorrow. Continued tomorrow

Why Fast? part 1

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 19:10:52 GMT

Effective? or Ineffective?

In the past couple of months, I’ve heard a couple of different Missionaries share their call to places we know as “restricted” or “sensitive” countries (countries where it is against the law to convert from one religion to another, especially to Christianity). In these testimonies, I hear a fairly common theme arise: they all seem to share about what it took for God to get them to the mission field and how after arriving there, they felt their ministries were unfruitful - until they began to fast and pray. Often times, they shared how it was after a time of fasting (it generally seems to be a three to seven-day fast), they found their ministry enhanced and/or expanded.

Thinking about this recently, I felt the Spirit speaking to me about emphasizing Prayer and Fasting in the devotional. Since this week is our annual Week of Fasting and Prayer, I felt this would be an opportune time to do so.

It’s been some time since we challenged our church to a fast, but I feel that the days in which we live are calling us as Christians to a deeper commitment, especially in the area of fasting and prayer combined. We have never lived in such a time as this, where we can watch, on a daily basis, our nation changing from its Judeo-Christian roots, over to a completely secular society. And secular societies, quite honestly, do not like the Christian church.

The question needs to be asked: how did the Church lose its influence on society? How did we get to the place where the one nation on earth that used to have the most freedom to preach the Gospel is actually poised to lose that freedom? Simply put, I think we have grown soft. We have had it so good in America for so many years that we’ve forgotten what it means to live a life totally dedicated to Jesus and His glory. I have often said that it is very difficult to get an affluent society to seek God. As long as there is food on the table and our bills are paid, we tend not to make our commitment to the Lord the priority of our lives.

Part of one of my Bible readings this past week, was in Isaiah. In that passage we read about Isaiah the prophet challenging Israel to get back to her pursuit of God. And then in chapter 29 , Isaiah talks about those who return to God. Isaiah 29: 23-24 “And these children will honor me by living holy lives. In holy worship they’ll honor the Holy One of Jacob and stand in holy awe of the God of Israel. Those who got off-track will get back on-track” The Message.

The word “holy” is used four times in these two verses. In Isaiah 6, the seraphim are before the throne of God crying out, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord!” Did you realize that the Bible says that “ God is love ” once, but three times, is His holiness declared: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord!” The current trend today is to overplay the love of God and downplay the holiness of the Lord. That does not mean God’s love is insignificant; it means we are to follow the whole counsel of God, not just the parts we like the best. Certainly, God is love; but God is also holy and we honor God by living holy lives, in holy worship, and standing in holy awe of who HE is.

I’m hoping I can encourage you to get back on track if you need to. That’s how our Missionary’s words hit me: it’s so easy to get away from these spiritual disciplines and yet they are the essence of our relationship with our Lord.

Continued tomorrow

Finishing Well, part 5

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:58:46 GMT

Finish Well!

Notice how Elijah connected Elisha’s fulfillment of his dream with the will of God. When he said, “If you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” In other words, if the Lord thinks you are worthy of a double portion of my anointing that will be determined by whether or not you witness me being taken up. If you are where I want you to be then the blessing of God is yours, but if you are not, then you miss the blessing.

Elijah makes no claim of having the power to fulfill Elisha’s request; instead he leaves it entirely to God and basically tells Elisha that the blessing will be his because he refused to leave Elijah’s side. Do you remember how Elijah challenged him three different times, saying, “Stay here.” But each time, Elisha responded, “No way! I want to be where the power of God is. I want to witness this marvelous thing that is about to happen!”

I think finishing well has to do with our passion and pursuit of Jesus. Do you long to be where HE is? When you hear about special spiritual events, whether that’s an Evangelist coming to our church, or us conducting a Solemn Assembly, or a week of prayer and fasting - is there anything within you that says, “I’m going to be there. I do not want to miss what God might do”?

Keep in mind how Elijah said to Elisha in essence, If you are there when it happens you will receive the blessing; but if not, you won’t receive. I believe it would be entirely possible to miss out on what God has for you if you don’t have a seeking heart. Without a seeking heart, you might not finish in the way you would like to. Would there be any more blessed words to ever have spoken over us than the Lord saying, “Well done thou good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you a ruler over many things.” That’s how I want to finish this race.

I don’t want any of us to come to the end and say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.” Look with me at the words Paul wrote to Timothy, as his life was coming to an end. 2 Timothy 4:6-7 “You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting.” Paul finished well. Will you? END

Finishing Well, part 4

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 18:16:51 GMT

Two who finished well...

There is nothing easy about finishing well. Those who do finish well typically have paid quite a price in life. Finishing well has to do with hanging in there even in the midst of conflict.

Broom Brush

Elijah is eventually exhausted from fleeing Jezebel and falls asleep in the desert by a lone Broom Brush. The prophet does not even have a home. When he wakes up, he finds that God prepared a meal for him. 1 Kings 19:8-9 “He got up, ate and drank his fill, and set out. Nourished by that meal, he walked forty days and nights, all the way to the mountain of God, to Horeb. When he got there, he crawled into a cave and went to sleep.” After he eats one meal he walks for 40 days and nights just to get to a mountain, not a Motel, not a Bed and Breakfast, but a cave. And yet, he finishes his life well. He didn’t use hardships as an excuse to disobey. He crawled into a cave and went to sleep.

I would imagine if any of us had met Elijah along the way, we would have considered him to be way out there. He was described as a hairy man who slept in caves. (It seems that most of today’s prophets profit from being a prophet and live in the lap of luxury. If we asked them to give up their profits they’d probably cave.)

So, now we come to the end of Elijah’s life, and as we read a couple of moments ago, he is taken up in a chariot of fire into the Lord’s presence. However, before he goes, we find him walking along with Elisha, the one on whom the mantle of Elijah falls.

2 Kings 2:1-6 “When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.” 4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. 5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.”

Isn’t that interesting that there was this group of Prophets who knew what was about to happen. I wonder how it made Elijah feel, knowing that in a few moments he would be taken up to heaven. But the other thing to consider is, Elisha would not leave him. Three different times, Elijah told Elisha to stay behind but he refused to do so.

After this Elijah parts a river and they cross it. 2 Kings 2:9-10 “When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours — otherwise, it will not.” Now we begin to see how Elisha benefits by refusing to stay behind. Elijah said, “If you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours.” When Elisha said he wanted a double portion of his anointing Elijah said, “You have asked a difficult thing.” It was difficult to grant such a petition because it was not in Elijah’s own power to do so, but in God’s only.

To me, this is the key to finishing well. Finishing well has nothing to do with living a perfect life, it has nothing to do with living a temptation free life, and it has nothing to do with never ever committing another sin: but it does have everything to do with being where God wants you to be.

Continued tomorrow

Finishing Well, part 3

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 17:27:11 GMT

Two who finished well

So Omri did more evil than all those before him and the fruit of his labor is his son Ahab. Ahab and Jezebel were perhaps the worst leaders ever.

Each of these accounts reminds me of what Proverbs 5 said. When each of them were facing death, I wonder if any of them said, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.” When King Zimri set his place on fire, and as things were getting hotter and hotter, I wonder if he said to himself, “Why didn’t I listen to my teachers, or my parents, or my pastor or priest?”

Isn’t it interesting how each of these kings paid a terrible price because of their sins - yet it’s almost as though they were blind as to why God was upset with them. Don’t you see that same spirit in our political world today? We just can’t seem to figure out what we are doing wrong, so we just continue to do the exact same things over and over again, hoping to get different results (which is a definition of mental illness).

Two Who Finished Well

There are a couple of bright spots in this account of failed kings and they are the prophets Elijah and Elisha. These two prophets finished well! 2 Kings 2:11 “As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” How would you like to finish your life that way? Elijah was so enraptured with the Lord, that he was physically raptured by his Lord. I would imagine that this would be a dream for most of us. I know that ending my life so obedient and pleasing and to the Lord that He decides to take me up to heaven in a chariot of fire would certainly be a dream of mine.

Let’s talk about what it would take to finish well similarly to the way the prophet did. I’m not talking about us being taken up to heaven in a chariot – but rather simply finishing our lives having glorified God to the best of our ability (or at least getting to the point of being so confident about our ability to obey God that we are not like the disciples saying to Jesus, “I hope it’s not me who betrays You”).

It would seem that finishing well relates to obeying God under any set of circumstances. It would be wrong for us to assume that Elijah lived such a blessed life that obeying God was simple for him. In fact, Elijah faced many ups and downs in his ministry.

Last week, I heard a message about how Elijah called fire down from heaven and then had the prophets of Baal put to death. Shortly after that account, the Prophet is running for his life from an angry Queen Jezebel. 1 Kings 19:3-5 “When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day’s journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: “Enough of this, God! Take my life.”

Continued tomorrow

Finishing Well, part 2

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 16:13:06 GMT

Let's take a look at some who did NOT finish well...

Part of my reading last week included the last supper.

Mark 14:17-18, “When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, He said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” By this point in time, His disciples were beginning to truly believe that Jesus was the Son of God. They had witnessed many miracles, they sat under many hours of teaching; now they hear Him tell them that one of them was going to betray Him.

I thought their response to Him was very interesting. Mark 14:19 (NIV) “Surely You don’t mean me?” – Mark 14:19 (KJV) “Is it I? and another said, Is it I?” – Mark 14:49 (the Message) “It isn’t me, is it?” There isn’t a single one of them who had any confidence in who they were. When Jesus said, “One of you is going to betray Me,” it’s almost as though each one of them said, “Boy, I hope it’s not me! I hope I can finish this race well.” They all seemed to put very little hope in who they were as individuals. I wonder if that’s why they all didn’t turn to Judas and say, “I’ll bet it’s him.” They acted as though they had no idea who would do something like that, because they all felt capable of being the one who might betray Him.

In my life, there are certain things that I am very confident in (maybe that’s a bad statement), or should I say, I feel victorious in. There are certain things that have no pull on me at all; and there are some things that might tempt you that don’t even catch my attention.

It’s kind of like the example I’ve been using about racing cars. Some of you wonder why in the world does racing a car mean anything to Pastor Brad? The reason you might say that is because, for you, car racing has absolutely zero draw. That’s the way I am towards a number of things that some might call temptations, I wonder why anyone would even struggle with that?

Then, there are the other things in my life that I’m not so self-assured about. Things where, if my salvation was determined by my ability to resist them, I might be saying, “Jesus I want to finish well, but I’m a little concerned because I’ve failed in this thing almost every time.” I believe there is a key to victory but I’m not going to get there quite yet. Let’s take a look at some people who didn’t finish well and then some who did.

I have been reading 1 and 2 Kings the past couple of weeks. As I’ve been reading about the various kings, I noticed that not many of them finished well. 1 Kings 16:2-3 “I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins. 3 So I am about to wipe out Baasha and his house.” King Baasha did not finish well.

His son Elah followed him as king. 1 Kings 16:12-13 “So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the Lord — 13 because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the Lord.”

Elah, and his whole family are destroyed by Zimri, who then becomes king. But Zimri was no better than the ones he had just put to death. When Omri heard that Zimri killed Elah and his family, Omri attacks the town of Tirzah (where Zimri had set himself up as king) and sets it on fire.

I Kings 16:18-19 “When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the royal palace and set the palace on fire around him. So he died, 19 because of the sins he had committed, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Zimri was king for seven days (that may be one of the shortest reigns in the Bible), and then Omri became king.

1 Kings 16:25, 27 “But Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him… And Ahab his son succeeded him as king.”

Continued tomorrow

Finishing Well, part 1

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 17:23:29 GMT

Are you on the path to finishing well? or will you be defeated?

You may think that the title for this week’s devotional seems odd considering that today is January 1 and we’re talking about finishing instead of beginning. But the truth is that if we don’t determine to finish well today, we may not finish well at all, especially since none of us know when our end, our finish line, will appear in front of us. So we must make the choice now and begin living out the plan today, right now.

Have you ever been in a race of any kind? There are marathon races, in which runners exert extreme amounts of energy and training. In my younger days, I was taken up with cars (especially German cars) and I dreamt of being a racecar driver (maybe that’s why I was awarded several speeding tickets). Some of you may remember my friend, Pastor Ron Auch (now at home with Jesus). He told the story about how, a couple of years before Ron was saved, his older brother built a VW drag racer. Pastor Ron said, “We would trailer it to several of the tracks in our region and race it. It was great fun, especially when we won, because we always beat cars with much bigger engines than ours.” Regardless of what kind of race it is, the ultimate objective of any race is to finish well.

Reading through one of my devotional Bible reading plans for this past week, I came to Proverbs 5 , and was struck with the importance of finishing well. The beginning of the chapter warns young men to stay away from women who would entice them into immorality, then goes on to show what may result in failure to follow good wisdom.

Proverb 5:11-14 “At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. 12 You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! 13 I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors. 14 And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.” As I read that, I said to myself, “I want to finish well. I don’t want to say, I would not obey my teachers, and that I hated discipline.”

I used to love watching drag races, like the ones up at Brainerd. Those races only last about 8 – 13 seconds, but countless hours are invested in the cars to get them to go as fast as they do. Drag racing is a lot like wedding ceremonies. In both cases you have, thousands of hours invested into something that’s over shortly after it starts. But without the thousands of hours invested, before the event, you wouldn’t have the desired outcome. In racing, sometimes forgetting to do the littlest of things will make a huge difference in the outcome.

When it comes to finishing our lives, have you ever given any serious thought to how you are going to finish? I’m not asking whether or not you are thinking about dying, but rather, have you ever thought about whether or not you will finish well? Have you ever said to God, “I don’t want to die with this thing (whatever that is) in my life? I want to finish my life in a way that brings glory to You.”

In one of the devotionals I read last year, it looked at the difference between a saved soul and a devoted soul. It’s one thing to be saved; it’s another thing to be devoted to the Lord. I’m not talking about our salvation. I’m not talking about whether or not we are going to heaven. I’m talking about how we feel about our relationship with Jesus. Do you feel like you are going to end well or do you feel defeated?

In my experience as a pastor, I have found that most people don’t feel like they are going to finish in the way that they hoped they would. The battle for our souls is so strong, and we are under such powerful persuasions from the enemy, that sometimes it’s hard to imagine ourselves finishing our lives in the way we would like

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Lamb, part 5

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 16:00:56 GMT

Is Your Name in the Lamb's Book of Life?

But unlike any other lamb, after His suffering and death, Jesus lived again. And although He has no earthly descendants, He will claim as children and heirs all those who call the Lamb their Master. He made intercession for us, the transgressors, so that we could be counted as those who will share glory with Him. The incredible news of the Advent season is that Almighty God became a lamb who was slaughtered to redeem us. God as a Lamb: it’s hard to believe, yet it is life for all who will call upon His Name.

We worship The Lamb today in the Christian Church because He allowed Himself to be sacrificed for us. Jesus was led to the altar of the cross and crucified. But His death is not a defeat; in fact, it’s ar from that. The blood that Jesus shed covers the sins of all who believe, so that we can stand before God on Judgment Day, clean and pure. And when Jesus returns to establish His eternal Kingdom, we will worship the Lamb for all eternity.

Incredibly, the Bible describes Jesus in eternity as the Eternal Lamb. For all of eternity we will be reminded that Jesus is the Lamb who “takes away the sins of the world.” The Apostle John, writing about his vision while in exile on Patmos, says in Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the Throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

And in verses 16 and 17 he writes, “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away ever tear from their eyes.” Yes friends, we will worship the Lamb for all eternity, if we have been spiritually washed in His blood.

As we wrap up this Advent Season, as you sing songs, open gifts, and enjoy the fellowship of your family and friends, make sure that you take some time to bow to the Lamb. Thank Him for becoming your sacrifice. Thank Him for leaving His home in glory to become a humble man. Thank Him for receiving the punishment that you deserve. Thank Him for dying an ignoble death so that you can live a glorified life. Thank Him for being born in such lowly estate and dying such a horrible death so that we could all live forever in glory and worship.

If you have not bowed to the Lamb and allowed Him to be your Sacrifice, then know this: He died for all of us, He died for you. All you have to do to be counted as one of His flock is to believe in your heart that Jesus, the Lamb, is Lord, and obey what the Bible says about salvation: believe, confess, repent, be baptized, and obey. On the Day of Judgment, you can know for sure that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

The Advent Season is incredible. Jesus is incredible: the Holy Son of God is the Saving Lamb. Won’t you worship the Lamb as we move from this Advent season into a New Year? END

Jesus the Lamb, part 4

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 16:21:24 GMT

Jesus, the Lamb of God

When John saw Jesus, he was led by the Holy Spirit to proclaim Jesus to be the “Lamb of God,” he must have remembered the words of the prophet Isaiah and fully understood them for the very first time. In Isaiah 53, Isaiah wrote this concerning Jesus the Lamb:

“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4 Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment, He was taken away. And who can speak of His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the Will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. 11 After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge My righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” NIV.

In these words spoken by the prophet Isaiah, God spoke the most incredible mystery about the coming of God’s Servant into the world. God gave Isaiah the fact that the Messiah would not physically arrive as a mighty king or a conquering general, but like a lamb, willing to be led to the slaughter to save His sheep.

I believe this is the most incredible news of the Advent Season that, Jesus, the very Son of God, was willing to come and die for you and me, so that we could live forever with Him. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, never protesting or using His great power to aid Himself. Though He was the Most Beautiful, He became a human, with nothing about Himself to make Himself stand out. Though the world owed its very existence to Him, He allowed Himself to be despised and rejected by men. Though He came to bring joy and peace, He was known as a man of sorrows.

And finally, though He Himself was blameless, He took the sins of the entire world— your sins and mine — upon His back. He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities. He died that sacrificial death so that our sins could be washed away through God’s love and forgiveness.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Lamb, part 3

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 17:01:31 GMT

Jesus, the Lamb of God

Just think of how incredible it is to see the way God chose to be represented in this world! When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he recognized God’s representative to the world. For thousands of years the world groaned in agony, waiting for the day that God would appear to save the world. That groaning was answered when Jesus came to earth, born in a manger to a peasant girl. But consider how incredible John’s words were! He proclaimed this when he saw Jesus, “Look, The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Yes, incredibly, God came to the earth as a lamb; meek and mild, willing to lay down His life for the world.

God came to earth as a Lamb. He would not come forcing the world to bow before Him. He would not force nations to surrender to Him. He would not destroy His enemies here on earth. He would not establish a Kingdom based on fear and power. Instead, He would come as a Lamb, offering Himself alone as reason to follow and submit.

Those who heard John must have thought that he was mistaken. If this was the Messiah then He must be a lion or a leopard, come with strength and speed to destroy the enemies of God. He must be a bear, fiercely defending the children of God with the legendary determination of a mother bear. He must be an eagle, swiftly pouncing on those who would not bow to God. But that’s not how Jesus came. He came as a Lamb.

Why a lamb? For one reason: because a perfect lamb is the perfect sacrifice to God. He did not come to force the world to sacrifice to God; He came to be the sacrifice to God. He did not come to make people pay for their sins; He came to pay the required price for reconciliation to God. He did not come to drive us into the house of God; He came to lead us to God. He did not come to kill; He came to die.

Genesis 22:6-8 “Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together” NIV. Now, of course, we know Abraham was speaking in faith to Isaac at this point (about God’s ability to provide a literal lamb to sacrifice); but he was also speaking prophetically concerning the coming of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

When Israel was being delivered from Egyptian bondage, as the last of the 10 plagues – the death angel - was about to be unleashed, God established a sacred meal of remembrance for the people of Israel, Passover. The main focus of that meal was lamb, a lamb, without spot or blemish, a year old without any defects. Its blood was to be placed on the sides and tops of the door frames so the angel would pass by their home without killing the firstborn son. And without the sacrifice of God’s Lamb - who was perfect, without any spot of sin - being sacrificed for our sin, and His blood being spiritually applied to our hearts, we would have had to die in our slavery to sin, separated from God for all of eternity.

But God sent Jesus as His Lamb, to live a perfect sinless life and die as a sacrifice for our sins. And if we will trust in Him and repent of our sin, we can be forgiven and have relationship with the Father today and throughout eternity.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Lamb, part 2

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 20:17:48 GMT

It's incredible!

Let’s look together at our main Bible passage for this week: John 1:29-36 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One I meant when I said, ‘A Man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.’ 32 Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him. 33 I would not have known Him, except that the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The Man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.’ 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’” NIV.

I find it incredible to think that God would want to have a relationship with His fallen Creation. It’s incredible to think that no matter how many times we have rejected His Word and commands that He would still provide a way through sacrifice and worship to maintain a relationship with Him through human priests offering up sacrifices. But it’s even more incredible to think that God would send, His own Son, to provide the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, through His own death.

This is the incredible message of Advent. It is incredible to think that God would even want to fool with us, His rebellious children, who have traded mansions of glory He has provided us with the pigpen of sin and evil. Although it is not a surprise that He desires to rule us with love and grace, it’s incredible to think that He sent a humble carpenter’s Son to be the ruler of our lives instead of a conquering king with armies by his side. It is even more incredible to know that He allows us to choose His Kingdom with a broken heart and a willing spirit. This is the incredible message of Advent.

In my opinion, though, the most incredible message of Advent of all is how Jesus came. You would think that when the God of the universe came to the earth He would choose to come represented by power, might, and irresistible force. Yet, that is not how God chose to be represented.

When kings of old would choose a symbol to represent their empire, they usually chose one that symbolized power and strength. King Richard was known as “Lion heart,” not the Kitty-cat-hearted. A king might choose a wild boar, a fierce bear, a mighty dragon, or a muscular bull. Our nation, too, has chosen a proud creature to represent us. Benjamin Franklin suggested that our national symbol be the wild turkey because of its intelligence and cunning. Honestly, I can’t imagine a turkey on the Presidential Seal or on our coins; it’s a good thing that cooler heads prevailed and our symbol is the impressive bald eagle instead. And our sports teams want impressive representatives: a frightening wildcat, the stealthy panther, the resilient bulldog, and even an awesome threat of a swarm of Yellow Jackets. We think of representative animals as those who exhibit pride, strength, determination or resolve.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Lamb, part 1

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 22:24:31 GMT

The Best Gift of All

In this last week of our Advent series, we are again reminded that Jesus is many things to many people. As we have seen already during this Advent season, we must each decide who Jesus is going to be to us: He is the Prophet of God, come to bring us God’s message of grace and forgiveness. He is our Great High Priest, come to bridge the gap between humankind and God that was caused by our sin. He is, to the believer, the One and only true King, whom we seek, worship and serve.

Yes, Jesus is so many things and God leaves to us the decision of what we will call His greatest gift to Creation. We have heard the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have before us the testimony of those who were eyewitnesses of the incredible events written about in the Gospels: the shepherds, who were graced with an angelic host proclaiming that a Savior had been born in Bethlehem; the Wise Men who followed the heavenly sign of the star to find a newborn King; an evil king Herod who wanted nothing to do with a Heavenly King for fear that his own power would be compromised; the apathetic people of Jerusalem who feared that the Kingdom of God would battle with the kingdoms of this earth.

Yes, some rejoiced to hear about the coming of this Child, Named Jesus, some lamented the news, and some had no reaction at all. The decision was theirs to make, and it is ours to make as well. On this Christmas Day in 2023, we have heard the message of Christmas countless times. Through song, story, and scenery, the invitation has been laid before us to receive this heaven–sent King, as the King of our life. The decision remains for each one of us to renew each day: Will we hear the Word of God? Will we allow the Great High Priest to present our sacrifice to God? Will we serve the King of the universe? All of the heavens await our decision.

Before this season is over, the gifts are unwrapped, the pageants closed with a final bow, and the decorations stored in a box for next year, we have one more Name for the Child, who was born and laid in that manger in David’s City. Most of us have used the phrase, “Last, but not least.” The same can be applied for this final week of Advent. In fact, some would say that this last candle of the Advent wreath, represents a case of, “Saving the best for last.” This final Advent Candle reminds us that Jesus came to be the Lamb of God.

This candle, in context of it representing The Lamb of God, is perhaps the most surprising of all the candles. That is not a small thing to say when you consider the incredible nature of Jesus’ birth and identity. It is incredible to think that God would break into human history to give us His commands and direction. It is incredible to think that He would call simple, common humans like you, me, and Moses to speak for Him, even as He called the Prophets of the Old Testament. But it is even more incredible to think that God would send His, “One and Only Son,” to the earth, to speak for Him, especially with the message of grace and forgiveness that came from Jesus’ lips. This is the incredible message of Advent.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus Our King, part 5

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:40:37 GMT

Is He Your King?

I was absolutely shocked again, earlier this week, when I was reminded of a Newsweek magazine article from just a few years back. In that article Kofi Annan, the former United Nations Secretary General, said this: “The idea that there is one people in possession of the truth, one answer to the world’s ills or one solution to humanity’s needs has done untold harm throughout history.” I repeat it here, because the implications are chilling: the former head of the United Nations is saying that there is not one truth, that there is not one answer to the world’s ills, that there is not one solution to humanity’s needs.

I beg to differ with this highly respected man, both when he first said it and still today. Friends, let there be no mistake: there is One Truth, there is One Answer, there is One Solution. There is One King. There is only One King. - and His Name is JESUS! The problems with the world are not caused by too few kings to worship, but by the fact that the world does not worship the One True King. If we all were to bow to Jesus and live according to His law of peace, grace, forgiveness, and mercy, the world would be a much better place. The chaos of this world is caused by so many people bowing to so many gods: the false gods of violence, greed, pride, jealousy, hatred, self and relativity.

If you are going to call Jesus your King, you must renounce the claims that all other kings have on you. The problem with most Christ-followers today is that they are trying to serve too many kings (to the detriment of serving the One True King, Jesus). We cannot serve Jesus and money, Jesus and lust, Jesus and ourselves, Jesus and our jobs, Jesus and other religions, Jesus and anything. It is either all Jesus, or no Jesus. If there is anything in your life that commands your time, attention, or devotion other than Jesus than you are not truly worshiping God with all of your heart, soul and mind.

The Advent season is a time to examine your life and determine if there is anything that is taking you away from a true, solitary worship of Jesus. If you are still listening to King Herod, or king money, or king sin, then you must renounce them and cling to the One True King, Jesus. It is not an easy thing to seek God as our King.

You can be sure: He is easy to find for those who seek Him - but it is difficult to realize that finding Him means worshiping Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind. It means laying down control of our own lives. It means renouncing the idols that we had formerly worshiped, the ways of life that had formerly ruled us. Being a Christ-follower is not just a title we give ourselves; it is a lifelong commitment to a benevolent, yet all–powerful King.

Jesus came to be a King. But His Kingdom is not of this world. His Kingdom is in this world, but not of it. His subjects are those people who seek Him, worship Him, and serve Him only. His castle is the Church, composed of those who claim Him as their only King. His land is in heaven, since this world will be destroyed in anticipation of the time when the New Earth is the home of His eternal castle.

The invitation to you today is to seek Him with all your heart, to worship Him with all that you have, and to serve Him with all that you are. Pilate, speaking for the kings of this earth, said to Jesus, “You are a king, then!” Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a King. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.”

Are you a Wise Man or Woman? Have you sought the King, Jesus by asking Him to be King of your life? Do you worship the King with all the gifts that you have to offer? Have you made Him your One and only King, the only King with any authority in your life? You can today! END

Jesus Our King, part 4

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 18:00:17 GMT

Laying Our Gifts Before the King

Secondly, we have to be willing to lay gifts before the King we find. The Wise Men were from a foreign land and served another king; their citizenship was in another country and their loyalty was to another code of laws. Yet they forsook all of that to come find this new King. They knew that the King who had been born was special, better than all the earthly kings who had come before Him. So when they found Him, they gave Him precious gifts, representing their loyalty and worship.

The Magi counted the cost and realized that if there was a new King, He was to be worshiped, so they came with precious gifts to represent their worship: incense, gold and myrrh - valuable and rare gifts. No matter that this was a foreign king, no matter that they owed Him nothing, no matter that the King was a Child. As a King fit to be worshiped, they came to worship sacrificially.

It’s no different for us when we meet Jesus. When we see Him, we have to be willing to worship Him. Before we find Jesus, we worship a different king. We worship our sin, our selfish desires, and our misguided priorities. Before we find Jesus, we belong to a different king. We are subjects of the king of this world, who rules us with sin and evil. But when we find Christ, I mean truly find Him as The King of our life that He is meant to be, then, we must worship Him with precious gifts. We may not have gold, incense or myrrh, but we can give Him our devotion, our worship, our lives.

If you claim that Jesus is your King, then you are called to worship Him. That means that He gets the first fruits of our time, our wealth, and our devotion. We can place no one and no thing above Him. He is not truly our King if there is any thing or person that gets more of us than He does.

But He will not force us to bow to Him (not at this place in time, anyway). He wants only those who come to Him willingly, desiring to lay their lives before Him in true devotion. The Advent season gives us many opportunities to worship The King. Through all of our worship services and family traditions, we have the chance to bring our gifts of love to Jesus along with our gifts of worship and devotion.

Finally, we must make Jesus our only king if He is to be King at all. Jesus made it perfectly clear: you cannot serve two masters. If you claim to have a king, He must be your only king. The magi had to make a decision: would they obey the new King that they had found, or the king of the world.

After they found Jesus and had worshiped Him, they were warned in a dream to go home by another route, because King Herod planned to kill Jesus. King Herod was the ruler of the land, but they had found a new King. So, they obeyed the King Jesus and went home by another way, making it possible for Jesus to escape with His family to Egypt. Their commitment to this new King was real and complete, even if it meant disobeying the king of the world.

The truth is, friends, we are called to nothing less (though there are many kings who clamor for our obedience). The Christ follower today is called to follow many kings of this world: the kings of pleasure, greed, pride, complacency, indifference, the king of pluralism. Our world says that it is foolish to claim only One Savior, when there are so many to choose from.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus Our King, part 3

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 17:21:40 GMT

A Different Kind of King

The world is faced with a similar dilemma today: will we worship Jesus as King? Just like the people of Jesus’ time, there are a lot of different reactions to the idea of Jesus being a King. Some people find it hard to believe that Jesus is a King at all. After all, He ruled no nation during His lifetime, He led no armies, He conquered no foreign land. He lived the life of a common man and died the death of a criminal. He commands no one to follow Him forcibly, content to let the world choose to serve Him or not. These people hear that Jesus is The King and they scoff at the idea of someone so meek and mild ruling over the world.

Some in the world today act like Herod did, threatened by the idea of Jesus being a King. Those who have earthly power don’t like the thought that a new King has come seeking allegiance for the people of the earth. Those who rule the world through wealth, power, or manipulation are threatened at the idea of King Jesus because Jesus promises to turn the world upside down, tearing down the forces that rule this world now.

The Kingdom over which Jesus rules is alien to the powers of this world. When Jesus stood before Pilate, the representative of the kingdom of Rome, Pilate asked Jesus point blank, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, saying, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My Kingdom is from another place.” The kings of the world do not respect Jesus’ Kingdom of love, peace and grace. These people reject Jesus as a King because His Kingdom is “not of this world.”

But there are some who come to Jesus like the Magi did. These are the wise men and women who are searching for a Savior, and find it in the One the prophets foretold: Jesus Christ.

What is it like to be searching for the King of the Jews? There are three things that I want to draw out from the Bible. First, we have to seek for Jesus. The only reason the Magi found Jesus was because they were searching for Him. They had studied the skies and knew that the star which appeared was foretelling the coming of the King of the Jews. Some scholars believe they might have been from Persia (formerly known as Babylon, where the Jews had been held in captivity). If that were the case, they probably had copies of the Old Testament which told them that a Messiah was coming.

In any case, these foreigners knew that the King of the Jews was coming before the wise men of Israel did. When they saw the star announcing His arrival, they rejoiced. Leaving their home, they sought out the newborn King so that they could worship Him. Regardless of what the King looked like or was to be, they came bearing gifts.

Finding a new King is not an easy thing, especially when it means you must go into lands that are foreign to you. The Magi did not know what they would find when they came upon Jesus, but they were willing to seek Him out. In a similar way, if we seek Christ the King this Advent season, we have to be willing to search for Him. That means that we will have to examine God’s Word for the truth found within. We will have to spend time in prayer - not just reciting a wish list but having intimate conversation with Him. We will have to go to Him in worship, because we only find King Jesus when we are praising His Name.

In fact, the entire Christian walk can be described as a lifelong search to find our King. Wise men still seek Jesus, and the Advent season is a great time to renew our search for Jesus. During this time of the year, we sing songs about Him, see plays retelling His birth, hear or read the Scripture about His birth, and see pictures of the manger where He was laid. Let this be a time when we renew our search for Jesus to be the King of our lives.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus, Our King, part 2

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 16:49:07 GMT

Imagine what the Magi thought...

Jesus just does not seem to be the kind of king that the world expects. In fact, it seems that even many of the scholars of Jesus’ time thought that there must be two Messiahs who were coming. As they studied the prophecies, they understood that the prophets made it clear that the Messiah would be a King; but those same prophecies also made it very clear that the Messiah would be humble and would suffer greatly. How can a king suffer in humility and still be a king?

Have you ever wondered about the reaction of those Magi from the east? They saw the star of Jesus and knew that a King had come to the earth. They saw that the star rising above Israel, so they knew that the King of the Jews had been born. So, naturally they went to Jerusalem, the capital, heading for the palace of King Herod.

How surprised they must have been when they arrived in Jerusalem only to find that there had not been any new births in the palace. A new child had not been born to King Herod.

They must have been surprised as they asked, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” They knew that He had been born because the star led them there - but nobody in Jerusalem seemed to know who or where the new King was, or even that He had been born.

In fact, Herod was disturbed - and why shouldn’t he be? After all, he was the reigning king, and if a new King had been born outside of his family, it meant that he was going to be deposed. Matthew says that all of Jerusalem was disturbed as well. If there was a new King born while the current king was still on the throne, it meant that there was going to be trouble. Our democratic country generally changes administrations fairly easily; a new president or congress is elected and power is transferred peacefully (usually). But when you have a despotic king, like Herod, on the throne, change only comes through armies and bloodshed. A new King meant that there was going to be a battle.

So, Herod called together all of his scholars and asked them where the new King was supposed to be born, since the Magi had determined the time of His birth. They put their heads together, dug out the prophecies, and determined that the King was to be born in Bethlehem, a sleepy little town about five or six miles outside of Jerusalem. Herod sends the Magi off to find the new King, deviously instructing them to come back and let him know where the King was exactly, telling them it was so he himself “could go and worship Him as well.” (Of course, Herod planned to "worship" the newborn King… with an executioner’s sword.)

Overjoyed to know exactly what town the King was to have been born in, the Magi headed off for Bethlehem.

Now, just try to imagine their faces when they came to the house where Jesus was, went in, and instead of finding a royal household or a conquering army, they found a peasant household! They must have been dumbfounded! The King was this young child? The King of the Jews was going to be descended from a poor, teenaged woman and her carpenter husband?! I wonder if they were pulling out their charts as they arrived at that humble home in Bethlehem, double-checking the prophecies – is this the right place?! - over and over, and scratching their heads in wonder that this was the King they were searching for!

But, when everything was said and done, they realized that no matter how incredible it might be, this was the King that they were looking for, so they did what came natural to those in the presence of a King: they fell down and worshiped Him, showering Him with costly gifts.

I would have loved to see their faces when they found out that this Child was indeed a King. But I also would have loved to see the reverence and awe in their faces as they worshiped the Child.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus Our King, part 1

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:55:31 GMT

An Unlikely King

As continue our Advent series, in which we are looking at Jesus from different perspectives, seeing Him, perhaps, in a slightly different light than we may have before, bringing fresh understanding of all He is for us. Jesus is many things to many people. To the believer, Jesus is the Prophet of God, who came to tell us the Words of God. And He is our Great High Priest, who has come to bridge the gap between God and Man, by offering the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. This week, we will see Jesus Our King, another title for the Babe who was born in Bethlehem.

Let’s read through together our Bible passage for this week’s study:

Matthew 2:1-12 “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, ‘Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked the where the Christ was to be born.

5 ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:’ 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a Ruler who will be the Shepherd of My people Israel.’ 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and found out from the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and make a careful search for the Child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.’ 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the Child was.

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route” NIV.

“Jesus Our King” is often a difficult title for us to understand, even as it was for the people of the time of Jesus. Though the prophets made it quite clear that the Messiah was coming to be a King, His arrival in the form of Jesus Christ was completely unexpected.

Consider it: if you were looking for a king, you really probably wouldn’t be looking for someone like Jesus. Who ever heard of a king being born to a peasant woman? Who would have guessed that the coming King would be born in a stable like an animal? Who could have imagined that the King would be a carpenter?

This was not the kind of king the world was used to. Kings are born of noble birth. They are laid on silk sheets in fine palaces. They spend their childhood being trained by philosophers and warriors, in the fine arts of governing and conquering. Kings lead mighty armies; Jesus led a ragtag bunch of fishermen and nobodies.

Kings ride on noble steeds: Jesus walked the dusty roads of Judea. Kings are followed by lords and ladies; Jesus was followed by sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, and the sick. Kings live in ornate castles; Jesus had no home or bed to lay His head. Kings wear fancy robes and jewels; Jesus had only one outfit (gambled for by the soldiers who crucified Him).

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Priest, part 5

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:24:19 GMT

Jesus knows us and loves us anyway

When we cry out for forgiveness, He shows us grace. When we stand before Him in prayer, He gives us His ear, all because our Priest, Jesus Christ, bridged the gap of sin between us and God. We don’t come before God’s Throne of Judgment and wrath. No, because we have a High Priest in Jesus, we come before a Throne of Grace - grace which forgives our sins through love. We don’t receive the punishment we deserve; we receive mercy and grace (which we can never deserve), to help us in our time of need.

Furthermore, we will be able to live forever with God because Jesus made a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Once a year, the high priest would go to the Temple and make a sacrifice for the sins of the people. That was God’s plan - until, Jesus came - but it was not much of a sacrifice. The sacrifice was simply not enough.

No, it was not enough because there is no way that a goat could take the place of a man on the altar. And there was certainly no way that a goat could cover the sins of an entire nation. The only sacrifice that is suitable to replace a child of God is a perfect human. There has only been one perfect human, and we celebrate His birth this and every Christmas. Not only was Jesus the perfect Priest, He was Himself the perfect sacrifice for us (an idea we will look more at in a couple of weeks).

Let me try and wrap all this up with this truth: Jesus has not laid down His duties of the Great High Priest. A priest serves as a connection between God and His people.

I’m not a priest like in the Old Testament, but as a pastor I serve as a connection between God and the people of God. When you make a covenant of marriage before God, a pastor stands before you to receive your vows. When you repent and are baptized, a pastor lowers you into the water. When I pray for the congregation, I am speaking to God on behalf of the congregation. The Old Testament priest lifted up prayers and made sacrifices to fulfill the terms of the covenant between God and God’s people; this is what a priest does.

Jesus, our Great High Priest, is still fulfilling the role of the Priest, even though He has ascended into heaven. He is still making a connection between you and God. Hebrews 4:7 says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission.” God heard Jesus because Jesus was God’s own Son, who was obedient in every way. Today, Jesus still lifts up prayers and petitions, but He does so on behalf of those who have called upon His Name.

I am always encouraged when one of you tells me that you are praying for me as your pastor. I am also struck by the importance that you place in me, praying for you as a church. Now, think about how much greater it is to know that we have an Advocate in heaven praying for us, interceding for us, and lifting up our petitions before God. We have a High Priest in heaven who can understand when we trip up, when we fall back into sin, when we are tired and discouraged, when we let our humanity get the better of us. He understands, because He’s stood where we are standing now, only He did it without sin.

Jesus came to the earth as the Babe in the manger. He came as the Prophet, speaking the Words of God so that we would know how to live. And He also came as the Great High Priest, willing to intervene for us before God, covering our sins with the sacrifice of His very own life.

We now have a High Priest in heaven who knows what it is like to be human, He has made a way for us to stand before God, and He intercedes for us even now as we draw closer to God. We can hold firmly to the faith that we profess because we know that we have a Priest in heaven, One who knows us and loves us anyway.

Have you trusted in Jesus as your Priest yet? He stands ready at this moment to go before the Father on your behalf seeking forgiveness for your sins. All you need to do is what I did all those years ago: ask Him, in a prayer of repentance, and He will. END

Jesus the Priest, part 4

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:21:49 GMT

Jesus is the Bridge

Without a doubt, the best person to minister to an alcoholic is a former alcoholic. The best person to minister to a grieving person is someone who has lost a loved one. The best person to minister to a woman is a woman. A good minister is one who is able to sympathize. I can’t say to a mother that I know what it’s like to give birth; that’s simply not true. God would have a hard time convincing us that He knew the hardships of being human if He had not taken on that role through Jesus.

When you sin, you have a priest in heaven who sympathizes with you, because He has been in your shoes. There is nothing that you have been tempted with that Jesus was not tempted with. I can assure you that even as the devil knows the best way to tempt you; He pulled out all the stops to tempt Jesus; there is nothing that wasn’t thrown at Jesus. When you come to the altar and ask forgiveness, He knows the road that you took to get there and He loves you anyway.

We can never say, “Well, God doesn’t know how hard it is to resist sin.” He does, He’s been there. He knows what it’s like to go 40 days with no food and then be offered bread. He knows what it’s like to be offered the entire world to forsake the Father. He knows every kind of temptation and all the struggles that we have to overcome. When we pray to God for deliverance from sin or forgiveness from committed sin, He can sympathize with us.

Which leads us to the second point: because Jesus is our priest we can come before God with no fear. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” There is absolutely no way that we could dare to come before God with the sin that mars every one of us. If we would come before God, we would melt away in the brilliance of His holiness.

Our sins have forever barred us from ever standing in the presence of God, much less the hope of ever living forever with Him in heaven. For that matter, we don’t even have the ability to pray to God. What does a perfect and Holy God have to say or hear from fallen, sinful, rebellious people like us? We have no basis what-so-ever for a relationship with God the way we are. We are unable to stand before God because of our sin. There is a gap between us and God that we can never bridge.

But the Biblical job of a priest is to do just that: to bridge the gap between man and God. In the Old Testament the priest would sacrifice an animal for the atonement of sin, to keep the relationship between Israel and God alive for another year. But Jesus did more than that: He forever removed anything that would keep us from God. Now, when we come before God, He does not see us and our filthy sin. Instead, He sees His perfect Son, born in a manger, tempted in every way, yet was without sin. When we are baptized, we take on the appearance of Christ, in God’s eyes, so that when we come to the altar, He receives us like a child.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Priest, part 3

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:46:55 GMT

Jesus, Our Great High Priest

Please don’t be mistaken: Jesus is not just any priest. In the Old Testament there were priests, and there were high priests. The priests would do the service in the temple, tending to the incense, preparing the sacrifices, and so on. But there was one high priest who was charged with the greatest sacrifice of all: the sacrifice of atonement. This was a sacrifice that was done only once a year. The purpose of this atonement sacrifice was to cover the sins of the people. By sacrificing a goat, the sins of the nation of Israel were covered up. Not removed, not forgotten, merely covered up for another year. You can see how the job of the high priest was important and honorable.

Neither is Jesus just another high priest. Even the high priests of the Old Testament were sinful. In fact, before he could go in and offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people, a sacrifice had to be made for the high priest’s own sins, for he was a fallen human as well. But not Jesus! He is the Great High Priest, the once and for all Priest, born to make the sacrifice for our sin once and for all. He is the Great High Priest because He has gone through the heavens. He is not just appointed by heaven; He is from heaven. God sent His Son to make the ultimate sacrifice, once and for all, for our sins, sending Jesus to be our Great High Priest.

So far, all of this is just theology. Yes, Jesus is the Great High Priest, come to do for us what none of the priests of old could. But what does that mean for us today?

First, because Jesus, our priest from on high was a human like us, He is able to sympathize with us. Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin.” Unlike a lot of ministers, Jesus does not try to make Himself out to be so far above us that He is unapproachable. In fact, it’s just the opposite.

Even though Jesus was once enthroned in heaven (and is again, now), He came to earth as a human baby, in fragile flesh, in order to make it perfectly clear, that God desires to identify with us. Philippians 2:6-8 says of Jesus that He, who “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross.” Jesus shows that God was willing to come to earth and become one of us because we were unable to be more like him.

That means a lot to me. I think of all the times that I fail God. I’ve been a Christian for 45+ years now, but I still mess up. I give in to some of the same old sins, I have habits that I can’t break, I have things that I should be doing for God that I don’t. Every time my old nature gets the better of me, I think that God must surely be ready to give up on me. I think that there is no way that God can love me.

But then I am reminded of our Great High Priest. Jesus knows what it’s like to be a human. He knows hunger, He knows thirst, He knows temptation, and He knows the weakness of the flesh. He knows what it’s like, to be me, because He’s been there. Even though He never once sinned (like I do), He knows how easy it is to be tempted.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Priest, part 2

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:42:50 GMT

Jesus is our great High Priest

In the Old Testament they were a separate people. Of all the tribes, only the priestly tribe was different. They were called to serve God in the temple, acting as a go-between for God and His people. The priests would live in separate cities, eat the meat and grains of special sacrifices, they’d wear special clothes, and act in special ways. God had made a promise to His people, and the priests were expected to hold up man’s part of the promise. They said prayers for the people, carried out the duties of the temple, and offered up sacrifices for the nation. They were a chosen people, selected by call, called apart by God from the people.

The same is sometimes true for priests and pastors today; some act as though they are not quite like everyone else. Some pretend that they are smarter, holier, or wiser than their fellow man. But the good news for us this Advent Season is that we have a High Priest, who was born in Bethlehem, who is, in a very important way, just like us.

Hebrews 4:14 - 5:10 “Therefore, since we have a Great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 5:1 Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So Christ also did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to Him, ‘You are my Son; today I have become Your Father.’

6 And He says in another place, ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’ 7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered 9 and once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him 10 and was designated by God to be High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

Friends, Jesus is our ‘Great High Priest.’ He was born in a stable, into a human body, just like you and me, to be our Priest. He was not one who is far removed and unable to understand us; but, one who is in every way like us. He was born like we were, He lived like us, He thought like us, He was flesh and blood like we are.

In fact, let’s read how the author of Hebrews describes Jesus. Hebrews 2:17 says, “For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Unlike a priest who was separated from the people, unlike a pastor who is unable to understand the temptations and struggles that the flock is going through; Jesus was born like us and lived like us so that He could be a priest to us. Jesus is our High Priest and He is able to help us because He can relate to us.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Priest part 1

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:38:15 GMT

Priests and Pastors and You

Jesus means many things to many people; His birth affects everyone in one way or the other. To some, He is Savior; to others He is a fraud. You can have any opinion about Jesus - except no opinion - because the truth is that you have to either accept or reject His claims on your life.

This Advent Season, we are looking at Jesus from the perspective of the different roles He fulfills. Last week, we looked at Jesus the Prophet. This week, we will be considering “Jesus the Priest.”

What do you think of when you think of a priest? Most likely you think of a pastor, a person who is appointed to lead a church, and possibly the Catholic church or Jewish synagogue leader in particular. Now, even though I’m a pastor I know full well that just because you might think of a priest as someone who leads the church like a pastor, your opinion might very well be mixed.

People generally do have mixed feelings about the clergy. On the good side, people assume that a priest is someone who knows the Will of God and has studied God’s Word to know the wisdom found there. People think of priests as loving, kind, caring people.

But many think that ministers don’t have the same sins, temptations, or bad habits that they have; some don’t even think that they can talk to their pastor because they don’t think the minister will understand the temptations that they themselves are struggling with — after all, what does a minister know about doubt, anger, hatred, lust, or greed? They see ministers as people who are willing to give their lives to serve God and their fellow man, somehow set above and beyond the average Christian. That’s not a bad view to have.

But, there’s another side to this view of minister as well, a negative side. Some people think they can’t share their problems, struggles and sins to a minister because they think that the minister would not be able to relate to their sins. Sometimes people think that minister won’t have anything to do with them because of their sins; they think that a minister won’t want to talk to somebody who is sinful.

Others don’t like ministers because they think that ministers are ‘holier than thou,’ looking down on people who aren’t free from sin like they are. For whatever reason, a lot of people have the idea that they cannot get to know their minister because there is simply too much of a difference between clergy and lay people.

As many of you know, I have never been excited about the word Reverend as a title for a minister, and I don’t use it myself. I also don’t like wearing a clerical collar or robe in the pulpit. For that matter, I’m not terribly fond of wearing a suit. I struggle with most things that emphasize the difference between a “regular person” and the priest or pastor. I would rather be called Brad than Reverend. I don’t want to wear clothes that will make people treat me differently because I am a minister. I want people to know that I am a regular person like they are. I’ll try to be a good example, I’ll try to know the Bible, I’ll try to show God’s love and wisdom, I’ll try to fulfill the duties of my calling to the fullest; but I don’t want people thinking of me as being somehow different than they are simply because I’m a minister. (I’ve said it before: I consider it an honor and a compliment when people say that I am not like most ministers.)

Too often, priests and pastors have been seen as removed from the lives of ordinary people; as a result, a lot of people don’t think that ministers can relate to their needs. If a minister is somehow better, wiser, or more sheltered than you are, how can he/she understand the things that you are struggling with?

This concept of a minister being different than the rest goes back a long, long way.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Prophet, part 5

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 18:19:58 GMT

How will you respond to Jesus, the Prophet?

We can no longer claim to be in ignorance about God’s Will. Many people in the world today claim that we cannot know the mind or Will of God. They say that religion is no more than a constant seeking for truth. They say that all religious expression is a valid path to God. They say that we can decide for ourselves what to believe because every person’s opinion is equally valid.

But since we have God’s final Word through the Prophet, Jesus Christ, we know that this is not true. Peter declares, “I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.” We might have been in the dark about God’s plan for salvation before Jesus came, but now we know God’s plan of salvation. God declares His Will and plan fully and plainly through Jesus. There is no other way to the Father, except through the Son. You have heard the Gospel that Jesus saves, and now you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves you and wants you to have eternal life through Jesus.

Second, we are called to respond to God’s Will through repentance. The Advent Season is a time of preparation and response. Now that we know God’s Will clearly and completely, we are each called upon to make a decision. Will you (or I) obey God or reject Him? Peter commands us, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you— even Jesus.”

Through Jesus, we now know what each of us must do: we must respond. Will we choose to repent of our sins so that we can be forgiven? Will we allow God to wipe out our sins through the death of Jesus on the cross? Will we receive the times of refreshing and allow Jesus to enter our lives as Lord and Savior? The decision is ours. God has spoken and we know what God expects. Now the ball is in our court. If we turn from our wicked ways and accept the grace of Christ, we will receive the Holy Spirit and live eternally.

Finally, we can rest and rejoice in the knowledge that God has revealed Himself to us and has promised without a doubt to restore us to the glory we were created for. Advent is a time of rejoicing. Not because of the gifts we will receive, the food we will eat, or the celebrating we will participate in. No, we rejoice because Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise that all things will be restored to the perfection that existed in God’s perfect plan for Creation.

Peter says, “He (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.” We can rejoice in the Advent Season because we know that God’s promises are true, His Word is complete, and His redemption is coming. A prophet cannot speak that which is not true, and Our Prophet, Jesus Christ has promised to return to bring those who have believed His Word into eternal life.

The Prophet has come and He has declared the saving Word of God. How will you respond today? Will you declare that Jesus is God’s true Prophet, accept His testimony as God’s testimony, and respond through repentance and obedience? Or will you declare Him a false prophet, rejecting His claim to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus has come – the Prophet has come! We celebrate that fact that God’s Word had taken on flesh and declared God’s promises to us. How will you respond today? END

Jesus the Prophet, part 4

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 17:26:15 GMT

Jesus is the Word of God.

As I said earlier, it is a dangerous and humbling thing to be a prophet. If you were called to be a prophet, you were claiming to speak the very Words of the Most High God. This is not something you want to be mistaken about: just imagine what wrath would come upon the one who willfully and wrongly claimed to speak for God to the detriment of His people!

But think about it from the other angle as well. Consider the implications of ignoring a prophet of God. If a person came to your town and spoke the very Words of God to you and you ignored that person, you were effectively ignoring the clear Words of God. To deny and persecute a true prophet of God was to bring direct insult to God. This is not a small thing.

On the other hand, to listen to and obey a prophet, is to heed the direct revelation of God. Another way of looking at the first candle of the Advent wreath is in recognition of the fact that Jesus is the Prophet of God. Yes, He was foretold by the prophets, but more than that, He IS the Prophet of God. The words that Jesus spoke while He was on earth were not His own, they were the very Words of God.

In John 14:23-24 , Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. These Words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father who sent Me.” Jesus clearly states that He did not come with human wisdom, but with the very Words of God. The Words you hear from Jesus belong to the Father who sent Him. All that Jesus taught was from God Himself. Jesus IS God's message to the world.

Thus, Jesus gives us a challenge. We can accept His Words or reject them. We can live by His Words or ignore them. We can follow Jesus or we can bow to any of the many gods of the world. But know this: Jesus is speaking for the One True God in heaven. If we reject His teachings, we reject God. If we ignore Jesus, we ignore God who sent Him. We can bow to some other idol, but we will be giving our worship to something other than the God who made us. The penalty for being a false prophet was death. The consequences for ignoring the One True Prophet of God is no less than eternal death.

But praise be to God, the Word that He gives us through Jesus is nothing other than joy and life and salvation! The message that Jesus brings us from God is not judgment and punishment, but grace and salvation. The Law that Jesus gives us from God is not burdensome and arbitrary but perfect and beautiful. The Word that Jesus proclaims from God is that God loves us and desires to reconcile us to Himself so that we can live forever with Him for all of eternity.

We might expect many things from the God who we have rejected. We might expect punishment, wrath, rejection, or even eternal destruction. Instead, through Jesus, we hear of forgiveness, mercy, adoption, and eternal life. But we are also reminded of the consequences of ignoring or rejecting His message.

We can rejoice in the lighting of the Prophet candle on the Advent wreath because God has sent His messenger with a message of love. We have heard from God through Jesus, and we hear that all is well for those who would hear this message and receive the grace of God by obeying His Prophet. How then should we respond?

The same way we should respond to any true prophet: with obedience. Peter's words in Acts 3:17-23 clearly tell us how we should respond.

Continued

Jesus the Prophet, part 3

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 18:26:47 GMT

Jesus is the Word of God

Think about it: the prophet telling the future is speaking the Words of God, too, since only God knows what will happen in the future. In a similar way, a Biblical preacher, is a prophet of sorts, since the faithful preacher speaks not his or her own words, but the Words of God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. By God’s grace and through His Spirit, I stand before you from week to week, not giving you my opinion on how you should live, but trying as best I can, to tell you what God would have you do, passing on to you what has been revealed in the Bible.

There are times when it is hard to say what God says, as it often is for prophets. When somebody is living in sin and comes to me so that I can tell them that they are not wrong, it would be a lot easier and agreeable to just go along with them. But, if I am faithful to my calling as a pastor, I must not tell them what I think, but what God thinks. Now, imagine a prophet who must stand before a nation and tell them that if they do not change their ways and obey God, they will be carried off into captivity, and see their nation destroyed. Welcome to the life of the prophet!

As we already noted, Moses is perhaps the greatest prophet in the entire Bible. Deuteronomy 34:10-11 says, “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt – to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land.” He is not known best for telling about the future, but he certainly spoke for God, more than any before him or after. When he revealed the Law to the Israelites and didn’t claim that this was the best Law that he could come up with; he claimed to be only passing on the Law that God had given him. But he did make one prediction about the future which stands as one of the most important prediction ever made. Listen to this prophecy, because it is exciting and astounding.

Moses prophesied that another prophet was coming. In Deuteronomy 18:15, he said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to Him.” Verse 17 continues, “The Lord said to me: ‘What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put My Words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything I command Him. If anyone does not listen to My Words that the prophet speaks in My Name, I Myself will call him to account.’”

Why is this exciting? Because this prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus, whose birth, life and resurrection we celebrate during the Advent Season. Moses predicted that God would send a prophet to His people, to speak God’s Word, to save God’s people. Jesus was sent by God to tell the world God’s message of salvation. John 6:14 says this clearly: “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.’” John 7:40 says, “On hearing His words, some of the people said, ‘Surely this man is the Prophet.’”

In Acts 3:17-23 , Peter, speaking through the power of the Holy Spirit, makes it clear that Jesus is the Prophet foretold by Moses and sent to the world to speak for God: “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that He may send the Christ, who had been appointed for you — even Jesus. 21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago though His holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything He tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people’” NIV.

Jesus is many things to many people. He is a martyr, a philosopher, a moral example. To some He is a stumbling block, a myth, a challenge. He is a Priest, a King, a Lamb. He is a mystery to some, but to those who are seeking God’s Word and His will, Jesus is the Prophet. Not a prophet, but The Prophet, the most perfect and complete manifestation of God’s Word. Is it any wonder that in the book of John; Jesus is called the Word! If you want to know what God wants you to know and to do, you need only look at His Prophet, Jesus Christ, the very Living Word of God.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Prophet, part 2

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:58:07 GMT

The prophet's message

So, yes, the Bible is full of prophecy which looks forward to the future - and not just about the life of Jesus. Many other things were told in advance, like the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of the Jews, and the coming of Gentiles to salvation was foretold. Many of the prophecies have yet to be fulfilled as they tell about what will happen at the end of this earth. The last chapters of the Book of Daniel and the last chapters of the Book of Revelation fall into this mold, telling about the end of time and the coming of the Lord.

The popularity (a few years back) of the fictional series, “Left Behind” is proof of how badly people want to know about what God will do in the future. But, believe it or not, telling the future is not the most important function of the Biblical prophet. The prophet had a much higher and much more important calling than telling about what would happen down the road.

Now, what could be more exciting or important than telling God’s people about God’s future plans? How about telling people what God was thinking, “here and now” and, what He wants His people to know? The real function of the prophet was to speak the very words of God, often a message of warning or a call to right living.

Think about what a bold claim the prophet made. He or she was making the assertion that the words they spoke were not just a clever message or good advice, they were not just wise words to be heeded. No, they were the very words straight from God that He wanted to be spoken, right then and there.

That’s a pretty bold claim, to say the least. It implies that God has chosen the prophet to be His mouthpiece, and that the Words spoken were to be taken with the same authority as Scripture. No wonder the punishment for being a false prophet was death: the false prophet was making false claims about God. (There are many days I laugh at all of the self-claimed prophets in the church today; there are so many mostly because false prophets aren’t killed today as they were in the Old Testament.)

What you’ll notice is that, in the Bible, most of the times God called a person to be a prophet, the prophet would do everything possible to get out of the job. It is no small thing to claim to speak for God. The best known example of this is Moses. God told him to go to the Hebrew people and to Pharaoh to speak for Him. Moses flat out refused to do so, giving in only when God continued to insist. And no wonder: Moses was called to go and stand in front of the most powerful and dangerous man in the country, perhaps in the world, and tell him that God wanted him to let His people go free. Not only did Moses feel unworthy of such a task, he was probably also afraid for his life.

But, all throughout the Bible, that’s exactly what God called the prophets to do. It’s as if the prophets were God’s early warning system. When God wanted to break into the world with an urgent message, He would first call a prophet to go do the talking. They would usually try to get out of the task, but God would win the debate and the prophet would go forth speaking for God.

Sadly, God’s people usually did not listen, and the warnings predicted would come to pass. God used prophets to warn the people that if they did not remember and obey the promises they made that He would punish them. When they refused to obey, the punishment would come, just like God had promised through the prophet.

So, as you can see, prophecy is not just about telling the future, it is more often speaking the very Words of God.

Continued tomorrow

Jesus the Prophet, part 1

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:44:00 GMT

God shared HIs plan with us!

Over the next four weeks as we move through Advent and toward Christmas, we are going to be working our way through a series of studies that take a look at Jesus: as Prophet, Priest, King and Lamb. We will begin this week by considering Jesus as The Prophet of God.

It seems that when most people hear the word prophet, they think of someone who tells the future, usually in a mystical sense. We tend to think of someone like Nostradamus, one of the most famous so-called prophets, who is claimed to have predicted many world events and is assumed to have made prophecies about things which have yet to happen. Therefore, it seems to me, that we tend to think of prophets as those who speak of things that only pertain to the future, things which have yet to happen.

These kinds of prophecy are exciting, because they promise to reveal to us things that have yet to come. Look at the popularity of horoscopes, which claim to be able, through their vague wordings, to tell you what your day will be like. People like the idea that they will have power over their day by reading their horoscope and anticipating what will happen. Possibly one the most annoying commercials I remember seeing on television was the commercial from Mrs. Clio. She was a woman with the Jamaican accent who claimed to be able to tell you what would happen with your love life with “astonishing accuracy,” for only a small fortune in phone costs. So, when people think of a prophet, they think of someone who tells the future; their appeal goes back to the beginning of time as people have sought to look into what will happen by casting lots, cutting open chickens, or consulting their Lucky Eight Ball.

In a Biblical sense, there are indeed true, Godly prophets who fit this mold in the sense that they tell about things that are going to happen. Much of Isaiah is prophecy which looked forward to the coming of Jesus, especially Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53:5 is clearly a prophecy about Jesus: “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” This verse and the ones around it are clearly about the life and horrible death of Jesus which would bring about salvation for all those who believe.

The prophet Micah also spoke of the future coming of Christ: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2) , speaking of Jesus’ birth in the little town of Bethlehem.

Even King David played the role of prophet at times. He wrote Psalm 22 which foretells Jesus’ crucifixion in chilling detail, telling about Jesus’ feelings of being forsaken, the insults that were hurled at Him, the wounds in His hands and feet, and even the fact that the Roman guards divided His garments between them.

Although it was hard for those who studied Scripture to accurately interpret the prophecies concerning Jesus, we can look back in hindsight and see that His birth, life, death, and resurrection were all foretold in prophecy. The prophecies concerning Jesus are clear enough that it is obvious that God wanted us to know that this was what He had in mind when it came to saving us.

Continued tomorrow

A Day to the Lord, part 5

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 16:20:34 GMT

Someone has prayed for you!

Do you remember how Paul the Apostle was struggling with the same thing? “But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake” Philippians 1:23-24.

Paul understood the struggle. He understood the conflict with our human nature and the Spirit of God, which resides within is. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. However, I think what Peter is saying deals with and removes this dilemma, as long as we can trust God. 2 Peter 3:14-15 “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.” Paul is assuming that Christians live hastening the return of the Lord, so He begins by saying that since you all look for this to happen, don’t give up hope. Keep in mind that the Lord is not slow concerning His promise in the way that men assess time and count slowness – but is patient/longsuffering not willing that any should perish.

This goes right back to our opening verse which reminds us that a day to the Lord is a thousand years to us. So when we are praying, and God gives us the assurance that our lost relatives will be saved, and we ask Him when that will take place and He says, in a couple of minutes, that could actually be several years away. Or it could be your whole lifetime. And that is what verse 15 is all about: don’t forget that God’s patience results in salvation.

I wonder if the Lord has the same dilemma we have. He wants to return soon; He wants to bring His children into His presence. He wants to set us free from all the junk and filth we are living in down here on earth. But He is torn, not wanting any to perish, and so He waits patiently, doing everything necessary to bring His children to Himself.

I believe the promise God wants us to get a hold of is that He is going to finish the work He has started before He comes back. And since the Day of Salvation represents our whole life – some of us came to Him before it ended – that’s you and I (if you have indeed asked Christ to forgive you of your past). And then, there are those who get saved right at the last moment. Either way, God has fulfilled His promise.

When I think of my uncle who got saved just moments before dying, I see God fulfilling someone’s prayers for him. I know many who prayed for his salvation and the fact that he ultimately gave his life to Christ indicates that someone had prayed for him. I believe everyone who comes to the Lord has been prayed for. That is also why we can go to our graves still believing for the answers that have not yet manifested.

How many of you know of a deathbed salvation experience? Or a salvation that took place just prior to someone going to see Jesus? Every one of you reading this today have been prayed for. That’s why the Holy Spirit is at work in your life, whether you recognize it or not. Today is the day of salvation; today is the day to surrender your life to Jesus. END

A Day to the Lord, part 4

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:12:37 GMT

Hastening the Day

“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives” 2 Peter 3:11. Since all of this is going to happen; since the coming of the Lord will be like a thief in the night, coming at a most unexpected time; and since there are billions of lost souls in this world, live your life as a godly person, in holiness. This is for the sake of those who don’t know Christ yet. Even though the world ridicules the church for some of the things we believe, they still believe we should live what we believe so they can see it for themselves. The world has never been impressed with the church’s worldliness. We only impress ourselves with our imitation of the world.

I have this theory: The reason many Christians give up living in a manner worthy of the calling on their life is because they have gotten caught up assessing time in the same way the world has. But our lifestyle should be just as the Lord suggests, Holy and Godly. If we get away from the reality that we are living in the last days and that the rapture of the Church is imminent, (meaning it could literally happen at any moment), we allow ourselves a lifestyle that is wholly incompatible with practical Christianity.

The idea behind this is this: if you really believe He is coming soon, it will be evident by the way you live. To live recklessly and without regard to the things of God means you either could care less about the things of God, or you have bought into the idea that He has postponed His return and it probably won’t happen in your lifetime. The further away we see ourselves from the judgment seat of Christ, the more we allow this world to influence us, and we do things we would never do if we thought judgment was just around the corner.

This entire chapter of 2 Peter is built upon the idea that a day to the Lord is a thousand years to us, and that we should not use the way we measure time to judge anything that the Lord said He would do. God’s promises are true regardless of what your experience is.

Let’s take a look at verse 12: “… looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God…” 2 Peter 3:12. If we are living in the fear of God, living the kind of Godly lives we should be living, we will simultaneously long for His return. We will hasten the coming of the day of God.

88 Reasons Why

I remember well, back in 1988, when there was a real awakening to the possibility of the rapture of the church. A book called, “88 Reasons Why Jesus is Coming Back in 1988,” was selling by the millions. It piqued the interest of the church. There were certainly those who did not believe the book was correct in its predictions (they were right), but many people starting thinking, “What if it happens on the day this man predicted it would happen“?

I remember a conversation I had with someone about the possibility of this happening. When the book first came out they were gung ho about it. They were sure its predictions were correct and they were really getting excited about it. But then one day about a month before the predicted date for the rapture, they said they no longer believe it was going to happen. They no longer believed the book’s predictions. I asked them why they changed their minds. It turned out what caused the change was that their kids were not yet saved – therefore, they did not want the prediction to be true.

I think that would be quite a normal reaction, wouldn’t it? If you had kids that were not serving the Lord and yet you knew the end was near, you would probably want God to hold off His return for a while, right? I know, I would. The problem with that attitude is that verse 12 says we should hasten the Lord’s return. We should long for this whole calamity that fallen man has created to end, yet at the same time, we are torn because of what we’d like to see happen before He comes back

Continued tomorrow

A Day to the Lord, part 3

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 17:15:19 GMT

Don't stop believing!

I have often said that when the standard bearers lower their standards, their subordinates lower theirs even more.

Why is this Important?

Let’s go back for a moment to 2 Peter and look at verse 9. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” This is another one of those verses that I have often pulled out of the chapter and preached from. I have often talked about this promise and how God wants all to come to repentance; therefore, it is the Will of God for all people to be saved.

There is nothing wrong with that, but we need to look at this verse in light of the whole chapter. The first part of this chapter talks about the mockers who said, “… nothing has changed since the beginning of time,” – using that to justify their rebellion against the Word of God. Peter responds by saying that a day to the Lord, is a thousand years to us, showing how this world’s way of measuring the progress of something is flawed. And then he says, in this verse – don’t worry God is not slow, as in the way some people would count slowness, measuring time by, the number of mornings and evenings, but rather, He is patient. He doesn’t want anyone to perish and will continue to work in their lives for as long as it takes.

In other words, it’s not over ‘til it’s over. It’s not over until the angels sing. God has not given up on you, or your lost loved ones, so you shouldn’t either. Nor has He given up on any particular promise we find in His Word.

Not long ago, a man approached me and asked me to pray with him. He was very downcast because he has been praying about something that he wanted to happen in his life, and now he is in his late sixties and believes that God will never accomplish it (based on how many years he has already been waiting for it to happen).

I could have gone into the whole issue of whether or not he was praying according to the Will of God. I could have talked about whether or not he was allowing God to develop him into the kind of person HE wanted him to be. Instead I told him that all he can and should do is hang on to the promises of God.

Are the promises of God true or not? Our experiences in life do not prove or disprove the promises of God.

When the Devil tempted Jesus, Jesus’s response was, “It is written….” Jesus referred to God’s Word. If we don’t believe in the promises of God, then we have nothing to believe in. The power behind prayer is not the act of prayer, but rather, the promises of God are the impetus of prayer. The more we believe, the more we pray. This man had stopped praying a long time ago, because, after time, he had given up on the promise.

Listen friends, we should never, ever, use how long we have prayed or waited for something as a reason to believe that God is not doing anything. God is patient because HE loves.

How

How does God want us to live in the midst of a world that is falling apart? Look at what Peter tells us is going to happen in verse 10. 2 Peter 3:10 “But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”

The day of the Lord is coming! Jesus is coming back! Don’t allow anyone who has said, “I’ve been believing for that all my life and it’s never happened, so I just gave up,” don’t let that influence you. The Word of God is true, no matter what another person may have experienced.

Continued tomorrow

A Day to the Lord, part 2

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:55:56 GMT

Six Days

Why do you think the world is hell-bent on believing this earth is millions, if not billions, of years old? It’s so they can disqualify the prophesies of the Bible - and they use time as their measure. But the Apostle Peter counters that in verse 8. “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” 2 Peter 3:8. Peter is basically saying that if you are going to use time as your measure, then consider the fact that God says a thousand years to us is like one day to the Lord.

So, it has not been centuries since those prophecies were made but rather just a few days ago according to God’s standard. By God’s measure, this earth is only six days, or six thousand years old. God created the earth in six days and on the seventh day He rested.

Many people believe that once we enter into the seventh millennia of this earth’s existence it will be the day Christ sets up his 1000-year reign on earth. It will be a time of rest from all the strife we see today, as Isaiah the prophet puts it, in chapter 11 of his book, “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” Isaiah 11:6-9. Don’t you long for that day, especially in light of what we are seeing in our world today?!

I don’t know if any of you watched the RNC or the DNC presidential campaigns over the last couple of election cycles, but both of them had their controversies and divisions. Two cycles ago, there was fear that a full-blown riot was going to break out at both of the conventions. There was a flag burning and a highlighting of all things immoral. It was very interesting to listen to the news pundits as both sides of the isle thought the other side’s convention was just terrible; while those in favor of their own party thought they were amazingly effective.

Last week, as I was reading from Psalm 145, I came upon this verse – and it seemed very fitting. Psalm 145:13 “Your Kingdom is a Kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office” The Message. Isn’t that a refreshing thought?! No more presidential campaigns. God’s Kingdom is eternal and it never seeks out another leader because its current leader will never die or go wayward.

2 Peter 2:17-19 “There’s nothing to these people — they’re dried-up fountains, storm-scattered clouds, headed for a black hole in hell. They are loudmouths, full of hot air, but still they’re dangerous. Men and women who have recently escaped from a deviant life are most susceptible to their brand of seduction. They promise these newcomers freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for if they’re addicted to corruption — and they are — they’re enslaved.” Today, we find ourselves in the day of mockers, with politicians full of hot air who promise us freedom, while actually becoming slaves of their corruption. Look with me at the way 2 Timothy 3:2-4 puts it, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God….”

Isn’t it amazing at how much foresight the Scriptures have? It’s almost like God knew the end from the beginning. We are in this day. Just think of the two major candidates hoping to run our country. From my perspective (yes I know, I am treading on ground some to many are not comfortable with me saying this), both seem to be in love with themselves. They are obviously lovers of money, boastful, proud, unholy, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Continued tomorrow

A Day to the Lord, part 1

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 19:00:05 GMT

One day is like a thousand years...

I was doing some reading this past week and found myself in 2 Peter, which took me to other places, such as 2 Samuel and the Psalms.

I have always felt that verse 8 of 2 Peter chapter 3 was an interesting one. 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” It indicates several things; one is that the way God sees time and the way we see time are really quite different. I don’t even believe God sees time. Everything is simply “now.”

Just think about it; in heaven there will be no evenings or mornings, which is how we measure time. Look at this passage in Isaiah with me: “No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for brightness will the moon give you light; but you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory. “Your sun will no longer set, nor will your moon wane; for you will have the Lord for an everlasting light.” Isaiah 60:19-20.

Can you imagine that?! This is Jesus as the “Light of the World” in a very real sense. What will it be like to live in that kind of presence? There will be no need for a sun or moon to rise or fall; therefore, there will be no measurement of time. We will simply exist.

Let’s consider Genesis 6. Genesis 6:3, 5 “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” Sin is so devastating and man’s wickedness great, that once he sinned, the judgment on man was so severe that God gave man one “day” to get right with Him.

No man has ever lived more than one “day.” Methuselah, the man who lived longer than any other man, died when he was 969 years old. Genesis 5:2 “So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.” He missed living one full day, in the Lord’s eyes, by 31 years. Since God gave man approximately 120 years (at the most) to live on this earth, our whole lives would be looked upon as less than ‘one day’ to the Lord.

That’s why the Bible says that today is the day of salvation. 120 years is only 12% of 1000. 2 Corinthians 6:2 “Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’”

You’ve probably heard me teach on this before, but I wanted to bring it up again and look at it from a more contextual perspective. Often, I have just pulled this verse out and made these same points about it. However, if you read it in context, it is a very hopeful verse. I want us to gain an awareness of the day we are living in and yet understand the hope 2 Peter 3:8 gives us.

If we compare what’s going on in our world to the Scriptures it’s pretty safe to say that we are living in the last days. Look again at what the first part of 2 Peter 3 says. 2 Peter 3:3 - 4 “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

There will be mockers in the last days proclaiming that the Word of God has been disproved by the fact that everything is just as it was when the promise of His coming was made. They had convinced themselves that there was no need to fear God! The prophets and the apostles had foretold of the world’s ultimate destruction, and since everything looked the same to them in their day, as it did centuries ago before the fathers/prophets died, they took it for granted that there is nothing to those predictions.

Continued tomorrow

Thanksgiving and Thanks Living, part 5

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 15:22:54 GMT

Thanksgiving opens the door to God's power...

Look what God said to Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:17-24, “‘You will not have to fight in this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be, discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen me, O Judah, and the people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets you will be successful.’

21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing the LORD and praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD for his love endures forever.’

22 As they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men of Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped destroy one another.

24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they only saw dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.”

Thanksgiving opens the door to God’s power, which opens the door to victory. God is looking for people in whom He can show Himself strong, but those people have got to be people whose hearts are fully committed to God. People who are willing to thank Him, even when face to face with difficult circumstances.

Acts 16:25-26, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” In Paul’s situation, thanksgiving brought them freedom – suddenly their chains came loose, as God shook the foundation of the prison. Thanksgiving doesn’t always bring an immediate end to our adverse circumstances. However, it will bring an inner freedom in the midst of them.

God is listening… God is watching… He sees much more than we see… He views the whole picture. Thus, we must understand that as we thank Him, and praise Him, our adverse situations will begin to fade behind the truth of the greatness of our God. The circumstances won’t end until God has finished the work that He has begun. But, if we will learn to give thanks and praise in the midst of it all, we will learn that God will grant us His inner peace and assurance.

Philippians 4:4-7 encourages us by saying, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I wish I could say that I have always done well when it comes to thanks-living, but I have to be honest, as I reflect on my Christian walk, many times, my thankfulness has not been continual. However, the deeper I go into God’s Word, the more evident it becomes, that I must truly possess an attitude of gratitude.

May God help me, and you, to not just be hearers of His Word, but to be true doers of His Word. END

Thanksgiving and Thanks Living, part 4

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:20:52 GMT

One of the best ways to resist the devil is to thank God...

What tips Satan off that we might be at a point of vulnerability, that our suffering has weakened us? When he hears our praise turn sour and our thanksgiving disappear. Peter warns us to be careful, to be on our guard, to watch out for Satan’s attempts to devour us. Resist Satan by standing firm in the faith.

There is no better way to do this than to thank God, even when it looks like there’s nothing left to thank Him for. When Satan sees our thanksgiving disappear during times of suffering, I believe he turns up the heat even more. Like a lion listening for the sound of a wounded animal, Satan listens for us to gripe and complain. He listens for the sounds of us accusing God of being unfair or unfaithful because of our circumstances. When we allow our circumstances and situations to overcome us, our thanksgiving is often overcome also and this opens up the opportunity for Satan to step in and fuel the fire.

We need to learn to continually offer thanks to God regardless of our current situation not only because the world is listening and our witness depends on it, but also because Satan is listening and our Christian walk depends on it. We must offer continual thanks…

BECAUSE GOD IS WATCHING AND LISTENING

Asa, King of Judah, had been confronted by a mighty army. Rather than rely on God, he made an alliance with the King of Aram. God said to him, in 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose whose hearts are fully committed to Him, is perfected to Him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”

What God was saying is – I’m looking for people that I can demonstrate my power and strength through. I’m looking for people whose hearts are fully committed to me and trust me through the good, the bad and the ugly.

A few chapters later, King Jehoshaphat came along, and he did just that. When God saw the commitment of his heart, He released His mighty power to deliver Jehoshaphat from his impossible circumstances.

Continued tomorrow

Thanksgiving and Thanks Living, part 3

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:53:46 GMT

LIve such a good life that others will glorify God!

When our circumstances turn from good to bad, when the flow of God’s blessings seem to be temporarily turned off in our lives, what we tend to forget is that it is at these moments that the world is most likely watching our lives very closely. They want to see how we will react.

Times of suffering and hardship often provide you and me the greatest opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Christianity. If we are only grateful and joyful when things are going good then how are we any different from the rest of the world? What do we have, that they would want?

Peter said in 1 Peter 2:12, “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." Simply put: Live such good lives that even though people accuse you of doing wrong, or things go wrong, people may see your good deeds and glorify God

Jesus, speaking in Matthew 5:14-16, said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do you light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before people, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” If you want to be used of God to bring your unsaved friends, family, co-workers, and classmates to Christ, then you must learn to continually praise God, even when things aren’t going good for you – because it’s then, when you’ve got their attention.

We must offer continual thanks…

BECAUSE SATAN IS WATCHING AND LISTENING

Peter says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast” 1 Peter 5:8-10.

Think about this question: What kind of animals do lions most often devour? Answer: The weak, the injured and the sick.

Continued tomorrow

Thanksgiving and Thanks Living, part 2

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:31:58 GMT

Give thanks - because the world is watching and listening

Even though the Apostle Paul faced some very devastating circumstances, he was able to maintain an attitude of gratitude because he held onto a proper perspective of both God and His circumstances. He knew that God was good all the time and, consequently, he knew that a good God would only allow circumstances that would ultimately result in something good.

Paul’s attitude toward his circumstances and situations mirrored that of Joseph in Genesis 50:19-20, where Joseph said, “Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” You may well remember that Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him into slavery. But this situation was just a part of God’s bigger plan of protecting His people - and Joseph recognized that, rather than wallow in self-pity over the tough times he had to just endure, trusting and being thankful to God

Joseph’s attitude basically says: “Since God is good, then this bad circumstance must be meant to bring about some further good in or through my life or else God would not have allowed it.” What an accurate picture of the pain and suffering, and all the negative stuff, that we all have to face in this life! It all originates from Satan, who intends to harm us, but when God allows it to happen, it can only mean He has something good in store.

Knowing that God expects us to live a life of thanksgiving rather than offering limited thanks, and knowing that we must never lose sight of God’s goodness and God’s hand at work in everything we face, I want to share you with you three reasons why our thanksgiving must be continual no matter what are circumstances may be.

1. BECAUSE THE WORLD IS WATCHING AND LISTENING

The world seems to ignore the good news we try to share with them, but they become all ears when negative circumstances befall us.

Consider the situation Paul and Silas found themselves in: “And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:22-25).

Continued tomorrow

Thanksgiving and Thanks Living, part 1

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 19:35:33 GMT

Giving thanks should happen every day

As we draw nearer to Thanksgiving this week, we are going to look at “Being Thankful.”

I believe Scripture supports and really proves the fact that God expects us to thank Him for His blessings in our lives. This is evidenced in the words of Jesus to the, one, lone, ex-leper who returned to thank Him: “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?” Luke 17:15-17

God not only deserves our thanks, but I believe He also desires it. He wants us to be grateful for His goodness, grace and mercy rather than just taking it all for granted. How many of you took time out this past week just to re-count your blessings and thank God for everything He’s done for you?

As we prepare to have Thanksgiving, let's understand that God doesn’t want our thanksgiving to be limited to one Thursday in November. God wants us to continue to thank Him. He wants us to live a life of thankfulness. Let’s look back at what Paul has to say about it all in our text for this week, 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Going on to verses 19 and 20 , he says, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

In Philippians 4:4, we read, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Paul made it clear that our giving of thanks is to be continual, and not dependent on our situation. It is to be ongoing in spite of our circumstances, not just when everything is going well.

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Holy Spirit, part 5

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 18:58:23 GMT

The Holy Spirit: Our Helper in our journey to holiness

Our calling as Christians is not to be clever people, intellectual people, efficient people, denominational people, or even hard-working people (although there is nothing innately wrong with any of those things). As Christians we are called to be Christ-like men and women! But we can never be Christ-like, never be holy, without the Holy Spirit’s enabling power.

I cannot begin to adequately describe to you the Holiness of God. However, it has been my desire these past few weeks to show us that God is a Holy God, who can have nothing at all to do with sin. Therefore, He gave His One and only Son, Jesus Christ, who was and is the perfect, holy, sinless sacrifice for our sins. It is His sacrifice which appeases the righteous judgment of God. It is by His sacrifice and through His mediation that we are able to stand clean, before a Holy God.

This week, we have considered how, through the Holy Spirit, the holiness of God is produced within the heart of believers in response to faith. It is through the Holy Spirit that our sinfulness is revealed, and Christ, the perfect Savior from all sin, is revealed to us. It is through the Holy Spirit that Christ is made to be more than just stories and facts. It is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus is made real to our hearts.

The Holy Spirit is Our Guide into All Truth – opening the Scriptures to us… reminding us of everything Jesus said and did. We also looked at how the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Sanctification. It is through the Holy Spirit that our hearts are purified as the Holy Spirit indwells, and directs, and controls the lives of believers.

Finally, it is the Holy Spirit that empowers us for a holy life of service.

God calls us to be holy as He is holy. Let me ask you a question this morning, are you holy? Is there any sin in your life? I am praying that God the Holy Spirit will reveal to you right now if there is any sin in your heart that needs to be repented of. If you are a Christian and you know that there is no unconfessed or unrepented sin in your life, I want to ask you, are you walking the road of sanctification with the Holy Spirit? Do you enjoy the fullness of the Holy Spirit this morning?

The Book of Hebrews 12:14 tells us, “…without holiness no one will see the Lord.” God tells us to be holy as He is. God desires all of us to be with Him in heaven. I want to see you there some day. If we are to go to heaven, it will be because we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ and have been cleansed from all unrighteousness. The Holiness of the Holy Spirit helps us, guides us, as we journey toward eternity with our Holy God.

In Revelation 15 the Apostle John writes about His vision of the end times and he tells us how those who had victory over the beast (Antichrist) rejoiced. John described it this way: “3 They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and awe-inspiring are Your works, Lord God, the Almighty; just and true are Your ways, King of the nations. 4 Lord, who will not fear and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before You, because Your righteous acts have been reveled” CSB. I want to be there on that day and join in singing this song, don’t you!?

If God has spoken to your heart this week, I encourage you to take some time and seek Him. He will meet your need! END

The Holiness of God the Holy Spirit, part 4

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:25:13 GMT

The Holy Spirit assures us of our salvation

“You however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him” Romans 8:9 CSB. This verse speaks both to the sanctifying work of the Spirit, not living in the flesh but in the Spirit and the assurance He brings. If He is living in us we are saved and being sanctified.

We have looked at the Holy Spirit’s role in Conviction and truth: He is The Spirit of Conviction; He is Our Guide into All Truth; He is the One who Sanctifies. Now, let’s look at

The Spirit of Assurance

Yes, when a person repents of their sin and trusts in Jesus as Lord and Savior, they have a measure of the Holy Spirit - but they are not filled with the Spirit. John Wesley called salvation “initial sanctification,” saying, “A person may drink some alcohol and not be drunk – not completely under its control. Similarly, one may have the Spirit living in them, and not be filled with the Spirit – not completely under His control.” When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, every part of their moral being becomes open to being guided and directed by the Spirit; with the goal of yielding full control of their life to the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that our free-will is violated or removed, but it does means that we do not do things any longer to glorify ourselves, but to glorify God.

It is by the Holy Spirit’s witness that He assures us of our salvation and ongoing sanctification. In Acts 10:44-47, Peter was invited to a Roman Centurion’s house, a place filled with Gentiles, to share the Gospel. Even as he preached to them, the “gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles… they heard them speaking in other tongues and declaring the greatness of God…” - leading Peter to have them all baptized in water as well.

Then, in Acts 15 , as Peter was recounting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Cornelius’ house, he compared the event to what had happened to the believers on the Day of Pentecost. In verses 8 and 9 , Peter explained, “And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith” CSB.

In witness to the cleansing of their hearts by faith, God gave them the Holy Spirit. It was the Spirit Himself that witnessed to their hearts that they were cleansed from sin and filled with the Spirit. Peter was an observer and participant on both the Day of Pentecost and at Cornelius’ house and he tells of how God gave a witness and that witness was the Holy Spirit Himself!

As we begin to wrap up this week’s devotional, let me say that it is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Sanctification, who empowers us for a holy life of service. The highest purpose under God is to glorify God; we can do this in and through our lives and by spiritually reproducing (leading others to Him). This task is impossible without the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Holy Spirit, part 3

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 17:07:27 GMT

The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth

We have looked at the Holy Spirit’s role in Conviction: He is the Spirit of Conviction. Now let’s look at

The Holiness of the Holy Spirit: He Guides Us into All Truth
In John 14:6 , Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life….” In John chapters 14, 15 & 16 Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of Truth. ” In John 14:16-17 , Jesus called Him “another Counselor who will be with us forever, 17 He is the Spirit of Truth… you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you” CSB. The Holiness of the Spirit is in us to guide us in every thought, word, and action, even as every thought, word, and action of God flows out of His Holiness. He desires that our thoughts, words, and actions would be holy, and outflow of His holiness living in us.

“When the Counselor comes,” Jesus said, “the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father – He will testify about me” (John15:26) . Then in the next verse Jesus says, “You also will testify” CSB. When we experience the Truth, we naturally desire to share the Truth, because the truth sets us free from slavery to sin. In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells His followers, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” CSB. The Holy Spirit will guide us as we go and He will speak through us as we witness.

Then in John 16:13 Jesus tells us that “when the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth” CSB. The Holy Spirit helps us see the truth of God’s Word - and not just see it, but understand it. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work” NLT. This connects to Hebrews 4:12-13 where we are told that it is the Spirit that guides us to the truth of the Scriptures, allowing it to do the work God has given it for. How many times have you been “just” reading the Scriptures when suddenly you feel convicted? That is the Holy Spirit, in His Holiness, doing His work as a guide to truth and convictor of sin, as we continue on the pathway of sanctification, toward holiness.

Jesus is the Truth, so the Spirit of Truth will guide us deeper into Jesus (John16:13) and through the Scripture, He will teach, correct and rebuke us (2 Tim.3:16-17), leading us deeper into a sanctified life. He will testify about Jesus (John 15:25) and empower us to testify about Jesus (Acts 1:8), He will remind us of everything Jesus said (John 14:26) and in His Holiness, He will live in us (John 14:17) and speak through us.

The truth is, friends, we could spend many weeks unpacking just this section!

We have looked at the Holy Spirit’s role in conviction and truth: He is the Spirit of Conviction and He is Our Guide into All Truth. Now let’s look at

The Spirit of Sanctification .

It is the Spirit of Sanctification that purifies, directs and controls the life. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth” CSB.

Listen to Peter as he writes to believers who have been scattered because of persecution, 1 Peter 1:1-2 “To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad… 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit…” CSB.

Immediately, when we are saved, the Spirit comes to live in us. He begins to draw and guide us into the truth, reminding us of and teaching the things Jesus taught and did as we move in that direction. He begins to bring conviction to our hearts for things we are doing that we should not be doing any longer, and for things we are not doing that we should be doing.

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Holy Spirit, part 2

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 18:11:08 GMT

The Holy Spirit convicts us

How vital the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit are to us!

The Holy Spirit in Conviction. He is the Spirit of conviction. “Pastor Brad, what does that even mean?” - right?! Well, The Holy Spirit reveals to us the inward presence of sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned.” So the Holy Spirit helps us see and recognize this truth.

In our Scripture reading this week, Jesus says this concerning the Holy Spirit: “He will convict the world about sin” (John 16:8 ). And in Hebrews 4:12-13 , we find that, “The word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double–edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” CSB.

Do you remember what the Sword of the Spirit in the Armor of God is? It is the Word of God. And it is the Holy Spirit who causes the Word of God come alive in our hearts and minds, bringing conviction to the hearts of people. It is the Holiness of the Holy Spirit that makes the Word of God effective in searching out every deeply hidden motive, desire, and purpose of the human heart, bringing conviction that leads us to repentance.

We desperately need this revelation of the Spirit because it shows us the hideous nature of sin. This is missing in so many places today. I can try my best to preach intellectual messages; I can try to preach messages that are interesting and stimulating; but the truth is that unless the Sword of the Spirit brings conviction, men and women can sit calmly and listen to message after message with no effect. How desperately our world needs the Holy Spirit to come and bring conviction on hearts today!!

In Romans 7 and 8 , the Apostle Paul is writing about his own experience with the Holiness of the Holy Spirt. Paul states that the Holy Spirit played a vital role in opening Paul’s spiritual eyes, helping him to realize his rebellion against God’s Holy Law (in practice), and his absolute deadness towards Him by nature. These things created terror in Paul’s mind as an awakened sinner.

Friends, the truth is that it is only when we see our inward corruption that our sin nature is revealed and the convicted sinner dies ( Romans 7:7-9 ). Paul talks about dying to all his hopes and abilities, works and professions. His supposed strength is crushed. He not only sees and acknowledges his sinful nature that cannot be subject to our Lord ( Romans 8:7 ), but he is deeply cut and greatly affected by the horror of his own incurably wicked heart.

But the Holy Spirit doesn’t leave him there in that state: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:24-25 CSB. The Holy Spirit brings us to see our own sin and how horrible it is in light of God’s Holiness. Our hearts will tell us what a wretched person we really are, lost and hopelessly filled with sin with no way to even get close to a Holy God. And then, He turns our gaze from the mess of our life, to beauty of the nail-scarred hands of Immanuel, God with us, and we begin to cry out, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ MY Lord!”

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Holy Spirit, part 1

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 18:50:02 GMT

The Holy Spirit brings God's holiness to us...

When we read through the Bible, we cannot help but see that God is holy. It is a theme that runs throughout the entire Bible. God is holy and He wants His people to be holy. In fact, we are instructed to be Holy as He is holy.

For the past couple of weeks, we have been looking into The Holiness of God. The purpose in this short series has been to realize that, if we are going to be holy as He is, we must know something about His holiness.

We have talked about The Holiness of the Father. The Holiness of God the Father is separated from and high above mankind. We read of the Holiness of God the Father in the Scriptures, it is expressed by Exodus 3:5, where Moses is told: “Do not come closer….” And the reason the Father says not to come close is for our own benefit, for our safety; it is not because He doesn’t want us to be there.

You see, if we were to try to approach God in our sinful condition, we would surely die! This is what will happen on the Day of Judgment. Every person will stand before a Holy God to give an account of their lives. Those whose sins have not been washed in the blood of Jesus will be sentenced to an eternity in hell (the Book of Revelations calls that, “The Second Death”). Why? Because God is Holy and sin cannot coexist, or linger, in His Holy presence.

We have seen that the Father’s Holiness says, “Do not come closer,” but in His love and mercy He provided a remedy for our sin so that we can draw close to Him. The remedy is found in Jesus Christ, His One and Only Son. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are able to draw close to God. Jesus is our Mediator and in Him we hear, “Let Me wash your feet.”

This week, we will see that, through the Holy Spirit, holiness is brought even closer to us. It is brought within the hearts of believers in response to their faith and trust in Jesus.

God speaks of this, hundreds of years before Jesus is born. It was always His plan. We read in Ezekiel 36:24-27, “For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances” CSB.

This week, we are going to look at The Holiness of the Holy Spirit.
God the Father gave His Son in a past, completed act, continuing in love. God the Son poured out His life in a past, completed act, continuing in intercession. God the Holy Spirit makes salvation real to the believer, a present, never-yet-completed work (speaking of the process or journey of sanctification).

Before we begin to dive into the message, let’s read John 16:7-15.

“Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you. 8 When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgement: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because He will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that He takes from what is mine and will declare it to you” CSB.

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Son, Jesus Christ, part 5

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 17:24:53 GMT

Jesus prayed for you!

Friends, I hope we have caught a little glimpse into the holiness of Jesus, God’s Son this week, and I hope and pray we will see how He has made it possible for you and me to be holy.

In John 17 , when Jesus and His disciples had just eaten the Last Supper, Jesus concludes this meal with what is called His “High Priestly Prayer.” It is a prayer for Himself (verses 1-5) and for His disciples (verses 6-19) and for all believers (verses 20-26) .

I believe that chapter, that prayer, is one of the most majestic and beautiful passages in the entire Bible. It takes us right to the heart of Jesus’ parting concern for the work He had come to do, and for the people who would carry it on.

Let’s read John 17:13-26: “Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them. 14 I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

20 I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.

24 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation. 25 Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me. 26 I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them” CSB.

Think about that: Jesus was praying for YOU! His concern was for your sanctification and mine. He wants us to be made holy in love like Him. We can be participants in His holiness.

How about you? Are you a participant in Jesus’ holiness? You can be today; the first step is to trust Him as your Lord and Savior. END

The Holiness of God the Son, Jesus Christ, part 4

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 18:03:35 GMT

Imitators of God

In John 16:7 , we hear Jesus tell His disciple, “I am telling you the truth: It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away, the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you” CSB. On the day of Pentecost Jesus fulfilled that promise to send the Holy Spirit (next week we will look at the Holiness of the Holy Spirit. Because of the Holy Spirit we have God’s very presence with us and in us always.)

Another advantage of Jesus’ ascension to heaven is the fact that He is interceding on our behalf in the presence of God the Father. Remember, Jesus is our Advocate. In Hebrews 7:25 we find that He is “able also to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them” CSB.

From His exalted position in the throne room of heaven, Jesus pleads for us as our Advocate. When our will is surrendered to God and when we have received His Holy Spirit by faith, we no longer have to live in fear of falling into sin! Yes, it is still possible, but we can have a deep confidence in the faithfulness of our great Advocate who represents us before the Father: He represents us before the throne!

We have wonderful resources! We have powerful help in our time of need! In the Book of Jude, verse 24 , we find that "He is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, without blemish and with great joy” CSB.

Not long ago, I was reading from a little devotional book titled, “This Day with the Master.” Let me share with you the devotional, dated April 27 ^th that I read.

“One day as I was reading through the book of Ephesians, I found myself laughing aloud when I came across Ephesians 5:1 where it says, “ Be imitators of God as dearly loved children, and walk in love” CSB. How can someone like me imitate God?

Many of His attributes immediately came into my mind. First of all, He is the Omnipotent One. A few in history have tried to be all-powerful, but they have ended up as fools. Second, He is the Omniscient One. He knows all things. But when I am in the process of finding an answer to a question, I discover that I have ten more questions, and so my experience is one of exploding ignorance, not knowledge. The more I know, the more I have to learn. Third, He is the Omnipresent One. But I am confined to one moment in time and one point in space. How can I imitate Him?

I looked again at the passage, going on to Ephesians 5:2: “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God” CSB. My laughter faded when I realized that God wants us to imitate His lifestyle, not His attributes. What Paul was telling the church to imitate was the life of love that issues in self-sacrifice modeled in the Lord Jesus.

Suddenly I found myself confronted not with divine attributes in abstraction, but with the very Cross of Christ. Then I realized that Paul was asking us to imitate the God we see on Calvary, the God who cares more for someone else than He does for Himself. Paul says that the self-sacrificing love pleased the very nostrils of God.

But how can I get out of my self–interest, which seems to contaminate everything I do and touch? Paul gives us the key: it lies not in us but in the very love that sent Christ to Calvary. Paul believed that God can put His own love in us, if we want it and seek it.

If we let His Spirit fill us, we will find that His love comes with His presence. Then we can live as He lived because He will be living through us.” (Dennis Kinlaw)

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Son, Jesus Christ, part 3

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 17:07:16 GMT

Because Jesus lives, we can live!

Jesus’ Resurrection: Enabling Grace for us to live Holy
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6:10 (we read it as we closed yesterday), “… but the life He lives, He lives to God” CSB.

Because Jesus completely met the demands of sin, the resurrected life of Jesus is totally related to God and not to sin. Sin no longer has any claim on Him. Paul tells us, that we are to be identified with Jesus’ death and he also insists that we are identified with His resurrection victory. With Christ’s resurrection, He gained total victory over sin, which He shares with us. We can live a holy life and it is a resurrected Christ which enables us to do so.

In Romans 7 (an often=-misunderstood chapter) Paul wrote about his earlier life, before he came to faith in Jesus, when he struggled with inward sin. In Romans 7:16-17, Paul writes, “Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now then I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me” CSB. However, after Paul met Jesus, he said, " I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20 CSB. He described His former condition as, “Not I, but sin…” but after he repented of his sin, turning to Jesus, he said, “Not I, but Christ…” He had been transformed by the resurrected Christ! Jesus was the revelation of God. In Him the Father was unveiled.

Through Jesus, the Father’s hatred of sin, His holiness, His spotless purity, and His justice are seen. Jesus came into the world to reveal the Father and to do the will of the Father. He came to save lost mankind from sin and the sin nature. He came to bring people back into fellowship with God. The Resurrection was the final stone in the everlasting foundation upon which this work was built.

When Jesus takes the place, in your life and mine, where sin once resided; He cleanses our hearts! He lives within as the supreme Lord of life! He gives us victory over sin! Because He lives, we can live!! Because he defeated sin, death, and the grave so can you, so can I!

Finally notice…

Jesus’ Ascension Provides His Presence and Intercession.
We often think about how incredible it would have been to have walked and talked with Jesus while He was here on earth. I have heard some say that if Jesus was here in the flesh, then they could be a Christian. However, may I suggest to you, even as Jesus did, that we have a tremendous advantage because Jesus ascended to heaven?

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of the Son, Jesus Christ, part 2

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 16:54:56 GMT

Because of Jesus, we can live a holy life

Hebrews 7:26 tells us, “ For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” CSB. In Jesus, we find all of the qualities of the Father’s divine holiness and these qualities are part of the Person of our Great High Priest (Jesus), whose duty was to go into the Presence of God and come to mankind and to mediate between God and us. He is, “Immanuel, God with us,” and because of this, holiness draws near to us.

It is important for us to understand that Jesus lived His life using the same resources you and I have for holy living. Listen! This next piece is vital for us to know: Jesus never used His deity to help Him live a holy life. He never performed a miracle to overcome temptation. When He was being tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4) , the Devil continually tried to get Jesus to use a miracle in the midst of temptation but Jesus refused. Why? If Jesus would have used a miracle for Himself, He would not and could not be our example when we are tempted.

How did Jesus remain holy? What resources did He use?

By the Word of God
By a life of prayer
By the fullness of the Spirit.

What is my point? The point is this: when we read of Jesus’ life, we read of a life which is a perfect example for us. He lived a holy life – and, friends, we too can live a holy life because of and through Him.

He showed us the same life of faith we are called to live. The faith of Jesus was shown by the fact that He never acted in self-interest. His perfect knowledge was submitted to the guidance of His Father. His individual will was submitted voluntarily to the perfect will of the Father.

If we want to live a holy life, we must follow His example. Whenever we deny our own self-will to do the will of the Father, we are bearing the cross of Jesus. God’s will must be first in our life. In this, Jesus was our perfect example. Jesus’ life was the perfect example of holiness for us.

Secondly notice with me that

Jesus’ death makes Holiness possible for us.
If Jesus had even once yielded to temptation, answered with an angry or impulsive words, or shown a carnal spirit He could not have been our Deliverer. However, He was able to say at the end of His physical life here on earth, “…the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me.” John 14:30 CSB.

Let’s look at Romans 6:10, “For the death He died, He died to sin once for all time; but the life He lives, He lives to God” CSB. When Jesus died, He dealt with the issue, of sin, once and for all and He settled it. Jesus met sin where all of humankind faces sin, and He faced the strongest of temptations; yet He remained without sin. He died to sin!

His was an encounter with sin – inner sin, outer sin, modern sin, ancient sin, enticing sin, sin in its beginnings, horrid sin in its finish, sin of the mind. of the body, of the soul, sin at the judgment bar – all of sin. He encountered it for you, for me, for all of humankind. And He defeated it, living a perfect sinless life. Because Jesus met the issue of sin and settled it with His death, we can be freed from sin and be made holy.

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of the Son, Jesus Christ, part 1

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:53:46 GMT

Jesus' life is the perfect example of holiness for us

Last week, we began a series looking at the Holiness of God. In that message we focused on The Holiness of God the Father. This week, we will be focusing our thoughts on The Holiness of God The Son, Jesus Christ.

The Holiness of the Father is expressed in Exodus 3:5 where we find God speaking to Moses at the Burning Bush: “Do not come closer:” He said, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground” CSB. We find the Holiness of the Son expressed in Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed in pure water” CSB.

The Holiness of the Father and the Holiness of the Son is contrasted by the “Take off your shoes” in Exodus, and Jesus saying, “Let me wash your feet” at the last supper. The Holiness of God is expressed in the law and in the prophets, in the judgments of God, in the history of His people, in His redemptive plan, and in the glories of Heaven - but nowhere else is it seen so clearly and so beautifully as in The Person of His Son.

Through Jesus, we are able to come near to God. He is our Mediator. Because of Jesus, as we find in Hebrews 10:19-22 , we are able to have “boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus – 20 He has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through His flesh) … 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.” CSB. Jesus is the mediator required in order to communicate the holiness of God to humanity. John 1:18 says of God, “No one has ever seen God. The One and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side – He has revealed Him” CSB.

This week, we’ll consider the Holiness of God the Son, Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament, Jesus is specifically described as “holy” nine times, and the idea of His holiness is constant throughout the New Testament. In Hebrews 2:11 , we are told that Jesus is the “One who sanctifies or makes Holy” His brothers and sisters." He sanctifies His brothers and sisters through His sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) in which He enters the Holy of Holies with His own blood and opens the way for all those who follow Him ( Hebrews 10:14-22) . He who sanctifies others must Himself by holy - and Jesus Christ was and is holy.

Let’s look at Jesus and how His holiness applies to us.

Jesus’ Life is the Perfect Example of Holiness for Us

In Jesus, we find all of the elements of the Father’s holiness: majesty, perfection, love, and separation from sin.

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Father, part 5

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 18:09:21 GMT

Holiness is the sum of all of God's attributes

Those who refuse God’s love and His provision for their righteousness will feel His wrath and be cast into hell. It is not innocent and ignorant people who receive God’s holy judgment, but self-willed and unyielding men and women, those who reject His truth and chose sinful pleasures instead of His truth and righteousness.

It is from His throne of holiness that God will forever banish unrepentant men and women into the lake of fire forever. The same love which acts in mercy toward those who repent will act in wrath toward those who are willfully sinful because they have refused His offer of love. God manifests His holiness in His judgment. If we are faithful to the holiness of God, we must remember His wrath, as well as His mercy, His judgment, as well as His loving forgiveness!

Holiness is more than just an attribute of God; holiness is the sum of all of God’s attributes. Holiness is more than just the absence of wrong; it is the perfection of excellence and righteousness in all things. God is holy. God is holy in His love. He exercises discriminating love. If you do not hate evil, you do not truly love God.

God’s love is self-giving. He gave His only Son for your sins and mine, and today and He wants you to be made holy. Romans 8:32 tells us, “He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all. How will He not also with Him grant us everything?” CSB.

This week, we have looked at how God’s holiness is fully displayed in His character. We have looked at holiness in God the Father and how, in God the Father, holiness is separate and high above mankind. Over the next couple of weeks, we will find that while in the Father, holiness is separated from and high above mankind, that in God the Son, holiness is brought near, and through God the Holy Spirit, holiness is created within the heart of the believer in response to faith.

I hope to help us see that:

Holiness in God is the perfection of moral excellence. Exodus 15:11 “LORD, who is like You, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, preforming wonders?”
Holiness is the key God’s own activity. Psalms 145:17 “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His acts.”
Holiness is the standard for us. Leviticus 11:44 “For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” CSB.

My goal is to help us see that because God is holy, He demands that we be holy - not absolutely, for absolute holiness belongs only to Him - but relatively, this is possible only through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

END

The Holiness of God the Father, part 4

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 17:50:04 GMT

God reveals His holiness in His will

Peace is essential to the nature of God in three persons. There is no disharmony in the Trinity. There is no struggle for supremacy. God moves with a majestic deliberateness and stately calmness, unmarred by the rash, impulsive, and nervous actions we so frequently have.

It is this peace which He wants to bring into the hearts and lives of His children. Holiness is inward harmony which works itself outward in human relationships. There is no lasting peace in the heart where sin is, and there will be no peace in this world where sin abounds. Holiness is the only way to a peace that satisfies. God Reveals His holiness, in His love, by separation from sin and in His peace…

Fourthly – God Reveals His Holiness in His Will.
God’s will is perfect because it is the expression of His nature. Morality is shown by what someone wants. God is absolutely perfect and has an absolutely perfect will. He wants only what is good. God does permit evil to endure for a season, but only while His love and mercy and kindness are being displayed toward the evildoer.

God does NOT will what is sinful. He wants all people to repent. He wants all believers to be sanctified. He wants all people to come to knowledge of the truth.

The plan of salvation is because of God’s perfect will. Nothing happened by chance; He planned it all. It was because of His will that we have a Mediator, a Mediator that bridged the gulf between infinite, exalted holiness and fallen, sin-infested man. It was by His will that a way was provided to grant full justice toward sin, and yet win the sinner in a loving display of deliverance. It was by His perfect will!

Because God wills holiness for His children, within the sphere of that holiness, He also wills the very elements which His own holiness possesses: The beauty of the sanctified life, moral excellence, self-giving love, separation from sin = a perfect will, to do the will of God.

We as humans cannot know the absolute holiness inherent in the infinite God. We can know a holiness that is perfect in quality, though conditioned to our earthen vessels. In Deuteronomy 6:5 , when God commanded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” CSB, He was indicating a love relative to a person’s heart, soul, and strength. These are far beneath the infinite measure of God Himself. But nevertheless, within a person’s redeemed capacity, we are given the qualities which are part of the same qualities of God’s own holiness.

God Reveals His holiness in His love, by separation from sin, His peace, and His will.

Continued tomorrow

The Holiness of God the Father, part 3

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:34:07 GMT

We need a fresh revelation of God's holiness

The modern thought is that God loves us and wants us to do whatever we want: if it is beneficial to lie, we tell one; if we are drawn to pornographic images, we look at them (often while hiding away in a secluded room). In all honesty, that thinking comes from a distorted view of the love of God. It comes from a kind of preaching that is strong on the positive aspects of God’s love but silent on the things which God condemns.

We seem to treat sin as we would a pet raccoon – we love the cuteness and the immediate pleasure we get from having them, without being aware – or ignoring the danger. You see, raccoons are quite cute when they are babies. But raccoons go through a glandular change at about 24 months. After that, if they are being kept as pets, they will often attack their owner.

Since a 30-pound raccoon can be equal to a 100-pound dog in a scrap, a zoo keeper felt compelled to mention the change coming to a young lady named Julie who owned a young pet raccoon. Julie listened politely as he explained the coming danger. He never forgot her response: “It will be different for me.” She even smiled as she added, “Bandit wouldn’t hurt me. He just wouldn’t.”

Just three months later, Julie underwent plastic surgery for facial lacerations sustained when her now adult raccoon attacked her for no apparent reason.

All too often, sin comes dressed in an adorable disguise and so we play with it. How quickly we find ourselves saying, “It will be different for me.” However, the results are very predictable. (Gary Richmond, View from the Zoo)

There is nothing the church needs more desperately today than a fresh encounter with the holiness of God, to make us aware of the dangers of playing with sin. When Isaiah experienced his encounter with the Holy, he was in the temple seeking God. God reveals His holiness in His love.

God Reveals His Holiness in His Separateness from Sin.
Implied in the meaning of holiness is the thought of separateness. When Moses approached the burning bush, God warned him, Exodus 3:5 “Do not come closer,” He said, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground” CSB. When God came down to Mount Sinai, in Exodus 19:12 , He warned Moses, “Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death’” CSB.

In Hebrews 12:29 , we are told that, “Our God is a consuming fire.” The weight of these Scriptures is to show that, in God the Father, holiness is separate and high above mankind. So, to approach Him without some kind of mediation would be as destructive as connecting an ordinary light bulb directly to the generator at the power station without a step-down transformer. God has provided a mediator for us (we’ll get into that later). God reveals His holiness in His love, and by separation from sin.

God Reveals His Holiness in His Peace.

Throughout the Scriptures, Peace is commonly related to God’s holiness. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 , Paul wrote, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Continued tomorrow