I sometimes read things in the Bible and think that was pretty harsh. As I read about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 and their instantaneous death because they lied about what they were giving to God, it makes me shudder.
Peter tells them this land was yours to keep or sell. After you sold it the money was yours to keep or give. But you come traipsing into church, wanting everyone to think how generous you are as you give your money, but you are a liar. Why didn't you just say I'm going to keep some and give some? Why did you want everyone to think you were making such a big sacrifice when you knew what you were giving was not what you really got for he land? Boom! Dead! Both of them.
Acts 5:11 says "And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things." It puts a little fear in me too when I remember times I've said God if you will just...then I will... Maybe I did and maybe I didn't uphold my vow. But then I also remember that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)
No condemnation brings great comfort and peace but the big word in that sentence is not condemnation but IN. You must be IN Christ to get the benefits. Too many people in churches today are relying on their good looking clothes and pretending everything is great and doing lots of stuff to justify them before God rather than knowing Jesus.
When Samuel annointed David king, God told Samuel, "...man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus says that on "that day", the day of judgement, many will be cast out. Even though they did lots of stuff, even in Jesus' name, Jesus will say, "I never knew you." (Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 25:31-46).
Knowing Jesus is more than the things we do or the place we go on Sunday or how we dress. Jesus showed us how to serve, how to love, how to give. As His followers we should do the things He did. But being IN Christ is about being "a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galations 6:15). And that new creation comes when one is "born again...of the Spirit..." (John 3:3-8)
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Witnesses
When we think about being eye witnesses to the works of Jesus Christ, many of us think too far back in time. We want to go all the way back to the time when Jesus walked on the earth. We think of the twelve who went everywhere with Jesus and saw all the miraculous things He did.
In Acts 4, Peter and John have been arrested and brought before the Council because they healed, in the name of Jesus, a man who had been lame from birth. This man was begging for money but Peter and John had none of that. They had something much better...the power to speak healing into this man's feeble legs and feet. And that annoyed the religious leaders.
When Peter and John came before them, the leaders saw that these were very ordinary, theologically uneducated men - just like us - but "they recognized that they had been with Jesus." (vs 13 ESV) They commanded Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus and particularly the the resurrection. "But Peter and John replied, 'Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard'." (vs 19 NLT)
We don't have to go all the way back there because the same should be true of us. If nothing else, we should tell everyone how Jesus raised us from the dead! "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins..." (Ephesians 2:1) Everyone of us - even if you never lived a life of debauchery - was DEAD before meeting Jesus. When we surrendered our lives to Christ, we were resurrected from the dead. "But God, being rich in mercy...made us alive together in Christ..." (Ephesians 2:4-5) That is something amazing that we witnessed and should tell people about.
I have seen the addicted set free from alcohol and drugs, homosexuals set free from same sex attractions, marriages and families restored, teenagers and unmarried adults living lives of sexual purity, and 1000's saying YES to Jesus as Savior and Lord! I MUST be a witness. I cannot stop talking about the amazing things I see Jesus doing in the lives of people I know and people I hear about.
Jesus is very much alive and still performing miracles! Tell everybody!!
"You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He...I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:10-11 ESV)
In Acts 4, Peter and John have been arrested and brought before the Council because they healed, in the name of Jesus, a man who had been lame from birth. This man was begging for money but Peter and John had none of that. They had something much better...the power to speak healing into this man's feeble legs and feet. And that annoyed the religious leaders.
When Peter and John came before them, the leaders saw that these were very ordinary, theologically uneducated men - just like us - but "they recognized that they had been with Jesus." (vs 13 ESV) They commanded Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus and particularly the the resurrection. "But Peter and John replied, 'Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard'." (vs 19 NLT)
We don't have to go all the way back there because the same should be true of us. If nothing else, we should tell everyone how Jesus raised us from the dead! "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins..." (Ephesians 2:1) Everyone of us - even if you never lived a life of debauchery - was DEAD before meeting Jesus. When we surrendered our lives to Christ, we were resurrected from the dead. "But God, being rich in mercy...made us alive together in Christ..." (Ephesians 2:4-5) That is something amazing that we witnessed and should tell people about.
I have seen the addicted set free from alcohol and drugs, homosexuals set free from same sex attractions, marriages and families restored, teenagers and unmarried adults living lives of sexual purity, and 1000's saying YES to Jesus as Savior and Lord! I MUST be a witness. I cannot stop talking about the amazing things I see Jesus doing in the lives of people I know and people I hear about.
Jesus is very much alive and still performing miracles! Tell everybody!!
"You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He...I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:10-11 ESV)
Monday, May 20, 2013
God Is Faithful
Over the weekend I had the privilege of joining up with 2000 or so owners of NewSpring Church from all over the state as we converged on the main campus in Anderson, SC for an event called Launch.
Our pastor shared the history of NewSpring as well as vision for the future. The very first thing he wanted us to understand was the faithfulness of God. He told us how God gave him the vision to start NewSpring in 1996. He showed us a picture of the living room where 15 people began to meet in 1999. As he shared the details of the uncertainty and fears that sometimes plagued him and the leadership, God was always faithful.
The statistics that amaze me the most are the growth. From those 15 original people God has done miraculous things. On Sunday, August 11, 2002, 506 people were at church at NewSpring. On successive Sundays the numbers were 970, 1096, 1247, 1505, 1548 and 1600. In six weeks the church tripled in size with no advertising, no social media, and no website to speak of. This was purely a God thing!
And God is still doing the miraculous. We now have eight campuses with plans for more. Why? Because God is bringing people who are far from Him and setting them free through faith in Jesus. And when they meet Jesus they begin to take their next steps. They get baptized, they join small groups, they serve others as volunteers, some eventually end up on staff.
The campus I attend is 50 miles from the home church in a community with a church on just about every block. Many church people don't like us and the way we do things, yet we have seen 910 people confess "Jesus is Lord" in the 15-16 months we have been here. God is faithful! He WILL do what only He can do when we submit to His leadership!
Our pastor shared the history of NewSpring as well as vision for the future. The very first thing he wanted us to understand was the faithfulness of God. He told us how God gave him the vision to start NewSpring in 1996. He showed us a picture of the living room where 15 people began to meet in 1999. As he shared the details of the uncertainty and fears that sometimes plagued him and the leadership, God was always faithful.
The statistics that amaze me the most are the growth. From those 15 original people God has done miraculous things. On Sunday, August 11, 2002, 506 people were at church at NewSpring. On successive Sundays the numbers were 970, 1096, 1247, 1505, 1548 and 1600. In six weeks the church tripled in size with no advertising, no social media, and no website to speak of. This was purely a God thing!
And God is still doing the miraculous. We now have eight campuses with plans for more. Why? Because God is bringing people who are far from Him and setting them free through faith in Jesus. And when they meet Jesus they begin to take their next steps. They get baptized, they join small groups, they serve others as volunteers, some eventually end up on staff.
The campus I attend is 50 miles from the home church in a community with a church on just about every block. Many church people don't like us and the way we do things, yet we have seen 910 people confess "Jesus is Lord" in the 15-16 months we have been here. God is faithful! He WILL do what only He can do when we submit to His leadership!
Friday, May 17, 2013
New Creation
There are many times I find myself thinking about how unworthy I am to live a life so blessed by God. But this morning as I was reading Romans 8 I was reminded again that I am no longer a slave to the sinful life I used to live - even though I may still screw up from time to time - but that I am a child of God and an heir, along with Jesus Christ, to all of God's riches.
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:15-17 (ESV)
To say I am unworthy is to deny the work of Jesus on the cross and the love of God that sent Jesus to the cross to pay for my sins. EVERY person is unworthy! But "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
As a child of God, I am part of the family. Adopted intentionally and made a co-heir with Christ by my Father. Rather than dwell on my unworthiness and past sins, I should be dancing in the streets shouting hallelujah and thank you. How dumb would it have been to tell my earthly daddy I can't eat with you or go on vacation with you or accept this money for college because I once did things that hurt you. Because of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection and my repentance, God chooses to forget all my past sins (Isaiah 43:25) and I am worthy, because of Jesus, to accept every blessing God sends my way.
Even Paul had these acceptance issues as he called himself the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and a wretched man (Romans 7:18-24). But, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1). So I will choose to live each day in full confidence of my place in God's family.
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:15-17 (ESV)
To say I am unworthy is to deny the work of Jesus on the cross and the love of God that sent Jesus to the cross to pay for my sins. EVERY person is unworthy! But "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
As a child of God, I am part of the family. Adopted intentionally and made a co-heir with Christ by my Father. Rather than dwell on my unworthiness and past sins, I should be dancing in the streets shouting hallelujah and thank you. How dumb would it have been to tell my earthly daddy I can't eat with you or go on vacation with you or accept this money for college because I once did things that hurt you. Because of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection and my repentance, God chooses to forget all my past sins (Isaiah 43:25) and I am worthy, because of Jesus, to accept every blessing God sends my way.
Even Paul had these acceptance issues as he called himself the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and a wretched man (Romans 7:18-24). But, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1). So I will choose to live each day in full confidence of my place in God's family.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Delayed Obedience Is Disobedience
Sometimes I want to just kick myself for when it is so hard for me to be obedient to God. It always leads to sorrow and regret!
About nine years ago I believed God was going to move me away from my hometown. I stopped seeing the guy I was dating, whom I knew was not God's best for me for a lot of reasons. But then I didn't move. I was sure, at first, that God was leading me away from my church of 20+ years but rather than leave the people I loved so much, I went on staff as an employee of the church.
For two years things were great. The ministry I was serving was growing. The people I served loved me and I loved them and my supervisor was extremely pleased with everything. Then, over a two week period, things began to fall apart. And it was not pretty. I left that church hurt, disillusioned, angry, blaming myself for things I could not control.
Knowing for some time that God wanted me to move, I had visited some surrounding churches just to check them out. Others I watched on TV. But I kept thinking, nope not it. As I allowed God to lead me, I quickly found the church He had been wanting to get me into for years.
It was a church 50 miles from home that I had no knowledge of except I'd heard it was for college kids. When I turned into the driveway, God spoke to my heart to say this is it. So I knew before I ever walked in the door, before I ever heard the preacher preach, before I ever knew the core values, NewSpring was to be my new church home. As I was greeted at my car and walked into the church, as I heard the message and watched the videos, as I participated in musical worship, I was blown away. Within 10 days I was a member and have never regretted a minute of it except that I didn't listen when God first tried to get me out of my comfort zone.
God had been prodding me with, "I'm doing things you're never going to see if you don't leave!" And that was truth directly from God. I have seen my son, grandson, and granddaughter all surrender their lives to Jesus. I have seen my daughter in law confess her addiction to alcohol, for the first time, to Care Room volunteers and seek the help she needed. I have seen 1000s more make the same kinds of decisions.
When I started there was one campus with plans for another (only 30 miles from my home). Now, in just five years, there are 8 campuses across our state with plans for more. We have gone from an average weekly attendance of around 8,000 to almost 25,000. There is now a campus in my community only a few miles from home. In 2013 at the local campus I now attend, we have seen 343 salvations and 292 public professions of faith through baptism. It just blows me away! I read and hear all sorts of things about the demise of the church, but the Church is still the Bride of Christ and His means to reach the world.
Because my previous disobedience ended so badly, I have tried hard to listen for God's direction. And God has chosen to honor me personally in ways I never would have believed when I first walked in the doors of NewSpring. I am so humbled that this grandma would be chosen to do and see the things God has allowed me to do and see. His grace is so marvelous. Obedience is so joyful. If God never, ever blesses me with anything else, He has done enough.
About nine years ago I believed God was going to move me away from my hometown. I stopped seeing the guy I was dating, whom I knew was not God's best for me for a lot of reasons. But then I didn't move. I was sure, at first, that God was leading me away from my church of 20+ years but rather than leave the people I loved so much, I went on staff as an employee of the church.
For two years things were great. The ministry I was serving was growing. The people I served loved me and I loved them and my supervisor was extremely pleased with everything. Then, over a two week period, things began to fall apart. And it was not pretty. I left that church hurt, disillusioned, angry, blaming myself for things I could not control.
Knowing for some time that God wanted me to move, I had visited some surrounding churches just to check them out. Others I watched on TV. But I kept thinking, nope not it. As I allowed God to lead me, I quickly found the church He had been wanting to get me into for years.
It was a church 50 miles from home that I had no knowledge of except I'd heard it was for college kids. When I turned into the driveway, God spoke to my heart to say this is it. So I knew before I ever walked in the door, before I ever heard the preacher preach, before I ever knew the core values, NewSpring was to be my new church home. As I was greeted at my car and walked into the church, as I heard the message and watched the videos, as I participated in musical worship, I was blown away. Within 10 days I was a member and have never regretted a minute of it except that I didn't listen when God first tried to get me out of my comfort zone.
God had been prodding me with, "I'm doing things you're never going to see if you don't leave!" And that was truth directly from God. I have seen my son, grandson, and granddaughter all surrender their lives to Jesus. I have seen my daughter in law confess her addiction to alcohol, for the first time, to Care Room volunteers and seek the help she needed. I have seen 1000s more make the same kinds of decisions.
When I started there was one campus with plans for another (only 30 miles from my home). Now, in just five years, there are 8 campuses across our state with plans for more. We have gone from an average weekly attendance of around 8,000 to almost 25,000. There is now a campus in my community only a few miles from home. In 2013 at the local campus I now attend, we have seen 343 salvations and 292 public professions of faith through baptism. It just blows me away! I read and hear all sorts of things about the demise of the church, but the Church is still the Bride of Christ and His means to reach the world.
Because my previous disobedience ended so badly, I have tried hard to listen for God's direction. And God has chosen to honor me personally in ways I never would have believed when I first walked in the doors of NewSpring. I am so humbled that this grandma would be chosen to do and see the things God has allowed me to do and see. His grace is so marvelous. Obedience is so joyful. If God never, ever blesses me with anything else, He has done enough.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Be Still
Most translations of Psalm 46:10 say, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The NASB says "cease striving".
I'm not sure our modern world knows how to be still, which also brings to my mind solitude and quietness. We have our busy lifestyles with work and kids and church. We are always on the go, eating meals in the car, as we multitask our lives away. We have music or TV or chatter almost non stop. And social media...how many HOURS do we spend on Facebook or twitter or pinterest or LinkedIn or...the list goes on and on.
And how many MINUTES do we use to sit quietly before God so that He might speak to us, so that we might get to know Him and His plans for us?
The "cease striving" speaks to me on two levels. Stop living life at such a fast pace, trying to achieve success in the world's eyes. But I also hear God saying stop trying to do more FOR me and just spend time WITH me. Be still, cease all your activity, turn off everything. Don't even open your Bible. Just sit, asking Me to speak to you. Listen, in the quietness, as I tell you what I want you to know. Make time for Me every day and our journey together through this life of yours will take on a whole new meaning.
I'm not sure our modern world knows how to be still, which also brings to my mind solitude and quietness. We have our busy lifestyles with work and kids and church. We are always on the go, eating meals in the car, as we multitask our lives away. We have music or TV or chatter almost non stop. And social media...how many HOURS do we spend on Facebook or twitter or pinterest or LinkedIn or...the list goes on and on.
And how many MINUTES do we use to sit quietly before God so that He might speak to us, so that we might get to know Him and His plans for us?
The "cease striving" speaks to me on two levels. Stop living life at such a fast pace, trying to achieve success in the world's eyes. But I also hear God saying stop trying to do more FOR me and just spend time WITH me. Be still, cease all your activity, turn off everything. Don't even open your Bible. Just sit, asking Me to speak to you. Listen, in the quietness, as I tell you what I want you to know. Make time for Me every day and our journey together through this life of yours will take on a whole new meaning.
Adversity
No one ever wants to face adversity. When it comes we often beg God to make it go away but there are times when we must endure. Since so many of our favorite Bible stories are about men and women overcoming adversity, perhaps adversity is a good thing. (Romans 8:28)
Joseph was a tattletale seventeen year old strutting around in his fancy coat as dad's favorite telling everyone about his dreams of grandeur. His dreams were accurate but he did not know that God's plan was for him to save his family and run the country of Egypt. To be ready for that he had to enter a time of pruning, getting a little pride taken out, and learning to see God's favor even in adversity.
Esther, Nehemiah, David, Paul...all these and others were put in situations they could not control. Sometimes it was facing enemies close at hand, sometimes foreign kings and armies, sometimes it was there own health. Hebrews 11 is a review of a bunch of people commended for faithfully serving God through adversity when they could not yet see the fulfillment of the promises of God. I like it that people in the Bible faced difficult circumstances so I can learn how to face them in my own life.
I don't know where we got the idea that life is supposed to be pain and conflict free, suffering free. We all have seasons of peace and rest and seasons of adversity. The Bible tells us that we must suffer as Christ suffered (Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 3:7-10) We very rarely have adversity, or suffering, for our faith. Rather much, but certainly not all, of our adversity and suffering is of our own doing with poor choices in finances, friends, lifestyle, or eating habits.
Joseph was a tattletale seventeen year old strutting around in his fancy coat as dad's favorite telling everyone about his dreams of grandeur. His dreams were accurate but he did not know that God's plan was for him to save his family and run the country of Egypt. To be ready for that he had to enter a time of pruning, getting a little pride taken out, and learning to see God's favor even in adversity.
Esther, Nehemiah, David, Paul...all these and others were put in situations they could not control. Sometimes it was facing enemies close at hand, sometimes foreign kings and armies, sometimes it was there own health. Hebrews 11 is a review of a bunch of people commended for faithfully serving God through adversity when they could not yet see the fulfillment of the promises of God. I like it that people in the Bible faced difficult circumstances so I can learn how to face them in my own life.
I don't know where we got the idea that life is supposed to be pain and conflict free, suffering free. We all have seasons of peace and rest and seasons of adversity. The Bible tells us that we must suffer as Christ suffered (Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 3:7-10) We very rarely have adversity, or suffering, for our faith. Rather much, but certainly not all, of our adversity and suffering is of our own doing with poor choices in finances, friends, lifestyle, or eating habits.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Abiding in Christ
This morning I was reading in John chapter 15 about Jesus as the vine. This is one of Jesus' seven I AM statements recorded in John. This is a familiar passage that I have read numerous times. I'm sure I've though about it before, but today I began to really think about what it means to abide in Christ.
Abide means to remain, stay, continue, dwell. I often dwell ON Jesus, thinking about, Him studying about Him. But Jesus continually says in this passage abide IN Me. I should live my life believing everything He says is true. Then He becomes my shelter where I dwell in the comfort of Him. He becomes my fortress where I dwell in safety from the ravages of sin and death. He becomes my hope, my peace, my joy where I can dwell in the knowledge that He loves me extravagantly no matter what my circumstances may look like.
How do I know He loves me extravagantly? In John 15:10 Jesus says, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." Jesus loves me in the same way, with the same passion, that God the Father loves God the Son. Wow!! A few verses later, in verse 16, Jesus even tells me that I did not choose Him but that He chose me! How great is that?!
I want always to abide in Christ. To know Him intimately. To love Him extravagantly. To trust Him completely. To obey Him joyfully.
Abide means to remain, stay, continue, dwell. I often dwell ON Jesus, thinking about, Him studying about Him. But Jesus continually says in this passage abide IN Me. I should live my life believing everything He says is true. Then He becomes my shelter where I dwell in the comfort of Him. He becomes my fortress where I dwell in safety from the ravages of sin and death. He becomes my hope, my peace, my joy where I can dwell in the knowledge that He loves me extravagantly no matter what my circumstances may look like.
How do I know He loves me extravagantly? In John 15:10 Jesus says, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." Jesus loves me in the same way, with the same passion, that God the Father loves God the Son. Wow!! A few verses later, in verse 16, Jesus even tells me that I did not choose Him but that He chose me! How great is that?!
I want always to abide in Christ. To know Him intimately. To love Him extravagantly. To trust Him completely. To obey Him joyfully.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Amazed by God
As I sit here this morning contemplating life and ministry and family and me, I am amazed and humbled at the thought that God cares for me. I don't doubt it, not for a second, but it still amazes me that He knows me personally and cares about me personally and speaks to me personally.
Thousands of years ago, David asked the question that is sometimes on my lips, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4 ESV) I think he probably wrote this when still a shepherd, sitting on a hillside at night watching over his father's sheep. I think I know what David was feeling because in the Caribbean on a very small island with no city and no street lights, I have looked up at a night sky so full of stars it took my breath away.
I am overwhelmed that God who created all those stars and set them in place and calls them by name also created me and loves me and calls me by name. He has a plan for me to help fulfill His purposes on this earth. I was created to live right now, as Esther was told, "...for such a time as this." (Esther 5:14)
I don't ever want to lose the sense of awe that comes from knowing the Creator of the universe. I don't ever want to lose sight of my need for relationship with Him. I don't ever want to take for granted the punishment Jesus bore for my sins. I want to obey Him when He asks me to do anything. I want to gratefully accept and acknowledge the blessings God pours into my life, realizing that everything I have and everything I am is from Him.
Thousands of years ago, David asked the question that is sometimes on my lips, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4 ESV) I think he probably wrote this when still a shepherd, sitting on a hillside at night watching over his father's sheep. I think I know what David was feeling because in the Caribbean on a very small island with no city and no street lights, I have looked up at a night sky so full of stars it took my breath away.
I am overwhelmed that God who created all those stars and set them in place and calls them by name also created me and loves me and calls me by name. He has a plan for me to help fulfill His purposes on this earth. I was created to live right now, as Esther was told, "...for such a time as this." (Esther 5:14)
I don't ever want to lose the sense of awe that comes from knowing the Creator of the universe. I don't ever want to lose sight of my need for relationship with Him. I don't ever want to take for granted the punishment Jesus bore for my sins. I want to obey Him when He asks me to do anything. I want to gratefully accept and acknowledge the blessings God pours into my life, realizing that everything I have and everything I am is from Him.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Nothing Changes Much
I was reading in Genesis about Jacob and Laban and all the shady dealings that went on between them. I have to admit I sometimes question why God puts this stuff in the Bible.
Jacob, with his mother's help, cheated his brother Esau. Esau wants to kill Jacob so Mama Rebekah gets Papa Isaac to send Jacob to Laban. Laban was Jacob's uncle; his mother's brother. Jacob was looking for a wife among his family and when he saw Rachel it was love at first sight. He worked for his uncle for seven years and on his wedding night...ta da...the bride was the older sister Leah. Although Jacob gets Rachel, too, a week later, he works another seven years for her. Then he works another six years before he finally packs up his family to go home. Jacob is now wealthy with flocks and herds and children - 11 of them by 2 wives and 2 servants. What a mess! Still God is planning to use these eleven sons and another to be born later to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
I read this and think these people were really dysfunctional. But as I look around at our world today, we haven't changed much. More children in the US are in single mom homes than ever before with no dad in sight; most of these born out of wedlock. For those who do marry, divorce is more the norm than a for a lifetime marriage. There are over 27 million adults and children enslaved around the world, including the US, in sex trafficking and forced labor. People lie and cheat, like the Barney Madoff's of the world, to steal money from friends. Others swindle money from those who want to help in times of tragedy. We are a mean, selfish, greedy people.
Thank You, God, for using Jacob to prepare the way for our Savior! Thank You, God, for telling us stories of redemption so that we don't have to feel hopeless in our sins. Thank You, God, for showing Your love to us despite our sinfulness.
People in the Bible are real people, with real problems, and with real sins, just like me. When I read their stories I see myself and see that God can also use imperfect me, perfected through faith in Christ Jesus, to accomplish His will for my little sphere of His world.
Jacob, with his mother's help, cheated his brother Esau. Esau wants to kill Jacob so Mama Rebekah gets Papa Isaac to send Jacob to Laban. Laban was Jacob's uncle; his mother's brother. Jacob was looking for a wife among his family and when he saw Rachel it was love at first sight. He worked for his uncle for seven years and on his wedding night...ta da...the bride was the older sister Leah. Although Jacob gets Rachel, too, a week later, he works another seven years for her. Then he works another six years before he finally packs up his family to go home. Jacob is now wealthy with flocks and herds and children - 11 of them by 2 wives and 2 servants. What a mess! Still God is planning to use these eleven sons and another to be born later to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
I read this and think these people were really dysfunctional. But as I look around at our world today, we haven't changed much. More children in the US are in single mom homes than ever before with no dad in sight; most of these born out of wedlock. For those who do marry, divorce is more the norm than a for a lifetime marriage. There are over 27 million adults and children enslaved around the world, including the US, in sex trafficking and forced labor. People lie and cheat, like the Barney Madoff's of the world, to steal money from friends. Others swindle money from those who want to help in times of tragedy. We are a mean, selfish, greedy people.
Thank You, God, for using Jacob to prepare the way for our Savior! Thank You, God, for telling us stories of redemption so that we don't have to feel hopeless in our sins. Thank You, God, for showing Your love to us despite our sinfulness.
People in the Bible are real people, with real problems, and with real sins, just like me. When I read their stories I see myself and see that God can also use imperfect me, perfected through faith in Christ Jesus, to accomplish His will for my little sphere of His world.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Time
Wow...I can't believe it's been three and a half months since I wrote something. It's not that things haven't been happening in my family or God and I haven't been having conversations as I read my Bible, it's just, well, time. I should have all the time in the world but it just seems to slip away.
When I was reading in Genesis this week about Abraham, and specifically about Ishmael, one little phrase in Genesis 17:20 caught my attention. Abraham was talking to God about the son to be born to him. He was asking for Ishmael to be the one God would bless. God said nope, the child will be yours and Sarah's, a miracle child of their old age. But God also said, "I have blessed him..." speaking of Ishmael. Although this blessing would not take place for some years, to God it was a done deal.
I know intellectually that God is not restrained by time, but sometimes I forget that He sees ALL of time as now. Even if I can't see the blessing or the fulfillment of a promise or the salvation of a friend, when God declares it will be done it has already happened in His mind. So I need to rest in that knowing that God will always fulfill what He says.
When I was reading in Genesis this week about Abraham, and specifically about Ishmael, one little phrase in Genesis 17:20 caught my attention. Abraham was talking to God about the son to be born to him. He was asking for Ishmael to be the one God would bless. God said nope, the child will be yours and Sarah's, a miracle child of their old age. But God also said, "I have blessed him..." speaking of Ishmael. Although this blessing would not take place for some years, to God it was a done deal.
I know intellectually that God is not restrained by time, but sometimes I forget that He sees ALL of time as now. Even if I can't see the blessing or the fulfillment of a promise or the salvation of a friend, when God declares it will be done it has already happened in His mind. So I need to rest in that knowing that God will always fulfill what He says.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
One Thousand Gifts
For Christmas I received a book titled "One Thousand Gifts: Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp. I thought this was particularly appropriate since the NewSpring Church preaching series for the month of December was titled "Fully Alive".
My intention is not to write a synopsis or a review of the book but to start my list of one thousand gifts. Ann had struggled with unresolved grief since her little sister was hit and killed by a truck when they young. As she studied scripture she saw how thankfulness was tied into salvation and blessings so she started a list - on a dare - to name 1000 gifts from God for which she was thankful.
These will not to be the ordinary family, friends, health, etc gifts but the unexpected or unnoticed gifts, the things we too often take for granted. So today I have started my list and have two items:
My intention is not to write a synopsis or a review of the book but to start my list of one thousand gifts. Ann had struggled with unresolved grief since her little sister was hit and killed by a truck when they young. As she studied scripture she saw how thankfulness was tied into salvation and blessings so she started a list - on a dare - to name 1000 gifts from God for which she was thankful.
These will not to be the ordinary family, friends, health, etc gifts but the unexpected or unnoticed gifts, the things we too often take for granted. So today I have started my list and have two items:
- the honking of geese as they fly over my house on their way to the pond
- bright sunshine after many days, and almost 6 inches, of rain
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Faith
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
Why is faith in God so hard to come by? We have faith in our favorite team's coaches that they I'll supply a winning season. We have faith in the weatherman and take an umbrella when he says it will rain. Some have faith in the President or the stock market, some in their talent or good looks.
About 2700 or so years go the prophet Isaiah was sent by God to King Ahaz of Judah to tell him not to fear the kings who were plotting to capture Jerusalem. God, through Isaiah, said it's not going to happen. Then God said, "If you at not firm in faith, you are not firm at all." (Isaiah 7:1-9)
When Jesus began to interact with people, He marveled at the faith of a Roman centurion and chastised His disciples for their lack of faith. (Matthew 8, Mark 4, Luke 8). When the writer to the Hebrews wrote his letter, he listed a whole bunch of people known for their faith (Hebrews 11). However, this writer points out that they did not receive the promise that fueled their faith. That promise was the Messiah. But he also tells us in Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible
to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."
For most of us the problem comes with the word reward. We have the idea that God's reward will be financial security or a trouble free life or no sickness (or at least complete physical healing if we do get sick). In Hebrews 11, the writer lists a bunch of great things that happened to or for people of faith but he also tells us of those who "suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated..." (Hebrews 11:35-36) The rewards of faith are not always immediately apparent or received.
Jesus, as always, is the standard we follow, especially when it comes to faith, "looking to Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2). His reward was AFTER He became a human and AFTER He was despised and AFTER He was tortured and AFTER He became sin for us and AFTER He was crucified. All these horrible things had to happen so Jesus could show us His power over sin and death by rising from the dead and then ascending back to Heaven to receive His reward.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
Why is faith in God so hard to come by? We have faith in our favorite team's coaches that they I'll supply a winning season. We have faith in the weatherman and take an umbrella when he says it will rain. Some have faith in the President or the stock market, some in their talent or good looks.
About 2700 or so years go the prophet Isaiah was sent by God to King Ahaz of Judah to tell him not to fear the kings who were plotting to capture Jerusalem. God, through Isaiah, said it's not going to happen. Then God said, "If you at not firm in faith, you are not firm at all." (Isaiah 7:1-9)
When Jesus began to interact with people, He marveled at the faith of a Roman centurion and chastised His disciples for their lack of faith. (Matthew 8, Mark 4, Luke 8). When the writer to the Hebrews wrote his letter, he listed a whole bunch of people known for their faith (Hebrews 11). However, this writer points out that they did not receive the promise that fueled their faith. That promise was the Messiah. But he also tells us in Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible
to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."
For most of us the problem comes with the word reward. We have the idea that God's reward will be financial security or a trouble free life or no sickness (or at least complete physical healing if we do get sick). In Hebrews 11, the writer lists a bunch of great things that happened to or for people of faith but he also tells us of those who "suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated..." (Hebrews 11:35-36) The rewards of faith are not always immediately apparent or received.
Jesus, as always, is the standard we follow, especially when it comes to faith, "looking to Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2). His reward was AFTER He became a human and AFTER He was despised and AFTER He was tortured and AFTER He became sin for us and AFTER He was crucified. All these horrible things had to happen so Jesus could show us His power over sin and death by rising from the dead and then ascending back to Heaven to receive His reward.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
A Generous Heart
When Moses came down from Mount Horeb with the tablets containing the testimony of God, it was time to begin building the tabernacle. "Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, 'This is what the LORD has commanded. Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; blue and purple and scarlet yarns and finely twined linens; goats' hair; tanned rams' skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.' " (Exodus 35:4-9)
But it wasn't just the materials Moses needed. he also needed people, men and women, to do the work of making everything. God had called out a couple of men by name to lead this project. These men "received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought... They still kept bringing him free will offerings every morning..." The people brought more than enough to do the work, so much in fact, that "Moses gave command...and the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work and more." (Exodus 36:3-7)
Jesus tells us of another generous heart in the story of the widow's offering. As Jesus sat near the treasury box in the temple, "many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny." (Mark 12:41-44) Jesus went on to tell the disciples her gift was more generous than all the rest because she had given all she had to live on.
Americans prove themselves over and over to be a generous people. Just look at all the money given to aid disaster victims. Organizations like the Red Cross do a great job of helping people in times of disaster but what a lot of people don't know is that the Red Cross depends a lot on faith-based disaster relief teams to cook meals and wash clothes and provide shower facilities and just plain labor. (I know because I've been there, done that.) So what would happen if the followers of Jesus were generous year round to their local church AND their local church was willing to support the local pregnancy center and the local food bank and the local homeless shelter and all the other organizations who reach out to "the least of these". Those places should never lack for funds if the church, which is the people, has a generous heart.
But it wasn't just the materials Moses needed. he also needed people, men and women, to do the work of making everything. God had called out a couple of men by name to lead this project. These men "received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought... They still kept bringing him free will offerings every morning..." The people brought more than enough to do the work, so much in fact, that "Moses gave command...and the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work and more." (Exodus 36:3-7)
Jesus tells us of another generous heart in the story of the widow's offering. As Jesus sat near the treasury box in the temple, "many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny." (Mark 12:41-44) Jesus went on to tell the disciples her gift was more generous than all the rest because she had given all she had to live on.
Americans prove themselves over and over to be a generous people. Just look at all the money given to aid disaster victims. Organizations like the Red Cross do a great job of helping people in times of disaster but what a lot of people don't know is that the Red Cross depends a lot on faith-based disaster relief teams to cook meals and wash clothes and provide shower facilities and just plain labor. (I know because I've been there, done that.) So what would happen if the followers of Jesus were generous year round to their local church AND their local church was willing to support the local pregnancy center and the local food bank and the local homeless shelter and all the other organizations who reach out to "the least of these". Those places should never lack for funds if the church, which is the people, has a generous heart.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
People like me
One of the things I like about reading the Bible is all the characters God chose to use. Many are people just like me. If He used them to accomplish His purposes, He can use me too.
Take Moses for instance. He started life in a very tough situation. His family was slaves and he was taken out of his home by the government when he was a small child. He murdered someone in a fit of rage and ran away - a long way away. He went from living in the king's palace to tending sheep in the wilderness.
Then he meets God in a bush that is burning and not burning up. That would be a rather miraculous thing. God then tells him how he, Moses, is going back to Egypt as His messenger of freedom for the Hebrews. Moses is quaking in his boots at the prospect and makes all kinds of excuses for not doing what God is asking him to do even as God shows him more miracles and assures him, "I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12) Moses is unconvinced and finally says, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." (Exodus 4:13)
Now, I've never been a slave or lived in a palace or on the run for murder. And I've never seen the kind of miracles Moses saw. But his fear and his excuses sound like me at times. Even if I don't say send someone else out loud how many times have I ignored the urging in my spirit to do something simple like invite my neighbor to church. Or failed to intercede in prayer for someone. Or thought I'll do that later, or some day, when I know it's the next step I need to take now.
The best part of the story, though, is that despite Moses' objections and God's anger at him for his reluctance, God still uses Moses and sends his brother along with him as a helper. Moses does not have an easy time with Pharaoh or the Hebrews but God does go with him just as He said He would. Later we are told in Exodus 33:11 that "the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend..."
Being a friend of God is a good thing. That's another way I am like Moses; part of the good way. When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I became, not only a friend of God (John 15:15) but a child of God. (John 1:12). And God is with me every step of my life. (John 14:16)
Take Moses for instance. He started life in a very tough situation. His family was slaves and he was taken out of his home by the government when he was a small child. He murdered someone in a fit of rage and ran away - a long way away. He went from living in the king's palace to tending sheep in the wilderness.
Then he meets God in a bush that is burning and not burning up. That would be a rather miraculous thing. God then tells him how he, Moses, is going back to Egypt as His messenger of freedom for the Hebrews. Moses is quaking in his boots at the prospect and makes all kinds of excuses for not doing what God is asking him to do even as God shows him more miracles and assures him, "I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12) Moses is unconvinced and finally says, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." (Exodus 4:13)
Now, I've never been a slave or lived in a palace or on the run for murder. And I've never seen the kind of miracles Moses saw. But his fear and his excuses sound like me at times. Even if I don't say send someone else out loud how many times have I ignored the urging in my spirit to do something simple like invite my neighbor to church. Or failed to intercede in prayer for someone. Or thought I'll do that later, or some day, when I know it's the next step I need to take now.
The best part of the story, though, is that despite Moses' objections and God's anger at him for his reluctance, God still uses Moses and sends his brother along with him as a helper. Moses does not have an easy time with Pharaoh or the Hebrews but God does go with him just as He said He would. Later we are told in Exodus 33:11 that "the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend..."
Being a friend of God is a good thing. That's another way I am like Moses; part of the good way. When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I became, not only a friend of God (John 15:15) but a child of God. (John 1:12). And God is with me every step of my life. (John 14:16)
Monday, October 29, 2012
God's Humor
The situation was certainly not humorous to the people going through it and I don't mean to make light of the trials and tribulations these biblical people faced or that we often face today but sometimes I think God must chuckle as people try to thwart His plans.
In the days of Moses, the Israelites were under intense persecution. The Egyptians had instructed the Hebrew midwives to kill all the boy babies but they managed not to do that. I can imagine God chuckling at this order by the king of Egypt and thinking to Himself something like you think you are so powerful, Pharaoh, but these midwives of Mine have a power you can't imagine!
The midwives told the Egyptians the Hebrew women were much stronger than the Egyptian women and claimed the babies were born before they ever got to the women to help with the delivery. This must have been believable because the midwives were not punished or killed by the Egyptians and were blessed by God with families of their own for their faithfulness. (Exodus 1:15-21)
When this didn't work to kill off the Hebrew boys, Pharaoh commanded the Egyptians to drown the Hebrew boy babies. (Exodus1:22) I can imagine again God chuckling at Pharaoh and thinking not only are you not going to kill all the boys, the one who will rescue my people will be raised in your house!
So Moses is born. His mom kept him hidden and alive for three months. Then she put him in a basket in the river only to be found by Pharaoh's daughter who claims the child as her own. The best part of this story to me is Moses' mom gets hired by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own son. This gives her the opportunity to teach him about their God and to give him a Hebrew identity. This is important because when Moses later flees to Midian, he is recognized there as an Egyptian. (Exodus 2:1-21)
We often forget how powerful God is. We think laws or persecution or unbelievers or any number of things can thwart the plans of God but they can't. The evil that permeates our world is no laughing matter but we know the end of the story! We know Satan and death are defeated! We know God is in control! We must "...honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15-16a).
In the days of Moses, the Israelites were under intense persecution. The Egyptians had instructed the Hebrew midwives to kill all the boy babies but they managed not to do that. I can imagine God chuckling at this order by the king of Egypt and thinking to Himself something like you think you are so powerful, Pharaoh, but these midwives of Mine have a power you can't imagine!
The midwives told the Egyptians the Hebrew women were much stronger than the Egyptian women and claimed the babies were born before they ever got to the women to help with the delivery. This must have been believable because the midwives were not punished or killed by the Egyptians and were blessed by God with families of their own for their faithfulness. (Exodus 1:15-21)
When this didn't work to kill off the Hebrew boys, Pharaoh commanded the Egyptians to drown the Hebrew boy babies. (Exodus1:22) I can imagine again God chuckling at Pharaoh and thinking not only are you not going to kill all the boys, the one who will rescue my people will be raised in your house!
So Moses is born. His mom kept him hidden and alive for three months. Then she put him in a basket in the river only to be found by Pharaoh's daughter who claims the child as her own. The best part of this story to me is Moses' mom gets hired by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own son. This gives her the opportunity to teach him about their God and to give him a Hebrew identity. This is important because when Moses later flees to Midian, he is recognized there as an Egyptian. (Exodus 2:1-21)
We often forget how powerful God is. We think laws or persecution or unbelievers or any number of things can thwart the plans of God but they can't. The evil that permeates our world is no laughing matter but we know the end of the story! We know Satan and death are defeated! We know God is in control! We must "...honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15-16a).
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Affliction
Somehow over the years Christians have come to believe that once we surrender our lives to Jesus we will never suffer hardship or pain. But nothing could be further from reality. We only have to look at the people of the New Testament to see that those who follow Jesus will face opposition and hardship.
Paul and his suffering is probably the best known to us because he writes so openly about all he endures. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he tells us his afflictions caused him to be "so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed we felt that we had received the sentence of death." (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) That's pretty serious stuff.
But he also tells us two other things. One, his afflictions were so severe "to make us not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril [in the past], and He will deliver us [again]."
Two, that God is the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any afflication, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
God allows affliction in our lives for His purposes. His purposes to conform us to the image of Christ. His purposes to teach us faith. His purposes to use us in the lives of others who are going through hard times. No one wants to go through affliction but just as Paul tells us it is part of God's purpose, James tells us to "count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Trials, or afflictions, help to bring perfection and completeness into our lives if we view them from God's perspective and allow them to do the work in our lives that God intends.
Paul and his suffering is probably the best known to us because he writes so openly about all he endures. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he tells us his afflictions caused him to be "so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed we felt that we had received the sentence of death." (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) That's pretty serious stuff.
But he also tells us two other things. One, his afflictions were so severe "to make us not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril [in the past], and He will deliver us [again]."
Two, that God is the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any afflication, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
God allows affliction in our lives for His purposes. His purposes to conform us to the image of Christ. His purposes to teach us faith. His purposes to use us in the lives of others who are going through hard times. No one wants to go through affliction but just as Paul tells us it is part of God's purpose, James tells us to "count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Trials, or afflictions, help to bring perfection and completeness into our lives if we view them from God's perspective and allow them to do the work in our lives that God intends.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Promises
In the days of Joseph, God often spoke to people through dreams. The Bible says Joseph was 17 when God gave him a dream of his brothers sheaves of wheat bowing down to his sheaf. Joseph was already hated by his brothers because their dad, Jacob (or Israel), "loved Joseph more than any other of his sons". (Genesis 37:3) The telling of this dream made them hate Joseph enough to sell him as a slave and tell their dad he had been killed by a wild animal.
Fast forward 22 years and there is a very severe famine in Egypt that reaches up into Canaan where Joseph's family lives. The "boys" are sent to Egypt to buy food and therefore bow down before the governor, who happens to be their long lost, but unrecognized, brother. The Bible says, "And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them." (Genesis 42:9) Joseph understood that long ago dream to be a promise from God.
God makes us promises as well. They don't usually come in the form of dreams but through Jesus and the words He speaks to us through the Bible. We have the promise of salvation if we confess Jesus is Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9) We have the promise of forgiveness of sins. (1 John 1:9) We have the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:25-26) We have the promise of peace. (John 14:27) We have the promise of joy. (John 15:11)
These are but a few of many promises of God. When times are hard or circumstances are confusing, we need to remember, as Joseph did, the promises of God. Because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18) we can "take 'em to the bank". We can hold on to them, knowing that God will come through for us.
One of the hardest promises to grasp is Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." This is right in the middle of a section that speaks of the Spirit interceding for us and our being conformed to the image of Christ. We often can't take hold of this because we can't see beyond our difficult circumstances but we need to remember the promises!
Joseph was able to grasp God's promise when he saw his brothers and remembered the dream. Later he told his brothers, "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God." (Genesis 45:7-8a)
We know that this was also part of God's plan long before Joseph. When God made His covenant with Abram He told him, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions." (Genesis 15:13-14) Joseph, and eventually the children of Israel, being in Egypt and the famine that brought them there were part of God's plan all along.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Fast forward 22 years and there is a very severe famine in Egypt that reaches up into Canaan where Joseph's family lives. The "boys" are sent to Egypt to buy food and therefore bow down before the governor, who happens to be their long lost, but unrecognized, brother. The Bible says, "And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them." (Genesis 42:9) Joseph understood that long ago dream to be a promise from God.
God makes us promises as well. They don't usually come in the form of dreams but through Jesus and the words He speaks to us through the Bible. We have the promise of salvation if we confess Jesus is Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9) We have the promise of forgiveness of sins. (1 John 1:9) We have the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:25-26) We have the promise of peace. (John 14:27) We have the promise of joy. (John 15:11)
These are but a few of many promises of God. When times are hard or circumstances are confusing, we need to remember, as Joseph did, the promises of God. Because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18) we can "take 'em to the bank". We can hold on to them, knowing that God will come through for us.
One of the hardest promises to grasp is Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." This is right in the middle of a section that speaks of the Spirit interceding for us and our being conformed to the image of Christ. We often can't take hold of this because we can't see beyond our difficult circumstances but we need to remember the promises!
Joseph was able to grasp God's promise when he saw his brothers and remembered the dream. Later he told his brothers, "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God." (Genesis 45:7-8a)
We know that this was also part of God's plan long before Joseph. When God made His covenant with Abram He told him, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions." (Genesis 15:13-14) Joseph, and eventually the children of Israel, being in Egypt and the famine that brought them there were part of God's plan all along.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Testing
In Genesis 22 we read the story of God's test for Abraham. This is the story of the God promised child being taken by his father Abraham to the top of Mount Moriah to be offered as a sacrifice to God. Human sacrifice was not unusual in this area at this time but Abraham must have wondered why this was necessary. We know now that is was not necessary and that God did provide a ram for the sacrifice and that Abraham passed the test. But Abraham didn't know any of that.
Of course this wasn't the first test Abraham had faced. Long years before God told him to move far away fom his home. So Abraham moved and God blessed him with great wealth. God told Abraham to circumcise all the males in his household - Hebrews and foreigners, free men and slaves. "On that very day Abraham...circumcised them, as God told him. (Genesis 17) And God made him the father of many nations.
After Isaac was born, God told Abraham to send Ishmael away. "The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son." (Genesis 21:8-21) But Abraham believed God's promise to him about Ishmael and sent him away. Then God made nations from Ishmael.
Abraham passed these tests and the more difficult test with his son Isaac. Every time God tells us to do something it is a test because we have a choice. We can obey and do what we know God is asking of us or we can refuse and then try to rationalize why we didn't do it.
Well, you might say, I've never had Jesus drop in for dinner like Abraham did. (Genesis 18) Or had God speak to me audibly as He did with Abraham. And I would say that is true. But God does still speak to us today. We have the Bible that records God's purposes for and interactions with mankind. "The word of God is living and active..." (Hebrews 4:12) We can trust it to guide us along the path of life.
The Holy Spirit of God speaks into our hearts and our minds with all kinds of promptings to do this or not do that. "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.." (John 16:13) I can tell if it is the Spirit of truth speaking because "He will glorify [Jesus]..." (John 16:14)
Too often we probably fail the tests God gives us because we are too busy to listen to God or too busy to act on what He said or are too afraid to act or don't really believe God said it or don't really trust God to help us do what He said. Excuses, excuses! We need to be more like Abraham who listened to God then did what he was told. No wonder God could use him to create His chosen people through whom He would redeem mankind. How much do you think God longs to bless us if we would just pass the test!?
Of course this wasn't the first test Abraham had faced. Long years before God told him to move far away fom his home. So Abraham moved and God blessed him with great wealth. God told Abraham to circumcise all the males in his household - Hebrews and foreigners, free men and slaves. "On that very day Abraham...circumcised them, as God told him. (Genesis 17) And God made him the father of many nations.
After Isaac was born, God told Abraham to send Ishmael away. "The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son." (Genesis 21:8-21) But Abraham believed God's promise to him about Ishmael and sent him away. Then God made nations from Ishmael.
Abraham passed these tests and the more difficult test with his son Isaac. Every time God tells us to do something it is a test because we have a choice. We can obey and do what we know God is asking of us or we can refuse and then try to rationalize why we didn't do it.
Well, you might say, I've never had Jesus drop in for dinner like Abraham did. (Genesis 18) Or had God speak to me audibly as He did with Abraham. And I would say that is true. But God does still speak to us today. We have the Bible that records God's purposes for and interactions with mankind. "The word of God is living and active..." (Hebrews 4:12) We can trust it to guide us along the path of life.
The Holy Spirit of God speaks into our hearts and our minds with all kinds of promptings to do this or not do that. "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.." (John 16:13) I can tell if it is the Spirit of truth speaking because "He will glorify [Jesus]..." (John 16:14)
Too often we probably fail the tests God gives us because we are too busy to listen to God or too busy to act on what He said or are too afraid to act or don't really believe God said it or don't really trust God to help us do what He said. Excuses, excuses! We need to be more like Abraham who listened to God then did what he was told. No wonder God could use him to create His chosen people through whom He would redeem mankind. How much do you think God longs to bless us if we would just pass the test!?
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saved...From What?
Those who have come face to face with Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-11) understand that our sin separates us from holy, righteous God. We have confessed Jesus as Lord and repented of, or turned from, our sin and have been saved.
Romans 10:9, "...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Reading that you might automatically say I'm saved from my sins. And you would be correct to a certain degree. We are cleansed of our sin and given a new life in Christ.
But what we are saved from is the wrath of God. We know that Jesus paid the price for our sins but I don't think we really understand what that means because we don't hear much about the wrath of God that was poured out on Jesus as punishment for those sins. The Bible is very clear that every person who ever lives will stand before the judgement seat and face the wrath of God. It is only those cloaked in the righteousness of Jesus Christ who have their names written in the book of life and who will be saved from God's wrath. (Revelation 20:11-15)
Zephaniah 1:14-18 says, "The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of His jealousy all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end He will make of the inhabitants of the earth."
Revelation 6:12-17 tells us of the future destruction of the earth, the sun going dark, and the stars falling from the sky then, "The kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling on the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of [God] who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day has come and who can stand?'"
Christians should feel an urgency for our family and friends and neighbors to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ. This wrath should bring fear to those who don't know Jesus. However, God doesn't want us to live in fear. Before God pours out His wrath, He poured out His love. "In this the LOVE OF GOD was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In THIS IS LOVE, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10
The apostle John records Jesus' own words in John 3:16-17, "For GOD SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."
God has made a way for us to avoid His wrath. That way is Jesus! As the propitiation for our sins Jesus has already faced the wrath of God. He has already made full payment for the sins of the world. But we have to acknowledge and accept, individually, that payment by surrendering our lives to Jesus. There is no other way.
Romans 10:9, "...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Reading that you might automatically say I'm saved from my sins. And you would be correct to a certain degree. We are cleansed of our sin and given a new life in Christ.
But what we are saved from is the wrath of God. We know that Jesus paid the price for our sins but I don't think we really understand what that means because we don't hear much about the wrath of God that was poured out on Jesus as punishment for those sins. The Bible is very clear that every person who ever lives will stand before the judgement seat and face the wrath of God. It is only those cloaked in the righteousness of Jesus Christ who have their names written in the book of life and who will be saved from God's wrath. (Revelation 20:11-15)
Zephaniah 1:14-18 says, "The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of His jealousy all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end He will make of the inhabitants of the earth."
Revelation 6:12-17 tells us of the future destruction of the earth, the sun going dark, and the stars falling from the sky then, "The kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling on the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of [God] who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day has come and who can stand?'"
Christians should feel an urgency for our family and friends and neighbors to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ. This wrath should bring fear to those who don't know Jesus. However, God doesn't want us to live in fear. Before God pours out His wrath, He poured out His love. "In this the LOVE OF GOD was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In THIS IS LOVE, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10
The apostle John records Jesus' own words in John 3:16-17, "For GOD SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."
God has made a way for us to avoid His wrath. That way is Jesus! As the propitiation for our sins Jesus has already faced the wrath of God. He has already made full payment for the sins of the world. But we have to acknowledge and accept, individually, that payment by surrendering our lives to Jesus. There is no other way.
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