Psalms 27:1 (NASB77)
The LORD
is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my
life; Whom shall I dread?
What a great truth in the Bible. Yet it is not so easily lived out in our lives. It begins with trust. How do we know that the Lord will defend us? How do we know that He is our light and salvation? Experience.
As Christians we bemoan and whine when difficulties come to our life. Whether they be of our own making, or of the hand of the Lord, or of the hand of Satan, we do not like troubles when they come. However, it is because of these times and the faithfulness that the Lord shows to us during these times that we can learn to say that the Lord is our defense, light, and salvation.
Romans 5:3-4 (HCSB)
And not
only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that
affliction produces endurance, endurance
produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.
This New Testament passage gives us a clear lineage of events that foster our trust in God. When troubles come and we endure it, we gain a certain amount of endurance for discomfort. In addition to this endurance, our proper conduct through these afflictions (proper conduct being trusting in God) proves to ourselves and others that we are people of character in our Christian practice. This character gives us hope: Hope that we can endure difficult times. Hope that God will bring us through them, whether the outcome is good for us or not. Christ never promises that we will have all we want or that we will be prosperous, but that He will be with us in every event of our life. This is the hope that He gives to us when we endure trials and troubles. This is when we can look at life and proclaim loudly that the Lord is my defense! The Lord is my light! The Lord is my salvation! When we get to this place we can have no fear and no dread.
The greatest example of this I can think of is Lazarus. Jesus delayed going to him when he was told that Lazarus was sick. Lazarus had been in the grave for three days when Jesus arrived. Yet with a word, Jesus raised him from the dead. And we complain about our difficulties!! The Bible says that the Chief Priests also wanted to kill Lazarus because many people were believing in Jesus because of him. Can you imagine Lazarus response? Been there, done that. This was a man who had tasted death and was no alive again. Is there anything they could actually threaten him with?
As Christians, we have this same testimony. We were once dead in our sins and trespasses before God. Yet Jesus has made us alive before God through His work on the cross. Christians above all people should say, "I will not fear what man will do to me!"
Monday, May 28, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Rest for your Soul
Psalm 23:2 says, "He makes
me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters."
This sounds so appealing to me. This is an image of rest and peace. To be honest, my soul could use some right now. Yet that is what the Lord provides for me daily: rest. When life gets complicated or difficult, I turn to Him and I can find rest. Even in the midst if turmoil, He provides a safe haven of rest for me. He makes me lie down. He leads me beside the calm water. He is the one who realizes I need the rest, because He is the one initiating and leading.
There have been times however where He did not lead to rest nor provide it. His concern for me then was to strengthen me and develop my endurance for difficult times. Yet even then, the Psalm says that He provides for me in the presence of my enemies. What an image! There is a complete lack of concern for the danger the enemy represents. That is because the enemy is no trouble for my Lord. He surrounds His people so that they need not fear what life may bring to them: even when life seems overwhelming. Even when He is letting us be surrounded by the troubles and cares of life, He has a way of bringing peace and provision.
Take heart my friends. Whatever situation in life you find yourself, the Great Shepherd has given you rest, protection, and peace, assuming you are a Christian of course. Are you?
This sounds so appealing to me. This is an image of rest and peace. To be honest, my soul could use some right now. Yet that is what the Lord provides for me daily: rest. When life gets complicated or difficult, I turn to Him and I can find rest. Even in the midst if turmoil, He provides a safe haven of rest for me. He makes me lie down. He leads me beside the calm water. He is the one who realizes I need the rest, because He is the one initiating and leading.
There have been times however where He did not lead to rest nor provide it. His concern for me then was to strengthen me and develop my endurance for difficult times. Yet even then, the Psalm says that He provides for me in the presence of my enemies. What an image! There is a complete lack of concern for the danger the enemy represents. That is because the enemy is no trouble for my Lord. He surrounds His people so that they need not fear what life may bring to them: even when life seems overwhelming. Even when He is letting us be surrounded by the troubles and cares of life, He has a way of bringing peace and provision.
Take heart my friends. Whatever situation in life you find yourself, the Great Shepherd has given you rest, protection, and peace, assuming you are a Christian of course. Are you?
Monday, May 21, 2012
Shaken No More
Hebrews 12:25-28 (NASB77)
25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN." 27 And this expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
Moses led the people of Israel to Mt. Sinai. It was there that they first heard God speak and the ground trembled and they were greatly afraid.
The book of Hebrews starts with God speaking yet once again. But this time, He spoke through Jesus Christ. Now, here near the end of Hebrews, the writer warns us not to refuse the one who is speaking: Jesus Christ. And the writer gives us a warning that those who heard God speak in the mountain did not escape punishment, and neither shall we if we refuse Him. However the phrase I want to focus on is the one which speaks of that which cannot be shaken. That which cannot be shaken is God Himself. In fact He is the shaker and mover of things, whether they be men or the universe.
Theses words give me great delight. The writer explains that we have a kingdom, an inheritance, a home, and a God who cannot be shaken. He is steadfast and sure. He is unshakeable, immovable, and strong. THIS is the foundation upon which my salvation is built. A God who is always reliable and trustworthy. What should my response be to this fact? Service to that God. We have no need of fear or worry. We can carry out what He wants us to do with full assurance that He will always provide what we need when we need it. We can be certain that, as His children, we will never have to fear losing our place in His kingdom. Our inheritance is as sure and steady as He is, for He is our inheritance. 1st Peter says that our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and does not fade.
Where does this lead us? It leads us to the truth of the Christian life: Freedom!! We have been freed from the bondage of slavery to sin! Beforehand we could not follow Christ. Now, He has given us the power to become His children and the Spirit to help us learn to act like it. Christians are not made perfect and sinless, but through the work of the Spirit of God, we can begin to act more like our Savior and our God. Because our God is unshakeable, we have the freedom to follow Him without fear. Romans 8:15 says, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'"
Let us live in freedom today as we have an unmovable God.
25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN." 27 And this expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
Moses led the people of Israel to Mt. Sinai. It was there that they first heard God speak and the ground trembled and they were greatly afraid.
The book of Hebrews starts with God speaking yet once again. But this time, He spoke through Jesus Christ. Now, here near the end of Hebrews, the writer warns us not to refuse the one who is speaking: Jesus Christ. And the writer gives us a warning that those who heard God speak in the mountain did not escape punishment, and neither shall we if we refuse Him. However the phrase I want to focus on is the one which speaks of that which cannot be shaken. That which cannot be shaken is God Himself. In fact He is the shaker and mover of things, whether they be men or the universe.
Theses words give me great delight. The writer explains that we have a kingdom, an inheritance, a home, and a God who cannot be shaken. He is steadfast and sure. He is unshakeable, immovable, and strong. THIS is the foundation upon which my salvation is built. A God who is always reliable and trustworthy. What should my response be to this fact? Service to that God. We have no need of fear or worry. We can carry out what He wants us to do with full assurance that He will always provide what we need when we need it. We can be certain that, as His children, we will never have to fear losing our place in His kingdom. Our inheritance is as sure and steady as He is, for He is our inheritance. 1st Peter says that our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and does not fade.
Where does this lead us? It leads us to the truth of the Christian life: Freedom!! We have been freed from the bondage of slavery to sin! Beforehand we could not follow Christ. Now, He has given us the power to become His children and the Spirit to help us learn to act like it. Christians are not made perfect and sinless, but through the work of the Spirit of God, we can begin to act more like our Savior and our God. Because our God is unshakeable, we have the freedom to follow Him without fear. Romans 8:15 says, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'"
Let us live in freedom today as we have an unmovable God.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Who Goes to Heaven?
Psalms 19:1
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Last week in Sunday school, I brought up a question a middle-schooler asked me at work. Basically what happens to those people who have never heard of Jesus, what happens to them? This is a question many people, especially Christians probably wonder about.
In Sunday school, I did a poor job of answering the question. Today as I was reading the 19th Psalm, I was reminded me of part of the conversation I had with someone after Sunday school asking me about it.
Romans chapter 1 talks about God and His creation also and how creation reveals God and His nature. Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." I believe that what can be seen of God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ can be seen in God's creation. In the seasons, we see death, life, and rebirth (or resurrection if you wish). In our very own nature we see a moral law present from birth. We have a sense of what is right or wrong (whether it actually is or not is a different topic). If you disagree, I want to ask if you ave ever heard proclaim that something was not fair? They are showing that they have been wronged and thus have a sense of morality or right and wrong. In this we can also see consequences for doing wrong. When we are wronged we believe that we have the right to exact a bit of justice because we have been wronged.
So, having said that, I believe that a person who has never heard of Jesus Christ has enough light of God's nature in creation to be held accountable to God. I also believe that if they see and recognize these truths; that there is a right and wrong and that there is a consequence to breaking this law of morality, and if they throw themselves on the mercy of this creator whose name they do not know, I believe they will be saved. I also believe that this rarely, if ever, happens. I also believe that if it does happen, that God will send a witness to them to testify of the work of Jesus Christ on their behalf.
You may disagree with this and that is fine. I would just like to point out that Abraham never heard of Jesus and he was chosen of God. The issue here is that of faith. Abraham did not receive the promises of God based on what he did, but based on his faith in what God told him. Romans 4:13 says, "For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith." It is faith that saves us, and if someone has enough faith to submit themselves to the mercy of the Creator based simply on what he sees in creation, I believe that God will justify this man.
Whatever light we have been given, let us place our faith in the mercy of the One who made all that we see.
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Last week in Sunday school, I brought up a question a middle-schooler asked me at work. Basically what happens to those people who have never heard of Jesus, what happens to them? This is a question many people, especially Christians probably wonder about.
In Sunday school, I did a poor job of answering the question. Today as I was reading the 19th Psalm, I was reminded me of part of the conversation I had with someone after Sunday school asking me about it.
Romans chapter 1 talks about God and His creation also and how creation reveals God and His nature. Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." I believe that what can be seen of God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ can be seen in God's creation. In the seasons, we see death, life, and rebirth (or resurrection if you wish). In our very own nature we see a moral law present from birth. We have a sense of what is right or wrong (whether it actually is or not is a different topic). If you disagree, I want to ask if you ave ever heard proclaim that something was not fair? They are showing that they have been wronged and thus have a sense of morality or right and wrong. In this we can also see consequences for doing wrong. When we are wronged we believe that we have the right to exact a bit of justice because we have been wronged.
So, having said that, I believe that a person who has never heard of Jesus Christ has enough light of God's nature in creation to be held accountable to God. I also believe that if they see and recognize these truths; that there is a right and wrong and that there is a consequence to breaking this law of morality, and if they throw themselves on the mercy of this creator whose name they do not know, I believe they will be saved. I also believe that this rarely, if ever, happens. I also believe that if it does happen, that God will send a witness to them to testify of the work of Jesus Christ on their behalf.
You may disagree with this and that is fine. I would just like to point out that Abraham never heard of Jesus and he was chosen of God. The issue here is that of faith. Abraham did not receive the promises of God based on what he did, but based on his faith in what God told him. Romans 4:13 says, "For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith." It is faith that saves us, and if someone has enough faith to submit themselves to the mercy of the Creator based simply on what he sees in creation, I believe that God will justify this man.
Whatever light we have been given, let us place our faith in the mercy of the One who made all that we see.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Words From the Heart
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress (Psalm 17:3)
I need to make this statement my own. How many times have I transgressed the Law of God with my words? Too many to count. This is an epidemic in our society. We too easily transgress the Law with our wicked discussions, our biting words, or our lack of speaking up when it is needed.
James talks about the tongue being a great fire starter. It causes so many problems. From things that may have been misunderstood, to things said that were meant to harm. James says that no one can tame the tongue but that if any one does not offend in word he is a perfect: unfortunately we have no one like that. With the same tongue we bless God and curse our neighbor whom God has commanded us to love! My friends this should not be! Where does the unruliness come from? Why can no one tame this tiny member of the body?
Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 12:34, "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." The problem is not the tongue, but that from which it pulls its resources of topics: the heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says that we all suffer from a heart disease: "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" Another translation calls it wicked instead of sick. Here is the way I see this verse. Our heart deceives us into thinking that our way is right. Proverbs 14:2 says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.." Our way only seems right and only to us at times. We deceive ourselves many times to get what we want. How wicked and rebellious must our heart be to deceive even its owners? From this deceitful heart, the tongue has a cesspool of topics to choose from. Even when we try and tame the tongue, often it leads us into those topics which we should not broach. We fall far too easily to the sway of our sinful heart. How can escape even the tiniest bit from this wickedness which lies at the core of our being?
Romans 10:9-10 says, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." God's wonderful gift of salvation starts our heart on the path to righteous living. He cleans out the heart and takes that dead heart f stone out and gives to us a heart that is alive! Our next struggle lies in getting the contents of that new heart to our head!
Romans 12:1-2 says, "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." By submitting to the authority of God in our lives, the new heart He gives us finally starts to overtake all those old sinful habits our mind has latched on to and does not wish to let go.
Let us purpose today to not offend with our words and do so by submitting our life to Christ today, this second, the next moment, and the rest of the day.
I need to make this statement my own. How many times have I transgressed the Law of God with my words? Too many to count. This is an epidemic in our society. We too easily transgress the Law with our wicked discussions, our biting words, or our lack of speaking up when it is needed.
James talks about the tongue being a great fire starter. It causes so many problems. From things that may have been misunderstood, to things said that were meant to harm. James says that no one can tame the tongue but that if any one does not offend in word he is a perfect: unfortunately we have no one like that. With the same tongue we bless God and curse our neighbor whom God has commanded us to love! My friends this should not be! Where does the unruliness come from? Why can no one tame this tiny member of the body?
Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 12:34, "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." The problem is not the tongue, but that from which it pulls its resources of topics: the heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says that we all suffer from a heart disease: "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" Another translation calls it wicked instead of sick. Here is the way I see this verse. Our heart deceives us into thinking that our way is right. Proverbs 14:2 says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.." Our way only seems right and only to us at times. We deceive ourselves many times to get what we want. How wicked and rebellious must our heart be to deceive even its owners? From this deceitful heart, the tongue has a cesspool of topics to choose from. Even when we try and tame the tongue, often it leads us into those topics which we should not broach. We fall far too easily to the sway of our sinful heart. How can escape even the tiniest bit from this wickedness which lies at the core of our being?
Romans 10:9-10 says, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." God's wonderful gift of salvation starts our heart on the path to righteous living. He cleans out the heart and takes that dead heart f stone out and gives to us a heart that is alive! Our next struggle lies in getting the contents of that new heart to our head!
Romans 12:1-2 says, "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." By submitting to the authority of God in our lives, the new heart He gives us finally starts to overtake all those old sinful habits our mind has latched on to and does not wish to let go.
Let us purpose today to not offend with our words and do so by submitting our life to Christ today, this second, the next moment, and the rest of the day.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Practicing His Presence
In Thy presence is fulness of joy Psalm 16:11
Don't we all want joyous lives? Aren't our lives filled with sorrow and pain? Now Joy is not the absence of sorrow and pain, but an underlying peace that endures through them.
In this Psalm, we find the key to having joy and having it fully. In the presence of God dwells everlasting joy. Have you ever felt that joy that comes from knowing Him? I must say that I have felt it many times. When the presence of God fills my soul, and I feel as though my body cannot take much more of the overwhelming sensation of knowing that my sins are forgiven and I have an eternal place beside the One who loved me; then I know what fulness of joy means. So, I had to ask myself, why do I not seek His presence all the time?
Such is the Human existence. We run from God, the One who truly gives us joy, peace, and comfort; yet seek those same things in a bottle, needle, lover's arms, or a thrill at a risk we take from gambling to bungy jumping. Getting to know God and spending time in His presence is boring to us. Not only that, it requires some effort on our part. It takes time in prayer and study of God's Word. But we are an impatient people, especially in the microwave generation in which we live. There is a reason we talk about people's "fifteen minutes of fame." Because that is as long as it lasts. We, the viewing public, are then ready for the next new thing to come along giving us a new thrill and new sensation. Our society has no clue to the things which matter and which last. Because of this Human condition, we seek immediate thrills in anything but God. God is on His time table and we want Him to be on ours. Why can't God thrill me now so I can move on the next new thrill? Maybe that's why He doesn't. You are not seeking Him, but the thrill that comes from knowing Him.
God came to Earth in the form of a Man: that man's name was Jesus Christ. He came seeking us. he came to die in our place. He came to give us life: new life in Him that reaches far beyond this earthly existence. It seats us in the Heavenly places with Him. But we do not know Him, nor do we seek to know Him. But He came so that we might know Him. If He did all this so that we might know Him, why not take the time to find out what He is all about? We have the record of who He is and what He did, read it!! It's better than Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, or Twilight put together.
Don't we all want joyous lives? Aren't our lives filled with sorrow and pain? Now Joy is not the absence of sorrow and pain, but an underlying peace that endures through them.
In this Psalm, we find the key to having joy and having it fully. In the presence of God dwells everlasting joy. Have you ever felt that joy that comes from knowing Him? I must say that I have felt it many times. When the presence of God fills my soul, and I feel as though my body cannot take much more of the overwhelming sensation of knowing that my sins are forgiven and I have an eternal place beside the One who loved me; then I know what fulness of joy means. So, I had to ask myself, why do I not seek His presence all the time?
Such is the Human existence. We run from God, the One who truly gives us joy, peace, and comfort; yet seek those same things in a bottle, needle, lover's arms, or a thrill at a risk we take from gambling to bungy jumping. Getting to know God and spending time in His presence is boring to us. Not only that, it requires some effort on our part. It takes time in prayer and study of God's Word. But we are an impatient people, especially in the microwave generation in which we live. There is a reason we talk about people's "fifteen minutes of fame." Because that is as long as it lasts. We, the viewing public, are then ready for the next new thing to come along giving us a new thrill and new sensation. Our society has no clue to the things which matter and which last. Because of this Human condition, we seek immediate thrills in anything but God. God is on His time table and we want Him to be on ours. Why can't God thrill me now so I can move on the next new thrill? Maybe that's why He doesn't. You are not seeking Him, but the thrill that comes from knowing Him.
God came to Earth in the form of a Man: that man's name was Jesus Christ. He came seeking us. he came to die in our place. He came to give us life: new life in Him that reaches far beyond this earthly existence. It seats us in the Heavenly places with Him. But we do not know Him, nor do we seek to know Him. But He came so that we might know Him. If He did all this so that we might know Him, why not take the time to find out what He is all about? We have the record of who He is and what He did, read it!! It's better than Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, or Twilight put together.
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