Tag: Prosperity Can Lead to Apostasy - Hosea 8-14

Hosea 10:1-2

Israel is a luxuriant vine

that yields its fruit.

The more his fruit increased,

the more altars he built;

as his country improved,

he improved his pillars.

Their heart is false;

now they must bear their guilt.

The Lord will break down their altars

and destroy their pillars.

Tag:  Prosperity Can Lead to Apostasy

There is no doubt we, like Israel of old, live in a time of great prosperity.  In the USA we lack for nothing.  Yes, there are “poor” in the USA and their are “homeless” in the USA, but nothing in comparison with the majority of other countries.  We truly have access to much.   And, just like Israel, that prosperity turns our heart away from God.   The above verses tell the story of what happened to Israel. Their good fortune (given to them by God) was turned into a state of apostasy.  Rather than turn to God in thankfulness, the more they received the more the wandered from the God who so blessed them.   God, however, will hold them accountable for those blessings and what they did with them.   

Luke 12:48

... Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Jesus gave this example of those who will be held accountable for the truth and the blessing that come with the truth.   The Church, today, will be held accountable for the truth they have been given.  Each member of the body of Christ has been given the truth of  God’s Word.  We are responsible to act in accordance with that truth.  If we don’t, like Israel, we, too, will be subject to the discipline of God.  There is no wrath for us, but there is discipline.   We have been given great truth and ought not use it to build our own kingdom.  We are to be building God’s Kingdom.   

Tag: In Good Conscious - Proverbs 20-21

Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the innermost parts of his being.

In this proverb we have the discussion of the conscience that is within all men. Without it man would be in total darkness. Despite his depravity, however, Solomon tells us that the conscience supplied by God does two things for man: First it provides a light (lamp). It gives him some direction from total destruction. Man was made in the image of God and despite the sin that turned him to a total depraved human being, God's conscience still provides him with some anchor for his lost soul. Without it he would be lost in the deepest part of the deepest sea. There is a second aspect of this God-given light, however. It also searches the very being of man. It wanders through the intermost parts of man and reveals where he/she lacks and where God needs to redeem him/her. It is God's light that keeps man from turning on himself and others. It searches the soul and the being and reminds him/her of God's laws and God's manners. We should thank God for this inner "light." It is God who keeps man, even non-believers, in a moral way and noble sense. It is not enough to provide him/her salvation but it is enough to keep him/her from self destruction.  Notice what Paul tells the Colossians in the following verse:

Colossians 1:12

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

We have been given the wisdom we need through the Light ... through Jesus Christ who indwells us.   That is where our wisdom comes from ... because we have the God of Wisdom within us.

Tag: God is BIG - Psalm 102-104

Psalms 104:31-35

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works,

who looks on the earth and it trembles,

who touches the mountains and they smoke!

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

for I rejoice in the Lord.

Let sinners be consumed from the earth,

and let the wicked be no more!

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise the Lord!

Tag:  Praise God for Who He Is!!!

Psalm 104 is a great song of worship about the power and the majesty of God.   This is the type of Psalm we should read when we think our problems are BIG and our God is small.   We can, in this life, begin to think all the things that happen to us are overwhelming at times.   Perhaps, most of the time.   Satan wants to have us think our problems are so big that God does not love us; can’t care for us; doesn’t want to help us; has disowned us; and thinks we are so weak He won’t take us back after we make mistakes.   But, Psalm 104 is a song of worship that screams that is not true.   Throughout the Psalm we see God caring for the earth and for the creatures of the earth.  Note:

Psalms 104:14

You cause the grass to grow for the livestock

and plants for man to cultivate,

that he may bring forth food from the earth

Psalms 104:16-17

The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

In them the birds build their nests;

the stork has her home in the fir trees.

Psalms 104:19

He made the moon to mark the seasons;

the sun knows its time for setting.

Psalms 104:21

The young lions roar for their prey,

seeking their food from God.

Psalms 104:25

Here is the sea, great and wide,

which teems with creatures innumerable,

living things both small and great.

The Psalm ends with this glorious doxology praising God that is our verses for today.   We are to praise Him because “He rejoices over His works.”  All the things that happen to us are the works of God’s hands.  He is working in our lives to bring us to His glory.  We can reject all that and be considered the enemy of God.   Many do.   Many will.  But, this Psalm says we have a BIG God.   That means our issues, in view of eternity, are quite small.   The pain is real, but God is working all things together for “good” according to “HIS” purpose, not according to ours.  

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.

We are His creatures.  We can reject that truth but that, in turn, just steals away our ability to rejoice in suffering, as Jesus did.   When we have a “little” God in our mind we have super BIG problems in our lives.   It all begins with how big God is in our thinking.   

Tag: Station Does Not Limit Contribution - 1 Chronicles 15-19

1 Chronicles 15:17

So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

1 Chronicles 15:19

The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals;

1 Chronicles 16:5

Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals,

1 Chronicles 16:37

So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required,

Tag:  Your Station in Life Do Not Limit Your Contribution to Christ

In the above verses we have the rise of Asaph, a cymbal player who would soon lead worship and compose the songs for worship.   When King David moved the Ark (the right way) into the place he set aside for the Tabernacle, he employed all the Levites, as instructed in the Books of the Law, written by Moses.  (The first time he didn’t give attention to the Law and someone died.).  This time he did what Moses commanded and good things happened.  Not only did the Ark end up where it needed to be and no one died, there was also a progression in the establishment of the musical corp.  

Asaph, in the above series of verses, starts out a simply cymbal player.   As these chapters unfold we see that he soon becomes a leader among these worshippers.  In the book of Psalms we will read several “songs” he wrote for worship (Psalm 73 being my favorite).   This is a clear picture that the station, position or circumstances in our lives does not limit our contribution to Christ.   God puts different people in different places but all serve Him.  In 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 we have a great picture of the parts of the body, making the entire body “work.”   We ought not look at our station in life, and rather look at what we can contribute.  Asaph didn’t mind being a cymbal player.   He turned out to be a leader, composer and author of the Bible.   

Tag: Waiting for the Trumpts of God - Numbers 9-12

Numbers 10:9

And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.

Tag:  Wating for the Trumpets of God

In the above verse we see the instruction for the sounding of the trumpets.  The trumpets were sounded by the priest for a number of reasons.   

1.  Announcing they are moving the camp.

2.  Calling the leadership to the Tabernacle

3.  Announcing the time of battle or war

Here are some examples of #3:

Joshua 6:4

Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.

2 Chronicles 13:12-16

Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”

Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.

The sounding of the trumpets were to be a “perpetual statue throughout” all their generations.  Note what Moses goes on to tell the nation:

Numbers 10:10

On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

The most important aspect of the trumpets and the trumpet sound is that they were to be a reminder to them of God’s presence and faithfulness.  The trumpet sound, along with the cloud by day and the fire by night, would assure the nation of God’s continued presence and power among them.   The nation was young in faith and needed to have tangible visuals and sounds to know God was faithful.  God’s word, today is our trumpet sound.  The power of God’s word, mixed with the presence of the Holy Spirit, give us the tangible we need to know that God is, indeed present in our lives.   Someday we, too, will hear the sound of the trumpet: 

Revelation 11:15

The Seventh Trumpet

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

We are waiting for the trumpet to sound.  That will be the sweetest sound.  

The Fruit ALWAYS Indicates the Tree

1 Timothy 5:24-25

The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

Tag:  The Fruit ALWAYS Indicates the Tree

If you want to know if the tree is an apple tree or a peach tree, the only thing you have to do is wait to see the fruit.  If you look at the roots of each tree and on the roots, you may not know what type of tree it is.  But, if you wait and observe the leaves and the fruit it bears, you will have no doubt.   At first it may not be evident, but, in the end it will be evident.  This is what Paul is telling us in the above passage.  Everyone’s fruit is “conspicuous.” Those who have sins will eventually appear to show.  Those who have good righteous fruit will eventually begin to show.  The context of the above verses is found in the instructions that Paul is giving Timothy about selecting elders.  He has already told Timothy not to select those who are young in the faith.   Now he is talking about those who “might” have slipped in their faith.  Timothy is told not to “prejudge” but to wait to see the fruit.   This echos Jesus words to His disciples:

Matthew 7:15-20

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

We are to not prejudge, but to wait as the fruit of the life we are observing demonstrates their walk with Christ or their walk with evil.   Evil works are, according to Paul, “conspicuous.”   Good works are, according to Paul, also “conspicuous.”   We only have to wait, not prejudge, and let the fruit speak for itself.  

Tag: Christ’s Authoirty Lis in God the Father - John 7-8

John 8:28

So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

Tag:  Christ’s Authority Lies in God the Father

God gives and grants authority to the Son.  

John 17:1-2

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

The reason God can give authority is that He created all things and is the authority over all creation.   He gave the authority to Jesus.   Jesus has authority over all things:

Colossians 1:15-17

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

In the above text we see that when Jesus is lifted up (in his death and resurrection) others old see the authority Christ has been given.  We can rejoice that we have the Authority of the Universe watching over us.  No principality, or dominion, or angel, or any created thing can separate us from the Love of Christ and the power of his authority.   That is the God we serve.   

Tag: We Shall Know The Lord - Hosea 1-7

Hosea 2:19-20

And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.

Tag:  We Shall Know the Lord

These entire first chapters of Hosea, are all about Israel rejecting the knowledge of God. Instead of pursuing, and knowing God, they pursued worthless idols, to please their own appetite. In almost every chapter there is a reference about “knowing“ God. In every chapter, there is something about Israel chasing and pursuing their own appetite. When God choose Israel, through Abraham, He made them His people. He desires them to pursue Him. Instead, Hosea chronicle’s all their waywardness.  

But the good news, is found in these verses. God is giving them a promise: That a remnant of them will finally know him. God will bring them to a place of knowledge of Him, through faithfulness, love, righteousness,  justice, and mercy.  This will be done, obviously, in the work of Jesus Christ. He will cover their sins with His blood and raise them in new life, to know God, through Christ. The above two verses are the gospel message, found in a minor prophet Hosea is speaking about the good news, of Christ. 

The nation of Israel misunderstood Hosea’s words. They came to believe that this was about their nation. But this is really about Christ kingdom. God came to the rescue, most assuredly. But he did so in the person of Jesus Christ.This verse should have given them hope.  The would be brought to the knowledge of Christ in the gospel. But when Christ came, the nation refused to understand the message that Christ was supposed to redeem them.   Christ came to establish His Kingdom and a remnant of Israel would be saved. Rejoice!!!

Tag: Pursue Wisdom, Find Good - Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19:8 (NASV)

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps understanding will find good.

At the end of Psalm 23 we read that those who follow after the Shepherd will have "goodness and mercy" follow them.   In that favorite Psalm, goodness “follows” us.   In this Proverb goodness is found by the one who gets wisdom and keeps understanding.  In the Psalm we have goodness because we pursue the right One ... the good shepherd.  In this Proverb you get goodness because you pursue Wisdom.   Since 1 Corinthian 2 explains to us that Christ is Wisdom, we can see the harmony between this great Psalm and this theme of Proverbs.   When we pursue wisdom and seek to keep understanding, we can be assured of goodness in our life.  The first line states that we actually love our own soul (which is parallel to finding “good”).  Searching and pursuing wisdom is only for those who are spiritually minded and want to build and support their soul.   Those who hate their soul will seek folly.   In Proverbs 18:7 we read that the fool “does” damage to his soul by his words.  

Proverbs 18:7

A fool's mouth is his ruin,

and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Or, Solomon says:

Proverbs 19:3

When a man's folly brings his way to ruin,

his heart rages against the Lord.

The fool hurts their soul and rages (blames) God.  But the wise do good to their soul, when they pursue Christ and the wisdom found in Christ.  In our world today we are encouraged to "find ourselves."   The problem with that philosophy is that when we find ourselves, we don't find Christ.  We are suppose to be seeking Christ and the wisdom in Christ.  When we do, we find that we "love" our own soul.   A good self-image is really in the pursuit of Christ's image not our own image.  

This does not mean all things will be good in our lives.  We can refer to Job as an example.  It does mean, however, that the things that MATTER will be good in our lives.  The things that MATTER are eternal in nature.  They are not of this world.   God wants us to pursue His glory.   We will, however, also be making better choices.  Those choice will lead us down a better path than when we are foolish and reject Christ’s wisdom.  

Tag: God Resists the Proud - Psalm 99-101

Psalms 101:5

Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly

I will destroy.

Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart

I will not endure.

Tag:  God Resist the Proud

James 4:6

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Isaiah 2:12

For the Lord of hosts has a day

against all that is proud and lofty,

against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;

Proverbs 21:4

Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

God is not tolerant of the proud in heart.  In our pride we resist the grace that God would love to give us.  But, our pride chokes of God’s grace.  We need God’s grace to make it through the tough times.  God resists those who are proud and therefore they have no grace to live in tough times.   It is an endless circle.  When we think we can do it on our own and we just keep trying harder and harder, God can give us the grace we need to make it through the very thing we are “trying” to do.   God resists the proud of heart.    He gives grace to the Humber.   To get the strength we need to tap into the power of God we need to have humility.   Humility says, “I need to quit trying and simply trust in the promises of God and let Him strengthen me and empower me. I can’t do this.”   That is when God can work.  But, each morning He resist the proud and arrogant of heart ... those who think they can do it all on their own.   This who slander others.   When we “slander” others we stand in judgment of them and that is the epitome of pride.  Those who walk around and “slander” put themselves as judges of others.   But, in humility we do not speak evil of others because we know that we are also like them and it is only God who has the righteousness to judge with fidelity.   So, pride makes people judgmental and causes God to resist them or oppose them.   

Tag: God Supports Those He Calls - 1 Chronicles 10-14

1 Chronicles 12:22

For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God.

Tag:  God Supports Those He Calls

One of the great truths of God’s Word is demonstrated in the above verse.  This passage comes after King Saul has been killed in battle and David is giving the keys to the kingdom.  David is up for the position, but he can not do it alone.   God begins to surround him with men of war and men of God.   These men would be referred to as “David’s Mighty Men.”    David didn’t necessarily recruit people to follow him, but he did screen them.  Note the passage just before the above verse:

1 Chronicles 12:16-17

And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.”

David needed support but he needed men of God.  God began to supply him with those he would need to lead the kingdom.   This is what God does for us.  He supplies those people in our lives we need to accomplish the missions He gives us.   God supplied men of God to Paul so that He could build the church.  We are always being supplied with the people we need to accomplish the mission God gives us.   Other people are God’s hands and feet and voice to us.   We have the blessing of God to, each day, from day to day, receive those God sends us to accomplish our God given tasks.  

Tag: God Recognizes Seasons in Our Life - Numbers 5-8

Numbers 8:23-26

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

Truth:   God recognizes seasons of our life

The title in my Bible for this section states, "Retirement of the Levites."   Those who laid out this version of the Holy Scriptures read the above passage and connected it with "retirement."   And, as we read the text it certainly does state that at the age of 50 the Levites were no longer to be used to do the work of the Tabernacle.   The concept of retirement seems to be something, however, that is more born out of the industrial revolution, then something taught in Scripture.   There is no doubt that the passage does say, at a specific age (50), there is going to be a change in the duty assignments of the Levitical Priests.  At the age of 50 it states they are no longer to be included in the "assigning their duties."   However, the "older" Levitical priest was to still "minister to their brothers" by "keeping guard."   Their ministering didn't stop, but it did change its focus.    I was recently given a copy of a book entitled, "Refire Don't Retire" (Ken Blanchard and Morton Schaevitz).   The mindset of most people in our society is to earn enough money were we can sunset our lives into relaxed and easy living.    The American dream is a focus on possessions and retirement.   The concept taught to us is:  Work hard enough that you can buy enough and that you can stop working to enjoy all the stuff you bought.    Even some great Christian financial teachers have an emphasis on our retirement.  Perhaps they use the above passage to do such teaching.    However, if we read the text completely, the "refire" concept seems to better fit the text.   What Moses is telling the 50 Levite is that they will no longer have to do one type of work in the tabernacle, but they will be asked to do another.   Their 25 years of service does not end, but they are to "minister" to the younger priests and the younger priest are to allow that ministry to take place.  They are to "guard" the tabernacle.   These older men are to be the ones that make sure the tabernacle is treated and respected and cared for in the right manner.  Later we will read a number of stories of how the Levitical priest failed in their duty to the nation and the care of the Tabernacle.  It would be a concern if these "50-year old" priest were doing their job of "keeping guard."   What the text does say is that God is very much in-tune with and recognizing the seasons of our lives.  In other passages the young man who gets marries is allowed to take a year off of service for his new bride and him.   God recognizes the seasons of our life and makes adjustment.  However, as stated in this text, the concept of the modern day retirement does not seem to fit the passage.   The New Testament shows us that serving in the body of Christ is continual life activity.   John was in his 90s and still writing letters to the Churches (Revelation).   God recognizes our seasons of life, but He does not fit the pattern of our society.   We need to focus on God's plan for the later years of our life, and not the worlds system.   What will be our “transition” plan to old age?   If we follow the world’s pattern shuffle board and squash are in our future (paddle ball).    Yet, God talks about a change in ministry, here, not a stop in ministry.  One of the reasons we are so consumed with retirement thought is that we see our jobs as our mission or purpose.   Paul saw his tent-making job as a resource to allow him to minister.   God gives us “work” so that we can use what we get from work as opportunities to minister to the world around us.  We were not created to work to fulfill our purpose.  We were created to glorify God and work is just a tool that makes that happen.  It is not the end.   Yet, most people start out conversations about what they do for a living.   This shapes our view of old age and the retirement concept.   We might better ask, “I wonder what my next ministry experience will be, when this one ends?”  

Tag: The Greatest God with the Longest Patience - 1 Timothy 1-3

1 Timothy 1:15-17

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Tag:  The Greatest God with the Longest Patience

The above passage is written from Paul to Timothy, who Paul had asked to stay in Ephesus.  Timothy’s charge was to make sure that doctrine was well protected and the ignorant among them did not distort the Gospel message.  In the process of writing and charging Timothy, Paul writes the above words.   He is making sure Timothy has a first hand example of the impact of the “Gospel.”   God, says Paul, saved him, an example of the “foremost” of sinners to show God’s “perfect patience.”    In the explanation of God’s “act” of saving Paul, we also reached an explanation of God’s “character.”  God is “the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God ...”.    Because He is the God of the ages, He CAN save Paul.  Because He is the God of the ages, He wants to save Paul.   But, because He is the God of the ages, He is patient enough toward Paul (and us) to see us come to repentance.    Being the God of Gods, does not exempt God from His character.  He must stay within His character.   He is “perfect” in patience.  The word means, “absolute or in every way.”   We can rejoice that God is great and patience toward us.   This is the same patience we read in Galatians about the Fruit the Spirit of God is produces in and through us.  God not only is patience, He wants us to be patience with others.   

Tag: Storms Provide Opportunity to Experience Christ - John 5-6

John 6:16-21

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Tag:  Storms Provide Opportunity to Experience Christ 

Let’s face it, we don’t do well spiritually when things are going great.  When we are at ease we focus less on our need for Christ.  Note:

Amos 6:1

“Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,

and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, ...”

When at ease we tend to believe we are self-sufficient, self-righteous and are self-controlled.  It tends to be only when the bottom falls out that we turn to God.  However, even in these times we often blame God for the struggle we find ourselves experiencing.  

In the above passage we see the disciples in a storm.  The storm is not something if there own doing.  Storms happen.  Their own efforts were futile.  Their rowing is the same work we do to get out of a jam.  Sweat and labor don’t prevent turmoil.  Suddenly Christ appears.  This is what Christ does.  He shows up in stormy times. They did not call Him.  He was just there. In our struggles to row we need to get our eyes up and experience the power of Christ.  Believing He is in the storm when we can’t see Him is the act of faith that calms the storm.  Jesus took the to the land they were headed for.  That is not always true (Jonah was turned around by God’s intervention).   God is aware of our storms and is intervening on our behalf.  He calms the storm as we bring Him into our boat by faith. 

Tag: We Win!! Daniel 7-12

Daniel 7:21-22

As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

Tag:  We Win!!!

The bottom line is God wins!!!   Yes, during this life there is plenty of suffering, evil, tribulation, pain, turmoil, etc.  But, in the end, God reigns and we reign with Him.  Note:

Revelation 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.”

In the end, we are made rulers with Christ.  All the evil that has overcome us in our lives will be overcome, in the end.  In the end, we win.   God is the ruler and will completely wipe away the reign of sin and Satan.  In fact, that is what justification in our lives has done, already:

Romans 5:20-21

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Today, Grace is to reign in our lives.  Grace is a Master.  We are to submit to it and allow it to rule our lives.   Through grace we, too, will reign.   We can rejoice in these truths because through Christ, in His grace, we win:

Romans 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Tag: Conflict Can Be Avoided - Proverbs 17-18

Proverbs 17:14

The beginning of strife is like letting out water,

so quit before the quarrel breaks out. 

Proverbs 17:9

Whoever covers an offense seeks love,

but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Tag:  Conflict Can Be Avoided

In today’s society, conflict is a the main course.   Rather than go out of of our way to avoid conflict, which the above passages are teaching, people seem to look for conflict.   Solomon lived in a relative peaceful time.  When God asked him what he wanted from God, he asked for wisdom.  God not only have him wisdom, He gave him wisdom, prosperity and peace.   The beauty of wisdom is that it leads to prosperity and peace, if we have real wisdom: The Fear of the Lord.  Conflict “opportunities” might be the perfect time to test wisdom.   When faced with a conflict we often get our injustice, entitlement, ego, or envy, ignorance, or imperium (desire for power) involved.   Rather than pursue these desires, Solomon states, in the above proverbs, ceasing from strife and ending a conflict before it gets going is the best method for peace.   It does not take much to continue into a conflict.  It might even seem deserved. It might even feel right.   But, wisdom teaches that the ending of strife is better than starting it, or continuing into it.   Love covers a matter.  1 Corinthians 13 tells us this about how love interacts with wrongs:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

If we stop the strife before it gets rolling we have a better chance to avoid the flood of conflict.   

Tag: God Will Judge in Equity - Psalms 96-98

Psalms 96:10

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!

Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;

he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Tag:  God Judges in Equity!!

Note what the Understanding the Bible Commentary says about Psalm 96:

“Psalm 96 thus helps us to see that faith must live in all three tenses: Yahweh established creation order from the beginning, he intervenes with salvation in the present, and he will restore order by “judging” the world in righteousness in the future.”

No one will get away with “inequity” with God on the throne.  In this section of the Psalms we see the writers often crying out about their suffering.  Some are suffering because of their own mistakes and bad choices, but others are suffering because of the wickedness and evil people around them.   Either suffering hurts and is difficult to bear up under.   In this Psalm we read that God made the heavens and will judge all mankind in “equity.”  The Hebrew word for “equity” means, according to Vine:

“mêšâr; from 3474; evenness, i.e. (figuratively) prosperity or concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) rectitude (only in plural with singular sense; often adverbially): — agreement, aright, that are equal, equity, (things that are) right(-eously, things), sweetly, upright(-ly, -ness).”

I love the word “sweetly” in the definition.  We don’t typically associate “sweetly” with “judgment.”  However, God will judge out of love and all those who refuse to accept His Son, will suffer judgement.   That judgement will be out of God character and His character is love.  We may not understand that, but God will judge without sin in His life.  We judge others but we are sinful and have no way to really make judgements about others.  We, too, have sinned.   But, God will judge in “equity.”  That is why He had to send His Son.  He had to have a sacrifice and someone HAD do pay the price for sin.  God does not overlook our sin.  He judges it and His Son took the penalty.   Those who reject that gift will also be judged.  They might seem at ease (see Psalms 73) but they WILL be judged ... sweetly!!

Tag: A Faitlure in Faith Produces Consequences - 1 Chronicles 5-9

1 Chronicles 9:1

So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith.

Tag:   A Failure in Faith Produces Consequences

The book of 1 Chronicles is a “chronicle” of what happened to the nation of Israel when the went into captivity.   The names listed in these first nine chapters are important to show us that God cares for His people, knows them and holds them accountable for the truth He gives them.  God never will leave us!  His love is full and perfect for us.  Because of God’s love we should never fear Him:

 1 John 4:17-18

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

With that truth stated and believed, it should be noted in this passage from 1 Chronicles 9 tells us that God does hold us accountable for our lack of faith.  The nation of Israel had a “breach” in their faith.   The word for “breach of faith” used here is one word in the Hebrew language and it means, “treachery, or falsehood.”   The nation of Israel did not simply stop believing, but, rather, acted contrary to God’s Word and Commands.   When we fail in faith, it is not that we simply don’t believe God (although we do cease to believe His promises and seek another way to satisfaction for ourselves).  When we have a lack of faith we move into falsehood and disobey Him.   This type of behavior has consequences with God.  We do not have to fear His judgment (Romans 8:1), but we do have to accept His loving discipline (Hebrews 10).   Just as a parent disciplines out of love, so, too, does God correct His children in love.  God took the nation of Israel into captivity.   He put them in confinement and they lost freedom.  The same can happen with us as we walk away from God.  Faith means we believe Him AND obey Him.   Faith without works is dead.  Works is not faith.  But faith that works, that demonstrates belief is faith. You can say you have faith that a chair will hold you up.  But, if you never sit in the chair, your faith is worthless.   A breach in faith has consequences!

Tag: Type of Service to God Does Not Matter - Numbers 1-4

Numbers 4:46-49

All those who were listed of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chiefs of Israel listed, by their clans and their fathers' houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come to do the service of ministry and the service of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, those listed were 8,580. According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Tag: Type of Service to God Does Not Matter

The tribe of Levi was taken from among the nation of Israel to be the care-takers of the Tabernacle.   Aaron, in particular, was the head of the Levites and his boys and all the men of the tribe would be responsible to take care of the needs of the Tabernacle (and eventually the Temple, built by Solomon).   The key line in the above passage is:  “... each one with tsk of serving and carrying.”   The Levites would be responsibly to disassemble the Tabernacle when Israel was to move, carry the furnishings and re-assemble the Tabernacle upon arrival of the new location to camp.   Such tasks might seem minimally to us, but this was the TABERNACLE.   This is the place that God dwelt among them.  So, they were serving God by doing these tasks of “serving and carrying.”   In our society we have determined what is a “good” job and what is a job of “less” importance or “menial” tasks.   We based our value on these tasks by how much we pay people.   The lower paying jobs we believe are important, but we care less about the worker who does them. These are often jobs of serving and carrying.   In God’s economy, however, these jobs are of utmost importance and those who have them are listed in Holy Scripture.   God does not determine worth of someone based upon their job, but rather their worth is based upon the fact that He has them serve Him!!   The glory of service to Christ is that we are allowed to “serve and carry” something for God.  It is not the tasks we are allowed to do, it is the God we are allowed to serve, that matters.   

Tag; Perservering Through Suffering is Evidence of Belief - 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5

Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

The Judgment at Christ's Coming

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

Tag: Persevering through Suffering is the Evidence of Belief

In the above passage Paul is commending the Thessalonians for their endurance and perseverance through suffering.   He actually tells them that the “enduring through the affliction” is evidence of their suffering.  He is not saying that simple suffering is evidence, although it can be (and is taught so in other places of God’s Word ... Christ told us we WILL suffer for His sake).  But, Paul is praising them for their endurance in the suffering.  The "evidence" of our salvation is not prayer, going to church, and/or anything we are doing ... but it is proven by persevering through suffering ... that is the "evidence"

Understanding the Bible Commentary:  “It is not God’s purpose that, by suffering, we should be made worthy to enter his kingdom, but that, having entered by grace, we should be counted worthy to be there (cf. Matt. 5:10)  This is just another way of saying that suffering is part of the package of being a Christian (see disc. on 1 Thess. 3:3). Paul puts the same thought into different words at the end of the verse when he speaks of suffering “on behalf of” (hyper with the gen. in the causal sense “for the sake of”; for other uses see disc. on 2:1 and 1 Thess. 5:10) the kingdom of God. In this context, the kingdom means the final phase of God’s rule, which will be inaugurated at the coming of Christ (see disc. and note on 1 Thess. 2:12).”

When Christ suffered, for our sins, it was a grave injustice.   That may make the suffering even worse.  It could be said that the greatest times of suffering are in the greatest times of injustice.   We might suffer for our own sins and stupidity.  We might suffer because the world is just foolish and broken and things get messed up (planes break and crash, bodies fail and hurt, etc.).    But, the greatest suffering is when we decide to stand for Christ and the world hates us ... they will hate us for standing for truth and righteousness.  They will mock us for no other reason that we claim to be Christ’s followers.   That is the injustice that we see in the above verses.  Yet, note what Paul will tell these same believers later in this little book:

2 Thessalonians 3:3-5

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

This is what Paul states to the Romans:

Romans 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Suffering for our faith and in our faith is part of the package of belief in Christ.   All mankind can do foolish things and suffer and find no relief for such choices.  But, the believer can make the right choice and will find suffering.  Yet, our relief is in our relationship with Christ. 

Tag: Christ is Worth of our Faith and Following - John 3-4

John 3:31-36

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Tag::  Christ is Worthy of our Faith and Following

In the above passage, John the Baptist gives us a number of reasons why we should be able to follow Christ:

1. He came from an authoritative place:  Glory!   Christ is from “above” and that means the place of God.   John simply indicates that your origin means s something about your authority.   Jesus originated in Heaven, with His Father, God.  That gives Him authority and makes Him worthy to follow!!

2.  He carries authoritative words:  Truth!!  Jesus, John says, “bears witness to what He has seen ...” Since is was with God what He has seen is truth.  We can trust him and have faith to follow because He speaks truth and cannons lie. 

3. He has an authoritative sender:  God!! Jesus was sent by God to carry the message and the truth of God.  We can trust it and know that it will be perfect for us because God is in charge of the universe and has a master plan (Romans 8:28)

4. He has give us an authoritative guide: Spirit!!!  Christ was anointed with the Spirit (John 1:32).  He will provide and send that same Holy Spirit to guide and keep us (John 16).  He will give us the Spirit in full measure (even though we don’t give him the full measure of us). 

5.  He was given an authoritative commission: Authority over All Things!!  There is NOTHING that Christ does not have authority over.  He willing gave it up in His death, but received it back, from God, in His resurrection by defeating death.   Death as the final authority over all men.  Christ defeated death and gives us eternal life because of the authority.  Authority given out of Love by God. 

6.  He has an authoritative role:  Judgment!!  Christ decides who is delivered from wrath and who is subject to wrath.  The one who decides to not just read and hear the truth He presents, but obeys and follows Him in complete faith, will be delivered from the wrath to come (Romans 8:1)

Those are six reasons to obey and follow and rest in Christ in faith.  Nothing tops that.  Nothing on this earth can compare that would compel us to pledge our allegiance to or our trust in!!  NOTHING.