Author: Timothy Sullivan

Welcome to this Bible Study Blog. It is my desire to encourage your reading of the Word of God each day and to encourage you along the journey of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ....

My Life Verse

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

This is one of my favorite verses of all … like my “life verse” to keep me grounded with this “pillar” of faith.  Since I use it often in my commentaries, I will just send it along as a quick reminder to everyone that whatever you have gone through … are going through … or will go through in life … God is watching over you and will cause ALL things to work together for your good … because you love Him and have been called according to His purpose.  Amen! 

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Covenant of Love

Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

We have seen this verse in some of the commentaries when looking at the love of God … what it truly means … and that it is a promise to those who love God.  We find the phrase “covenant of love” used here and it is found several times in the Old Testament.  If we look at the definition of covenant, we will find the following thoughts:  A formal, solemn, and binding agreement; a written agreement or promise; an accord; an alliance; a compact; a treaty; and so forth.  From these concepts we can better understand that the love of God is a binding agreement He has made with us … a holy oath or promise to those who love Him.  Notice the next sentence states, “He is a faithful God.”  So we see that the concept of faithfulness is connected with the terms: binding, oath, and promise.  To be faithful means you will do what you have promised to do.  So God has vowed to love those who love Him and keep His commandments.  And this verse is quoted in Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; and Daniel 9:4.

What is the implication or application of this passage?  Well, my first thought was the statement Jesus made in John 14:15:   “If you love me, keep my commands.”  You will find similar language used in John 14:21 and John 15:10. Our love for God is demonstrated through our obedience to His commandments.  So it makes sense that our promise in this relationship … our covenant with Him … is to keep His commandments.  In essence, the agreement between the two parties bound by this covenant is “to love one another”.  God demonstrates His own love to us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8) Yes, His love is the free gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ!  We demonstrate our love to Him in this: Keeping His commandments … and His commands are not burdensome. (Cf. 1 John 5:3)

From John 3:16 we know: God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son … but His “covenant of love” is with those who love Him and keep His commandments. In a similar fashion, God so loved the world … but only those who believe in Jesus will not perish.  I think there is a differentiation that needs to be examined here. The love of God is unconditional … but the blessings of His love are conditional upon our responses.  His love is not binding on someone who does not love Him … anymore than eternal life is given to those who do not believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. In other words, our response to Jesus determines our right to become children of God; His atonement and salvation; our eternal life; and whether God is bound by oath to grant these promises to us.  Remember, a covenant (binding agreement) is between two parties.  God is faithful to us.  The question is whether we are faithful to Him.  So I dare each of us to be faithful to God and see what happens….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Evening!

This Is My Story….

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect….

This verse is connected with the themes we have been reading about the past week on sharing the Gospel.  Interestingly, I believe this passage is the most succinct instruction we can find in the Bible regarding evangelism in its “simplest” form.  We do not have to pass out “religious tracts” in the mall or door-to-door in order to be evangelists; although there might be occasion to do that sort of activity.  We do not have to stand on street corners with banners and megaphones heralding Scriptures; although if the Spirit directs you to do so … you should obey.  But if you think about it, when most of us were “touched” by the Gospel message, the context was probably somewhat different.  Your exposure to the message about Jesus Christ probably came through someone with whom you had a relationship.  It could have been a parent, a sibling, a family member, a friend, a co-worker, or simply an acquaintance.  Maybe someone did hand you a gospel tract, or a religious billboard caught your eye and planted a spiritual seed. But most likely it was seeing “something different” in the life of another believer or hearing the personal, spiritual experience of someone you trusted that inspired or encouraged you to have a “real” relationship with God….

As I read this verse, I connected with its instruction of “how” to be an effective witness of the Gospel.  First of all, Peter indicates that we must have a “strong” relationship with Jesus ourselves.  In our hearts we are to “revere Christ as Lord”.  This means we have humbled ourselves and surrendered our lives to His authority.  This means He is worthy of our praise and worship.  This means we have experienced His life-changing grace in our hearts and desire our lives to reflect the holiness for which He saved us.  As the writer of Hebrews admonishes us: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14) If we revere Christ as Lord in our hearts, we will pursue a life that reflects that faith and hope and love.  As Peter wrote in his second pastoral epistle:

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

If we are living a life that is reflective of a genuine relationship with our Lord Jesus, then others will see it. And sometimes … your life in Christ will produce curiosity in someone who is seeking to have “more” of that “something” you appear to have in your life. It will be attractive to them because you reflect the light of God found only in Jesus. And so Peter instructs us: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Note the extreme language: ALWAYS. To be prepared means we have “practiced” in order to be ready. We have “fine-tuned” our thoughts about our own personal encounter with Jesus. We have “reflected” on our own experience of His faithfulness in our lives. And then sharing the Gospel … well it simply becomes sharing our own story!

“But do this with gentleness and respect,” Peter writes. This all sounds very similar to what Paul advised, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Cf. Colossians 4:5-7) And this is why I think we need to reflect on how to best communicate and share the good news of Christ Jesus. The manner and the circumstances in which we shared the Truth with someone can determine your effectiveness and mine in reaching that person for God. If we appear pious or superior in our tone, we do not reflect the One who said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Cf. Mark 9:35) So the question to ask is are you and I “prepared” to answer anyone about our faith and our hope in Christ? But a more crucial question to ask might be: “Is our love for others evident in our walk … enough so that it would be a conversation starter for a stranger or an unbeliever?”

Okay, I’m going to stir some conviction…. What is a definitive application for us to consider here? Well, for unbelievers to respond to the Gospel … they need to see a “real” Gospel. They need to see a genuine outcome of the power of God to believe it exists and that it is authentic. We live in a generation and a culture that increasingly dismisses or rejects the existence of God, and more specifically, the message of Jesus. I believe some of this intellectual skepticism can stem from inadequate “evidence” of the work and power of God in the lives of those who profess faith in Him. We cannot see the wind, yet we can observe its movement and impact. Likewise, we cannot see the Spirit of God, yet a person should be able to discern His manifestation in the life of a believer. I believe when the presence of God is seen because His impact is observable, faith is formed. So if our lives do not authentically reflect the transforming power of Christ, then how is there evidence for an unbeliever to move from skepticism to the reality they are searching to find? I pray that each of us will be introspective and consider if the “wind” of our lives is sufficient to “stir the leaves” in the hearts of unbelievers. If it is, I would venture to say that someone is going to ask about the faith they “see” you have in Christ Jesus. So be prepared to tell them your story. It is a great one to share!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Spirit-Filled Grace

2 Timothy 1:9 (NIV)

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time …

In his appeal and instruction to Timothy in this letter, Paul affords some great theological concepts for us to ponder. Let’s look at our verse in a wider context:

2 Timothy 1:6-14 (NIV)

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me His prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Paul speaks about the Holy Spirit a few times in this passage.  In Verse 6, Paul tells Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God….”  The implication is that Timothy has some degree of influence over the Holy Spirit within him.  Here Paul is basically telling Timothy to “get fired up for God.” Why?  Well in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Paul is giving instructions to believers and admonishes them: “Do not quench the Spirit.” When you quench a fire, you are stopping its source of fuel or air.  You are attempting to extinguish it.  With the use of this metaphor, Paul indicates that we (believers) can “inhibit” the power and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  There appears to be an exertion of the human will that can counteract the will of the Spirit to give us power, love, and self-disciple as Verse 7 mentions.  To me, the application is that if we are timid … if we are ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ … if we are unwilling to suffer for His sake … it is not because of His unwillingness to empower us. Verse 8 tells us that God gives us the “power to suffer for the Gospel”.  So if we are timid, it is our own unwillingness to “unleash” the Holy Spirit to drive our spirits and guide our souls.  So Paul tell us – fan into flame the gift of God who indwells us and do not quench Him!

Part of the suffering we will encounter as believers appears to be related to living a holy life!  That’s right!  We will suffer from being good and doing good for others…. But that is the reason we were saved by the grace of God.  We have been called to holiness … and that is the hardest thing for a human to do.  In fact, we cannot do it apart from the power of God through His Spirit within us.  As Jesus asserted, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Cf. Luke 18:27) And this power sometimes comes to us in the form of grace … a grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.  And we know that His grace is sufficient because His power is made perfect (complete) in weakness. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9) So we just need to realize that suffering goes with the experience of being human … but as a believer there is great reward for going through it … eternal life!  All the more reason to fan into flame the gift of God!

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. This is pretty straightforward advice. The theological intellect that Paul had to share was incredible.  I think that is why God called him to be a herald and an apostle and a teacher; and we would do well to heed his instruction and guidance in matters of faith – wouldn’t you agree? Paul tells Timothy to “guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”  So what is Paul talking about here?  Well, I believe the concept here is the “depositing” of the Holy Spirit within us.  Let’s look to some other Scriptures to captures this point:

2 Corinthians 1:21-23 (NIV)

21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,22 set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2 Corinthians 5:4-5 (NIV)

4 For while we are in this earthly body, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly body, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the One who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephesians 1:13-15 (NIV)

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.

Notice how Paul uses this concept to explain the function of the Holy Spirit in our salvation – to be a deposit (like a down payment) on a promise or covenant to be kept in the future.  A deposit is similar to a pledge or an oath to do something further, but you want to go ahead and “seal the deal” now.  You put a deposit on a house because you intend to purchase and you want the seller to know you are serious about your commitment to follow through on the deal.  Well, in this context, God has given us His Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  It’s an awesome analogy that Paul uses here to help us understand what God is doing.  When you come to faith in Jesus Christ, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  He is sent to indwell you … put in your heart … as a guarantee of what is to come … eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  That is what you and I have been called to embrace and believe with our entire being! So why would we ever want to quench the Spirit of God who was given to us for life here and now … especially since we know that suffering will be part of what we must endure?

Well, I hope that I have stirred your thoughts on this subject.  I know Paul has challenged my thinking through this letter; and I pray that I will not quench the Holy Spirit in my life at all … nor grieve Him through willful conduct in conflict with the call of holiness.  (Cf. Isaiah 63:9-11; Ephesians 4:29-31)  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. Amen!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Evening!

The God of ALL Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

There is a great morsel of truth for us in this passage  The language (translation) seems a bit awkward at first, but when you break down the sentence, I believe it becomes clearer what Paul is trying to convey:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

No problem here!  We are to praise God the Father for God the Son….  It should be a continual action on our part.

the Father of compassion,

What does this mean except that compassion originates with God the Father Himself?  This is just as love originates with God Himself. So what is compassion?  How is it defined?  Merriam-Webster provides this definition for us: Sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.  Wow!  I like that!  God is aware of … God knows and understands … the distress of being “human” and His desire is to alleviate the distress we experience…. He has empathy; concern; sensitivity; tenderness; kindness; gentleness; and mercy toward us. 

Hebrews 2:14-18 (NIV)

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,  Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

and the God of all comfort,

Yes, God the Father “feels” for us in our plights … in our hardships and sufferings … and He makes provision to comfort us.  The definition of comfort reflects that of compassion.  Whether as a noun or a verb, Merriam-Webster defines it as “the easing or alleviation of a person’s feelings of grief or distress.”  It means to console … but it also means to give strength and hope to someone; to encourage them and to cheer them on.  This is what Father God has given us in Christ Jesus….

who comforts us in all our troubles,

Note the extreme language that Paul uses in this verse: The God of ALL comfort, who comforts us in ALL our troubles.  There is nothing that God misses when it comes to the comfort you or I need in our trials and tribulations endured in life.  There is comfort for you and me in every situation … in every circumstance … in every time of need.  Our God of all comfort assures us that He is ever aware and ever present to help in our time of trouble (Cf. Psalm 46:1) Therefore, we are not to fear; but rather, we are to seek Him in our hour of need.

so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

As believers, we have first-hand experience of the comfort God has given us.  And the Father desires … God expects … that we will comfort others with the same comfort we ourselves have received from God.  Since we abide in Him and He is us, we share in the work of God.  Apart from Him, we can do nothing. (Cf. John 15:4-5)   Remember? We were created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And comforting other people in their suffering is among the works we are called to accomplish for the Kingdom.  Based on our personal experiences in life, each of us has a story … a time of trouble … that God brought us through. So now we have a testimony to share of the comfort God gave us in the midst of our own struggles, pains, sorrows, hardships, and challenges.  Just as God loves you and me and commands us to love one another with the same love we have experienced and know through Him; God wants us to comfort one another with the same comfort that we have experienced and know through Him as well!

So I hope we see the applications here from this verse.  I pray we will memorize it and incorporate it into our walk with God.  He is the God of all comfort.  He is the God of love and the God of peace.  (Cf. Romans 15:33; 2 Corinthians 13:11) And we know the peace of God, which transcends all human understanding … that it guards our minds and hearts in Christ Jesus. (Cf. Philippians 4:7) This is what we are empowered by the Spirit to do … to love and comfort others so that they might experience and know the peace of God as well.  This is our challenge this morning….  As Paul wrote: “In humility, value others above yourselves – not looking to your own interests but to the interests of others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”  (Cf. Philippians 2:3-5) This includes comforting those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  And in this context, comforting is ongoing – meaning we are to continually comfort others as we are continually comforted by God.  Amen.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Nowhere to Hide….

Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Our verse today continues to point us toward the pursuit of holiness in our lives; however, in full context we find a focus on the glory and power of God.  I often go to this Psalm to remind myself that God is ever presence … no matter where I go … no matter what I am doing or saying.  He is there observing … listening … knowing the thoughts of my heart.  As David asserts, we cannot hide from God … there is nowhere to run from His presence … because He fills all things and knows all things.  We deceive ourselves if we think or entertain otherwise….

I have reprinted the entire Psalm here for your reference so that you can consider the context of the prayerful petition David presents:

1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Besides the introspection we find here, I feel that David conveys a calm, “surrendered” tone in his discourse.  He seems to find delight in the fact that God knows him … and knows him intimately.  David does not seem fearful of this knowledge because in Verses 23-24 we see David inviting God to search him and test him. Why?  Because David desired to correct anything displeasing to God.  David sought accountability from God … and knew God would tell him the truth in love.  He sees the rebellion in the hearts of others and despises it.  He sees their evil intent and knows it offends God.  David wants no part of their iniquities and asks God to cleanse his own heart.  All of this meditation is within the context of God’s omniscience and omnipresence.

So what are the implications for us and our walk with God?  Very much the same….  If we know that God sees all (and He does), how should that affect our conduct, our conversation, our confession, and our commitment?  Should we not be more self-aware of God and His presence?  Should we not fear (have great reverence) for the Creator who formed us and gave us the breath of life?  We are living beings and God delighted to create us and have fellowship with us.  Why do we run or try to hide from His presence?  It is futile … and David makes the case here right.

I asked that question, but the answer is obvious.  Did not the first human beings flee from the presence of God in the Garden of Eden?  Adam and Eve were disobedient and knew it … and “hid themselves” because of their guilt and shame. (Cf. Genesis 3:10)  It happens to us all.  Each of us has separated ourselves from God because of our sin.  So we need both His forgiveness and reconciliation.  And God in His great love, compassion, and mercy, provided us with His forgiveness and reconciliation.  It is found in the life of His Son, Jesus.  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Cf. Acts 4:12)

As I ponder this Psalm, I thought about what the Apostle John wrote along these lines.  Why do people run from God instead of to Him?  I love how John frames this concern within the context of God’s tremendous love us:

John 3:16-21 (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

In his Psalm, David sought the light of God for his heart and for his life.  He wanted to know the truth and follow the ancient way (Cf. Jeremiah 6:16)  David had figured out that God, being who God is, already knows everything about us anyway.  He already knows the truth because He formed us.  We are not going to hide anywhere from the presence of God. It is impossible.  So we might as well submit to Him … be cleansed by Him … be redeemed and reborn through His Son as God made provision.  Yes, we need to join David and ask God to search our hearts … to test and refine us … to remove any offensive attribute or character flaw … and to lead us in the way, the truth, and the life. Otherwise, like the world, we will show that we love darkness more than light.  Like the world, we will deceive ourselves into thinking God does not hear our words or observe our deeds.  Like the world, we will become indifferent to the presence of God and His love – indifferent to the cross and the atoning blood of His Son shed upon it.

So, let this be our prayer … each of us.  Let us pray like David: Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Amen.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Evening!

God Is Faithful….

Isaiah 25:1 (NIV)

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

This verse from the Prophet Isaiah is a call to praise and worship … exalting God for His “perfect faithfulness” toward His people.  We first find this gratitude for the faithfulness of God in the Book of Genesis – so this understanding of His nature has been affirmed at least since the time of Abraham.  Let’s look at that passage and some others:

Genesis 24:27 (NIV)

26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned His kindness and faithfulness to my master. 

Exodus 34:5-7 (NIV)

5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

Psalm 57:9-11 (NIV)

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 71:22-23 (NIV)

22 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you – I whom you have delivered.

So I think you get the point.  The earliest believers recognized and praised God for His manifested love and faithfulness toward them.  So I think we need to be mindful and grateful ourselves.  As you look back on your life and all of your relationships and experiences … can you see the hand of God in your life?  Can you see the faithfulness of God in sustaining you through all the challenges, hardships, and sufferings of life … creating the unique story of you?  I know that I can.  In fact, without the faithfulness of God to guide me through the pitfalls and challenges I have faced, I would not be here to share this testimony. I have absolutely no doubt about the faithfulness of God in our lives.  So the question is whether we have been faithful to Him.  Ask yourself, “Have you been as faithful to God as He has been to you?”

I’m sure we all feel indicted by that question.  None of us have lived a perfect life.  All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Even after we came to a knowledge of the truth; received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior; and experienced rebirth through the Spirit; most of us have stumbled at best to walk the narrow road and to love one another as He has loved us. I think of Peter who boldly and rashly proclaimed that he would die for Jesus at the time of His arrest … only to swear that he “did not even know the man” just a few hours later. (Cf.  Matthew 26:74-75; Mark 14:72; Luke 22:60-61; John 18:27) So zealous was his boast and so vehement was his disownment.  And note how every Gospel writer recorded what happened! Oh, I’d say each of us has wept as bitterly as Peter at some point in our life because of our own unfaithfulness to God….

What amazes and encourages me, though, is that Jesus takes the initiative to comfort Peter and restore him to fellowship.  You can read about it in John 21.  And when we find ourselves in despair over our sin and unfaithfulness to God, the Apostle John shares with us this word of encouragement: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) John reminds us of that timeless truth: God is Faithful.  And so I repeat that message here because someone needs to hear it.  Someone needs to know that the discouragement and despair of unfaithfulness that has been defeating their life can be overcome.  Yes, you ARE forgiven! Your life and fellowship with God will be restored! God is faithful even when we fail….  Like Paul, I am convinced that nothing is able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Cf. Romans 8:38-39)

One thing that caught my attention about this passage was the phrase “things planned long ago.”  I thought about that a moment.  I thought about the plan of salvation that was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world.  I wondered, “What other things did God plan long ago?”  Well, He planned my birth.  He determined the date, the generation, the place, the nation, etc.  God knew when and where He wanted me for His plans and purposes.  And despite a time of rebellion during my youth … in spite of the disobedience, failures, and unfaithfulness in my life … God planned my reconciliation and salvation.  I am His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for me to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And each day of my life becomes another revelation of the things He planned long ago for me.  Yes, God is faithful over your life and mine….

So I am certain there is someone who needs to know that God is willing and ready to restore your life just like He did for Peter – a man who disavowed even knowing the Lord Jesus … just like He did for Paul – a blasphemer and a murderer … just like He did for me – another wretched sinner saved by grace through faith.  God planned your day of reconciliation long ago.  God knew just the right time … when you would bitterly weep … and open your whole heart to Him.  God knew your moment of confession would come, and He is faithful and just to forgive your sins because you have called on Him.  He is at the door of your heart … knocking.  And I can assure you, it is an indescribable feeling to experience the great love and faithfulness of God poured out in your life!  I urge you to open the door and bid the Lord Jesus to come in … and let your healing begin!

Father, I thank you and I praise you for your perfect faithfulness.  You have done wonderful things … too many to count as well look back over our lives.  Each one is a testimony of your surpassing kindness and your steadfast love.  Help, Lord, each one of us to embrace that you have been faithful to redeem us … to give us a hope and a future … to give us eternal life.  These promises were established long ago … and we can receive them by placing our faith in you.  You have proven yourself trustworthy, and I pray any person who has questioned the deep of your love will see the truth found in your Word.  In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness.  Great is Thy Faithfulness.  Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.  Great is Thy Faithfulness … Lord unto me. ~ Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Teach Your Children Well….

Deuteronomy 6: 6-7 (NIV)

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

This is a reminder to us of the importance of staying focused on the Word of God.  We are urged to meditate on the commandments of God … to ponder them in our hearts … to apply their precepts and instructions to our walk with God.  Of equal importance, we need to remember that each of us has come to the knowledge of God through His Word. And His Word was impressed on us through other people – especially parents and grandparents for many of us.  My point being – how will other people (especially our own children) and future generations come to know the God who created us and loves us unless we talk about Him and share the knowledge of Him given to us through His Word?  That is why we are encouraged to talk about the Word of God at home … in the course of daily life … yes morning and night. I believe we should be talking about God all the time! His Being as declared through the Word of God is as necessary for life as our next breath.  In other words, you and I cannot escape its inherent power for life.  Jesus quoted these inspired words imparted to Moses in this regard:

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Cf. Deuteronomy 8:3)

That is my hope with these daily verses – to impress the Word of God on each of you.  It is the source of understanding life itself … who God is … why He created us … what is His will for us … and so forth. And that is why each of us should keep the Word of God in our hearts and impart it to the next generations.  I am grateful that it was shared with me … because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. (Cf. Romans 1:16)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Be Strong and Very Courageous!

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

So I’m on my lunch break and reading this verse….

Okay … so I’m going to go out on a limb here … but how timely is this verse for each of us?  I ask that with the conviction that each of us has something God has been pressing us to do in obedience … in faith … and we just need one more “push” to do it.  Do you need this word of encouragement today?  Yes! And we all do!  Faith is what equips us to be strong … to be courageous!  Faith overcomes fear … it defeats discouragement.  Faith convinces us God is ever present.  He is with you.  He will never leave you nor forsake you. Since God is for us – we need to embrace the truth of this Scripture.

But, as usual, I see something here that caught my attention.  Something that I had not considered before and I want to share it. Look at the first sentence:

Have I not commanded you?

Wow!  Have you ever considered that God commands you and I to be strong and courageous?  Is that not the key to walking forward in obedience to whatever He has called us to do?  And when God gives us something to do for Him, will He not empower us to accomplish it?  Look at the surrounding context of this verse:

Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

These are some powerful assurances and promises of God.  They were spoken to Joshua – but I believe they have been written (recorded) for our hope and encouragement as well.  God has given us good works to do … which He prepared in advance for us to do.  (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And He commands us to be strong and very courageous.  He commands us to “exercise our faith.”  Strong means we flex our spiritual muscles.  Courageous means our will is engaged and expectant of a victorious outcome.  Oh, there are battles ahead and there are challenges and oppositions to face; but God promises to never leave us nor forsake us.  And I believe this strength and courage God commands us to exercise is connected to what we studied just last week: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) He is not the Spirit of fear.  The Holy Spirit empowers us and equips us to accomplish the purposes of God in and through our lives.  He fills us with the love of God. He imparts to us sound minds to understand what we need to do and how to conform our will to what God chose us in Christ Jesus (as His Body) to complete….

So I pray we will consider this thought today: “God has commanded me to be strong and courageous.”  God has said, “Do not be afraid and do not be discouraged.”  I pray we will apply this Word to our hearts and to the situations or circumstances that God has engaged us to be His instruments.  Whatever the Lord God has called you to do … just do it!  And know that God is with you to accomplish His will.  Amen!  

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

God – I Don’t Understand

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

This verse is referenced and quoted quite often … and with good reason.  Isaiah helps us have a healthy and appropriate perspective about God.  In short, He is God and we are not.  He created us … and not the other way around.  He is the potter and we are the clay … as Isaiah used this metaphor to bring this truth to light:

Isaiah 29:15-16 (ESV)

15 Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” 16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of Him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

Isaiah 64:7-9 (NIV)

7 No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. 8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. 9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.

So with this perspective in mind, we usually come to the realization that God is ultimately beyond our comprehension.  He is the mystery that each human soul wrestles to attain.  As King Solomon wrote: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) So we do not know all the hidden things of God … the mysteries of His wisdom and counsel … nor should we be able to comprehend all His knowledge. It is too great for human minds. As Moses wrote: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29) So God determines what He will reveal to us, but note that the glimpse He gives us “belongs to us and to our children forever.”  That is profound for us to contemplate. And consider that God HAS revealed many things to us … mysteries as Paul described them … and He appoints the times and circumstances of His revelations.  But all of this is for one purpose: “that we may be obedient to His Word … His laws and decrees.”  God has revealed “enough” of Himself to us in order for us to know Him, to fear Him,  and to keep His commandments. Consider this example:

Ephesians 3:1-14 (ESV)

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.  7 Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of His power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that He has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

What we find here is that the mystery of Christ – though written in the Old Testament Scriptures – had not been revealed (unveiled) until Jesus actually appeared on the earth to fulfill all that had been written and prophesied about Him.  Even then, Jesus came to His own (the people of Israel), and yet, they rejected Him.  As the Apostle John wrote: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own people, and His own people did not receive Him.But as many as did received Him, to them He gave the right (authority) to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:10-12) To me, this is an illustration of how people can fail to connect with the thoughts and ways of God. The Messiah did not come as the Jewish authorities had expected nor did they entertain what God had declared through the Prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32; Romans 10:13) Yes, that means God had always purposed from the foundation of the world for everyone who believes in Him (Jews and Gentiles alike) to receive salvation and eternal life.

God declared, “My thoughts are not your thoughts and neither are your ways my ways.” And yet, I see through the Scriptures that God HAS intentionally revealed Himself through His Word and through His Son. What the religious leaders could not comprehend … or perhaps refused to entertain because their own thoughts and their own ways were seen as superior … was not the absence of revelation or light that God had made available to them. It could have been the hardness of their hearts. As Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 3:14-16 (NIV)

14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

So my point is that when we come to the place that we just do not understand what God is doing or how He is doing it or why He is doing it, we need to just trust what we do know … what He has already revealed to us.  When we do not understand the affliction of a chronic disease in our bodies … we do know that God loves us with an everlasting love.  I know that seems incompatible – suffering and love – but God has revealed both human experiences in His Son.  We know that suffering has a role in teaching us obedience (Cf. Hebrews 5:8) … which God in His love for us orchestrates for our good.  O, His thoughts and His ways are higher!  God knows the ultimate end … the ultimate goal … and He is determined to get us there for His own glory.  As Paul wrote, and I often quote, “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

I am convinced that God provides us what we need … when we need it … to uphold us and sustain us even when we do not understand what He is doing in the moment. As King David affirmed: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! (Psalm 84:11-12) Yes, God knows how to provide us with the knowledge and wisdom that we need for life. For we have been advised: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)  And God knows how to bless us with every spiritual blessing. (Cf. Ephesians 1:3) Yes, He knows what is best for each of us and He does not withhold it.  Even spiritual discipline through physical distress can refine our faith in ways we could not imagine for our good. I think that is why Jesus taught us to ask, seek, and knock when approaching Father God in prayer:

Luke 11:1-13 (ESV)

1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread,  4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” 5 And He said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Oh, I think there is a lesson here.  When we do not understand the thoughts and ways of God, we need to ask for wisdom and discernment and it shall be given.  We need to seek what has been revealed to us and we shall find it.  We need to knock on the door of mystery and it will be opened to us.  But as Jesus points out in His parable above, we need to be persistent in our prayers! We have been created by a God who deeply cares for us and loves us with an everlasting love!  As Paul wrote: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32) What does ALL things mean?  Does it not include wisdom, discernment, grace, knowledge, prophecies, healings, miracles, forgiveness, and so forth?  Does it not mean the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit?  Are these not meant for our good?

So what can we conclude? Well, there is a vast depth of knowledge of God that will always be far too great for us. It will most likely always be incomprehensible unless God ever decides to reveal the depths of those mysteries and hidden knowledge.  The thoughts and ways of God manifested in creation through His eternal power are just higher!  I encourage you to read Job Chapters 38-42, and you will receive a great “education” on why God is God and why human beings are not. It brings appropriate rationale to our limited, finite minds and provides the context for why it is reasonable for us to embrace and worship such a Being as God.

But on the other hand, there is the work of God within our individual hearts and lives that draws us to Him … that brings us to faith … that tests our faith … that brings us into an abiding relationship with Him.  I believe the work of God within us can be known and understood.  I believe God is willing to reveal those aspects of His thoughts and ways to us if we are diligent to ask, seek, and knock.  I believe such inner revelation would be consistent with His love for us.  Yet we need to be willing to accept that even His silence in response to a question might actually be for own good. We need to embrace that His decision to withhold disclosure of His thoughts or ways is better than our perceived need to know them.  That situation could be a “test” God uses to build our faith and trust in Him….

Well those are some reflections on this verse today.  I hope it has been useful and somehow draws you closer to God in your prayer time when you are looking for answers to things about God you do not understand.   When you are frustrated with God and prayers appear to go unanswered; rather than looking for answers that do not come to you … go back and look at all the truth that God has already revealed to you through His Word and His Son.  Take hold of His promises to never leave you nor forsake you. Let your heart embrace His love and grace and peace that you know He has for you.  It could be that those might just be the answers you were looking for all along….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!