The Calling of Hope…

1 Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people…

In our Verse of the Day, Paul makes an interesting request in his prayer for believers in Ephesus. He asks that the “eyes of their hearts be enlightened” in order to “see” … in order to “know” the HOPE to which they have been called. Paul indicates that this “hope” is “the riches of His glorious inheritance.” Let’s look at the verse in its surrounding context because it is powerful!

Ephesians 1:3-23 (NIV)

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For He chose us in Jesus before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love ⁵He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. ⁷In Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹God the Father made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹¹In Jesus we were also chosen (made heirs) having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. ¹³And 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, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.

¹⁵For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, ¹⁶I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Jesus better. ¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people,¹⁹and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰the Father exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²²And God placed all things under Jesus’ feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.

The opening chapter of Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians affirms some incredible doctrines about Christ Jesus that we would be wise to assimilate into our theology. After reading this chapter, my heart is filled with great joy again … my “hope” in the glorious inheritance received through faith is renewed! And what is this inheritance we are to receive? Jesus indicated it is the “kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Cf. Matthew 25:34) It is an inheritance that we receive because we abide in Jesus, His Son. (Cf. Matthew 21:38; Mark 12:7; Luke 20:14) For Jesus is the mediator of a New Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance – now that He has died as a ransom to set us free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” (Cf. Hebrews 9:15) Yes, that promised inheritance is salvation and everlasting life!

In most of the epistles written by Paul, you will find intercessory prayers similar to this one in our Verse of the Day. Note that Verse 15 begins: “For this reason….” And then Paul expounds on the reason he is offering thanks to God and remembering the Ephesians in his prayers: “because of their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love towards all believers.” And I am captured by the powerful requests in this prayer: Paul is asking God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to do the following:

1. Give us a Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

2. Open the eyes of our hearts so that we can be enlightened in order to know:

a. The hope to which God has called us

b. The riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints

c. The immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe

3. Paul asks that all of these requests be fulfilled according to the working of God’s power that He demonstrated through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

4. Paul then exalts the status and position of our Lord Jesus as head of the Church … which represents His Body (his continued physical presence) in the world.

What I find interesting is that Paul has acknowledged the faith and love of these people and stated these are the reasons for offering his prayer. So, I think the implication is that there is more for believers to discover in their walk of faith with the Lord Jesus. We are to continue growing in our knowledge of God the Father … which Paul attributes to the work of the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation. Paul prays for the hearts and minds of believers to be enlightened further so that we can know the purposes of God in uniting us with His Son – namely our hope and inheritance in Jesus through His death and resurrection. We are urged to grow in submission to His position of authority at the right hand of God the Father. Indeed, Jesus is not only Savior … He is Lord over heaven and earth!

What is the application? Paul wants to encourage those who believe in Jesus through faith to grow in spiritual maturity … to know the deeper things of God and His purposes … and to understand the lordship of Christ Jesus over all aspects of our lives as members of His body. This passage also brought to mind another text that encourages our growth in the Lord: “Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of instructions about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” (Cf. Hebrews 6:1-2) Yes, all of these doctrines of Christian faith are the foundation upon which we are equipped and prepared to move forward and to grow in our intimacy with Jesus.

Well, I pray that your day will be filled with the hope to which He has called you. I pray your heart has been enlightened to see this hope in your inner being. May it fill you with joy and patience! “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. (Cf. Titus 2:11-14)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The Path of Most Resistance

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

In our Verse of the Day, the Apostle Peter gives us some straightforward advice regarding the issue of temptation and how to “resist” it. First of all, Peter cautions us always to be vigilant. We need to be alert and clear thinking … knowing that temptation(s) is an incessant battle for each of us. He probably recalls the night of Jesus’ betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had asked the disciples to “keep watch with Him” as He went to a secluded area to pray. “Then He (Jesus) returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Cf. Matthew 26:40-41)

Second, Peter provides an excellent metaphor regarding our adversary … the devil. Peter describes him as a roaring lion on the “constant prowl” seeking a target … a victim … to devour with his lies. And it is clear that Satan oppresses and opposes those who have placed their faith in Jesus. Paul said we are not ignorant of the devices, schemes, or methods that Satan uses to draw us into temptation and to suppress our testimony through victorious living. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 2:11) Both James and Paul admonish us to consider the following aspects of temptation:

James 1:12-14 (NIV)

¹²Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV)

¹²Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Further, we should understand that our “battle” with temptation is not always against our flesh or sinful human nature. We need to acknowledge that there are spiritual forces of darkness and evil that require internal spiritual fortitude to withstand. We are called to oppose and strive against the culture and the influence that the devil has over this world:

Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV)

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

So, Peter urges us to resist the devil by standing firm in our faith. As James advised us: “⁷Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (Cf. James 4:7-8) In both cases, we are instructed to “resist” or “withstand the action” of the devil. We are to “strive against” or “oppose” what Satan throws our way. As Paul instructed, “We should take up the shield of faith, with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Cf. Ephesians 6:16) Thus, it is our faith that becomes the victory over temptation. As the Apostle John affirmed, “This is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (Cf. 1 John 5:3-5)

A final observation is that Peter connects the aggressive actions of the devil with the sufferings of believers throughout the world. Sometimes our “trials” are the struggles we face with temptation; however, the hardships and sufferings we endure could be those which come in the form of reviling and persecution for our faith in Jesus Christ. This is especially true in areas of the world where Islam is dominant and intolerant of Christianity. But even this is becoming the norm of modern culture – as God is relegated from public consciousness and moral values plummet into the abyss of sin. But Paul foretold us that this would be the case:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ²For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

It is my prayer that we as believers will heed the spiritual insights that the Apostles have shared with us in their inspired writings. May we be alert, sensible, and logical as we observe the signs of the times and the moral decline of our culture. We need to resist, oppose, and strive against compromise with the culture around us … and realize that we will most likely suffer in some manner for doing so. As Jesus taught during the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Cf. Matthew 5:10-12) Be encouraged and remember the Lord said: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.” (Cf. Isaiah 41:10-11)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Saved By Grace…

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Our Verse of the Day has probably been memorized and quoted by all of us. It affords a succinct theology of the mechanism through which salvation is accomplished. Salvation is received by faith in Jesus Christ. It is not achieved by good works a person might do … so that no person can ever boast that he or she earned salvation through their own merits. Therefore, salvation is a sovereign act of grace … it is a gift! There is no debt that you or I owe God because it was paid in full by our Lord Jesus on the cross! Indeed, God is lavishly gracious!

Look again at what King David wrote: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. (Cf. Psalm 103:8-10) And we have read what Paul asserted: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) And John concluded: “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (Cf. 1 John 4:9-11) To me, these verses afford the best illustrations of what is meant by the gifts of mercy and grace!

In His mercy, God withholds the condemnation that humans deserve for their transgressions of His Law, rebellion, and sin. In His grace, God grants us the forgiveness (atonement) and salvation we do not deserve. God’s holiness requires the righteous judgment of all sin … yet His lavish love desires mercy and this is why He sent His Son. “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 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.” (Cf. John 3:16-18)

This good news of salvation through Christ Jesus alone has been affirmed by all of the Apostles! So, I hope you will meditate further on these verses … and let the grace of God become more real to your heart and life. It truly is the greatest gift; and the story of His grace can be traced from the beginning of time. When the transgression (disobedience) of Adam and Eve became exposed, God covered them. (Cf. Genesis 3:21) When the Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time, He regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Cf. Genesis 6:5-8)

Exodus 34:5-9 (NKJV)

⁵Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with Moses there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. ⁶And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷maintaining mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” ⁸So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. ⁹Then he said, “If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us. Even though we are a stiff-necked people, forgive our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance.”

Yes, we can readily see the grace of God at work through the passage of time. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the One and Only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.” (Cf. John 1:1, 14, 16-18)

And so, Paul deeply understood the mission to proclaim the grace of God in Christ Jesus with boldness and authority! His inspired thoughts on grace can be found at Romans 3:21-26, and I urge you to take some time to review his discourse there. In his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul opened with incredible passion about the grace of God:

Ephesians 1:3-8 (NIV)

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, ⁵God predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. ⁷In Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸that He lavished on us….

To the Colossians Paul wrote: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the Gospelthat has come to you. In the same way, the Gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. (Colossians 1:3-6)

Indeed, throughout the inspired writings of Paul, we see this pattern of teaching that equates the message of the Gospel with the grace of God. Jesus IS the embodiment and fullness of His grace! I just cannot see any other conclusion – which is why faith in Jesus is requisite to receive the most precious gift of His grace … eternal life.“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” (Cf. Titus 2:11-14)

Yes, grace leads us to holiness! So, it is my prayer that you and I will remember to abide in the grace that has been given to us in Christ Jesus. “For God 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, 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.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 1:9-10)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

His Word Endures Forever…

1 Peter 1:24-25 (NIV)

For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the Word that was preached to you.

Our Verse of the Day has a great observation and commentary from the Apostle Peter concerning the eternal and unchanging nature of God’s Word. To me, it provides an interesting contrast that Peter uses here to support his point, and I would like to explore it further….

1 Peter 1:22-25 (NIV)

²²Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. ²³For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God. ²⁴For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, ²⁵but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (Citing Isaiah 40:6-8) And this is the Word that was preached to you.

I believe the context of our passage is anchored by Verse 23. Here we find reference to the born-again experience that Jesus discussed with Nicodemus. The Apostle John records this conversation, and I will reprint it here:

John 3:5-15 (NIV)

⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” ⁹“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. ¹⁰“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?¹²I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.”

With this in mind (being born of the Spirit), I believe we can infer from the premise made by Peter that the Word of God is what the Spirit uses to “effectuate” the new birth experience. He asserts that “we have been born again … through the living and enduring Word of God. And this “word” is unchanging … it is eternal. And this is the word that was preached to you. And this is consistent with what Paul asserted when he penned: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God.” (Cf. Romans 10:17) I cannot explain how this happens; I only know from personal experience that it does. When we allow the “thoughts” of God to penetrate and indwell our hearts, we WILL come to faith in Jesus Christ … which IS the born-again experience being presented here. Jesus said, “This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Cf. Luke 22:20), and it was declared through the Prophet Jeremiah when he prophesied:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV)

³¹“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. ³²It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. ³³“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ³⁴No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

(You will see the new covenant declaration quoted in the Hebrews 8 as well. And in Hebrews 9, you will find its theological development and the requirement for the sacrificial blood of Jesus to “seal” or “enforce” the covenant. So, I encourage you to read those fascinating chapters.)

Now for emphasis, Peter quotes the Prophet Isaiah regarding the temporal nature of man in contrast to the eternal nature of God’s Word. The Word of God is “living” and its truth endures forever in comparison to the brevity of our own lives. Perhaps Peter wanted to assure believers that the Word living in them affirms the Lord’s promise of our resurrection and eternal life with God. As we noted in Hebrews 4:12, “The Word of God is alive and active!” So, when we are born-again of the Spirit through the imperishable, living, and enduring Word of God, our physical lives may end but our souls will live forever. Jesus affirmed, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live … even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Cf. John 11:25-26)

It is certain each of us will face physical death. The statistics have remained unchanged at 100% since humans have been on the earth. Even Jesus died a physical death…. But Jesus taught us that faith in Him would overcome the power of death. When we are alive in Jesus … when we abide in Him … our physical death here will not be final. And this is why Jesus said, “You must be born again – born of water (the Word) and the Spirit – in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

As I meditate on these passages, I think I will conclude with this passage from the Gospel of John because Jesus can explain this better than anyone else:

John 6:63-69 (ESV)

⁶⁰Many of His disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” ⁶¹Jesus was aware that His disciples were complaining, so He said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? ⁶³The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are full of the Spirit and life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and He knew who would betray Him.) ⁶⁵Then He said, “That is why I said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to them by the Father.” ⁶⁶At this point many of His disciples turned away and deserted him. ⁶⁷Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” ⁶⁸Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. ⁶⁹We believe, and we know you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Look at how much I love your precepts. Preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your faithful love. All of Your Word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever. ~ Psalm 119:159-160

Word of God Speak…

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Our Verse of the Day continues to emphasize the Word of God and its power to change the thoughts of our hearts. It has the power to transform our lives … affording us the knowledge of God and His will! Indeed, its importance cannot be emphasized enough because it is how God reaches out to us through His Spirit to come to a knowledge of the Truth! Perhaps the instruction of Paul can help us out in this regard:

1 Corinthians 2:9-14 (NIV)

⁹However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” (Citing Isaiah 64:4) —the things God has prepared for those who love Him— ¹⁰these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual truths with Spirit-taught words. ¹⁴The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

We have learned from Paul: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16) Peter affirmed: “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. (Cf. 2 Peter 1:21) The writer of Hebrews enlightened: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the Prophets at many times and in various ways; but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe.” (Cf. Hebrews 1:1-2) And John proclaimed: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (Cf. John 1:1-4)

And so, this is the key point I have found to be my guide: “Embrace what Jesus has revealed through the words He received from the Father! He is the Living Word … alive and active! It is His words that bring discernment and judgment into our hearts! Yes, He alone, is our salvation!

John 8:25-32 (NIV)

²⁵“Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. ²⁶“I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.” ²⁷They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. ²⁸So Jesus said, “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 but speak just what the Father has taught me. ²⁹The One who sent me is with me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” ³⁰Even as Jesus spoke, many believed in Him. ³¹To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 12:44-50 (NIV)

⁴⁴Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the One who sent me. ⁴⁵The one who looks at me is seeing the One who sent me. ⁴⁶I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. ⁴⁷“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. ⁴⁹For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

As I meditate on these things, my thoughts recall what Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus … His praises to God for the spiritual blessings we receive through His Son … our Lord Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 1:3-14 (NIV)

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For He chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love ⁵He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. ⁷In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. ¹¹In Him we were also chosen (made heirs) having been predestined according to the plan of God who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. ¹³And 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, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.

And so, I join with Paul in his prayer: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Cf. Ephesians 1:17-19) Indeed, the great power of transformation is found in the Word of God! It is our light in the midst of this dark world! Amen.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. ~ Jesus

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. ~ Isaiah 55:10-11

Waiting For Answer…

Psalm 27:14 (NIV)

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Are you going through a time of indecision … feeling uncertain or unsure? Have you been praying about the matter and pouring your heart out before God in the secret place? Do you feel like your faith is weak? You are not alone. We have all been there; and maybe, some of us are in this experience at the current moment. It was a place that King David found himself at times. And I am glad that he “journaled” his experiences and the meditations of his heart for our encouragement. In our Verse of the Day, we see how David turned to God in times of distress. We sense his confidence in the care and compassion of God. He affords us a glimpse of how God worked in his life and blessed him with inner peace and assurance. And so, David reminds us to seek the face of God; to rest in His omniscient wisdom and judgment; and to wait on His will and purposes to prevail in and through our lives.

Psalm 27 (NIV)

¹The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? ²When the wicked advance against me to devour (slander) me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. ³Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. ⁴One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. ⁵For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His sanctuary and set me high upon a rock. ⁶Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; in His sanctuary I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. ⁷Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. ⁸My heart says of you, “Seek His face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. ⁹Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. ¹⁰Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. ¹¹Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. ¹²Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. ¹³I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. ¹⁴Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

This is a recurrent theme in the writings of David, so I want us to be captured by it and let the concept of “waiting” inspire our faith as well:

Psalm 33:10-22 (NIV)

¹⁰The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. ¹¹But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. ¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. ¹³From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; ¹⁴from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth— ¹⁵He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. ¹⁶No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. ¹⁷A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. ¹⁸But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, ¹⁹to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. ²⁰We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. ²¹In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. ²²May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 37:1-9 (NIV)

¹Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; ²for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. ³Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. ⁴Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: ⁶He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. ⁷Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. ⁸Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. ⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who wait on the Lord will inherit the land.

Psalm 130:1-8 (NIV)

¹Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; ²Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. ³If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? ⁴But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. ⁵I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope. ⁶I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. ⁷Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption. ⁸He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

It really does not matter what is bothering or troubling us. God is fully aware of our situations and circumstances. He truly desires for you and me to seek Him … because we do not have His knowledge or understanding. It is His wisdom and counsel we want to access – because we believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Cf. Hebrews 11:6) I think waiting for the answer and the direction to come from God is what stretches and grows our faith the most. We need to be patient with God just as He is with us. It is about our relationship with Him – first and foremost! It is about our trust in His love, goodness, and justice.

Well, I hope we see that watching in hope and waiting in patience are integral to a life of faith. I believe these are the mechanisms through which faith grows and matures. Indeed, I pray that through the maturation of our faith, we will see His Kingdom come and His Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Cf. Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2) Yes, waiting on the Lord will strengthen our hearts; increase our trust in Him; impact our confidence and boldness in service to God; improve the godliness of our decisions; and influence our effectiveness as the Body of Christ to establish the will of God on earth as it is in heaven. Those are my thoughts of my heart this morning….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Here are a few more passages to assure us that waiting on God is the right decision at any given moment:

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong! Wait for the Lord, and He will avenge you. (Proverbs 20:22)

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore, He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for Him! (Isaiah 30:18)

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. ²³They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ²⁴I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him.” ²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; ²⁶ it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:22-26)

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength. They will soar on with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

There Is None Like You…

2 Samuel 7:22 (NIV)

“How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

Our Verse of the Day is similar to the message we had from Isaiah 43:10-12 about a week ago. What Isaiah prophesied well over two centuries after King David, continues even to this day! Our God declares: “I have revealed and saved and proclaimed my Name. Apart from Me there is no Savior!” Let’s look deeper into the passage and see if it resonates with you….

To provide you some context, King David goes in prayer before the Lord after Nathan, the Prophet, has shared a revelation from God with him. I encourage you to read the entire 2 Samuel 7, but I thought it would be good to share David’s prayer. It is recorded in 1 Chronicles 17 as well.

¹⁸Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human! ²⁰“What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. ²¹For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. ²²How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. ²³And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for Himself, and to make a name for Himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? ²⁴You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. ²⁵“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, ²⁶so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight. ²⁷“Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So, your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. ²⁸Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

What intimate words to bring before the presence of God! Consider the humility of David as he ponders: “Who am I, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” I have asked the same question of God. When I recount the sum of my life, along with my sins and failures, I often wonder (with deep reverence) why God has been so gracious and kind … so faithful and steadfast in love to me and my family. And like David, I consider the future that God has prepared for us as well. What a great thing it is indeed … when God makes known to us His plans and purposes for the days ahead and fulfills them through us! I certainly can join David in rejoicing: “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”

So, what has God made known to us? What have we heard with our own ears? Well, I think we could adapt Verses 23-24 to our generation … a prayer of humility: “Who is like your people – the Body of Christ … the people who You redeemed through the blood of the Lamb; the Son of David, the Son of Adam, the Son of God? Have we not come from every tribe, language, people, and nation? (Cf. Revelation 5:9) You, Sovereign Lord, have established your Church as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, your special possession (Cf. 1 Peter 2:9); to make a name for Yourself and to perform great and awesome wonders among them. You have sanctified your people as your very own forever; and you, Lord, have become our God.” Indeed, In Christ Jesus, God has given the world the hope of salvation and everlasting life. It has been revealed to us through Him! It has been promised to those who abide in Him! Yes, the Father has proclaimed His Son to be Savior; and there is no other Name by which we MUST be saved! (Cf. Acts 4:12)

Another observation: Notice the tone of David’s prayer beginning in Verse 27. He is praying and praising God in response to the revelation given … to the promise of the “good things” that God has made known to him. David receives the promises as a “covenant” knowing the trustworthy character of God … having heard the testimony of the Prophet Nathan and knowing the word of God pass down from Moses. David knows the unfailing love of God and has experienced the greatness His love. Oh, how I love the implications for our own journey of faith that this prayer embodies. David wants God to be pleased with His “decision” to bless him and his family! He wants to live worthy of the Lord because it was His sovereign will to bless him with His favor. And we know that the blessing David received was indeed established forever through our Lord Jesus Christ … the Son of David (Cf. Psalm 110:1; Luke 20:41-44; Matthew 1:1).

Well, it is my hope that we might see application of this verse in the context of the coming of Jesus … the Gospel message; and in light of the House He established … His Church; a people chosen for redemption and eternal life through the blood of Jesus. Oh, I hope that you can see the wealth of faith-building applications that these Old Testament passages can produce for us today; and I pray that we will continue to discover the full revelation of God contained in His Word and embodied within His Son. I will end with this final word:

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

¹In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. ³The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He (the Son) had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Be Transformed…

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Our Verse of the Day is another very familiar verse for most of us. Sometimes we just need a good “word” from God to address what we are experiencing in the moment. Too often, I think we rely on our own thoughts or patterns of thought to guide our decisions and choices without even considering whether our paradigms are aligned with the purposes that God has for our lives. Perhaps, we allow the narrative of the day or the wisdom of this world to shape or influence our thoughts more than we realize. Or maybe we are so filled with spiritual pride that we fail to consider the veil it casts over our minds to see ourselves or our kingdom roles with proper perspective. Whatever the case, Paul affords us some great advice to get back on track: Reject the patterns of this world; reset your mindset with the Word of God; and then align with the Will of God….

So, I want us to look at some other practical advice given in scripture to address the need to correct our thinking from time to time. And while the whole counsel of the Word of God should be utilized, I think there is some particularly useful meditations and instructions found in the Wisdom Literature, and Proverbs 19 in particular to assist us. I have reprinted it here and emphasized several of them here for our consideration:

Proverbs 19 (NIV)

¹ Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

²Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

³A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.

⁴Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

⁵A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

⁶Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.

⁷The poor are shunned by all their relatives—how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.^[^a^]

⁸The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.

¹⁰It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

¹¹A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

¹²A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

¹⁴Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.

¹⁶Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

¹⁷Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.

¹⁸Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.

¹⁹A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

²⁰Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

²¹Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

²²What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.

²³The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

²⁴A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

²⁵Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

²⁶Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

²⁹Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

When you survey these observations of human behaviors, you realize there is light and truth in the conclusions Solomon reached. Indeed, these precepts can transform and renew our minds. One of the verses I found useful was Verse 20: Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Yes, the counsel we might receive from godly men and women can be invaluable; and yet, I am reminded about listening to those around us with diligence and discernment. Consider the implication of this verse:

Acts 17:11 (NIV)

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

The point here is that even the preaching and teaching of the Apostle Paul was “fact-checked” as we would call it in our modern culture. They wanted to know if the teachings and instructions of Paul aligned with the Holy Scriptures. And I think we need to apply the same principle as the Berean believers. Not every theological position or doctrine purported to be “Christian” that is being taught from pulpits today imparts correct wisdom or application when it is examined against the whole counsel of the Scriptures. It is important that as we listen to godly counsel and accept spiritual disciple, we need to be wise and examine the Scriptures as well … to see if what has been communicated is indeed a good “word”. Even now, I am reminded of the concerns that John referenced in his first epistle:

1 John 2:18-27 (NIV)

¹⁸Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. ¹⁹They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. ²⁰But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. ²¹I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. ²²Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. ²³No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. ²⁴As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is what He promised us—eternal life. ²⁶I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. ²⁷As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it (His anointing) has taught you, remain in Him.

My desire is to encourage you to simply let the Word of God speak directly to your own heart. As David penned: “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Cf. Psalm 25:5) Let the Holy Spirit be your interpreter and guide into all truth. and He will confirm the Word. (Cf. John 16:12-14) Indeed, God speaks to each of us through His Word … providing us what we need individually to be transformed and to renew our mindsets. And that is my prayer for you … asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.” (Cf. Colossians 1:9-10)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

God’s Plan For You…

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future

Our Verse of the Day is very familiar to most of us. It is often memorized and quoted as an encouragement to people who have lost direction for their life … who have suffered hardship or challenges in life … who have started wondering if God even really has a purpose for them or if there is any hope for change in their circumstances. When someone is going through tough times like these, I can see how this message of hope for the future would resonate and cause us to personalize it.

But this verse, more often than not, is taken out of its context for a remnant nation ordained to emerge from the hardships brought about through divine judgment. I think it has been misapplied to afford a sense of hope, comfort, and assurance in our personal relationship with God rather than being looked at in its immediate context. And while I want to feel that God has great plans and a purpose for my life (and He does), this is not necessarily the correct verse to quote or convey it. So, I would like us to look at the whole context surrounding the verse to see the thought I am trying to develop here:

¹This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²(This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) ³He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

⁴This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” ⁸Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. ⁹They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

¹⁰This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place (Jerusalem). ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

¹⁵You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” ¹⁶but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— ¹⁷yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. ¹⁹For they have not listened to my words,” declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.

Now that we have context, I believe it is apparent that Jeremiah was speaking to the exiles sent to Babylon for the judgment of Israel and Judah … to those who would be held captive there for 70 years. It is quite important to note that this was ordained by God due to their disobedience and unfaithfulness to Him; but His promise is for redemption and restoration. And I believe it should be understood that the message was intended to let those who persevered in faith would see a better future than their current situation. In other words, the prophetic word spoken to this remnant people was intended to convey that God would rebuild and restore after their time of exile. And so, I think there is a prophetic parallel to the generation in which we live. Though we are entering a time of judgment for the sin of this nation, perhaps for the sin of the world, there is a hope and a future for believers as well. His name is Jesus … the merciful Savior … our rock and our refuge. He is our salvation … our living hope and future.

My purpose this morning is not to dissuade you from declaring Jeremiah 29:11 over your own life. I simply want us to remember the broader context of the verse and its meaning in the broader context of the community of believers … the Church. Regardless of what happens in our lives, the Father has a plan for His children … external life in Him through His Son, our Lord Jesus. Go back and look at the promises God made in Verses 12-14. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Those are His plans for everyone who desires to be faithful to God and to leave the captivity of sin! And we leave it through repentance and placing our faith in Jesus. The declaration of Jeremiah 29:11 truly applies to all who come to Jesus and believe in Him for full restoration….

I think Paul has best expressed the thoughts that I have endeavored to convey:

Romans 8:28-39 (NIV)

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.³¹What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Citing Psalm 44:22) ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Teach Your Children Well…

Proverbs 1:8-9 (NIV)

Listen, my son (children), to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

Our Verse of the Day affords us some wisdom we need to consider as we forge paths for our lives. Listening to the advice and instruction of our parents can be a great source of information and insight if we are willing to listen to them. To be sure, we do not always see life or the way to meet its challenges with the same perspective as our parents. Sometimes we just disagree with the advice that our parents give us. I think this is natural and should not be construed as being disrespectful. God has designed each one of us uniquely for His purposes, and He moves us into our callings based on the giftings He has embedded within us….

What I want us to consider here, though, are the “principles” for living that our parents endeavor to bestow on us … especially parents who have sought and pursued the righteousness of God within their lives. None of our parents lived sinless lives. But neither have we done so. Each had to discover and apply the precepts found in the Word of God to the best of their ability – if they were even inclined to do so. Individually, we all experience spiritual growth and assimilate the knowledge of our Creator at our own pace. And so, I think it is the gradual increase of understanding that parents should desire most to impart to their children as they navigate the journey of faith for themselves. What our parents and grandparents have learned of God over the span of their lifetimes has been valuable to us, and we need to share and to pass it down to our children and grandchildren.

While there is a vast storehouse of knowledge I have gathered during my walk of faith with God, I think there some simple instructions that should be shared with our children and grandchildren. As we studied earlier this week, a foundational truth has been handed down since the beginning and expounded to us through Moses: “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 13:4) I think this is the core of what God requires of us as His creation. King David advised: “The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.” (Cf. Psalm 111:10) Yes, a fulfilled, successful life begins with reverence for God within our hearts. And Solomon, son of King David, affirmed: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Cf. Proverbs 1:7)

Perhaps the most succinct instructions that we can share with our children and grandchildren are found in the following passages:

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” ~ Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us. ~ 1 John 3:23-24

A Final Thought:

Fathers (parents), do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. ~ Ephesians 6:4 (NIV)

Fathers (parents), do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. ~ Ephesians 6:4 (NLT)

Fathers(parents), do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. ~ Colossians 3:21 (NIV)

Fathers(parents), do not be so hard on your children that they will give up trying to do what is right. ~ Colossians 3:21 (NLV)