Trust In The Lord

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal.

Our Verse of the Day focuses on an often-repeated theme in the Scriptures: Trust in the Lord! Trust is the path to peace … complete peace … a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. ~ Psalm 4:5

And those who know your name will put their trust in you; for you, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. ~ Psalm 9:10

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. ~ Psalm 18:30

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! ~ Psalm 34:8

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. ~ Psalm 37:5

O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in you! ~ Psalm 84:12

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. ~ Psalm 118:8

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. ~ Proverbs 3:5

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. ~ Proverbs 29:25

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 17:7

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. ~ Nahum 1:7

Yes, TRUST is the most fundamental aspect of relationship with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the foundation of our faith in God, and our confidence in His love and compassion. The ancients spoke often of the blessedness of trust … the peace of trust … the power of trust … and the protection of trust. As we contend with the tribulations of life in the days ahead, the Lord wants us to trust Him and His Word. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us; and His promises are true and amen!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

What Are You Afraid Of?

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

I like the message of our Verse of the Day. It speaks to the core of faith and how we experience fellowship with God. Fear of man … fear of people will prove to be a snare. And fear will inhibit and immobilize our faith. I believe faith releases the divine power that we have already been given in Christ Jesus. (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3) Like the conflict we experience between our flesh and our spirit, so goes our struggle between fear and faith. Whatever transpires in our lives, we need to trust God for the outcomes. God is for us and He has equipped us to accomplish His will for our lives….

I’m reminded of something our Lord Jesus said regarding fear, and I think it might be helpful to revisit it here:

Luke 12:4-12 (NIV)

⁴“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him. ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ⁸“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. ⁹But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. ¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, ¹²for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Understand the context here. Jesus has been teaching His disciples and the gathering crowd about the issue of hypocrisy – meaning we appear to be someone outwardly to others, yet inwardly we are someone different and oftentimes opposite. Jesus taught there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. In other words, God knows everything … every thought … every word … every deed ever done in His sight whether other people are aware of the truth or not. We tend to hide our inner persons from others out of fear. Fear of exposing our true inner person … fear of expressing our true nature … fear of exposing our sins … fear of creating disappointment or rejection in relationships. But Jesus asserts, we have the wrong perspective of ourselves and the reality of God’s omnipresence. Perhaps, hypocrites can hide the truth from others … but not from our all-knowing, all-seeing Father who created the universe and everything in it. We might deceive ourselves and essentially lie to others … but we cannot deceive God. (Cf. Job 13:9)

So, Jesus, in a loving way, says that you and I need to have a proper perspective … a spiritual perspective of things. He tells us not to fear other people or what they might think, but to fear God and what He already knows … the One who will judge us based on the truth and not on appearances. And if any of us would give that careful thought, I believe we would agree that we truly need a Savior … an Advocate … to intercede for us on that day when we stand before God. (Cf. Romans 14:10-11) Our Lord Jesus calls us to believe in Him … to enter into an intimate relationship with Him … knowing that He is the only way to the Father. (Cf. John 14:6) We are called to live our lives based on truth … to be transparent with others just as we already are before God … and to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus – who redeems us to walk in the light as He is in the light. (Cf. 1 John 1:7) As the Apostle John wrote in John 3:20-21, “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 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.”

Here are a few other scriptures to guide your meditation on this matter:

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? ~ Psalm 56:3-4

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? ~ Psalm 56:10-11

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 17:5

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The Journey into Holiness…

Hebrews 10:30-31 (NIV)

For we know Him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

After I read our Verse of the Day, I wanted to go back and read the full chapter to see the broader picture being painted by this inspired writer. I thought that I would reprint the relevant context here for us:

Hebrews 10:19-31 (NIV)

¹⁹Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

²⁶If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. ²⁸Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know Him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” (Citing Deuteronomy 32:35-36; Psalm 135:14) ³¹It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

I think the first observation we need to make is that the writer is addressing Christ followers … believers who have made their confessions of faith in Jesus … who have received His sacrifice of atonement for their sins … who understand His post-resurrection role as High Priest … the One who sits at the right hand of the throne of God. I sense his concern regards those who fall away from the faith … who do not abide in Jesus. And so, Verse 26 reminded me of the passage from the Book of Romans that I shared yesterday in my commentary:

Romans 6:1-7 (NIV)

¹ What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?²By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. ⁵For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. ⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Indeed, this is a powerful word for us to embrace because we should no longer be slaves to sin … we should no longer deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth. “For 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.” (Cf. Romans 8:29) Yes, if our old self was crucified with Jesus, we should no longer be ruled by sin. It should not have power over us any longer. The question I believe each of us should ask is whether in truth we can join Paul in his declaration: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Cf. Galatians 2:20) Yes, we must ask ourselves if we have surrendered all … everything … to Him. Oh, my friends, we cannot hold onto sin in any form. Our redemption was purchased at a great price, and Jesus calls us into the sanctification … into the holiness … that He has purchased with His own blood.

The inspired writer of The Book of Hebrews reminds us of these things! The Lord will judge His people … and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. So, we are urged to make every effort to be holy; for without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Cf. Hebrews 12:14) The Apostle Peter echoed this same message when he wrote in 1 Peter 4:17-18: “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (Citing Proverbs 11:31) Indeed, it is imperative that we endeavor to walk our journey into holiness with great diligence. We need to be alert and vigilant because our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (Cf. 1 Peter 5:8)

I sincerely believe the Holy Spirit wants to impress this message upon us … this application of God’s Word to guide and direct our steps. “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.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) We are being called to utter surrender – to complete submission to His Will. We must put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to our earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Indeed, it is because of these things the wrath of God is coming.” (Cf. Colossians 3:5-6)

It is my prayer that we understand the Father has ordained for His children to be conformed to the image of His Son … to bear the holiness of Jesus. “Therefore, with minds that are alert and activated, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance and darkness. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”(1 Peter 1:13-16)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. ~ Psalm 19:14

Teshuva – Time to Return!

1 John 2:1 (NIV)

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

Our Verse of the Day deals with the issue of sin in our lives. I find it interesting that this topic was presented today on Rosh Hashana … and the beginning of Teshuva (10 Days of Repentance) before Yom Kippur … the Day of Atonement. I plan to observe these special days of reflection; and I think it would serve us well to look deeper into the context as well as other scriptures that lead us to confession, repentance, and obedience….

1 John 1:5-10 Through 1 John 2:1-6 (NIV)

⁵This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. ⁸If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.

¹ My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ²He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. ³We know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands. ⁴Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. ⁵But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: ⁶Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.

That is probably enough context for us to get the picture. All sin is unbelief or disobedience at its core. If we live in sin, we live in darkness. But if we live in God, we walk in the light. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. As John stated, we must “live as Jesus did” in order to have fellowship with Him. This is HOW we KNOW are in Him. The conviction of sin within us is the evidence that we have offended God … that we have displeased Him. And so, the call to holiness … to the consecration of ourselves to God is the goal. Therefore, confession of sin is necessary … it is required in order to be cleansed and purified by God. And John shares with us the great news that Jesus is our advocate with the Father in order that we might receive forgiveness and be reconciled for our offenses, but John will continue to admonish us with regard to habitual sin:

1 John 3:4-10 (NIV)

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. ⁵But you know that He (Jesus) appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. ⁶No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him. ⁷Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. ⁸The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. ⁹No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. ¹⁰This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

I believe we truly need to examine our attitudes toward sin. All too often, we excuse it … rationalize it … or justify it as “being human” or “God understands”. No one is perfect … I get that. But are we conscious of the offense and disgrace that sin brings to God? Do we grieve in our souls when we grieve the Holy Spirit … when we quench the Holy Spirit … when we offend and wound Father God? How often are Christians called “hypocrites” because of their conduct? I see bumper stickers that read: “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.” While the statement is true in a sense … the tone is quite misleading as though grace “excuses” sin. Just to be clear … the grace of God does not excuse sin! The grace of God covers its consequences (See Romans 6:23) … covers it with the precious blood of a perfect sacrificial lamb … atones for sin … and reveals the wrath God “feels” toward it. No, we cannot continue to sin nor be dismissive of the behaviors and habits we have allowed to become the strongholds in our lives. A person born of God … a believer … cannot go on sinning. It is quite unconscionable to treat God with such irreverence if indeed we have been born of the Spirit.

Romans 5:6-10 (NIV)

⁶You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! ¹⁰For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

Romans 6:1-7 (NIV)

¹What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. ⁵For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. ⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Being born of the Spirit is the reason we have the capacity to reign in the sinful human nature. As 2 Peter 1:3 declares: “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.” And godliness should be the desire of a heart that is wholly surrendered to God. Someone once said that we have to hate our sin more than we love God if we truly want to attain holiness. But we cannot attain it in our own strength or power. As Jesus shared with His disciples, “What is impossible with man is possible with God. (Cf. Luke 18:27) It is the Spirit of God who changes our hearts so that the inclinations of the thoughts of our hearts can be made righteous. That is why we are admonished to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5)

As we meditate on these scriptures and the observance of Teshuvah … the “return” … to turn our hearts toward God, I pray we will see what today is all about for the people of God. The call of repentance is the sound of the shofar – calling an assembly of people united in fasting and prayer before God. Yes, I pray that we will surrender our hearts today and seek the face of God in repentance. For He has said: “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. (Cf. 2 Chronicles 7:13-16)

Indeed, WE, the people of this nation, need to humble ourselves … we need to turn from our own wicked ways … and consecrate ourselves to the Lord. Then will He hear our prayers and supplications for our homes, for our children, for our communities, for our churches, and for this nation. Then He will forgive and heal our land. Our sins and the sins of this nation can be covered! We have an Advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous One. It is His blood … the blood of atonement that redeems and reconciles us with the Father! That is the message of The Return! So let us repent and return to our first love! “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” (Cf. Psalm 95:6) Amen….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Links to Bible Gateway for Jewish Readings During Teshuva:

Hosea 14:1-9 (NIV)

Joel 2:15-27 (NIV)

The Wisdom of Humility

James 3:13 (NIV)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Our Verse of the Day affords us a reflective way to end our week….

In looking at the inspired writings of the Apostle James, I personally sense that he had a great anointing to focus on the “religious folks” among God’s people. He wants to correct their (our) ritualistic or legalistic approaches to relationship with God. Such approaches do not lead to intimacy very well; and James challenges us to examine ourselves and to find practical, spiritual ways to live out our faith. Our verse is one of those morsels of instruction he imparts, so I will place it in the greater context for us:

James 3:13-18 (NIV) – Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Indeed, there are two kinds of wisdom by which we approach the world and in which we conduct ourselves. Our behaviors, if you will, are driven by the inclinations of the thoughts of our hearts. And the thoughts of our hearts are formed by our spirits – whether influenced by the wisdom that comes from God’s word or rooted in the unspiritual wisdom of this world. James lets us know which “wisdom” we tend to embrace because it is exhibited in the nature of our conduct. He describes both “sources” in sufficient detail for us to get the picture.

So, to ask, “Which “wisdom” is manifesting itself in you? Take a self-assessment today and determine what you are allowing to influence your behaviors and relationships. And if you find that earthly, unspiritual wisdom is dominating your heart … and therefore its thoughts and the conduct that follows … then I encourage you to spend some time in prayer to seek God and ask for His wisdom to be poured out into your heart. In fact, one of the first spiritual issues that James addresses in his book is the lack of wisdom:

James 1:4-8 (NIV)

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Yes, James urges us to ask God for wisdom; and he assures us that God will give us His wisdom and not find fault with us because we ask. But when we ask Him to help us, to teach and train us, to guide us into the knowledge of His will, we need to receive it and embrace it without doubting. Here is another verse that speaks to the issue of wisdom: “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) You will find a wealth of similar instruction in the Book of Proverbs regarding wisdom. King Solomon wrote: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Cf. Proverbs 1:7)

As we enter the weekend, let us seek wisdom from God! Let us ask Him to increase knowledge and understanding in our hearts … so that in humility we might do the good deeds He has prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) This is my prayer for each of us … because the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Let us pray for wisdom to enter our hearts because His knowledge will be pleasant to our souls. Amen. (Cf. Proverbs 2:1-11)

1 Corinthians 3:18-21 (NIV)

¹⁸Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness (Citing Job 5:13); ²⁰and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” (Citing Psalm 94:11)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Links to Bible Gateway for Additional Study on Wisdom:

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Eager To Do Good…

Titus 2:2 (NIV)

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Our Verse of the Day seems especially applicable to someone like me … an older man. I have this mental image of the elder Paul speaking to the much younger Titus in a mentoring conversation – Paul encouraging Titus in his responsibilities as a young church leader, overseer, and preacher. And we can see this “conversation” unfold within the full chapter:

Titus 2 (NIV)

¹You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. ²Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. ³Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God. ⁶Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. ⁹Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. ¹¹For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who 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. ¹⁵These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

There is a lot of teaching presented here; and I see the following points for our consideration:

Paul begins with contrasting the work of Titus with that of the false teachers (See Titus 1); admonishing him to preach “sound doctrine.”

Sound doctrine will direct righteous conduct of all believers, regardless of age, sex, or position, so that our actions help rather than hinder the spread of the Gospel.

Older men, as leaders, are to be moral and spiritual examples through reverence, faith, self-control, temperance, patience, and love. Think about the fruit of the Spirit as a guide.

Likewise, older women are expected to adhere to the same standards of conduct – to be reverent in their behavior as becomes holiness.

Note that older men are to be mentors of the younger men, and older women are charged to be mentors to the younger women with regard to conduct that pleases God.
Those who are bondservants should be submitted to their owners in everything. Again, their conduct is to be respectful as well. Slavery was a basic element in Roman culture during that period of history. I think in Paul’s mind, slaves who were Christian could give a unique and powerful testimony to the gospel by demonstrating their willing faithfulness and obedience to their masters. Paul considered himself a “slave” to Christ….

In our generation, the same type of conduct would be applicable to the employer-employee relationship. As employees, we are expected to exhibit the type of conduct as would become a Christian who follows the patterns of sound doctrine … the teachings of Christ.

Regardless of whether we are Jew or Gentile; male or female; free or slave; Paul is concerned that our conduct aligns with our confession of faith in Jesus. As he stipulated in Verses 11 and 12: “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.

Paul reminds us in Verse 14 that Christ Jesus gave Himself for us … He was crucified to redeem us from all sin and wickedness … to purify for Himself a people that are His very own … a people eager to do what is good.

These, then, are the things Titus was admonished to teach … the sound doctrines that lead people to holiness … with preparation for His Second Coming in mind … in expectation of the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior. Yes, these are the things Christians are to learn and teach … to pursue, live, and share with others with eagerness.

So, in light of this teaching, I think there is a question we should ask ourselves: “Am I eager to do what is good?” Per the NKJV: “Am I zealous for good works?” Paul urged: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” (Cf. Romans 12:11) I believe if we want to spread the Gospel message as we have been commissioned to do, then we need to be mindful of our conduct so that the Word of God may not be maligned or blasphemed. Christian hypocrisy must end if we are to be effective and productive to win souls to the Kingdom of God. People will judge the sincerity of our faith (and its message) more by our conduct than our words. We should be eager to walk in holiness and love … for these are the outcomes of the sound doctrine we have been taught by Jesus and His Apostles. As the Apostle John admonished: “Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.” (Cf. 1 John 2:6)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Today – Hear His Voice…

Psalm 95:6-7 (NIV)

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. Today, if only you would hear His voice….

Our Verse of the Day is a call to worship! Through worship we understand who God is … and we discover who we really are. We are His creation … His people … the sheep of His pasture … the flock under His care and provision. Notice how everything we are is dependent on who He is! Father God is the LORD our Maker … the LORD our Creator! God is sovereign over all His creation; and yet, He permits humans to rebel against His revealed will. (SMH) Why would God allow such resistance and rebellion within us? Does the answer not ultimately come down to His desire to receive a genuine, true, free expression of love towards Him for who He is? If God forced us to love Him or worship Him, of what value or glory would that be to Him? When we are intentional and exert our personal wills in submission to His will, that is the worship the Father seeks. (Cf. John 4:24)

Isaiah 45:22-24 (NIV)

²²“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. ²³By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. ²⁴They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’” All who have raged against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.

Romans 14:10-12 (NIV)

¹⁰You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. ¹¹It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” (Paul is quoting Isaiah 45:23) ¹²So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)

⁹Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Our bowing … our kneeling … our acknowledgment and confession … is the fruit of submission that Father God seeks in us. It is of our own volition that we do so … compelled by His irresistible mercy and grace. Yes, it is His lovingkindness that leads us to repentance! (Cf. Romans 2:4) Jesus taught:“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” (Cf. John 14:15-17)

Indeed, it is through submission, obedience, and reverence, that we demonstrate our love for God and receive the blessing of His covenant of love with us. (Cf. Daniel 9:4) Jesus promised: “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father; and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (Cf. John 14:21) “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.” (Cf. John 15:10)

I want to encourage you to read the entire Psalm 95 today. Let it speak to your heart and inspire you to worship the Great King! Today if only you would hear His voice! Yes, do not harden your heart or let it go astray … and miss the “rest” He has promised to those in covenant relationship with Him. We have been admonished that the response of sincere faith is reverence and worship! Jesus, our Lord and Savior, has called us to believe in Him and to follow Him. Following Him means that we will deny ourselves and embrace the suffering of the cross. (Cf. Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23) Indeed, Jesus told His disciples: “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (Cf. John 12:26) So, I pray we will hear His Voice while it is today … and do what He says! Amen.

So Now You Know …

Have a Blessed Day!

I Want to KNOW What Love Is

1 John 3:16 (NIV)

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

After His resurrection, there is a period of 40 days that Jesus continued to minister to His disciples before His ascension into heaven. It was during this time that Jesus used occasions to teach the disciples about the realities of His supernatural, eternal presence. He expounded on all the prophetic scriptures that revealed His identity; and He emphasized the ordained purpose of His life … the reason for which He was sent. Our Verse of the Day captures a great truth that Jesus desires each one of us to attain from our personal encounter with Him; namely, the truth of God’s unfathomable love for those He created in His image … and all of His creation. Indeed, we find this truth repeated in the inspired writings of the New Testament authors. John wrote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (Cf. John 3:16) And Paul wrote: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8)

What the Apostle John affirms here is that the sacrificial death of Jesus is how we KNOW what love is! Jesus Christ defines the love of God in terms that we have yet to fully comprehend. Yet, Jesus assures us that this truth can be known and understood by us. Consider the following text:

John 17:20-26 (NIV) ~ Excerpt from the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus

²⁰“My prayer is not for them (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. ²⁴“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. ²⁵“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. ²⁶I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Yes, we CAN know God and know His love because of Jesus Christ … His Son. The veil covering the holy place in the temple was torn in two … opening our access … revealing our capacity to know the God who created us in His image. And what Jesus was sent to do was to reveal the Father and to make Him known. Because of Jesus, we can know God … His Being and His passionate love for us! Paul understood this revelation; and his prayer for the Ephesian believers encompassed a deep, heartfelt desire for them (and us) to KNOW “this love that surpasses knowledge.”

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp (comprehend) how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, ²¹to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

What is the lesson for us? God has spoken His love for us. God has revealed His love for us. God has shown and demonstrated His love for us. All the Father asks of us is to believe in His Son and to love one another as He has loved us! His will is not mysterious or unknown. His expectation of those created in His image can be understood. The reciprocation of His love can be offered. The only question for us is whether we truly desire in our hearts to make it actual in our lives. For love requires us to humble ourselves … to subdue own wills … to exalt God above all else. And Christ Jesus, who ascended into heaven to become our High Priest before the throne of God, has demonstrated what this submission entails. Indeed, “the Son, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Cf. Philippians 2:6-8)

When we humble ourselves and surrender our wills to become obedient … to pick up our cross daily … to die to sin … to believe God at His Word … to see God through the person of Jesus; I am persuaded that we will intimately experience this love that surpasses knowledge and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We will have the capacity to love others as we have been loved. Indeed, that is the purpose of God for our lives … to complete His love. The Apostle John shared these insights with us. And so, I will close and recite this familiar passage for today:

1 John 4:7-17 (NIV)

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. ¹³This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

So Now You Know ….

Have a Blessed Day!

The Fool and The Foolish

Psalm 14:1 (NIV)

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Perhaps it was a play on words – April Fool’s Day – but our Verse of the Day sheds light on a real issue that we face in the proclamation of the Gospel. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Unbelief is the opposition of the spiritual forces of darkness … and the greatest transgression of all! Does it not speak to the times we are living in this current generation? Scripture has a great deal to say about foolish people … and the consensus of the truths presented is that those who are fools, those who act foolishly, separate themselves from God and from His blessings. There are several passages in Scripture that corroborate the same message that reverence for God is the beginning of knowledge, but foolish people despise wisdom and instruction. (Cf. Proverbs 1:7)

Psalm 14 (See also Psalm 53)

¹The fool (a morally deficient person) says in his/her heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. ²The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. ³All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. ⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. ⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. ⁶You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge. ⁷Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Proverbs 1:20-33 (NIV)

²⁰Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; ²¹on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: ²²“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? ²³Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. ²⁴But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, ²⁵since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, ²⁶I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— ²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. ²⁸“Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, ²⁹since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. ³⁰Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, ³¹they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. ³²For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; ³³but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Here in Old Testament wisdom literature, we see an emphasis on the knowledge of God … of the awareness and understanding that He is real and expresses Himself to us and reveals Himself to us. God has made Himself known through His Creation … through His Word … through His Spirit. But the fool outright rejects the existence of God. The fool walks in unbelief and denial of the truth. But the Spirit of God is active through the Word of God. “Indeed, the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before Him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:12-13) Yes, if someone wants to receive wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One, we must first repent at His rebuke. THEN He will pour out His thoughts and make known His teachings. But there is consequence for those who continue to reject Him:

Matthew 7:21-29 (NIV)

²¹“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ²⁴“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” ²⁸When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, ²⁹because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)

¹ “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ²Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. ⁶“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet Him!’ ⁷“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ⁹“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with Him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. ¹¹“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ ¹²“But He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ ¹³“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

In both of these passages, we see the word “foolish” use to describe people who encountered Jesus … who knew Him … yet they did not remain steadfast to His word. The foolish were among those who heard His words. They understood what He was saying; and yet, they did not put them into practice. It was not a matter of misunderstanding; rather, it was an attitude of indifference on the part of the hearer. The prompting of the Holy Spirit for repentance was rejected. I wonder who they called on when their lives came to ruin? Likewise, the virgins knew the Bridegroom would be coming for the marriage supper of the Lamb. But they had not prepared themselves for His arrival. They were foolish due to their complacency…. And the Apostle Paul warned of the darkness and deception of foolishness as well:

Romans 1:18-25 (NIV)

¹⁸The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. ²¹For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. ²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

As I indicated above: Any lapse in faithfulness equates to foolishness. But unbelief in God … in His Word … in His Majesty and Holiness … defines the fool! The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” And unbelief separates the fool from God. The fool neither glorifies nor worships God nor does the fool give thanks to Him. Their hearts are darkened … rebellious … and filled with iniquity. Paul will go on to further explain in Romans 1:28-29 that God gives the fools “over to a depraved mind so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity.” So there is a difference between acting foolish and being a fool. Perhaps this is why Jesus warned that anyone who says to a brother or sister in Christ, “You fool!” – will be in danger of the fire of hell. The word has a clear definition and meaning when the context of Scripture is applied to it….

I share this “insight” because we might consider that a prodigal is a ‘fool’. But I think the prodigal (and many of those whose faith is weak) may better be described as “acting foolishly” … behaving as though God is not around or not watching their lives. Perhaps they forget, but God is very aware! “From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth—He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.” (Cf. Psalm 33:13-5) Yet God is still calling out to them! Through His Spirit … through His Church, the Lord Jesus is reaching out to the prodigals … to those who are acting foolishly … to those who have turned their hearts away from God … and He is crying out to them: Stop! Watch! Return! For surely God is stopping the earth in its tracks at this very moment of history! And I believe He is telling all of us to stop … to “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Cf. Psalm 46:10) And I believe Jesus is telling us as well to watch! “Watch therefore, for your do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (Cf. Matthews 25:13) And as the world watches, I believe He is proclaiming: “I AM He!”

Every prodigal has the opportunity to turn from the darkness that has taken hold and deceived them. Indeed, Light has come! “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.” (Cf. John 3:21) And so now is the time for the prodigal to return…. Now is the time of repentance … the time to change direction … the time to forsake foolishness … the time to respond to the Spirit of Wisdom. It is time to walk in the light as He is in the light … so that we have fellowship with one another … because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. (Cf. 1 John 1:7) This is the message for prodigals and to all who have become foolish. We, the Body of Christ, have been chosen to be witnesses! We are to lead out those who have eyes but are blind and those who have ears but are deaf. We have been anointed to preach the good news; sent to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to those who are captive; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God…. (Cf. Isaiah 61:1-3) But we must do so with gentleness:

2 Timothy 2:20-26 (NIV)

²⁰In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. ²²Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

So how do we avoid foolish and stupid arguments … and the quarrels they produce? How can we be gentle to those whom we pray God will grant the gift of repentance? Well, what led you and I to repentance? Was it not the kindness of God? (Cf. Romans 2:4) And so, let the redeemed of the Lord tell their stories! Share how you cried to the Lord in your trouble and how He saved you and gave you peace. There are no doctrinal arguments for your testimony … because the love of God surpasses understanding. It cannot be argued or explained. It can only be experienced and shared. So share your own authentic encounter with Jesus Christ, and let the Holy Spirit take it from there…. I encourage you to read Psalm 107. “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. ²Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those He redeemed from the hand of the foe,those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south….”

A Prodigal Excerpt:

¹⁷Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. ¹⁸They loathed all food (bread of life – word of God) and drew near the gates of death. ¹⁹Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. ²⁰He sent out His Word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. ²¹Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. ²²Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy.

When we speak about the wonderous works of God … the loving deeds of the Lord … we proclaim the will of God and rejoice in Him. This is our invitation … this is the invitation of the Lord: “To taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Cf. Psalm 34:8) And I love the metaphors the writer used in Psalm 107. Some wandered … some sat in darkness … some became fools … and some were tested with the storms of life. I encourage you to mediate on what each metaphor is revealing to our own hearts … for we can each see a reflection of ourselves in each one! We, too, had spiritual oppression and opposition to overcome. And in truth we conclude: “For we have all been saved by grace through faith … and this is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God … not of works so that none of us can boast.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:8-9)

When it comes to ministering to the prodigal, gentleness and kindness are the themes that come to my mind. They are not to be treated as fools who believe there is no God; rather, they just need to come to their senses … to see the light of life … to see Jesus … to encounter “I AM He.” I believe the return of those called by His name is happening as we speak … as we pray for their repentance. It will occur not because we have elegant orators, anointed prophets and teachers, or because we are endued with the power of the Spirit; rather, I believe it will occur because of sincere love manifested through our lives. Oh, please do not misunderstand me. To be sure, the anointings and gifts of the Holy Spirit have their ordained roles for the building and equipping of the Body under the headship of Christ Jesus, but I truly sense that it is genuine love that must fill the Church first. Love is HOW the Word of God through the Spirit of God will bring the prodigals home…. So, I will end with this thought:

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (NIV)

¹If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

What Does God Require?

Micah 6:8 (NIV)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God

Keeping with the theme of our response to God and His offer of salvation to the world, this OT Verse of the Day addresses the same theological concept. God has made known to us His Being. He has revealed His Way, His Truth, and His Life in His Son, Jesus. The salvation offered by God requires a response to this revelation … to His Son! And God has made it clear that He expects His creation to respect and revere Him.

Micah declares: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” And the Prophet Isaiah admonishes: “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” (Cf. Isaiah 1:16-17) Both prophets have expressed the heart of God and His will for our conduct … our response to Him. The Apostle James reasoned:

James 2:14-24 (NLT)

¹⁴What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? ¹⁵Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, ¹⁶and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? ¹⁷So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. ¹⁸Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” ¹⁹You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. ²⁰How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? ²¹Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. ²³And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” (Cf. Genesis 15:6) He was even called the friend of God. (Cf. Isaiah 41:8) ²⁴So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

And we should just simply look at what Jesus taught in this regard:

Luke 6:43-49 (NLT)

⁴³“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. ⁴⁴A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. ⁴⁵A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say (and do) flows from what is in your heart. ⁴⁶“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t DO what I say? ⁴⁷I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. ⁴⁸It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. ⁴⁹But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

So, this is the application … the challenge to us that I see in our Verse of the Day: Put Faith into Action! Make it genuine! We can talk about ministry for others, but doing ministry is what matters. It is the faith-generated response to our salvation! Indeed, in view of God’s mercy, we should offer ourselves as living sacrifices – holy and pleasing to God. (Cf. Romans 12:1) As Paul explained to believers in Ephesus: “We are God’s workmanship. He has created us in Christ Jesus to do the good works which He planned and prepared for us long ago.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Yes, faith is about “doing” the works of God … not for merit or His favor to receive salvation; rather, it energizes our “response” to His mercy and redemption and salvation that He accomplished for us in His Son, Christ Jesus. So, I pray that we will truthfully be about the Father’s business in 2021 … preparing ourselves daily in prayer and bible study to be “vessels for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:21)

James 1:21-25 (NLT)

²¹So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. ²²But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. ²³For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. ²⁴You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. ²⁵But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.