Category: Word of God

Teach Your Children Well…

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

This is a favorite verse for many reasons.  First, I have found it to be true in my own life.  I was raised in a Christian home like many of us.  But in my teenage years and early adulthood, I went through a period of apathy and unconcern for the things of God.  I knew He was there, and I prayed on occasion, but I did not have a personal relationship with Him.  To be honest, I did not know how to have that kind of abiding relationship.  Yet, God in His kindness, led me to repentance and granted me salvation at the age of 29.  And my life has never been the same since that night I knelt at an altar and gave my life to Christ….  He redeemed my life and directed my steps to the path of life … the path taught to me as a child before I ever understood it.

I also like the King James translation of this verse: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  To me the key word here is “train”.  We must be diligent to teach our children the Word of God.  We spend hours reading to our children when they are toddlers and pre-school … giving them a head start in life and education.  How many of those books are bible stories … planting seeds of faith in their hearts from the earliest age? As adults we know and understand that learning is life-long.  It is so important to start our children with the knowledge of God while their minds are sponges and their hearts receptive.  Even Jesus exhorted His disciples regarding children coming to Him:

Matthew 10:13-14 (NKJV)

13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Mark 9:36-37 (NKJV)

36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

Luke 18:15-16 (NKJV)

15 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

There is a great connection between how we raise our children to be drawn to Jesus and how their lives will enter the Kingdom of Heaven … regardless of the bends and turns they experience along the Way. It requires great patience. It requires intentionality. What does the text say? “Then little children were brought to Him….”  We need to bring our children to the Lord Jesus.  We need Him to put His hands on them and pray over them. And Jesus wants us to receive children in His name. There is nothing more precious than a child … and children are greatly treasured by our Heavenly Father.  So, I pray we will consider this lesson that Jesus taught: “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Cf. Matthew 18:2-4)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Reverence For God

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV)

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Paul gives us a great and timely message regarding our pursuit of holiness out of reverence for God.  To me, the point being made is that our motivation for obedience is to be based in reverence and not merely obligation or duty.  Let’s look at our passage in the larger context.  Since 2 Corinthians 7 begins with the word “therefore,” we need to understand what it is there for.  So, we will need to go back to 2 Corinthians 6 to get a better idea:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NIV)

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Cf. Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27)

17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” (Cf. Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34, 41)

18 And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (Cf. 2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8)

Corinthians 7:1 (NIV)

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

So as we look at the larger context, we see Paul admonish us regarding the nature of our walk with God.  His concern is about our pursuit of holiness as temples of the living God.  And from this perspective, we need to look at how to keep our lives clean and righteous.  To that end, Paul stresses that believers should not seek a “yoked” relationship with unbelievers because there is an inherent spiritual incompatibility that ensues from the relationship. He is saying we should not “bind” ourselves in such arrangements where spiritual conflict is inevitable.   He asks what does righteousness and wickedness have in common?  What fellowship can light have with darkness?  What agreement is there between the worship of God and the worship of idols?  The answer, of course, is there can be no harmony between two opposite or opposing forces. There is a natural separation in this realm.  And so, Paul takes us to the higher reality that we (the church) are the temple of the living God.  We are the Body of Christ through His indwelling/abiding Spirit within each of us….

So with this view in mind, Paul sets out to address the scriptural promises that God has made with His people; believers whom He has called “out of the world” and who represent His temple.  God says, “I will live WITH them and walk among them.  I will be their God and they will be my people.”  God calls us out of the world and says to be separate … sanctified (holy) and set apart for service to God. And in another place, God says, “I will be a Father to you.  You will be my sons and daughters.”  How wonderful are His thoughts toward us!  How miraculous is it that the Creator of the universe expresses such a passionate desire to have intimate relationship with His people … those who have consecrated themselves to Him?

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.  Now our verse makes perfect sense!  When we separate ourselves from the things of the world and commit ourselves unto the Father, we prepare ourselves for Him to enter into relationship with us.  For it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Cf. Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16) So Paul urges us to purify ourselves from EVERYTHING that defiles our bodies and our spirits. And the reason we want to do so is because of our reverence for God … our reverent fear of Him.  This is more than a “have to” motivation. (Law) This is a “want to” motivation. (Spirit)

It is clear that the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ desire to have intimate relationship with us. The question is: “Do we want to have an intimate relationship with God?”  If so, then we need to do those things with separate us from the world.  The Apostle John taught: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17) These are the three avenues of temptation for us, and so we need to consider our spiritual strategies for separation from the world. Our greatest tool (spiritual weapon) is the Word of God! We need to read it, understand it, and put it into practice! I believe the more we engage the Word of God in our lives, the more we will find, feel, and express reverence for God.

In His teaching on intimacy with Him, Jesus used a vine and branches metaphor to help His disciples understand the necessity of abiding in Him in order to “remain in His love” and to “Love one another as Jesus has loved us.”  He goes on to reflect: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”  Do you see it?  Jesus said, “I have chosen you OUT of the world.”  The Church, His Body, are known as “the called-out ones”. This is our call to holiness and sanctification in Christ! In His High Priestly prayer to the Father, Jesus affirmed, “I have given them your Word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (Cf. John 17:14-16) And as the Psalmist wrote: “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Cf. Psalm 119:11)

So, I think the application for our Verse of the Day is self-evident. We have been chosen “out of the world” by Jesus Christ.  We have received a great honor and privilege to enter into His sanctifying work through the Spirit in order to be separated from the world unto the Father.  And the promise is that God will receive us in Christ Jesus.  God Himself will love us and be a father unto us. He will dwell among us. He will be our God and we will be His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light! (Cf. 1 Peter 2:9) This is why we pursue holiness and righteousness in our lives. Consecration is our expression of reverence for Father God who sent His Beloved Son to rescue us from darkness … to redeem us from sin … to release us from captivity … to reconcile us to Himself and to restore us to reverence.  Let these things be our prayer this morning with all thanksgiving for the great mercy shown to us … that we would be CHOSEN to be separated and to have intimate relationship with our Creator.  Amen.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” ~ Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

“Sanctify them by the Truth. Your Word is Truth” ~ Jesus (John 17:17)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Whoever Has Ears…

Revelation 3:14 (NIV)

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God.

We have a timely word for us this morning, and I want us to really consider all that has been said in this prophetic message to the Church in Laodicea.  Before we begin, I think it might be interesting to have some geographical and historical information on Laodicea:

Laodicea was an ancient city located on the Lychus River in the Hellenistic regions of Caria and Lydia in Asia Minor (now modern-day Turkey). It was one of three cities in the Lychus River Valley (the other cities were Colossae and Hierapolis); and we know that churches were founded in each of these three cities, probably by Paul’s convert named Epaphras (Cf. Colossians 1:17; 4:12-13). It was founded by the Seleucid ruler, Antiochus II, who named it after his wife, Laodice, in 250 BC. In 188 BC, the city passed to the Kingdom of Pergamon.  After 133 BC, it fell under the Roman Empire and later became the Roman Province of Phrygia. It was located on a major east/west trade route and noted as a banking center. The surrounding area was a fertile agricultural and pastoral region, especially suited for raising a special black sheep for which it became famous worldwide. It was Antiochus III who transported 2,000 Jewish families to Phrygia from Babylonia, so Laodicea had a very large Jewish population. It, like Pergamum, was a center for the worship of the healing god Asclepios. The city was the site of a medical school which was noted for its ear and eye salve.

With its large Jewish community, very early Laodicea became a seat of Christianity and a bishopric The Epistle to the Colossians mentions Laodicea as one of the communities of concern for the Apostle Paul. It sends greetings from a certain Epaphras from Colossae, who worked hard for the Christians of the three Phrygian cities of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hieropolis. Asking for greetings to be sent to the Laodicean Christians, Paul requests that his letter be read publicly at Laodicea (Cf. Colossians 4:16) and that another letter addressed to the Laodiceans (a lost epistle of Paul) be given a public reading at Colossae. Some Greek manuscripts of the First Epistle to Timothy end with the words: “Written at Laodicea, metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana”.  So the historical and scriptural manuscript records confirm the existence of Laodicea, the church that was founded there, and give us additional context for the prophetic message to this church community found in the Revelation 3.

I do not pretend to be an eschatologist or a trained scholar of church history; but what I do contend is that the words in this passage from Revelation 3 reveal truth for us to consider in the light and context it has been presented to us by the Apostle John.  As he instructed in another epistle: “I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As 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 has taught you, remain in Him.” (Cf. 1 John 2:26-27) And so I pray the anointing of the Holy Spirit will fill us with wisdom, discernment, truth, and understanding of what John has recorded in this revelation.

Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV)

14 “To the Angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 

We have already learned about the historical church founded in Laodicea.  What I simply wish to draw our attention to is the author of this passage: “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.”

These are the words of Christ Jesus who IS the “Amen.”

The word “Amen” is derived from the Hebrew word which means “certainty,” “truth,” and “verily”.  “Amen” is often used at the end of a prayer to mean “so it is” or “so be it”. It is a declaration or affirmation of what has been spoken. So, I believe in this context the word can be understood as “truth”.  These are the words of “The Truth”.  Jesus claimed, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to Father except through me.” (Cf. John 14:6)

These are the words of Christ Jesus who IS “The Faithful and True Witness”.  This is understood and supported by the “testimony” Jesus gave of Himself:

John 5:36-38 (NIV)

36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, 38 nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one He sent.

John 8:12-19 (NIV)

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees challenged Him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” 19 Then they asked Him, “Where is your father”? “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

John 10:35-37 (NIV)

35 If He called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the One whom the Father set apart (sanctified) as His very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.

John 12:48-50 (NIV)

48 There 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. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 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. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

These are the words of Christ Jesus who IS “the Ruler of God’s Creation”.  The NKJV translates this sentence: “the Beginning of the Creation of God”.

Genesis 1:1 (NIV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

John 1:1-3 (NIV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.

So we find in this list of “attributes” a clear description of the Lord Jesus Christ as the author of the words and the message being communicated through the Apostle John to the Seven Churches – and specifically to the church at Laodicea.  He is the Truth … He is the Faithful Witness … and He has power and authority over all creation. This means Jesus is sovereign over us! So now, let’s look deeper into the message:  

15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Here we understand the omniscience of Christ … “I know your deeds.” And Jesus describes their state of ministry as neither cold nor hot … but lukewarm. It is probable that there is no “love one another as I have loved you” going on with the people in this church. To me, it is clear that Jesus is referring to their works … their ministry; and His displeasure with them is quite evident from the tone. The language used is the Jesus would “vomit” them out of His mouth.  The metaphor indicates that lukewarm, apathetic, indifferent followers make Jesus sick to His stomach.  If you and I are not “on fire” for Christ and being witnesses of the Gospel in both word and deed, this warning of “rejection” should catch our attention for sure….

17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

As we discovered in our background above, this could be an allusion to Laodicea as a center of banking; a center for black wool; and a medical center for eye salve.  The tragedy of their prosperity was that they thought they had so much when, in reality, they had so little in terms of the true riches of Christ (Cf. Ephesians 2:7; Ephesians 3:8; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 1:27; Colossians 2:2). The same judgment was made of the Church in Sardis when Jesus admonished: “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.” (Cf. Revelation 3:1-2) Again, the issue is dead or nonexistent works (deeds); works that are unfinished and should be fulfilled.

18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

This is an interesting statement: “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire….”  The metaphor may be an allusion to Isaiah 55:1-3, and it brings to mind another passage as well:  

Isaiah 55:1-3 (NIV)

1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These (all kinds of trials) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Perhaps, the gold refined in fire is FAITH….  And to possess faith in Jesus Christ is to possess the true riches.  I am reminded of the counsel Jesus had already given through His teachings:

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 13:22 (NIV) – From the Parable of the Sower

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Luke 16:10-12 (NIV)

10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

James 2:5 (NIV)

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?

Jesus counseled them to “buy from me white clothes to wear so you can cover your shameful wickedness”.

Revelation 19:6-8 (NIV)

6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride (the Church) has made herself ready.8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Revelation 19:11-8 (NIV)

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his Head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” (Cf. Psalm 2:9) He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Jesus counseled them to “buy from me salve to put on your eyes, so you can see”.

Psalm 146:6-8 (NIV)

6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— He remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.

Isaiah 42:16 (NIV)

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Mark 10:51-52 (NIV)

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Teacher, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

John 9:24-25 (NIV)

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

John 9:39-41 (NIV)

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with Him heard Him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Jesus counseled His Church to examine themselves and to consider their lack of fruitfulness. Though members of His Body, deception of their true spiritual condition had drawn them into idleness, indifference, and attachments of darkness.  The shame of nakedness (the sinful human nature) refers to our spiritual poverty and defeat. But Jesus wants His people to be victorious over our sinful nature. He wants us to come and obtained from Him the true riches of faithfulness and steadfastness; perseverance in love and care for one another; and the joy of His salvation. There is no other source for what we truly need to live effective and productive lives in Him. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3)

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. (Cf. Proverbs 3:12 and Hebrews 12:6)

Jesus declares His affection for the Church.  He has rebuked them in righteousness and judgment.  He has spiritually disciplined them.  So He is expectant of prompt repentance from the people!  The members of His Body there need to receive what Jesus revealed and give full consideration to what Jesus has exposed in the condition of their hearts. While this message was for the Church in Laodicea, I think it could be directed at the modern church of our generation … especially the Western Church … the American Church … which has said, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But we do not fully realize how this spiritual attitude has rendered us wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked….  Indeed, in this present hour, we are being called to humble ourselves and to repent … to turn from our wicked ways and to seek His face … and then Jesus would restore and heal us.

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Jesus said to the Church: “Here I am!”  I am available to you … even standing at the door of your heart and knocking. The implication is potential but not certain action.  The person or the church must respond! So, we need to hear His voice … as the voice of a Shepherd.  We need to open our hearts to His rebuke and disciple.  For Jesus does so because He loves us and wants us to stay the course of faith and to do the good works which God prepared for us in advance to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) If we open our hearts to Him, He will enter and initiate fellowship with us. Eating a meal together has long been a sign of covenant, friendship, and fellowship. Yes, we will experience the intimate relationship with Jesus that He desires for us to have with Him but we must respond to His invitation….

21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne.

This concept of being victorious is repeated through the messages to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation.

Church in Ephesus:

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (Cf. Revelation 2:7)

Church in Smyrna:

The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the Second Death.” (Cf. Revelation 2:11)

Church in Pergamum:

To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna.  I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” (Cf. Revelation 2:17)

Church in Thyatira:

To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nation – that one will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery” – just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. (Cf. Revelation 2:26-28)

Church in Sardis:

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and His angels. (Cf. Revelation 3:5)

Church in Philadelphia:

The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. (Cf. Revelation 3:12)

Church in Laodicea:

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Cf. Revelation 3:31)

When I look at this list, those who are victorious are those who have kept their first love; those who have endured hardships; those who have overcome afflictions and poverty; those who have persevered in suffering and persecution; those who have not denounced the faith or followed false apostles; those who have served God and others. These will receive the rewards Jesus has promised to them in these messages to the churches, and there is great reward in faithfulness with God, and Jesus wants us to know so….

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 (NIV)

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 5:3-5 (NIV)

3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

This phrase is repeated within the message delivered to each church as well. It is an invitation to take note and to heed the rebukes and disciplines administered.  It is a call for repentance and the renewal of faith … even in 2020 as we observe the signs of the times.  He knows our deeds … our works … any many of us are found “deficient” because faith without works is dead faith.  It is through our deeds that we profess and live out our faith in Jesus. There are warnings against idolatry and sexual immorality … to which we will be held accountable. So Jesus wants us to wake up … pay attention … and listen to the Spirit of Truth.  He is our Advocate:

John 16:13-15 (NIV)

13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what He will make known to you.”

Well, I know this has been quite lengthy, but I just felt led to expound on this message … to this particular church.  I believe in some ways the lukewarm church in Laodicea reflects the modern church of our generation. We need to heed the rebukes Jesus spoke to this church and to repent if we individually and communally want to be effective witnesses in these latter days.  I hope this study will prompt us to dive deeper into the Word of God and allow it to penetrate even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and to judge the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) We should not be deceived, but be reminded that God will not be mocked. A person will reap what they sow. (Cf. Galatians 6:7) Because as we have seen, there is nothing in all creation hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Cf. Hebrews 4:13) And as Paul wrote: “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5)

So let us be earnest and repent! Let us get on fire and make a difference in these days that God has granted us to live! Let us each complete the works God prepared in advance for us to do! Let us be faithful and true witnesses ourselves! Let us open the doors of our hearts and invite Him into the intimate place of our souls.  Let us persevere and be victorious in our confession and practice of faith! And let us hear what the Spirit says to the churches!  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Unsearchable Things…

Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NIV)

“This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is His name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

I love to think about what the Prophet Jeremiah received and shared … this incredible word from our Sovereign Creator. Yes, the Lord (YAH) is His Name! “For 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.” (Cf. Romans 1:20) It is this Being … God the Father … who says to us: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  How wonderful is that word? I’m like: “Yes, I would like to know great and unsearchable things.” But then I continued to read the passage and its message of restoration … its confirmation of hope and salvation:

Jeremiah 33:14-16 (NIV)

14 “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. 15 “‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; He will do what is just and right in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’

Well, I realize that God the Father has already fulfilled that great and unsearchable thing. His name is Jesus! Who among us can truly comprehend what God has done? “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. 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. (Cf. John 1:1-3; 14) Do we really understand what this means? Is this not the greatest mystery ever told? Indeed, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. (Cf. Psalm 145:3) And so, I feel like Paul who concluded:

Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His ways past finding out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” (Quoting Isaiah 40:13)
35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” (Quoting Job 41:11)
36 For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:8-11 (NKJV)

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 

Mysteries! Hidden in God since the beginning of creation! Yet, His glory and wisdom has been revealed to us in Christ Jesus our Lord! God has made known His passionate love for us! Yes, the unsurpassed love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord IS the great and unsearchable thing He has foretold. God has shown us … He has demonstrated to us … His will and purpose! God said, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Well, God wants you and I to know Him! He wants us to know His great love! So the Father sent us His Son … the Word made flesh:

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 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. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

If we want to know the Father … we need only to know the Son. Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” (Cf. John 14:6-7) Yes, to know Jesus … to have an intimate relationship with Him … is to have fellowship with the Father as well. He is the promise of the Father … fulfilled as declared through the Prophet Jeremiah. So now anyone can know the unsearchable riches found in Jesus Christ! He is the Lord Our Righteous Savior!  He is the restoration of all things! And He is worthy of our reverence and adoration!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Delighted in You…

Psalm 149:4 (NIV)

For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory.

What an incredible thought for us this morning! The Lord takes delight in His people!  He crowns the humble with His salvation!

Sometimes I find it difficult to believe that God would take delight in me. It seems too improbable … knowing that I fail Him more often than I dare to confess. But maybe His delight is something that I should consider. Perhaps, God delights in His people even when their performance falls short, yet there is willingness to receive correction and discipline. King Solomon wrote: “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Cf. Proverbs 3:11-12) And I am reminded that God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8) So, maybe it should not surprise us that the love of God moves Him to delight in those He has called to salvation….

I did a word search for “delight” in the Bible, and I found the following Scriptures that share how God delights in His people.  To be sure, there were plenty of verses that discuss how believers should delight themselves in the Lord, but I am more interested in what moves God to delight in us … to find great pleasure in us. Look at these passages and see if you find a common theme:

Deuteronomy 30:1-10 (NIV)

1 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where He scattered you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. 6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. 7 The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. 8 You will again obey the Lord and follow all His commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as He delighted in your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep His commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

1 Samuel 15:21-23 (NIV)

8 And He (God) sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” 20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.”

Psalm 51:15-17 (NIV)

15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Psalm 147:10-11 (NIV)

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of the warrior; 11 the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.

Proverbs 11:19-21 (NIV)

19 Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death. 20 The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but He delights in those whose ways are blameless. 21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

Proverbs 12:22 (NIV)

The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.

We see in these passages that God delights in those who obey Him and keep His commands. God does not take pleasure in sacrifices as much as He delights in obedience.  And when we approach God with a broken spirit, with humility and contrition, it demonstrates to Him our acknowledgment of His holiness, righteousness, and justice as the Sovereign Creator. Yes, the Lord delights in those who fear Him – those who reverence and worship Him.  He delights in those who desire to walk blameless before Him; and that is why atonement through the blood of Jesus Christ is required for salvation. We are not blameless. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Cf. Romans 3:23-24) Even Moses affirmed that God will circumcise our hearts so that we may love Him with all our hearts and with all our souls! Indeed, it is His workmanship in us, created within our hearts, that bring us to covenant relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. And, yes, our love for His Son, is His greatest pleasure and delight!

One final thought is the wisdom that Moses shared with the people of God found in Deuteronomy 30 regarding their response to his prophetic word. And upon reading it, I was reminded that the Apostle Paul quoted this passage as well in Romans 10. The message is straightforward, and I think we should look at it:

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (NIV)

11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

Romans 10:1-13 (NIV)

1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” (Quoting Leviticus 18:5) 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” (Quoting Deuteronomy 30:12-14) that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” (Quoting Isaiah 28:16) 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses (takes delight in) all who call on Him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Quoting Joel 2:32)

So does God delight in those who believe Him? I think so because we have declared with our mouths that “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead. This profession of faith produces a righteousness that comes from God alone. It is His work from beginning to end … and it is the culmination of obedience to His commandments. Paul refers to this as the “obedience that comes from faith.” (Cf. Romans 1:5; 16:26) Indeed, it is not too difficult or beyond the reach of anyone. His Word is very near … in our mouths and in our hearts.  And this is the message we are to share with others:

Romans 10:14-17 (NIV)

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Quoting Isaiah 52:7) 16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” (Quoting Isaiah 53:1) 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 

Lord Jesus, how awesome it is to know that you take delight in your people … that you find great pleasure in those who love you and place their faith in you. So we delight ourselves in you! We take great pleasure in your Word … in your promises … in your passionate love for us! May our hearts be circumcised so that we may love you with all our hearts and with all our souls! May our hearts desire the obedience that comes from faith.  For we put our hope in your unfailing love! Thank you Lord for all you have done to bring us to you and to the Father! We love you and praise you forevermore. In your name we pray. Amen….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Who Do You Say I AM?

Isaiah 33:22 (NIV)

For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; it is He who will save us.

Today I needed this reminder!  When I’m distracted by what I hear on the news … when I’m distracted by the world of opinions …  when I’m distracted by my own troubles and spiritual challenges … I need to remember who Jesus IS! “For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; it is He who will save us!”

Matthew 16:13-20 (NIV)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter (Rock), and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then Jesus ordered His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah.

Yes, Jesus is the Messiah … the Son of the Living God!  And He tells us more … more about who He IS … and I take great comfort in knowing Jesus is who He claimed to be:

John 4:25-26 (NIV)

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I AM HE.”

John 6:35 (NIV)
Then Jesus declared, “I AM the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 8:12 (NIV)
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I AM the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:23-24 (NIV)
But He continued, “You are from below; I AM from Above. You are of this world; I AM not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I AM HE, you will indeed die in your sins.”

John 8:58 (NIV)
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I AM!”

John 10:9 (NIV)
I AM the Gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

John 10:11 (NIV)
“I AM the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 11:25 (NIV)
Jesus said to her, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

John 13:13 (NIV)
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I AM.

John 13:19 (NIV)
“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I AM who I AM.

John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, “I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:11 (NIV)
Believe me when I say that I AM in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

John 15:1; 5 (NIV)

“I AM the True Vine, and my Father is the gardener. “I AM the Vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Oh, this is powerful!  This is what I needed this morning! When Jesus asks me, “Who do you say that I AM?” These are the only answers I need. Indeed, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His Being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Cf. Hebrews 1:3) Jesus is I AM! He is God with us … Immanuel!  Jesus is Lord!  He is Judge… Lawgiver … King … Savior!  He is the Son of the Living God!

May I tell you this morning, that we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses! Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Cf. Hebrews 12:1-3)

May I tell you this morning that Jesus is on the throne of God! Yes, Jesus, the I AM, has been given ALL power and authority in heaven and earth! (Cf. Matthew 28:18) We do not have to be distressed or disillusioned or disoriented or distracted or dissuaded or disorganized or dismantled or disenfranchised or discontinued or disposed or disheartened or discouraged!  Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Cf. John 16:33)

Lord Jesus, we lift you up this morning! We exalt your Name which is above every other name! For at the name of Jesus every knee WILL bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth! (Cf. Philippians 2:10) We thank you Lord Jesus that you have revealed yourself to us … that we might know you as I AM!  As you strengthen us with your presence … give us wisdom and understanding from your Word to disarm the enemy! Guard our minds and our hearts that we might be sanctified by the Truth. Your Word is Truth! (Cf. John 17:17) Let us take captive every thought to make it obedient to You! (Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5) Protect us from the evil one! Yes, prepare us for the battle that has come upon us! For 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. (Cf. Ephesians 6:12) And we give thanks to God the Father who gives us the victory through you our Lord and Savior! (1 Corinthians 15:57) Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your intercession … for we know you pray our faith may not fail! In you alone we have placed our hope! Be glorified and honored by the praises of our lips and the meditations of our hearts.  For I ask all these things in your name – I AM.  Amen….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Thy Word is Truth…

Psalm 119:160 (NIV)

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

We continue with Psalm 119 and its uplifting meditation of the interconnection between prayer and the Word of God. The two just cannot be separated.  When we pray, it should be recitation of the Word.  Why? Because the Word of God reveals the will of God to us. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” (Cf. 1 John 5:14-15) Oh, we can pray and ask for many things, but when we cry out from our hearts the words God has spoken, something different happens in the spiritual realm. The words of the Law … the commands and precepts of God … begin to penetrate our souls and transform our thinking.  We gain perspective on ourselves and the inclinations of our thoughts.  The Word of God sanctifies us … it cleanses us … it purifies us … as dross is removed from the ore in the refiner’s fire.  His Word is established forever.  His righteous laws are eternal.  Indeed, it is we who must conform to the words of Him who is sovereign and true! 

ק Qoph

145 I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord, and I will obey your decrees.
146 I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.
148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, Lord, according to your laws.
150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law.
151 Yet you are near, Lord, and all your commands are true.
152 Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

ר Resh

153 Look on my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law.
154 Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great; preserve my life according to your laws.
157 Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes.
158 I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word.
159 See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love.
160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Psalm 19:7-14 (NIV)

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

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

Lord Jesus, how treasured are your words that bring life and light into our hearts! All your words are true! All your righteous laws are eternal! It is only by your Word that we exist and have our being! We have been created by your Word. And it is only by your Word that we are preserved. According to your great love and lavish grace we are saved. And so we bow before you … to give you thanks and praise for your lovingkindness and tender mercies.  We have hidden your word in our hearts that we might not sin against you. According to your promise, sanctify us by the Truth.  Your Word is Truth! And lead us, Lord Jesus, into the Way, the Truth, and the Life! For we come to you with humble and grateful hearts this morning, and ask these things in your mighty Name.  Amen….   

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Renewing Your Mind…

Psalm 119:130 (NIV)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

We continue in Psalm 119 this morning, and again, I will put the verse in its surrounding section for context:

פ Pe

129 Your statutes are wonderful;   therefore I obey them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,  longing for your commands.
132 Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.
133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
134 Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.
135 Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees.
136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

צ Tsadhe

137 You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right.
138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.
139 My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words.
140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
141 Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
143 Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight.
144 Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.

As I meditate on these words this morning, I cannot help but imagine the inner feelings of those who penned these thoughts.  I can just sense the intensity of zeal for the Word of God … for all of its instruction and wisdom in righteousness and order and goodness. This Psalm conveys a deep realization that God wants His people to know the truth and that He desires those who love Him to live according to it.  And so there is a great hunger and thirst for the Word of God within us.  It beckons us to learn and to apply and to be transformed!

Romans 12:2

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.

Hebrews 4:12

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.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your word this morning! We thank you for instruction in wisdom and the knowledge of righteousness! We praise you for the light you have brought into the world so that we might know you, the only true God.  And we hold fast to your promise of eternal life for those who put their faith in you.  I pray that your word will change us … transform us … conform us into your image.  I pray that you would direct our footsteps according to your word and let no sin rule over us. May those who love you delight in your commands and do them.  Let your grace abound, O Lord, so that we might obey your word.  For I ask these things in your Name.  Amen.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

My Refuge and My Shield

Psalm 119:114 (NIV)

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

So I may sound like a broken record, but it appears the Holy Spirit wants to continue to emphasize this truth with us; namely, that God is our refuge and our strength as He has declared in His Word to us!  Yes, we hope in His Word because that is how we KNOW through faith that He is with us … He surrounds us … He protects us!  Let’s just look at this section of Psalm 119 for the immediate context:

Psalm 119:113-120 (NIV)

ס Samekh

113 I hate double-minded people, but I love your law.
114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
115 Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!
116 Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.
117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees.
118 You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their delusions come to nothing.
119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes.
120 My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.

In a world where we feel surrounded by chaos and confusion and conflict and coercion and cancel there is a place of refuge and strength for believers. His name is Jesus! I did not say there is a place of hiding because we are not called to hide from the world; rather, we are to be His light in the world.  We are to be that city on a hill where it cannot be hidden. (Cf. Matthew 5:14-16) We need to remember the prayer of Jesus when He prayed for all believers:

John 17:13-21 (NIV)

13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that 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. 

Jesus wants us IN the world, but He prayed for God to protect us … to be our refuge from the evil one. So, we do not ignore what is happening in the world or stick our heads in the proverbial sand. Believers have been called … we are sent into the world to testify to the truth! That truth is God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 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. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Cf. John 3:16-19) Yes, we are to engage the world with the light of the Gospel … with truth of the Word. That is all we can do … even though we know that believers will be hated for it:

John 15:18-27 (NIV)

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ (Cf. John 13:16) If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ (References to Psalms 35:19; 69:4) 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of Truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

So we need to know the Word of God. We need to know the Truth. And we do know – if we believe Jesus is the Christ, receive His sacrificial atonement for our sin, and become a new creation in Him. And through the Advocate who comes to indwell us, we receive wisdom and discernment. The Apostle John has elaborated on this for us:

1 John 4:1-6 (NIV)

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Do you see it?  Every spirit (that would be referencing a human spirit) that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.  This means that a person has received the Spirit of God through placing their faith in Jesus Christ. Then John goes on to refer to believers as “children who are from God.” Again, the emphasis is on having the Spirit of God within us because he affirms “the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”  Yes, the Spirit of Truth is greater … He is more powerful than the spirit of falsehood. Why? “For everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (Cf. 1 John 5:4) It is through faith in Christ we have overcome darkness and deception. Indeed, the Spirit of Truth has set us free! But the god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4)

So believers should forever praise God for His mercy … for His gift of grace that removed the veil from before our eyes that we might see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  It is only by His grace that our eyes were opened and we were enabled to come to faith in the blood atonement He provided through Jesus. By His grace we are forgiven.  By His grace we are accepted. By His grace we are received into eternal life …  ONLY because of Jesus and no other reason. “ 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.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:8-9) If this does not humble us as believers, I’m not sure what will. I am reminded what Peter asserted 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?” (Cf. Proverbs 11:31) Indeed, how can we ever doubt the compassionate love God has demonstrated? His love is our refuge!  His love is our strength!  His love is our everlasting hope! His love is revealed through His Word! 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.” (Cf. John 1:14)

Lord Jesus, you are our refuge and strength because You have given us your Spirit … the Spirit of Truth … to indwell us and fill us with Your abiding presence and love.  Only in You is the wisdom and knowledge of God made known. Only in You is the great love of the Father fully expressed and experienced in our hearts. You are the true light that gives light to everyone. Oh, that the light you have given to us might be received in every heart. Oh, that every soul would come to your life …  the light of all mankind. (Cf. John 1:4) For You are the Living Word in which we hope and find shelter. You are the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through you. (Cf. John 14:6) And so I pray that we, your children, would be your image in this world just as you are the image of the Father. You have sent us into the world just as the Father sent You into the world. And so, I pray that through our lives and testimonies that your kindness will lead more people to repentance. I pray that your great love, which is rich in mercy, will bring life to those who are dead in transgressions. Oh, that your grace, Lord Jesus, would abound as your people proclaim the light and hope, the joy and peace, the truth and love of the Gospel … so that no one would perish but come to a knowledge of the truth and receive eternal life in you.  This is my prayer, Lord, and I ask in Your Great Name.  Amen….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

A Life Preserver…

Psalm 119:93 (NIV)

I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.

We fight this battle all the time … the struggle with doubt … the sin of unbelief.  We question if there is absolute truth … truth that we can fully trust.  And it is easy to succumb to the influence and demonic lies of the enemy … especially when we observe a world in chaos and where the suffering of people abounds. We might ask, “Where are you, God?” “Where are you when we need your help?” And if we neglect to consult the Word of God for answers to these questions, we will reach wrong conclusions and continue to wander in anxiety and fear.

Our verse today affirms that the Word of God is the source of all truth … truth that is able to sustain and preserve our lives.  We are advised to read it often … to memorize it … to implant it in our minds and hearts. For when we know and embrace its certainty, we will not be swayed or distracted by the uncertainty that we experience in this world.  As Jesus affirmed, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Cf. Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3) So, where is God now in our time of trouble? David declared this truth: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Cf. Psalm 46:1) Yes, God is ever-present! He has said, “Never, will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Cf. Hebrews 13:5; Joshua 1:5) I am reminded of what Paul wrote concerning the love of Christ as the anchor for our faith:

Romans 8:35-39 (NIV)

35 Who (or what) shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither 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.

Think about what Paul is saying here. We are to expect challenges and hardships to occur in our lives. They are inevitable as long as we live in this fallen world.  But none of the things that God allows under His sovereign will diminishes His love for us. They are used to develop and strengthen our faith in Him. I think above all things, we need to trust the love of God! If we ever doubt His love, we make ourselves vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.  We will not always understand how God works in our lives or in the circumstances that He allows, but I believe we can be assured that whatever happens is in accordance with His perfect love. And that is why we need to know the Word of God … to know His will for us … to receive the salvation He has provided through His Son, Jesus. In Jesus, our lives are preserved for eternity! Indeed, Jesus is the ever-present help in time of trouble.  We simply need to cry out to Him. As David wrote: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.” (Cf. Psalm 34:17)

One Final Thought:

How God delivers us from our troubles may not always be how we think He should do it.  It is not up to us to make God’s decisions for Him nor should we even desire to do so.  We do not have His knowledge or the ability to know eventual outcomes. Remember, only He knows the end from the beginning.  And so we have to trust that whatever happens is in accordance with His loving will for us who love Him.  That is what faith is all about. That is why it is important to know His Word … for by it our lives are preserved.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!