Content

Content…

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ~ Philippians 4:11

In his letter to the believers at Philippi, Paul shares profound insight into the self-discipline necessary for a mature faith in Christ Jesus to persevere. He describes what it takes to attain a faith that will surmount and endure the challenges we will experience in life – contentment. Paul had gone through unimaginable hardship and suffering during his missionary journeys; and yet, his faith seemed to abound all the more through the afflictions he suffered. As he indicates in the text, there is a deep lesson to be “learned” as we walk with Christ and participate in his sufferings. (Cf. Philippians 3:10, 1 Peter 4:13)

Contentment. What does it mean to be content? The word connotes a state of being filled or satisfied. To be content means to be happy, pleased, gratified, or blessed … to the point of complete delight or enjoyment. Being content … feeling full and satisfied is rather easy when you have plenty and the circumstances of life seem in your favor. But Paul indicates that he had cultivated the ability to be content even when he had been unjustly locked in a stock and thrown into the utter darkness of an inner prison dungeon. (Cf. Acts 16:16-40)

Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

In reading the text, we readily understand that contentment is not our natural tendency. When Paul states, “I have learned,” it indicates that at one time he did not know how to be content. Through the difficulties that he suffered in life, Paul learned how to be content in any situation or circumstance. It was a mindset that he attained after many years of experiencing the grace of God in times of trouble.  And so, there is a wonderful lesson Paul affords us for our walks as Christians.

Here are some other scriptures to focus on as we pursue the virtue of contentment:

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. Romans 8:17

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. Philippians 3:10

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13

I believe the secret to contentment is to possess an unwavering focus on the inheritance that is kept in heaven for you. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:3-5) Yes, keep your eyes upon the goal and press onward to attain it. (Cf. Philippians 3:14) Indeed, Christ Jesus is our example – who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Cf. Hebrews 12:2) For “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ Jesus should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:11-14)

Yes, dear reader, keep your eyes upon Jesus and His redemption! He is the One who provides you with the strength needed to attain contentment in this life. Only in Him will you find true contentment or real delight in any circumstance. Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1 Timothy 6:7-8)

Have a Blessed Day!

Righteousness

Righteousness…

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. ~ Jeremiah 23:5-6

In Genesis 15:6 we read that Abraham believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.  In Deuteronomy 6:25, Moses conveyed that the righteousness of God revealed in His Law would be conferred upon those who are careful to observe it (obey it).  In Psalm 7:17, David exclaimed: “I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” Yes, “The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.” Psalm 98:2

Throughout the sacred writings of the Old Testament, we are informed of the righteousness of God through His creation, His commandments and ordinances, and His Prophets:

“The Heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.” Psalm 97:6 “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Law is truth.” Psalm 119:142 “My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172

And, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17

Righteousness, that state or status of being in a right relationship with God, is a gracious gift of mercy granted by Him to those who believe. It was his faith that positioned Abraham to be credited with righteousness by God.  When he believed God at His Word, Abraham received the righteousness that comes through faith … as Paul greatly expounds in Romans 4:1-8. In revealing His Commandments through Moses, believers were afforded the wisdom of how to live in a right relationship with God … and with one another. (Galatians 3:21) And yet, grace upon grace, the righteousness of God has been made known to us; indeed, demonstrated to us in Christ Jesus!

Romans 3:21-26 (NIV)

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

I believe it is important for us to understand that righteousness is a gift of God … imputed to us on the basis of faith in Him through faith in Jesus Christ – because we have no inherent righteousness within ourselves. (Cf. Titus 3:4-6) As the Prophet testified:

Isaiah 64:5-6 (NIV)

You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Yes, and consider what King David affirmed: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit, there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1-2)

As a believer, you are in Christ Jesus and have received the righteousness of God through Him.  Yes, Jesus became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30) “For the Father made Jesus who knew no sin to be a sin offering for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) So, awake to righteousness, and do not sin! (1 Corinthians 15:34) “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

My friend, living in obedience to Christ Jesus and His commandments should be our grateful response to His merciful gift of imputed righteousness! Yes, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices is our reasonable service – our spiritual act of worship. (Cf. Romans 12:1) So I pray that we will pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with one another. (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:22)

Have a Blessed Day!

Grow

Grow…

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. ~ 1 Peter 2:2

A new believer … an infant disciple and follower of Jesus … has an unfamiliar and challenging journey of faith ahead of them.  Like newborn babies, we must learn to sit up and crawl before we can walk.  We are first nourished with milk before we have teeth strong enough to eat solid food. (Cf. Hebrews 5:13-14) The born-again experience is simply the beginning of a new life in Christ Jesus; and from there, we are admonished to grow in every aspect of grace that faith brings us as we progress in maturity. Indeed, Peter admonishes us to live holy and godly lives in light of the soon return of our Lord Jesus! (2 Peter 3) And we can do so as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)

Now, more than ever, we need to be growing in grace. It is only through the Gospel that we truly understand the manifold graces of God. For in Jesus, we receive and experience the incomparable riches of God’s grace. In Him we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 1:7) Through Him we receive peace with God and receive eternal life! (John 3:36) Yes, these are just some of the expressions of God’s unmerited lovingkindness toward us in His Son. (Cf. 1 John 4:9-10; Ephesians 2:6-7) So, let us grow in full understanding of His grace in order to grow up in our salvation.

Likewise, in this generation of the Church, we need to be growing in knowledge of our Lord Jesus; increasing in all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives; and abounding in the grace that produced our faith through the Word of God, so that we can live lives worthy of the callings we have received. (Cf. Colossians 1:9-14) Each one of us needs to find our spiritual giftings and take our place of service in the Body of Christ, so that corporately we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Cf. Ephesians 4:1-16)

My friends, growth is a natural process both physically and spiritually. It is readily seen in our human maturation process; and we can certainly ascertain if our spiritual growth is keeping in step. Our Lord Jesus has called us all to flourish in body, soul, and spirit! We are fashioned for growth through the exercising of our Holy Spirit appointed roles within the Church … fulfilling the good works that God ordained in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

So, today I pray that we will always be diligent and passionate in our pursuit of spiritual growth! Let us persevere in every act produced by faith, every effort prompted by love, and every hope inspired by our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:3) Yes, let us stay connected to the glorious Head so that the whole Body will grow has God causes it to grow. (Colossians 2:19) Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!

New

New…

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Happy New Year!

Today is the day we mark as the beginning of a new course around the sun. It is a day for new aspirations and dreams; a day of resolutions and setting of goals for ourselves; a day to make plans for our futures. It is a day when we tend to reflect on the year gone by as we resolve and forge expectations for a better year ahead. But I am prayerful that today will be a day when believers are reminded of the miraculous newness we have received in Christ Jesus since our new birth.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines the word NEWNESS as the quality of having been recently created; not existing before or having started to exist recently; the quality of being different from other similar things; the fact of not yet being familiar or experienced with something.

Newness certainly describes our rebirth, does it not? (Cf. John 1:10-13; John 3:1-5) We have become a new creation in Christ! “For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7) Indeed, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

So, let us reflect on our experience of newness in Christ. Since beginning a new life in Christ, have we continued to grow into the likeness of Him? Have we been further conformed to His image? (Romans 8:29) Or has familiarity settled in over time? Has your spiritual life been overtaken by the mundane practice of religious ceremonies and rituals? Has your zeal and spiritual fervor begun to wan? (Cf. Romans 12:11) Jesus maintained that true worshippers would worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. (Cf. John 4:21-24) And this implicates the necessity of continually abiding in Jesus. (Cf. John 15:4-8)

My friends, our new lives found in Christ Jesus should be perpetual and unwavering! We have been taught, with regard to our former way of life, to put off the old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of our minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24) So, I pray that as we begin this New Year, each of us will have a fresh, urgent desire to walk in the newness of life received in Christ Jesus. (Cf. Romans 6-4) Yes, let us put new wine into new wineskins during this coming year so that both are preserved. (Cf. Matthew 9:17) Let us cleanse out the old leaven that we may become a new lump. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7) Intentionally rekindle your new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:10)

Have a Blessed Day!

Proclaim

Proclaim…

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the blind; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn… ~ Isaiah 61:1-2

Luke 4:16-21 (NIV)

Jesus went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

As we can see, Jesus quoted this prophetic scripture and proclaimed its fulfillment in Himself! And we need to observe all that Jesus proclaimed concerning the purpose for which He was sent into the world.  Jesus had a sacred mission to fulfill: to proclaim the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted; to bring freedom to those who are captive to sin; to bring light to those who walk in darkness; to proclaim the fullness of grace and reconciliation with God!  Indeed, those are reasons Christ Jesus came into the world. He chose to save us so that we could live and abide in Him … so that we could be one with Him and the Father in unity with the Holy Spirit. And Jesus has proclaimed that these are the same reasons He is sending us out into the world….  

John 20:19-22 (NIV)

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

As the living Body of Christ in this world, shall we not go forth as those God has sent to be His ambassadors? (2 Corinthians 5:20) Indeed, we have been called to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15) Yes, let us work to make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19) As Paul urged: “In view of God’s mercy, let us offer ourselves as a living sacrifice – holy and pleasing to God for this is our true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Have a Blessed Day!

Beloved…

Beloved…

To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Romans 1:7

Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:8) Abraham was called the friend of God. (Isaiah 41:8) The Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed His Holy Name. (Exodus 34:5-6) We are told, “Among many nations there was no king like Solomon who was beloved of his God. (Nehemiah 13:26) The Prophet Daniel was told by the angelic messenger: “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.”  (Cf. Daniel 10) Indeed, the people of Israel were beloved of God, for He again declared through the Prophet Jeremiah: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love!” (Jeremiah 31:3)

We can relate to these great men of faith, and countless other men and women who have lived extraordinary lives of faith. We honor and esteem them as great examples; and yet, none of them were without sin in their lives. Indeed, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) I believe that is why many Christians struggle with the idea that any of us could be loved by God. We know our inner selves. We know the thoughts of our hearts. There is an inward shame that our holiness … our innocence has been marred with sin – even when unintended….

Paul dealt with these feelings as well. In the ignorance of his religious fervor, Paul persecuted the church of God. And in remorse, Paul referred to himself as the chief of sinners and noted: “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) And, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:9-10)

I laid this foundation of scripture to emphasize this point: The love of God is not dependent upon our hearts, our deeds, or our degree of righteousness or holiness! Rather, consider this truth:

Romans 5:6-10 (ESV)

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.

1 John 4:9-11 (ESV)

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

My friend, if you have received Jesus, the Beloved Son of God, as Lord and Savior, you too are in the Beloved. Do not allow unbelief to make you forget that you are greatly loved by God. You are so loved that you were bought with the precious blood of Christ! (1 Peter 1:18-20) For all the time you lived in sin and indulged in it, you must have been beloved for God to have been so very longsuffering with you. Yes, His grace and lovingkindness brought you repentance, reconciliation, and adoption. When you received Jesus, when you believed in His Name, you were given the right to become a child of God! (John 1:12-13) Indeed, all of this proves that God has lavished His unmerited love upon you! And there is nothing that will ever separate you and I from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:38-39)

Ephesians 1:3-8 (ESV)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us….”

Have a Blessed Day!

See…

See…

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” ~ Mark 10:51

In our text, a blind man named Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging. He had located himself near the city gate of Jericho where passersby would be frequent as they came or left the town. When he heard a large group of people along the road, Bartimaeus learned that Jesus of Nazareth was among the crowd.  He cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And as I read this passage, I paused, and thought about the time that Jesus encountered me along the wilderness road of my life. It was 35 years old to this day….

It is evident that Bartimaeus knew about Jesus. No doubt he had heard about the miracles Jesus had been performing … the deaf could hear, the lame could walk, and the blind could see.  Oh, I can feel his heart pounding even now with the incredulous wonder … Jesus was passing right by him. Yes, Jesus was so close! He thought, “If only Jesus would stop for me.” And then his heart burst forth in great hope as he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

I, too, knew about Jesus. I had been raised in a Christian home. We went to church every Sunday.  I went to Sunday school as a child. Indeed, I had learned quite a bit about God and Jesus. And yet, at 28 years of age, I still did not know Him … not in a personal way. I intently wanted to know Him like those around me at the small-town Assembly of God my wife and I had started attending. I was being drawn to Him week after week, but I was still blind – spiritually. I could not see Him or accept that He would ever love someone like me – the worst of sinners….

But it happened! During a revival in October 1989, the visiting evangelist shared the Word of God … preaching about a point of no return if we (I) continued to reject the free gifts of atonement and eternal life.

John 3:16-19 (NIV)

“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.

The gates of hell would not prevail that night as I went to the altar and confessed my sin and my desire to experience the peace that I knew only Jesus could give me. Jesus gave me the hope and the answer I was so desperately looking to find. Indeed, I am a witness to the testimony that Jesus gave to Nicodemus when He said: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3) In that moment, I was born again of the Spirit! I was finally able to see Jesus! Hallelujah! Praise be unto Him forevermore! Amen!

Yes, Jesus Son of David, had mercy upon me.  He opened the eyes of my heart so that I could see Him. And, oh, how beautiful He truly is! He is the Son of God. He is Messiah … the Holy One of Israel. He is Root of Jesse, the Son of David, and the Lion of Judah. He is the Ruler of Nations … He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is Hashem … the name above all names! He is Redeemer, Deliverer, and Savior. He is Jesus … the One I could not see until He healed me.

My friend, if you are like Bartimaeus and want to see Jesus, I invite you to take another look into the Word of God. The Apostle Paul taught: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17) And it is only through faith that you will be able to intimately see Jesus and know Him. Likewise, Paul informed, “The god of this world 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.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

I believe these are the two greatest spiritual obstacles that each human soul is challenged to overcome. But the Apostle John reminds and encourages us with these words: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)

Have a Blessed Day!

Hour…

Hour…

“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” ~ John 12:27-28

I find it interesting that Jesus felt troubled in His soul when the approaching hour of His ultimate test would come.  In His human form, Jesus too was subjected to weakness and temptation in every way, just as we are – yet He did not sin. (Cf. Hebrews 4:15) Jesus did not coward from His purpose or His mission. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10) And His death would be a sacrifice of atonement. Indeed, Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)

How often do we become troubled in our souls as we commit ourselves to the calling and purpose of God upon our own lives? Do we meet with resistance from others? Jesus did! He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him. (John 1:11) Yes, He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. (Isaiah 53:3a) And yet, for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Oh, there is a powerful lesson here if we would but grasp it and fix our eyes upon Jesus. You, too, will be tested as you serve God. Yes, in faith you responded to His call upon your life. In faith, you vowed to be obedient and to accomplish the mission you were assigned to fulfill. And from experience, your most difficult challenges have come from your own … your own family … your own friends … your own church. Do not be dismayed when your greatest distractions and discouragement come from those you thought most unlikely to do so. Remember, even Jesus was betrayed by one of His chosen disciples.

I am grateful that the Apostle Paul shared some additional insight for us to consider before we throw in the towel or surrender to our temporal emotions during the heat of the battle. “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. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:12-13) Indeed, your challenges come from the Adversary who is at always at work to prevent you from glorying God through your good deeds in your hour.

My dear friends, when Jesus was troubled in His soul, He first had to surmount all the human frustrations and emotions that besieged Him. And then He questioned, “Should I let pain or suffering deter me from what the Father sent me to do?” “Should I pray for divine rescue from the difficult circumstances that God had already allowed to test my faith?” What did Jesus conclude? “No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Yes, like Jesus, our resolve should be to remain steadfast in the good works that God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

John 15:7-12 (NIV)

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 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. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Have a Blessed Day!

Fallen…

Fallen…

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. ~ Revelation 2:4-5

This first of seven letters written to the churches in Asia Minor, recorded in Revelation Chapters 2-3, begins with a commendation of the Church at Ephesus. Jesus affirms their righteous works and faithfulness; and yet, He soon points out a deficit in their relationship with Him:

Revelation 2:1-5 (ESV)

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Jesus appears to be grieved and wounded by their abandonment of intimacy with Him. The love they had at first – their hearts bonded to Him through the lovingkindness and atonement forged on the cross had begun to diminish. The spiritual blessings of being united to Him seemingly had begun to wane. It was no longer their love of Jesus that inspired and motivated their works of service; rather, their works had become the focus more than the Holy One whom they had been called to worship. The joy of salvation and the blessing of tender communion with Jesus had been overtaken by a sense of duty rather than an expression of love….

Jesus rebukes and calls for repentance.  He enjoins us: “Remember therefore from where you have FALLEN! The word itself conjures up images of dropping or coming down from a higher place, level, or position. It evokes a sense of being overtaken or conquered … even to the point of death. It is a strong word used here … and I think for emphasis on the tragic consequences that abandonment brings to a relationship. To abandon our love for Jesus? Who would have ever imagined that could happen? Look at their commendable works and service. And yet, Jesus instructs them to repent and to return to their first love….

Since the time of my heart procedure, I have contemplated at length the condition of my own spiritual heart … and its need for correction as well. After 35 years of following and serving the Lord Jesus, I have found myself as well in a state where spiritual refreshment has languished … where the spring of living water has begun to evaporate in a parched and thirsty land. Although I have been an avid student of the Word; practiced the discipline of prayer; attended church and served on the worship team; held positions of church leadership as a deacon or elder; given tithes and offerings; supported missionaries; and provided to those who are impoverished; I have noticed an empty, hollow space in my heart that has troubled me. If we are honest, I think this might be something many of us experience from time-to-time in our walk with Jesus. I am reminded of the story of Mary and Martha during a visitation with Jesus:

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

This was the same Mary who anointed Jesus with expensive ointment (spikenard) a few days before His crucifixion as recorded in John 12:1-8. So, why are these passages and their images important to understand the meaning of our study text? Because sometimes we can become so busy doing things for God, that we lose affection for Him who wrought so great salvation for us. No doubt, Martha was well intentioned in serving Jesus; but Jesus seems to indicate that our works are secondary to worship! His presence supersedes our purpose! We need to be careful that the tremendous wonder and glory of our salvation itself does not begin to dissipate within the busyness of life and service toward others. While works are an appropriate response to our redemption and rebirth, the one thing most needed is an intimate love for God and to dwell in His presence with immeasurable awe and reverence. First and foremost, He is our first love!

1 John 4:9-10 (ESV)

“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Do you see how His love for us is rooted in His mercy and salvation? Our love for Him is simply responsive to His salvific purpose. As King David declared: “For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep! (Psalm 92:4-5) Yet, somehow this adoration, this worship, this first love can diminish in our lives. I believe Revelation 2:4-5 is a wake-up call to bring our attention to what can happen even to servants who have endeavored to engage in commendable service.

Love is supreme! Love is utmost! Love must come first! Thus, we are reminded to consider from where we have fallen; to repent and to do the first works of love. Love expressed through adoration and worship is what matters most. Everything else stems from and completes His love in us. We love because He first loved us! Yes, God activated His love within us! So let us remember to love Him first because of His merciful atonement … His gracious redemption … His forbearance and longsuffering … His unmerited salvation … His gift of eternal life. These are the inner motivations of praise and thanksgiving … honor and worship. Yes, these are the “first works of love” to which we must return.

My friends, let us meditate on this word from Isaiah 29:13, The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is in vain. It based on merely human rules they have been taught.” Indeed, worship IS our first love … our first work to be expressed. I pray above all else that we will remember WHO we serve and why we serve Him! Yes, remember the purpose of our service is to love others as we have been loved.  Indeed, I pray we will renew our hearts once again!

Have a Blessed Day!

Jealous…

Jealous…

Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that He made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. ~ Deuteronomy 4:23-24

What does it mean for God to be “jealous”? We see this anthropomorphic attribute given prominence in the Old Testament, and further application of it in the New Testament scriptures.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the emotional term as: “One who is intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness; vigilant in guarding a possession.” The use of this term becomes quite appropriate when we consider that God “chose” His people to be His treasured “possession;” and yet, His beloved became idolatrous and worshipped other gods….

Let’s examine some of the scriptures that reference the context of God’s jealousy for His elect:

Exodus 20:4-6 (NIV)

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Cf. Deuteronomy 5:8-10)

Exodus 34:14 (NIV)

Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 32:15-19 (NIV)

They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior. They made Him jealous with their foreign gods and angered Him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. The Lord saw this and rejected them because He was angered by His sons and daughters.

Israel made God jealous and angered Him because of their rebellious unfaithfulness. Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. (Joshua 24:19) Asaph the Psalmist, in Psalm 78, reviewed the historical unfaithful relationship of Israel to the Lord after their conquest and settlement of Canaan – the Promised Land. Still, after their judgement and exile, the Prophet Ezekiel would provide this hope:

Ezekiel 16:41-43 (NIV)

“I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry. “‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?

My friends, what we need to understand is that we have been chosen by the Sovereign God of all creation for an intimate relationship with Him. Our communion with the Father is prefaced on His great love and mercy for us. We have been betrothed to Him. Isaiah declared: “For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5) Jeremiah recited: “I Myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:19-20) And Hosea prophesied: “In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’” (Hosea 2:16) Yes, “I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you with righteousness and justice; with love and compassion. I will betroth you with faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord. (Hosea 2:19-20)

So, let us consider the application for our walk of faith. Paul uses the same analogy regarding the fidelity of our relationship with Christ Jesus. He wrote: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I have betrothed you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-3)

Here Paul is addressing believers and their propensity to follow the idols of their hearts; to not follow the leading of the Holy Spirit within them to pursue holiness and pure devotion to our Savior. I sense that the ease with which we dismiss our sin of self-idolatry under the banner of grace needs to be reexamined. Too often, a believe will excuse their sin and affection of the world as “being human.” I think Paul would answer:

Romans 6:1-7 (NIV)

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We 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. For 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. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

And Peter concurred: “Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. (1 Peter 4:1-3)

And James reminds us:

James 4:4-5 (NIV)

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the spirit He has caused to dwell in us?

Dear reader, let us seek sincere fidelity within the covenant of love that the Father has ordained for us through His Son, Jesus. I pray you will review these scriptures on your own and examine your own heart. God chose you to believe in His Son! You are His elect! He loves you with an everlasting love. He has given you His precious promises. Therefore, He is most jealous for us! We are called to be faithful to our Maker who is our Husband— the Lord Almighty is His name.

Have a Blessed Day!