Love In Action…

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

As we examine our Verse of the Day, we see that love must move from the abstract to reality … it must move from a thought to an action. The concept of love is a noun … but the demonstration of love is a verb. Love is something you DO! No matter how much we profess to love God or to love one another, the evidence of love is in the actions taken to demonstrate it. God not only tells us that He loves us, but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8). And here, John reminds us that actions speak louder than words. Even Jesus requires action on our part to show or demonstrate our love for Him: “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Cf. John 14:15 and 1 John 5:3) Indeed, love is a verb! Love is service oriented. Love is something we DO!

As we have studied, the Apostle John exhorted in 1 John 3:16-18: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Thus, love must be genuine. It must be authentic. It cannot be mere lip service; rather, it must be tangible … intentional … and outcome oriented!

Paul, likewise asserted, “Love must be sincere.” (Cf. Romans 12:9) And Paul will go on to explain how sincere love will manifest itself in real action:

Romans 12:10-18 (NIV)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people willing to do menial work. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

On a similar note, I am reminded that the Apostle James frankly addresses a similar point with regard to our faith. Faith is not merely profession alone either. No matter how much we “believe,” the evidence of faith is in the actions to demonstrate it as well. Here, James distinguishes between faith as a concept and faith as a reality:

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

We also find the Apostle Peter addresses the same issues in his epistle:

1 Peter 3:8-14 (NIV)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good;they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (Peter quotes Psalm 34:12-16) Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

My point is that the apostles emphasized the importance of love in action … love that is operational and effectual. And I surmise it was because the apostles observed the greatest demonstration of love in action when they walked and talked with our Lord Jesus. They were eye witnesses of His compassion and came to understand the personal, sacrificial nature of love in its highest form. The personal example of Jesus speaks volumes with regard the application of love. To me, it is in this context that we must consider what Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35)

So, I pray that as we begin our day … and each new day … that we will commit ourselves to love one another in action and in truth. I pray that we will be sincere and sacrificial. I pray that the love we have and share with others will be a true reflection of what lies within our hearts. My friends, let us not love with words only, but let our actions demonstrate love in truth. Indeed, that is how love moves from a thought to an outcome! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. ~ 1 John 4:19-21

The Set Person…

Luke 1:26-27 (NIV)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most-High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most-High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Over the last few days, we have studied prophecies surrounding the First Advent of our Lord Jesus! Father God foretold, through His prophets, the set time and the set place for the birth of His Son … Jesus our Messiah. In our Verse of the Day … well Scripture passage … we see the announcement of the humble, faithful maiden that God would choose to fulfill His purposes. He sent the angel, Gabriel, to inform Mary of the favor He had determined to bestow upon her. And she accepted the pronouncement saying: “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” What an awesome example of faith and obedience Mary, the mother of our Lord, has demonstrated for us. I pray, even now, that I would be no less faithful to choose obedience to every word the Father speaks unto me. Indeed, may we all be faithful as His Church to fulfill His word: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34)

Another passage of Scripture that inspires me during Advent is the Song of Mary. Luke captures the expressions of her innermost thoughts for us; and I am so grateful to have it preserved for us:

Luke 1:46-56 (NIV)

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and His descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

I think what we can glean from this account is how God works supernaturally in and through people to accomplish His purposes for the world. It is evident that Mary, though quite young, believes in God and trusts His Word with her whole heart. She knows His nature … His character. She understands His Holiness and has endeavored to live a reverent, holy life before Him. And Mary receives His favor because of her humble, submitted heart. Yes, she is prepared to live in absolute surrender to God … to yield to His sovereign will in a way no other human has ever done. Her faith and His grace became the foundation for a new and everlasting covenant to be forged for those who love Him. And I think we should be forever grateful for her willingness … her courage … her obedience … and her love for God.

As I ponder this story of the Advent, I wonder how many of us today would be so willing and bold as Mary – to allow the Holy Spirit to work the miraculous and supernatural through us? Think of the impact and changes that lives of countless other people could experience simply because we wholly surrendered ourselves to the will of God. How many opportunities have we forsaken that would have been used to fulfilled the unique plan of salvation for another person? What if Mary had not yielded? What if the Apostles had not walked forward in faithfulness to fulfill the Great Commission given to them? What if you or I are not willing to submit? Do we truly understand there are consequences when we are not obedient to the Holy Spirit? Who will remain in darkness … who will continue to be lost? Who will remain in brokenness … remain wounded and battle scarred from life … or held a prisoner of sin because you and I did not use the power or authority given to us to minister to them?

Oh, how I pray for wisdom and courage to fill us! I pray for the obedience of faith to overtake us! For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline! (Cf. 2 Timothy 1:7) It is the same Spirit that God gave to Mary … to the Apostles who would follow … to all who are born-again of His Spirit through the ages. Do we see how our own lives have been changed by their obedience and submission! Oh, I pray you and I will meditate upon these things during this Season of Advent and reflect on the unsurpassed love of God who sent His Son to redeem us, restore us, and reconcile us to Himself. Let us determine in our hearts to continue what Mary determined in her heart … to be yielded and to allow God to show His power through us so that the world might come to know its Savior….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. ~ Luke 2:11

Proclaiming Jesus!

Colossians 1:28 (NIV)

He is the One we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

As I think about the work of evangelism … our Kingdom assignments to share the Good News … to make disciples of all nations … to baptize believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit … and to teach believers to obey everything that Jesus taught and commanded; let us make sure that our message is focused and clear. In our Verse of the Day, Paul is adamant that JESUS is the One we proclaim! So, let’s look at the context and see the basis on which Jesus should be the only One we proclaim:

Colossians 1:15-29 (NIV)

¹⁵The Son (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For in Him (Jesus) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ¹⁸And He is the head of the Body, the Church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (Jesus), ²⁰and through Him (Jesus) to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His (Jesus’) blood, shed on the cross. ²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds as reflected in your evil behavior. ²²But now God has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ²³if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the Gospel. This is the Gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. ²⁴Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His Body, which is the Church. ²⁵I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the Word of God in its fullness— ²⁶the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸He is the One we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. ²⁹To this end, I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

Think about what Paul is saying regarding the Gospel message – that we are to “strenuously contend” to share the message about Jesus! HE is the ONE we proclaim! And in the larger passage, we see there is a lot about Jesus for us to proclaim! Indeed, what is most important to share with others is what the Word of God says about Him … not necessarily our own personal theologies. The focus is not to be on you or me; rather, the focus is to be on Him. It is WHO HE IS that has transformed you and I into believers … and that is who we have become. Sharing the stories of our born-again experiences … our salvation … will place the emphasis on the One who saved us!

Being a believer is why you and I labor for the Gospel and serve in the Kingdom of God. Like Paul, our transformation from living in darkness to abiding in the glorious light of the Gospel is what drives us to proclaim Jesus. And Paul laid out a compelling argument to encourage us to share the Gospel:

Romans 10:9-15; 17 (NIV)

⁹If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For 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. ¹¹As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” (Citing Isaiah 28:16) ¹²For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, ¹³for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Citing Joel 2:32) ¹⁴How, 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? ¹⁵And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Citing Isaiah 52:7) ¹⁷Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Faith comes from hearing … hearing the Word of God … renewing our minds to the truth about Jesus Christ and no longer being conformed to this world. (Cf. Romans 12:2) Jesus has called His followers (believers) out of the world; and He enjoins us to share His life changing, life giving teaching with others. If “hearing” is the operative word for coming to faith, then our “speaking” is imperative! So, I pray we will be about the Father’s business as His ambassadors! (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20) For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Peace Through Faith

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

If you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed with life or the distresses going on in the world right now, I encourage us as believers to keep perspective. God, the loving Father who created us, knows what is going on with His people. And He will cause all things to work for the good of those who love Him – who have been called according to His purpose. (Cf. Romans 8:28) And so, we need to trust in God … more than we trust in government or man-made systems to resolve our situations. Please do not misunderstand what I am saying in this regard. To be sure, God will use His people to address and engage in the suffering that occurs in our fallen world, but God’s people are aligned with God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven … and I believe that is the major difference. When we rely on God … when we take refuge in Him … when we trust Him for our needs … His supernatural power is released! Yes, the Spirit of God works in and through His people to accomplish His will….

1 Corinthians 12:4-12 (NIV)

⁴There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. ⁷Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as he determines.¹²Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Romans 12:3-18 (NIV)

³For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. ⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people who do more menial work. Do not be conceited. ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

You see, living in this world is the will of God. And though it is fallen because of sin, God wants us here to achieve His purposes according to His own counsel and will. And I believe the greatest purpose our Father has in mind is relationship with the special creatures He made in His own image. All other creation was spoke into existence in the beginning. But God purposely “made” us from the dust of the earth. Our human existence is differential and intentional. As David reflected:

Psalm 139: 13-18 (NIV)

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

And so God invites us to trust Him. Because when we put our trust in Him, our minds become steadfast … we rely upon the truth of His Word. And we experience something great in our inner being. We call it “peace”. We call it “rest”. We call it assurance, confidence, and steadfastness. We call it “faith”! Indeed, Christ Jesus was sent to this world by the Father to bring us to faith … a saving faith … a serving faith. And this is what Jesus commanded, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35)

God is Love! Love is how God works! “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And our work, our labor of love, is to serve as the Body of Christ in this world. Being Jesus to others is HOW God works all things for the good of those who love Him … for those who are called according to His purpose. We need not fear; rather, we need to be courageous in these times and days. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7) Let’s use these gifts to make a difference in our chaotic and fallen world! For God will keep us in perfect peace … complete peace … whose faith is fastened on Him….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Do What He Says…

James 1:22 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

We have read this verse many times I’m sure. And as the Spirit has been encouraging us to be in the Word and studying it; this is the call to “do what it says”. All the reading and studying in the world is not going to replace action and putting the Word into practice. I am reminded (and convicted) by what Jesus said as He concluded His “Sermon on the Mount” recorded in the Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 7:21-29 (NIV)

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

In the context, it is those who do the will of the Father that will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And the words of Jesus have taught us what the will of the Father is: “To believe in the Son whom the Father has sent.” When asked, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” (Cf. John 6:28-29) This is the teaching we are to put into practice – the exercise of putting our complete trust and faith in Jesus. But then, in order to grow in our faith, there are disciplines that we will follow to bring us to maturity in Christ. We take root in a local assembly in order to be equipped for ministry. We exercise our spiritual gifts through good works so that we are putting His teachings into practice. This is how faith becomes effective and productive! As James would remind us:

James 2:14-18 (NIV)

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

So it is important for us to active in our faith and engaged with those around us. Jesus made it clear that when we serve others, we are serving Him. For Jesus said, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (Cf. John 12:26) So we need to be where Jesus is and serving as Jesus would. For we are His Body in the world.

Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. ³⁴“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ ³⁷“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ ⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ⁴¹“Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ ⁴⁴“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ ⁴⁵“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ ⁴⁶“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This passage does not teach that salvation is based on our good works; rather, this expounds on the things that we are saved by grace to be doing for the glory of God! Remember, “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. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:8-10) So we have been saved to serve. That is the point! We serve with grace as we proclaim the light of truth through the Gospel. This is what I believe it means when James tells us to get busy and serve. If our faith does not activate us to be serving others, it is essentially no faith at all and we deceive ourselves if we think otherwise.

So let’s be about the Father’s business! There is a world around us that is broken and hurting … searching for the answer we have received by grace through faith. The opportunities are not hard to find. The question is whether we are looking for them. Maybe it is time for us to be more intentional. To be sure, we should always share Jesus with our words. But as we all know; actions will always speak louder than our words. So I pray we will “be” Jesus to those who need Him more than ever before. And I hope that thought will challenge us in the days ahead….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Obedience to the Spirit

Matthew 1:20-21 NIV

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:18-25

This passage caught my attention because of the implications associated with Joseph’s obedience to a Spirit-filled dream. We often talk about the humble obedience of Mary when she responded to the Angel Gabriel as recorded in Luke 1:38,“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” And, for sure, she is a role model for us. But sometimes we overlook how Joseph responded an “angel of the Lord” in a dream. Let’s look at this passage in context:

Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)

¹⁸This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet, did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. ²⁰But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, (Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua (Yehoshua in Hebrew – sometimes shortened to Yeshua) , which means the Lord saves) because He will save His people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). ²⁴When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

What if Joseph had not been obedient to the angelic vision or dream? What if he proceeded to divorce Mary? What if she had been stoned for her supposed “adultery” as required by the Law? If Joseph had not protected Mary and “covered” her … if Joseph had not been obedient to the commandment he received in the dream … the outcome of a different decision would have changed history. The couple would not have traveled to Bethlehem together for the census … and the prophecy of the Messiah being born there would not have been fulfilled. The ripple effect of unfulfilled prophecy from that point forward would have been insurmountable. Joseph could not have predicted the impact of his decision on generations to come any more than Adam and Eve could have predicted or understood the impact of their disobedience and transgression upon all mankind. It is a fascinating scenario to ponder….

But to me, the application here is really for us to consider our own obedience to God … His Word … His commands as these are communicated to us through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Do we heed the Word of God? Do we discern His clear direction to us? Do we hear but then respond with a disobedient heart? And when we fail to believe God has spoken to us (because I’m pretty sure every one of us has been hesitant to believe when an authentic spiritual encounter has occurred) – do we ever think about the consequences of our disobedience on future generations? It is quite sobering to see how these examples in Scripture have revealed how human obedience or disobedience changed the course of human history … and eternity as well.

Look at these additional examples of prompt obedience to the Spirit:

Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV)

¹⁸As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰At once they left their nets and followed Him. ²¹Going on from there, Jesus saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²²and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

Acts 9:19-21 (NIV)

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?

Acts 16:9-10 (NIV)

⁹During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Revelation 1:10-11 (NIV)

¹⁰On the Lord’s Day I (the Apostle John) was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ¹¹which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

What if the disciples had not followed Jesus? What if Paul disregarded his experience on the road to Damascus? What if the missionary team with Paul had not ventured into Macedonia to preach the Gospel in obedience to the vision? What if John had not written the Book of Revelation as he was commanded through the Spirit? Perhaps we should ask ourselves similar questions: What if you or I do not fulfill the commands given to us through the Spirit? What if we disregard our roles within the five-fold ministry established by Jesus Christ for His Church? (Cf. Ephesians 4:11) What would be the impact of our disobedience on others who are seeking God and led to the local church? What will be the impact on future generations if the Body of Christ does not function as it was designed and intended by the Lord Himself? Well, look at the current world culture and ask yourself that same question? Look at modern day Turkey. All the churches that we read about in the Book of Revelation do not exist there anymore. Turkey (Asia Minor) is 98% Muslim now….

Joseph reminds me why faithfulness to the Word of God is so important. Joseph reminds me why obedience to the Holy Spirit is so crucial. Joseph, like Adam and Eve, reminds me how the impact one decision can forever alter the future course of events. So I asked myself this evening, what decisions will I make when prompted by the Spirit to act or intervene with others? Will I be obedient? What consequence will there be if I am disobedient? Is disobedience worth the risk of one soul being lost because I did not respond “at once”?

I believe this is where the intersection of intimacy with Christ and responding in obedience to the Spirit find their fulfillment in the Kingdom of God. This is why I have stayed up past midnight to ask these questions … to write this commentary. I simply want to be obedient because I do not know what the eternal consequences might be if I choose to ignore the Spirit of God or be disobedient to Him. Someone needs a wake-up call on the obedience of faith … and I believe it is me! Maybe these are thoughts you have considered as well … and tonight I think we should thank God for Joseph and his inspiration to respond in obedience….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

A Father Rejoices

Proverbs 23:24

The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in Him.

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there!

I love the truth of this verse and it resonates so deeply. Indeed, the father of a righteous child has great joy! Indeed, a man who fathers a wise son (or daughter) rejoices in him (or her)! Righteous. Wise. Faithful. These are the qualities I believe every father desires to instill in his children. What could possibly matter more to a man than to see his children living in the light of the Truth? This verse reminds me of another favorite. Written by the Apostle John: “It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling me how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (Cf. 3 John 3-4)

When I contemplate my own life, and the legacy I hope to leave my children, I pray the most important “take away” they will receive from me will be a legacy of faith in Jesus Christ. I have found that nothing else truly matters in this life except our fellowship with God and our love for Him … and accordingly … our sincere love for one another. Leading our children to faith in Jesus Christ and discipling them in the faith is the greatest demonstration of real love that I could ever imagine to impart. Why? Because I know they will not have or experience abundant life or fulfilling love apart from Him. If we love and cherish children as God ordained for men to do, then it follows that we must bestow upon them the best gift possible … the love of God through His Son … the only hope of eternal life!

I am sure that most of us have failed to be consistent in our own journeys of faith at times over the years … and our examples have not always been the best in difficult situations or personal challenges. But in whatever way we have fallen short of being God’s best for the building of our children’s faith, know it is never too late to redeem the time or to express a sincere desire to continue the walk together going forward. And so, do not hesitate to humble yourself and ask your children to look beyond the sins … the missteps and mistakes made along the way … and assure them that you have endeavored and will always strive to love each of them as you have been loved by God through His Son. Yes, remind them that God is their true Father … and that His love is perfect, full of grace, and abides forever.

Well, I apologize if I sound too emotional this morning. It is hard for me not to feel emotional on Father’s Day because the love and joy I feel from having children and grandchildren in my life is overwhelming! The delight of fatherhood has been a precious and treasured gift from God; and I want to savor this occasion with thanksgiving for the honor and privilege of being an earthly father. This morning, I told my children how extremely proud I am of each of them … their awesome accomplishments … and the incredible impact each of them already have had upon this world. Likewise, each one of your children and grandchildren will make this world a far better place and bless others with their unique gifts, talents, and expressions of love. So I pray this morning that every father will be grateful for the blessings of their children; and I pray our Heavenly Father will fill each of you with His unending grace and His unfailing love!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Be Effective and Productive

2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Verse of the Day comes from 2 Peter and we have studied this passage before. As Peter urges, we are to be “growing” in our faith; building upon the foundational truths we have learned from the Word of God. Adding these qualities and allowing them to be fruitful through our lives will “keep us from being ineffective and unproductive.” I often wondered why Peter did not present his thought as a positive assertion; but perhaps, it makes a greater point with this phrasing. If we are growing and adding to our faith – the phrasing implies we cannot help but be effective and productive in Kingdom work. These qualities will keep you from “failure”. They will safeguard you! The thought being … an active faith is necessarily a “fruit-bearing” faith. It WILL keep you and I from being ineffective and unproductive – the implication being that a stagnant faith weakens us.

But I have to point out that faith is really more of a journey than a destination for us. It is born and then it must grow into maturity. Consider this analogy: Infants and toddlers cannot be effective or productive in the work force. Minor children are not so much contributors either. But as humans continue to physically grow and mature, we find our passions and our talents and bring these to the marketplace for the benefit of ourselves and the communities in which we live. Well, likewise, faith requires a similar process of maturation. Adding to it … growing in it … continually increasing our knowledge and understanding of God, His will, and His purposes for our lives, should move us into greater exercise of our faith. Through faith that is matured and deepened, we are equipped to find our spiritual passions, gifts, and talents … and bring these to the Church for the benefit of fellow believers and for witnessing to non-believers whom God has called us to be His evangelists.

So I pray that our desire is to grow in faith … in order to be effective and productive in the Kingdom of God as He has ordained for us. “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. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Be Strong and Very Courageous!

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

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

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

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

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

Have I not commanded you?

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

Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)

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

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

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

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/27/19

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

No matter how much we profess to love God or to love one another, the evidence of love is in the actions taken to demonstrate it. God not only tells us that He loves us, but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). John reminds us here that actions speak louder than words. Even Jesus requires action on our part to show or demonstrate our love for Him: “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Cf. John 14:15; 1 John 5:3) Yes, love is a verb! Love is service oriented. Love is something we “do”. (Love is: 1 Corinthians 13).

On a similar note, I am reminded that the Apostle James frankly addresses this point with regard to our faith. Faith is not profession alone either. No matter how much we “believe,” the evidence of faith is in the actions that demonstrate it as well. Here James distinguishes between faith as a concept and faith as a reality:

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

I pray that our Verse of the Day will challenge us to “live” like we “love” and to “befriend” like we “believe”. As Paul challenges us:

Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)

I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (spiritual worship). ²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

And as a reminder, I will reprint this verse for us as well:

1 John 4:20-21 (NKJV)

²⁰If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.