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!

Chosen…

Chosen…

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession. ~ Deuteronomy 7:6

What does it mean to be “chosen”? The Oxford Dictionary defines the verb this way: “Having been selected as the best or most appropriate.” Notice that the word indicates past tense. Chosen is an action that has already taken place. The Collins Dictionary states the adjective means: “Picked out by preference.” Further, Vocabulary.com defines the noun as “One who is the object of choice; who is given preference.” I especially like the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition: “One who is the object of choice or divine favor – an elect person; one who selected or marked for favor or special privilege.”

From the beginning, Scripture informs us of this theological concept of divine election:

Genesis 6:7-8 (NIV)

So, the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis 18:18-19 (NIV)

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we see that God chose certain individuals to accomplish His purposes for His creation. And because God is omniscient, knowing the end from the beginning, His elect were ordained before the creation of the world. As Paul affirmed: “For He (God) chose us in Him (Christ Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. (Ephesians 1:4-6)

In this biblical context, I ask again, “Do we as believers truly understand the implications and significance of being chosen by God?” Is not the thought of being chosen by God for redemption and eternal salvation one of miraculous wonder? As I mediated on this reality this morning, I became overwhelmed in my heart. To understand that we are “chosen” by the Creator brought a deep, reverential fear to my soul. While I felt immense gratitude and praised the Lord for His unmerited kindness and grace; I realized the gravity of responsibility that election brings with it….

When I was a child and played outdoors with my neighborhood friends, we would gather to play a game of baseball, basketball, or football. The best players would be team leaders, and they would choose other players for their teams. I would be anxious because I was not usually selected first, second, or even third round. Still, I would be chosen for a team. I can remember how desperately I wanted to make a big play, score points, or otherwise prove my ability to contribute to our success … to demonstrate worthiness for my selection … to be the winner at the end of the game.

This morning, I was confronted with the same conviction during my prayer time. The God of the Universe had chosen me to be on His team … to bring and use the talents that He sovereignly gifted me for this life, and to contribute those talents in such a way as to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. Indeed, “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:29) Needless to say, I was filled with tears of regret and remorse. Father God often wanted to put me in the game, but too often I was content to sit on the bench. Lord Jesus, I pray you would forgive me this wrong….

1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV)

To God’s elect … who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

My friends, I pray that we will reflect deeper on our election. We were chosen for an ordained purpose – to commit our lives to His service and to fulfill our individual roles in the Kingdom of God. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) Therefore, let us be even more diligent to make our calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10) Yes, we have graciously been chosen for eternal redemption; and our Father has ordained that we should serve Him with our whole being. Amen.

1 John 4:9-11 (NKJV)

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

Have a Blessed Day!

Created in Christ Jesus…

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Our Verse of the Day is one that I often quote in our studies and commentaries. I believe its revelation of purpose for our lives remains true and unchanged. It is a straightforward declaration that forms a framework in which to view our lives in the light of the transforming message of the Gospel. Let’s look closer at the context:

Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh (sinful nature) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But God, because of His great love for us, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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.

When Paul uses the phrase “we are God’s handiwork” (also translated workmanship), I think he is referring to His loved-filled power to make us alive in Christ … to become new creations in Him. As Jesus explained, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (Cf. John 3:5-8) And Paul affirmed, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17) And, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” (Cf. Galatians 6:15) In other words, it is not about what or who you were before you came to faith in Christ Jesus, it is about the new creation you have become through faith in Him … and that is not of yourself. It is the gift of God!

Yes, in Christ we are spiritual creations … the workmanship of God the Father; and He has ordained for our identities to formed apart from our physical characteristics … our ethnicities … our biological determinants … or our social status. “So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Cf. Galatians 3:26-28) Indeed, in Christ Jesus we have received new identities as united members of His Body. We have been gifted and equipped to serve and minister to others; yes, we are saved to serve and to do those good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. I truly believe this is how we should view ourselves … and submit ourselves to God and to one another. As Paul expounded:

Romans 12:1-8 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For 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. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if 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.

My friends, it is my prayer that we will always remember our salvation through faith in Jesus is a precious gift of grace. We have been saved to serve! This is our identity as new creations, and we are inseparable from the Father who created us in His own image. That image is manifested in His Son, Jesus, because He is the exact representation of the Father. (Cf. Hebrews 1:3) As Jesus told Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (Cf. John 14:9) Indeed, let us remember that whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did. (Cf. 1 John 2:6)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

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

Hasten To Obey…

Psalm 119:60 (NIV)

I will hasten and not delay to obey Your commands.

Have you ever hesitated to follow through on a prompting of the Holy Spirit that you know was aligned with the Word of God? Regretfully, I know that I have done so. I suspect it happens to all of us…. We hear His voice in our spirit to say or do something that is intended to advance the Kingdom of God; but then we fumble the ball, we doubt the impulse, we make excuses, or we act like we did not hear the voice of God. We might begin to question, “Was that really you speaking to me, God?” How can I know? Show me a sign! Yet, in our inner being, we knew God wanted us to respond to Him and to act upon His command in that moment…. It was another opportunity to be light … to be salt … to show grace … to plant a word from God … to lead someone to the truth … but we did not follow through. I hold my own head down in shame at the opportunities … given and forsaken. I hear Jesus ask me, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Cf. Luke 6:46)

Our Verse of the Day filled me with fresh conviction! Faith asks me to be bold … to be courageous. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 1:7) Oh, how I need to remember these scriptures when I find myself in a “divine appointment” … when I find myself “asked of God” to do a good work – one that He prepared in advance for me to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) I should say in my heart, “Lord, I will hasten and not delay to obey you!”

When God directs us to act … we need to listen and align with His Word and His timing. And, yes, I believe it is fine to ask God for “the right time” to accomplish His assignment. We should ask for wisdom or discernment regarding the circumstances, if needed. But these types of requests are different than simply procrastinating out of our own doubts or insecurities or just plain slothfulness. If it matters to God to prompt us through His Spirit … it matters for us to be obedient.

And while it is important for us to listen to God and to obey Him as He guides and direct us to be His hands and feet in this world, I think there might be another application much closer to home that we should consider … something that might be overlooked. I want to encourage us to look inward for a moment. What if the “divine appointment” is with yourself? What if the good work God asks of you is to change something within you? Perhaps we should be still and listen for His still small voice a moment. What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you in your inner being? What commands have you heard that you have dismissed or delayed to obey? Is there a conviction from the Word of God challenging your pursuit of sanctification? Consider this passage from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” Or is there a conviction from the Word of God challenging your character? Consider this passage from Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

My friends, there is plenty we can hear from God and apply to our lives from His Word. We just need to read it and study it. “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) Indeed, the indwelling Holy Spirit guides us into ALL truth … including the truth about ourselves. And sometimes when we want to impact the world around us for Christ, we often need to begin with changes within ourselves. Whether God calls us to divine encounters with those around us, or He calls us to submit to His prompts within our own hearts, we would be wise to listen to Him! Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice, and they follow me.” (Cf. John 10:27) And so, as we hear His voice, let us hasten and not delay to obey His commands. This is my prayer for each of us. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly, I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. ~ Matthew 21:28-32

Spiritual Tension…

Matthew 16:25 (NIV)

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.

In our Verse of the Day, Jesus presented a challenge to those who followed Him; and that challenge extends to us as believers today! It poses a spiritual tension that impacts our view of self, life, and purpose; and we are familiar with similar paradoxes presented in Scripture such as:

“The last shall be first, and the first shall be last.” (Cf. Matthew 20:8; Mark 9:35; Luke 13:30)

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Cf. Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14)

In these types of dualisms, we find Jesus teaching us that seeking self-importance; engaging in self-promotion; and reliance on self-preservation are misguided approaches when it comes to having a meaningful and fulfilling life in Him. Jesus is telling us that pursuing significance in your life with a worldly point of view is not going to produce the eternal results we want to achieve … the works for which God created us. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And I believe that each of us probably enter this tension each day. It is the struggle between our own wills and the will of God for us…. So, let’s look at our verse in the surrounding context because I think that will shed more light on the life approach Jesus is calling us to pursue:

Matthew 16:21-28 (NIV)

²¹From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ²²Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” ²³Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” ²⁴Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it. ²⁶What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what they have done. ²⁸“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.”

Jesus presents a powerful lesson to us here. And in the context, we learn more about what Jesus meant when He said, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.” The context begins with Jesus explaining the upcoming events surrounding His death; and Peter (naturally) does not believe it is appropriate for Jesus to suffer or for those foreboding things to occur. Who would want their friend to be mistreated or killed? Yet, Jesus rebukes Peter saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me. You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (ESV) And therein lies the tension we experience when evaluating what we believe our lives should be or how we believe they should turn out. Too often, we are pursuing the things of man and not setting our minds on what God wants for our lives. Perhaps this is why Jesus asks the more pointed question:“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Verse 26) Jesus is trying to get us to see the error of our thinking and calls for a radical “reset of our mindset.”

Notice how Jesus associates what Peter was thinking and the direction he was going in the conversation with the spiritual darkness and deception of Satan. Do not underestimate the “influence” that Satan can have upon your thought life … your mindset … to take you in a direction that is away from what God has ordained for your life. Satan will attempt to align you with the wisdom of the world … but that is not of God. We are in the world but chosen to not be of the world. (Cf. John 17:14-15) Our Lord Jesus learned and demonstrated that a life aligned with the will of the Father is to be humbly submitted and reverently obedient. As Paul observed, “And being found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! (Cf. Philippians 2:8) Therein lies the solution to our dilemma – the tension we feel when choosing between our own way (the way of the world) or submitting to the direction God has ordained for us. Jesus kept it simple for us when He said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. (Verse 24)

If you want to redeem your life, then you will need to let go of the one you are clinging to. You can accomplish this; but you’ll need to deny yourself and take up your cross (the place of self-sacrifice) and follow Jesus. If you want to be first, then you need to place yourself last. You can accomplish this; but you’ll need to deny yourself and take up your cross (the place of self-sacrifice) and follow Jesus. If you want to be looked up to and admired for all of your accomplishments and success, then you need to be quiet and not boast. Let your deeds speak for the themselves. After all, did not God gift you and afford you the opportunities for success? Give Him the glory! And remember, you can accomplish this; but you’ll need to deny yourself and take up your cross (the place of self-sacrifice) and follow Jesus.

My friends, the way Jesus taught us to approach life is quite opposite to what the world says you and I should do to be successful. If we want to be productive and effective in His Kingdom, we will have to embrace a more unconventional approach of how significance should be viewed for our lives. God said the meek shall inherit the earth; not the strong and mighty. (Cf. Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:11) God said to give first and generously, and it shall be returned to you. (Cf. Luke 6:38) As John the Baptist affirmed when looking at his own life in comparison to the Messiah, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Cf. John 3:30) And so, to save your life, you must lose it. To be exalted, you must humble yourself. And, yes, the first shall be last, and the last first. This is the wisdom God has been revealed to us in His Word … through His Son.

It is my prayer that we will come to a full understanding of these principles for life. I think we will find both “power” and “freedom” in these approaches. But most of all, I believe we will experience what God desires for each of us in our relationships … with Him and with each other. As Paul concluded, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Cf. Romans 12:1) So, “lose” your life in service and ministry to others, and there you will find your true life … the life God intends for your good and for His glory!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Your Works of Love…

Hebrews 6:10 (NIV)

God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.

Our Verse of the Day made me pause to think about what the writer is really saying with regard to our “work” for God. So, I want to review the context of this passage:

Hebrews 6:1-12 (NIV)

Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death (useless rituals); and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites (baptisms), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming age – and if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

In the context, we see an exhortation to achieve maturity in the faith. He contends that believers have received sufficient knowledge to walk in the light of truth. And so, his concern is for those who fall away from what they know. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, to ‘fall away’ is a “phrasal intransitive verb” and it conveys a processing of diminishing … decreasing in size … eroding. If something such as a sound or feeling falls away, it becomes weaker and disappears. If something falls away, it breaks off from the thing it was attached to. To fall away from faith in Christ Jesus is tantamount to severing your personal relationship with Him … the One to whom you are attached. In the context here, the inspired writer warns that people who have been enlightened and repent … people who have been born of the Word of God and come to a knowledge of the truth … people who have received the Holy Spirit … people who engage in the spiritual conflict between light and darkness … can enter a place of no return if they “fall away” or “renounce their faith.” He indicates that a faith that is focused on the promise of salvation … a faith that is patient and mature … remains alive and active! In short, faith has no place for laziness at all…. Consider what Peter advises in this regard:

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 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. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So, what is a faith that is alive and growing? Well, it is a faith that is engaged! It is a faith that manifests itself in good works and service to the Kingdom of God. It is a faith that we keep “adding” to – through bearing the fruit of the Spirit. It is a faith that is effective and productive! As Paul wrote: “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) A growing faith … a mature faith … is attending to the business of the Father who saved us in Christ Jesus to fulfill His purposes. And He has equipped us to accomplish it! And here is the point that I want us to see: “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” What you and I do when we help one another … when we love one another and continue to do so … is how we show our love to God! The Father does not forget our expressions of love but remembers each one. But if we should fall away … if we should become lazy in our faith … if we fail to persevere in the faith we have received, we essentially tell God that His salvation means nothing. As the author of Hebrews admonished: “To our loss we are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace….”

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

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

Hebrews 10:36-37

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.”

James 1:12

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

My friends, I want to encourage you to not grow weary as we do good for those around us. Such works do not save us; rather, they are the expression of love and a grateful heart for the salvation God promised to us through His Son … our Lord Jesus. I pray these verses I have shared will comfort you. Indeed, there is great reward for perseverance in faith!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. ~ Galatians 6:8-10

Be Strong and 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.”

I believe our Verse of the Day is both a timely and a prophetic word for us today! I am under conviction even as I type these words. God has been pressing each of us to be obedient … each of us to operate in faith and obedience to something He has placed on our hearts to do! Perhaps, you and I just need one more “push” to do it! Maybe this Scripture will be the encouragement we need to act! Have you ever considered that God commands us 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 our verse:

Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “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. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your 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. No 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. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. 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. Keep 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. 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.”

Note the intensity – “Have I not commanded you?” The implication here is that the Lord commands us to be strong and courageous! Indeed, I am reminded of what Paul wrote to encourage Timothy in the work of evangelism: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline! (Cf. 2 Timothy 1:7) Therefore, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. The Spirit of God gives us what we need to do to accomplish the good works that He prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And we have the promise of Jesus who declared, “Surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.” (Cf. Matthew 28:20b)

These are some powerful assurances and promises of God. They were spoken to others – but I believe they have been written (recorded) for our hope and encouragement as well. God commands us to “exercise our faith.” To be strong means we operate in the supernatural. To be courageous means walk in faith – expectant of a victorious outcome. Yes, there are battles ahead and there are challenges and oppositions to face; but God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. God did not give us a spirit of fear; rather, the Holy Spirit empowers and equips us to accomplish His will. He fills us with the love of God so that in this world we are like Jesus. (Cf. 1 John 4:17) He imparts to us sound minds to understand what Jesus taught and remind us of everything He said. (Cf. John 14:25-27) His Spirit lives within us, and will be in us forever. (Cf. John 14:15-17)

Oh, let us open our hearts to embrace each of these truths today:

God has commanded me: “Be strong and courageous.”
God has urged me: “Do not be afraid and do not be discouraged.”
God has promised me: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

My friends, 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. I pray we will believe Him and begin to move where He is moving … to work where He is working … with boldness and confidence! Yes, know that God is with you to accomplish His will. Whatever the Lord God has called you to do … just do it! In Jesus’ Name, I pray with boldness and confidence. Amen!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:10-12

Learn To Do Right…

Isaiah 1:16-17 (NIV)

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

The theme of repentance and righteous conduct continues with our Verse of the Day. And it resonates with me this morning as I think about the message of Scripture – God revealing His plan of salvation for the world and His will for us to respond to Him. We see the desire of God to redeem His fallen creatures from the moment sin (disobedience) entered the heart of mankind. It is reflected in His judgment of the serpent (the deceiver):

Genesis 3:14-15 (NKJV)

¹⁴So the Lord God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. ¹⁵And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. He shall crush your head, and you shall strike His heel.”

Moses instructed: “Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees He has given you. Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 6:17-19) And centuries later, King David observed: “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (Cf. Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-3)

David urged:Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. (Cf. Psalm 34:14) Isaiah lamented: “What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? (Cf. Isaiah 5:4) And Jeremiah pondered: “If you ask yourself, ‘Why has this happened to me?’— it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated. Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. (Cf. Jeremiah 13:22-23)

What does God require? What has God always required of human beings since we attained the knowledge of good and evil? (Cf. Genesis 3:22) Perhaps Job articulated it best: “God looked at wisdom and appraised it; He confirmed it and tested it. And He said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” (Cf. Job 28:28) And King Solomon reiterated this same truth: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” (Cf. Proverbs 3:7)

The Old Testament instruction is clear that we are to stop doing wrong … that we are have deep reverence for God … that we are to choose good and to shun evil. But it is clear that mankind has failed to heed the wisdom of God revealed through His servants. I want us to clearly see that the message from God has not changed. As Isaiah disclosed: “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” (Cf. Isaiah 30:15) And so, in these last days, God has spoken to us through His Son … our Lord Jesus. (Cf. Hebrews 1:2) And this is how Jesus began His ministry after His wilderness experience: “From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” (Cf. Matthew 4:17)

His message was the same as His forerunner, John the Baptist, was sent to preach:

Matthew 3:1-8 (NIV)

¹In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ²and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” (Citing Isaiah 40:3) ⁴John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Indeed, the fruit of repentance is what our response to God should be for His mercy, grace, and kindness! “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. (Cf. Titus 2:11-12) It instructs us to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. (Cf. Micah 6:8) It admonishes us to take our evil deeds out of the sight of God; to stop doing wrong; to learn to do right; to seek justice; to defend the oppressed; to take up the cause of the fatherless; and to plead the case of the widow! Yes, we were saved to serve … to love our neighbor as ourself … to love one another as we have been loved by God in Christ Jesus.

In his Gospel, Mark noted that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Cf. Mark 1:4) After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God. “The time has come,” He said, “The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the Good News!” (Cf. Mark 1:14-15) My friends, if we want to receive reconciliation with God through Jesus, then we must begin with repentance! Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Cf. Luke 5:32) Indeed, God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8)

Acts 2:37-39 (NIV)

³⁷When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

This was the message that Paul preached as well:

Acts 26:19-20 (NIV)

“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. ²⁰First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.

Do you see it? Paul said that we are to demonstrate our repentance by our deeds! And that is the application of our Verse of the Day. Our deeds … our good works … do not save us or redeem us; rather, they demonstrate our repentance and faith! As James asserted: “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.” And then he adds, “You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” (Cf. James 2:18, 24) So, let us keep produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And, “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Cf. Galatians 6:9-10) “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (Cf. 1 Peter 2:15)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (Citing Proverbs 11:31) So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” ~ 1 Peter 4:17-19

What Is Required?

Micah 6:8 (NIV)

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

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

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

James 2:14-24 (NLT)

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

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

Luke 6:43-49 (NLT)

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

Here is the message that I see in our Verse of the Day: Put Faith into Action! Make it genuine! We can talk about ministry for others, but doing ministry is what matters. It is our faith-informed response to our salvation! Indeed, in view of God’s mercy, we should offer ourselves as living sacrifices – holy and pleasing to God. (Cf. Romans 12:1) As Paul explained to believers in Ephesus: “We are God’s workmanship. He has created us in Christ Jesus to do the good works which He planned and prepared for us long ago.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Yes, faith is about “doing” the works of God … not for merit or His favor to receive salvation; rather, to demonstrate our “response” to His mercy and redemption. So, I pray that we will truthfully be about the Father’s business in 2023 … preparing ourselves daily in prayer and bible study to be “vessels for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:21) Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says! ~ James 1:21-22