13"Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people." 14 And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 The he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." 17 So the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name."
Exodus 33:13-17
It is December 31, 2008, and we are on the brink of another new year. Jesus is coming back very, very soon. The times are pregnant with signs of His coming. And here we are, on this day, moving our local fellowship out of our building. I am so excited about that! At first, I never thought I would be, or even that I should be, considering the manner in which it transpired. But I can honestly say, what satan meant for evil, God meant for good, as Joseph did so long ago. This has been a time of tremendous growth in the lives of the believers who make up this fellowship. I see it everyday, in the way they rally together and talk about The Move, as I have termed it (I know, so original...). I hear it in how they are looking toward God, and not back over their shoulders at a building of mortar and stone and steel, and how their speech is seasoned with grace toward one another. The Move has been an instrument of growth. As the words of the pastor of the church who is renting our building said to me that first day he told me he was taking our building, "Can't you see the hand of God in this?" I can see it now. I couldn't then, but I can now. Back then, which wasn't that long ago, it was the wicked hand of the enemy wanting to destroy our Bible-teaching fellowship. Now it is the hand of God, moving us onward and upward to the higher calling which we have received from Him, allowing individuals in our body to grow in Him in a way they otherwise man not have.
I see growth in the way they pray for one another, bearing one another's burdens, and coming together to encourage one another and pray. Prayer has become an important part of our services, even before this happened, but I believe now we are seeing the fruits of our prayers and the importance of it. We, as a body, are seeking the face of God for wisdom, guidance, discernment (how he keeps answering that prayer!) and for His leading to where we will next be meeting.
A comment I received a few weeks ago about one of these blogs, said that this was my way of dying, and I guess, in a way, that is correct, but not how the writer put it. They wanted me to die. Period. But God has a way of turning evil around for good. I DO need to die. I need to die to self. We all do. We all need to die to our self. The thing about being a Christian, a true believer, is that somebody has to die. Most people don't want to do that, and I believe that is the plague in the North American church today. "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die." I die to self, seemingly moment by moment, as it wants to crawl off the altar. That is the trouble with living sacrifices. Paul said so, in so many words, when he said, "...I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31).
So, The Move is nearly complete. Another chapter in ministry is about to be opened. It is very exciting. I just read a quote from Ray Comfort which said that he is seeing more people come to Christ, in his personal witnessing, in the last six months, than in the previous 35 years of ministry. That is so encouraging to me, because that is where we are headed as a fellowship: to have a passion for the presence of God, and to have a passion for the lost. Not church politics. Not buildings in which to meet. Not 'what's that church got that we ain't got.' Not making a better deal than you had. Not one-upsmanship. Simply, a passion for His presence and a passion for the lost. I am not saying our fellowship is better than any others. Certainly not. I am not saying we have arrived. Certainly not. But I am saying that our focus is and will continue to be, Jesus Christ, and out of that, a love for seeing people born into a kingdom...His kingdom. Maranatha! Shalom.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
God's Tattoo
" See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;" Isaiah 49:16
God has inscribed our names in the palms of His hands. The origin of the word for "inscribed" here, means to cut into stone or metal. It has the idea of permanence. God has placed our names in the palms of His hands permanently, much like the tattoos which we have today. But it isn't a reminder to God, for He needs no reminding of anything. It much more a sign of caring and ownership. We belong to Him. John 10:28 says, "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." We are there, permanently in the palm of His hands. And no one can snatch us out of His hands, just like no one can take a tattoo off of your arm. No one can reach out and grab you out of God's hand, like a purse-snatcher stealing a lady's handbag or purse. This won't be very long today, but just wanted you to know that God has a tattoo too! What does it look like? Do you have a mirror handy? Shalom.
God has inscribed our names in the palms of His hands. The origin of the word for "inscribed" here, means to cut into stone or metal. It has the idea of permanence. God has placed our names in the palms of His hands permanently, much like the tattoos which we have today. But it isn't a reminder to God, for He needs no reminding of anything. It much more a sign of caring and ownership. We belong to Him. John 10:28 says, "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." We are there, permanently in the palm of His hands. And no one can snatch us out of His hands, just like no one can take a tattoo off of your arm. No one can reach out and grab you out of God's hand, like a purse-snatcher stealing a lady's handbag or purse. This won't be very long today, but just wanted you to know that God has a tattoo too! What does it look like? Do you have a mirror handy? Shalom.
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Lessening of the Sting
"Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! 24 That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever! 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another."
Job 19:23-27
Wow. It occurred to me tonight for the very first time: The incredible pain that was inflicted upon Job. I have taught through Job, and yet, perhaps due to a few thousand years of looking back on it from the ease of my air conditioned office and desk chair, I have taught that Job lost everything, without realising the actual pain the man must have gone through. I cannot believe how I must have missed that fact. I mean, yes he lost all of his cattle. But what is a few cattle, right? Especially in this day and age. Less cow pies to step in for us city slickers. Yes, he lost all of his sheep. But again, they're sheep, for crying out loud, and they stink. Yes, he lost all of his camels. But what are a few head of camel in this day of automobiles and flying machines? Besides, aren't they stubborn animals and don't they spit?
He lost all of his possessions. It is the equivalent of us today, losing all of our life savings, the kids college funds, that summer home in the Smokies, our second and third cars, and our six figure job, all on the same day. Or, all of our horse farms and horses, all of the potential income. All of the insurance money. All of the bank accounts and safety deposit boxes. All our employees. Gone. Just like that.
I was asked today, as the rug was being pulled out from under me in a particular situation, "Don't you see the hand of God in this?" As I was struggling to get my head wrapped around what was happening to me, I'm not sure why my mind kept reaching out to Job through the pages of my Bible. Maybe it was the words, "I don't really know why you see yourself as a victim here" coming out of his mouth. Or the condescending tone in his voice. I sure hope he doesn't see Job as a "victim." I sure don't. I see now how much it must have hurt Job to hear that everything he was working for, and hoping for, was suddenly snatched away from him, and then, the pain and agony of learning all your children are dead. Ten of them. Not one left to carry on his traditions and inheritance. No parent should have to go through that kind of agony burying their child. Oh the enormity of the emotional pain and grief.
As I was pondering this situation, it occurred to me, that I had been as Pharisaical as my "friend" was to me as he was pulling that proverbial rug. I have plans and vision for ministry now, that the Lord has renewed within me, that I didn't have even a few months ago. The Holy Spirit is really present on Sunday morning, the website is finally looking like I envisioned it could (http://www.calvarychapelocala.com/), and small groups are coming the first of the year. "Wow, God, things are really start to happen finally." And then there goes the rug. So, as we look back on Job, and think to ourselves smugly, "Poor Job," as I have been guilty of doing, and I'm sure some of you have too, I thought to myself, "Don't you see the hand of God in this?" In the general sense, that all things pass through the hands of God, just as they did with Job, then yes, I can see the hand of God in this. But frankly, I am too much blinded by the pain right now, thank you very much. Job was too for a couple of chapters in his book.
I was going to title this writing, "Hand of God or Fist of Satan." Yes, God allowed those things to happen to Job, just as He allows things to happen to you and me. But Satan was the one who did those things to Job, not God. So maybe this is also a test, from the hand of Satan, not the hand of God. But my "friend" was having too much fun being condescending for me to say that to him. Admittedly, I probably reacted poorly, as he was telling me that he understood my reaction. (What?) And then the question, finally, through the hit-in-the-gut-with-a-baseball-bat feeling, materialized in my mind: Does knowing that the hand of God is in this, lessen the sting of the pain at all? And in my mind, and I am certain in Job's mind, the answer was and is, no it does not. Knowing that God is allowing something to happen to us does NOT lessen the sting of pain and grief. But let me tell you something about this, and I hope, first of all, that I can articulate it clearly, and second, that you can follow my articulation. What DOES lessen the sting of pain and grief, is not the knowledge that God is allowing it. Those words should never be used as comfort. What lessens the sting, is what Job said in our verses above: my painful circumstances, whatever they may be, does not alter the fact that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand upon this earth someday very soon, and that even if my body is destroyed...destroyed....did you get that...it means dead....that even if I am dead, He will resurrect me so that in my flesh, I shall see God. I will look upon Him with my glorified body. John, in the New Testament, puts it like this: "Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). Job says you can write that on a rock!!! It will withstand the test of time, and the test of painful circumstances. Does knowing that God allows this, lessen the sting? No. But knowing that one day we are going to see Jesus, does lessen it, and, looking back, we will say, along with my college roommate, "It ain't nothin' but a can o' corn." Shalom.
Job 19:23-27
Wow. It occurred to me tonight for the very first time: The incredible pain that was inflicted upon Job. I have taught through Job, and yet, perhaps due to a few thousand years of looking back on it from the ease of my air conditioned office and desk chair, I have taught that Job lost everything, without realising the actual pain the man must have gone through. I cannot believe how I must have missed that fact. I mean, yes he lost all of his cattle. But what is a few cattle, right? Especially in this day and age. Less cow pies to step in for us city slickers. Yes, he lost all of his sheep. But again, they're sheep, for crying out loud, and they stink. Yes, he lost all of his camels. But what are a few head of camel in this day of automobiles and flying machines? Besides, aren't they stubborn animals and don't they spit?
He lost all of his possessions. It is the equivalent of us today, losing all of our life savings, the kids college funds, that summer home in the Smokies, our second and third cars, and our six figure job, all on the same day. Or, all of our horse farms and horses, all of the potential income. All of the insurance money. All of the bank accounts and safety deposit boxes. All our employees. Gone. Just like that.
I was asked today, as the rug was being pulled out from under me in a particular situation, "Don't you see the hand of God in this?" As I was struggling to get my head wrapped around what was happening to me, I'm not sure why my mind kept reaching out to Job through the pages of my Bible. Maybe it was the words, "I don't really know why you see yourself as a victim here" coming out of his mouth. Or the condescending tone in his voice. I sure hope he doesn't see Job as a "victim." I sure don't. I see now how much it must have hurt Job to hear that everything he was working for, and hoping for, was suddenly snatched away from him, and then, the pain and agony of learning all your children are dead. Ten of them. Not one left to carry on his traditions and inheritance. No parent should have to go through that kind of agony burying their child. Oh the enormity of the emotional pain and grief.
As I was pondering this situation, it occurred to me, that I had been as Pharisaical as my "friend" was to me as he was pulling that proverbial rug. I have plans and vision for ministry now, that the Lord has renewed within me, that I didn't have even a few months ago. The Holy Spirit is really present on Sunday morning, the website is finally looking like I envisioned it could (http://www.calvarychapelocala.com/), and small groups are coming the first of the year. "Wow, God, things are really start to happen finally." And then there goes the rug. So, as we look back on Job, and think to ourselves smugly, "Poor Job," as I have been guilty of doing, and I'm sure some of you have too, I thought to myself, "Don't you see the hand of God in this?" In the general sense, that all things pass through the hands of God, just as they did with Job, then yes, I can see the hand of God in this. But frankly, I am too much blinded by the pain right now, thank you very much. Job was too for a couple of chapters in his book.
I was going to title this writing, "Hand of God or Fist of Satan." Yes, God allowed those things to happen to Job, just as He allows things to happen to you and me. But Satan was the one who did those things to Job, not God. So maybe this is also a test, from the hand of Satan, not the hand of God. But my "friend" was having too much fun being condescending for me to say that to him. Admittedly, I probably reacted poorly, as he was telling me that he understood my reaction. (What?) And then the question, finally, through the hit-in-the-gut-with-a-baseball-bat feeling, materialized in my mind: Does knowing that the hand of God is in this, lessen the sting of the pain at all? And in my mind, and I am certain in Job's mind, the answer was and is, no it does not. Knowing that God is allowing something to happen to us does NOT lessen the sting of pain and grief. But let me tell you something about this, and I hope, first of all, that I can articulate it clearly, and second, that you can follow my articulation. What DOES lessen the sting of pain and grief, is not the knowledge that God is allowing it. Those words should never be used as comfort. What lessens the sting, is what Job said in our verses above: my painful circumstances, whatever they may be, does not alter the fact that my Redeemer lives, and that He will stand upon this earth someday very soon, and that even if my body is destroyed...destroyed....did you get that...it means dead....that even if I am dead, He will resurrect me so that in my flesh, I shall see God. I will look upon Him with my glorified body. John, in the New Testament, puts it like this: "Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). Job says you can write that on a rock!!! It will withstand the test of time, and the test of painful circumstances. Does knowing that God allows this, lessen the sting? No. But knowing that one day we are going to see Jesus, does lessen it, and, looking back, we will say, along with my college roommate, "It ain't nothin' but a can o' corn." Shalom.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Is Judgment Coming?
"9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." 1 Samuel 8:9 NIV
"18When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day. 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." 1 Samuel 8:18-22 NIV
The Lord told the people that He would be their leader, their guide, their counselor, their government. But the people cried out, that they wanted to be like the other nations around them, and have a king reign over them, to be their leader, their guide, their counselor, their government. So they rejected God, and God gave them a king. He gave them what they wanted.
America...er...the United States of America now has what it has been clamoring for the last two years of presidential campaigns. He has given us a liberal "king" to rule over us. Now we can be like the rest of the world. An interesting thought for a nation founded on godly and biblical principles. Just like the children of Israel we are. We don't want to be set apart. We want to be just like the rest of the world, the rest of the nations around us. We don't want to be different.
This next president will probably be in the position of appointing a few Supreme Court justices. They will most likely be very liberal justices, because of the beliefs of the new president, who seems to be in favor of partial-birth abortions, homosexual marriage, high taxes, and big government. God has given us what we wanted.
But our job as a true believer, a blood-bought, born again Christian, is not to complain and bellyache, as we will hear some people doing in the coming years, as the "king" God has given us does what he promised he would do. Our job is to "speak evil of no one," and "pray for those God has placed in authority over us." We as Christians need to be on our knees before God, interceding for our nation, interceding for our government, interceding for the counsel to our "king," and interceding for the soul of our "king."
Hard times are coming for America. God willing, He will rapture us out of here before it gets too bad, but I cannot say that He will. It doesn't matter if He doesn't, because our focus is not to be on this life, but on our life in the next. Perhaps He will use these times to cause His people to get on our knees and again turn our hearts toward Him. He has told us that "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). Beloved, our land is in need of healing, because this past election has really divided our country on several levels. But know this: God is not surprised or stunned by the outcome. He allowed it to happen. He has given us our "king" to rule over us. Perhaps He has done this to allow us to turn back to Him from whence we have fallen. It is time for God's people to stop "playing church" and get real with God. There is a shaking going on, a judgment. And that shaking, that judgment begins with the house of God (see 1 Peter 4:17). Beloved, let us get serious about prayer and fasting, let us get serious about intercession. Let us get serious about our walk with our God. Let us humble ourselves and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. He promises us that then He will hear from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land. Let it be so. Amen.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
"18When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day. 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." 1 Samuel 8:18-22 NIV
The Lord told the people that He would be their leader, their guide, their counselor, their government. But the people cried out, that they wanted to be like the other nations around them, and have a king reign over them, to be their leader, their guide, their counselor, their government. So they rejected God, and God gave them a king. He gave them what they wanted.
America...er...the United States of America now has what it has been clamoring for the last two years of presidential campaigns. He has given us a liberal "king" to rule over us. Now we can be like the rest of the world. An interesting thought for a nation founded on godly and biblical principles. Just like the children of Israel we are. We don't want to be set apart. We want to be just like the rest of the world, the rest of the nations around us. We don't want to be different.
This next president will probably be in the position of appointing a few Supreme Court justices. They will most likely be very liberal justices, because of the beliefs of the new president, who seems to be in favor of partial-birth abortions, homosexual marriage, high taxes, and big government. God has given us what we wanted.
But our job as a true believer, a blood-bought, born again Christian, is not to complain and bellyache, as we will hear some people doing in the coming years, as the "king" God has given us does what he promised he would do. Our job is to "speak evil of no one," and "pray for those God has placed in authority over us." We as Christians need to be on our knees before God, interceding for our nation, interceding for our government, interceding for the counsel to our "king," and interceding for the soul of our "king."
Hard times are coming for America. God willing, He will rapture us out of here before it gets too bad, but I cannot say that He will. It doesn't matter if He doesn't, because our focus is not to be on this life, but on our life in the next. Perhaps He will use these times to cause His people to get on our knees and again turn our hearts toward Him. He has told us that "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). Beloved, our land is in need of healing, because this past election has really divided our country on several levels. But know this: God is not surprised or stunned by the outcome. He allowed it to happen. He has given us our "king" to rule over us. Perhaps He has done this to allow us to turn back to Him from whence we have fallen. It is time for God's people to stop "playing church" and get real with God. There is a shaking going on, a judgment. And that shaking, that judgment begins with the house of God (see 1 Peter 4:17). Beloved, let us get serious about prayer and fasting, let us get serious about intercession. Let us get serious about our walk with our God. Let us humble ourselves and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. He promises us that then He will hear from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land. Let it be so. Amen.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Random Thoughts About Two Races
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Hebrews 12:1-2
The campaigns are over, and the race to the White House is finished. The outcome has been settled. But as believers, the race in which we find ourselves is not over. Yes, the race to see who is president, vice-president, and many other political offices around the country have been decided on November 4th, 2008. But the race that counts most, is still going on, and we as believers, the blood-bought, born again followers of Jesus Christ, are still right in the midst of it. It is not for us to focus on nations, governments, wall street, or the interest rates and the housing market. Beloved, our focus is on Jesus Christ the Son of God. He is our strength. He is our portion. He is our daily bread. As David tells us in Psalm 18, He is our Rock, our stronghold. He is the horn of our salvation. He is our deliverer. He is our fortress. He is our shield.
Now is not the time for Christians to live in fear and trembling, but to get on our knees and cry out to God for our nation. Now is the time for true Christians to humble ourselves before God and pray for strength of endurance so that we may be able to finish the race, and that we may run to win the race that is set before us. We have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Let us focus on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Now that one race is over, it doesn't mean that we do nothing. The Word of God tells us that we are to pray for those who are in leadership over us, because God has set up the governments over us. We are to pray for those who lead us so that we can live in peace. So let us remember where our focus lies, and not let our surroundings and our circumstances get us "out of focus." Satan, our enemy, would like nothing better, than for us to get our eyes off of Jesus, and onto the storm - the wind and the waves or our circumstances - around us.
I have surprised myself at how optimistic I am, in spite of my own political views and the disappointments I have suffered this week. God is still on the throne. God is in control. That gives me so much peace that I can't begin to tell you. The return of Jesus is so near that I can feel it, can't you? He is just waiting on the word from the Father, and we will be out of here, on our way to meet Him in the air. As our world seemingly is spinning and spiraling down and down, further into the abyss, look up my child, look up! Jesus is returning very, very soon! Yes, one of the two races is over, but the other one is ongoing until that day when Jesus comes, so let us not grow weary in doing good. Let us be found faithful when He returns. Let us be about the business of the kingdom. Beloved, now is not the time to draw back. Now is the time to press on with a fervor and excitement that we serve a risen King, and He is returning soon. Many things have transpired in our nation over the last several years, and our world seems to be out of control. But it is no surprise to God. He knows what He is doing, and as I said, He is the One who is really in control.
It is coming down to this: you are either in or you are out, you believe or not believe, you follow Christ or you don't. The line in the sand is becoming more defined as the days, weeks, and years go by. We live in a time of untold and unparalleled prophecy. We live in an exciting time for ministry, when our Bible is coming true right before our eyes. Pray for Israel and their leaders, I am sure they are feeling abandoned in the Middle East. And keep your eyes on the eastern sky, because beloved, "when you see these things, lift up your head, your redemption draws near." Shalom.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Caught Up In The Race
"Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men."
Titus 3:1-2
It has been some time since I have written in this "Daily Devotional," so I thought it was about time to write again. God has been showing me some things that I think are worth sharing, especially during these troubled times. I have had the privilege to be in a Bible study with some guys that I admire and respect greatly, when it comes to their Bible teaching, and the Lord has used them to speak to me, through His Word.
Paul is writing here to Titus, a young pastor as was Timothy, and is the focus of this personal letter which bears his name. Here, Paul is telling Titus to remind the people to whom he is the pastor, of several things. The first thing we are to be reminded of is to be subject to rulers and authorities. These are not spiritual rulers and authorities Paul is talking about, but rather the rulers and the authorities that are over us civilly, the government which is over us. We have a duty as Christians, to be the best citizens of the land. Next, Paul reminds us that we are to obey, and to be ready for every good work. This means that we are to obey the laws of the land, and if there is opportunity to serve, we should be ready to do that.
The next phrase, however, is the focus of my writing today. We as believers in Jesus Christ, are to speak evil of no one. Period. It doesn't say, "speak evil of no one unless they line up with your political party affiliation." No. It says simply, "speak evil of no one." This really convicted me when I read it again, and surprised me that I missed it the first twenty times I had read it. It does not matter where you line up in this political race for the president. We are to speak evil of no one, even if the rest of the world is telling lies and spreading falsehoods about your favorite candidate. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the rhetoric and react to the dialogue and the news stories and the media bias. But again, we are to speak evil of no one. I was tempted to even this morning, when I turned on my computer to find a news story that was reporting on "Joe the Plumber" referred to in the last debate between presidential candidates. I thought to myself, "good grief, you people have waaaaaaaaaaaay too much time on your hands." But the Lord caught me, and reminded me that as a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ, I am to speak evil of no one, so after my thinking that some news reporters are overpaid, I let it go, because if I began to dwell on it, I again would find myself caught up in the race.
So beloved, remember that when Jesus walked this earth, He wasn't worried about who was Caesar of the Roman Empire. He was concerned about ministering to people. And that is what I believe He wants for you and me. Should I do my duty as a citizen of this country and go vote? You bet I should! But I am not going to be as concerned for who wins and get all caught up in it, like I could, because of two things: 1. God is in control of everything, and this is His timetable He is working out, and 2. The more important thing is ministering to my neighbor who might not have a clue about what is going on these days. We are living in perilous times, Paul says, times that are spiraling down into the abyss and there is no way out. We ARE living in the last days. Jesus is coming very soon, and we need to be witnessing and ministering to our neighbor, to make sure they know it, instead of being caught up in the race to the White House. Shalom.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Titus 3:1-2
It has been some time since I have written in this "Daily Devotional," so I thought it was about time to write again. God has been showing me some things that I think are worth sharing, especially during these troubled times. I have had the privilege to be in a Bible study with some guys that I admire and respect greatly, when it comes to their Bible teaching, and the Lord has used them to speak to me, through His Word.
Paul is writing here to Titus, a young pastor as was Timothy, and is the focus of this personal letter which bears his name. Here, Paul is telling Titus to remind the people to whom he is the pastor, of several things. The first thing we are to be reminded of is to be subject to rulers and authorities. These are not spiritual rulers and authorities Paul is talking about, but rather the rulers and the authorities that are over us civilly, the government which is over us. We have a duty as Christians, to be the best citizens of the land. Next, Paul reminds us that we are to obey, and to be ready for every good work. This means that we are to obey the laws of the land, and if there is opportunity to serve, we should be ready to do that.
The next phrase, however, is the focus of my writing today. We as believers in Jesus Christ, are to speak evil of no one. Period. It doesn't say, "speak evil of no one unless they line up with your political party affiliation." No. It says simply, "speak evil of no one." This really convicted me when I read it again, and surprised me that I missed it the first twenty times I had read it. It does not matter where you line up in this political race for the president. We are to speak evil of no one, even if the rest of the world is telling lies and spreading falsehoods about your favorite candidate. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the rhetoric and react to the dialogue and the news stories and the media bias. But again, we are to speak evil of no one. I was tempted to even this morning, when I turned on my computer to find a news story that was reporting on "Joe the Plumber" referred to in the last debate between presidential candidates. I thought to myself, "good grief, you people have waaaaaaaaaaaay too much time on your hands." But the Lord caught me, and reminded me that as a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ, I am to speak evil of no one, so after my thinking that some news reporters are overpaid, I let it go, because if I began to dwell on it, I again would find myself caught up in the race.
So beloved, remember that when Jesus walked this earth, He wasn't worried about who was Caesar of the Roman Empire. He was concerned about ministering to people. And that is what I believe He wants for you and me. Should I do my duty as a citizen of this country and go vote? You bet I should! But I am not going to be as concerned for who wins and get all caught up in it, like I could, because of two things: 1. God is in control of everything, and this is His timetable He is working out, and 2. The more important thing is ministering to my neighbor who might not have a clue about what is going on these days. We are living in perilous times, Paul says, times that are spiraling down into the abyss and there is no way out. We ARE living in the last days. Jesus is coming very soon, and we need to be witnessing and ministering to our neighbor, to make sure they know it, instead of being caught up in the race to the White House. Shalom.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Increasing and Decreasing (Killing My Old Man - Again)
"After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, 'Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified -- behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!' 27 John answered and said, 'A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, "I am not the Christ," but "I have been sent before Him." 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. he who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all tings into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
John 3:22-36
This is a long passage, but most of it is John the Baptist replying to his disciples who come to him and tell him that Jesus is "over yonder" baptizing too. Now, this isn't such a news flash to John as his disciples thought that it would. He isn't alarmed at all. Yet he explains to them, that Jesus' testimony is true. He is the Messiah, the Christ. So John tells his disciples, that Jesus must increase in pre-eminence, and that he, John, must decrease in importance. Beloved, that is the way we must live. Jesus must become more and more in our lives, and we must become less and less. Do we become a dish rag, or a door mat? No. We begin to put less of our desires first, and more of Jesus' desires first. We must die to ourselves. The problem is, we don't want to die. We want to hang on to what is ours. We want to be the mr. or ms. me gimme mine of our universe, which centers around us. But for us to walk the Christian walk in such a way that others will be won, and others will know we are Christians other than in name only, somebody has to die. And that somebody is us. ME! YOU! I have to die to myself. You have to die to yourself. You see, I think where we get off on the wrong foot, is we intellectually understand that Jesus' kingdom is not like this world in which we live. But when we actually try to live it out, well..... Let me put it like this: We don't mind being called a slave or a servant, until someone actually starts treating us like one. Ohhhh then they better watch out. I could get my Christian dander in an uproar! And while that is taking place, Satan sneaks in and hits right between the rose colored glasses, and knocks us out. Takes us down. Removes us from the game. It is all about dying. Becoming less of us, and more of Him. It is like two gunslingers standing on the opposite ends of the main street made of dirt in this western town. They are eyeballing each other. And as soon as they start walking toward each other, you know that with the ringing of those spurs, someone is going to die today. Beloved, let that someone be you. Let that someone be me. We will never walk the Christian walk like Jesus wants us to, if we never die. Forgiveness? Somebody has to die. Mercy? Somebody has to die. Beloved, let this sink into our hearts: He must increase, and I must decrease. Shalom.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
John 3:22-36
This is a long passage, but most of it is John the Baptist replying to his disciples who come to him and tell him that Jesus is "over yonder" baptizing too. Now, this isn't such a news flash to John as his disciples thought that it would. He isn't alarmed at all. Yet he explains to them, that Jesus' testimony is true. He is the Messiah, the Christ. So John tells his disciples, that Jesus must increase in pre-eminence, and that he, John, must decrease in importance. Beloved, that is the way we must live. Jesus must become more and more in our lives, and we must become less and less. Do we become a dish rag, or a door mat? No. We begin to put less of our desires first, and more of Jesus' desires first. We must die to ourselves. The problem is, we don't want to die. We want to hang on to what is ours. We want to be the mr. or ms. me gimme mine of our universe, which centers around us. But for us to walk the Christian walk in such a way that others will be won, and others will know we are Christians other than in name only, somebody has to die. And that somebody is us. ME! YOU! I have to die to myself. You have to die to yourself. You see, I think where we get off on the wrong foot, is we intellectually understand that Jesus' kingdom is not like this world in which we live. But when we actually try to live it out, well..... Let me put it like this: We don't mind being called a slave or a servant, until someone actually starts treating us like one. Ohhhh then they better watch out. I could get my Christian dander in an uproar! And while that is taking place, Satan sneaks in and hits right between the rose colored glasses, and knocks us out. Takes us down. Removes us from the game. It is all about dying. Becoming less of us, and more of Him. It is like two gunslingers standing on the opposite ends of the main street made of dirt in this western town. They are eyeballing each other. And as soon as they start walking toward each other, you know that with the ringing of those spurs, someone is going to die today. Beloved, let that someone be you. Let that someone be me. We will never walk the Christian walk like Jesus wants us to, if we never die. Forgiveness? Somebody has to die. Mercy? Somebody has to die. Beloved, let this sink into our hearts: He must increase, and I must decrease. Shalom.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
It All Started With My Birthday
It all started with my birthday. My actual birth day. The day I was born. Ever think about that day? For some of us, it is so long ago. For others of us, it was just around the corner, almost like yesterday. I might not be like some of you out there who just say that "Oh, it's just another day." I like to celebrate my life. The day I was born. Now, I know some of you reading this might say, "This guy is off his rocker." And even though you might be right to some degree, just hang in there with me and let me finish. The day that each and every one of us was born is a special day. At the very least it should be special to you, if no one else. I mean, think about it. If you didn't have a birthday, you wouldn't be here. I know that sounds simplistic, but too often we don't stop and think about that. What if we had never been born? George Bailey found out in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." We just don't have a clear idea how many people we touch with our lives on a daily basis. I have had some dark times in my life, where I really wasn't sure my life mattered, to me or to others. But then I think of the influence that each of us has on at least one person, but usually more, in our lives, it makes things at worst case tolerable and best case an adventure.
Yes I am aware that the format for this blog changed a bit today, but I had MY birthday yesterday. So, even though those around me weren't that thrilled about acknowledging the fact that I was born, I had my own little party within my heart all day. I just smiled all day, and was very grateful to God that I had been born, and that I have lived my life for...a number of years. Made mistakes? You bet. Want to go back and change somethings? Absolutely. Can I possibly do that? Not a chance. I try to stress to my children as they get older the importance and the impact of the decisions they are making now, and how they are far reaching, to say the least. What about all those words we have said out of anger? Out of hurt? What about those moronic decisions we made to use that person in our past? I was reading a fantasy novel, and the scene was these large black bats taking bites out of the body of the main character. I thought to myself, "Regardless of how fantastic fiction can be, it 'ain't nothin' compared to the real thing, baby." I have had people backbite and back stab for as long as I have been a pastor, and actually, I think I would rather have the physical one because it will heal more quickly. I got a birthday card from someone who doesn't know me that well but thinks they do, and it said some cursory things about not wanting me to get caught up in materialism so all they got me was the card. Wow. Here I am celebrating my life and they are telling me how cheap they are and how little they think about me. Real life really IS stranger than fiction...at least AS strange.
So here I am, the day after my birthday. Yes, it all passed just like any other day. But at least for one day, one moment, it made me stop and reflect on some things, and on the graciousness of God. And the fact that there is at least one person in the universe who loves and cares for me. And that is a good thing.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Yes I am aware that the format for this blog changed a bit today, but I had MY birthday yesterday. So, even though those around me weren't that thrilled about acknowledging the fact that I was born, I had my own little party within my heart all day. I just smiled all day, and was very grateful to God that I had been born, and that I have lived my life for...a number of years. Made mistakes? You bet. Want to go back and change somethings? Absolutely. Can I possibly do that? Not a chance. I try to stress to my children as they get older the importance and the impact of the decisions they are making now, and how they are far reaching, to say the least. What about all those words we have said out of anger? Out of hurt? What about those moronic decisions we made to use that person in our past? I was reading a fantasy novel, and the scene was these large black bats taking bites out of the body of the main character. I thought to myself, "Regardless of how fantastic fiction can be, it 'ain't nothin' compared to the real thing, baby." I have had people backbite and back stab for as long as I have been a pastor, and actually, I think I would rather have the physical one because it will heal more quickly. I got a birthday card from someone who doesn't know me that well but thinks they do, and it said some cursory things about not wanting me to get caught up in materialism so all they got me was the card. Wow. Here I am celebrating my life and they are telling me how cheap they are and how little they think about me. Real life really IS stranger than fiction...at least AS strange.
So here I am, the day after my birthday. Yes, it all passed just like any other day. But at least for one day, one moment, it made me stop and reflect on some things, and on the graciousness of God. And the fact that there is at least one person in the universe who loves and cares for me. And that is a good thing.
Rod Ewing is the Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ocala.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Nick At Night Part II
"Nicodemus answered and said to Him, 'How can these things be?' 10 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen; and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.'"
John 3:9-17
After telling Nicodemus that he must be born again, Nicodemus asks Jesus how a man can be born a second time, and asks Him how a man can enter his mother's womb a second time and be born. Jesus tells Nicodemus that this "second birth" is not of flesh but of the Spirit. It is our spirit that is reborn. The term "born again" is precisely this: a person is born once, physically when they are born out of their mother's womb. We are "born again" when our spirit is reborn through the Holy Spirit, by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. Nicodemus was still thinking in terms of the physical, and did not seem to comprehend it (but eventually he does...gives ME hope...), as you can tell by the questions he asks. But I still commend him for asking the questions. Jesus replies to Nicodemus, and I will put this in my vernacular, "Man, you are a teacher of religion at the University of Israel, and you don't understand these things?" And then in today's passage, when Nick asks Jesus "How can these things be?" in other words, "How is this possible?" Jesus says, "Man I am standing right in front of you and telling you the truth...but if I tell you things about the physical world and you don't believe, how are you going to believe if I tell you things of heaven, spiritual things?" And Jesus tells Nicodemus of His crucifixion, His death, and His resurrection. That is what that reference to Moses lifting up the serpent is.
In the book of Numbers, in chapter 21, we find the story of the people of Israel on their way to the Promised Land. They are being led by Moses. And they are going around the land of Edom, since the king would not let them pass through. But on that long journey, they begin to murmur and complain against God, and against Moses. This could be interpreted, that they began to complain about Moses, and in so doing, were complaining against God. "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt? To let us die? There is no food nor bread, and we can't stand this worthless bread." They were speaking of the manna that the Lord miraculously supplied to them from heaven every day. So God caused serpents to come among them and bite them and they would die. But God told Moses to make a serpent and put it on a pole, and whoever looks upon it will live. It is a picture of the crucifixion of Christ. Nicodemus understood the picture. He was a religious teacher of the land.
Beloved, as we go through this day, let us look upon the One who was raised up so that we may look upon Him and live! Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for your sins and for my sins; for the sins of the world. Don't let the minor things that bite and snap at our heals discourage us and get us down. Jesus says that whoever...doesn't matter who you are or what you have done, or where you have been, if you look upon Him, and believes in Him, you will not perish eternally, but will have eternal life. Because God didn't send Jesus here to condemn the world. But that the world through Him would be saved. Jesus came to save us. We cannot save ourselves. Oprah cannot save us. Only Jesus can save us. Jesus is the way to heaven. Nicodemus came to Jesus to find out for himself how he could inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus told him to believe in Him, to believe in the work that He would be doing on the cross: healing those bitten by sin and this world. Shalom.
John 3:9-17
After telling Nicodemus that he must be born again, Nicodemus asks Jesus how a man can be born a second time, and asks Him how a man can enter his mother's womb a second time and be born. Jesus tells Nicodemus that this "second birth" is not of flesh but of the Spirit. It is our spirit that is reborn. The term "born again" is precisely this: a person is born once, physically when they are born out of their mother's womb. We are "born again" when our spirit is reborn through the Holy Spirit, by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. Nicodemus was still thinking in terms of the physical, and did not seem to comprehend it (but eventually he does...gives ME hope...), as you can tell by the questions he asks. But I still commend him for asking the questions. Jesus replies to Nicodemus, and I will put this in my vernacular, "Man, you are a teacher of religion at the University of Israel, and you don't understand these things?" And then in today's passage, when Nick asks Jesus "How can these things be?" in other words, "How is this possible?" Jesus says, "Man I am standing right in front of you and telling you the truth...but if I tell you things about the physical world and you don't believe, how are you going to believe if I tell you things of heaven, spiritual things?" And Jesus tells Nicodemus of His crucifixion, His death, and His resurrection. That is what that reference to Moses lifting up the serpent is.
In the book of Numbers, in chapter 21, we find the story of the people of Israel on their way to the Promised Land. They are being led by Moses. And they are going around the land of Edom, since the king would not let them pass through. But on that long journey, they begin to murmur and complain against God, and against Moses. This could be interpreted, that they began to complain about Moses, and in so doing, were complaining against God. "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt? To let us die? There is no food nor bread, and we can't stand this worthless bread." They were speaking of the manna that the Lord miraculously supplied to them from heaven every day. So God caused serpents to come among them and bite them and they would die. But God told Moses to make a serpent and put it on a pole, and whoever looks upon it will live. It is a picture of the crucifixion of Christ. Nicodemus understood the picture. He was a religious teacher of the land.
Beloved, as we go through this day, let us look upon the One who was raised up so that we may look upon Him and live! Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for your sins and for my sins; for the sins of the world. Don't let the minor things that bite and snap at our heals discourage us and get us down. Jesus says that whoever...doesn't matter who you are or what you have done, or where you have been, if you look upon Him, and believes in Him, you will not perish eternally, but will have eternal life. Because God didn't send Jesus here to condemn the world. But that the world through Him would be saved. Jesus came to save us. We cannot save ourselves. Oprah cannot save us. Only Jesus can save us. Jesus is the way to heaven. Nicodemus came to Jesus to find out for himself how he could inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus told him to believe in Him, to believe in the work that He would be doing on the cross: healing those bitten by sin and this world. Shalom.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Nick At Night
"There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.' 3 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' 4 Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' 5 Jesus answer, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I say to you, "You must be born again." 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.'"
John 3:1-8
A leader, a ruler, a religious leader of the Jews, a Pharisee, comes to see Jesus at night, to inquire of Jesus, about what His purpose is, and to find out for himself what he must do personally to inherit the kingdom of God. I believe that Nicodemus should be commended for his willing to come to Jesus himself to find out the truth. What seems to bother most, is that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, because he didn't want to be found out. Although it is not the major issue here, in my humble opinion, but nevertheless it remains an issue. It seems to me, that people for all time, as far back as Nicodemus until where we are today, have wanted a gospel, a way to heaven, that doesn't cost them anything; a gospel that doesn't require people to leave the comfort of the world they know, to follow Jesus Christ. Please don't get me wrong. I am not advocating that we all grab a bullhorn and head for the nearest busy intersection and start condemning all the drivers and passengers in the cars that pass. I heard a quote from Alistair Begg, which says, "Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus does all the dying? Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus is the only one who bears a cross? Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus is the only one who wears a crown? Certainly not from the New Testament." And that is so true. We here in North American Christianity try to live a sacrificial life for Jesus, but we have forgotten one thing: the sacrifice. The apostle Paul tells us that we are the sacrifice (Romans 12:1). As I read books about the latest "wind" that is blowing through the church, the Emergent Church, or the emerging church (which for this discussion we will consider synonymous, although we acknowledge that there are some differences), I am further convinced that we live in the age of 2 Timothy 4:3-4, where people cannot endure sound doctrine, but gather to teachers who preach what their itching ears want to hear. I have encountered this many times in the short time I have been a pastor. People not wanting to be open to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, but rather wanting not to do the difficult thing. I believe there is a term for it. It is called "avoidance." Choose to do the easy thing, even if it isn't right, rather than do the right thing, which might be difficult and require something from me. As I hear reports about and from believers around the globe, in other nations and lands, I am not sure if it is a characteristic of human beings, or just North American Christians. There is only one way to heaven. And it is by and through the blood of Jesus Christ.
What I believe to be commendable in this episode we are studying, is that Nicodemus came to investigate the claims for himself. He didn't rely on someone else to tell him about it. He investigated it himself. And he went right to the source (is it sacrilege to say "horse's mouth?" Forgive me, Lord, for even thinking that). And that is what we must do. We must pick up that Bible from the bookshelf or wherever the last place we can remember seeing it, dust it off - and here comes the hard part - open it and begin reading it. We need to get to know who Jesus really is and learn more about Him, and His Word. I believe that there is a severe shortage in the church today, of knowledge of the Word. I don't know if this is still the way that bank tellers are trained to spot counterfeit dollar bills anymore, but they used to study and study and study the real thing. They were so familiar with the real thing, that when something other than the real thing came by, it stood out to them. That is the way we need to be with the Word. We need to be so familiar with the Word, that when the false teaching comes along, or someone tries to make a theology by taking a verse out of context, we will know it. Beloved, Nicodemus searched out the truth for himself. Let us do the same thing. Amen? Amen.
John 3:1-8
A leader, a ruler, a religious leader of the Jews, a Pharisee, comes to see Jesus at night, to inquire of Jesus, about what His purpose is, and to find out for himself what he must do personally to inherit the kingdom of God. I believe that Nicodemus should be commended for his willing to come to Jesus himself to find out the truth. What seems to bother most, is that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, because he didn't want to be found out. Although it is not the major issue here, in my humble opinion, but nevertheless it remains an issue. It seems to me, that people for all time, as far back as Nicodemus until where we are today, have wanted a gospel, a way to heaven, that doesn't cost them anything; a gospel that doesn't require people to leave the comfort of the world they know, to follow Jesus Christ. Please don't get me wrong. I am not advocating that we all grab a bullhorn and head for the nearest busy intersection and start condemning all the drivers and passengers in the cars that pass. I heard a quote from Alistair Begg, which says, "Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus does all the dying? Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus is the only one who bears a cross? Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus is the only one who wears a crown? Certainly not from the New Testament." And that is so true. We here in North American Christianity try to live a sacrificial life for Jesus, but we have forgotten one thing: the sacrifice. The apostle Paul tells us that we are the sacrifice (Romans 12:1). As I read books about the latest "wind" that is blowing through the church, the Emergent Church, or the emerging church (which for this discussion we will consider synonymous, although we acknowledge that there are some differences), I am further convinced that we live in the age of 2 Timothy 4:3-4, where people cannot endure sound doctrine, but gather to teachers who preach what their itching ears want to hear. I have encountered this many times in the short time I have been a pastor. People not wanting to be open to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, but rather wanting not to do the difficult thing. I believe there is a term for it. It is called "avoidance." Choose to do the easy thing, even if it isn't right, rather than do the right thing, which might be difficult and require something from me. As I hear reports about and from believers around the globe, in other nations and lands, I am not sure if it is a characteristic of human beings, or just North American Christians. There is only one way to heaven. And it is by and through the blood of Jesus Christ.
What I believe to be commendable in this episode we are studying, is that Nicodemus came to investigate the claims for himself. He didn't rely on someone else to tell him about it. He investigated it himself. And he went right to the source (is it sacrilege to say "horse's mouth?" Forgive me, Lord, for even thinking that). And that is what we must do. We must pick up that Bible from the bookshelf or wherever the last place we can remember seeing it, dust it off - and here comes the hard part - open it and begin reading it. We need to get to know who Jesus really is and learn more about Him, and His Word. I believe that there is a severe shortage in the church today, of knowledge of the Word. I don't know if this is still the way that bank tellers are trained to spot counterfeit dollar bills anymore, but they used to study and study and study the real thing. They were so familiar with the real thing, that when something other than the real thing came by, it stood out to them. That is the way we need to be with the Word. We need to be so familiar with the Word, that when the false teaching comes along, or someone tries to make a theology by taking a verse out of context, we will know it. Beloved, Nicodemus searched out the truth for himself. Let us do the same thing. Amen? Amen.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The Heart Of The Matter
"Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man."
John 2:23-25
I have been trying to avoid talking (typing) about something that I see taking place "out there" in the church at large, but I have been confronted with it several times this week, and oddly enough, several times it has come up in the conversations I have been having, brought up by others and not myself. It is the "revival" that has been happening in Lakeland, Florida. Living in Florida myself, I am actually surprised that I have not heard more about it, nor have I been swept up in the ever-increasing flood of "talk" about it that seems to be circulating. But in the last week, the Lakeland "happening" has been brought to the forefront so many times that I cannot ignore speaking about it any longer. For the sake of this discussion, I will refer to what is happening in Lakeland as a revival, but will elaborate further in this article.
First of all, let me say that up until this point, I had not heard much about or from Todd Bentley, the man who seems to be "leading" the "revival." I have watched some YouTube footage of him, and at first glance, he seems to come across as almost every other "faith healer" I have seen out there. He goes down the line, as people have come up to the "healing line," and he has a brief discussion with them about what he prophesies to be their particular ailment or situation, and then places his hand on their forehead, and pushes them back as they are "slain" in the Spirit. I did notice that the ones who were not "slain" right away, he returned to, to ensure their "slain" status I guess, as he gave them an extra "dose" of the good old Holy Ghost. Now, I write this, not to poke fun or be sacrilegious, but to point out some things that I have noticed, or have been brought to my attention. I come from the theological perspective where I believe that the Holy Spirit still works today, giving gifts of healing, and tongues and all the rest, so I am not a legalist on a vendetta here. But what I want to bring to our attention is the concern of a couple of things....people flocking to this "happening" because of the signs, and the accuracy of the "prophecy" of Mr. Bentley himself.
In this passage that we are looking at today, from John 2, Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Passover, during the feast, and He was performing signs, miracles, and people were beginning to flock to Him. But Jesus refused to "commit Himself to them" because He knew what was in their hearts. They weren't there because of who HE was. They were there because of the signs that He performed, the miracles, the healings. Jesus Himself said, in Matthew 24:24, "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." What concerns me most about "the happening" in Lakeland, and other events like it, is that people are drawn there because of the so-called "signs" and not check out what is happening experientially against God's Word to see if it checks out. The apostle Paul told the people of Berea to check out even what he was saying to be sure that it lines up with what God says. One of the reasons we have false revivals is that we as the Body of Christ, the Church, have fallen away from reading and studying our Bibles. We are in error because we don't know the Scriptures. We don't read them, we don't study them, we don't apply them. But that is for another discussion. Regardless, we must seek wise counsel from our pastor or others whom we trust before following the latest celebrity preacher around like sheep.
If you watch Mr. Bentley closely, and listen to him "prophesy" over people as he goes through the "healing line," you will notice that a large amount of the time he is wrong as he speaks out over their life. In Deuteronomy 13:1-3 it says, "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,2 "and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods'; which you have not known; 'and let us serve them,'3 "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." So let me ask you this question: Are we running after Mr. Bentley and others like him because we think we need a sign, and he is providing one, or have we checked him and his works against the Bible, God's Word, and found all to be true and to line up? Beware, beloved, because in the last days there will come wolves dressed in sheep's clothing among us, to devour us. Let us beware. In the June 28/July 5, 2008 issue of World magazine, there is an article on Todd Bentley, called "Same old scam?" by Rusty Leonard and Warren Cole Smith (p. 81). In the article, it points out that the collection of the offering at these meetings can take "as long as 30 minutes." In the insert in the article, "Smelling A Scam," there are four points about telling whether or not it is a scam. Number 2 on the list is, "Is there an emphasis on money?" I have been in a lot of churches, and have never seen it take 30 minutes to take an offering. Even in large stadium events where the crowd is twice that as Mr. Bentley's. It has never take 30 minutes to pass a bucket from one end of a row to another and have several men collect them at the other end. So what am I saying? I am concerned that if this article is true, and I have no reason to doubt that it isn't, then there seems to be some emphasis on money here in Lakeland. Get the article. Read it for yourself.
I will not be attending "the happening" in Lakeland, nor watching Mr. Bentley on television (God TV or any other). I guess my critics will have a good time with that, and that's okay. I don't have to jump off a building to know that sudden stop at the bottom is painful. And I don't need to go to Lakeland to know what a false prophet looks and sounds like. Jesus didn't commit Himself to some of those who came after Him, because He knew what was in their heart, that they weren't commited to Him but just followed the signs. Beloved, it is truly a heart issue here. Don't be misled. Check out what goes on out there in the church against what is in the Scriptures. If it doesn't line up, then cast it off. We need to be more discerning about things like this. Shalom.
John 2:23-25
I have been trying to avoid talking (typing) about something that I see taking place "out there" in the church at large, but I have been confronted with it several times this week, and oddly enough, several times it has come up in the conversations I have been having, brought up by others and not myself. It is the "revival" that has been happening in Lakeland, Florida. Living in Florida myself, I am actually surprised that I have not heard more about it, nor have I been swept up in the ever-increasing flood of "talk" about it that seems to be circulating. But in the last week, the Lakeland "happening" has been brought to the forefront so many times that I cannot ignore speaking about it any longer. For the sake of this discussion, I will refer to what is happening in Lakeland as a revival, but will elaborate further in this article.
First of all, let me say that up until this point, I had not heard much about or from Todd Bentley, the man who seems to be "leading" the "revival." I have watched some YouTube footage of him, and at first glance, he seems to come across as almost every other "faith healer" I have seen out there. He goes down the line, as people have come up to the "healing line," and he has a brief discussion with them about what he prophesies to be their particular ailment or situation, and then places his hand on their forehead, and pushes them back as they are "slain" in the Spirit. I did notice that the ones who were not "slain" right away, he returned to, to ensure their "slain" status I guess, as he gave them an extra "dose" of the good old Holy Ghost. Now, I write this, not to poke fun or be sacrilegious, but to point out some things that I have noticed, or have been brought to my attention. I come from the theological perspective where I believe that the Holy Spirit still works today, giving gifts of healing, and tongues and all the rest, so I am not a legalist on a vendetta here. But what I want to bring to our attention is the concern of a couple of things....people flocking to this "happening" because of the signs, and the accuracy of the "prophecy" of Mr. Bentley himself.
In this passage that we are looking at today, from John 2, Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Passover, during the feast, and He was performing signs, miracles, and people were beginning to flock to Him. But Jesus refused to "commit Himself to them" because He knew what was in their hearts. They weren't there because of who HE was. They were there because of the signs that He performed, the miracles, the healings. Jesus Himself said, in Matthew 24:24, "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." What concerns me most about "the happening" in Lakeland, and other events like it, is that people are drawn there because of the so-called "signs" and not check out what is happening experientially against God's Word to see if it checks out. The apostle Paul told the people of Berea to check out even what he was saying to be sure that it lines up with what God says. One of the reasons we have false revivals is that we as the Body of Christ, the Church, have fallen away from reading and studying our Bibles. We are in error because we don't know the Scriptures. We don't read them, we don't study them, we don't apply them. But that is for another discussion. Regardless, we must seek wise counsel from our pastor or others whom we trust before following the latest celebrity preacher around like sheep.
If you watch Mr. Bentley closely, and listen to him "prophesy" over people as he goes through the "healing line," you will notice that a large amount of the time he is wrong as he speaks out over their life. In Deuteronomy 13:1-3 it says, "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,2 "and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods'; which you have not known; 'and let us serve them,'3 "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." So let me ask you this question: Are we running after Mr. Bentley and others like him because we think we need a sign, and he is providing one, or have we checked him and his works against the Bible, God's Word, and found all to be true and to line up? Beware, beloved, because in the last days there will come wolves dressed in sheep's clothing among us, to devour us. Let us beware. In the June 28/July 5, 2008 issue of World magazine, there is an article on Todd Bentley, called "Same old scam?" by Rusty Leonard and Warren Cole Smith (p. 81). In the article, it points out that the collection of the offering at these meetings can take "as long as 30 minutes." In the insert in the article, "Smelling A Scam," there are four points about telling whether or not it is a scam. Number 2 on the list is, "Is there an emphasis on money?" I have been in a lot of churches, and have never seen it take 30 minutes to take an offering. Even in large stadium events where the crowd is twice that as Mr. Bentley's. It has never take 30 minutes to pass a bucket from one end of a row to another and have several men collect them at the other end. So what am I saying? I am concerned that if this article is true, and I have no reason to doubt that it isn't, then there seems to be some emphasis on money here in Lakeland. Get the article. Read it for yourself.
I will not be attending "the happening" in Lakeland, nor watching Mr. Bentley on television (God TV or any other). I guess my critics will have a good time with that, and that's okay. I don't have to jump off a building to know that sudden stop at the bottom is painful. And I don't need to go to Lakeland to know what a false prophet looks and sounds like. Jesus didn't commit Himself to some of those who came after Him, because He knew what was in their heart, that they weren't commited to Him but just followed the signs. Beloved, it is truly a heart issue here. Don't be misled. Check out what goes on out there in the church against what is in the Scriptures. If it doesn't line up, then cast it off. We need to be more discerning about things like this. Shalom.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Cleaning House
"Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, 'Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!' 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, 'Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.' 18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, 'What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?' 19 Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' 20 Then the Jews said, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?' 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. "
To set the story, Jesus comes to Jerusalem at the time of Passover. One of the first places He goes to visit is the temple. When He walks in, He sees there are people selling sheep, selling oxen, selling doves, and tables for exchanging money, The religious leaders of the day were using this as an opportunity to line their own pockets. When people brought oxen and sheep and doves to the temple for sacrifice, they would usually be found unfit for sacrifice because of some microscopic blemish. But the people were instructed that they could buy a "pre-approved" animal out in the courtyard. These were sold at exorbitant prices. The same with the money changers. When the people came to pay their temple tax, their money was declared no good because of the image of Caesar on the coins, but were instructed that they could exchange it for shekels in the courtyard. And the money changers would charge exorbitant fees. When Jesus comes into the temple, He sees that the people were being robbed and ripped off in the very place where they should be introduced to the True and Living God.
This seems to be happening, sad to say, across the Church today. But instead of sheep, oxen, and money changers, we have books, seminars on tape/CD/DVD, and podcasts on MP3. All designed to take your money, and always justified with "we are helping people." We have allowed the marketplace to come into our churches, and that is one of the things that Jesus demonstrates here: it is not to be. I personally made the mistake of allowing ladies in our church to talk to other ladies and invite/pressure them into hosting parties in their homes so that they could sample/buy whatever was being sold, with the exchange taking place at the church. This is one of the tragic mistakes of my career. It should not happen in our churches. Commerce should take place outside the walls of the church. Am I saying that a church should not have a bookstore? I am not saying that at all. Some of the finest bookstores I have ever been in are located in some of the churches I have attended. I am saying that daily commerce should take place somewhere else. The buying and selling of items for your kitchen or to decorate your home should be done outside of the church meetings and fellowship.
There was another feast that was linked to Passover, but was seven days later. It was the Feast of Unleavened Bread, where the Jews would scour their homes to make sure there wasn't any leaven present in their homes. They searched every corner, every cupboard, every cooking utensil to make sure not a trace of leaven existed. Leaven in the Bible represents sin. That is exactly what Jesus was doing here, as He cleanses His Father's house of the evil and sin that existed there. And beloved, that is what we must do with our own lives. In my life, in your life, we must clean it up from the leaven. We must look in every "nook and cranny" of our lives, and make sure there is not even a trace of leaven to be found, because that will give our enemy, the devil, a foothold in our lives.
"Oh come on now, this is 2008. Are you saying the devil will infiltrate our lives?" Beloved, we have been called to be separated from this world. Not weird or anything, like the dudes on the street corners with bullhorns, yelling at people to be saved (I wondered aloud about how many people they had converted that way as I looked around and saw all the windows going up in the other cars). We are called to separation from this world. Sad to say, to some that means weirdness. To me it means live in this life like there is no tomorrow and store up treasures in heaven, because that is really where my home is. I cannot let myself get too attached to this world and the things (and people) in it. But if I don't clean out the leaven in my house, my daily walk is not as meaningful as it could be, and not as impacting as it should be. Beloved, it is time to clean house; our own. Amen? Amen. Shalom.
To set the story, Jesus comes to Jerusalem at the time of Passover. One of the first places He goes to visit is the temple. When He walks in, He sees there are people selling sheep, selling oxen, selling doves, and tables for exchanging money, The religious leaders of the day were using this as an opportunity to line their own pockets. When people brought oxen and sheep and doves to the temple for sacrifice, they would usually be found unfit for sacrifice because of some microscopic blemish. But the people were instructed that they could buy a "pre-approved" animal out in the courtyard. These were sold at exorbitant prices. The same with the money changers. When the people came to pay their temple tax, their money was declared no good because of the image of Caesar on the coins, but were instructed that they could exchange it for shekels in the courtyard. And the money changers would charge exorbitant fees. When Jesus comes into the temple, He sees that the people were being robbed and ripped off in the very place where they should be introduced to the True and Living God.
This seems to be happening, sad to say, across the Church today. But instead of sheep, oxen, and money changers, we have books, seminars on tape/CD/DVD, and podcasts on MP3. All designed to take your money, and always justified with "we are helping people." We have allowed the marketplace to come into our churches, and that is one of the things that Jesus demonstrates here: it is not to be. I personally made the mistake of allowing ladies in our church to talk to other ladies and invite/pressure them into hosting parties in their homes so that they could sample/buy whatever was being sold, with the exchange taking place at the church. This is one of the tragic mistakes of my career. It should not happen in our churches. Commerce should take place outside the walls of the church. Am I saying that a church should not have a bookstore? I am not saying that at all. Some of the finest bookstores I have ever been in are located in some of the churches I have attended. I am saying that daily commerce should take place somewhere else. The buying and selling of items for your kitchen or to decorate your home should be done outside of the church meetings and fellowship.
There was another feast that was linked to Passover, but was seven days later. It was the Feast of Unleavened Bread, where the Jews would scour their homes to make sure there wasn't any leaven present in their homes. They searched every corner, every cupboard, every cooking utensil to make sure not a trace of leaven existed. Leaven in the Bible represents sin. That is exactly what Jesus was doing here, as He cleanses His Father's house of the evil and sin that existed there. And beloved, that is what we must do with our own lives. In my life, in your life, we must clean it up from the leaven. We must look in every "nook and cranny" of our lives, and make sure there is not even a trace of leaven to be found, because that will give our enemy, the devil, a foothold in our lives.
"Oh come on now, this is 2008. Are you saying the devil will infiltrate our lives?" Beloved, we have been called to be separated from this world. Not weird or anything, like the dudes on the street corners with bullhorns, yelling at people to be saved (I wondered aloud about how many people they had converted that way as I looked around and saw all the windows going up in the other cars). We are called to separation from this world. Sad to say, to some that means weirdness. To me it means live in this life like there is no tomorrow and store up treasures in heaven, because that is really where my home is. I cannot let myself get too attached to this world and the things (and people) in it. But if I don't clean out the leaven in my house, my daily walk is not as meaningful as it could be, and not as impacting as it should be. Beloved, it is time to clean house; our own. Amen? Amen. Shalom.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Water To Wine
"On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'They have no wine.' 4 Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.' 5 His mother said to the servants, 'Whatever He says to do, do it.' 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, 'Fill the waterpots with water.' And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, 'Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.' And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, 'Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!' 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him."
John 2:1-11 NKJV
What is happening here is pretty obvious to the reader. There is a wedding in the little town of Cana, located in Galilee, and Jesus and His disciples are invited, as well as His mother. Now, I can sense all you Catholics out there start salivating, because Jesus' mother Mary is there. Well, fret not (salivate not?) because it was not Mary who set it up. It wasn't Mary who performed the miracle. Her biggest role in this miracle was to tell the servants to do what Jesus instructed them to do. Since they are servants, they probably would have done that anyway. Go figure. Anyway, they run out of wine at the wedding, and Mary comes to Jesus and tells Him this. And He asks her why she is telling Him, because His time to come on the scene publicly had not yet arrived. Now, it doesn't tell us in the narrative of the text, but I kinda think Jesus was hanging out with the servants in the back of the room, or off in another room, and that is why He had to be told there was no more wine. Just my own personal opinion. Nevertheless, Jesus' mother came and told Him they were out of wine. Now there were six big water pots there that held twenty to thirty gallons of water each. That is a lot of water. So Jesus instructs the servants to fill the water pots to the brim with water. They do it. And then He instructs them to draw some out and take it to the master of the wedding feast. And it is the best wine that they have had at the wedding. It was customary that the best wine would be put out first, and as the guests drank and got a little buzz on, then they wouldn't notice that they not-so-good wine had been brought out as the evening wore on. So the master of the wedding feast was impressed at this deviation from custom.
Beloved, I think one of the messages that this passage has for us is this. You and I are the water pots. We are the jars of clay, that are cracked, that leak, that the Lord takes and picks us up and fixes us, and stops us from leaking. Our youth leader/young adult leader told me the other day, that he was talking to his group about how you stop a cracked pot from leaking. You know how? (Glad you asked) You immerse it. That is what God wants for us. To be immersed in Him and His Word. To be so totally filled up and surrounded by Him and His Word, that His Holy Spirit just flows out from us and through us. We are just covered by Him, both inside and out. Now that is not part of this text, so I guess you get that at no extra charge. But we are the earthen vessels. And as we are filled to the brim with the water of the Word, the New Wine of the Holy Spirit changes us into vessels of honor, because we are now the container of the best wine in the house! The Holy Spirit of God! And it doesn't matter where you are in life, it is never too late, and you have never gone too far to turn around and allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out. Beloved, today is the day to leave your nets, meaning, to stop what it is in your life that has you so occupied that that is all you are focused on, leave your nets and follow Him. Follow Jesus Christ the Son of God, and you might end up at a wedding, filled with the best wine in the house! This day, be immersed! Shalom, shalom.
John 2:1-11 NKJV
What is happening here is pretty obvious to the reader. There is a wedding in the little town of Cana, located in Galilee, and Jesus and His disciples are invited, as well as His mother. Now, I can sense all you Catholics out there start salivating, because Jesus' mother Mary is there. Well, fret not (salivate not?) because it was not Mary who set it up. It wasn't Mary who performed the miracle. Her biggest role in this miracle was to tell the servants to do what Jesus instructed them to do. Since they are servants, they probably would have done that anyway. Go figure. Anyway, they run out of wine at the wedding, and Mary comes to Jesus and tells Him this. And He asks her why she is telling Him, because His time to come on the scene publicly had not yet arrived. Now, it doesn't tell us in the narrative of the text, but I kinda think Jesus was hanging out with the servants in the back of the room, or off in another room, and that is why He had to be told there was no more wine. Just my own personal opinion. Nevertheless, Jesus' mother came and told Him they were out of wine. Now there were six big water pots there that held twenty to thirty gallons of water each. That is a lot of water. So Jesus instructs the servants to fill the water pots to the brim with water. They do it. And then He instructs them to draw some out and take it to the master of the wedding feast. And it is the best wine that they have had at the wedding. It was customary that the best wine would be put out first, and as the guests drank and got a little buzz on, then they wouldn't notice that they not-so-good wine had been brought out as the evening wore on. So the master of the wedding feast was impressed at this deviation from custom.
Beloved, I think one of the messages that this passage has for us is this. You and I are the water pots. We are the jars of clay, that are cracked, that leak, that the Lord takes and picks us up and fixes us, and stops us from leaking. Our youth leader/young adult leader told me the other day, that he was talking to his group about how you stop a cracked pot from leaking. You know how? (Glad you asked) You immerse it. That is what God wants for us. To be immersed in Him and His Word. To be so totally filled up and surrounded by Him and His Word, that His Holy Spirit just flows out from us and through us. We are just covered by Him, both inside and out. Now that is not part of this text, so I guess you get that at no extra charge. But we are the earthen vessels. And as we are filled to the brim with the water of the Word, the New Wine of the Holy Spirit changes us into vessels of honor, because we are now the container of the best wine in the house! The Holy Spirit of God! And it doesn't matter where you are in life, it is never too late, and you have never gone too far to turn around and allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out. Beloved, today is the day to leave your nets, meaning, to stop what it is in your life that has you so occupied that that is all you are focused on, leave your nets and follow Him. Follow Jesus Christ the Son of God, and you might end up at a wedding, filled with the best wine in the house! This day, be immersed! Shalom, shalom.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Calling
"The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Phillip and said to him, 'Follow Me.' 44 Now Phillip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Phillip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' 46 And Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Phillip said to him, 'Come and see.' 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!' 48 Nathanael said to Him, 'How do You know me?' Jesus answered and said to him, ' Before Phillip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.' 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, 'Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!' 50 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Because I said to you, "I saw you under the fig tree," do you believe? You will see greater things than these.' 51 And He said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.'"
Admittedly, the title of this blog sounds more like a third-rate horror flick than a devotional about Jesus Christ. However, that does not discount the importance of what the Word has to say to us today. The very next day, after calling Andrew and Peter (and other gospels include James and John on this day), Jesus goes to Galilee, and found Phillip. But what Jesus says to Phillip, and what He says to you and to me, are the most important words for a believer. Jesus said to Phillip just two words: Follow Me. Now what is interesting to note here, what is most important to note here, is what Jesus didn't say. Jesus didn't say, "Follow the ministry of so-and-so." He didn't say, "Make sure you go to that church over there, or that church over here." He said, "Follow Me."
That is a word for all believers today. We need to follow Jesus. Not the caricature of what some churches have made Him out to be. We need to study the Bible and see who Jesus really was, and is. Jesus wants us to follow Him, not some doctrinal statement of some church. If your church says you need "Jesus and...." then perhaps you need a new church. That is what the Judaizers were telling the Philippians at the church in Philippi. Jesus was good, but they also needed the law of Moses, in this case, circumcision, to be true followers of Christ. Not so. Jesus didn't call His disciples to some statement of faith or doctrinal statement of some church. Those are made by man, in the traditions of man. Jesus wants us to follow Him. That is our calling. That is our purpose. That is our mission. Now, having said all that, I am not saying that statements of faith or doctrinal statements are wrong. They identify certain specifics about a particular church. But they are the basis of our faith.
Beloved, Jesus knows each and every one of us, just as He "saw" Nathanael under the fig tree, even before Phillip came and got him. And He sees each one of us, and loves us, and calls us, not to a church or a creed, but to Himself. Shalom.
Admittedly, the title of this blog sounds more like a third-rate horror flick than a devotional about Jesus Christ. However, that does not discount the importance of what the Word has to say to us today. The very next day, after calling Andrew and Peter (and other gospels include James and John on this day), Jesus goes to Galilee, and found Phillip. But what Jesus says to Phillip, and what He says to you and to me, are the most important words for a believer. Jesus said to Phillip just two words: Follow Me. Now what is interesting to note here, what is most important to note here, is what Jesus didn't say. Jesus didn't say, "Follow the ministry of so-and-so." He didn't say, "Make sure you go to that church over there, or that church over here." He said, "Follow Me."
That is a word for all believers today. We need to follow Jesus. Not the caricature of what some churches have made Him out to be. We need to study the Bible and see who Jesus really was, and is. Jesus wants us to follow Him, not some doctrinal statement of some church. If your church says you need "Jesus and...." then perhaps you need a new church. That is what the Judaizers were telling the Philippians at the church in Philippi. Jesus was good, but they also needed the law of Moses, in this case, circumcision, to be true followers of Christ. Not so. Jesus didn't call His disciples to some statement of faith or doctrinal statement of some church. Those are made by man, in the traditions of man. Jesus wants us to follow Him. That is our calling. That is our purpose. That is our mission. Now, having said all that, I am not saying that statements of faith or doctrinal statements are wrong. They identify certain specifics about a particular church. But they are the basis of our faith.
Beloved, Jesus knows each and every one of us, just as He "saw" Nathanael under the fig tree, even before Phillip came and got him. And He sees each one of us, and loves us, and calls us, not to a church or a creed, but to Himself. Shalom.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The First Disciples
"Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, 'Behold the Lamb of God!' 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 The Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, 'What do you seek?' They said to Him, 'Rabbi' (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), 'where are You staying?' 39 He said to them, 'Come and see.' They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, 'You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas' (which is translated, A Stone)."
This is the calling of the first disciples of Jesus. John the Baptist had disciples that were following him, but when they heard him call Jesus the Lamb of God, they knew that Jesus was the Messiah, and they left following John, to go follow Jesus. Now, the first thing I think of when I realize what is happening here, is, "I'm glad it is John and Jesus, and not me and one of MY friends." Because, if I had been doing what John the Baptist was doing, and getting some followers, my pride would probably begin to get all puffed up, so that when they left me to follow one of my friends, I would get extremely jealous. We get that way as humans, don't we? We get all wrapped up in what we are doing, and begin to view that in a way that overstates the importance of it. Jesus didn't "need" John the Baptist as an "advance man." John came to fulfill the Scripture prophecies. Jesus could have used television and billboards and email and websites to promote Himself (if they had been invented back then). But get this. He used a relative. Now, most people have at least one family member...well, enough said. You get the point. But when His cousin, John the Baptist, saw Jesus, he acknowledged Him by calling Him the Lamb of God, which was the purpose of His ministry here on earth. Jesus was going to become the sacrificial Lamb of God, to take your sin and my sin upon Himself. He was going to die so that you and I wouldn't have to. And when John said that, two of his disciples realized what he was saying, and left to follow Jesus.
When Jesus realizes He is being followed, He turns to them to ask them if they know exactly what they are doing. "What do you seek?" He asks them. I believe that this surprised them, so they asked Him their own question. I believe that they just didn't know how to articulate what was deep in their hearts: "We seek YOU." That was what was on their hearts, but they were caught off-guard by His question, so they asked, "Where are You staying?" Beloved, let me ask you: What do you seek? Is it a wife? A husband? That promotion? More money? We look for fulfillment in life in all different kinds of places and people, when all our fulfillment is not places and people, but a Person, the Person of Jesus Christ. Andrew and his friend realized this. They spent the day with Jesus, and Andrew goes and finds his brother Simon, whom we know in the Bible as Peter. When Jesus sees Simon, whose name means "shifting sand," Jesus changes His name. He tells him, "You were once known as Shifting Sand, but now you are going to be known as A Stone." He changes his name from Simon to Cephas. Cephas is Aramaic. When the Bible was translated into Greek, Cephas became petros, or Peter.
Beloved, when we come to Christ, it tells us in the Bible that He gives us a new name that only He knows. He loves us so much He gives us a new name unique to us. Something like the pet names we would give a boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife. He changed Peter's name from something mediocre, like "shifting sand," to something firm and stable, like "a rock." It was an indication of what He was going to do in and through Peter's life. My friend, what is He going to do through YOUR life? Believe in Him. Trust in Him today. Allow Him to live through you, and allow you to touch your world for Him. Shalom.
This is the calling of the first disciples of Jesus. John the Baptist had disciples that were following him, but when they heard him call Jesus the Lamb of God, they knew that Jesus was the Messiah, and they left following John, to go follow Jesus. Now, the first thing I think of when I realize what is happening here, is, "I'm glad it is John and Jesus, and not me and one of MY friends." Because, if I had been doing what John the Baptist was doing, and getting some followers, my pride would probably begin to get all puffed up, so that when they left me to follow one of my friends, I would get extremely jealous. We get that way as humans, don't we? We get all wrapped up in what we are doing, and begin to view that in a way that overstates the importance of it. Jesus didn't "need" John the Baptist as an "advance man." John came to fulfill the Scripture prophecies. Jesus could have used television and billboards and email and websites to promote Himself (if they had been invented back then). But get this. He used a relative. Now, most people have at least one family member...well, enough said. You get the point. But when His cousin, John the Baptist, saw Jesus, he acknowledged Him by calling Him the Lamb of God, which was the purpose of His ministry here on earth. Jesus was going to become the sacrificial Lamb of God, to take your sin and my sin upon Himself. He was going to die so that you and I wouldn't have to. And when John said that, two of his disciples realized what he was saying, and left to follow Jesus.
When Jesus realizes He is being followed, He turns to them to ask them if they know exactly what they are doing. "What do you seek?" He asks them. I believe that this surprised them, so they asked Him their own question. I believe that they just didn't know how to articulate what was deep in their hearts: "We seek YOU." That was what was on their hearts, but they were caught off-guard by His question, so they asked, "Where are You staying?" Beloved, let me ask you: What do you seek? Is it a wife? A husband? That promotion? More money? We look for fulfillment in life in all different kinds of places and people, when all our fulfillment is not places and people, but a Person, the Person of Jesus Christ. Andrew and his friend realized this. They spent the day with Jesus, and Andrew goes and finds his brother Simon, whom we know in the Bible as Peter. When Jesus sees Simon, whose name means "shifting sand," Jesus changes His name. He tells him, "You were once known as Shifting Sand, but now you are going to be known as A Stone." He changes his name from Simon to Cephas. Cephas is Aramaic. When the Bible was translated into Greek, Cephas became petros, or Peter.
Beloved, when we come to Christ, it tells us in the Bible that He gives us a new name that only He knows. He loves us so much He gives us a new name unique to us. Something like the pet names we would give a boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife. He changed Peter's name from something mediocre, like "shifting sand," to something firm and stable, like "a rock." It was an indication of what He was going to do in and through Peter's life. My friend, what is He going to do through YOUR life? Believe in Him. Trust in Him today. Allow Him to live through you, and allow you to touch your world for Him. Shalom.
Friday, June 6, 2008
The One Who Is After Is Before
"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' 30 'This He of whom I said, "After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me." 31 'I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.' 32 And John bore witness, saying, ' I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 'I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." 34 'And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.'"
John 1:29-34
Just imagine the scene. John the Baptist is there at the Jordan River, baptizing people unto repentance for their sins. The religious leaders of the day have sent messengers to him, to inquire if he is the Messiah that has been prophesied about. I can picture John almost chuckling under his breath, thinking that the religious should be paying more attention. He answers them by saying that, no, the one who came after him and was before him (is John toying with them by this answer?) is the one whom he is unworthy to untie his sandal strap. And then it happens. He looks up, and there He is! Jesus is coming toward him!
Jesus is coming toward His cousin, John the Baptist. And John is so overcome, that he tells those there, whoever who will listen, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." And those words have significance for you and me in 2008, right where you live. Because you see, we are all sinners, and John was pointing out that we have a hope. Jesus is the Sacrificial Lamb, who provides the atoning sacrifice for our sins-yours, mine, the whole world. And John was pointing out to those around him, that, "There He is! HE is the Messiah! I saw the Spirit of God descend upon Him like a dove (so when you put those little doves on your car point them downward...)! And then John gives the most remarkable statement. He tells everyone that Jesus is the Son of God! That He is the one who will baptize not with water but with the Holy Spirit. Had they even HEARD of the Holy Spirit prior to this time? Glad you asked. The answer is a resounding "Yes!" The prophets in the Old Testament were filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and John was the last of the Old Testament prophets.
Beloved, you and I have the best opportunity in the world. We, as sinners, get to trade all of that junk in our life, the sin and the bondage to it that we experience, and trade it in for a life of freedom in Christ Jesus, all because He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. So we don't have to run around in bondage to this world and the world system to which the enemy tries to convince us we are slaves. So take heart. John the Baptist recognized Him, and so can you and me. All we have to do is get to know Him through His Word. Get into His Word and let His Word get into you! Shalom!
John 1:29-34
Just imagine the scene. John the Baptist is there at the Jordan River, baptizing people unto repentance for their sins. The religious leaders of the day have sent messengers to him, to inquire if he is the Messiah that has been prophesied about. I can picture John almost chuckling under his breath, thinking that the religious should be paying more attention. He answers them by saying that, no, the one who came after him and was before him (is John toying with them by this answer?) is the one whom he is unworthy to untie his sandal strap. And then it happens. He looks up, and there He is! Jesus is coming toward him!
Jesus is coming toward His cousin, John the Baptist. And John is so overcome, that he tells those there, whoever who will listen, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." And those words have significance for you and me in 2008, right where you live. Because you see, we are all sinners, and John was pointing out that we have a hope. Jesus is the Sacrificial Lamb, who provides the atoning sacrifice for our sins-yours, mine, the whole world. And John was pointing out to those around him, that, "There He is! HE is the Messiah! I saw the Spirit of God descend upon Him like a dove (so when you put those little doves on your car point them downward...)! And then John gives the most remarkable statement. He tells everyone that Jesus is the Son of God! That He is the one who will baptize not with water but with the Holy Spirit. Had they even HEARD of the Holy Spirit prior to this time? Glad you asked. The answer is a resounding "Yes!" The prophets in the Old Testament were filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and John was the last of the Old Testament prophets.
Beloved, you and I have the best opportunity in the world. We, as sinners, get to trade all of that junk in our life, the sin and the bondage to it that we experience, and trade it in for a life of freedom in Christ Jesus, all because He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. So we don't have to run around in bondage to this world and the world system to which the enemy tries to convince us we are slaves. So take heart. John the Baptist recognized Him, and so can you and me. All we have to do is get to know Him through His Word. Get into His Word and let His Word get into you! Shalom!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Witness
"John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, 'This was He of whom I said, "He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me."' 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. 19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?' 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.' 21 And they asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, ' I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, 'No.' 22 Then they said to him, 'Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?' 23 H said: 'I am "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord," as the prophet Isaiah said.' 24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, 'Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?' 26 John answered them saying, 'I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.' 28 These things were done in Bethany, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing."
John 1:15-28
In chronological years, John the Baptist was 6 months older than Jesus. But Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM," (John 8:58). So John was referring here in verse 15, to the eternal nature of his cousin, who was actually, chronologically 6 months younger. John was there at the Jordan River, baptizing people and declaring that the One coming after him was the Messiah. There he was, this strange man, declaring that there was One who was coming and He would be their Messiah. And John was declaring, that in Him, we have received grace for grace. In other words, we will receive the continual grace of God, and we can never exhaust the grace of God, if we are willing to totally receive and "embrace" the Person of Jesus Christ. Just think about that, and what that means. If we can, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, embrace the person of Jesus Christ in our lives, we receive the continual grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
When John appeared on the scene, baptizing there at the Jordan River, the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, thought he was the Christ (Messiah), so they sent priests and Levites out to inquire of him if he was or not. What is tragic to me about that is, that they were so caught up in their "religion" that they didn't even know if this was their own Messiah or not, because they weren't looking for Him. They were more caught up in "keeping the rules" that they weren't looking for His coming. You know beloved, that is the way it is today. We sometimes get so caught up in "keeping the rules," that we forget to look for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. And He is coming very soon. Just read the headline of your local paper. Jesus is coming soon. Let us not be so caught up in the religion in our lives, that we forget to be looking for Him.
And let us listen to the John the Baptists in our lives telling us that He is coming. They may look a little strange, maybe even act a little strange, but they might sound like the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Amen? Amen.
John 1:15-28
In chronological years, John the Baptist was 6 months older than Jesus. But Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM," (John 8:58). So John was referring here in verse 15, to the eternal nature of his cousin, who was actually, chronologically 6 months younger. John was there at the Jordan River, baptizing people and declaring that the One coming after him was the Messiah. There he was, this strange man, declaring that there was One who was coming and He would be their Messiah. And John was declaring, that in Him, we have received grace for grace. In other words, we will receive the continual grace of God, and we can never exhaust the grace of God, if we are willing to totally receive and "embrace" the Person of Jesus Christ. Just think about that, and what that means. If we can, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, embrace the person of Jesus Christ in our lives, we receive the continual grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
When John appeared on the scene, baptizing there at the Jordan River, the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, thought he was the Christ (Messiah), so they sent priests and Levites out to inquire of him if he was or not. What is tragic to me about that is, that they were so caught up in their "religion" that they didn't even know if this was their own Messiah or not, because they weren't looking for Him. They were more caught up in "keeping the rules" that they weren't looking for His coming. You know beloved, that is the way it is today. We sometimes get so caught up in "keeping the rules," that we forget to look for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. And He is coming very soon. Just read the headline of your local paper. Jesus is coming soon. Let us not be so caught up in the religion in our lives, that we forget to be looking for Him.
And let us listen to the John the Baptists in our lives telling us that He is coming. They may look a little strange, maybe even act a little strange, but they might sound like the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Amen? Amen.
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Word Became Flesh
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 1:14
We have established the fact that Jesus was in the beginning with God, along with the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:1 we have God creating the heavens and the earth. The word in Hebrew used for God there is Elohim, which is the plural form of the word. He is the three-in-one God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Elohim. Genesis 1:2 tells us "the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." The Holy Spirit was there. God the Father was there. And here in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, John tells us that Jesus was there with God in the very beginning as well. In fact, John tells us that Jesus is God. So we have established that.
Now we come to this verse today. John tells us in verse 1, that "the Word was God." Here He tells us that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." This is speaking about Jesus Christ the Son of God. He is the one who became flesh, who left the throne room of heaven and lowered Himself and became a man. He did this as part of God's plan to reconcile mankind unto Himself. We were separated from God because of sin, but Jesus came to reconcile us to God.
The Greek word used for "dwelt" there, means to "encamp" or "tabernacled." The tabernacle of the Old Testament was covered in animal skins and looked rather ordinary from the outside. But on the inside it was adorned in gold. This is where the "chabod" was, the presence of God, the glory of God. That is the way Jesus was. He was so ordinary looking that Judas had to identify him to the Romans with a kiss. And yet, His glory "leaked out" on the Mount of Transfiguration. John was there, along with Peter and James, to witness the glory, the glory of Jesus' deity shining out through His humanity. And because of the work that Jesus did on the cross, He tore the veil in two, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies in the temple, so that now, you and I too, can behold the glory of God. We do not need a priest to go in once a year and do it for us. We can now come boldly before the throne of God. We can come daily, we can come freely, and we can come because of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus, who is full of grace and truth. Jesus spoke the truth to people, but He wasn't mean or harsh about it, but full of grace. Beloved, this day, we too can behold the glory of God. We too can come into the throne room of heaven and present our lives to God, as a living sacrifice to Him. "Lord, this day, I will live my life as a sacrifice of worship unto You." Shalom.
John 1:14
We have established the fact that Jesus was in the beginning with God, along with the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:1 we have God creating the heavens and the earth. The word in Hebrew used for God there is Elohim, which is the plural form of the word. He is the three-in-one God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Elohim. Genesis 1:2 tells us "the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." The Holy Spirit was there. God the Father was there. And here in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, John tells us that Jesus was there with God in the very beginning as well. In fact, John tells us that Jesus is God. So we have established that.
Now we come to this verse today. John tells us in verse 1, that "the Word was God." Here He tells us that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." This is speaking about Jesus Christ the Son of God. He is the one who became flesh, who left the throne room of heaven and lowered Himself and became a man. He did this as part of God's plan to reconcile mankind unto Himself. We were separated from God because of sin, but Jesus came to reconcile us to God.
The Greek word used for "dwelt" there, means to "encamp" or "tabernacled." The tabernacle of the Old Testament was covered in animal skins and looked rather ordinary from the outside. But on the inside it was adorned in gold. This is where the "chabod" was, the presence of God, the glory of God. That is the way Jesus was. He was so ordinary looking that Judas had to identify him to the Romans with a kiss. And yet, His glory "leaked out" on the Mount of Transfiguration. John was there, along with Peter and James, to witness the glory, the glory of Jesus' deity shining out through His humanity. And because of the work that Jesus did on the cross, He tore the veil in two, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies in the temple, so that now, you and I too, can behold the glory of God. We do not need a priest to go in once a year and do it for us. We can now come boldly before the throne of God. We can come daily, we can come freely, and we can come because of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus, who is full of grace and truth. Jesus spoke the truth to people, but He wasn't mean or harsh about it, but full of grace. Beloved, this day, we too can behold the glory of God. We too can come into the throne room of heaven and present our lives to God, as a living sacrifice to Him. "Lord, this day, I will live my life as a sacrifice of worship unto You." Shalom.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Children of God
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John 1:11-13
We talked last time about how Jesus came to earth, and was not received well by the people of the earth. More specifically, He came to His own people, and His own people rejected Him. But Jesus didn't come to earth just for the Jews. He came to the earth for ALL the people of the earth. I believe that we covered the meaning of "all" last time. It means "all." You know, Jesus is a "hard pill to swallow." Human beings love to worship, were made to worship. Our society is no different than any of those in the past. We worship movie stars, and rock stars, and sports stars. We worship all kinds of things, except the one thing that we were created to worship: Jesus Christ. The song from the 1980's rings true: we are looking for love in all the wrong places. We try to be "good" people, when Jesus says that there is none that is good except God. We look to other people to fulfill the needs in our lives, when the only one who can really satisfy the longing and restlessness in our hearts is God.
And it tells us here, that as many as receive Him into their lives...and what that means is accept Him as Lord and Savior of their life, to turn their lives over to Him, to follow Him, to look to Him for direction in their lives instead of themselves, just making your own decisions, doing your own thing...as many as receive Him into their lives, to them He gives the right to become children of God. He isn't talking about becoming a physical child of God. He is talking about rebirth, being born again. There is a phenomena in the spiritual realm called being "born again," which Jesus explains to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, and we will go over when we get there. But a person has a physical birth, born as it says here, of the flesh and the will of man. But hopefully, one also has a spiritual birth, being born of the spirit. I could get really lengthy here in explaining this, and probably will next time...but suffice it to say, that we are born into this world physically, and need to be born spiritually to know God. Hence the term "born again." To those of us who are spiritually reborn, then God gives us the right to be one of His children, with all the rights and privileges that a child would have. One of your physical children has certain rights and privileges in your family, by virtue of the fact that they are one of your children, born into the family, so to speak. Even if you are adopted, you become part of that family that adopts you, and you have all the rights and privileges as part of the family. If you happened to have a hired servant such as a nanny or maid, they might have the familiarity of and to the family, but because they not part of the family, they don't have the rights and privileges of a family member, generally speaking. On the spiritual level, when we receive God into our hearts through His Son Jesus Christ, we become one of His children, because we are "born again," born into God's family. More on this later.
So, beloved, the choice is this: if you are born once, you will die twice. You will die physically, and you will face eternal death spiritually. But if you are born twice, born physically, and born of the spirit, then you will die only once, physically, because you will live eternally with God. Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once. More to follow. Shalom.
John 1:11-13
We talked last time about how Jesus came to earth, and was not received well by the people of the earth. More specifically, He came to His own people, and His own people rejected Him. But Jesus didn't come to earth just for the Jews. He came to the earth for ALL the people of the earth. I believe that we covered the meaning of "all" last time. It means "all." You know, Jesus is a "hard pill to swallow." Human beings love to worship, were made to worship. Our society is no different than any of those in the past. We worship movie stars, and rock stars, and sports stars. We worship all kinds of things, except the one thing that we were created to worship: Jesus Christ. The song from the 1980's rings true: we are looking for love in all the wrong places. We try to be "good" people, when Jesus says that there is none that is good except God. We look to other people to fulfill the needs in our lives, when the only one who can really satisfy the longing and restlessness in our hearts is God.
And it tells us here, that as many as receive Him into their lives...and what that means is accept Him as Lord and Savior of their life, to turn their lives over to Him, to follow Him, to look to Him for direction in their lives instead of themselves, just making your own decisions, doing your own thing...as many as receive Him into their lives, to them He gives the right to become children of God. He isn't talking about becoming a physical child of God. He is talking about rebirth, being born again. There is a phenomena in the spiritual realm called being "born again," which Jesus explains to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, and we will go over when we get there. But a person has a physical birth, born as it says here, of the flesh and the will of man. But hopefully, one also has a spiritual birth, being born of the spirit. I could get really lengthy here in explaining this, and probably will next time...but suffice it to say, that we are born into this world physically, and need to be born spiritually to know God. Hence the term "born again." To those of us who are spiritually reborn, then God gives us the right to be one of His children, with all the rights and privileges that a child would have. One of your physical children has certain rights and privileges in your family, by virtue of the fact that they are one of your children, born into the family, so to speak. Even if you are adopted, you become part of that family that adopts you, and you have all the rights and privileges as part of the family. If you happened to have a hired servant such as a nanny or maid, they might have the familiarity of and to the family, but because they not part of the family, they don't have the rights and privileges of a family member, generally speaking. On the spiritual level, when we receive God into our hearts through His Son Jesus Christ, we become one of His children, because we are "born again," born into God's family. More on this later.
So, beloved, the choice is this: if you are born once, you will die twice. You will die physically, and you will face eternal death spiritually. But if you are born twice, born physically, and born of the spirit, then you will die only once, physically, because you will live eternally with God. Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once. More to follow. Shalom.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The Light
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man cave for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him."
John 1:6-10
We have had candlelight services at our church on Christmas Eve almost every year since I have been the pastor there. We turn off all the lights in and around the sanctuary, and let that darkness settle in on people for just a moment or two. That represents a couple things. First, it represents the dark world in which we live, lost without the light of Jesus' love. Secondly, it represents the darkness in our own hearts, spiritual darkness. Our hearts are dark, spiritually speaking, without the light of Jesus in them. It doesn't matter how much of a "good person" you are. Without Jesus, you are dark inside, and on your way to hell, where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die. But then, back to our candlelight service, the first candle is lit, and people are amazed at how bright just one light shining in a dark place can be. The room is illuminated by just that one little candle, because in the presence of light, darkness hides its face. That is what happens in our hearts, and that is what happens in our world. When we start around the circle, in opposite ways, each person lighting the candle of the person next to him, it is like someone just turned on the switch. The room is lit with such a brilliant light! Beloved, the same is true in our own lives. Are we letting the light of Jesus' love shine in the world around us?
We are introduced to John the Baptist in this passage, not to be confused with John, the writer of this book. John the Baptist was sent to be the forerunner, the witness, the announcer if you will, to the coming of the one true Light, Jesus the Messiah, the Christ. John was both prophet and priest. As a prophet, he stood before the people and spoke to them on behalf of God. As a priest, John stood before God and spoke to Him on behalf of the people. That is what ministry is, both prophetic and priestly. It is talking to people about God, and talking to God about people.
Last time, we talked about how the darkness did not take in the Light that was Jesus. We also talked about how Jesus was there in the beginning of all time, creating the universes, the worlds, space. It says in Psalm 33 that from the breath of His mouth the stars were made, that He is a star-breathing God. It also says in that same Psalm, that He fashioned our hearts individually. He is a star-breather, and a heart-maker. Because He loves us so much. And yet, v. 10 tells us, that He came to the earth and was among the people of the earth, He made the earth and the people of the earth, and the people of the earth did not know Him. In the book of Romans, chapter 1, it tells us that men (mankind) will be without excuse on Judgment Day, because God can be seen in creation around us. So no one will be able to say, "we didn't know." He came into the world, and creation knew Him. Storms obeyed Him, water supported Him, all creation obeyed Him. But not man. Man rejected Him. Crucified Him. Why is it so hard for us to believe, that God loves us, sent His Son Jesus to die for us, so that He could have relationship with us, and us with Him?
I skipped one little phrase that I would now like to revisit. It is in verse 7. It says "...That all through Him might believe." In the original language of the New Testament, Greek, the word "all" translated from the Greek means...you got it....it means "all." Does "all" mean "some"? No. "All" means "all." This is important to know, because there is a doctrine out there that says that God picked some to go to heaven and some to go to hell and you don't have a choice in the matter. I reject that doctrine, because the fact is, in 2 Peter 3:9, it tells us that is it God's desire that any should perish and that all should come to repentance. Again, "all" means "all." Jesus came into this world, as the One True Light, so that all could know Him, receive Him into their lives, and that all could know God through Him. This means you. This means me. This means all. Beloved, if you do not know Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life, you can....ask Him to be the Lord and Savior of your life today. Repent of your sins, which means to turn from them and turn towards Jesus. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His Word. Ask Him to teach you to love Him and His people. And He will. Shalom.
John 1:6-10
We have had candlelight services at our church on Christmas Eve almost every year since I have been the pastor there. We turn off all the lights in and around the sanctuary, and let that darkness settle in on people for just a moment or two. That represents a couple things. First, it represents the dark world in which we live, lost without the light of Jesus' love. Secondly, it represents the darkness in our own hearts, spiritual darkness. Our hearts are dark, spiritually speaking, without the light of Jesus in them. It doesn't matter how much of a "good person" you are. Without Jesus, you are dark inside, and on your way to hell, where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die. But then, back to our candlelight service, the first candle is lit, and people are amazed at how bright just one light shining in a dark place can be. The room is illuminated by just that one little candle, because in the presence of light, darkness hides its face. That is what happens in our hearts, and that is what happens in our world. When we start around the circle, in opposite ways, each person lighting the candle of the person next to him, it is like someone just turned on the switch. The room is lit with such a brilliant light! Beloved, the same is true in our own lives. Are we letting the light of Jesus' love shine in the world around us?
We are introduced to John the Baptist in this passage, not to be confused with John, the writer of this book. John the Baptist was sent to be the forerunner, the witness, the announcer if you will, to the coming of the one true Light, Jesus the Messiah, the Christ. John was both prophet and priest. As a prophet, he stood before the people and spoke to them on behalf of God. As a priest, John stood before God and spoke to Him on behalf of the people. That is what ministry is, both prophetic and priestly. It is talking to people about God, and talking to God about people.
Last time, we talked about how the darkness did not take in the Light that was Jesus. We also talked about how Jesus was there in the beginning of all time, creating the universes, the worlds, space. It says in Psalm 33 that from the breath of His mouth the stars were made, that He is a star-breathing God. It also says in that same Psalm, that He fashioned our hearts individually. He is a star-breather, and a heart-maker. Because He loves us so much. And yet, v. 10 tells us, that He came to the earth and was among the people of the earth, He made the earth and the people of the earth, and the people of the earth did not know Him. In the book of Romans, chapter 1, it tells us that men (mankind) will be without excuse on Judgment Day, because God can be seen in creation around us. So no one will be able to say, "we didn't know." He came into the world, and creation knew Him. Storms obeyed Him, water supported Him, all creation obeyed Him. But not man. Man rejected Him. Crucified Him. Why is it so hard for us to believe, that God loves us, sent His Son Jesus to die for us, so that He could have relationship with us, and us with Him?
I skipped one little phrase that I would now like to revisit. It is in verse 7. It says "...That all through Him might believe." In the original language of the New Testament, Greek, the word "all" translated from the Greek means...you got it....it means "all." Does "all" mean "some"? No. "All" means "all." This is important to know, because there is a doctrine out there that says that God picked some to go to heaven and some to go to hell and you don't have a choice in the matter. I reject that doctrine, because the fact is, in 2 Peter 3:9, it tells us that is it God's desire that any should perish and that all should come to repentance. Again, "all" means "all." Jesus came into this world, as the One True Light, so that all could know Him, receive Him into their lives, and that all could know God through Him. This means you. This means me. This means all. Beloved, if you do not know Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life, you can....ask Him to be the Lord and Savior of your life today. Repent of your sins, which means to turn from them and turn towards Jesus. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His Word. Ask Him to teach you to love Him and His people. And He will. Shalom.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
The Word
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
John 1:1-5
The writer of these words is John. The same John who was an apostle, the brother of James, early on referred to as the "Sons of Thunder." This is the same John who wrote not only this gospel, but also the books of 1, 2, and 3 John, as well as the Book of Revelation. Some people say, "I can't read John. He writes to cryptically." I don't believe so. Even in this passage, we can know what he means, and what the Holy Spirit through him is trying to teach us.
If we break this passage down into phrases, I think we can logically extract what God is revealing to us about Himself in these verses. First of all, "In the beginning was the Word...." If we take the Bible at face value, it is so much easier for us to understand. God didn't write this book to keep it hidden from us. No. He wants us to understand Him. He wants us to know Him. So, whoever or whatever the Word is, it was around int he beginning. That means at the beginning of time; at the very origin of all things. Whenever all of everything was being created, the Word was there. We know this by the next phrase, "...And the Word was with God." But here is the kicker: "...And the Word was God." Now, there is a group out there whose inaccurate translation of the Bible translates this incorrectly to say "...and the word was a god." That translation has been proven in a court of law to be inaccurate and not true to the original texts and manuscripts that we have, that translators use when translating the Bible. Anyway, don't get caught up in all of that. The accurate translation is "...And the Word was God." So what does that mean? I'm glad you asked. It means that whoever or whatever "the Word" is, it is equal or has the same essence as God; that whoever or whatever the Word is, is the same as God...in fact, IS God. "The Word" is Jesus Christ. A few verses later, v. 14, it says "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...." Jesus Christ. So from v. 1 and 2, and v. 14 we can see that Jesus Christ is God, and was at the beginning...before Genesis 1:1 and was there at the creation of all things. But wait. It gets a little more interesting.
In verse 3, we see something else about Jesus. "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." Okay....So, if Jesus is the Word, and the Word is God, that means Jesus is God. And if Jesus is the Word (and He is) then He was there at the creation of the worlds and the universe(s). But get this: this verse says that all things were made through Him. What does that mean? It means that He, Jesus Christ, created all things, because it goes on to say, "without Him nothing was made that was made." All things were made by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So let's summarize for a moment. Jesus is the Word. He was with God the Father there at the creation of all things in the beginning of time. In fact, He too, is God. God the Father and God the Son there at creation, and, it tells us in Genesis, the first book of the entire Bible, that the Holy Spirit was also there. The Trinity was there creating all things, in the beginning.
In verses 4 and 5 we read: "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Eternal life is found in the person of Jesus Christ. In these two verses we have two things that we take for granted a lot. We see that there is life in Jesus Christ, and there is light in Jesus Christ. Life and light. We have life on this planet, but we can still be in the darkness of our sin. Our sin brings darkness upon our soul so that we cannot see God. We cannot know God because of the darkness of our soul. But in Jesus Christ is light. Light that dispels the darkness. Eternal life and eternal light. Light that emanates from within our souls, and breaks the bondage of sin in our lives, the sin that keeps us from truly knowing God. We can know Him. Yes we can. Through Jesus Christ, because, remember, He is God. And the light of Jesus Christ shines into the darkness of a sinful world, and the darkness is not able to take it in. Physically, light and darkness cannot coexist. If a room is dark and you flip the light on, the darkness is gone immediately. But with spiritually, light and darkness can exist side by side. Like two people working side by side, and one says "What do you mean by all this being a Christian stuff? I am a good person. Am I not a Christian?" That is an example of light and darkness side by side, and the darkness just cannot take it in. Beloved, if you are a believer, be a witness. Sow the seeds of the gospel to those around you. If you are not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, if you have not asked Him in your life to be the Savior of your soul and the Lord of your life, you can do that right now. Just say this simple prayer: "Jesus, I am a sinner. I repent of my sins. Please forgive me of my sins. I ask you into my life right now, to be the Savior of my soul and the Lord of my life. Teach me to love You. Amen." It is that simple. God doesn't make it hard to come to Him. If you said that prayer, there are two things you should do to help you in your new life in Jesus Christ. First, get a Bible that you can understand, and read it. I suggest the New King James Version, the New International Version, or the New Living Translation. The second thing is this: find a church that teaches the Bible, and attend there. Unfortunately, there are a lot of churches out there, so you will need to ask Jesus to show you which one to attend. You might have to just visit them until He reveals to you which one is yours. I have a booklet I will send you if you would like some tips on how to draw closer to God. Know that you are loved, and welcome to the family! Shalom.
John 1:1-5
The writer of these words is John. The same John who was an apostle, the brother of James, early on referred to as the "Sons of Thunder." This is the same John who wrote not only this gospel, but also the books of 1, 2, and 3 John, as well as the Book of Revelation. Some people say, "I can't read John. He writes to cryptically." I don't believe so. Even in this passage, we can know what he means, and what the Holy Spirit through him is trying to teach us.
If we break this passage down into phrases, I think we can logically extract what God is revealing to us about Himself in these verses. First of all, "In the beginning was the Word...." If we take the Bible at face value, it is so much easier for us to understand. God didn't write this book to keep it hidden from us. No. He wants us to understand Him. He wants us to know Him. So, whoever or whatever the Word is, it was around int he beginning. That means at the beginning of time; at the very origin of all things. Whenever all of everything was being created, the Word was there. We know this by the next phrase, "...And the Word was with God." But here is the kicker: "...And the Word was God." Now, there is a group out there whose inaccurate translation of the Bible translates this incorrectly to say "...and the word was a god." That translation has been proven in a court of law to be inaccurate and not true to the original texts and manuscripts that we have, that translators use when translating the Bible. Anyway, don't get caught up in all of that. The accurate translation is "...And the Word was God." So what does that mean? I'm glad you asked. It means that whoever or whatever "the Word" is, it is equal or has the same essence as God; that whoever or whatever the Word is, is the same as God...in fact, IS God. "The Word" is Jesus Christ. A few verses later, v. 14, it says "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...." Jesus Christ. So from v. 1 and 2, and v. 14 we can see that Jesus Christ is God, and was at the beginning...before Genesis 1:1 and was there at the creation of all things. But wait. It gets a little more interesting.
In verse 3, we see something else about Jesus. "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." Okay....So, if Jesus is the Word, and the Word is God, that means Jesus is God. And if Jesus is the Word (and He is) then He was there at the creation of the worlds and the universe(s). But get this: this verse says that all things were made through Him. What does that mean? It means that He, Jesus Christ, created all things, because it goes on to say, "without Him nothing was made that was made." All things were made by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So let's summarize for a moment. Jesus is the Word. He was with God the Father there at the creation of all things in the beginning of time. In fact, He too, is God. God the Father and God the Son there at creation, and, it tells us in Genesis, the first book of the entire Bible, that the Holy Spirit was also there. The Trinity was there creating all things, in the beginning.
In verses 4 and 5 we read: "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Eternal life is found in the person of Jesus Christ. In these two verses we have two things that we take for granted a lot. We see that there is life in Jesus Christ, and there is light in Jesus Christ. Life and light. We have life on this planet, but we can still be in the darkness of our sin. Our sin brings darkness upon our soul so that we cannot see God. We cannot know God because of the darkness of our soul. But in Jesus Christ is light. Light that dispels the darkness. Eternal life and eternal light. Light that emanates from within our souls, and breaks the bondage of sin in our lives, the sin that keeps us from truly knowing God. We can know Him. Yes we can. Through Jesus Christ, because, remember, He is God. And the light of Jesus Christ shines into the darkness of a sinful world, and the darkness is not able to take it in. Physically, light and darkness cannot coexist. If a room is dark and you flip the light on, the darkness is gone immediately. But with spiritually, light and darkness can exist side by side. Like two people working side by side, and one says "What do you mean by all this being a Christian stuff? I am a good person. Am I not a Christian?" That is an example of light and darkness side by side, and the darkness just cannot take it in. Beloved, if you are a believer, be a witness. Sow the seeds of the gospel to those around you. If you are not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, if you have not asked Him in your life to be the Savior of your soul and the Lord of your life, you can do that right now. Just say this simple prayer: "Jesus, I am a sinner. I repent of my sins. Please forgive me of my sins. I ask you into my life right now, to be the Savior of my soul and the Lord of my life. Teach me to love You. Amen." It is that simple. God doesn't make it hard to come to Him. If you said that prayer, there are two things you should do to help you in your new life in Jesus Christ. First, get a Bible that you can understand, and read it. I suggest the New King James Version, the New International Version, or the New Living Translation. The second thing is this: find a church that teaches the Bible, and attend there. Unfortunately, there are a lot of churches out there, so you will need to ask Jesus to show you which one to attend. You might have to just visit them until He reveals to you which one is yours. I have a booklet I will send you if you would like some tips on how to draw closer to God. Know that you are loved, and welcome to the family! Shalom.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Strength Will Rise
"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:28-31
I just got back from doing my morning walk. Not run. Walk. Yes you heard me correctly. Guys like me don't run. The physical trauma to my knees would be devastating and debilitating. I have chosen, in my effort to gain some kind of control over my weight, I have decided to forgo the running with all its punishments and instead do the brisk walking thing. Now walking may sound "wimpy" to some of you, and if it does, well, I invite you to go walking with me. But before you come out, you have to know that I can walk faster than a lot of people can run. I have long legs and a very long stride, and "mama, I don't waste no time!" You might be saying to yourself, "Okay. Okay. Why all the talk about walking and running all of a sudden?" That is a very good question. I'm glad you asked. When I get back from walking, my heart is beating rapidly, I usually am sweating, and maybe even gasping for breath. Some mornings (usually Mondays for some reason) while all of this beating and sweating and gasping is going on, I might think that I am going to faint, that I just need to sit down and gather myself for a moment. That is when this text came to my mind.
There is a song out written by Brenton Brown called "Everlasting God." It was recorded by Chris Tomlin, and lots of churches across the land sing the song as part of their worship music set. That song was going through my head today, as my shoe came untied on the home stretch of my walk. As I am singing that song in my head (and heart), "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord," it occurred to me that our lives are like my walk a lot of times. Sometimes, beloved, we get so caught up in the rapid pace of our lives, the rushing here and the rushing there, meeting this deadline and replacing it with the next. Our lives move at such a pace that we begin sweating about how we are going to fit it all in, "because only God knows that I have three kids going three different places with one vehicle and three meetings at work this week and then there is dinner parties and man, I have to fit church and God in there somewhere."
Relax.
Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the entire universe loves you. And He doesn't ever get tired, or run out of breath, or get weak and weary. In fact, He says that He will give strength to the weak, if we just wait upon Him. When I come back from my walk, I just want (need) to sit down and wait for a moment or two, then I'm alright. Beloved, in our busy lives, if we wait upon the Lord...if we take a moment to pause the "action" of our lives, and just be still before Him, He promises to renew our strength, to the point where we will run and not be weary, we will walk and not faint.
Let me ask you this: Are you running and getting nowhere? The hurry-er you go, the behind-er you get? Are you weary in your life? Do you feel like your life is at such a pace that you might faint? Maybe it is because in all of your rush, you forgot the most important thing: Our strength comes from the Lord, and if we wait upon Him - wait as in pause, but also wait as in serve - He promises to renew our strength. And we will rise. As our strength from the Lord rises, so will we. "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord." Let's go out there and face the day with courage and strength and peace and love that all comes from the hand of the Lord. Let's wait upon Him. I kinda like soaring like an eagle. Shalom.
Isaiah 40:28-31
I just got back from doing my morning walk. Not run. Walk. Yes you heard me correctly. Guys like me don't run. The physical trauma to my knees would be devastating and debilitating. I have chosen, in my effort to gain some kind of control over my weight, I have decided to forgo the running with all its punishments and instead do the brisk walking thing. Now walking may sound "wimpy" to some of you, and if it does, well, I invite you to go walking with me. But before you come out, you have to know that I can walk faster than a lot of people can run. I have long legs and a very long stride, and "mama, I don't waste no time!" You might be saying to yourself, "Okay. Okay. Why all the talk about walking and running all of a sudden?" That is a very good question. I'm glad you asked. When I get back from walking, my heart is beating rapidly, I usually am sweating, and maybe even gasping for breath. Some mornings (usually Mondays for some reason) while all of this beating and sweating and gasping is going on, I might think that I am going to faint, that I just need to sit down and gather myself for a moment. That is when this text came to my mind.
There is a song out written by Brenton Brown called "Everlasting God." It was recorded by Chris Tomlin, and lots of churches across the land sing the song as part of their worship music set. That song was going through my head today, as my shoe came untied on the home stretch of my walk. As I am singing that song in my head (and heart), "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord," it occurred to me that our lives are like my walk a lot of times. Sometimes, beloved, we get so caught up in the rapid pace of our lives, the rushing here and the rushing there, meeting this deadline and replacing it with the next. Our lives move at such a pace that we begin sweating about how we are going to fit it all in, "because only God knows that I have three kids going three different places with one vehicle and three meetings at work this week and then there is dinner parties and man, I have to fit church and God in there somewhere."
Relax.
Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the entire universe loves you. And He doesn't ever get tired, or run out of breath, or get weak and weary. In fact, He says that He will give strength to the weak, if we just wait upon Him. When I come back from my walk, I just want (need) to sit down and wait for a moment or two, then I'm alright. Beloved, in our busy lives, if we wait upon the Lord...if we take a moment to pause the "action" of our lives, and just be still before Him, He promises to renew our strength, to the point where we will run and not be weary, we will walk and not faint.
Let me ask you this: Are you running and getting nowhere? The hurry-er you go, the behind-er you get? Are you weary in your life? Do you feel like your life is at such a pace that you might faint? Maybe it is because in all of your rush, you forgot the most important thing: Our strength comes from the Lord, and if we wait upon Him - wait as in pause, but also wait as in serve - He promises to renew our strength. And we will rise. As our strength from the Lord rises, so will we. "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord." Let's go out there and face the day with courage and strength and peace and love that all comes from the hand of the Lord. Let's wait upon Him. I kinda like soaring like an eagle. Shalom.
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