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According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... (1 Peter 1:3).
What a great promise! Because of the great mercy of our God, we have been reborn. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that we've been made into brand new creatures. And not only reborn—made brand new—but reborn to a living hope.
We generally don't understand biblical hope in our society. For us, hope is usually a namby pamby idea: "I'm kinda hopin' it happens." True biblical hope, on the other hand, is a confidence, a conviction, that the hoped for thing will happen.
Further, Peter says that we have been reborn into a "living hope." It's not a dead, has-been, overworked and worn out sort of hope. It's alive and kickin'. We have a living hope... a confidence that is very much alive and active in Christ.
Thank Him right now that you are reborn to a living hope.
I love the fact that God exists outside of time. Although it is clear that God acts as a result of our prayers, His interactions with us do not depend on us even knowing what to ask for.
He promises, "Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24).
Just this morning, God met a need I didn't even know I had. Before I realized I needed to ask Him, He was already answering. When I recognized the need and prayed about it, I immediately realized that the Lord had already taken care of it.
Jesus told us, "…your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8). I am so glad that He does, because I am too frequently oblivious.
"Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" (James 4:4). What a sobering thought. The more enamored we are with the things of earth, the more we oppose God.
But the verse continues on with even stronger wording. "Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." I don't ever want to make myself an enemy of God. The very idea makes me shudder. Yet I apparently do that whenever I am charmed by worldly possessions. When I begin to think that this life is all there is—and therefore try to grab for all the gusto I can in this life—I am making myself into God's enemy.
That's why the New Testament writers so often point our attention toward heaven. Don't fall in love with the here-and-now, as beautiful as it is, but set your eyes on a higher goal.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger... (James 1:19).
I don't know about you, but I too often get those three things in totally the wrong order. I am more inclined to get angry, then voice my anger and then listen... or not listen, depending on the situation.
Yet James says we should be (1)quick to hear, (2)slow to speak, and (3)slow to anger. I wonder what would happen if I actually followed his advice.
Of course, the truth is that this is actually a command from God, not merely advice from our friend, James. In fact, just a couple verses later, we're told, "be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22).
So maybe I really should do those three things in the right order, huh?
At the risk of being labeled as a meddler, let me ask this: How do you do with those three?
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him (James 1:5).
I shudder to think of all the times I needed wisdom and didn't ask. They would be far too many for me to recall. Perhaps it is pride. Maybe it is an attitude of self-sufficiency, as though I have everything all figured out. Most likely it is a combination of both.
But when I'm completely honest, I recognize and admit just how much I really do lack wisdom. So, that being the case, I need to ask God. Why? Because He gives generously, and He promises to supply it.
Why go it alone? God's wisdom is so much better than ours.
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14).
What a statement! He has perfected for all time. Not just until tomorrow. Not for a little while. Not for a brief time only. For all time!
A few verses later, the Lord declares, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin (Hebrews 10:17-18).
If I may offer my own paraphrase/commentary: Stop beating on yourself. Christ's sacrifice is sufficient. Your sins are gone. God no longer remembers them.
Take heart, dear saint, you are forgiven. The death and resurrection of Jesus causes you to stand blameless and pure before your heavenly Father.
Recently I've been hanging out a lot with my friends Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham (and his wife, Sarah), Jacob, Moses and others. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews-the Hall of Faith-is an amazing place to go to spend time with them. Their Old Testament stories are good, but Hebrews 11 depicts God's perspective about their lives.
The thirteenth verse says that they "acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." They were keenly aware that they were just passing through. This is the initiation, the lower level that must be passed through to get to the higher level. Verse fourteen continues this theme by declaring, "For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland."
They were seeking a homeland. Interesting word, homeland. Depending on the resource you use, it has two primary meanings:
Actually, both of those fit well for our situation as Christians. If we are indeed children of God, then heaven really is our native land. It's also a place that is closely identified with those redeemed by the Lord.
I don't know about you, but at the same time that I am living this life here on earth, I am also simultaneously seeking a homeland.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:13).
What an amazing promise! We can come near to God with confidence. No, the confidence is not in ourselves—it is not self-confidence—nor is it simply a confidence that God is the proverbial Nice Guy in the Sky. This confidence by which we may draw near to God is a confidence in the finished work of Calvary. We have confidence that what Jesus did for us was enough to allow us to draw near to the Father.
In doing so—in drawing near, then, we receive mercy—mercy that we desperately need every moment of every day—and find grace to help in time of need. There are times when I think I'm okay, that I don't need anything. How foolish. In my human condition I am a needy person, and without His grace to help, I couldn't even make through the day.
Thank God that we can draw near, receive mercy and find grace for our times of need... always.
The writer of the book Hebrews reminds his readers about what happened just after they became Christians. He says that they suffered. They were publicly reproached. They were afflicted. He then goes on to say, "You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one" (Hebrews 10:34).
These people had obviously been through a lot. Physical and verbal abuse. Even the taking of their material goods by force. After turning to the Savior, their lives had not been smooth sailing.
Each week at our church we pray for the suffering Church around the world. Every Sunday morning we hear stories of those who are facing serious persecution because of their faith in Christ. Yet because we are generally so far removed from such sufferings, it can be difficult for us to truly relate to their situations.
Don't ever get the idea that difficulties in life are a sure sign that God is upset with you. In the same way, though, we should never think that a lack of difficulties means we're doing everything right.
Trials come to every life. Yet God's love is sure. In the strongest possible terms—the death and resurrection of Jesus—He has already, once and for all, demonstrated His love. Regardless of what's happening in your life, rest in His love.
There are days I just wish Jesus would hurry up and come back. I'm ready to go. He has granted me salvation by His great grace, and I'm headed to heaven. Sometimes I am ready for this life to end and the next one—the real one—to begin.
God's perspective is very different than mine, though. He sees "one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). He might be coming back tomorrow, but, in my reference of time, that could be many, many years into the future.
But here's the reason: God "desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). Because of this, we should "count the patience of our Lord as salvation" (2 Peter 3:15). In other words, because we have to wait on the Lord's return, it means more people can be saved.
Much as I hate to admit it, I think that's worth me learning to be patient.
"But exhort one another every day... that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13).
It is far too easy to become "hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." The everydayness of life has a tendency to lull us into a sense of complacency. A little compromise here, a small step in the wrong direction there, an inappropriate thought or word. They're all just little things. Yet, added together they are no longer little, and we can find ourselves hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Do you want to avoid that? Would you like to not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin? Then "exhort one another every day." The Message Translation phrases it like this: "keep each other on your toes..." The New Living Translation says, "You must warn each other every day..."
I could not possibly overemphasize the necessity of having those around you who "have your back." We are part of the Body of Christ for a reason. We need one another and we need to encourage one another daily.
In 2 Peter 1, Peter talks about things like faith, excellence, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness and love. He explains the importance of such character qualities and then goes on to say, "Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities... as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder... And I will make every effort so that after my [death] you may be able at any time to recall these things" (2 Peter 1:12-15).
He wants to so strongly instill the knowledge of the works of God into them that even when he is gone, they will still recall what he taught them. He even says that what he is saying is a reminder. He's already shared these ideas in the past. But he's repeating it for emphasis. "This is important stuff, folks. I don't want you to forget it. I'm going to say it frequently to make certain you're still going to remember these principles even after I'm in the ground."
So here's the question: Do we take our role as teachers and mentors—parents, pastors, worship leaders, Sunday School teachers, friends, etc.—that seriously?
I would venture to say that a majority of Christians are very familiar with Jeremiah 29:11. It's an amazing promise from God. But I recently read it in the English Standard Version and there is a word that I have never encountered before in this verse: wholeness.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11, author's emphasis).
The KJV calls it welfare. In our society, though, that word has completely the wrong connotation. Our culture views welfare as aid supplied by the government. But that word, welfare, is actually from an Old English etymology and it means health, happiness and prosperity; well-doing or well-being in any respect. In other words, wholeness.
I don't know about you, but that's what I need. I often feel as though I am totally inadequate for the tasks before me. I have frequently pictured myself as the proverbial one-armed wall-paper hanger. Not just busy, but insufficient for the job. I need something more. And God graciously offers wholeness.
Receive that wholeness today, a gift from your heavenly Father.
"[God] has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature..." (2 Peter 1:4, author’s emphasis).
I like the idea of being a partaker of the divine nature. Having God’s nature instead of mine sounds like a really inviting idea. But how do we get there? According to this verse, it is through trusting the promises of God that we become partakers of that divine nature.
So, what are the promises of God? Well, I encourage you to search them out in His Word. There are so many promises He has made to us, His children. And it should be noted that the word "promise" implies that the person promising has the thing promised in his power and that he will do as he said. In this case, it is clear that both of these are true for God.
So, to get you started, here are a few of my favorite promises from God. Just in this life, He has promised to meet our every need (Philippians 4:19), and that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:15). Beyond this life He has promised us eternal life with Himself (John 10:28).
Those are indeed great and precious promises. And when we believe them, it causes His nature to be formed more fully within us.
I am, today, borrowing some thoughts--not words, only thoughts--from my good friend Charles Spurgeon. His writings have often challenged and encouraged me.
Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! (Psalm 66:20).
If we reflect honestly on the prayers we have prayed over the course of our life, we should be amazed that God has even listened to us, let alone answered. If we're truly candid, we are not like the Pharisees who thought they were worthy of having their prayers answered. More often, we know all too well how unworthy we are to have the Lord listen to us.
Further, we are often coerced into prayer by dire circumstances. Difficulties may well seem to force us to seek the Lord. Our prayers multiply during such times. Yet when those hardships pass, we can easily return to a life of few prayers. How sad.
But the truth is that the Lord listens and responds even to our meager prayers. He is right there, bending His ear toward us, eager to hear the cries of our heart. Indeed, He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!
What a good and loving God we serve!
As I was reading Philippians this morning, it suddenly hit me that the English Standard Version (very literal and my preference for study and teaching) punctuates Philippians 4:5-6 a bit differently than most. Most translations put a period after the end of verse 5, "The Lord is near." Or, "The Lord is at hand." The next verse is then a separate thought.
The original Greek version, though, does not offer much in the way of punctuation. So, for the most part, translators are left to figure it out from the context.
So the ESV translators put a semicolon and then continued on with the next phrase, "do not be anxious about anything..."
It looks like this: "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything..."
You know, that makes a lot of sense. Don't worry because God is nearby. No need to fret; He's right here at hand.
Take that to heart today when you're tempted to worry.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place... (Psalm 90:1).
What a place to live! A mansion beyond our wildest imagination. Fully furnished with everything necessary for life. "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).
Need food to live? No worries; it's there. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
Don't have the right clothes? You're covered with robes of righteousness. "He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10).
Need safety and security? This house is secure like none other. "You have made my lot secure... my body also will rest secure..." (Psalm 16:5, 9). "For he himself is our peace..." (Ephesians 2:14).
Whatever you need today, run home, to God, your dwelling place.
"Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature" (1 Corinthians 14:20).
Paul is telling the readers to use their minds. Don't be dumb. Think a little.
The Church today needs this message. Too many people have thrown out rational thinking. Our society says that feelings are more important than logic.
I recognize that we will never be able to completely understand God and all His ways. However, we should, as Paul told Timothy, study to show ourselves approved. We should think as those who are maturing in Christ.
It's not only okay to think, it's actually a good thing.
Mathew, Mark and Luke all tell the story of Jesus being visited by his family.
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it" (Luke 8:19-21).
Jesus' comment almost sounds harsh, or even uncaring toward his flesh-and-blood relatives. It can give the impression that He doesn't even care about them.
Yet it is impossible to read the stories of His life, repeatedly encountering His amazingly compassionate heart, and still be able to think that He would be uncaring toward His family. No, Jesus compassion shined forth in all that He said and did. So when He said these words, although as just words on paper they may seem unkind to us, they surely were not. We don't have the advantage of hearing the tone of His voice or seeing the look on His face. Even the harshest words Jesus ever spoke must have been overflowing with compassion. That's just His heart.
Oh that our words would mirror His!
In Luke 13, Jesus told a parable about a fig tree. The owner wanted the fig tree cut down, but the vinedresser convinced him to give it more time.
Just before this parable, Jesus had been talking about some Galileans that Pontius Pilate had killed and about some people who died when a tower fell on them. In sharing about these people, Jesus, asked His listeners, in essence, "Do you think these folks were any worse sinners than anyone else?" Then He continues, "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5).
So Jesus is saying we're all a mess and deserving of punishment, and then he goes on and talks about the fig tree. The vinedresser requests more time to take care of it. "Don't cut it down yet. Let me nurture it some more."
Of course, the vinedresser in this story is the Lord. He doesn't want to get rid of us. No, we're not as fruitful as we should be, but He wants to nurture us some more.
And as I read this, I am once again in awe of God. Isn't He good? He "is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Though we deserve punishment, He grants us mercy.
Jesus said, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15).
Some people make choices that lead down a destructive path. Jesus told us, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24; Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25). Paul wrote to Timothy, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith..." (1 Timothy 6:10). The writer of Hebrews says, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have..." (Hebrews 13:5).
Don't misunderstand. I'm not against having money. It's just that with wealth comes great temptations. I'm not entirely sure I can handle those temptations.
Jesus also said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). Our hearts always follow our investments. The more you invest in it (whatever "it" is) the more you will follow it.
Many people want everything this world has to offer. Yet, if you think about it honestly, this world isn't really our home. All the bright shiny stuff of earth will eventually pass away.
Invest wisely.
It seems obvious that the things Jesus did—not just what He said—left an indelible mark on His disciples. Clearly, then, Jesus' consistent demonstration of the necessity of prayer made its way into their hearts and minds.
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed" (Mark 1:35). "In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12). "But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray" (Luke 5:16).
Jesus not only taught His disciples about prayer but He showed them that it was a priority in His own life. Perhaps it was this consistent demonstration that caused the twelve to declare, "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). There was no doubt that they recognized their absolute need for prayer.
Oh that we would have that same recognition today!
It is a great consternation to many in Christendom that our major holidays—Easter and Christmas—were originally pagan celebrations. Some people declare it a travesty that we would build our observances on such a poor foundation. I, on the other hand, think that such a beginning could not be more perfect for celebrating a redeeming God. Who but the Lord Himself could have come up with such a crazy idea? Take a heathen holiday—a festival filled with debauchery—and make it a primary source of celebration for the redemption that God has so freely given? It is both absurd and appropriate. We, who have been redeemed from sin, and from eternal separation from God, should not marvel that the Lord could redeem a day. The greater miracle is that He has redeemed us!
May your Easter—Resurrection Day—be blessed!
And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces (Luke 9:17).
I love this about Jesus: nothing is wasted. Twelve baskets of "broken pieces." The leftovers. The people were all full; they could eat no more. Yet there was still more that could be eaten. Pieces of bread that had been broken for eating were still waiting to be consumed. But those pieces weren't thrown away. Instead, they were collected into baskets, presumably for their journey or perhaps to give to some nearby poor people. Either way, those twelve baskets full of leftovers were not wasted.
Jesus does the same thing in our lives. Sometimes there are periods that we think were worthless times in our lives, yet Jesus somehow weaves the whole entire life into something of beauty and significance. Even if we don't see it immediately, the hand of the Master Artist is at work sculpting a masterpiece when we see only junk, leftovers.
If you feel like one of those broken pieces today, don't worry: the Lord is not finished with you yet. He will waste nothing.
Do you remember the story of Jesus freeing the demon-possessed man? (See Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39). Jesus cast the "legion" of demons out of the man and into a nearby herd of pigs. Mark's account says there were 2000 pigs. The demons caused the entire herd to run headlong down the hill, into the lake and drown.
The text speaks of "herdsmen" who saw the incident. Although Scripture never states it directly, it seems obvious that those pigs belonged to someone. In today's market an average pig sells for somewhere around $250. That means that 2000 pigs would be worth a half-million dollars! Unless you're Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, that's an awful lot of money.
Yet Jesus apparently didn't give the monetary side of the issue a second thought. Of course, it's possible that He knew something we don't. Perhaps that herd was stolen. Or maybe those pigs were purchased with money that was obtained illegally. Those are possibilities, although they are never suggested or even implied in the story. We just don't know.
What we do know is that He willfully allowed this seeming calamity—$500,000 gone—to happen. I think it's safe to say, though, that He knew exactly what He was doing.
Let's get honest and practical here. It is an obvious fact that Jesus knew what He was doing. I know that. So, why is it so hard for me to believe it in the everyday circumstances of my own life?
I've never lost a half-million dollars. (Truthfully, I've never actually had anywhere close to a half-million dollars to lose.) But if I did, would I still trust God?
The Old Testament story of God's call to Gideon to lead Israel against Midian is an interesting tale. An angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said to him, "The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor" (Judges 6:12).
Gideon's response to this proclamation, though, seems to come out of left field. "Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian" (Judges 6:13).
It's as though Gideon had been pondering the big-picture scenario and, as long as he had someone right there who ought to know the answer, he popped the question. But the answer never comes. Well, at least not the answer that Gideon was seeking.
"And the Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?'" (Judges 6:14).
The Lord completely bypassed the question. It's like Gideon never even asked anything.
God knows that sometimes we need answers. Other times, though, we just need to be obedient and take the action that we know from His Word is right.
As I recently read the Old Testament book of Judges, it seemed to me that there is an ongoing theme. The people of God serve Him… for a while. After a time, though, they start following other gods. As a result, the Lord turns them over to their enemies. They are forced to pay tribute—and in some cases even enslaved—to a foreign king. Eventually they come to their senses, remember the Lord and cry out to Him. And, amazingly, God miraculously rescues them. Then, and this is the real kicker, the whole scenario repeats itself. Not just once, mind you, but over and over and over.
As I read through the accounts, visualizing story after story, I thought how foolish the people seemed. How could they keep doing the same thing again and again. I also pondered the great mercy of the Lord to keep on rescuing them time and again.
Forgive me. Sometimes I'm slow. It wasn't until several stories in that I suddenly realized the parallel. Those people were just like me. They rebelled and the Lord, in His mercy, rescued them. Over and over and over. Can you relate?
Thank God for His unfailing love!
And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel (Judges 2:10).
It wasn't just a family or even a few families. Not just one clan or one tribe of Israelites. An entire generation did not know the Lord!
Today, by the end of their freshman year in college, more than 80% of the offspring of evangelical parents have nothing to do with spiritual things.
Lord, forgive our complacency. Forgive us for our lack of zeal and our miniscule faith. Cause Your heart to be implanted into us so that our lives may make a difference in the next generation.
Picture this scene: Moses was gone and Joshua was preparing to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. The Lord spoke clearly and strongly to Joshua, with His final preparatory instructions.
"Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous..." (Joshua 1:5-7)
Did you catch the phrase in the middle? "You shall cause this people to inherit the land." Yes, God was strengthening them for their battles, but Joshua needed to fulfill his part in the Lord's plan. He had a vital role to play in the whole scenario. He would cause them to inherit the land. Apparently, without Joshua, they weren't going to get the promise. Wow! That's a big responsibility.
Notice, though, the Lord didn't just tell him to go do it on his own. "Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you." Joshua wasn't being sent out alone. The Lord was going to be with him.
And then what did God say? "Be strong and courageous." He had a big job to do, but God would be with him in the completion of that job. As a result, Joshua could be strong and courageous.
Is there a big task that the Lord has placed before you? Don't worry. He is with you, too. Be strong. Take courage in the fact that God will not leave you nor forsake you.
As Moses spoke some of his final words to the people of Israel, he said, "The Lord has said to me, 'You shall not go over this Jordan.'" (Deuteronomy 31:2). He was telling them that he would soon die. He had led them for forty years, but his leadership role was near an end. At the same time, however, he assured them that they were going to be in good hands. Moses continued with these words, "The Lord your God himself will go over before you" (Deuteronomy 31:3). God wasn't going to abandon them. He would be with them each step of the way.
I remember years ago when the man who had mentored me in leading worship stepped aside. One day I could barely spell "worship leader" and the next day I was one. I felt alone and completely inadequate. Yet I soon recognized that God was with me. He would never leave or abandon me.
Whatever you're facing in your life—whether you simply feel alone or you have lost someone of significance in your life and you really are alone—the Lord is with you. He has promised to never leave you. He will not forsake His own. Just as He was with the Israelites, God Himself will be with you every step of the way.
In John 8:58, Jesus declares, "Before Abraham was, I am." He was clearly proclaiming His divinity. Such a statement would be seen as blasphemy in the Jewish culture. Asserting equality with God? Unthinkable. That's why the hearers wanted to stone Him in the very next verse.
Jesus was not concerned with what they thought, however. He knew who He was and was not afraid to declare it.
Do you remember when Jesus walked on the water? Peter got out of the boat to meet the Lord and almost drowned. When Jesus got into the boat, the disciples worshiped Him (Matthew 14:33). Why did they worship?
Surely they were awestruck that He had walked across the surface of the water. Certainly the disciples were amazed that the storm ceased as soon as Jesus got into the boat. But just as amazingly, as He approached the boat, Jesus again declared equality with God. Most translations don't phrase it the same, but He uses exactly the same words as He did in John 8:58: "I am."
When the disciples first catch a glimpse of Jesus coming toward the boat, they thought it was a ghost. So He tells them to be at peace. Don't be afraid. Why should they not be afraid? "I am." The very same I AM who parted the sea for their ancestors was now walking across the sea toward them. No need to be afraid. The Lord Himself is near.
Instead of being afraid, they worshiped the great I AM.
"But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless" (Psalm 10:14).
Although there are times that it may seem as though the Lord overlooks the evil in this world, He does not. "You note mischief and vexation." On a giant legal pad God is making notes, all carefully documented and footnoted. "You do see." Not one evil thought, intent or action is missed. He sees them all. And though He may not always disperse the evil in the way and in the timing that we would prefer, his wrath is stored up (Romans 2:5) and will be meted out at the appropriate time.
Along with taking note of evil, the Lord also sees the needy. He is "helper of the fatherless." Our cries of loneliness and pain do not go unheard. He hears us and responds. Again, though it may not always be the answer we would prefer, we can still trust Him who is faithful.
Take heart, dear saint. In the end, we're on the winning side!
Not long ago I was reading Paul's letters to Timothy. One verse in particular seems to be in stark contrast to our normal way of thinking. "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:3).
Honestly, we would rather skip over this verse as well as any others that talk about difficulties and hardships. We don't like to dwell on such things. We would much rather talk about pleasant concepts. After all, suffering should not really be part of our lives as Christians, should it?
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. That doesn't sound like an ambivalent statement to me. Honestly, it actually sounds like a command. Share in suffering.
The truth is that the New Testament talks much about believers suffering. "Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator" (1 Peter 4:19). "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (Romans 8:16-17).
There are other passages but I think you get the point. We will have difficulties in this life. However, when we do, just like Peter said above, we have a faithful Creator to whom we can entrust our souls.
Let's trust Him as we share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ.
The Old Testament records that Solomon, son of David, became a jaded and even bitter old man. He had wealth beyond imagination. He married 700 women. Yet in the end he repeatedly called it all "vanity."
Interestingly, when Moses was giving his final instructions to the Israelites, he mentioned future kings of the nation. One of his statements struck me as I read it recently. "And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life" (Deuteronomy 17:18-19).
Solomon was supposed to have a copy of Moses' words. If so, then he surely should have known what Moses had said about wealth and wives. "And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold" (Deuteronomy 17:17). Yet that is exactly what happened. "For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God…" (1 Kings 11:4).
I can't help but think how foolish Solomon was—in spite all his wisdom—to ignore the commands given by God through Moses. At the same time, though, I wonder how foolish I am to so often miss—or even ignore—so many of the things that God clearly directs in His holy Word.
"And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households…" (Deuteronomy 12:7).
The people of Israel were preparing to enter the Promised Land. These words were from Moses in the midst of his farewell address. He had just explained that God would show them a special place in that land where He would dwell. We have the advantage of knowing the whole story. Moses was referring to what would become known as the holy place in the holy city: the temple. But I find it interesting that besides the sacrifices and prayers—all the things everyone knows happened at the temple—Moses suggests something else also. "And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice..."
The temple, the holy habitation of the Lord Almighty, was to be a solemn place—it was, after all, the place of atonement for sins—but it was also to be a place of joy and comfort.
I am often astounded at people who read the Bible and miss the main point: the Lord wants relationship with His people. Yes, the sins must be dealt with, but He also wants His people to fellowship with Him, and He with them. Pull up a chair and have a meal with God. Maybe afterwards a little singing and dancing. Eat with Him. Rejoice. That's a great portrayal of God's heart.
Do you remember when Jesus healed the Gerasene demoniac? (Mark 5:1-20) He crossed the Sea of Galilee and came to an area where there was a cemetery, a demon-possessed man, and a herd of pigs. From a Jewish perspective, all of these were "unclean" things. He should not have gone near them. Any "good" Jew would have gotten right back in the boat and stayed as far away from those things as possible. Not Jesus, though. He just went right on in, undaunted by any of them. Apparently He was not the least bit concerned about encountering dead people or demon-possessed people or even a large number of unclean animals. He knew that what He had was far superior to what they had.
There are so many people today afraid of getting too close to the world. Yes, I am aware that "bad company ruins good morals" (1 Corinthians 15:33). I am also aware that we should use wisdom when associating with worldly people. Especially new and immature Christians should exercise extreme caution in close relationships with ungodly acquaintances.
However, some folks seem to cower in fear of ever associating with an unsaved person. Others are deathly afraid of the devil. Guess, what folks? I peeked ahead and read the end of the Book. We win! Jesus has already taken our final exam for us and He got us a perfect score. Further, He has given us His resurrection power.
Don't cower in fear. Instead, let's—like Jesus—go boldly into the places that are the darkest and reclaim those for whom Christ died.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes... and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."
Short and sweet: As you celebrate the birth of your Savior—God's Son who came to earth to redeem you—may your heart and mind be turned to Him anew today!
Recently I began looking at all the times the psalmists say, "You have," in regard to what God has done. I was shocked. There are more than 100 references to what the Lord has done, just in the book of Psalms.
"You have given me relief when I was in distress" (Psalm 4:1)
"You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound" (Psalm 4:7)
"The world and all that is in it, you have founded them" (Psalm 89:11)
The very last reference to "You have" in Psalms says this:
"I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands" (Psalm 143:5).
Let's do that, even daily. Especially during this busy time of the year. Remember what God has done. Ponder the work of His hands. Remember the things He has done in your life. Hearken back to the ways He has blessed you.
Thank you, Lord, for what You have done!
"Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day" (Deuteronomy 10:14-15).
We don't serve a plethora of gods, like the ancient Romans did. They tried to make sense of the various attributes of God by inventing lots of different gods. But our God made everything and owns everything. There is no one to compare with Him. None even comes close.
Yet that same God—the One who created everything that is—set His affections on the likes of you and me. I think that's crazy. I can think of people who would have been a better choice than me. But the Lord looked past my sin-stained heart and mind and said, "This one is mine."
Aren't you thankful that even though God is sovereign over all, at the same time He is infinitely loving and compassionate? Thank Him right now.
As a leader, I want to do the best job I possibly can. But when I look at my motivations—Why do I want to do a good job?—I am often troubled. Do I want to do good so that I will feel better about myself? This is pride. Is my desire to do well fueled by an underlying wish to have others recognize my achievements, or so they will like me more? This is vanity. The list could continue, but I think you get the point.
Too frequently I find that even my best goals are tainted by impure motivations that must be, once again, laid at the cross. For it is only there that all things are made new. Even the worst of sins are blotted out by the blood of the Savior.
When that happens, I am suddenly less concerned about what I think of me or even what others think of me. God Almighty loves me so much that He sent His own Son to die in my place. His affections are more than enough. Vanity and pride are swallowed up by the boundless mercy of the Lord.
At the end of Moses' life, he was saying goodbye to the people of Israel. He knew he was about to die. They would go on to cross over into the Promised Land without him. I'm sure in his final address to the people whom he had led for so long, there were a great many memories and much emotion. Many final thoughts came out of Moses' mouth that day, but none were more poignant than this: "Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.'" (Deuteronomy 8:17)
Moses knew that it is easy, when prosperity happens, to begin to think that it was all their doing. My cleverness caused this. My strength made this happen. My quick wit or my astonishing agility or my amazing memory or my extraordinary handsomeness or my wonderful voice or... you fill in the blank.
Don't ever forget that all the blessings you have received and all those you ever will receive came from the hand of God. They are not your own doing.
This Thanksgiving, let's be truly thankful to the One who has blessed us so richly in so many ways!
Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God..."
The wristwatch I wear is battery-powered, but it ticks like a wind-up watch. I can never actually hear it ticking, though, except at night. During the day, even though it is never more than a few feet from my ear (and sometimes just mere inches), there is no noticeable sound. If you asked me during the day amidst the hubbub of daily life or even the seemingly quiet hum of my computer, I would swear to you that my watch makes no noise at all. At night, however, when all of the competing sounds are absent, the ticking is thunderous, sometimes keeping me awake. Similarly, we occasionally need to rid ourselves of the uproarious tumult of everyday life and learn to be still, listening intently to the Lord.
This is a foreign idea in our society. Too often we have a hurry-up mentality. Go here. Go there. Do this. Do that.
Be still?! What's that?
We would do well to learn to be still and know that He is God.
Some time ago I was asked to speak at a conference. The topic about which I was asked to teach was "Lessons in Effective Leadership." When I checked the concordance on my computer Bible, I found that the word leader is used only twice in the New Testament. Actually, if you look in the KJV, NKJV or the NIV, the word is not used at all. But the version I prefer, the English Standard Version—by the way, a very literal translation—uses the word twice. Once it refers to Jesus Himself. The other time, Jesus uses the word: "let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves" (Luke 22:26).
The Greek word here for leader is "hegéomai." It literally means "to lead the way, to preside, to be chief." Hmmm. The one who leads the way, the one who is in charge—the leader—should be a servant.
Let me be really honest for a moment. That passage haunts me. You see, we in the church generally talk a great game of serving, but we aren't all that adept at actually doing the serving. Face it, we're too busy leading. We're blowing the trumpet call, rallying the people, teaching new songs, casting the vision, exhorting the flock, building our churches. Yet Jesus clearly said that the leader should become as one who serves.
Please note that it is possible to serve through any or all of the things I just mentioned. Yet I find that my motivation is often somewhere else. Perhaps I'm the oddball, but I doubt it. Our carnal nature doesn't like to serve in the truest sense of that word. We would much rather be recognized for our accomplishments and achievements.
Lord, help me to serve You and Your people with a true servant heart. Not for recognition or even for the resulting blessings, but just because You want me to. Amen.
God spoke to Moses, giving commands that the Israelites were to follow. As I read those commands recently, one of them struck me: "…remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes…" (Numbers 15:39, author's emphasis).
Many people today talk about following your heart. The common line of thinking is that following your heart is a good thing. I must respectfully disagree.
Don't misunderstand. There is a part of my heart that wants to wholeheartedly follow God. Yet there is another part that doesn't. Scripture says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). Part of my heart is dark and deceitful and sinful. When I choose to "follow my heart," how can I know which of those two parts—the good or the bad part—I am truly following? Honestly, I can't.
It is far better to follow God. Seek Him through His Word. As God told Moses, "Remember all the commandments of the Lord." The objective truth found in the Scriptures is far more worthy of following than something as subjective as our hearts.
Don't follow your heart. Instead follow the Lord in and through His Word.
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake... (Philippians 1:29).
Everyone who has ever read the Bible finds certain verses that they like better than others. I’m the same way. But I will also admit that there are some sections of Scripture I just don’t like at all. This verse would be one of those.
I really don’t relish the idea of suffering in any manner. Yet, I’m pretty sure I’m not all that different from the saints in Philippi. Just like them, it has been granted to me to suffer for the sake of Christ.
And I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but I’m guessing that you fit in that same category. It has also been granted to you to suffer for the sake of Christ.
Uhhh, that’s not a very happy thought, Tom.
I know that. But I think it’s best to be forewarned than to be taken completely by surprise. I don’t know what it will look like for you—or for me either, actually—but some sort of suffering is the lot of every Christian.
It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace... (Philippians 1:7).
Paul just told the believers at Philippi that he joyfully prays for them on a regular basis. He went on to assure them that the same God who began a work in them will complete that work. Paul, in his own unique style, is expressing affection for them: "It is right for me to feel this way about you all..."
Paul loves these folks. He has spent time with them. He surely has fond recollections of their times together.
Personally, I love the next phrase: "I hold you in my heart..." What does that mean? We can't say with exact precision. However, there clearly is some sort of extreme affection. We don't just hold anyone in our hearts. These people are very dear to Paul.
Yet it begs the question, why were they so special to Paul? The following phrase gives the answer: "For you are all partakers with me of grace..." They were believers, and as such, worthy of Paul's fondest affections. He held them in his heart.
This challenges me. Do I hold my brothers and sisters in Christ in my heart? Are they truly that dear to me?
"Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:35-36).
There are some sections of Scripture that grate on me. Certain things that Jesus said just rub me the wrong way. Am I alone in this?
Love your enemies? Lend and not expect repayment? What was Jesus thinking when He said these things?
Don't get me wrong. I occasionally see glimpses of such attributes in my life. But they are too often undone by the opposite attitudes. In his classic book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning says it like this: "When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and I get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am trusting and I am suspicious. I am honest and I still play games."
I don't know about you, but Manning nailed it for me. There are days I walk in great victories and other days I wonder how God could possibly stand to be near me. Yet that is exactly why Jesus came: to save sinners like me... and like you.
Thank Him right now for His indescribable mercy that rescues us, and also pass on that mercy to those around you!
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Reading this verse reminds me of the four guys who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus (see Mark 2:3ff; Luke 5:18ff). The man couldn't go on his own so they carried him. They literally were bearing the man's burden.
We all know Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." However, most of us miss the verse immediately following: "Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble" (Philippians 4:14).
Paul is telling us that he can handle whatever comes his way. He is strong in Christ. That's good. However, although Paul is strong, he also recognizes that he doesn't need to handle everything alone. He is saying, "Thanks for sharing the load with me, friends."
What can you do today to bear someone else's burden and so fulfill the law of Christ?
Do you remember when Satan was tempting Jesus in wilderness? Do you recall the final temptation that is listed? Satan actually quoted Scripture. He recited sections from the Bible to the Author of those Words. Doesn't that seem ludicrous to you?
There is a very valuable lesson there, though, for all of us. Just because someone cites Biblical quotations in what they say or write, doesn't mean they are correct, or even that they are Christian. Be careful about believing someone just because they have a working knowledge of Scripture. The devil apparently also knows the Bible.
In his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, Paul admonished his readers to "test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Too many Christians assume that someone who is writing or speaking using Bible verses must be okay. Don't make that assumption. Instead we should test everything and hang onto the things that are good.
Don't be duped by nice-sounding words. Check out the words. Make sure they fully line up with the whole counsel of the Word of God. And if you're not certain, maybe you need to study the matter more on your own or talk to someone who has more theological training.
There are more and more pious sounding teachers who use Bible verses in what they say, but whose teachings are far from Truth. Be careful.
And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling (Mark 4:36-37).
Let us never assume that just because Jesus is with us everything in life will be smooth sailing. Sometimes there will be storms. Our boat may be already filling with water. Strong winds may be blowing and casting us about. It may appear that there is cause for alarm.
But we must always remember that Jesus is indeed with us. No storm ever caught the Sovereign Lord off-guard. No wind or waves are truly a match for His might.
When difficulties assail you, when the waves are breaking over the bow of your boat, remember that Christ Himself is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Life may get topsy-turvy, but you're ultimately safe and secure with Jesus.
Do you remember the woman with the alabaster flask of oil who anointed Jesus at Bethany?
There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her (Mark 14:4-5).
As I read this passage again recently, it suddenly dawned on me that I may well have been among her detractors. Think about it. A denarii was about the amount a worker would be paid for a day of labor. So three hundred of those would equal nearly an entire year's worth of income. Think of that amount of money in terms of your church or the mission field. What could you do if you had that much money to just give away as you pleased?
I have to wonder how I would have reacted to someone "wasting" such an amount. Yet Jesus praised her for her actions.
After thirty-five years of walking with the Lord, I am obviously still so far from truly understanding His heart.
This does not give me an excuse to stop pursuing Him, though. In fact, it actually means I need to pursue Him all the more. I need to be in His Word and seeking Him because my natural inclinations are so far from His heart.
Lord, forgive me.
And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. (Mark 11:15)
It is increasingly common today to talk of Jesus as the perennially nice guy. Many say He was always kind and gracious. Yet the fact is, He wasn't.
All four gospels depict similar scenes where Jesus cleared the temple of the money-changers, though it is probable that there were two different times the same type of incident occurred. John says Jesus used a whip to drive out the people. This was the same Jesus who called the religious leaders "snakes," "hypocrites," "blind guides" and "brood of vipers." The picture presented in these stories doesn't sound at all like a Mr. Nice Guy to me.
Don't misunderstand. Jesus was always loving. Everything He did demonstrated His love. But it wasn't some kind of namby-pamby, let's-all-get-along love. Rather it was a love that was strong enough to confront wrongdoing and declare sin to actually be sin. Jesus didn't do it in a mean-spirited or vindictive way, however. He passionately loved those He confronted and wanted them to repent. Yet He was still willing to confront and take action if necessary.
May the Church today have Jesus' willingness to confront sin, yet always still be motivated by His compassion.