As Christians we are supposed to testify to the presence of Christ in our lives by expressing the fruits of the Spirit.   This week we take a deeper dive into one of those fruits, the joy of the Lord.  The NIV version of the Bible shows over 200 mentions of joy in the Scriptures. Clearly, this is a topic in which our Lord expects us to be informed, so let’s explore what the Word has to say.

1. God dwells in joy, and our joy is an anointing that comes from being in the presence of God

Psalm 45:7

You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

1 Chronicles 16:27

Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His dwelling place.

Psalm 21:6

6 Surely You have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence

Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence,
with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

Scriptures make it clear that the wellspring of our joy is the presence of God.  If we are to bear the fruit of joy, we need to spend time with Him.  Psalm 100 tells us to enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise, while Psalm 22 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people.  Taken together, these verses make it clear that we get access to God’s presence, and therefore the fountain of joy, through thankfulness and praise.  Once in His presence, we will experience the fullness of joy, and be anointed with the oil of joy so that we can bear this fruit in our daily lives.

2. Maintaining our joy requires a focus on God’s kingdom, not the trials of life

I Peter 1:6-9

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Hebrews 10:33-35

33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

I Thessalonians 1:6

6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

James 1:2-3

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Christ Himself told us that we would have trouble in this world (John 16), but to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world.  We are also told in Psalm 34 that the righteous will have many afflictions, and that God will deliver us from all of them.  In the midst of all of these trials we are to maintain our joy by ensuring that our focus remains on our salvation and the certain end of the coming of the Lord’s kingdom.  Without this focus our love can grow cold (Matthew 24), our waters bitter (James 3), and our joy diminished.  If we instead maintain a focus on the goodness of God and the fulfillment of His plan, we remain steadfast and thankful.  As our thankfulness turns to praise, we once again enter His presence, and renew our joy.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

This morning I was up early, and began reading 1 Corinthians, and from there gleaned a couple simple lessons from the words Paul was given by our Lord.

1. Be Authentic

1 Corinthians 17-24

17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

This passage makes it clear that we are to trust the judgment of God in knowing who to call, and in leading each person on their own path in accordance with the gifts He’s provided and the situations in which He has placed them.  Persons with unbelieving spouses should stay married, single persons should prayerfully consider remaining single, etc.

Religious leaders often want to create a standard for their followers.  I’ve attended churches where you were expected to have a certain haircut, wear certain clothes, wear (or not wear) makeup.  All of this is, like circumcision, nothing.  The material does not glorify God; however, we have to take care as we’ll see in lesson two.

2. Be Considerate

1 Corinthians 8:1, 4-12

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

In lesson 1 Paul states that God knew exactly what He was doing when He called us, and that our present material circumstances and situations are not of concern to Him.  In lesson 2 he calls us to be aware of our witness.  For many of us there won’t be much of a conflict, meaning that most of us can live on our present housing, work our current job, and participate in the rest of our daily activities without running afoul of what the world has been conditioned to believe is appropriate.  For other brothers and sisters, the choices will not be as clear.  I encountered this dilemma when I worked in the entertainment industry, which was producing some content that glorified God, and an awful lot of content that certainly did not!

When we encounter a believer facing such a dilemma, lesson one tells us that it is important not to rush to judgement.  God may want them to remain in that situation and minister.  Lesson two cautions that the believer should take care to maintain that witness by letting their light shine even in dark places.  God has not called us to be lights in the sunlight, or salt on a salt heap.  Our ministries will be in the world, and we must prayerfully and lovingly support one another in this.

3. Be Willing

1 Corinthians 9:15-18

15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.

Here Paul is speaking of his right to earn a material living from preaching the gospel, while at the same time being willing to forgo that right in order to reap his reward in heaven.  I particularly like the part where he states that if he doesn’t voluntarily preach, then he is merely doing his duty.  To me this suggests that we must be willing to use the circumstances God has called us in (lesson one) to be a light to those around us (lesson 2) and do so willingly, without expecting earthly rewards or recognition (lesson 3).

Intro

I’ve written several times in the past about the use of anger, fear, and outrage by our media as a vehicle for boosting advertising sales, and also about the effects this constant negativity can have on our mindset.  Today’s post focuses on one particular by-product of over-exposure to negativity, a critical, scornful spirit as expressed through gossip, slander, or just general bad-mouthing.  I’ve called the post “The Proverbial Gossip” because Solomon, the wisest man to have ever lived, had quite a bit to say about tongue-wagging in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 11:9

With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.

Proverbs 16:28

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

Proverbs 17:9

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Proverbs 18:6-7, 21

The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.  The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

There are yet more verses, but I think the last passage is a good one to walk away with.  Not only are we warned that we are “cruisin’ for a bruisin’” if we cannot guard our tongues, but also, we are warned that our undoing will come from that very thing- we will eat the fruit of idle talk.

As Christians our ultimate goal should be to glorify Christ by producing spiritual fruits.  James 3:11 tells us that the same fountain cannot produce both bitter and sweet, while Philippians 4:8 tells us to focus on what is pure, good, and lovely.  If we focus on Godly things, we will have the necessary spirit to produce sweet fruits, but if we expose ourselves to a stream of derision and slander, our sweet will turn to bitter.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

Last time we began a series entitled “The Testimony of the Glory of God” by exploring how the law pointed out man’s inability to justify himself before God.  We followed with an exploration of the 3 purposes of the first revelation of Jesus Christ: to provide evidence that He is indeed sent from God by fulfilling many Old Testament prophesies, to show the nature of God via His ministry, and most importantly to be the perfect sacrifice that opened our way to salvation.  This week we will look at the roles Christians play in revealing God’s glory, and also explore scriptures about the second, and final, revelation of the Christ.

Scripture and Commentary

Part III: Our Testimony

John 13:31-35

31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.  33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.  34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 14:11-13

11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

John 15:5-17, 26-17

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

John 17:1-10, 20-26

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.  6 “I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.  20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.  25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them. and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

These passages from John do a fantastic job of revealing the role that we are to play as Christians.  We reflect the life, works, and most importantly the love of God as demonstrated to us by Christ Jesus.  This we do not of ourselves, but through the presence of God dwelling within us as the Holy Spirit.  Thus led, we can become a living testimony to God’s glory throughout the earth.

Part IV: The Second Revelation

II Thessalonians 1:10-12

10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.  11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 66:18-19

18 “And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.  19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.

Romans 8:18-21, 28-30

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The final testimony of the glory of God will coincide with the second revelation of Jesus.  The Bible teaches that when this occurs all wickedness will be judged, a new heaven and new earth will be created, and the work of God through His Son, and subsequently through His adopted children, will be made manifest.  I don’t know how you feel, but I can’t wait to see this!

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

I’ve recently been approached by some non-believing friends and asked why I believe, and what being a Christian is really all about.  They ask about being a “good person”, and why can’t someone be “good” that is a nonbeliever, or that follows another religion?  They ask about having faith in a “higher power” or conceptualizing a “god” made up of something unknowable, but they do so in the hopes that such beliefs will have a placebo effect, medicating their minds to be able to stand the trials of this life, without any real experience of a relationship with the Creator.

Regardless of their approach, my answer remains the same.  There is one true story of God and His relationship with man.  This week we will begin the first of a two-part series I’m calling “The Testimony of the Glory of God”.

Scripture and Commentary

Part I: Man & the Laws of God

Romans 3:19-31

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.  21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;  26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.  27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.  28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.  29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:  30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.  31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Here Paul tells us that the law pointed out sin.  This was in fact the purpose of the law, and much of the Old Testament is a study in man’s inability to be sufficiently “good” and to keep that law.  So by the deeds of the law none of us can be justified, and none can be good.  In our faith we establish the purpose of the law, and bring things full circle.  God is glorified because He has done for us what we have repeatedly proven we cannot do for ourselves.  Man’s inability to keep the law was merely Act 1 in God’s divine plan, but it provides the first kernels of testimony regarding the Glory of God. 

Part II: The First Revelation of Christ

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

Luke 4

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.  17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.  20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.  21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Colossians 1:13-19

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:  15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.  19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

The Gospels are full of examples of the initial revelation of Christ.  Being born “of water and of blood” (as described in I John chapter 5), Christ by Whom all things were made, and for Whom all things were made, came to earth in human form.  This “first revelation”, as foretold by Isaiah and other prophets, served 3 purposes in establishing the Testimony of the Glory of God.  First, Christ perfectly fulfilled the many Old Testament prophecies concerning this first revelation, providing evidence that He was in fact the promised Messiah.  Second, His interactions on earth revealed the heart, nature, love, and grace of God via His ministry.  Finally, and vitally, He was crucified so as to become the blood sacrifice for our redemption.  All 3 of these facets of the first revelation testify to God’s plan, and to His goodness.

Next time we’ll discuss the role Christians play in testifying to God’s goodness, and we’ll also look at the second, and final, revelation of Christ.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

This week I am going to do something a little different.  Rather than writing a blog post, I’ve decided to share a recent sermon from my church in California.  In this message  Associate Pastor Jeff Mattesich discusses how we often make the big story of God too small.  Using God’s revelations to the children of Israel re their exile in Babylon, Pastor Jeff discusses what God’s presence means to us, how to view God’s plans for ourselves, our churches, and the world around us.  I encourage you to watch.

https://www.lakeave.org/sermons/message/why

I look forward to your thoughts,

K

 

 

 

Intro

Spring is finally in full bloom in Northern California, and with spring comes wedding season.  The Bible is full of wedding analogies and parables in regards to God’s relationship with man, and in celebration of spring that is the topic we’ll explore in this month’s post.

Scripture and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:1-3

The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “This is what the Lord says:” ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.  3 Israel was holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 62:4-5

No longer will they call you Deserted or name your land Desolate.  But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.  5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

Hosea 1:2

2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.

These passages are just a few examples that establish the use of the marriage analogy.  The nation of Israel was the “first fruits” of God’s harvest of the earth, and His initial bride; however, she was not a faithful spouse.  Through idolatry and greed, Israel rebelled against her Husband.

Matthew 22:1-8

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.  4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Acts 10:34-35, 39-48

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.  Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

John 10:14-16

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Romans 1:16

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

 Here Scripture highlights what is truly the Good News, that salvation is available to all that believe in Christ.  As the parable foretells, the wedding invitations have been sent afield; however, Scripture also reveals that the Bride of Christ has responsibilities she must undertake if she is to be prepared for what’s to come.

1. The Bride should recognize her betrothed, and be faithful

John 10:2-5

2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

2 Corinthians 11:1-4, 12-15

 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

We have a responsibility to recognize the sound doctrine of our Betrothed Shepherd.  This comes through study of Scripture, through prayer, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  We must study the Word of God for ourselves.  Of course, I’m not saying that it is wrong to listen to pastors or teachers, but we must be familiar enough with His voice to exercise judgement and discernment.  I regularly hear preachers on television or radio espousing doctrine that directly contradicts Scripture, and the internet is rife with false doctrine.  As Christ’s bride, we must recognize His voice.

2. Wedding attire is mandatory

Matthew 22:11-14

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.  13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Isaiah 64:6

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah 61:10

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels

Revelation 19:6-9

6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.  7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteousness of God’s holy people.)  9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

These Scriptures use remarkable imagery to describe our need for salvation.  Our own “righteous” deeds are just filthy rags.  To attend the wedding, we first need to accept the clean, white, robe of Christ’s righteousness.  Then we can be properly attired and will be allowed to participate in the marriage.

3. The Bride must wait in watchful readiness

Matthew 25: 1-30

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  3 They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  8 And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  9 But the wise answered, saying, not so; let there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

We must maintain an ample supply of the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit via Scripture and prayer, so that our lamps remain at the ready.  And we must keep watch for our Bridegroom, now more than ever!

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

I recently purchased a collection of writings that were at one time considered for inclusion in the King James version of the Bible.  While one must take care not to read such material as canon, some of these early texts contain beautiful teachings.  One such book is the first letter of Clement- a student of Peter- to the church at Corinth.   In this epistle Clement encourages the Corinthians to forsake envy, and to instead return to their original faithfulness, humility, and love.  In this week’s post we’ll cover some of that same ground, and review what the scriptures have to say about envy and our walk with God.

Scripture and Commentary

1. The Origin and History of Envy

The Bible makes it clear that envy has been around longer than man.  In Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 the Bible tells of the fall of Satan, and how thru envy of God he went from being “blameless in all his ways” to being instead filled with iniquity.  In this moment the die was cast for all of the future sins of this world, and we can thus see envy as the wellspring of evil throughout the Bible:

Genesis 4:3-8

3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

We see here how the very first man born on this earth, thru envy, also became the first murderer.

Genesis 21:8-10

8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

Here it is possible that we are seeing envy on two fronts.  First, it seems likely that Ishmael was mocking because he was jealous of the attention and position of Isaac and Abraham’s trueborn heir, while Sarah is clearly threatened by the presence of Ishmael on Isaac’s behalf.  How much trouble could the world have been spared had there not been a rift between the Israeli descendants of Isaac, and the Arab descendants of Ismael!  Even today, the ramifications of this moment are severe.

The threads of envy continue to be woven deep into the tapestry of human history.  Jacob envies Esau and tricks him out of his birthright and blessing, and in turn Esau plots to kill Jacob (Genesis 25-27).  Jacob then flees to Laban, marrying his two daughters Rachel and Leah.  Jealousy develops between the sisters, with barren Rachel envious of Leah’s children, and Leah envious of Jacob’s preference for Rachel (Genesis 30).  Eventually, jealously also develops between Jacob and Laban’s sons (Genesis 31) causing Jacob to need to take his family and flocks and flee.  When Rachel finally produces the beloved Joseph, his brothers are so envious that they fake his death and sell him into slavery (Genesis 37).

This theme continues throughout the Old Testament.  Pharaoh and Moses, Moses with Aaron and Miriam, Saul’s resentment of David, David’s coveting of Uriah’s wife Bathsheba…on and on.  The thumbprints of Satan’s deep-seated resentment and his jealousy of God are apparent in all our temptations, and in all our resulting evil acts.

2. The Fruits of Envy

Scripture makes it clear that envy has incredible destructive power:

Ecclesiastes 4:1-4

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:  I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter;  power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.  2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.  3 But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Job 5:1-5

Call if you will, but who will answer you?  To which of the holy ones will you turn?  2 Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.  3 I myself have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.  4 His children are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender. 5 The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.

Proverbs 14:30

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

James 3:16

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice

Notice how strong the sentiments!  Better to have never been born than to see the evil on the earth caused by envy.  Rotting bones.  Crushed and consumed.  Clearly, God intends us to take these warnings to heart, and wanted to ensure that the Scriptural language made the destructive power of envy evident to the reader.

3. The cure for Envy

I Corinthians 13:4

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud

Galatians 5:13-26

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.  16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Titus 3:3-7

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

James 3:13-15

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

The passages from Galatians and Corinthians tell us that envy is a fruit of the flesh, and not of the Spirit.  Titus tells us that envy belongs to the old man, not to the new creature in Christ.  And James tells us that envy comes from below, not from above.  The key to overcoming the temptations of envy, then, is to be a new creature filled with the love of Christ, and bearing all good spiritual fruits.  Let’s resolve to resist the devil, discarding envy as a filthy rag worn by our former selves.  Instead, let’s seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit and request an outpouring of His love and grace flow thru us and from us.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

Intro

I often spend Sundays watching old sermons on YouTube, and it is amazing how God will sometimes use this to reveal His truths to me.  I will find that my Scripture readings and devotionals dovetail with whatever message I “randomly” chose to stream- God is good!  This week’s post is the result of such an experience, and I hope it speaks to you as it did to me.

Scripture and Commentary

2 Samuel 9

And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.

This short chapter is often overlooked as just an historical detail, but it wonderfully portrays a foreshadowing of God’s plan for man’s redemption.  Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, David’s closest friend from his youth, and the grandson of King Saul.  Mephibosheth became lame at age five, when his nurse fell with him while trying to flee after the battle in which Saul and Jonathan were killed.  He would have one day become king, had his ancestors not fallen away from God.  Instead, he wound up broken, hiding in the desolate refugee wasteland of Lo-debar.  This beautifully parallels the state of fallen man.  We were created to be in fellowship with God in His royal household, but because of our fall we are broken and desolate refugees.

While dwelling on the goodness of God, David decides to seek a member of Jonathan’s house to which he might show kindness.  He sends a servant to seek out Mephibosheth.  It must have been terrifying initially for Mephibosheth to see the king’s messengers approaching.  He had been in hiding for many years, fearing for his life as the heir to the former king.  Yet in faith he agreed to accompany David’s men, and upon seeing David, fell to his knees and acknowledged him as lord.  This leads to Mephibosheth’s inheritance being returned, and his position in the royal household being established.  He is redeemed, and counted among the king’s own sons!  Once seated at David’s table, all signs of lameness are covered, and he is once again a prince.

Ephesians 2:4-10

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Romans 8:14-16

14 Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 The Spirit you received doesn’t make you slaves. Otherwise you would live in fear again. Instead, the Holy Spirit you received made you God’s adopted child. By the Spirit’s power we call God Abba. Abba means Father. 16 The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they tell us that we are God’s children.

Beyond having enough faith to come to the meeting, Mephibosheth had done nothing to earn the king’s favor.  Likewise, our works have not earned us a place at God’s table.  Our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  Instead, it is the work of God to restore us through Christ to what would have been our birthright had we not fallen.  We are, like Mephibosheth said, as dead dogs.  But God in His mercy has chosen to redeem us through Christ.  Once redeemed, we sit at His table with all our flaws covered by His blood.

Conclusion

As we embark on 2018, let’s endeavor to remember we are God’s children, and joint heirs with Christ.  Let’s not hesitate to follow the advice given in Hebrews 4:16:

16 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.

Instead, let’s accept the gift of our redemption with a spirit of thankfulness and of service, glorifying God.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

Intro

I love hearing songs about God’s plan in public spaces during the Christmas season!  While running errands this week I noticed the store was playing the song “Mary Did You Know”, and I began to think about what the experience must have been like for her.  Most first-time mothers are nervous enough, without the extra pressure of being responsible for the Savior of the world!  So, I decided to spend this week’s blog post looking at how Mary handled her situation.

Scripture and Commentary

Luke 1:26-29

26 In the sixth month after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee. 27 He was sent to a virgin. The girl was engaged to a man named Joseph. He came from the family line of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel greeted her and said, “The Lord has blessed you in a special way. He is with you.”  29 Mary was very upset because of his words. She wondered what kind of greeting this could be.

How quickly we forget that God has something ordained for each of us to do!  Mary starts out as many of us would, a little nervous and afraid of what might be asked.

Luke 1:30-34

30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary. God is very pleased with you. 31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You must call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king like his father David of long ago. 33 The Son of the Most High God will rule forever over his people. They are from the family line of Jacob. That kingdom will never end.”  34 “How can this happen?” Mary asked the angel. “I am a virgin.”

In this passage Mary continues in her very human response, moving from fear to doubt.  These verses always make me giggle a little bit.  I mean, Gabriel tells her she is going to give birth to the Son of God, and that His kingdom will never end.  He will rule forever, meaning He will be immortal!  And she’s concerned about the mechanics of pregnancy, as though that would be the difficult part in all this?

Luke 1:35-38

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of the Most High God will cover you. So the holy one that is born will be called the Son of God. 36 Your relative Elizabeth will have a child even though she is old. People thought she could not have children. But she has been pregnant for six months now. 37 That’s because what God says will always come true.”  38 “I serve the Lord,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me just as you said it would.” Then the angel left her.

At this point in the story we start to see a transformation in Mary.  My personal belief is that God gave her the gift of faith she needed to overcome her previous fears and doubts.  Perhaps she thought of Moses- saved from the bulrushes, and educated in Pharaoh’s palace so as to be prepared to lead God’s people out of bondage.  Or of Joseph- sold into slavery and imprisoned so that he could later save Israel from starvation.  Regardless, Mary reaches a point where she realizes that God chooses His servants in unlikely places, but that He also gives them all they need to fulfill His plans.

Luke 1:41-55

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she called out, “God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! 43 But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. 45 You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that the Lord would keep his promises to you!”46 Mary said, “My soul gives glory to the Lord.  47 My spirit delights in God my Savior. 48 He has taken note of me even though I am not considered important.  From now on all people will call me blessed.  49 The Mighty One has done great things for me.   His name is holy.  50 He shows his mercy to those who have respect for him, from parent to child down through the years.  51 He has done mighty things with his powerful arm.   He has scattered those who are proud in their deepest thoughts.  52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones.  But he has lifted up people who are not considered important.  53 He has filled with good things those who are hungry.  But he has sent away empty those who are rich.  54 He has helped the people of Israel, who serve him.  He has always remembered to be kind 55 to Abraham and his children down through the years.  He has done it just as he promised to our people of long ago.”

What a transformation!  Once Mary gets beyond her doubt and fear, she not only begins to trust in God, but also to rejoice.  The anointing of the Holy Spirit can be seen in her words, as this is hardly the song of a typical young maiden.  She has become the woman with enough faith and confidence to embark on the journey to Bethlehem while heavily pregnant, knowing she will give birth on the road in a strange place with no family nearby to help.  A woman who will stay at the foot of the cross when her Son is crucified- something most of us cannot imagine being able to bear.  And, ultimately, a woman that will stand in prayer with the Apostles as they wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit after the ascension of Jesus.

Conclusion

We are into the holiday season now, and in a few days we will embark on a new year.  God has plans for each of us in 2018, ordained since before the beginning of time.  When He calls on us, let’s pray that we will forgo the fears and doubts, and proceed straight to faith, obedience, and rejoicing in His purpose.  Happy holidays to all!

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.