Have you ever contemplated why we pray?  If God is in control, and has already seen the future, what is the benefit of prayer?  In this week’s post I begin a series on 5 reasons we should obey I Thessalonians 5:17, and “pray continually”.

 Reason #1: It reminds us Who we are dealing with

 Communing with God affirms our relationship with Him, and provides an opportunity to dwell on who He is.  Scripture offers insights into the nature of God that we can dwell on as we pray.

Matthew 27:50-54

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.  54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

Colossians 1:22

22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation

These passages show God the Victorious Reconciler.  The sacrifice of Jesus as an offering for all sin has made unnecessary the veil separating man from God.  Now we are reconciled and free to enter into His presence in prayer.  And we are no longer condemned to spiritual death, but are instead born again to serve the One that has triumphed over death.

Matthew 6:9-13

 9 This, then, is how you should pray:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  11 Give us today our daily bread.  12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

I John 3:1

1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Romans 8:17

17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Christ teaches us to begin our prayers addressing God as Father, reflecting the reconciliation and new birth granted by the Victorious Reconciler above.  We are no longer children of mortal sin, but children of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

James 1:17

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Philippians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Verses like these remind us that we are speaking to God the Provider, and that He has promised blessings and answers to our prayers.  More on that in later segments.

I John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Luke 15:21-24

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Here we have God the Restorer, renewing our right-standing when we confess our sins and repent.  He re-affirms our place in the family as His children for eternity.

1 Colossians 1:15-19

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Revelation 11:15

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

Finally, we have God the Almighty Sovereign.  In Him all of creation dwells, and He has all power over heaven and earth.  His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and we will serve with Him as kings and priests.

Conclusion

One of the key tenets of communication is to know who your audience is.  This is why I chose to start our series on prayer with a reflection on the nature and characteristics of our Audience, God the Father and His son Jesus Christ.  Dwelling on the nature of God as we approach prayer increases our faith, and frames our communications.  We know we can approach with confidence, present requests that will be heard and fulfilled, receive forgiveness and restoration, and commune with the  Almighty Who reigns forever.

Intro

I’ve been noticing lately how society seems to be growing more opinionated, and less tolerant of the views of others.  It seems to me that pride is at the root of this behavior, so I thought I would make this week’s post about pride vs. humility.

Scripture and Commentary

We’ll start out with what the Bible has to say about pride.  For the sake of simplicity, I have grouped the Scriptures into 4 groupings.  We’ll call them the 4 perils of pride.

1. Peril #1: Pride crowds out God in our lives

Psalm 10:4-6

4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;  in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
5 His ways are always prosperous;  your laws are rejected by[b] him;  he sneers at all his enemies.  6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”  He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

Pride is essentially mentally congratulating oneself, bestowing on ourselves the glory and thankfulness that should rightfully belong to God.  By cheating the Lord of the praise for His blessings we set ourselves up for Peril #2.

2. Peril #2: Pride goeth before destruction

Proverbs 16:18-19

18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Proverbs 11:2

2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Job 33:14-18

¹4 For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it.  15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, 16 he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, 17 to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, 18 to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.

God will deal with the pride in our lives, as He must.  This may come about via a warning, as described in the passage from Job.  Or if we are hard-hearted (or big-headed) it may come about a painful and humiliating setback.  This is for our own benefit, to save us from Peril #3.

Peril #3: Pride leads us into sinning against God

Ezekiel 28:17

17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor. So, I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

1 John 2:15-17

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Proverbs 8:13

13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil:  I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Ezekiel tells us that Lucifer’s fall was precipitated by pride, even though he was blameless in all his ways beforehand.  How much more will we be led into sin by pride with our mortal and sinful natures!  John tells us that pride ranks along with lust and material greed in causing us to turn from the things of God.  And Proverbs 8 reiterates that pride and arrogance indicate a lack of respect for the Lord.

Peril #4: Pride causes us to sin against one another

Proverbs 13:10

10 Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Proverbs 14:3

3 A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

How often do we let our pride do the talking for us, and how much better off we would be if we didn’t!  Recall from past posts that the Lord instructs us to avoid strife and contention with our fellow man, and to reflect His love.  We can only do this when we are not speaking from a place of pride.

Now we know about the perils of pride, so we can turn our attention to the benefits of humility.  I’ll call these the 3 honors of humility.

Honor #1: God protects the humble

Zephaniah 2:3

3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.

2 Samuel 22:28

You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

 God has promised His protection for those that are humble before Him, in thankfulness giving Him the glory rather than boasting in their own strength.

Honor #2: Humility helps us to follow the Great Commandment to love others, reflecting the image of God as He intends, and being a unified example of Christ

 Colossians 3:12-14

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 Philippians 2:1-7

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Sometimes we need to step back and reflect on how much our Lord gave up when He came to earth to provide for our salvation, as to recall also how He humbled Himself while here, even washing the feet of the disciples.  Perhaps He is calling us in our daily lives to look for our own “foot-washing” opportunities.  On the bright side, the remaining honor shows that God has a pretty good bonus plan for the humble.

Honor #3: God has promised rewards to the humble

Proverbs 22:4

4 Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.

Proverbs 3:34

He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.

Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

My hope is that this post will encourage us to reflect on areas where pride may be interfering with our witness for the Lord.  I pray that in our conversations, our internet posts, our work and community interactions that the Holy Spirit provides us with the guidance and conviction we need to live humbly in unity with one another.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

This week we conclude the “Ten Rules to Live by in the End Times” series.  Last week’s rules pertained to maintaining spiritual health.  This week we focus on our responsibilities as stewards and shepherds for the Lord.

Scripture and Commentary

Rule #6: Take care of yourself physically

I Corinthians 6:19-20

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.

I Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Proverbs 20:4, 20-21

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.  20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, 21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

There are many Scriptures that support taking good care of our physical health, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising in moderation, avoiding too much alcohol, and getting enough rest.  All of these are crucial to maintaining ourselves fit for service and to maintaining a good witness.  God dwells in us, and He will give us the strength to maintain control over our flesh.

Rule #7 Take care of yourself mentally

Philippians 4:4-8

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Sunday school children sing a song that goes “be careful little ears what you hear, be careful little eyes what you see” and so on.  I think as adults in the end times we might do well to start our days with a rousing rendition of this song before heading out into the world!  As wickedness grows around us it will become ever more important to remember to rejoice, rejoice, rejoice.  Know when to turn off the news, and to log off of the internet.  Take care in choosing your entertainment.  Re-read The Anger Trap posting on this blog, and beware of content that is intended to anger or frighten you.  Guard against feelings of fear, doubt, or anger, as these will tempt you to take actions inconsistent with a walk of faith and love.

Rule #8 Take care of your example, and of others

James 2:14-17

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

Romans 14:13-23

13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

In previous blog posts we have dealt with the importance of maintaining a good example by abstaining from silly disagreements, loving the foreigner as one born among us, and practicing charity.  Continue to do these things as befits the Light of the World.

Rule #9 Take care of the earth

Psalm 24:1

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it

Genesis 1:26-30

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

The Bible makes it clear that the earth belongs to the Lord, and has been entrusted to us for our home.  We have a stewardship responsibility to take care of that He entrusted to us.  Moreover, we have a responsibility to have love in our hearts for those-presently or in the future should the Lord tarry- that may be harmed by damage to our planet.  We don’t worship the earth, nor do we look to science and the actions of mankind as a source of salvation, but we should behave as good stewards and shepherds of the Lord’s creation.  None of us truly know when the Lord will return.  So stewardship should be viewed as a standing order, He hasn’t given us a “latter days” opt-out clause.

Rule #10 Love

John 13:35

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Galatians 6:10

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Matthew 22:34-40

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 24:12

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold

This is a topic we have discussed many times, but it certainly bears repeating.  Regardless of the changes in the world around us, we must be steadfast in our love of God and all His creation.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

It seems everywhere I look I am seeing signs of the end times.  Even the secular media has predicted world-ending events, and I can’t count the number of fictional books, movies, and television programs produced in the last year that are set in some sort of post-apocalyptic world.  To me this just goes to show that everyone, Believer or otherwise, knows in their heart that God is on the move.

How should we live our lives, if we believe our time here is short?  I’ve been praying and meditating on this for a while, and have arrived at “ten rules to live by in the end times” that summarize what I think the Lord would want us to do.  We will cover the first 5 of the 10 rules this week, and conclude with the remaining 5 next week.

Scripture and Commentary

Rule #1: Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord

I Corinthians 15:51-58:

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

We all have a mission field, whether afar or in our back yards, and we want the Lord to find us doing His work when He returns.  Our daily focus should be on the Kingdom of Heaven.  This does not mean abandon our worldly responsibilities, but rather that our motivations and goals are consistent with Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

I put this rule at the top of my list, because that is precisely what the Apostle Paul instructed us to do immediately after introducing the idea of the Lord’s return- stand firm, and always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord.

Rule #2: Practice good earthly citizenship, including praying for our nation and our leaders

This grows challenging as the world around us grows in wickedness and political rhetoric gets ever more heated, but there is a strong Scriptural basis for continuing to be an obedient, faithful citizen while we are sojourning here on earth.  Refer to God’s command when He sent Israel into exile in Babylon:

Jeremiah 29:4-7

4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Philippians 3:20 assures us:

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

Meanwhile, during our “exile” we are instructed to conduct ourselves in a manner consistent with representing Christ in our nations, as described in 1 Peter 2:11-17

11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

Rule #3: Stay watchful and ready

The next 2 rules both come from parables as recounted in Matthew 25.  The first is found in verses 1-10:

“At that time, the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

We know that in the Bible oil is used as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit, and that since Pentecost the Holy Spirit dwells within those that accept Christ; however, this is a relationship and requires our communion and participation.  We should be spending time in prayer, being led by the Spirit as instructed in Romans 8.  Then the bridegroom will not catch us unawares.

Rule #4 Stay Engaged

Jesus continues in Matthew 25:14-30 with another parable:

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.  19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So, you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Clearly the main point of this story is that God expects us to bear fruit, and to use the gifts He has given to increase His kingdom; however, my personal belief is that the Lord also mentions banking and commerce in this parable to indicate that we are to remain engaged in these things.  We are not to retreat into seclusion and bury our talents in the ground, awaiting His return.  This is consistent with the passage from 1 Peter that we viewed earlier, where we are “living good lives among the pagans”.  Note this does not say form Christian communities, and cut yourselves off, nor does it say pass laws that force the pagans to live as you see fit.  Rather, we are to remain engaged and be the “light of the world” as described in Matthew 5:14.

Rule #5 Walk by faith, not by sight

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 tells us:

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I believe applying this rule will be both more difficult, and ever more important, as we progress thru the end times.  We know from passages we’ve studied previously that the world will grow ever more wicked, that persecution of Christians will increase, and that calamities and disasters will arise round about us.  Keeping “Our Eyes on Him” through all of this, and walking by faith and not by sight, is the challenge the Lord has set before us.  And we must remember to remain in love and pray for the wicked around us, recalling from the example of the Apostle Paul that we never know who God may save and then use for His good work.

Next week we will conclude our list with the remaining 5 rules.  Until then, I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

 

 

 

Intro

The dictionary defines content as satisfied, wanting nothing more and nothing else.  Apparently the root of the word is a synonym for willingness, perhaps as in being willing to accept circumstances.  The Bible has quite a bit to say about contentment.

Scripture

We’ll begin with Psalm 131:

1 My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.  2 But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.  3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.

And Proverbs 19:21-23:

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.  22 What a person desires is unfailing love, better to be poor than a liar.  23 The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Ecclesiastes 4:4-8

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.  5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. 6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. 7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.  There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.  “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless—a miserable business!

And finally Philippians 4:4-13:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Commentary

Taken together these passages are quite interesting.  The Psalm tells us that we will never find what we are seeking in knowledge and learning.  Proverbs tells us that neither “pursuing our dreams” nor seeking worldly love will satisfy.  1 Timothy and Ecclesiastes say that even achievement, status, and wealth won’t do the trick.  Only a relationship with God, submitted to His care, can bring about contentment thru His peace.

I was thinking about the passage from Philippians this week.  The Apostle Paul doesn’t seem to be the sort of guy to be contented easily.  After all, he wasn’t content to merely disagree with the early Christians before his conversion.  Rather, he was willing to strike out on foot and traverse long distances just to hunt them down!  After his conversion he went on extensive missionary journeys, wrote exhaustively, started numerous churches, and never ceased to provide counsel.  He was learned, well-traveled, and strong-minded in his opinions.  Yet near the end of his life, imprisoned, afflicted with health issues, and certain that he is facing execution he had learned the secret of being content- that we can rest assured God is in control, and that nothing can happen to us that He does not ordain.  No one can take anything away from a child of God, not even their life, without God’s hand at work turning it around so that all things work together for an eternal good.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

Dictionary.com defines the quality of being patient as follows:

“able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious”

The more the world gets into turmoil, the more challenging it becomes to remain patient and steadfast.  Any visit to social media, or even just the comments section of most news articles, will reveal the deterioration of patience for other views, and once again this week we have seen violence erupt in nearby Berkeley, CA when parties that disagree found themselves in close quarters.  If we are to follow in the Lord’s footsteps we will have to navigate around this snare.  As usual we will look to the Scriptures for guidance, and since the Lord has blessed this blog with readership from many parts of the world, including some where Bibles are not readily available, we will cover several verses.

Scripture

Proverbs has a great deal to say about patience (perhaps not surprising since the author had so many wives):

14:29 Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

15:18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.

16:32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

19:11 A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Ecclesiastes calls to mind the fable of the tortoise and hare:

7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

And we are commanded to display patience in several New Testament verses:

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Hebrews 6:12

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

James 5:7

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Ephesians 4:2

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Commentary

I think this Scriptural emphasis on patience can be attributed to 3 factors:

First, God is patient with those that He has appointed unto wrath and judgement, because he knows that they contribute to His overall work.  This is described to us in Romans 9:17-24 as follows:

17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?  22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

This suggests that we should imitate our Father, and be patient with those that are in sin, knowing that they were created and ordained unto a purpose of His intent.

Second, God’s patience is necessary for those He has called to accept salvation- which will include some that are today amongst the worst of sinners.  We find this in 2 Peter 3:8-15:

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.  14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

Finally, we know that Jesus said the greatest commandment of all was love- loving God, and loving our neighbor as ourselves.  We get our definition of love from 1 Corinthians 13, and the very first attribute of love is patience as shown in verse 4:

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

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

So I was watching a great portrayal of the Gospel of Mark on Amazon.com this week, and was struck by one particular scene- the temptation of Christ in the wilderness.  To be honest this story has always been a puzzle to me, so I did some research to see what answers I could turn up.

Scripture and Commentary

We know that Jesus was around from the beginning:

John 1:1-3, 9-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

And that He witnessed the fall of Satan, and has the power to give dominion over him:

Luke 10:1-18

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

So Satan would clearly have known Who he was dealing with!  Why then did the temptation occur?

Another interesting point is the circumstance Jesus was in when He was tempted.  He had just made a public declaration of His faith by being baptized.  And we have cause to believe He was full of the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit came upon Him at baptism, and led Him into the wilderness:

Mark 1:9-12

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

So we see temptation following an act of faith, and being at its most intense when the Spirit is on Him.  This is interesting because many Christians believe that they are tempted because they are not “close enough” to God, but this passage seems to indicate that the opposite may be true.   That instead of repelling Satan, acts of faith and communion with the Holy Spirit may cause him to double his efforts.

But let’s return to the question of why did the temptation occur.  In doing research on this I came across several teachings that draw parallels between the original temptation of man in Eden, and the temptations faced by Christ.  For example in both cases the initial temptation involves food:

Genesis 3:1-3

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

Matthew 4:1-4

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

So we have a few interesting parallels here.  The temptation is food, and man first misquotes God’s Word, and then succumbs.  Christ instead accurately uses the Word of God to resist and to rebuke the tempter.

The second temptation also contains some of the same dynamics:

Genesis 3:4

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman

Matthew 4:5-6

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you,    and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone

In both Satan suggests that God will not allow sin to put us in harm’s way.  Jesus again resists this temptation.

And finally the last of the 3 temptations:

Genesis 3:5

 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Matthew 4:8-9

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

In this passage we have the desire to be as God, to have power over others and our own destiny, rather than live in obedience and submission.  And as we know, man succumbed while Christ resisted.

 

Conclusion

So we have a very close parallel to the original temptation of man being repeated, on a supernatural scale, with the temptation of Christ.  This occurs immediately after he has been baptized, is filled with the Spirit, and has spent many days fasting.  In passing this test Christ not only remained the Blameless Sacrifice, but also became uniquely qualified to both forgive the sins of man, and to serve as intercessor.

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

This suggests to me that the temptation was required to redeem man from the curse. It would not have been sufficient for one not tempted to be sacrificed- even if that one was blameless.  Instead, it required God in human form and capable of resisting sin to face down the temptations that befell us, and emerge victorious over sin.  And since the wages of sin are death, to emerge victorious over death itself, and thus offer redemption.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

If you haven’t yet seen the film Miracles from Heaven, I highly recommend that you do.  A video clip can be found at the link below:

https://youtu.be/CldGTG6iVrU

The movie tells the story of a terminally sick little girl being healed, and of a mother struggling to hang on to her faith thru her daughter’s illness.  When the child is first diagnosed the mother leaves no stone unturned in trying to find a cure for her daughter, and to no avail.  She feels God has abandoned her.  But in the end the situation is taken entirely out of the mother’s control.  Her daughter falls 30 feet down a hollow tree.  Unable to even reach her daughter, let alone intervene, the mother falls on her knees in prayer. The little girl emerges from the tree entirely healed, and with a fantastic testimony.

Most of us are like the mother in that story.  We struggle to hang on to our faith in times of trial, only to realize in retrospect that there was a plan in place all along.  But where do we turn in the middle of the storm, and what can the Bible teach us about faith that might light our way in the meantime?

Scripture and Commentary

1. We must understand that faith is a gift from God, and not all have an equal measure

John 6:63-65

63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

I Corinthians 12:3-11

3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Romans 12:3-8

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

2. We need to realize our faith can be increased

By the hearing of God’s word- Romans 10:17

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Thru the prayers and encouragement of other believers-1 Thessalonians 3:2-10

2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

 By asking- Mark 9:21-24

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

3. And in the meantime

We can be comforted by the Holy Spirit’s intercession on our behalf, and the surety of the result- Roams 8:26-28

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.

Conclusion

So now we have some tools to use the next time our faith is tried.  Remember that the trying of our faith works patience (James 1:3) and develops us in our walk with God.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

 

 

 

 

Intro

Awhile back I watched a secular program that completely changed my concept of God.  “The Black Whole” covers the work of unification physicist Nassim Haramein.  A trailer for the video can be seen here:

http://dai.ly/x1vjveu

Haramein concludes that “empty” space, which exists all the way down to the sub-sub-atomic level, is actually an energy force from which all creation is derived.  He also points out the evidence that this space is not empty, but rather infinitely full, with a mass many, many times that of our entire universe!  In fact the energy density of space is some 39 orders of magnitude more dense than the universe!

Now to those that have studied physics this is probably not news, but for me the conclusions were really striking.  Since all things exist in space, and have space within them at all levels, this “energy” is omnipresent, and seems to be the source of all creation.  Sound like Anyone you know?  Haramein goes on to point out that the space meets the condition of a black hole, meaning that no light can escape due to the density of space; however, he also points out that when viewed from outside the space would radiate an extremely bright and intense white light.  This should also sound familiar.

Sadly it seems that Haramein practices New Age beliefs, and seems to conclude that since this energy is present within us, and us within it, then we are all gods.  I’ve never quite been able to understand that leap.  Rather, I picture a sponge in a bucket of water.  It would be correct to say that the sponge is in the water, and also correct to say that the water is in the sponge; however, it is decidedly not correct to say that the sponge IS the water.  A sponge is merely a vessel, and cannot give any life-sustaining hydration on its own.  The water is the water, and only water can do what is needed.  So what can we find in Scripture that tells us about the nature of God, and help us with discernment in regards to Haramein’s conclusions?

Scripture and Commentary

1. God does indeed fill the heaven and the earth

Jeremiah 23:23-24

23 “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.

2. God is aware of all, and nothing is hidden from him

Psalm 139:1-12

1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.  3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.  4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.  5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  7 Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

3. We dwell within God

Acts 17:28

28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.

4. And God dwells within us

1 Corinthians 3:16

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Luke 17:20-21

20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

5. But God is not a man, and men are not God

Numbers 23:19

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent.  Has He said, and will He not do?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Psalm 8:3-5

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

6. God willingly took on human form as Jesus, to redeem mankind

John 10:24-30

24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”

John 1:1-4, 10-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Conclusion

I think we have done the world a disservice portraying God as a bearded grandfather sitting on a throne.  Clearly he is so much more than this!  In the disparaging but informative documentary Religulous Bill Maher sneers that it makes no sense to believe that one guy can hear people muttering to Him all at once from all over the world.  Well, that would be true in the human sense.  It would even be true if he were a physical being perched on a throne somewhere “up there”.  But if God is omnipresent in every single facet of creation, then his omniscience follows.  No wonder the hairs on our head are numbered (Luke 12:7), and he knows every sparrow (Matthew 10:29)!  I encourage you to take some time this week to ponder the existence of a God that is not only all-aware, but completely permeating all of existence.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K

Intro

We will start this week with a video:

https://youtu.be/iEEaI1mMphI

Scripture and Commentary

All this week, as I have listened to the news, I have been confronted over and over with the question “how big is my God?”.  Or maybe this is better phrased, “How big will I believe God to be?”  How much help does God require from us, in order to ensure our safety?  As always, let’s look to some Scripture:

Psalm 124:

1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger flared against us;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.

6 Praise be to the Lord,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3

3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

2 Samuel 22:3

   my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.

2 Peter 2:4-9:

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

Conclusion

All week I have pondered similar questions.  Do we need physical walls on our borders to keep us safe?  Do we need to implement travel bans, to help God out in his care-taking and protecting duties?  As I think and pray over these matters I cannot escape the reality that building a safe, familiar, Christian bubble in which to live is not consistent with the example of Jesus or the apostles.  Nor can I disregard the simple fact that many of the people we wish to trap “over there” live in places where they are far less likely to ever hear the Gospel of Christ.  No one wants a terrorist next door, but after much prayer I would rather that- and then trust in God’s protection- than have to explain why it was important for me to have a man-made sense of physical safety at the cost of others being exposed to the Truth of the Lord.  I choose to believe my God is big enough.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K