Reactions to grace

But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Luke 15:20

The son took his father’s money, and squandered it.  By God’s grace, he realized what a fool he had been, so he headed home to repent.  He didn’t go to ask to be reinstated as a son (he was painfully aware that he did not deserve that honor!).  Instead he intended to ask to be one of his father’s slaves.

“But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

Our Heavenly Father does not receive us as His slaves.  We do not even deserve that!  Instead He runs to us, and treats us as highly favored sons and daughters.

While we are wise to remember that such honor is undeserved, by God’s grace we are His highly favored children.

Here are two correct reactions:

• Amazed gratitude toward our Father.

• Treat His other children as He has kindly treated us.

Receiving Jesus, and our problems

But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. John 6:20-21

The disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat.  Jesus was not in the boat with them.  Suddenly, a storm arose.  They rowed for about three or four miles in the midst of the tempest.  This was a problem.

They then saw something unusually startling.  Jesus was nearing the boat, walking on the water, in the midst of the storm!  Jesus, as always, was the solution to their problem, but they were even more afraid.

Jesus spoke peace to the men, first by identifying Himself, and second by affirming that they must not be afraid.  As always, Jesus’ words are what we need to hear.

Upon hearing Jesus’ reassuring words, they received Him into the boat.  A wise choice!

Once they received Him, the boat was ashore.  Receiving Jesus does not put an end to our problems (the many storms we encounter in life), but He assuredly will deliver us to safe haven.

Have you received Jesus?  He is the only solution to the biggest problem we all have: Sin.  Those who receive Jesus are forgiven of their sins and will make it to Heaven.

That you may know...

“For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”--then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Matthew 9:5-6

Jesus healed and saved a paralyzed man.  He did so with the words “Your sins are forgiven” (v.2). Instead of rejoicing, Jesus’ detractors silently accused Him of blasphemy (v.3).  Knowing their hearts, Jesus questioned them (v.4-5).

Bible teachers sometimes make much (too much?) of which phrase is easier to say.  Why would I insist that which is easier to say is not the point?  Because of (v.6) “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins."

Two lessons:

1. Let us not get side tracked on inconsequential details.  Neither phrase is easier for Jesus to say.  He can say and do anything without difficulty!

2. Let us not miss the point, not only of this healing, but of the gospels, and the rest of the Bible!  Jesus, the one and only God-Man, alone, has power to forgive sins.

Are your sins forgiven by Jesus, received through faith alone, in Him alone?

If yes, rejoice!

If no, won’t you receive Him, even now?

Living to see the Messiah

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon [to whom] it had been revealed… by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ… he took Him [Jesus] up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation…”   Luke 2:25-26, 28-30

 God told Simeon that he would live to see the promised Messiah.  We do not know for certain how old Simeon was when Joseph and Mary brought Him to the temple, but we can easily surmise that Simeon was old.  He saw the Christ Child, and by the Holy Spirit he knew Jesus was the Messiah.  He therefore praised the Lord that he saw and even held the Infant, Jesus.  He rejoiced that he lived to see God’s salvation, and indeed his own Savior.

Might we take a cue from Simeon and thank the Lord that He kept us alive long enough to know Jesus—to trust in, and to love our Savior?

In the verses that follow (v.34-35) Simeon prophesied what Jesus would go on to do.  While we may not be prophets, let us speak up, telling others what our Savior Jesus has done in our lives!

Let us redouble our efforts to be fully engaged in worship of the Almighty.

“Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain?  I have no pleasure in you,” says the Lord of hosts, “Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.”
Malachi 1:10 

I once read a book with a chapter entitled, “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God.”  The author quoted Malachi 1:10 adding his observation that many people in church engage in acts of worship with half, or no heart. 

It is easy to sing an entire song in church (maybe even several) with our mouths, while our hearts and minds are disengaged, or engaged elsewhere.  And what of those who sit through (sleep through?) sermon after sermon, but who are not moved to do anything about what they have heard.  God receives no blessing, or honor, nor does He receive any delight in such vain worship.

The author of the book I mentioned asked, “How many churches are there whose doors God might prefer to shut, than to continue to receive our left-overs?”  May we not contribute to such a condition.

Hard hitting words like these are not negative—unless we fail to respond appropriately.  The appropriate response is not defensiveness, rationalization, or adopting a “throw in the towel” quitter’s attitude.  The correct response is to acknowledge our weakness and half-heartedness in worship.  Confess it as sin.  Receive God’s forgiveness (which He is so gracious to freely give). And then let us redouble our efforts to be fully engaged in worship of the Almighty.

"Consider your ways!"

Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways! “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!”
Haggai 1:5-7

Disobedience to God is not the only reason for a lack of prosperity.  But according to God, speaking through Haggai, it certainly can be a reason  But even if disobedience  does not lead to a lack of physical and financial prosperity, it certainly leads to a lack of true peace and joy, even of one is wealthy.

In Haggai’s day the people were in disobedience to God in that they had neglected the house of God (the temple), while they were busy building and beautifying their own houses.  This is not to say it is wrong to build and beautify our homes.  It only becomes sin when we beautify our homes to the neglect of the house of God (v.9).

In the New Covenant, the temple of God is not a building , but a people: the Church (Ephesians 2:19-22).  Beautifying our homes is not the only activity that distracts us from serving Christ by serving His Church.  It could be any of hundreds of other things into which we pour ourselves while neglecting Christ’s Church.

So if you are lacking either prosperity or peace, Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!”

Jesus' kingdom will be fully realized when He comes again

“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel was given a vision of things to come.  The vision was of four consecutive world empires that would all come and go.  The end of the fourth empire would exist when Jesus came the first time.  From Daniels’ perspective that was distant future.  From our perspective it is distant past.

That God’s fulfilled prophecies of the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans all happened was not merely history written in advance.  It was to establish God’s 100% accuracy regarding the world empires to verify that what He had to say about the coming of Christ was indeed trustworthy.  And it was.

Even though the world is still running amuck, Jesus rules now.

When Jesus comes again, as He said He would, the fullness of His kingdom will be seen, on into and throughout eternity.

In this in between time (when Jesus rules, but sin yet prevails) we are to trust Him, and worship Him as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, (a) because He is!  And (b) when He comes again, He will deal decisively and finally with all that oppose Him.

God is looking. Who will He find?

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 22:30-31

In Ezekiel 22, God was “looking” for a person to pray.  Just one.  He wasn’t looking for a powerful or a popular person, or even a person mighty in prayer who could pray powerfully.  He was simply looking for a person to pray.

What was this person to pray for?  The person God was looking for was to pray to God for His people so that God’s much deserved wrath would be averted.

Who did God find?  No one.

Was no one was found because the qualifications were too demanding?  No.  The only thing needed was a willingness to pray.

What was the result of God’s search coming up empty?  God’s judgment—judgment that could have been averted, had there been just one willing to pray.

In light of the sins of our nation (including sins in the Church), which cry out for God’s just judgment, what if God is looking for people to pray in our day?  Who would He find?  

Disobedience regarding evangelism

Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
Ezekiel 3:19

 This is but one verse of five (v.17-21) in which God spells out a principle regarding evangelism and the responsibility of the evangelist.  The principle is that if we tell people the gospel (believe and repent), if they refuse, they will be judged for rejecting the message, but we will have fulfilled our responsibility and will be free from judgment.  If we do not tell them, we will incur God’s judgment for our disobedience.

First what this does not mean:  Our failure to tell people about Christ and the gospel will not cost us our salvation.  That was secured by Christ’s obedience not ours!

What it does mean is that our disobedience is not without consequence.  One consequence is displeasing God.  Another consequence is loss of reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:9-10).

If we are saved, we do not want to displease God, nor do we want to lose rewards for obedience since our rewards are not ultimately for us but for Christ’s glory.

People need to know the Lord.  The way God has ordained people who do not know the Lord to receive Christ is that we (who know Him) are called to make Christ and the gospel known.

Let us pray to be more evangelistically minded, and that the Lord will convert people with whom we share the good news!

In whom are you trusting?

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust... Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.   Isaiah 40:15 & 17

Much of the history of the world is the history of people and nations warring against each other.  The drive to exert one’s power and authority by attacking and defeating others seems virtually insatiable.

But the day is coming when every person and nation will be conquered by God almighty.  Where will boasting be then?

The message of Daniel involves prophecies of world empires rising and falling in succession, each boasting that they are bigger and more powerful than those that came before.

But that is not the main point of the book of Daniel.  The main point of Daniel is that, though world empires come and go, in the end, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus, will defeat them all and establish His Kingdom that can never fail and will never end.

While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.  Daniel 2:34

In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.  Daniel 2:44

So let us not trust in the nations or in the people who purport to rule them.  Instead, let us trust only in, and give our praise only to, King Jesus!

Spotting false prophets / teachers

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the LORD.’”
Jeremiah 28:15-16

Jeremiah was surrounded by false prophets who told the people what they wanted to hear instead of what God wanted to say.  Hananiah was one of those false prophets.  God (through Jeremiah) condemned Hananiah for prophesying lies.

There have always been false prophets, as there are today, who tell people what they want to hear instead of what God says. 

Since we do not have a Jeremiah to identify false prophets, how do we know who to listen to and who not to?  We do not need a Jeremiah to sort this out for us.  We have the Bible!  As Isaiah said:

To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20

Those whose message is not accurately true to God’s Word, the Bible, are not to be listened to—at all! 

This requires us to be diligent to know God’s Word so we can discern what is accurate and what is not.  We receive help in this from respected teachers and preachers—but even their words must be measured by the Word of God, as did the Bereans who scrutinized even Paul’s preaching by comparing it to the rest of scripture:

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Acts 17:11

Let us be discerning to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”  (1 John 4:1)

Have we have forgotten how to blush?

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the LORD. Jeremiah 6:15

I recently saw a man and a woman walking hand in hand in a public park.  They both wore
t-shirts with writing emblazed on their chests.  The messages of both were provocatively embarrassing.  The poor souls were not only bold enough to own and wear those shirts—in public, no less—neither of them had sense enough to blush.  

In case you haven’t noticed, we live in a crude, lewd, and rude society.  We are a society that celebrates perversion and vilifies those who refuse to join the parade.

Jeremiah wrote about the sinfulness of Judah, pointing out that their sin was so commonplace that the people had forgotten how to blush.

God promised such people that they would fall, experience God’s punishment, and be cast down.

Judah fell, and fell hard under the Lord’s displeasure.  If God does not deal with us, He may need to apologize to Judah.

Let us worship God in the beauty of His holiness, praying for a spiritual and moral revival in our land. And let us thank the Lord that there are still people who, by God’s grace, know how to blush.

God saved even him!

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. But he did evil in the sight of the LORD…  2 Chronicles 33:1-2

Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty… Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. (v.12-13)

So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Then his son Amon reigned in his place… But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done… (v.20-22)

Manasseh was the worst of the Kings of Judah, sinning more than the pagans displaced by Israel when they entered the Land under Joshua.

God turned Manasseh over to the Assyrians, who took him as a prisoner to Babylon.  While there, Manasseh repented.  God brought him back to Jerusalem, where he sought to make reforms.  But the people were so entrenched in their wickedness, they did not follow the king’s good example as they had followed his bad example.

When Manasseh died, his son, Amon, became king.  Amon followed his father’s example in sin, but not in repentance.  He was assassinated after ruling only two years.  Lessons to learn?

• Even the worst sinner can be saved and repent.

• While sins of the repentant are forgiven, the damage done by past sin may still have lasting consequences.

• Parents’ repentance does not guarantee repentance by our offspring.

Overall, God is incredibly gracious, but sin is not without consequences.

Listen to the One who called you to Himself

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.”
Isaiah 51:1-2

God wants certain people to listen to Him.  They are people who desire righteousness and who seek the Lord.  Who are these people? 

They are those God has graciously called to Himself; those He has hewn from rock; those He has dug from a hole in the ground.  In other words, those God has transformed from what we were to who we now are in Christ.  They are those—like Abraham and Sarah who were lost in the world without hope—who God called out of the world to Himself.

• Let us never forget where we were and where we were headed before God saved us. 

• Let us never cease worshiping and praising God for His incredible mercies. 

• Let us be filled with gratitude for the blessings He has poured out on us. 

• And let us “listen to Him” that we may know and do His will.

Soli deo Gloria! To God alone be glory!

"...to the ends of the earth..."

“According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth…”
Psalm 48:10

There are two applications of this verse.  Both are legitimate.

First, as large as the whole earth is, it is not large enough to contain the praises due God.  As He is greater than the earth, so is His praise-worthiness.  This is good to remember when the fears and anxieties that are all too common in our lives overshadow our praised to the God who is worthy of all praise all of the time.

Second, after 2,000+ years, there are still places on this planet where Christ is not known. 

• Let us be encouraged that it is God’s plan that the gospel of Christ go to every people group in the world. 

• Let us pray for and support missionary efforts that broadcast Christ and His glorious gospel. 

• And let us be reminded that in eternity, the praises of God in Heaven will rise from a choir made up of people from every tribe, tongue and nation!

Hallelujah!

Prioritize to be able to stand

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7:9 NIV

Isaiah 7:9 provides an important reminder regarding priorities in life.  Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 6:33:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

The first and over-arching priority in our lives must be the Lord and our relationship with Him.  If that is not right, we can scarcely be surprised when other areas of our lives are out of kilter.  As an example, why should we be surprised when our relationships with others are troubled if our relationship with the Lord is not our number one priority?

That is not to say that when we are right with the Lord, everything else in our lives will be smooth sailing.  Life is fraught with difficulties.  But let us be sure that they are not troubles of our own making as a result of neglecting our relationship with the Lord.

How do we prioritize our relationship with the Lord?  The ordinary means of grace, of course.  Let us:

Prioritize God’s Word. Read it and hear it preached. 

Prioritize prayer. It is not how long or how beautifully we pray, it is that we do pray—everyday.

Prioritize fellowship. Share our lives with other believers by serving, encouraging, and being encouraged by one another.

Easier said than done!

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

This is one of the simplest, most straight forward verses about worship and the Christian life.

Simple, but not easy.

Because all of life, not just religious activities are what the Christian life is all about, all of our lives belong to Jesus.  He created us and redeemed us, so we are His.

Because every aspect of our lives belongs to Him, He deserves our worship in every aspect of our lives—every minute of every day.

I think we would all agree that is true.  And I am sure we all know how difficult that is to actually do, even for a day, much less every minute of every day.  So what do we do with this biblical admonition?

We cannot ignore it, but since none of us lives up to it, here are two thoughts:

Pray, confessing our failings and asking God to so captivate our hearts, minds, and affections that we would get better at glorifying the Lord in all that we do.

Praise the Lord that as our wonderful Savior, Jesus did this perfectly for us, so that there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

Independence! From What?

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  1 Timothy 2:1-3

This week Americans celebrate the 4th of July, also known as Independence Day.  It marks the time in 1776 when the colonists declared their independence from the British Crown and King George.  It was the first time in history when a government was said to be of, for, and by the citizens.  It was a first for  government to be “limited” to what a document gave them jurisdiction over—and nothing more!  It was understood by the founders that for this experiment in freedom to succeed, the citizens have to be self-governed, and that based on the citizens’ understating their obligations to God who grants people unalienable rights.

That has changed.  America has changed, and not for the better!  Freedom, in the minds of many Americans, means the right to do anything, no matter how wrong, evil, and perverse.  Stated another way, to many Americans, freedom means freedom from all restraint—especially from God!

Government cannot address, much less right, this systemic wrong.  America’s only hope is not political, it is spiritual.  It is not a candidate, it is a King: Jesus.  It is not a cultural revolution, but a Christian revival.  What we can and must do is PRAY.  May God have mercy on us, and on this nation in spiritual decline!

What kind of leadership?

And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
1 Kings 12:7

Solomon’s Son, Rehoboam, succeeded his father on the throne of united Israel.  Apparently, Solomon had taxed his people heavily to support his lavish government projects.  Obviously some things never change!

The young king wisely sought counsel on how to rule the great nation.  Older, wiser advisors who had worked for Solomon advised Rehoboam to serve the people, rather than continuing to make them his servants via excessive taxation.  They promised that when government serves the people (including restraint in taxation), the people would willingly serve their king.

Rehoboam then asked a group of his youthful peers what they thought.  They advised the king to lean on the people more heavily than Solomon had (1 Kings 12:8-14.)  Rehoboam foolishly followed the counsel of his naive peers.  The result: 10 of 12 tribes seceded from the nation and began a new one, calling it Israel.  Rehoboam was left ruling what was left, called Judah.

Jesus is the perfect Leader.  One of the marks of His leadership is that He serves His people.  

Matthew 20:27-28  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Life "under the sun," or "under Heaven"?

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?... To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: Ecclesiastes  1:1-2, & 3:1

Ecclesiastes, written almost certainly by King Solomon, contrasts life “under the sun” and life “under Heaven.”  Understanding this it the key to understanding the book.  The premise is simply this: If this life (under the sun) is all there is, all of life is vanity (emptiness).  Life only has ultimate meaning when lived with eternity in mind (under Heaven).

The reality is that there is a God in Heaven.  Therefore, those who live only for this life (under the sun), not only live in vanity, they will die to find that there is a life in Heaven after this life under Heaven. 

One of the sayings often repeated by R.C. Sproul was: “Right now counts forever.”  The only way to be prepared for Heaven is to live this life (“under the sun”) with eternity in mind (“under Heaven”).

The first and most essential step in living “under Heaven” is to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.  Acknowledge your sin and need for forgiveness.  Trust in Christ (His death and resurrection) as the only way anyone will ever live “under Heaven.”