A.W. Tozer once wrote, “The great need of the hour among persons spiritually hungry is twofold: first, to know the Scriptures, apart from which no saving truth will be [granted] by our Lord; the second, to be enlightened by the Spirit, apart from whom the Scriptures will not be understood.” (The Root of the Righteous, 13)
To truly know God begins with faith that turns to confession. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Again, in verse 17, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
To know God involves knowing the Scriptures. That is why Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” This means we need to spend time in the Bible daily. To memorize and know God’s word thoroughly. To meditate upon it day and night (Ps. 1:2).
Ezra stands as our example. He was one who first studied the Law of the Lord desiring to know it thoroughly. Then he practiced it. He applied it to his own life. Then he went out and taught God’s word to others. Ezra 7:10 says, "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel." That is how we should be as well.
This is a time of year in which everyone is often busily hurrying about this way and that. We leave town for long periods of time; traveling, going on vacation. And thus, it is a time in which God’s word is often neglected in our daily lives. It is a time, perhaps more than any other, in which we need to set aside a few minutes each day so that we can meditate on God’s word to learn and know it better. To keep applying it in our lives. To be prepared to teach it to others.
Psalm 111:2 says, "The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them." Take pleasure in the Word of God. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Study to show yourself approved. Study to know God. Amen.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Monday, July 18, 2016
Intended for Worship
God made us (Gen. 1:27). Then, through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, God called us back to Himself "according to the good pleasure of His will" (Eph. 1:5). We are intended for God's own pleasure. What brings pleasure to God is our surrendering of ourselves completely to Him.
Surrendering yourself completely to God is called "worship." Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (NASB). The NIV ends this verse with the words, "this is your true and proper worship." Complete and total surrender of yourself to God is true worship.
God does not want things, He wants you! That is why God told David, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Ps. 51:17). That is also why Jesus told the woman at the well, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24).
If worship is our purpose, then we cannot forsake assembling together for that purpose. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us in just that way: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25).
God intended us to be an encouragement to each other. Paul instructs us to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16). That means we must gather together as He commanded, lifting up one another, and bringing praise and honor and glory to His name.
This is our formal worship and we must never neglect it. Some have a habit of missing worship services on a regular basis, especially in the busyness of summer. Do not let that be said of you. Make a special effort this summer to attend and participate in worship every Sunday. Be a great encouragement to each other as the Lord commands.
But remember, worship is more than that. Worship is also a daily surrender to God and His will. Live each day in total submission to God. Live each day in the power of the Spirit of God. Live each day as Christ Jesus would live each day. Then you will be living a life of daily worship before God.
Never forsake walking with God. Never forsake gathering together to worship God. Then you will be totally surrendered to Him and living a life that is pleasing to Him. Amen.
Surrendering yourself completely to God is called "worship." Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (NASB). The NIV ends this verse with the words, "this is your true and proper worship." Complete and total surrender of yourself to God is true worship.
God does not want things, He wants you! That is why God told David, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Ps. 51:17). That is also why Jesus told the woman at the well, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24).
If worship is our purpose, then we cannot forsake assembling together for that purpose. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us in just that way: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25).
God intended us to be an encouragement to each other. Paul instructs us to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16). That means we must gather together as He commanded, lifting up one another, and bringing praise and honor and glory to His name.
This is our formal worship and we must never neglect it. Some have a habit of missing worship services on a regular basis, especially in the busyness of summer. Do not let that be said of you. Make a special effort this summer to attend and participate in worship every Sunday. Be a great encouragement to each other as the Lord commands.
But remember, worship is more than that. Worship is also a daily surrender to God and His will. Live each day in total submission to God. Live each day in the power of the Spirit of God. Live each day as Christ Jesus would live each day. Then you will be living a life of daily worship before God.
Never forsake walking with God. Never forsake gathering together to worship God. Then you will be totally surrendered to Him and living a life that is pleasing to Him. Amen.
Monday, July 11, 2016
Faith in the Trenches
What is faith? Many today, even in the churches, want to water down the gospel of Jesus Christ into nothing more than a feel good tonic. Christianity is made to be nothing more than a big celebration full of fun and games. Nothing challenging, nothing hard, no thorns, just roses. When everything is fun and feels good, and you live a basically “good” life, God will certainly let you into His heaven. At least that is the theory.
All too often Christianity is being sold with a consumer mentality in an attempt to make it sound more palatable and popular. But is this really faith? I would venture that it is not. In this context, faith is lessened and Scripture is misinterpreted. People are actually being led astray rather than being led to God.
What is faith? A rundown of Hebrews chapter eleven gives a long list of Old Testament saints who are described as people who lived by faith. Difficult times were faced valiantly, sometimes even the face of certain death. In each case, they faced the circumstances they did by trusting in God alone. In each case, they came through the hard times with their love for God intact. That is faith.
The best examples I can think of are found in the book of Daniel. In chapter one, when the king tried to indoctrinate them into the “good times” of Babylonian life, he and his friends stood their ground and remained faithful to God. In the second chapter, when faced with certain death, Daniel trusted God and His Word, kept his wits about him, prayed fervently, and God gave him the interpretation of the dream and he lived on.
Continuing on in chapter 3, Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a fiery furnace because of their faith in God and their refusal to worship an idol set up by the king. Note their answer: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Dan. 3:17-18).
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego trusted God, remained faithful even in the face of certain death, and let God meet the challenge in whatever way He would. Whether in life or in death they proved what is true faith. As we all know, the end result of their faith was life even through the fire.
Talking to His disciples, Jesus said, “If anyone comes after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt. 16:24-25). That was true for Daniel and his friends. That is true for you and me as well.
Christianity is not always fun and games. It is not always what feels good. It is trust in a God who loves you. It is serving Him and taking a stand for Him whenever He so calls. It can be, and often is, very hard. Yet the rewards are eternal. Trust Jesus for your salvation, follow Him wherever He leads, no matter what the cost. That is true faith. That is faith in the trenches. Amen.
All too often Christianity is being sold with a consumer mentality in an attempt to make it sound more palatable and popular. But is this really faith? I would venture that it is not. In this context, faith is lessened and Scripture is misinterpreted. People are actually being led astray rather than being led to God.
What is faith? A rundown of Hebrews chapter eleven gives a long list of Old Testament saints who are described as people who lived by faith. Difficult times were faced valiantly, sometimes even the face of certain death. In each case, they faced the circumstances they did by trusting in God alone. In each case, they came through the hard times with their love for God intact. That is faith.
The best examples I can think of are found in the book of Daniel. In chapter one, when the king tried to indoctrinate them into the “good times” of Babylonian life, he and his friends stood their ground and remained faithful to God. In the second chapter, when faced with certain death, Daniel trusted God and His Word, kept his wits about him, prayed fervently, and God gave him the interpretation of the dream and he lived on.
Continuing on in chapter 3, Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a fiery furnace because of their faith in God and their refusal to worship an idol set up by the king. Note their answer: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Dan. 3:17-18).
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego trusted God, remained faithful even in the face of certain death, and let God meet the challenge in whatever way He would. Whether in life or in death they proved what is true faith. As we all know, the end result of their faith was life even through the fire.
Talking to His disciples, Jesus said, “If anyone comes after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt. 16:24-25). That was true for Daniel and his friends. That is true for you and me as well.
Christianity is not always fun and games. It is not always what feels good. It is trust in a God who loves you. It is serving Him and taking a stand for Him whenever He so calls. It can be, and often is, very hard. Yet the rewards are eternal. Trust Jesus for your salvation, follow Him wherever He leads, no matter what the cost. That is true faith. That is faith in the trenches. Amen.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Declare Dependence on God
It's a little late in the day but here it is. Barbara and I just came from a thirty minute long, fabulous firework display in Rochester, Minnesota. Happy Independence Day! Today is the Fourth of July, and it has been 240 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, according to tradition. This day has been celebrated with picnics in the park, backyard barbecues, carnivals, fairs, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches, and as the day drew to an end there was the traditional fireworks displays all across this great land, much like the one we just witnessed.
"Independence" means freedom from control or influence by others in your affairs. It is the idea that we are self-directed, self-reliant, and self-sufficient. Think about that for a moment. Those are great qualifies for a nation but they are poor qualities for a Christian. The Bible says that God directs my affairs. He is the One that is all sufficient to me, and I am to rely on Him for my every need. That sounds like the very opposite of independence. In fact, it sounds very much like dependence.
As America celebrates its independence as a nation, I choose to celebrate my dependence on God as a Christian. This day I declare to you my dependence upon God. How about you? The ball is in your court. There is no better day than today to declare your dependence on God.
In Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel, the man of God, interpreted it for him. Daniel then warned the king about the need to change, but he refused to listen and the dream came to pass. The great king of Babylon was so full of pride that God took away his kingdom. He went insane for 7 years and lived like an animal during that time. At the end of the 7 years, his kingdom was restored to him. The things that Nebuchadnezzar learned from this experience are the very reasons we should all declare our dependence on God.
First, you should declare your dependence on God because of what sin can do in your life. Sin is never without its consequences. In this story we see clearly his sin—the sin of pride. The king declared, "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" (v. 30). And immediately we see the consequences of his sin: his kingdom was taken away from him. "While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you'" (v. 31).
King David understood what was needed not to sin. He knew well the terrible consequences that sin has upon a person's life. His family was devastated because of his sin. In Psalm 119:11 he wrote, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." His dependence on God was needed so that he would not sin.
Some of us today do not have that healthy fear of sin and its consequences. Our lives are a wreck all because we have chosen not to make ourselves dependent on God. We say, "Even though I am a Christian, I’d rather be my own person than to depend on God." How tragic! Declare your dependence on God because of what sin can do in your life.
Second, you should declare your dependence on God because there is nowhere to hide from His presence. Adam and Eve could not hide in the Garden from the presence of God; Cain could not hide from God that he had killed his brother Able; Jonah could not flee from the presence of God by boarding a ship heading to Tarshish; King Nebuchadnezzar could not flee from the presence of God by hiding in the great palaces of Babylon; and you and I cannot flee from the presence of God in our lives.
As King David said, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall fall on me,' even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Ps. 139:7-12)
If we understand God's presence in our lives and we know in our heart that we cannot hide from His presence, the best thing for us to do is make ourselves dependent upon His presence rather than fight it. Nebuchadnezzar fought it and ended up like the beasts of the field for seven years, until he recognized God's sovereignty. "And you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes" (Dan. 4:32).
Third, declare your dependence on God because His kingdom is the only one that will last forever. Truth be told, all of us are dependent on something or someone. Some people are dependent on alcohol, others on money, some on their child or spouse. If we all are to be dependent on something, I would rather it be on One whose kingdom never ends; I would rather it be on One who I know will be there when I need Him; I would rather it be on One who loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me so that I can live in His kingdom forever.
That is what Nebuchadnezzar did. "But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation” (v. 34).
Fourth, declare your dependence on God because He has the strength to do what needs to be done. When problems set in, where do you turn? After declaring dependence on God, King Nebuchadnezzar said this about Him: "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'" (v. 35).
If I have problems that overwhelm me and burden me down; I am going to be dependent on the One who spoke this world into existence; the One who can part the seas; the One who can feed a multitude with a few fish and a couple of loaves of bread. That is the One I am going to depend on because He has the strength to get done what needs to be done.
Finally, declare your dependence on God because He is trustworthy. I don't mind making myself dependent on someone who is trustworthy. Note verse 37: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride." Concerning God, Nebuchadnezzar says everything He does is right and all His ways are just. That is his way of saying that God is trustworthy.
Can you remember when you were a child and your dad would throw you up in the air and catch you. You didn't have any fear because you were confident that your dad was trustworthy and that he would catch you every time. Even more so, God is trustworthy. He will catch you every time. You can count on it. "All His works are true and (all) His ways (are) just" (v. 37).
Perhaps you have been trying to make it without God and it hasn’t worked. But today you realize that you don't have any good reason not to declare your dependence on God. If that is the condition of your heart today, I invite you to place yourself in His care, in His protection, and in His love. Declare your dependence on God today. Amen.
"Independence" means freedom from control or influence by others in your affairs. It is the idea that we are self-directed, self-reliant, and self-sufficient. Think about that for a moment. Those are great qualifies for a nation but they are poor qualities for a Christian. The Bible says that God directs my affairs. He is the One that is all sufficient to me, and I am to rely on Him for my every need. That sounds like the very opposite of independence. In fact, it sounds very much like dependence.
As America celebrates its independence as a nation, I choose to celebrate my dependence on God as a Christian. This day I declare to you my dependence upon God. How about you? The ball is in your court. There is no better day than today to declare your dependence on God.
In Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel, the man of God, interpreted it for him. Daniel then warned the king about the need to change, but he refused to listen and the dream came to pass. The great king of Babylon was so full of pride that God took away his kingdom. He went insane for 7 years and lived like an animal during that time. At the end of the 7 years, his kingdom was restored to him. The things that Nebuchadnezzar learned from this experience are the very reasons we should all declare our dependence on God.
First, you should declare your dependence on God because of what sin can do in your life. Sin is never without its consequences. In this story we see clearly his sin—the sin of pride. The king declared, "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" (v. 30). And immediately we see the consequences of his sin: his kingdom was taken away from him. "While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you'" (v. 31).
King David understood what was needed not to sin. He knew well the terrible consequences that sin has upon a person's life. His family was devastated because of his sin. In Psalm 119:11 he wrote, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." His dependence on God was needed so that he would not sin.
Some of us today do not have that healthy fear of sin and its consequences. Our lives are a wreck all because we have chosen not to make ourselves dependent on God. We say, "Even though I am a Christian, I’d rather be my own person than to depend on God." How tragic! Declare your dependence on God because of what sin can do in your life.
Second, you should declare your dependence on God because there is nowhere to hide from His presence. Adam and Eve could not hide in the Garden from the presence of God; Cain could not hide from God that he had killed his brother Able; Jonah could not flee from the presence of God by boarding a ship heading to Tarshish; King Nebuchadnezzar could not flee from the presence of God by hiding in the great palaces of Babylon; and you and I cannot flee from the presence of God in our lives.
As King David said, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall fall on me,' even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Ps. 139:7-12)
If we understand God's presence in our lives and we know in our heart that we cannot hide from His presence, the best thing for us to do is make ourselves dependent upon His presence rather than fight it. Nebuchadnezzar fought it and ended up like the beasts of the field for seven years, until he recognized God's sovereignty. "And you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes" (Dan. 4:32).
Third, declare your dependence on God because His kingdom is the only one that will last forever. Truth be told, all of us are dependent on something or someone. Some people are dependent on alcohol, others on money, some on their child or spouse. If we all are to be dependent on something, I would rather it be on One whose kingdom never ends; I would rather it be on One who I know will be there when I need Him; I would rather it be on One who loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me so that I can live in His kingdom forever.
That is what Nebuchadnezzar did. "But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation” (v. 34).
Fourth, declare your dependence on God because He has the strength to do what needs to be done. When problems set in, where do you turn? After declaring dependence on God, King Nebuchadnezzar said this about Him: "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'" (v. 35).
If I have problems that overwhelm me and burden me down; I am going to be dependent on the One who spoke this world into existence; the One who can part the seas; the One who can feed a multitude with a few fish and a couple of loaves of bread. That is the One I am going to depend on because He has the strength to get done what needs to be done.
Finally, declare your dependence on God because He is trustworthy. I don't mind making myself dependent on someone who is trustworthy. Note verse 37: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride." Concerning God, Nebuchadnezzar says everything He does is right and all His ways are just. That is his way of saying that God is trustworthy.
Can you remember when you were a child and your dad would throw you up in the air and catch you. You didn't have any fear because you were confident that your dad was trustworthy and that he would catch you every time. Even more so, God is trustworthy. He will catch you every time. You can count on it. "All His works are true and (all) His ways (are) just" (v. 37).
Perhaps you have been trying to make it without God and it hasn’t worked. But today you realize that you don't have any good reason not to declare your dependence on God. If that is the condition of your heart today, I invite you to place yourself in His care, in His protection, and in His love. Declare your dependence on God today. Amen.
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