Have a Little Faith

As you begin the new year, have a little faith! Luke 17:5-6 says, "And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' So the Lord said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea," and it would obey you.'" In verse 5, the apostles asked Jesus to "increase our faith." It seems the apostles not only wanted enough faith for their souls to go to heaven, but they wanted heaven to be brought down to them! Jesus told them that even the smallest amount of faith does great things. He then compared their faith to a mustard seed.

The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. It is used to develop mustard spice. The thought here is that it is so small it is within your reach. Compare that to the Mulberry tree. It is actually the Black Mulberry tree that is in view here. This tree often lives 400 to 600 years. It grows thirty-five feet tall, and has an extensive root system that spreads out forty feet and goes quite deep into the ground, making it nigh impossible to uproot. He told them that even with that little bit of faith they could uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea.

That is quite a statement! Faith, even when developed only to the size of a mustard seed, is enough! That is what Jesus said! "Faith" (v. 6), in the Greek, is a word that can be translated either "faith" or "faithfulness." It depends on the context. When referring to "head knowledge" becoming "heart knowledge," or in other words, "belief," it is usually translated "faith." When the context refers to "heart attitude" or "heart obedience," it is usually translated "faithfulness." Here the context is "heart obedience" and should be understood as "faithfulness."

Note the context: Verses 1-4 speak of forgiveness as an attitude of the heart. Note especially verses 3-4: "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Verses 7-10 again speak of "heart obedience" toward God. When you have done all that you are supposed to do, have the attitude as found in verse 10: "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty" (RSV).

When you have this "heart obedience" toward God, then you will find that you have drawn near to Him. When you are near to God, He will guide you as to what you should do and how you should pray. Follow His guidance, and even that big mulberry tree can be uprooted! In other words, if you have left everything behind and have received Christ, and you are ready to follow Him and trust Him in all things, great things will happen.

What Jesus is saying here is this: "If God has led you to pray for something, expect it to happen!" If He leads you to pray for rain, bring your umbrellas to the prayer meeting! If you have faith as a mustard seed, God will make it happen! Expect great things from Him!

Remember, faith, or faithfulness, begins with leaving our old life and all we have behind for the sake of giving Christ control of our lives. Faith further involves our receiving Christ as Savior, and then following Him as Lord in our actions. The result of such actions of faith, is truly one of uprooting mulberry trees. It is one of seeing God do great things. Amen.

Let the Light of Christ Shine

When you have left the darkness of sin and have begun to live by the light of Christ, look what happens. The light of Christ that shines on us and in us, will also shine through us and out of us and from us, bringing others to Christ. Follow the positive progression of Isaiah 60:1-3: "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you" (v. 1). "But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you" (v. 2b). "The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising" (v. 3).

This means three things: First, we should live without the darkness of sin. We are in the light, not in the darkness. So we should not live in the darkness of sin any longer. Second, our life should be the opposite of that. We are in the light. So we should live a life of righteousness as children of light. Ephesians 5:8 says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." Our lives should be full of the fruit of the light of Christ: "all goodness, righteousness, and truth" (Eph. 5:9). Third, the light of Jesus should be obvious in us. People should be able to look at us and see the light and radiance of Christ within us. When they do, they will be drawn to the Lord. As Isaiah said, "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn" (v. 3, NIV).

What happens is that those without Christ see that we have something they do not have. They see the light of the glory of Christ within us and they come to us for a closer look. By the grace of God, we become the light of Christ to the world. When people see someone living out their faith, they are attracted to it. It is a beautiful thing to see because it is a blessed life. Such a life of righteousness in Christ draws people to Him. We are called to live that type of life. Let the light of Christ shine through you and see others begin to come to Christ.

We must let the light of Christ shine through us to provide light for those who are lost so they can find their way to heaven. Without the light of Christ shining through us, our neighbors and friends who do not know Christ will stumble in their search for peace. Think, for a moment, of the plight of those unreached by the gospel. Millions do not know anything but spiritual darkness because no one has shared with them the light that has come into the world. Would you take that challenge?

When Isaiah wrote these words, he spoke of a great hope, a hope that reaches through the ages to us. He spoke of Christ and the hope of salvation. He spoke of the hope of a changed life that would attract others to Jesus. Grab hold of that hope and let the light of Christ shine in you. Let the light of Christ be reflected in your life. Amen.

Live By the Light of Christ

The whole book of Isaiah is a mixture of gloom and glory. So in Isaiah 60:1-2, Isaiah goes from light to darkness to light again. "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you" (vs. 1-2).

Notice that two times Isaiah talks about light as "glory" (vv. 1b, 2b). In Hebrew, the word "glory" has the meaning of being weighty or important. God certainly is weighty or important. He is the center of our lives. It is only in Him that we live and move and have our being. In fact, if we were to take God out of our lives for a millisecond, or out of this world, or out of the universe, do you know what would happen? If God were to be removed for even a millisecond, we would cease to exist, this world would crumble, and the universe would collapse and disappear. That's how important, or how weighty, God is.

According to Isaiah, this weighty presence of God has appeared. God has come with all the weight of His glory. He has come in all His brilliance and splendor. Isaiah sees the light and glory of God coming upon Jerusalem. Like a blazing sun, the glory of the Lord has risen upon Jerusalem, bathing it in His full and glaring light.

Throughout the ages, different people have come face-to-face with the glory of God. Moses said to the Lord, "Please show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:18). And the Lord replied, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live… Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen" (vv. 20-23). "The LORD passed before him" (Exodus 34:6) and when he came down from the mountain of God, "Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone" (v. 29). When the people saw Moses, they knew he had been with God. It was evident!

When Isaiah was called to be God's prophet, he had a vision in the temple. The Lord was seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. He saw seraphim flying around the throne and he heard them calling to one another, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3). At the sound of their voices, the door posts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. After this, Isaiah was convinced that he was going to die because he was "a man of unclean lips" (v. 5)—a sinner who had seen the glory of the Lord.

The glory of God is especially displayed in the history of salvation. Remember the burning pillar of fire that was in front of Israel in the wilderness? The glory of the Lord was in that pillar of fire. The glory of God's presence threw the Egyptians into confusion. The glory of God's presence in the pillar of fire led the people safely through the wilderness (Exodus 13 & 14). We see the same glory of God at work at Jericho when its walls came tumbling down (Joshua 6:20). In fact, every work of salvation displays the light of the glory of God.

Most importantly, we see the light of the glory of God in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Remember what the angels said when the baby Jesus was born? "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14). Just before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed, "I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (John 17:4-5).

Christ's work brings glory to God. The coming of Christ to do His work as Savior and Lord is the light Isaiah is speaking of. The light of Christ "has come" (Isaiah 60:1a) and has called you out of the darkness of sin and into the light of His glory (v. 2). "Arise, shine!" (v. 1a). That is the command. Let God fill you with the light of Christ. Let God change you and make you like Christ. Live by the light of Christ. Amen.

Leave the Darkness of Sin

When Isaiah looks at the world around him, he sees so much darkness. He sees a world lost in sin. Isaiah 60:2a says, "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people." This is a darkness that cannot be penetrated. It is a deep darkness, a very dark darkness. For three hours on Good Friday, while Jesus hung on the cross dying for our sin, darkness descended upon the land at midday: "Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour (about noon to 3pm) there was darkness over all the land" (Matt. 27:45). It was an unnatural darkness, a thick darkness, a darkness without the glory of the presence of God. That is what Isaiah saw—a darkness caused by sin.

To be in "darkness" (Isa. 60:2a) means to not know God or the things of God. It means to be in rebellion against God, not trusting Him in any way. It means living under your own power; trusting only in yourself; making yourself the center of the universe. That describes many of the people in Israel in Isaiah's day. It was a time when Israel was not walking in the light with her God. In Isaiah 59:9-10 the people are well described: "Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us; we look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness! We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noonday as at twilight; we are as dead men in desolate places."

Isaiah 1:3 says, "The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider." In other words, the people are dumber than the ox and the donkey because these animals, at least, know their master. Hosea 4:6a adds, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." People fall into sin because they are ignorant of God and the things of God.

To live in darkness also means doing the deeds of darkness, shameful deeds that Paul instructs us to leave behind. "Therefore be imitators of God… And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us... But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you… neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (Eph. 5:1-5).

To live in darkness means wanting to have nothing to do with the light. John 1:5 says, "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (or did not understand it). And John 3:19 adds, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." In other words, the world lives in the darkness of sin and wants nothing to do with the light of Christ. In fact, men of the world fear the light. They fear the light because it shows the darkness of sin for what it is and they do not want to let go of their sin.

The command then is to recognize this folly and respond to the light of the gospel of Christ by faith. As Isaiah 60:2b concludes: "But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you." God calls you out of darkness and into light. He calls you to leave the darkness of sin and turn to the light. He calls you to turn to Christ and follow Him faithfully. Amen.

Backstage at Bethlehem

John 1:10 says, "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him," or "did not recognize Him" (NIV). There are three supreme things in this verse: (1) The Supreme Fact of History: Christ "was in the world" (v. 10a); (2) The Supreme Truth of History: "The world was made through him" (v. 10b); and (3) The Supreme Tragedy of History: "The world did not know him" (v. 10c).

Everything starts with this fact—that Christ "was in the world" (v. 10a). John means more than just a fleeting visit. God walked on earth for 33 years. He was a flesh and blood man, born of a woman, with a human nature just like ours, only without sin. He was born as we are born, and grew up through all the stages of childhood—infancy, toddler, young child, teenager, and young adult. He wasn't a robot or an angel or some kind of strange alien from a distant galaxy. He was one of us and walked among us.

There has always been a great divide among people—and not an even divide either. The majority has never recognized Jesus for who He really is. When He came the first time, Herod hated Him, the scribes ignored Him, and there was no room for Him in the inn. Only the shepherds and the Wise Men—the poor and the foreigners—welcomed Him to earth.

It is the same today. Christmas has almost disappeared from our culture. Where we used to say "Merry Christmas," now we say "Happy Holidays" for fear of offending someone. Where students used to have "Christmas holidays," we now have "Winter break." And we have nearly sanitized the birth of Christ out of every public school in America. Christmas has become the "C" word—unmentionable in polite company. So nothing has changed. Christ came to the world He created, and the world had no idea who He was.

John continues, "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him" (v. 11). But the world's ignorance is not the worst of it. John tells us that Christ came to "that which was his own" (v. 11a, NIV). You could easily translate this as "His own home." He is moving from the general (the world) to the specific (the nation of Israel). He came to His own home—the Holy Land, and to His own people—the nation of Israel, and they did not receive Him.

Perhaps you've heard it said that "home is where, when you go there, they have to take you in." Jesus came "home" to His own people—and they wouldn't take Him in. He came to the people who should have known Him best—and they wanted nothing to do with Him. They should have known better. They knew He was coming—God had told them over and over again many times in many ways. They had ample warning. Even some pagan astrologers in Persia figured it out when they saw His star in the east (Matt. 2:1-5).

Moses said, "He's coming." David said, "He's coming." Isaiah said, "He's coming." Jeremiah said, "He's coming." Daniel said, "He's coming." Micah said, "He's coming." Zechariah said, "He's coming." Malachi said, "He's coming." Every book, every chapter, every page of the Old Testament testifies to one great truth—"He's coming." That's the whole theme of the Old Testament—that God would one day send the Messiah to the earth to deliver His people Israel. And when Jesus finally arrived, they didn't believe it. And some of them decided to put Him to death.

Think of the long history of Israel. Over and over again they rebelled against God's law. Time and again they killed the prophets who delivered God's message. Is it any wonder they crucified the Son of God?

He came to His own people—to the one place where He might be welcomed—to His "hometown" and to "His own family"—and they did not want Him. They did not receive Him. They did not believe Him. Finally, they crucified Him. And that rejection continues in large part to this very day.

John adds, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (vv. 12-13). The news is not entirely bad. While it is true that the world ignored Him and His own people rejected Him; not everyone ignored Him and not everyone rejected Him. Some people recognized Him and welcomed Him into their lives as Lord and Savior. It is useful to recall that all the apostles and 100% of the earliest disciples were Jewish. Even in the midst of general rejection, many followed the Lord.

Verse 12 is one of the greatest verses in all of the New Testament because it tells us how to be saved. There are three key words in verse 12:

(1) "Received" (v. 12a) means to welcome a visitor into your home. It is what you do when you have planned a Christmas party and asked your guests to arrive at 6:30, but then you hear the doorbell ring at 5:50, and you're not ready yet. So you walk to the door, open it, smile and say, "Please come in." You "receive" your guests even though they have come early. To "receive" Christ means to welcome Him as an honored guest and to have Him make your heart His home.

(2) "Believe" (v. 12c) means more than just saying a prayer or signing a card. It has the idea of believing that Jesus is the Son of God from heaven and trusting Him with all your heart. It means resting on Him so completely that He is your only hope of heaven.

(3) "Right" (v. 12b) means "honor" or "privilege." The moment you receive Christ into your life, God gives you the honor of becoming a member of His family. This teaches us that not everyone is a child of God. All are created by God, but not everyone in the world is a child of God. Sometimes people carelessly say, "We're all God's children," but the Bible says no such thing. God only gives the privilege of being His children to those who by personal faith receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Verse 13 explains how we become God's children. There are three "nots" and one "but"—and all four are important:

(1) "Not of blood" (v. 13a). Grace doesn't automatically run from one generation to another. You aren't a Christian just because your parents were Christians or because your grandfather was a pastor. And you won't get brownie points with God just because you come from a good family and have a fine education. Family background doesn't count when it comes to salvation.

(2) "Nor of the will of the flesh" (v. 13b). This is the literal rendering. It has to do with human decision. It means there is nothing you can do to save yourself—so don't bother trying.

(3) "Nor of the will of man" (v. 13c). This means you can't get some bigshot to get you into heaven. No man is big enough to swing open the gates of heaven on your behalf.

(4) "But of God" (v. 13d). Here is the heart of the gospel. Salvation is of the Lord. It is a free gift—totally free and totally of grace. It is not a cooperative venture where you do your part and God does His.

But someone may object, "Don't I have a part to play in salvation?" Sure you have a part. Your part is to be hopelessly lost in sin and God's part is to save you. That way God alone gets the credit. Salvation is a work of God from first to last.

Have you ever received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? The world ignored Him, His own people rejected Him, now what will you do with Jesus? It is not enough that He came to earth. His coming will do you no good as long as Christ remains outside of your life. You may say, "I believe in Jesus," and that is good. But have you ever welcomed Him into your heart?

John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received Him" (NIV). Think of those words "to all who." There is no limit to the number of people who can be saved. "To all who" includes you! Many have received Him—what about you? Many have welcomed Him—what about you? Many have opened their hearts to Him—what about you? Amen.

A Thankful Heart

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul says, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." That simple, direct statement allows us no excuses whatsoever for ungratefulness. "In everything" (v. 18a) refers to all that occurs in life. It might be translated, "In every circumstance." As a Christian, no matter what struggles you may face, no matter what trials you may go through, you are to give thanks. "In everything give thanks" (v. 18a). As a Christian, you are to have a constant thankfulness about you.

Romans 8:28 gives us the basis for this principle: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." It is God who "causes all things to work together for good… according to His purpose" (v. 28). It is God who is at work in you and in your life. Trust Him. He will see you through all circumstances of life and bring good out it. It is God who causes you to be thankful in all circumstances of life, knowing that whatever happens fits into His eternal purpose for you. Therefore, "in everything give thanks" (1 Thess. 5:18a).

Paul's statement, "for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (v. 18b), refers to all three of these commands in verses 16, 17, and 18. It is the will of God that all who are in Christ Jesus should express constant joy, constant prayer, and constant thanksgiving. That's who we are in Christ—people who are joyful, prayerful, and thankful at all times, every day. It is our way of life as Christians. Amen.

A Prayerful Attitude

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul says, "Pray without ceasing." Another directive that seems on the surface to be impossible to live by. It refers to constant prayerfulness. Remember, prayer is as much an attitude as it is an activity. Joyful believers recognize their own insufficiency and, as a result, find themselves constantly in an attitude of prayer.

"Pray" (v. 17) translates a Greek word that is the most common New Testament word for prayer. It refers to all aspects of prayer: submission, confession, petition, intercession, praise, and thanksgiving. Without ceasing means "constant." It defines prayer not as a continual activity of kneeling and interceding, but as a way of life marked by a continual attitude of prayer.

Prayer is more than just kneeling and speaking to God with thanksgiving and praise and petition. The essence of prayer consists of lifting your heart to God. Understanding that truth enables us to carry into practice this injunction to "pray without ceasing" (v. 17). We can't have words of prayer on our lips all the time (activity). However, we can be in the spirit of prayer at all times (attitude). When you realize your complete dependence on God for everything and you recognize His presence with you wherever you are, then you will find yourself continually yielding yourself prayerfully to Him to be guided and used by Him.

This inward attitude of prayer will find outward expression in the activity of verbal prayer on a regular basis. Without notice you will find yourself breaking out in praise and prayer to God. When this inward attitude of prayer exists you will find yourself constantly talking with God—praying while walking, or while driving, or even while talking with others. The more you practice the presence of God through prayer, the more you will find yourself continually in an attitude of prayer. That is what it means to "pray without ceasing" (v. 17). Amen.

A Joyful Spirit

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Paul says, "Rejoice always." It is a command. But what does it mean? It means just what it says—never cease rejoicing. As a Christian, you are to have a constant joyfulness about you. As impossible as this may seem on the surface, a full understanding of what Scripture teaches concerning joy in the life of Christians can make this experience a reality in your life.

The New Testament continually stresses joy—not a self-generated joy, but joy that comes directly from the Holy Spirit who indwells us. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Joy is the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in your life when you let Him guide and control you daily.

The phrase translated "rejoice always" (v. 16), literally reads, "at all times be rejoicing." The idea is that you can experience and express joy continually because of your deep-seated confidence in God's love and power. You might call this "joy of faith," which is certain both of salvation in Christ and glorification to spend eternity with Him in heaven.

The New Testament church permeated with a spirit of joy. Just read through the Book of Acts and you will see this clearly, especially in Acts 2:42-47. There, verses 46-47 concludes, "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

Throughout the Book of Acts, the believers are not dampened by affliction. In the midst of sadness and persecution, joy gives proof of its power. They suffer together and they are glorified together. It is all based on the glorious purposes of God. That is why James can say, "count it all joy" when encountering "various trials" (James 1:2). It is all based on God and His work in your life.

You are to have a joyful spirit about you at all times. Remember what God has done for you, and you will "rejoice always" (1 Thess. 5:16). Walk daily by faith, letting the Spirit of Christ within you give you His joy, and you will have a joyful spirit for all to see. Amen.

A Transformed Life

Not only your body, but your mind must be given over to God. Only when both your mind and body are completely given over to God are you fully devoted to Him, but it all begins with the mind. In the mind, we make choices as to whether we will let our new nature manifest itself outwardly in holiness, or if we will instead let our old nature manifest itself outwardly in acts of ungodliness or sin. Which is it? It all comes down to who controls your mind.

Romans 12:2 makes it clear that the dedicated life is also a transformed life. Verse 1 has called for a decisive commitment to be devoted to God ("a living sacrifice"). Verse 2 deals with the maintenance of that commitment—how we are to live (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 10, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978], 128).

Paul commands us, "And do not be conformed to this world" (v. 2a). "Be conformed" (v. 2a) refers to an outward expression that does not reflect what is within. It is used of masquerading, or putting on an act, specifically by following a prescribed pattern or scheme. It also carries the idea of being transitory, impermanent, and unstable. The negative ("not") makes the verb prohibitive. The verb itself is passive and imperative, the passive indicating that to conform is something we allow to be done to us, the imperative making it a command, not a suggestion (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, [Moody Publishers: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1994], 149).

The command is that we are "not" to allow ourselves to "be conformed to this world" (v. 2a). We are not to masquerade as a worldly person for any reason. J.B. Phillips translates this phrase: "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould." Do not pattern yourself or allow yourself to be patterned after the ways of this world. Do not become victims of this world. Stop allowing people around you, who are not believers, to fashion you after their image—an image which is anything but the image of Christ.

Paul continues: "But be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (v. 2b). "Be transformed" (v. 2b) is from the Greek verb metamorphoo and refers to a change in outward appearance. It is the term from which we get the English metamorphosis. Matthew used the word in describing Jesus' transfiguration: "He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light" (Matt. 17:2). Christ's inner divine nature and glory were, for a brief time and to a limited degree, manifested outwardly. Our inner redeemed nature is also to be manifested outwardly, as completely as possible, in our daily lives. Your new inner self must show through in how you live.

The only other appearance of this word in the New Testament is in 2 Corinthians 3:18, where Paul said, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Here, we are being changed into the likeness of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. This gives good commentary on Romans 12:2. There, "be transformed" (v. 2b) is a passive imperative—in this case a positive command. We are commanded to allow ourselves to be changed outwardly into the image of our redeemer.

This transformation is "by the renewing of your mind" (v. 2b). The outward transformation is affected by an inner change in the mind. The Spirit transforms our minds through God's Word. In Psalm 119:11, David said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." God's Word is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to renew our minds. God's Word is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to transform our living. "Present" yourself to God daily (v. 1), get into the Scriptures daily, and watch your life begin to be "transformed" into the very image of Christ (v. 2).

Paul concludes verse 2, "that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Our lives can "prove what the will of God is" (v. 2c, NASB) only by doing those things He approves of—things that are "good and acceptable and perfect" (v. 2c) to Him. "Acceptable" (v. 2c) comes from the Old Testament sacrificial language and refers to the kind of holy living God approves, a "living sacrifice" (v. 1a) without spot or blemish. "Perfect" (v. 2c) refers to being complete, or being everything you should be. You are to desire what God desires and to seek to do only what He wants you to do. A transformed mind produces a transformed will, eager to do what God wants you to do, no matter what the cost. This involves the strong desire to know God better and to follow His purpose for our lives.

God wants to change you completely. He wants to take the person you once were and remake you into the absolutely beautiful person He designed you to be. To have your old life transformed into the image of Christ involves a complete change of heart—an entire alteration of your state of mind. This change involves the whole person. It begins on the inside and works its way outward until all can see it. Only when you begin to live outwardly by the same faith by which you were saved, will you be transformed into the person God intended you to be. Amen.

A Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1 reads: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." "Therefore" (v. 1a) establishes a connection with the entire first eleven chapters of Romans. Those eleven chapters clearly presented "the mercies of God" (v. 1a) to us. That mercy has to do with our salvation. "Therefore" (v. 1a), because the Lord has saved us, our lives must change.

"Beseech" (v. 1a) or "urge" (NASB) is from the Greek word parakaleo, which has the basic meaning of coming alongside in order to help or give aid. It later came to mean exhorting, admonishing, or encouraging. The force of the word lies somewhere between commanding and beseeching. It possesses something of the element of authority that is more forcefully expressed by "command," and has in it something of the element of appeal that is best expressed by "beseech." Hence, the KJV and NKJV rendering: "I beseech you therefore, brethren" (v. 1a).

Essentially, Paul not only strongly urges us as to how we ought to live as believers, but by all respects, he gives us a command. It is not optional. Paul wanted to come alongside his fellow believers to strongly encourage them to fulfill the inner desire of their new hearts—to dedicate themselves without reservation to their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

That is what the word "present" (v. 1a) means. It means to "yield" or "offer" (NIV). In the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), "present" was often used as a technical term for a priest's placing an offering on the altar. It therefore carried the general idea of surrendering or yielding up. Here it is an imperative or a command. As members of God's "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), you are here commanded to perform what is essentially a priestly act of worship.

The word "present" (Rom. 12:1a) is actually what is called a final infinitive, meaning the final purpose. According to Colossians 1:21-22, the final purpose of our reconciliation through the death of Christ is "to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight" (v. 22b). "Blameless" (v. 22b) or "without blemish" (NIV) is "a technical sacrificial term... used of animals that were without flaw and therefore worthy of being offered to God" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 11, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978], 187). The reference then, is not to our personal conduct but to our position in Christ. Through faith in Christ you stand holy and blameless before God and you will be holy and blameless when He takes you home to glory—it is final.

In Romans 12:1, the final purpose of our reconciliation (or salvation) is to "present" yourself in total devotion to God. Because you are holy and blameless in His sight, you are worthy to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God" (v. 1b). The former animal sacrifices of Israel were dead sacrifices that had no lasting value. The new sacrifice is a "living sacrifice" (v. 1b), your body or your entire self. You have been set apart to be "holy" (v. 1b), a reference to being set apart for a special purpose. You have been set apart for God—consecrated to Him for His service. Let the righteousness of Christ dwell in you. Give yourself completely unto the Lord each day, letting Him work through you. That is what is "acceptable" (v. 1b) or "pleasing to God" (NIV).

"This is your reasonable service" (v. 1b) or "your spiritual service of worship" (NASB) or "your true and proper worship" (NIV). God isn't interested in the ceremonial acts, like animal sacrifices. He is interested in a living and perpetual sacrifice—the giving of yourself to worship Him, walk with Him daily, and to serve Him in whatever way He leads. This sacrifice of yourself to God is never to be neglected or recalled. It is a day to day, moment to moment sacrifice. Obedient lives is our only "reasonable" (v. 1b) response to God.

Surrender to God all your hopes, plans, and everything that is precious to you. That is what the Lord asks of you. Give all of yourself to Him. Be fully devoted to the Lord and watch Him work in your life. Amen.

My Grace Is Sufficient for You

"My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Cor. 12:9). Paul penned these words as he thought back to a time of pain and suffering. As he dealt with his "thorn in the flesh" (v. 7), he "implored the Lord three times that it might leave" (v. 8). And these words were the Lord's answer to him.

But there was more. Christ went on: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" (v. 9a). Paul's thoughts likely went to the cross. As Jesus hung there in pain and suffering, He said to one of the thieves being crucified with Him, the one who believed, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). His message to this thief was the same as His message to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9a, NIV).

Paul responded: "Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong" (vv. 9b-10).

Let me tell a story about a young man who served as a youth pastor in the Applewood area of north Denver while in Seminary. Each summer the boys of this youth group went on a camping trip. The summer of 1979 was no different. The youth pastor and three boys ages 15, 16, and 17 went canoeing and camping for a week on the boundary waters between northern Minnesota and Canada. Their prayer was for God to reveal Himself to them through their experience in the wilderness of His creation.

It was a great week of canoeing and fishing and swimming and camping. It was a fun time and there would be many memories. Then, on the last night, everything changed. Camp was set, dinner was finished, fishing was great; several northern pike had met their match.

Then, out of nowhere, a storm came sweeping onto the lake. They quickly got to shore and into the tent. It was a violent storm and lightning was everywhere, so they began to count the time between the lightning and thunder. Seven seconds; six seconds; four seconds; two; one. Suddenly the lightning and thunder was simultaneous. A huge bolt of lightning exploded right inside the tent. It tore through the door of the tent and struck the youth pastor in the side, lifting him in the air, using him as its ground, leaving a large hole in the rock beneath him. It also left him unconscious. The lightning scattered up Doug’s side leaving him semiconscious. The two older boys, Chip and Bob, were rolled into the corners of the tent. Great destruction was everywhere.

I remember thinking as I was lifted in the air—yes, I was that youth pastor—"Lord, take me home if that is your will. I am ready." But I soon realized that I was still alive. However, I couldn't feel my legs. I thought they had been blown off by the lightning. I couldn't look, so I didn't. For some twenty minutes I just laid there, completely still.

Chip took the lead as they assessed the situation. Thinking I was dead, they began trying to help Doug. Eventually I decided I had to look at my legs, so I opened my eyes with a groan; the boys later said it was more of a scream. My legs were fine, but I couldn't feel them or move them. After another thirty minutes, the feeling came back and I was able to get up and about.

We joined hands and prayed. Doug asked God to quiet the storm. Immediately, the storm let up, the lightning ceased, and only a light sprinkle remained. We bedded down for the night. There was no way to get out in the dark.

I couldn't sleep. I kept reliving the scene over and over again. I was sure it was the same for the boys. So I prayed silently, "Lord, send help. Just someone to reassure us that all would be alright."

Immediately, the lightning started up again. I thought, "That wasn't what I asked." But then we heard the clanking of a canoe getting off the lake at our landing to escape the lightning. We got their attention, and one of the men said he was a doctor from the closest hospital. He said our wounds were "superficial," and he cleaned them and gave us directions to a boy scout camp on the next lake. We headed there in the morning.

After four hours of canoeing, a twenty minute drive to our outfitters, and an hour and a half drive to the hospital, we received the treatment we needed. As the nurse cleaned my wounds she was obviously shaken. Doug asked if she had cleaned lightning wounds before. She said, "Yes, but never any this bad. Only a direct hit would cause wounds this bad. Then they are taken to the morgue, not the emergency room."

As I laid there, my thoughts went to Jesus and the cross. I could picture Him hanging on the cross looking at me and saying, "My grace is sufficient for you." There was nothing to fear. No matter what happened He would always be there watching over Me. I could trust Him.

That is His message to you from the cross as well. Trust Him at all times and in all things. He will watch over you. He will take care of you.

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus extends His power to us. By faith He comes to indwell us and His power resides within us. Paul realized this truth. Christ said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (v. 9a, NIV).

It is His power that gives us our strength. That is why Paul was able to respond as he did. No amount of pain, no amount of adversity, no amount of suffering, could ever stop him from trusting Jesus. In all things, Christ was with him and in him, giving him strength to endure and to witness for Christ. "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (v. 10b), is how Paul put it.

Come to the cross. Reach out your hands toward Jesus. Trust Him by faith and face each situation that comes your way through Him—through His strength which resides in you. His grace is sufficient for you. His power is made perfect in weakness. When you are weak, He is your strength. Amen.

Four Days Late, Yet Right on Time

John 11 tells the story of Jesus raising His good friend Lazarus from the dead. Note two verses here concerning the timeframe involved in this story. In verse 6, learning that His friend Lazarus was sick, "He stayed two more days in the place where He was." Then when He decided to go to Bethany, He told His disciples, "Lazarus is dead" (v. 14). Some time was involved in their travel, and when they arrived in Bethany, "He found that (Lazarus) had already been in the tomb four days (v. 17).

In Martha's mind, Jesus was four days late! She said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (v. 21). "You're four days Late!" Yet, look at her faith as she continues, "But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You" (v. 22). What faith! And note how Jesus responded: "Your brother will rise again" (v. 23).

Several years back, a song was recorded called, Four Days Late. It was about this very story. The message of the song was really the message of this passage: Jesus wasn't late at all; He was actually right on time. Jesus is never late. Jesus is always right on time.

Like Martha, when we pray about various circumstances in life and the answer to our prayer seems to come slowly, we question the Lord saying, "Why now? Why not sooner? Why? Why? Why?" The truth is, Jesus is never late. He is always right on time. His timing is always perfect. The answer comes when we need it, no sooner and no later.

The rest of this story clearly relates the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Note first, however, the explanation of death: Jesus "said to (His disciples), 'Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.' Then His disciples said, 'Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.' However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him'" (vv. 11b-15).

Three different Greek words are used here referring to death: The first, in verses 11-12 refers literally to sleep or to slumber, but is used figuratively to refer to one who is deceased, especially when speaking of believers. Death is not the complete cessation of life. The truth is, there is life after death. The body dies but the soul lives on. The second, in verse 13 is used of spiritual or physical death. The third, in verse 14 is closely related to the word used in verse 13, and refers to literal death.

So, when Jesus said, "Lazarus sleeps" (v. 11), the disciples misunderstood. They thought he was just resting to recover from a sickness. When Jesus said, "I go that I may wake him up" (v. 11), He was speaking of raising Lazarus from the dead, but the disciples were already confused. So Jesus cleared it up for them in verse 14. And in verse 15, Jesus explains that raising Lazarus from the dead would do more to strengthen their faith than just healing him of a sickness.

And so we continue with the story: When Martha was speaking with Jesus and He told her that Lazarus "will rise again" (v. 23), she said, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (v. 24), a truth that was not challenged. Rather, Jesus invoked the name of God as given to Moses, "I Am" (Exodus 3:14). Here Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (vv. 25-26).

Here we have the promise of life in His name. Heaven is real. Eternal life begins right now by faith in the Lord Jesus who died on the cross to give us life. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will have eternal life in His name.

Notice how greatly moved Jesus was by all the sorrow and weeping around Him (v. 33). It says "He groaned in the spirit and was troubled" (v. 33b). In verse 35 John adds that "Jesus wept." Jesus cares. Jesus understands and He cares deeply. He is with each one of you right now because He cares. He is concerned for you. He wept for each person that was there that day. He let them see His own deep emotion, even though He knew what He was about to do—raise Lazarus from the dead.

And it was all for God's glory. In verse 40, Jesus told Martha, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" This is our promise of future resurrection. We will be with Christ Jesus and our loved ones again! Jesus weeps with us when we weep, even though He knows He will raise us up as well. He understands. He cares. He watches over us. He gives us peace.

Note the response of the people. When Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead (v. 43), "then many of the Jews who... had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him" (v. 45). Because they saw this miracle with their own eyes, they believed. Yet even before all of this had taken place, Martha expressed her faith in Jesus: "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world" (v. 27).

Do you believe? If you do, not only will you have eternal life with Jesus, but you will begin to experience His power in your life right now. Every day you can look to Jesus, and He will guide you and help you through whatever you face, because He cares for you. Amen.

Trust in the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Note that the proverb begins: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart" (v. 5a). In the original Hebrew of the Old Testament, "trust" (v. 5a) meant to rely on, or put confidence in. The word for "heart" (v. 5a) referred to the inner person, the self, or the seat of thought and emotion.

To "trust in the LORD with all your heart" (v. 5a) means just what it says. You are instructed to trust and put confidence in the Lord Jesus with all you are—with your whole being. Everything you think, everything you say, and everything you do flows directly out of your trust in God. He is your guiding light.

This leads us into the rest of this verse: "And lean not on your own understanding" (v. 5b). In the Hebrew, "lean" (v. 5b) means to rely on, and "understanding" (v. 5b) has to do with insight, discernment, good sense, wisdom, usually referring to the wisdom that comes from the Lord Jesus and his instruction.

When you "trust in the LORD" (v. 5a) with your whole being, and everything you think, say, and do comes from Him, you are leaning on Jesus, not yourself. You are trusting and living daily by the wisdom that comes from God and His Word.

This is further defined in verse 6: "In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." The Hebrew for "ways" (v. 6a) refers to a path, a journey, or conduct, a way of life. It has to do with how you live your life.

In Hebrew, "acknowledge" (v. 6a) means to recognize, to understand or to know intimately. To "acknowledge Him" (v. 6a) then means to know Jesus intimately as your personal Lord and Savior and to recognize the authority of His Word in everything, and to follow it.

In everything you do, follow Jesus! How you live your life every day is to flow from your intimate knowledge of Jesus. How you live your life every day is to flow right from the Scriptures. Let God direct your path and follow Him.

When you live by the Word of God and by faith in Jesus, "He shall direct your paths" (v. 6b). The NIV translates this, "He will make straight your paths." To "make straight" (v.6b) in Hebrew, means to do good, do right, be straight; to make straight, make smooth or to be evenly hammered. From the base meaning of straightening out a crooked object comes the idea of doing an act that is right or just.

Again, like the Hebrew for "ways" (v. 6a), the word for "paths" (v. 6b) refers to a road, a way, a path, or a thoroughfare; by extension it refers again to our way of life, or manner of conduct; how we live every day.

When we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and when we let Him guide us in the way we should live our lives, He will give us direction. He will guide us by His Word as to what we should think, what we should say, and what we should do every day. Just trust in Him! Let Jesus live and work in and through you. Amen.

The Ultimate Love of God

Perhaps the most memorized and the most quoted verse in Scripture is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Let's look closely at this verse; let's break it down phrase by phrase and see what it really means. When we do, you will learn how powerful this verse of Scripture really is.

It begins: "For God so loved the world" (v. 16a). That's right! God, the creator and sustainer of the universe, loves you! You can't begin to understand what God did for you until you understand how much God loves you. Yet you can't begin to understand how much God loves you until you understand what God did for you. He paid a great price for you. He sent His Son to die for you—to take upon Himself the penalty that you deserved to pay for you sin. That is love.

God made you in His own image. He made you the pinnacle of all creation. No other creature was made in God's image. Only man was. He also made you to have fellowship with Him. All of this was so that God could lavish His love upon you. John tells us that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). And 1 John 4:19 adds, "We love Him because He first loved us." In John 15:12 Jesus said, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." The Lord Jesus loved you enough to lay down His life for you. There is no greater love. The truth is: God loves you!

Let's move on. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (v. 16a). Why? Because you need a Savior, and His love for you is so great that He willingly went to the cross to provide for your salvation.

What caused the need? Sin. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." And Romans 6:23 adds, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." God meant for you to have fellowship with Him, but because of your sin that fellowship was broken. You became separated from God. Remain in your sin and you will spend eternity separated from God. That is spiritual death, the "wages of sin" (v. 23a). That is the problem.

So what can you do about it? Nothing, absolutely nothing. There is nothing you can do to earn your way back into fellowship with God. Even by paying your own penalty—death—you won't succeed. The only hope is for a substitute to die in your place. But who? "All have sinned" (Rom. 3:23a) and deserve the same "wages" (Rom. 6:23a).

That is where God comes in. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for you. He's your substitute. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He "knew no sin" (v. 21a) and therefore, He took your sin upon Himself on the cross and died in your place so that you might be made righteous.

That requires one thing: faith. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Belief. Trusting in Jesus. That is what is required of you. Jesus has already paid your penalty. What will you do with Him? How will you respond to His great love?

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Faith. By the grace of God, salvation has been provided for you. You receive it through faith, which in itself is a gift God gives you. Receive that gift. Put your trust in Jesus.

How? Romans 10:9-10 says, "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."

What does your heart say? If you "believe in your heart" that Jesus died for you and that "God has raised Him from the dead" (Rom. 10:9b), then "confess" it "with your mouth" (v. 9a). Make confession to God. Confess your sin, acknowledge Jesus, and receive Him by prayer as your Lord and Savior. It's all about faith in your heart of hearts. Where do you stand? Have you confessed Jesus as Lord and have you ever prayed to receive Him?

John 1:12 says, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (ESV). If you believe in the name of Jesus, that God raised Him from the dead, and you receive Him as your Lord and Savior, your fellowship with God is restored. You become His child forever. You are saved for all eternity. That is the clear message of Scripture.

John 3:18 says, "He who believes in Him is not condemned." Once you trust in Jesus, you no longer face the penalty of sin. The penalty has been paid. You need only believe and trust fully in Jesus. That is all. And that is why John 3:16b says "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Amen.

Under the Mighty Hand of God

First Peter 5:6-7 says, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." The context of these words is quite telling. In 1 Peter 5:1-4 the elders of the church are instructed as to how to shepherd the flock. Then verse 5a turns to flock, God's people, and admonishes them to submit themselves to the elders. But more than that, all of us—shepherds, flock, elders—are to "be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility" (v. 5b). Why? Because "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (v. 5c).

Now in verse 6a, Peter tells us again to "humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God." Being humble means to put ourselves last and others, namely our brothers and sisters in Christ, first. This humble submission is done "under the mighty hand of God" (v. 6a). Remember, the Lord Jesus is our "Good Shepherd" (John 10:11, 14). He rules our lives. He empowers us to live this life of humility by His grace. Remember your position in Christ and let Him guide you, and you will not find it that hard to humble yourself before others.

When you humble yourself in this manner, God "may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6b). Maybe He will exalt you in some manner and maybe He won't. That is not the promise here. The promise is found at the end of verse 7: "for He cares for you." When you humble yourself under God's mighty hand you are free to trust God, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (v. 7). That is the entirety of verse 7.

God understands. He is all-knowing. Trust Him. He knows your heart. Anything you cast His way, He can handle. You will be blessed as He comes alongside you and takes care of everything. You can trust Him and give Him every burden because "He cares for you" (v. 7b). Amen.

The Highway to Heaven

In John 14:6 Jesus made a great claim about Himself when He said to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." I can imagine how Thomas and all the disciples were stunned by such a proclamation. What does Jesus mean? To understand what Jesus was saying, first let me set the scene, the context in which Jesus made this statement.

In John 13 Jesus shared the last supper with His disciples and washed their feet. He spoke of His betrayal. He then told them that He was going away and that they could not follow for now. Peter, of course, said, "Why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake" (John 13:37). It was then that Jesus told Peter he would deny Him three times before daybreak.

In the midst of this discussion Jesus turned to His disciples to comfort them. And they needed to be comforted! Judas was going to betray the Lord. Peter would deny Him three times. Jesus was going away and they can't go with Him—at least not for now. Could it get any worse? No wonder they needed to be comforted.

Throughout the history of the church, Christians have encountered various trials, and today is no different. It is in times of trial and hardship that our hearts are troubled. We question what is happening and we don't see how anything worse could come upon us. Then it is that Jesus comes alongside of us and comforts us with these words:

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1). And He continued, "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (vv. 2-3). Knowing that Jesus will return and take us to be with Him should certainly be a great comfort for us.

Having promised that He would care for our every need in this life and having promised that we would be with Him through all eternity, He went on: "And where I go you know, and the way you know" (v. 4). And this is where Thomas jumped in, saying, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" (v. 5).

Then comes Jesus' famous statement, a statement that sums up the whole gospel truth: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (v. 6). Jesus' great promise—when you trust in Christ you find God. The way to God is through Jesus. There is no other way.

Notice here that Thomas was thinking location, location, location. "Lord, we do not know where you are going" (v. 5a). "We can’t find the way if we don't know where to go!" Jesus emphasized the way to the location or the highway: "I am the way," Jesus said (v. 6a).

Isaiah said, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness" (Isa. 35:8a, KJV). That way is Jesus! There is no other way. Jesus alone is "the way" of salvation (John 14:6a). Jesus alone is "the truth" (v. 6a). Jesus alone is "the life" (v. 6a)—the very life of God, and He offers that life to you!

To possess the Son is to possess life, for "He who has the Son has life" (1 John 5:12a). "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Jesus is saying, "Don’t worry about all the details of the kingdom of God or anything else, just stay close to Me. I am the way. Follow Me." Indeed, follow Jesus, stay close to Jesus, He is the only way to God. Come to Jesus right now and be saved. There is nothing of more importance to do right now but to come to Jesus and receive Him as your Lord and Savior. Amen.

The Just Shall Live by Faith

Habakkuk 2:4 says, "The just shall live by his faith." Indeed, the just shall live by faith! That is exactly what Luke 17:6 says as well. If the just lives by faith, they can indeed uproot mulberry trees: So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (Luke 17:6).

Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, first went to China in a sailing vessel. When very close to the shore of cannibal islands the ship was becalmed and slowly drifting shoreward. The captain came to Mr. Taylor asking him to pray for God's help. Mr. Taylor agreed, but only "provided you set your sails to catch the breeze." The captain refused. He didn't want to make himself a laughing stock by unfurling in a dead calm. Taylor said, "I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you will prepare the sails." And it was done. While engaged in prayer, there was a knock at the door of his stateroom. It was the captain. He asked Taylor , "Are you still praying for wind?" "Yes," responded Mr. Taylor. "Well," said the captain, "you'd better stop praying, for we have more wind than we can manage" (Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, [Assurance Publishers: Rockville, Maryland, 1979], #1493, 403-04).

Like Hudson Taylor, those who live by faith can create a great amount of wind, or move any other obstacle that stands in the way of God's will for their life. The key is your faith, along with God's will.

Romans 12:1-2 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Present yourself to God for His use and let Him "transform" you, let Him change you into what He wants, so that He can use you for His purpose. That is living by faith.

Again, in Luke 17:5-6 we read, "And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' So the Lord said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea," and it would obey you.'" Jesus told them even the smallest faith does great things, and then compared their faith to a mustard seed.

The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. It is used to develop mustard spice. The thought here is that it is so small it is within your reach. Compare that to the Mulberry tree. It is actually the Black Mulberry tree that is in view here. This tree often lives 400 to 600 years. It grows thirty-five feet tall, and has an extensive root system that spreads out forty feet and goes quite deep into the ground, making it nigh impossible to uproot. Jesus told them that even with that little bit of faith they could uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea.

That is quite a statement! Faith, even when developed only to the size of a mustard seed, it is enough! That is what Jesus said! Faith, in the Greek, is a word that can be translated either "faith" or "faithfulness." It depends on the context. When referring to "head knowledge" becoming "heart knowledge," or in other words, "belief," it is usually translated "faith." When the context refers to "heart attitude" or "heart obedience," it is usually translated "faithfulness." Here the context is "heart obedience," and should be understood as "faithfulness."

Luke 17:1-4 speaks of forgiveness as an attitude of the heart. Note especially verses 3-4: "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Luke 17:7-10 again speaks of "heart obedience" toward God. When you have done all that you are supposed to do, have the attitude as found in verse 10: "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty" (RSV).

When you have this "heart obedience" toward God, then you will find that you have drawn near to Him. When you are near to God, He will guide you as to what you should do and how you should pray. Follow His guidance and even that big mulberry tree can be uprooted. When you trust the Lord Jesus in everything, great things will happen. Amen.

The Lamb of God

John 1:29 says, "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" John the Baptist was being questioned by "priests and Levites from Jerusalem" whom "the Jews sent... to ask him, 'Who are you?'" (v. 19). John "confessed, 'I am not the Christ'" (v. 20). Being questioned further concerning who he was, John denied being "Elijah" or "the Prophet" (v. 21). Exasperated, they finally asked him straight out, "Who are you?" (v. 22a).

Note John's reply. He quotes Isaiah 40:3, saying, "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the LORD,' as the prophet Isaiah said" (v. 23). "Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, 'Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?'" (vs. 24-25). His reply: "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose" (vs. 26-27). Then we are told, "This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing" (v. 28, NIV).

You might note here a very important truth spoken by John the Baptist and likely missed by the priests and Levites: In verse 27 John referred to Jesus as "coming after me" yet being "preferred before me." What does that mean? It can mean only one thing; that Jesus is none other than the eternal Son of God! Then he adds in verse 29, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Continuing on, John the Baptist said. "This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water" (vs. 30-31). Explaining further, he said, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God" (vs. 32-34). "Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, 'Behold the Lamb of God!'" (vs. 35-36).

Jesus is the Son of God! Jesus is the Lamb of God! Hebrews 9:12-14 explains it all: "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Jesus, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, shed His blood for you. He died for the forgiveness of your sins. He rose again to give you eternal life. Give your heart to Him and trust Him above all else for all eternity. Amen.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

The little book of Lamentations in the Old Testament is a worthwhile read. Though the author remains nameless, there is ample evidence both within the text and from Jewish and Christian tradition to ascribe authorship to the prophet Jeremiah. Written in Hebrew, the original title was taken from the book's first word, ʾêk̠âh, translated "Alas!" or "How," which gives the impression of weeping or lamenting over some hard time or sad event (Charles H. Dyer, "Lamentations," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck [Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1985], 1207). The Septuagint and Vulgate translators named the book Lamentations to better describe the contents (Ibid).

In these five chapters we see the prophet agonizing over the Babylonian invasion of 586 BC and the destruction of Jerusalem. He is lamenting and weeping over what he witnessed firsthand. Yet right in the middle of the book, in chapter three, he speaks words of hope. He begins in this way, "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope" (Lam. 3:21). And the prophet concludes in verse 24, "'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!'"

In the midst of hard times, sad times, the prophet finds hope! The two intervening verses reveal what gave him such hope. First, in verse 22 he says, "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not." God is a compassionate and loving God. Moses told God's people, "For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath" (Deut. 4:31, NIV). As Nahum 1:7 says, "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him." God is your stronghold. He pours out His mercies upon you every day to lead you through the hard times. Trust Him because your hope is in Him.

Verse 23 finishes the thought: "They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." God's mercies are there every moment of every day. All we have to do is rest in Him. Trust in the Lord in every circumstance. Get out of the way and let Him work. He will meet the need and bring you through it to a closer walk with Him. His faithfulness is great. It never fails. And God will never fail you. He is your hope. Trust Him. Amen.

The Lord Provides

The 23rd Psalm begins, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (v. 1). This Scripture is intended to bring you comfort. Whenever you are down, whenever you are sad, when things just seem to go wrong and nothing is going right, look no further but to this verse and you will be comforted. You will be reassured of the Lord's presence and help. The Lord Jesus is there with you. He is in your corner.

This verse contains two phrases. The opening phrase is a simple statement of faith: "The Lord is my shepherd" (v. 1a). A shepherd watches over his flock of sheep and is always there for them. He loves them, he feeds them, and he leads them to green pastures where there is plenty of water to drink. The shepherd cares for all the needs of his sheep. He guards them and keeps them safe as he wards off all enemies. He leaves nothing to chance, but cares for their every need. He would even die for His sheep!

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). Jesus is our shepherd. Always remember that you are in the care of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He cares for you. He even gave His life for you. At just the right moment, for His purposes, He provides exactly what each of us needs. Trust Him.

That is where the second phrase of this verse comes in: "I shall not want" (Psa. 23:1b). The Good Shepherd cares for your every need. Jesus truly cares for you and watches over you. He will never leave you wanting. He will give you what you need. Just look to Him in trust, rest in His arms, and you will be comforted. Amen.

God Bless You with His Grace

Paul closes his letter to the Thessalonians as he usually does, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you" (2 Thess. 3:18). "All" means just that. Paul leaves no one out. Even those he rebuked in this letter are included. He prays that all who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord be blessed with the grace of God.

Grace refers to God's undeserved goodwill toward us. It refers to the bestowing of His lovingkindness upon us, even though we do not deserve it in any way. Saving grace is a gift we received from God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to salvation, grace is essential for many things, such as endurance, service, growth, and giving. By grace God enables us to live the Christian life. We experience His sanctifying grace by trusting Him, obeying His Word, enduring His chastening, doing good by His power, walking in the Spirit, and praying.

Paul desires all of this for you. That is why he includes grace in the blessings he asks God to bestow upon you. Paul wants the fullness of the Christian life to be experienced by each one of you. He knows you can only experience that by God's power and enabling. It is God who does it in and through you. No matter how much Scripture you understand, no matter how obedient you are, no matter how committed you are to living for Christ, and no matter how much effort you put into living the Christian life, it is all futile apart from the peace, strength, truth, and grace that only God can give.

Let God change you by His peace, strength, truth, and grace. Then follow Him in all you are and all you do. Amen.

God Bless You with His Truth

Paul wrote Second Thessalonians through the use of what was called an amanuensis, or a secretary who took dictation. This was common, both for Paul and others of his day. In 3:17, however, he takes the pen in his own hand and adds the final words. This is also his habit and it provides a mark of authenticity to what he wrote. Remember how he earlier told them "not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us" (2 Thess. 2:2)? Some false teachers who were seeking to deceive them went so far as to forge letters, as if from Paul, to support their false teaching. So by adding his concluding remarks in his own handwriting he set upon the letter a mark of truth. This really is from Paul! And truth is what it is all about.

"The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write" (2 Thess. 3:17). Or, as the NIV translates it, "I Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write." Paul was the agent of truth and he did not want them to ever be confused as to God's truth.

For Paul, the church had to be the "pillar and support of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15, NASB). In order for this to be so, they had to be able to distinguish between "the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6, NASB). To do so, they had to be firmly grounded in the Bible, the "word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). This is why Paul was so deeply concerned to guard and protect the Word of God, and to make certain they knew the difference between the truth of God coming through his writings and the errors of others.

God is not only the God of peace and strength, He is also the God of truth. 1 John 5:20 tells us, "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." God is truth, and Paul prays for God to bless you with His truth. Amen.

God Bless You with His Strength

Paul continues in 2 Thessalonians 3:16b, "The Lord be with you all." Not only does Paul want God to bless you with His peace, but with His strength as well. Here Paul simply requests that God fulfill in us what was previously guaranteed for us as believers—the assurance that God will never leave us nor forsake us.

In Hebrews 13:5-6, when listing the ways in which we should conduct ourselves, we have this promise: "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" Here Paul is reminding us that there is more to God's presence within us than meets the eye. Not only does He reside in us, but He gives us His strength. It is that empowering strength of God within us that Paul here prays for.

It is that strengthening presence of God in us that the Psalmist rejoiced over when he said, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1, NASB). This is the essence of Paul's prayer. He prayed that God would not only give you peace in all circumstances of life, but that He would grant you His strength in all circumstances, so that you might stand firm in Him at all times.

So Paul prays that when Satan attacks, you will have God's strength to fight. When temptation comes, you will have God's strength to resist. In the face of trials, you will have God's strength to persevere. When called upon to serve Him and evangelize for Him, you will have God's strength to do so effectively. In short, as Paul said in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That is his prayer for you. Amen.

God Bless You with His Peace

In 2 Thessalonians 3:16a, Paul begins his benediction, "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way." "Now" (v. 16a) marks the transition from command and exhortation to prayer. The prayer itself recognizes that only God can accomplish His desires in your life. Only He can bring about the results intended by His Word. So Paul's first request is for God's peace to permeate every area of your life. But what is peace?

The world defines peace like this: "A state of tranquility or quiet" (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, [G & C Merriam Company: Springfield, Mass., 1973], 842).  "The sense of calm… contentment, and well-being that comes when everything is going well" (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, [Moody Publishing: Chicago, 2001], 312).

But that definition is quite shallow. A calm, tranquil feeling can be produced by any number of things. Such a feeling can be produced by lies, self-deception, or unexpected good fortune. In fact, simply the absence of conflict and trouble produces this feeling, as do drugs and alcohol. However, this kind of peace is only temporary and can easily be destroyed.

When any kind of conflict or trouble arrives, such peace quickly ends. Any kind of failure, doubt, or fear will also destroy such peace in your life. Bitterness, anger, pride, any kind of difficulty, guilt, regret, sorrow, or anxiety over circumstances beyond your control destroys this kind of peace. Even being disappointed or mistreated by others, or simply making bad decisions, brings the world's peace to a sudden end. If any threat is made to your security there is no longer any such peace.

God's peace, true spiritual peace, is completely different. As John MacArthur said, God's peace "is the deep, settled confidence that all is well between the soul and God because of His loving, sovereign control of one's life both in time and eternity. That calm assurance is based on the knowledge that sins are forgiven, blessing is present, good is abundant even in trouble, and heaven is ahead. The peace that God gives His beloved children as their possession and privilege has nothing to do with the circumstances of life" (Ibid, 313).

God's peace is divine. It is derived directly from "the Lord of Peace Himself" (v. 16a). "Himself" (v. 16a) is in the emphatic position in the Greek text, enforcing the fact that the God who is peace grants peace to believers. It is all of God! God is the one who gives you peace, not the circumstances of life or anything else—only God.

First and foremost, this is peace with God. Yet this peace that God gives us with Himself provides the basis for our peace with one another. Only He can make harmony among believers a reality.

"Always" (v. 16a) asks that there be no break in the flow of God's peace. "In every way" (v. 16a) asks that this peace with God continue to exist within you no matter what the outward circumstances might be in your life. With Christ in your life, no matter what you may encounter in life, there is peace. The peace of God Himself is always within you giving you comfort and strength. Amen.

Seek to Restore the Disobedient

In 2 Thessalonians 3:14, Paul reinforces his command to avoid those believers who are deliberately disobedient to the Word of God (2 Thess. 3:6): "And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed." Here Paul restated the command (v. 14a), then went on to give the purpose for following this command: "that he may be ashamed" (v. 14b).

Anyone who "does not obey" the words "in this epistle" (v. 14a), does not obey the Word of God. You are to take "note" of that person and "not keep company with him" (v. 14b). "Note" (v. 14b) refers to a sign or token. It signifies to mark or to note for oneself. Here it is "an injunction to take cautionary note of one who refuses obedience" to the Word of God (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia], 798). "Keep company" (v. 14b), or "associate with" (NASB), is a strong double compound verb meaning "to mix up together with" (MacArthur’s New Testament Commentary: 1 & 2 Thessalonians, [Moody Publishers: Chicago], 309). You are not to "mix it up" with such persons. As John MacArthur says, "The church individually and collectively was to withdraw fellowship from such persons and avoid them. They were probably to be denied the privilege of taking communion. Surely they were not to be allowed to participate in the love feast, since feeding them a meal would condone and perpetuate their indolent behavior. The pressure of isolation was to be brought to bear on them to produce repentance" (Ibid).

Note the purpose: "that he may be ashamed" (v. 14c), or "so that he will be put to shame" (NASB). "Be put to shame" (v. 14c, NASB) literally means "to turn in on oneself" (Ibid). The idea is that the person being avoided would do some inner reflection, recognize his sin and disobedience to the Word, and repent. Such repentance would then lead to his restoration to complete fellowship. Such is always the intent of church discipline.

That is why Paul concludes with verse 15: "Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." Paul is not talking of complete excommunication as in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11. There verse 11 says, "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. The offense here in 2 Thessalonians 3:14 does not rise to that level. The person avoided here is not to be treated as "an enemy" (v. 15a) who is cut off from all contact. Rather, he is still to be treated as a brother, and you are to admonish him as a brother to bring him to repentance. Galatians 6:1 puts it all in perspective—"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."

Remember verse 13 and you will do well in living up to these commands: "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good." Whether it be helping those who are truly in need, or admonishing those who are unruly and disobedient to the Scriptures, always follow Christ in helping them. The end result will be a certain harmony and unity in the church. Amen.

Live in Harmony with One Another

In 2 Thessalonians 3:6, Paul said, "But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us." Now Paul reinforces that command with these words: "For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread" (vs. 11-12). In the Greek, the words "not working at all, but are busybodies" (v. 11b) is a play on words. Literally it means, "not busy, but busybodies."

What came to Paul's attention was that some not only refused to work, but they used their time to wander around and interfere in the lives of others in the church. He described this to Timothy in this way, "And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not" (1 Tim. 5:13). They became a burden to the church, creating disunity and discord in the process. These people were beginning to affect the loving harmony and effective witness of the church. Such are commanded to "work in quietness" (v. 12b) and to care for their own families. In this way, they would promote harmony in the church instead.

To them, and to all of us, Paul says to live in harmony with one another. Note verse 13: "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good." The danger is that you might "grow weary in doing good" (v. 13b), or that you might become indifferent to real needs because of those in the church who have refused to work and have become a needless burden. Don't let that happen!

In Isaiah 58:7, God commends those who "divide [their] bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house." Let that describe you! Never become so weary of those who are a burden, that you forget those in real need. Work to provide for yourself and to care for those who are truly in need. In that way, you can and will live in harmony with one another. Amen.

Noah Found Grace

Just over one week ago, I returned home from visiting the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky and the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. Both are owned and operated by Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis. It was a worthwhile trip. Both are amazing to see and experience.

When you step inside the Ark, you soon understand how Noah could easily have room for all of the animals, as well the eight persons of his family. The Ark Encounter is an exact replica of Noah's Ark in Scripture, It was built to scale, based on the instructions God gave Noah in Genesis 6:13-16. Of course, the inside design of the Ark was not given in Genesis nor was the exact size and location of the door, so some creative license was taken in that regard.

Take note of what God said: "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:5-8).

Going on, the Scripture says, "And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them" (Gen. 6:17-21). And we are told, "Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did" (v. 22).

The story in Genesis chapters six through nine tells it all. The story is incredible. It is easy to understand why so many people have a hard time believing. But when you visit the Ark Encounter and also check out the nearby Creation Museum, you will begin to understand what God can do. The Creation Museum explains the Biblical Creation worldview and compares it at every turn to the secular evolutionary worldview, placing the two views side by side as all the evidence is considered. In the end, the Biblical Creation worldview stands tall and is easily understood and believed.

It is all incredible to see. Make that trip your families next vacation. You will be glad you did. It is both educational and inspirational. Don't miss it. Amen.

Be Willing to Work

 "Be Willing to Work" may sound like a strange title and topic for a Bible Insight, but it is exactly what Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, where he said, "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." And it is very timely for today, as many people simply don't want to work. In many cities, the teacher's unions have the teachers refusing to return to the classroom, keeping schools closed, yet making sure that the teachers still get paid. Still others around this nation refuse to go back to work because the government pays them more in unemployment payments than they made at their jobs. It is a real problem.

Paul led up to this command in verse 10, by testifying of his own habit: "For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us" (vs. 7-9). Concerning the command, "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat" (v. 10b), the emphasis is on those who are not willing to work—those who "will not work" (v. 10b).

The point is, if you get hungry enough, you will work so you can buy food. Proverbs 16:26 says, "A worker's appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on" (NASB). If you have the opportunity and the ability to work for your own food, you are to do so. If you do not, then you are "worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim. 5:8). The whole verse says, "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." Those who can work, must work. It is that simple. The key being—those who can. Amen.