To Know Him and to Be Like Him

Through His Word God's purposes are discovered. Study His Word and you will begin to understand what He desires for you—to "know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death" (Phil. 3:10, NASB). God's purpose is for us to be saved and "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29b). To know Him and to be like Him. That is what God wants for each one of us.

Consider Jeremiah's words, and pay special attention to the greater context of what he said. Jeremiah also makes clear the truth that God's call is on your life as a believer. The context of his words is his prophecy that the exiles will return from Babylon in seventy years. "For this is what the LORD says: 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will let Myself be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile'" (Jer. 29:10-14, NASB).

Jeremiah is speaking here of God's specific plan for His people Israel. His plan for Israel involves a Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. His plan for Israel involves blessing all nations of all times through Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection the third day. Our forgiveness at the cross and our salvation in Christ is all part of that plan. So the application of these verses in Jeremiah expands to include all of us.

These verses go hand in hand. God says to us, "For I know the plans that I have for you" (v. 11). He also "has saved us and called us with a holy calling… according to His own purpose" (2 Tim. 1:9). So He has "called us" according to "the plans" He has for us. He has "called us" to fulfill His "plans" in us. Plans that stretch throughout all eternity. Plans for a special relationship with each one of us. Plans for us to become like Jesus (Rom. 8:29b). And all of this is revealed by His Spirit: "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit" (1 Cor. 2:10a). Amen.

A Savior, Who Is Christ the Lord

"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:10-12). Such was the announcement the angel gave to the shepherds who were "watching their flock by night" (v. 8).

The word that night when Jesus was born wasn't given to the king; it wasn't given to the High Priest. The angel didn't appear before the leaders of government or the religious leaders of the day. No, the angel appeared before a group of lowly shepherds to announce the birth of the Savior. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (v. 11).

Shepherds were a lowly group. They were looked down on with disgust. They were despised by most, many believing they were nothing more than liars and thieves. They were the last people anyone would expect to be the first to receive such a glorious announcement. No one would ever believe anything they said. Such was the belief of the day. Yet, it was precisely to this band of shepherds to whom the angel came to announce the birth of the Savior.

And where would they find Him? "In the city of David" (v. 11a). They would find Him in Bethlehem, the city of David's birth. Thus, these lowly shepherds were sent into the lowly little town of Bethlehem, a small town of littler to no significance. Again, the last place anyone would expect such a great event to occur. Surely the Savior would be born in Jerusalem or another great city. But no, He was born in a small town of no consequence.

But that is not all. The angel told them to look for a newborn baby: "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger" (v. 12). "In a manger" (v. 12b), a feeding trough for animals. The Savior of the world was born in a lowly stable out behind an inn. A dusty, smelly home for animals! That is where they would find the Savior. And they soon discovered that He was born to a lowly couple; a poor shepherd and His betrothed teenage wife.

But what was significant was who this baby was: "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (v. 11b). This baby would grow up, living a perfect life. He shed His blood and died on the cross, a substitute for you, paying the penalty for your sin, bringing you forgiveness and new life. Just believe in Him, in His death and resurrection and confess His name, and you will be saved. Can you trust Jesus today? Have a Merry Christmas! Amen.

In Christ You Are Redeemed

Understanding God's call on your life is crucial for every believer in Jesus Christ. God's call rests on everyone who is "in Christ." With fifteen occurrences, the key phrase in Ephesians is "in Christ" or "in Him." "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7). In Christ you are both redeemed and forgiven. That is why Paul prayed "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Eph. 3:17).

When you trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior you are "in Christ" and "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). In Christ you are changed, and you become a child of God: "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). In Christ the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in you: "The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him" (1 Cor. 6:17).

Every true believer knows something about the salvation God has given them in Christ. They know the gospel message, "that Christ died" on the cross "for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:3), "and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day" (v. 4) defeating death itself. They know they are saved by God's grace alone through faith in Christ: "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" (Eph. 2:8-9). But what many do not realize is that when God "saved us" He also "called us… according to His own purpose and grace" (2 Tim. 1:9).

God's purpose for your life is far greater than you can even begin to imagine. It is beyond anything you have ever dreamed of. Listen to what Paul says: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9). God has plans for you that are literally beyond belief. And He reveals those plans to you by His Spirit as you need to know. Paul explains, "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (v. 10). The Spirit searches the depths of God's truth and reveals His purposes and His plans to us.

Again Paul explains: "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (vv. 11-13). That last phrase is rendered, "combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" in the New American Standard Bible (NASB). "Spiritual words" explaining "spiritual thoughts"—that is the inspired Word of God (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 1087).

You are redeemed in Christ. Therefore, you should live your life every day in Christ. As Paul says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16). Amen.

God's Word Lights Your Path

Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Every day the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer, speaks God's thoughts to us. He speaks to our inner spirit. Do you hear God speaking to you? You may not hear a verbal voice speaking out loud, in fact you most likely will not, but in your heart you should hear His voice calling every day.

Jesus said, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come" (John 16:13). The Holy spirit within speaks God's truth to us. When it says, "He will guide you into all truth" (v. 13a), it refers primarily to Scripture. The main avenue through which God speaks is His Word. When we read it, study it, and memorize it, the Holy Spirit makes its meaning clear and understandable. He guides us in knowing the Word and He empowers us to live the Word.

The Bible guides us in nearly every aspect of life. The Bible says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Bible provides guidance in all things. It teaches us God's truth as to how we ought to live. It reproves us when we are doing wrong. It corrects us and helps get us back on track. It instructs us in the way we should go. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word" (Ps. 119:9, NASB).

"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" (Prov. 3:5-6). When you trust in Christ and seek to follow Him, He will speak to you and guide you in the way you should go. If you are listening, God is calling. Habakkuk understood this truth and he responded, "I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected" (Hab. 2:1). When Christ was transfigured before him, Peter declared, "We have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed" (2 Pet. 1:19). God is calling. You would do well to listen and take heed. Amen.

Jesus Seeks Those Who Are Lost

Consider the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Luke 15:1 tells us that "all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him." They knew they needed a Savior, so they came near to Jesus to consider Him and to listen to what he had to say. But "the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them'" (v. 2). So Jesus replied with two parables explaining why He sought out sinners.

Jesus said, "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance" (vv. 4-7).

This is a great story, and so true. Some years back, I was pastor of a church in western Wyoming. Out on the hills, shepherds watched their flocks. Each shepherd knew his sheep and kept a close count. When one was lost, he went searching for it and would not rest until it was found. That is what God does. We are His sheep, and when we are lost in sin He searches for us and does not rest until He finds us and redeems us.

Then Jesus told a second parable: "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (vv. 8-10).

A virtual repeat of the parable of the lost sheep. When a coin is lost you search diligently for it until it is found. And when you find the coin you rejoice greatly. Again, this is a picture of God searching for lost sinners. He pursues His own. When they are lost, He searches for them until He finds them. When He finds them, He rejoices greatly with the angels in heaven as He redeems them. Both pictures are of a loving God pursuing the sinner who is lost and the saint who has strayed from the fold.

That is the way God operates. He pursues His own until they respond to His call and are saved. We are not saved because we seek after God. We are saved because God knew us from eternity, and He pursued us and called us to Himself. We are not saved because of our ability and faithfulness to find Christ and to keep hold of Him. We are saved because God is faithful to draw us to Himself and to keep us in Christ for all eternity.

2 Timothy 2:13 says, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" (NASB). He saved us because He promised to save us, and He is always faithful. We are not saved because of our ability to hold on to Him. We are saved because of His ability to hold on to us. Amen.

The Lord's Deep Knowledge of You

David penned a great psalm that details God's pursuit of man. The first four verses of Psalm 139 reveal that God knows us very deeply. He knows us better than we know ourselves. "O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether" (Psalm 139:1-4).

The Lord searches your heart because His desire is to know you intimately. He watches your every move. Even your thoughts are not hidden from Him, and He hears every word you speak. That should make you fully aware of the things you say and do. Knowing that God is watching should make you strive to be holy. Knowing that God is listening should make you watch what you say and how you say it.

The Lord is there for you every day. "You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me" (v. 5). His hand is on your shoulder to guide and direct you. He has "hedged" you in on all sides. He has put up a barrier between you and the enemy to keep you safe. You can trust Him, walk with Him, and depend on Him. He will see you through every trial, hardship, and challenge that life brings. What an amazing truth!

But David acknowledges that even this can be a hard concept to grasp. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it," he wrote (v. 6). It is in times like this, times when we cannot quite wrap our minds around such truth, that we want to cut and run. But before you do, before you run from God and try to hide from Him, consider the rest of this psalm.

In verse seven David asks the question, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?" And he answers his own question: "Nowhere." He writes: "If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall fall on me,' even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You" (vv. 8-12). There is nowhere to hide. Wherever you go, God will find you. He will pursue you until you come to Him. He made you and He wants the best for you.

Psalm 139 continues, "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well" (vv. 13-14).

The Lord established your days. He determined who you are and what you would do for Him, even before you were born: "My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them" (vv. 15-16).

God made and established you. He loves you and wants to fellowship with you. That is why He pursues you as He does. You are always on His mind. "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You" (vv. 17-18). Every morning when you awake, God is there. He is with you as He promised. "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" (Heb. 13:5b).

Because God made you, because He loves you and seeks after you, you should have only one response—to seek after Him and to follow Him! You should flee from your enemies and be separate from them. Turn them over to God and let Him deal with the wicked. But as for you, have nothing to do with them.

Again in Psalm 139, David said it well: "Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies" (vv. 19-22).

Then David prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting" (vv. 23-24). The same prayer should be on our lips! Knowing that God pursues us, knowing that He loves us, knowing that He will always be there for us watching over us, we too should ask God to search our hearts and cleanse us from anything that does not belong. We should seek God's face every day and trust Him to lead us in the way we should go, the way of righteousness, the way of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Drawn to Jesus

John 6:44 speaks of that encounter with God when He seeks you and finds you. There, Jesus said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." In the Greek, the word "draws" means to influence someone or to cause someone to do something (Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, [AMG International, Inc. 1992, revised edition, 1993], 568). It carries the idea of pursuing someone, finding him, and bringing him back. God is the one who "draws" you to Jesus.

An unregenerate sinner will never come to God of his own accord. It is not in his nature. He must be pursued and found, and his heart must be changed by God, or he will not come to Christ. That is why God pursues you when you stray. It is the only way to bring you back to Himself.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 points out, "For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin." No one is just. God searched the earth and found no one from any era that was without sin. All are guilty before God. No one will find their way to heaven based on works or his own righteousness. This verse makes it clear that no one does good. No one is without sin. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).

Psalm 14:1-3 expands on this truth: "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one."

God "looks down from heaven" (v. 2a) and searches the earth for a righteous man, finding none. Apart from Christ no one is just. No one understands; no one seeks God. All have turned away from God and are corrupt. Apart from Christ there is no hope.

Paul quotes from these verses in Romans 3:10-12: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one."

Again, no one is justified in his own right or on his own merit. All have gone their own way. All have turned away from God. There is no one who even tries to find God. Therefore, God takes the initiative and pursues His own. He pursues you. If He did not pursue you there would be no possibility of salvation.

A few verses later Paul declares: "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:19-20).

The law cannot save you. It makes you aware of your sin. It points out how far you have strayed from God and makes clear your need for a Savior. Still, we do not seek after God. If God did not pursue us, we would never know Christ.

So Paul continues: "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:21-26).

If it were not for God, no one would be saved, especially not you or me. We are no different from anyone else. We are sinners who fall short of God’s glory. We do not do good. We do not seek after God. It is God who took the initiative and pursued us. He provided the Savior. He seeks and finds us. He draws us to Christ. He even provides faith. "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" (Eph. 2:8-9). Yes, even our faith is God's gift. So if God had not sought after us, we would not know Christ and we would not be saved.

The twenty-third Psalm says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever" (v. 6). In Hebrew, the word "follow" means to pursue someone in an aggressive manner (Warren Baker, D.R.E. and Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, [AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2003], 1037). David sets up a contrast here. While his enemies pursue him in order to kill him, they cannot do him any real harm because God is pursuing him with all His goodness and mercy. Wherever he goes, whatever he does, God pursues or follows him with everything good to keep him unto Himself and to protect him and guide him. It is clear that God pursues those who are His own. Amen.

Pursued by God

Man's habit of hiding from God began way back in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. On the sixth day of creation, "the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Gen. 2:7). God had "planted a garden eastward in Eden" (v. 8). "Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it" (v. 15). The Lord made "a helper comparable to him" (v. 18) and "brought her to the man" (v. 22).

Adam and Eve lived in the garden and took care of it, just as God intended. They walked with God in the garden every day, fellowshipping with Him according to God's own purpose. That is, until that one fateful day.

Now God had forbidden Adam only one thing, saying, "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Gen. 2:17). Having fallen from heaven, Satan went right to work. He lured Eve into eating fruit from the forbidden tree (Gen. 3:1-6a) and she "gave to her husband with her, and he ate" (v. 6b). Adam was right there with Eve as they disobeyed God.

Sin had entered the world and the fellowship they enjoyed with God was broken. "And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden" (v. 8). They were afraid because they had sinned, so they ran and hid from God. But the Lord knew all about it, so He came looking for them. He pursued them in order to restore their relationship with Him.

"Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, 'Where are you?'" (v. 9). So he came forward confessing his sin, along with Eve (vv. 10-13). "Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them" (v. 21),  a blood sacrifice being made to cover their sin. Then, "the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken" (v. 23). Though no longer in the garden, relationship restored, Adam and Eve again walked with God.

When you stray from God, you experience a constant wooing that comes from the throne of God. The Bible says, "the Son of  Man" came "to seek and to save that which is lost" (Luke 19:10). When you stray from God, Jesus seeks after you to save the lost sinner and to bring the straying saint back to Himself. Amen.

Be Faithful in Telling Others About Jesus

Like Stephen, Philip was also called to greater things. "Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, 'Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza'" (Acts 8:26). Philip did so, and found "a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians… sitting in his chariot… reading Isaiah the prophet" (vv. 27-28). "Then the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go near and overtake this chariot'" (v. 29). Philip did as the Spirit told him and, "beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him" (v. 35). The man believed, "and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him" (vv. 37-38).

Then we are told: "Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea" (vv. 39-40). What a great story of how God uses those with a willing heart.

Like Stephen and Philip, when God speaks to your heart you need to respond by faithfully doing as asked, even in the little things. That is the sign of a willing heart. When you see some small thing that needs to be done, God is making it known to you. Be faithful to do it, even if it is nothing more than cleaning up after a church social, or cleaning the church, or mowing the church lawn.

When you are faithful in the little things, God will give you something more to do. Perhaps He will lay it on your heart to pick up a friend or neighbor and bring him to church. Be faithful. Maybe it will be the day of salvation for him. Then you may be led to meet with him weekly for Bible study. If so, be faithful, and God will use you to help ground him in his newfound faith. Do you catch the idea? That is how it often works when you have a willing heart. Amen.

Be Faithful in the Work God Gives You

In the parable of the talents, when the servant entrusted with five talents returned ten to his master (Matt. 25:20), he was told, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord" (v. 21). Stephen was one who took the opportunity before him to serve the Lord in even greater capacities. Having been "faithful over a few things," God put him in charge "over many things." We pick up the story in Acts chapter six. "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people" (v. 8).

"Wonders" and "signs" in the original Greek are two words that are always used together in the New Testament. A "wonder" is a miracle so amazing that people do not soon forget (Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, [AMG International, Inc., 1992, revised edition, 1993], 1377). "Signs" is a word that indicates God is putting His stamp of approval on the work Stephen is doing (Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged, [William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1985], 1172).

As a result, much opposition rose up against him and they were "disputing with Stephen" (v. 9), because of the message preached concerning the Savior Jesus Christ. "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke" (v. 10). They brought him before "the council" (v. 12) and brought "false witnesses" (v. 13) as well. "And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel" (v. 15).

Continuing in Acts 7, given the opportunity, Stephen took advantage and clearly preached the gospel to those who were on the council, along with all who were gathered there: "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart… But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!' Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him" (vv. 54-58a).

Stephen was faithful in a few things, just as he was faithful in many things. Great or small, whatever God asked of him, he did, no matter the cost. And for him the cost was his life as he became the first martyr to die for Christ. However, though they could take his life, they could not take his soul. They merely ushered him straight into the presence of his Savior in heaven.

What you do for Christ won't likely cost you your life, though it could bring strong opposition against you, as well as suffering. What Stephen understood was that Jesus was with him, bringing him through whatever he faced. The same is true for us. So we need not fear men because the worst they can do to us is to usher us into the presence of God. And that is not such a bad thing. So we must "take up our cross" and follow Jesus. Amen.

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). A statement that applies to all believers. So what does it mean to "take up" your cross? It means to lose or give up your life for Christ (v. 24). It means to follow Him faithfully in righteousness. Be holy as He is holy. Let Jesus live through you. It means to follow Him in loving others. Seek the welfare of your "neighbor." Help him with his needs in whatever way the Lord has provided and talk to him about faith in Christ. It means using your spiritual gifts "for the work of service" (Eph. 4:12, NASB).

That passage in Ephesians says, "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:11-12, NASB). Having been mentioned previously in some of my earlier blogs, let's dig a little deeper into what this verse is saying to us.

By God's design, your pastor and other teachers and leaders in the church are there to train you how to discover and use your spiritual gift or gifts in ministry within the church body. All believers are gifted for service. When you have a willing heart, you will sit under the teaching of your pastor and other teachers within your church and learn from them. You will also get involved in the outworking of the ministry in your church, according to your gifts. When all of us do our part and work together in the ministry outreach of our church, God's purposes are accomplished, and God's will is done in our lives and in the lives of those to whom we minister.

Some lay people who got involved in the ministry of their church are found in Acts chapter six. The church in Jerusalem was experiencing growing pains. Some of the widows were getting overlooked in the distribution of food and various other necessities. To solve the problem, a meeting of the church was called, and the apostles said: "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:2-4).

Note how these men were walking faithfully with Jesus. They were reputable, filled with the Spirit, and wise. They were men who followed the Lord with a willing heart. They worked hard at the task they were given. As a result, they soon saw their individual ministries expand as more was given to them to do. Jesus said, "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much" (Luke 16:10, NASB). So those who were faithful in the area of ministry they were given, received greater responsibilities in their work for the Lord.

When you grow and learn under the teaching of your pastor and other teachers, and as you discover and begin to use your gifts faithfully in service for your church, Jesus takes notice. He will then give you greater ministry, greater things to do for Him, as you are ready. It will be a great blessing to experience. Amen.

When the Lord Calls

One man who did not draw a line in the sand was Isaiah. His heart was willing without any reservations. He set no limits on what He would or would not do, or where he would or would not go for God. Isaiah chapter six reveals that willing heart when God calls.

He was in the temple and saw a vision. "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew" (vv. 1-2). As they flew one cried out, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory" (v. 3). Then Isaiah noticed that "the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke" (v. 4).

What a scene it was. Isaiah must have been astonished at what he saw, and greatly elated at the same time. At some point he spoke to the Lord with a humble heart, saying, "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" (v. 5).

He then continues describing the scene: "Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar" (v. 6). He touched Isaiah's mouth with the hot coal and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged" (v. 7).

Then came the critical moment—God's call. The Lord spoke to Isaiah and said, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" (v. 8a). Then Isaiah, with a willing heart, said, "Here am I! Send me" (v. 8b). He was in the temple, serving the Lord. He was likely praying at that moment, searching with all his heart. And he found the Lord—or rather, the Lord found him. When God called him to take a specific message to His people, Isaiah accepted the call eagerly because he had a willing heart.

You might say that this is all fine and good, but what about me? So far it has been all about a prophet. What about us common folk. I am not a prophet. I am not even a pastor or anything like that. I am a person in the pew at church. I am a layman seeking to live my life for Jesus. How does this apply to me?

When God speaks to us through His Word, or directly to our hearts and minds, we would do well to listen and do as He directs. God has great plans for us. "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope'" (Jer. 29:11, NASB). When we have a willing heart and listen to what the Lord says, and we discover His will and follow His plan, He will accomplish His plan and fulfill His purpose in our lives. So listen for that still small voice, read and listen to God's Word, and do as He leads. Amen.

Build Your Life on Jesus

What if you seek to follow Jesus, for the most part, but you continue to limit God? You continue to draw a line in the sand as to what you will or will not do and where you will or will not go? What then?

We are warned about this in 1 Corinthians 3:9-15. There Paul uses the metaphor of a building: "You are God's building" (v. 9b). The "foundation… which is laid… is Jesus Christ" (v. 11). Upon that foundation we build our lives.

Concerning how we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ in our lives, Paul warns, "But let each one take heed how he builds on it" (v. 10b). Anyone who lives their life in righteousness as God designed it and follows Him in service as He leads, builds on that foundation with "gold, silver, precious stones" (v. 12a). When Christ returns and the work with which he built on that foundation is tested and "revealed by fire" (v. 13), it will endure and "he will receive a reward" (v. 14).

However, when someone refuses to live according to God's design or to do as God leads, he is building on the foundation of Christ with "wood, hay, straw" (v. 12b). Then, when that man's work is "revealed by fire" (v. 13), it will be "burned" and "he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire" (v. 15).

For the believer salvation is secure. However, drawing a line in the sand and limiting God can still be quite costly, rewards can be lost. To have a willing heart for the most part, but putting limits on it, works against what God has for you, and He has great things in store for you. Trust me. So why not make sure you have a willing heart, without limits? Amen.

Learn to Have a Willing Heart

Jonah was used of God to accomplish a great task, once he listened and decided to respond in a positive manner. But he had an unwilling heart at first. He wasn't willing to do what God had asked. "Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me'" (Jonah 1:1-2). But Jonah would have none of it. The story continues, "But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD" (v. 3a).

He "found a ship going to Tarshish" (v. 3b) and set out on an ill-advised journey. But the Lord would not let go of him. He was seeking a willing heart and set about developing such a heart within him. "The LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up" (v. 4). The men of the ship, in an effort to discover the cause, "cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah" (v. 7). Eventually they were convinced to throw Jonah overboard, which they did, "and the sea ceased from its raging" (v. 15).

God wasn't finished. "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (v. 17). What would it take? Surely by now Jonah was ready to repent of his unfaithfulness and be willing to do the work to which God had called him. I know I would be.

We pick up the story with Jonah in the belly of the "great fish" (v. 17). He had three full days to think and pray. And pray he did! He cried out to the Lord and said, "I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple... I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD" (2:4, 9). Now he had a willing heart, "So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land" (v. 10).

"Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.' So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD" (3:1-3a). He preached as God told him to and the people repented of their sin, receiving God's mercy (v. 10).

Jonah wasn't happy and even "became angry" (4:1). After all, these people were sworn enemies of his people. He knew God would have pity on them (v. 2), but he would not. He would rather die (v. 3). God would deal with Jonah in the remaining verses of chapter four. He needed to learn to love his enemies and have compassion on them. But he had at least found a willing heart to do what God asked of him. A little compassion, and he would feel much better about everything.

In all fairness to Jonah, his unwillingness to do as God asked and go to Nineveh was an isolated case. He was willing to serve to an extent; in fact he was already serving in some capacity as a prophet. So his heart was willing, but with limits. He had no interest in taking the message of forgiveness to the sworn enemies of Israel. That is where he drew a line in the sand. And how did that work out for him? Not so good. He refused to cross that line, even knowing that God was in it, and He paid a great price.

Do you ever draw lines in the sand concerning what you will or will not do and where you will or will not go? Do you put limits on God? Is your heart a willing heart but only to an extent? Or are you truly willing to follow God wherever He leads? Are you willing to do whatever He asks of you? Those are important questions that need to be answered. If you try to limit God, He will persuade you, as he did with Jonah. Amen.

For Such a Time as This

In the Old Testament, let's take a look at the life of Esther: "The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti" (Esther 2:17). Though a Jew, Esther had risen to be the Queen of Persia.

When her cousin Mordecai "would not bow or pay homage" before Haman, the King's top official (3:2), Haman "sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai" (v. 6b). So Mordecai, when he heard this, appealed to Esther to intercede with the king on behalf of her people (4:8b), but she was reluctant. She replied, "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days" (v. 11).

Then Mordecai said: "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (vv. 13-14).

Esther was not living up to her God-given purpose until she heard these words from Mordecai. She was challenged and she responded. She went before the king and there was a great deliverance of her people (5:1ff). So even though she hesitated at first, in the end, when God spoke, Esther listened and was used by God to deliver her people. She had a willing heart.

Now, we might want to cut Esther a little slack. We can certainly understand why she hesitated. In that culture, to approach the king without being summoned by him was an offense punishable by death (4:11). So perhaps Queen Esther hesitated for good reason. Yet she didn't hesitate for long. She merely wanted to be certain of God's leading. When she was certain that God was in it, she knew that it was the right thing to do and, regardless of the outcome for her (v. 16b), she knew that God would accomplish His purpose in saving His people. All along her heart was in the right place and she was willing to follow God's lead and do what He asked of her.

What we take away from this story is that God is seeking a willing heart. When you walk with the Lord Jesus and live by His Word, God will pour out His blessings on you and use you to accomplish His will. Like Esther, you just need a willing heart. Amen.

Walk Humbly with Your God

God does have things to say, if we will but listen. What He says comes primarily through His written Word. But He also speaks directly to our hearts and minds. He may give us direction in answer to our prayers. He may ask us to lift someone up in prayer by putting their name on our mind. But God does speak to us and what God says is important. We simply need to be still and listen and follow His lead. When we do, He will use us in incredible ways, and all for His glory.

There are so many passages we could look at. What the Lord says to us and what He wants us to know, fills every page of Scripture. He reveals His own character to show us what we should be like and to encourage us to love more. He commands us to love others and encourages us to reach out to them. He commands us to be holy as He is holy, as He encourages us in our walk with Him.

Micah 6:8 is just such a verse: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” You do not have to look far to discover what God is saying to you. You must treat other people justly, or in other words, do right by others. Be kind and merciful in your dealings with people. And throughout your life remain humble as you walk with God.

As His people, God calls us and reveals His Word to us. In Scripture, He instructs us as to how we should treat others and He encourages us in our own walk with Him. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Spend time in the Word every day and live your life by faith in Christ. Let Jesus take hold of your life and let Him live His life through you. Amen.

To Help Your Neighbor Is to Help Jesus

In a parable, Jesus spoke to His disciples of a day when He would judge the nations. In Matthew 25:31-46, He said, "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'

"Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

The Lord speaks plainly. What He says is clear. Love God above all else. Make sure He is always number one in your life. But also, reach out to your neighbor. Help whoever is in need in whatever way you can. Help him get the things he needs, because when you help your neighbor, it is just as though you are helping Jesus Himself. But most especially, help your neighbor in His walk with Christ. Help him keep his eyes fixed on Jesus. Remember your neighbor, and God will use you in incredible ways. Amen.

How to Love God and Neighbor

If we are to live as God wants us to live, we need to know His Word. Study His Word and you will soon understand what God says. In His Word, He reveals Himself in all His fullness. He reveals who we are and why we need a Savior. He clearly presents the gospel of Jesus Christ, showing us how to be saved. He teaches us all we need to know about living a life of righteousness; about becoming Christlike. He tells us how to live right toward our fellow believers and how to reach out in love to those who do not yet know Christ.

Let's take a closer look at Matthew 22:37-39. Jesus said to a lawyer in answer to his question as to which commandment is the greatest, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Notice what God says in these three verses. He begins by speaking about our relationship with Himself. We are to love Him intensely. Our overwhelming desire should be to know God and to let nothing get in the way of our love for Him. And things do tend to get in the way.

Work can get in the way. Try to find a solution that will allow you to keep your job and yet be allowed the time to worship at church. There are usually ways to work something out with most employers. Perhaps rotating Sundays or switching day and night hours. Pray about it and check it out. This is vital for growing your relationship with the Lord.

Your family can get in the way. Oh, maybe they don't intend to, but they can get in the way. They sometimes have a way of planning family gatherings early on a Sunday, causing you to miss worship. Talk with them. Let them know that you do not want to miss church and that it is alright to start without you. You will join them after church and eat when you get there. They will understand. They may even begin  to start the family gatherings a little later, allowing whoever wants to attend church to do so.

When you love the Lord "with all your heart" (v. 37a) you will not let anything get in the way of worship, prayer, reading God's Word, or anything else that helps you draw close to the Lord. It is your life. As a Christian, your walk with the Lord Jesus should never be compromised. When you love Him "with all your heart" (v. 37a) you will let nothing stand in the way.

To love God "with all your soul" (v. 37b) indicates the depth to which your love for Him goes. We are to love Him from the very depths of our being, with all we are. Everything about us should scream, "I love Jesus above all else!" Who else is there like Jesus? No one! No one even compares to Him. So why put anyone ahead of Jesus? Nothing else compares to Him. So why put anything ahead of Jesus?

When you let nothing get in the way of your love for God and you let that love flow from the very depths of your being, then you will keep your mind stayed on Him. Isaiah said, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Is. 26:3). That is what it means to love the Lord "with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37c).

Your focus is always on Jesus. He is on your mind every morning. He is on your mind at bedtime. He is on your mind throughout the day. Every day, all the time, we are "fixing our eyes on Jesus" (Heb. 12:2, NASB). If you want to keep your life on track, that is what you do, how you live. You keep your eyes focused on Jesus and listen to what He says. He will guide you in incredible ways.

The second great commandment deals with our love for one another: "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matt. 22:39). In what ways do you love yourself? You take care of yourself. You bathe, keeping yourself clean and as germ-free as possible. You groom and dress to look your best and to feel your best. You keep food on the table and make sure to remain healthy. You keep a roof over your head and maintain reliable transportation. At times, even recreation or a hobby is important to keep our minds fresh. But most importantly, we seek to maintain our daily walk with Jesus.

That is exactly how you should treat others. If they need food or clothing or a place to stay, you help with what they need. Help them get the care and medicine they need when they are sick. Suggest ways to relax when they are overstressed. But above all, introduce them to Jesus. Help unbelieving neighbors find Jesus and help believers remain faithful in their walk with Him. Amen.

How We Should Then Live

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you" (Ex. 20:12). This fifth commandment speaks of our relationships with others, starting with family. Not only does God command us to honor our parents but doing so is rewarded with long life.

In its simple form, the Hebrew word translated as "honor," means heavy (Warren Baker, D.R.E. and Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, [AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2003], 491). Here it is passive, meaning to give weight to something, thus, to "honor" or give glory to something (Ibid). In this case, we are to give honor or glory to our parents. In this way, we continue to honor God as well.

The sixth through the tenth commandments are rapid fire, each having to do with how we treat others. "You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13). "Murder" means to kill or slay another person, either by premeditation or by accident (Ibid, 1074). Man was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), so certainly we should never take another person's life.

"You shall not commit adultery" (Ex. 20:14). When Adam first saw Eve, he said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (Gen. 2:23). Then Moses added in verse 24 the message that was from God: "Therefore a man shall leave His father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Being one with your wife certainly rules out adultery.

"You shall not steal" (Ex. 20:15). The Hebrew word for "steal" means to take something or someone wrongfully, regardless of the reason (Ibid, 209). Even when you have a good reason, to take something without permission is stealing. It is sin and should be avoided. God says we should never do wrong by our neighbor.

"You shall not bear false witness" (Ex. 20:16). To bear false witness is worse than lying because it takes the lie to a whole new level. To bear false witness means to implicate someone else in a matter in a way they were not otherwise involved. It could involve lying to accuse someone falsely or to help them escape the consequences for something for which they were guilty. Either way, to bear false witness is wrong.

"You shall not covet" (Ex. 20:17). The word "covet" in Hebrew can indicate that something is desirable in a good sense (Ibid, 348), such as in Psalm 19:10 where the Lord's judgments are to be "desired" even more than gold. In Exodus 20:17, the word takes the negative sense of a desire for something that is so intense it leads to lust. You want what belongs to someone else to the point that your desire becomes excessive. God says, "Do not let that happen."

Living right by your fellow man is what God's way is all about. It is your calling. That is what He says as He speaks to us through His Word. Just as Matthew 22:37-38 sum up the first four commandments about our relationship with God, Matthew 22:39, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," sums up these last six commandments.

When you listen, you can hear God speak through His Word. As you can see from Exodus 20, what God says affects our relationship with Him and our relationship with others, especially our fellow believers. In His Word, the Lord tells us everything we need to know about life and godliness: "as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue" (2 Pet. 1:3). God's Word tells us how we should then live. Amen.

The Ten Commandments Speak Clearly

I can think of no better place to hear God's voice than Exodus 20:2-17. The Lord has already been speaking to us right from the opening words of Genesis, but for our purposes we will start with the Ten Commandments, as the Lord God has laid them before us. Today we will look at what God is saying to us in the first four commandments.

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me" (Ex. 20:2-3). Listen, and you can hear God speak clearly, right to your heart. According to the first commandment, God is to be first in your life. Matthew 22:37-38 is much the same: "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment."

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image" (Ex. 20:4a). The second commandment builds on the first and reinforces the all-important truth that God must always be first in your life. You must not put anything or anyone ahead of the Lord. Follow Him above all else.

"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" (Ex. 20:7). Again, a command closely related to the first two. It is all about making sure that the Lord God is in first place, above all else, in your life. And note that we have not exhausted God's Word, not even in this single verse. The rest of the verse reads, "for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." To dishonor God is serious business. To use His name in a way that belittles the name of God brings severe consequences.

In the same way, each of these commands has more to it when you read the context. We are not being exhaustive in our study at this point. What I am doing is introducing the importance of being in the Word daily, looking at each verse in its context, and gleaning from the Word what God is saying to you at that moment. His Word is truly our guide for how we ought to live in Christ.

The fourth commandment continues along the same line of thought: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8). Again, the verses that follow expand on the meaning. Verse 11 gives the theology behind this: "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." Even the Sabbath is made for us—a day to honor the Lord by resting from our labors. Amen.

That Still Small Voice

God speaks to us in various ways. What He says when He speaks is of extreme importance. Do you hear God’s voice? What is He saying? Or perhaps you are asking, "What would He have to say to Me?" The Psalmist declared, "What is man that You are mindful of him?" (Ps. 8:4a). Perhaps along with him, you are asking, "Who am I that You are mindful of me?" Man is the capstone of God's creation because He made us in His own image (Gen. 1:26-27). Then God gave man a command: "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it" (v. 28).

From the beginning, God has communicated with man in one way or another; perhaps audibly, or through visions and dreams, but ultimately through His written Word. If you want to know what God is saying to you, read the Word. In the Bible, from cover to cover, from Genesis to Revelation, God speaks to you. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). God speaks through His Word to direct you in the way you should live.

If you want to know what God is saying, look around you. Through His creation, God speaks and tells you about Himself. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead" (Rom. 1:20). God makes Himself known through all that He has made.

A walk through the Bible reveals so many things that God has said concerning how we ought to think and act and live our lives. In every book, in one way or another, God speaks to us. We simply need to read carefully and be still and listen. God told the psalmist, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

In 1 Kings 19:11a God spoke to Elijah, saying, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." When he went, and stood on the mountain before God, here is what he experienced: "And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice" (vv. 11b-12).

And how did Elijah respond? "So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'" (v. 13). Elijah listened for God's "still small voice" (v. 12b). Look through the Word and let God speak to you. Listen for that "still small voice." Amen.

Walk Worthy of Your Calling

It all begins with the message of the cross. Paul said, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:18). Then he added: "It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:21b-24).

Then Paul went on to state exactly who God calls: "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, 'He who glories, let him glory in the Lord'" (1 Cor. 1:26-31).

Give glory to the Lord because He chose you. You are not deserving of what God has given you in any way. Still God chose you and called you to Himself. He calls sinners to repentance and faith, and to justification and salvation. He calls saints to be sanctified and holy, to be fearless and faithful, to be an encourager, to serve and minister, and to persevere. One day He will even call His people home to heaven.

Jesus shed His precious blood and died on the cross for you, for your forgiveness, for your salvation. If you were the only person in the world, Jesus still would have come and died for you. He loves you that much. As a believer, He has called you to live a life of righteousness in Him.

While in prison in Rome, Paul wrote, "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called" (Eph. 4:1). God has called you to repentance and salvation. God has called you to a life of faith and sanctification, becoming conformed to the image of Christ. "Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called" (v. 1b). Live your life for Jesus. Follow His call wherever it leads. Walk in the power of the Spirit and fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Amen.

Grow in the Likeness of Christ

In 2 Peter 1:3-4, Peter reveals still more about God's call on the life of all true believers: "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

By His power, God has given us everything we need to live our life in the likeness of Christ. Everything we need to conform to the image of Christ comes through knowing the Lord. Pursue the knowledge of God and you will not be lacking in any way.

The knowledge of God comes through His Word. Study the Scriptures, get to know the Word, and you will come to know God. The Bible is our guide to life. It teaches us the way we should go. "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" (Prov. 3:5-6).

The Lord even provides leaders to teach us His Word: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:11-13).

Our pastors and teachers train us in our "work of ministry" (v. 12a), our “work of service” (NASB), and in the use of our spiritual gifts. They help us to know Christ better, enabling us to be more like Him.

God has "called us by His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3b, NASB) into a life of godliness, and in Christ He has given us "exceedingly great and precious promises" (v. 4a). Through these promises we become "partakers of the divine nature" (v. 4b). "Divine nature" (v. 4b) refers to what comes from God, who He is and how He handles things. "Partakers" (v. 4b) means to have something in common. It refers to believers being partners with God, becoming like Jesus in our basic character and how we handle the things in life.

Considering this, Peter urges all diligence in our growing up into Christ: "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins" (2 Peter 1:5-9; NASB).

Do these things and you will grow in the knowledge of Christ and in the likeness of Christ. In this way, you are to "be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10-11). Amen.

Called Out of the World

It may help us understand God's call on our lives if we take a closer look at that time when God called Abraham out of the world and into a new land that God would show him. He was the first person in Scripture to be called out of the world by God. Abel lived by faith and died for his faith (Gen. 4:3-8). Enoch walked by faith and was taken into heaven without passing through death because of his faith: "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" (Gen. 5:24). But it was Abraham who was the first to be "called" by God in Scripture.

It was all a matter of timing. When the time was right, when the world had again strayed far away from God and the things of God, He acted. God called Abraham out of the world. It was time. It had to take place to preserve a people for Himself. If God had waited any longer the world may have been right back where it was before the flood of Noah, another man who lived a life that was righteous (Gen. 7:1). Abraham was set apart by the call of God to leave the old world, his old life behind, and go to a new land that God would show him, where he would live a new life with God (Gen. 12:1-3).

The principles God set in motion with the call of Abraham are still in operation today. We too are called to depart from the ways of the world and be separate from it, set apart for God. "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Cor. 6:17a). But when we separate ourselves from the world, we do not enter a void. God calls us out of the world and into a new land, a whole new life lived in the love, holiness, wisdom, and power of God. It is a new life that God gives us—a life lived by faith in Christ. It is to that life that all believers are called by God.

That means your life will never be the same. Abraham responded to God's call, went out from the world, and followed God. His life changed. Nothing was ever the same again. Slowly he became the man of God he was meant to be. We too need to recognize that, as believers, God calls us to a new life of godliness. Like Abraham, we need to go and follow Jesus into that new life, a life lived by faith in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Amen.

God's Calling Rests on All Believers

The Apostle Paul told the church in Rome that God's calling rests on all believers in Christ: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (Rom. 8:28-30).

All believers are referred to as "the called" (v. 28b) and are given a special promise—God will turn "all things" (v. 28a) into good "according to His purpose" (v. 28b). Though verse 28 is about God working out His purpose in our lives, one main thought is that all believers are "the called." (v. 28b). God "foreknew" (v. 29a) and "predestined" (v. 29a) all who are born again "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (v. 29a), or to become like Jesus. We are all then "called" (v. 30a) and "justified" (v. 30b) and "glorified" (v. 30c).

The Greek word "called" (vv. 28b, 30a) means to be invited or summoned. God calls those who are the elect out of their slavery to sin and summons them to a new life in Christ. God calls His elect out of the darkness of a sinful world and into the light of His blessing. He calls us out of the world to save us and make us holy. He calls us to bring us into a loving, serving relationship with Himself.

We can see from this, that all who trust in Christ for salvation have the call of God on their life. Every believer is called by God so that he might enjoy all the benefits of redemption. Every believer is called to be saved. Every believer is called to be "conformed to the image" of the Savior, Jesus Christ (v. 29a). Every believer is called to fellowship with Him in heaven forever. Amen.

God's Call on Your Life

Survey the Scriptures, beginning in Genesis and continuing all the way through Revelation, and you will soon realize that God's call is on every believer's life. It is common to hear preachers speak about God's special call on their life to make a fulltime profession of ministry. But the Bible tells us that all who confess Jesus as Lord, all true believers in Christ are "called… with a holy calling" (2 Tim. 1:9).

Take a close look at that verse, 2 Timothy 1:9, because it is one of several key verses concerning God's call on your life, first as a sinner called to salvation, and then as a sinner saved by grace called to holy living. The context is Paul's challenge to Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. In verse eight he says, "Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God." Not only are we not to be ashamed of the gospel, but we are to understand and accept the fact that we will suffer for the sake of the gospel. We are to further understand that God will see us through that suffering by His own power.

In verse 9, Paul points out that, by His power, God has both "saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began." "Before time began," before anything or anyone was even created, God chose to save you from the judgment and from eternal separation from God. "Before time began," before anything or anyone was even created, God chose to call you to a life of holiness. Now our salvation and calling have "been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (v. 10).

This side of creation, in Christ, sin and death have been defeated at the cross and the empty tomb. In its place, we have been given both life and immortality. In Christ, we have been given the ability to live a life that is holy, a life of righteousness. In Christ, we have also been given life eternal, a life lived in heaven with Jesus forever. And it is all made possible through the gospel of Christ, which we believe with all our heart and for which we suffer with Christ.

Basically, Paul told Timothy that God calls every true believer to a new and different life. God is calling us to a life lived by faith in the Son of God, a life lived in the power of the Spirit. God "called you in the grace of Christ" (Gal. 1:6), and by His grace He has set you apart to live for Christ. The changed life, which is true Christianity, is part of the calling of God on the life of the believer. Follow God's call on your life and live for Him. Amen.

Righteous Living

Proverbs 13:6 says, "Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, But wickedness overthrows the sinner." We begin by looking at a few key words as defined by the original Hebrew language: "Righteousness" ( v. 6a) refers to a desire to do right, or upright living. It has to do with living rightly before God. As such "righteousness" (v. 6a), as well as throughout Proverbs, is portrayed as a friend. "Wickedness" (v. 6b), on the other hand, is seen as an enemy. Wickedness seeks to hurt us, while righteousness helps.

"Guards" (v. 6a) has to do with protecting or preserving. "Blameless" (v. 6a) is the word for "integrity," and refers to moral wholeness, or the idea of being without moral blemish. "Overthrows" (v. 6b) means "to turn upside down" or "to overthrow." "Overthrow" is the best translation here.

"Wickedness" (v. 6b) is the opposite of "righteousness" (v. 6a), and refers to anything but living an upright life before God. Rather, it refers directly to a life in rebellion against God. "Sinners" (v. 6b) is obvious, referring to all who are godless.

Note again Proverbs 13:6, "Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, But wickedness overthrows the sinner." When you have an honest desire to do right and walk in the way of righteousness, your blameless life of integrity will guard you or keep you from fatal mistakes. God watches over the righteous and protects you along life's way.

The wicked, on the other hand, have no such protection from God. The sinner who lives a life of godlessness, from which the love for sin comes forth, will be overthrown or brought down to destruction. The sin with which they rebel against God becomes the snare that catches them and brings them down.

Only a righteous, blameless life will be guarded and blessed by God. Let Jesus help you live uprightly begore God and you will find blessing and strength for the day. Amen.

God's Unfailing Love

Psalm 13, a short psalm of just six verses, was probably written during those tough years of exile when Saul and his army pursued David, seeking his life. David fled before Saul, even confessing to his friend Jonathan, Saul's son, "there is but a step between me and death" (1 Sam. 20:3b). David seems to question why God wasn't judging Saul for doing evil, and yet David, while doing good, felt abandoned by the Lord.

The psalm begins with an oh so familiar line: "How long?" (Psalm 13:1a). "How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?" (vv. 1-2). How often we too question the Lord: "Why Lord? Why me? Why has this calamity come upon me?"

Such questions are perfectly good to ask when your heart is right with God. The martyred saints in heaven even ask a similar question: "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?'" (Rev. 6:10). Like David, when trouble arises and we pray for help, but it seems that no help comes, we feel as though our God has deserted us. Simply put, we feel abandoned. We feel like God no longer looks upon us with favor.

David tried devising various schemes to help him overcome the enemy, but all were to no avail. None of them satisfied him. After some time of great struggle, David learned to trust God in all circumstances, and he declared: "My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me" (Psalm 31:15).

We, too, need to quit scheming and trying to devise our own way forward. We, too, need to learn the same lesson David learned and trust the Lord and rely on Him in all circumstances in life. 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."

Not only did David seek peace within, that he would trust God in all things, but he also prayed for protection from his enemies. He made three requests: (1) "Consider" (Psalm 13:3a) or "Look on me" (NIV); (2) "hear me" (v. 3a) or "answer" (NIV); and (3) "Enlighten my eyes" (v. 3b) or "Give light to my eyes" (NIV). Feeling abandoned, as though God hid His face from him, David prayed that God would again turn His face toward him, fix His eyes on him, and examine him closely. He prayed that the Lord would answer by sending encouragement to him. He prayed for spiritual insight, as well as physical and mental strength and energy. In similar circumstances we should pray in like manner.

Remember, throughout this whole time David daily faced the possibility of death: "Lest I sleep the sleep of death" (v. 3c). David's main concern was the glory of God. David was chosen by God and anointed king, so if he failed God would be ridiculed, "and my enemy will say, 'I have overcome him,' and my foes will rejoice when I fall" (v. 4, NIV). "Fall" (v. 4c, NIV) or "moved" (NKJV) means “to waver, to be agitated, to totter and shake” (Wiersbe, W. W. [2004], Be Worshipful [1st ed., 57], Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries). If David were to waver, the people of Israel might think God was incapable of fulfilling His promises.

So David confirmed his faith: "But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation" (v. 5). "But" (v. 5a) introduces a transition. Instead of fear, David exuded faith. Instead of questioning, David was claiming God's promises. "Mercy" (v. 5a) could be translated "steadfast love" (ESV) or "unfailing love" (NIV). God's unfailing love was all that David needed. It led to rejoicing in his "heart" for "salvation" (v. 5b).

It also put a song of praise on his lips: "I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me" (v. 6). "Bountifully" (v. 6b) refers to God's goodness or His generosity in dealing with His people in grace. The NIV says literally, "for he has been good to me" (v. 6b). David's circumstances were the same but he wasn't. God had changed him. When he stopped focusing on his inward feelings and his outward foes, and began to trust the Lord and to look to Him by faith, the Lord took hold of him and changed him.

The message should be clear. Stop focusing on your inward feelings and your outward foes. Rather, look to the Lord by faith and put your trust in Him. The Lord will take hold of you and change you. He will bless you bountifully in His grace and He will make you more like Jesus. Amen.

The Lord Is with You Always

In Deuteronomy 3:26-27, Moses relates to the people why he was forbidden to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. The Lord then said to Moses, "But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see" (v. 28).

Now, in Deuteronomy 31:1-8, we pick up the story of the commissioning of Joshua to take over as the leader of the people of Israel in Moses sted, as the people prepared to cross the Jordan. Moses began by reminding the people of Israel that the Lord had forbidden him from crossing the Jordan (vv. 1-2). He told them, "The LORD your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the LORD has said" (v. 3). He reminded them of how in times past the Lord went ahead of them and fought their battles for them, giving them victory over their enemies (v. 4). Now was no different. No foe was too great for the Lord God. They were to simply follow Him (v. 5).

That brings us to the main part of our text for today's Bible Insight: "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you" (v. 6). Moses told the people of Israel not only to be obedient (v. 5) but to be fearless (v. 6). He said, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified" (v. 6a, NIV). How could this be? Note the rest of this verse: "for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you" (v. 6b).

Then Moses called Joshua before the people and commissioned him, telling him essentially the same thing he told Israel: "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed" (vv. 7-8).

The message is the same: You can be obedient (v. 5) and fearless (v. 6a) because the Lord is always with you (v. 6b). He goes before you into every situation as your Commander in Chief. He is the Divine Warrior who fights for you. "He will not leave you nor forsake you" (vv. 6b, 8b). His promise to you is the same as it was to Israel and Joshua so long ago. He is with you, He leads you, and He fights for you in every situation in which you find yourself. He always has fought for you since the day you trusted Him as your Lord and Savior, and He always will. Just trust Him. Amen.

How Should We Then Live?

First Corinthians was written as a form of rebuke and correction. The first fourteen chapters deal with errant behavior in the church, while the fifteenth chapter deals with errant doctrine. Paul concludes with a five-fold exhortation to the church as to how they should live their lives going forward: "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love" (1 Cor. 16:13-14).

First, "Watch" (v. 13a), or "Be on the alert" (NASB), or "Be on your guard" (NIV). The Greek word in the text here could be translated, "be diligent." It means to always be awake and watchful as to how you live. Be sure to carry out the will of God in your life with due diligence. Be on guard not to fall back into your old life. Live each day as the "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17) that you are in Jesus.

Second, "stand fast in the faith" (1 Cor. 16:13b), or "stand firm in the faith" (NASB, NIV). The Corinthians seemed to be quite susceptible to false teachers: "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3). So the exhortation to "stand firm in the faith" (1 Cor. 16:13b) was a timely reminder: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58).

Third, "be brave" (1 Cor. 16:13c), or "be courageous" (NIV), or "act like men" (NASB). The idea here is that of living a mature Christian life, which is a powerful life. It could be referred to as having a mature courage. In other words, in your Christian walk "be brave" (v. 13c), or "act like men" (NASB). Men are mature, with a sense of control, confidence, and courage. Those traits should characterize your life in Christ.

Fourth, "be strong" (v. 13d). Both the NASB and the NIV translate this Greek word exactly the same—"be strong." Throughout the New Testament, this Greek word often refers to inner, spiritual growth. The verb is in the passive voice, literally meaning "be strengthened." However, we can't strengthen ourselves; that is the Lord's work. It is up to us to submit ourselves to Him so that He can strengthen us.

Fifth, "Let all that you do be done with love" (v. 14, NKJV, NASB), or "Do everything in love" (NIV). In other words, in all you do be loving. Love keeps things in balance. Love has a way of softening us. It keeps us gentle and considerate, just like Jesus. Like spiritual strength, love comes from Jesus. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7). We can love one another "because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Amen.