Merry Christmas!

The birth of Jesus as recorded in Matthew and Luke fulfilled many of the promises given to David, Abraham, and other prophets long ago. You can see elements of the Old Testament throughout the story. Matthew even tells us directly, "So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us'" (Matt. 1:22-23).

When Christ came, the people of Israel had not heard a word from the Lord in centuries. In fact, the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, was written around 440-400 B.C. The people were longing to hear from God, waiting for Him to fulfill His promises. And then Christ was born and everything changed.

When I give it some thought, I am taken back by the truth that everything indeed did change at the birth of Jesus. As He lived and grew, He soon took on the purpose for which He was born—to die on the cross for us, for our forgiveness. What a Savior!

So, as you gather around the Christmas tree this morning, remember the real meaning of Christmas and worship the Savior who was born that first Christmas morning. Amen.

Love

What do you think of when you hear the word "Love"? Assuming you are married, I'm sure you love your husband or wife very deeply. If you have children, I'm sure you love them as well. Children tend to love their parents and grandparents. But take it to a whole new level and a question arises: do you love Jesus? Do you know Him as your personal Lord and Savior? If you do, then you should love Him deeply with all your heart.

Sunday, December 24 will be the fourth Sunday of Advent. The Bible theme this Sunday is LOVE. Again, there are several different directions I could go with this, but as I thought about love, I thought about the greatest love there is. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). That means the greatest love ever shown to us was when God the Father Sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our forgiveness.

With this being Christmas, That truth sends me to Isaiah 9:6-7:

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

 You might ask, "what have theses two verse to do with love?" God loves us so much He sent us Jesus. He was born in a stable and laid in a manger (feeding trough for the animals) for comfort (Luke 2:6-7). An angel announced His birth to shepherds who were watching their flock at night. They immediately  ran to Bethlehem to witness this great event (Luke 2:8-16).

Isaiah 9:6-7 kind of tells the whole story of God's great love for us. "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given" (v. 6a). That first Christmas morning so long ago was the beginning of God revealing how much He loves us. He loves us so much that Jesus, the Son of God, set aside the glory that was His in heaven and became one of us (Phil. 2:5-7). He was born that morning so long ago to walk this earth with us and to die on the cross to provide salvation for us (v. 8). That is true love.

As you follow through these verses, they take you through His life, His death on the cross, His resurrection the third day, and His ascension back to heaven. Isaiah then jumps ahead to the time just after His return, His Second Coming. It is then that the "government will be upon His shoulder" (Is. 9:6b). Then "His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (v. 6c).

He will then reign in peace, to which "there will be no end" (v. 7a). He will sit on David's throne and rule "over His kingdom" (v. 7b). He will bring "justice from that time forward" which will last "forever" (v. 7b). It will all be carried out by "the zeal of the Lord" (v. 7c).

Among the Christmas songs and hymns, there is one from the late 1800s entitled, "Love Came Down at Christmas." Starting at the incarnation, the birth of Christ that first Christmas morning, God  has shown how great a love He has for us. You might say that God poured out His love when Jesus was born that first Christmas morning. Amen.

Joy

What is joy? When you think back on times of great joy in your life, what brought you this joy? A wedding, the birth of a child, birthdays as the child grows, spending time in loving fellowship with your wife or husband, graduation day? Or various holidays can fill us with great joy, especially Christmas, Mothers' Day or Fathers' Day.

Sunday, December 17 will be the third Sunday of Advent. The Bible theme this Sunday is JOY. Again, there are any number of directions I could go with this, but when I thought about joy, I could think of no greater cause for joy than the Return of Christ to take us to be with Him forever. My thoughts then turned to Zechariah 9:9-10:

                        “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

                        Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

                        Behold, your King is coming to you;

                        He is just and having salvation,

                        Lowly and riding on a donkey,

                        A colt, the foal of a donkey.

                        I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

                        And the horse from Jerusalem;

                        The battle bow shall be cut off.

                        He shall speak peace to the nations;

                        His dominion shall be 'from sea to sea,

                        And from the River to the ends of the earth.'"

On Palm Sunday, Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of we call Passion Week. Oh, the great rejoicing among all the people! This was in direct fulfillment of this passage in Zechariah. You may recall how it was the Babylonians who came in, sent the people into exile in Babylon, and destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple. Eventually, the Medes and the Persians conquered Babylon and the people of Israel were allowed to return home and rebuild both the city and the temple. The Book of Zechariah and the Book of Haggai were written at that time to encourage the people in their rebuilding project.

The great joy of Palm Sunday turned to great sorrow on Good Friday with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. But, there was great joy among the disciples early that Sunday morning when they discovered that Jesus was risen from the dead. He is alive! He lives in our hearts! He came bearing salvation. He brings great joy to our hearts.

As we walk on this earth we must trust Jesus at every turn, always prepared to face everything in His power. As He leads us and guides us along the way, an attitude of joy should permeate our soul. As He answers your prayers and as He meets your daily needs, rejoice in Him. Joy isn't always shown through exuberant exaltation. It can simply be a quite assurance that we are in Christ.

Zechariah 9:10 can be confusing. It seems out of place. However, when you think about it, everything becomes clear. Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem to die on the cross and rise again for our salvation. He is about to make another triumphal entry: His Second Coming, when He returns as the conquering King. When He returns, He will set all things straight. There will no longer be any need for implements of war.

There will be no greater time to rejoice than when Jesus returns to take us home to be with Him forever. Oh, what joy will feel my soul! In the meantime, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, always keep one eye on the sky, watching for Jesus and keep joy in your heart. Amen.

Peace

What do you think of when you hear the word "peace"? What comes to mind? With Christmas coming soon, perhaps you think about a quiet family gathering around the Christmas tree, or a time alone enjoying the light snowfall on a cold winter's night? With all the violence in the streets and wars in both Israel and the Ukraine, it's hard sometimes to even imagine what a world of peace would even look like.

Sunday, December 10 will be the second Sunday of Advent. The Bible theme this Sunday is PEACE. We could go in any number of directions with this, but I would like to consider the peace that Christ brings. There are several different Scriptures that speak of peace, but I would like to look at one passage in particular that speaks directly of the fact that our peace is in Christ. Here it is:

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me

The One to be Ruler in Israel,

Whose goings forth are from of old,

From everlasting."

Therefore He shall give them up,

Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;

Then the remnant of His brethren

Shall return to the children of Israel.

And He shall stand and feed His flock

In the strength of the LORD,

In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God;

And they shall abide,

For now He shall be great

To the ends of the earth;

And this One shall be peace. (Micah 5:2-5a)

First we should define some words. Bethlehem was a small village. Though not used in this passage, "little" (2a) would describe a "village." The term "village" (qaphar in Hebrew) refers to a small, obscure, unwalled community outside of a much larger, more prominent, walled town or city (Smith’s Bible Dictionary – Village, 1901). The term is derived from the idea of its offering "cover" or shelter for the people who live there (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia – Village, 1915).

"Bethlehem" is from the root word bara in Hebrew meaning "to be fruitful." There were fruitful orchards and vineyards here. Specifically, "Bethlehem" means "house of bread." It is made up of two words. Beth meaning "house," as in Bethel, "house of God," and lehem meaning "bread." So the two Hebrew words taken together, Beth lehem, means "house of bread" (DesiringGod.org).

"Ephrathah," the original name of the region, tells us which Bethlehem is in view. There were two villages in Israel at that time known as Bethlehem, one in Judah and the other located in Zebulun. Judah is in the region of Ephrathah, so the birthplace of David, the little obscure village of Bethlehem in Judah is the one in mind in this prophecy. It is located about six miles south/southwest of Jerusalem, the larger walled city. (Ephrathah also means "fruitful" and comes from the same root word in the Hebrew).

So Bethlehem is a little obscure village in the hillside country just southwest of Jerusalem. It is a quiet and lonely place. Nothing great could be expected from this insignificant village. Yet it was here that the Savior was born! According to Micah's prophecy in our text this morning, the birth of Christ would take place in this little village of Bethlehem (v. 2a), and in the gospels this prophecy is fulfilled. So Bethlehem, the "house of bread" was the birthplace of the Bread of Life!

Micah turns to Bethlehem and speaks not only of Christ's birth, but the future peace He brings as well. He says that this Christ child is "the One to be Ruler in Israel" (v. 2b). He also identifies Christ as one "whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (v. 2c). He is eternal. He always was, He is, and He always will be.

"And this One shall be peace" (v. 5a). Oh, the peace He brings to those who love Him. If you trust in Jesus you will experience His awesome peace. You will experience "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Phil. 4:7a). Amen.

Hope

What do you think of when you hear the word "hope"? What comes to mind? Christmas will be here soon. Is there something special that you really hope to receive? Or as you plan for the future, is there some particular place you really hope to visit, or something you hope to be able to do?

Sunday, December 3 will be the first Sunday of Advent. There are four consecutive Sundays of Advent leading up to Christmas day, each with a Bible theme. The theme this Sunday is HOPE.

There are many directions we could go with this, but I would like to consider our hope in Christ. There are several different Scriptures that speak of hope, but I would like to look at one that we probably don't often think of in terms of hope. Here it is:

But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength; 

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

 We don't always think of this verse because we don't always think about needing renewed strength. As you grow older, you tend to tire easier. You need endurance. If you are young and active in athletics, you need muscle strength and coordination. When facing hard or trying times, you need mental or even spiritual strength. Let's look at the passage.

The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. In ancient Hebrew, to "wait" (v. 31a) means to wait actively with anticipation, hopefully watching for God to act. We pray for our needs, strength, or endurance, then we actively wait on God's answer, knowing that He will give you the strength you need.

"Strength" (v. 31b) refers to power, might, or fierceness. However, this same Hebrew word also can refer to courage. In fact, courage is derived from strength, but not strictly from physical strength. It is God's strength, spiritual strength that the Lord supplies.

Note how Isaiah describes this inner spiritual strength and courage. "They shall mount up with wings like eagles" (v. 31c). Eagles fly high and fast, swooping down quickly for their prey, then back up they go high in the sky. That takes strength beyond measure, the type of strength God promises to give you when you wait on Him, trusting Him by faith and placing all hope in Jesus.

God also promised to give you endurance when you wait on Him. Isaiah said that when your hope is in God and you wait on Him, He will take care of you. Specifically, Isaiah said, "They shall run and not be weary" (v. 31d). Getting your second wind from the Lord ls an amazing experience.

Finally, Isaiah said, "They shall walk and not faint" (v. 31e). Again, in ancient Hebrew, the word "faint" means to be grieved or tormented or fatigued. Isaiah said, however, that if your hope is in Jesus, you trust in Him as your Lord and Savior, and you walk with Him daily, you will never tire. You will never tire of worshiping and serving Jesus. Amen.

Keep an Eye on the Sky

We should all be ready to meet Jesus, that is, all true believers. We should walk in the power of the Spirit, always keeping an eye on the sky, watching for Jesus to return and catch us up into the air to be with Him forever. That is how most true believers lived in the early New Testament church.

The believers in Thessalonica were becoming concerned. It had now been some time since Jesus rose from the grave and ascended into heaven. They were faithfully keeping an eye looking toward heaven expecting Jesus to return, while faithfully walking with Him. Like us, they fully expected Jesus to come at any moment and call them home to spend eternity with Him. But where was He?  Loved ones began to die. What would become of them?

Paul wrote the believers in Thessalonica to comfort those among them who mourned departed loved ones. Paul told them not to be concerned about their fellow believers who had died and were buried. He didn't want them to be sorrowful and mourn "as others who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13b). Then he made a remarkable statement of truth that must have sent shivers up their spine. "If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus" (v. 14). That's right! We will not leave them behind, but rather, when Jesus comes back to gather us unto Himself, "the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (vv. 16-17). From that moment forward "we shall always be with the Lord" (v. 17b).

Peter spoke to this same issue when writing the believers who were scattered throughout Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). He told them to remember this truth: "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). He told them that God wasn't procrastinating or reneging on His promise, but was being "longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (v. 9).

Peter was telling them not to worry. The Lord's delay is to allow more time for people to be saved. In other words, He is not being slow or lazy; He is being longsuffering. He is making time to allow His kingdom to grow. He would prefer that none "should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Returning to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul was saying not to worry about your loved ones who have gone on before you. They will not miss out on anything. In fact, they will meet Jesus in the air before we do. When God calls us home, or when God summons us to heaven at His return, "the dead in Christ will rise first" (v. 16b) and the rest of us who are still alive "shall be caught up together with them in the clouds" (v. 17) to be with Jesus. We will spend all eternity with the Lord. These are to be words of comfort.

What Paul describes in these verses is often referred to as the "Rapture." The word rapture does not occur anywhere in Scripture. The Greek word used here is harpazo. It is translated as "caught up" in our English translations. Latin translates this word as rapturo, which is where we get our English word rapture.

The rapture of the church means that we will all be transformed; our bodies changed in an instant. "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51-52). What better description can there be of the Rapture?

The Rapture will come as a surprise, perhaps when we least expect it. No one can know the day or the hour. It "comes as a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:2b). "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober" (vv. 4-6). So we are to keep an eye on the sky while walking in the Spirit, watching for Jesus to come and snatch us away. Amen.

The Heavenly City of God

John concludes Revelation 21 by pointing out the absolute glory of the heavenly city of God, indicating just how glorious heaven will be: "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light" (vv. 22-23).

All of God's people, all who have been saved by the blood of Christ, will walk in the light of God's glory forever (v. 24). Heaven has no temple, because there we will have the Lord God, Father and Son, whom we will worship. There is neither sun nor moon because the light comes from God. He is our light. Jesus is our light. 

Heaven will be so glorious that the city gates of this heavenly city of God will remain open every day, all day. In fact, "there shall be no night there" (v. 25). So the gates are always open. Anything that brings honor and glory will be allowed in (v. 26). But anything evil or sinister, "anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie" (v. 27a) will not be allowed to enter this heavenly city of God. Only the people of God, "those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life" (v. 27b), will be allowed to enter this glorious heavenly city of God. All glory and honor will be brought into the holy city through its gates which are never shut. No bad thing will find entrance. Heaven is all good and only true believers, God’s true people, will be there.

Of course, no description of heaven would be complete without mentioning the tree of life. Revelation 22 indicates that the tree of life is right in the center of everything. Coming directly from God's heavenly throne is "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal" (v. 1). This river of life was flowing right down the middle of the street, and the tree of life was on either side of the river, apparently twelve such trees because they yield twelve different fruits with "each tree yielding its fruit every month" (v. 2a). Its leaves were used for healing (v. 2b), not likely the idea of healing a wound or curing a disease, but the idea of therapy that promotes good health and wellness.

There will be no more curse (v. 3a). God and Jesus will be in our midst and we will serve Him (v. 3b). We will see Jesus face to face and our foreheads will bear His name (v. 4). We are His people and He will lay claim on each one of us by engraving His name on our foreheads. Jesus will make it clear that we are His people.

Again, what a beautiful place! Let your imagination run wild with the thought of heaven. It is the most beautiful and peaceful place you could ever imagine. The crystal clear “water of life” coming from the throne of God, the throne of Jesus, with the “tree of life” growing on either side of the river. The curse is gone! We will see Jesus face to face and serve Him gladly. No night, no day; God lights the way. No pain, no sorrow, no tears, just pure joy and blessing. And most importantly, heaven is forever! Just imagine; spending all eternity in the presence of Jesus. Amen.

The Joy of Heaven

It has been a long time since my last Bible Insight, four weeks in fact. For a month now, I have been out of pocket and unable to make any entries. I have spent this past month in two hospitals and one rehab center. This may sound crazy, but I believe I went three days and three nights with very little food or sleep. I was experiencing hallucinations everywhere I looked. I was seeing things that weren't there; things that didn't exist. Funny looking people who were all mute, were everywhere. They were all through my house, walking right through the walls. I would look out my living room window and they covered the yard. It seemed they wanted to harm me in some way. I knew they were not really there, they didn't exist, yet it seemed so real to me. It was a horrible experience. I can tell you this, I don't ever want to go through any such ordeal ever again.

Finally, I called the lead elder of my church and he tried to help me but I still saw them. I also grew so weak that I could no longer walk or even stand by myself. He took me to emergency at the local hospital, where I was admitted. I had a scrape on the back of my ankle. I had it treated, but it got an infection: cellulitis. The infection had worked its way to my brain causing the hallucinations. They began to give me antibiotics, but my heart started racing, beating at well over 100 beats per minute. So off I went to Mercy West Hospital in West Des Moines, where they were able to get my heart back to normal.

They then sent me back to Greenfield Rehab and Care Center. Finally, after about two weeks there, working with physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, I am back home. And oh, how good it feels to be home again. If you listen to my podcast each week, where I upload my Sunday morning messages, you will see I haven't preached for five consecutive Sundays, but this coming Sunday, November 12, I will be back in the pulpit and my messages will again be available on my podcast (pastorlaott.buzzsprout.com). Now on to today's Bible Insight.

The saints that have gone before us, all believers who have already died on earth, will be in heaven awaiting the rest of us to join them. "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5:1). Jesus also assured His disciples that He was leaving for a purpose: "to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). And when He is ready He "will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (v. 3).

This is describing the present, original heaven, but change is coming. Peter reveals, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (2 Pet. 3:10). But God is all set to create a new heaven and a new earth, a new earth with "no more sea" (Rev. 21:1b).

There is "a new heaven and a new earth" (v. 1a). This heaven and this earth is destroyed and replaced! There is also a "New Jerusalem" (v. 2). The old imperfect is replaced with the new and perfect. So, heaven is indeed a new and beautiful place.

God is there to reside with us and to be with us, as He is our God (v. 3). All things good are in heaven. There will be no more tears because death and sorrow do not exist in heaven, so there will be no crying. Even pain is gone, never to be felt again. Those things will have all "passed away" (v. 4). The current heaven would also have no pain or sorrow. In that sense, it will be much the same.

This city that John saw coming down from heaven, "the holy city, New Jerusalem" (v. 2) is then described in detail; and oh, how beautiful it will truly be. Again, we see that heaven is absolutely beautiful, elegant, in fact. Not only is the "New Jerusalem" (v. 2) perfect in every way, but it is also elegantly constructed of fine, "pure gold, like clear glass" (v. 18b) or "transparent glass" (v. 21b), along with many other precious stones (vv.18-21).

How could anyone not long for such a home? Remember, Paul said, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20). Heaven is ultimately our home; the home of every true believer. Amen.

Summoned to Heaven

The day will come, when your work on earth is done, that God will call you home. He will summon you to heaven. Oh, what a great day that will be! But why? Just what is heaven? What is heaven like? It is well described in the Scriptures.

Heaven is a beautiful place. How do I know? Well, face it. How could it be anything else? Even if you don't know much about heaven, you know it has to be beautiful. Otherwise, why would anyone want to go there? "But as it is written: '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). So just set your mind on all things beautiful. Picture heaven as the most beautiful place you have ever seen and you will find yourself longing for heaven. You will find yourself looking forward to heaven with great expectation.

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:2). Why? Because that is where God is. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). Jesus recognized that heaven is "the eternal dwelling place of God" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 548). God is in heaven and Jesus is at His right hand.

Jesus is in heaven. He told Nicodemus plainly, "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven" (John 3:13). Jesus came from heaven to earth to be born in a stable, God incarnate. He later returned to heaven. Paul wrote, "He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things" (Eph. 4:10).

Mark stated further, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19). God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son are in heaven. In fact, heaven is all about the presence of God the Father and of God the Son. What better reason is there to long for heaven? Heaven is where you will be with the Lord, in His presence, forever.

Peter, speaking of the prophets who were searching to understand the truth about Christ, said, "To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into" (1 Pet. 1:12). So, heaven is also where the Holy Spirit came from when He descended upon the disciples gathered in the Upper Room at Pentecost.

You will encounter many angels in heaven because heaven "is the abode of the angels" (Ibid). "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 18:10). Introducing the Parable of the Lost Sheep, this verse reveals how much God the Father cares for His people. He cares for them so much; He has His angels look after them and report back to Him in heaven. Amen.

Intended for Fellowship

Paul compares the outworking of the church, the fellowship of believers, to the human body. As with the body, the church has a certain unity in its diversity. Note how Paul frames this thought: "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many" (1 Cor. 12:12-14

Now Paul goes on to describe the inworking of the body, with a comparison to the fellowship of the church: "If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,' is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,' is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be" (vv. 15-19).

To make sense of it all, Paul explained: "But now indeed there are many members, yet one body" (v. 20). He then goes on to describe the situation, should the various parts of the body refuse, or at least fail, to work together. To have mutiny in the body, one member such as the eye telling the hand that he is not needed, or the head telling the feet that they aren't necessary, just wouldn't work (v. 21). The body could not function properly in that kind of situation. "No," declared Paul, "much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary" (v. 22). God made our bodies to work together as one unit, with no split of any kind among the members, so that "the members should have the same care for one another" (vv. 23-25). When one suffers, they all suffer with it. When one receives honor, they all rejoice (v. 26).

Do you see what Paul is saying here? Like the body, the church has many members, each uniquely created and gifted. No two members are exactly alike. Each one of us is unique, and we must use our God-given gifts for everyone's good, so that all profit from what we do as a member of the fellowship (v. 7). Every one of us is a cog in the works.

The church will not function properly unless every member does his part. The church is one body, the body of Christ. The body of Christ, the fellowship of the church, needs not only pastors and teachers, evangelists and missionaries, but just as importantly, those who mow the lawn, those who clean the church, those who prepare and serve the meals, those who clean up after the meals, and those who fix what is broken. For every need the church has, there is someone who is prepared and ready to take on the task.

We are intended for fellowship. God doesn't expect, or even want, anyone to be on an otherwise deserted island and go it alone. We were not designed to be "lone-ranger Christians." We were designed for fellowship, first with God and Christ, and second with one another.

In John chapter 17, Jesus prayed for us. He prayed, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" (vv. 20-21). Jesus is speaking here of our being one with each other, as well as one with God and Christ. That oneness comes by way of fellowship. When we gather together in fellowship, we encourage each other in our walk with Jesus and we “stir up love and good works” (Heb. 10:24) in one another. That is the intended fellowship.

Colossians 3:16 says joyfully, "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." Read and study God's word daily, letting it take over in your life. When that happens, God's Word will flow through you and help you teach and exhort each other, encouraging each other in our walk with Jesus. The joy of such a life bursts outward with "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." It leads to heart felt singing of praise to Jesus. Amen.

The Purpose of Christian Fellowship

God accomplishes His purpose for the church through the fellowship of His people. This is spoken of in Ephesians 3:8-11: "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."

There it is—the purpose for which God established His church, or more appropriately, the purpose of Christian fellowship. God has a plan, an eternal plan. The church is very much a part of that plan, hence, the phrase "by the church" (v. 10b). The church is to make "the manifold wisdom of God" known to the world, or to "the principalities and powers in the heavenly places" (v. 10).

"Manifold" is literally "much varied" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 328). "Heavenly places" in the text is simply "heavenlies," as the word "places" is supplied by the translator. It refers to the spiritual place where God and His angels exist. "Principalities and powers" (KJV, NKJV) is sometimes translated as "rulers and authorities" (NASB, NIV). The former is used of fallen angels in Ephesians 6:12. The latter perhaps refers to good angels or angels in general. The former would be more consistent throughout Ephesians, indicating that the church would make God's great wisdom known to the world.

One believer alone cannot show the whole of God's glorious wisdom to the world. It takes the whole church together, the fellowship of believers, to accomplish this purpose for which the church was established. All of us working together to accomplish God's will. All of us working together, each doing his part, to truly make God in all His glory known to the world.

Peter said, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Pet. 4:10). Every believer has been gifted by the Holy Spirit. He has given these gifts to us to equip us for service. We are to use our spiritual gift or gifts of God's great grace to minister to one another. In this way, each member of the fellowship does his part.

"Steward" usually referred to "the manager of a household or estate" (Ibid, 1097). It was expected of them to manage that household or estate wisely. Here "good stewards" refers to Christians making wise use of their spiritual gifts for the benefit of all. "The grace of God" bestows different gifts on each believer to complement each other, but even when two believers receive the same gift, each may be unique in how they use their gift. In that way, they still complement one another.

Paul expands on Peter's teaching: "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (1 Cor. 12:4-7). Of course, God the Holy Spirit is in complete control of how these gifts are distributed. "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (v. 11).

There are many different spiritual gifts. There are several different lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30; Eph. 4:11), but none is exhaustive. It may be that there are many more unnamed gifts as well. But remember, there is only one Spirit. There are various gifts that factor into various ministries, but there is only one Lord. The many gifts involve many activities, but there is only one God who works it all out in our lives.

We are to "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Heb. 10:23). We are to minister to one another through the use of our gifts, so as to profit all. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (vv. 24-25). Not only are we to gather together at church on a regular basis, but we gather so we can use our spiritual gifts to uplift and encourage each other in doing good. Amen.

Iron Sharpens Iron - Christian Fellowship

Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." That speaks to the importance of Christian fellowship. In fact, in some ways it encompasses the very essence of what Christian fellowship is about. Christian fellowship is more than just coming together for coffee, desert, and idle chit-chat. Christian fellowship has to do with believers coming together to lift each other's countenance. To hold each other accountable in our walk with Jesus.

John said, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). "Walk in the light" refers to our sanctification, or our continual day-to-day growing in faith and becoming righteous. Our growing in faith is enhanced by our uplifting fellowship with one another. This is where we see iron sharpen iron, or one man lifting up another in his walk with Jesus.

"Fellowship" translates the Greek word koinonia. It means "sharing in common" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 962). Believers have Christ in common. So whenever two true believers come in contact, even for the first time, they have an immediate bond, or a mutual trust from the moment they meet. This bond leads to action. There is an immediate comradery. It is as if they have known each for a long time, all because they share Christ in common. So they begin to encourage each other in their faith.

Fellowship is part of God's plan to bring glory to Christ. Also, fellowship is the natural outcropping of the establishment of God's church. Peter preached Jesus to the crowd that had gathered outside the upper room where the disciples were gathered. We are told, "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them" (Acts 2:41).

Then we are told: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (vv. 42-47).

I almost can't imagine what this would be like. The church was barely getting started in Jerusalem, and three thousand new believers were added in a day! Wow! It blows my mind! Oh, the sudden organization that was needed. But God was there working through the apostles to get it done. And so, the church had started, as the believers, new and old, came together. They sat under the apostles as they taught the Scriptures daily.

Fellowship was the natural result of their gathering under the teaching of the Word. Iron sharpening iron, as these believers met together and encouraged each other in their daily walk with Jesus. They came from many different countries (vv. 5-11), yet with Christ in common, they came together as one, each sharpening his brother in Christ. Amen.

Equipped to Fight the Spiritual War-Part 2

"Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Eph. 6:16). "Above all" means it is of extreme importance. The importance of "the shield of faith" cannot be stressed enough. It is specially designed to protect the entire body of the soldier against the onslaught of arrows and spears that the enemy may fire at him.

Spiritually, this shield is referred to as faith. It is our faith in Jesus that protects us from Satan's vicious attacks. This faith refers to our basic trust in God. It is this trust in Christ that saves us and guides us in our daily living. We are to live by our faith.

"The fiery darts of the wicked one" (v. 16b) are arrows whose tip is covered with strips of cloth, soaked in pitch, and lit on fire. It likely refers to the various temptations Satan brings our way. The "shield of faith" is built specifically to "quench" or put out the fire and stop those attacks. Again, victory is found in Jesus.

"And take the helmet of salvation" (Eph. 6:17a). We think of a helmet protecting the head in an attack, but in this context we should not regard the head "as standing for the seat of the intellect; the word is not so used elsewhere in Scripture" (W.E,  Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,  Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McClean, Virginia, no copyright], 535). Spiritually it is simply a reference to salvation. Here "salvation is a present experience of the Lord's deliverance of believers as those who are engaged in spiritual conflict" (Ibid).

Satan thinks that if he can convince us that God doesn't really care about us and can get us to doubt our salvation, that he will have won. But that could not be further from the truth. He tries to shake us and make us doubt God. He specifically attacks the foundation of our security. He wants us to question our assurance of salvation.

In that manner, he thinks he can take us down. He will not stop at anything. He will throw every obstacle possible in our path. He will do anything he can to discourage us and lead us away from following Christ. But like Job, when he had lost all his possessions, all his children, and even his health, he declared, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15). The "helmet of salvation" allows us to likewise strand firm in the faith with a similar rebuttal.

Finally, the one offensive piece of the armor of God, a powerful weapon to be taken up by the believer: "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17b). This may refer to a short sword that ancient soldiers used in hand-to-hand combat, but remember, this is spiritual warfare. There is another sword mentioned in Scripture that is specifically referred to as the word of God. Hebrew 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Our sword is "sharper than any two-edged sword!" Such is the word of God.

For our purpose here, remember that this weapon is specifically referred to as "the sword of the Spirit." The weapon is not a physical sword, but spiritual. It is a spiritual weapon for use against spiritual enemies. Remember our enemy? "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). The source of our weapon for this spiritual battle is the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (John 14:26).

When David faced off with Goliath, he declared what we must never forget: "the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands" (1 Sam. 17:47). Jesus was in the wilderness fasting, and when He was hungry, Satan tempted Him, saying, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread" (Matt. 4:3). Jesus responded by quoting Scripture: "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" (v. 4). "The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17b) is the weapon of choice. That is why spiritual battles must always be met with the word of God.

Prayer is what undergirds everything. Prayer is the key factor in putting on and using the armor of God. Paul closed this passage in Ephesians with these words: "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (v. 18). Prayer is the key for living the Christian life. Pray about everything—for yourself and for "all the saints." Even quick arrows of prayer in the midst of the battle. That is how we find victory.

The armor of God, like the Christian life, is all about Jesus. The belt of truth is Jesus—He is truth. The breastplate of righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus. The shoes or boots of the preparation of the gospel of peace is a readiness with the gospel of Jesus. The shield of faith is faith in Jesus. The helmet of salvation is salvation in Jesus. And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is Jesus—He is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

When you learn to adorn yourself with the "whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:13a), you will be filled with the Spirit, you will walk in holiness, and Jesus will surround you, protect you, and give you the victory. You will be equipped to be fearless. You will "be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (v. 13b). Amen.

Equipped to Fight the Spiritual War-Part 1

When Elisha was surrounded by the Syrian army, he told his servant, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kin. 6:16). Then Elisha prayed for God to open the eyes of his servant, "And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (v. 17). John put it this way, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). When you "put on the whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:11a), you can "stand against the wiles of the devil" (v. 11b), because Christ in you is far greater than any enemy.

Paul continues encouraging us to take a stand against the powers of darkness. "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (v. 13). We need not be afraid before the enemy. We are equipped to be fearless. We simply need to be sure to "take up the whole armor of God." Paul lists six pieces of armor—five are primarily defensive weapons, while just one is offensive in nature. Remember, these weapons are spiritual. They may be described in vary literal, physical terms, but they are spiritual weapons. So, spiritually speaking, when you put on "the whole armor of God" every day, you can "withstand" evil and all of Satan's attacks, and you can "stand" firm with Christ and for Christ.

Paul continues, "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth" (v. 14a). In ancient times, soldiers often wore loose fitting tunics. So the first piece of armor mentioned is this "belt of truth" (v. 14a, NIV). The tunic would be cinched up under the belt when going into combat. Spiritually it refers to the Christian shoring up his life in the truth of Jesus.

"Truth" (v. 14a) refers to God's truth. Knowing God's truth is essential to being prepared for this spiritual battle. Knowing and understanding basic biblical truth about Christ and salvation will keep you from being "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting" (Eph. 4:14). Paul warns us, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1).

Essentially, the Truth, God's truth, is Jesus. He is Truth. In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Jesus is not only the way to life eternal; He is the truth. To be prepared for this spiritual battle you must first be certain that your life is girded in truth or centered in Jesus.

"Stand therefore… having put on the breastplate of righteousness" (Eph. 6:14b). In ancient times, the soldier would wear a breastplate of armor to protect his vital organs. It was often made of heavy material and covered by bits of bone or metal sown in, "consisting of two parts and protecting the body on both sides, from the neck to the middle" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 565).

Spiritually, the "breastplate of righteousness" (v. 14b) is the righteousness of Jesus. We are to put on His righteousness. We are to let Jesus cover us in righteousness as He lives in and through us. His righteousness is impenetrable by Satan and his demons, making the righteousness of Jesus the perfect body armor of the Christian. Nothing withstands the enemy, the power of darkness, like the righteousness of Christ. Clothe yourself in Christ's righteousness every day and “stand” strong in your faith.

"Stand therefore… having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (v. 15). Soldiers fight and travel on all types of terrain, so it is essential that they have proper footwear. They need to have the right boots on the ground. Spiritually, it carries the idea of readiness.

"Preparation" (v. 15) refers to being prepared or ready. "The gospel of peace" (v. 15) refers to the fact that, in Christ, believers are at peace with God. In this context, it refers to more than just evangelism. It has to do with fighting spiritual battles. It has to do with standing firm against the devil. With the gospel of Christ we are able to stand firm and win the battle.

1 Peter 3:15 says, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." Through the gospel of Christ, stand firm in the spiritual battle. Always hold your ground. Always be ready to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone who is ready to listen. Amen.

Equipped to Be Fearless

When you walk faithfully with Jesus and live for Him, being filled with the Spirit, the enemy doesn't like it. The forces of darkness begin to attack you at every turn. What you experience is often referred to as spiritual warfare. Note the description of the enemy of every believer in Ephesians 6:12,  "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." The enemy is fierce; but we are quipped to be fearless.

In warfare, it is always of first importance to understand the enemy—who he is, what are his strengths and weaknesses, and how does he operate, or what are his tactics? "God, who made the world and everything in it" (Acts 17:24a), created the angels (Psalm 104:4). Lucifer was an angel described by Ezekiel as having "the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty" (Ezek. 28:12b) and "perfect in your ways from the day you were created" (v. 15).

Then Lucifer rebelled against God. We read in Isaiah: "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit" (Is. 14:12-15).

The scene in heaven, of Satan being cast out of heaven, is described like this: "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Rev. 12:7-9).

The angel Lucifer rebelled against God in heaven. He tried to usurp the throne of God, making himself out to be above even God. He led a whole host of angels with him in this rebellion and he lost. As a result, Lucifer, known as Satan or the Devil, was cast out of heaven along with all the angels who joined him in the rebellion. They were cast down to the earth where Satan is now known as "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31). He will do anything to pull you away from God. "He is a liar and the Father lies" (John 8:44b, NASB). Satan "transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14b), all in an attempt to deceive as many people as he possibly can. That is the enemy; who he is, his strengths and weaknesses, how he operates, and what his tactics are.

Knowing the enemy, Paul instructs us, saying, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:10-11). Remember, Satan was described as having "powers" (v. 12), but he is not omnipotent or all-powerful; God is! Satan knows a great deal, but he is not omniscient or all-knowing; God is! Satan gets around on this earth, but he is not omnipresent or present everywhere; God is! So when Paul says, "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (v. 10), remember that the Lord's might is far mightier than anything the enemy can muster. We simply must stand firm on God’s truth at all times. When you "know the truth… the truth will set you free" (John 8:32, NIV). Amen.

The Importance of Prayer

The Scriptures, the Bible, God's Word helps us to know Christ and to walk with Him daily. That is a good description of living the Spirit-filled life. But to be successful, to continue to live the righteous life in Christ on a regular basis, everything must be engulfed in prayer. A good prayer life is the key.

Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." You can approach God boldly in prayer because He wants you to bring your needs to Him. He answers your prayers in "mercy" and He brings "grace to help" in your "time of need." As Paul said, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7).

Paul told Timothy, "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (1 Tim. 2:1). And again, Paul said, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1  Thess. 5:16-18).

The bottom line is this: prayer is so important that you are to be in an attitude of prayer every waking moment of every day. That doesn't mean you constantly have your hands folded, head bowed, and eyes closed in prayer, but that you are always mindful of the power of prayer and you are always ready to shoot up that arrow of prayer to God whenever the need arises. And there is power in prayer.

James 5:16 says, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Here we are encouraged to fellowship together as believers, holding each other accountable and praying for one another. When we are faithful in prayer and passionate for what or whom we are praying for, God will answer. In fact, our "effective, fervent prayer… avails much" or "has great power as it is working" (ESV).

Jesus understood the importance and power of prayer. That is why He set aside time every day to get alone with the Father and pray. Luke 5:16 says, "So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." Mark 1:35 also says, "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." He did what I believe He wants us to do: He set aside time every day to consider the Word and to pray.

All of this taken together describes a life that is holy or righteous. It is the Spirit-filled life. It is a life that abides in Christ. Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4). The key to the Christian life is to learn to abide in Christ. Remember how we described the Christian as being "in Christ"? Abiding in Christ is just that: remaining in Him and getting to know Him better each day. Victorious Christian living comes from abiding in Christ day by day; living in Him and letting Him live through you. Amen.

The God-Inspired Word

Paul told Timothy, "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). We must understand the nature of Scripture—what Scripture is. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (v. 16a) is the key phrase. The Greek word translated "inspiration of God" comes from a compound word that combines the word "God" with the word "breath, wind, or spirit." It means that Scripture was given by God's Spirit, or more directly by God's breath. Scripture came directly from God when "holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21).

God told Jeremiah: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth" (Jer. 1:9). God gave Jeremiah the words to speak and write. The words came from God. It is the  same with all the writers of Scripture. God may have at times spoken the Word directly with writers writing them down much like taking dictation, but more times than not, God simply laid the words on their hearts and minds. The bottom line is that all Scripture is "God-breathed." It is God’s inspired Word, without error in the original autographs. It is intended to make us like Jesus.

In addition to leading us to salvation, the Word provides divine instruction or doctrine. The precise words are that it is "profitable for doctrine" (2 Tim. 3:16a) or "teaching" (NASB). "Profitable" carries the idea of "profit" or "advantage" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 36). It means specifically to be "useful" (Ibid, 901). So the word of God is profitable or useful for teaching doctrine. It is then up to us to adhere to that doctrine and to live by that teaching of Scripture. It is up to us to study the Word carefully to learn its doctrine or teaching, and then apply that instruction in our everyday lives.

Scripture is "profitable… for reproof" (2 Tim. 3:16b). The teaching of Scripture, the instruction or doctrine, helps us walk the narrow way of righteousness. It heads us in the right direction of becoming like Jesus. But sometimes we walk away from that path, like sheep that have gone astray. We fall back into our old sinful ways and quit living by the Word as we should. When this happens, the Scripture brings "reproof."

"Reproof" means "to convict" or "rebuke" (Ibid, 965). The Word rebukes sin and false belief. Scripture pinpoints the problem of sin in our lives. When you know the Word, various Scriptures will come to mind and will confront your sin. It will rebuke the sin in your life and call you back to Jesus. Scripture penetrates our heart and soul, and both exposes and rebukes our sin. It leads us to repentance and turns us back toward God when we have gone astray. That is another reason why it is so important to know the Word; to read it, study it, meditate on it, and memorize it.

Scripture is “profitable… for correction” (2 Tim. 3:16c). This is the only occurrence of this Greek word for “correction.” It literally means “a restoration to an upright or right state” (Ibid, 243). It is the idea of restoring something to its proper shape. The thought has to do with correction. Scripture corrects us of our wrongdoing or our straying off the narrow road, and puts us back on the right path.

When you accept Scripture's reproof and repent of your sin, Scripture then corrects your walk. When you leave the narrow way and stray from living by the Word, "reproof" is how Scripture stops you from following the wrong path and "correction" is how Scripture sets your feet back on the right path. Through confession and repentance you are restored to a right and proper state, a life of righteousness.

Scripture is also "profitable… for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16d) or "training in righteousness" (NASB). This refers to training a child or giving children instruction, "suggesting the broad idea of education" (Ibid, 185). The inspired word of God gives us instruction in living a life of righteousness, or a life that is holy. It trains us to walk with Jesus in the power of the Spirit.

The teaching of the Word puts us on the path of righteousness. The reproof and correction we receive from the Word stops us from wondering too far from that path and puts us back on that path of righteousness. Then the instruction of the Word keeps us on the straight and narrow path of righteousness. But in order for that to work, you must know the Word.

The purpose is "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (v. 17). God's Word makes you adequate. God's Word equips you to live a life of righteousness like Christ, a life filled with the good works "which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

Do you see how important it is to know the Word—to learn it well and to live by it every day? By way of application: read the Word, study the Word, meditate on the Word, and memorize the Word. Make it a part of you. Know it well. When you know the Word well, no matter what hardships or temptations arise, you will recall it when the time is right and you will be prepared to win the spiritual battle. Amen.

Walk in the Spirit

Paul prayed for His followers, including you and me, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (Eph. 1:17-20).

Not only are we to live by that same faith through which we were saved, but we were saved by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. That mighty power of God is at work in us and we are to live our lives by that same power. Living by that same power means living by faith in Jesus and letting Him have control of your life; letting Him guide and direct your path so that you become more like Him every day.

To have Jesus guide and direct your path is to walk in the Spirit or to live the Spirit-filled life. Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16). He also said, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 1:18). When you live the Spirit-filled life you find yourself growing daily in your spiritual walk. Each day you become a little bit more like Jesus.

To walk in the Spirit means spending time reading and studying the Bible every day, not because you have to, but because you want to. It becomes a desire or even a passion of yours as a child of God. When you are Spirit-filled, the central focus of your life will change. Your whole focus will center around the Lord Jesus and your main desire will be to want to get to know Him better. The main avenue for getting to know more about Jesus and to walk closer to Him is found in the word of God, the Bible; hence, spending time in the Word every day.

Following the death of Moses, God turned to Joshua and commissioned him in Moses' place. Part of what God told Joshua was this: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (Josh. 1:8). This shows the importance of spending time in God's Word. Through His Word you receive guidance and direction in the way you should go. By following His Word you will be made to prosper and have success. Amen.

Be Holy!

It is God's desire that all who trust in Christ for salvation, all true believers, be holy. He even commands us to be holy. Peter writes, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Pet. 1:15-16). "Holy" is an interesting word. In New Testament Greek it means  "separated" or "to set apart to God," and can be translated "sanctify," just as "holiness" can be translated "sanctification" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 565).

When referring to God, He is seen as "the absolutely Holy One, in His purity, majesty and glory," whether used of the Father, as in these verses, or of the Son, or of the Spirit" (Ibid, 566). Often the word "holy" is used "of men in so far as they are devoted to God" and "is often presented in a way which involves Divine demands upon the conduct of believers" (Ibid). Here in 1 Peter 1:15, believers are called to cleanse themselves "from all defilement, forsaking sin, living a holy manner of life" (Ibid).

Hebrews 10:10 says, "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Having been sanctified in Christ, all believers are called "saints," or literally, "sanctified" or "holy ones" (Ibid, 1000). God calls all believers to this state of sainthood, or, more specifically, to sanctification. In 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul refers to believers as "those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints."

The writer of Hebrews encourages us to "pursue holiness." In Hebrews 12:14, he writes, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." "Holiness" or "sanctification" is something to be pursued. Sanctification is a process of growth. When you trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you were saved, you were justified in God's eyes. When God looks at you He sees you through the lens of Jesus. He sees the blood of Christ which covers you and therefore, He sees you as holy or righteous.

Romans 4:3 says, "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'" This does not mean that our faith makes us righteous; that we have somehow arrived. No, it means only that our faith connects us with Christ in such a way that His righteousness is reckoned to us. Positionally, we are seen as righteous in Christ. Practically, we need to grow in faith each day so as to become more and more like Christ until we reach heaven fully righteous.

Having been saved by grace through faith, we must now learn to live by that same faith. Paul 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" (Gal. 2:20). Now when he says, "I have been crucified with Christ," what does that mean?

In Romans 6:3-4, Paul, speaking of baptism, said, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Baptism, being dipped under water and then raised back up out of the water, symbolizes our dying with Christ through our faith in Him and our rising with Him to a new life, a changed life.

Paul further clarifies: "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (vv. 5-11).

"Our old man," our old sinful self, "was crucified with Him," that is, with Christ, setting us free from our slavery to sin. Having been "freed from sin," we are to live the resurrected life with Jesus. Like Jesus, the life we now live, we live to God. Again, "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" (Gal. 2:20b). Amen.

The Road Few Travel

Taking the road to salvation is not easy. The narrow way that leads to life abundant and life eternal, is difficult and it is a road few travel. God made you for a purpose: to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus. "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:9). God wants us to know Him and be with Him. He made us for that purpose. Seek Him first above all else: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33).

Jesus is the narrow way that leads to life. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matt. 7:13-14). Through Jesus you can realize God's purpose for your life.

Man's problem: Sin. Fellowship with God is broken by sin: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Sin leads to destruction: "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23a). In sin you "sink in deep mire" (Ps. 69:2a). The more you struggle trying to reach God through your own efforts, the deeper you sink in the miry clay. Sin is such an affront to God; you can never be good enough to be saved. You cannot save yourself. "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). Good works cannot save you. Salvation comes from God. Only by God's grace are you saved through faith.

God's solution: Jesus Christ. He shed His blood and died for us. "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22b, NIV). "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). Christ died for you and rose again for you. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures… He was buried, and… He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4). All that Jesus went through, all that He suffered, was for you, for your salvation.

At the cross, Jesus shed His blood for you. He forgave you and lifted you out of the miry clay. He rose again and set your feet on the narrow way that leads to life with God. As David said, "He… brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps" (Ps. 40:2).

Man's response: Believe and receive Jesus. "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23b).  "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" (Rom. 10:9). "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12a). Together, these verses tell us what you must do to be saved: (1) Confess your sin and repent—turn away from sin; (2) Confess Jesus as Lord and believe He rose again; and (3) Pray to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Here is a suggested prayer (you can use your own words): "Lord Jesus, forgive me of all my sin. I believe you died and rose again to give me new life. Come into my life and make me the person you want me to be. Amen."

God's blessing: Assurance of salvation. God promises eternal life to all who receive Him: "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:11-13).

What happened when you received Christ? First, God lives in you to guide you: "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" (Gal. 2:20). Second, your sins are forgiven: "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:14). Third, you are His child in fellowship with Him: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).

What now? (1) Read the Bible and pray: "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). (2) Tell others what Jesus means to you: "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8). (3) Worship at church regularly: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25). Amen.

Jesus Is the Only Way to God

Psalm 62:1 says, "Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation." God ensures salvation, because our salvation comes from Him. Jesus saves, because our salvation comes from God through Jesus. There is no other way. Deeds and good works cannot save you; Jesus does. Salvation comes only through Jesus. Acts 4:12 says, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." "No other name under heaven given among men!" No one else can save you; Only Jesus. He is our Lord. He is our Savior.

Again, John 3:16-17 says, "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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." We are saved in and through Jesus. He died on the cross in our place. He paid the penalty for our sin. Therefore, it is as the Apostle Paul said, "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).

Jesus wants you to come to Him in faith, believing in Him and trusting Him for salvation. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'" (John 14:6). The Apostle John relates how this works: "Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly'" (John 10:7-10).

We are the sheep; Jesus is the door. Everything goes through Jesus. It is through Jesus that we are saved. It is through Jesus that we experience an abundant life now. It is through Jesus that we will experience eternal life in God's presence. It is not through anyone else. Anyone who says otherwise is nothing more than a thief and robber. Do not listen to them. They speak falsely. Listen only for Jesus' voice and follow Him.

Continuing on, Jesus also said: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd" (John 10:11-16).

Again referring to us as sheep, Jesus said that He is the good shepherd who truly cares for us and watches over us. He is the one who died for us and saved us. He knows us and all who are saved know Him. Jesus laid down His life for us and all who know Him by faith. Regardless of who you are or where you are from, we will be one flock with one shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.