When God comes near, insignificant places are given meaning, like Nazareth and Bethlehem, along with the lowly stable where Christ was born. We saw how that was true in Part I of this Bible Insight. But not only does God give meaning to insignificant places, when God comes near, He also uses insignificant people for His purposes.
The important people of the world were Caesar Augustus and Quirinius (Luke 2:1-2). They were the movers and shakers. Like E.F. Hutton, when they spoke, people listened. They could call for taxes and the response was, “So let it be done.” But they weren’t called on by God. He used them in a way, but He didn’t call them to do His work. No, He called on the common folk when His work needed to be done.
First, there is the young poor couple from Nazareth, Joseph and Mary (vs. 4-5). Joseph was but a poor carpenter, albeit a good one, and Mary was just a young teenager. Yet they were chosen by God for a great work; a work that would ultimately change the entire world. They were upright, humble, and faithful, but the important thing to note is that God chose them.
God also chose the shepherds: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (v. 8). Throughout the Bible, shepherds had important roles, as we see in this story, but socially they were outcasts. They were considered unreliable, untrustworthy, and larcenous. In the eyes of the world they were insignificant, yet God chose to use them.
The shepherds were surprised at what they saw and heard that night: “So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger” (vs. 15-16). They never expected to hear such things or see such sights, but they did!
God chose the despised shepherds to carry the announcement of the birth of the Savior to the world. And they did not disappoint. “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child” (v. 17). “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” (v. 20).
Even the lowly innkeeper was chosen by God to see that Mary and Joseph were not left out in the elements that night. The innkeeper is so insignificant a person, he is not even mentioned in the text. There is only a slight reference to his role: “because there was no room for them in the inn” (v. 7b). That is why they were in the stable and why the manger came into play. Yet it was this unnamed innkeeper whom God used to protect the baby Jesus and keep Him warm.
Still today God uses common people to accomplish His purposes. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says, “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.”
God uses places like Stanzel, and churches like this one, and people like you, to do His bidding. Simply respond to God as Mary did to the angel, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Respond by faith in that manner and humble yourself before the Lord God, and He will respond to you and use you to accomplish His will. He will ask you to do His bidding in some manner, and He will use you to accomplish His purposes in your life and in the lives of those around you. Amen.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Saturday, December 24, 2016
When God Comes Near, Part I
The Christmas story has everything a great story needs. There is conflict and fear, as well as amazement as the story begins. There is an upright man who is engaged to be married, but he finds out his wife-to-be is with child. What should he do? How will he handle this most delicate situation? Then an angel appears in a dream and tells him of wondrous things he couldn’t even imagine. (Matthew 1:18-25)
There is concern, as well as anticipation as the story continues and a census is ordered by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1). Joseph and Mary make a long, treacherous journey from Galilee down to Judah, to the city of Bethlehem, the city of their ancestors (vs. 4-5). During that difficult journey they had to be looking forward to the birth of their son, God’s Son.
There is drama throughout the story, from the journey itself, to their arrival in Bethlehem where the streets are crowded with all sorts of people and there are no rooms available in any of the inns. Seeing that Mary was with child, a kind innkeeper allows them to stay in the stable out back, where soon Jesus is born (v. 7). It wasn’t exactly what they had in mind for a delivery room!
Then there is also political intrigue; a government wanting to eliminate anyone that might affect the status quo and a king seeking to find and kill this baby, a baby people refer to as a King (Matthew 2:13). Again, danger is in the mix as eventually Joseph, warned in a dream, has to take Mary and baby Jesus and flee for their lives to Egypt (v. 14).
And yet the Christmas story is really quite simple and straight forward. The whole saga begins in an insignificant village, Nazareth, when an angel of God visits Mary and Joseph separately. It ends in another insignificant little town, Bethlehem, when baby Jesus is born in a stable and laid in a manger, which is also an insignificant place.
But that is what makes everything about the Christmas story so intriguing! In insignificant places, Nazareth and Bethlehem, God finds and uses insignificant people, a carpenter and his betrothed wife, and through an insignificant event, the birth of a baby, He changes the world!
The “happening” places of the world at that time were Rome and Syria. The world rulers lived there. That was all that mattered. No one gave much thought to Palestine, tucked away in a small little pocket of the Roman Lake, also known as the Mediterranean Sea; that is, except God.
When God comes near, everything changes. When God comes near, insignificant places are given meaning. And that is what really matters. When God acts, the important places become less important and the insignificant places of the world suddenly become important and are noticed.
The Christmas story focuses on little places—towns, villages, small cities, and other places that people usually ignored. Places like Nazareth and Bethlehem. When the census was ordered (Luke 2:1-2), “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.” (vs. 4-5).
Nathanael once asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). That is how the world viewed these small towns—as insignificant. Yet it was in Nazareth where God found Mary, a faithful woman, and Joseph, a faithful man, and put His work of salvation in motion. Yes Nathanael, something good can come out of Nazareth.
Likewise, Bethlehem is called “the city of David” because David was born there, but it really was not a city of any noticeable size and it had no great importance as far as the world was concerned. This little village was actually known for sin and rebellion against God (see Judges 17-18 for one story and 19-21 for another story). Yet a third story that takes place in Bethlehem is that of redemption (see the Book of Ruth). And it is here that the birth of Christ takes place.
God takes the common things of the world and gives them meaning. When God comes near, common things are no longer common. When God comes near, insignificant places are remembered throughout history. When God comes near, ordinary things are looked upon with favor and even remind us of the great things God has done. Everything is given meaning when God comes near.
When God comes near, He changes everything, and most importantly, He changes you. He makes you into a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). That is what Christmas is really all about. It is about your life being changed by Christ and for Christ. Monday I will pick up on that theme and expand it further. Amen.
There is concern, as well as anticipation as the story continues and a census is ordered by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1). Joseph and Mary make a long, treacherous journey from Galilee down to Judah, to the city of Bethlehem, the city of their ancestors (vs. 4-5). During that difficult journey they had to be looking forward to the birth of their son, God’s Son.
There is drama throughout the story, from the journey itself, to their arrival in Bethlehem where the streets are crowded with all sorts of people and there are no rooms available in any of the inns. Seeing that Mary was with child, a kind innkeeper allows them to stay in the stable out back, where soon Jesus is born (v. 7). It wasn’t exactly what they had in mind for a delivery room!
Then there is also political intrigue; a government wanting to eliminate anyone that might affect the status quo and a king seeking to find and kill this baby, a baby people refer to as a King (Matthew 2:13). Again, danger is in the mix as eventually Joseph, warned in a dream, has to take Mary and baby Jesus and flee for their lives to Egypt (v. 14).
And yet the Christmas story is really quite simple and straight forward. The whole saga begins in an insignificant village, Nazareth, when an angel of God visits Mary and Joseph separately. It ends in another insignificant little town, Bethlehem, when baby Jesus is born in a stable and laid in a manger, which is also an insignificant place.
But that is what makes everything about the Christmas story so intriguing! In insignificant places, Nazareth and Bethlehem, God finds and uses insignificant people, a carpenter and his betrothed wife, and through an insignificant event, the birth of a baby, He changes the world!
The “happening” places of the world at that time were Rome and Syria. The world rulers lived there. That was all that mattered. No one gave much thought to Palestine, tucked away in a small little pocket of the Roman Lake, also known as the Mediterranean Sea; that is, except God.
When God comes near, everything changes. When God comes near, insignificant places are given meaning. And that is what really matters. When God acts, the important places become less important and the insignificant places of the world suddenly become important and are noticed.
The Christmas story focuses on little places—towns, villages, small cities, and other places that people usually ignored. Places like Nazareth and Bethlehem. When the census was ordered (Luke 2:1-2), “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.” (vs. 4-5).
Nathanael once asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). That is how the world viewed these small towns—as insignificant. Yet it was in Nazareth where God found Mary, a faithful woman, and Joseph, a faithful man, and put His work of salvation in motion. Yes Nathanael, something good can come out of Nazareth.
Likewise, Bethlehem is called “the city of David” because David was born there, but it really was not a city of any noticeable size and it had no great importance as far as the world was concerned. This little village was actually known for sin and rebellion against God (see Judges 17-18 for one story and 19-21 for another story). Yet a third story that takes place in Bethlehem is that of redemption (see the Book of Ruth). And it is here that the birth of Christ takes place.
God takes the common things of the world and gives them meaning. When God comes near, common things are no longer common. When God comes near, insignificant places are remembered throughout history. When God comes near, ordinary things are looked upon with favor and even remind us of the great things God has done. Everything is given meaning when God comes near.
When God comes near, He changes everything, and most importantly, He changes you. He makes you into a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). That is what Christmas is really all about. It is about your life being changed by Christ and for Christ. Monday I will pick up on that theme and expand it further. Amen.
Friday, December 16, 2016
In the Eyes of a Shepherd
All was quiet. The night was silent. And suddenly, without warning, out of nowhere, “an angel of the Lord” (Luke 2:9a) appeared! But that is not all. God’s glory (v. 9b) lit up the sky! What a sight it was! The shepherds rose to their feet, startled by the sight. Fear began to overwhelm them (v. 9c). They did not understand what this was all about. And then the angel spoke.
“Then the angel said to them, ‘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).
Now they understood. God had fulfilled His promise. The Savior had come. They hurried off into the night to meet the Lord, and it was not long before they found Him (vs. 15-16).
It was just as the angel had said. There He was before their very eyes, the Savior, Christ the Lord. They knelt before Him for a time in wonder and awe; and in worship. After all, He was their Lord and Savior.
When they returned to the hillside and to the sheep, they praised God all along the way (v. 20). They gave Him the glory, and they let everyone they met know about Jesus (vs. 17-18).
The gospel was made known that night. It was as the angel had told them: this night in Bethlehem a baby was born, “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (v. 11). The Christ, the Messiah, the Savior had come! It was as God had promised long ago.
They knew the Scriptures. They were all sinners in need of a Savior. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). He was born in order to die for you.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). “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).
Do you believe God raised Jesus from the dead? Have you confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior? If not, you can pray right now and receive the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior. When you finish praying to receive Jesus into your heart, let me know. I would love to hear from you and to have a chance to pray for you. Praise God for your salvation this Christmas. Walk with Jesus every day in the new year. Amen.
“Then the angel said to them, ‘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).
Now they understood. God had fulfilled His promise. The Savior had come. They hurried off into the night to meet the Lord, and it was not long before they found Him (vs. 15-16).
It was just as the angel had said. There He was before their very eyes, the Savior, Christ the Lord. They knelt before Him for a time in wonder and awe; and in worship. After all, He was their Lord and Savior.
When they returned to the hillside and to the sheep, they praised God all along the way (v. 20). They gave Him the glory, and they let everyone they met know about Jesus (vs. 17-18).
The gospel was made known that night. It was as the angel had told them: this night in Bethlehem a baby was born, “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (v. 11). The Christ, the Messiah, the Savior had come! It was as God had promised long ago.
They knew the Scriptures. They were all sinners in need of a Savior. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). He was born in order to die for you.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). “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).
Do you believe God raised Jesus from the dead? Have you confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior? If not, you can pray right now and receive the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior. When you finish praying to receive Jesus into your heart, let me know. I would love to hear from you and to have a chance to pray for you. Praise God for your salvation this Christmas. Walk with Jesus every day in the new year. Amen.
Monday, December 5, 2016
A Future and a Hope
We are home. Barb is doing great. She is walking everywhere again. Doctor Taner said she is doing better than expected. Her numbers are near perfect and she remains ahead of schedule. Doc called hers, "a miraculous recovery." She is still tired and full recovery is slower than she would like, but overall she is so much better. Her color is normal again and she looks great. No more constant sickness. She has been given a new lease on life! God is so good! As my title suggests, Barb certainly has a future and a hope! PTL!
Jeremiah 29:11-14a is usually associated with and primarily preached at graduations time. However, this passage has to do with much more than just graduation. It has to do with life in general and it applies equally to each one of us. In Christ, we all have a future and a hope that is certain. In Christ, we all have our identity. In Christ, we all live, and breathe, and move. In Christ, we all find our purpose.
Jeremiah knew that life would not always go so well, so he told us to look up. Always trust God and rejoice in all things because He has special plans in mind just for you. “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:11a). To discover those plans, we must follow three truths that Jeremiah lays out for us in verses 11-14a.
First, we must recognize that it is in God that we have a future and a hope. Verse 11 says, “Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” God has your back! Yes He does. Believe it or not, the Lord God has your best interest in mind. He has planned for your welfare. He has planned for you to succeed. He wants “to give you a future and a hope.” Your future lies in Him. So do not leave God out of the picture. To do so opens you up to certain calamity. But God does not want that for you. He looks forward to your success and He looks forward to helping you make a difference in this world.
Paul said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). And in verse 19 he adds, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Now if God is the one who gives us strength, and if He supplies all our needs in Christ Jesus, then we can certainly accomplish great things through Him. Again, that means always looking up; always “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” (Heb. 12:2)
Live by faith in Christ, keeping your eyes fixed on Him, and you will do well. You will find all that God has for you. And remember, nothing is beyond hope when you trust in Christ and nowhere is beyond reach for God. Rely on Him and you will have a secure future.
Next, we must call upon God. The Lord continues in Jeremiah 29:12, “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” How do you find the plans God has for you and how do you gain that future? By calling upon God. “Come and pray to Me,” says the Lord. And what? “And I will listen to you.” What a promise! Just ask, and He will listen and obviously, He will give you that future and hope—everything He has in store for you.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” God wants you to lean on Him. To trust in yourself brings failure. Success in all you do requires trust in the Lord. So trust Him “with all your heart.” “In all your ways,” every day, in everything you do, “acknowledge Him.” Then, in trust, call upon Him, pray, and He will hear from heaven and He will answer your prayers, giving you all He has in store for you. He has promised and His promises are true. He will deliver.
Finally, seek God and you will find Him. Again, the Lord God continues in verses 13-14a, “‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord.” If you desire the plans God has for you, and I pray you do, you will seek after God. You must! There is no other way to find God’s perfect plans, those special plans He has just for you. If you want your life to make a difference in this world, then seek after God. And if you do, God says you will find Him!
But you must seek after Him “with all your heart” (v. 13b). The “heart” is the center of your emotions. You must want God with your whole being. With all you are, seek God. If you do, again, as God promised, you will find Him. “‘I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord” (v. 14a).
Seek after the Lord and you will find Him, along with the future and the hope He has for you. Trust God and make a difference. Amen.
Jeremiah 29:11-14a is usually associated with and primarily preached at graduations time. However, this passage has to do with much more than just graduation. It has to do with life in general and it applies equally to each one of us. In Christ, we all have a future and a hope that is certain. In Christ, we all have our identity. In Christ, we all live, and breathe, and move. In Christ, we all find our purpose.
Jeremiah knew that life would not always go so well, so he told us to look up. Always trust God and rejoice in all things because He has special plans in mind just for you. “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:11a). To discover those plans, we must follow three truths that Jeremiah lays out for us in verses 11-14a.
First, we must recognize that it is in God that we have a future and a hope. Verse 11 says, “Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” God has your back! Yes He does. Believe it or not, the Lord God has your best interest in mind. He has planned for your welfare. He has planned for you to succeed. He wants “to give you a future and a hope.” Your future lies in Him. So do not leave God out of the picture. To do so opens you up to certain calamity. But God does not want that for you. He looks forward to your success and He looks forward to helping you make a difference in this world.
Paul said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). And in verse 19 he adds, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Now if God is the one who gives us strength, and if He supplies all our needs in Christ Jesus, then we can certainly accomplish great things through Him. Again, that means always looking up; always “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” (Heb. 12:2)
Live by faith in Christ, keeping your eyes fixed on Him, and you will do well. You will find all that God has for you. And remember, nothing is beyond hope when you trust in Christ and nowhere is beyond reach for God. Rely on Him and you will have a secure future.
Next, we must call upon God. The Lord continues in Jeremiah 29:12, “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” How do you find the plans God has for you and how do you gain that future? By calling upon God. “Come and pray to Me,” says the Lord. And what? “And I will listen to you.” What a promise! Just ask, and He will listen and obviously, He will give you that future and hope—everything He has in store for you.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” God wants you to lean on Him. To trust in yourself brings failure. Success in all you do requires trust in the Lord. So trust Him “with all your heart.” “In all your ways,” every day, in everything you do, “acknowledge Him.” Then, in trust, call upon Him, pray, and He will hear from heaven and He will answer your prayers, giving you all He has in store for you. He has promised and His promises are true. He will deliver.
Finally, seek God and you will find Him. Again, the Lord God continues in verses 13-14a, “‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord.” If you desire the plans God has for you, and I pray you do, you will seek after God. You must! There is no other way to find God’s perfect plans, those special plans He has just for you. If you want your life to make a difference in this world, then seek after God. And if you do, God says you will find Him!
But you must seek after Him “with all your heart” (v. 13b). The “heart” is the center of your emotions. You must want God with your whole being. With all you are, seek God. If you do, again, as God promised, you will find Him. “‘I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord” (v. 14a).
Seek after the Lord and you will find Him, along with the future and the hope He has for you. Trust God and make a difference. Amen.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
A Psalm of Thanksgiving
Psalm 100 is entitled “A Psalm of Praise,” or literally “A Psalm of Thanksgiving.” This is the only psalm bearing this precise inscription. The psalm itself shows us how to give thanks to God. The words are all ablaze with grateful adoration, and for this reason this psalm has been a great favorite with the people of God ever since it was written. It also tells why we should be so thankful. It exhorts the entire world to receive the Lord as its sovereign God and to give Him praise continually. It does this through a series of commands we are to follow in our worship.
The first command is straightforward: “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!” (v. 1). It is a highly charged command for public praise. It speaks of God as the song and His people as the singers. The command goes out to the whole earth. Joyful abandon best describes the mood of this worship. The Hebrew word translated “joyful shout” signifies a glad shout, such as loyal subjects give when their king appears among them.
Two more commands follow: “Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing” (v. 2). He is our Lord and therefore He is to be served; He is our gracious Lord and therefore He is to be served with joy and gladness, that shows itself in our joyous singing.
A fourth command speaks of God as our creator and points out especially that we are His creation. “Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (v. 3). The Lord alone is God. He is the one who made us. Therefore as His unique creation we owe Him our all. The ESV says, “It is He who made us, and we are His.” We belong to God in Christ. He is the owner, His heart clings to man, His unique creation, and man owes himself entirely to Him. We owe our whole being to God. So He is described as the shepherd, while we are His sheep. We are to follow Him.
Two more closely related commands follow: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (v. 4). Here God is seen as the blessed one and we are His blessed ones. We may actually come into the Lord’s presence and bring Him worship that pleases Him. Let the praise be in your heart, as well as on your tongue, and let it all be for Him to whom it all belongs. He has blessed you, especially with the free gift of salvation; bless Him in return. Bless His name, His character, His person. Be thankful for all God has done for you.
The reason for obeying these commands of praise and thanksgiving is given in verse 5: “For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” God is love and we are His loved ones. Praise the Lord because He is good, gracious, kind, bountiful, and loving. God is love, therefore praise Him with joy and gladness. The mercy of God is both everlasting and unchangeable. It is the reason we turn to Him in faith and it is the reason we continue steadfast in His love. That truth is also the reason for unceasing praise, both now and throughout eternity. Amen.
The first command is straightforward: “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!” (v. 1). It is a highly charged command for public praise. It speaks of God as the song and His people as the singers. The command goes out to the whole earth. Joyful abandon best describes the mood of this worship. The Hebrew word translated “joyful shout” signifies a glad shout, such as loyal subjects give when their king appears among them.
Two more commands follow: “Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing” (v. 2). He is our Lord and therefore He is to be served; He is our gracious Lord and therefore He is to be served with joy and gladness, that shows itself in our joyous singing.
A fourth command speaks of God as our creator and points out especially that we are His creation. “Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (v. 3). The Lord alone is God. He is the one who made us. Therefore as His unique creation we owe Him our all. The ESV says, “It is He who made us, and we are His.” We belong to God in Christ. He is the owner, His heart clings to man, His unique creation, and man owes himself entirely to Him. We owe our whole being to God. So He is described as the shepherd, while we are His sheep. We are to follow Him.
Two more closely related commands follow: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (v. 4). Here God is seen as the blessed one and we are His blessed ones. We may actually come into the Lord’s presence and bring Him worship that pleases Him. Let the praise be in your heart, as well as on your tongue, and let it all be for Him to whom it all belongs. He has blessed you, especially with the free gift of salvation; bless Him in return. Bless His name, His character, His person. Be thankful for all God has done for you.
The reason for obeying these commands of praise and thanksgiving is given in verse 5: “For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” God is love and we are His loved ones. Praise the Lord because He is good, gracious, kind, bountiful, and loving. God is love, therefore praise Him with joy and gladness. The mercy of God is both everlasting and unchangeable. It is the reason we turn to Him in faith and it is the reason we continue steadfast in His love. That truth is also the reason for unceasing praise, both now and throughout eternity. Amen.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Pray! Pray! Pray!
So much has been happening, I am late on my post again. My many apologies. Barb is doing real good, but she still gets exhausted easily. Her numbers, when they test her new liver, are excellent. The doctors are very pleased. Pray for her strength and stamina to improve. As for her health? She was very sick and fading fast. She likely would not have made it more than a few more months. We were told her liver was in complete shutdown mode. That's why she received a liver when she did. And praise God, she is no loner sick; tired, but not sick. If all goes according to plan, we will be home on December 2. So in keeping with today's theme: Pray! Pray! Pray!
We have been instructed to “put on” (Eph. 6:11) and “take up” (v. 13) “the whole armor of God.” We have been told to “put on the breastplate of righteousness” (v. 14) and “shod (our) feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (v. 15). In other words, live a life of righteousness according to the gospel. Having also “girded (our) waist with truth” (v. 14) and “taking the shield of faith” (v. 16a) we are “able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (v. 16b). With “the helmet of salvation” (v. 17a) we can go into battle with boldness because we have the assurance of our own salvation through the finished work of Christ. Then with confidence, we take in our hand “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v. 17b) and know that victory is ours because the battle belongs to the Lord.
Get to know the Word. Quote it often. It is an armory of truth upon which to stand against the enemy. But always keep in touch with the Lord. Always keep the line of communication with God open. Prayer is the power behind God’s armor. When you practice prayer faithfully, you begin to experience that power. And that power comes from God through the indwelling Spirit. God provides the armor for the Christian and He also provides the power to make it work.
But just because you have all these resources at your disposal, do not assume that you can now live the Christian life without any further help from God. God's armor is not mechanical. It cannot be made to work on your own power. Nor is it magical. You cannot just put it on and watch it work. Our gifts from God are great but they are empty without the Giver. The power of our armor is in the power of God.
Prayer is not listed as armor but is still an important part of the Christian’s arsenal. Verse 18 suggests that the believer be in constant prayer, “praying always.” He is to pray in preparing for battle, as well as when engaging the enemy. “Praying always” means to be God conscious at all times. It means to live in a deep awareness of God. It means to make prayer a habit. It means to always maintain an attitude of complete surrender to the Lord.
When tempted, ask the Lord for help. When something good happens, thank Him. When you see evil around you, pray God makes it right and be willing to be used by Him. Should you meet someone who needs the Lord, ask God to draw them to Himself and be a faithful witness. When you encounter trouble, turn to God for help. Pray at all times, wherever you are, at every opportunity. Constantly set your mind “on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2).
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18) means to take everything to the throne of God. “Prayer” refers to approaching God in general, while “supplication” refers to a special form of prayer, namely specific “requests” (NIV) or “petitions” (NASB). The use of both words together is a clear indicator that we are not only to pray in general terms, but also to bring specific requests before the Lord.
Prayer is powerful and accomplishes much because God is in it. Praying “in the Spirit” means to line up our mind and our desires with His. Then we find ourselves praying in the will of the Father and the Son, and we find our prayers empowered by the Spirit to accomplish God’s will. Be constant. Persevere in your prayers “for all the saints,” and your prayers will be effective and will accomplish much. Amen.
When tempted, ask the Lord for help. When something good happens, thank Him. When you see evil around you, pray God makes it right and be willing to be used by Him. Should you meet someone who needs the Lord, ask God to draw them to Himself and be a faithful witness. When you encounter trouble, turn to God for help. Pray at all times, wherever you are, at every opportunity. Constantly set your mind “on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2).
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18) means to take everything to the throne of God. “Prayer” refers to approaching God in general, while “supplication” refers to a special form of prayer, namely specific “requests” (NIV) or “petitions” (NASB). The use of both words together is a clear indicator that we are not only to pray in general terms, but also to bring specific requests before the Lord.
Prayer is powerful and accomplishes much because God is in it. Praying “in the Spirit” means to line up our mind and our desires with His. Then we find ourselves praying in the will of the Father and the Son, and we find our prayers empowered by the Spirit to accomplish God’s will. Be constant. Persevere in your prayers “for all the saints,” and your prayers will be effective and will accomplish much. Amen.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Battle Ready
Hi everyone! I missed my entry yesterday because my routine changed. Friday morning Mayo Clinic called at 3:00 am to tell us to head to the clinic because they had a liver available for Barb. We were in shock, but we headed to Rochester, Minnesota and she was in surgery by 9:30 am. Barb is doing good and is ahead of schedule as far as normal recovery is concerned. Pray that all continues to go good and that her body does not reject the liver. It came from a young man and was declared by the doctor to be a very healthy liver. In his words, it was "a beautiful liver." Now on to today's Bible Insight!
But you have an advocate, one who battles for you in the spiritual fight. Jesus Christ is your advocate with the Father. He intercedes on your behalf and He leads the battle as His angels bring the fight against Satan in the heavenly places. If you could roll back the screen between heaven and earth, as you go through hard times and face a spiritual battle on earth, you just might see a parallel battle in the heavenly places where the angels of God are battling Satan and his demons on your behalf. And as the battle is won in the heavenly places, so too you begin to see victory in your battle on earth.
That is where Ephesians 6:16-17 comes in. Verses 14-15 introduced the first three pieces of God’s armor that He has provided for every believer to equip them for this spiritual warfare. With the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the boots of the gospel of peace you can take your stand against the enemy forces and hold the fort of faith, so to speak. Standing on the truth, living in righteousness, and resting in the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, you can stand firm in the faith.
Now, when the battle heats up in life, there are three more pieces of God’s armor that He has provided for us to help us in the fight. Note verses 16-17: "Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." "Above all," in addition to the first three attributes of truth, righteousness, and the gospel, take up three more attributes: faith, salvation, and the Word of God.
Through thick and thin, no matter what, take up faith. Live by faith. In this context, faith refers to more than simply belief in basic Christian doctrine. It refers to a basic trust in God. It is faith in action. It is taking the doctrines we say we believe and living them out in your life. It is faith that trusts in Christ for daily provision and help. It is faith that lives in obedience to God and His Word. It is faith that trusts God completely in all things and at all times. It is faith that seeks to become more like Jesus. It is life lived in righteousness by faith. It is the protective shield of faith. And this faith is reliable because Christ is reliable.
This is the only piece of armor for which its effect is given. With the shield of faith you are "able to quench all the fiery darts" the enemy might throw at you. Every temptation Satan fires at us, his "fiery darts," is an attempt to get us to distrust God. He seeks to drive a wedge between us and Christ at every turn. He even tempted Jesus to distrust God in the wilderness (Matt. 4:3-10). In every instance, Jesus fought back in faith by quoting Scripture. Faith is the shield that extinguishes all the "fiery darts.”
"Take the helmet of salvation" (v. 17a). "The helmet" is related to salvation, indicating that Satan directs his attacks at our eternal security, our assurance of salvation in Christ. Like the soldier’s sword, Satan’s broadsword has two sharp edges: discouragement and doubt. He points out every negative thing in our life in order to make us lose heart, to become discouraged, and to take our eyes off of Jesus, putting our focus only on our troubles. He swings at the head trying to decapitate our faith. His blows are deflected as we stand secure in our salvation in Christ.
Finally, "the sword of the Spirit" is identified as "the word of God" (v. 17b). The context reveals that it is a spiritual weapon to be used in our struggle against spiritual enemies. Literally, it is "the words that come from God" (NEB). It is the God-breathed Word that is our guide and our best weapon. Learn the Word, know the Word, quote the Word, and win the victory. Amen.
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