November 15, 2014

"One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." Job 1:6-8

I was never real good in math, but math is nice and tidy, very predictable. When you add one and one you always get two. Always. When you subtract 5 from 10 you get 5. Always. That is nice That is comfortable. That is so unlike life.

But somehow we take a mathematical approach to live. We think that if we do this good thing and combine it with that good thing we will get a good result. Maybe. Maybe not.

That is a huge part of the problem with suffering. It doesn't always add up. In the Bible some of the men who suffered the most lived the best. So here's the math: righteous living + faithful obedience = severe suffering. God's math is strange!

There weren't many who were more moral that Job. He was so righteous that God bragged on him to the Devil! Of all the people I want to impress, God is THE ONE! So what did Job's stellar resume get him? Deep sorrow and suffering. How does that add up?

David had a heart like God's. When God chose him to be King his life was constantly threatened by Saul the reigning king. He spent years running from Saul even though David was totally blameless. Several times he could have killed Saul and ended the period of exile, but he chose to honor Saul because Saul still occupied the throne. David suffered and suffered longer than he needed to because his heart was right and he chose to wait on God. 

How does that add up?

And then, of course, there was Jesus. He was sinless and remained sinless for one reason. So He could become sin for us and suffer our judgment. The very Son of God died a horrifying excruciating shameful death for one reason - He was the only One holy enough to do it! There is no worse suffering than death on a cross. God's best took our worst. How does that add up?

This brings us back to the problem that has no mathematical solution, a holy all powerful loving God Who could prevent all suffering doesn't. No one has ever been able to balance that equation. That has caused many to abandon faith or to choose not to believe.

What do you do when life doesn't add up?

What are you to believe when God subtracts from your comfort rather than adding to it?

Will you factor in God's goodness and love when the math doesn't seem to work?

Can you trust your problem to be His solution?

November 14, 2014

"......your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

The thought of a "kingdom" is very prominent in the Bible. Over and over it is mentioned. The expression "the kingdom of God" is used 68 times in the New Testament. The expression "the kingdom of Heaven is used 31 times all in the book of Matthew.

Obviously, this concept is consistent with the notion that God is the King. Those who acknowledge His Sovereignty and Authority belong to His kingdom. The boundaries of God's Kingdom begin at the edge of your obedience and surrender.

If the Kingdom of God is going to impact and counteract the kingdoms of man it must happen in the hearts of His people. You must submit to the reign of God and crown Him King of your life.

The reason Heaven is "heavenly" is because God's will is done there continually, completely and cheerfully! One reason our world is not so "heavenly" is because God's will is not done. His kingdom will only come where His will is done.

Jesus demonstrated what can happen in the life of a person who is willing to always choose God's will above his own will. At the very time He was teaching His disciples to pray "your kingdom come, your will be done" He was showing them every day what perfect obedience looked like.

Praying "your kingdom come, your will be done" is redundant. Doing His will ushers in His kingdom. His kingdom comes ONLY where His will is done.His kingdom exists where ever His people obey His Word and do His will.

When you pray "your will be done" you are also saying, "I submit to your will".  You crown Him King in your life when your will comes into alignment with His will through your total surrender. "Your will be done" becomes your practice not just your prayer. You will know His kingdom has come in your life when His will is done in you as it is done in heaven.

Can you imagine the peace that would settle into your spirit if only His will was at work in your life?

Can you imagine the power that could operate in your life if only His will was at work through your life?

Wouldn't that be "HEAVENLY"?

November 13, 2014

"The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all." Psalm 103:19

As Christ-followers in 2014 America, it is not easy to get our minds around the importance of a spiritual kingdom ruled by God.

We don't know about kingdoms. We only understand about a representative democracy where we elect our leaders. We only know a system of government where our leaders are chosen for the purpose of serving us!

Because the Kingdom of God is such a core principle of our faith, it is vital to understand what is and why it matters.

The presence and coming of the Kingdom of God was the central message of Jesus. For example, "his teaching was designed to show men how they might enter the Kingdom of God (Matt. 5:20; 7:21). His mighty works were intended to prove that the Kingdom of God had come upon them (Matt. 12: 28). His parables illustrated to His disciples the truth about the Kingdom of God (Matt. 13:11). And when He taught His followers to pray, at the heart of their petition were the words, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). On the eve of His death, He assured His disciples that He would yet share with them the happiness and the fellowship of the Kingdom (Luke 22:22-30). And He promised that He would appear again. on the earth in glory to bring the blessedness of the Kingdom to those for whom it was prepared (Matt. 25:31, 34)." 

The term "Kingdom of God" occurs four times in Matthew (12:28; 19:24; 21:31; 21:43), fourteen times in Mark, thirty-two times in Luke, twice in the Gospel of John (3:3, 5), six times in Acts, eight times in Paul, and once in Revelation (12:10). Matthew actually prefers the term "Kingdom of heaven" which he uses over 20 times in his gospel.

While Matthew primarily uses the term “kingdom of heaven” and other gospel writers (notably Luke) use the term “kingdom of God,” it is clear that these two expressions mean exactly the same thing (e.g. compare Matt. 5:3 with Luke 6:20). In the past some have tried to maintain a distinction between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God; however, the vast majority of theologians today recognize the terms as synonymous.

Graeme Goldsworthy has summarized a definition of the Kingdom of God as "God's people in God's place under God's rule." 

Anthony Hoekema has described God's Kingdom as "the reign of God dynamically active in human history through Jesus Christ, the purpose of which is the redemption of his people from sin and from demonic powers, and the final establishment of the new heavens and the new earth." 

George Eldon Ladd notes that "The primary meaning of both the Hebrew word "malkuth" in the Old Testament and of the Greek "wordbasileia" in the New Testament is the rank, authority and sovereignty exercised by a king. A "basileia" may indeed be a realm over which a sovereign exercises his authority; and it may be the people who belong to that realm and over whom authority is exercised; but these are secondary and derived meanings. First of all, a kingdom is the authority to rule, the sovereignty of the king." 

In short, God's Kingdom is wherever He is acknowledged, honored, worshiped, obeyed and served as King.

Have you crowned Him King in your life?

November 12, 2014

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Luke 9:20

Do you find it curious that Jesus is asking them if they know Who He is after they have walked with Him and worked with Him for almost three years now?

Further, consider when He asked this probing question. They had recently went out on a mission in His name healing people and driving out demons! The day before they had miraculously fed thousands of people with one simple lunch!

Is it possible to do all those amazing feats and still not know Who Jesus is?

Apparently.

Consider what Jesus said on another occasion:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23

Chilling isn't it? Jesus makes it plain that you can do amazing things in His name but not necessarily know Him.

Could it be that discipleship is not so much about what you do are as what you are? Could it be that discipleship is about intimately understanding Who Jesus is? It makes sense that there is a difference between knowing Jesus and knowing about Him.

That is a HUGE difference! That is THE difference - relationship vs. religion. Religion is based on the belief that you can "do" and "not do" yourself into believing. But Jesus pokes a whole through that notion! He wants to live in relationship with you and desires to live His life out through you. Your doing for Christ results from being in Christ.

If your focus is on what you do or don't do for Christ, you are not a disciple. Even if you are doing miracles and deliverance it is about "being" not "doing". True discipleship is knowing Jesus and living in intimate relationship with Him.

Are you in Christ today? 

Do you know Him? 

Don't settle for doing.

November 11, 2014

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." John 15:13

Happy Veteran's Day!

I offer my deep and sincere appreciation to each of you who served our great nation. Thank you for defending my freedom!

As I thoughtfully considered the most meaningful way to express my profound respect for those of you who have served in our military I found this tribute from one of my heroes, President Ronald Reagan. Cut and paste it into your browser and enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt8y18YFH70&feature=youtu.be&t=3m31s

God bless you!

God bless America!

November 10, 2014

Do you think it is possible to live without anxiety? Would you like to do so? Five times in the 10 verses, Matthew 6:24-34, Jesus used the word worry.

And in three of these instances, He spoke it as a command: "'Don't worry'" He wasn't merely making a suggestion or trying to calm people down. This was an order! "Worry." He said, should be banned from the hearts of kingdom people.

Why is it wrong for kingdom people to be fraught with worry?

1) Worry is futile and counterproductive. Jesus pointedly asked whether anxiety could add even a short time to our life spans (v. 27). In truth, doctors tell us that anxiety will most likely shorten our lives.

2) Worry indicates a lack of understanding. The nature and character of our Father is to feed the songbirds and water the wildflowers. "'Aren't you worth more than they?'"

3) Worry shows a lack of faith. Jesus said it takes a person "'of little'" to worry about His needs being met (v. 30). What impact does anxiety have on our kingdom witness?

4) Worry is an ungodly response to life. Of all the arguments against anxiety, this one should perhaps stun us. If worry is the pattern that comes most naturally to everyone (V. 32), why would we want to be known for being like the average unbeliever.

As kingdom people, there should be numerous things about us that can only be explained by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Freedom from worry is one of them.

When I pray, "Thy kingdom come," I am establishing that my first concern each day is God's kingdom and not mine. Further, I am asking the Father to show me what He s doing and allow me to participate with Him as He advances His kingdom on earth. Ask God to strengthen your faith and put your focus and the kingdom so that you can put worry behind you.

November 9, 2014

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe," Psalm 107:1-2

Who are the "redeemed"? What does it mean to be "redeemed"?

To be redeemed means to be "bought back". In this case, "Redeemed from the hand of the foe".

So, what's the deal with that?

The deal is we were sold out by Adam when he disobeyed God and sinned. When Adam sinned he became sinful, his nature became corrupted and his mind became wicked. Since we are his heirs we inherited his sinful and corrupt nature. Everyone born since Adam has been born as a sinner spiritually separated from God and therefore, spiritually dead.

Because we are born as sinners we are cut off from the goodness of God. Even worse, we are unable to receive the love of God. His goodness and love have no effect on us when we are dead in our trespasses and sins. There is no hope in His goodness and no connection to his love.

But, because God is good and because His love endures forever, He would not allow us to spend time and eternity separated from His goodness and love. Something had to be done. His goodness and love demanded it. A price had to be paid if we were to be redeemed.

What God did out His goodness and love was to send His Son, Jesus. Jesus became the second Adam and was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. That enabled Him to be born with a sinless nature. He was uniquely and divinely designed to redeem us, to buy us back. Because He was without sin He could take our sins upon Himself and become the sacrifice. Only One so filled with goodness and love would do such a thing.

Jesus redeemed us. God bought us back at the cost of His Son. We have been ransomed and set free!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say this, "God is good! His love endures forever!" 

Thanks be to God!