August 1, 2017

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess  my transgressions to the Lord”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin." Psalm 32:5

In my marriage ceremonies I always include a phrase that says, "And always remember that marriage is the union of two good forgivers."

Not only does it sound neat it is a realization that when two imperfect people join their lives together there needs to be a way to compensate for the those imperfections. Mutual forgiveness is the only way it will work.

The central theme of Psalm 32 is, "Forgiveness is good because sin is bad."

Because you are a sinner you need a God Who is a forgiver. You have One!

Not only is God a good forgiver but His forgiving is greater than your sinning!

You can look at that one of two ways. You could see it as a license to live carelessly and be casual about sin since you can't out- sin His forgiveness! I don't recommend that. Nor does God.

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!  Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey —whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:10-16

Or, you can humble yourself under the grace and goodness of a Forgiving God and let that forgiveness bring you into an intimate personal faith relationship with Him! What could be better than a sinner having the joy of living with a Forgiver?!

You are a sinner and He is a forgiver. Sinners need forgivers! It sounds like a match made in heaven!

 

July 31, 2017

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." Romans 12:16

This section of Romans 12 mentions three aspects of this peace:

Giving grace not holding grudges, V. 14

Empathizing with other's emotions, V. 15

Humility helps with harmony, V. 16

These spiritual characteristics are significant be cause they promote peace and unity within a church fellowship. But even more so because they show evidence that you have found spiritual peace within.

The fact that you can extend grace to someone who has hurt you shows a spiritual maturity that comes only from the Holy Spirit.

And being able to celebrate the joys of others as sincerely as you celebrate your own and being able to bear the pain of others is a sure sign of spiritual maturity.

Unless you have arrived at a point of peace and contentment in the Holy Spirit, you will not be able to live like this.

Humility is the third quality of a spiritual person. For the next several posts we are going to think about humility and come to a better understanding of why it is so important within a fellowship of believers.

My favorite definition of humility comes from Dr. Elton Trueblood, the great Quaker scholar and theologian. He wrote, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, humility is not thinking of yourself at all."

If humility is anything, it is certainly removing your self interest from the spiritual equations of your life. It is being delivered from the natural human inclination to ask, "What's in it for me?" Humility is "seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness". Humility is factoring how you can benefit your brother or your sister.

Humility is a clear indication that your "flesh" has been crucified and that His love rules in your heart.

How do you measure on the humility scale?

Have you removed your self interest to the perimeter of your life?

Are your actions showing evidence that you "love God with all your heart and all your soul and your neighbor as yourself?"

Will you humbly assess your heart today?

July 30, 2017

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

I remember the first time I was involved in a church building program. I was very anxious to see that beautifully designed building become a reality on our recently purchased property! Even though it was four decades ago, I recall clearly when they began digging the hole for the foundation. After they dug out the hole they began pouring the footings and then the floor and basement walls. To an anxious young pup that I was, it seemed it took forever to get that foundation in place! Intellectually I understood the importance of a solid foundation but emotionally I wanted to see those walls rise and the roof put on so the community could see that a new church was about to be opened!

That building stands strong today on Dover Road in Princeton, Illinois because a good foundation was laid under it! I am glad the construction workers didn't share my impatience!

The wisest man who ever lived expounded on the importance of building a strong foundation under your children. And, he gives you some practical insights on how to do it!

When he uses the word "train" he is offering a word loaded with meaning! I will devote the next several articles on exploring the four facets of Solomon's instructions. “Train” is a loaded word in the Hebrew language in which it was originally written and you can render it several ways: “to narrow, to initiate or discipline; to dedicate" or, as I will interpret them: "to define", "to direct", "to discipline" and "to dedicate".

A good foundation for a child begins with defining who you are as a family who follows Christ and who bases your values and decisions upon the Word of God. That needs to happen early and often. Your child should know clearly what it means to be a Snyder, or a Thomas, or a Brown, or a Medina, or a Kline, or a Beasley, or a Jones, or a Clark, or a Tippey, etc.

Also, a strong foundation for your child requires a direction. Direction is given first by example. Lead them by the example of your walk. Direction is given by exhortation. As you show them the way, also tell them the way. Put clear guardrails along their path and impose consequences for veering off course.

"Training" a child requires consistent defining and persistent directing but will put good solid footings under your child's foundation for a lifetime!

July 29, 2015

“It (love) always protects…..” I Corinthians 13:7

Allow me to paraphrase this portion of I Corinthians 13:7 – “God’s Affection Is Your Protection”.

The word translated “protect” means “to cover”. You cover what you want to protect don’t you!

But the truth of this expression of love is much more comprehensive that just protecting something physically, it also has the connotation of protecting emotions and reputations. Nowadays we would express it like this, “I’ve got your back!”

To illustrate this I want to refer to the very example of how God’s love protects:

^“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:21-24

Keep in mind Adam and Eve had just rebelled against God through deliberate disobedience. Every good and perfect plan God had in mind for these two was now rendered impossible because their sin had broken fellowship with Him. Their sinful act had such devastating consequences that we are still suffering from them. They were so devastating Jesus suffered for them!

But despite their rebellion and fully aware of the destructive impact they would have on humanity for the rest of time, look how God demonstrated His love and mercy through the ways He protected them! Check it out!

1) He made clothing to cover the shame of their nakedness!

Imagine that!

Their shame was the result of their own rebelliousness and it permanently impaired the relationship they had with each other and the relationship they had with Him. But in His great love and mercy He covered their shame and gave them a layer of protection!

God had their backs! (And fronts)

2) He sent them out of the Garden to protect them from the tree of life!

Decisions have consequences and their consequence was to be banished from Paradise. But when you read this in context you see that even though it was a punishment for their sin, God still protected them! In His mercy He kept them from access to the tree of life so they wouldn’t eat from the tree and become forever condemned in their sin. God diminished the impact of their consequences and protected them from themselves!

God had their backs!

3) He placed angels to guard the entrance into the Garden!

Angels are often associated with the role of protecting God’s people. That is precisely what they were doing here. They were protecting Adam and Eve from their own flawed judgment and corrupted heart.

God’s love “covered” them with mercy and grace!

If you will commit yourself to Him today He will have your back! He will protect you from your greatest threat – yourself!

An Amazing Treatise On Faith

"Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:16-25

I was reading in Romans 4 this morning. What an amazing treatise on faith! Hebrews 11 has always been the "Faith Chapter", but this chapter is strong! Let me see if I can help you get your heart and mind around it.

FAITH IS BELIEVING

Abraham believed what he couldn't see. He trusted for something he had never see before. He was committed to a Higher Reality.

Why did he do that?

Because of a promise from God - "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as had been saint to him, 'So shall your offspring be.'" V. 18

Faith is believing what you have never seen - seeing with your spirit - because you trust the promise of God.

FAITH IS BEHAVING

Abraham not only trusted God in his mind and in his spirit, but he acted on what he believed. He took his wife and possessions and left for a place that had not yet been revealed to him. Every day he acted on what he believed God wanted him to do. As James tells us, "Faith without works is dead."

Why did he behave that way? He believed in the Person of God.

If you say you believe it is going to rain but you leave the house without your umbrella, you are not acting like someone who really believes. True belief, faith, expresses itself with action.

To say that you believe that the Bible is God's Word demands that you actually read it, know it, and live according to its truths. If the Bible doesn't shape your behavior, you are not a believer.

FAITH IS BECOMING

Because Abraham believed in the promise of God and the Person of God, but he also believed in the power of God to help him possess what He had promised! 

And because he believed and behaved like a believer - God believed in him.

The power to become is founded in the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. Abraham's faith was amazing because not only did he experience God's power prior to the Resurrection, he believed it before Jesus was even born!

Abraham became a literal father, but because he believed and behaved as a man of faith, God made Him a spiritual father. If you could look up faith in God's dictionary you would find a picture of Abraham because to God, Abraham = faith.

God counted Abraham as the righteous father of a great nation, even when he was childless.

God loves it when, by faith, we become what He has designed us to become!

It was out of the faithfulness of Abraham that the Hebrew people became a nation. And it was out of this nation that Jesus was born. So not only is Abraham the example of faith, he is the father of THE Faith.

How is your faith?

Do you believe in God's promises? 

Do you behave in a manner consistent with His Person? 

Are you becoming like like Jesus by His power?

July 27, 2017

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:34-35

"How did the Son of Man come? Luke 19:10 and Mark 10:45 tell us why he came – to seek and save the lost; to give his life as a ransom for many. But how did he come? What was his modus operandi? Preaching? Healing? Teaching? He certainly did those things. But Jesus himself says ‘the Son of Man came eating and drinking’ (Luke 7:34). Eating and drinking – a lot. New Testament scholar Robert Karris says: ‘In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.’ So much so that his enemies accuse him of being ‘a glutton and a drunkard’ – someone who eats too much and drinks too much. ‘The Son of Man’ is a reference to the representative of God’s people who comes in glory before the Ancient of Days to receive authority over all nations (Daniel 7). What is the Son of Man doing when he comes to earth? The Jews expected him to come with a bang, defeating God’s enemies and vindicating his people. Instead he shares a meal. 

Meals are a powerful of expression of welcome and friendship in every culture. This is why Jesus’ meals are so significant – they embody God’s grace and enact God’s mission. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Tax collectors were traitors not only to the nation, but also traitors towards God for they were collaborators with the Gentile occupiers who had defiled God’s holy land. So the table companions of Jesus led the Pharisees to conclude that he couldn't be from God (Luke 5:30; 7:39; 15:1–2). A reasonable conclusion – unless God’s grace is so amazing that it allows him to eat with his enemies and unless God’s grace explodes all our expectations (Luke 5:27–39). Meals are central to the mission of Jesus because they embody and enact the grace of God."  - Pastor Tim Chester

Maybe you never noticed how many of Jesus’ meals are in the gospels? Meals feature so prominently in the gospels that scholars have commented: ‘Jesus ate his way through the Gospels.’ Herbert Anderson and Edward Foley even claim: ‘… they killed him because of the way he ate; because he ate and drank with sinners.’ Jesus revealed the Kingdom as he shared meals with others. And Jesus’ ‘fellowship meals’ are formative for the mission of the local church today.

Part of the genius of the "BELLS" witnessing habits is that they are common things we all can do and do on a daily basis. In fact, they can become so routine we lose sight of the impact they can have. We tend to underestimate the power of small things done prayerfully, consistently and intentionally over time.

It is good to be reminded that eating meals with others was a PRIMARY method Jesus used for both evangelizing and making disciples!

So, that's why the "E" in BELLS stands for eat. The challenge is to schedule meals with at least three people each week for the purpose of building an evangelistic or a discipleship relationship. The book, "Surprise the World" suggests eating with at least one person in your church, one person not in your church and the third can be either.

If eating was an essential and effective method in Jesus' ministry, shouldn't you give it a try?

Reaching Hearts Through Stomachs

"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:33-35

There is an old saying that goes, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

I'd like to think us men are a little more complicated than that, but maybe not. We do love to eat and a well prepared meal has our full attention!

If you know that's true and I know it's true we can be sure Jesus knew it was true and He used sharing meals with men as a powerful primary evangelism tool!

It may amaze you as you thumb through the Gospels how often Jesus ate with others. More often than not His dining companions were publicans, tax collectors and as many others sinners He could gather.

Sure He began His ministry with 40 days of fasting but after that He was heavy into feasting! His first miracle was at a wedding feast in Cana. His last gathering with His disciples was a Passover feast in an Upper Room. 

Following His resurrection Jesus restored Peter from a fisherman back to a follower with an impromptu fish breakfast on the shore of Galilee.

I'm looking forward to the first official event in the New Heaven when all God's people sit down to the Feast of the Ages referred to as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

Maybe the old saying IS right! Maybe the way to a man's heart IS through his stomach! And if that is true maybe you and I should develop an intentional habit of having meals with those we want to reach for Jesus!