December 5, 2017

The story of Zacchaeus shows God's serious love expressed at Christmas. He sent Jesus to seek those who are lost. The story shows how Jesus comes seeking.

Jesus knew what Zacchaeus was hoping, and He knew where he was hiding and He knew where he was hurting. Jesus also knew when to help. After all, that is what He came to do!

"But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham."  Luke 19: 8-9

USUALLY WE ARE READY TO LET GOD HELP WHEN:

TIRED OF HOPING

TIRED OF HURTING

TIRED OF HIDING

That’s about where Zacchaeus was when Jesus found him – he was ready to receive from the Lord and He shows how you can find help from Him:

V. 6 – He Responded to His Call - “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

V. 8 – He Repented to Him - “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor”

V. 8 – He Made Restitution – “and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

V. 9 – He Received Salvation - “Today salvation has come to this house”

Who wouldn’t want to be “found” by a God Who Knows your hopes and has better hopes for you?

READY TO RESPOND TO HIS CALL?

Who wouldn’t want to be “found” by a God Who knows what your hiding but loves you and seeks you anyway?

READY TO REPENT?

Who wouldn’t want to be “found” by a God Who knows your hurts and how to heal them?

READY TO MAKE IT RIGHT?

Who wouldn’t want to find a God Who knows how to help you out of your sin and your guilt and your fear?

READY TO RECEIVE? All the people saw this an began to mutter, "Today salvation has come to this house!"

Jesus came seeking. Will you be found?

December 4, 2017

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

You know you can believe God loves you because He proved His love by sending His Son, Jesus!

Jesus proved His love for God AND for you by leaving Heaven, coming to earth, living an obedient life, dying for your sins and then arising from the dead to conquer death.

John 3:16 reveals God’s Perfect Plan For Helping Imperfect People Get Into A Perfect Place For Eternity!

It is only because of this perfect plan for imperfect people that any of us have hope of spending eternity with Him!

God loves us!

Jesus proved it by coming to be our Savior!

So what is your part in this perfect plan for imperfect people?

BELIEVE!

What does it mean to truly believe?

BE PERFECT IN YOUR DESIRE

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

^“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38

If an imperfect person like you, wants to get to God’s perfect place for eternity, you must desire God more than you desire anything else!

You must realize that life is supposed to be about Him NOT about you!

God will cannot be your God if you desire anything more than you desire Him. Whatever you desire more than God – that is your god!

You must desire God more than you desire that next cigarette or that next drink or the next high. You must desire Him more than money, more than possessions, more than power, or popularity or position. You must desire God more than any other relationship.

If you say you believe in God but you don’t desire Him more than anything – you don’t believe.

That is what it means to believe! It means to choose God as your chief desire EVERY TIME!

Does that describe you? Do you desire Him more than anything?

If you don’t desire Him more than anything else, you don’t believe like He wants you to believe.

That’s what it takes for imperfect people to get into His perfect place!

BE PERFECT IN YOUR DEVOTION

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24

Being devoted to God means you give yourself, your life to obeying Him, obeying His Word (The Bible) and pleasing Him above your own pleasure.

Perfect devotion means every time you your desires come into conflict with His desires you choose His desires.

That is what Jesus did! He was devoted to God, His Father, and God wanted to redeem the world from sin. For that to happen, Jesus would have to leave Heaven, come to earth and humble Himself into a human being. Then, as a human being He devoted Himself to obeying God.

Do you think He WANTED to be beaten and spat upon? Do you think He REALLY wanted to suffer on a cross? He endured those things because He was devoted to God.

A believer must devote himself to obeying God and doing God’s will.

That is how imperfect people are able to get to a perfect place for eternity!

Does that describe how you believe?

BE PERFECT IN YOUR DECISIONS

This is where belief really becomes practical as well as powerful.

For imperfect people to get to a perfect place forever you must make every decision based upon His desires and His will.

Believing in God means you make all your decisions according to what pleases God.

Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Joshua said, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

Decisions result in actions and attitudes and have consequences in your life and family

Believers ask before making decisions ask, “What does the Bible say?” Or, “What would Jesus do in this situation?”

Does that describe your faith? Is that how you express your belief?

Christmas demonstrates that a Perfect God has a perfect plan for imperfect people to get into a perfect place for eternity! But it requires imperfect people to believe and believing means – "Be Perfect In Your Desires, Be Perfect In Your Devotion and Be Perfect In Your Decisions".

God loved!

Jesus came!

You MUST believe!

.

December 3, 2017

Yesterday I talked about Christmas as proof that God loves you because He is serious about sin. He hates sin because He loves people and sin hurts people.

This Sunday I will talk about how God proves His love because He is serious about seeking. That got me wondering if the Bible talks more about God seeking us or about us seeking God. I haven't found a definite answer yet but I suspect He is the greater Seeker.

A lot of the basis for God seeking us is from stories in the Bible about specific people, or groups of people (mainly Israel).

Most prophets in the Bible, God has to pursue to do his work and to give a message to his people. Think about Moses. Moses denied his ability to speak and be a leader of God's people, but he pursued Moses until he was convinced of God's plan for him. In the story of Jonah God wants Jonah to be a prophet to the people but he runs away. He keeps running while God pursues him to the point where he finds himself on a boat in the middle of a storm and Jonah comes to terms with God's plan. Through God's seeking of Jonah (as a prophet to the people, and thereby seeking his people), he sends a fish that swallows him and puts him back on shore.

In the New Testament Jesus sought out most of those who became His disciples. He sought the woman at the well. He sought Zaccheus.

Jesus told several stories about a lost coin, a lost sheep, and a lost son that were desperately sought.

As far as verses go this is what I found just quickly when I came across this question.

Luke 19:10 - "And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those who are lost."

Romans 5:8 - "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."

John 6:44 - "For people can't come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead."

Proverbs 8:17 - "I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me."

Luke 11:9-10 - "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks."

While some of the verses talk about us seeking God, it also shows that God is right there when we seek him. He is seeking us by providing the answers and knowledge we're looking for right in front of our noses.

And it is true because of Christmas!

December 2, 2017

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the  one man, Jesus Christ!" Romans 5:12-17

Jesus was born to be the second Adam!

Why would He want to do that?

Because the first Adam blew it big time!

The second Adam had to undo what the first Adam did.

The first Adam was hand-crafted by God. Therefore, he was created with a sinless nature so He could walk with God.

The second Adam was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin, therefore, He was born sinless. Not only could He walk with God, He came from God and was in fact, God in the flesh!

The first Adam was placed in Paradise and enjoyed a personal intimate friendship with God every day - until he rebelled and was expelled.

The second Adam was in Paradise but left it to come to earth. He gave up His paradise to suffer and die in our world in order to regain access to Paradise for you and me!

The first Adam was perfect but sinned because he wanted to be God.

The second Adam WAS God but became man - albeit a perfect man - for one reason, so He could die to atone for our sins! He had to be sinless so He could take our sins upon Himself!

Christmas is about the arrival of the second Adam! The second Adam means a second chance!

The good news of Christmas is that God is the God of second chances! Jesus proved it!

The Motive and Necessity of Christmas

^"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8

Following up on the story I shared in yesterday's post, here are some applications:

In reference to the convicted and condemned criminal - a thief and a murderer - he is you! 

And me.

Our sins are as grievous to God as his crimes are to us. As Romans 3:23 declares, "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God".

Like him, we are guilty and condemned and worthy of judgment.

The daughter in the story, the innocent victim of the wicked criminal, represents the holiness of God which we have violated by our sinful thoughts and deeds.

A holy God cannot have fellowship with sinful people which is one of the BIG problems with sin - it separates us from God. That is sad for Him and tragic for us!

The judge and jury represent the justice of God that defends His holiness.

It is impossible for us to violate His holiness and escape the justice of God. In the short term it may seem as though evil is winning the day, but justice and judgment is coming.

In the story, the warden represents the devil who had to begrudgingly submit to the Father's authority and demands.

The father in this parable is God Who suffered from multiple attacks on His holiness and kindness.

Despite all the rebellion directed toward God, His nature does not change nor do His purposes. He remains merciful and yet mindful of those who continue in rebellion against Him. Judgment will eventually come to those who reject the Father's mercy.

And, the Son in the story is Jesus! The execution is the Cross.

I contend that in order to fully appreciate the love of God you must understand how awful and destructive sin is.

While love was the motive for Christmas, sin made it necessary. That is Paul's point when he penned these words, "God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Christmas proves that God is serious about sin - dead serious.......

November 30, 2017

"Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die. But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:1-8

I want you to imagine this scenario. You are the proud parent of a teen-aged son and a daughter who is also in her teens. They are both good students and active in church and school events.

One day you and your spouse are at work while your son is at ball practice. Your lovely teen daughter is at home alone. Someone breaks into the house to rob it and discovers her there alone, surprises her, assaults her and then brutally murders her. Following that heinous act he returns to emptying your house of every valuable item he can find.

You are the one who comes home to find your house ransacked and then make the horrible discovery of your daughter's lifeless savaged body.

This is a parent's worst nightmare! How could anything be much worse than this?

Fortunately, the thief and murderer is arrested and brought to trial. During the trial you find out more about this criminal and begin to understand some of the factors in his life that shaped him into such a cruel person. You begin to feel a bit of compassion for him yet you are thankful that he is found guilty beyond reasonable doubt and convicted of murder and grand larceny.

A month later when he is sentenced to die by legal injection you feel that justice has been served but there is also a sense of sadness over it.

During the several years that he is on death row you make repeated efforts to reach out to him but every request is denied by him. In fact, he shows no remorse but taunts you by saying he is glad he did it, he enjoyed it and he would do it again if he had the chance.

The years drag by until the day of his execution arrives. At the stroke of midnight he is to be administered a lethal dose of drugs through an injection that will end his life and carry out the justice demanded of him by the court and the legal system.

You, your wife and your son are ushered in to the small cramped room where the execution is to happen. It is a few minutes before midnight and he had been strapped to the gurney and the tubes are being inserted that will transport the lethal toxins into his body.

He refuses when asked if he wants to make a final statement. The warden turns to you and asks if there is anything you would want to say to the condemned man. You reply, "Yes, there is. My family wants him to know we have forgiven him for this terrible thing he did. In fact, my son and I have discussed this at length and decided we want him to be free from his guilt and condemnation. For that to happen, my son offers himself to be strapped to the gurney and receive the lethal dose instead of this convicted criminal. That will satisfy the demands of justice and carry out the remedy prescribed by the court."

The shocked warden responds, "This is highly unusual. This is very unusual. Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

You and your son both affirm this as your will.

"Okay, then," concedes the warden, "Release the prisoner and take this young man into custody to prepare him for execution."

Broken-hearted, you watch as the lethal dosage is pumped into your son causing him excruciating suffering until the life drains out of him.

"A ridiculous story," you protest! "Who would even consider doing such a thing?"

I wouldn't!

You wouldn't!

But that is precisely what God did! At just the right moment He sent His Son, Who willing left heaven to suffer the penalty for your sins and mine! We were guilty. He was innocent. He suffered a cruel and shameful death sentence in our place to satisfy the just demands of a Holy God.

That is how good He is! That is how much He loves you! That is how much He wants to live in a loving relationship with you!

And that is how bad sin is! That is how ugly and disgusting it is to cause an innocent man to die a painful death so you and I could be set free from the death penalty imposed by sin.

It was in a stable in Bethlehem where a teen-aged by and his teen-aged wife gave birth to the Son of God Who came to take away the sins of the world! Jesus, the Savior, born to die for you and for me!

Glory in the highest!

But this is a gift that must be received! 

Have you received it?

Dead Spot

"You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:31-33

Mary was the first to hear of the new thing God was about to do! Everything was about about to change! God was about to move upon His people with a new work in a new way and the world would never be the same! There was "good news of great joy" about to be revealed in the Person of Jesus - God in the flesh!

Ritual and rules and religion and, especially, religious  leaders had relegated God to the fringes of their existence. They had strangled the life and joy out of seeking and serving God. There was no love, no freedom, no fellowship, and no life in their religious observances. For centuries they had been going through the motions mouthing the words and clinging to spiritual pride born from the false hope that they were "the chosen ones". Although their priests, scribes and religious leaders knew all about God, few of them actually knew Him.

Dead things need to be buried or revived. What they were trying to bury, God was about to revive. An amazing spiritual revival was just one obedience away! God needed a person, a vessel, through whom He could channel His power and accomplish His will.

Enter, Mary. She was the one God had chosen through which to bring a transforming visitation to His people. If you will - a revival. If Christmas is about anything it is about revival. There certainly would be no hope for revival if Christ had not come and Christ came at Christmas!  I hear a whole lot of talk about revival. I hear people saying how badly our nation needs revival or our church needs revival or our people need revival or our preachers need revival and they are right! We certainly could benefit from all of the above. But please define revival! I am not sure I am clear on what they are wanting. Perhaps they are not either. My guess is they are thinking of a scheduled series of meetings with a fiery evangelist preaching and some inspiring musicians who will come and whip them up into a spiritual and emotional frenzy.

Here is what two of the greatest evangelists and revivalists of the last century and a half had to save about revival:

Charles Finney, perhaps the most anointed evangelist since John the Baptist, noted this about the role obedience and sacrifice play in revival, “Revival is nothing more or less than a new obedience to God!”

A. W. Tozer, one of the spiritual giants of the 20th century added this thought, "Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience."

Revival is a direct result of obedience. Obedience moves God from the edges of our live to the center. Obedience allows God to cleanse us from the dead works of religion and sweep in with the refreshing, life-giving wind of relationship!

On this historic day when the angel appeared to Mary, He was indicating that a great move of God upon her and through her was just one obedience away!

Could it be that revival, a fresh move of God upon you, is just one obedience away? Is it possible that you need to stop wishing for revival or praying from revival and simple "obey" for revival?

Is there a "dead spot" in your spirit? Is there a point of disobedience that is preventing God from moving upon your heart and spirit?

Look what happened to our world when Mary chose to obey! Look how she did it, “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Her obedient response to God brought a revival that continues to this day!

Is there a point in your life where you have pushed God to the edges by your disobedience? Will you allow God to move to your center by praying with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant, May your word to me be fulfilled.”