August 12, 2014

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12

What do these nations have in common: Nepal, China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Mongolia, Cambodia, Bahrain, Benin, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Bhutan, Mali, Brunei, Guinea, Kuwait, Singapore, and Turks and Caicos?

These countries are all located either in Asia or North Africa.

Most of these nations have a predominately Muslim population, with some Buddhists, Hindus, or atheists.

A majority of the world's population resides in these 20 nations.

The majority of these countries are ruled by totalitarian governments where Christianity is opposed, oppressed or outlawed.

In most, if not all of these nations, a Christian can be arrested or killed for sharing his faith with a non-Christian.

These nations represent the top twenty places where Christianity is growing at the fastest rate.

How is it that the Church of Jesus Christ is growing  fastest in these areas where Christian faith is prohibited and Believers live under the constant threat of persecution?

Jesus said those who are persecuted for the sake of His righteousness are blessed people. Therefore, the Christians living in these countries are more blessed than we American Christians because they are remaining strong and faithful under the pressures of persecution while we practice our faith in freedom.

For you to share your faith it costs you nothing. For one of them to share his faith could cost him everything. The worst you might suffer from sharing your faith is a little ridicule or rejection. Any one of them could suffer arrest, imprisonment or death.

So, why do they courageously and consistently share their faith when you rarely do?

Think about that.

Pray about that.

Pray for them.

Pray for yourself.

August 11, 2014

"I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against God" Psalm 119:11

Americans like the “bottom line” so let’s get to the bottom line for this verse. How does that sound?

This little verse with a big message is, in fact, the answer to an important question posed in verse nine, “How can a young man keep his way pure?”

So, the bottom line is that everything we have studied so far only matters if you are interested in living a pure and holy life. Others need not apply.

David, the Psalmist declares that the reason he hides the Word of God in his heart is because he doesn’t want to sin against God. If sin doesn’t bother you the Word won’t matter that much.

Logically, if staying pure and holy in all your thoughts and actions is important to you then you will meditate and memorize the Word of God. Therefore, if you are not meditating or memorizing the Word of God it would indicate a lack of interest in holy living.

If you have filed your Bible in the “inspiration reading” section of your mind or if you keep it on hand as a reference book you are not that concerned about sin. Very, very dangerous!

Here in this last half of the verse, are contained two very important truths about sin. Before we wrap our consideration of this verse allow me to point them out.

First, he says that sin is a choice – “that I might not sin”

One of the main blessings of salvation in Christ is it can free you from the power of sin. You no longer have to live as a slave to it. The main message of the Cross is Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for your sins that you can be free!

Every sin is preceded by a thought. If you entertain that thought it becomes a temptation and when you dwell on that temptation it usually leads to sin. So, before you sin you have to run a couple of red lights. You sin because you choose to. For someone who claims to be a Christian, that is exceedingly dangerous.

Think about it. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness He had to rely on quoting the Scriptures He had hidden in His heart. If Jesus Who WAS the Word had to rely on the Word to resist sin, what makes you think you can ignore your meditation and memorization?

Second, he says that sin has a consequence – “against God”

When you sin it is against God. When you choose to sin you choose against God. When you refuse to humble yourself to the Word to meditate on it and memorize it you are choosing against God’s wisdom and truth.

I am not sure you want to do that. You probably don’t want to do that. You certainly shouldn’t do that!

You also sin against yourself in that your sin breaks your fellowship with God AND you are the one who will have to live with the consequences of your sin.

Sin complicates your life. Sin alienates you from God. Sin has consequences that you can choose to avoid. Why wouldn’t you? You can choose purity from sin or you can suffer the penalty of sin. It is all dependent on what you do with God’s Word.

That’s the bottom line.

August 10, 2014

"I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against God" Psalm 119:11

God’s Word is light and life to those who believe. But it is only effective for those who know how to read it, study, it and apply it to daily living. The Psalmist knew how and it enabled Him to overcome sinfulness.

To hide the Word in your heart you need to know how to get it there. You don’t hide the Word by accident nor do you wake up one morning to find yourself Biblically literate. You can’t use your Bible for a pillow and hope it sinks in by osmosis.

How do I get it into my heart?

Meditate

Now what does this meditation involve? The word "meditation" in Hebrew means basically to speak or to mutter. When this is done in the heart it is called musing or meditation. So meditating on the Word of God day and night means to speak to yourself the Word of God day and night and to speak to yourself about it.

Max Lucado says that meditation is essentially the same process as worrying and if you can worry you have the ability to meditate!

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” Psalms 19:14

"O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97

"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all". 1 Timothy 4:15

To meditate on God’s Word you must get alone in a quiet setting where you can read it and think about and pray and listen to the Holy Spirit. The goal of meditation is threefold:

1) To communicate with God

2) To convicted or inspired by it’s truth.

3) To conform your life to God’s truth.

Will you meditate on God’s Word so it can be hidden in your heart and revealed in your habits?

Memorize

Another important aspect of hiding His Word in your heart goes beyond meditating and on to memorizing it – storing it in your mind. Don’t say you have a bad memory or that you can’t memorize! The biggest barrier to memorization is that “stinkin’ thinkin’”. Memorizing requires more time and effort than some want to invest in it, but everyone CAN memorize.

Here is the process you can commit to:

1) Read it

2) Repeat it – say it over and over and out loud.

3) Record it – write in on a flash card or record it on a CD so you can listen while traveling to work and back.

4) Recite it

5) Remember it – if you can recite it verbatim you have memorized it.

The word hidden in your heart and in your mind will enrich your life and elevate it beyond your wildest dream!

Something is written on your heart. Something will affect your thoughts and influence your behavior. If that “something” is not the Word of God you evidently have not been meditating on it or memorizing it.

If you find yourself worrying you probably are not memorizing and if you are not memorizing you have good reason to worry!

August 9, 2014

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the sons of God"  Matthew 5:9

One of the things that first attracted me to Barbara was her happy nature. I am a happy person and I enjoy being around happy people, so that grabbed my attention. After having been in a long-term relationship with an unhappy person her nature was very appealing.

I knew that if we were going to grow into a serious relationship making her happy would be a key factor and given the fact that she was already a happy lady made that seem more doable. At the risk of being too honest, I will admit that I was more interested in the happiness she could give me than I was the happiness I would be required to afford her.

After several years of marriage it finally dawned on me that if I wanted to be happy it was important to make her happy. That was a significant day in the Snyder household! After 27 year years together we are happy, happy, happy!

It has been a long time since I first trusted Jesus for salvation but I have no doubt that I came to faith with the idea that God could make me happy. I have a feeling I am not the only one who began following Christ with that selfish motivation.

When I decided on the name "Happiness Happens" for this series of sermons on the Beatitudes I was banking on people's interest in finding happiness to possibly capture some attention. But the subtitle I added, "But not like you think it does" should have been a clue about whose happiness I was referring to.

The "blessed" in the each Beatitude means, happy in the sense of having God's approval or the joy that comes from knowing God is pleased with you. So, Jesus taught eight ways to win God's favor on your life. Implied in these verses is that if you make God happy you will be happy.

For the believer, that is precisely how happiness happens. You find happiness by making God happy.

Becoming fully aware of how spiritually corrupt and morally bankrupt you are in the sight of a Holy God makes Him happy!

Having a broken heart because of your sinfulness makes God happy!

Humbly surrendering to His sovereign will for your life and committing to trust Him makes Him happy!

Realizing your spiritual emptiness and craving to be filled with His righteousness makes Him happy!

Being grateful for His mercy on your life and extending that mercy to others makes God happy!

Calling upon God through the blood of Jesus to make you spiritually and morally pure makes Him happy!

Those who find spiritual peace in God and reconcile men to God and to one another is a man who makes God happy!

You will find happiness when the passion of your life is to make God happy by building His Beatitudes into your daily living.

Happiness happens, but it happens by making Him happy!

Will you commit to His happiness today?

August 8, 2014

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be call the sons of God." Matthew 5:9

How does a peacemaker know when to make peace?

When peace is disrupted by injustice, perceived or actual, then a peacemaker needs to become involved.

When peace is disturbed by unrighteous acts or attitudes, a peacemaker can do the work of God.

How does a peacemaker approach peacemaking when the time is right?

A. Talk to God

I find it crucial to talk to the Lord about what I’ve done or what people have done to me before I talk to them. It gives me perspective and tenderness. The Lord helps me see the deeper needs in the relationship and what has caused the problem. He, also, shows me my part, and often, my wrong words, behavior, or attitude that is hindering the reconciliation. Even if the other person is 95 percent in the wrong and I am only 5 percent in the wrong, I still have to confess my error. Then, I surrender the conflict to the Lord.

B. Take the first step

Jesus is real clear on this action. Jesus said, “So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matt. 5:23-24). This, I believe, is the most ignored verse in the Bible. Later, Jesus said, “"If your brother sins against you,  go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother” (Matt. 18:15). You are to make the first move. Peacemakers take the initiative. “But,” you say, “Why should I go to the person when they are the one that hurt me.” Do you want the biblical answer? Because Jesus says so. Conflict is never resolved accidentally. That first step may be a letter, a phone call, or a visit. If someone has wrong you or you have wronged someone else, take action today. Your peace of mind and your Christian witness depends on your taking the first step. Happiness, God's and yours, awaits your action.

C. Tell the other person how you feel

When you take the first step and speak to the other person, before you speak, remember the words of Solomon and Paul. Solomon wrote, “A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath” (Prov. 15:1). Paul wrote, “No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29). Empathize with their feelings. Consider their situation. Attack the problem not the person. Clarify don’t confront. Cooperate as much as possible. Emphasize reconciliation not resolution. Reconciliation is more crucial than being right.

D. Stop talking about the people who have hurt you to other people

Nothing disqualifies us in being peacemakers more than talking about people rather than talking to them. The old Spanish proverb is correct: “Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you.” A peacemaker never says anything about another person that she or he has not first said to that person directly. After that, why tell anyone else?

No wonder a peacemaker is called a "son of God" since he reconciles people to God and restores relationships between people. A peacemaker is willing to disturb superficial peace order to restore the righteousness and justice that leads to true peace.

Blessed are the peacemakers!

August 7, 2014

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the sons of God." Matthew 5:9

When Jewish people greet one another or bid farewell they say, "Shalom!"

"Shalom" means peace, not in the sense of the absence of trouble, but peace that comes from the presence and the prosperity of God.

Numbers 6:24-26 brings out this idea very clearly: “The LORD bless you and protect you; the LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the LORD look with favor on you and give you peace”

As you can see from that greeting given by Aaron, the brother of Moses, peace is the result of having a right relationship with God. Peace is living under God's favor.

The word "blessed" that prefaces each of the eight beatitudes means having God's approval or living under His pleasure.

A peacemaker has the double blessing of living under God's pleasure while experiencing God's peace. He has the "shalom" of God!

Obviously, to be a peacemaker you must first enjoy the peace of God! You cannot be an agent of peace if you do not know that peace. 

A pastor friend of mine gives this helpful explanation, "The word make in the term “peacemakers” comes from the Greek verb that means “to do” or “to make.” It is a word bursting with energy. It mandates action and initiative. Someone has to drag the combatants to the table and give them a reason to put down their arms. Notice Jesus did not say “Blessed are the peacewishers or the peacehopers or the peacedreamers or the peacelovers or the peacetalkers.” Peace must be made. Peace never happens by chance. A peacemaker is never passive. They always take the initiative. They are up and doing.

So when these two words are taken together, “peace” and “maker,” it describes one who actively pursues peace. The peacemaker pursues more than the absence of conflict; they don’t avoid strife (in fact, sometimes, peacemaking will create strife); they aren’t merely seeking to appease the warring parties; they aren’t trying to accommodate everyone. Instead, they are pursuing all the beauty and blessedness of God upon another."

One of my favorite Bible scholars, William Barclay translates this verse defining peacemakers, “They are people who produce right relationships in every sphere of life.”

Peacemakers live in the righteousness and the justice of God that comes only from a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Peacemakers gently, patiently but persistently work to restore relationships between people and to reconcile people to God.

Blessed is the one who recognizes his sinfulness, mourns over it and repents to God, meekly submits to God's will, craves the infilling of God's righteousness, extends mercy to those who offend him, operates from pure motives and lives in God's peace!

That is how one becomes a peacemaker!

You can't have too much peace and you can't have too many peacemakers!

Will you be a peacemaker today?

August 4, 2014

"But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?" James 4:12b

I remember one time I was playing a golf match against an opponent from the club where I belonged at the time. That day I was playing very well and beat the daylights out of him. As we walked off the eighteenth green we shook hands and as I was turning to walk away he said, "You want to know what you were doing wrong?"

I said, "I beg your pardon."

He replied, "Do you want to know what you were doing wrong in your golf swing?"

While I am fully aware that my golf swing is far from perfect, I wasn't interested in taking instruction from a guy I had just beaten like a rented mule so I politely refused his well intentioned offer. Who was he to criticize me when I had handled him so easily? Why should my golf game be judged by him?

Now if someone like Jack Nicklaus wants to give me some golf tips - I'm there!

That is what I think of when I read this portion of Scripture about judging. Who am I to pass judgment on someone else when my game is far from perfect? Shouldn't I rather keep trying to improve my game? Wouldn't it be better for me to set a good example for other by the way I live rather than imposing my opinions upon them?

Who are you to stand in judgment of another person? Would your thoughts and energies be better served perfecting your own walk?

Which would you rather be part of, a church where everyone is telling each other how to live and criticizing one another personally and privately OR how about a fellowship where each believer is seriously seeking God to become a more excellent follower of Christ?

Me, too!

Granted, it is easier to analyze and criticize others instead of confronting our own glaring weaknesses but it is also destructive. It is certainly more consistent with human nature to pull someone else dawn rather than working hard to be lifted up. But believers are called to live under the supernatural not human nature.

How about you? Are you playing the role of Monday morning quarterback finding fault with others from the cheap seats?

Why not be a team mate that is practicing hard to improve your game and a coach to help others get better?

Which do think would please God? Which do think will build a stronger fellowship? Which will you choose?