Faithless Falling

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Ro 4:20-21 AV)

One might think this not a totally accurate statement.  After all, Abraham did father a child through Hagar.  Yet, one must remember that was a result of Sarah’s unbelief.  Not Abraham’s.  I believe that to which Paul is referring is the offering of Isaac in conflict with the promises God made to Abraham.  The word ‘…staggered…’ is of particular interest to me this morning.

In our earlier marriage, Lisa and I lived in the northeast.  Where the snow blows five months out of the year and walking on an icy surface was a regular challenge.  Having grown up ice skating, walking on ice was no real concern of mine.  However, to Lisa, just looking at a patch of ice would see her falling to her backside.  It was truly pitiful.  The first time it happened was understandable.  The second time, not all that much stranger.  After the second time, I gave her lessons on how to walk on the ice without falling.  It didn’t matter much.  Visiting her parents was particularly treacherous.  Their driveway is on a hill.  Getting into the car meant walking slightly downhill.  I even gave her lessons on how to approach the car and walk safely on an icy surface.  That didn’t matter much.  I then had to hold her up while she walked to the car.  Still, her feet were not settled on the ice.  Her problem was failure was predestined.  She had no faith in what I taught her even though I have slipped on ice only once in my life.  Because I took for granted the safety of a situation, I injured myself slipping on a ramp of accumulated hail.  The point is, if Lisa doesn’t believe it is possible to get to the car without falling, she will fall every time.

Being fully persuaded is the basis of walking by faith.  There may be some unanswered questions.  There may be some obscured line of sight.  There may be some dark places along the way.  But one must be fully persuaded.

Compassion Which Conquers Our Troubles

“And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.” (Ac 28:8 AV)

It is quite impressive that even in the midst of affliction, Paul had enough faith to minister to the needs of others.  He was on his way to Rome to stand before Caesar for his life.  They had just been shipwrecked.  Even after the experts ignored the man of God and almost killed everyone.  He had every right to be pre-occupied with his own troubles.  Yet, there was someone in need of a touch from Jesus.  This takes a great amount of maturity and sacrifice.  This takes a great amount of love.   To care for another especially when their need is not a serious as one’s own is the true meaning of Christlikeness.

Internists are required to go through a time of extreme testing.   They may be asked to work 24 to 36 hours straight.  Allowed to take a nap or two they are back at it with every new patient.  Wondering why the exhaustive training is necessary, I often thought it might be more prudent to simply hire more help.  But the nature of traumatic healthcare cannot be eased with more providers.  The point of pulling such long hours is to train the perspective trauma specialist the nature of medicine might require deep self-sacrifice.  A plague or severe accident involving many victims would require doctors and nurses so save lives when they are extremely exhausted.  Getting called into surgery in the middle of the night with only a few hours sleep will happen from time to time.  One cannot think of one’s own needs first.  The nature of medicine will not allow it.

Serving in the ministry has its ups and downs.  No one other than men of your calling will ever understand the sacrifices you make or the troubles your asked to endure.  No one.  Whether we like it or not, we are asked to experience things that no other calling in life is asked to do.  Paul is an example equal to no other than the LORD Jesus Himself!  May we always be more concerned about the needs of others than we are the deep waters of which we are required to cross.

He Just Doesn't Get It

“Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.” (Ac 8:24 AV)

It really bothers me that Simon doesn’t get it!  There has always been debate on whether Simon accepted Christ earlier in the chapter or if he never did.  I am of the ilk that he never truly repented and trusted Christ by faith.  He believed.  But belief isn’t faith.  Belief is something you have.  Faith is something you do.  All Simon can see is the intercessory work.  He sees himself as being a positive force in the lives of the people through his sorcery.  They leave him for Christ, so he believes also.  Now, he wishes to continue his influence with Apostolic power.  He believes it is something that can be bought.  He came so close.  But he never really got it.  What I think he missed was grace.   He had done for others and not he wants to do for others again.  What he cannot accept is being done unto.

He is trapped because he is works based.  He cannot see it.  Now, he wants Peter to pray for him that eternal damnation does not come as if the prayers of Peter can save him.  They cannot.  The simplicity of faith is beyond his ability to fully comprehend.  It really bothers me that he cannot get this. 

We struggle with the will of God all the time.  We just don’t get the simplicity of it.  Simon appears to me like the squirrel in Over The Fence.  Running around going each and every which way but the way he should go.  Scurrying about trying to find some other way than God’s way.  Simon doesn’t get it because he doesn’t want to get it.  To Simon, it is all about Simon.  But Salvation and God’s will are all about Christ!  That is what Simon is missing.  Our generation is the ‘me’ generation.  Life is defined within the experiences and effects things have on us. Our world view is very centric.  We miss God’s will because life is all about us.  We cannot see the bigger picture.  We just don’t get it!

Boldness from Adversity

“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” (Ac 4:29-31 AV)

The reaction God’s people had to the threatenings against Peter is the right reaction.  Putting myself in their place, as Peter described the actions and words of the rulers, I might have been inclined to retreat and regroup.  But what I think motivated these saints was how Peter and the others reported the facts.  If they did so with a spirit of defeat, then the church would have coward.   However, if Peter stayed true to his personality, he reported the actions and words of the rulers as a privilege to suffer for the LORD Jesus Christ.

As God’s people, we are way to easily discouraged.  We get one polite rejection and we are ready to quit.  We knock on a few hundred doors are with no results and are ready to retreat.  We get so used to retreating that we don’t even recognize and opportunity when we see on.  The other day I was treating some church members to lunch and the manager was over friendly.  On my way out the door he wished me well and hoped I would come back.  It wasn’t a statement in passing.  He actually raised the level of his voice to share that with me.  Rather than turn around and give him a tract, I was headed out the door because I had another place I needed to be.  I was expecting a phone call that was certain to come within the next few minutes or seconds.  We miss opportunities because we are used to giving up too quickly!

What we need to pray is the LORD to turn our road-blocks into boldness.  Rather than get discouraged from sharing, we need to get more bold.  Only the Holy Spirit of God can do that for us.  We need to!  By the way, it is far more fun

Why The Turn?

“Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And [Pilate] saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify [him], crucify [him]. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify [him]: for I find no fault in him.” (Joh 19:5-6 AV)

It has always astounded me that a week earlier, the Jewish people were laying their coats in the streets of Jerusalem hailing Christ as their promised Messiah and now they want Him dead!  What happened within less than seven days that caused the people to want Him dead?  It wasn’t enough they turned on Him and followed Him no longer.  Now, they wanted the Roman government to mercilessly torture and kill Him!  What happened?  Why were the people so fickle in their faith?  Why did the mob rise to a level of violence in such a short period of time?  Was it because they had become disillusioned?

Just one week earlier, the people came to the conclusion that Jesus was the Messiah.  They hailed Him as the son of David.  This was significant.  They were ready to crown Him king of Israel.  However, what they witnessed was anything but as political ruler ready to avenge the nation of Israel on their Gentile enemies.  Rather than a conquering king, they saw a man whipped and beaten. Rather than a warrior, they saw a servant.  Rather than a provider for all of God’s people, they saw a man stripped of all His worldly possessions standing before all the people mocked and scourged.  They wanted a King.  What they saw was a victim.

Saints and prospects place on God expectations which they have no business placing.  God is not required to meet all our demands in order for us to follow Him!  We follow Him because of who He is.  NOT WHAT HE CAN DO FOR US!  Peter knows full well that trouble and trials are the way of life.  Paul testified that problems would be the nature of the believer’s life.  A cleansing and trusting life.  Not a life of roses.  Not a life of untold blessings.  I dated this young lady once who was going towards the road of salvation.  Shouldn’t have been dating her, but that is for another blog.  Anyway, she was getting close.  They her seven-year-old niece passed away.  She judged God as cruel and unfair.  She never did accept Christ.  When we place on God the expectations that He will solve everything and life will be heaven on earth, we will quickly become disillusioned with what being a Christian means.  Have you turned on God?

He Prayed For Me, Too

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” (Joh 17:20 AV)

When Jesus prayed for the twelve, He was also praying for me!  Imagine that!  With Him, it wasn’t some arbitrary person, either.  It was an individual whom He knew would come to Him almost 2,000 years later.  Imagine that!  When the LORD Jesus Christ prayed for His little band of believers whom He intimately knew, He was also praying for each and every individual whom He knew would eventually repent and believe.  Not merely as a group of hypothetical people.  But real people.  Jesus is God!  He knew before the world began who would repent and who would not.   He knew before He set the whole plan in motion who would come to Him and who would not.  Therefore, when He is praying for those who would come to Himself by the propagating of the word, He knew exactly who He was praying for!

Meditating upon this truth should be significantly humbling.  To think that two thirds of the Godhead is constantly making intercession for me is beyond my ability to really comprehend.  Especially when one considers how much I have offended my heavenly Father by my wickedness and sin!  I remember years ago when one of my siblings deeply offended and disrespected our parents.  Your loyalty goes to the parents.  At least it did for the rest of my siblings and me.  We were greatly moved with anger that this disrespect happened that we, for a time, refused to have anything to do with this sibling.  Over time, forgiveness by all and reconciliation with all came to pass.  But it brings to mind what might have been.  Perhaps if we had been more of intercessors for our erring sibling, one wonders if reconciliation would have happened sooner than later.  We wouldn’t have taken anyone’s side.  My parents were right to be offended.  Yet, reconciliation is still a beautiful thing.  Like David and Absalom, David was in the right and need not humble himself at all.  It was all on Absalom.  But an intermediary in the person of Joab was needed.

This is what Jesus does for us!  He prays for us!  Just when we start to think our prayers are ineffective, we can count on the LORD Jesus Christ to speak to our Father on our behalf.  He cannot turn down His own Son!  Praise be to God!

More Than Just a Tag Phrase

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (Joh 14:13 AV)

How many time do we pray and add the phrase, “in Jesus’ name” as a mere tag that had to be included like a password for an email account?  We add that because Jesus clearly teaches that we must pray in his name or our prayers are not heard.  That phrase, however, is not a tag line at the end of our prayer making it official.  There is actually a purpose for it being there.  Yes, the LORD will not answer prayer unless we pray in Jesus’ name.  There is another significant purpose for adding this at the end of the prayer which is far greater than gaining the answer which we seek.  We add the phrase “in Jesus’ name’ so that the Father is glorified in the Son.

The key to this verse is the definition of the phrase “that will I do.”  This phrase means to cause.  Not to accomplish.  We are to pray to the Father.  However, when we pray in the name of Jesus we are including the active participation of Christ in our prayer.  In other words, when we ask in the name of Jesus, we are not giving someone a phrase that gets us into the throne of God.  What we are really doing is inviting the LORD Jesus Christ to be our active intercessor the cause the outcome of the prayer by the active asking with and on our part!  What an awesome thought!

I have several older brothers.  I am sure there were times when I desired something from my dad which I knew would get shot down just because of my age or lack of experience.  It was in those times I might ask my oldest brother to come with me as I ask for that which I desired.  He would some with me and testify that it was a reasonable request and that he would either take responsibility or that he had done due diligence investigating my worthiness of that for which I was petitioning.  It was the pleas of my older brother that granted the request.

When we are praying is Jesus’ name, what we are actually doing is as the word of God describes.  Heb 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”  GLORY!

Just Do It

“Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” (Joh 12:27 AV)

The following may be worthy of comprehensive theological debate.  Nonetheless, I believe it is invaluable to the saint as he matures into Christlikeness.  Our Savior had a duel nature.  He was completely human and is completely God.  How these two natures co-existed us beyond comprehension and not worthy of debate.  In that duel nature, there were conflicts.  Conflicts of the will.  Although Jesus Christ always wanted to do the will of the Father, it is evident in his human nature he struggled with it.  This does not intimate in his human nature Jesus sinned with his heart.  The wrestling of the will to conform is not sin!  It is just the opposite.  The statement above is just that.  The human nature of Christ is conforming to the divine nature of Christ and the two were, even if ever so slightly and temporarily, in conflict.   What we want to notice is the essence of Christlikeness.  That is, submitting to the perfect will of God and conforming to His will even though we may not initially want to.

For us, it slightly different in that we often do things against our desire because our will is to be obedient.  Our heart may not be completely in it.  The mark of maturity is doing what we don’t really want to do simply because we are asked to do it.  Jesus Christ confronted a temptation that we will never have to face.  That is: having diving power of omnipotence and at the same time being asked to do something we would rather not.  Our challenge is simple submission whereas Christ’s temptation was complex submission.

I minister to so many people who will not be told what to do.  What is amazing to me is these folks, mostly adults, demand a level of obedience from their children which they are not willing to give to the LORD!  If the Bible told them to do something, or refrain from something, they will do as they please all the while beating their child for disobedience.  What is even worse is they claim a level of spirituality superior to their own children. If we say we are spiritually mature, they we will do as we are asked even if we may not have the desire for no other reason that we have been asked!

Lonely?

“And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” (Joh 8:29 AV)

These are the words of Christ.  They testify of the unity of the Godhead.  These words give evidence of who Jesus is by testament of His obedience to the Father.  We are not Christ.  We are not deity.  We are not equal to the Son.  But, what He testifies of is of practical benefit to us.

We cannot live perfectly.  That is, we cannot live without sin because the sin nature is our plague until death.  If we would successfully yield to the Spirit every second of every day, then we would be without sin and always do those things which please the Father.  Since that is impossible, we are asked to go to Him in prayer, confessing our sin and seek His forgiveness.  Herein is how we can always to those things which please Him.  If we could remember to walk in obedience and confess and forsake when we do not, then perhaps we can come close to what Christ accomplished.

But the phrase “…hath not left me alone…” is the one that spoke to me this morning.  There are times when we feel lonely.  Lonely because we are apart from the LORD.  We know that God had been nearer and more real in the past.  He just may not seem all that near at the moment.  One thing we should always consider is our obedience and confession.  Are they intact?  Are the active?  Are we really seeking to be obedient?  Are we content in our own level of holiness and lost the passion to grow more and more into Christlikeness?  Have we surrendered to the sin that doth so easily beset us, waving the white flag because we have given up the fight?  Do we harbor unconfessed sin?  Are we retreating into a hole and refusing to take any more steps of faith because the ones we have taken cost too much?  If we feel separated from the LORD, it is not His fault.  All we need to do is spend some time in prayer, asking for the LORD’s limitless mercy and Holy Spirit strength to renew our walk with Him.

Fickleness of Emotion

“He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” (Joh 5:35 AV)

What happens to us when we are excited about what the LORD is doing even to the point of participating, then we back off and are disinterested? When John the Baptist baptized the people of Israel in a national repentance, only the self-righteous refused to participate.  Those with something to lose never came.  The Pharisees and their ilk had power and influence in the Roman controlled government.  They were the leaders of the people.  They found their solace in the verbal traditions of their fathers.  They claimed Abraham as their ticket to eternal life.  They wanted to part with John’s baptism.  But the vast majority did.  The bulk of the population wanted, and even came to, the baptism of John.  But something happened along the way.  Something transpired over the next three and-a-half years that not only dissipated the joy, but turned it against the very reason for the baptism.

Perhaps it dawned on them the true depth of meaning which the baptism of John meant.  They were not submitting to baptism as a mere religious rite.  They were not being dunked just to admit to the sins of a nation.  They were baptized as a public testimony of their own sin and the need of a Savior.  What they might have realized was the truth behind the baptism and the commitment that would follow.  Maybe they understood that if they really meant the baptism, that would require them to leave behind everything.  Including the traditions which were so important to them.  

Repentance, which what John’s baptism was all about, meant one was to leave behind and embrace something else.  It meant to leave it all!  Admitting to sin is one thing.  Admitting a need of a Savior is one thing.  But a willingness to leave it all behind is the definition of repentance.  A change of mind and heart which results in a change of direction.

How many times have we rejoiced in a great meeting wherein God really met us in a dramatic way?  How many times have we been moved at the rejoicing at the salvation of souls, the baptism of many, or the great decisions that were made; including our own?  How many times have we confessed and forsaken, sharing a powerful testimony at what the LORD did?  Only to have all those things last for a mere season!  We cannot go on emotion.  Emotion is wonderful.  But it is only temporary.  True spiritual revival is lasting.  We can rejoice for a season.  But when that season is over, we continue on!  Even if it isn’t all that exciting!

Grace For Grace

“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” (Joh 1:16 AV)

What a phrase.  Commentators are confused as to what this is particularly in reference to.  The only explanation that makes sense is the one that takes into consideration the next verse.  “For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (Joh 1:17 AV) Because the word ‘…for…’ starts this verse, it explains the last.  Specially the last phrase of that verse.  Which leads us to an interesting principle not taught or preached very much anymore.  That is, every dispensation has an element of grace to it.  God did not have to create mankind.  But He did so out of His grace.  God gave the law as an extension of grace!  The law is often seen in opposition to grace but that is only because mankind believed the law could grant them eternal life.  It never could.  What the law did was to point to Christ and give structure to family and society.  It was under these circumstances the law was an extension of God’s grace.  It only became a curse because mankind could not, or would not, see the divine purpose of it.

What the phrase above means, is that when Christ came, He gave more grace for the grace that was already given.  The law is still a gift of grace.  Without it, we would suffer untold consequences of violating the natural law which God created.  He gave His written law as a means of blessings regardless of our spiritual condition.  But to that law He added saving grace!  Praise be to the LORD.  Now, wherein we had the law given by grace but unable to live it, we now have the Holy Spirit indwelling within us, given by grace, that we might live the law given by grace realizing blessings by it!  Grace for grace!  More grace!

The contemporary saint believes grace is lived apart from the law.  The bible teaches grace is lived within the law!  The grace which enables us to live in the precepts of the law is incomprehendible grace!  The contemporary saint believes he can live apart from the law because grace annuls the law.  For salvation, that has always been true. Christ is the end of the law for salvation.  But not practical living.  Grace, for the ability to live in grace!  I feel sorry for the contemporary saint who lives as he pleases because he believes grace allows him to.  Consequences for choices made will not change just because of his bad theology.  God still punishes sin regardless of one’s belief of liberty and grace.  I would much rather have the grace that enables me to live by grace and within the law given by God!

Put A Walk To That Talk

“And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem [about] threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.” (Lu 24:13-14 AV)

These two disciples of Christ witnessed everything.  Their answer to Jesus was very articulate.  They were able to verbalize all that had been done and went so far as to express their hope that Jesus of Nazareth would be the chosen one of God who would redeem God’s people back to God.  They knew the body of Jesus was not where is was laid.  They heard of the faith of Simon Peter in that Peter believed Jesus had risen.   There was nothing left which they needed in order to believe that Jesus rose from the dead.  Rather, they chose to keep on talking about it.  That is all they did.  They talked about it.  Not until Christ appears to them and shows them his hands are they willing to believe.  When the Son of God expounds the scriptures of all things concerning himself, and they still will not allow it to go from their head to their heart, these two are slow to have faith.  They were content to just talk about it.

One of the hurdles of Bible college is transforming what one has learned in the classroom into practical and useful truth.  For the intellectually blessed, Bible college can seem like mind candy.  We sat around talking about the wonders of theology proper.  Of the wonders of the God of all creation.  Debate over hard to discern doctrine made class enjoyable.  Prophecy was a major point of debate.  Often, these debates would get heated.  Manuscript evidence was fascinating and definitely faith growing!  These things were necessary.  Just like the two walking down the road and talking about it.  Just like Jesus when he joined them and expounded upon them the truths of the Old Testament.  These things are necessary.  But there comes a time when no more talk is needed.  There comes a time when talk becomes counterproductive.  There comes a time when one must stop the talk and start the walk.

When these two men saw the nail pierced hands of Jesus, they knew He rose from the dead.  It was towards evening, but the walked all the way back to Jerusalem to testify of the risen Savior.  They had to put a walk to their talk.  What will it take for us to put a walk to our talk?  Or are we just content to talk it to death?

Investing In A Hostile Environment

“And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this [man] to reign over us.” (Lu 19:13-14 AV)

Who ever said that kingdom work would be in a friendly environment?  If I am one of those servants that has to invest money, I might ask the master for a friendlier group of people.  The thought may occur to me that if these people do not want this king to rule over them, then surely these same people will not invest with his servants.  But don’t be too sure.  When all was said and done, those with pounds increased their amount by ten and five.  The only one not to increase their pound was the fearful.  The one who was too afraid to lose what he had and simply maintained it.

Like it or not, the vast majority of those to whom we meet will want nothing at all to do with Christ.  Some may even attempt to take away from us that which God has bestowed.  This is a hostile environment.  This is an environment that rebels against the LORD.  It has always been that way and it will never change.

There were these two bullies in my grade school that were relentless.  Matt and Pat.  They were twins.  Matt, especially, made every day of my grade school life a nightmare.  What I refused to do, though, was to cower to him.  I refused to belittle myself for his pleasure.  I may have tried to avoid him, or shy away from him simply because I did not want the abuse.  However, when abused, I never gave him the satisfaction of crying or running away.  I never went to the teachers.  Other boys joined in.  I was the one everyone else picked on.  But a strange thing happened.  Over the course of a year or so, Pat saw that it was no longer fun and them began to admire me for my resoluteness.  I still remember the classroom and the event when Pat put his twin brother Matt in his place.  Matt was getting under my skin.  And Pat finally told him to leave me alone.  It didn’t stop all of the abuse.  This continued on into high school.  But at least Pat was no longer an enemy.  There may have been several returns on that one talent.  The LORD gave me other friends along the way.  These men, today, are leaders in their community.  Mistreatment was the fertilizer that bore the fruit.

We are not promised an easy time of service.  It will always be in the midst of adversity and hostility.  But toil nonetheless we must!  It is our calling!  It is our responsibility!

Hell Bound Soul Winner

“Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” (Lu 16:27-28 AV)

While the rich man lived, he didn’t care for his own soul, much less the souls of others.  Just a few moments in hell has changed the wicked lost man into an evangelizing lost man.  What a few minutes in hell does for the needs of others.  It is sad to see that a man bound in the corruption of a devil’s hell is more concerned with the souls of his loved ones that most saints would be today.

Yesterday, I had the privilege to participate in a funeral.  A dear friend of mine passed away and the family asked me to be a part.  What struck me as a particular blessing was how much the gospel message was part of the service.  This dear lady’s life was defined by her love of the LORD and desire for the salvation of those with whom she came in contact.  This dear lady was concerned for the salvation of the lost.  There were three preachers.  All of us covered the gospel.  Each of us gave an invitation to accept Christ.  It was the main theme throughout the entire service.  And what a blessing it was.  There was some eulogizing.  It was appropriate and much deserved.  However, even in the eulogizing, it was expresses this lady’s love for the lost.  How refreshing!

Our churches encourage us to share the gospel with those around us and provide us with ministries and opportunity to do just that.  However, we do not need a church program to be an evangelist.  All we need is the willingness to obey and the love of Christ which compels us.  One wonders how effective of a soul winner we would be if we could experience the horrors of hell for the brief moment in which the rich man experienced before he was converted to a soul winner!  The rich man is hell is a better soul winner than most saints!

Confession After Grace

“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” (Lu 15:20-21 AV)

How many of us would have still confessed our fault after our father had compassion, hugged and kissed, and welcomed us home?  Think about it.  We might have thought, “My father knows how sorry I am.  I don’t need to express it.”  Or, “I thought what I did was really bad, but it seems Dad doesn’t think so.”  Or, “We are guys.  We don’t have to express our feelings.”  Or, “Well, it looks like nothing has changed. So, oh well.”  In our pride, most of us would probably let the apology slide.  Especially men.  We don’t feel the need to be vulnerable.  We don’t feel the need to exercise humility.  Things often go unsaid because we are too proud to admit our faults.  We expect them to be known, yet unexpressed.

Trying to think of a time when I did not express my wrong doing to my Dad is difficult.  It was the norm.  I can remember the times that I took initiative in confessing my fault because they were the rare times.  Like the time I broke the sheet rock and ran away from home for a day.  My dad already knew what I had done and my confession made reconciliation all the more easy.  But there is another application here for fathers as well.  We need to make it as easy as possible for our children to confess their faults.  This father loved on his child before the child confessed.  Sometimes, that is the appropriate thing to do and encourages our children to be right with us.

Yet, I am thinking of our confessions to the LORD.  We endure the chastening hand of God, yet fail to confess afterwards.  We think enduring eating with the swine was sufficient penance that confession is not necessary.  When it still is.  When the hardship of chastening is over and the grace of God abounds again, that is often the best time for confession because we are not confessing to end the chastening.  We are confessing because we were wrong.  There is no more to gain. Grace is there.  Time to come clean of heart.

One Side is Better Than Two

“But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house [divided] against a house falleth.” (Lu 11:17 AV)

Unity is so very important.  What we are seeing in our nation has been happening in our homes.  There are two sides and only two sides.  In our nation, it has nothing to do with the political party.  It has everything to do with godly values verses worldly values.  Sure, there are minor differences between the sides, but in general, they fall down on two sides and only two sides.

But what is true in our nation can also be true in the home.  As long as there are two sides in disagreement, there is weakness in the home.  As long as husband and wife are not totally together on everything, then there is weakness in the home.  The more division there is, the weaker the home.  However, to think that husband and wife would agree on all things completely is simply not realistic.  There will always be disagreement.  There will always be matters of opinion.  There will always be competing values.  That is the nature of our humanity.  We are individuals with biases and values and we do not always see eye to eye.

The key is to agree to disagree while following leadership.  Unity doesn’t mean that we all agree and share the same values.  This is impossible.  What unity requires is that we follow whether we agree or disagree.  It means that even though we may not understand or we may not have the same values, existence in disagreement is far better than complete ruin.  This is what our nation and families simply do not understand.  Riots over things that can and will eventually be resolved.  The first priority should be protection.  Protection of the whole first.  Then interests of the individual.  If the whole does not survive, then the individual does not either.  Unity.  Unity in our nation.   But unity in our homes first!

Healthy Affliction

“And the people, when they knew [it], followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.” (Lu 9:11 AV)

What compassion!  He healed them that had need of healing! Those that follow Jesus get all the healing they need!  Jesus was taking his apostles into a city that is in a dessert place.  These people, in their desperate need, are following into an uncomfortable place with no real promise of being healed.  Yet he healed them all of all that needed to be healed!

There is a promise to those who will follow Christ through the good times and the bad.  There are blessings that are ours to enjoy.  There are healings there for those in need of them.  But one must be willing to go to where Jesus is!  Sometimes those healings require hardships.  Like a dessert place.  I learned something after my shoulder surgery!  Physical therapists are mean and they have no feelings!  They demand that we exercise that shoulder so that we get full range of motion.  They don’t care how much pain we are in!  They get paid to torture us!  Just kidding!  They are remarkable people!  To push us beyond what we think we can do so that it will make us stronger is their calling!  So, too, with Christ.

If we are unwilling to follow Christ into the dessert place, then do not expect to be healed of all.  Some, sure.  But not all!  Every need of healing will be met if we promise to follow Jesus wherever He may lead us!  If we are willing to go to where Jesus is going, then the Spirit will shape us and mold us.  He will reveal areas that need to be healed that maybe we are totally unaware of!  The key has always been to go to the dessert place!  Go to the place of affliction!  That is where Jesus heals of all that needs to be healed!

The Light of Perception Must Burn Brightly

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Lu 6:41 AV)

Fault finders are usually oblivious to their own, no matter how large they are.  It is interesting the one finding fault finds a mote.  Another word for sliver.  All the while they cannot even perceive a beam in their own lives.  The word ‘perceive’ is interesting.  It means more than mere seeing.  It goes beyond blindness.  It means one does not even consider the possibility that it might be there.  A blind person at least can imagine there is something present.  He may not know what it is until he feels for it.  It involves more than just the sense of sight.  The sense of smell, touch, and hearing are involved to, at least, give the understanding there is something there.  To be unable to perceive means that all senses are blocked and there is no sense whatsoever that there is something there.  Even if it cannot be seen.

Every once in a while, I have to go into our bedroom with the lights off.  It is a very dark room.  I am not willing to wait the five minutes for my eyes to adjust, so I trudge along very slowly, hoping not to trip or stub my toe on any object not seen.  The safeguard is always assuming, even if it may not be reality, that there might be something there that can cause harm.  However, every once in a while, I may trudge through with a little pride in my heart thinking I am well aware of my surrounds and ignore the sound of my footsteps radiating off a foreign object and stub my toe!  It all depends if the light of perception is on or off.  Whether that light of perception is on or off never changes the reality of a foreign objects existence.  If it is not there, then I am safe.  If it is there, then I am still safe.  Perception is the key.

We walk on dangerous ground when we do not consider the basic truths of faults.  We all have them.  Some of our faults are motes, while others are beams.  No one is free from either.  Some have motes in areas that others have beams.  Some have beams in areas where others have motes.  It is our human nature.  We must always be aware these motes and beams exist.  It will not remove the mote in another’s eye, but by perceiving we have motes and beams, will grant us the humility to help another.

Unworthy

“John answered, saying unto [them] all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:” (Lu 3:16 AV)

Washing of the feet was one of the most humbling things one would do for another.  It was expected when entering a home as a guest.  A servant would wash the feet of the master’s guests.  What John is saying is that he is not even worthy to remove the shoes for the one who is washing the feet of Jesus.  Such humility is beyond exemplary.  Such servitude is more than any would naturally feel.  What struck me was comparing John’s self-abasement concerning his Savior with how the modern Christian thinks of Christ!

Today, the contemporary Christian sees Christ as almost a co-equal.  Yes, they do see Him as a Savior who died for their sins.  They may even worship Him as a god.  But I don’t think they really see Him as the God.  I don’t think they see God as God, but rather, as god.  In other words, there is respect lacking in the hearts of the modern Christian.  If Christ were to walk the streets today, He would be treated the same way as they treated Him 2,000 years ago.  They would view Him as a miracle worker, a great teacher, even a close friend.  But the respect of which He would be entitled as God himself would be sorely lacking.

How do I come to this conclusion?  There is no respect for God’s word.  The word of God is His manifestation of Himself and His will to man.  When so-called saints take lightly the word of God, they are doing the same to the LORD.  John the Apostle echoed the same words when he penned the book of Revelation.  The seven-sealed book was presented and John knew he was not worthy to open it.  Only the LORD Jesus Christ was worthy.  We are not worthy to sing one syllable of any hymn in honor of Christ, yet if we have talent, we feel entitled.  We are not worthy to quote one word of one verse, yet if we have an education, we feel we are entitled.  We are not worthy to scrub one toilet, yet if the need arises, we feel it is beneath us!  We are a far cry from where John the Baptist was.  In truth, we are not even worthy to untie the shoes of the Savior so another can wash His feet.  We are unworthy of anything!

Fighting What Seems to be a Losing Battle

Mr 15:47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary [the mother] of Joses beheld where he was laid.

In the face of apparent defeat, there is still ministry to be done!  These ladies had seen several risen from the dead by the hand of Jesus.  They knew the promise of the resurrection just as much as the twelve did.  When they saw their Savior buried behind a large stone, who knows what they felt. No doubt, there were mixed emotions.  The men had all fled.  They were held up in a safe house.  Once Christ was taken, all but John scattered.  They never even stood by and watched His death.  But these two ladies did.  They waited and watched.  They watched Jesus give up the ghost.  They watched as Joseph of Arimathea begged the body of Jesus.  They followed the pall bearers as they prepared and took his body, buried it hastily for the sake of the Sabbath, and left the buried body of Christ without proper preparations.  They beheld were he lay because someone had to come back and perfume the body.  Someone had to come back and pay the remains proper respect.  Even though the Savior appeared to be gone, there was still ministry to be done.

It reminds me of one of the truest believers I will ever have the privilege of calling a friend.  A church was dissolving.  The reasons were wounds self-inflicted by the congregation and a failure to make biblically based plans for growth.  The doors were closing.  Yet, this man was tasked with closing those doors.  There was still ministry to be done.  There was still a job to do.  And, it took great character to do what he did.  More character than most people whom I have ever met.  To me, this man, and the ladies mentioned above, are true heroes!  They are the ones who will stand at the judgment seat of Christ and hear those words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”   These are the kind of people who stand at the forefront and provide cover for others as they safely retreat.  They are the ones that clean up messes that others leave behind.  These are the saints that never quit.  They never throw in the towel.  There are always there!  There are always busy!  They are doing whatever needs to be done, no matter how little or big!  These are the saints that are indispensable!  These are the ones who behold were they lay him!

These ladies continued their ministry because they had character.  They didn’t continue ministry because of some perceived or hoped-for return!  Perfuming the body of Christ would not have brought Him back.  Respecting the body of Christ would not reassemble the disciples. What they were about to do would not have meant a whole lot to the future of the ministry.  But, it was ministry.  And it had to be done.  As the LORD’s coming draws nearer and nearer, and the results of our efforts become less and less dramatic, integrity and character is what will keep us faithful.  It won’t be numerical results.  It won’t be a growing membership.  It won’t be baptismal waters stirring or Sunday school classes busting out the walls.  It will be integrity and character that keeps us soul-winning, coming to church, giving, and ministering.

Appealing to God's Compassion

Mr 9:22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

Yes, the child’s father struggled with faith.  Perhaps not the faith in the ability of God, but rather, the will of God.  What struck me the most this morning is the plea for compassion.  He was not pleading for the omnipotence of God.  He was not pleading for ability of God.  He was pleading for the heart of God!  What a cry of despair and dependence.  Perhaps this is what is missing in our prayers.  Perhaps, instead of asking for the LORD to do something we know He can do, we should plea for the moral nature of God.  In particular, His compassion.

It is a difficult thing to turn down a request for compassion.  In senior High school, we were required to take three years of science.  Typically, it was physical sciences in ninth grade, biology in tenth grade, chemistry in eleventh grade, and physics in twelfth.  One of those years, the student was allowed treat it is an elective and take another technical course of study like earth science or computer science.  I remember going to my father, who always had to approve our course selection in my junior year.  The year chemistry was required.  I am and always will be, a horrible rote memorizer.  I just cannot do it.  I have to know why something is the way it is before I can remember it.  I remember seeing that periodic table all through my freshmen year.  I remember seeing it during biology.  I knew that if I was to take chemistry, an F was in my future.  However, I also knew my father was a stickler for form and function.  I would be the first of his children to ask to be opted out of a required class.  I also knew that if I went in to ask my father in a matter of fact way if I could opt out, he would turn me down.  So, I went into his office and laid out my reasons.  I did so, imploring his compassion.  I told him I would try if he really wanted me to, but memorizing that table was something I knew I couldn’t do.  He saw the look in my eyes, and moved with compassion, he allowed me to opt out and into computer science!  Appealing to reason alone did not work.  Compassion was what I desperately wanted.

Maybe, if our prayers are long in coming with answers, we should try appealing to the compassion of God!  It is a hard thing to turn down the request of a child who desperately desires to be relieved of some stress or duress.  God’s compassion fail not!  Time to pray for them!

Consider God for Who and What God Is

“For they considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.” (Mr 6:52 AV)

The context of this statement is Jesus coming to his disciples, walking on the water, in the midst of a storm.  They believed it as a spirit.  They cried out because they were frightened.  They were astonished at the power of the Son of God to quiet a storm.  Then, Jesus rebukes them for their unbelief and use the first miracle of the loaves and fishes as the premise of all faith.  One wonders why.  After Christ feeds another crowd in similar manner, the disciples soon forget the miracle and struggle with having no bread.  Why was this one miracle so important?  What is it that this miracle was the one that should have built in the heart faith which would enable the disciples to believe any further miracle they would see?  And, why is it that we have a hard time remembering the miracles of God once they are over?  How much does it affect our ability to believe more?

The miracle of the loaves and fishes is the only miracle wherein Christ creates out of nothing.  All other miracles he governs what He has already created.  Granting the dumb their voice, the deaf their hearing, the lame their limbs, and even the dead their life, are all miracle of working with what Christ had already created.  But the miracle of the fishes and loaves was the miracle of creation.  Taking a few loaves and fishes and multiplying them to a quantity not believed by any is astounding.  The miracle of creation is the miracle of a deity.  Mankind may, at one time or another, find cures for the deaf, the blind, and the lame.  We can even bring back someone from the dead, if given a few minutes.  But to create something out of virtually nothing is impossible for mankind to do.

When we have a hard time accepting God for who He is and what He is capable of, we often write off the hand of God to phenomenon.  We see His hand as an inexplicable mystery of wonder, often brings awe or worse, fear into our hearts.  When we accept God for who He is and what He is capable of, we will begin to see more and more of His hand!

More or Less, But Never the Same

“And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.” (Mr 4:24-25 AV)

The more we are willing to hear, the more knowledge God gives.  The less we open our minds and hearts to truth, the less the LORD gives.  It is that simple.  The more we fight the LORD on truth and knowledge, the more He withholds answers that we need.  The more we refuse to accept by faith that which God has already revealed, the less the LORD will ask us to accept.  If we fail to have the knowledge we need, it is not God’s fault.  On the bright side, the more we trust the LORD by faith, accepting God’s word and applying it, the more God give more light.

I have a son that was difficult to educate.  He was easily frustrated and fought learning almost at every turn.  He was a very smart kid.  And is a very smart adult.  It wasn’t that he couldn’t learn the material.  He just expected it to come very easy.  When I home-schooled him, we would have a time.  Specially with spelling and grammar.  He would fuss and fuss.  I remember one time that he got so agitated that he made an angry face, grabbed his own hair and pulled it, and growled at the problem before him.  His problem was more about calming down and having patience than it was figuring it out.  Once he was able to settle down, he became an ‘A’ student.  It was all about accepting the truth he already had.

It is a life long struggle to walk in the light as He is in the light.  I progress of growth that listens, accepts, applies, and does it all over again.  The point at which we reject what we know to be true is the point we stop growing.  That is the way of spiritual growth.

Good To The Last Drop

“And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave [it] to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Mt 26:27-28 AV)

Don’t just take a sip!  Drink the entire cup of blood!  Not just one gulp.  Not until your thirst is abated.  Not just until you are satisfied!  Drink the entire glass full!  All of it!  Don’t leave a drop of that precious blood of Christ!  This fountain is all sufficient.  But it must be completely applied.  Nothing wasted.  Nothing left untouched.  All of it!

This is a great picture of the choice to receive the saving grace of the LORD Jesus Christ.  There is no partial acceptance.  There is no half-faith.  There is no blood plus baptism.  There is no blood plus good works.  There is no blood plus sacraments.  There is no accepting Christ then living like we never did.  It is all or nothing.  It is the blood and nothing but the blood.  It is all of it!

When the cup was finished, it was never refilled.  At least for that individual.  This cup was wholly drunk by each and every individual.  If they wanted a part with Christ, they drank the whole thing.  There wasn’t a second cup.  The blood was applied once and for all.  Complete and without a second application.  When that blood when into the inner man, he was remitted from the inside out.  This memorial service revealed the sufficiency of the blood of Christ and man’s complete submission to the plan of redemption.  All of Christ!  None of us!  So, drink all of it!  When you accept Christ, accept the whole thing.  No partial faith.  No jumping in only half way.  Drink all of it!  Rest in the assurance that your sin debt has been paid and there is no other sacrifice.  There are no leftovers that have to be applied again and again!  It was a one-time drink!  All of it!