God Honors Faith

 Jesus deliberately took time to show Thomas His hands and His side, saying "Because you have seen Me, have you believed?"  However, His next statement reveals what really pleases God.  "Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

"Without faith it is impossible to please God," according to the admonition in Hebrews 11:6.  The obvious challenge of faith is to walk in the Spirit, to set the mind on the spirit (or Spirit) rather than live in the flesh (according to the thoughts and feelings that our fallen human nature dictates).  On one hand, Jesus states that the Word is spirit and life, and on the other hand, Romans 8 points out that to set the mind on the flesh is death.  Furthermore, Jeremiah 17:9 declares that the heart is deceitful above all things, desperately corrupt.  God has clearly given us the truth needed to reject the deceitful, misguided fleshly understanding, and instead to choose to see things from His truthful perspective.  As Isaiah 55 clearly states that God's thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways, as the heavens are higher than the earth. 

Two facts to consider in order to establish a good foundation for life.  One, in Romans 12 we are encouraged to think soberly or seriously, that God has given to each of us a measure of faith.  Each of us has faith, just as each of us has muscles; it is up to us to use what has been given to develop it.  Secondly, the Word of God is truth that is directed to our will.  Consider several Scriptural instructions, "I set before you life and death, choose life."  Or Jesus, telling the father of the dying child, "do not be afraid, only believe."  Therefore, we can choose to believe.  Jesus admonishes us to receive His kingdom like a little child.  Does a child have trouble receiving a present?  A good start to learn to simply receive is to say "thank you."  The more we read and hear the truth of God's Word, the easier it is to receive what it says in our hearts and declare it gratefully with our lips.

Man, in his pride, always thinks his thoughts are right.  So God is pleased and blesses each one who deliberately chooses God's thoughts over what the natural fleshly way of thinking would suggest.  Was not Jesus amazed at the woman who put in her last two coins when that was all she had to live on? Or the woman who refused to be discouraged by the disciples and kept crying out for Jesus to give her even the crumbs from the table?  The point is, God is pleased when we receive the Word with meekness.  He blesses us when we choose to dwell on His thoughts and live by His Word rather than our own selfish desires and understanding.   

Therefore, my word and suggestion today is to choose to stand in faith in whatever the challenges before you.  Give thanks and hold on to the Word of God, even stating what God says out loud to establish and maintain your faithful position.  Don't doubt in the dark what you have received in the Light.  God honors those who honor Him and His Word.  

Identity Exchange

Jesus identified completely with man, taking our nature, going through the natural steps of living as a human on earth, and then, in loving surrender and amazement taking on all our sin and its deadly consequence.  The awesome Good News is that because of His identifying with fallen man, we can now by faith identify completely with His nature, being born-again into children of God, seated at the right hand of God with Him, and ruling as kings forever!

Hallelujah!  He is risen!  Jesus not only became man but identified with all the sin, impending judgment, and consequential eternal death that our rebellion justly deserved.  Through His suffering and death all men's sins have been completely paid for and then the powerful resurrection demonstrates that all the consequences are overcome.  

Because He lives, we can now share His resurrected life today and forever.  In chapel this week our message was that He forgave our sins (past), gave us a purpose for living (present), and promised divine life forever with Him in Heaven (future).  What Jesus accomplished is more than we could ever think, ask, or imagine.  

In addition, He invites us to identify with the eternal rewards that He earned by humbly submitting Himself to the Father's will.  By faith we identify with His death as we acknowledge He died for us.  By baptism, we, our old sinful nature, are buried with Him, and in receiving His Spirit, we now are filled with power and love to be His light in the world.  We know God as our "Abba Father," our purpose and His provision through His Word, and the Holy Spirit within bears witness to His life in us while on earth and in the ages to come.  Praise God Forever! 

Passed out of Death to Life! Hosanna!

 In John 6, Jesus declares that those who hear His Word, and believe the Father who sent Him, do not come into judgment, but pass out of death into life.  Two things from this statement catch our attention: one, those who don't hear the truth or refuse to believe in God's plan that Jesus died and was raised to save them, are still dead and will be judged.  Two, we who believe have passed out of death into life.  In simple terms, we are resurrected with Him and now enjoy and participate in His fullness of life forever.  Hosanna!

On the other hand, we recall in Luke 9, when the man wanted to follow Jesus but also wanted to go bury his father first, and that Jesus said, "Let the dead bury the dead.  Follow Me."  Jesus called unbelievers "dead."  Or in the pivotal John 3:16 verse, that those who believe in Him should not perish.  Our darkened minds do not grasp the truth that man has fallen and that God's words to Adam and Eve are still true, "if you eat of this fruit, you shall surely die."  Man, because of sin, is already condemned and will perish unless Someone saves him.  

Romans 5:18 states this fact and exchange clearly, "Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life."  

When I was a kid and someone said, "Isn't it great that God saved us?" my response was, "Yes, would you pass the potatoes?"  In other words, I had no concept of what my condition was and how great His rescue of me was.  The closer we get to knowing God's heart and His mercy, the more we realize what an awesome feat Jesus accomplished by taking all men's sins upon Himself and shedding His own blood to completely pay for our sin.  No wonder Psalm 21:6 says we are "most blessed" forever.  With this realization, today is a good day to exclaim with the crowd, "Hosanna!  (which means God, save us)  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!

God has abundantly shown His love for each of us.  As we realize we have passed from death to life (John 6:24), have no condemnation (Romans 8:1), and participate in the very nature of God (2 Peter 1:4) forever, how can we make any other response than what is revealed in Revelation 19, "Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and honor belong to the Lord our God!" 

You Will Make It!

How is your bracket?

The reason people ask that question is because, by now, we have all failed.  Sometimes life seems like that NCAA bracket, with our mistakes giving us a common denominator.  What did the famous Scottish poet Burns say, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray."    

The situation of the Israelites as described in Jeremiah 29 and 30 was worse than anyone could imagine.  The leaders were killed or taken captive.  Dead bodies were everywhere with no one to even bury them.  The temple was burned and completely destroyed.  And those who were still alive were treated like cattle and transported to be slaves in Babylon.  In the midst of this failure is where God spoke the phrase we like to remind our young people, "God has good plans for you, to give you a future and a hope."

Furthermore, Jeremiah encourages the people to build houses, plant crops, and give sons and daughters in marriage.  In short, don't quit.  Continue doing the things, the responsibilities, that God has given you.  God is never done with bringing us into His inheritance, but sometimes there are other internal changes that have greater priority in order to be capable of handling the good He has planned for us.  Adversity is a great motivator to seek God.  There is a saying from WWI, that every man has a God in a foxhole.  And that is exactly what Jeremiah reminds the people that God is calling, "When you seek Me with all your heart I will be found."  Use the current need and situation to lead you into a greater dependence on God's promises and His faithfulness.  God is in the business of restoring what the enemy has stolen, and turning what was meant for evil into good.  He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.  He clearly has a plan for our future and our hope.  We will make it.

In Jeremiah 30, God promises some powerful encouragement.  "Yet I will not make a complete end of you, but I will correct you in justice."  No one enjoys being corrected, but God's ways are life and peace.  Revival, or the abundance of His life and peace, always starts with people humbling themselves.  God promises to dwell with the those who are humble and contrite in heart.  The trials of today often cause us to "break up the fallow ground" and let the rain of God's mercy and righteousness soften our hearts.  After humbling ourselves before God, He releases His intended purpose, " I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds," says the Lord.  (Jeremiah 30:17)  

Jesus, His resurrection and the promise of ours, is our hope.  We are destined to share His nature and glory forever.  God has given us this awesome vision so that no matter what happens, we know that we will not perish.  Not only will we not perish, but all things continue to work for our good, for us who are called according to His purpose.  The verse "without a vision the people perish" may also be translated, "without a vision the people cast off restraint." (NKJV)  The point is that unless we know the hope, the vision of "we will make it," we are tempted to give up and cast off the disciplines of living for the Lord.  

Our bracket may fail, our situation may not always be as planned, there may be a need to seek God and repent, but our God never changes and His word to your heart today is "You will make it."

Harden or Soften Your Heart?

Sometimes we all get busy and just survive the day rather than walk in the life of God He has given.  However, the abundant life of God dwells within us, and we are meant to be filled with joy and peace, as a light to the world.  Jesus declares that HIs joy is in us which enables our joy to be full.  We are witnesses of the goodness of God.    

In Psalm 95, the Spirit challenges us to "O come let us make a joyful noise before the Lord...Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving."  God Himself invites and desires us to enjoy His presence.  The opposite, of course, is found in Romans 1 where the rebellious refused to acknowledge God or give Him thanks.  

Recently I had a situation where it seemed like I had a thousand things to do, but my kids had planned a couple of events wanting to bless me.  My heart wanted to scream, "Just leave me alone, I need to get these things done," but I knew God wanted me to relax, put things in God's hands, and enjoy the time and love that my children were expressing.  The time together was blessed and filled with "God's pleasure."  That's often the same challenge of spending time with God versus the busy things we have on our schedule.  It is like the good seed scattered into the good soil but grows up with the weeds that want to choke it from bearing fruit.  

Psalm 95 finishes with the admonition, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."  The logical question is how do we keep our hearts soft and how do we let them get hardened?  If you remember, after the resurrection Jesus rebuked the disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart, so clearly, we can choose to keep our heart soft or make it hard.  Ezekiel in his promise of the New Covenant states that God will give us a heart of flesh rather than a stoney hard heart.  God intends for us to have soft hearts to receive from Him.  One translation of Proverbs 28:14 states "How blessed is the person who trembles before God, but the one who hardens his heart will fall into disaster."

Our heart is what we have chosen to make important, or that has priority.  Seek first.  We harden our heart when we hear and believe God is saying something, but we have other things on our mind and heart that we "want" to do, or we simply do not consider His request that important.  Jesus quotes Isaiah that the hearts of this people have grown dull and their ears are hard of hearing.  The Pharisees honored God with their lips but their heart was far from Him.  Hardening of the heart is intrinsically connected to how we hear God, what authority or place we give His words, and our obedience.  

On the positive side, God delights in mercy and is always ready to give us a fresh start.  When we obey simple impulses or leadings to say or do something, being faithful in little, we open our heart to become more sensitive, and soft for the next revelation.   Our spiritual heart is like a muscle that gets stronger, more steadfast, the more that we use it.  Hebrews 5 talks about having our faculties trained by practice.  So today, if and when you hear His voice, rejoice that the living God desires to speak to you, and make it a priority to obey what He directs. Truly, His desire is our command.    

What Feels Good

The general practice of the world (and our flesh if we want to admit it) is to live by whatever feels good and whatever our heart desires, with no regard for God and His established rules of right and wrong.  

However, God reveals in Jeremiah 17:9-10 that the human heart is "deceitful above all things, desperately corrupt (or wicked)."  God then states, "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."  Our fallen nature, called the flesh in Romans 8, is so corrupt that it cannot and will not please God.  

When men refuse to listen to God, as Jeremiah 16 points out, He turns them over to "their stubborn heart."  Romans 1 states this fact even stronger, that those who do not acknowledge God and refuse to thank Him, He gives them over "to the lusts of their heart" and "to their vile passions."  When men reject God and His ways, He lets them have what they want but with the obvious warning that their choice will only bring misery and death.  

In short, God lets us have what we want, even though it clearly is not His intention or given purpose for us.  He will even let us go to hell if we want to, even though He loves each person so much that He willingly laid down His life for them.  God honors our choices. 

God's answer for our wicked heart and darkened mind, through His death and resurrection, is to make us new creations. Jesus put to death our fallen nature with His death on the cross in order to give us a new heart and to transform our thoughts in our minds so that we can have the mind of Christ.  It is by the Spirit of God, who pours the love of God into our hearts and renews our mind with truth, that we are able to put to death the deeds of the flesh.  That is why, like Paul (in 2 Corinthians 5:9), we make it our aim to please God and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14).

Therefore, it is essential to pick up our cross daily and let the Holy Spirit and the Word of God direct our steps.  To pick up the cross means that we admit our fleshly thoughts and desires need to be crucified, and by the Spirit's help we choose and "delight to do the will of God."  We can set the mind on the Spirit and trust His leading, which produces life and peace.

May God reveal His heart and His desire to each one of us, so that the world's deceptions and our fallen-nature heart desires would not be able to distract or destroy us.  We choose to set the standard of what pleases God rather than what feels good.  Well done, good and faithful servant.  

Hear and Obey His Voice

"Let him who has ears to hear, hear."

In Psalm 81, we are reminded that God's heart desire for us is to hear His voice so He can bless us.  "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!"  As Psalm 81 continues, then I "would quickly subdue your enemies and turn My hand against your adversaries." God's desire is to fight for us, and His prerequisite is that we choose to hear His voice, and then be willing to obey.   

In God, our best defense against the enemy is a good offense.  Let God arise and His enemies be scattered (Ps 68:1) and in James 4:7, "Submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you."  Rather than in our arrogance thinking we can outsmart and outduel this evil spirit being, we simply join ourselves to Jesus who has already defeated Satan and all the powers of darkness.  Then the battle is the Lord's and we experience His victory.   

As Psalm 81 concludes, God, being God who is always more than enough, then sweetens the deal, "I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." What an awesome God who delights in the prosperity of His servants! 

When you take time and earnestly desire to hear from Him, my suggestion is to write down what you believe He is saying.  Then you won't be tempted to doubt in the darkness what you have heard in the light.  You will be more inclined to respond.  God told Habakkuk to write the vision so people who read it would run with it.

Let God bless you.  Hear and Obey!