Isaiah 52:10
10 The LORD will lay bare his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
This is a great verse. This whole section of Isaiah deals with the coming Messiah. And in a way, this verse actually foresees the Great Commission that Christ gave to us all with the promise that He would be with us. All the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God as we spread the Good News to every nation on earth. As we get ready to celebrate His resurrection this Sunday, let us not forget to spread the news of the real reason for this season as well.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/19/08
Isaiah 38:4-6
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
This is an interesting passage in the Bible. These verses come right after Hezekiah has prayed desperately to the Lord because Isaiah told him that God said he was going to die. It reminds us that God hears our prayers and responds to us with love. He absolutely cares about everything that you are going through. No thing is too big or too small to talk to Him about. He is always listening.
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
This is an interesting passage in the Bible. These verses come right after Hezekiah has prayed desperately to the Lord because Isaiah told him that God said he was going to die. It reminds us that God hears our prayers and responds to us with love. He absolutely cares about everything that you are going through. No thing is too big or too small to talk to Him about. He is always listening.
Monday, March 17, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/18/08
Ezekiel 33:30-32
30 "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.
As a pastor, I can relate to this passage. Of course, we all can relate to both sides of it. You can certainly recount a time when you heard a message and knew it was true, but failed to put it into practice. The important thing to note here is that we can learn from mistakes of the past. When you hear a message and God is speaking to you, put it into practice. If you don't, then you might as well have been at a concert or a movie. Let God's Word sink in and change you today.
30 "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.
As a pastor, I can relate to this passage. Of course, we all can relate to both sides of it. You can certainly recount a time when you heard a message and knew it was true, but failed to put it into practice. The important thing to note here is that we can learn from mistakes of the past. When you hear a message and God is speaking to you, put it into practice. If you don't, then you might as well have been at a concert or a movie. Let God's Word sink in and change you today.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/17/08
Matthew 7:21-23
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
I was thinking about this today. Many of those people who were shouting "Hosanna" and "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" to Jesus on Palm Sunday as He entered Jerusalem, were probably a part of the crowd shouting "crucify Him!" later in the week. It isn't enough to simply acknowledge with our lips that Jesus is Lord, we must acknowledge Him with our lives. We must be willing to live our lives with Him as Lord of us and all that we are.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
I was thinking about this today. Many of those people who were shouting "Hosanna" and "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" to Jesus on Palm Sunday as He entered Jerusalem, were probably a part of the crowd shouting "crucify Him!" later in the week. It isn't enough to simply acknowledge with our lips that Jesus is Lord, we must acknowledge Him with our lives. We must be willing to live our lives with Him as Lord of us and all that we are.
Friday, March 14, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/14/08
Acts 7:2-5
2 To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 3 'Leave your country and your people,' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.'
4 "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. 5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.
We were talking about Abraham in our Bible study on Thursday night. It is amazing to think that he set out without even knowing where he was going, just based on the Word of God. It is even more amazing as we see just how much he trusted God and His promises, even though many of them never came true during his lifetime. Abraham is held out as an example of faith that we can and should emulate. Where is God asking you to go? What is He asking you to do? He will be faithful to His part. Can you show the same kind of faith in Him that Abraham did?
2 To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 3 'Leave your country and your people,' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.'
4 "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. 5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.
We were talking about Abraham in our Bible study on Thursday night. It is amazing to think that he set out without even knowing where he was going, just based on the Word of God. It is even more amazing as we see just how much he trusted God and His promises, even though many of them never came true during his lifetime. Abraham is held out as an example of faith that we can and should emulate. Where is God asking you to go? What is He asking you to do? He will be faithful to His part. Can you show the same kind of faith in Him that Abraham did?
Thursday, March 13, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/13/08
Hebrews 12:26-29
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire."
Do you ever have those days when everything seems a little shakey? Consider these words from Hebrews. As created things we can sometimes find ourselves shaking and quaking and not firmly planted. But if we place ourselves in God's hands, He will keep us firm in those times. Look at Psalm 94:18 - 18 When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me.
And also at Psalm 94:22 - 22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
God is rock steady and our refuge in those times when we are not. Run to him when you feel the shakes and the quakes in life.
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire."
Do you ever have those days when everything seems a little shakey? Consider these words from Hebrews. As created things we can sometimes find ourselves shaking and quaking and not firmly planted. But if we place ourselves in God's hands, He will keep us firm in those times. Look at Psalm 94:18 - 18 When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me.
And also at Psalm 94:22 - 22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
God is rock steady and our refuge in those times when we are not. Run to him when you feel the shakes and the quakes in life.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/11/08
1 Corinthians 16:10-11
10 If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
I got to tell you that I really like Timothy. I can really relate to him in a lot of ways. I have been doing a sermon series at church through the book of 1 Timothy, but I hadn't remembered this verse until I read it today. Timothy had some problems with confidence and courage it seems. Paul frequently encourages Timothy in his two letters to him and here we see that he asked other people to help Timothy as well. This is something we can all do for our brothers and sisters. Do you know what your best friends weaknesses are? Do you actively seek to help him/her overcome those things? As believers, we should be quick to help each other in our areas of weakness.
10 If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
I got to tell you that I really like Timothy. I can really relate to him in a lot of ways. I have been doing a sermon series at church through the book of 1 Timothy, but I hadn't remembered this verse until I read it today. Timothy had some problems with confidence and courage it seems. Paul frequently encourages Timothy in his two letters to him and here we see that he asked other people to help Timothy as well. This is something we can all do for our brothers and sisters. Do you know what your best friends weaknesses are? Do you actively seek to help him/her overcome those things? As believers, we should be quick to help each other in our areas of weakness.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
From the Pastor's Desk Column for 3/10
In last week's column, I mentioned the Ten Commandments as an example of God's standard. It is amazing to think that what was once so foundational to our nation and its laws is now cast off and almost unknown. I ran across an interesting story a couple of years ago regarding the symbols of the Ten Commandments at the Supreme Court of the United States. There are six depictions of Moses and/or the Ten Commandments at the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C., but apparently the latest tourist information attempts to pass off most of these representations as references to the Bill of Rights. This is not intended to be a political column, rather I wish to address the trend to move the Ten Commandments out of the public eye.
I saw a man on the street type of video a few years ago that showed more people who could name ten different brands of beer than could name the Ten Commandments. If it weren't so sad, it would be laughable. There has never been a point in human history where God said that these commandments weren't valid. In fact, they still serve a very valid purpose. These commandments show us the character and nature of God. They show that He is holy and just in a way that we simply do not measure up to no matter how hard we try. What we see when we look into the Bible is first and foremost a glimpse at the reality of why we are the way we are. I believe that the Ten Commandments have been pushed from the public eye mainly because they make us uncomfortably aware that we don't measure up to God's standard. In fact there is no way that we ever could. It seems like the most common phrase I hear as a reason for a mistake being made is that, “I'm just human”.
There is one human being in recorded history who never made a mistake. His name is Jesus Christ. He was more than “just human”; He was God incarnate. This is the time of year when we celebrate the fact that He did something for us that we couldn't do for ourselves. He lived a perfect life and then put Himself in our place, on our behalf, before God. Because He didn't break the commandments of God, He was able to take the punishment for breaking them in our place. He paid a debt He didn't owe for you and for me. Next week, we will look at the resurrection of Jesus as the best attested event in human history.
I saw a man on the street type of video a few years ago that showed more people who could name ten different brands of beer than could name the Ten Commandments. If it weren't so sad, it would be laughable. There has never been a point in human history where God said that these commandments weren't valid. In fact, they still serve a very valid purpose. These commandments show us the character and nature of God. They show that He is holy and just in a way that we simply do not measure up to no matter how hard we try. What we see when we look into the Bible is first and foremost a glimpse at the reality of why we are the way we are. I believe that the Ten Commandments have been pushed from the public eye mainly because they make us uncomfortably aware that we don't measure up to God's standard. In fact there is no way that we ever could. It seems like the most common phrase I hear as a reason for a mistake being made is that, “I'm just human”.
There is one human being in recorded history who never made a mistake. His name is Jesus Christ. He was more than “just human”; He was God incarnate. This is the time of year when we celebrate the fact that He did something for us that we couldn't do for ourselves. He lived a perfect life and then put Himself in our place, on our behalf, before God. Because He didn't break the commandments of God, He was able to take the punishment for breaking them in our place. He paid a debt He didn't owe for you and for me. Next week, we will look at the resurrection of Jesus as the best attested event in human history.
I think I am going to be sick
Since when did the Southern Baptist Convention start listening to Al Gore? I ran across this article that makes me nauseous a few minutes ago about the Southern Baptist Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change. This comes out as spring approaches after some record-breaking snowfall in the Unites States no less. I am just sitting here in stunned disbelief. I have met two of these signatories; I was even a member of one of the churches whose pastor signed this thing. There are plenty of scientists who say that this whole thing is sheer hysteria, and even though I was born in the 70s, I still remember that it wasn't that long ago we were bombarded with the "danger" of a coming ice age. Nevermind that there is good evidence that much of the hysteria is based on bad data from bad data collection methods. What bothers me is that this is unnecessary on the whole. It makes me evermore glad to be a Southern Baptist, since this has no effect whatsoever on my church or any other church that doesn't want to pay it any mind. And shouldn't we be reading our Bibles anyway before we listen to science. God is in control here and He is much bigger than my minivan or hairspray can. This earth isn't going anywhere or doing anything until He says so. Props to Joseph Farah for pointing out Genesis 8:22: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." So put that in your climate change panic case and close it. I will leave you with this to put it in perspective.
Psalm 8:3-4
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
Do we seriously think ourselves so big now that we can destroy what God has put together? Get real.
Psalm 8:3-4
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
Do we seriously think ourselves so big now that we can destroy what God has put together? Get real.
More Than Bread Devotional
Malachi 2:17
17 You have wearied the LORD with your words.
"How have we wearied him?" you ask.
By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?"
We live in a world that tries to blur the lines of right and wrong. In fact, many prefer to make up their own standard of right and wrong based on anything from their personal feelings to a pleasure derivative calculation equation to you name it. The truth is that any system of right and wrong that has no objective basis is doomed to failure. God has provided a standard for us and He has the authority to make it stand. It has proven to be timeless and true. We should be confident to state what is good or evil based on God's standard of judgment without reservation. Be bold to call evil what it is. The God of justice is ever-present and His judgment is coming soon.
17 You have wearied the LORD with your words.
"How have we wearied him?" you ask.
By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?"
We live in a world that tries to blur the lines of right and wrong. In fact, many prefer to make up their own standard of right and wrong based on anything from their personal feelings to a pleasure derivative calculation equation to you name it. The truth is that any system of right and wrong that has no objective basis is doomed to failure. God has provided a standard for us and He has the authority to make it stand. It has proven to be timeless and true. We should be confident to state what is good or evil based on God's standard of judgment without reservation. Be bold to call evil what it is. The God of justice is ever-present and His judgment is coming soon.
Monday, March 10, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/10/08
Genesis 12:6-7
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great
tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the
land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I
will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had
appeared to him.
As some of you may already know, my sister Gina is traveling to
Israel this week. I was thinking about the land and nation of Israel
and its reminder to us even today that God is faithful to His
promises. Think about it. He promised Abraham that his offspring
would live there in that place. They have lived there for a long
time and continue to live there to this day. Always remember this
one thing. God is faithful. You can take it to the bank. If you
ever have doubts about His faithfulness, just take a quick glace at
the people of Israel, living today again in the promised land.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great
tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the
land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I
will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had
appeared to him.
As some of you may already know, my sister Gina is traveling to
Israel this week. I was thinking about the land and nation of Israel
and its reminder to us even today that God is faithful to His
promises. Think about it. He promised Abraham that his offspring
would live there in that place. They have lived there for a long
time and continue to live there to this day. Always remember this
one thing. God is faithful. You can take it to the bank. If you
ever have doubts about His faithfulness, just take a quick glace at
the people of Israel, living today again in the promised land.
Friday, March 07, 2008
More Than Bread 3/7/08
Joel 2:12-13
12 "Even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning."
13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
I have been pondering this idea more and more lately. The thing that God desires most from us isn't the proper words or even the proper actions; it is the proper attitude of our heart that He desires most. You can see it over and over again throughout Scripture. God doesn't want you to just do the right things; He wants you to be right. An outward show with no inward truth will fool a lot of people, but it can never fool God.
12 "Even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning."
13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
I have been pondering this idea more and more lately. The thing that God desires most from us isn't the proper words or even the proper actions; it is the proper attitude of our heart that He desires most. You can see it over and over again throughout Scripture. God doesn't want you to just do the right things; He wants you to be right. An outward show with no inward truth will fool a lot of people, but it can never fool God.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The Rehab of Martin Luther
Pope Benedict XVI is a hard one to figure out. I saw a news story today that he has come out and said that Martin Luther was only trying to cleanse the church. Is he really the first Pope to figure this out? I am not a Lutheran, but I have a lot of respect for Martin Luther and what he did. It takes a lot of courage to stand in the face of that much pressure and hold fast to your convictions. Many of us may never know what it means to be challenged in such a manner. Surely his demeanor and his unwillingness to flinch in the face of that pressure should have been enough to give the Catholic church pause before now. There was no doubt that he was sincere and the perspective of time has surely shown that his gripes about indulgences and other issues were legitimate. It was just last July that the Pope said that non-Catholic Christians are "defective". I love my Catholic brothers and sisters, but I cannot in good faith be a part of the Catholic church because some of the teachings are still unScriptural in my assessment. I have had many good discussions with friends who are Catholic and I have taken many a hard look in the Bible myself at the teachings that bother me the most, but I have been unable to reconsile them. In fact, one of those issues has taken another point today. If Pope Bendict XVI is right about Luther now, then Pope Leo X was wrong to excommunicate him then. I know that they wish to limit the scope of Papal infallibility in order to prevent problems, but shouldn't a Pope be in "infallible mode" if you will when he excommunicates someone from the church?
More Than Bread 3/6/08
Deuteronomy 4:1-2
1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
When I read this passage at first I find myself asking, who in the world would add to God's laws? Aren't they comprehensive enough? But if you think about it, the temptation to add to God's commands has existed since the beginning. Remember what Eve did in the garden when the serpent asked her about the fruit? She took the command of God that they couldn't eat from the tree and added that they couldn't even touch it. It is amazing to think that even the simplest commandment of God could get twisted by a simple addition. The Pharisees in Jesus' day had made a career of adding things to what God requires. I think the important lesson for us is to stick to what God says and not get sidetracked by all the things man is tempted to add.
1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
When I read this passage at first I find myself asking, who in the world would add to God's laws? Aren't they comprehensive enough? But if you think about it, the temptation to add to God's commands has existed since the beginning. Remember what Eve did in the garden when the serpent asked her about the fruit? She took the command of God that they couldn't eat from the tree and added that they couldn't even touch it. It is amazing to think that even the simplest commandment of God could get twisted by a simple addition. The Pharisees in Jesus' day had made a career of adding things to what God requires. I think the important lesson for us is to stick to what God says and not get sidetracked by all the things man is tempted to add.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
More Than Bread 3/5/08
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
This passage is one that has been foundational to God's relationship with His people for a long time. We know that Jesus referred back to this when he said that to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself were the foundation of the law itself. Some Hebrews actually take this very literally and wear symbols on their hands and foreheads. I think it is very important for us to keep the truth of God's Word before us at every moment. Is it on your mirror? What about your steering wheel? Do you think it would be wise to put the commandments of God in front of us more? I think we could all see a difference in our lives if we focus more on His Word.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
This passage is one that has been foundational to God's relationship with His people for a long time. We know that Jesus referred back to this when he said that to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself were the foundation of the law itself. Some Hebrews actually take this very literally and wear symbols on their hands and foreheads. I think it is very important for us to keep the truth of God's Word before us at every moment. Is it on your mirror? What about your steering wheel? Do you think it would be wise to put the commandments of God in front of us more? I think we could all see a difference in our lives if we focus more on His Word.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
From the Pastor's Desk Column for 3/3
I have the privilege this month of supplying the pastor's column for the local paper (Cavalier County Republican) for this month. I will post them here after they are published in the paper if any are interested in reading them. Here is the first column.
Recently, there was a scary scene in the hockey world. A young player named Richard Zednik was cut in the throat by another player's skate in what would surely be seen as a freak incident. The skate cut into his carotid artery and put his life in serious danger. I saw on television that he stated he began to wonder if he would see his four year old daughter ever again. Life is a gift that we often take for granted. It is staggering statistic. 10 out of 10 humans die. We all know that this is true, but we rarely take the time to contemplate our own death. The Bible tells us that there is a day appointed for each of us when we die and then we will face the judgment of God. Have you considered how you would fare in this judgment?
Let's take a look at one of God's well known standards. Have you kept the Ten Commandments? Have you ever told a lie? I don't know of anyone that hasn't. What about theft, have you ever stolen anything, regardless of its value? It is a rare person indeed who has never stolen something. Have you ever used God's name as a curse word? It's called blasphemy and in today's society it seems to be the norm rather than the exception. We have only looked at three of the ten and already most of us are batting 0 for 3. This is the reason that Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” When you stand in God's courtroom on your appointed day, will you be innocent or guilty? The Bible is clear that we are all guilty before God, because none of us could live up to His standard. The Bible is also clear about the consequence of a guilty verdict. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is good news here. There is One standing in the courtroom at God's judgment who is willing to take your place. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and for yours as well. He offers to stand in our place, if we will let Him. If we acknowledge our guilt before God and repent of doing things our own way, God can forgive us because of Christ's sacrifice. Read the Bible to know God's way of living and do what it says. A new commandment takes its place in your life. 1 John 3:23-24 says, “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
No one knows the hour or the day we will be called from this life to face the judgment of God. But there is no excuse for any of us to go unprepared to face Him on that day. If you have questions or comments, I would be glad to talk to you more.
Recently, there was a scary scene in the hockey world. A young player named Richard Zednik was cut in the throat by another player's skate in what would surely be seen as a freak incident. The skate cut into his carotid artery and put his life in serious danger. I saw on television that he stated he began to wonder if he would see his four year old daughter ever again. Life is a gift that we often take for granted. It is staggering statistic. 10 out of 10 humans die. We all know that this is true, but we rarely take the time to contemplate our own death. The Bible tells us that there is a day appointed for each of us when we die and then we will face the judgment of God. Have you considered how you would fare in this judgment?
Let's take a look at one of God's well known standards. Have you kept the Ten Commandments? Have you ever told a lie? I don't know of anyone that hasn't. What about theft, have you ever stolen anything, regardless of its value? It is a rare person indeed who has never stolen something. Have you ever used God's name as a curse word? It's called blasphemy and in today's society it seems to be the norm rather than the exception. We have only looked at three of the ten and already most of us are batting 0 for 3. This is the reason that Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” When you stand in God's courtroom on your appointed day, will you be innocent or guilty? The Bible is clear that we are all guilty before God, because none of us could live up to His standard. The Bible is also clear about the consequence of a guilty verdict. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is good news here. There is One standing in the courtroom at God's judgment who is willing to take your place. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and for yours as well. He offers to stand in our place, if we will let Him. If we acknowledge our guilt before God and repent of doing things our own way, God can forgive us because of Christ's sacrifice. Read the Bible to know God's way of living and do what it says. A new commandment takes its place in your life. 1 John 3:23-24 says, “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
No one knows the hour or the day we will be called from this life to face the judgment of God. But there is no excuse for any of us to go unprepared to face Him on that day. If you have questions or comments, I would be glad to talk to you more.
More Than Bread 3/4/08
Joshua 1:6-9
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Did you notice how many times Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous? It comes as part of a promise that God would be with Joshua wherever he went. We have a similar promise from Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:20b-"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." So I say to you, be strong and courageous. The Lord of Hosts is at our side.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Did you notice how many times Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous? It comes as part of a promise that God would be with Joshua wherever he went. We have a similar promise from Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:20b-"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." So I say to you, be strong and courageous. The Lord of Hosts is at our side.
Friday, February 29, 2008
More Than Bread 2/29/08
Psalm 121:1-4
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
I missed getting the devotional yesterday, because I hit the road to go to a friends wedding this weekend. In the process, we drove through a lot of snow and slippery conditions. I am not sure that this promise(not to slip) extends to vehicles. But the promise that God continues to watch over us and does not slumber is always true. No matter what time it is or what you are facing, God is there for you. Call on your everpresent help in your time of need.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
I missed getting the devotional yesterday, because I hit the road to go to a friends wedding this weekend. In the process, we drove through a lot of snow and slippery conditions. I am not sure that this promise(not to slip) extends to vehicles. But the promise that God continues to watch over us and does not slumber is always true. No matter what time it is or what you are facing, God is there for you. Call on your everpresent help in your time of need.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
More Than Bread 2/27/08
Job 12:2-5
2 "Doubtless you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?
4 "I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
though I called upon God and he answered—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 Men at ease have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
Here Job is replying to one of his "friends" who had basically told him that all of his trouble was self-caused. We of course know that Job had done nothing wrong. Job also knew he had done nothing to bring this on himself. What caught my eye was verse 5. It is easy for us to think less of a person in the midst of trouble when we think they have "brought it on themselves". But it would be much wiser to step back and try to relate. I took a crack at curling for the first time. I learned a valuable lesson in the process. It is easier to watch people on the ice than it is to try and manuver on the ice yourself. I fell a couple of times trying to learn how to balance. I may have even provided a chuckle or two to some of those watching. The lesson from Job is to not look down on the troubles of others, when we are in comfort and ease. We should be willing instead to come alongside and be a support and a help in their time of need.
2 "Doubtless you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?
4 "I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
though I called upon God and he answered—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 Men at ease have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
Here Job is replying to one of his "friends" who had basically told him that all of his trouble was self-caused. We of course know that Job had done nothing wrong. Job also knew he had done nothing to bring this on himself. What caught my eye was verse 5. It is easy for us to think less of a person in the midst of trouble when we think they have "brought it on themselves". But it would be much wiser to step back and try to relate. I took a crack at curling for the first time. I learned a valuable lesson in the process. It is easier to watch people on the ice than it is to try and manuver on the ice yourself. I fell a couple of times trying to learn how to balance. I may have even provided a chuckle or two to some of those watching. The lesson from Job is to not look down on the troubles of others, when we are in comfort and ease. We should be willing instead to come alongside and be a support and a help in their time of need.
Are you serious about evangelism?
I posted some of these same thoughts at my other blog, but I wanted to place them here as well becuase I think it is very important.
Evangelism is one of those things that we all know we need to do, but many of us put off doing. I for one have used more excuses than I can remember for why I couldn't talk to someone about Christ. Well, I am getting sick of my excuses. Sharing the gospel isn't an optional thing for any of us. Most of us probably are afraid to share with others. Maybe we are afraid of saying the wrong thing. Of course, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, all you need to do is share how he changed your life. There is no way you can get that wrong. I saw a video as a part of my class, where Ray Comfort asked believers if they could overcome their fear of witnessing if they were given $1000 dollars for every person they witnessed to. What a convicting question. I have made a couple of adjustments in my life based on what I saw. First, I decided that I needed to go and put my money where my heart is. A couple of years ago, I heard about an organization called Gospel for Asia. They are involved in using native missionaries to share with their people the Gospel of Christ. For $30/month, you can be involved in sponsoring a pastor who is spreading the Gospel in Asia. I know that it isn't as heartwarming perhaps as sponsoring a hungry child, but imagine the impact of this kind of sponsorship on the Kingdom of God. I encourage you to check them out. But even more than that, I encourage you to share your own story whenever you can.
Evangelism is one of those things that we all know we need to do, but many of us put off doing. I for one have used more excuses than I can remember for why I couldn't talk to someone about Christ. Well, I am getting sick of my excuses. Sharing the gospel isn't an optional thing for any of us. Most of us probably are afraid to share with others. Maybe we are afraid of saying the wrong thing. Of course, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, all you need to do is share how he changed your life. There is no way you can get that wrong. I saw a video as a part of my class, where Ray Comfort asked believers if they could overcome their fear of witnessing if they were given $1000 dollars for every person they witnessed to. What a convicting question. I have made a couple of adjustments in my life based on what I saw. First, I decided that I needed to go and put my money where my heart is. A couple of years ago, I heard about an organization called Gospel for Asia. They are involved in using native missionaries to share with their people the Gospel of Christ. For $30/month, you can be involved in sponsoring a pastor who is spreading the Gospel in Asia. I know that it isn't as heartwarming perhaps as sponsoring a hungry child, but imagine the impact of this kind of sponsorship on the Kingdom of God. I encourage you to check them out. But even more than that, I encourage you to share your own story whenever you can.
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