"Trust God"

  Trust God! Easy words spoken but it can be difficult to do when you're the one suffering. Many want a God they can see and when they communicate, He communicates back. When sufferings hit, we really want to know what direction or what steps to take. But God is Spirit (John 4:24). We cannot touch, feel or communicate on all humans senses with Spirit. That's why so many simply cannot trust. Faith is an issue.

  How do we know? How do we gain that trust? Let's start at the cross. A visible response to mankind, in view to a world at that time shouting, "God is!" They saw a man, the man Christ Jesus, take a whipping that would drive most on a downward spiral. It took Him upward. They saw a man, the man Christ Jesus, hung between heaven and earth between two common criminals but was still looking to His Father who is Spirit. Once He died, the earth shook. Graves opened. The sky turned into night. Something very different was revealed to man from the eternal Father who is Spirit speaking loudly, "Trust in Me!"

  Then the reality of it all came into complete focus. Witnesses, eyewitnesses saw an empty tomb. Who raised this dead man, the man Christ Jesus? Who put life back in Him when His life was snuffed out by man? The Almighty Lord Jehovah God who is Spirit! The world was set on its heels and even as hard as man tried, Jesus Christ could not be pushed out of man's lives nor man's judgment. For over two thousand years we are still talking about Him, preaching about Him and directing peoples lives back to Him.

  You want a God to see and communicate with? You have Him. God has communicated to man all man needs. We call it Scripture or God's word. Those words penned on paper for us came from the lips of God who is Spirit and sent into our world through the mediator Jesus Christ. The word of God is inspired like no other. Every action, thought and desire of God is in His word. Every thing we need to know about life and promises are in His word. Jesus is the proof and the guarantee that His word is trustworthy. Why else would He put Himself in harms way? 

  In your time of trial, trust God! Trials are always temporary. Ask Jesus. But whenever you are pained or in a deep place in life, remember, the resurrected Christ promises there is life beyond what you see and He's the proof. That means if someone is causing you pain with evil, you can do what is right with a right attitude because you know that someone will answer for the pain poured on the defenseless by a God who lives. There is coming a judgment day! Trust God!!!

"The Phone Call"

  It started with a simple phone call. My grandchildren living in another state wanted to speak to us on FaceTime. (For those who are unaware of what this is it is a video along with the phone call.) You could hear the giggling in their voices which I always hear and they were jumping around but this was different. The voice of my daughter speaks: "The kids have something they want to tell you!" Then came the words: "Mommy has a baby in her tummy!" The sheer joy and the lack of words.

  "Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of sons is their fathers." (Prov. 17:6) What more do I say other than I'm not an old man!!! God's blessings to you this day.

"True Life and Joy"

  I have seen it over and over. People pretending to love Jesus. Why I was there too! You know how it goes: sing the songs, say the prayers, smile at others while around them, talk about Scripture as if we have studied every day of our lives and are moving forward. But then we find ourselves in our own world. At home, work or play where others in Christ do not interact. There we are drawn to the evils that we always desired but no one but ourselves (of course the Lord but we aren't thinking in those terms at this point) knows. We listen to those around that seem to enjoy the very sin we would like to partake in. 

  Then comes those in Christ Jesus around again. We put on that smile, talk the talk, act like we love the Lord with all our being but deep inside, there is something profoundly missing and we know. The first time something that is spoken or done that we can toss our misery out of our way and accuse them, well, it only covers our hearts desire and we cast our stones easily! 

  Back in our real world we head. Empty and knowing it! We wished we were different but we have those dark bouts in our soul. We know who we really are. It can eat on us and depress us at times. The more we think, we wonder why we can't find happiness or joy. My unconverted friends seem to have joy and life. Sin is the appealing side and we look over there, walking just in the edge but not get caught. The pull is great. This continues for some time, maybe years and then one day we find the boldness to stand up and fling Jesus far away and go after whatever it is that has always attracted us. There will be consequences but we finally say we are being honest with ourselves. This is what we wanted all along and now the door we hid behind was opened for all to see and we don't care. The years of hypocrisy have finally been tossed aside and we are who we are or are we?

  We can look at Judas. A hand-picked apostle of the Lord. Those years of acting the part, watching the miracles and listening to His teaching but the heart was somewhere else. Somehow he had become the 'watchman' over the money box and would skim money for himself. Oh, not enough to get caught but walking in the edge of darkness knowing that's really where he wanted to be. Yet once he had made a deal for thirty pieces of silver, broke from the pack by turning on Jesus, he stood with his collection in his hand and the world he desired lay ahead of him. All the joy and happiness he ever wanted was for his taking but while he clutched his money, he could not escape his treachery. He hurls his whole world at those who gave it to him and ended his life. 

  It doesn't end so dramatically for us. Some just quietly go to there eternal grave with time. Some head their own direction whimpering, blaming others. All in all, little was found in Christ Jesus. Bored with lessons, bored with people that speak and represent Him and knowing the He really got in our way to what we really wanted. There was too much for us to engage in, to drink and to laugh about without Jesus standing in our path. All the while, the heart grows dull and the guilt is buried in a seared conscience. 

  Let's not pretend any longer. We don't have to pretend to make Christ attractive to others because in the cases above, He wasn't attractive to me, you or others trapped in sin. Down below all the tasty sin there is something profoundly missing that sin and the sin in our friends cannot bring us...JOY and LIFE. Only Jesus can provide these. These are found only in an honest and pure walk and binding ourselves to Jesus and learning from Him. Once Christ is submitted to with a whole heart, joy is real and life, true life is found. That's the promise from heaven. No more pretending and only living. Isn't that what man really wants?

"Help Your Brother, Your Friend"

  Jesus is in the transforming business. We were not people who came to Christ, baptized into His name for the cleansing of our sins because we were pretty good with a few flaws. Sin dominated our lives. Sin made us a slave and it molded our out-look on life, the decisions we made and the directions we chose to walk. I realize not everything we did before our coming into Jesus was sinful but no doubt, sin was our master and we were its slave.

  Once we entered Christ, we became this new creation (II Cor. 5:17). Our old ways, our old man was buried and put to death (Rom. 6:5-7). We must now begin our walk. It's a walk that changes who we were into who He is. To renew our minds is giving our mind and heart over completely to His will and teaching, making our decisions based on Him and His word. Transformation comes from a willing heart. Without that, there will be no transformation. (Rom. 12:1-2)

  But we are called to also help our brothers and sisters. Many eagerly do this for which I am thankful but there is one area we need to address in our walk with the Master. When a brother or sister is in sin, walking in sin whether it is from a bad attitude to a practice that goes against the teaching of the Lord, we must NEVER whitewash their evil, even if they are our dear friend! Especially if they are our friend. You don't have to brutalize people to confront them with their sinful ways. You don't have to be rude. You have to be gentle and watch out you don't get entangled with them just because they are a dear friend (Gal. 6:1). It is NEVER right to side with one walking contrary to the Lord and we must not give the strugglers the impression we side with them. They must know we are for them and want them saved! We must make it abundantly clear that we are on God's side to aid them. They need to confess the evil and repent to God. If it is someone dear, never leave them in a sinful attitude without trying to confront them. That's cruel and heartless.

  I can remember several years back how I found myself trapped in sin. My dearest friend who I love so much confronted me. He pointed out my waywardness but he did it with kindness and love. Yes, it hurt but the test was on me to see if I would be humble in heart or rebel. The battle line had been drawn and my friend was calling me back to the side of Jesus with him. I have been so grateful for that tearful evening and realizing a true friend confronts sin in their friend. That's love at it height!

  We are called to help bear with one another. We are called to grow that the strong can help the weak. We are called to aid our brothers and sisters. But when a dearly loved brother or sister refuses, what is left? Ask Jesus as He tried to help His betrayer Judas on the night He washed the feet.

"Worship Again?"

  I've been doing a lot of reading from Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I came across some interesting things about worship from this and we miss today in our "modern" modes. One thing began to stand out was God's instruction about sacrifice and the priesthood. God makes it clear that worship is something God crafted, shaped and initiated. In other words, worship is really God's idea and once understood it creates within the saved an almost instinctive motivation because of salvation.

  In Christ Jesus, we are all priests according to Peter (I Pet. 2:9-10). Priests are called to proclaim the excellencies of God! Therefore, worship is about God! Not about a performance of man or things orchestrated by man but hearts engaged upward to God that proclaim the greatness of God.

  In reading under the OT and their tabernacle worship, we find several things that might need to be re-visited to get a point, not the practice under that covenant. The first thing you find is that worship was and should always be addressed to God. If more preachers, those leading recognized they were standing before God, not the people, it would shape how things are approached. Under the OT offerings, the slaying of the animals and the cutting and dividing the parts were done for God exclusively. It was all about communing with God

  Worship was the recognition and foundation for the graciousness of God. The priests were called to keep alive the memory of the great events God had done to redeem Israel from slavery. Worship reminded Israel and gave each generation the opportunity to bring themselves under the grace provided by God toward them. We too, under Christ Jesus, have a greater reason to see the graciousness of God toward us who believe.

  Worship was the personal response of gratitude and commitment to Jehovah God who was their Redeemer and Lord. When the worshiper brought their basket of first fruits, they came thanking God out of a heart that was AWARE and grateful. (You can see this in Deut. 26.) They truly saw God as the source of their blessings and brought that offering with that heart and mind-set. Today, what do we see in our giving? From our first fruits? How much thought is really given in regard to gratitude and commitment?

  Worship was an offering of the individual that was given to God that represented the worshiper! When one looks at the sacrifices, an animal died in the place of the worshiper which meant the worshiper was representing himself to God. There stood the worshiper with a spotless sacrifice in their place as a confession before God and was wanting to offer their whole back to God. The confession was giving all that belonged to God from the worshiper. What do we miss today in offering ourselves back as a living and holy sacrifice (Rom. 12:1)?

  Finally, worship was about holiness. The worshiper wasn't just strolling up to the tabernacle or in the temple just to say "Hi" God! There was a seriousness about God's holiness and the worshiper knew the holy difference between God and themselves. It brings about an awe struck sense that a holy God communes with man cleansed through the blood of the sacrifice. How many of us think in terms of holiness and holy living (I Pet. 1:14-16)? Shouldn't holiness be what we strive for in our worship and daily living before God?

  Why do you worship? I mean really, why do you worship? Don't tell yourself 'canned' answers! What's going on in your heart and why do you assemble with the saints to worship? 

"A Major Lesson Learned"

  Life can beat on one and disappoint. We have been there. It seems that one thing after another comes at us and leaves us wondering why. Sometimes it could be due to an unrepentant heart that refuses to humbly yield to the Father who loves us and He is trying to get our attention. An honest examination of the the heart would solve this. However, there are those who honestly and humbly seek the face of the Lord, wanting to know Him and openly walk in the Light yet they meet such disappointment it seems at every turn.

  Here are just a few things to help us move forward in the face of disappointment:

(1) There is something the Lord is trying to grow in you and first and foremost is faith. The disappointment can be a faith building tool (Jam. 1:1-4). This should in itself help change our attitude.

(2) Do not look at the disappointment but look to the Lord allowing Him to lead you forward in His paths of righteousness. Too much focus on the disappointment only creates self-pity which eventually will drown you.

(3) When anxiety enters over something, stress is soon to follow. Both are destructive to the soul. We need to apply diligently Phil. 4:6-7. (By the way when we are told not to "be anxious for nothing" that is not an option but a command.)

(4) Seek out the Lord Jesus Christ. Put your heart and faith on Him which means you need some serious time listening to His word.

(5) Grow in the faith of giving. That's right. When most are going through a difficulty, giving is the last thing they think about. Giving puts others needs ahead of your own which is Christ in you. Didn't Jesus give the night of His betrayal?

(6) Spend more personal time in prayer, fervent prayer. Not just while you're going through the difficulty but when things are on track. Prayer is a vital communication with the Lord. 

  From all my years of dealing with so many different ones in many different situations, I have come to a major conclusion from God's word. There are too many who are lazy and undisciplined in their lives to really live in Christ Jesus. Timothy was told that God gave us a spirit of power, love and discipline (II Tim. 1:7). Let's take time to live, really live in Christ even when things aren't the best.

"Handling the Word Accurately"

  I want to start this new year properly by stating the biggest need: handling accurately the word of truth! Too many find a verse in God's word that agrees with their thoughts and spout that as if it is true because they feel if it's in God's word, it's true. (The devil did this to Jesus - Matt. 4:6) Accuracy is the key. I know over the years that I have had to re-evaluate my position on something simply because I stood on one particular verse finding I wasn't accurate in my belief. How does one know?

  First, it's all about context. One must understand the context of what is being discussed. When you come across a teaching from God's word, you have to look at what is being discussed and whom is being addressed. Too many times we quote a verse thinking it is saying one thing only to find out that in another place it says something differently. That's when you realize you have misapplied your understanding.

  Second, read carefully around the verse you are trying to understand. There many times you will find the context and an answer to your question or understanding.

  Let's use this example. Over and over I hear people speak that we cannot judge. They cite Matt. 7:1 where Jesus speaks, "Do not judge lest you be judged yourselves." It looks like on the surface that's what Jesus said and off many go running with this thought, believing it to be true. They reprimand anyone who goes against these words of Jesus. However, they fail to read on. If one read down through the verses they would find Jesus also teaching: "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matt. 7:6) Doesn't one have to "judge" when determining the dogs and swine? Then what did Jesus mean?

  Look carefully at Matt. 7:2: "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to  you." Just a little help for you. When you see a statement made and the very next statement starts with the word "for", that's a word explaining the previous. What do you learn from this? To give out judgment on someone and you're the standard, that's wrong. The way you judge, the standard you use to judge is what the Lord will use to judge you! If your standard is God's word to determine things, that word will be used to judge you. God's word is always the standard, not man. When someone steals, they are a thief! The word of God says so. When someone practices immorality (including homosexuality), drunkenness, swindling people and the like, they will not be in heaven. That is sinful in the eyes of God. How can I judge that? Because the word of God speaks that (I Cor. 6:9-10). When people cause strife, have outbursts of anger, cause factions, they will not end up in heaven because God's word speaks to that (Gal. 5:19-21) 

  Be careful how you determine a conclusion about the things of God. Make certain that before you come to a faith convicting conclusion that your conclusion could be proved wrong from another verse. The word of God NEVER goes against itself. We need to be people who are concerned about accurately handling the word of truth. That means I must be a reader of God's word and trust Him to take me forward.