I Timothy 6:11-19
In some churches, time is occasionally given for someone to give a testimony, perhaps of how they were saved or have come back to the Lord after going astray for awhile. Sometimes this is done when an adult gets baptized, and the new Christian gives their testimony for their Christian brothers and sisters to hear. Maybe during an informal Bible study one or two believers share something that the Lord is doing in their lives to encourage others. In our Scripture passage today, Paul urges Timothy to remember the confession, the testimony he gave to the church sometime earlier, to not forsake that, and to keep fighting the good fight of faith during the difficult times he was going through. We all go through difficult times, so let’s take some encouragement from these Scriptures.
Timothy, though a relatively young man, was one of the leaders of the church in Ephesus. Paul wrote this epistle to give Timothy some instructions in ministering to the church there, and also some encouragement, especially since some were giving him a difficult time, especially about his youth (I Timothy 4:12). Paul encourages Timothy (and us all, as well) to remain faithful and strong, even through persecution and difficulties (vs. 12). He instructs Timothy to flee “these things”, which are mentioned earlier in the chapter, in verses 4-5 and 10. These are pride, disputing, envy, and love of money. Instead, we need to show righteousness, godliness, and all the fruits of the Spirit. Christians who want to live for the Lord should have an active faith, obeying God with courage, and doing what we know is right, keeping His commandments and obeying His Word.
Paul encourages Timothy and us to “fight the good fight of faith” (vs. 12). Who are we fighting? We are in a spiritual battle with Satan and the kingdom of darkness. Our fight involves our spiritual concentration and discipline. As we fight the fiery darts the devil sends our way, keep remembering the eternal life God has promised us. We must be unreservedly committed to Jesus Christ, regardless of our circumstances, challenges, or obstacles in our life. This will lead to spiritual victory. Believe in and obey God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Represent Jesus well in the world, so others will see and believe. By avoiding sin we glorify God and are a good witness to the lost. Jesus confessed the truth about Himself before Pontius Pilate (John 18:33-37), committing Himself to God despite the consequences (vs. 13).
Paul urged Timothy to keep the Word of God and preach it until Jesus returns (vs. 14). Since that could be at any time, we are to always remain faithful to our calling. Only God knows when Jesus will return. He is the almighty sovereign, omnipotently ruling over all (vs. 15-16). As Scripture says, no man has ever seen Him in His full glory.
As our Scripture passage concludes, Paul instructs Timothy to warn those in his church who are rich on how they should act and conduct themselves (vs. 17-19). Ephesus was a wealthy, affluent city on the west coast of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), and the church there at the time when Timothy preached and taught most probably had a number of very wealthy members. Paul had stated just prior to this passage that the “love of money is the root of all evil” (I Timothy 6:10). He didn’t say that being rich was wrong or sinful, but stated that when we have an inordinate love for money, it can and will bring about evil. Those who have wealth also have great responsibility. They should not act arrogant, haughty, or proud towards those who are not wealthy, especially to fellow Christians, and not put their trust or hope in their money. God wants the rich to be good stewards of what He has given to them.
Believers who have money should use it to meet the needs of others (vs. 18). To be rich in good deeds is much more valuable in God’s sight! If God has blessed a believer with money, resources, or talents, they should not be used just for themselves. They should use them to help others and expand His kingdom. Instead of looking for earthly dividends from their money, the rich should be looking for heavenly rewards. All of our earthly possessions will be worthless on Judgment Day. We need to see the value of things from God’s perspective.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Monday, September 30, 2019
Whom Can We Trust?
Psalm 146
What a feeling of letdown and disappointment. The person you were counting on and depending on for help has not come through for you. It could be a friend, relative, or neighbor. Perhaps a business associate, banker, or politician. Sometimes these disappointments are just minor irritations or inconveniences such as a ride to the store or an appointment, or help in fixing up the garage. Other times it could be something very important such as getting the loan that was promised or a company’s promise of pension payments. We’ve all been letdown by others at some point in our life, sometimes even left wondering who, if anyone, we can trust. Our psalm for today addresses such an issue, and also points us to the one we can trust.
Every few years there are elections for congressmen, senators, members of parliament, and other government leaders. They make all sorts of promises to hopefully ensure their election. Sometimes these promises are for very important issues such as social security and medical care for the elderly and those in need. Perhaps we have worked at a company faithfully for many years with their promise that after retirement there will be a nice pension. A bank or a financial company has promised that our investments are secure. Each of these can, and sometimes has let people down, many times with serious consequences. Man is an inadequate savior to put our hope and trust in, whether it is a government agency or leader, or an individual we rely on for help, as our psalmist warns us (vs. 3-4). They are a false hope, and usually cannot deliver what they have promised.
So who can we trust and hope in? The psalmist answers this question in verse 5. God is the hope and help of anyone in need. Are we oppressed? Are we hungry, whether literally or figuratively? Are we bound in any type of prison? The Lord God is our hope (vs. 7). He is there for the blind, the discouraged, the stranger or alien, and the fatherless and widows (vs. 8-9). God cares for the poor and afflicted (Luke 4:18-21; 7:21-23).
People are fallible. We all make mistakes, and we are all limited in what we are able to do and accomplish, which is why we are often disappointed and let down when we trust in our fellow human beings. Our trust is best placed in God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and who reveals all truth to us (vs. 6). He mercifully reaches out to those in need, and they can put their confidence and belief in Him.
God takes note of those who mistreat others, who take advantage and abuse the trust that was misplaced in them. The psalmist says that God turns the way of the wicked upside down (vs. 9). God’s plans overturns and upsets the way of the wicked, because His values are the complete opposite of those of society. The unsaved just cannot understand believers when we live by Biblical standards and values.
Our psalmist both began and ended this psalm with a call-out to praise the Lord. He must have known from experience that when we make a habit of praising God, it takes our minds off of our problems and shortcomings, and focuses instead on God. When we are praising God we consider and appreciate His character. Praise causes us to look away from all of our earthly concerns and matters, and to look instead to heavenly and eternal matters. The Lord God, alone, is the one whom we can fully trust and rely on, and He is worthy of all our praise.
What a feeling of letdown and disappointment. The person you were counting on and depending on for help has not come through for you. It could be a friend, relative, or neighbor. Perhaps a business associate, banker, or politician. Sometimes these disappointments are just minor irritations or inconveniences such as a ride to the store or an appointment, or help in fixing up the garage. Other times it could be something very important such as getting the loan that was promised or a company’s promise of pension payments. We’ve all been letdown by others at some point in our life, sometimes even left wondering who, if anyone, we can trust. Our psalm for today addresses such an issue, and also points us to the one we can trust.
Every few years there are elections for congressmen, senators, members of parliament, and other government leaders. They make all sorts of promises to hopefully ensure their election. Sometimes these promises are for very important issues such as social security and medical care for the elderly and those in need. Perhaps we have worked at a company faithfully for many years with their promise that after retirement there will be a nice pension. A bank or a financial company has promised that our investments are secure. Each of these can, and sometimes has let people down, many times with serious consequences. Man is an inadequate savior to put our hope and trust in, whether it is a government agency or leader, or an individual we rely on for help, as our psalmist warns us (vs. 3-4). They are a false hope, and usually cannot deliver what they have promised.
So who can we trust and hope in? The psalmist answers this question in verse 5. God is the hope and help of anyone in need. Are we oppressed? Are we hungry, whether literally or figuratively? Are we bound in any type of prison? The Lord God is our hope (vs. 7). He is there for the blind, the discouraged, the stranger or alien, and the fatherless and widows (vs. 8-9). God cares for the poor and afflicted (Luke 4:18-21; 7:21-23).
People are fallible. We all make mistakes, and we are all limited in what we are able to do and accomplish, which is why we are often disappointed and let down when we trust in our fellow human beings. Our trust is best placed in God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and who reveals all truth to us (vs. 6). He mercifully reaches out to those in need, and they can put their confidence and belief in Him.
God takes note of those who mistreat others, who take advantage and abuse the trust that was misplaced in them. The psalmist says that God turns the way of the wicked upside down (vs. 9). God’s plans overturns and upsets the way of the wicked, because His values are the complete opposite of those of society. The unsaved just cannot understand believers when we live by Biblical standards and values.
Our psalmist both began and ended this psalm with a call-out to praise the Lord. He must have known from experience that when we make a habit of praising God, it takes our minds off of our problems and shortcomings, and focuses instead on God. When we are praising God we consider and appreciate His character. Praise causes us to look away from all of our earthly concerns and matters, and to look instead to heavenly and eternal matters. The Lord God, alone, is the one whom we can fully trust and rely on, and He is worthy of all our praise.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Finding Faith Where It's Not Expected
Joshua 2:1-21
When people are talking about their ancestors, they might like to happily bring up some famous, well-liked ancestor. They proudly state that they are related to George Washington, or Thomas Edison, or William Shakespeare. How many people would be quick to point out that they were descended from a murderer or a well-known prostitute? If we were asked to compose a list of people we consider our heroes, would we put someone like that on the list? Not many people would. Yet when God inspired Matthew to compile his genealogy of Jesus, He was careful to include that Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, was an ancestress of the Savior (Matthew 1:5). When God inspired the author of Hebrews to compile the list of great heroes of the faith, only two women were mentioned by name, Sarah the wife of Abraham, and the other - you guessed it, the prostitute Rahab (Hebrews 11:31). Let’s take a look at this woman whom God sought to honor in this way, and see what we can learn from her life and faith.
After the death of Moses, Joshua was made the new leader of the people of Israel. God commissioned him to lead the people across the Jordan River and to conquer and take possession of the Promised Land, the land of Canaan. The first place they came upon was the walled and fortified city of Jericho. As part of his strategy, Joshua sent two spies into the city to gather information. Rahab ran a sort of inn from which she also gave some “extra favors” probably for an additional fee. The spies went to the inn because they knew they could gather information easily at such a place, without being noticed. Her house and inn was built into the city wall, and was an ideal location for a quick escape. The Lord God also was instrumental in sending the spies to her because her heart was open and tender to Him. God uses people who are open to Him and have simple faith.
Rahab, along with all the people of Jericho and throughout the land of Canaan, had heard of the mighty acts of Yahweh. They had heard about the parting of the Red Sea, the miraculous provisions in the wilderness, the defeat of the mighty kings of the Amorites and Bashan. The others in Jericho and Canaan were greatly afraid, but Rahab had the beginnings of faith and trust in Yahweh. As she heard more from these spies, her faith started to grow. When Rahab knew that they were going to conquer and destroy Jericho, she agreed to hide the spies and safely send them on their way in exchange for her and her family to be protected. Because of their evil practices and intense idolatry, the Canaanites were a stronghold of rebellion against Almighty God. They were a threat to godly living, and had to be removed just like a cancerous growth is removed to preserve a healthy body. God greatly desires pure and holy living.
Rahab was willing to risk everything she had for a God she barely knew. That shows great faith! She knew Yahweh was not an ordinary God. He is all-powerful. The people of Jericho were afraid because of His power, but only Rahab turned to the Lord for salvation. Her faith gave her the courage to hide the spies and save their lives. She took a great risk doing that because she knew they had a God worth trusting. God rewarded Rahab by rescuing her and her family. He rewarded her, and she is remembered in the Bible, because of her faith, not because of what profession she once had. Rahab distinctly verbalized her faith in Yahweh (vs. 11). She then showed her faith by hiding the spies (James 2:25).
Genuine faith can sometimes take root in unlikely places, as it did in Rahab’s heart. She had heard enough to believe, and the Lord saved her. Rahab ended up marrying one of the spies, Salmon. He was the son of Nahshon, a prominent ruler of the tribe of Judah. How did a pagan harlot marry into that family? How did we, sinners that we are, become the Bride of Christ? Salmon looked beyond her past and saw her beautiful faith. God sees us as those His Son came to save, shedding His Blood for us.
Rahab chose to leave her past life, her pagan ways and culture, and turn to the one true and living God, Yahweh. No matter what our past is, when we turn to God, He will welcome us into His family and give us a future with Him.
When people are talking about their ancestors, they might like to happily bring up some famous, well-liked ancestor. They proudly state that they are related to George Washington, or Thomas Edison, or William Shakespeare. How many people would be quick to point out that they were descended from a murderer or a well-known prostitute? If we were asked to compose a list of people we consider our heroes, would we put someone like that on the list? Not many people would. Yet when God inspired Matthew to compile his genealogy of Jesus, He was careful to include that Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, was an ancestress of the Savior (Matthew 1:5). When God inspired the author of Hebrews to compile the list of great heroes of the faith, only two women were mentioned by name, Sarah the wife of Abraham, and the other - you guessed it, the prostitute Rahab (Hebrews 11:31). Let’s take a look at this woman whom God sought to honor in this way, and see what we can learn from her life and faith.
After the death of Moses, Joshua was made the new leader of the people of Israel. God commissioned him to lead the people across the Jordan River and to conquer and take possession of the Promised Land, the land of Canaan. The first place they came upon was the walled and fortified city of Jericho. As part of his strategy, Joshua sent two spies into the city to gather information. Rahab ran a sort of inn from which she also gave some “extra favors” probably for an additional fee. The spies went to the inn because they knew they could gather information easily at such a place, without being noticed. Her house and inn was built into the city wall, and was an ideal location for a quick escape. The Lord God also was instrumental in sending the spies to her because her heart was open and tender to Him. God uses people who are open to Him and have simple faith.
Rahab, along with all the people of Jericho and throughout the land of Canaan, had heard of the mighty acts of Yahweh. They had heard about the parting of the Red Sea, the miraculous provisions in the wilderness, the defeat of the mighty kings of the Amorites and Bashan. The others in Jericho and Canaan were greatly afraid, but Rahab had the beginnings of faith and trust in Yahweh. As she heard more from these spies, her faith started to grow. When Rahab knew that they were going to conquer and destroy Jericho, she agreed to hide the spies and safely send them on their way in exchange for her and her family to be protected. Because of their evil practices and intense idolatry, the Canaanites were a stronghold of rebellion against Almighty God. They were a threat to godly living, and had to be removed just like a cancerous growth is removed to preserve a healthy body. God greatly desires pure and holy living.
Rahab was willing to risk everything she had for a God she barely knew. That shows great faith! She knew Yahweh was not an ordinary God. He is all-powerful. The people of Jericho were afraid because of His power, but only Rahab turned to the Lord for salvation. Her faith gave her the courage to hide the spies and save their lives. She took a great risk doing that because she knew they had a God worth trusting. God rewarded Rahab by rescuing her and her family. He rewarded her, and she is remembered in the Bible, because of her faith, not because of what profession she once had. Rahab distinctly verbalized her faith in Yahweh (vs. 11). She then showed her faith by hiding the spies (James 2:25).
Genuine faith can sometimes take root in unlikely places, as it did in Rahab’s heart. She had heard enough to believe, and the Lord saved her. Rahab ended up marrying one of the spies, Salmon. He was the son of Nahshon, a prominent ruler of the tribe of Judah. How did a pagan harlot marry into that family? How did we, sinners that we are, become the Bride of Christ? Salmon looked beyond her past and saw her beautiful faith. God sees us as those His Son came to save, shedding His Blood for us.
Rahab chose to leave her past life, her pagan ways and culture, and turn to the one true and living God, Yahweh. No matter what our past is, when we turn to God, He will welcome us into His family and give us a future with Him.
Friday, September 27, 2019
The Unjust Steward
Luke 16:1-13
Today’s Scripture passage from the Gospel of Luke is the Parable of the Unjust Steward, a sometimes puzzling parable to understand. At first glance it might seem that the parable is commending a crooked and cheating employee. Would Jesus actually say something like that? Let’s look into this rather enigmatic passage from Luke.
The parable that Jesus told his disciples was about the steward in a rich man’s household. A steward was the chief of a household, the household manager. He would manager his master’s provisions and resources. When the wealthy man found out that his steward was squandering his money and household supplies he fired him (vs. 1-2). The steward, hearing about the loss of his job, is concerned about what will happen to him now. Obviously he hasn’t been too good with his own finances either, as he doesn’t seem to have savings to carry him over until he could find another position. The steward quickly came up with a clever but very dishonest way to provide for himself for the future. He used his cunning ingenuity to make sure his wastefulness and dishonesty will not leave him friendless and unprovided for in the future. The steward arranged to give large discounts to his master’s debtors (vs. 5-7). By reducing their debts the steward gained their indebtedness to himself. Thus they were obligated to take him in when he was put out.
So how did the master react when he found out what his dishonest former steward did? Outwitted, the master applauded the steward’s cunning (vs. 8). His admiration for this former employee’s criminal activity showed that he, too, was criminally inclined. Unbelievers often admire criminals, the unjust, unscrupulous, and the corrupt. We often see this in Hollywood movies and TV shows, when they make “heroes” out of criminal characters. Jesus commented here that most unbelievers are wiser in the ways of the world than some believers are towards the things of God. This steward used his master’s money to buy earthly friends. Believers should use their Master’s (God’s) resources to gain friends for eternity, meaning that we need to invest in bringing the Gospel to others in order to bring sinners to salvation (vs. 9).
Some people have mistakenly believed that Jesus was commending this type of dishonest behavior, which is not true, as that would go contrary to everything that He continually taught. Jesus only used the steward as an illustration to show that the children of this evil world system are shrewd enough to provide for themselves against coming evil. Believers should be more shrewd concerning eternal matters.
Jesus proceeded to give a teaching about money and our attitude, use of, and desire for riches (vs. 10-13). The Pharisees believed that earthly riches signified divine blessings. They felt rich people were God’s favorites. However, Jesus denounced man’s love and devotion to wealth and money (vs. 13). Money can easily take the place of God in our life. Money is a hard and deceptive master. It promises power and control, but doesn’t always deliver. It cannot provide health, happiness, or eternal life.
Faithfulness in small assignments for the Lord qualifies us to serve in greater ways (vs. 10). If we are not trustworthy with our money here on earth, regardless of how much or little we have, we will be unfit to handle the riches of God. We must not let our integrity slip in small matters. Money is a good test of our faithfulness to Christ. We should use our resources wisely because they belong to God and not to us. Money can be used for good or evil. It has power, so we must use it carefully and thoughtfully. As believers, God wants us to use our material resources to help spread His Kingdom.
Today’s Scripture passage from the Gospel of Luke is the Parable of the Unjust Steward, a sometimes puzzling parable to understand. At first glance it might seem that the parable is commending a crooked and cheating employee. Would Jesus actually say something like that? Let’s look into this rather enigmatic passage from Luke.
The parable that Jesus told his disciples was about the steward in a rich man’s household. A steward was the chief of a household, the household manager. He would manager his master’s provisions and resources. When the wealthy man found out that his steward was squandering his money and household supplies he fired him (vs. 1-2). The steward, hearing about the loss of his job, is concerned about what will happen to him now. Obviously he hasn’t been too good with his own finances either, as he doesn’t seem to have savings to carry him over until he could find another position. The steward quickly came up with a clever but very dishonest way to provide for himself for the future. He used his cunning ingenuity to make sure his wastefulness and dishonesty will not leave him friendless and unprovided for in the future. The steward arranged to give large discounts to his master’s debtors (vs. 5-7). By reducing their debts the steward gained their indebtedness to himself. Thus they were obligated to take him in when he was put out.
So how did the master react when he found out what his dishonest former steward did? Outwitted, the master applauded the steward’s cunning (vs. 8). His admiration for this former employee’s criminal activity showed that he, too, was criminally inclined. Unbelievers often admire criminals, the unjust, unscrupulous, and the corrupt. We often see this in Hollywood movies and TV shows, when they make “heroes” out of criminal characters. Jesus commented here that most unbelievers are wiser in the ways of the world than some believers are towards the things of God. This steward used his master’s money to buy earthly friends. Believers should use their Master’s (God’s) resources to gain friends for eternity, meaning that we need to invest in bringing the Gospel to others in order to bring sinners to salvation (vs. 9).
Some people have mistakenly believed that Jesus was commending this type of dishonest behavior, which is not true, as that would go contrary to everything that He continually taught. Jesus only used the steward as an illustration to show that the children of this evil world system are shrewd enough to provide for themselves against coming evil. Believers should be more shrewd concerning eternal matters.
Jesus proceeded to give a teaching about money and our attitude, use of, and desire for riches (vs. 10-13). The Pharisees believed that earthly riches signified divine blessings. They felt rich people were God’s favorites. However, Jesus denounced man’s love and devotion to wealth and money (vs. 13). Money can easily take the place of God in our life. Money is a hard and deceptive master. It promises power and control, but doesn’t always deliver. It cannot provide health, happiness, or eternal life.
Faithfulness in small assignments for the Lord qualifies us to serve in greater ways (vs. 10). If we are not trustworthy with our money here on earth, regardless of how much or little we have, we will be unfit to handle the riches of God. We must not let our integrity slip in small matters. Money is a good test of our faithfulness to Christ. We should use our resources wisely because they belong to God and not to us. Money can be used for good or evil. It has power, so we must use it carefully and thoughtfully. As believers, God wants us to use our material resources to help spread His Kingdom.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Our Only Mediator
I Timothy 2:1-8
For whom should believers of Jesus pray for? Of course we pray for our family and friends, but do we have any obligation to pray for others? Sometimes there are just some people that we might not really care for. Should we be praying for them? And how about our political leaders? Should we be praying for leaders that we disagree with, or those who are corrupt or even evil? Some have wondered why we should even bother to pray, as doesn’t God know everyone’s needs anyway? The Apostle Paul, in writing to Timothy, has given us God’s Word in this matter. Let’s look into this Epistle from the New Testament.
So why should we pray for people or needs we have when God knows all? He doesn’t need us to inform Him about anything going on. Although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, He has chosen to let us help Him change the world through our prayers. We are to pray for each other and for our leaders in government (vs. 1-4). Our earnest prayers will have powerful results (James 5:16). The Lord God wants us to pray for our leaders in government, that they will lead godly lives and make wise decisions according to the Word and the will of God.
One very important thing believers should pray for is for the salvation of the lost. We should want people to come to a knowledge of Christ. In verse 4 we read that Paul says that God desires all men to be saved, and the Apostle Peter says the same in II Peter 3:9. This does not mean that all will be saved. The Bible makes it clear that many reject the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:13-14; John 12:44-50; Hebrews 10:26-29). Though Jesus’ death was for all and His death was sufficient to cover the sins of all people, only some choose to accept it, thus only some are saved. Believing that God will save unrepentant people who reject Christ means believing that God is lying about salvation in His Word. His Word, the Bible, does not lie (Titus 1:2). There are many who reject Him, and hell for those who do.
Paul continues on in verse 5-6 by reinforcing the doctrine that there is only one God, as stated in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Jesus is not another deity, but is God Himself, who has also become our Mediator, one who brings two parties together in peace. Humans are separated from God by sin. There is only one Person in all the universe who is our mediator between us and God, and can bring us together, and that is Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He did that through His sacrifice on the cross, giving His life a ransom for sin. There is no other way of salvation except through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
A mediator is someone who intervenes between two parties to resolve a conflict or to ratify a covenant. Jesus is the only one who can restore peace between God and sinners. He is the only One who is able to bridge the gap between man and God. Jesus took the death we deserved. Only the perfect God-Man could bring God and man together. Through Jesus we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus will faithfully represent us and lead us in His way (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-15; 7:22-8:6). When we say “in Jesus’ Name” we are not just saying a Christian phrase to show we’re done praying. We are taking hold of the Name that carries the power of the most precious Man and His sacred death.
As Paul wraps up this passage he reminds Timothy that he was appointed by God to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (vs. 7). And he reminds us that when praying, if we have anger, major doubts, or disputings, these can put a block between us, our prayers, and God (vs. 8). We need to get those things taken care of before we seriously pray for others and ourselves.
In conclusion, let’s remember that God has called upon all of His children to pray for each other and for our leaders, both for their needs and for their salvation. We also need to remember that Jesus is the only Mediator we have between ourselves and God. There is no one else.
For whom should believers of Jesus pray for? Of course we pray for our family and friends, but do we have any obligation to pray for others? Sometimes there are just some people that we might not really care for. Should we be praying for them? And how about our political leaders? Should we be praying for leaders that we disagree with, or those who are corrupt or even evil? Some have wondered why we should even bother to pray, as doesn’t God know everyone’s needs anyway? The Apostle Paul, in writing to Timothy, has given us God’s Word in this matter. Let’s look into this Epistle from the New Testament.
So why should we pray for people or needs we have when God knows all? He doesn’t need us to inform Him about anything going on. Although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, He has chosen to let us help Him change the world through our prayers. We are to pray for each other and for our leaders in government (vs. 1-4). Our earnest prayers will have powerful results (James 5:16). The Lord God wants us to pray for our leaders in government, that they will lead godly lives and make wise decisions according to the Word and the will of God.
One very important thing believers should pray for is for the salvation of the lost. We should want people to come to a knowledge of Christ. In verse 4 we read that Paul says that God desires all men to be saved, and the Apostle Peter says the same in II Peter 3:9. This does not mean that all will be saved. The Bible makes it clear that many reject the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:13-14; John 12:44-50; Hebrews 10:26-29). Though Jesus’ death was for all and His death was sufficient to cover the sins of all people, only some choose to accept it, thus only some are saved. Believing that God will save unrepentant people who reject Christ means believing that God is lying about salvation in His Word. His Word, the Bible, does not lie (Titus 1:2). There are many who reject Him, and hell for those who do.
Paul continues on in verse 5-6 by reinforcing the doctrine that there is only one God, as stated in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Jesus is not another deity, but is God Himself, who has also become our Mediator, one who brings two parties together in peace. Humans are separated from God by sin. There is only one Person in all the universe who is our mediator between us and God, and can bring us together, and that is Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He did that through His sacrifice on the cross, giving His life a ransom for sin. There is no other way of salvation except through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
A mediator is someone who intervenes between two parties to resolve a conflict or to ratify a covenant. Jesus is the only one who can restore peace between God and sinners. He is the only One who is able to bridge the gap between man and God. Jesus took the death we deserved. Only the perfect God-Man could bring God and man together. Through Jesus we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus will faithfully represent us and lead us in His way (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-15; 7:22-8:6). When we say “in Jesus’ Name” we are not just saying a Christian phrase to show we’re done praying. We are taking hold of the Name that carries the power of the most precious Man and His sacred death.
As Paul wraps up this passage he reminds Timothy that he was appointed by God to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (vs. 7). And he reminds us that when praying, if we have anger, major doubts, or disputings, these can put a block between us, our prayers, and God (vs. 8). We need to get those things taken care of before we seriously pray for others and ourselves.
In conclusion, let’s remember that God has called upon all of His children to pray for each other and for our leaders, both for their needs and for their salvation. We also need to remember that Jesus is the only Mediator we have between ourselves and God. There is no one else.
Monday, September 23, 2019
A Heavy Price To Pay
Psalm 137
Psalm 137, our psalm for today, is a difficult one to read and understand today, with its hard words. It is one of over a dozen Imprecatory Psalms, which are psalms that have verses in them that call down God’s judgment and curses upon the writer’s or the nation’s enemies. Some people would like to just eliminate these psalms as inappropriate in today’s world. However they are a part of Sacred Scripture, and as we read in II Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. Thus, this Psalm is inspired by God, and there must be a message and lesson from Him for us in this passage. Let’s take a look at this passage and see what we can learn.
The setting of Psalm 137 is in the land of Babylon, where the Jewish people have been taken captive and exiled, following the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar’s overthrow of the Kingdom of Judah. While there, some of the native Babylonians requested that the Jewish people sing some of their songs, which must have been known to them (vs. 1-4). The Jewish people could not sing, they could not be happy. They were exiled in a foreign nation, away from their homes. They had heard that their beautiful capital, Jerusalem, and the Temple had been destroyed. As they said, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? It can be difficult to praise and worship God when our circumstances and surroundings are grim. However, God wants us to praise Him at all times (I Thessalonians 5:18).
In verse 7 the people call upon God to remember how the Edomites reacted when Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed. The Edomites were descendants of Esau. Esau was the brother of Jacob, a son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, so they were related by blood to the Israelites. From the early days of the Jewish people’s history when they came out of Egypt until this day when the Babylonians conquered the nation, the Edomites had regularly fought against them. Obviously the Edomites did not regard kinship with the people of Judah and Israelites, as they joined in with the Babylonians in destroying the Jews. Here these “cousins” of the Jewish people were gleefully rejoicing when Jerusalem was destroyed.
The psalm concludes with some very harsh verses, where the author wishes the destruction and death of the Babylonians, who have taken his people captive (vs. 8-9). He cries out for judgment, asking God to treat the Babylonians the way they had treated them. These verses represent an imprecatory psalm at its strongest. The author calls on God to destroy his and God’s enemies. The author doesn’t take matters into his own hands, but asks God to take care of the matter. He was invoking God’s wrath and judgment against His enemies. This did happen, as God destroyed Babylon and its offspring for their proud assault against Him and His people. The Medes and the Persians conquered the Babylonian Kingdom in 539 BC.
None of this would have had to happen to the Hebrew people if they would have remained faithful to Yahweh, obeyed His law, and worshipped only Him. The Babylonian captivity and the cruel treatment they received at their captors hands was God’s judgment upon them for their sins. The results of sin are difficult to bear. For many generations the Jewish people had refused to follow and obey God. God had sent dozens of prophets and preachers to urge them to return to Him, and worship only Him, but they wouldn’t. If there is one lesson that we must all learn from this psalm, it is that there is an awful price to pay for persistent and willful sin.
Psalm 137, our psalm for today, is a difficult one to read and understand today, with its hard words. It is one of over a dozen Imprecatory Psalms, which are psalms that have verses in them that call down God’s judgment and curses upon the writer’s or the nation’s enemies. Some people would like to just eliminate these psalms as inappropriate in today’s world. However they are a part of Sacred Scripture, and as we read in II Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. Thus, this Psalm is inspired by God, and there must be a message and lesson from Him for us in this passage. Let’s take a look at this passage and see what we can learn.
The setting of Psalm 137 is in the land of Babylon, where the Jewish people have been taken captive and exiled, following the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar’s overthrow of the Kingdom of Judah. While there, some of the native Babylonians requested that the Jewish people sing some of their songs, which must have been known to them (vs. 1-4). The Jewish people could not sing, they could not be happy. They were exiled in a foreign nation, away from their homes. They had heard that their beautiful capital, Jerusalem, and the Temple had been destroyed. As they said, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? It can be difficult to praise and worship God when our circumstances and surroundings are grim. However, God wants us to praise Him at all times (I Thessalonians 5:18).
In verse 7 the people call upon God to remember how the Edomites reacted when Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed. The Edomites were descendants of Esau. Esau was the brother of Jacob, a son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, so they were related by blood to the Israelites. From the early days of the Jewish people’s history when they came out of Egypt until this day when the Babylonians conquered the nation, the Edomites had regularly fought against them. Obviously the Edomites did not regard kinship with the people of Judah and Israelites, as they joined in with the Babylonians in destroying the Jews. Here these “cousins” of the Jewish people were gleefully rejoicing when Jerusalem was destroyed.
The psalm concludes with some very harsh verses, where the author wishes the destruction and death of the Babylonians, who have taken his people captive (vs. 8-9). He cries out for judgment, asking God to treat the Babylonians the way they had treated them. These verses represent an imprecatory psalm at its strongest. The author calls on God to destroy his and God’s enemies. The author doesn’t take matters into his own hands, but asks God to take care of the matter. He was invoking God’s wrath and judgment against His enemies. This did happen, as God destroyed Babylon and its offspring for their proud assault against Him and His people. The Medes and the Persians conquered the Babylonian Kingdom in 539 BC.
None of this would have had to happen to the Hebrew people if they would have remained faithful to Yahweh, obeyed His law, and worshipped only Him. The Babylonian captivity and the cruel treatment they received at their captors hands was God’s judgment upon them for their sins. The results of sin are difficult to bear. For many generations the Jewish people had refused to follow and obey God. God had sent dozens of prophets and preachers to urge them to return to Him, and worship only Him, but they wouldn’t. If there is one lesson that we must all learn from this psalm, it is that there is an awful price to pay for persistent and willful sin.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
A Message From Amos
Amos 8:4-12
Today’s Old Testament reading from this week’s Lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer is a passage from the Book of the Prophet Amos. Amos was originally from the southern Kingdom of Judah, but the message he preached was to the northern Kingdom of Israel. Amos did not start out his adult life as a preacher or prophet, but was originally a herdsman and a farmer of sycamore figs (Amos 7:14). The Lord called him from this career to bring His message to the apostate nation of Israel. His message was one of calling the people to put away their idols and false pagan gods and to turn back to Yahweh, the one true God, and also to show righteousness and justice to each other, and especially the poor.
As our Scripture passage opens, Amos is calling out those who outwardly keep the Sabbath and other holy days, but are anxious for the days to be over so that they can get back to the business of making money for themselves (vs. 5-6). The people kept the Sabbaths and holy days, but not in spirit. They couldn’t wait to go back to making money, and often at the expense of the poor. They were taking advantage of the poor, both with the high prices, and also by overworking and underpaying their workers. They were also short-changing their customers through the quality of their goods, including adding chaff to their wheat. Times have not changed much today, either, as we see a lot of the same behavior today.
The message that Amos brought the Israelites is one that can be asked today - is our heart in our worship, or is making money more important? There used to be a time when most businesses were closed on Sundays, and then the corporate business world realized that more money could be made by being open 7 days a week. How many people sit in church, frequently looking at the clock to see how many minutes until they can get out and get to the stores and restaurants? Worshipping God should not be a burden we endure, but rather a privilege we look forward to and enjoy.
Amos also chastised the people for their false and deceptive business practices. Throughout the Scriptures God frequently called upon His people to be sure to use honest weights and measures, in other words, for businessmen and merchants to not cheat the people. He told them He wanted His people to measure correctly, and not to cheat the people. Of course this should hold for people today, especially for Christian businessmen and merchants. Don’t sell merchandise that falls apart as soon as it gets to the house. Don’t cheat the public, pay an honest wage, and don’t take advantage of the poor.
The prophet continues on, bringing a prophecy of an event that happened during the crucifixion of Jesus centuries later, when the sky would turn dark for several hours (vs. 9-10). In these verses Amos prophesied a day when there would be darkness at noon. It would be a darkness like night, not just a heavily cloudy day, or even a dimming of the sunlight as during an eclipse. When Jesus hung on the cross the sun was totally darkened for three hours (Matthew 27:45). This was not an eclipse, as the period when the eclipse is total is only a few minutes, gradually getting lighter. This was nighttime darkness at noon, as nature mourned the death of the Son of God.
Amos closes our passage with another prophesy of a coming time when there would be a scarcity of the Word of God (vs. 11-12). This occurred during the period of time between Malachi’s prophecies (around 432 BC) until the appearance of John the Baptist (around 27-28 AD), a period of over 400 years. During this time there were no prophets who brought God’s Word to the people. Today in many places there is also a drought of hearing the Word of God. Many preachers in churches today, and especially many TV evangelists, only preach “feel good” messages, and do not preach the whole Gospel of Jesus. They fail to preach about sin, as people do not like to hear that, and only preach what people want to hear. Amos predicted this, and Paul also spoke of it (II Timothy 4:3-4). This is stunting the growth of the Church, causing it to decline and lose its effectiveness. Without the Word of God we are lost, and our souls are starved. If we only eat one type of food, and not a well-balanced diet, one will become malnourished. Be sure that you are fed daily from the whole Word of God.
Today’s Old Testament reading from this week’s Lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer is a passage from the Book of the Prophet Amos. Amos was originally from the southern Kingdom of Judah, but the message he preached was to the northern Kingdom of Israel. Amos did not start out his adult life as a preacher or prophet, but was originally a herdsman and a farmer of sycamore figs (Amos 7:14). The Lord called him from this career to bring His message to the apostate nation of Israel. His message was one of calling the people to put away their idols and false pagan gods and to turn back to Yahweh, the one true God, and also to show righteousness and justice to each other, and especially the poor.
As our Scripture passage opens, Amos is calling out those who outwardly keep the Sabbath and other holy days, but are anxious for the days to be over so that they can get back to the business of making money for themselves (vs. 5-6). The people kept the Sabbaths and holy days, but not in spirit. They couldn’t wait to go back to making money, and often at the expense of the poor. They were taking advantage of the poor, both with the high prices, and also by overworking and underpaying their workers. They were also short-changing their customers through the quality of their goods, including adding chaff to their wheat. Times have not changed much today, either, as we see a lot of the same behavior today.
The message that Amos brought the Israelites is one that can be asked today - is our heart in our worship, or is making money more important? There used to be a time when most businesses were closed on Sundays, and then the corporate business world realized that more money could be made by being open 7 days a week. How many people sit in church, frequently looking at the clock to see how many minutes until they can get out and get to the stores and restaurants? Worshipping God should not be a burden we endure, but rather a privilege we look forward to and enjoy.
Amos also chastised the people for their false and deceptive business practices. Throughout the Scriptures God frequently called upon His people to be sure to use honest weights and measures, in other words, for businessmen and merchants to not cheat the people. He told them He wanted His people to measure correctly, and not to cheat the people. Of course this should hold for people today, especially for Christian businessmen and merchants. Don’t sell merchandise that falls apart as soon as it gets to the house. Don’t cheat the public, pay an honest wage, and don’t take advantage of the poor.
The prophet continues on, bringing a prophecy of an event that happened during the crucifixion of Jesus centuries later, when the sky would turn dark for several hours (vs. 9-10). In these verses Amos prophesied a day when there would be darkness at noon. It would be a darkness like night, not just a heavily cloudy day, or even a dimming of the sunlight as during an eclipse. When Jesus hung on the cross the sun was totally darkened for three hours (Matthew 27:45). This was not an eclipse, as the period when the eclipse is total is only a few minutes, gradually getting lighter. This was nighttime darkness at noon, as nature mourned the death of the Son of God.
Amos closes our passage with another prophesy of a coming time when there would be a scarcity of the Word of God (vs. 11-12). This occurred during the period of time between Malachi’s prophecies (around 432 BC) until the appearance of John the Baptist (around 27-28 AD), a period of over 400 years. During this time there were no prophets who brought God’s Word to the people. Today in many places there is also a drought of hearing the Word of God. Many preachers in churches today, and especially many TV evangelists, only preach “feel good” messages, and do not preach the whole Gospel of Jesus. They fail to preach about sin, as people do not like to hear that, and only preach what people want to hear. Amos predicted this, and Paul also spoke of it (II Timothy 4:3-4). This is stunting the growth of the Church, causing it to decline and lose its effectiveness. Without the Word of God we are lost, and our souls are starved. If we only eat one type of food, and not a well-balanced diet, one will become malnourished. Be sure that you are fed daily from the whole Word of God.
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