Psalm 20
Without exception, every one of us will come up against problems and struggles in our life. These problems might be financial, health, problems with our house, with our job, or problems with other people. There may be natural disasters we face, or even war or other conflicts our country goes through. When these come upon us, where or to whom do we turn to for help? The more serious the problem we face is, the more we need to be sure that who or what we are depending upon is strong and reliable. When the crisis is upon us, we don’t want our source of help to come crashing down. Our psalm selection this week, written by King David, is a prayer that he and the people would have prayed when getting ready to go out to battle against their enemies. Who or what were they relying on for help?
As we read in the Bible, David spent many years of his life in one or another type of battle. After his victorious defeat of Goliath, King Saul had him lead many battles against the Philistines. Then because of Saul’s jealousy of David, he spent several years on the run and defending himself against Saul’s soldiers sent to kill him. After David became king, there were frequent wars against neighboring enemy nations, and even an attempted coup by his son Absalom. Life was not smooth sailing for David. He certainly faced many problems, and needed something or someone he could rely on for help. Where did David turn to for help?
If our country faced an attack from an enemy nation, we might hope that we have a good military, with weapons that can defeat that enemy, good fighter jets, tanks, bombs, etc. In David’s day the top of the line military equipment was a chariot. In his time, not every nation had them. Soldiers needed to be well trained in how to go into battle with a chariot. Often there was more than one soldier in the chariot. There was one to hold the reins and guide the horses, the other to wield a sword or the bow and arrows. Sometimes, depending on how large the chariot was, there might be a third soldier wielding a shield to protect the other two. Soldiers needed to be well trained in swordsmanship or the bow and arrow. Kings would boast of their army, and David had many good soldiers. However, as we read in verse 7, David’s trust was not in his chariots or soldiers, but in the Lord God. Soldiers and chariots don’t always win the battle. They could be overpowered by the enemy. David knew, though, that no one can overpower God. Yahweh is always dependable, and can never be overpowered.
Chariots and horses can also represent materials and human assets, such as our bank account, our job, house, car, or friends. While they may be helpful in our daily life, they won’t give us security in times of trouble. Trusting in things, possessions, or wealth will find that they eventually fail us, cracking like thin ice, and giving way beneath us. Those who trust in God will rise up and stand firm (vs. 8).
David learned early in life that the only sure thing to trust in is God. He trusted only in Him when he came against Goliath (I Samuel 17:45). King Saul had offered David his armor to use. That would have been the best in the land, the armor of a king. Yet David didn’t trust in that. He came against the enemy in the power, strength, and Name of Yahweh. He knew that was a sure thing. David knew that worldly armaments are no match for God’s protection.
Salvation and deliverance from enemies does not depend upon military prowess, but upon the Lord’s power. Great empires have risen to great heights in history, and then crumbled to dust. True might is not in powerful weapons, but in worship and in God’s power. God, alone, can preserve a nation or an individual. He will be there when the bank account is zero, when our job ends, our house or car breaks down, and friends disappear. Let’s put our confidence in Him. He gives eternal victory.
Monday, May 4, 2020
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Stephen - The First Christian Martyr
Acts 6:1-9, 7:51-60
Today’s Scripture passages bring us to the days of the very early church. We will look at the ministry and death of Stephen, the Church’s first martyr. We’ll see how Stephen helped in resolving a conflict that threatened to divide believers, and how he strongly defended the Faith from attack, which led to his martyrdom.
Though the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus would have been a very recent memory for all of the believers, and the Church was steadily growing, problems were already arising. At this time in the early Church, the believers were all of Jewish background, as there was yet no outreach to any Gentiles. However, among the Jewish believers there were those who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and lived very culturally Jewish lives, and then there were also Jews who, over the past several centuries spread throughout the Mediterranean. These Jews spoke Greek as their first language, and had picked up much of the Greek way of life. Some had returned to Israel and Jerusalem, yet retained the Greek language and culture. Some of these “Greek Jews” had come to faith in Christ, just as many of the “Hebrew-speaking Jews” had. Unfortunately, there was a lot of animosity between these two groups.
In the very early Church, when most believers came to faith in Christ, they were disowned and cast out of their Jewish families, and often lost their jobs. That was a financial hardship to many. They would need the help of fellow believers, especially the widows and orphans. The church leaders organized a daily distribution of food and other necessities. However, very quickly prejudice and discrimination developed between the groups of Hebrew speaking and Greek speaking believers, and the Greek speaking believers were not being given the help they needed (vs. 1). They were being treated like second-class believers, and not being supported. As believers and followers of the Lord Jesus, we should treat all fellow Christians with love, regardless of what nation they are from, what language they speak, what color their skin, etc.
The apostles knew this was not right, and they commissioned seven godly men, who would ensure that everyone was equally treated, and would help with the distribution of food and necessities. These men were to be godly, filled with the Holy Spirit, and show wisdom in their actions (vs. 3). Stephen was one of these men. This way the apostles could concentrate on preaching. The ministry of the Word of God should never be neglected because of administrative duties. That is why the office of deacon was begun. Good activities can consume our time and take us away from God’s best for us. We need to stay focused on what God has called us to do, and not get distracted by other tasks. God called the apostles to preach. The seven were called to be helpers in the early church.
In addition to being a helper in the early church, Stephen was a strong witness. Both his character, conduct, and conversation gave a testimony to the Lord Jesus. It didn’t take too long before the Jewish religious leaders, Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin took notice of Stephen, and they were not happy at all. Stephen continued to tell others about Jesus, His death for salvation, and His resurrection, and it wasn’t long before the religious leaders took him into custody.
This didn’t stop Stephen from speaking a witness for the Savior, as he proceeded in telling these Jewish leaders about Jesus. He would have known that this was a risky thing to do, as the apostles and other believers had been imprisoned and beaten before, however that did not stop him. Stephen’s message to these religious leaders supported Jesus’ claim and angered them, since these were the ones who had condemned Jesus to death. They would not tolerate Stephen's words, so they dragged him out to stone him to death (vs. 55-58). They were rejecting God in the same way that their ancestors had rejected Him in the Old Testament (vs. 51-53). Jesus, Himself, had told a parable to the Jews, how they had constantly rejected God’s message, and persecuted His messengers (Luke 20:9-19).
Scripture tells us that when Jesus ascended, He sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19; Colossians 3:1). Yet when Stephen was stoned to death, Jesus stood to welcome home the first Christian martyr! (vs. 56). Stephen forgave his murderers, echoing the same words Jesus spoke as He died (vs. 60). Saul (later known as Paul), who was standing by and approving what was done, must have heard that. Stephen’s testimony and death had planted the seeds of faith in his heart, which a while later brought forth a strong faith in Paul. These final words of Stephen made an impression on him, as years later when he was in prison and mistreated, he prayed the same for those who had wronged him (II Timothy 4:16).
Stephen gives us an example of doing faithfully what the Lord calls us to do, as he assisted the church and faithfully witnessed. We may or may not one day be called upon to shed our blood for Jesus. If so, can we faithfully stay true to Him to the end?
Today’s Scripture passages bring us to the days of the very early church. We will look at the ministry and death of Stephen, the Church’s first martyr. We’ll see how Stephen helped in resolving a conflict that threatened to divide believers, and how he strongly defended the Faith from attack, which led to his martyrdom.
Though the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus would have been a very recent memory for all of the believers, and the Church was steadily growing, problems were already arising. At this time in the early Church, the believers were all of Jewish background, as there was yet no outreach to any Gentiles. However, among the Jewish believers there were those who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and lived very culturally Jewish lives, and then there were also Jews who, over the past several centuries spread throughout the Mediterranean. These Jews spoke Greek as their first language, and had picked up much of the Greek way of life. Some had returned to Israel and Jerusalem, yet retained the Greek language and culture. Some of these “Greek Jews” had come to faith in Christ, just as many of the “Hebrew-speaking Jews” had. Unfortunately, there was a lot of animosity between these two groups.
In the very early Church, when most believers came to faith in Christ, they were disowned and cast out of their Jewish families, and often lost their jobs. That was a financial hardship to many. They would need the help of fellow believers, especially the widows and orphans. The church leaders organized a daily distribution of food and other necessities. However, very quickly prejudice and discrimination developed between the groups of Hebrew speaking and Greek speaking believers, and the Greek speaking believers were not being given the help they needed (vs. 1). They were being treated like second-class believers, and not being supported. As believers and followers of the Lord Jesus, we should treat all fellow Christians with love, regardless of what nation they are from, what language they speak, what color their skin, etc.
The apostles knew this was not right, and they commissioned seven godly men, who would ensure that everyone was equally treated, and would help with the distribution of food and necessities. These men were to be godly, filled with the Holy Spirit, and show wisdom in their actions (vs. 3). Stephen was one of these men. This way the apostles could concentrate on preaching. The ministry of the Word of God should never be neglected because of administrative duties. That is why the office of deacon was begun. Good activities can consume our time and take us away from God’s best for us. We need to stay focused on what God has called us to do, and not get distracted by other tasks. God called the apostles to preach. The seven were called to be helpers in the early church.
In addition to being a helper in the early church, Stephen was a strong witness. Both his character, conduct, and conversation gave a testimony to the Lord Jesus. It didn’t take too long before the Jewish religious leaders, Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin took notice of Stephen, and they were not happy at all. Stephen continued to tell others about Jesus, His death for salvation, and His resurrection, and it wasn’t long before the religious leaders took him into custody.
This didn’t stop Stephen from speaking a witness for the Savior, as he proceeded in telling these Jewish leaders about Jesus. He would have known that this was a risky thing to do, as the apostles and other believers had been imprisoned and beaten before, however that did not stop him. Stephen’s message to these religious leaders supported Jesus’ claim and angered them, since these were the ones who had condemned Jesus to death. They would not tolerate Stephen's words, so they dragged him out to stone him to death (vs. 55-58). They were rejecting God in the same way that their ancestors had rejected Him in the Old Testament (vs. 51-53). Jesus, Himself, had told a parable to the Jews, how they had constantly rejected God’s message, and persecuted His messengers (Luke 20:9-19).
Scripture tells us that when Jesus ascended, He sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19; Colossians 3:1). Yet when Stephen was stoned to death, Jesus stood to welcome home the first Christian martyr! (vs. 56). Stephen forgave his murderers, echoing the same words Jesus spoke as He died (vs. 60). Saul (later known as Paul), who was standing by and approving what was done, must have heard that. Stephen’s testimony and death had planted the seeds of faith in his heart, which a while later brought forth a strong faith in Paul. These final words of Stephen made an impression on him, as years later when he was in prison and mistreated, he prayed the same for those who had wronged him (II Timothy 4:16).
Stephen gives us an example of doing faithfully what the Lord calls us to do, as he assisted the church and faithfully witnessed. We may or may not one day be called upon to shed our blood for Jesus. If so, can we faithfully stay true to Him to the end?
Friday, May 1, 2020
Getting Off The Path Of Discouragement
Luke 24:13-35
How do you react when you have been greatly disappointed by something that happened in your life? Some people are able to take the blow in stride, and keep on the path. Others aren’t able to handle it that well, give up, pack it in, and quit. In our Gospel reading this week from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer, we read the account of two followers of Jesus whose faith was greatly shaken by the events of the Good Friday weekend. We read of their response, and how Jesus got them back on the right track.
In addition to the twelve apostles that Jesus had selected, there were a number of other disciples that followed Him, eager to hear and learn what He taught. Many of them had followed Jesus into Jerusalem that final week, and were aware of His fate. In our passage today we read about two of these disciples, and what happened to them that weekend. One of these two disciples was named Cleopas. The other might possibly have been his wife, or perhaps a close friend. That Sunday following the crucifixion of Jesus, they decided to leave Jerusalem, leave the other disciples and apostles, and go on home to Emmaus, a village about 7 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
Their teacher and leader had been executed. Now he lay in a tomb, cold and dead. What’s the use in remaining in Jerusalem? All their hopes and dreams of Jesus being the promised Messiah were shattered and gone, dead in the tomb. There wasn’t anything else to do but go on home. Staying in Jerusalem could be dangerous, too, as the Pharisees and religious leaders could remember that they had also frequently accompanied Jesus, and their life and safety could be in danger. So that Sunday morning the two packed their bags, said their goodbyes to the eleven remaining apostles, and other disciples, and hit the road home. Along the way home the two commiserated together about their depression and discouragement.
These two disciples were too focused on their disappointments and problems. They were walking in the wrong direction, away from fellow believers in Jerusalem. They were two sheep which took a wrong turn, not into a path of sin, but one of doubt and unbelief. Despite the women’s witness, despite that being verified by Peter and John, and despite the Biblical prophecies, they still did not believe. Jesus, the Good Shepherd wasn’t going to let them wander too far. He came to guide them home. Today, despite 2000 years of evidence and witness, many still refuse to believe.
When Jesus died, these two disciples and followers had lost all hope. They didn’t understand that Jesus’ death offered the greatest hope possible. These two were feeling lost, as the One they had put so much hope in had been killed. They were depressed and discouraged. They had lost sight of Jesus and what He had said. They needed light to guide them back on to the right path, the light that Jesus gives, He who is the Light of the world (John 8:12). Unbelief can blind us to the Lord’s work, but trusting Jesus means looking beyond what we can see to what He sees, and what He is doing.
When God sees a sincere seeker with a confused heart, like these two disciples, He will do whatever it takes to help them see His will. We may feel abandoned by God at times, however He is still present with us. We might not recognize Jesus’ presence because of difficult situations, but He is there. When we least expect it, Jesus can show up, uninvited, unrecognized. No matter how discouraged or distracted we may get, Jesus walks with us.
How do you react when you have been greatly disappointed by something that happened in your life? Some people are able to take the blow in stride, and keep on the path. Others aren’t able to handle it that well, give up, pack it in, and quit. In our Gospel reading this week from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer, we read the account of two followers of Jesus whose faith was greatly shaken by the events of the Good Friday weekend. We read of their response, and how Jesus got them back on the right track.
In addition to the twelve apostles that Jesus had selected, there were a number of other disciples that followed Him, eager to hear and learn what He taught. Many of them had followed Jesus into Jerusalem that final week, and were aware of His fate. In our passage today we read about two of these disciples, and what happened to them that weekend. One of these two disciples was named Cleopas. The other might possibly have been his wife, or perhaps a close friend. That Sunday following the crucifixion of Jesus, they decided to leave Jerusalem, leave the other disciples and apostles, and go on home to Emmaus, a village about 7 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
Their teacher and leader had been executed. Now he lay in a tomb, cold and dead. What’s the use in remaining in Jerusalem? All their hopes and dreams of Jesus being the promised Messiah were shattered and gone, dead in the tomb. There wasn’t anything else to do but go on home. Staying in Jerusalem could be dangerous, too, as the Pharisees and religious leaders could remember that they had also frequently accompanied Jesus, and their life and safety could be in danger. So that Sunday morning the two packed their bags, said their goodbyes to the eleven remaining apostles, and other disciples, and hit the road home. Along the way home the two commiserated together about their depression and discouragement.
These two disciples were too focused on their disappointments and problems. They were walking in the wrong direction, away from fellow believers in Jerusalem. They were two sheep which took a wrong turn, not into a path of sin, but one of doubt and unbelief. Despite the women’s witness, despite that being verified by Peter and John, and despite the Biblical prophecies, they still did not believe. Jesus, the Good Shepherd wasn’t going to let them wander too far. He came to guide them home. Today, despite 2000 years of evidence and witness, many still refuse to believe.
When Jesus died, these two disciples and followers had lost all hope. They didn’t understand that Jesus’ death offered the greatest hope possible. These two were feeling lost, as the One they had put so much hope in had been killed. They were depressed and discouraged. They had lost sight of Jesus and what He had said. They needed light to guide them back on to the right path, the light that Jesus gives, He who is the Light of the world (John 8:12). Unbelief can blind us to the Lord’s work, but trusting Jesus means looking beyond what we can see to what He sees, and what He is doing.
When God sees a sincere seeker with a confused heart, like these two disciples, He will do whatever it takes to help them see His will. We may feel abandoned by God at times, however He is still present with us. We might not recognize Jesus’ presence because of difficult situations, but He is there. When we least expect it, Jesus can show up, uninvited, unrecognized. No matter how discouraged or distracted we may get, Jesus walks with us.
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
The Precious Blood Of Jesus
I Peter 1:17-23
Blood is a vitally important part of life. Without enough blood in our bodies we will die very quickly. Remove the blood and you remove life. When someone is very sick or has had a bad accident, often they will need a blood transfusion, where the blood of someone else is given to them. This is done in order to save their life. Naturally one would be very grateful to the person or people who donated their blood, especially if this was a very critical, life-or-death circumstance. In the Scripture passage today, the Apostle Peter reminds us believers of Someone else’s Blood which gave something more important than a temporary physical life, but eternal life. Let’s take a look.
What do you consider precious in your life? Perhaps your family members. Maybe a valuable heirloom that has been passed down from generation to generation. In verse 19 of our passage we see what Peter considered precious to him, and that was the Blood of Jesus. Some people might bristle at that, finding the mention of shed blood distasteful and not suitable to be talked about in polite company. That type of thinking has even moved into the Christian Church, as in today’s Christian culture the Blood of Jesus is not mentioned much. Many Christians and churches want a sanitized version of salvation. They talk about grace, forgiveness, and love, but do not mention the Blood of Jesus. Blood is considered offensive. However, do we not realize that without the shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ there would be no salvation?
How many churches today won’t sing the great hymns that tell of Jesus’ Precious Blood, such as “Nothing But the Blood”, “Power in the Blood”, and others? They are ashamed of them. They feel that such hymns are too offensive and not appropriate in today’s “seeker sensitive” type ministries. If we remove all of the blood from a body, all we have remaining is a lifeless corpse. If we remove the Blood of Jesus from the Bible, it is just nothing more than historical literature. If we remove the Blood of Jesus from Christianity, there is no salvation for anyone, and we, each one of us, are lost for eternity. How can we forget that Jesus shed His blood for us!
Jesus gave His life, a high price to pay, to make us part of His family. Our blood can be used to help others if our blood type matches. That help is only temporary, till one dies, which we all do eventually. However, Jesus’ Blood is the only one who can save sinful souls. The price of our redemption was the precious Blood of Jesus.
Peter continues on describing Jesus as a lamb without blemish or spot (vs. 19). John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36). In the Old Testament there were specific requirements as to the type of lamb that would be acceptable for sacrifices. The lambs needed to be as perfect as possible, without any faults. The lamb could not have any broken or damaged limbs, no scars, or any fault in its fleece. Just as the sacrificial lambs were to be without any flaws, Jesus was perfect and without sin. He was the true Lamb of God, who poured out His Blood, His precious Blood as Peter said, for our salvation.
Jesus’ death upon the cross was no accident, no bad chance of fate. His death was foreordained from eternity past, before the foundation of the world (vs. 20). It was not something that God thought up as a plan B, after Adam and Eve ate the fruit. Jesus planned from all eternity past to shed His Blood for you and me.
If someone sacrificed their life to save us, wouldn’t we be thankful and be grateful? Of course we would! The life they gave for us, the blood they shed, would be precious in our eyes. We would not be ashamed of it, would we? The Blood of Jesus should always and forever be precious in our sight! Without that Blood, we are lost. It is, indeed, Precious Blood!
Blood is a vitally important part of life. Without enough blood in our bodies we will die very quickly. Remove the blood and you remove life. When someone is very sick or has had a bad accident, often they will need a blood transfusion, where the blood of someone else is given to them. This is done in order to save their life. Naturally one would be very grateful to the person or people who donated their blood, especially if this was a very critical, life-or-death circumstance. In the Scripture passage today, the Apostle Peter reminds us believers of Someone else’s Blood which gave something more important than a temporary physical life, but eternal life. Let’s take a look.
What do you consider precious in your life? Perhaps your family members. Maybe a valuable heirloom that has been passed down from generation to generation. In verse 19 of our passage we see what Peter considered precious to him, and that was the Blood of Jesus. Some people might bristle at that, finding the mention of shed blood distasteful and not suitable to be talked about in polite company. That type of thinking has even moved into the Christian Church, as in today’s Christian culture the Blood of Jesus is not mentioned much. Many Christians and churches want a sanitized version of salvation. They talk about grace, forgiveness, and love, but do not mention the Blood of Jesus. Blood is considered offensive. However, do we not realize that without the shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ there would be no salvation?
How many churches today won’t sing the great hymns that tell of Jesus’ Precious Blood, such as “Nothing But the Blood”, “Power in the Blood”, and others? They are ashamed of them. They feel that such hymns are too offensive and not appropriate in today’s “seeker sensitive” type ministries. If we remove all of the blood from a body, all we have remaining is a lifeless corpse. If we remove the Blood of Jesus from the Bible, it is just nothing more than historical literature. If we remove the Blood of Jesus from Christianity, there is no salvation for anyone, and we, each one of us, are lost for eternity. How can we forget that Jesus shed His blood for us!
Jesus gave His life, a high price to pay, to make us part of His family. Our blood can be used to help others if our blood type matches. That help is only temporary, till one dies, which we all do eventually. However, Jesus’ Blood is the only one who can save sinful souls. The price of our redemption was the precious Blood of Jesus.
Peter continues on describing Jesus as a lamb without blemish or spot (vs. 19). John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36). In the Old Testament there were specific requirements as to the type of lamb that would be acceptable for sacrifices. The lambs needed to be as perfect as possible, without any faults. The lamb could not have any broken or damaged limbs, no scars, or any fault in its fleece. Just as the sacrificial lambs were to be without any flaws, Jesus was perfect and without sin. He was the true Lamb of God, who poured out His Blood, His precious Blood as Peter said, for our salvation.
Jesus’ death upon the cross was no accident, no bad chance of fate. His death was foreordained from eternity past, before the foundation of the world (vs. 20). It was not something that God thought up as a plan B, after Adam and Eve ate the fruit. Jesus planned from all eternity past to shed His Blood for you and me.
If someone sacrificed their life to save us, wouldn’t we be thankful and be grateful? Of course we would! The life they gave for us, the blood they shed, would be precious in our eyes. We would not be ashamed of it, would we? The Blood of Jesus should always and forever be precious in our sight! Without that Blood, we are lost. It is, indeed, Precious Blood!
Monday, April 27, 2020
Deliverance From Death
Psalm 116
Death has been mankind's enemy, that dark spectre that has hung just behind our shoulder since shortly after being cast out of the Garden of Eden. We fear death for ourselves and for our loved ones, and when it strikes we grieve deeply. Today’s psalm from an unknown author, relates the great fear the psalmist had when he came close to death. He cried out in prayer to God, and gave thanks to Him for his deliverance.
This psalm is the personal testimony of passing through the deep valley of grief. He tells first of his love for the Lord who saw him through distress, sorrow, and grief. Then his desire to give God thanks for seeing him through this difficult time. Praise and thanksgiving should be the natural result of answered prayer.
We don’t know the specifics of the situation the psalmist faced. It could have been a near-fatal illness that he had. Perhaps he faced some enemy, coming close to being killed. Maybe there was some type of accident, or other dangerous situation that found himself in. Since we don’t know what it was, no matter what life-threatening situation we may ever be in, we can relate to this Scripture. Also, though the passage appears to deal with being delivered from physical death, it could also be recited by one saved from spiritual death, as well.
What do we do when God seems silent to us? There are times, often very desperate times, when we pray and we hear nothing back. When the terrible situation we are in, the deadly illness we or a loved one has, gets steadily worse, where is God? We are tempted to give up on God and turn away from Him. That is a mistake. Believers, instead, should press in to Him, and not pull away. Praise Him out loud for what He will do for us.
When we are afraid, we lose confidence and doubt God’s goodness. We are like the disciples in the boat during the storm. Remember, Jesus is in the boat with us. God is responsive to those who have put their faith and trust in Him (vs. 2). We can always reach Him. God is always near us, listening to our prayers. When no one else sees, God sees. When no one else cares, God cares. He sees. He hears. God’s timing is always perfect.
It is good to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and the hope that we have in Him (vs. 5-9). Faced with this desperate situation, the psalmist looked back at previous times the Lord came to his rescue. Looking back reminded him that God was One who could be trusted and relied on. One way for us to remember would be to spend some time naming the many ways God has been good to us. The same God who has been faithful in the past will continue His love for us in the future. His goodness can keep us filled with His peace.
When we pray to the Lord, we don’t always see His answer right away. However, believers are to walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). Those who really believe in Jesus should speak of their beliefs to others (vs. 10, II Corinthians 4:13-15). When we share with others what the Lord has done for us, we might give hope and the beginnings of faith to others who are going through a similar difficult time.
What price can we put on our deliverance? (vs. 12) God needs nothing, and there is no price on His free mercy and grace. There is nothing we can ever do to earn salvation. Our salvation was bought with the price of the Blood of Jesus, and comes to us through faith, not by our works. When He answers our prayers, that is through His love for us. The only acceptable gift we can give is our obedience and thanksgiving.
What about the times when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we would wish, when perhaps a loved one dies? Verse 15 contains a special answer to that. The Word of God says that the death of a believer is precious in His sight. Believers are precious to God. He carefully chooses the time when they will be called into His presence. When a believer dies, God rejoices that another one of His children has entered His eternal presence. We will grieve their passing, but we should also rejoice, knowing that they are now with the Savior. We should always remember - death is not the end, but a new beginning.
Death has been mankind's enemy, that dark spectre that has hung just behind our shoulder since shortly after being cast out of the Garden of Eden. We fear death for ourselves and for our loved ones, and when it strikes we grieve deeply. Today’s psalm from an unknown author, relates the great fear the psalmist had when he came close to death. He cried out in prayer to God, and gave thanks to Him for his deliverance.
This psalm is the personal testimony of passing through the deep valley of grief. He tells first of his love for the Lord who saw him through distress, sorrow, and grief. Then his desire to give God thanks for seeing him through this difficult time. Praise and thanksgiving should be the natural result of answered prayer.
We don’t know the specifics of the situation the psalmist faced. It could have been a near-fatal illness that he had. Perhaps he faced some enemy, coming close to being killed. Maybe there was some type of accident, or other dangerous situation that found himself in. Since we don’t know what it was, no matter what life-threatening situation we may ever be in, we can relate to this Scripture. Also, though the passage appears to deal with being delivered from physical death, it could also be recited by one saved from spiritual death, as well.
What do we do when God seems silent to us? There are times, often very desperate times, when we pray and we hear nothing back. When the terrible situation we are in, the deadly illness we or a loved one has, gets steadily worse, where is God? We are tempted to give up on God and turn away from Him. That is a mistake. Believers, instead, should press in to Him, and not pull away. Praise Him out loud for what He will do for us.
When we are afraid, we lose confidence and doubt God’s goodness. We are like the disciples in the boat during the storm. Remember, Jesus is in the boat with us. God is responsive to those who have put their faith and trust in Him (vs. 2). We can always reach Him. God is always near us, listening to our prayers. When no one else sees, God sees. When no one else cares, God cares. He sees. He hears. God’s timing is always perfect.
It is good to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and the hope that we have in Him (vs. 5-9). Faced with this desperate situation, the psalmist looked back at previous times the Lord came to his rescue. Looking back reminded him that God was One who could be trusted and relied on. One way for us to remember would be to spend some time naming the many ways God has been good to us. The same God who has been faithful in the past will continue His love for us in the future. His goodness can keep us filled with His peace.
When we pray to the Lord, we don’t always see His answer right away. However, believers are to walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). Those who really believe in Jesus should speak of their beliefs to others (vs. 10, II Corinthians 4:13-15). When we share with others what the Lord has done for us, we might give hope and the beginnings of faith to others who are going through a similar difficult time.
What price can we put on our deliverance? (vs. 12) God needs nothing, and there is no price on His free mercy and grace. There is nothing we can ever do to earn salvation. Our salvation was bought with the price of the Blood of Jesus, and comes to us through faith, not by our works. When He answers our prayers, that is through His love for us. The only acceptable gift we can give is our obedience and thanksgiving.
What about the times when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we would wish, when perhaps a loved one dies? Verse 15 contains a special answer to that. The Word of God says that the death of a believer is precious in His sight. Believers are precious to God. He carefully chooses the time when they will be called into His presence. When a believer dies, God rejoices that another one of His children has entered His eternal presence. We will grieve their passing, but we should also rejoice, knowing that they are now with the Savior. We should always remember - death is not the end, but a new beginning.
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Through Fire And Water
Isaiah 43:1-3, 10-12
“Hey you!” Sometimes that’s how we are called when the other person doesn’t know our name. We might not think that’s a big deal if it’s a stranger calling us, but if it is someone who really should know our name, like our teacher, boss, or neighbor, that’s another matter. Names are important. We can feel rather insignificant when someone who should know our name doesn’t even bother to know or use it. How about God? In this week’s Old Testament reading from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer we will learn whether God knows and cares enough about each one of us.
There are many of us who go through life feeling very insignificant and unloved or cared about. We are just a “Hey you!” Or we are known by some nick-name that is really a put-down, like “Skinny”, “Fatty”, or “Freckles” because others couldn’t be bothered to learn our real name. As the Prophet Isaiah opens our Scripture passage today, he lets us know that Yahweh, our Creator God, knows each and every one of us by our name (vs. 1). Today in 2020 there are approximately 8 billion people on earth, yet God knows each of us individually. He knows and loves us enough that He calls us by our individual name. We are not just that anonymous person at work or school, or in the neighborhood. We are not just a Social Security number to God. We are a special person to Him, with a name He knows and calls.
As Isaiah continues on in this passage, God not only knows our name, but He loves and cares enough about us that He also protects us throughout all of life’s trials and dangers (vs. 2). God protects us in times of trouble. We are important to Him. Isaiah names two specific types of danger here that a person might go through in life, water and fire, but any type of danger would apply. We all face raging waters and fires of adversity in life. God promises that He will be with us as we go through these trials. They will not overcome us if we trust Him. No matter how deep the water we wade in, or how raging the river that comes against us in life, we will not be overwhelmed. Jesus is with us. His love for us is stronger than anything (Zephaniah 3:17).
Going through deep water or through fire all alone will harm or possibly kill us. When we go through those, whether literally or figuratively, we should never do that in our own strength. Take hold of Jesus’ hand, and have Him carry you through. Fear tells us that God will not come through, and that we will be defeated. We must never listen to fear! Jesus tells us to not be afraid. He will walk with us through any trial. He cares for the tiniest of sparrows, and we are more valuable in His sight than they are (Matthew 10:31). Just as Jesus was sovereignly in control over the storms on the Sea of Galilee, so He is over the storms and trials in our life.
The Bible says here in this passage “when”, not “if”. Trials will come. However, we can trust that God will be with us through them all. He promises to bring us safely to the other side. Why does He promise us that? Why does He care about us individually, care about us enough to call us by our name? As verse 3 tells us, it is because God loves us enough that He came to save us, He is our Savior. We are His (vs. 1), as He bought us with His Blood, shed on Calvary.
Since we are God’s children, bought through the price of the life of His Son Jesus Christ, we have the responsibility to tell the world who God is, and all that He has done for us (vs. 10-11). He has told us to be His witnesses, telling them that there is no other Savior except Jesus. The false religions of the world have never had a god who loved the people who falsely worshipped them. Their false religions never claim that their god knows them individually, nor protected and cared for them like Jesus does. No matter what we go through, we can be confident that Jesus has not abandoned us, and never will!
“Hey you!” Sometimes that’s how we are called when the other person doesn’t know our name. We might not think that’s a big deal if it’s a stranger calling us, but if it is someone who really should know our name, like our teacher, boss, or neighbor, that’s another matter. Names are important. We can feel rather insignificant when someone who should know our name doesn’t even bother to know or use it. How about God? In this week’s Old Testament reading from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer we will learn whether God knows and cares enough about each one of us.
There are many of us who go through life feeling very insignificant and unloved or cared about. We are just a “Hey you!” Or we are known by some nick-name that is really a put-down, like “Skinny”, “Fatty”, or “Freckles” because others couldn’t be bothered to learn our real name. As the Prophet Isaiah opens our Scripture passage today, he lets us know that Yahweh, our Creator God, knows each and every one of us by our name (vs. 1). Today in 2020 there are approximately 8 billion people on earth, yet God knows each of us individually. He knows and loves us enough that He calls us by our individual name. We are not just that anonymous person at work or school, or in the neighborhood. We are not just a Social Security number to God. We are a special person to Him, with a name He knows and calls.
As Isaiah continues on in this passage, God not only knows our name, but He loves and cares enough about us that He also protects us throughout all of life’s trials and dangers (vs. 2). God protects us in times of trouble. We are important to Him. Isaiah names two specific types of danger here that a person might go through in life, water and fire, but any type of danger would apply. We all face raging waters and fires of adversity in life. God promises that He will be with us as we go through these trials. They will not overcome us if we trust Him. No matter how deep the water we wade in, or how raging the river that comes against us in life, we will not be overwhelmed. Jesus is with us. His love for us is stronger than anything (Zephaniah 3:17).
Going through deep water or through fire all alone will harm or possibly kill us. When we go through those, whether literally or figuratively, we should never do that in our own strength. Take hold of Jesus’ hand, and have Him carry you through. Fear tells us that God will not come through, and that we will be defeated. We must never listen to fear! Jesus tells us to not be afraid. He will walk with us through any trial. He cares for the tiniest of sparrows, and we are more valuable in His sight than they are (Matthew 10:31). Just as Jesus was sovereignly in control over the storms on the Sea of Galilee, so He is over the storms and trials in our life.
The Bible says here in this passage “when”, not “if”. Trials will come. However, we can trust that God will be with us through them all. He promises to bring us safely to the other side. Why does He promise us that? Why does He care about us individually, care about us enough to call us by our name? As verse 3 tells us, it is because God loves us enough that He came to save us, He is our Savior. We are His (vs. 1), as He bought us with His Blood, shed on Calvary.
Since we are God’s children, bought through the price of the life of His Son Jesus Christ, we have the responsibility to tell the world who God is, and all that He has done for us (vs. 10-11). He has told us to be His witnesses, telling them that there is no other Savior except Jesus. The false religions of the world have never had a god who loved the people who falsely worshipped them. Their false religions never claim that their god knows them individually, nor protected and cared for them like Jesus does. No matter what we go through, we can be confident that Jesus has not abandoned us, and never will!
Friday, April 24, 2020
Very Special Scars
John 20:19-31
Many people have various scars on their bodies, perhaps from surgeries or maybe an accident. I have several. On my left arm I have a large scar from when I shattered that arm in several places two years ago and needed surgery to repair it. I have a scar on my right wrist, a scar from a burn, and a scar from a deep cut on my leg. When you look at your scars you are reminded of what occurred to make them. Those scars can “speak” to you, telling what you have been through. In today’s study from the Gospel of John we will look at some very special scars that we should always keep in our memory.
As our Scripture passage opens, Jesus comes and appears to the disciples that first evening after His resurrection (vs. 19-20). In order to reassure them that they were not seeing a ghost, Jesus shows them His hands and side, those scars where the nails had been driven through, and where the centurion's spear had been thrust. They saw and believed that He truly had risen, just as the women had reported.
There was one of the disciples missing that evening, the Apostle Thomas. Perhaps he was afraid to be in a group with the others since the Jewish religious leaders were threatening them, or maybe he just wanted to be alone with his grief. Whatever his reason, Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared to the others that Resurrection Day evening. Later that week when the ten disciples told Thomas of Jesus’ appearance to them, he scoffed, telling them that he would not believe unless he stuck his fingers into those scars (vs. 24-25). Perhaps Thomas had watched the crucifixion from a distance, seeing when those scars were made on the Savior’s body. Obviously those scars were important to him, marring the body of the Teacher he had loved, and now was dead. The next Sunday evening Thomas was with the disciples when they were gathered together, and Jesus appeared to them again. Calling Thomas over, Jesus showed him His scars, offering him the chance to look and touch them, and gently chiding him for his unbelief (vs. 26-27).
The various scars I have on my body, and those you might have too, are permanent in this life. They don’t fade away. They won’t wash away. They are there until I die. In heaven, in the glorified body all believers will have, those scars will be gone. The scars that Jesus has, though, are permanent for eternity. Even in His glorified and heavenly Body, those scars remain. They show for all eternity the price that was paid for our salvation. Jesus’ scars prove Him to be the Messiah. They tell the story of our salvation. It is a story of pain, caused by our sin and endured for love of us.
As Isaiah the prophet said, we are engraved into the palms of God’s hands (Isaiah 49:16). When God looks at those scars on His hands, He sees your name and my name in there. He loves each one of us so much that He died for us, receiving those scars for love of you and me.
Both Thomas and the disciples had trouble believing others' testimonies of the resurrection. The women, particularly Mary Magdalene, had returned giving testimony of Jesus’ resurrection, and the ten had been slow to believe until Jesus appeared. Then Thomas wouldn’t believe their testimony, either. Jesus told us that those who do not need visual evidence of God and His power are especially blessed (vs. 29). Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see. When we are faced with uncertainty, do we trust in God’s unseen sovereignty and care for us? Will we believe, even if we cannot see right now? Even when we don’t see God at work in our situation we need to still trust Him.
We have all the proof we need in the Word of God. Let’s take up our Bible, believe what is written there, and seek the Lord in faith.
Many people have various scars on their bodies, perhaps from surgeries or maybe an accident. I have several. On my left arm I have a large scar from when I shattered that arm in several places two years ago and needed surgery to repair it. I have a scar on my right wrist, a scar from a burn, and a scar from a deep cut on my leg. When you look at your scars you are reminded of what occurred to make them. Those scars can “speak” to you, telling what you have been through. In today’s study from the Gospel of John we will look at some very special scars that we should always keep in our memory.
As our Scripture passage opens, Jesus comes and appears to the disciples that first evening after His resurrection (vs. 19-20). In order to reassure them that they were not seeing a ghost, Jesus shows them His hands and side, those scars where the nails had been driven through, and where the centurion's spear had been thrust. They saw and believed that He truly had risen, just as the women had reported.
There was one of the disciples missing that evening, the Apostle Thomas. Perhaps he was afraid to be in a group with the others since the Jewish religious leaders were threatening them, or maybe he just wanted to be alone with his grief. Whatever his reason, Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared to the others that Resurrection Day evening. Later that week when the ten disciples told Thomas of Jesus’ appearance to them, he scoffed, telling them that he would not believe unless he stuck his fingers into those scars (vs. 24-25). Perhaps Thomas had watched the crucifixion from a distance, seeing when those scars were made on the Savior’s body. Obviously those scars were important to him, marring the body of the Teacher he had loved, and now was dead. The next Sunday evening Thomas was with the disciples when they were gathered together, and Jesus appeared to them again. Calling Thomas over, Jesus showed him His scars, offering him the chance to look and touch them, and gently chiding him for his unbelief (vs. 26-27).
The various scars I have on my body, and those you might have too, are permanent in this life. They don’t fade away. They won’t wash away. They are there until I die. In heaven, in the glorified body all believers will have, those scars will be gone. The scars that Jesus has, though, are permanent for eternity. Even in His glorified and heavenly Body, those scars remain. They show for all eternity the price that was paid for our salvation. Jesus’ scars prove Him to be the Messiah. They tell the story of our salvation. It is a story of pain, caused by our sin and endured for love of us.
As Isaiah the prophet said, we are engraved into the palms of God’s hands (Isaiah 49:16). When God looks at those scars on His hands, He sees your name and my name in there. He loves each one of us so much that He died for us, receiving those scars for love of you and me.
Both Thomas and the disciples had trouble believing others' testimonies of the resurrection. The women, particularly Mary Magdalene, had returned giving testimony of Jesus’ resurrection, and the ten had been slow to believe until Jesus appeared. Then Thomas wouldn’t believe their testimony, either. Jesus told us that those who do not need visual evidence of God and His power are especially blessed (vs. 29). Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see. When we are faced with uncertainty, do we trust in God’s unseen sovereignty and care for us? Will we believe, even if we cannot see right now? Even when we don’t see God at work in our situation we need to still trust Him.
We have all the proof we need in the Word of God. Let’s take up our Bible, believe what is written there, and seek the Lord in faith.
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