Psalm 77
“Tossing and turning. Turning and tossing. Tossing and turning all night.” These words are more than just lyrics of an oldies song by Bobby Lewis. They are a reality to many people when worries, concerns, and fears keep them awake half the night. Asaph, the author of our psalm today, had difficulty sleeping at times, as we see in our passage. Let’s take a look at how he dealt with this problem, and see what we can learn for those nights when we might not be able to sleep due to worries and problems.
As we read through the psalm, Asaph does not give any indication as to what problems were keeping him awake, only that they were very distressing to him. Whatever they were, he was crying out loud to God for relief (vs. 1). In his distress, he was very demonstrative, holding his hands up to God in prayer (vs. 2). “Please, God! Hear me!”, he was praying. When family and friends tried to calm him down, perhaps telling him not to worry or be upset, he would not listen (vs. 2). This was very distressing to him (vs. 3). This was so overwhelming to Asaph that he could not sleep anymore, nor could he even talk to anyone about it anymore (vs. 4). Many of us have, at one time or another, been in a similar situation. Our problems seem so overwhelming that we can’t just calm down and relax when a loved one tries to comfort us. The worry and stress just floods over us so much that we can’t sleep.
During this time of distress, Asaph at first questioned whether God had stopped or had run out of mercy, favor, or graciousness (vs. 7-9). How many times have we wondered whether God has forgotten us in the middle of our problems. Maybe we felt that He had forgotten His promises, or felt that those promises might not apply to us. In the midst of our trials, we may think that God has lost His power, or that He has changed. But has He?
At some point in the middle of his anguish, Asaph starts to remember all of the times that God has come to his aid, the aid of his family, or that of his people. He starts to recall and remember all of God’s faithfulness in the past, both to him and to others (vs. 10-15). We do not need to fear that God will not keep His promises, or that He has changed, as the Scriptures assure us that God does not, and cannot change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). As Asaph realizes that God is his answer, when he remembers all of the times in the past that He has helped him, his worries and distress start to melt away. Recalling God’s blessings and deliverances of the past was the key to Asaph’s restored peace, and will be the key to ours, as well.
Asaph also mentioned another key that helped to restore his peace of mind, and that was his singing songs in the nighttime, when he couldn’t sleep (vs. 6). Sometimes it helps to quietly sing hymns and praise songs to God when we cannot sleep. When he did that, Asaph was able to regain his peace, and was then able to remember God. He was able to carefully ponder his problems, any solutions, and leave them all with God.
One of the great deliverances of the past that Asaph recalled was God’s rescue of His people from slavery in Egypt, and the parting of the Red Sea (vs. 16). This mighty act of God showed him that He has not lost His strength. That truth reminded Asaph that God has control of all of nature (vs. 16-19). When we realize that God controls things like powerful thunderstorms, lightning, tornados, and earthquakes, is there any problem that could possibly be too hard for Him to handle?
As Asaph learned in our psalm today, we need to shift our focus from off of ourselves and on to God. When we do that, our stress and cares will lessen. When we do that, we will be able to lie down in peace, and sleep (Psalm 4:8).
Monday, February 11, 2019
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Mighty Man Of Valor
Judges 6:11-16
Many people like to see when an underdog wins. Everyone else is rooting for the big, strong, powerful player, and then the upset happens, and the little guy wins. The Bible has several accounts of God choosing and using a “little guy” to achieve His purposes. Our Scripture passage today tells of such a person, the young man Gideon. Let’s look at the account of when God called Gideon, and see what we can learn from his life.
Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh, and lived during the time of the judges, a period of years between the death of the general Joshua and the first king, King Saul (around 1300 BC - 1070 BC). During the period of judges, the people of Israel struggled with falling into the idolatrous practices of the Canaanite people of the region. Consequently, God sent judgment upon them, allowing foreign powers to overrun them, and forcing them into servitude. At the time of Gideon, his people have been conquered by the Midianites. The Midianites were desert marauders who were distantly related to the Israelites. They were descended from Abraham thru the wife Keturah, which he took after the death of Sarah (Genesis 25:1-2). Her son, Midian, became enemies of the Israelites.
We find Gideon hiding from the Midianites as he secretly threshes the family’s grain. He was so afraid of being caught, that he was doing that at night in a winepress, rather than in the open air, where one normally would do that task. Gideon is a fearful, timid person. It is here that the Lord God comes to him, to call him to lead the people and defeat the Midianites.
When God called Gideon into service he called him a “mighty man of valor” (vs. 12), in other words a brave, courageous man. Yet here he was, hiding from the Midianites in a winepress doing his tasks. God’s view of us is often different from our view of ourselves, or from what others say of us. God called Gideon a “man of valor” because He knew what He could accomplish through Gideon if he yielded and obeyed Him. Gideon saw himself as weak because he was focused on the circumstances, not on God. When we depend on God to empower us, we can become who He says we are, and do what He wants us to do.
When Gideon was complaining in verse 13 about the condition the nation was in, he failed to take into account that the people had brought this problem on themselves because they disobeyed God and went after pagan gods (Judges 6:1). Sometimes when we have problems we need to look at our own life, rather than blame God or others. We need to always take personal accountability.
God told Gideon that He wanted him to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites, and that He would be with him (vs. 14). God told Gideon, and He tells us, as well, that we don’t need to rely on our own strength. We have been given His strength. He will give us what we need to accomplish what we need to. Don’t waste time making excuses. Instead, obey God, and have faith in Him.
Gideon was the least in his family, and his family was unimportant in the tribe. He felt very inadequate and unqualified. Yet God called him to lead an army. The army only had 300, coming against an army of 100,000 (Judges 7:7). This seemed impossible, but God was with him, so it was possible!
When God calls us to do something for Him, don’t say that we can’t or that we are unable or unqualified. In addition, don’t let anyone else say that, either. When we depend on God and not on ourself, we can do anything He asks us to (vs. 16). Don’t be afraid! The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!
Many people like to see when an underdog wins. Everyone else is rooting for the big, strong, powerful player, and then the upset happens, and the little guy wins. The Bible has several accounts of God choosing and using a “little guy” to achieve His purposes. Our Scripture passage today tells of such a person, the young man Gideon. Let’s look at the account of when God called Gideon, and see what we can learn from his life.
Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh, and lived during the time of the judges, a period of years between the death of the general Joshua and the first king, King Saul (around 1300 BC - 1070 BC). During the period of judges, the people of Israel struggled with falling into the idolatrous practices of the Canaanite people of the region. Consequently, God sent judgment upon them, allowing foreign powers to overrun them, and forcing them into servitude. At the time of Gideon, his people have been conquered by the Midianites. The Midianites were desert marauders who were distantly related to the Israelites. They were descended from Abraham thru the wife Keturah, which he took after the death of Sarah (Genesis 25:1-2). Her son, Midian, became enemies of the Israelites.
We find Gideon hiding from the Midianites as he secretly threshes the family’s grain. He was so afraid of being caught, that he was doing that at night in a winepress, rather than in the open air, where one normally would do that task. Gideon is a fearful, timid person. It is here that the Lord God comes to him, to call him to lead the people and defeat the Midianites.
When God called Gideon into service he called him a “mighty man of valor” (vs. 12), in other words a brave, courageous man. Yet here he was, hiding from the Midianites in a winepress doing his tasks. God’s view of us is often different from our view of ourselves, or from what others say of us. God called Gideon a “man of valor” because He knew what He could accomplish through Gideon if he yielded and obeyed Him. Gideon saw himself as weak because he was focused on the circumstances, not on God. When we depend on God to empower us, we can become who He says we are, and do what He wants us to do.
When Gideon was complaining in verse 13 about the condition the nation was in, he failed to take into account that the people had brought this problem on themselves because they disobeyed God and went after pagan gods (Judges 6:1). Sometimes when we have problems we need to look at our own life, rather than blame God or others. We need to always take personal accountability.
God told Gideon that He wanted him to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites, and that He would be with him (vs. 14). God told Gideon, and He tells us, as well, that we don’t need to rely on our own strength. We have been given His strength. He will give us what we need to accomplish what we need to. Don’t waste time making excuses. Instead, obey God, and have faith in Him.
Gideon was the least in his family, and his family was unimportant in the tribe. He felt very inadequate and unqualified. Yet God called him to lead an army. The army only had 300, coming against an army of 100,000 (Judges 7:7). This seemed impossible, but God was with him, so it was possible!
When God calls us to do something for Him, don’t say that we can’t or that we are unable or unqualified. In addition, don’t let anyone else say that, either. When we depend on God and not on ourself, we can do anything He asks us to (vs. 16). Don’t be afraid! The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!
Friday, February 8, 2019
Hometown Rejection
Luke 4:21-32
Here is an occasional scenario. A man who has been gone from his hometown for several years decides to come back. While he was gone, unbeknownst to the folks in his hometown, he has gone to school and become a pastor. After this fellow returns to town, he is invited to preach a message at the local church. Instead of giving him a warm welcome, those in the congregation get their feathers all in a ruffle. “Who does he think he is?”, they mumble to themselves. This is especially true if the young man had been a troublesome person as a youth or child, and then turned his life around. “Who is he to preach to us? His family is nothing special.” As we read in today’s Gospel passage, this is the type of unfriendly welcome that Jesus received when he came to His hometown. Let’s look at our Scripture for today, and see what happened.
Jesus had grown up as a child and young man in the village of Nazareth, which is in northern Israel. We can be certain that He was not a problem child, nor caused any trouble as a youth. As a young adult, Jesus worked at the carpentry shop of His earthly stepfather, Joseph. When He knew that the time of His ministry was to begin, Jesus left town, headed south, was baptized by John the Baptist, and went into the desert 40 days for a time of tempting and testing. Now, a little while later, Jesus and His disciples have returned to Nazareth, where He was invited to speak in the local synagogue. When He reads a passage from Isaiah, and indicates that He is the fulfillment of the prophecy, the people do not take kindly to His words.
They start to think amongst themselves that this man has a lot of nerve, implying that He’s the Messiah. Why, He grew up with us, with our children. He’s Joseph’s son (vs. 22). Now He’s in town, preaching to us?! The people had heard that Jesus had done some miracles and healings in the neighboring village of Capernaum, and wanted to see some for themselves (vs. 23). However they did not have any faith. Instead, they were challenging. They were proud and angry.
Jesus then reminds the people of Nazareth of two incidents in their nation’s past, of two miracles that the prophets Elijah and Elisha had performed (vs. 25-27). During a dire famine in the land, the prophet Elijah was sent by God to minister to a starving widow in Zarephath, which was in Sidon, not Israel (I Kings 17:8-24). She was a Gentile, not an Israelite. Elisha healed the Syrian general, Naaman, of leprosy (II Kings 5). He was also a Gentile. There were plenty of needy widows and lepers among the Jews in Israel. Why not them? At the time of Elijah and Elisha there was widespread unbelief, apostasy, and pagan idol worship among the people. Also, God wanted to show that He had concern for the Gentiles, as well.
The people of Nazareth were in just as much unbelief as the people of Israel were in Elijah and Elisha’s day. They were not opening their hearts to God to accept the One who was standing right before their eyes. The words that Jesus spoke enraged the people (vs. 28). They were furious when Jesus implied that they were as unbelieving as the people were in the time of those two prophets, which was a time well known to them as one of great wickedness. They were outraged when they heard that divine grace might be withheld from them, due to unbelief, but extended to the Gentiles, and that God would choose to care for Gentiles over the people of Israel.
This wasn’t an anger where they just showed Jesus the door, telling Him to leave and not come back again. This was a fury so strong they were going to literally kill Him (vs 29). The people grabbed Jesus and dragged Him across town to throw Him off of the cliff. They must have been thinking, “How dare He speak to them like that, and say such contentious things.” However, Jesus had a miraculous escape from premature death at the hands of this raging mob (vs. 30).
As Christians, our faith and life might not be readily accepted by those who know us well and grew up with us, such as our family and neighbors. This may be particularly true if one might have had a troublesome past, and now are coming with the message of Jesus and salvation. Don’t give up hope. Jesus, Himself, was never really accepted by the people of Nazareth. His own family, with the exception of His mother, never accepted His message until after His resurrection. Let your life be a light and a testimony, and God will use you.
Here is an occasional scenario. A man who has been gone from his hometown for several years decides to come back. While he was gone, unbeknownst to the folks in his hometown, he has gone to school and become a pastor. After this fellow returns to town, he is invited to preach a message at the local church. Instead of giving him a warm welcome, those in the congregation get their feathers all in a ruffle. “Who does he think he is?”, they mumble to themselves. This is especially true if the young man had been a troublesome person as a youth or child, and then turned his life around. “Who is he to preach to us? His family is nothing special.” As we read in today’s Gospel passage, this is the type of unfriendly welcome that Jesus received when he came to His hometown. Let’s look at our Scripture for today, and see what happened.
Jesus had grown up as a child and young man in the village of Nazareth, which is in northern Israel. We can be certain that He was not a problem child, nor caused any trouble as a youth. As a young adult, Jesus worked at the carpentry shop of His earthly stepfather, Joseph. When He knew that the time of His ministry was to begin, Jesus left town, headed south, was baptized by John the Baptist, and went into the desert 40 days for a time of tempting and testing. Now, a little while later, Jesus and His disciples have returned to Nazareth, where He was invited to speak in the local synagogue. When He reads a passage from Isaiah, and indicates that He is the fulfillment of the prophecy, the people do not take kindly to His words.
They start to think amongst themselves that this man has a lot of nerve, implying that He’s the Messiah. Why, He grew up with us, with our children. He’s Joseph’s son (vs. 22). Now He’s in town, preaching to us?! The people had heard that Jesus had done some miracles and healings in the neighboring village of Capernaum, and wanted to see some for themselves (vs. 23). However they did not have any faith. Instead, they were challenging. They were proud and angry.
Jesus then reminds the people of Nazareth of two incidents in their nation’s past, of two miracles that the prophets Elijah and Elisha had performed (vs. 25-27). During a dire famine in the land, the prophet Elijah was sent by God to minister to a starving widow in Zarephath, which was in Sidon, not Israel (I Kings 17:8-24). She was a Gentile, not an Israelite. Elisha healed the Syrian general, Naaman, of leprosy (II Kings 5). He was also a Gentile. There were plenty of needy widows and lepers among the Jews in Israel. Why not them? At the time of Elijah and Elisha there was widespread unbelief, apostasy, and pagan idol worship among the people. Also, God wanted to show that He had concern for the Gentiles, as well.
The people of Nazareth were in just as much unbelief as the people of Israel were in Elijah and Elisha’s day. They were not opening their hearts to God to accept the One who was standing right before their eyes. The words that Jesus spoke enraged the people (vs. 28). They were furious when Jesus implied that they were as unbelieving as the people were in the time of those two prophets, which was a time well known to them as one of great wickedness. They were outraged when they heard that divine grace might be withheld from them, due to unbelief, but extended to the Gentiles, and that God would choose to care for Gentiles over the people of Israel.
This wasn’t an anger where they just showed Jesus the door, telling Him to leave and not come back again. This was a fury so strong they were going to literally kill Him (vs 29). The people grabbed Jesus and dragged Him across town to throw Him off of the cliff. They must have been thinking, “How dare He speak to them like that, and say such contentious things.” However, Jesus had a miraculous escape from premature death at the hands of this raging mob (vs. 30).
As Christians, our faith and life might not be readily accepted by those who know us well and grew up with us, such as our family and neighbors. This may be particularly true if one might have had a troublesome past, and now are coming with the message of Jesus and salvation. Don’t give up hope. Jesus, Himself, was never really accepted by the people of Nazareth. His own family, with the exception of His mother, never accepted His message until after His resurrection. Let your life be a light and a testimony, and God will use you.
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Counterfeit Spiritual Gifts
I Corinthians 14:12-20
A while back my daughter ordered something through the mail, and when it arrived we found that it had to be assembled. Unfortunately the assembly instructions were in a foreign language that we did not know. We weren’t even sure what language it was. Because of the language barrier the instructions were useless to us. To be of any help, I needed to understand what was being said. The Apostle Paul makes a similar comment in today’s reading from I Corinthians, continuing his teachings on spiritual gifts, which we have looked at in the last two week’s New Testament readings. Let’s take a look at what Paul is teaching us here in this passage.
The Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts to the Church, which is the body of all true believers. Each believer has been given at least one gift, which is to be used to help edify, or build up the Church (vs. 12). They are not given to shine a light upon ourselves or draw attention or glory to ourselves. Rather they are given to uplift and bring glory to Jesus, and help the church. One problem that the Apostle Paul was finding in the church in Corinth was that many there seemed to only seek and desire the more showy gifts. They seemed to forget the real purpose of these gifts. Rather than wishing to serve the body of believers and help spread the gospel of salvation, they were misusing their gifts. They were looking down on those who had less “spectacular” gifts, or they envied those who had such gifts, and this was causing divisions in that church.
The Corinthian church was greatly lacking in wisdom. Unfortunately they were not lacking in sin, which Paul addressed earlier in this epistle. In verse 20 Paul basically tells the Corinthians to grow up, start acting like mature believers. The behavior they were displaying was not becoming for men and women who had been believers for several years. He urged them to act like adults in wisdom and understanding. However in regards to sinful behavior, they could be like babes who were innocent and knew nothing about such practices.
Because the gift of tongues was so conspicuous and fascinating it appealed to the flesh, or carnal nature of the Corinthians. The devil has always been in the counterfeit business, both in the past and also today. Paul was warning the Corinthian church that Satan was counterfeiting some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit with false gifts, particularly false tongues, where some in the church, instead of utilizing the true gift, were only speaking ecstatic gibberish. This was a common occurance and practice in the pagan religions.
In our passage Paul appeals to them to put aside these emotions and desires of the flesh. He reminds them again, as he did in chapter 12, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were for edification. Particularly regarding the gift of tongues, Paul stated that it would be better if he only spoke five words out loud in church meetings, but that they were words that people understood, rather than thousands of words that people couldn’t understand (vs. 19). What good are those words? How are those words helping anyone? How are they building up or edifying the church? They are only taking the spotlight off of Jesus and putting it upon themselves. If the speaker cannot understand what he is saying, what virtue is there in praying to or praising God without understanding? (vs. 14-17).
When we take a look at ourselves, do we wish to turn the spotlight on ourselves? In whatever work or ministry we have in our own local church, we should never be seeking to draw attention to ourselves, or feeling that our gift is so much better or more important than anyone else. The Holy Spirit gives His gifts to help build up others and point to Jesus, not to us. Another lesson from Paul’s passage today is that when we pray or when we sing hymns, are we conscious of what we are really saying or singing? Are we paying attention to the words we are singing? When we pray, is our mind somewhere else? If we are not paying attention, even though we are speaking our native language, it might as well be gibberish. Our Scripture today urges us to be conscious of what we are saying when we pray or praise God.
A while back my daughter ordered something through the mail, and when it arrived we found that it had to be assembled. Unfortunately the assembly instructions were in a foreign language that we did not know. We weren’t even sure what language it was. Because of the language barrier the instructions were useless to us. To be of any help, I needed to understand what was being said. The Apostle Paul makes a similar comment in today’s reading from I Corinthians, continuing his teachings on spiritual gifts, which we have looked at in the last two week’s New Testament readings. Let’s take a look at what Paul is teaching us here in this passage.
The Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts to the Church, which is the body of all true believers. Each believer has been given at least one gift, which is to be used to help edify, or build up the Church (vs. 12). They are not given to shine a light upon ourselves or draw attention or glory to ourselves. Rather they are given to uplift and bring glory to Jesus, and help the church. One problem that the Apostle Paul was finding in the church in Corinth was that many there seemed to only seek and desire the more showy gifts. They seemed to forget the real purpose of these gifts. Rather than wishing to serve the body of believers and help spread the gospel of salvation, they were misusing their gifts. They were looking down on those who had less “spectacular” gifts, or they envied those who had such gifts, and this was causing divisions in that church.
The Corinthian church was greatly lacking in wisdom. Unfortunately they were not lacking in sin, which Paul addressed earlier in this epistle. In verse 20 Paul basically tells the Corinthians to grow up, start acting like mature believers. The behavior they were displaying was not becoming for men and women who had been believers for several years. He urged them to act like adults in wisdom and understanding. However in regards to sinful behavior, they could be like babes who were innocent and knew nothing about such practices.
Because the gift of tongues was so conspicuous and fascinating it appealed to the flesh, or carnal nature of the Corinthians. The devil has always been in the counterfeit business, both in the past and also today. Paul was warning the Corinthian church that Satan was counterfeiting some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit with false gifts, particularly false tongues, where some in the church, instead of utilizing the true gift, were only speaking ecstatic gibberish. This was a common occurance and practice in the pagan religions.
In our passage Paul appeals to them to put aside these emotions and desires of the flesh. He reminds them again, as he did in chapter 12, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were for edification. Particularly regarding the gift of tongues, Paul stated that it would be better if he only spoke five words out loud in church meetings, but that they were words that people understood, rather than thousands of words that people couldn’t understand (vs. 19). What good are those words? How are those words helping anyone? How are they building up or edifying the church? They are only taking the spotlight off of Jesus and putting it upon themselves. If the speaker cannot understand what he is saying, what virtue is there in praying to or praising God without understanding? (vs. 14-17).
When we take a look at ourselves, do we wish to turn the spotlight on ourselves? In whatever work or ministry we have in our own local church, we should never be seeking to draw attention to ourselves, or feeling that our gift is so much better or more important than anyone else. The Holy Spirit gives His gifts to help build up others and point to Jesus, not to us. Another lesson from Paul’s passage today is that when we pray or when we sing hymns, are we conscious of what we are really saying or singing? Are we paying attention to the words we are singing? When we pray, is our mind somewhere else? If we are not paying attention, even though we are speaking our native language, it might as well be gibberish. Our Scripture today urges us to be conscious of what we are saying when we pray or praise God.
Monday, February 4, 2019
Forsake Me Not In Old Age
Psalm 71
Forsaken. That is a very sad and depressing word, bringing thoughts of being abandoned, neglected, and left behind. That is a fear of some children, and of many people as they grow older. Older people might be afraid that their friends won’t remember them, and that they will be cast aside and forgotten by their family. Too many elderly are left alone in their homes or in nursing facilities, seemingly forgotten by everyone, so this is not a baseless fear. Our psalmist for today had this fear, particularly that God would forsake him, and there are several appeals throughout the psalm that God not forget him when he is old.
Old age sneaks up on us so quickly. One day we are young, our bodies can do just about everything we want. Thoughts of getting older don’t even come into our mind. Then, suddenly it seems, our hair is gray, and we our now seniors. Arthritis comes, the eyesight isn’t as good as before, the memory isn’t as sharp, either. The family is busy with their own lives, and friends have either passed away or have their own infirmities. They feel useless and forgotten. “God, please don’t forget about me!”, is our psalmist’s prayer (vs. 9, 18). As he grew older he still wanted to be a testimony of God’s faithfulness, and a useful part of God’s work. He did not want to be cast aside, worn out, or forgotten.
That is a fear that we do not need to have, no matter what our age may be. God will never forget His children. He has promised that even if family may forget us, He never will (Isaiah 49:15). God has promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). As believers grow older, we should see that God has been our constant help in the past. As our bodies grow older, and we cannot do all that we used to, with more aches and pains, we need to realize that God is still our constant help (vs. 14). Our hope and faith in God will help us to keep going.
God gives us constant help from our childhood through our old age (vs 6). Our lives should be a testimony of what He has done for us (vs. 7, 18). We never become too old to serve God. Even when our bodies start breaking down, God can still use us. Moses was an elderly man when God used him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. God used and spoke through many of the prophets into their old age, and He gave the Apostle John the prophetic visions that he wrote in the book of Revelation when an old man. No matter what our age, God has continually been faithful (vs. 3).
As our psalmist looks back over his life, he remembers how he has trusted in God since a child (vs. 5). This should be an encouragement for Christian parents to be sure that they tell their children about Jesus from an early age, as soon as they are old enough to understand. If parents don’t tell their children about Jesus early in life, others will come along with their false beliefs and convince them at an early age to follow them. There is a saying, attributed to several different people, that says, “Give me a child until he is seven, and we will have him for life.” What a child is faithfully taught in their early, tender years, will stay with them for life. It is a Christian parent’s responsibility to instruct their children about Jesus at a very early age.
Another truth that our psalmist teaches in this psalm is that our faith is not meant to be kept quietly to ourselves. Society has often tried to tell people to keep their faith and religious beliefs to themselves, and not to tell others about salvation through Jesus Christ. We share with others the things that we love and what gives us joy, such as music, a good book or movie, our hobbies, etc. As believers, the Lord should be our chiefest delight, and we should spread that good news to everyone we meet. We have the most important message the world has ever known, and we should not keep it to ourselves!
Forsaken. That is a very sad and depressing word, bringing thoughts of being abandoned, neglected, and left behind. That is a fear of some children, and of many people as they grow older. Older people might be afraid that their friends won’t remember them, and that they will be cast aside and forgotten by their family. Too many elderly are left alone in their homes or in nursing facilities, seemingly forgotten by everyone, so this is not a baseless fear. Our psalmist for today had this fear, particularly that God would forsake him, and there are several appeals throughout the psalm that God not forget him when he is old.
Old age sneaks up on us so quickly. One day we are young, our bodies can do just about everything we want. Thoughts of getting older don’t even come into our mind. Then, suddenly it seems, our hair is gray, and we our now seniors. Arthritis comes, the eyesight isn’t as good as before, the memory isn’t as sharp, either. The family is busy with their own lives, and friends have either passed away or have their own infirmities. They feel useless and forgotten. “God, please don’t forget about me!”, is our psalmist’s prayer (vs. 9, 18). As he grew older he still wanted to be a testimony of God’s faithfulness, and a useful part of God’s work. He did not want to be cast aside, worn out, or forgotten.
That is a fear that we do not need to have, no matter what our age may be. God will never forget His children. He has promised that even if family may forget us, He never will (Isaiah 49:15). God has promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). As believers grow older, we should see that God has been our constant help in the past. As our bodies grow older, and we cannot do all that we used to, with more aches and pains, we need to realize that God is still our constant help (vs. 14). Our hope and faith in God will help us to keep going.
God gives us constant help from our childhood through our old age (vs 6). Our lives should be a testimony of what He has done for us (vs. 7, 18). We never become too old to serve God. Even when our bodies start breaking down, God can still use us. Moses was an elderly man when God used him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. God used and spoke through many of the prophets into their old age, and He gave the Apostle John the prophetic visions that he wrote in the book of Revelation when an old man. No matter what our age, God has continually been faithful (vs. 3).
As our psalmist looks back over his life, he remembers how he has trusted in God since a child (vs. 5). This should be an encouragement for Christian parents to be sure that they tell their children about Jesus from an early age, as soon as they are old enough to understand. If parents don’t tell their children about Jesus early in life, others will come along with their false beliefs and convince them at an early age to follow them. There is a saying, attributed to several different people, that says, “Give me a child until he is seven, and we will have him for life.” What a child is faithfully taught in their early, tender years, will stay with them for life. It is a Christian parent’s responsibility to instruct their children about Jesus at a very early age.
Another truth that our psalmist teaches in this psalm is that our faith is not meant to be kept quietly to ourselves. Society has often tried to tell people to keep their faith and religious beliefs to themselves, and not to tell others about salvation through Jesus Christ. We share with others the things that we love and what gives us joy, such as music, a good book or movie, our hobbies, etc. As believers, the Lord should be our chiefest delight, and we should spread that good news to everyone we meet. We have the most important message the world has ever known, and we should not keep it to ourselves!
Saturday, February 2, 2019
God Has A Plan For You
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Many people struggle with feelings of low self-esteem, feeling that they just don’t matter much to anyone. Sometimes they may even doubt whether God cares much about them. Would you feel that way if someone told you that God had thought all about you long before you were ever conceived? Would you feel insignificant to Him if you knew that God had made plans for your life ages before you were born? Today’s passage in the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah speaks of just this. Let’s read what God said to His prophet, and says to us today.
Jeremiah had been given a rather difficult ministry; that of preaching God’s message in the years immediately prior to Nebuchadnezzar overrunning the Kingdom of Judea. This was a time when most of the people, including the king and religious leaders, had turned their backs on God. Knowing that this was a difficult ministry, God gave Jeremiah a message right from the start. He told Jeremiah that He had singled him out for the work He gave him to do before he was even conceived, as His prophet and spokesman to the people (vs. 5).
The same can be said of us, as well. You might wonder how God could know us long before we were even born, before we ever existed. When an architect plans a building, at first it is just an idea in his head. He thinks of how big it will be, number of rooms, windows, floor plans, etc. Then he puts his plans on paper long before it is built. It’s a building in his mind, though. Finally the contractors come and the building commences, and the plans become fact. We are God’s custom design. He has specifically made every detail of us. He knew us by name long before we were born, He knows how long we will live, and what we were created to be and do with our lives.
When Jeremiah contemplated the task God had set before him, that of confronting the nation, the king and religious leaders in particular, about their unfaithfulness to God, he felt inadequate (vs. 6). He was a young man when first called, and felt inexperienced to be God’s spokesman. God promised, however, to be with him (vs. 7-8). He will be with us, as well, with whatever tasks and work He has given us to do for Him. If God gives us a job to do, He will provide all we need to do it.
Some people teach that once people become a Christian, all of their problems and troubles disappear. That is not true. Jeremiah was certainly a believer, but he faced many problems. God promised Jeremiah that He would rescue him from the troubles he would face, not that He would keep the troubles from coming (vs. 8). Jeremiah faced many trials and problems because of his ministry - insults, imprisonment, etc. God doesn’t keep us from facing problems, but He promises to always be with us during them.
God encouraged Jeremiah to continue on with the ministry that He had given him. The power behind Jeremiah and his service for the Lord was from God, Himself (vs. 9 - 10). He instructed Jeremiah to bring His message to the people, many of whom would threaten his life. The words Jeremiah spoke, harsh at times, were directly from God. It was God who had put them in his mouth. God used Jeremiah as His mouthpiece, speaking His message through him. Jeremiah’s message had divine authority.
Just as God knew and had a plan for Jeremiah’s life long before he was born, He has known us long before we were conceived, and He has a plan for our life, as well. That plan is a perfect one. It is not subject to the . opinions and views of man, or the circumstances of the world. As we seek to do God’s work we cannot go in our own strength. Through our own strength we can accomplish nothing of value, but relying on God we can do all that He wants us to (vs. 10). He calls all of us to spread His Word to all people.
When we feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that God has always thought of us as valuable, and that He has a purpose in mind for us. Whatever work we do should be done for the glory of God.
Many people struggle with feelings of low self-esteem, feeling that they just don’t matter much to anyone. Sometimes they may even doubt whether God cares much about them. Would you feel that way if someone told you that God had thought all about you long before you were ever conceived? Would you feel insignificant to Him if you knew that God had made plans for your life ages before you were born? Today’s passage in the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah speaks of just this. Let’s read what God said to His prophet, and says to us today.
Jeremiah had been given a rather difficult ministry; that of preaching God’s message in the years immediately prior to Nebuchadnezzar overrunning the Kingdom of Judea. This was a time when most of the people, including the king and religious leaders, had turned their backs on God. Knowing that this was a difficult ministry, God gave Jeremiah a message right from the start. He told Jeremiah that He had singled him out for the work He gave him to do before he was even conceived, as His prophet and spokesman to the people (vs. 5).
The same can be said of us, as well. You might wonder how God could know us long before we were even born, before we ever existed. When an architect plans a building, at first it is just an idea in his head. He thinks of how big it will be, number of rooms, windows, floor plans, etc. Then he puts his plans on paper long before it is built. It’s a building in his mind, though. Finally the contractors come and the building commences, and the plans become fact. We are God’s custom design. He has specifically made every detail of us. He knew us by name long before we were born, He knows how long we will live, and what we were created to be and do with our lives.
When Jeremiah contemplated the task God had set before him, that of confronting the nation, the king and religious leaders in particular, about their unfaithfulness to God, he felt inadequate (vs. 6). He was a young man when first called, and felt inexperienced to be God’s spokesman. God promised, however, to be with him (vs. 7-8). He will be with us, as well, with whatever tasks and work He has given us to do for Him. If God gives us a job to do, He will provide all we need to do it.
Some people teach that once people become a Christian, all of their problems and troubles disappear. That is not true. Jeremiah was certainly a believer, but he faced many problems. God promised Jeremiah that He would rescue him from the troubles he would face, not that He would keep the troubles from coming (vs. 8). Jeremiah faced many trials and problems because of his ministry - insults, imprisonment, etc. God doesn’t keep us from facing problems, but He promises to always be with us during them.
God encouraged Jeremiah to continue on with the ministry that He had given him. The power behind Jeremiah and his service for the Lord was from God, Himself (vs. 9 - 10). He instructed Jeremiah to bring His message to the people, many of whom would threaten his life. The words Jeremiah spoke, harsh at times, were directly from God. It was God who had put them in his mouth. God used Jeremiah as His mouthpiece, speaking His message through him. Jeremiah’s message had divine authority.
Just as God knew and had a plan for Jeremiah’s life long before he was born, He has known us long before we were conceived, and He has a plan for our life, as well. That plan is a perfect one. It is not subject to the . opinions and views of man, or the circumstances of the world. As we seek to do God’s work we cannot go in our own strength. Through our own strength we can accomplish nothing of value, but relying on God we can do all that He wants us to (vs. 10). He calls all of us to spread His Word to all people.
When we feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that God has always thought of us as valuable, and that He has a purpose in mind for us. Whatever work we do should be done for the glory of God.
Friday, February 1, 2019
Setting The Captive Free!
Luke 4:14-21
The date of January 1, 1863 will stick out for those who love American history as an important one, as it is the date of the Emancipation Proclamation, the date that Abraham Lincoln signed into law the freeing of the slaves. There was a similar date a couple of years earlier, February 19, 1861, where Tsar Alexander II freed the serfs in Russia. Similar dates in the 18th and 19th centuries freed the serfs all across Europe. When the people in these various countries heard the proclamation read, there was certainly rejoicing. When one is set free from enforced servitude it is a glorious day. Today in our reading from the Gospel of Luke we read of Jesus giving a similar proclamation to all those who turn to and accept Him. Let’s take a look at our passage.
Just prior to when our passage begins, Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River near Judea, and then spent 40 days in the wilderness, where Satan tempted Him. Now Jesus and His disciples have returned to Galilee. To openly begin His ministry, Jesus goes to His hometown synagogue on the Sabbath day (vs. 16). In New Testament days it was often the custom for the rabbi of a synagogue to extend a courtesy to a visitor and allow him to read from the Scriptures, and perhaps give a commentary. We see this here in Nazareth with Jesus. It was also frequently the means by which Paul spread the Gospel throughout his missionary journeys.
When Jesus was invited by his hometown rabbi to read from the Scriptures He stood and selected the passage from Isaiah 61:1-2 to read to the gathered crowd (vs. 17-19). This was a passage that most of His listeners would know referred to the coming Messiah. When Jesus finished His reading He sat down and stated to the audience that this passage of Scripture was now fulfilled that very day (vs. 21). Since everyone there would know that this passage referred to the coming Messiah, this statement that Jesus made was Him openly identifying Himself as the Messiah. There are some people who say that Jesus, Himself, never identified Himself as the Messiah, and that only His later followers did. That is not true, as right here, at the very start of His ministry, right in His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus openly stated that this passage of prophecy concerning the Messiah was fulfilled by Him that day.
This prophecy, given by Isaiah, spoke of the Messiah’s ministry. He was anointed by God to bring the Gospel, or good news, of God’s love and salvation to all, especially to the poor, to bring healing to those who are brokenhearted, sight to the blind, and to set free those who are held captive and oppressed (vs. 18). As we read through the different Gospel accounts in the Bible of Jesus, we see quite clearly that these are all things that He did, and continues to do for those who turn to Him. There are those whose physical eyesight has been healed by prayers to Jesus, but more importantly are those whose spiritual blindness has been cured by turning to Him. Those who are grieving and brokenhearted for any number of reasons have found peace and comfort from Jesus.
All of mankind has been held in captivity by Satan, ever since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. We are held tightly in his grasp. What did Jesus state here in the Scripture He selected to read? He came to set the captive free! Just like any slave in the Deep South of the U.S. prior to 1863, or any serf held in servitude to European nobility, we have all been held captive to sin and Satan. That need not be the case anymore. Jesus came to set the captive free! A slave set free does not need to serve his master anymore. He is free to go. Why stick around and take orders anymore? What is it that you might be a slave to - drugs, alcohol, pornography, anger, a spiteful tongue? There are any number of things Satan holds us in captivity to. With Jesus, those bonds can and will be broken if you but turn to Him. Turn to Jesus, accept Him as your Savior today, and you will be set free from the slavery to sin and Satan.
The date of January 1, 1863 will stick out for those who love American history as an important one, as it is the date of the Emancipation Proclamation, the date that Abraham Lincoln signed into law the freeing of the slaves. There was a similar date a couple of years earlier, February 19, 1861, where Tsar Alexander II freed the serfs in Russia. Similar dates in the 18th and 19th centuries freed the serfs all across Europe. When the people in these various countries heard the proclamation read, there was certainly rejoicing. When one is set free from enforced servitude it is a glorious day. Today in our reading from the Gospel of Luke we read of Jesus giving a similar proclamation to all those who turn to and accept Him. Let’s take a look at our passage.
Just prior to when our passage begins, Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River near Judea, and then spent 40 days in the wilderness, where Satan tempted Him. Now Jesus and His disciples have returned to Galilee. To openly begin His ministry, Jesus goes to His hometown synagogue on the Sabbath day (vs. 16). In New Testament days it was often the custom for the rabbi of a synagogue to extend a courtesy to a visitor and allow him to read from the Scriptures, and perhaps give a commentary. We see this here in Nazareth with Jesus. It was also frequently the means by which Paul spread the Gospel throughout his missionary journeys.
When Jesus was invited by his hometown rabbi to read from the Scriptures He stood and selected the passage from Isaiah 61:1-2 to read to the gathered crowd (vs. 17-19). This was a passage that most of His listeners would know referred to the coming Messiah. When Jesus finished His reading He sat down and stated to the audience that this passage of Scripture was now fulfilled that very day (vs. 21). Since everyone there would know that this passage referred to the coming Messiah, this statement that Jesus made was Him openly identifying Himself as the Messiah. There are some people who say that Jesus, Himself, never identified Himself as the Messiah, and that only His later followers did. That is not true, as right here, at the very start of His ministry, right in His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus openly stated that this passage of prophecy concerning the Messiah was fulfilled by Him that day.
This prophecy, given by Isaiah, spoke of the Messiah’s ministry. He was anointed by God to bring the Gospel, or good news, of God’s love and salvation to all, especially to the poor, to bring healing to those who are brokenhearted, sight to the blind, and to set free those who are held captive and oppressed (vs. 18). As we read through the different Gospel accounts in the Bible of Jesus, we see quite clearly that these are all things that He did, and continues to do for those who turn to Him. There are those whose physical eyesight has been healed by prayers to Jesus, but more importantly are those whose spiritual blindness has been cured by turning to Him. Those who are grieving and brokenhearted for any number of reasons have found peace and comfort from Jesus.
All of mankind has been held in captivity by Satan, ever since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. We are held tightly in his grasp. What did Jesus state here in the Scripture He selected to read? He came to set the captive free! Just like any slave in the Deep South of the U.S. prior to 1863, or any serf held in servitude to European nobility, we have all been held captive to sin and Satan. That need not be the case anymore. Jesus came to set the captive free! A slave set free does not need to serve his master anymore. He is free to go. Why stick around and take orders anymore? What is it that you might be a slave to - drugs, alcohol, pornography, anger, a spiteful tongue? There are any number of things Satan holds us in captivity to. With Jesus, those bonds can and will be broken if you but turn to Him. Turn to Jesus, accept Him as your Savior today, and you will be set free from the slavery to sin and Satan.
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