Confess And Believe

Romans 10:8-13

Imagine if you had been offered a very valuable gift, and you had to figure out how to receive that gift, but you were never told what to do.  You tried to figure out how to receive it, but you never figured it out, and thus, you lost out.  That wouldn’t seem very fair, would it?  We have been offered the most wonderful and valuable gift there ever was, that of salvation, of spending eternity in heaven with God.  There are some people that say we can never know for sure whether we will go to heaven, and that there is no way of knowing exactly how we can receive salvation, but that is not true.  As we read today’s Scripture from the Book of Romans, we will see that God told us very plainly what we must do in order to receive His gift of salvation.  Let’s see what the Scripture says here.

As we begin our passage, we read very plainly that God has clearly revealed the way of salvation (vs. 8).  It is by faith.  The message of faith is the way to God.  It is not by making a pilgrimage, not by fasting a certain number of days.  It is not by crawling on our hands and knees to a certain holy site, or even reading through the Bible a certain number of times.  It is by coming to God through faith.

One of the most important verses in the whole Bible for anyone to know is right here in verse 9.  “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Salvation can only come through faith in Jesus Christ.  We confess it with our mouth to put our faith into action, and to affirm that we are accountable to Jesus.

This is not just a simple acknowledgment that Jesus is God.  Even Satan and the demons acknowledge that to be true (James 2:19).  This confession is a deep, personal belief and conviction, without reservation, that Jesus is one’s own Savior from sin.    We believe in our heart that Jesus has triumphed over death.  We confess that Jesus is the Lord of Glory, and the Savior of mankind, and that He died on the Cross that we might be saved.

We also believe that Jesus rose from the dead.  Jesus Christ’s resurrection was the supreme validation of His ministry.  Belief in the resurrection is necessary for salvation because it proved that Jesus is who He claimed to be.  It also showed that God the Father accepted the sacrifice of Jesus in place of sinners.

What we read in these verses of our Scripture passage is not just saying some magic words, some special, magical formula.  The mouth testifies of the grace of God in Christ, which we have received in our hearts by faith (vs. 10).  We must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts, and that His sacrifice of Himself atoned for all sin.

We can trust that God will keep His side of this agreement (vs. 11).  Those who call on Him will be saved.  God will never fail to provide righteousness to those who believe.  The quote from verse 11 is a reference to Isaiah 28:16 and Isaiah 49:23.  This shows that salvation by grace through faith has always been God’s plan.  No one, including Gentiles, was ever to be excluded (vs. 12).

Verse 13 is a quote from the Prophet Joel in Joel 2:32.  Salvation is available for people of all nations and races.  It is open to every person, regardless of who they are, or what they have done.  The promise is to whoever puts their faith in Christ will be saved and have eternal life.  It is guaranteed to whoever.  God will never reject anyone who calls upon His Son.  However, you have to call upon Jesus as your Savior.  Those who don’t will not be saved.

Salvation is as close as our mouth and heart.  It is not a complicated process.  If we believe in our hearts, and say with our mouths that Jesus is the risen Lord, we will be saved.

God, Our Shelter And Refuge

Psalm 91

Life seems to be becoming increasingly more difficult, and even perilous for many.  War in various parts of the world, a pandemic recently raging across the globe.  In many big cities, street gangs have taken over neighborhoods, with innocent people getting shot in their battles with one another.  Prices of food and other necessities have risen, while our salaries remain low.  Problems on every side.  What can we do?  Where can we turn?  Our psalm for this week, Psalm 91, is one that many Christians have turned to when danger and fear surround them.  It is one that we can turn to for comfort and assurance of the Lord’s protection during these difficult days.

As our unknown psalmist begins, he addresses God as “Most High” (vs. 1).  This is a good title to remember when in the midst of peril.  God is most high above all.  There is nothing greater and nothing stronger than He is.  Circumstances may overwhelm us, but they cannot overwhelm Him.  No threat can ever overpower God.  All through this psalm we read of the Lord’s protection and care from a multitude of threats.  In order to be eligible for His protection, though, we must dwell in God’s secret place (vs. 1).  We must be in a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus, and abiding with Him (John 15:4-10).

As we read through this psalm, we see various types of danger that we can face, and how the Lord will deliver us.  In verse 3 some of our problems are compared to being caught in a snare.  Like a bird which is entrapped by the hunter, God will protect us from plots intended to endanger us.  We read in verses 3, 6, and 10 of the perilous pestilence, which is a disease, a plague, or as the whole planet has faced, an epidemic.  Yes, multiple thousands around the world died, but since you are reading this, the Lord preserved you.  This psalm has often been called “the soldier’s psalm”, as it speaks of the Lord’s protection when in battle.  We read of arrows (or today, bullets and missiles) flying by, along with the destruction of war (vs. 5-6).

We do not need to fear when we are trusting Jesus for protection.  He will protect us from all deadly attacks.  God does not promise us a world free from danger, as we see throughout this psalm that troubles do come to the author, but God does promise His help whenever we face danger.  Deliverance still has to be the will of God.  Even if harm should come, we can still be secure (Luke 21:16-18; Romans 8:28, 35).  When we are in the presence of the Lord, dwelling in His secret place, we have nothing to fear.  The power of the presence of God will take away all despair and doubt as we fellowship with Him.

As we trust in the Lord Jesus, our faith will prevail while others fall.  Millions are being destroyed by the powers of darkness, but the believer who puts his trust in God is promised that “it shall not come near you” (vs. 7-8).  The results of living without God are very obvious.  Believers, though, have no need to fear.  God’s faithfulness wraps around us (vs. 2).  We are surrounded by God’s bulwark, His fortress.

As our psalm reminds us, God is a shelter and a refuge when we are afraid of the dangerous circumstances we sometimes find ourselves surrounded by in this fearful world we live in today.  We, like the psalmist can have faith that God, as our Protector, will carry us through all the dangers and fears of life.  We need to trade our fears for faith in Jesus, no matter how intense our fears are.

If we are anxious, worried, or struggling with our terrors of the night, remember in Whom we dwell - God and His Word.  God has not forgotten to be gracious to us, nor to hold back His tender mercies.  Give your struggles over to Him, and find refuge and comfort under His wings.  Stand firmly on His Word, His promises, and His strength.  We can trust in the Cross, the Blood, the Name, and the Promises of the Lord Jesus.

Remember The Blessings

 Deuteronomy 26:1-11

It seems to be almost human nature to forget about the blessings we have received throughout life when we are going through a difficult time.  For some people, they even forget to be grateful and thankful when things are going well for them.  To be a grateful and thankful person is something that we should always be cultivating in our hearts and personality, whether in good times or bad.  This was also something that Moses wanted to remind the people of Israel as they entered into the Promised Land.  He knew that he wasn’t going to be with the people much longer, and he wanted them to be a people who were always grateful and thankful to the Lord, as we read in our Scripture for this first Sunday in Lent.

As our Scripture passage opens, Moses instructed the people that after they have come into the Promised Land, settled it, built their houses, planted and harvested their first crops, they were to bring a portion of the first fruits of the harvest to the Lord as an offering.  By giving an offering to the Lord, it helps us develop a grateful and thankful heart, one that acknowledges that all we have comes from Him.  Giving an offering also helps to cultivate an unselfish nature, keeping us from hoarding all that we have for ourselves.

There are some who say that, though they intend to give an offering to the Lord, they want to wait a bit, until they are sure that they have enough stored up for themselves first.  They want to wait until they have a sure harvest stored up in their barn, a sure enough cushion in their bank account.  However, God instructed His children to bring of the first fruits, not wait until the second or third harvest.  This teaches us to trust Him for future provisions.  When we get our first paycheck, He wants us to give an offering from that, and not wait until a later time when we feel we are financially more stable.

Moses continued his instruction by telling the people that when they brought their offering of the first fruits, they were to remember back on how the Lord God brought their ancestors through all of their trials and difficulties, and kept His promise to give them the land they are now on.  They were to recall how He brought Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through many difficulties, kept them safe, and provided for their needs.  They were to remember how the Lord kept His promise to Abraham by giving him a son, and brought forth from one elderly man a great nation.  God wanted the people to remember how they were slaves to the Egyptians for many generations, and then how He delivered them from bondage.  They were to remember how He brought them through years in the wilderness, providing for them, and then brought them to the land they were now in.

Why was this important?  Why rehearse “ancient history”?  Remembering God’s provisions and care of His children is important, whether it is how He provided for us yesterday, a year ago, ten years ago, or how He provided for our great-grandparents a hundred years ago.  It helps to build our faith and trust in Him.  If we see how God provided for us and others in the past, we can trust that He will do so today and in the future.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).   His provisions of the past are an indication to us that He will do so again today and tomorrow.

It is good for us to know that what God has done for others, He will also do for us.  He has no favorites (Romans 2:11).  God provided for the people in the Bible, and as we look around, we see how He provides for others, as well.  We can trust that He will also take care of all of our needs.  Just as the Israelites needed to remember what God had done for them after they came into the land, so do we.  A good faith exercise is to remember before the Lord all that He has done for us since we first came to faith in Him.  Remember all of His protection, health blessings, and provisions that He has bestowed upon us.

Rejoicing in God is one way to draw closer to Him.  We should always be ready to glorify Him for what He does for us!

Bearing Good Fruit

 Luke 6:43-49

When my children and I were younger, we would occasionally drive a couple hours to go fruit picking in the State of Michigan.  Some of the orchards were small, and had only one type of fruit tree, generally apples.  There was one orchard, though, that was rather large, and it had a variety of different fruit trees.  Apples over here, peaches there, pears that way, and cherries over yonder.  If I wanted peaches, I wouldn’t be looking for them on the apple trees.  Nor would I expect cherries to be hanging from the pear trees.  The tree brings forth the type of fruit that it is.  As we read from the Gospel of Luke today, Jesus has several lessons for us, one being what type of fruit are we bearing.  Let’s look at these lessons.

Our Gospel reading this week continues with Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount.  During this well known extended message, Jesus gave a number of teachings.  One of them was that just as a tree or bush is known by what type of fruit or nut they bear, and flowers by what type of blossom they produce, people can also be known by what type of behavior and speech they show (vs. 43-45).  Just as we could tell where we were in the orchard by the type of fruit and the type of leaves the various trees were bearing, Jesus tells us we can tell what people are like by what they bring forth from their hearts and mouths.  On the outside everything can look good, but the fruit that is produced might not be what we are expecting, nor as pleasant as the outward appearance.  A good and godly life that follows Jesus’s Word will bear good fruit.  One that doesn’t obey Him will bear bad fruit.

The orchard owners and workers would always be inspecting the trees to make sure they were healthy and bearing good fruit.  They needed to be protected from diseases, blight, and invasive insects.  The roots needed to be strong and healthy.  What kind of roots are we putting down?  Are people being drawn to God through us, or are they turned off to Jesus because of our actions and words?  We can only make a difference in this world for Jesus Christ if we are abiding in Him (John 15:5).  Our speech says a lot about us.  What is stored up in our heart will come out.  Is our heart filled with complaints and cursing, or with praise and wisdom?

Sometimes people like to associate themselves with some popular philosopher or religious leader, but then aren’t too keen about sticking to their teachings.  This is often the case with those who claim to be Christians, but their lives, words, and actions show anything but that.  Jesus has told us He has left us an example of what we should be doing (vs. 46).  Those who claim to be Christians should be carrying out His directions, fulfilling His commands, and following His instructions that are found in the Bible.  If we aren’t, then it doesn’t matter how many study groups we go to, or how many Scripture verses we memorize.  If we aren’t doing what Jesus told us to do, then all of our religious rituals mean nothing.

Jesus spoke against those who called Him “Lord” but don’t truly follow Him, obeying His Word (vs. 46).  A “lord” in previous centuries was someone who had authority and power over others.  They were frequently great landowners who had serfs or laborers who were bound by the feudal system to work on the estate.  Later when the feudal system was abolished, many continued to work on the estate for wages, and still called the owner Lord out of respect.  Today, in some societies, noblemen are still called Lord this or that out of respect.  We call Jesus as “Lord” to show we acknowledge Him as our Master, the One who has authority over us.  When we entreat Jesus as “Lord” we must be prepared to obey Him without resistance or pretense.  He is the One who rules over us for our good.

Jesus ends this passage with comparing those who obey His Words as those who build their homes on solid rock, in contrast to those who do not obey God’s Word being like those who build their homes without a good foundation, and the building falls (vs. 47-49).  Occasionally we have seen homes, many in the western part of the U.S., which were built on a scenic cliff.  However when heavy storms came the homes came crashing down.  They might have had a spectacular view, but no solid foundation.   Without Jesus and the Bible as solid foundations in our life, we are just like those homes.  The world system might give us seeming pleasure for the moment, a “spectacular view” so to speak, but then we are left with nothing when it all crashes down.  Lives built without a firm foundation, people who do not heed Jesus’s instructions, cannot weather strong storms.  God’s Word, the Bible, is the only sure foundation for life. 

A Mystery Revealed

I Corinthians 15:50-58

The road you’ve been traveling has grown weary.  It has been long and difficult, and you are longing for the end, when you can lay down the heavy load.  You look up ahead to see if there is any sign that the destination is any closer.  Not only your eyes, but your ears have perked up to listen for any indication.  This scenario can be used both literally with a physical trek we might take, and can also sometimes refer to our life’s journey, and our desire for heaven, when we can lay life’s burdens down.  The Apostle Paul’s life was not an easy one, by any means.  Though he worked diligently and with much zeal at the task the Lord commissioned him to undertake, he did have a deep longing to be in heaven with the Lord.  In our Scripture today, which closes out the chapter in I Corinthians on the resurrection, Paul describes that moment when all believers will be brought to heaven.  Let’s take a look at this passage that describes that glorious moment.

Previously Paul had answered the question that some had asked about what our bodies will be like in heaven.  As our passage opens today, he touches one more time on that, by teaching us that our earthly, flesh and blood bodies, will not be in heaven (vs. 50).  People cannot live in God’s presence, in His glory, the way they are.  We have to be changed.

Paul then reveals a mystery he received from God (vs. 51).  In the New Testament the word “mystery” refers to truths hidden in the past, but have now been revealed in the New Testament.  The rapture of the Church was not revealed in the Old Testament.  Now that mystery is referred to in the New Testament in several passages.  Jesus speaks of it in John 14:1-3.  And Paul teaches it both in I Thessalonians 4:13-18, and here in verses 51 and 52.

“Sleep” is another word in Scripture that has a slightly different meaning than we typically use the word today.  In the Bible, the word “sleep” frequently refers to death.  Paul tells us here that not every believer will experience death, but that everyone will be changed from their physical bodies, both those who have died and those who will be alive, when the trumpet will sound on the day of Resurrection of believers (vs. 51-52).   As is stated here, some of us will be alive on the day when the Lord calls His believers to be with Him, they will not be “asleep” or have died.  That moment will happen suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, and we will be changed, receiving our resurrection, incorruptible and immortal bodies (vs. 53).

This describes a sudden transformation of believers, both those who have previously died, and those who are still alive at that day.  An angelic trumpet, a trumpet of heaven, will sound to herald the end of the Church era here on earth, when all believers will be taken to heaven.  The dead will be taken up first, with the living following immediately behind (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).  This trumpet call is not the last trumpet of the Book of Revelation.  It is the same trumpet that Paul talked about in the passage in I Thessalonians.  It signals the end of the present Church age.  The dead will be raised incorruptible, and the living will be caught up with Jesus in the air, and will be changed from their physical bodies.

Presently, though, we still experience the death of family, of loved ones, and friends.  As Paul teaches us, we need to view death through the lens of Jesus’s resurrection.  Death brings sorrow, but it does not need to bring despair (vs. 54-57).  The tomb could not hold Jesus.  Since He is in all Christians, those who die before the sounding of that trumpet will not remain long in their graves.  The quote that Paul gives here taunts death, as if it were a bee whose sting was removed.  That sting was sin, which was exposed by the Law of God, but was conquered by Jesus in His death.

We frequently acknowledge that Jesus died for us.  We need to remember that He also rose for us.  Because of that, we know that we have victory over death (vs. 57).  The hope of the resurrection makes all of our work for the Lord worth it (vs. 58).  No work done in His Name is wasted in light of our eternal glory and reward.  As we work for the Lord, let us keep our eyes on the goal of an eternity with the Savior, in bodies that never grow weary or sick.  Let us also keep our ears tuned in, listening for that trumpet call that will signal our Savior coming for us!

A Flourishing Believer

Psalm 92 

When planting a garden, it is important that we follow the guidelines for where certain plants should be planted, in order for them to grow best and to flourish.  Some flowers and plants need a lot of sunlight, so a place in the yard that gets full sunlight is best.  If it is a houseplant, a good south-facing window is best.  Other flowers prefer the shade, or only partly-sunny exposure, so care needs to be taken for them.  Some plants like a lot of water, some only minimal.  Different types of soil need to be considered, along with how early or late in the year the plants should be planted outdoors.  For a successful garden, much care is needed in order for your plants to flourish.  In our psalm for this week, we read about flourishing believers, comparing them with two types of flourishing trees.  We will see where best to find a flourishing believer.

As mentioned, care needs to be given where one plants their garden plants in order for them to flourish.  In like manner, where should a believer be “planted”?  Our psalmist declares that the best place for a believer to be planted is in the house and courts of God (vs. 13).  When our life is in close contact with the Lord we will flourish.  If we find ourselves planted far away from Him, we will find ourselves languishing and wilting.

The amount of sunlight, water, and good soil determines how the plant is fed.  Too much or not enough of any of these will control how well it flourishes.  Our spiritual life is determined by how we spiritually feed ourselves, as well.  In John 7:37-38 we read that the Lord Jesus Christ is living water, the only source of living, spiritual life-giving water.  When ministering to the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus promised those who follow Him living water so that we would never spiritually thirst again (John 4:14).

When we forget to water our plants and gardens, the plants begin to wilt, and will eventually die.  Without the Lord Jesus, we will die spiritually, and after our physical death, be eternally lost.  Giving a plant some other liquid, other than water, can kill them.  We would never pour certain chemicals on a plant.  Even pouring sugary soda pop on a plant is not going to help it.  Likewise getting involved in other pagan religions is like pouring toxic chemicals into our liquid and drinking it.  There are some churches which will not spiritually quench the thirst of our souls, and are like pouring Coke on a plant, instead of partaking of the life-giving, living water of Jesus.

Plants also need light in order to flourish and live.  Stick a plant in a dark closet for a few days, and see what happens to it.  When you bring it out, it will either be dead or very wilted.  Plants need varying degrees of sunlight in order to perform photosynthesis in order to live.  Jesus told us that He is the Light of the World (John 8:12; John 9:5).  Without Him in our life, we are in darkness.  Scripture has often equated darkness with evil and Satan.  Some verses that show this are I John 1:5-7; John 3:19-21; I Thessalonians 5:5; and Ephesians 5:8 to name a few.  When we follow Jesus we have His light to guide us in His truth throughout life.

In our psalm, the writer compares believers to a flourishing palm tree or cedar of Lebanon tree, showing permanence and strength (vs. 12).  This is in contrast with the wicked, who are like grass, here today and gone tomorrow (vs. 7).  Palm trees generally live a fairly long life, and can grow quite tall.  The cedars of Lebanon can often reach at least 130’, and can have trunks over 8’ in diameter.  They are massive and strong.  Both are strong and immovable.  As believers, we should be the same as these trees - upright, strong, and unmoved by the winds of circumstance.  Those who place their faith firmly in God can have this strength and vitality.

A tree or plant that is planted in the Lord, not only will flourish, but it will also be fruitful (vs. 14).  Again, in order for a plant to be fruitful, it needs the proper amount of water and light.  When our lives are planted in the Lord, with living water and the light of Jesus, we will be fruitful.  We can proclaim His truth in all we do, and yield a great harvest.  Let’s be sure that we are well planted in the Lord, partaking of His life-giving water and light so that we will flourish.

Remember Shiloh

Jeremiah 7:1-15 

Many of us know someone, or perhaps several people, who feel that their position, status, wealth, or family connections give them special privileges to do whatever they feel like.  “I’m the mayor!”  “I’m the police chief!”  Or “My father owns the factory!”  We also see this inside the Church, as well.  Some people feel that their position in the Church, or their parents position gives them special privileges, even with God.  “I’m the pastor!”  “I teach Sunday School!”  “My grandparents helped found this church!”  “Without my offering this church couldn’t survive!”  These people think that their position or name gives them a free pass to act and behave any way they wish.  The prophet Jeremiah ran into similar people in his day.  His words in our Scripture passage today shows what God feels about this.  Let’s take a look at this Scripture as we begin the season of Lent later this week.

As our Scripture opens, God called Jeremiah to stand at the entrance of the Temple in Jerusalem, where the people entered and left the building.  There God gave Jeremiah a message to give these people (vs. 1-2).   Many of the people of Judah felt just like I described above.  They felt that just by having God’s Temple in their city, that just by being a blood descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that they had special privileges.  They didn’t believe that their actions each day, their sins and disobedience to God’s Word, would matter.  Even some of their religious leaders were preaching this.  God, though, said that this message from their religious leaders was “lying words” (vs. 4, 8).

Many of the people were committing sins, and breaking God’s Word (vs. 5-7).  There was no justice in their courts.  The stronger and wealthier were oppressing the weaker and poorer.  Innocent blood was shed.  And very importantly, many of the people were worshiping false gods, sometimes in combination with worship of Yahweh.  The Bible warns that breaking God’s Word will bring judgment.  The people that Jeremiah preached to felt, though, that they had special privileges.  They felt that just because the Temple was in Jerusalem, that was enough to keep them from any judgment (vs. 4).  However, Jeremiah told them otherwise.  The physical presence of the Temple was no guarantee that judgment would not come upon Jerusalem.  Today, just because someone claims church membership or position does not mean God will not judge their sin.  There must be genuine repentance reflected in one’s total life.

The religious leaders of Jeremiah’s day were bringing lying words to the people.  They preached that as long as they had the Temple in Jerusalem, as long as they called themselves “God’s children”, they would be spared His judgment, regardless of what they did, their actions and behavior.  They felt that just because they were God’s “chosen people” they could act any way they wanted, and it was okay (vs. 10).  The Lord, though, said these were lying words.  Merely formal religious attendance in God’s house is condemned (vs. 11).  Jesus also echoed these words (Mark 11:15-17).  Jeremiah called upon the people to amend their ways, change their way of acting, and return to God (vs. 3).

God then called the people to remember Shiloh, the place where the Tabernacle once resided (vs. 12-14).  Shiloh was about 30 miles north of Jerusalem.  It was where the Israelites first set up the Tabernacle when they entered the Promised Land.  Shiloh was the main center of worship from the time of Joshua until Samuel.  Because of the sins of the people, God allowed the Philistines to capture the Ark of the Covenant.  When Israel finally did recapture the Ark, it was not returned to Shiloh ever again.  It resided at Kiriath-Jearim for a few decades until David brought it to Jerusalem.  What God did to Shiloh because of their sins, and did to the northern 10 tribes about 100 years prior to these verses because of their sins, He would also do to Jerusalem.  If the people wouldn’t amend their ways, they would also face destruction.  The Temple would not protect them any more than the Tabernacle did for Shiloh.

Just like Jeremiah did millennia ago to the people of Judah, we need to be challenged to wake up and turn away from our sins.  We cannot hide behind the name of “Christian” and continue to live in secret sin.  We often boast that we are Christians and that God loves us, but we do all kinds of evil.  God is loving, but He is also a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).  He will never condone sin.