Explaining the Hope

Explaining the Hope

 

“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” – 1 Peter 3:13-17

The book of 1 Peter is written to those believers who had dispersed, scattered throughout Judea and Samaria and later in Asia Minor after Stephen’s murder. These were people who feared death for their belief in Jesus Christ.  They were a hunted people, much like the Jews during the holocaust.  Although Saul is the only named Roman Soldier who sought to kill them, we have to understand he was just one of an army. 

We live in such peace today as Christians compared to what they experienced that it can be incomprehensible to fear for your life based on your beliefs.  We wear our Christian t-shirts, put the Jesus fish on our mini-vans, wear our “WWJD” bracelets, and attend church without fear of being identified as one of His followers.  But in the days in which 1 Peter was written, those things could have led to being captured, beheaded, and your head placed on a pole at the gate of the city.  You could have been burned to death or literally pulled apart, torn limb from limb.  For all the laws in which the Jews sought to uphold to be holy, they didn’t mind murdering in the most horrible ways those they felt were against their laws.

Peter writes to the believers who have scattered in fear in 1 Peter 3:13-17.  He wants to encourage them, and instruct them as to how to live in the face of persecution. 

Peter reasons with these hunted believers that the good in which they live would cause them to be at odds with less people than if they were doing evil.  He goes on to say that, “it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil”, because in doing good you are blessed.  We should take these words to heart.  Good things, blessings, are given to those who follow God’s will.  Though persecution may one day come, God’s blessings are greater.

Peter goes on to instruct them to be able to answer as to why they have hope, and why they continue in faith in the face of death.  He passes on to them the great commission.  He told them to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear”.  To sanctify means to set apart, to find holy.  They were to treasure and cherish God in their hearts, which is nothing less than worship in spirit.  Peter was instructing them to not let go of their faith, but to persevere.   He also told them to be ready to explain their salvation, and the hope their faith gave them in the face of death.

For a long time I struggled with explaining salvation.  How do you condense the entire gospel into one short conversation?  How do you explain that all have sinned, how sin entered the world, the need for atonement, the purpose of sacrifice, the power of blood, the pure blood of Christ, the love of God expressed in the birth of His Son, the continued love of God expressed in the death of His Son, and the life returned to us through Jesus’ resurrection in one quick answer?  The truth is – you can’t.  When speaking to someone with no knowledge of Him, you have to spend time explaining the whole thing.  You have to start at Genesis and work your way through to why Jesus had to die, and how resurrection gave back the life that sin had stolen. 

Perhaps we should take note that none of the disciples went around handing out gospel tracks.  They didn’t make a practice of leaving one on the table where they ate, or in the bathroom stalls.  They didn’t give them to the cashiers at the grocery store, quietly leave them in mailboxes, or hand them to the bus drivers they met along the way.  Instead, they lived out loud their faith.  They walked it and they talked it, and the lived among those that didn’t believe.  A relationship with Jesus is a personal one, and a tract is about as impersonal as you can get.  To be quite honest, I think tracts are most often a Christian’s way of removing the guilt of not personally witnessing, or knowing how to witness.

There are a lot of church services and Christian events where people were caused to respond to God out of fear.  Of course, the fear of death will cause many people to want to receive their ticket to Heaven.  In each of these services, that has been apparent.  But equally apparent is the fact that afterwards you never see them again.  There isn’t enough knowledge of God, or love for God to create a foundation for a relationship with Him.  And worse, there is no relationship made with a family of believers to disciple those that have believed.  I used to think, as many do, that if one was saved, then it was all worth it.  But is it really worth one soul to cause a hundred souls to falsely believe they are Christians based on reciting a few words?    

Matthew 28:19 tells us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”  We’re not called to make believers, but to “make disciples”. 

Contrary to what we may think, a believer is not always a disciple, yet all disciples are believers.  The difference is in the application of their faith to their daily life.  A believer has believed and received salvation.  But a disciple moves on and applies what they have believed to their life, walks in the faith and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and is willing to follow at all costs.  A disciple will lead others to Christ.

We are to make disciples, not just believers.  Discipleship requires relationship.  We must make ourselves available to those who need help, encouragement, teaching, and leading.  It’s not enough to just deliver them from Hell.  If that’s all we do, then we’re birthing one generation of believers who will soon pass on and leave no disciples.

Be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you.  How do you explain salvation to those that ask? 

Let’s go deeper.  If you are not being asked why you have hope, why do you think that is? 

Let’s suppose that just for a minute Satan has a scoreboard.  It reads like this: 

Satan: billions of souls
Me: _______

I am ashamed to give the number. 

Lord, burn our hearts with a passion to reach those that need you.  Give us the words to deliver them from hell, and the relationships to teach them your ways.  Let us not grow weary of doing good.  Let us not be content with status quo Christianity.

The Robe, The Ring, and The Sandals

The Robe, The Ring, and The Sandals

 

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” – Luke 15:22-24

Being the mother of son who lives away from home, I know how it feels to wonder about your child’s welfare.  I know the worry of all the questions that would come in the early morning hours. Is he healthy? Is he eating right? Is he cold? Does he have clean clothes? Are his friends the right group of people?  These are the things that occupy a mother’s head.  It’s not that my son has caused such worry, it’s simply love.   

I guess that’s why the story of the Prodigal Son, as told in Luke 15, is one that always speaks to my heart.  I can imagine how the father felt those years waiting for his son to return home and waiting for him to “come to himself”.  I can imagine him hearing sounds coming down the road the first few months and running out the door thinking maybe, just maybe, his son was coming home.  Then I can imagine that one day life just continued on without the father running to the door, but with some sadness.

But then on that day when the son “came to himself” and realized his state of affairs, he realized who truly loved him and returned home. And yes, his father ran out of the house to meet him with open arms.  Hollywood could not create a scene so touching!

Of course, this story is an analogy of one coming to Christ and receiving him through faith.  Some call it salvation, some call it conversion, and some don’t know what to call it.  But what it’s called isn’t half as important as what creates it.  It’s an admission of whom you are, “coming to yourself”, and that you aren’t who you should be.  It’s then a trust, faith, that God does love you enough to intervene for you, to save you from yourself.  And once that faith is born, it is realized in the renewal of your identity.  It’s an understanding that you are not who you were, but that you are a child of God. 

There were three gifts given to the son that day, and they’re all meaningful, and give insight to the gifts given to the children of God when He receives us as His children.

First, he was given a robe - a covering.  In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve lived the carefree life before sin, and did it completely naked.  Stark naked! There was no shame because there was no understanding of right, wrong, or not living up to an expectation of what they should be.  But once they committed the sin of not obeying God, one we’ve all committed, they realized their nakedness and covered themselves with leaves.  The leaves hid their nakedness.

The robe given to the son represented the salvation received from Christ.  It is His righteousness, His perfection that covers our sins.  We’re no longer subjects of shame or guilt.  Because we accept Christ as our savior, He does just that.  He saves us from ourselves.

“For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,” – Isaiah 61:10

The second gift the prodigal son was given was a ring.  The ring was a symbol of identity.  Often a signet ring would be used with wax to mark a document as having been written by the one owning the signet ring.  When we come to Christ, we do receive an identity.  We are no longer children of flesh and blood, but children of God, through the gift of the Holy Spirit that connects us to Him.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name…” – John 1:12

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” – Romans 8:16

The last gift he was given was the one I found most intriguing.  He received sandals for his feet.  To understand the meaning of the sandals we have to go back to verse 15, where it says the prodigal son “joined himself to a citizen of that country”.  To “join himself” meant to be taken into slavery. Once a slave, his sandals would be taken from him to prevent him from running away. 

When we are living without God we are slaves.  Why?  Because there really is no freedom found without Him.  Living without Christ as your savior means that you are living on your own merits – under the condemnation you bring upon yourself through sin.  There’s no freedom in following sin.  That road leads to death.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

Have you ever read the Ten Commandments?  They weren’t written for the purification of people, but to show us where we fail.  They’re a mirror of our guilt in sin.  No one can keep all of the Ten Commandments.  No one ever has, and no one ever will – except Christ.  This is why there’s no freedom without Him.  You’re condemned to the life you have.  You have no way to free yourself from the bondage of sin, which leads to death.  But when Christ comes, when you accept Him as your savior, His righteousness becomes your righteousness in the sight of God. You become an heir to all that Christ owns as a child of God.  You’re not just a slave being taken care of, but a child of God.

“Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” – John 8:34-36

There’s just one more thing about the sandals.  Do you know why the child of God can wear the sandals?  Because once you’ve found Christ, and understand the joy that comes through knowing him, there is no struggle, no war of wills, no shame, no guilt, and no inner turmoil.  There is love without condemnation.  You’re content to stay with Him, to live in that love, and not run away. 

For someone living without Him, what I just said is a mystery.  There is no way to fully understand the joy of knowing someone who doesn’t reside physically on this planet until you’ve experienced the joy of knowing Him who lives spiritually within you.  And that is what makes it so hard to explain to someone who is without Christ why they should be saved.  That is why Jesus says in John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” When God draws you to Himself, then you will understand.  Friends, I pray that understanding has or will come your way.  There is freedom in Christ, sweet freedom!

The Good Seed

The Good Seed

 

“The sower sows the word.” – Mark 4:14

We have several hospitals all around our communities.  Daily people check in and daily people check out.  Usually, when they leave, they’re not sick anymore.  A healing takes place in the hospital, where they receive care, medication, and nourishment for their bodies.

Our churches are often referred to as ‘a hospital for sinners’, which I believe is an unjustified analogy.  We have people walk in and out of our churches every Sunday, but some don’t leave healed.  In fact, they leave completely unchanged. 

Many times I’ve read the parable of the seed and the sower found in Mark 4.  I always thought that ‘the seed’ referred to the gospel of salvation. But it’s not just the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. It’s the Word of God, the whole Word, which instructs, rebukes, corrects, and saves.  As we read in the parable, the seed is good.  The ground is the problem.  Jesus tells us through the parable of four ways in which we responds to the God’s Word.

“And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.” – Mark 4:15

Jesus’ parable describes this as those that hear the word, but the seed falls “by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.” Have you ever been in a church service and distracted by the smell of too much cologne, random thoughts, a crying baby, or the chatter of others in the pews?  Ah, you’ve experienced the ‘birds of the air’!  Satan goes to church, be sure of that!  And when he does, there’s disruption, disagreements, distraction, and the seed goes by the wayside where the ground is not plowed and ready to receive it.  There’s only one way to fight Satan’s tactics.  Draw near to God.  The ground of your heart must be plowed up with heartfelt worship and prayer, open and ready to receive the word. 

“These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.” – Mark 4:16-17

Some folks check out of the hospital feeling better, but a day or so later are feeling crummy again.  These are the ones that have the stony ground, the shallow ground.  The stones represent sin.  We all have our favorite sin, that little thing we don’t give up.  When we hear God’s word about that sin, the stone gets in the way, and it doesn’t take root. 

Sometimes the word tries to take root, but the ground is too shallow for it to grow roots.  It is accepted, but trouble comes along, and as Jesus said “the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away”.  These are the ones that seek a casual relationship with God.  They are on speaking terms, but there is no intimacy. They like the feel-good feeling of going to church, but don’t seek to know more of Him.  When trouble comes, the word of God is lost in the anxiety and stress of life.  No root – no fruit.  Lord, help those of us that think we don’t need a closer walk with You!

Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” – Mark 4:18-19

I love how life’s luxuries are referred to as thorns!  Consider that not one of the disciples, those closest to Jesus, attained earthly riches, yet hundreds of years later, we remember their names.  They weren’t deceived by thoughts of earthly fortune and fame.  I like how C.S. Lewis explains this point when he says “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”

What you do with God is a matter of personal priorities.  Those that put their sights on achievement in this world will be seeking to please man.  They buy and buy and work and try, but it’s hard to please man because man’s acceptance changes.  It’s hard live up to expectations that continually change.  Success in this world really isn’t success at all.  It’s a misty dream that evaporates at our death.  When missing church to attend a super bowl party (ouch!), a family reunion (oh my!), or to pull in a few more hours at work (stop it!), consider the word of God that you would miss and its value. Would that have been the very word of God you needed to transform your life?  Lord, give us a second chance to receive that word!

“But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” – Mark 4:20

At last, God’s word is accepted by those who have plowed their ground with worship, want more of Him, and desire His riches.  These check out of the hospital healed.  They don’t walk around with their heads hanging down, broken by every storm.  They stand and face of the trials and problems of life, and they stand on the promises of God.  

But the fruit they bear varies.  It varies because our love for Him varies.  Seek much, and you’ll find much.  Seek less, and that’s what you’ll have.  To assume you can feed your spirit enough of God’s word through only a Sunday Sermon is like assuming your Sunday dinner is enough for your flesh to live on all week.  The more of God’s Word you allow to be sown into your heart, the closer you will become to Him and the greater the harvest.  If you want more fruit – get more seed.

The truth is, we are all as close to God as we want to be.  He says ‘draw near to Me and I’ll draw near you’, but are week seeking to be closer? Are we allowing the distractions, sins, schedules, and cares of life to become more important to us than our relationship with God?

God's Protective Grace

God’s Protective Grace

 

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

It was a snow day, and there was plenty of it!  This was my daughter Gabby’s first time to play in the snow.  She was about 3 years old, and her brother took her outside and they started building a snowman.  Being cold, I left them out to play and went inside. 

I was cleaning the kitchen when I began to hear her cry.  Going to the window to see where she was, I saw our dog Daisy standing in front of her.  She was standing in front of Gabby, moving left to right as Gabby tried to get around her, but not letting her move forward.  I went out and shouted at Daisy to move.  But she stayed where she was.  As I got closer, I saw why she wouldn’t move.  Within feet in front of Gabby, under a blanket of snow there was a hole in the ground.  Our septic tank had caved in, and Gabby was headed straight for it.   Back then I gave praise to the dog that kept her from falling in and drowning in that septic tank.  Today, I know better, and I praise God for even using the dog to provide safety for her.  He is a protective Father!  Sometimes when His protection comes we can’t see it until time passes.  We have to know what could have been to understand His grace. 

Paul, a prisoner in Caesarea, had boarded a ship to go to Rome and be tried by Augustus Caesar.  As often was the case of those travelling, he, his guard Julius, and other prisoners boarded a cargo ship.  As they sailed they encountered strong winds, and had to navigate the ship close to shore to avoid the strong winds of the open sea.  Paul then warned the guard and ship captain in Acts 27:10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”  But they wouldn’t listen, and wanted to continue their journey and winter over in Crete.

But when they neared Crete, a strong wind named “Euroclydon”, which means a strong north-east wind that creates large billows, prevented them from docking.  Having no choice, since they could not head into the wind, they let the wind drive.  On the third day, the storm continuing with no sun or stars in sight, they began to throw the ship cargo overboard, fearing the weight would sink the ship.  But day after day, the winds blew stronger, and they feared for their lives.  Then after several days, Paul spoke up and said “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island.”

Paul had been encouraged by the angel of God, and recognized God’s sovereignty over the wind.  On the fourteenth day of their travel, they ran aground on the island of Malta, near Sicily, Italy, in a bay that is now call St. Paul’s Bay.  Having anchored the ship so it would not become lodged in the sand, they were about to swim to shore when the ships men wanted the guard to kill the prisoners.   But the guard wanted to save Paul, who had provided hope in the storm through the words of the angel of God.  They all swam to shore.  

When they arrived on shore, Paul gathered sticks to build a fire.  As he lit the fire, a snake came out and bit him on the hand.  Those that stood by watching from Malta assumed that because he was a prisoner, this was justice being served by some god who sought to kill Paul.  But Paul shook off the snake, and never swelled up or had any effect from the bite.  Those that watched then presumed Paul himself to be a god. 

Paul ministered in Malta for three months, healing the sick and teaching of the saving grace of Jesus, before boarding another ship to go to Rome, his original destination.  Chained once again to his guard, they arrived in Rome.  The guard, knowing Paul’s innocence, sent the other prisoners ahead with the Roman guards, but let Paul stay by himself. In Acts 28:30-31 we read that  “Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”  Paul had been given freedom to do the work of God once again. 

I’m sure in the two years he was in Rome, Paul must have reflected on the storm and near shipwreck many times.  He had endured fourteen days of being tossed about, no sun by day and no stars by night, waves coming over the top of the ship, and the fear of all on board.  Yet what seemed to be danger was God’s protection, and God’s guidance through the wind to where and when he wanted Paul to arrive in Rome.

God is in the storm.  We don’t always understand the storm while we’re in it, but given time, God will reveal His will for each storm placed in our lives.  Until then, remember the words of Paul in Romans 8:38-39, which says “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

God's Hero

God’s Hero

 

“Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” – Acts 21:12-13

A few days ago in Macon County, Tennessee, a man and his wife came home to find that their neighbor’s house engulfed in flames.  Knowing that their neighbors, the Solomon’s, were elderly and still inside, without hesitation the man jumped out of his car, and ran to save them.  He ran into the burning house and managed to get the couple to the door.  But when he tried to retrieve their disabled sister, the smoke and flames overtook him.  They all died in the flames. 

This man, Danny Nash, is a hero, one of God’s own.  He was a deacon at the Hilltop Missionary Baptist Church. His daughter said of him, "He didn't think nothing about his own life. He thought he could save them."  A neighbor pointed out, "Danny is the hero. The good book says there is no greater love than a man who gives his life for a neighbor."

The love of God is a powerful thing.  It will make you do things you never thought possible, and give you unexplainable courage.  Mr. Nash had that love of God within him.  There was nothing he could do except rush into that house because the love of God for his neighbors overtook him. It’s only through His love, placed in the Christians heart by the Holy Spirit, that we can love others more than our selves.  This is the same love that Jesus had for us all, being willing to give up His own life to save us.

In Acts 20:22-24 Paul speaks to his disciples, those he has trained for ministry, telling them of his departure from them.  He says, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.  But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” God had already warned Paul of what awaited him in Jerusalem.  Chains and trials would come in that town.  But none of those warnings moved him, or discouraged him.  He said “nor do I count my life dear to myself”.  Serving God was more important than life to Paul. 

So he bid his friends goodbye telling them that he knew he would never see their faces again.  In Acts 20:37.38 we see the great love of God between them as, “Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.”

The next day Paul boarded a ship to go to Jerusalem.  He had taken a vow to God, possibly the vow of the Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-21).  Under that vow he had let his hair grow until in Acts 18:18 “He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.” The Nazirite vow required that the hair be brought into the temple and burned, and other sacrifices be given as well.  Paul wanted to go to the temple to complete the purification process of his vow.  In Acts 21:23-24 we find there were four others who had taken the vow that would go with him to Jerusalem.

God is faithful to His children to warn them of danger.  In Acts 21:10-11 the prophet Agabus came to Paul, took Paul’s belt from his waist and bound his own hands and feet saying, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” God prepared Paul’s heart for what lay ahead.  And the great love of God bubbles up inside Paul as those around him cried in fear of his life.  Paul says in verse 13, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”  In the next few chapters we read of Paul’s capture by the Jews, how they beat him to the point he had to be carried, and the court trials in which he had to testify to save his own life.   

Paul’s love for God was greater than his love for his own life.  He was willing to do whatever it took to win souls to God.  In Acts 20:26-27 he tells his disciples “I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” In good times and in bad, he served God because he loved God.  Even while on trial before Felix, Drusilla, Festus, Agrippa, Bernice, and Augustus Caesar, Paul delivered the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul was one of God’s hero’s.

We need more Christians to rise up and be hero’s today, being willing to do the work of God at all costs.  We have not drawn near enough to God to experience the full power of His love, which causes us to be bold in our faith, and do His will at all costs.  Mission fields are as close as our own neighborhoods, schools, supermarkets, workplaces, and yet, we don’t have the courage to be the Christians we are in public.  Witness in a grocery store? Tell a child about Jesus over lunch at school?  Knock on the neighbor’s door and offer prayer?  No. We can’t do that because it “doesn’t feel right.” 

When the Holy Spirit is allowed to empower us with God’s love, everything good feels right!  Be the Christian hero He has saved you to be.  Let your children say of you what Danny Nash’s daughter said of her father, “He didn't think nothing about his own life. He thought he could save them." 

Lord of All Or Not At All

Lord of All or Not at All

“Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.” – Acts 19:19

“God, you can have my worship in church, but you can’t have my worship while I’m at work.  It’s not appropriate.”

“God, I’ll worship you and go to church, but my kids are going to find you on their own terms.  I can’t handle them in church, and they don’t want to go.  They don’t know how to act there.”

“God, I’ll serve you and do your work, but I can’t serve you in tithes.  I need it more than I need you.”

Sometimes our actions speak louder than our words, and what they say we don’t often hear.  But they become our testimony to those around us. 

The power of God in our lives can be attributed to how highly we exalt Him.  Either we give Him the throne over our entire life, or we sanction Him to be a part of only portions of our lives.  In doing so, we allow Him to be Lord of All, or not at all.  We can’t keep parts of our life sanctioned to our own dominion, and still allow Him to be Lord of All.  That is self-idolatry.  He want all of us – and all our life.  He is jealous for us (Deuteronomy 4:24).

In Acts 19 we read two stories of people responding to God.  Paul had been ministering in Ephesus for quite some time and had become well known for the miracles that he performed and the God he worshiped.  Many believers were being born into the family of God.  Paul’s ministry had grown so strong that they would bring him handkerchiefs and once they had been placed on him, they would take them to the sick that could not come to Paul, and they would be healed.  It wasn’t that there was any power expelled from Paul and onto the handkerchiefs, but they so believed in the power of the God of Paul that, just as the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, their faith had made them whole.

Seeing the ministry of Paul, there were a group of Jews who travelled from town to town performing miracles through magic and incantations.  These were no different than those that practice Wicca or Voodoo today.  They used amulets and potions and tried to prove that they had the same powers as Paul.  On this occasion, after seeing Paul cast out demons using the name of Jesus, they reasoned that Jesus’ name was an incantation.  They decided to try it themselves.

Finding a man possessed with a demon, they entered his house and in Acts 19:13 they spoke to the demon within him saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”  But this time instead of going quietly, the demon answered back!  He said in Acts 19:15 “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”  They had no authority over evil spirits because they did not belong to God and did not possess the Holy Spirit.  The man with the evil spirit then jumped up, overpowered them, beat them and stripped them of their clothes.  They left his house naked and wounded!  Because of this event, many became believers in the God of Paul, even those that practiced magic. 

Was He Lord of All to them?  That can be seen in how they respond to the evil that had been their occupation.  They burned their books of incantations, which we’re told were worth fifty thousand pieces of silver.  In this one act showed they had allowed God to become Lord of All in their lives.  They gave up their livelihood and their reputations as magicians. They could have chosen to sell the books and lived in luxury.  But instead, they sought to stop the evil that was within the books, and burned them.  They followed God with all they had to offer.

As the chapter continues, we read of another set of men, the silversmiths and craftsmen of idols.  Ephesus was the central location for worship of Diana, the Greek goddess of hunting, fertility, and prosperity.  Here they had found what they reported to be “an image that had fallen from Heaven”, most likely a meteorite that resembled that of a woman having a waist and many breasts.  They had encased it in a box and set a temple around it, and the temple of Diana brought many visitors to Ephesus to worship her.  The visitors would buy smaller versions of Diana and the temple, called household gods, from the silversmith and craftsman, who made a rich living providing these idols.

Demetrius, a silversmith, gathered them all together and professed to them that Paul was turning many to “a God not made with hands”, and because of this their livelihood was in danger.  Together with Demetrius, they banded together in riot shouting “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” and rushed the theater where Paul’s fellow disciples Gaius and Aristarchus were teaching.  The riotous noise was so great that even when they tried to speak the crowd just shouted even louder, for two solid hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”  The riot had to be stopped by the leader at the theater, and the assembly dismissed.

Demetrius knew the gospel of Paul, yet he didn’t believe.  Believing would have cost him his livelihood, and he had sanctioned that off to himself.  We can argue that it was because he did not believe that he didn’t exalt God.  But how much can any of us profess to believe in God if we don’t believe that He can be exalted over all of our life?  How much to we really believe that He is God Almighty if we refuse to give our all to Him?

What you believe is not in what you say, but in what you do.  Your actions speak of what is in your heart.  Have you sanctioned portions of your life for yourself, and not allowed God to be exalted there?  How’s that working out for you?  Let Him be Lord of All.

The Joy of the Lord

The Joy of the Lord

 

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” – Romans 5:1-5

It’s Monday…the dreaded Monday that ends the weekend fun and begins the work week again.  Many of us have jobs we dread going back to, long days ahead of us, struggles with people who are trouble, and expectations on us that seem impossible.  But imagine if today you would be faced with a job where you had been beaten with rods.  Imagine if you were facing a day in which you just might end up being stoned nearly to death, thrown in prison, or even thrown out of the city with nothing but the clothes on your back.  How much would you dread your job each day if this was how you were treated in your workplace?

By the time Paul got to Corinth, he had been hunted by the Jews, beaten with rods, stoned nearly to death, and thrown into prison.  He had threats against his very life.  But Paul never left his job as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He persevered.  Speaking of his daily life in 1 Corinthians 15:30-31, he said “And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” Each day he understood could be his last, but he continued so that others could receive the same salvation that he had been given. His joy was in seeing others around him come to know Christ.  It fueled his ministry.

In Romans 5:1-5 Paul says that he had been “justified by faith” and had been given “peace with God”.  While at war with the Jews, the peace of God overcame his daily struggles.  He stood in the grace of God, able to stand up to those who hated him.  He says “we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” He was able to get up each day with hope overruling his fear of a bad day at work.  Within him was the power to overcome each struggle, and to even receive it with contentment.  He goes on to say that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us”.

When we are close enough to God to feel the love, to know His Spirit lives in us, we have the power to say in truth that the Joy of the Lord is my strength.  That strength allows us to face each day head on with hope.  It’s a passion inside that creates a foundation like a trampoline that everything else just bounces off.  Have you ever heard someone say “but you can’t steal my joy!”?  This is that joy!

Happiness isn’t the same as joy.  Happiness pops like a soap bubble when someone gossips about you.  Happiness crumbles when you have a bad hair day.  One word of discouragement, and your happiness vanishes!  But the joy of the Lord is different.  It’s an eternal flame that burns in your heart.  Joy allows you to refute the gossip, to laugh at the bad hair day, and to cancel out the discouragement without feeling like you are somehow “less” because of the words that were said.  Joy overcomes. Joy perseveres.  Joy gets back up again…and again…and again.

So get back up!  Go at this day with joy, and expectations of hope in what God can do.  His grace is a strong net to catch you.  His love is warmth that will surround you.  His peace is enough to overcome the stress.

The Unknown God

 

“Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” – Acts 17:22-23

Paul had a great task upon him when he went to Athens.  The city was seeped in idolatry, with temples and idols to every imaginable Greek god.  His task was to overthrow belief of their many gods in acceptance of the One True God.  But Paul was an intellectual man, and knowing the city was full of philosophers, he met them on their playing field. He sought to reach them intellectually, based on what they already understood of gods.

The Athenians had admitted their own ignorance in knowing the Deity of God in that through their worship of so gods, all attributed to some portion of God’s being, they had created an altar with an inscription “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”.  They sought not to offend any god, and to worship all possible deities.  Paul considered their failed attempt at worshipping God.  He preached, introducing them to God as the Unknown God, who is the all-in-one God. 

In Acts 17:24-31 Paul tells them of the creator, saying “who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth”.

He preached of God’s omnipresence, His not being contained in one place, saying that He “does not dwell in temples made with hands.”

Paul preached of worshipping God in Spirit, and not with offerings made by man, saying “Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” 

He introduces God the Father, saying “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” and explaining that we are all His children. 

He explained God’s holiness, saying “we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising”.

Then Paul preached repentance saying “these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent”.  He sought to show them the error of their ways in worshipping the Greek mythological gods.

He preached the final judgment of man saying “He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness”.  Paul knew that they must fear judgment in order to be made afraid of their sin, or they would continue in it.

And finally He preached Jesus Christ as “the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Paul didn’t deliver just a smidgen of who God is – he delivered the whole package!  He introduced them to God the Creator, God the Father, Holy God, God the Judge, and God the Redeemer.  But he did this by meeting them on their own playing field, under the guise of explaining their own Unknown God.

When talking of God to those that have no basis to understand Biblical or spiritual things, we have to meet them on their level of understanding. We cannot explain creation to one who believes the big bang theory without defeating that theory first.  We cannot explain Jesus to one who does not believe the Bible as truth.  We cannot explain the law of sin to one who does not see their wrong as a problem.  There isn’t a one-size-fits-all sermon because we don’t all have the same understanding.  To believe that one sermon fits all makes about as much sense as teaching calculus to preschoolers.  Likewise, ministering to adults who have never been in church doesn’t mean we can teach them as we would those who have been in church all their lives.  How confusing it must be for a 60 year old new Christian to be placed in a Sunday School class with mature Christians speaking of things like ‘walking in the Spirit’ and ‘talking in tongues’!  Age does not determine maturity or level of understanding.  We have to meet people on their own playing field.

Breaking the Chains

Breaking the Chains

 

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” – Acts 16:25-26

There are a number of times in the Bible that we read of earthquakes. 

When Elijah was being hunted by Jezebel in 1 Kings 19, he ran to Mount Horeb, the Mountain of God. When God told Elijah to go stand on the mountain, the wind blew strong, tore into the mountain and broke rocks into pieces.  Then an earthquake came, and then a fire, and then Elijah heard God’s still small voice. 

In 2 Samuel 22:8 David sings a song of deliverance to God after defeating the Philistine giants, and says “Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven^[b] quaked and were shaken, because He was angry.”

In Exodus 19:18 when Moses brings Israel, camped in the wilderness of Sinai to Mount Sinai to meet God, the mountain “was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.”

In Matthew 27:51 when Jesus yields His Spirit on the cross it says “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split”. Three days later we read in Matthew 28:2 that as Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb, “there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.” Moments later as they went to tell the disciples, they were met by Jesus.

Surely we can see that the earth quakes when God comes near! 

In Acts 16:25-40, Paul had cast a demon out of a young slave girl, and her masters had lost their income!  They could no longer sell her fortune telling services.  So her masters went to the magistrates of the city, claiming that Paul and Silas were doing unlawful things under Roman law.  They had them beaten with rods, and put in prison.  But they weren’t just in prison – they were in the very inner portion of the prison , deeply guarded, and had their feet in shackles. 

But Paul and Silas weren’t just sitting there, worried about what might come next.  They were still actively serving God.  At midnight, sitting in a dark prison, they were praying and singing to God while the other prisoners were listening and learning.  James 4:8 says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”, and while they were still singing and praying, God drew near!  There was a great earthquake, shaking even the prison foundation, and it threw open the doors.  But the earthquake did a little something extra too – it removed everyone’s chains. 

The story goes on to say that the prison guard awoke and when he saw the doors open, he assumed everyone had escaped.  Knowing his fate under Roman law, he drew his sword to take his own life.  But Paul cried out “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”  The guard found a light and ran to Paul and Silas asking “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  That night, the guard, and all that were in his house were saved and baptized.

Word must have gotten around about the earthquake and the chains falling off.  The magistrates decided they should drop charges against Paul and Silas, but decided NOT to go near them.  Sending word to the guard to let them go, Paul stood his ground and said “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.” No Indeed! Paul was not backing down! 

The attitude of the magistrates changes as they sheepishly come to Paul and Silas.  Acts 16:39 says they “pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city.”  Apparently, and literally, the Holy Spirit had rocked their world!

Amazing things happen when we praise our God, and draw near to Him.  But even more amazing things happen when God comes near to us!  He loses our chains, and sets us free.  But perhaps the worst chains are those that we don’t realize are on us. 

Jim Morrison, lead singer for “The Doors”, proudly admitted that he was possessed by Satan at an early age, and was a shaman (satanic priest).  He was affiliated with satanism, befriended its leaders, and even having a statue of one of the leaders on an album cover.  He moved to Venice Beach, California, and lived on the roof of an abandoned house, where he did drugs to connect to the evil world, and had visions.  He said he was given lyrics from Satan.   He allowed himself to be used and abused by any evil spirit that came, and welcomed and encouraged that possession through drug abuse.  That drug abuse eventually took his life.  His chains were never loosened.  Jim Morrison sung of his own afterlife as he sung “cancel my subscription to the resurrection, send my credentials to the house of detention, I got some friends inside“, in the song ‘When the Music is Over’. 

The Bible refers to drug abuse many times as sorcery, which is translated from the Greek word pharmakeia (Strong's G5331), which is the same word from which we get the English word Pharmacy.  The word means “the use or the administering of drugs, poisoning, sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it”. The idolatry comes into play as the drugs become an addiction.  It becomes an idol that takes over the body, mind and soul, and the connection with satan is made.  Don’t think it’s true?  Take a look at the ruined lives of addicts. 

Jim Morrison was once quoted as saying “How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a lie – people claim they want to be free – everybody insists that freedom is what they want the most, the most sacred and precious thing a man can possess. But that's bull****! People are terrified to be set free – they hold on to their chains. They fight anyone who tries to break those chains. It's their security…How can they expect me or anyone else to set them free if they don't really want to be free?”  Perhaps these words were spoken to him by satan, from his own inner perspective of those that are addicted and choose to remain that way.

Through our own ability…we will never be free.  If you seek freedome, draw near to God.  He will break those chains!  Fast and pray!  Isaiah 58:6 says “Is this not the fast that I have chosen to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?” Fasting is doing without food and spending time with God.  Starve the flesh and grow the Spirit! It was done by Daniel, Jesus, Paul, and many others in the Bible.  Fasting brings God near!

Psalms 146:7 says “The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.”  John 8:36 goes on to say “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”  Don’t be afraid to be free from your chains! God loves you, and He will break the chains!

There is Power In the Name of Jesus

There is Power In the Name of Jesus

 

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11

One of the things I most looked forward to when having my children was naming them.  Years before they were born, I’d picked their names.  I wanted to give them unique names that would carry no baggage from the last “Jack” or “Jill” that a person knew.  My mother blessed me with such a name by naming me “Faithie” after her mother.  I wanted their names to have meaning, and be a reminder of those we loved.  My son was named Levingston Mauries, after my great-grandfather, who meant so much to me, and his father’s grandfather.  I can think of no greater way to honor those you love than giving them a namesake. 

My daughter’s first name was actually picked by Lev from three names.  Being the big brother, I wanted him to have a part in her life from the start.  But since he was six years old, I ‘pre-approved’ the three names he could pick from.  Otherwise, she might have been named ‘the pink power ranger’! She was first named Isabella, but with big blue eyes sparkling, Lev came to me a little later sounding almost apologetic and said “Mom, I want to change her name.  I think her name should be Gabriella.”  And so it was!  But her middle name I had picked long before, which is Grace. Her middle name was to remind me of how good God’s grace is.  She was, in part, named after God. 

Mary did not get to name her baby Jesus.  He was named by His Father God, and it was given to Joseph in a dream.  It was not a family name or a familiar name, but it had meaning.  Isaiah 9:6 had proclaimed His name, and says “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Instead of telling the given name of Jesus, which God had not revealed, Isaiah prophesied the meaning of His name.  There would be no one else like Him: Mighty, Wonderful, Everlasting Jesus, our Prince of Peace.   

The name Jesus is like no other.  Philippians 2:9-11 tells us that it is the “name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  There is power in the name JESUS over all in heaven, on earth, and yes, under the earth. 

In Acts 16:16-24, Paul and Silas have travelled to Philippi, the home of the church to which the book of Philippians was written.  There they went to pray daily by the river, which was customary in that town.  Along the way a young girl who had been taken into slavery would follow after them.  She was possessed by an evil spirit of divination, which is called a “spirit of python” based on Greek mythology, which says that Apollo once killed a snake, a python, and possessed the power of divination.  Her masters were paid for her fortune telling through this evil spirit. 

As she followed along after them she would cry out, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Even the evil spirit within her had to proclaim the glory of God when Paul and Silas walked by!

But there was a problem in her being the one to represent them as “the servants of the Most High God”.  Paul and Silas would work miracles to prove their power through the Holy Spirit of God, and would be believed to indeed be “the servants of the Most High God”.  If she were to be found telling the truth about Paul and Silas, then some would believe the other things she said, which were evil and from the father of lies, Satan.  The evil power in her had to be defeated.

Rewind to the days of Moses and Aaron facing the Pharaoh of Egypt in Exodus 7:8-13.  Aaron had been told by God to perform a miracle for Pharaoh so that he would believe they represented God.  Aaron cast down his rod and it became a snake.  But Pharaoh called his magicians and sorceries, and they cast down their rods and they all became snakes.  God defeated their evil spirits right there!  Aaron’s snake ate the snakes of the magicians and sorcerers, proving that God has power over evil.  Paul and Silas had to prove this same thing to prevent the association of their ministry to the evil divination of the young slave girl. 

For days now she had followed after them crying out “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”  Paul was “greatly annoyed” by her!  He finally turned to her and said to the evil spirit “I command you IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST to come out of her.” Immediately, the evil spirit came out.

Jeremiah 10:6 “There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might.”  There is power in the name of Jesus!  In His Holy Name the evil spirit was cast out of her.  Paul’s command to the demon referenced the level of authority that he possessed, through the name of Jesus.

This wasn’t the first time a demon was cast out, and it isn’t a ministry that died with the apostles.  It was given to seventy disciples by Jesus in Luke 10:17-20 who all returned to Jesus proclaiming with joy, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”  But Jesus responded to the seventy disciples and said “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus doesn’t want us to focus on the power to overcome the evil spirits that possess or oppress us.  Instead, our focus should be on Him.  We are to “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22), which we cannot do if we continually focus on evil spirits.  Our joy is in the salvation of Jesus Christ, and our names being written in the book of life.  This is our focus, and our refuge.  But in times of trouble, when evil spirits of anxiety, depression, failure, suicide, disease, and the like trouble us and cause us emotional and mental pain, Jesus does provide us with the power to overcome evil.  There is power in the name of Jesus!  When unleashed, “even the demons believe—and shudder!”(James 2:19)