How do we exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees?

No righteousness at all

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

Jesus said that a person couldn’t enter the kingdom unless their righteousness exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees. One might be inclined to ask: What, exactly, was the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees? And how can we exceed it?

To answer the first question in a word: self-righteousness.

The difference between what righteousness is, and what the scribes and Pharisees considered righteousness to be, could not have been more different. Jesus was drawing a contrast between self-righteousness and true righteousness.

Righteousness in scripture is a legal term usually describing the condition of being tried and convicted, but still being pronounced innocent by a judge. Such a condition cannot be earned by merit or purchased with bribes. It can only be imparted by grace (Eph. 2:8-9) and received as a gift (Rom. 5:17).

Self-righteousness (what Jesus meant when he referred to the “righteousness” of the scribes and Pharisees) is an attitude of entitlement. It considers gifts received as payment due. It is necessarily filled with pride and is joined to the hip of hypocrisy.

To the contrary, true righteousness can only be imparted by God. Though its offer comes freely, it is not received unconditionally. True enough, God provided an adequate substitution to stand in for and accept the punishment of the guilty party (see Genesis 22:8; John 1:29; Rev. 13:8), but the guilty party must be receptive to any conditions set forth to the reception of those benefits.

Jesus taught that one must demonstrate his or her love and gratitude for God’s grace by believing in His Son, Jesus  (John 8:24), by confessing faith in Jesus (Rom. 10:9-10), by repentance from sin (Luke 13:3,5), and contacting Jesus’ atoning blood through immersion in water (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-4).

Upon meeting these conditions, one can be called any one or all of these parallel terms, and others like them: saved, redeemed, pardoned, purchased, etc. Or, it can be said that they have entered the kingdom, or that they have been pronounced righteous, or justified, in the sight of God.

This is righteousness.

How do we exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees?

“Scribes and Pharisees” represents the religious guardians of Jesus’ day. They denied the necessity of any of the above. They considered themselves already righteous, either by their rigid adherence to God’s word, or as a right of inheritance through Abraham, or both.

As far as exceeding their righteousness, it is not doing more good deeds, or being on your best behavior, though there is certainly nothing wrong with good deeds or behavior. But it is not a contest of points. It is a contrast of heart.

This is about going from outside the kingdom to inside the kingdom. Jesus was trying to help everyone see – scribes and Pharisees included – that self-righteousness, or assumed righteousness, leaves one alienated — lost. Only through the gracious offer of their Messiah, Jesus, could they be helped.

As a point of application, it reminds us today that one must never assume, but seek. One must take nothing for granted. One must assume he could be wrong, or that his teacher could be wrong. One must imagine he or she might have misunderstood. Anything less will not do.

Self-righteousness keeps people from the kingdom. It keeps people in the kingdom from growing. It leads people who once entered the kingdom right back out.

If our only righteousness is self-righteousness, it is no righteousness at all.

Rick Kelley

How to Become Better Looking

Lose some weight by casting all your heavy cares and worries on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 11:28-30).

Exercise more by “walking in the light” and run the spiritual race every day (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 12:1).

Get strong by relying on the Lord and in the strength of His might (Ephesians 6:10)

Have soft lips by speaking words of encouragement, kindness, and compassion (Hebrews 3:13; Ephesians 4:29; Proverbs 15:4).

Make your eyes sparkle by looking out for the interests of others and focusing on eternal things. (Philippians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Have nice hands by using them for hospitality, service, and lifting others up in prayer (1 Peter 4:9; Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Have perfect feet by using them to bring the good news of Christ to others (Romans 10:15).

Have the nicest clothes by clothing yourself with Christ through baptism (Galatians 3:27).

Smell great by becoming a “sweet aroma” and a “fragrance of Christ” to God and others (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

TRUE beauty in this life has very little to do with physical looks and everything to do with our spiritual appearance to God.  Don’t worry so much about your outward appearance. Focus instead on inner beauty (Matthew 23:27).  After all, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain…” (Proverbs 31:30).  Let’s remember also remember Who we are trying to impress ultimately, “…God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Brett Petrillo

Words Have Consequences

Be sensible and watch what you say.
—Proverbs 10:19

A lady kept badgering her husband to get their kaput lawnmower repaired. Finally, fed up with being ignored, she hatched a plan.

When he came home from work, she was sitting in the grass, snipping away with scissors. Going into the house and returning moments later, he handed her a toothbrush. “When you finish cutting the grass, you might want to sweep the sidewalk,” he said.

The doctor said he would probably walk again but would always limp.

A humorous reminder that words and actions have consequences.

Now, a sober reminder that words and actions really do have consequences: “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Mt 12:37). “We must all stand before Christ to be judged . . . for the good or evil we have done” (2 Cor 5:10).

Well done trumps cleverly said.

 

What it means to be truly human, or the whole duty of man – Eccl. 12:13

Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Heard everything. Solomon may be referring to the reading of the book. Or his hearing might apply to all that he experienced in his life. He often refers to man’s life “under the sun,” or leaving God out of consideration. After all the possibilities of a godless life, or at least, where God is not at the center, and after all the possible ideas that man might ponder, one needs to get to the end of it all. Reach your conclusion. A reluctance to embrace the conclusion might just be a flight from the reality that the author is presenting.

This conclusion. Two phrases sum up the book’s teaching. The author went through all his experiences and through the various ideas that occurred to him during his career. Now he reaches the real point of his narrative. We ought to learn from his experience and reach even faster the real meaning of life.

Fear God. The one who thinks life is complicated, who sees the futility of the whole range of activity, who is bothered by the injustice and violence in the world, ought to run toward God and show profound reverence to the Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign. His person, his nature, contains the satisfactory outcome of the great questions of life. Fear of God is the realization of who he is and the proper response to his desire to establish a relationship with his favorite creature.

Keep his commandments. Fear “translates into obedience,” as a Brazilian version renders it. Fear is not mere trembling, but hearing and obeying God’s commandments. These principles of fear and obedience do not belong only to the old covenant, but the New repeats and reinforces them. (See, for example, Matthew 7.21; Hebrews 5.9.) Humble submission to God’s guidance is a necessary condition to knowing and loving him.

The whole duty of man. The word “duty” is supplied by the translators. Many versions follow the KJV by inserting the word, since the original sentence is something like this: “For this is every man.” A number of recent versions try to make sense of the phrase, as it stands.

  • “for this applies to every person” (AMP)
  • “because this is for all humanity” (CSB)
  • “This is what life is all about” (CEV)
  • “for this is what it means to be human” (ISV)
  • “because this applies to every person” (NASB)
  • “For this is man’s all” (NKJV)

It’s true that our relationship with God, characterized by fear and obedience, defines what it means to be human. This is the objective of life that ought to be sought out. Ignoring this demeans and defaces humanity.

God will evaluate every deed. Solomon’s conclusion is all the more valid and urgent because of God’s ultimate judgment of our lives. We must answer to him, Hebrews 4.12-13. There will come a moment when our eternal destiny will be determined and announced by whether or not we have feared and obeyed God.

In these two verses, the author uses the Hebrew word for “all” four times. He’s telling us, this is it, folks. Here’s the bottom line.* You might want to make this your mission declaration. Make this your base.

So let us be truly human by doing our whole duty so that we might know God now and be unafraid on the day of judgment.

*NET Bible notes.

J. Randal Matheny

 

Jesus: the truly qualified teacher

Jesus was expected to travel to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Tabernacles.

It was fall in Palestine, about the 15th of Tishri (October 12 on our calendar), and the harvest of wheat and olive oil was complete. It was a time of plenty and thanksgiving for God’s blessings.

The Feast of Tabernacles commemorated the wilderness wandering of the Jews at the end of the year.

Although Jesus would go to the feast, he continued walking in Galilee. He knew the Jews were seeking an opportunity to kill him. Jesus’ brothers came to him and warned him to stay away from Jerusalem.

But Jesus could not be kept away from the city of David and went into the Temple to teach. The Jews intercepted him there and began an inquisition asking how Jesus, an unlearned Galilean without formal academic qualifications could teach the scriptures. Jesus’ mastery of God’s word confused his critics.

Jesus answered the Jews by telling them his teaching was not his own (John 7:16-19). Jesus spoke from the authority given to him from his Father in heaven. Jesus knew their judgment of him was based solely on appearance.

The Jews made this same mistake with John, Jesus’ first cousin, who taught near the Jordan River. They looked at the rough John who wore camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey and immediately disqualified him. Although John was the one sent by God to testify about Jesus, the Jewish teachers disqualified him simply for the way he looked.

Jesus went straight to the heart of the matter. He told them God gave them the Law of Moses, but none of them ever kept it. What would Moses himself say if he was alive? It was God who gave the command to Moses saying, “You shall not kill.” But here were the “experts” in the law who wanted to kill God’s son!

Teaching God’s word requires great care. Not everyone should become a teacher (James 3:1). It is often tempting to assume something about someone by appearance and say something wrong. We must not make judgments just by what is seen (John 7:24). Jesus taught the truth. He knew the truth. He lived the truth. The Jews did not.

The crowd, listening to this conversation, made a surprising statement: “Can it be that the rulers know this is the Christ?” (John 7:25-26). The people were right. Jesus had told the truth. He had been doing only good. Jesus showed by his miracles exactly who he was.

Isn’t it interesting that the “uneducated” people knew more about the truth than the trained lawyers?

John Henson

 

Social instability follows  disrespect for authority

A researcher at the Royal Society of Medicine in the UK published a paper called “The Spoilt Generation.” He ties the alarming rates of child depression, teenage pregnancy, obesity, violent crimes by adolescents, and more to a basic lack of respect for authority (Daily Mail).  The Cato Institute published a study simply entitled, “Respect For Authority.” One of its most basic findings is that the public believes social instability follows  disrespect for authority (Cato). 

What do you think?  Have you noticed a decline of respect in society for parents, teachers, the police, employers, and  others in a position of authority? Most of us would agree it’s happening, and that it is not good.  Peter warns about it in the most sobering of terms, speaking of the unrighteous who face eternal punishment as those who, in part, “despise authority (2 Pt 2:10). Jude offers a very similar warning, describing those who turn God’s  grace into permission to do whatever they please (4), and this includes their “rejecting authority” (8).  So why do we often have a problem with authority?

We have a problem with rebelliousness. Saul, the earthly king, had a problem with rebellion (1 Sam. 15:23). Paul writes Timothy, discussing why the Law of Moses existence of the Law of Moses. It was for unrighteous people, and at the top of that list were the lawless and rebellious (1 Tim. 1:9). Rebellion is insubordination. It characterized the period of the Judges, when everyone did what they thought was right to them (17:6; 21:25). As we look at crime in our current society, we see the fruit of rebellion. CNN reports a 33% increase in homicides in major U.S. cities from 2019 to 2020, and now it is up another 24% since the beginning of 2021 (CNN). Yet, cities like Baltimore no longer prosecute drug possession, prostitution, and other low-level offenses. In California, shoplifting has in some places ceased to have any legal ramifications. How many looters in major U.S. cities have never served a day in jail or paid a penny in fines? Romans 13 clearly condemns this. Paul says “whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (2). Most of us would condemn this nationally, but do we struggle with rebellion against authority closer to home? Do we struggle with it against employers, elders, and parents? Rebelliousness can be milder than murder and more limited than against government. Do we only submit if we accept what they lead us to do? Do we maintain meekness and gentleness only if we agree with them? Rebellion is not the mark of a disciple of Christ; such have a different master. 

We have a problem with respect. Paul says, “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Th. 5:12-13). Esteem, as a verb, is found 28 times and means to think, consider, or regard. Paul is telling the church how to regard their leaders (“very highly in love”) and why (“because of their work”). Interestingly, the noun form of this verbs is often tied to various types of leadership–“Ruler” (Mt. 2:6), “leader” (Lk. 22:26), “governor” (Acts 7:10), “chief” (Acts 14:12) and “leading men” (Acts 15:22). But in 1 Thessalonians 5:13, it is a verb and means to engage in the intellectual process of thinking of them with the highest respect. The word “esteem” deals with our character generally and not just how we treat elders and any other leaders. Philippians 2:3 says, “With humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” But Peter speaks of some who “count it a pleasure to revel in doing wrong” (2 Pet. 2:13). Respect is a matter of how you set your mind. If we don’t have it in our hearts to respect those in authority, it can’t help but show in the way we speak to them or about them. Our children learn how to treat authority figures by watching and listening to us. What are we teaching them?

We have a problem with our religion. “Religion” is only found  four times in the New Testament. It means appropriate beliefs and the devout practice of our obligations (Louw-Nida, 530). How do we properly express our religion? It is not just about worshipping the way God commands. That’s a vital part, but only one way. Paul tells us what his pre-Christian religion looked like (Acts 26:5). He tells us about the false religion on some, ruled by their fleshly minds (Col. 2:18). James uses the word “religion” twice, in James 1:26-27. He teaches that pure, untainted religion is proven or disproven by your thoughts, words, and deeds. When I show disdain toward those in authority in or out of the church context, I’m telling everyone who witnesses it about my religion. I am making an impression on them that will either lead them closer to God or farther away from Him. Whatever I tell them about the one(s) in authority, I am telling them far more about me. If they follow my lead, will they stumble (cf. Lk. 17:1-2)? 

 Our problem with authority is ultimately a problem with God. When Paul tells Rome that those who resist authority oppose God’s will, he was talking about a government ruled by wicked Caesars who murdered Christians. When I disapprove of or disagree with those in positions of authority, in the nation, church, workplace or home, I must respond how God says respond. I must leave the rest to Him. 

Neal Pollard

The Way of the Righteous

The first thing one must do in order to understand the Psalms is to start at the beginning. That may seem the obvious first step for any book, but it is especially true when it comes to this collection of songs and prayers. In Psalm 1 and 2, we have a great double door that must be passed through before entering the study of the Psalms. These two Psalms aptly begin the book with the idea that one must honor the word of God and the Anointed of God if he or she is to be approved of God (blessed). Lord willing, we will look at the later of those next week, and the former today.

In Psalm 1, great contrasts are seen. On one hand is the way of the righteous, and on the other is the way of the wicked. Each of us come to this great fork in the road of life and must determine which path we will take. After that, we must daily choose whether we are to stay on the path on which we travel, or abandon it for the other. When we look at the contrasts within this Psalm, the choice should seem simple.

THE BLESSED MAN:

He is not…

  1. Following the advice of the world (1a).
  2. Following the actions of the world (1b).
  3. Following the associations of the world(1c).

He is…

  1. Delighting in the word of God (2).
  2. Dwelling on the word of God (2b).
  3. Digging into the word of God (3a). Note that the “rivers” or “streams” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “channel” or “irrigation ditch.” The enriching water of God’s word does not come to us naturally, we have to dig!
  4. Displaying the word of God by yielding fruit (3b).
  5. Developing by the word of God (3c). He isn’t withering, he is growing!

All of this makes his a prosperous life and able to stand before God (3d, 6a)!

THE WICKED MAN

He is not:

  1. Saturating his life with God’s word as the righteous man (4a).
  2. Standing among the righteous (5b).

He is:

  1. Useless like chaff (4b).
  2. Unstable like chaff (4b).

All of this makes his a perishing life and unable to stand before God (5b, 6b)!

So, when you look at the two paths, the choice should be clear. Choose the way of God. Choose the way of His word. Choose the Way of the Righteous!

Corey Sawyers

How to Be Happy

What is the toughest question you’ve ever been asked? What is the rhetorical question that everyone in the world nowadays is asking? Many millionaires and billionaires around the world are in a quest to find the answer for the rhetorical question, which the whole world is asking. Many great people, including philosophers, have sacrificed their lives to find the answer to this question. So, without further suspense, let me bring that question to you – “How can we be Happy?” Many people have family, love, money and everything they wish. Yet, sadly, the only things they can’t find are happiness and contentment. Many people, especially young people, have not found happiness. As a result, some of them resort to suicide, drug addiction, game addiction, etc. There are many reasons for depression. Rejection and stress are two main reasons for depression. These days, many people move away to the mountains or to the seashore in their quest to find peace in their lives.

Let me elaborate with a real story of a man who lived in London between 1771-1837. He was depressed, and hence, he went to a doctor for advice. The doctor suggested that he go to a show by a very popular clown named Joseph Grimaldi. The doctor said that Mr. Grimaldi was capable of even making the stones laugh. Then the man said, “I am that Grimaldi!” Even the people who make others happy find themselves depressed, too. Some time ago, I read an article about the suicide of a motivational speaker who had motivated more than 3,000 people to achieve their dreams. Even motivators need motivation.

Look at a man from the Bible, the second richest king who ever lived on the planet with a net worth of $2 trillion dollars (USD). He had an income of 25 tons of gold every year (2 Chronicles 9:13-29), He was the wisest man who ever lived (1 Kings 4:29), a great writer (1 Kings 4:32) and a man with a thousand wives (1 Kings 11:3). Even after having great luxuries, many riches and a giant family, Solomon wrote, “Vanity of vanities… all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). [While not able to confirm the precise wealth of Solomon, he was the wealthiest man of his time and perhaps who ever lived. ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

The answer to the question of how to be happy is “Jesus.” The only way one can find happiness – not only for a lifetime on the earth but also for eternity – is Jesus Christ. One cannot be happy without having Christ in his life. Men have been trying to find happiness in the physical realm. Yet, the happiness we may find on Earth doesn’t last forever, but the happiness we need to seek lasts for eternity.

The Bible Tells Us to Be Happy.

We must rejoice as our names are written in Heaven (Luke 10:20). One’s name is written in Heaven only after being baptized. Acts 8:39 says the eunuch went on his way rejoicing after he was baptized. Acts 16:34 talks about the jailor and his family who rejoiced with all his house after they were baptized. So, are you baptized? Rejoice! Your name is written in the book of eternal life! Galatians 5:22 says that happiness or joy is one among the nine qualities of the fruit of Spirit. In Acts 11:23, Barnabas exhorted the church to cleave to the Lord. We find happiness when we hug the Lord. I always felt safe when I was wrapped around by the arms of my parents. Hugging also releases oxytocin, which is a stress relieving hormone in the human body. Our Lord is spirit. Hence our physical bodies can’t touch Him, but we hug the Lord when we give first priority to Him in our lives. We hug the Lord when we put him first in everything. Also, we must note that hugging the Lord is neither advice nor a request. It is an order! Put God first in everything and you will find happiness in your life for sure (Matthew 6:33)!

Great Men of the Bible Rejoiced in
the Lord, Irrespective of the Situation.

You might have a question. “I have been facing many rejections, teasing and bullies. How can I be happy in all circumstances?” Let me show you two men who rejoiced while bearing shame for the Lord’s name (Acts 5:41). Even after being severely beaten and being thrown into prison, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God (Acts 16:23-25). We generally sing when we are happy. Paul and Silas were happy for being in prison for no reason except the Gospel. Also note that the time at which Paul and Silas were rejoicing was midnight! Do little irritations from your family disturb your happiness? Do rejections in your life unseat your joy? Neither irritations nor rejection in our lives are bigger than the troubles and rejections that the apostle Paul faced.

Many people think that having money can buy happiness. Money can buy many things but not all things. The Bible teaches us to believe in the Lord, rather than in unstable and temporary wealth (1 Timothy 6:17). First Peter 4:12-13 tells us to rejoice even when we take part in Christ’s sufferings.

Why Should I Rejoice in the Lord?

Philippians 4:4 reads, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (NKJV). Verse 5 says, “…Lord is at hand.” Wow, what a convenient God we have! We need not go to Jerusalem, we need not climb a hill or go to a valley to find our Lord. He is at hand! So, rejoice! Acts 14:17 says that He is the only one who fills our hearts with joy. He defends us and He protects us (Psalm 5:11). So, rejoice in the Lord.

The happiness or joy in the Lord lasts forever. It is an eternal happiness. All the pleasures of this world are something that last for a period (Hebrews 11:24), and they will come to an end (1 Corinthians 7:31). There is a day coming in which the whole world, along with tears and depression, will be destroyed. Then, there shall be no more death and no more tears (Revelation 21:4). Those who are victorious in the battle with worldly pleasures shall reign forever with the Lord (Revelation 22:5).

Let me conclude with some important questions. Are you baptized? Do you have Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you put God first in everything you do? Do you seek heavenly things? If the answer for the above questions is “Yes,” then, you shall reign with the Lord. Congratulations! You are a victorious Christian! If the answer is, “No,” to any one of the questions, I once again urge you to think of Christ. Our lives are unpredictable. One’s life is like a vapor that appears and vanishes in no time. So, please come to Christ, accept Him as your savior by obeying His command to believe and be baptized (Mark 16:16). Put God first in everything you do, and you will find the happiness that lasts forever.

Pedapaga Akash Babu

Pursuing peace

Peace is not produced by passivity. Harmony is not a settled state. Man tends toward discord. A close reading of Genesis 3 will reveal that sin caused disharmony between man and his Creator, disharmony between man and creation, and disharmony between man and man. We live in a world where sin is the settled state. Where sin is, there is disunity, discord, and disharmony. Peace must be something we work toward, something we pursue.

The blood of Christ has the power to heal the divide between God and man (Colossians 1:20). But man must be willing to pursue that peace (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Denying self and following after Christ are basic prerequisites to reconciliation with God. Peace with God through salvation does not simply come to us, we must come to God in faith. Once we have been unified with God, we must continue to live by faith to maintain that fellowship with the Divine (1 John 1:3-7).

Of the 10 times that Christians are instructed to positively pursue a virtue or a circumstance, 40% point to peace. We are to “pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:19), “strive for peace with everyone” (Hebrews 12:14), “seek peace and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11), and “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).

God created something unique in the kingdom of Christ. Those drawn together by the blood of Christ are unified in the faith (Galatians 3:23-27). Out of many tribes, peoples, and languages, God created one body. We are charged with maintaining the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). This is not unity in diversity, for “there is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:4, 5). We are to be united in the “same mind and the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

How can we pursue peace?

Develop the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5)

Jesus is the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). If we have his mind, then our attitude will be one that makes for peace (1 Peter 3:8-11).

Treat others better than yourself (Romans 12:10-21)

A humble, servant attitude will produce far more light than heat. Christians are to compete with each other in only one area. We are to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10b). When others mistreat us or harm us, we are to restrain ourselves from retaliation (Romans 12:17, 19), and actively do good to them (Romans 12:14, 20, 21).

Go to them (Matthew 5:23, 24; Matthew 18:15)

Jesus’ teachings on conflict resolution picture two people running toward each other to be reconciled. If we have wronged a brother, we are to go to him (Matthew 5:23, 24). Our worship is not desired until reconciliation is accomplished. If a brother has wronged us, we are not to stew over it or spew it to the church gossip, but we are to go to him (Matthew 18:15). How much strife would cease if we submitted to God and dealt with our difficulties in a Christ-like manner?

Friends, peace must be pursued. Peace requires a Christ-like heart, a humble attitude, and submissive actions. Are you pursuing peace (Psalm 34:14)?

Lee Parish

 

D-DAY HAD finally arrived…

The Hebrews had languished for nearly five centuries under the heavy hands of their Egyptian oppressors (Exo. 12:40).  Generations had known only cruelty, affliction and misery (1:11-14).  In their calamity, they cried out to the LORD (2:23)—and He heard them (2:24-25; 4:31).

Now, in the fullness of His providence, the LORD was ready to bring His people out of bondage.  He had previously sent nine miraculous acts of judgment upon the Egyptians, each one more severe than the previous (cf. chapters 7-10).  Finally, in His most fearsome and awesome display of power, the LORD plagued the nation with the death of every first born (chapters 11-12).  While He “passed over” the Hebrews (12:23-28), His punisher passed through the Egyptians—and every home suffered loss, from the lowest member of society to the king himself (12:12, 29-30).

The Egyptians had all they could stand and then drove the Hebrews from their domain (12:33-36).  The NKJV says, “The Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste.  For they said, ‘We shall all be dead’” (12:33).

Oddly enough, as the Israelites existed Egypt, they took what appeared to be a very bizarre detour:

“From the standpoint of military strategy, the detour God told the Israelites to take was sheer lunacy.  They were already well on their way to freedom when God ordered them to turn around, go back, and camp between the desert and the sea…  Wherever they were, the Israelites were completely vulnerable.  They were out on Egypt’s frontier, surrounded by desert, with their backs to the sea.  Why on earth would God put His people in this kind of position?  Any military strategist would have recognized immediately that they were trapped…”2

From Pharaoh’s perspective, the Hebrews had gotten turned around in the desert and inadvertently cornered themselves, so he decided this was an excellent opportunity to force them back into captivity (14:5ff).  With their backs to the sea, the king decided it was time to exhibit his own prowess.  Yahweh (i.e., Jehovah), the God of the Hebrews had great power, but so did he—Amenhotep II3—the living god of the Egyptians, and he’d display it with the full might of his own military forces including 600 choice , (14:7).

Now think about what was transpiring on this occasion in the minds of the Hebrews.  Pharaoh’s indomitable army was in route.  They would march down into the midst of the helpless Hebrews and crush them.  Thousands would surely die horrible, agonizing deaths, while the rest would be dragged back into oppression.  It was a nightmare unfolding before their very eyes.

I’ve often pondered this pivotal note in Old Testament history.  It occurs to me that the children of Israel actually believed God was impotent—at least now. Despite His promises to the contrary (3:8, 17-22; 4:21-23), despite the fact that He has raised up a deliverer in the person of Moses (ch. 2-5), despite the fact that He had shown a vast array of incredible signs and wonders over the past several months and executed judgement against the gods of Egypt (ch. 7-12; 12:12), the Hebrews believed at this very moment that they were doomed.  They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, between the waters of the Red Sea and the violent aggression of Pharaoh’s soldiers.  The inevitable conclusion to hundreds of years of subjugation was slaughter—then more subjugation.  Jehovah could put on a series of exciting shows, but in the end He just couldn’t save.  Watch:

And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have YOU taken us away to DIE in the wilderness? Why have YOU so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told YOU in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should DIE in the wilderness” (14:10-14—emphasis mine, mb).

Moses took the immediate blame for their plight (notice how many times Israel said, “YOU”—mb), but ultimately the imminent death of the Hebrews was God’s fault.  From their amnesic perspective, He wasn’t living up to His word.  Despite all of His miraculous bravado during the ten plagues, He apparently didn’t have sufficient power to stop the Egyptians now.

The truth of the matter was, every expression of providential care, every miraculous act of judgment against Egypt, and every distinction the Lord made between the Hebrews and the Egyptians should have been an occasion when Israel’s faith (as well as yours—1 Cor. 10:11; Rom. 15:4) was not only being built, but intensified!  So that by Exodus 14, when Pharaoh’s mighty army showed up on the horizon, the Hebrews should have said, “Stand still and watch everybody—God’s gonna fight for us again!”

Brethren, even though this story is thousands of years old, it’s as fresh and current as this past hour’s Facebook post.  Think about it.  When you’re stuck—when you’re between a rock and a hard place and your back is up against the sea, it’s tempting to share Israel’s faithless and illogical view.  “God, despite the countless times I’ve prayed to you, you’re obviously not going to deliver me.  This detour is actually a dead-end…” (cf. Psm. 106:7-8).

In reality, it’s when your suffering is the most palpable, and your doubts have risen to the surface that they must give way to faith in God (cf. Mark 9:24).  Pay close attention to what Moses told Israel at this juncture:

“Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (14:13-14).

Now re-read those phrases and commit them to memory:

  • “The salvation of the LORD.”
  • “HE will accomplish for you.”
  • “The LORD will fight for you.”

Did ya’ll catch that…?  Fighting was God’s job—faith was Israel’s job. 

Dear reader, faith in God doesn’t mean we will never hurt, experience pain, or be free from troubles (Job 5:7; 14:1; Eccl. 2:23; John 16:33; Rom. 5:3-5; 12:12; Jas. 1:2-4; 2 Cor. 4:17).  Faith in God doesn’t mean we’ll never know what it’s like to be stuck with our backs against the sea (Psm. 46:1; Nah. 1:7).  Faith in God means looking at His deliverance in times past and trusting Him with the same in the future (Psm. 9:9-10; 59:9-10; 62:8; Prov. 11:8).  It means remembering that He cannot lie, that He’s never been caught off guard, and that He’s never been impotent or less than all powerful (2 Sam. 22:33; 2 Chron. 20:6; Job 26:7-14; Psm. 71:18; 147:4-5; Jer. 10:12-13).  It means accepting the fact that He’s always in control, He promises to never forsake you—and that ultimately even the grave will bow to His divine will (Deut. 31:6; Isa. 41:10; Psm. 94:14; Heb. 13:5-6; Rev. 1:18).  In other words, it means letting God do the fighting—because He’s the only one qualified to do so.

Are you confused by a divine detour?  Are you stuck between a rock and a hard place?  LET GOD DO THE FIGHTING FOR YOU.

1  “Deliverance Day”; Philip Ryken, “Between the Desert and the Sea,” Exodus–Saved for God’s Glory, 383; 3  John J. Davis, “The Call of Moses,” Moses and the God’s of Egypt, 80

–Mike Benson

 

Zealousness and Knowledge

Our federal government is based upon a “checks and balance” system. The President, vetoing a bill of congress or congress not passing the President’s proposed legislation are examples of the “checks and balances” system on the executive and legislative levels. In other words, each branch of the government keeps the other branches in line. Likewise, there are certain words, which when applied to one’s character serve as a “checks and balance” system. “Zealousness” and “knowledge” are two such words.

Zealousness
Zealousness without knowledge is dangerous. Sometimes a congregation will consist of two or three members who are “babes in Christ” and who are overflowing with zeal. They are so enthusiastic about the work of the Lord that they want to push all kinds of programs. The motives and intentions of such individuals are not in question at all. But all too often the programs are pushed without any regard for feelings of others or possible unwanted consequences. In some cases, programs or ideas are pushed with or without the elders’ consent. The incident then becomes not only a bad situation but also an unscriptural one. We read of elders overseeing the flock (Acts 20:28), but I fail to find in my Bible where zealousness qualifies one to overstep the elders and take the oversight. The apostle Paul said of the Jews in Romans 10:2, “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.” Young men (and a few old ones) need to have experienced, well-grounded Christians to keep them in line. One of the causes of the division of the kingdom under the Old Covenant was because Rehoboam “forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him” (I Kings 12:8). Zealousness is a must-but it must be accompanied by knowledge.

Knowledge
Just as dangerous as zealousness without knowledge is knowledge without zealousness. The Lord’s church is filled with too many lazy members who are content with “keeping house for the Lord.” This was never the Lord’s intent “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:37, 38). A Christian is something somebody is, not just merely what someone is called.  John records in Revelation 3:15 concerning thechurch in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot, I would that you were cold or hot.” Perhaps a few of the older members need to be prodded by the zealous workers. If the prod is justified and done in the proper spirit, the older ones should not despise the youthfulness of the younger. (1 Tim. 4:12)

Zealousness without knowledge, perhaps, will affect more people, but knowledge without zealousness is just as sinful. The opposite of zealousness is “apathy.” The antonym of knowledge is “ignorance” – the church needs neither. Try being a Christian without knowledge or zealousness and there will always be a vast void. Would that all God’s people were zealous and knowledgeable!

– by Larry R. Houchen

We have the privilege to dwell with God while traveling through this wilderness we call life.

In this series of articles we’ll take a gander at both, simple and complex, terms found within the literature of the Old Testament. The purpose of this study is to have a richer understanding of God’s people in the ancient times and how that directly correlates with us as 21st century Christians. For this article in particular, we’ll be studying the tabernacle.

The tabernacle played a significant role in the timeline of the Jews. For the first time since Eden, God told His people that He wanted to “dwell in their midst” (Ex. 25:8). This was going to become the location in which the heavenly and the earthly met in harmony with one another. In the following chapters God proceeds to give specific instructions regarding the architecture of the tabernacle, including its furnishings. This is also the context where the ark of the covenant originated. It is at the ark in which God will meet with Moses (Ex. 25:22).

Since the Israelites were not yet in the promised land, they needed a tent of meeting that could be transported as they journeyed along their way. The tabernacle consisted of a total of ten curtains, along with the outer coverings. These primary fabrics were blue, purple, and scarlet in color. Precious metals such as bronze, silver, and gold were utilized in the construction. Tanned leather of goats and rams served as the outer covers. Needless to say, this tabernacle was unlike any other tent in existence at the time. Despite it being a collapsible place of meeting, it was extravagant in appearance.

The presence of the Lord was seen by way of a cloud covering the tabernacle and no one would enter it at that time (Ex. 40:34). The cloud guided the people by day, and the fire in the sky guided by night (Ex. 40:38). The Levites were the ones in charge of transporting the tabernacle. They set it up whenever they settled and broke it down whenever they journeyed (Num. 1:50).

This transportable tent became the focal point of prayer and sacrificial offerings. It was the dwelling place of God among the people before the temple was constructed. To the Jewish mind, there was an inexpressible joy of coming to a place where God dwelt. This tent was the main way for man to commune with the divine until the construction of the temple began in Jerusalem (1 Chron 22:1ff).

In 1 John 3:24, John enlightens his readers by telling them, “whoever keeps His commandments abides in God, and God in him.” What’s better than God abiding with man? Simply the opportunity for man to abide with God. We have the privilege to dwell with God while traveling through this wilderness we call life.

Tyler King

There is no such thing as a “bargain Christianity.”

People love bargains (Black Friday anyone?). We look for discounts, sales, freebees, and products at the best value. We look for deals on clothes, groceries, furniture, and just about everything else. In most aspects of live, we love to cut corners or get the most out of something without having to give up as much. Unfortunately, sometimes we also look for Christianity at a bargain as well.

What do we mean by “bargain Christianity”?  Think of it this way, every religion claims to be able to show how to get to heaven, but nearly every one of them has a different way to get there. As a result, many people end up settling for the “brand of Christianity” that requires the least amount of effort from them. They want to get to heaven at a bargain price.

Honestly, if there were multiple ways to get to heaven, we would most definitely choose the easiest one. This isn’t the reality though. Even though another religion may seem like a steal, they will prove to be nothing more than a gimmick or a knockoff of true Christianity. Scripture has always made it clear that there is a very specific and limited way to reach heaven.  Jesus said in the singular tense, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).  To make it even clearer, Jesus talked about one, and only one, road that leads to life, and the other road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).  The inspired apostle Paul reinforced this idea by saying, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

There is no such thing as a “bargain Christianity.” Either we are a part of the one and only church found in Scripture (Acts 2:37-47), or we are being deceived by Satan and those who are “disguised as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15; 4:3-4; Matthew 7:21-23).  The only way to know the truth is to line up with the Bible’s commands.

Are you part of the one church found in Scripture?  Would you like to know more about the Christianity found in the Bible?  Do you have questions?  If so, please let us know so we can study and find the truth together.

Brett Petrillo

Believing what one reads

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us?’ But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom is in them?” (Jeremiah 8:8-9, ESV).

How often have we heard or said, “You cannot believe everything you read?” Human writers make mistakes. They also are always influenced by their own preconceptions, experience, education, and abilities, to say nothing of pressure from outside to conform to the demands of others. Sometimes, sadly, they just plain lie.

Even when it comes to sacred Scripture, which is from God and therefore is true (2 Timothy 3:16-17), we today are dependent upon other humans to preserve, translate, and explain it to us (as in Nehemiah 8:5-8). God’s word is absolutely dependable. Human teachers, not so much so.

I was with Bangla friends in a communications store a few years ago. There were signs in the window telling of the services which the store provided. I read one of the signs that was printed in the Bangla language. An employee laughed and said, “You are reading that from the English, not the Bangla.” Until then I had not noticed that the other window, on the opposite side of the door had a similar sign printed in English. I replied, “No, I am reading the Bangla – the English is not the same.” My companions laughed and agreed that the wording differed.

English readers of the Bible today are blessed to be heirs of nearly 700 years of Bible translation, primarily by sincere believers whose goal was to render God’s words as accurately as possible into the language of the common man (that is, those who knew English). Some translations have been primarily or entirely the work of one person. Others have been done by committees of various sizes. The modern reader has a wide range of choices, most of which are demonstrably scholarly and accurate. If there is any doubt as to the fidelity of a particular translation to the original one has many others with which to compare it.

But whenever humans are involved, mistakes can be made, and errors can be introduced either accidentally or deliberately. Jeremiah warned Israel to trust God’s word, but be wary of the scribes (copyists and teachers). Our Bibles are reliable, especially when one studies from multiple translations. But commentaries and other study helps must always be read critically with awareness of the limitations of any writer.

We should always be mindful of the responsibility of the reader or hearer. Note that Jeremiah concludes concerning the wise men who read the scribes’ writings, “Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom is in them?” One who listens to men, regardless of the claims they make, and follow error, are themselves responsible.

The young prophet from Judah who died because he believed what an older prophet told him (1 Kings 13:1-32) is an example of this responsibility. God had given him direct instructions. The older prophet claimed to have his own, contradictory, message from God. But that man was lying. When the young prophet believed and followed his instructions God pronounced judgment upon him, not the lying older man.

Many today blindly trust and follow a particular preacher, commentator, or church tradition, not trying to determine their accuracy. The Bible clearly warns us that the reader will account for what and whom he or she believes and follows.

Michael Brooks

 

The Purpose of Life Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

A retired couple in France moved to a rural community and then issued a formal complaint about the noise in the small town. There was a local rooster who was crowing too early and too loudly in the morning. The owner, a Corinne Fesseau defended her bird in the court of law, saying that the rooster was only doing what roosters were born to do. Ms Fesseau had grown up on an island off the west coast of France and roosters were part of her life. The French court is pending a decision soon.

Roosters were born to crow. And humans were born to serve God, to worship God. That is our purpose in life.

Not only is it a reflection of God’s wisdom to give our lives purpose, but it is also God’s wisdom to tell us that our lives have purpose. Consider some thoughts from Ecclesiastes.

The pursuit of wisdom (chapters 1-2) fits the gift given Solomon by God, recorded in 1 Kings 3. Additionally, the extended list of building pursuits recorded in Ecclesiastes 3 fit Solomon’s desires and plans as recorded in 1 Kings 5-10. It is popular among “scholars” to reject Solomon’s authorship but it is humorous to hear them admit that the author is, however, a “Solomon-like” figure.

Solomon provides the theme of the book in the second verse: “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” This word can mean “vain, empty, futile.” To repeat the word, as Solomon does here, is a Hebrew way of expressing the superlative: “the most empty of emptiness.” See Song of Solomon 1:1 where he does the same thing: the “song of songs.”

So, Solomon says, “All is empty. Futile. Worthless.” Seriously? Some have suggested that Ecclesiastes is too pessimistic to be a work of faith. Here is an exercise for you. Read through this book (it should take less than 20 minutes) and underline these three phrases: “under the sun (29x),” “under heaven (3x),” and “striving after wind (22x).”

If you were to take God out of the picture or if you simply look at life from the perspective of heaven, this life is not very important or significant. Allow me to elaborate a little.

If there is no God or if you live your life as if there is no God, then “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:32). Yes, life is a cycle and it ends nowhere (if there is no God). Live the way you desire. Pursue what you want to pursue. Do what makes you feel good. If there is no God, there are no moral laws and you are free to steal, kill, rape, pillage, extort, cheat, lie, etc. Because life is going nowhere anyway. (I’m thankful that most atheists live above their moral “foundation.”)

On the other hand, since there is a God and He has designed a new heaven and earth that puts this one to shame, this life is ultimately of little significance. It is significant in that we show God here and now that we love Him supremely and we serve our fellow man sacrificially (cf. Matt. 22:37-39). This is the time and place to prove to God that we want to be in heaven with Him. Early in the book, Solomon warns his audience that there is a judgment coming (3:17) and therefore, we need to fear God (5:7).

But, because the life to come is so much quantitatively better and qualitatively superior to this life (so much so that we will not even remember at least the bad things that will happen in this life: Rev. 7:17), this life does not hold much importance, much significance for the Christian.

Solomon has lived his life with gusto and did not withhold his hand or his heart from anything he thought would bring pleasure and significance to life. But he summarizes for us what he had found:

“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil (Ecc. 12:13-14).

Keep in mind the purpose of life. Fear God and keep His commandments. It helps keep all of life in perspective.

Paul Holland

Five Reasons to Consider Mission Work

As I stood there with a cup of coffee in hand, my friend Michael approached me. The conversation we shared was primarily about the teen devo that had just concluded. We got to a standstill in the conversation and somehow he began telling me about Tanzania. He described the people, the church, the sights, and the opportunities. He then abruptly concluded his dialogue by inviting me to go on his next trip. A thousand things rushed to my mind as I stood there gripping my mug with both hands: I didn’t even know Tanzania was a country prior to our conversation, I didn’t have a passport, I wasn’t vaccinated for a trip like that, I didn’t have the funds, and the trip was only three months away.

 

Three months later I found myself on a plane that was taking me halfway around the world. The next two weeks were life-changing. I was discovering a life that had been veiled for 22 years. I experienced something that went far beyond my imagination. Here are five quick (not exhaustive) reasons why you should consider mission trips.

  1. It will change your view of the biblical text – If you were born and raised in America, then you are very acclimated to the Western mind. However, there is a different mindset when you travel elsewhere. Far too often, people complain how scripture is “outdated.” That’s not the case in other cultures. Experiencing some of these countries will give you a new lens to read scripture through.
  2. You will experience a little bit of heaven – One thing we know for sure about heaven is there will be fellowship. Fellowship with God and the saints (Rev. 21). There are Christians in parts of the world that you haven’t ever heard about. When you travel to different places, it brings you in closer proximity of the worldwide brotherhood of saints. To me, there are fewer things more encouraging than knowing I have family in the villages of Tanzania and the jungles of Cambodia. We are not alone in this world.
  3. Mutual Encouragement – There aren’t a whole lot of opportunities in life where there is a mutual benefit; meaning it is good for both parties. While joy can be gleaned from service, it doesn’t always guarantee happiness. Sometimes we shun happiness for the sake of striving for joy, but what if you could have both? There is great joy and happiness that takes place when you build bonds with Christians around the world. Paul talks of this in Romans 1:12.
  4. It will remove the “comfy box” – I had a very good list of reasons why I shouldn’t have gone on that first trip. A journey to a different part of the world forces you to expand your horizon of comfortability. Jesus could have very easily avoided the discomfortable region of Samaria, but He didn’t (John 4). Jesus could have commissioned the apostles to preach only in their areas, but He didn’t (Acts 1:8). While yes, our backyard is a mission field, sometimes a trip outside of your “comfy box” is good for the soul and the souls around you.
  5. It will build your relationship with God – This is without a doubt one of the most influential aspects of a mission trip. Want to learn how to pray? Put yourself in a situation where you absolutely have to rely on God to get you through. Want to learn how to study? Engage in a conversation where a person is starving for truth and you have to lean on your biblical knowledge to navigate the dialogue. Want to learn how to better your attitude? Observe how people who have nothing can smile and sing because they know their ‘nothing’ will turn into everything.

I went home after Michael invited me to Tanzania and I researched the country. I learned that it was a beautiful country in East Africa and home to iconic places like Kilimanjaro and Meru. I obtained my passport which would eventually allow me to make future trips back to Tanzania, Israel, and Cambodia. I reached out to some congregations that I knew and was blessed by their support and encouragement to go to on a mission trip. Three months turned out to be a perfect amount of time for me to gather my travel gear and purchase the tickets. God took my excuses and turned them into exclamations of His presence.

Tyler King

Light from beginning to end

The Bible begins with the creation of light by a word from God, Genesis 1.3. It ends with a mention of the light of God, tying it with the privilege of his people reigning forever: “Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever” Revelation 22.5.

Light is important as a Bible theme because:

1. God is light, 1 John 1.5

Light comes into being as a result of God’s power. The creation started with light. God spoke and it existed. Its creation before the heavenly bodies speaks to its nature as emanating from God. We speak, rightly so, of the moon not having its own light but only reflecting the light of the sun. Similarly, no heavenly body — sun or stars — has, in one true sense, any light of its own. God put them there. He caused them to exist and to shine. He is the only real source of light.

John affirmed that “God is light” 1 John 1.5. Light is his nature. By this use of the word light, John means his truth (revelation), holiness, and life. God’s light is our starting point. His light determines who we are, how we think and act, what our very goal in life is.

In Jesus we are able to see with greater clarity and brilliance the light of God. “I am the light of the world” John 8.12. He is the “light of life.” But many prefer to walk in darkness, John 3.19. There can be no life or light without following and obeying Jesus.

2. Christians are light, Ephesians 5.7-10

Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light — for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth — trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Here, light becomes a spiritual concept. It emphasizes the conflict between light and darkness, between good and evil. “So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light” Romans 13.12. It also reminds us that light overcomes darkness, so that the two are not equal, John 1.5. That’s an encouraging truth!

If Christians are light, they ought to live according to its reality. Only in this way can they please God and cause others to glorify him, Matthew 5.16.

It is a glorious thing that what Jesus says of himself he also says of Christians: “You are the light of the world.”

3. The church is light, 1 Peter 2.9

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

The one and only church of Jesus Christ exists only because of God’s calling. (All other groups are the product of man.) That calling pulls us into his light. His light is marvelous.

Last week, our brother in Christ, Ron Jackson, was here from Florida for a week of meetings with his employer. He taught and preached in the congregations here, even with a heavy schedule of meetings in his job. He cited a sister in Christ who mentioned that she was “too blessed to be stressed.” When we perceive the marvelous nature of God’s light, and the royal identity that is ours as his people, we will walk humbly with God, trusting in his care, joyous in his presence.

Abiding in God’s light means possessing the mission to shine that light as his church. We have no other mission than this, to “proclaim.” Proclamation is done with words, with explanations of how to leave the darkness by answering God’s call to enter the light. The gospel is a message spoken with carefully prepared words about who Jesus is and what he accomplished on earth.

Draw near to the light

So are you drawing near to God for light? Are you drawn to Jesus as its source? Do you find in his word the power to produce light in you? Are you shining your light in the world? Are you a part of the one church, where light is? Are you proclaiming with words, teaching others about God’s marvelous light?

“… come, let us walk in the Lord’s guiding light” Isaiah 2.5.

J. Randal Matheny

Is Your Heart Right With God?

We have a very simple question to ask: Is your heart right with God? As you think about your answer to this most important of all questions, we’d like you to consider these observations:

1) You might as well be honest about this, because “if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:20). So then, if you have never obeyed the gospel, or if you are unfaithful in your service as a Christian, you ought to own up to the reality of your dangerous spiritual condition — after all, you can’t hide these things from God.

2) Judgment is as certain as life itself. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).

3) In light of these facts, perhaps you should begin right now thinking about a good excuse that you can use on the judgment day. A few favorites will surely be: “I was too busy”, “I didn’t feel well”, “I had family obligations”, “My work demanded so much of my’ time”, “The people at church were unfriendly”, “I didn’t like the preacher, or the elders, or the teachers, or….” Feel free to pick one of these, or perhaps you can come up with one of your own that seems more appropriate to your own particular situation.

4) We must warn you, however, that the excuse you choose, no matter how good it seems, will not be good enough. (Read Matthew 7:21-23 and 25:31-46) The truth of the matter is that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

5) So our best advice then is to get right with God. It is ultimately important, and excuses just won’t get the job done – not now, and certainly not in judgment.

– by Greg Gwin

 

God’s Providence

Typically, when the doctrine of God’s providence is discussed, a handful of well-known Scriptures are used to illustrate his protective care and blessings. For example, we frequently reference Joseph (Genesis 50:19-20), Esther (Esther 4:14), and Onesimus (Philemon 15), but rarely have we referenced the following passage I want you to consider.

When Israel crossed the Jordan to take possession of the “promised land,” the nations in Canaan took up arms against them and did what they could to destroy them. The Philistines, Amalekites, Moabites, and others were constantly at war with Israel. They continually sought out ways to destroy Israel and exploit any weakness they could find. (Numbers 30:16).

With their environment understood, consider one of the commands God gave Israel.  God commanded all the men in Israel to travel to Jerusalem three times a year to worship (Deuteronomy 16:16). Have you ever considered how vulnerable that would have left Israel? With all the men gone from all the villages, Israel’s enemies could have easily overrun these cities and villages occupied only by women and children? Three times a year, Israel made themselves vulnerable to their enemies who wanted to destroy them. Yet, there is not a single example of which I am aware, of any raid by Israel’s enemies during these times when the men were gone from their cities.

The question that begs to be asked is, “Why not?” Why didn’t Israel’s enemies take advantage of this vulnerability? The Bible gives us the answer.  God said, “Three times a year all your men shall appear before the Lord, the God of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year” (Exodus 34:23-24).

Did you see that? The reason Israel didn’t suffer during a period of extreme vulnerability is because of God’s providence and protection. He promised that the enemies of Israel would not covet Israel’s land when the men were on their pilgrimage three times a year. Don’t you find that interesting? Doesn’t that impress you with the power of God and the control he wields in the affairs of men?

Next time you feel overwhelmed and defeated, you need to remember that you serve a powerful God who answers prayer and promises to work on our behalf for our good.

By Steve Higginbotham

Fear God and give him glory

“Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He declared in a loud voice: ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!’” (Revelation 14:6-7 NET).

John’s Revelation is not the most straightforward scripture. There are many explanations and interpretations, some of which have merit and some are more in the realms of fantasy. But whatever interpretation we want to place on it, there are some eternal truths that we can see in the word-pictures that John used to paint a picture for us.

In this picture, John saw three angels with three messages. The first one has a message that we can easily apply today. The message is simple: we need to “fear God and give him glory.” And he gives a reason: “because the hour of his judgment has arrived.”

But why judgment? Throughout this revelation, we have the forces of evil battling against Jesus and his people. Finally, a time of judgment has arrived. And for God’s people, this is good news!

The angel “had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth.” This message was for everyone: all nations, languages, and people. No one is exempt from this message. This is “good news.”

The word for “gospel” if literally translated would be “good news.” And this good news that the angel is proclaiming is “eternal.” It does not have an end. How can a message of judgment be good news?

It is good news for those who are God’s people. The picture immediately preceding this one is of the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with 144,000 of his followers (Revelation 14:1-5). The Lamb is consistently identified in the Revelation as being Jesus. The simplest explanation for the 144,000 is that this is all of God’s people – not a literal total number but that this number represents all of God’s followers.

God’s people have been persecuted throughout their history. We can read about those who opposed Christians throughout the book of Acts and into the letters of the apostles. History tells us that this continued, not only under the Roman emperors but in all ages. And we know that there are many who oppose God’s people today.

Judgment is good news because God’s people are victorious! They have remained faithful and are ready for eternity with the Lamb. The persecution and suffering are now over.

God is to be feared – he has the power of judgment. And God is to be given glory for taking care of his people. We are to worship him. He is the Creator of everything: “heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” The one who has the power to create has the power to judge his creation.

What is the lesson for us? We need to be God’s people. We need to hang on even when the going gets tough. We need to live with the realization that judgment is coming. If we are faithful, that is eternal good news!

Jon Galloway