Responding to God's Call

 July 27, 2024

Saturday

Have you ever thought that putting yourself down is an act of humility? Well, it isn't.

Putting yourself down can be as arrogant as telling others how great you are. Both are a focus on self. Humility is selflessness.

That's not the same as a description of your strengths and weaknesses. There are times when this is called for. It only needs to be announced when you are assessing whether you can accomplish something.

Okay, but are your strengths and weaknesses what you think they are? Do you evaluate these by what you like to do or do you evaluate them by what others tell you or do you evaluate them by the results? The answer is: None of the above.

Moses was called by God to lead His people out of Egypt. Moses looked at his abilities and determined that he couldn't do it. Yet, Moses abilities were given by God for a purpose. The abilities would change with the purpose. 

Some people say that Moses stuttered. This is an embarrassing disability that affects many. Yet, there are preachers who stutter who have done remarkable things. There are preachers with cerebral palsy who have given messages of hope and salvation to millions. Our abilities are given by God for a purpose. The very thing we think is disabling may be the very thing that enables us to do what God has called us to do.

Gideon was called by God to lead God's people against the Midianites. He saw his abilities in his family's stature. He was from the smallest of the small, how could he lead the people. After making sure that this was indeed God's call, he did exactly what God called him to do. 

How many people have come from impossible backgrounds to accomplish impossible things for God? They did so because God had a purpose for them that was beyond their background. DL Moody was uneducated but believed God called him. He often preached with bad grammar to thousands of people. Ultimately, God used him mightily. His uneducated background did not hold him back.

Joseph told his brothers and parents that they would all bow down to him someday. That was a vision given to him by God in a dream. He believed it. He did not know God's purpose in this at the time. It was arrogance to dwell on himself. Yet, God used even this to cause events that would lead to Joseph being the second in command in Egypt and ultimately save his family. In the end Joseph was a very humble man but it came after he had gone through severe trials. When he was brought before Pharaoh he did not claim an ability on his own but said that God would give Pharaoh the answer to his dreams.

Who we are in terms of our abilities, backgrounds and visions are inconsequential to God's purpose for us. Whether we write the "Purpose Driven Life" to be read by millions or clean a small country church is inconsequential to our value before God. God can make a donkey speak. It isn't about the speaker but God who calls and enables through the obedience of those He calls.

I have said many times: God has great things planned for His people. This is true but I failed to recognize what great things are. Great things are doing what God has called each of us to do. Whatever that is, we simply do it for His glory and His glory is always a great thing.

Each day we either ignore or answer God's call. The answer is not according to our abilities. God calls us to give Him glory today.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB 2020) ¹¹ For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Those Who Are Biblical

 July 26, 2024

Friday

I have a question for you. Was Jesus biblical? I am asking if Jesus not only knew the Bible but He followed what the Bible said. The answer is absolutely, but that doesn't mean there were people who wouldn't call Him a liberal. He knew what the Bible said and intended to say. The others gave their human interpretations without knowing the intention nor the full explanation which comes from knowing the whole Bible.

As I have gotten older in the faith, I have changed many of my understandings of what the Bible says. None of these new understandings involve salvation or who Jesus is. That is solid and settled. No, these changes have come about through the study of the scriptures which give a greater picture of what the Bible says and the culture in which the Bible was written. 

For example, my understanding of the woman who was caught in adultery has changed. I thought the purpose of that story was to prevent people from judging others years ago. Later, I found out that it had far deeper meanings. The men who brought her to the Temple for condemnation caught her in the act. They either knew she would be caught by them or they set her up. The Jews understood that knowing a person was sinning without warning them involved them in the sin. They also knew that setting her up involved them in the sin. When Jesus commanded those who had not sinned to cast the first stone they were convicted of their sin, dropped their stones and walked away. However, Jesus could have condemned her except for the fact that there were not two witnesses necessary to convict of a capital offense. So, Jesus didn't condemn her either. He, also, didn't let her off the hook. She was told not to sin anymore. Well, this would be extremely hard for the woman for she had to be married to have committed adultery according to the Jews. Since it was a public sin at this point, she was very likely to be divorced soon. Many divorced women had to resort to prostitution because other men didn't want them. Jesus command to her would not permit prostitution.  Life would not have been easy for her.

So, now when someone quotes, "You without a sin cast the first stone," I ask, "Why do you believe I was involved in a particular sin?" This is being biblical but it goes against what so many people have been taught.

I have determined that I will wash myself from the tradition if that's what it takes to be biblical. Sure, tradition is comfortable but it is the very thing that caused the most conservative people in New Testament times to miss who Jesus was and is. Yes, that does mean that some will call be liberal.  That's what they would have called Jesus, too.

We are not born-again as mature Christians. There is a walk that God expects us to take with Him. That humble walk will reveal God through His Word. It will depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in all truth. It will require change as we learn what the Scriptures say. It will separate us from the world more and more. And sometimes, it will separate us from those who want to call us liberal for not agreeing with them.

Strive to know what the Bible says. Study it and the culture to which it was written. Try your best to understand the message to the earliest of its readers. Let it speak without manipulating it for a predetermined interpretation. Meditate on it. Memorize it. And in all this, do not forget to live it.

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB 2020) ¹² For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Be of Good Courage

 July 25, 2024

Thursday

It's amazing how many times Jesus told us to be of good courage. Having remembered it a few times in the Bible I looked the word up. It has the basic sense "to dare" "to be bold." It carries the idea of trusting in someone or something. So, let's look at the instances it is used. (This is not exhaustive.)

When you are unable to do what you need to do, be of good courage.

Matthew 9:2 (NASB 2020 ² And they brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man who was paralyzed, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”

No one can get forgiveness without Jesus. The man needed to be healed but Jesus gave him a greater miracle. He forgave his sins. You are unable to have your sins forgiven on your own. So, Jesus heals him to prove who He was. The man is now able because of what Jesus has done for him in healing and forgiveness.

When you are sick and have tried every normal avenue of healing, be of good courage.

Matthew 9:22 (NASB 2020 ²² But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” And at once the woman was made well.

A woman had been bleeding for years. She spent all that she had on doctors. They made matters worse. So, hearing of Jesus and believing what she has heard, she pushes forward in a crowd because she believed if she would touch His outer cloak, she would be healed. She had to know who He was to have had this faith. So, she left healed because of her faith.

When you are afraid, be of good courage.

Matthew 14:27 (NASB 2020) ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

The disciples see Jesus walking on the water and are immediately afraid. They think He might be a ghost. But their fears are assuaged when they hear His voice telling them to take courage. So, the disciples fear dissipated because they knew the voice of their Master.

When you don't know if you'll get to do what you believe you should do, be of good courage.

Acts 23:11 (NASB 2020) ¹¹ But on the following night, the Lord stood near him and said, “Be courageous! For as you have testified to the truth about Me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome also.”

Paul wanted to go to Rome to share the gospel. However, he is presently in prison when Jesus appears before him. He is told to be courageous because the Lord is giving him an assurance that he will do what he has purposed to do. So, when you don't know if God will fulfill His word to you, you can be assured that He will. So, be courageous. 

When you don't think you can endure what is set before you, be of good courage.

John 16:33 (NASB 2020) ³³ These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus is leaving this world. His disciples will be discouraged. He tells them that they will have the tribulation He promises them. He tells them that they will be scattered. But He also tells them that He has overcome the world. So, when you don't think you can handle it, be of good courage. Then, the disciples shared the gospel so that it was the light shining in the darkness. The darkness was not able to overcome it.

I don't know what you will face today but I can share with you the words of Jesus. Be of good courage. Jesus has you in His hands. You too, will become an overcomer.

God Speaks with His Children

 July 24, 2024

Wednesday

There are some people that believe that God no longer speaks to His followers except directly through the Bible. In other words, the words that they read are the messages that God has for them. They make some great points but I have had other experiences when I know that God was speaking.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that God has ever contradicted the words in the Bible. He hasn't and won't. However, experiences need to be discerned. We may end up wondering if it was God when it wasn't or saying it wasn't God when it was. So, how do you tell?

The first way has already been stated. God will not violate what He has already said. At this point someone will say that God did that when He told Peter to eat foods that had been considered unclean. While that is true, the point of the Acts story is that the Gentiles would be offered salvation without first becoming Jews. The Christian Jews struggled with that concept. Their practice as Jews made it seem like this could not be the case. It took the Apostles to straighten all of this out. So, what do we learn from that story? As long as God was making a people unto Himself, He had strict dietary laws. Once the gates were opened to all peoples, He relaxed those laws.  

The great difference is that we have a completed Bible today. It has the Old Testament and New Testament intact. There will not be any more Bible written. The Bible is a settled issue as the word of God and will not be added to.

However, once we get beyond right and wrong, does God say more to us individually. Yes, is the answer. How can you say that Jesus wants a personal relationship with us and also say that He never speaks to us. Often we will hear God when we pray. Our spirits listen to His Spirit. He made our spirits alive when we trusted in Christ. His Spirit is made to live in us and will be with us always. Often the Spirit clarifies a scripture. Often that scripture is applied to us. Often we are told exactly what we must do without our names appearing in the scriptures.

I also have stories of godly people coming to me to give me a message from God. I have also heard sermons when that has happened. God uses godly people like He did in the scriptures to come to His people to tell them what they must do.

Lastly, God speaks through circumstances. It is here that we must be the most careful. We can interpret everything as God's message if we let this one go to seed. There is nothing wrong with asking God for confirmation here. However, God aligns circumstances to produce the message He has for us. We need to ask the question: What events am I sure that God has been working? When we know the answer here, we can go forward to see what He is doing. You will see that God has prepared you for this moment. You act because He has prepared you.

I know that God speaks to you if you know Him. 

Jeremiah 33:3 (NASB 2020) ³ ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Almost or Always

 July 23, 2024

Tuesday

If you almost catch the bus, you are left standing on the sidewalk. If you almost passed the test, you failed. If you almost caught the pass, it went incomplete. Almost may be close but it also negates the accomplishment.

Avoiding all the almosts in life is not possible. That doesn't make all things impossible. It just makes perfection in everything impossible. Most people believe that sin is inevitable. They excuse their lives if they are almost righteous in their actions. But sin is not inevitable. It is avoidable but demands perfection if perfection is the standard.

Here are some things that you shouldn't use almost for. You should not be almost saved. This is not an accomplishment for you. It is receiving what God has for you. God wants you to be in His presence. He wants you to have a relationship with Him. He sent His Son to die to pay the price of sin so that you would not need to be perfect or even almost perfect.

You should not be almost forgiven by God. That payment for your sin has already granted you forgiveness. It is never what you do that grants forgiveness from anyone. It is found in the Person who forgives.

Your justice will not be almost complete. The full payment for the sins that you have committed were paid by Christ on the Cross. Justice has indeed been served when we consider our sin.

You have not almost received grace. God's amazing grace comes to you. You either accepted it or not. This is like a light switch. It is or it isn't. It is never almost.

You should not almost have God present. He is always present with you. You should not have God almost think of you. He is always thinking of you. You aren't  almost loved by Him. He has always loved you.

Almost is not what God has for us. God is the only One who can say that almost has never happened for Him. God has the hands of the always, not the almost.

Hebrews 7:25 (NASB 2020) ²⁵ Therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Will Jesus Find Faith When He Returns?

 July 22, 2024

Monday

Luke 18:1–8 (NASB 2020) ¹ Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged, ² saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect any person. ³ Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ ⁴ For a while he was unwilling; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect any person, ⁵ yet because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice; otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’ ” ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge said; ⁷ now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He delay long for them? ⁸ I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

This is a very interesting parable and must be read carefully. Parables typically have one point. This one seems to have more.

Prayer provides protection from discouragement. Jesus says that we should always pray and not become discouraged. Discouragement seems to be waiting for us. It appears to take advantage of those who fail to pray. Things go wrong all the time. Plans get scrubbed. Cars break down. Houses burn down. Jobs get canned. Wrecks happen. Children get sick. Parents die. It just doesn't seem right that those who are loved by God would receive so many bad things.

Yet, why shouldn't we have bad things to us? It isn't like we've been so good that bad things shouldn't happen. It isn't like we have been so good that we won't get discouraged by them. 

Persistent prayer is key to the type of prayer we need to avoid discouragement. Discouragement never takes a day off. Some days aren't bad but they aren't permanent either. Jesus also said that we will have tribulations in this world. I don't think many people will argue with that.

In the parable, Jesus speaks of a widow because she has no means of manipulating things to go her way. She can only continue to ask. The persistence is used to get an unrighteous judge to give her justice. This judge doesn't have compassion for man nor does He have any fear of God. He knows nothing of justice. He, on the other hand doesn't want to be bothered. The woman has faith that her persistence will win the day. God is a righteous judge. He doesn't need the persistence to wear Him down. She needs the persistence to show her faith.

She will receive what she has prayed for. It is faith in action.

Jesus asks if He will find faith on the earth. Will He find people praying? Prayer is evidence of faith.

So, is there much faith on earth? When a prayer meeting is called, only a few people show up if they aren't scared of something happening.  People came after 911 but not so much since then. We all thought that America had made a turn toward God. She didn't. She just wanted to be protected. 

Sure, we hear that people pray but we hardly see it in their faith. That must change.

Everyone Needs Jesus

 July 21, 2024

Sunday

I heard a guy tell me that he knew he was going to heaven because the world was a better place because of him. I have also heard people give the popular assessment that all people are basically good. But just yesterday I got an alert on my computer that said that it had been taken over. I was not to get out of the program I was in. I would be required to pay someone to unlock my computer. It was all a scam.

I also have had people call me from the Microsoft center to tell me that I had a serious problem with my computer when I didn't own a computer running Microsoft. I have had someone call saying that sheriff had been dispatched to arrest me if I didn't pay them immediately. I just read a Wall Street Journal story that said these scammers are using AI now and can't be caught so easily.

Yeah, everyone's basically good, right?

That is not what the Bible says.

Romans 3:23 (NASB 2020) ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 John 1:8 (NASB 2020) ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

It is a nice thought that everyone is good but there must be a different definition of good if we are going to say they are good. I believe most people think that they are good. And, they are by the standard of goodness that they deem themselves good. However, there is not one of us who hasn't sinned. There is not one of us who has completely reached the glory of God. There is not one of us who doesn't need a Savior who will die for our sins.

Sure, some people are worse than others. But those who join the company of the self-righteous are deceiving themselves. Those who believe that they are acting viciously toward "sinners" often never consider their own sins.

I heard of two big-time preachers who had to resign recently because of their sins. Those who applaud these failures in character cannot understand who they are in reality. There is no sin beyond any of us even though there are sins that we have not committed. We should be praying for these men and their families. We should be praying for their congregations. We have no right to be in the company of the self-righteous. We never earned the title. Righteousness was given to us by Jesus. We should never forget that.

I have heard members of my congregation talk about me like I don't know what sin is. They have no idea. I have always needed the payment that Jesus made for me on the cross. I am no better than others. Sure, like I said, there are some sins that I haven't committed. There are too many that I have committed to condemn others for the ones I haven't committed. I live in grace. I should be giving that out to others too.