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Glorious Suffering

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Today over 365 million believers are persecuted for being a follower of Jesus. Some estimates state that 1 in 7 believers face physical persecution.

In 1 Peter, the apostle is writing to the persecuted church in modern day Turkey, preparing them for more extreme persecution.

In America, we are blessed to be able to worship freely without fear of persecution; however that is changing as people are standing against the culture with Biblical truth. One may lose a promotion, a job, or key opportunities, and the day might be coming when if you and I stand for the truth of God’s Word, we may very well face legal action and even prison.

Fearless Living

According to God’s Word, there is real hope and blessing in times of trial. In fact, persecution and trials are always the fuel that God uses to build His church. There is a divine grace and comfort that only those who have experienced real suffering will be able to understand. The key to this grace is that the fear of the Lord conquers every other fear.

In verse 13, Peter encourages his readers to be zealous in doing good (see also Hebrews 10:24-25). Followers of Jesus are called to be “salt and light”, living counter culturally and sacrificially blessing others with our time and resources.

Peter continues to write that even if his readers are persecuted, they should not fear (1 Peter 3:14). Fear is pervasive in our culture. Jesus taught us not to fear— in fact there is only one healthy fear (see Matthew 10:28). What fear is holding you back today?

In verses 14 and 15 we read, “have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy”.

The word “holy” means to be set apart. Fear tempts us to make unholy alliances and compromise our faith. As Christians, when we face a crisis that is forcing us into a corner, we are tempted to give in to fear and make a hurried decision. Decisions made in fear are often the wrong decisions and are outside of the will of God for our lives. 

The Bible reminds us today that as we honor Christ as Lord over our lives, we never have to fear any circumstance. In fact, we bring greater harm to ourselves if we fail to trust God.

Making a Defense

Verse 15 continues, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”.

When we face a crisis, people are watching to see how we respond under pressure. Do we really believe what we profess?

To honor Christ as holy means that we turn every situation and decision over to him. One of the characteristics of submitting our lives to the Lordship of Jesus is that we witness about him. We tell others about what he has done in our lives, and we invite others to become followers of Jesus.

Every Christian should be able to make a Biblical defense for their hope in Christ, especially when the situation looks hopeless. It is in those crisis situations that opportunities for witnessing come about.

Peter challenges us to witness with gentleness and respect. We are not called to win arguments. When people are suffering, there come those moments when there simply are no words. When you have lost everything, when that loved one dies, when the cancer returns… it is in that moment that the only thing that has any value is the grace of God. Let the grace of God shine through you as you victoriously proclaim the hope that you have in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Maintaining a Good Conscience

There is an interesting progression in this text: first, Peter tells his readers to “do good”. Second, he encourages his readers to publicly speak about their faith. Finally, in verse 16, he addresses the mind of the believer—our thoughts, where all good or evil actions and words come from (see 1 Peter 3:16). We all have a conscience, even unbelievers. Our conscience may be compared to a window that lets in the light of God’s truth.

If we constantly disobey God, the window gets a little dirtier and dirtier, blocking out the light, eventually leading to the defiled conscience that Paul writes about in Titus 1:15. When someone sins consistently, their conscience becomes seared and they lose  sensitivity to right and wrong.

As we feed on God’s Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak truth to us, our conscience becomes more sensitive.

How does a good conscience help us when we are going through trials?

Courage

When you know the will of God, even if it is not popular, you have the courage of a strong clear conscience to stand for the truth.

Written on the monument to Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, are the words, “Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen.” His conscience, and his knowledge of God’s Word, gave him the courage to defy the entire established church in 1521.

Peace

When you have a clear conscience, you have peace.  With peace, you have the clarity and strength to move forward.

Having a clear conscience means that we do not fear what other people may know or say about us (see Psalm 118:6).

Having a clear conscience gives us courage and produces peace, even in the face of opposition. A clear conscience comes from a life of holiness and repentance (see 1 John 1:9).

Spending time in God’s Word cleans the window of our souls and allows the light of Jesus to shine in us and through us.

Suffering Well

As Christians, we should not be surprised if, from time to time, we are slandered or persecuted for standing for what is right. Peter wrote in verse 17, “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”

In a world that calls evil good and good evil (see Isaiah 5:20), we will be tested. In those moments, we are called to live without fear, be prepared to make a defense with gentleness and respect, and maintain a clear conscience before the Lord.

How are you making a defense for what you believe?

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Your Best Life Now

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Who doesn’t want to live a meaningful life full of peace and joy? The Bible gives a prescription for us to live life to the fullest. 

Peter is preparing the church for further suffering, preparing them to be strong and healthy as they endure hardship. The Western church is not familiar with persecution, but that may change soon. For a church to remain strong during persecution, they must operate according to the principles of the kingdom of Heaven.  

Living Healthily

Peter lists five essential characteristics of a healthy church in 1 Peter 3:8.  

1: Unity: Unity is not uniformity. We all have different spiritual gifts and different parts to play in the church. We need to be united around the mission of the church. The mission that Jesus gave us has never changed and we are to rally  around that call (see Matthew 28:19-20).                                                                                                       

2: Sympathy: This is having care and compassion for the needs and pain of others in the church. We need to be careful that we don’t simply come and go while overlooking the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters. It is tempting to become hard hearted towards one another, but we must never stop caring (see Romans 12:15). 

3: Brotherly Love: The Greek word for brotherly love is “philadelphia”. This word is only applied in the context of love within the group of believers. Peter encourages his readers to love earnestly from a pure heart.

4: Tender heart: Love in the church is revealed in our tenderness towards one another. Sadly, tenderness is viewed as a weakness today. Tenderness is a heart attitude of actively engaging with the pain of others. Not simply glossing over it with an, “I will pray for you”. Having a tender heart means that we see people and show that we care. 

5: Humility: A humble person puts others first and listens first. Humility is the opposite spirit of the world, and it is the mark of a healthy believer and a healthy church. 

Responding Well

Peter continues in verse 9, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing”.

Jesus was our perfect example as he prayed for those crucifying him. 

This is turning the other cheek, even if another believer says something about you that is untrue.  

I have had the privilege to meet some amazing leaders over the years working with various mission organizations. One of the essential character qualities that I have found in respected Christian leaders is that they don’t defend themselves. Even when they are falsely accused. 

I know this is easier said than done. We need to learn to commit accusations to the Lord. Sometimes an accusation is warranted, and we must receive it and make corrections. But if it is false or malicious, hand it over to the Lord. 

Blessing Others

In the face of reviling, Peter exhorts to live in the opposite spirit, “…on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing,” 1 Peter 3:9b. 

There are so many ways that we can bless others and as we do, we are promised a blessing from the Lord. 

Living Fully

In verses 10 to 12, Peter inserts some verses from Psalm 34. David wrote this Psalm when he was in extreme danger. 

Verse 10 begins with, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days.”

Everyone should want to live life to the fullest, squeezing every drop of opportunity out of our days. This does not mean living free from trouble or pain; that is not what is promised. But Jesus’ promises of abundant and eternal life begin now.

Sadly, many believers are not enjoying the gift of eternal life that we have been given. They are not accessing the fullness of the life God has given them through Jesus. 

There are many different reasons why people are not living life to the full: emotional trauma, sickness, depression or even apathy. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to live full and rich lives. 

How do we do this? The Bible gives us three keys for this kind of life. 

Speak Positively

“Let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit,” 1 Peter 3:10b.

If you want to enjoy life, watch your tongue. Ceasing from gossip, criticism, and lies. 

Occasionally you will meet truly happy people, and one thing you might notice about them is that they never speak ill of anyone. 

So, if you want to enjoy life, speak only about the positive attributes of others and control your tongue (see James 3). 

Do Good

Verse 11 continues, “Let him turn away from evil and do good,” 1 Peter 3:11a.

This is both a turning away and a turning towards. This is not doing good things and hoping to balance out the bad things we do; that is not the Gospel. We must hate sin; it is our sin that took Jesus to the cross where he completely atoned for it. Then we must pursue good as a response to his goodness.

Seek Peace

The final key is also found in verse 11, “Let him seek peace and pursue it,” 1 Peter 3:11b.

As followers of Jesus, we are to exercise wisdom as we relate to others.  Humility leads us to seek peace rather than our own way, preferring others in love. 

Now, this is not always possible; life without conflict is never possible. Rather we have the opportunity to grow closer as believers, through handling conflict with grace and humility.

Live Your Best Life Now 

You may question whether living by these keys will lead to others taking advantage of you?

Peter quotes an amazing assurance in verse 12. 

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

It takes faith to trust the Lord in every circumstance (see Romans 12:19). He alone can bring about justice for us. 

Follow these principles and live your best life now.

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The Armor of God

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Who is our enemy? The media is very good at focusing our attention on the enemy. It may be China, Russia, Islamic extremists or even a political figure. But as Christians we are already engaged in a very real war against a vicious enemy who is actively pursuing our destruction. 

Many Christians are not even aware of the reality of the spiritual warfare that we face every day. And that is precisely one of Satan’s most effective weapons. We cannot fight when we aren’t aware of the battle. Satan is the deceiver and the father of lies. 

The Apostle Paul closes the letter to the Ephesians with an encouragement to stand firm against the enemy of our souls. We are at war against spiritual forces whose primary objective is taking souls with them to hell. 

An Already-Won Victory 

But there is good news! This enemy is raging because he is already defeated. When Jesus died and rose again, the victory over Satan was accomplished (see John 12:31).

We live in a broken world, eagerly waiting for Jesus to come again and finally cast Satan and his demons into the eternal fire of Hell. But until that time, we are called to stand firm (see Ephesians 6:10-14). 

We stand not in our own strength but in the strength of the omnipotent God of the universe. He is our strength; His is the victory. 

We do not fight for victory, rather we fight from victory.

Watchman Nee

. We frequently ask God to help us to defeat Satan in a certain area of our lives, but I would suggest a paradigm shift. Instead of asking for victory, thank God for the victory that Jesus has already won and ask Him for the strength to stand firm in that victory in the face of temptation.  

This means praising God for the miracle of victory even before we experience it—and it requires faith. When you feel oppressed and attacked by Satan’s demons, praise God for what He has done and thank Him for the victory, then allow Him to bring about the experience of that reality (see Philippians 4:6). 

If only the modern church grasped the truth that we stand from a position of victory! The victory does not occur in the book of Revelation; it has already occurred in the death and resurrection of Jesus two thousand years ago. 

The Armor for Victory 

God has given us armor to secure our ability to stand against the attacks of the enemy. The apostle Paul used the familiar Roman military armor as a picture of the secure protection that we have as Christians against the attacks of the enemy. 

Each piece of the armor serves a vital role in keeping us safe in the battle. There are six pieces of armor that every Christian should know and apply. 

The Belt of Truth

Questioning the truth has always been one of Satan’s choice weapons (see Genesis 3:1). Sin entered the world because he made Eve question the truth. As Christians, we must know and speak the truth (see John 8:32 and John 14:6). 

The Belt is our guard against the lies of Satan that often are presented in the form of false teaching. We have the truth in the Word of God. If we neglect to meditate on the truth of God’s Word, we will easily be deceived by the lies of Satan.  

The Breastplate of Righteousness

The breastplate covers the chest and the vital organs against the arrows of the enemy. As believers we are covered by the righteousness of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:21), but we are called to pursue holiness and purity in our personal lives.  

We must not give one inch to the enemy by our thoughts and actions. We have a new identity, and we are to live as such (see Philippians 4:8). 

Shoes of the Gospel

The Roman soldiers had spikes under their shoes that enabled them to have traction on any terrain. Paul likens the Gospel to a pair of effective shoes that can enable us to have traction even in challenging environments. As we go, we are to declare the Gospel of Peace (see Ephesians 6:15 and Isaiah 52:7).  

Are you putting on the right shoes?

The Shield of Faith

The ancient Roman soldier carried a large shield that could be used to build a wall of protection when standing alongside other soldiers. 

The shield is a shield of faith; faith is key to our protection. This shield is more effective when we are gathered in community. When a believer removes themselves from community, they become vulnerable (see Hebrews 10:25). 

The Helmet of Salvation

The Roman helmet was heavy and covered the neck and cheeks of the soldier. It goes without saying that our brains are vulnerable to injury in a battle. Satan also knows that we can be most vulnerable in our thoughts and emotions. 

Satan’s demons use the darts of fear, depression, discouragement, and anxiety to attack the child of God. As we meditate on the Gospel, we are reminded of God’s love and promises towards us.  

The Sword of the Spirit

The Roman soldiers had a short sword that was used in close combat. The enemy often will use people closest to us to hurt us the most. Our battles are often very personal. 

This final piece of the armor is the only offensive weapon we have, and it is sufficient. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and it is precise and sharp (see Hebrews 4:12)

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness in Matthew 4, he used the Word of God as his only weapon, and Satan left him. Jesus stood firm on the Word, simply stating, “it is written”. 

The Sword of the Spirit is crucial to our victory, but to overcome the enemy, we must know the Word of God. This sword is useless if we keep it in its sheath. The Bible is useless if you never open it and exercise it. 

A Battle Plan for Victory

What are you battling with today? 

Remember to put on the full armor of God and stand firm in the already won victory.

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A Leader Prays

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My father was a pastor who faithfully served several churches in the years up until his passing in 2013. I am blessed to have had a father who was a man of conviction and a man of prayer.  

I am so grateful that I frequently caught him in prayer. He was leading by example and teaching me valuable disciplines.

Parents do you lead by example in your home? Do your children find you praying? Do your children even know that you pray?

We are continuing our series called, “leadership lessons from the life of Moses”. This week we focus on the importance of the prayer life of a leader.

A Christian leader is only as effective as his/her prayer life.

Moses the Priest.

Moses was a Levite, a priest, and as such he had the responsibility of representing the nation before God and representing God to the nation. This was the crucial role of the priest before the New Testament and the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church at Pentecost in Acts 2. As we know from 1 Peter 2:9, all believers are priests and are called to be Christ’s ambassadors in our various spheres of life.

As priests we are called to intercede for our family and extended community. How well are you fulfilling your priestly role in your area of influence?

In Exodus 33 we read about the Tent of Meeting that Moses set up outside the camp in order to intercede for the nation. It was also a place where anyone could go and pray to enquire of the Lord (see Exodus 33:7).

The tent was set far outside the camp and Moses would go out to the tent of meeting, as an example of being a leader of prayer (see Exodus 33:8). As Moses entered the tent, the people would all stand in awe and worship God. This is the effect of a leader who prays, it leads those who are watching to worship God.

Prayer is warfare.

The tent was available to all the people, but only those who sought the Lord took advantage of it. Reading between the lines, that probably wasn’t a high percentage. The tent of meeting was far outside the camp, it was not convenient.

 “Every one of us is as close to God as he has chosen to be.” J. Oswald Sanders

Today, many Christians will say that they want a better prayer life, but sadly, they don’t put in the effort. Prayer takes effort. Prayer is hard work. This is not legalism or works based Christianity, but if we want to see things change in our homes and in our society, we must be prepared to put in the effort that is required.

Prayer takes effort. It is warfare. You cannot wage war from the comfort of your mattress, sometimes you must go outside of the camp.

I am not saying God doesn’t answer prayers prayed while you are in bed and wrestling with the issues of life, but there is something powerful when we have a special place to go to pray and meet with God. There is something about a change of venue that shifts our perspective. When you change your location to a place that is set apart for prayer, you are ready to engage in warfare. You are ready to pray.

A little word of encouragement; when you sit down or kneel to pray, leave your phone in another room. In a war, a distracted soldier is a dead soldier. I cannot emphasize this more strongly; your cell phone will spiritually kill you. Sadly, in our culture and in the Body of Christ, there are too many people who are paralyzed by the constant enticement of all forms of media and entertainment that are presented in the palm of our hands. These distractions are all killing people’s ability to function effectively, and sadly in the Church, they are taking people out of the mission that they are called to.

Moses the Intercessor:

As Moses prayed, he set an example for the people to see. A high percentage of leadership is not about what you say, it’s about what people see in your lifestyle and example.

Moses was also an intercessor for the nation. He prayed fervently for the nation. He risked his life for the nation in his boldness before the Lord. Moses stood between the nation’s sin and God (see Numbers 11:1-2).

Every Christian leader should intercede for those they lead.

Moses interceded for the future blessing of the nation. Moses was not content to have seen the deliverance of God in the past, he was not content to have the provision of God for today, he was desperate for the presence of God in the future (see Exodus 33:12-15).

As you lead your family, your community, or your workplace, are you desperate for the presence and the leadership of God?

Are you crying out in dependance on God for the future for those you influence?

It was from his place of intimacy with God, that Moses was able to become the greatest leader in the history of the nation of Israel.

How are you preparing to lead? Commit to leading in prayer.

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Blinded

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Sight is one of our most valuable senses, but there is a blindness that is worse than physical blindness: spiritual blindness. Physical blindness, even though it could affect one’s entire lifetime, is not as bad as spiritual blindness that can lead to an eternity separated from God. 

This week we remember Palm Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey with crowds cheering him on—the same crowd that days later would shout “Crucify him!” Before this day, Jesus had been preparing his disciples for his crucifixion. In the Gospel of Luke, he tells them three times what is going to happen in Jerusalem, but they do not understand what he is talking about. To them, Jesus was the invincible Messiah heading to Jerusalem to establish his earthly throne. They did not see the full picture and the amazing purpose of God for Jesus coming to the earth. 

Revealing Spiritual Blindness

Jesus takes his disciples aside and explains that everything written through the prophets about him will be accomplished. The disciples knew the Scriptures; they had been taught that the Messiah would come and re-establish Israel as a mighty nation. But they did not dwell on passages like Isaiah 53, the prophecy about the suffering servant who would be rejected by man and even punished by God. That prophecy didn’t fit their understanding or paradigm of how God would fulfill the Messianic prophecies.  In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus clearly predicted his death would be by crucifixion (see Matthew 26:1-2). This type of death was reserved for the worst criminals. According to the law of Moses, those who were crucified were under a curse by God (see Deuteronomy 21:22-23 and Galatians 3:13). 

No other person in all of history was less deserving of such suffering than Jesus. Not only did Jesus suffer an excruciating death, he also took on the full punishment of the wrath of God for our sins. That was the real suffering of the cross. It was a suffering by design; it was the plan of God all along (see Isaiah 53:10).

In Luke 18:34 we read, “The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.” Luke emphasizes the lack of understanding by repeating it three times. The disciples were blind; they did not see with spiritual eyes. They were looking for the establishment of an earthly kingdom, but the truth was hidden from them. 

Healing Physical Blindness

It is no coincidence that the very next miracle recorded in the Gospel of Luke is that of Jesus healing a blind man. The juxtaposition of the disciples’ spiritual blindness with the man’s physical blindness reinforces their lack of understanding.  Jesus performed many miracles that were not recorded for us in the Bible, but this one was significant.  Its positioning in the Gospel is key. 

This blind man is so loud in his desperation that he incites a rebuke from the crowd, but he keeps on yelling with all his might. He is desperate because he grasps his own blindness and has faith that Jesus can open his sight. 

Notice the contrast: here is a blind man who is desperate to be able to see, and here are disciples who are unaware of their own spiritual blindness. The most significant event in human history was lost on those participating in it—even those closest to Jesus—because they were expecting something else. They didn’t see clearly.

The blind man knew who Jesus was. He recognized that Jesus was the Messiah.  He praised God and followed Jesus. 

Saving from Spiritual Blindness

Those who are the most blind respond the most readily to the Gospel. Those who realize the depths of their sin are the most appreciative of their salvation. 

Remember the words of Jesus to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:17; “For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” This letter to the Laodicean church was addressed not to those who didn’t believe in Jesus but to the early church who did.  Yet they were blind because they did not completely grasp the truth of the Gospel. 

Jesus was with God at the beginning of creation; Jesus spoke the earth into existence. When he created that hill called Calvary and formed the tree that became his cross, he knew that he would ultimately suffer and die on it.  He created the instruments of his own suffering because of his love for you.

As we go into this Holy Week, we will see the cross all around us perhaps more than any other week of the year. Let that remind us of the foundation of our faith. Without the cross, we have no savior.  Without the resurrection we have no hope. And without the Spirit we have no sight. The truth about Jesus was hidden from those around him when he walked the earth. In the same way, the truths of the Word of God are not self-evident; they are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. When God starts speaking to you through His Word, it comes alive. It makes you wake up in the morning looking for the Bible. 

As you read about the crucifixion account in the Gospels this week, spend time praying and asking the Holy Spirit to give you insight and understanding. Make it personal, realizing that Jesus was thinking about you as he walked the road to Jerusalem. 

My prayer for all of us is that if there is an area of spiritual blindness, the Holy Spirit would give us eyes to see and ears to hear. As Jesus said to his disciples on another occasion in Matthew 13:16; “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

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Be Thankful in all Circumstances

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Several years ago, I read a book that really challenged me regarding experiencing joy in life. According to the author, Andy Andrews, a grateful spirit is a powerful deterrent against self-pity, writing, “the seeds of depression cannot take root in a grateful heart.”

Often, we find ourselves complaining about seemingly mundane aspects of life when we should really be grateful. For instance, instead of complaining about a sink piled high with dishes, we should be thankful for the shared meal with dear friends. Likewise, household chores and the physical strain of a hard day’s work should be seen as reasons for gratitude, acknowledging the privilege of having a home and the ability to work.

When we really think about it, we have much to be thankful for.

This past summer we were able to go to South Africa. And once again I was challenged by the children. I have been to some of the poorest places in the world. Despite having nothing, the children in these places radiate unparalleled joy. It is humbling to see the depth of true joy and gratefulness.

In our society today, thanksgiving is treated as an interfaith holiday or perhaps even a faith-optional holiday. But looking back to the pages of History, we know that the original thanksgiving celebration was dedicated to thanking God for his provision and protection.

Thanksgiving is all about God, and recognizing who he is and all the blessings he has freely given us (see James 1:17)

“The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank”.

Dante Rossetti.

Psalm 105 begins with the line, “O Give thanks to the Lord…”

But true gratitude is more than simply thankfulness, it is acknowledging and praising God for His attributes. The Psalmist is not simply thankful for the blessings, he is thankful for the attributes of the Giver Himself. Spending time thanking God should always lead to worship.

Not only does thanksgiving lead to worship, it also leads to making the works of the Lord known as we read in the second parts of verse 1 and 2. If we are thankful to God for what He has done for us, we will be compelled to share the Good news of salvation with those around us. A heart for missions is driven by a heart of gratitude.

Verses 3 and 4 emphasize that thanksgiving will lead to worship and declaring the attributes of God. We as His children can become so wrapped up in what we need from God and we become so focused on the mighty hand of God that we seldom seek the face of God. James 4:3 is a clear reminder that we need to check our motives before coming to God in prayer.

As we seek the face of God, we see his attributes. To be truly thankful, we need to meditate on the nature and character of God.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to remember what the hand of God has provided for us and in so doing we begin to praise him and declare his attributes.

God has made a way through the death and resurrection of Jesus for us to know Him. To have a close relationship with Him. The Psalmist encourages us to seek the Lord.

The Psalm continues in verse 5, with a call to remember the works of God. This is not simply remembering the facts of what happened, but it is a call to meditate on the wonders that God has done. The Psalmist is saying to the people, slow down, stop what you are doing and hit the pause button and dwell on what God has done.

Then in verse 6 the Psalmist reminds the people of their identity, as the chosen people of God. And we are included in this reminder. We as followers of Jesus Christ, sometimes forget who’s we are. We have so much to be thankful for because the creator of the universe calls us his own special possession (see 1 Peter 2:9).  

Everything that we have on this earth, all the many material blessings will one day pass away. Only one blessing from God is infinitely more valuable than any other, the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to suffer and die on the cross, in order that whoever believes in the risen Lord Jesus Christ will have eternal life. That is something we are grateful for today.

But what if you are suffering today? You might be enduring financial, emotional or physical trials.  How do we live with thanksgiving through hardship?

George Matheson was a well-known Scottish preacher in the mid to late 1800’s. He suffered terribly from poor eyesight and eventually total blindness at a young age. He once wrote the following in response to his suffering. “My God, I have never thanked thee for my thorn. I have thanked thee a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorn. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross; teach me the value of my thorn. Show me that I have climbed to thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my rainbow.”

What thorn do you have in your life today?

To thank God for the thorn takes faith and an eternal perspective. He is making a rainbow out of your tears.

If we as believers are grateful for the suffering Jesus endured on the cross, then we must pray that we would be grateful for the suffering that God allows in our lives, that brings the beauty of the cross to those who watch us endure with thanksgiving.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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You Must Be Born Again

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Have you ever noticed that some of the teachings of Jesus are hard to grasp.

Ultimately, what he said led to his crucifixion, and they are still offensive to the world today.

Sometimes we gloss over the hard sayings, or worse yet, we think that they don’t apply to us. But the teachings of Jesus are the Word of God to every generation.

In John 3, we read of a high-ranking Pharisee coming to meet with Jesus.

This well-known account of a senior leader a pharisee coming to Jesus to know more about Jesus. Nicodemus lived sincerely under the law as best as he could. He adhered to the strictest possible religious rules. But he desperately wanted to find out the truth about Jesus.

We see Nicodemus showing up a few times in the Gospel of John, a man who was not afraid to stand against the crowd and be identified with Jesus after his crucifixion. Nicodemus was bold and Jesus took time to meet with him.

Nicodemus doesn’t ask a question, But Jesus jumps right to the heart of the matter in verse 3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”.

Jesus knew his heart and the fact that he was seeking truth and cuts to the chase, he jumps into a difficult conversation.

A better translation of verse 3 could read, “unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God”.

Can you imagine poor Nicodemus, he must have been quite confused. Jesus was using language that we are familiar with because we hear it all the time, but Nicodemus was hearing this for the first time, and it made no sense. The familiarity of what Jesus said can also be lost on us.

Obviously, we are by nature flesh, referring to our ordinary humanity. But we are born spiritually dead. We are not spiritually attuned to the things of God.

Ephesians 2 begins with the shocking statement, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sinsin which you once walked, following the course of this world,” Ephesians 2:1-2a.

Until you are born again, you are spiritually dead, you are unable to see or understand the things of God. The problem with spiritually dead people is that they don’t know they are dead.

Spiritually dead people are unable to hear God speak to them, because they do not have the Spirit of God in them, they have no desire to read God’s word, because it makes no sense without the Spirit’s revealing truth to us.

Tragically, spiritually dead people can raise their hands and come forward in a meeting, saying all the right things, get baptized and become good church members. Spiritually dead people can serve on committees and even teach Sunday School or lead a life group.

Sadly, when it comes to eternal salvation, the church might just be a dangerous place. Because you can put on a clean face, clean up your language, give money, even mouth the right prayers, but unless you are born from above, you are not a child of God, and you are destined for an eternity separated from God in hell.

Becoming a Christian is not becoming a better person or cleaning up your act, becoming a Christian is coming alive! Being born from above.

Nicodemus was spiritually dead, but the Spirit of God was drawing him in. That is what the Holy Spirit does, He makes people aware of their desperate situation and leads them to encounter the risen lord Jesus.  

Nicodemus began to wrestle with the beauty of the Gospel, he asked Jesus in verse 4, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

You see, this leader and rule follower, this man of exceptional discipline and obedience, was looking for something to do, but the new birth does not come by a set of accomplishments. It is a free gift.

Jesus says to Nicodemus in verse 5, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

What does Jesus mean when he says, to be born of water?

Nicodemus would have known Ezekiel 36:25-26. Where God tells the nation of Israel that He will spiritually wash them of their sins, a washing that will come with the new covenant when God puts His spirit inside of believers (see Titus 3:5 and Ephesians 5:26).

Being born of the Spirit means to be filled with the presence of God by the Holy Spirit, it means coming alive spiritually. If you don’t know what it means to be born of the spirit, you will never know what it means to walk in the spirit.

Walking in the spirit affects every aspect of our lives, our decisions and plans are all led by the Spirit of God. How we steward our finances, how we interact with people, where we go and how we spend our time. Being born of the Spirit means that we will begin to display the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-24.

If someone was to follow you around for the next 7 days, and see everything you do and hear everything you say, would they be able to testify that you are born of the Spirit?

Are you born again? Are you born of the Spirit of God?

Are you daily experiencing the power of the resurrected Christ in your life?

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In God We Trust

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“In God we Trust”. It is the official national motto, signed into law in 1956.

The sad irony is that in our nation today, few people really trust in God. Many people say that they have faith in God, but their actions and lifestyle show that they do not trust God.

In Psalm 25, David is crying out to God for direction, and in verse 2 he states, “O my God, in You I trust…”. And then in verse 3 he says, “Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame…” Waiting on the Lord is the equivalent of trusting in Him. It is actively trusting the Lord, waiting on Him to reveal His plans. Choosing to wait on the Lord and not run ahead of him, that is trusting in the Lord.

In verse 4 and 5, David asks the Lord to show him the way he should go. He is prepared to wait all day for the Lord. David acknowledges that he doesn’t have the ability to move forward, he is pleading with the Lord for direction. How often do we cry out to God like this for our future? Do we know what it is to wait on the Lord? Or do we offer a 30 second prayer and then rush out and make our own plans, hoping that God will bless it.

We read in verse 9, “He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way.”

Now we know that in order to trust God we need come before him humbly and acknowledge our weakness. But the word “humble” in the Hebrew could also mean, afflicted or broken.  

We tend to think of being humble as a posture that we present to God in the way of our attitude, but rather David describes being afflicted and humbled by God. We don’t like the sound of that. David was pleading with God to teach him, and the humbling process was the way God taught David dependence on Him.

By God’s Grace he does that to all of us, when we are brought to the place where we realize we have nothing to offer and are humbled in the presence of the almighty God.

Part of learning to be directed by God, begins with the fear of the Lord (see verses 12,14 and Psalm 111:10). To fear the Lord is a theme throughout the Old Testament.

Fearing the Lord means to be in reverent awe of His holiness, to give Him complete reverence and to honor Him as the God of great glory and majesty. This will bring us into a position of understanding and wisdom, which is knowledge given by God. Only as we truly fear the Lord will we be freed from all destructive and satanic fears.

In verse 15 David declared, “My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.” David trusted God to deliver him when he was in trouble. Do we know how to trust in God when we face trouble? (See Psalm 91:2).

Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead to free us from the power of sin and death. We have a risen savior that rules today at the right hand of the Father. Our struggles today are temporary and fleeting in the light of eternity.

We look around and we see a nation that is very different to the one we knew 20 years ago. However, nothing that is happening today or will happen tomorrow will ever shake God or surprise Him. And along with that, the church, the body of Christ that is built on the foundation of the Word of God will never be shaken.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8.

In order to put our trust in the word of God, we need to know the word of God and meditate on the word of God. What a privilege we must open the Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal truths to us. The Bible is a sure foundation that will not be shaken in an ever-changing world.

When we see the changes taking place around us, we need to be drawn to our knees to pray for our country. We weep and mourn as we see changes that seem to be out of our control, but we are not a people without hope. If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and have a growing relationship with him, you are part of another Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. This kingdom will endure forever (see Psalm 145:13).

Matt Chandler once said, “The Kingdom of God wasn’t born on the Fourth of July.” 

Do you trust in God?

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The Awesome Word of God

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The Bible, the Word of God, is one of the foundational pillars of the church.

The opening verses of John’s Gospel is one of the most profound pieces of scripture and probably the greatest introduction to a book in the Bible. He goes back to Genesis 1 and uses the same language that was in the Torah, “in the Beginning, God…”. And then he uses the term “Word” for Jesus.

He writes that the Word was with God, and then he makes a bold statement, “the Word was God”. In fact, in the Greek, the order of the sentence reads, “and God was the Word”. But the definite article makes the “Word” the subject of the sentence.

If that wasn’t enough, he declares that this God/man is the one who spoke all of creation into existence by the power of his word.

This is Jesus, the creator God, and the revelation of Jesus in the Word of God carries more power than we could possibly imagine. It is not a collection of ancient texts that offer some wisdom.

God has been speaking to His creation from the beginning. Psalm 19 is a picture of God speaking through His creation, His general revelation. God spoke directly to Abraham, Moses, Samuel, and then through the prophets. God ultimately revealed himself through Jesus (see John 14:9).

In verse 4 of John 1 we read, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Life is a key theme in the Gospel of John, the word is used 36 times in the book. One of the essential requirements for life is light.

When Jesus ascended into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fills the followers of Jesus and enables them to be the light of the world. The Holy Spirit is the one who reveals truth, gives wisdom and understanding, as we feed on the Word of God.
And then in verse 5 we read, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This is the ultimate spoiler, John hints at the beginning of the book, “hey, I want you to know how this ends, the light wins!”

The light always shines, and the church is now the carrier of the light. In the world in which we live, this is not a losing battle, there will always be opposition as long as there is darkness, but light always dispels darkness, it is a law of God’s creation established in Genesis 1:3. The church that has the Bible as its foundation, will always be the light in the darkness.

And there is a promise in this verse, it is not written in the past tense, it is a present aorist continuous sense, simply meaning, “the light has overcome, will overcome and will keep overcoming the darkness.”

We are living in an age of fear with all the information that we are exposed to from the media and entertainment world. Fear controls, fear paralyses. What are you afraid of today?

  • What about the economy and the predicted financial collapse?  “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

    • What about the LGBTQ agenda for our children and grandchildren? “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

    • What about the seemingly endless reports of murder and violence in our city? “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

    • What about the war in Ukraine and Chinese saber rattling, what about a third world war? “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

    • What about churches closing? It seems that we are losing ground in an increasingly secular world. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The light of the Word of God will never fail. Isaiah 25:3 reads, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

Keep your eyes on the Word of God (Jesus) and keep your eyes in the Word and you will know peace, because the darkness has not overcome it.

The Bible is by far the most printed book in all history, with somewhere between 6 and 9 billion copies printed. The next most printed book is the “Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong”, with about 900 million copies in print. The Qur’an has approximately 800 million copies printed. In the 21st century, Bibles are being printed at a rate of around 80 million per year.

The Emperor Diocletian (AD 284-316) boasted, “I have completely exterminated the Christian writings from the face of the earth!” The very next emperor, Constantine, became a Christian and ensured that all churches received Bibles immediately. Every dictator who has been controlled by Satan throughout history has sought to eradicate the Bible, yet it stands (see 1 Peter 1:23-24).

The Bible is by far the most published, most read, most sold, most attacked, most offensive, most critiqued, most studied, most ignored, most influential, and most powerful book in all human history. So why do we not consume it every day?

Why do we think we can resist temptation, raise children, be the light, and live as overcoming Christians, by ignoring the reading and memorizing of the Word of God.

The church has the word of God as a foundation and pillar. Any church that removes or contradicts one part of scripture to satisfy a secular worldview, has ceased to exist as the Body of Christ. If the word cannot be trusted, then it cannot be foundational. If the Bible is not our authority, then what authority do we have?

We must remember that Jesus, the Word of God, is the head of the church and the bridegroom of the church.

Are you feeding on the Word? Allowing the Word to shine brightly in the darkness?

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Thankfulness a Spiritual Discipline

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As we celebrated another thanksgiving, we were grateful to spend time with some of our church family. I am so glad we live in a country that celebrates a day of gratitude.

I think Thanksgiving means so much to Debbie and I because like the Pilgrims, we are immigrants and have been blessed by God in these United States. The word “Pilgrim” means, “a person on a sacred journey in a foreign land.” We must remember that we who are followers of Jesus are all pilgrims and foreigners in this world.

Thanksgiving is all about God and recognizing all the blessings He has freely given us. In a world that has all but pushed God away in every sphere of society, it is amazing that we still celebrate thanksgiving.

Dante Rossetti once said; “The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank”.

The Psalms are full of wonderful anthems of praise and thanksgiving, and Psalm 103 is one of them.

It is interesting to see what David focuses on as he thanks God. Not once in that entire Psalm does he give thanks for his family, his home, his possessions, or even his throne. David doesn’t give thanks for many of the things most people would mention. Instead, he praises God for forgiving his sins, healing all his diseases, redeeming his life from the pit, crowning him with love & compassion, and satisfying his desires with good things so that his youth was renewed. David couldn’t lose those things.

Jesus emphasized the same thing in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 6:19-21). How thankful are we for the things we can never lose?

Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,”

This is such a crucial verse. If we forget the blessings of the Lord, we will quickly become ungrateful, take things for granted, and maybe even begin to feel entitled. The danger of this is that we become focused on what we don’t have, rather than on the many things we receive from the Lord that we don’t deserve.

Psychologists will tell you that there is tremendous benefit in being thankful. It is needed for our physical health and for developing healthy relationships. I would like to suggest that thankfulness becomes a spiritual discipline that we can and must develop, and it will produce enduring fruit.

The Bible is full of commands, and it encourages us to be thankful (see Ephesians 5:19-20).

We know that the Bible is practical and recognizes the pain and suffering that we encounter on life’s journey. The command to be joyful and give thanks is not an excuse to turn a blind eye to pain and suffering. Rather it reveals to us that are unable to be continually thankful without the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Real thankfulness is not dependent on our circumstances, it is a response to the goodness of God and the Gospel message.

The Psalms are full of examples of thanksgiving during pain. Several the Psalms of David begin with him crying out in pain, but by the end of the Psalm, as he recognizes the hand of God, he thanks and praises the Lord.

Our lives are fragile, and we easily forget how dependent we are on God for everything we have (see Psalm 103:13-16). Our lives may be fragile and fleeting, but to God we are precious in His eyes, and He will never forget us.

Our Father provided a way to redeem us and bring us into relationship with Himself. Our sins and prideful nature separate us from God, and unless our sins are atoned for, we will never enter into eternal life in relationship with God. Psalm 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” That is something to be thankful for!

Tim Keller observed: “The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself or less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.”

Isn’t it amazing that two people who live in similar situations can have such a different outlook on life. One person is negative and complaining, while the other is optimistic and joyful.  The difference is gratitude.

Praise and thanksgiving make all the difference in life.

Each moment that we’re given is a precious gift from God. We can choose to have a thankful attitude and live each moment full of joy.

Being thankful is an act of worship because it reminds us of our provider, our Heavenly Father.

My challenge to you this week is that as you go about your day, make a point of being grateful for the little things, and if you struggle with identifying them, ask the Holy Spirit to give you eyes to see the blessings all around you.

As you do that, you will be praying without ceasing!

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray without ceasing,” we repeat that verse but often overlook the full sentence starting in verse 16, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

We are called by God to rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances.

Why? Because it is the will of God in Christ Jesus. God knows that this is the best for you and me. A spiritual discipline that will produce a harvest of righteousness.