Roaming Through Romans (Chapters 15 and 16)

Roaming Through Romans

Chapters 15 and 16

Romans 15:7 reads: “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.” And Romans 15:1 and 2 tell us: “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”



Here we have it again. It’s all about our love and acceptance of one another in Christ. It’s so important to the Lord that we love each other. It means so much to Him when we receive one another as He has received us. And He waits and hopes that we bear with each other’s weaknesses as He bears with us. That we built each other up and respect one another. These issues are so close to our Lords’ heart. And we find it so easy to let Him down.



This month I have had the sorrow of watching a loving Christian family be torn apart. – Mother-in-law against son-in-law, mother against daughter, and son against mother. False accusations abound, and everyone is hurt. My heart has been broken just watching and the Lords’ heart has been broken too. Satan wants to break up families and shut down loving communications. God calls us as His children to help loved ones stay connected, to pray for reconciliation, and to bear with the scruples of the weak.



All through the Bible God calls us to love and accept one another as He has loved and accepted us. And He continues His call for acceptance and love in these last chapters of Romans. Romans 15:5 tells us that our comforting and patient God will grant us the grace to be like minded with one another. It reads: “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” I would think that we have to want this help from God, this ability to be like minded to others. God won’t force it on us if we harden our hearts towards those we don’t like and don’t want to change.



I like to believe that Romans 15:5 is telling us that God is patient with us when we are having misunderstandings with loved ones and acquaintances. And that He is a God of comfort who will comfort us when we are having personal problems with others and give us grace for those difficult people, if we ask for that grace. And if we are in the wrong and are acting in an unloving manner, God is patient with us and will change us to act lovingly if we let Him.



Sometimes we find it difficult to forgive those who have sinned against us. It’s at such a time that we have this comfort from God. He promises here in Romans to give us a special gift that will enable us to be like minded and forgiving towards the people who are against us. Next time we have an argument, let’s take what God is offering us, -His comfort and His gift of granting us the ability to be like-minded with the opponent. We don’t have to agree with our opponents but with Gods’ help we can at least see their point of view and forgive them.



We have finally come to the last chapter of this marvelous book of Romans, chapter sixteen. This last chapter begins by introducing Phoebe to the Roman congregation. According to many scholars it was Phoebe who carried Paul’s written book of Romans to the congregation in Rome. Paul calls Phoebe a servant of the church and a sister who has been a helper of many. Paul continues in this last chapter, naming many of the Roman believers and sending them personal messages and greetings.



Then he instructs the church in Rome to avoid anyone who causes divisions or offenses that are contrary to the doctrine. Romans 16:17 reads: “Now, I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” It’s so easy for false doctrine to creep into the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Lord through Paul reminds us here in Romans sixteen to defend our precious faith and stay away from those who would tear it down.



Paul continues in verse nineteen: “…but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.” This isn’t the first time that God’s Word has instructed us to be simple concerning evil. Ephesians 5:12 says: “It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” And 1 Corinthians 14:20 states: “Brothers, stop thinking like children, In regard to evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature.” What do these verses mean? Could it mean that Christians should be mature in their faith but not try to become experts about all of the details of evil deeds?



Paul concludes his famous letter to the church in Rome with a prophetic benediction which begins like this. “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,…” Romans 16:25a. We are reminded along with the church in Rome that it is God who establishes us in our faith when we hear and believe the preaching that Jesus Christ died to save us.



The preaching of Jesus Christ is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who believe it is the power of God. Our little part is to believe and follow Christ and God’s part is to establish us and hold onto us. And that is the main message all through the sixteen chapters of the book of Romans.

The Chief End of Man

The Chief End of Man

By Francis A. Schaeffer

“The chief end of man



is to glorify God



and to enjoy Him forever.”



It would be scripturally false to leave out the second phrase –



“and to enjoy Him forever.”



The men who formulated this showed



Great wisdom and insight in saying,



“and to enjoy Him forever.”



Nevertheless, the first phrase is the first phrase:



“The chief end of man is to glorify God.”



And in Christianity we have a non-determined God



Who did not need to create



Because there was love and communication within the Trinity,



And yet having been created, we as men can glorify God.



But we must feel the force of both sides of the issue.



If we fail to emphasize that we can glorify God,



We raise the whole question of whether men are significant at all.



We begin to lose our humanity as soon as we begin to lose the emphasis



That what we do makes a difference.



We can glorify God, and both the Old and New Testament say



That we can even make God sad.



That is tremendous.

We will continue with Roaming Through Romans Chapters 15 and 16 next week.

Roaming Through Romans (Chapter 14)

Roaming Through Romans (chapter 14)

One of our duties as Christians is to encourage one another in our walk with Christ. Along with that we are instructed not to gossip or judge. And Jesus asks us to ‘Love one another’ ‘Feed My sheep’ and do our best to keep the peace. It sounds easy to follow these simple laws of love but many a problem can appear along the way to trip us up. Chapter 14 describes one of these problems, the problem of what we eat and drink or don’t eat and drink.



Chapter 14 begins by telling us not to argue over doubtful things. “For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats: for God has received him.” Verses 2and 3.



And verses 13 and 15 read: “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way”… “Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.”



And verses 19, 20a and 21 read: “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. … It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”



There are many small ways in which we can obey God and keep the peace. But we have to be constantly on guard for the little things that can bring us or others down. If we order a glass of wine when we are with a friend who considers drinking wine a sin we may cause a problem for her. Wouldn’t it be better not to have the glass of wine in her presence than to offend her? We need to be sensitive to the feelings of our fellow Christians. Verse 18 says: “For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”



While we are on this earth we are engaged in warfare. We are Christian soldiers and we are commanded to fight the good fight. That means we are not to let little annoyances take us away from righteous living. 2 Timothy 2:4 tells us, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this world,…” Christ tells us in Matthew 18:4 that in this world offenses must come but to be careful not to be the one who brings them in.



It’s a war we are fighting and Satan would love to bring us down. He can often dampen our Christian love with just a careless word of criticism from a friend or an unkind remark from a loved one. We need to constantly be on guard for those small insults, not to let them trip us up. Without Christ’s help we can’t win so we need to continually be in prayer and be quick to forgive. 2 Timothy warns us not to get entangled with petty things. Song of Solomon 2:15 reads: “it is the little foxes that spoil the vines.” Often a little gossip can spoil a grand relationship. Christ begs us not to let that happen.



Before Christ died for us he prayed in the garden that our love for each other here on earth would match that of the love in heaven. His greatest wish for us is that we love one another, but often we lose that love when a small offense is spoken against us or some petty irritation shows up in our way. At such times, Jesus must be disappointed.







Since our first priority as Christians is to love one another, let’s not let food or drink or any thing else get in the way of that.

Roaming Through Romans (chapter 13)

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 13)

We continue on through Romans, reading what Paul had to say to the church in Rome. Chapter 13 starts out: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Rom. 13:1 Paul continues on by urging all Christians to pay their taxes and to respect and honor their national leaders, because he insists that government leaders are God’s servants. (Romans 13:2-7)



I wonder what Paul would say to some of the churches today who openly disrespect our national leaders. Would Paul approve of the Christian groups that have mixed their angry political agendas with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? Is it the position of the body of Christ to stir up hatred for our elected government leaders along with preaching the gospel? Is Romans 13 still relevant for us today in America? When I visit some Bible bookstores today and observe that books written by political stars are mixed in along with Bibles and devotional material, I am upset that my Jesus has been so compromised.



Should an attack on the leaders of our national government be one of the missions of the church today? I don’t read that in Romans 13. Of course throughout history there have been some truly evil government leaders, (Hitler, Stalin, etc.). Under these extreme circumstances the church should be prepared to accept martyrdom before submitting to such dictators, mass murderers, etc..



Paul continues in verse 8: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” He continues that all of the commandments “are summed up in this one rule: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:9b and 10. There it is again! Love should be the hallmark of all Christians.



“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” Romans 13:12-13. Christians are to act differently from the world. Sexual immorality and drunkenness and jealousy are called ‘the deeds of darkness’. The Lord wants so much more for us. He wants us to live in peace and be faithful, to have true love and put on the ‘armor of light.’



Romans 13 ends with these words: “Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Romans 13:14. We are instructed to clothe ourselves in the Lord Jesus! Make no provision for our sinful desires. He must increase and we must decrease. Don’t you love the way this chapter ends. It tells us to wrap ourselves up in Him. Let’s do it.

Roaming Through Romans (Chapter 12)

``Roaming Through Romans (Romans chapter 12)

`The twelfth chapter of Romans starts right off with instructions for us to let God’s Word and His Holy Spirit radically transform our way of thinking. We are warned not to be conformed to the ethics of this world. We are to be different. Proverbs 14:12 warns: “There is a way that seems right to people, but its end is the way of death.” And Romans 12:2a reads: “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,…” The worlds’ ways aren’t good enough. When we believe in Christ, God has a new way for us to go.



To be transformed by a renewed mind means to be committed to the ideals of this new way -the kingdom of God. As Christians we have been born again into God’s kingdom. We can’t navigate this kingdom walk by ourselves. His Spirit and His Word will help us. Since we follow kingdom precepts now, we don’t fit in with the ethics of this world. When the world ethics say we should compete, the kingdom ethics tell us to cooperate. We are strangers and pilgrims here.



Romans 12:1 begs us to present our body as a living sacrifice. The Jews brought animals to God as their sacrifice in the Old Testament times. But today our sacrifice to the Lord is our life. We are invited to give our life to the Lord.



As we move on through Romans 12, the Lord through Paul challenges us in verse 3 “…not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” We are being called to give up worldly pride and live lives of humility here. Paul continues in verse 4 and 5: “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Our different gifts make us love and depend on one another all the more. The fact that we are all one body in Christ is a beautiful mystery that draws us closer together.



We read on and verse 9 through 13 and 15 emphasizes love as the guiding principle in Christian relationships. “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” …“distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” And “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” In these verses you can see that love reigns supreme! God is calling us to love.



We are instructed to allow love to shine through our lives, not just for our fellow believers, but for our enemies as well. Romans 12:14 and 17 read: “Bless those who persecute you: bless and do not curse.” and “Repay no one evil for evil.” And Paul continues with this theme in verse 19 and 20. “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him, If he is thirsty, give him a drink: For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”



You can see we are over our heads and out in deep waters here. We will sink trying to love our enemies in our own strength. But we can walk on water with the Holy Spirits’ help! He will give us the strength to obey this command if we ask. We can love our enemies if we live Spirit filled lives.



Romans 12 closes with this last instruction: “Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” How many times in our lives have we felt surrounded with controversies, hatreds, insults and dangers? It’s so easy to want to fight back with the same. But our marching orders are to overcome evil with good. And we can do that. In Christ we can do it all.



Christians are being called in this chapter to come away and not accommodate to worldly standards. The worlds’ standards for success are obtaining wealth, status, and power. When we play the worlds’ game we love our friends and hate our enemies. We are proud of ourselves, compete with our neighbor and get angry with those who get in our way. We become depressed when we aren’t the center of attention and we are critical of folks we don’t agree with. We take care of Number #1 and we push ahead at others’ expense. This worldly way comes naturally and makes so much sense to all of us, but it leads to death.



But God calls us to a different way. When we live in the Spirit we love our friends and we love our enemies too. Our lives are marked with humility and we don’t think that we are more important than others. When friends treat us badly we take our hurt feelings to God. We constantly keep asking the Lord to help us love the unlovely. When we’re angry we get over it and forgive. The standards for success in the kingdom are faith and obedience and love. And as Christians we don’t live for ourselves but we live for God. We’re being invited to take this road less traveled. It’s a whole different way, but it leads to life.

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 9-11)

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 9-11)

Why were so many of the Jewish people refusing to believe in their Messiah, Jesus Christ? God had shown Paul clearly that salvation and righteousness come only through faith in Christ. But many of his fellow Jews did not recognize Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. They were substituting their law-righteousness for faith-righteousness in Christ. Paul was worried about them. In Romans 9-11 he pours out his concerns.



In speaking of his beloved Israel Paul laments: “but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ Romans 9:31-33.



This stumbling stone is also mentioned in Isaiah 28:16 and in 1 Peter 2:6-8. The stone that the builders rejected, the stumbling stone is Jesus Christ, who offers salvation by faith and not works. This stone is described In 1 Peter 2:6 “---Behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Peter here contrasts what Christ means to believers and what He means to unbelievers. To the believer Jesus, the Cornerstone, is precious, but to the unbeliever He is a rock of offense to be stumbled over. These passages reaffirm that what we do with Jesus Christ is all important!



Paul continues: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:3-4.



Paul, the great evangelist continues on in Romans 10:9-13: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”



These passages in Romans are so beautiful. Salvation is so simple. Even a child can understand and accept it. No detailed plan, no tedious obstacle course, it’s just one Way. It isn’t earned by good works. It’s a gift that can be received by just believing and confessing. It’s universal, free to all: Jew and Greek. It’s so easy that unbelievers stumble over it.



Paul continues worrying about his Jewish brothers. Since many Jews have not trusted in Christ, Paul believes that they will be lost. How can God keep His promises to bless and save Israel if they continue rebelling? Didn’t God make covenants with the Jewish nation? Didn’t God promise that Israel would be delivered? How can this be if they don’t believe? It doesn’t add up in Paul’s mind. Things aren’t working out the way he thought they should. Paul twists and turns in his anguish.



In Romans 11 the Holy Spirit through Paul begins to address these questions. All Jews won’t be saved but God will save a remnant. A parable is told of a cultivated olive tree that had all of its’ dead branches removed. Then branches from a wild tree are grafted into the cultivated olive tree to replace the dead branches that had been cut off. Paul interprets the parable by explaining that the cultivated olive tree is Israel and the branches that are removed are the Jews who rejected God. The wild tree branches that are grafted into the cultivated olive tree are the Gentiles who accept God’s salvation.



Romans 11:25b-27 tells us that Israel’s blindness to salvation is only temporary. It reads: “The blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”



We read this prophecy of how all along God is working with the Jews and the Gentiles and we shake our heads. Even while they are rebelling He is working. We can’t understand the full meaning of the olive tree and the branches that were cut out and the other branches that were grafted in. Gods’ mysteries are too deep for us to comprehend. We have to trust that He will do what He promises even when it seems impossible to us. Paul seems to be saying that even though things look out of control to us that God is in control. Romans 11:33 reads: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”



Even though Paul was dismayed that Israel had not recognized her Messiah, he was learning to trust God to take care of the situation. He still believed that Gods’ promises are sure, even though he couldn’t understand how they would be worked out. We are often like Paul in that we also need to look to God and His promises when we can’t see any way out of our troubles..



When we are new Christians we sometimes assume that God will bless our lives with continuous victories. Since we love God, we believe that our children will turn out to be good Christians and our job will always remain secure and our ministry for God will touch many lives. And then our children rebel and we lose our job and our ministry doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere. And we twist and turn and wonder where God is. And that’s when we, like Paul, have to trust God with our impossibilities and just keep on trusting. We need to keep standing on His promises and having done all to stand we just stand. God will help us. Our little faith grows sturdy and tough through all of our trials and all of our standing on the promises and all of our trusting. And the longer we stand and the tighter we hang on, the stronger our precious faith will grow.



Our problems are only temporary. The only thing God asks of us is to trust. Let’s show Him that we can do that. Let’s let go and let God. A day is coming when the Deliverer will come out of Zion and will give us the victory, even though right now we can’t begin to understand how.



`

Predestination vs Freewill

Our Sunday School Class has been discussing the difference between predestination (Calvinism) and freewill .  Sarah Scheuermann, one of the members of our class wrote this thoughtful piece and I want to share it with you.  

Predestination vs. Freewill

by Sarah Scheuermann

First of all I believe that God is in control, but He doesn’t control everything that happens.




As I think about Predestination and Freewill there are two areas, P&F and salvation and P&F and fate.



Predestination and Salvation:



“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”2 Peter 3:9



If God already predestined who would be saved, wouldn’t that render the Great Commission useless? But God is timeless, no past, no future, so He knows how everything is going to turn out.



But there are verses that throw a wrench into the mix.

2Thess. 2:13,” because from the beginning God chose you to be saved.”

Ephesians 1:4, “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with His pleasure and will.”

1 Thess1:4 “For we know, brothers loved by God , that He has chosen you..”

Col 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…”



Wait a minute, just because I choose somebody doesn’t mean they choose me back! I suppose I believe that God predestined everybody to be saved, but He knew that everyone wouldn’t accept His gracious gift.



John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because He hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” KJV



That says it all. I believe God chooses grace for everyone, but we have to accept it.



Predestination and fate:



There is a joke, a Baptist pastor falls down some stairs, and he says “Thank you, God, that I didn’t break my neck.” The Presbyterian minister falls down the same stairs and says, “Thank goodness that’s over with!”



First of all I believe that God is in control, but He doesn’t control everything that happens. If everything were predestined to happen we would not have to read the Bible or try to make the right decisions. I don’t believe God meant for me to have this speech problem anymore that it is in His will for tragedies that we don’t understand to happen to people we love. But I trust ‘that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28



I sometimes have trouble thinking about all the evil in the world. I wonder why God is allowing it. If he created everything and it was good, why in such a short time did everything go wrong? Then I read Job 38



2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel

with words without knowledge?

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?

Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!

Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 On what were its footings set,

or who laid its cornerstone-

7 while the morning stars sang together

and all the angels shouted for joy?

12 "Have you ever given orders to the morning,

or shown the dawn its place,

17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?

Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?

Tell me, if you know all this.

19 "What is the way to the abode of light?

And where does darkness reside?



There is a reason that God is God.









__._,_.___

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 8:18-39)

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 8:18-39)

As we read through Romans we discover many spiritual truths and treasures, but when we get to the eighth chapter of Romans we hit the Mother lode. Whenever I feel depressed I read that last half of chapter 8 and it always helps. The descriptions there in Romans 8 of the profound love and provision and victory that are ours in Christ are so over the top that I can scarcely take it all in. We humans are so used to scraping by and making do with semi solutions to the troubles we encounter in our sinful world that the confident victorious language in Romans 8 sounds foreign to our ears. Let’s read on and see!



Romans 8:18 reads: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Verse 19 and 21 continue with: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God ---because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”



We learn here that the whole created universe has suffered the consequences of human sin and has been subjected to corruption. However this process of deterioration is temporary since God promises deliverance. We will be delivered and so will creation. Our suffering will be turned into glory. Since nature (the earth) was cursed because of our sin, it will be emancipated too when we are. Verse 21 says that creation is eagerly waiting for this to happen! What a day that will be!



Romans 8:23 reads: “ ---but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” This verse is saying that just as the first fruits of a harvest are an evidence of a good crop that will be coming, the Holy Spirit in our lives is the evidence-the proof of our adoption into God’s family, and the future redemption of our bodies. We groan now because even though our souls are saved and we have the Holy Spirit to guide us, our bodies are still mortal and subject to pain and death. However we can look forward to having resurrected bodies in the future. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:53



Romans 8:24-27 continues discussing the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, His help in our weaknesses and His intercession for us. But when we come to Romans 8:28 we find a mysterious and comforting truth waiting for us. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”



We can stand on this amazing promise when we are going through bitter disappointments and hardships and sufferings. Sometimes our lives seem out of control and evil seems to be winning out. Nothing makes sense and God doesn’t seem to hear our cries. This is the time that we need to remember Romans 8:28. God can work everything in our lives together in the long run for good, even the bad things. We need to remember that God is still in control and can take our worst messes and our bitterest disappointments and turn them around to be good, even though we can’t begin to understand how.



More amazing truths follow. Romans 8:29-30 reads: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called, whom He called, theses He also justified: and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”



I read these verses and believe that they are saying that God had an advance plan. God knew ahead of time who would accept Him, so whom He foreknew He predestined and called to Himself and justified. –and later will glorified. Scripture tells us that it isn’t God’s will that any should perish, but that all should have eternal life. 2 Peter 3:9. God created us in His likeness. God has a will of His own and He gave us humans a will of our own. We are not robots and God doesn’t force us into His kingdom. We have a choice whether to accept the Lord in our lives or whether to reject Him. God foreknows who among us will accept Him and He puts a hedge around those He foreknows will accept Him and keeps them and calls them and justifies them for Himself. His preparation for us has been continuing through the ages. There’s more than meets the eye in this salvation of ours. He’s got us covered!



The next two verses are equally amazing. Romans 8:31-32 read: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? “ These scriptures again shout out the love and acceptance and special privilege that God has poured out on His children. We can scarcely take it in!



Chapter 8 of Romans ends with assurances that we can never be separated from Christ’s love. Romans 8:33-39 reads: Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long: We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”



God has justified us so no one can accuse us. Christ has died and risen for us so we cannot be condemned. God has us in His Hand. His banner over us is love. Nothing in the universe is outside of God’s control so nothing, including our own selves, can separate us from God’s everlasting love. Didn’t I tell you that the promises and truths found in this eighth chapter of Romans would be over the top?



























+

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 7-8:17)

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 7-8:17)

As we continue reading through Romans we find more truths and discover more treasures. In the seventh chapter of Romans Paul talks about the difference between living under the law and living under grace. Gods’ law is good because it points out our sin. But just knowing that we are sinning isn’t enough since we don’t have the power in our own strength to stop sinning. Without help we can never reach Gods’ standard of perfection. So God’s law by itself isn’t enough as it convicts us but can’t save us. Some people count on their good deeds to save them. They try to follow the law and they believe that their own best efforts should be good enough. But Romans 7:14 tells us: “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.”



Paul talks about the frustrations of living with his old fleshly nature. When the word “flesh” is used in Scripture it means the human personality that is controlled by sin and selfishness. Our human nature, the nature we were born with just isn’t good enough. Our “fleshly” nature which is carnal (not spiritual) can never learn to obey Gods’ law which is spiritual. We need help. We need a new spiritual nature. And that is exactly what God gives us when we trust Him.



So when we trust Christ as our Savior we are “born again” and given a new spiritual nature. Paul describes his two natures, his new nature in Christ and his old fleshly nature, and the conflict this causes him. All Christians share this same conflict since we now have two natures. Even though Scripture tells us that we have been given a new nature in Christ, we are still stuck with our old sinful nature until we die.



Paul in trying to describe the futility of trying to be good enough on his own describes himself and his personal struggles with sin. “For the good that I will to do, I do not do: but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ---For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:19,22-25.



In verse 24 Paul cries out asking for deliverance from “this body of death” The figure is of a despairing person chained to a dead body. In verse 25 Paul’s despair gives way to victory. Throughout life our struggle like Paul’s between the new nature and the old one will remain. But Christ can free us from the bondage of our old nature if we live in the power of the Holy Spirit.



Paul shouts out our victory and his in the next verses, Romans 8:1 and 2. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”



This law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus refers to the work that the Holy Spirit carries out in our lives, breaking the dominion of the old law of sin. Romans 7:4 says: “---You also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ,---“ We are instructed to consider ourselves dead to sin but alive to Christ. What we couldn’t do by ourselves – stop being slaves to sin – Christ can do for us. When we believe, we are given a new life in Christ that we didn’t have before. The believer has power in Christ, and the Holy Spirit has been given to believers to help us be victorious over sin. Breaking sin’s power over our lives is something we could have never done on our own. But now we have a Helper, a Guide.



Paul continues by encouraging us to live according to the Spirit (our new nature in Christ) and put to death the things of the flesh (our old sinful nature). To live in the Spirit is life and peace, he promises. Romans 8:6. He reminds us that if we follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit we can be free of the bondage of fear and he tells us that the Holy Spirit will bear witness with our spirits that we are children of God. Romans 8:16.



God’s people, who lived during the age of the law when the Old Testament was written, did not all receive the Holy Spirit personally in their lives. The Holy Spirit was given to some prophets and special leaders, but not to every Jew. Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit on all believers, had not happened back then. The age of grace had not dawned and Christ had not yet given Himself as a sacrifice for sin. We believers today have so much more. We live in the New Testament age of grace, after Pentecost, where each believer has been promised the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives to guide them. Christ has fulfilled the law and we no longer live in fear under it. We now follow the Holy Spirit and live under grace.



Paul’s main message here in these passages in Romans is to remind us to follow the Holy Spirit and to describe the believer’s two natures. He calls us to live our lives in the Spirit (our new nature) and not in the flesh (our old sinful nature). The fight is on Oh Christian soldier! Two natures within us battle for supremacy in our lives and it is up to us to choose between them. We can follow our old nature and live as backslidden Christians, bringing sorrow and reproach on our Lord and Savior. Or we can live a fruitful life following the Spirit and bringing joy and honor to Christ.



It’s a process, learning to live our new life in Christ and leaving behind the old. Sometimes we will fail in our Christian walk but we must get up and try again, remembering that we always have the Holy Spirit with us to help. It takes time to mature in Christ, to grow in grace. And some believers get stuck along the way and never grow up. Let’s not be one of them. Many witnesses are watching as we run the race. So let’s give it all we’ve got.



`

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 5 & 6)

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 5 & 6)

There are so many treasures to be found in the book of Romans, so many truths to be discovered. Gods’ Word, the Bible is a miraculous living book that will change us if we read it and believe it. And the book of Romans is commonly considered the greatest exposition of Christian doctrine anywhere in the Bible. Let’s read through several more chapters of Romans and see what we can find.



Romans 5:1&2 tells us that we are “justified by faith” and that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ, by whom we have “access by faith into this grace in which we stand ...”. Here again we learn that God has prepared a special place for us to stand in His grace; a place of hope, joy, peace and salvation. The ticket to this grace place is faith, and we are taken there by Jesus Christ. He is our transport, but without faith there is no access. I want to have the faith to go there. I want to stand in this grace place –this special place of mercy that God has made for us, don’t you?



Reading on to Romans 5:18-19 we learn that we inherited our sinful nature from our forefather, Adam. But we are born again and made righteous through Christ, the second Adam. We are in Adam by birth, but we are in Christ by faith. Again our all important faith is required.



Reading on to Romans 6:3 we find: “Or do you know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” Romans 6:5 goes on with: “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” When we are persecuted and rejected we act as if something strange is happening to us. But Scripture tells us that when we follow Jesus we will share His sufferings. If the world hated Christ it will hate us too. As the bride of Christ we will be identified with Him and carry His cross. But we will also share His resurrection! We see these mysteries through a glass darkly now.



As we move on we come to another treasure in Romans 6:7 : “For he who has died has been freed from sin.” Other scriptures state this same truth. Perhaps we get so used to living in this sinful world with our sinful selves that it is hard for us to imagine that when we die we will be instantly transported to a sinless place where we will be changed and will be completely sinless ourselves.



As we continue to read through Romans we come to some powerful promises that we can use when we resist sin. Romans 6:11 says: “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:14 reads: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” These passages in Romans as well as others throughout the Bible impart the truth that we never have to say that we are defeated by a sin.



Another scripture, 1 Corinthians 10:13 speaks to this same amazing promise. “”No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Although we can never say in this life that we are free from all sin, we can know that through Christ we can overcome any sinful addiction. Romans 6 expounds on the fact that we no longer have to be “slaves” to sin. Christ has set us free and Scripture says that we never need to be trapped in a sin. Sometimes we don’t appreciate it but through faith in Christ we have been given this power to resist sin. Let’s take advantage of our freedom!



You see, I told you that there are many treasures to be found in the book of Romans, and many truths to be discovered. Take these truths we have discussed and make them your own. Stand on these promises. And read through Romans 5 and 6 and see how many more treasures you can find that we didn’t mention here.

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 1:1-5:1)

Roaming Through Romans (Romans 1:1-5:1)

Many scholars believe that the book of Romans was a letter that Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote to the church in Rome about 55 A.D. Paul had founded churches throughout the Mediterranean world. But the church in Rome had been founded by other Christians. Nevertheless Paul wanted to visit them, encourage them in the Faith and hopefully impart a spiritual gift. The letter to the Roman church was probably hand delivered by Phoebe as Paul commends Phoebe to them at the end of his letter. Romans 16:1-2.



Romans is a book of Christian doctrine. The main theme of Romans is that the Righteousness of God is shown through His amazing Gift to us in the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. And the first four chapters teach that all people are sinful and that we should not trust in our own good works for salvation. God has given us salvation as a gift that we should accept His gift with faith. In chapter four we are encouraged to imitate the faith of Abraham.



Romans begins with Paul’s greetings and discussions of his upcoming trip to visit the Roman church. But by Romans 1:18 Paul gets into theology. He discusses God’s anger against people who “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”. Romans 1:19-20 continues with: “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”



Verse 21 continues: “because, although they knew God they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Verse 25: “who exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”



It seems according to this first chapter of Romans that God doesn’t let the atheist off the hook. Romans 1:20 tells us that the people who say they don’t believe there is a God really know better. They know in their hearts that God is God. But they reject God because He is inconvenient. Believing in Him would mess up their lifestyle. So they don’t believe on purpose. This verse says that Gods’ “invisible attributes are clearly seen” so the unbeliever is “without excuse.” Verse 20 continues by declaring that we humans are able to see plenty of evidence that there is a God when we look around at the created world we live in.



Verse 18 tells us that people’s sin often causes them to suppress the truth and hold false views of God. The rebels cover up the Truth so they won’t have to change. They feel at home with their demons but not with the Lord who can cast out those demons. They love their selfish ways too much to be willing to give them up. Verse 23 goes on to say that often these unbelievers “exchange the truth of God for the lie and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator …” They hold to their false views of God because they know that the truth would require that they turn from their sins.



So we see that the first two chapters of Romans comes down hard on people who refuse to acknowledge God. The blame is put right back on the unbeliever. They choose to reject God and their judgment is self induced. They want to do it their own way. Gods’ anger and punishment is promised on all the ungodliness of the people who reject Him. The first two chapters of Romans make that very clear.



As we read on through Romans we come to descriptions of Gods’ grace and provision for our salvation. Romans 3:24-25 says: “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith to demonstrate His righteousness because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.” And in verse 28: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” These verses tell us that Gods’ righteousness is demonstrated because He has loved us so much that He has given us His Son. And because of Christ’s sacrifice, because of His blood, our sins are passed over and cleansed.



In the fourth chapter of Romans, we are encouraged to accept this Gift of salvation through faith. Abraham’s faith is held up as an example that we can follow. Faith is choosing to believe what God has said. The most important thing that we can do is to have faith in God and in Christ as our Savior. God has declared in His Word that faith is the attitude of heart by which one can obtain salvation. Scripture declares that we are “justified by faith.” Romans 5:1. We can’t please God without it. Faith is the one childlike attitude that is exactly the opposite of trusting ourselves. Our faith in God is all important but it is so simple that we almost stumble over it. God has given us this great Gift of salvation. Our part is to just simply believe and thank Him for the Gift. God has done His part. Now let’s do ours.

God's Promises to Father Abraham and his Children Israel -- and Us

God’s Promises to Father Abraham and his Children Israel –And Us!






Abraham lived about 2,000 B.C. in the town of Ur, which was in the land we now call Iraq. The people of ancient Ur worshipped idols and knew nothing of God. One day God spoke to Abraham. In Genesis 12:1 we read that God told Abraham to leave his home and his relatives and everything he had known and travel to an unknown land far away. He was to trust God to lead him there. Abraham wasn’t given a map or any directions of how to get to this land. But Scripture says that Abraham believed God and obeyed. Abraham “went out not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8.



Traveling back then was difficult and dangerous. Abraham left his comfortable home with his wife Sarah and along with relatives, servants and flocks he followed Gods’ leading some 800 miles across the endless desert to the land God had promised him, - Israel. Now isn’t that faith?



God was pleased that Abraham trusted Him and God made some promises to him. “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless, thee, and make thy name great: and thou shall be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.! Gen. 22:18. Genesis 12:2 and 3, and “All the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth.” Genesis 13:15-16. And again in Genesis 17:8: “Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Did you notice that God promised this special land to Abraham and to his children for ever?



Abraham believed Gods’ promises even though he didn’t understand their full meaning. Even though Abraham was a sinner God was pleased with him because of his faith. We read, “He (Abraham) believed in the Lord: and He (God) counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6.



God had made promises to Abraham that his children would become a nation that would bless the earth and as always Abraham had believed God. But God tested Abrahams’ faith and as the years passed by, still Abraham and Sarah had no children. Old age was setting in and Sarah was past the age to bear a child. And as always Abraham waited and believed that God would keep His promise. Finally when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90, God gave them their promised child, Isaac. Abraham was even willing later to offer up his special son Isaac to God when God tested him, because he trusted that God would bring Isaac back from death. There wasn’t anything that Abraham would hold back from God. Throughout his life Abraham consistently exhibited his faith in God.



God made a covenant with Abraham concerning these promises (Genesis 15:8-18) and continued repeating His promises later to Isaac and then to Jacob. These special promises were to be given only through Abrahams’ son Isaac. Hebrews 11:18-19. God made other provisions and blessed and set aside land for Ishmael. (Genesis 21:12-13) And God kept repeating these promises down through the generations through Israel’s prophets. These promises from God to Israel were recorded again and again in the Bible.



All of these promises were made a long time ago and at first they don’t seem to matter very much to us today. But Matthew 1:1 reads: “Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Jesus was also the promised Son of Abraham. Galatians 3:16 says: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many: but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” The promises that God made to Abraham were made to Christ. Ezekiel 39:27-29 describes how God will bring Israel back to their land from where they have been among the nations and pour His Spirit on them and be their God. More Bible prophecies concerning those original promises to Abraham tell us that Jesus will come back and set up His kingdom in the Promised Land with His people Israel.



One of Abrahams’ promises from God was that Israel would become a nation and would bless all of the nations of the earth. We Christians have been blessed with salvation through Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah. Our Bible is Jewish, our Savior was born Jewish, even our Christian faith is Jewish. We have definitely been blessed by Abrahams’ Seed.



In fact, Scripture tells us that if we have faith in Christ Jesus we are also sons of Abraham and have inherited the wonderful promises that God gave Abrahams’ children, Israel. We have been given these promises through Christ. Galatians 3:26&29 reads: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. … and if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” So we along with the Jews have inherited the promises made to Abraham, and we are also considered “sons of Abraham!” Since Abraham believed God, all of us who also follow in his footsteps and believe God are his “sons”. There is an old gospel hymn that goes something like this: “Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them and so are you. So let’s just praise the Lord.”



Since Scripture says that God makes us sons of Abraham through Christ because of our faith, do we have anywhere near the faith in God that Abraham had? Will we leave our comforts like Abraham did and follow God anywhere not knowing where He is taking us? Can we keep believing God like Abraham did when he had to wait decades into his old age for his promised son? Would we be willing to offer up our most precious possession to God like Abraham did? God was very pleased with Abrahams’ faith. Is He pleased with our faith? Philippians 4:19 tells believers in Jesus: “My God shall supply all of your needs, according to His riches in Glory.” It appears that God is giving us the same sure promises and blessings that He gave Abraham. Let’s try to give God back that same believing faith that our father Abraham had. Scripture says that God was very pleased with Abrahams’ faith. Let’s follow in Abrahams’ footsteps and also exhibit a faith that pleases God. It’s the most important thing that we can do.

Jesus' Sacrifice for Us Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Old Testament Prophecies Foretelling Jesus’ Sacrifice for Us - Isaiah 52:13-53:12




“See, My Servant shall prosper, He shall be highly exalted. Yet many shall be amazed when they see Him – yes, even far-off foreign nations and their kings: they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in His presence. For they shall see and understand what they had not been told before. They shall see My Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall He cleanse many nations.



But, oh, how few believe it! Who will listen? To whom will God reveal His saving power? In God’s eyes He was like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. But in our eyes there was no attractiveness at all, nothing to make us want Him. We despised Him and rejected Him – a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way when He went by. He was despised and we didn’t care.



Yet it was our grief He bore, our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, for His own sins! But He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was chastised that we might have peace: He was lashed-and we were healed! We are the ones who strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on Him the guilt and sins of every one of us!



He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He never said a word. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter: and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He stood silent before the ones condemning Him. From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that He was dying for—that He was suffering their punishment? He was buried like a criminal in a rich man’s grave; but He had done no wrong, and had never spoken an evil word.



Yet, it was the Lord’s good plan to bruise Him and fill Him with grief. But when His soul has been made an offering for sin, then He shall have a multitude of children, many heirs. He shall live again and God’s program shall prosper in His hands. And when He sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of His soul, He shall be satisfied: and because of what He had experienced, my righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for He shall bear all their sins. Therefore I will give Him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because He has poured out His soul unto death. He was counted as a sinner, and He bore the sins of many, and He pled with God for sinners.

Jonah and the Whale - Jonah 1:1-4:11

Jonah and the Whale—Jonah 1:1-4:11

The ancient Assyrians had been the enemies of the Israelites for as long as anyone could remember. All his life Jonah had heard horror stories of how his fellow countrymen were being captured by the dreaded Assyrians during their many brutal raids. Husbands, wives and little children were being carried away by the Assyrians to become their slaves, never to be seen again by their grieving loved ones. Raping and pillaging as they attacked, the powerful Assyrians left fear and destruction wherever they went. Jonah as a committed patriot and a devout Jew, had learned to hate these pagan Assyrians with all of his heart. The year was around 760 B.C. and religious Jews everywhere were praying that God would destroy their enemy, the Assyrians. And Jonah was praying for Assyria’s destruction too.



It was into this mix that God came to Jonah and instructed him to go to the Assyrians with a message, - a special message from God. Jonah was told to go to Nineveh, a city in Assyria, and tell the people of Nineveh that God wanted them to repent of their violent ways and turn from their sins. Jonah was to warn the Ninevites that God would destroy their city in forty days because of their wickedness.



Jonah didn’t want to obey God or do what God had asked him to do. He didn’t want to be Gods’ prophet and missionary to the heathen Assyrians. He wanted God to destroy the people of Nineveh. Jonah decided to run away from the presence of God. He got on a ship headed for Tarshish – the opposite direction from Nineveh! Surely God’s presence couldn’t follow him all the way to Tarshish. Jonah paid his fare and climbed down into the lowest part of the boat out of sight. Now God couldn’t find him, he reasoned, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.



The sailors shoved off from shore and the ship sailed out into the Mediterranean Sea.

The ship cruised along in the night for several hours over the moonlit waters. But it wasn’t long before problems began to occur. A gale force wind came up and soon the sailors were struggling to keep the little ship from going under. Jonah kept sleeping as the winds grew worse and the boat swayed dangerously from side to side. The frantic sailors started throwing cargo overboard to lighten the load. But still that wasn’t enough as the storm raged on. The desperate captain and sailors prayed to their gods and cast lots to see what was causing all the trouble. And when the lot fell on Jonah they climbed down into the lowest deck and woke him up.



“Throw me into the sea and the storm will be calmed” Jonah insisted. “I was running away from God,” he told them. “I know that this great storm is because of me,” Jonah 1:12. The men rowed harder through the storm to get back to the shore but to no avail. And finally when it became certain that the ship would sink and they would all die, they reluctantly had to throw Jonah into the stormy waters.



Jonah was sure he would die right then and there, but God wasn’t through with him yet. Scripture says that God prepared a great fish whose purpose it was to swallow up Jonah And for three days and nights Jonah lived in the belly of the fish. Not a pretty place to be. Jonah describes it like this: “The waters surrounded me, even to my soul: The deep closed around me: Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains: The earth with its bars closed behind me forever: Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.” Jonah 2:5-6.



Jonah prayed to God from the belly of the big fish. You and I would have prayed too if we were to find ourselves stuck inside a fish! There are no atheists in fox holes. I think Jonah was finally learning that he couldn’t run away from God! Jonah promises God that he will obey. Then God speaks to the fish and Jonah is vomited out onto dry land.



This time Jonah obeys God and goes to Nineveh. He still doesn’t want to go, but God has gotten his attention with the fish incident. Jonah knows that God is merciful and kind. What if the people of Nineveh are sorry for their sins? Then it would be just like God to forgive them and let them live. That’s why Jonah doesn’t want to warn the people of Nineveh. He wants them all to die. Jonah sulks around the city calling out Gods’ message: “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah 3:4b. He hopes the people don’t hear him. When he has finished warning Nineveh, Jonah goes to a spot east of the city. He decides to campout there for the forty days so he can watch the destruction of Nineveh. God causes a vine to sprout up near Jonah and give him shade from the sun. Jonah loved this vine. Now he will be able to watch from his comfortable seat as all the people of Nineveh are being killed. He can’t wait!



An amazing miracle takes place in Nineveh after Jonah gives them God’s warning. The Bible tells us that every single person in the city believes Gods’ message. As the depressed Jonah shuffles through the streets calling out, every man, woman and child listens and is personally convicted of their sin. Each one pours ashes on themselves and begs God for forgiveness! From the poorest peasant woman to the richest lord, every last person in Nineveh stops eating and drinking and calls out to God. They all put on sackcloth and ashes to show how sorry they are for their violent ways. When the king hears Jonahs’ warning he proclaims a fast throughout all of Nineveh. The king orders his people: “Let neither man nor beast, herd or flock,taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.” Jonah 3:7b-8.



And what do you think God did then? Of course our loving God forgave Nineveh. God changed His mind and didn’t destroy the city as He had said He would, since all the people of Nineveh had turned from their evil ways. The book of Jonah teaches us that God has mercy and compassion for all people and always forgives when people confess their sins...



And how did Jonah feel about all of this? Well, sadly Jonah was furious. He did not share Gods’ love for the heathen. Instead of Jonah being glad that God had been able to use him to help save Nineveh from destruction, he was outraged. He wanted Nineveh to get what was coming to them! The Lord wanted to share His compassion for the lost with Jonah. He urged Jonah to look beyond his anger and be concerned about human suffering. God asked Jonah: “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4;4



.God tries again to get His point across with more object lessons and reasonings. He prepares a worm which ate the vine that had shaded Jonah from the hot sun, - the vine that Jonah loved so much. The vine dries up and dies. Jonah is so outraged and upset over the loss of his little vine that he wants to die and lashes out again at God. “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” Jonah 4:9b.



The book of Jonah ends with God trying once more to reason with Jonah. God observes that Jonah cares deeply about losing the vine that grew up overnight and gave him shade. But Jonah doesn’t care at all about the thousands in Nineveh who have just been saved from death.. God points out to Jonah that twenty thousand persons living in Nineveh don’t even know their left hand from their right (babies and little children?) And God continues by mentioning that many animals in Nineveh have been saved from death also. Doesn’t Jonah care that innocent children and animals have been saved from a painful death? Why does he care more for his vine (his comfort) than for suffering humanity? Aren’t his priorities mixed up?



Jonah is still angry when the story ends. There is no record that he ever changed. We have no hint that Jonah ever even tried to see things Gods’ way or listened when God pleaded with him to have compassion. He seemed to stubbornly cling to his old hatreds. He even asked God to let him die in his bitterness. God spoke directly to Jonah and performed amazing interventions right before his eyes and still Jonah refused to give up his prejudices.



If there is one lesson we can learn from Jonah, that lesson might be to not let anger take over our lives. Jonah let his anger keep him from all that God had for him. Let’s not make that same mistake. Jonah had the privilege of being one of Gods’ chosen prophets, and yet he hardened his heart. And even God couldn’t persuade him to soften that heart.



Each of us, though we belong to the Lord, like Jonah, have our own prejudices and hatreds. God is asking us, like He asked Jonah, to put away our anger and change. God longs to share His heart with us and His vision. He desires to love others through us. He is gracious and He wants us to be gracious too. God wants us to have concern for the thousands who don’t even know their right hand from their left, and for the animals too. God isn’t satisfied with just blind obedience. He wants our hearts and our souls. Let’s not hold back on God like Jonah did. Let’s give Him everything we’ve got.













.

Praise The Lord - Psalm 100

Praise the Lord –Psalm 100








The Hebrew title of the Book of Psalms is ‘Tehillim’ which literally means the Book of Praises. The Book of Psalms or “Praises” was actually the songbook for worship events in the temple in ancient Jerusalem, and the Psalms were especially designed for singing. Psalm 100 is a short poetic psalm that begins by urging us all to praise the Lord. “Make a joyful shout unto the Lord, all you lands!” Psalm 100:1.



The importance of praising God is stated right off and the rest of the Psalm just keeps on going with this message. “Serve the Lord with gladness: Come before His presence with singing.” Psalm 100:2. Verse two reiterates what verse one has already said, but then adds a bit more. The child of God is told to sing and be joyful while serving God.



Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit: a gift that we are given when we believe. Christians have much to be joyful about and this hope and joy gives strength to our lives. Nehemiah 8:10 says: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” So let’s take this joy gift out and use it by singing praises to God. .This can be a remedy for times when one may feel weak or depressed. David built himself up in the Lord by praising Him, and we can do that too.



Psalm 22:3 says that God is present (enthroned) in the praises of His people. I have been in church groups where I could feel the warm Presence of God while the group was singing their praises. The verb ‘inhabit’ in Hebrew is ‘yawshab’ which means; -“to sit down, to remain, to settle, or marry.” In other words, God doesn’t just visit us when we praise Him, but His Presence abides with us. There’s power in praise.



Psalm 100:3 goes on with: “Know that the Lord, He is God: It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” This verse just gives us more reasons to praise God. He created us for Himself to be His children, to do His work. Our birth wasn’t an accident. We were planned and loved before the foundation of the earth.



If we were to stand before a nice house and be told that the structure just accidentally evolved over millions of years, the timbers, cement and all the details of construction just falling into place over time; we would laugh at such a story. Obviously someone has to plan and build a house! No one could believe that a house could bring itself together even over extended periods of time! Is it easier for a house to just evolve over millions of years without human builders or a live person to be born without God creating her/him? Psalm 100:3 tells us that God made us and we didn’t sprout all by ourselves. Another reason to praise God, our Maker and our Creator.



“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4 This little Psalm just doesn’t quit. It continues encouraging us to praise and thank God, and to bless His name. Perhaps thanking God doesn’t seem that important to us. But Scripture tells us that it is. I know it’s important to me. When I send gifts year after year and never ever hear a response or a thank you, I become discouraged and wonder if I should continue sending gifts. Remembering to be grateful may seem like a small thing, but little things mean a lot. And Psalms 100 reminds us to enter His gates with thanksgiving.



Psalm 100:5 ends with: “For the Lord is good: His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” Three reasons to praise and thank God with joy and gladness. When we see troubles and problems everywhere we can remember that God is good, His mercy is everlasting and His truth will be there forever. In the end good will overcome evil. It’s written in the Book. So let’s just praise the Lord.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The Lord is My Shepherd



The twenty-third Psalm is a favorite of Christians everywhere. We all love this Psalm because of all of the comfort that it brings. This song begins by telling us that the Lord is our Shepherd.



“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 We need to be reminded that the Lord is our Shepherd, that He is leading us through this dark and troubled world. Especially when our lives don’t seem to make sense and we become discouraged, it’s comforting to remember that our Shepherd is still there guiding us and praying for us. We shall not want because He will take care of our needs. Jesus our good Shepherd “gave His life for the sheep.” John 10:11



“He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23:2. Jesus, our Shepherd promises us peace and rest. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you---“John 14:27. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 The outside world will never know the joys we receive when we are being led by our Shepherd.



“He restores my soul, He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” Psalm 23:3. Daily restoration of the anxious weary soul is a major human need. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:16 that: “---Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Our body is aging and wearing out but our soul is being restored! It’s comforting to know that our Shepherd leads us into good living for His name’s sake. Our walk with the Lord brings Him joy too.



“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For you are with me: Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4. Our Shepherd will be with us when we are dying and we will be comforted by Him at that time. We will not have to fear death.



“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.” Psalm 23:5. Our Shepherd blesses us and favors us. He gives us His Holy Spirit and makes our lives to overflow with abundance.



“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” Psalm 23:6. If we look over our shoulder we can see “goodness” and “mercy” following after us wherever we go. Yes we will have troubles and problems but God’s mercy and goodness are always with us too.



And Psalm 23 closes at the end of our earthly journey, when the Shepherd has led us all the way to our eternal home. The journey is over and we have everlasting life. –“---And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” Psalm 23:6 It doesn’t get any better than that!

Look and Live - Numbers 21:5-9

Look and Live – Numbers 21:5-9






The Israelites had been traveling in the wilderness almost forty years. This group of two to three million Jewish people with Moses as their leader, had some advantages that we can only envy. Even though God takes care of us, we don’t usually see His care in such a visible manner as they did. For these traveling Israelites, God was leading them each step of the way from Egypt to the Promised Land with signs and wonders.



Gods’ Presence in the form of a pillar of cloud moved ahead of them each day to guide them and His Presence each night became a pillar of fire in the middle of their camp to keep them safe. The Lord opened up a path in the Red Sea for them and stopped their enemies from harming them. And the Lord kept their clothes from wearing out and personally fed them manna the whole forty years they were on the journey. God gave them water from hidden springs when they were thirsty and He gave them Moses and Aaron to teach them with accompanying signs and miracles.



Scripture describes Gods’ tender parenting on this journey in Hosea 11:1-3 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. ---I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms, but they did not know that I was the One healing them.”



Since God hovered over them in such a visible way; hand feeding them and taking care of their every need, the trip through the wilderness should not have taken more than a year to make. But even though these traveling Israelites were given deliverances and miracles they still doubted and rebelled against God. When they crossed the desert and arrived at their destination they refused to go in and take the land God had promised them. And so it was that because they refused to believe God and go into their land, they were left to wander in the wilderness for forty year. Their disobedience kept them in the desert, and their unbelief stopped them from getting the land God had promised them.



Nearly forty years had passed by now and the Israelites were nearing their Promised Land once more. And it didn’t seem like they had learned their lessons. Once again they were grumbling and speaking lies against God and against Moses. Numbers 21:.5. Scripture tells us that because of their grumbling, God stopped protecting them from the poisonous snakes that were there in the wilderness. Many Israelites were bitten by these snakes and died.



So the people came crying to Moses and begged him to pray to God to save them from the snakes. “We have sinned, for we have spoken against God and against you” vs. 7 they cried. Moses prayed and God as always answered. Then God said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it he shall live.” Vs 8.



And so Moses did as God instructed and made a bronze serpent and put it up high on a pole in the middle of the camp. And Scripture records that every person who suffered from a poisonous snake bite only had to look up at the bronze serpent on the pole. Just one look at the snake and they were healed and saved from death!



These stories of the children of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness leave so many rich lessons for us. The doting Father God who led this group and took care of their needs in the wilderness promises to lead us too and take care of our needs. The Israelites back then could see God in their midst as a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud. And today we can know that God is with us by the witness of the Holy Spirit that He gives to each one of us when we believe. Our disobedience can keep us in the wilderness just like theirs did. And our unbelief can stop us from receiving the blessings God wants for our lives, just as theirs did. God has a promised land waiting for us, but we have to go in and take it.



God allowed the Israelites to be bitten by the snakes because they had murmured against Him. Does that mean that God only wants us to say nice up-beat things and never complain? I don’t think so. Jesus railed against the church leaders of His day, the scribes and the Pharisees. In love we are supposed to speak up against something that isn’t right. But the children of Israel were not murmuring against something wrong. They were lying and rebelling against God. Let’s make sure we have the facts, before we spread negative rumors or use scare tactics.



In our story, just one look at the bronze snake held up on the pole by Moses acted as an anti venom. The person didn’t have to take medicine, or be especially privileged by God. Whoever looked at the bronze snake would live. John 3:14-15 says,” And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”



So there it is. The bronze serpent lifted up back then to save the Israelites from death is a picture of our Savior, who must be lifted up to save us all from eternal death. The serpent was held up for the benefit of everyone in the camp and Jesus’ sacrifice is also there for everyone. Salvation is never limited, -whosoever will may come. One look at the bronze serpent was the only way a person dying from the poisonous snake bite could be healed and live. And looking to Jesus is the only way we who are dying in sin can be forgiven and live eternally. - John 14:6 God has made it so simple for all of us. Let’s hold up Jesus for everyone to see; and let’s look to Him and live.

Biblical Faith -- What It Is and What It Isn't

Biblical Faith -- What It Is and What It Isn’t

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” So Scripture defines faith as “substance” and “evidence.” The footnotes in my Bible state that the Greek word translated “substance” literally means “a standing under” and this word was used to describe a “title deed”. The idea here is that of standing under the claim to the property to support its validity. So faith is the title deed to the things hoped for. In Scripture, faith is described as believing God’s promises. Biblical faith is not faith in your own faith or faith in another persons’ word. Scripture tells us that a person who has faith is a person who believes that Jesus paid the price for their eternal victory. Faith is trusting God’s promises even when everything seems to be going wrong. Habakkuk 3:17-18



There are many “faith” healers in our country today who preach that the poor or the sick should exhibit “faith” by sending in their money offerings. Then the healer will pray and God will bless the one who sent the money with health and wealth.



Over a period of several years, one woman with cancer sent many thousands of dollars to a local faith healer who claimed to be “God’s Anointed”. This pastor promised her that God would heal her and make her rich if she exhibited her “faith” by sending him her many “faith” offerings. Her cancer and her money problems were evidence that God had not blessed her because of her lack of “faith”, the preacher said. If she would just exhibit her “faith” by giving to his ministry then God would bless her with a healing and money to pay her bills. Her willingness to send the preacher her money was called her “seed faith”. And this “seed” would grow into a “harvest” of healing and personal wealth the pastor insisted.



This sick woman lived just above the poverty line but she continued struggling and doing without in order to send this preacher every dollar she could spare. And she felt guilty when her cancer didn’t go into remission as the preacher had promised that it would. This dying woman tortured herself with the thoughts that she hadn’t had enough “faith” or given large enough offerings for God to take away her cancer. It was only after this woman’s death that her grieving family read her diary, and discovered how much money she had sent and how she had suffered from believing the preaching of this so called man of God. This well known “Christian” leader is still out there misleading thousands of other people today. And he is still out there using the name of Jesus while whipping up his followers to send their offerings. And he is still promising God’s blessings of health and wealth to those who show their “faith” by sending their money.



This prosperity and health gospel is being broadcast by several “Christian” television stations and taught by “pastors” all over the United States. “Faith” is being reduced to a formula for getting God to give us things. These “faith” teachings bear little resemblance to the Biblical “faith” described in the Bible. Real Biblical faith believes God no matter what happens..



Generally these “faith” preachers are wealthy and claim that because of their faith, God has blessed them with their private jets, mansions and expensive cars. They promise their followers that God will bless them as well with health, nice automobiles and fine clothes if they will exhibit their “faith” by making their cash pledges.



Hebrews chapter eleven has been called the “faith” chapter in the Bible. This “faith” chapter records a list of special men and women who won great victories for God because of their strong faith. But then this chapter goes on to describe many more people who also had a strong faith but died, “not having received the promises,” vv.13-16. Scripture goes on to describe these champions of faith as “having seen the promises afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” “But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God” vs16.



After describing many faith filled children of God who moved mountains and raised the dead with their faith, Hebrews 11 goes on to describe the many others who had faith but lived miserable lives and had to wait until they went to heaven to see God’s promises fulfilled for them.



“Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned and sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. tjeu wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.” vs35-40.



We see here in Hebrews that having faith in God doesn’t always assure prosperity and fun times. Half of the champions of faith described in this eleventh chapter lived very painful lives. If all Christians became rich when they believed in the Lord, then non-believers would be drawn to Christ so that they could get the goodies and become wealthy too. I don’t think God wants us to be drawn to Him for the wrong reasons. Biblical faith is lived out with humility and obedience. In fact Scripture promises that each of us will have to take up our cross when we follow Jesus.



The key to the confession vs 13 of the group in Hebrews 11 whose faith pleased God is that when they were given a promise by God they became persuaded that the promise was true. They embraced God’s promises in their hearts and confessed them, leaving their testimony.-which was pleasing to God.



Whether or not we receive what we pray for here on earth does not change the behavior or the attitude of the steadfast believer. Faith’s worship and walk do not depend on answered or unanswered prayers. Our confession of His Lordship in our lives is to be consistent – a daily celebration. Let’s never follow the Lord in hopes of getting power and money. Let’s follow our Lord because He is our Lord.









.

Fitting In

                                                                        Fitting In

Dorothy had always been a Christian. Her faith in Jesus was her life. Her church was her family: she belonged and fit right in. The first time Dorothy saw Jim out on the streets passing out gospel tracts she was attracted to him right away because he loved Jesus so much. That’s the kind of man Dorothy wanted to marry. When the two began dating no one was surprised because they were so much alike.



Driving a nice car or earning a big salary didn’t impress these two. The evangelical church in the early ‘50’s preached against Christians having material possessions. And Dorothy and Jim believed everything the church taught. Dancing and drinking were considered ‘sinful’ and going to the movies was ‘worldly’. Jim slept on the hard floor without a mattress because back then fundamentalist Christians considered it virtuous to suffer. And Dorothy wouldn’t wear lipstick since wearing makeup was discouraged by her church. They would gladly give up everything to follow the Lord.



Dorothy and Jim married after they finished Bible school and both started teaching in cash strapped Christian schools. Jim taught adult classes at the Bible school and Dorothy taught third grade at a neighborhood Christian school. She could have doubled her salary by teaching third grade at the local public school, but Dorothy would never consider doing that. She wanted to influence children’s lives for Christ and if that meant earning a small paycheck to stay in a Christian school then that is what she would do. Both Jim and Dorothy’s salaries never amounted to enough to allow them to buy a house or take a nice vacation, but none of their fellow church friends had anything either. Their church was their family: they belonged and fit right in.



The years passed by and the apartment they rented seemed crowded as their three boys were growing up. The constant worry over how to pay the bills began to take its’toll on Jim. And after working all week, Dorothy had to baby sit on weekends to help make ends meet. The police caught their oldest boy with marijuana and some of their church friends quit speaking to them. Behind their backs there was the whispering. “If they had been good Christian parents surely their boy wouldn’t have gotten into drugs.” Dorothy and Jim felt judged by their church family and they tried harder to fit in.



The Christian school where Jim taught eventually become an accredited college and had moved into a larger more impressive campus. New wealthy trustees were chosen to run the Christian college in hopes that these successful businessmen could attract more funds for progress. Jim had always received minimum wages and as the years went by his salary remained low. He didn’t mind sacrificing so that more could be spent to improve the school. He worked as an electrician on weekends to help pay the bills. The welfare of his students and the mission of the college became his life. Members in his church gossiped because Jim drove an older model car and Dorothy was still babysitting. Their church had changed and they hadn’t. This couple wasn’t making the proper impression in order to fit in.



Because Jim and Dorothy had raised their children as Christians they had great expectations for them. Their boys were their world. When their youngest son married, his bride refused to invite the oldest brother to the wedding because his hair was too long. Soon the newly married couple had also distanced themselves from their parents. The young people made it clear that they didn’t want anything to do with Dorothy and Jim. The heartbreak took its’ toll but Dorothy couldn’t share her sorrows with her church friends. As a Christian she had to keep up the appearances of a victorious Christian life. Dorothy and Jim kept going to church and pretending that all was well. But by now they weren’t included in the life of their church, even though they wanted so badly to fit in.



Even though Jim had been teaching at the Christian college for thirty-five years and had always been popular with the students, several fellow professors began spreading rumors around that he should go. Since the school had developed a reputation for excellence, the word spread that Jim no longer fit in. Old friends at the college were barely speaking to Jim now and each class he taught was evaluated and criticized. The people at church quit speaking to Dorothy and Jim and the Sunday school classes they had taught, as well as the jobs they had been doing over the years, were taken away.



Dorothy and Jim were frightened and confused. They didn’t know what they had done to cause their Christian community to turn against them so. There must be something wrong with them or this wouldn’t be happening. It seemed that within a few years these two had become scapegoats at their church as well as at the college. Everyone seemed to be gossiping about them even though they didn’t know what was being said. The judgments and bullying from their fellow Christians didn’t let up and Dorothy and Jim clung to each other for support. Why couldn’t they fit in?



And then Jim had a heart attack! Fearful that the toxic work environment would eventually kill him, Dorothy begged Jim to quit teaching. And after several more difficult years of harassment, Jim retired early. Things had not turned out the way Dorothy and Jim had dreamed that they would. They couldn’t afford to move and the church they had served for decades was not there for them. Lonely and disillusioned, Dorothy developed high blood pressure and arthritis. Eventually she wasn’t able to continue teaching her third graders. Alone and without purpose the couple struggled to pay their bills. Their son and daughter-in-law still weren’t speaking and Dorothy was feeling desperate about it. How had she failed as a Mother? Why didn’t she fit in?



A few months ago I got the news that Dorothy had died. They said that a stroke had taken her, but I wonder if she didn’t die of a broken heart. I wonder if she would be alive today if the people in her church had spoken to her. If the “Christian community” at the college had not isolated the couple, would things have turned out differently? If the couple had been valued by their fellow Christians, if they had been allowed to contribute something, would Dorothy still be with us today?



We think it’s terrible when we hear about school children committing suicide because they are bullied by their classmates. But is it possible for a Christian community to bully or ignore a member so totally that they no longer have the will to keep going? Is it possible that some older Christians become set in their ways and aren’t willing to change? Have we ever been part of a Christian group that indulges in gossiping or judging a fellow member? Let’s serve our Lord and be part of the answer and not part of the problem. Let’s be generous and loving to everyone, even the unattractive. Let’s make sure that everyone is able to fit in.