Wednesday, November 7, 2012
What Now?
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
To many people of the world the outcome of this election turned out to be a great shock and it is unclear how the people of this country will react to another four years under this kind of authority. It is also unclear how they will let their feelings be revealed. But, what is clear in this situation is that God has given a clear picture of how He wants the people of His kingdom to react. In this trying time for a great country, a light from the church shining the confidence of Christ will be a welcomed sight. God has promised success for His people no matter what the result of the election was to be. This assured promise gives the church motivation to be the light of faith in the darkness of the world’s doubt. Our reaction will be of a godly nature because of our faith in God and not man. Our love for God will help us to overcome the temptation to sin.
Although many in this world will react to the results of the election with grumbling and complaining, the church will hold its tongue because we are to “do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Philippians 2:14). Grumbling and complaining comes from minds that do not get their way. The church will show respect knowing that whoever is in the authoritative position is there because God has established this to be so: “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God” (Romans 13:1). The church has faith that hushes the mouth because we know God is much wiser than any man and He has promised to work all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). There is no doubt in the minds of God’s children that He is in complete control of this situation.
Also the church will pray for the governing authorities: “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” 1 Timothy 2:1-2). If anyone needs prayers right now it is those who have been elected to lead this country. It has been said by a leading figure of our government that the United States is no longer a “Christian Nation” and the proof of this statement has never been so clear than what it is today. We have elected leaders that are leading us into immorality, mocking the Lord’s institution of marriage, legalizing drugs and even the murdering of helpless children. Like the old song says, we are “slip sliding away.” Our leaders need God’s love to fill their hearts and minds so we can get back to being a God-fearing nation that is not afraid to get on their knees and seek God.
Many times in the Bible God has used some discouraging situations to bring encouragement to His nation. And even then God’s chosen people were faced with circumstances that would cause them to return to the Lord for His power, protection and presence. Maybe this is what God is going to use the situation the United States is in now to accomplish. Maybe He is trying to get us to stop putting our faith in man and remember that He is Creator: “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). If God is trying to humble us as a nation, then His nation must be the light to His truth. We must remain humble with faith that God will lift us up at the proper time. Let the church be encouraged to be humble enough to not act like fools: “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). Know that God has a plan that is in motion and it will be executed out of perfect love for mankind.
In His Grace,
Cub
Friday, October 26, 2012
Loving Response
“Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this" (Acts 17:32).
One of the greatest joys of doing physical work is being able to see the end result or the finished product. But when it comes to preaching the word of God seeing the end result is not always what we want to see. Although God is omnipotent He will not make us do what He desires. His word has the power to change the lives of those who hear, but only if we are willing to open our hearts and minds to its authority. Therefore, the end result of evangelism is not always the same.
But in actuality, the end result is known by God and we must be able to rely on His power and not falsely accuse ourselves for not winning the soul we tried to win to Christ.
Paul was a great preacher of truth, but even he could not win every soul he evangelized. Some people are just not willing to accept what God offers through His truth. As Paul preached his lesson on Mars Hill, we see three different responses to truth. First, there are those that will sneer. This is a Greek word meaning to deride or jeer. The power of truth can be so overwhelming to some that the only way they can respond is to make fun of something that they just don’t understand. This kind of reaction brings comfort to their minds for their inability to comprehend the depth of a subject, in this case the resurrection. Some people just cannot envelop the power of God’s will because it causes us to stretch our minds into faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Being clothed in flesh limits our ability to understand what we cannot see. This is why faith is so important.
Another response to truth seen after Paul’s sermon is doubt. Some of the listeners needed to hear more on the subject. This is not necessarily a bad response because it shows a willingness to seek truth. But for many it is just a way to put off their true response of rejection. When Jesus walked the earth searching for disciples, He sought men that were willing to immediately trust in His power and follow His lead. Peter, Andrew, James and John were among the first disciples of Christ and the Bible reveals their immediate response of submission. When we put off our response to Jesus we give Satan time to discourage us from following our Lord: "Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up” (Matthew 13:3-4). Many have not followed through because they waited to respond to Jesus and Satan used someone or something to snatch the word of God away from hearts.
So we can see that when the word of God is presented, people will respond in different ways. But we have yet to see the final response that Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, reveals to us. This response is seen in verse 34: “But some men joined him and believed.” Proper response to truth requires the proper heart. Some folks have the right heart for God: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). To reiterate what we said before, God will not make us respond in submission to His will. But He sent His love to earth in the form of a Man we know as Jesus to win our trust. God did not hold back when we needed a Savior. He did not send us a financial advisor or a military genius. He sent us His Son to pay the price for our mistakes. And when we come to know Jesus as Lord we respond to Him in love: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). If you are visiting us today you are here because someone loves you enough to ask you to come to hear the word of God and they, as well as all of us, want you to respond to Jesus in love today.
In His Grace,
Cub
One of the greatest joys of doing physical work is being able to see the end result or the finished product. But when it comes to preaching the word of God seeing the end result is not always what we want to see. Although God is omnipotent He will not make us do what He desires. His word has the power to change the lives of those who hear, but only if we are willing to open our hearts and minds to its authority. Therefore, the end result of evangelism is not always the same.
But in actuality, the end result is known by God and we must be able to rely on His power and not falsely accuse ourselves for not winning the soul we tried to win to Christ.
Paul was a great preacher of truth, but even he could not win every soul he evangelized. Some people are just not willing to accept what God offers through His truth. As Paul preached his lesson on Mars Hill, we see three different responses to truth. First, there are those that will sneer. This is a Greek word meaning to deride or jeer. The power of truth can be so overwhelming to some that the only way they can respond is to make fun of something that they just don’t understand. This kind of reaction brings comfort to their minds for their inability to comprehend the depth of a subject, in this case the resurrection. Some people just cannot envelop the power of God’s will because it causes us to stretch our minds into faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Being clothed in flesh limits our ability to understand what we cannot see. This is why faith is so important.
Another response to truth seen after Paul’s sermon is doubt. Some of the listeners needed to hear more on the subject. This is not necessarily a bad response because it shows a willingness to seek truth. But for many it is just a way to put off their true response of rejection. When Jesus walked the earth searching for disciples, He sought men that were willing to immediately trust in His power and follow His lead. Peter, Andrew, James and John were among the first disciples of Christ and the Bible reveals their immediate response of submission. When we put off our response to Jesus we give Satan time to discourage us from following our Lord: "Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up” (Matthew 13:3-4). Many have not followed through because they waited to respond to Jesus and Satan used someone or something to snatch the word of God away from hearts.
So we can see that when the word of God is presented, people will respond in different ways. But we have yet to see the final response that Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, reveals to us. This response is seen in verse 34: “But some men joined him and believed.” Proper response to truth requires the proper heart. Some folks have the right heart for God: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). To reiterate what we said before, God will not make us respond in submission to His will. But He sent His love to earth in the form of a Man we know as Jesus to win our trust. God did not hold back when we needed a Savior. He did not send us a financial advisor or a military genius. He sent us His Son to pay the price for our mistakes. And when we come to know Jesus as Lord we respond to Him in love: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). If you are visiting us today you are here because someone loves you enough to ask you to come to hear the word of God and they, as well as all of us, want you to respond to Jesus in love today.
In His Grace,
Cub
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The Proper Fit
“But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).
Paul told Timothy that God has a desire for all mankind to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). But unfortunately not all mankind wants to be saved. Some people are just too filled with the world to be made fit for kingdom life. Sadly, many are not willing to change so their resemblance can be made into the Son of God. And the only reason for this is that they are unwilling to accept the calling to be transformed: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). God’s desire must become ours if we want to see rest.sus explained discipleship in a three step plan of surrendering your will for God’s (Matthew 16:24). Many will come to Christ but will not be able to stay because they still long for their old life. Coming to Christ requires a determined effort to be transformed. Satan tries to use our old life to draw us back into his regime. The problem is that God promised life, but not an easy life. It is a challenge to live for Christ and will call us to great faith. It seems easy when everything is going good, but when the road gets rough the temptation to go back to the old life becomes real. Surrendering your will for God’s requires an active faith, “for we walk by faith, not by sight,” (2 Corinthians 5:7) that requires us to deny our desires to bail when the old road seems to be easier.
Another reason many will not persist in their love for God is an unwillingness to let go of worldly ways. The Christian life will cause many to stumble because it doesn’t make sense to them. They cannot see how suffering, sorrow and shame can be the path to glory and this unbelief will cause them to let go of their confession: “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18). As Paul preached rulers persecuted and he was put into prison for proclaiming his faith in Jesus. Some saw this and were convinced that Paul was a fool and did not persevere in their faith. And as Paul went on to say, this caused them death, doom and destruction (19). God’s wisdom is much greater than any logic coming from the feeble mind of man. For this reason many of our opportunities as followers of Christ demand that we let go of our own way of thinking. Many of our brethren have given up because the flesh’s way seems to be easier and more entertaining.
Another reason some have left the faith is because they are not willing to separate themselves from the world to bond with the church. For this article’s purpose we are considering the world as anything not according to God’s will. Satan uses a plethora of devices to deceive us. Some will not let go of earthly relationships for the sake of strengthening the church. Many believe their earthly family is more important than their church family. But Jesus denounced this belief: “But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it’” (Luke 8:21). Jesus’ point here is not that family is not important but that the church family has top priority. The ones who dedicate their lives to His teaching are the ones he sees as His close family. This is divine logic and it is challenging to the fleshly mind.
Many will not get to see the rest of Jesus’ invitation (Matthew 11:29) because it is an invitation to surrender, sacrifice and selflessness. Do not be among the stubborn who will miss the greatest opportunity in life, but be among those who are humble, for they are the ones that find rest.
In His Grace,
Cub
Paul told Timothy that God has a desire for all mankind to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). But unfortunately not all mankind wants to be saved. Some people are just too filled with the world to be made fit for kingdom life. Sadly, many are not willing to change so their resemblance can be made into the Son of God. And the only reason for this is that they are unwilling to accept the calling to be transformed: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). God’s desire must become ours if we want to see rest.sus explained discipleship in a three step plan of surrendering your will for God’s (Matthew 16:24). Many will come to Christ but will not be able to stay because they still long for their old life. Coming to Christ requires a determined effort to be transformed. Satan tries to use our old life to draw us back into his regime. The problem is that God promised life, but not an easy life. It is a challenge to live for Christ and will call us to great faith. It seems easy when everything is going good, but when the road gets rough the temptation to go back to the old life becomes real. Surrendering your will for God’s requires an active faith, “for we walk by faith, not by sight,” (2 Corinthians 5:7) that requires us to deny our desires to bail when the old road seems to be easier.
Another reason many will not persist in their love for God is an unwillingness to let go of worldly ways. The Christian life will cause many to stumble because it doesn’t make sense to them. They cannot see how suffering, sorrow and shame can be the path to glory and this unbelief will cause them to let go of their confession: “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18). As Paul preached rulers persecuted and he was put into prison for proclaiming his faith in Jesus. Some saw this and were convinced that Paul was a fool and did not persevere in their faith. And as Paul went on to say, this caused them death, doom and destruction (19). God’s wisdom is much greater than any logic coming from the feeble mind of man. For this reason many of our opportunities as followers of Christ demand that we let go of our own way of thinking. Many of our brethren have given up because the flesh’s way seems to be easier and more entertaining.
Another reason some have left the faith is because they are not willing to separate themselves from the world to bond with the church. For this article’s purpose we are considering the world as anything not according to God’s will. Satan uses a plethora of devices to deceive us. Some will not let go of earthly relationships for the sake of strengthening the church. Many believe their earthly family is more important than their church family. But Jesus denounced this belief: “But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it’” (Luke 8:21). Jesus’ point here is not that family is not important but that the church family has top priority. The ones who dedicate their lives to His teaching are the ones he sees as His close family. This is divine logic and it is challenging to the fleshly mind.
Many will not get to see the rest of Jesus’ invitation (Matthew 11:29) because it is an invitation to surrender, sacrifice and selflessness. Do not be among the stubborn who will miss the greatest opportunity in life, but be among those who are humble, for they are the ones that find rest.
In His Grace,
Cub
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