Archives: Episode

Taking the Sting Out of Death

 

The Apostle Paul was a man whose life was frequently in jeopardy due to his fearless proclamation of the gospel. He penned these wonderful words for us to ponder.

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 (ESV)

Many of us suffer from a deeply seated fear of death that robs us of joy and holds us in bondage.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews gives us the welcome news that Jesus solved this problem and liberated those of us who have been held captive by this fear.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15  and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Hebrews 2:14-15 (ESV)

Eventually our natural physical life must come to an end. There is a sting to death. It is the end of our earthly dreams and ambitions. It is a temporary separation from those we love. It is a departure from what we know in order to face what is now largely unknown. It is a transition of having some power to direct our lives into a realm of seeming powerlessness.

The Bible tells us that sin is the sting of death. When a Brown Recluse spider stings a person, the usual result is death to the tissue around the bite. The human race was stung by sin in the Garden of Eden and continues to be stung every day. Death always accompanies this bite. The power of that first sting ravaged all of creation. Death is unnatural in the sense that it was not a part of God’s original design.

God, Who is Life itself, made us to live; therefore, death is a contradiction of Who God is.

Even though all human beings must deal with the aftershocks of sin, which include God’s judgment of sin via death, Christ has provided victory through His cross and resurrection. The Law, on the other hand, gives sin and death a stranglehold on the human race by clearly pointing out and condemning us for our sinfulness. In order to set us free, God had to introduce what C.S. Lewis calls a “deeper magic” in his Tales of Narnia. The Bible calls it God’s hidden wisdom.

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7  But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8  None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 (ESV)

Christ took our sin upon Himself. He actually became sin and received the attached judgment of death, so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

As a result, we have been blessed in several ways, which include the gift of eternal life. Now, as Jesus proclaimed, even though we die physically, we shall live spiritually. In fact, in reality we shall never die because He is the Resurrection and will someday raise our physical bodies back to life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (ESV)

Jesus is now the Lord of Life as well as Lord over death. He has the keys of hell and death. Our lives and physical death are now exclusively under His authority. What then is physical death for the believer? How we view death will greatly influence whether we fear it or not.

Death no longer should be viewed as a final separation or end, but as a homecoming and a beginning.

The Bible tells us that God regards the death of His saints as a precious thing. (Psalm 116:15) The Hebrew word here means “precious, splendid, rare, or weighty.” For God, death is His opportunity to welcome us into a new realm and dimension of life in which we can more fully enjoy Him, and He, us.

Look at what Paul wrote.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7  for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9  So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 (ESV)

Paul actually looked forward to his own demise because he had already been given a glimpse of what awaited him in the heavenly realms. If we could see as clearly as Paul did, we would never fear death.

May God open our eyes to the true nature of our physical death! It is the doorway to life eternal in the very presence of God. Jesus could not wait to get back to His Father. We really have little idea yet of how good our homecoming will be!

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 1 Corinthians 2:9 (ESV)

If you are facing death, now is the time to meditate on the victory over death we have in Christ. Now is the time to participate in the peace that passes understanding. We must learn to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling out to us:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (ESV)

Do we believe this? The things we are facing or will face eventually are designed to provide a setting for the Spirit of God to reveal to us in a personal way that Jesus is our Life, a life that never ends and is absolutely fulfilling – eternal, resurrection life.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9  I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:7-10 (ESV)

A confrontation with death, then, is actually an invitation from God to know the Lord Jesus Christ as the Resurrection and the Life. The light shines most brightly in the worst darkness.

This chapter is taken from my book, Seeing God’s Smile When Life Is Difficult, which can be ordered from Amazon. This book is designed to help people through severe trials, but is helpful to all who wish to live by overcoming faith.

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Gospel in a Minute: The Prince of Peace Is Lord of All

Gospel in a Minute

When Peter was summoned to the home of the Roman Centurion named Cornelius to make the first gospel presentation to the Gentiles, he opened his remarks with this summation.

This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Acts 10:36 (NLT)

Principle: The Prince of Peace Is Lord of All

The gospel always presents Jesus in the dual role of Savior and Lord.

We have peace with God because Jesus died for our sins as the Lamb of God, taking our guilt and punishment upon himself. His resurrection proved that his sacrifice on our behalf was accepted. It also validated his claim to be the Lord of Lords, the Jewish Messiah King. We have peace with God, having been justified or put back into a right relationship with him through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Lord.

He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. Romans 4:25 (NLT) 
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 (NLT)

When we share the gospel we owe it to God and to our listeners to present Jesus in his dual role of Prince of Peace and Lord of All. Otherwise we may misrepresent God and shortchange our hearers.

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Surrender, Unconditional Peace, and the Secret Place

 

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! 5 Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near! 6 Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NET)

In warfare, peace often comes through one side unconditionally surrendering. As long as two opposing wills still contend, there can be no peace. God first revealed himself as Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord Who Is Peace, to Gideon, immediately after commissioning him to go to battle against Israel’s enemies.

In a severe trial, if our wills are battling against God’s, divine peace comes through our unconditional surrender to God.

We are surrounded by Satan’s demonic forces who wish to destroy us, but, oddly enough, sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Our sin and the fear and mistrust in our hearts toward God can sabotage our efforts to be true to Him. God has a plan for our lives, but if we stubbornly and fearfully refuse to go along with that plan, we can end up in an unprotected place outside of God’s best for our lives, in need of His correction and deliverance.

Surrender to God and His will requires that we lay down our own agendas and our desire to control our lives.

It means that we must be open to the possibility that God will require us to go through something we dread. Unless we unconditionally surrender to God, we cannot have unconditional peace. By “surrendering” I do not mean that we passively submit to evil. Instead, when we find ourselves under attack, our first responsibility is to turn to God and acknowledge that he is sovereign over all things, including my current situation.

Unless God allows something to enter our lives, it will not happen. I am not hereby declaring that God is the author of evil, sin, suffering, or sickness. I am saying that God’s sovereignty transcends all these things in a magnificent and mysterious way that is beyond explaining.

Wisdom tells us that, no matter what God allows to come into our lives, we are first to acknowledge His sovereignty, seek Him and His will, and then engage the enemy as directed.

When the Philistines attacked David, his first response was to seek the Lord, Who gave him specific instructions regarding how to proceed.

Too often Christians flail about in sometimes misguided attempts to fend off the attack, rather than seek the Lord, Who may be allowing the attack in order to do a deep work in the believer.

When Jesus stood before Pilate, our Lord declared that the Roman ruler could only do to Him what God allowed.

So Pilate said, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority to release you, and to crucify you?” 11 Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin.” John 19:10-11 (NET)

Before going to the cross, at which time darkness would temporarily rule, Jesus first did business with His heavenly Father – the real Ruler in every situation.

When we are about to enter a trial or are in the middle of one, we should first go to God and be sure our hearts and wills are submitted to what He wants to accomplish in our lives through the trial. It is only against that backdrop of trust and submission that we can know more perfectly what other actions we must take. If instead we simply begin to engage in what we might want to call “spiritual warfare,” we may find ourselves unhappily resisting God Himself. Imagine if Jesus had rebuked Satan instead of surrendering to death as God’s Lamb! This is what Peter advised his Master to do, but Jesus rebuked his misguided friend by telling him that he did not have the things of God in mind. Imagine how foolish it would be for us to fearfully rebuke a pending trial that may be the avenue of our knowing Christ as Provider, Healer, or in whatever other way we need to know Him!

Check in with God first. Find out what He wants to do; then, join His program. This is what it means to have Christ as Lord.

A severe trial will often cause whatever rebelliousness and fear we still may have deeply buried in our hearts to bubble to the surface. God knew it was there all along, but we may be surprised to discover what is hidden inside of us.

The fire of affliction tests and reveals our hidden motives and the nature and strength of our faith. If we know God loves us enough to expose these things in order to deliver us, we will better be able to endure the process by faith.

Unless we go through the fire, we never know for sure what is inside us. Until we face our fears, our faith is somewhat of a mystery. Soldiers who have never been in combat wonder what they will do under fire. No one can know for sure ahead of time. Once we go through our first battle, however, we know.

That which we dread can become for us the gateway into great faith and confidence after we have faced it and found that God’s grace enables us to overcome.

Job had to endure what he feared so that his subtle self-righteousness and proud indignation against God would bubble to the surface. God was far more interested in revealing Himself in a greater way to Job than in keeping him pain free.

When we realize that character transformation is a higher priority than our comfort and ease, we will begin to better understand God’s ways.

If we embrace God’s ways, we will be pliable in His hands for Him to mold us how He wishes.

As long as our peace hinges on a certain set of conditions or a certain answer to prayer, we will always be subject to our circumstances and miss out on experiencing real and lasting peace.

Being enslaved to our circumstances is a terrible way to live because we can never be completely at rest. What we dread could be just around the corner…and then what? It is no use trying to insulate ourselves from what we fear by “having enough faith.”

Faith was never designed to protect us from trials: rather, faith keeps us while we are in trials.

Ponder Christ’s words:

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage — I have conquered the world. John 16:33 (NET)

If we believe that trusting in Christ is our ticket to a trouble free life, we are in for a shock. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are actually appointed to tribulations.

We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen you and encourage you about your faith, 3 so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3 (NET)

Trials, afflictions, suffering and tribulations work for us. They teach us perseverance and build character. Here is what Paul wrote to the church in Rome.

Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (NET)

It is only when we reconcile ourselves to the fact that life will contain many difficult trials, and only when we choose to surrender to God in the midst of them, trusting in His love and power to accomplish in us His desire through them, that we are able to have peace that passes understanding. I call this “unconditional peace” because it does not depend on any outward circumstance or condition. Whether we live or die, we have peace. Whether we get the answer we want or not, we have peace.

Peace resides in a Person, and His name is Jesus. As we fully surrender to that Person, we receive all of what that Person has and is.

One of His titles is the Prince of Peace. His peace becomes our peace, a peace that can never be shaken.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage. John 14:27 (NET)

Moses wrote about this place of surrender and peace. It is a secret place hidden from life’s storms and the threats of the enemy. It is a place where God’s peace and presence reign undisturbed. We have access to that secret place by surrendering unconditionally to God’s will for our lives.

As for you, the one who lives in the shelter of the sovereign One, and resides in the protective shadow of the mighty king — 2 I say this about the LORD, my shelter and my stronghold, my God in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2 (NET)

Surrendering to God’s will and plan for our lives will not make us passive. In fact, we will find that, as we unconditionally surrender to God, great faith will rise up in our hearts – faith to overcome.

 

This chapter is taken from my book, Seeing God’s Smile When Life Is Difficult, which can be ordered from Amazon. This book is designed to help people through severe trials, but is helpful to all who wish to live by overcoming faith.

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How Strong Is Your Anchor?

 

When we are in school, we look forward to the day when we will no longer be subject to pop quizzes, tests, and final exams. If only it were so! Life is full of challenges and tests in a variety of areas – loyalty to friends, integrity in business, honesty in speech, purity in our hearts and thoughts, faithfulness to our promises, endurance in temptation, and commitment to our Lord Jesus. Tests and difficulties are woven into the fabric of life. If we are children of God, he uses them to reveal what is in our hearts and to help us grow in our faith and knowledge of him. Otherwise, our lives may end up being a cautionary tale.

Jesus gave us some comforting words to help us.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (ESV)

No matter what happens to us, we have a promise from Jesus that his peace will rule. Some of us have already experienced this first hand. Others will eventually. But what about the times when what comes at us is so severe that we feel as if we are barely able to hang on to God and his promises? What can we do if we feel as if things are hopeless, confusing, and spinning out of control?

Lowering the Anchor

When life seems like a violent storm pushing us against deadly reefs, we need an anchor to help us ride out the storm. Consider these words.

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19  This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:18-19 (NLT)

Jesus already successfully navigated the worst storm imaginable. He endured the confusion of contradiction, the abandonment and betrayal of friends, false accusations by enemies, injustice, horrible suffering, and a humiliating death. Through the outward hopelessness of it all, he did not waver in his faith in his loving Father. He made the decision to enter that vortex of suffering, knowing full well what was ahead, because he fully trusted his Abba Father to be his Keeper.

When Jesus rose from the dead, his’ victory over hopelessness was complete. It is a victory he shares with all who trust in him.

The Devil’s Deception and Our Weapons

When it is our time to enter into testing and trial, it is important for us to make some conscious choices. Passively “going along for the ride,” so to speak, is actually collusion with the enemy of our souls. It is vital that we make a stand against the feelings of fear, doubt, and confusion in our minds. The devil, who is the father of lies, preys upon our sin-corrupted ways of thinking. If he can get us to believe his lies instead of God’s truth, he gains a huge advantage over us. Satan tells us that God is not there, that he does not even care, or perhaps that he is impotent to change things. He tells us that God and his promises cannot be fully trusted. He reminds us of our faults and failings, instilling in our minds the idea that we don’t deserve God’s help anyway. Others may be blessed, but not us. Therefore, faith is useless. We must take matters into our own hands.

When Satan’s lies line up with our own interpretation of things and our perception of reality, it creates a powerful pull to abandon our trust in God.

The Bible calls these “strongholds,” logical arguments we employ to nullify the truth and impact of God’s Word. These devilish speculations must be destroyed using spiritual weapons. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Four of the weapons God has given us are:

  1. The truth of God’s Word,
  2. Our faith in God and his promises,
  3. The power of the Holy Spirit, and
  4. Praise.

Unfortunately many of us have at one time or another succumbed to this temptation and have become hopeless, afraid, and perhaps quite angry at God and life. Perhaps you are in that place right now. There is hope, but first let us consider what may happen if we do not overcome by faith in God.

Adam and Eve failed their big test, which brought horrendous consequences upon all of us. What will be the fallout for us and those we love, if we also cast away our confidence in God and walk away from him? We will not know unless we choose to go that route, which I hope you will not. Sin only has bad consequences, and these often get passed down to those we love. Conversely, our obedience positively impacts succeeding generations. The is part of the generational aspect of salvation. (If you want to read more, click here.)

The Bible encourages us by telling us what will be the outcome for those who refuse to abandon their hope in God and his promises.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 (ESV)

 

Our ability to survive and thrive in the midst of the strains and confusion of life depends on our holding to these three convictions.

  1. God is loving and good. Satan seeks to cut the line to this anchor of faith, and, if he does, we have little to hold us. However, if we maintain our confidence that God is loving and good, despite our circumstances or past experience, we will be able to overcome adversity. God is glorified when we make this choice.
  2. God is powerful. This conviction upholds that God is sovereign over all things. He is not in a struggle against evil in which the outcome is in doubt. He is not evenly matched against some evil foe. He is the Supreme Being. Therefore we can fully trust him at all times. Jesus’ resurrection sealed the doom of Satan and our eternal inheritance once and for all.
  3. God is working all things for my good and his glory. This conviction is the logical outcome of believing the first two points and is where the victory in our minds and hearts is won. Romans 8:28 states that everything is being worked out for our good by a loving and powerful God. He will be glorified in and through us if we keep our confidence through the test.

Unleashing the Power of Praise

So how does faith in these three convictions about God’s love, ability, and faithfulness work out in real life? It’s simple: we make the choice to praise him for his goodness, his power, and for working all things out for his glory and our good. Passively getting kicked around by Satan and our circumstances is not the answer. We can choose to praise God despite our natural inclination to wallow in fear, doubt, and self-pity. We are able to choose to praise him even when our emotions are flat or even depressed. We can praise him for who he is, what he has promised, and what he will do on our behalf!

When we offer to God the sacrifice of praise in the midst of confusing and difficult situations, it is a God-glorifying act of faith and  a powerful spiritual weapon.

Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands— 7  to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, 8  to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains, 9  to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones. Praise the LORD! Psalm 149:6-9 (NLT)

When everything is going our way, it is easy to give praise to God, but, when the opposite is the case, choosing to give praise anyway reverberates throughout creation and brings great glory to God! It is also one of the most powerful forms of spiritual warfare we have at our disposal. The devil cannot stand against it. When we praise God in the midst of adversity, the power of heaven is unleashed on our behalf to carry us to victory.

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18  yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 19  The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights... Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT)

Through faith and praise we can transition from hopelessness and fear to a place of peace and victorious faith. We can know what it means to be an overcomer, all because we make the choice to trust God and his promises in spite of everything opposed to us. We will have an anchor for the soul that cannot be moved!

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Gospel in a Minute: Can you prove that Jesus is the Messiah?

Gospel in a Minute

Saul was highly trained in the Old Testament scriptures; so, with the Spirit’s help he immediately connected the dots when he compared its prophecies and promises to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Acts 9:22 (NLT)

Principle: Can you prove that Jesus is the Messiah?

This is where many, if not most, Gentile believers start feeling woefully inadequate, but the remedy is fairly easy. This is one reason why I am writing these meditations. I want you to understand how to share the gospel as the early apostles did. It is not “rocket science.” It only requires some study and practice, and you too can use the Old Covenant to show how Jesus truly is the Savior and Lord promised to Eve, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, to name a few key players.

Don’t limit yourself to sharing the “plan of salvation” when the amazingly powerful gospel is not too hard to master.

To learn more, click on this link.
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Unlocking God’s Blessings through Being Generous

 

If you know God at all, you understand that he is most generous. The most shared verse in the world, John 3:16, highlights God’s giving nature. He gave his only Son to redeem ungrateful enemies, whom he desired to turn into a family of friends. (Romans 5:6-8) Not surprisingly, he wants his people, those who follow Christ and his teachings, to be like he is – generous.  Psalm 112 attaches some powerful promises to generosity that are worth contemplating. In them we discover that generosity opens the door to many powerful blessings.

It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment. 6  For he will never be shaken; The righteous will be remembered forever. 7  He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8  His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries. Psalm 112:5-8 (NASB)
  • It is well – pleasant, agreeable, good – for the generous. Contrast this with the judgment made upon the miserly. They will experience lack and disfavor. (Proverbs 11:24-26)
  • God will maintain the cause of the generous in judgment.  The Bible makes a surprising connection between our being generous and God providing us with a good defense against judgments made against us. Literally the Hebrew says that God will sustain our  affairs with justice. In other words, when we live justly by caring for those in need, God will care for us when we are in need of justice. God’s justice extends beyond court proceedings. True justice seeks the welfare of the poor, the needy, and the oppressed. When we make that our practice, God will see to it that we benefit from his protection.
  • The generous will never be shaken. This means God will keep us from tottering, shaking, or slipping. Another way to say this is that God holds us up and keeps us secure. He is our Keeper.
  • The generous will be remembered forever.  The woman who poured out her life savings in the form of a costly perfume on Jesus’ feet demonstrated extreme generosity. God rewarded her by including her act of selflessness in the Gospel. Being remembered by God is a great blessing that will be extended to the generous.
  • God will make the generous fearless in times of trouble. As we go further into the unfolding scenario of the Last Days, when lawlessness is on the increase and terrible trouble looms, having confidence in God’s keeping power is essential. Why is it that the generous will not fear an evil report? It is because they know that God takes care of those who take care of others. When we are generous, we tap into the very heart of God, and he reveals more of himself to us. When we pour ourselves out for others, we grasp that he will do the same for us.
  • The generous will look in triumph upon their enemies. Most people are clueless when it comes to God’s judgments and justice. They want religion to be pie-in-the-sky fairy tales that God is some kind of cosmic smiley face. This false view of God’s justice is promoted as a way to manipulate the masses and make them think that with God anything goes, as long as it makes you happy. In other words, the smiley face God is a giver of good things who never requires anything from us except to be happy partakers of his gifts – no accountability, no judgment, no justice, no day of reckoning. The Bible portrays Jesus coming in power and glory to usher in God’s kingdom and bring God’s justice upon the earth once and for all. This will include the punishment of the wicked and the destruction of all those who refuse the mercy extended to them in the Gospel. Literally, there will be hell to pay for refusing to bow the knee to Jesus and acknowledge his Lordship. Those who do surrender to Jesus will be part of his triumphal army, who will come back with him to install God’s kingdom.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11-16 (ESV)

God’s Generosity and the Gospel

Those who have experienced God’s generosity are expected to be generous. They accept what Jesus died to give them – forgiveness, freedom from guilt and condemnation, reconciliation to God, freedom from everything that enslaves us, and belonging to God’s eternal family!

Those who have received God’s generosity in the Gospel are obliged to extend that generosity to others in the form of love, forgiveness, service, and sharing the Gospel message. We give away what God gave to us.

We look forward to the day when Christ returns to settle accounts and usher in the final reality.  On that day, we will look in triumph on all those who have ruthlessly persecuted God’s people and resisted the Gospel. A glorious day, indeed!

Those who refuse God’s generosity make the greatest miscalculation of all time. Those who receive and participate in his generosity experience the fullness of blessings.

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Gospel in a Minute: Get Started Right Away

Gospel in a Minute

The account of Saul’s conversion is an amazing example of Jesus’ sovereign ability to communicate directly with people. Once he became a believer, Saul’s allegiance to his new Lord was unswerving. He launched into the ministry of sharing the gospel immediately.

Afterward he [Saul, later Paul] ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20  And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” Acts 9:19-20 (NLT)

Principle: Get Started Right Away

Peter Block wrote an amazing book entitled The Answer to How is Yes. In it he argues that generally people believe there is a “right” way to do things, and until we discover what that is, we should delay taking action.

In other words, we use the excuse of ignorance to avoid doing the brave thing that needs to be done.

The reason we do things is because they ought to be done, not because we have it all figured out. If we make the choice to move forward in the doing, God will help us along the way. This is certainly true with ministry. Yes, studying the Bible is crucial. No, ignorance is not a virtue. Nevertheless, doing nothing is disobedience. Delayed obedience is often pure and simple rebellion.

The night I became a believer in Christ, I began to share the good news with my friends that Jesus is real and can be known. I did not have a very good knowledge of the Bible. I was confused and misguided on some important points, but I did know Jesus and wanted to make him known. God worked with me in my ignorance and zeal. God never suggested that I should delay telling people about Jesus until I knew more theology. In fact those who know the most theology are sometimes the least engaged in evangelism. When Jesus set the demoniac free, he told him to go tell everyone what great things God had done for him. (Mark 5:19-20) He did not have to first take a class.

We should get started right away with sharing the good news. If you have been sitting idle, it is time to get going.

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Talk to People

 

 

 

 

 

When Jesus engaged the woman at the well in John Chapter Four, he demonstrated a very important principle for ministering to people.

He [Jesus] had to go through Samaria on the way. 5  Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6  Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7  Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8  He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. John 4:4-8 (NLT)

Jesus was on the way to a specific ministry destination, but opportunities to minister to people often present themselves as we are “on the way”.

Ministry to people should happen wherever we are, not just in a building at a set time on Sunday.

Jesus broke with religious tradition at several places in this account of his interaction with the woman from Samaria. The focus of this gospel snapshot is that he engaged her in conversation, regardless of whether others might consider it appropriate. In fact, its apparent inappropriateness was the initial reason the woman became interested. Was Jesus just another man trying to “pick her up,” or was this something else? Being extremely thirsty, Jesus had a genuine need and asked for her help.

No matter how we start a conversation, unless we actually talk to people, we are never going anywhere ministry wise.

If we learn nothing else from this passage, make it a practice to engage people around you. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to do this. If we are genuinely interested in them and their lives, there is no telling where a conversation may lead. Jesus’ unplanned conversation with this woman led to the entire village believing that Jesus is the Messiah! Where will the Spirit take us if we make it our practice to engage people?

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Frustrated? Here’s the Cure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dictionary defines frustration as the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of an inability to change, control, or achieve something. We get frustrated when our desires are blocked in some way. Sound familiar? Many people try to deal with frustration by trying even harder to make things turn out the way they want. There is a better solution.

Some parts of life are meant to be under our dominion, but God reserves many areas to himself. Only God has the wisdom to guide our daily lives. When we try to take over, it reveals our pride and lack of trust in him. The Book of Proverbs teaches us that our very “steps” are beyond our control, being sovereignly directed by the Lord. (Proverbs 20:24) God reveals himself throughout Scripture as the Sovereign Lord who rules over all things, including the details of each individual life. He even directs the courses taken by nations and nature. It is true that he grants some people enormous power and authority in leadership positions; but, it is only an illusion if they think they are ultimately in control.

Some of us have very strong personalities and wills and are able to manipulate people and situations to our benefit and desire, but we are never truly in control. God retains that right to himself. Until we come to terms with that we will be frustrated.

It has long been man’s desire to be in control and independent from God. This was first revealed in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve quickly traded their status as highly favored, God-dependent children of God for being fallen, lonely, dying, self-directed beings. They rejected the God who created them because they neither understood nor trusted him, which made them susceptible to the devil’s lie that it is possible to live freely and fully while being autonomous from God.

When we refuse to live in dependence and partnership with God, we experience a life filled with frustration. It has to be that way, since we are acting outside of the parameters given to us by our Creator.

Since Adam’s and Eve’s first act of rebellion against God’s created order, men and women have been hell bent on pursuing complete autonomy from God. Some of us choose to deny God’s existence outright, thinking that we can get rid of him. Others of us create “gods” in our own image, which will approve or at least allow all the things we want to do. Both “solutions” are an attempt to be in control.

When Moses ascended Mount Sinai to spend forty days in God’s presence, the Israelites grew restless and frustrated. They felt “out of control,” not knowing what was happening.

When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him!” Exodus 32:1 (NET1)

Idolatry is rooted in our desire to be in control of our lives and God. We don’t like the God who cannot be manipulated; so, we choose for ourselves gods after our own image, who allow us to do whatever we wish. Since the true God is not able to be manipulated, we become frustrated.

The god manufactured by Aaron in response to the people’s wishes was to “go before” Israel, but such a god could only go where the people took him. It is amazing how easily we fool ourselves. The desire to be in control of our lives will always lead to sin and deception. Even people who believe in God and try to follow Christ are susceptible to this kind of idolatry.

  • We devise religious rules and regulations, thinking that by keeping them we can manipulate God into loving and accepting us. This is the basis of legalism.
  • We create a theology in which we imagine that God would never allow suffering to come into our lives, only what we consider blessings.
  • We use prayer as a sort of magical incantation, thinking that if we get the words just right (translated “positive confession”), God will be bound to respond to our “faith.”
  • We get depressed and discouraged, or, maybe, angry, depending on our personality type, when things do not turn out the way we desire, because we are just not quite sure that God is truly sovereign, loving, wise, and faithful.
  • We try to “cut a deal” with God, telling him that if he will answer our prayer, we will fulfill some vow. And the list goes on.

When we try to be in control, we show that we have never comprehended what it means to surrender our lives to Jesus the LORD.

Jesus knew what it meant to be completely surrendered to his Father’s will, which is what he wants for us, too. Jesus was able to do this because he was convinced that his Father loved him beyond comprehension. Faith in God’s faithfulness will enable us to follow in our Lord’s footsteps of surrender.

The only way to properly deal with the root of frustration is to completely submit our lives, desires, relationships, money, health, and futures – everything – to the Sovereign Lord, who loves us beyond our comprehension. We must cast aside the fear that he is not trustworthy.

So, the next time you find yourself angry, depressed, discouraged, afraid, or frustrated, ask yourself, “Have I truly surrendered myself and my situation to the Lord?” “Am I trusting him completely, even if I do not understand how he is directing my steps?” If not, you know what to do. The cure for frustration is both simple and difficult. Simple to understand and difficult to do. But it is worth it.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
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Gospel in a Minute: The Spirit Will Lead Us to People Who Are Ready and Open to Believe the Gospel

Gospel in a Minute

After sharing the gospel with the Samaritans, Philip was led by God’s Spirit in an amazing way.

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) 27  So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28  and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29  Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." 30  Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31  And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:26-30 (NASB)

Principle: The Spirit Will Lead Us to People Who Are Ready and Open to Believe the Gospel.

The eunuch was hungering to know more about God and the scriptures. Only the Spirit knew this, and he individually guided the evangelist to him. Philip led this man to receive Christ and baptized him in water on the spot. Luke put this account in Acts to let us know that God’s Spirit is available to guide us in a similar way. The Great Commission is a partnership between us and God. We need the baptism and gifts of the Spirit in order to be as effective as God desires. Our Lord wants us to be able to detect the “still, small voice” of the Spirit as he leads us through the day.

There are people all around us in whom God is working, preparing them to receive and believe the gospel. Are we open to God’s directing and using us as he did Philip?

Prayer

Holy Spirit, use me as your ambassador of reconciliation. I am ready for you to direct me to those you have prepared to hear the gospel. Help me to be alert to your guidance each day. Grant me boldness, compassion, and courage to be Christ’s witness. Help me to properly articulate the Good News. Amen.

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