Category Archives: The Gospel

The Sabbath

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Genesis 2:1-3

Today is Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Many Jews won’t pick up a napkin or turn on a light today. Many, I am told, depend on non-orthodox or non-Jewish friends to do that kind of “work” for them as needed.

It’s true that of all the days of Creation, the seventh day is the only day God blessed and made holy. It’s the only day He didn’t create something. He rested.

So why am I not going to church today? Am I breaking God’s Law if I put the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher today?

I am going to share from what Warren Wiersbe wrote in Be Basic, (David C. Cook Publisher; Second Edition; 2010; pages 40-43). He speaks of three Sabbaths found in the Bible.

First we see a personal day of rest of the Lord. God rested on the seventh day, not because He was tired (Isaiah 40:28), but because Creation was complete. (pay attention you who want to believe in evolution.) In the Creation account as recorded in God’s Word, there is no mention of “evening and morning” on day seven, indicating God’s rest from the act of Creation will never end. Creation was completed in six days. The Sabbath rest is the period at the end of the sentence.

Secondly we see a national Sabbath of Israel. The Sabbath became a commandment for the people under the Law, those people God chose in order to reveal Himself to the world. The seventh day was commanded by God to be a day off work, a day devoted to Him. It separated the Israelites from the rest of the people.

The seventh year was a Sabbath year of no planting so even the land had rest from production. It was the Law. If you wanted God’s favor, you followed the Law.

But we don’t live under that bondage any more. We are free from those chains of the Law by the grace of the One who commanded adherence to the Law!

Which brings us to the third Sabbath in Scripture, according to Wiersbe: the spiritual Sabbath of Christian believers. Jesus demonstrated that spiritual Sabbath repeatedly while living on earth as a man. The Jewish Sabbath symbolizes the old creation, the old covenant that none of us can obey perfectly.

But the old has passed away. The new has come!

Jesus changed everything when He paid the punishment for our sin and made us new creations through the New Covenant of grace!

Here’s the thing: I don’t have to wait until a Saturday or a Sunday to experience a Sabbath. I can rest in Jesus every moment of every day. In fact, we are told to not be anxious about anything, to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. We are told by Jesus Himself to come to Him, “all who are weary (and who isn’t weary?)… and I will GIVE you rest!”

It is in Jesus we find rest for our souls, I don’t believe one day is more important than any other. But I will go to church tomorrow to worship God shoulder-to-shoulder with people I love. I will take a break from my week because my body needs time off, my soul needs refreshed, and I as a human I need to have my batteries recharged for the days ahead.

But I will rest in my relationship with God through Jesus every day… because I can! I don’t live under the Law. I live under grace. I can breathe. I can find comfort. I can rest. In Jesus is everything I need or want.

Jesus is my Sabbath.

Quit Trying So Hard

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Ephesians 1-5

I don’t know how anyone, after reading Paul’s words, wouldn’t want what God has to offer:

Grace, mercy, love, acceptance, strength, purpose, family, identity, redemption, wisdom, enlightenment, peace, being rooted and established in love, goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Who doesn’t want those things? People try so hard to find them in so many places and in so many ways. Yet here they are, offered as gifts to anyone who believes in Jesus as the Christ, the Savior of souls.

If you are one who is searching, search no more! Quit trying so hard to find what is right in front of you. Surrender to Jesus and I know all these things will be yours.

Then, when Christ dwells in your heart through faith, “…I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know the love that surpasses knowledge -then you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (3:17-19)

I’m praying for you.

Stay On The Ship

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Acts 27

I was talking to my pastor yesterday about how easy it can be to believe a lie. If you take time to listen to people who reject God, you being to understand their point of view. That can be a good thing, and I hope we are all investing ourselves in people we love and who are rejecting God. But when our understanding of their viewpoint becomes acceptance, we have a problem.

Paul was heading to Rome to be tried for bogus crimes the Jews made up to get rid of him. The ship he was sailing on got caught in a hurricane-force storm that pummeled them for weeks. The soldiers did everything they knew what to do to save the ship from being torn to pieces. They naturally feared for their lives, so Paul encouraged them with a word from God:

But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost, only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar, and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. (Acts 27:22-25)

In other words, stay in the ship and God has promised me you will be saved. Some of the sailors panicked, however. In their minds, and from what they believed about ships and storms, they determined the better option was to escape to land by lifeboats. They began to lower the lifeboats with the intention of abandoning the ship, in opposition to the Word of God.

When Paul saw what they were doing, he said to the centurion guarding him:

Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved. (Acts 27:31b)

So the ropes were cut, the lifeboats dropped empty into the raging sea. And although the ship was lost, not one of those men lost his life.

I think the moral of the story is the Word of God. Do you believe it or not?

We must sift everything we hear through the words God spoke. We must shape our world-view, our morality, our stand on what is right and what is wrong, our definition of sin and its punishment, our understanding of grace and mercy and love, through the lens of Scripture.

We all hear things from time to time that sound reasonable, maybe even scriptural. And maybe we think: “Ok. I can see their point. Maybe they have something there.”

BUT WAIT!

Before you go any further with that thought you better ask yourself: what does Scripture say? Not just a random verse taken out of context. What does God really say, how did it play out in the lives of the Old Testament Jews, how did Jesus embody the words spoken by the prophets?

Dear ones, there is one Truth. Anything that veers from that Truth is merely opinion and is nothing to stand on. Anything that is not Truth is a lie.

There is one salvation. There is one ship. To attempt to save yourself any other way is death.

I can confidently say that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one goes to the Father without going through Jesus. I can say you must be born again. I can say that faith comes through hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

I can tell you that Scripture is God-breathed and it is the first and final authority.

I can say those things unapologetically, having built my life on the truth of it, because those words are in the Bible and the truth of them is demonstrated in those precious pages, and in my life.

Again I ask you concerning to the Word of God: do you believe it or not? Your life depends on your answer.

Don’t Judge?

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Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37-42

This whole “do not judge” thing is out of control these days, and entirely contrary to what Jesus actually said. He certainly wasn’t saying we shouldn’t call sin sin, or turn a blind eye to sin in ourselves or others. Scripture is pretty clear about that, if you take time to read it.

Jesus wasn’t implying that everyone is entitled to their own truth. Remember, He’s the same One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one goes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is THE Truth. Not just one of many truths.

If you read these chapters Jesus is telling us to confront and restore a fellow believer who is sinning. Just don’t be a hypocrite about it. Recognize and confess your own sin before trying to address someone else’s sin.

Jesus didn’t say, “Because you’ve sinned, you have no right to point out someone else’s sin.” In fact, He’s saying that BECAUSE we are sinners saved by grace, we have a responsibility to address the plank in another’s eye.

Pointing out sins according to Scripture isn’t trying to judge them. Their actions judge them. You aren’t the judge. But you are the Judge’s voice, His arms and legs, when you have the ability to be used by Him to restore a sinning brother.

Satan’s interpretation of these verses has made Christians weak and stupid. We should be less concerned about being accused of “judging” and more concerned about being accountable to the Judge. Because one day, we all will face Him. I pray that when we do, we’ll be able to look Him in the eye and say, “I did what you told me.”

I’m Excited

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The Gospels

Every time I start reading the Gospels I get excited. After nine months of reading the Old Testament, I finally arrive at what the prophets, the Law, even the lives of the Jewish people pointed me toward – Jesus!

As hard as it is to read parts of the Old Testament, I still love it. I love looking for pictures of Jesus in the day-to-day lives of the Jews, through the words of the prophets, and the poets. I think it’s an amazing part of the Bible and there is something to learn on every page. It provides the backdrop and helps us understand the significance of what we are about to read in the New Testament. – Jesus!

The fulfillment of every word from Genesis to Malachi – Jesus!

I love reading the Old Testament. But I can’t help but get excited when I turn the page to the New. What a privilege it is to get to know my Savior through the eyes of people who knew Him!

I pray that God will open my eyes, draw me closer, challenge, convict, strengthen me, and reveal Himself a bit more as I spend the next three months in the New Testament.

I’m excited!

No, Thank You.

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Ezra 4

When people came and offered to help build the temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity, Zerubbabel told them: no, thank you. Even though they claimed to seek God, and would have lightened the load on the Jews (many hands make light work), the people offering their help were not true believers. In fact, Scripture calls them enemies.

Zerubbabel told them they had no part in the building of the temple, and sent them away.

I wish the Church was as protective of the work of the Lord. today It seems we are quick to welcome anyone who knows the password: “I’m a Christian.” But we aren’t necessarily hearing what their lives are telling us.

We welcome the enemy by singing Bethel songs, listening to the likes of Joyce Meier, Andy Stanley, and Joel Osteen. We welcome the enemy when we focus our worship on the band, or focus on the raising of hands and clapping along with the drums. The enemy comes saying the Gospel needs to be relevant to a changing society, that homosexuals can be pastors, that humans are basically good. The list goes on.

We’ve welcomed the enemy, and think we’re building the Church. Zerubbabel knew that you can’t build anything pleasing to God working shoulder-to-shoulder with the enemy.

When are we going to realize the same?

But They’re Mean

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Jeremiah 18:18-23

Some people find in hard to be charitable toward people who mistreat them. When someone does us wrong, we like to believe “they’ll get what’s coming to them.” Jeremiah prayed that God would take care of the people he considered his enemies. He even prayed that God would never forgive them, never blot out their sin. In other words, “Send them to hell, Lord, because they’re mean to me.”

Jeremiah’s prayer is recorded in Scripture. God-breathed. So is this a prayer God wants to hear from us?

Hardly.

I believe this prayer is in the Bible as an example of how we ought to pray about our enemy, Satan; how we ought to pray about sin in our own hearts. I don’t think I’m wrong to spiritualize Jeremiah’s prayer in light of what Jesus taught us about our attitude toward people and our attitude toward sin.

We are to love and pray FOR our human enemies. Yet we are to hate and shun evil. We are to do good for those who mistreat us, and destroy the evil inside us.

So I will pray that God will annihilate the evil in me, never to raise its ugly head again. And I will pray that God will save the people entrapped by evil, even if they are mean to me.

God Refuses to Forgive

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2 Kings 24:4

Jehoiakim was an evil King of Judah. He was so bad that when Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon invaded Jerusalem and slaughtered and imprisoned Jews, Jehoiakim defected and joined the enemy camp.

Now, to his credit, he did change his mind and ended up rebelling against King Nebuchadnezzar. But it was too little, too late. He had shed so much innocent blood, nothing he did – not a change of mind or making better choices – could erase his guilt.

I have to say this verse didn’t sit well with me this morning. It says God refused to forgive him. That didn’t sound like the God I know. While I sat here asking God to make this verse make sense a thought came to mind. “Do you see repentance anywhere here?”

Oh, Jehoiakim changed his mind. He changed his actions. But it doesn’t say he changed his heart. Big difference.

I think there are a lot of people who pray a prayer, start making better choices, give to the poor, volunteer at the hospital, and start going to church who think they are saved. However, without repentance, without a humble change of heart, there is no salvation.

Listen to what Scripture says about that:

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. (Acts 3:19)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promises as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)

Google what the Bible says about repentance. There are a lot more verses than these that show the necessity of true repentance for salvation.

So here is what I believe God would have us consider today: there are people God refuses to forgive.

You can’t go to God and say, “My bad,” then continue in sin and expect to be forgiven. You can’t change your mind and suddenly be a philanthropist or a member of the church choir and expect God to forgive your sins. He’s very clear.

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:13)

People will see the result of your repentance in your changed lifestyle, attitude, actions. But unless you repent, turn from, submit to God from your heart, your changed lifestyle, attitude, and actions aren’t enough to erase your sins.

Repent. Otherwise God will refuse to forgive.

And I promise you, if and when you do repent, they throw a party in heaven rejoicing over your decision. You are forgiven! Your life will never be the same!

Grace

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2 Chronicles 30:19

When Hezekiah was king the dam broke. The people had been worshiping worthless idols, living in disobedience. I imagine they probably felt good about themselves thinking they were just fine doing what they were doing. But they weren’t fine. People living apart from God are never truly fine.

Like it or not. Deny it or not. There is a void placed by God in every human heart that can only be fulfilled by God Himself.

When the people heard the Truth and recognized their sinfulness, they couldn’t get to God fast enough. The dam that had separated them from God broke and the flood of repentance poured out. Hundreds of people hurried to the temple to offer sacrifices for their sin. In fact, so many came that the priests had trouble keeping up with the flow.

Then Hezekiah prayed:

May the Lord who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God… even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.

You see, these people didn’t take time to clean themselves up. They went directly to the blood of the sacrifice. The rules of the sanctuary as had been explained by Moses weren’t abolished. But by the grace of God they were fulfilled on behalf of those who came seeking God for forgiveness.

And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. (verse 20)

Paul tells us:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

What we see here in 2 Chronicles and what is affirmed throughout the New Testament is that you don’t need to stop sinning, do X amount of good things, quit smoking or swearing BEFORE you go to God. Hezekiah calls it setting our hearts in seeking God. Paul calls it faith.

If you, dear one, would just run to the blood of Jesus instead of trying to make yourself feel worthy, if you would just place your faith in Jesus, the dam will break. The separation between you and God will be washed away and you will receive the beautiful, complete gift of salvation.

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31)

The grace of God saved the Jews whose hearts were set on seeking Him. That same grace of God can save you, too.

The Power is the Miracle

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2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Hosea

Israel was like a prostitute. Time after time, king after king she sold herself to (often) the lowest bidder as we see in their history recored in the books of Kings and Chronicles.

She would go back to God when things got really bad. But the temptation to sin was too great. Israel was addicted to sin

God asked Hosea to live a real-time object lesson to prove the point of Israel’s unfaithfulness. It must have been a tough life for the prophet to live.

I am reminded of a Christian recovering alcoholic by the name of Trisha Fenimore who posts on social media. I follow her on FaceBook. She was being criticized for describing herself as a recovering alcoholic. Well-meaning people tell her that by virtue of the work of the Holy Spirit she is healed, no longer an alcoholic. They wanted to encourage her to let go of the past because she has been saved, sins washed away. Which is true.

But Ms. Fenimore explained that the real miracle isn’t that God cured her alcoholism, but rather that He gives her the power to live sober as an alcoholic. She will always be an alcoholic (sinner) but God has provided what she needs – the power over the temptation to drink (sin) one day at a time. (I have paraphrased what she said).

Israel, and Gomer, and Trisha, and I, and you, have the power to resist temptation that comes to us every day. That is the miracle of a loving God for His children who live in a sinful world.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, emphasis mine)

Doesn’t mean you won’t be tempted. Doesn’t mean God won’t let you sin. You will be tempted just like everyone else. But as His child, He will give you what you need so that you can choose to stand up under the pressure of sin.

Israel and Gomer didn’t choose to receive what God provided. They chose sin.

I pray that Trisha, and I, and you will choose to accept what God provides: the will and the strength to say no to alcohol, or pornography, or lying, or hatred, laziness, self… whatever tempts us to sin. I pray that instead, we will embrace God’s provision to live holy lives today. We can visit tomorrow’s temptations tomorrow.

Let’s choose God today and experience the miracle of the power to resist temptation in the midst of the temptation to sin, to have the provision of holiness in an unholy world.