How Do You Smell?

     Like it or not, a Christian is designed by his / her Creator to be recognizably different in every aspect of life.  Jesus said that his disciples would be noticed by how they acted toward one another (John 13:35). 

     Paul was guided to say this in a different way.  In 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 he writes, “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.  And who is equal to such a task?”

     What does this mean?  That everyone around you will judge God, Christ and the church by what they see and hear and watch you do. 

     To some, the Christianity you portray will be an odious stench that they will only want to be rid of.  Regardless of how well you live a holy lifestyle.  Righteous living is so foreign to their way of thinking and acting that they will do everything possible to discredit, shame and persecute you.  They will just be waiting for you to be human and mess up so that they can prove you and all other Christians wrong.  These are the ones you will have to be careful not to spend too much time with. 

    There are others, however, that will appreciate a life that makes sense and follows godly principles.  They will enjoy your influence (aroma) and want to learn more about it.  Unfortunately, they will seldom say so.  These are the ones we need to be seeking.  These are the ones we need to spend most of our time with. 

     The hard part in all of this is that you can’t do anything about what others think of your aroma.  You can only try to live for Christ to the best of your ability.  Just be careful to give off the correct fragrance.  One that puts Jesus and His kingdom in a true light.  It’s up to others to determine how it smells.  Latch on to the ones that enjoy God’s presence.

     So, how do you think you have smelled lately?

Doug

Sufficiently Blessed

     “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”                      2 Peter 1:3

     How many of us would admit that we have everything we need in life?  Everyone, it seems, would be happier with a bit more money, a nicer car, a roomier house, and the list goes on.  Most people, if they’re honest, are unable to rest assured that their position in life is sufficient.

     Scripture talks about this problem quite a lot.  We have many stories of the consequences people faced because they just couldn’t feel satisfied with what God had given to them.  They always wanted more.  Adam and Eve gave up Paradise because they thought they needed more. 

     Israel constantly made the mistake of putting their security and trust in earthly things (chariots, alliances with other nations, lying prophets, etc.).  Yet, all they needed was God.  When they trusted in Him, He took care of everything.  He fought for them, gave them the instructions they needed and even provided the leaders.  But eventually they got distracted and once again sought security in other people or human philosophies. 

     What about today?  Do you have everything you need to live the Christian life?  God says you do.  In fact you have more than enough information.  2 Peter 1:3 says that you have everything you need.  Are you using it?  Or are you waiting until you receive more? 

     Fortunately, God does provide us with much more than we really need.  But not because we deserve it.  He blesses us with a lot more because He loves us and desires that we enjoy our relationship with Him. 

     So be thankful for the wonderful blessings God has given you; especially for His written word.  Use it.  Share it.  Don’t be clamoring for more.  Let those around you see and know that you are thankful for everything that God has done. 

Doug

Stewards of Life

Our English word “stewardship” translates two Greek words put together to tell a story: “oikos” meaning “house” and “nomos” meaning “to manage”.  We borrow this word “oikonomos” for our study on “economics”.  It is defined as “the study of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services” or, “the financial element of something.” 

While we Americans usually restrict our study of stewardship and economics to discussions on how we handle money, God expects us to be good stewards (economists) with every aspect of our lives – our time, our energy, our service activities, our spiritual growth, our relationships, our job requirements, as well as our finances.

We are given charge of everything God has made (Genesis 1:26, 28) and we are to be good stewards of all of it.  How well we do in this will depend largely on how much we respect and love the Master and His things.  If we care more for ourselves and our selfish ambitions, then we will not take good care of God’s things nor will we give much time and energy to matters that mean the most to Him.  However, if we love the Master and are loyal to His cause, we will spend our lives building our relationship with Him and His children and the “tools” He provides to get along in this life will be handled with care and respect.

Jesus’ parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) expresses this truth.  The first two servants respected their Master and cared for what he had entrusted to them.  By faith, they had the courage to use the Master’s things to benefit others, the Master, and themselves.  But the third servant obviously had little or no regard for the Master or his things.  Because of his fear, no one received any benefit from what the Master so generously provided.  Not only did that make the Master and his other servants look bad, it cost the unfaithful servant everything he had.

So, learn from this story that God has given all of us something to do to participate in the work of the kingdom.  Use God’s gifts to benefit everyone (you, others, God).  Don’t be afraid to try new things.  Trust God to help you succeed.  And remember most of all to give God your heart.  Because if God has your heart, He will also have your time, your energy, your faith, your good deeds, your finances, your family and other relationships – everything that makes life meaningful.  And He will bless you with all kinds of opportunities to grow even more spiritual blessings in return.

Doug

Store Up For Yourselves

            One of the lessons that my mother drilled into me while I was growing up was the importance of sharing with others.  Many of the television shows that were designed for children also taught the same thing, so I naturally came to realize that it was always the right thing to do. 

            So you might understand why I grew up having a problem with Jesus’ parable about the Ten Virgins (Maidens).  This story has a group of young ladies who were unwilling to share with others.  And Jesus seemed to be sanctioning their behavior.  After all, they were the ones allowed inside while those they refused to share with were left out in the cold.

            As I continued to read and listen to lessons about this parable, the more it dawned on me why Jesus spoke as He did.  Jesus was encouraging His followers to be ready for His return.  When we remember this, the other details fall into place and make a lot more sense.

            All of us must work hard every day to stay on track with Jesus, and there are some things needed to accomplish this task that are just impossible to share with others.  For example: your faith.  Faith is the building block (the foundation) of your relationship with God.  You can tell others about your faith, but you cannot give them the faith they need to follow Jesus.  Faith is something each of us must acquire in our own lives as we encourage each other to do the same.

            Another example is peace of mind.  Our conversion to Christ provides us with the tools required to attain contentment in life, but it is something we must build on our own.  No one can give this quality to someone else.  And so it goes with all of the virtues listed as the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23): these are blessings that we must build into our lives, but are impossible to give to or receive from others.

            And all of these needed, yet un-sharable characteristics are what Jesus was alluding to by using the symbol of the “oil” for the girl’s lamps.  When we face God / Jesus on the last day, our lamps (Christian example / lifestyle) must be burning brightly with the oil that God has helped us accumulate in this life. 

            With this in mind, then, are you ready for His return?  Is your lamp burning brightly or is it ready to burn out?  If you’re depending on others to bail you out, you will be disappointed, just as the foolish girls were.  Work every day from now on and spend as much time with God’s people as possible in order to receive the encouragement needed to be ready and to stay ready.

Doug

A Perfect Reflection

     Mirrors are interesting things.  They are totally honest.  They show you what you truly look like.  Whether or not that is a bad thing is up to your interpretation of what you see.  But the result is not up to the mirror.  Its job is to reflect back the object that is directly in front of it.

     Maybe this is what God was trying to express to us in the words of Paul:

     “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”                                           

(2 Corinthians 3:18)

     In a sense, then, we are to be spiritual mirrors.  We are to reflect the glory of God to those around us every day.  Therefore, it is important for us to portray an honest picture of Him.  It is mandatory that we show others what He is truly like.  And remember that it isn’t our job to force an impression of Him on others.  We will tell others about Him and why we follow Him.  But it will be up to them to form their own faith in Him.  And they are very likely to base that upon our reflection.

     Thankfully, we don’t have to come up with the power or energy to bring this about all by ourselves. The strength to succeed at this spiritual reflecting is provided through the action of God’s Spirit that dwells inside every Christian. This is God’s doing – on our behalf. The truth of this should impress on every mind what an important task each of us commits to when we (1) put Christ on in baptism to have our sins remitted and (2) receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us in the process of being less like the world and more like Christ. The longer we strive with God to follow the lead of His Spirit, the more confidence we have. And with the increase of confidence in Christ comes the natural result of reflecting His true character to those around us.

     So, what kind of Jesus do other people see being reflected in you; one that gives Him leftovers or one who gives Him everything?  Does it show a committed soldier or a timid critic?  Does your gospel have the power to save or is it based on arguments that divide?  Do others see you being transformed into His likeness or trying to live in two different worlds?  Are you showing His glory or trying to gain glory for yourself?

     Your reflection of Jesus will be obvious to everyone.  You cannot hide how you really believe.  Make the changes you need to soon in order to help your friends and family see the real Jesus - the one living in you.

Doug

The Number One Evil

     All of Paul’s letters to churches and individuals were designed to combat certain problems that first century Christians were facing.  Though each case had a different set of circumstances surrounding it, all of the issues had the possibility of creating what can be considered the number one evil for the church.  Division - Satan’s favorite weapon against God.  It is the devil’s best strategy because if he can divide us, he can (and does) defeat us.

     The church was designed to provide us with much needed fellowship.  This is, in fact, the earmark of the church.  Division destroys the fundamental purpose of the church.

     When Christians are divided and no longer in fellowship, our worship suffers because we cannot focus on the Father.  Our faith suffers because we are too busy defending our cause and trying to defeat one another.  Our influence in the community falters because we are unable to show others the mark of Christianity (love for one another - John 13:35).

     So how can we avoid division?  Well, it really depends on each one of us being committed to the following: 

     1.  You must decide to do whatever possible to keep division from happening.

     2.  You must remain focused on Christ.

     3.  You must study the Scriptures and use them for all matters of doctrine.

     4.  You must be willing to allow others freedom of opinion on issues not clearly taught in the Bible.

     5.  You must accept that not everyone is on the same level of understanding and faith that you are.

     6.  You must take every opportunity to improve your relationship with each person.

     If you wait for others to do these things, division is sure to happen.  If you expect others to do these things, division has already happened.  The best way to avoid the number one evil, is to do whatever you can to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).

Doug

Rely On God

            “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.  We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

            Paul doesn’t tell us what the peril was that he and his comrades thought would bring about their deaths.  One thing we do know, though, he considered it so life-threatening that he felt as if God had raised him from the dead.  To be alive and tell of this incident was proof that God had carried them through an impossible ordeal.

            Indeed, there were many incidents like this in the life of the apostle Paul.  So many, in fact, that just reading about them impresses me with the amount of faith this man possessed.  No human could endure the hardships that Paul was put through and keep going unless someone with divine power were alongside of him directing his path. 

            And this is exactly what Jesus promised just before He ascended into heaven.  The closing words of Matthew’s gospel are to bolster our faith in God’s desire and ability to secure our lives.  “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  There it is!  The ultimate fulfillment of the name Immanuel (God With Us).  The Holy Spirit whom Jesus sends to all who are cleansed by His blood, is God with us (right inside of us) to guide us through life and back to God, the Father. Paul trusted in this divine decree and lived his life in full assurance that God would definitely rescue him in the end (2 Timothy 1:12).

            We all have this same promise from Jesus today.  Those of us who have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27) and continue to walk in His light (1 John 1:7) can receive comfort to know that He has guaranteed us safe passage into eternal life.  No matter what happens in this life, no matter how perilous or life-threatening, God’s children have a new home awaiting them.  What it will take to believe this and act accordingly, though, is our commitment to allow God to lead direct our paths.  Then we will have the courage and foresight to rely on Him to help us get through anything.

Doug

I’m Thankful For . . .

     The Bible is full of passages encouraging God’s people to be thankful for the benefits of being among His family.  The reason for this, as I see it, is that thankfulness produces loving service.  Jesus claimed this as His purpose (Mark 10:45) and our gratitude leads us to imitate Him in this way.

     Yet I know so many that have been distracted by Satan to focus mainly on their problems and frustrations.  Their thankfulness and gratitude have taken a back seat and they are unable to truly consider anything to be thankful for.

     To help you, I would like to offer you a list of blessings that I think of whenever I get discouraged.  I strive to be thankful for them so that I can keep from falling prey to Satan’s discouraging ways.

I’m Thankful for . . .

     My Salvation in Jesus Christ:

            that I am justified from sin;

            that I am being sanctified through God’s Spirit;

            that I am a child of God.

     The Countless Blessings of life:

            for my wife, children and extended family;

            for my health (it can always be worse);

            for a loving spiritual family - the church;

     God’s Constant Care:

            He takes care of my emotional needs;

            He takes care of my spiritual needs;

            He sees to my physical needs.

            And He gives me more than I need in all of these areas.

     My Future Home:

            that I am a citizen of Heaven;

            that Jesus has prepared a place for me;

            that I am an heir of God’s promises.

     I could go on and on.  But I find that when I get to this point in my list, most of my fears and doubts disappear.  It is truly helpful to follow the advice in a popular hymn that we all sing:  “Count your blessings, name them one by one; count your many blessings, see what God has done.  

     And it also helps to remember a good piece of advice I was given long ago:

            “It’s not happy people who are thankful;

            It is thankful people who are happy.”

Doug

God Will Fight For Us

            One of the most difficult things to learn about faith is that it is NOT easy. Being willing to believe, trust and act according to a Being that can’t be sensed takes a tremendous amount of courage and resolve – mainly because we may be called to do what has never been done (or thought of) before.  That’s why the great heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11) were so blessed.  They were willing to allow God to use them to do unheard-of things.

            One excellent example of difficult faith is found in 2 Chronicles 20.  King Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah were facing a dire crisis.  An enemy army was on their doorstep before they could mount a legitimate defense against them.  With their backs to the wall and completely out of viable options, the king did something extraordinary – he went to God in prayer.  It may not seem to have been the correct war strategy from a human standpoint: after all the lives of thousands upon thousands were in his hands right then.  Yet God brought them success because this action showed true faith:

                        The king’s prayer claimed YHWH as their God (6, 7, 12);

                        He expressed their inability to succeed without His help (12);

                        He admitted that they had no idea what to do (12);

                        And Israel submitted to accepting whatever outcome God decided upon (12).

            The real faith issue came in responding to God’s answer (14-17).  First of all His reply came through a prophet.  God said (I’m paraphrasing), “This isn’t your fight; you won’t have to do anything; let me take care of it.”  Could this message really be true?  But since there was no time to make sure whether or not this guy was telling the truth or just making it up, they had to follow through on what he said.

            Also, their faith had to believe that when they marched out to where the enemy was encamped God would indeed do all of the fighting.  “I don’t have to do any fighting?  God will fight this battle?”  Their courage was evident in that they did march out.  The difficulty of their faith showed in the fact that they were singing and worshiping all the way to the front.  And they really didn’t have to fight.  As it turned out, all they had to do was to watch God work, mop up after the enemy finished killing themselves, and proclaim God’s glory when they returned home.

            If God has ever proved anything to us humans all throughout history it has to be that He will indeed fight for us.  When we claim Him as our own, His Spirit keeps us in His care. When we tap into His power to persevere, His Spirit provides the strength we need to get through any challenge. When we follow His guidelines toward the goal and keep our eyes fixed on Christ, then there is no way we can fail (Rom. 8:31-39).

Doug

When It Seems Impossible

          Many of the miracles recorded in the Bible came at a time when an answer from God was thought to be impossible.  Just when things appeared to be hopeless, God stepped in and provided what was needed.  Time and time again, His providence and care arrived just when those involved deemed a solution to be improbable.

          When it looked like everybody was just too sinful, God saved Noah’s family in an ark.  When it appeared there would be no heir to Abraham’s estate, Sarah became pregnant.  When the Israelites saw no way of escape from the Egyptians, the Red Sea parted.  When their throats became dry in the wilderness, water poured from a rock.  Gideon and a motley band of 300 unarmed regulars stood and watched a vast army kill one another trying to flee from them.  A widow thought she was going to eat one last meal and then die until Elijah showed up and extended her meager rations.  And who will forget the defeated attitude of eleven disciples who thought Satan had won a great victory until the resurrected Jesus stood in their presence celebrating with them?

          What we should learn from these lessons is that God does His best work when we think a given situation is totally impossible.  His track record on coming through at the most unlikely time is perfect.  He does this because these are the times when we have to recognize that He brought about the victory – we were powerless and clueless to do anything.

          So when you have to go on without a certain loved one, remember the One who has promised never to leave your side.  When you’re called upon to face an uncertain trial, allow God (and His people) to encourage you to persevere.  When you don’t know how a situation will ever turn out in your favor, trust God who enjoys doing “impossible” things to show up right on time and provide you with another proof of His love, kindness, mercy and care.

Doug

No Pretenses

            We know how to behave when our reputation or our freedom is on the line.  We know the right things to do, the right things to say, how to be tactful and polite.  Yet, sometimes, we get caught with our guard down and just one little slip of the tongue, or that one nasty gesture, or an uncontrolled, mean-spirited leer causes a conflict that we may never recover from.  Since we are human and prone to mess up on occasion, it is necessary to be reminded often of how we are to act in all situations.  This is all the more important since Christians are to reflect the image of God to a lost and dying world.  If we’re not careful to show Jesus in the proper light, we will be in danger of giving a false impression or faulty view of God and His purpose for every person.

            For example, when Aaron made the golden calf in the wilderness and called it YHWH (Exodus 32:5), he caused the Israelites to see Him as another of the many idols worshiped by the Egyptians.  And when God’s people turned to idolatry and claimed to be worshiping YHWH, they blasphemed His Name among the Gentiles (Isaiah 52:5; Micah 3:11; Romans 2:24).  Today when Christians act, and talk, and think like the pleasure-seekers around them, they give a false impression of God’s holiness; they actually promote the negative views of Christianity, church leaders, and what they call “organized religion” that are so prevalent in the movies, television shows, and other mass media.  In effect, they have caused the name of God to be blasphemed by claiming the Name, but not living by what that Name stands for.  In essence, the prejudice experienced today against anything religious has come in response to those who practice their religion under false pretenses.

            The church, God’s kingdom, has always had a difficult task to achieve.  From its inception, its members have been called upon to show their world a different way to live, think, behave, serve, etc.  The Apostle Paul admits that our message has been nothing short of ridiculous to outsiders.  He uses the word “scandal” to describe how outsiders feel about the gospel (1 Cor. 1:18, 23). 

            This is the reason for all of the lists the New Testament writers provide in their letters.  It’s imperative for us to strive to behave because the church just doesn’t need any more embarrassing situations to answer for.  We already have 2 strikes against us; our backs are already up against the wall; we’re already hanging by a limb (and any other clichés you can think of).  We must get into the habit of living the way we know is right (and encouraging all of our fellow Christians to do the same).  We must practice our religion on a daily basis, free from any pretenses that might be perceived by a suspicious public as being selfish, or derogatory, or insincere, or hypocritical.

            As Paul’s inspired words from Colossians 3 encourage, let’s get good at setting our hearts and minds on things above (spiritual, godly matters) where Christ is seated next to God (1-4).  This will help us avoid Satan’s influences to satisfy earthly, selfish desires.  Put to death [murder] the disgusting sinful urges that bombard our minds on a daily basis (5-12).  The world knows that these are not Christian behavior.  Show forth God’s attributes to the best of your ability (13-17). Influence others to see how God’s ways work to improve lives, not to hinder identity and meaning.  And devote yourselves to growing in your relationship with God so that you can have the strength to keep trying whenever you mess up; to keep striving when it seems impossible to succeed; to be a light for what is good and right in a dark and dismal world.

            Live the Christian life with no pretenses.  Help those seeking the Savior to get on the right road with us; the only one that leads back to God who is calling us home.

Doug

Our Source of Strength

     I’ve heard stories about people who, in moments of crisis, are able to muster an amount of super-human strength.  A man is able to lift a car off of someone stuck underneath it.  Workmen tunnel through rock to rescue those trapped inside a collapsed mine shaft.  A soldier carries a wounded comrade for miles to a field hospital.

     Where does this extraordinary strength come from?  Why can’t we use it more often for ordinary problems of life?  Can you imagine the great things we would be able to do if we could just tap into this resource at will? 

     The Bible tells us often that we do have access to a tremendous amount of strength every moment of every day.  But it isn’t where we would usually look for it.  It doesn’t reside within us.  There is a divine power that is graciously given to us by God.  And it is available to all of those who are in Christ.  Because it is only for those who are housing God’s Spirit (see Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9-11; 2 Corinthians 6:19-20).

     Sin and fear blind our minds from being able to see and appreciate the sheer power afforded us by the Holy Spirit: sin, because we have been distracted from focusing on our true goal - Jesus (Hebrews 12:3); and fear, because we don’t fully understand or appreciate God’s forgiveness nor His desire to surround us with His constant presence.  But for those who are being transformed into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18), getting rid of our sin and overcoming fear by faith, we have at our disposal an abundant power to do extraordinary things (see Philippians 4:13).

     Our problem is in understanding what the source of this great power is.  When we think that it is something we have to accomplish and provide, we fail.  However, when we acknowledge that our ability to do anything in life comes only by the grace of God and any good thing we are able to accomplish comes through His Spirit motivating us, then we have enormous power to succeed beyond all expectations. 

     This is why we are to do all things to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).  He ensures our success especially when we are hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down (2 Corinthians 4:7-9).  Our success at anything in life is only possible when He is the source of our strength.

Doug

Depending Upon God

            Do you know how close we all came to not having one of the most awesome prophecies of the beginning of Christ’s church?  If it weren’t for the faith and courage of Daniel, we might have missed out on God’s pinpointing the time of His kingdom’s arrival.  But, fortunately, Daniel was willing to be used by God and the Jewish people were prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

            The prophecy about which I speak is found in Daniel 2.  God had actually revealed it through a dream to king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  Being the insecure and suspicious person he was, the king (very wisely) required his enchanters to tell him the dream and then interpret it for him.  He was going to be sure that they didn’t just make something up.  Unfortunately, no human has ever been able to do such a thing.  In a fit of rage, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the execution of ALL the wise men within his realm.  This, by the way, would include Daniel and his three friends.

            When Daniel heard the king’s order, he asked for time which he used for prayer to God with his friends.  They asked for wisdom in helping interpret the king’s dream, knowing that God was the only One who could do what the king asked for.  When God revealed to them the contents of the dream and its interpretation, they spent time thanking God for His love and care.

            Now Daniel had the courage to stand before Nebuchadnezzar and glorify God with the answer he longed for.  And in that answer, God provided the timing for the coming of the Messiah (Jesus) and His kingdom (the church).  During the time of the Roman kings, God was going to establish His kingdom that would fill the whole earth (Daniel 2:44).

            The Jewish people were looking for the Messiah when Jesus was walking the earth, teaching, performing miracles and dying for the sin of the world.  And 3,000 were ready for it 50 days after His resurrection fulfilling God’s prophecy in Daniel 2. 

            What do you think would have happened if Daniel and his friends had panicked, or given up, or tried to figure all this out on their own?  Think of how much more God could do for everyone around us today if we were to turn to Him for help rather than trying to work things out by ourselves.  We were not designed to go through life alone.  Put your dependence fully on the Lord God and be amazed at what He is able to accomplish through you.

Doug

Being Transformed

            “Sanctification (God making us righteous through his Spirit’s indwelling), though begun the moment we are justified, is gradual and throughout this life incomplete, as we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ ‘from one degree of glory to another’ (2 Cor. 3:18).”

John Stott, The Cross of Christ, p. 186

            My life, like so many projects I’ve started, is an unfinished masterpiece.  The reason I remain unfinished is because there are a lot of attitudes that need to be changed; many old habits that need to be stopped; countless sins that need to be abandoned; and several blessings to appreciate; many new activities to be a part of; countless righteous deeds to add in to my daily activity.  Until all of this is accomplished, I am an unfinished work in God’s hands.  But that’s okay with God – so many of the New Testament writers struggled with becoming and overcoming and transforming into the likeness of Jesus.

            This improvement process is called sanctification.  This comes from the term “holy” (Latin = “sanctus”) and means “to be set apart” or “special” or, in a sense, “different” from the rest of the world.  It can refer to people (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11; Heb. 10:29; 13:12) or objects that are dedicated to religious acts of worship. 

            By calling His people “saints” (“sanctified ones”) God is indicating some very important truths about ourselves:

       (1) that we are special compared to those who are still lost in sin (1 Pet. 2:9),

       (2) that we are to hold each other in high regard (John 13:35),

       (3) that we are to be busy taking care of each other (Gal. 6:10). 

       However, it is also important to note that we are never finished or complete or flawless in holiness.  It is an on-going process of growth and improvement.  As the quote above points out, our transformation into the likeness of Christ never ends.  It’s a life-long journey.

       That may frustrate many people who are impatient and desirous to see immediate results for their hard work. But “quick fixes” rarely last and they seldom grow to be appreciated.  So rather than seeing this reality as a negative thing be thankful to God for His patience and willingness to help you work through this lengthy improvement process.  Be grateful that He considers you special enough to be willing to mold you and shape you and work on you as He transforms your life into a masterpiece that He can be proud of.

Doug

Changing To Fit God’s Will

            There is nothing so dangerous to an organization than a former ally who changes sides and begins working for the “competition.”  We see this often in our sports-oriented society with athletes who were traded to another team or released or signed with someone else as a free agent.  The next time they face their old team they are fired up and ready to defeat their former friends.  In times of war, the most feared agents of the enemy may be spies planted within the ranks.  This can be dangerous to morale and cause fatal results to an army’s cause.

            So it is understandable what Saul’s (later Paul) conversion to Christianity did to the morale and cause of Judaism (and Satan).  To them he was a traitor - a very dangerous threat.  He knew their system of doctrine and leadership inside and out.  Thus their immediate reaction of trying to kill him is understandable.  Saul’s switching sides and working for the “competition” threatened their way of life and everything they had worked so hard to achieve.

            However, the picture of the man Saul (Paul) that is painted for us by Luke in the book of Acts shows a man who was totally dedicated to God’s cause.  For as soon as he was faced with his error, he did what was necessary to get on the right track.  And then he lived the rest of his life trying to convince everyone (Jew and Gentile alike) of their need to do the same thing he had done: change everything to fit God’s will. His life is a testament to work of the Holy Spirit within the believer to bring about the changes needed to be right with God.

            And make no mistake; as soon as you follow Paul’s example, the enemy WILL feel threatened and WILL do what he can to eliminate the threat.  For Paul, the devil’s attacks began at once, spilled over into the church (who refused to accept him at first) and dogged him for the rest of his life.  Satan promises to be relentless in stopping those he considers to be traitors.

            Paul succeeded, though, because he was determined to use the power/strength that God provides with His Spirit that takes up residence right inside us.  Each one of us can imitate Paul’s attitude and commitment by following the lead of the Holy Spirit. And we need an all-out effort by every member.  The church will survive into the future only if God’s people defect to God’s side and work at defeating the enemy with all of the energy that He generously provides. 

            So are you ready to do what’s right?  Are you ready to change to fit God’s will?  Are you prepared to do battle with Satan?  God has promised to protect you and reward you for letting Him have His way with you.  Make the choice today to fit your will into God’s and trust Him to bring you success – no matter what the enemy may throw at you.

Doug

The Acts of Peter

            Most of the book of Acts is about the Apostle Paul and his ministries in the early church (most likely because the author (Luke) was a traveling companion of Paul’s and received most of his information from this apostle).  There is only brief mention of the other apostles in Acts (Peter, John and James).  I sometimes wish that he had given the others more treatment; especially about Peter.  I would like to know more about the acts of Peter.

            I have always appreciated Peter.  Many have given him a bad rap for speaking out of turn, or for being distracted by the storm causing him to sink, or for being violent at Jesus’ arrest, and especially for denying Jesus during the time He was on trial. 

            But what I appreciate most about Peter was his perseverance.  He got knocked down a lot, that much is true (Jesus had to correct him many times; once Jesus even called him “Satan” (Mt. 16); he may have often been impetuous and overbearing).  But he never gave up!  He just kept coming back.  He continued to try and to learn and to grow and to be forgiven and to continue working for the Lord.  No matter what he was required to face, Peter never gave up on Jesus.

Notice Peter’s list of accomplishments for Christ and His kingdom:

He was the first to confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt. 16);

He was the only true human to walk on water (he succeeded for a time – Mt. 14);

He opened the doors of the kingdom (Acts 2);

He stood defiantly against his persecutors and defended Jesus as the Messiah (Acts 4, 5);

He healed the sick and raised the dead (Acts 3, 9);

He converted the first Gentile to Christ (Acts 10)

He was miraculously released from prison (Acts 12)

He wrote 2 New Testament letters (about courage & holiness);

And Peter eventually gave his life as a martyr for the cause of Christ.

            It’s obvious from looking at his life that Peter was filled and guided by God’s Spirit. We can accomplish similar feats by imitating his example of faith, commitment, service and perseverance in fulfilling our mission by the power of the Holy Spirit.  You’ll be able to mature to the point that the challenges of life will not be a cause for you to give up on Jesus. Use His power living right inside you to keep coming back until the Lord calls you home.

Doug

That Wasn’t Magic

            I did a magic trick once.  Yes, just once – and I was trying too.  Fortunately my audience was a couple of young boys so I actually got away with it.  It would be fair to say that I would die as a pauper if magic was my occupation. 

            That’s why a couple of biblical stories concerning magicians catch my attention whenever I read Acts 8 and 19.  The first is the record of Philip’s ministry in Samaria.  This faithful servant of God was empowered to perform special miracles that drew the people’s attention to listen to the gospel message of salvation.  Many believed and were baptized into Christ, especially one that knew perfectly well that what Philip was able to do wasn’t magic.  Simon was a professional magician and he knew firsthand that God was at work in Philip and he himself was convinced and obeyed the gospel.  His reaction (being a specialist in the field) is proof to us that God was truly at work and that the miracles were true and not just superstitious allusions.

            The other case took place during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus.  This was a town full of paganism and superstition.  There were many there who practiced the magical arts and made a lucrative business by dazzling and misleading the people.  But when they witnessed the miracles God performed through Paul, they openly confessed their errors, obeyed the gospel and showed their repentance by burning their magic books.  They saw firsthand, like Simon, that what Paul was able to do wasn’t magic. Their reaction teaches us that Someone powerful is behind the message of Christ and we had better change our ways and follow His lead.

            Does God still do miracles today?  I think He does – but in a little different way.  Life itself is miraculous and who else but an infinite, powerful, almighty God could create and sustain it so perfectly?  The gospel of Christ is a miracle.  How else and what else could have the power to blow sin away (Romans 1:16)?  And the Bible: Only a miracle of God could have inspired and sustained it all these years without error and teaching us something new about God every day.

            Have you taken the time to notice God’s miracles?  They are not mistakes, coincidences, or magic.  They are God’s way of getting your attention.  They are meant to remind you of a higher power – One that loves you and wants to be with you.

            Take it from of the “experts” who witnessed His power firsthand.  Listen to Him; follow Him; love Him and live with Him.  What He’s done (and is still doing) is not magic.  It’s love.

Doug

God Poured Himself Out

            The Day of Pentecost (“pentecosta” = “50 days” from Passover) following Jesus’ resurrection was the day that Christ’s church officially opened (you can read about it in Acts chapter 2). It was preceded by a host of miraculous “signs” (pointing to an important spiritual event) and “wonders” (done to catch people’s attention so they would stop what they were doing and listen to a message from God):

            1. Events during Jesus’ crucifixion (darkness, earthquake, dead people raised);

            2. Reports and witnesses to His empty tomb;

            3. Jesus Himself appearing to individuals and groups (lasting for 40 days).

            And then the really BIG one: The Holy Spirit empowering Jesus’ disciples to speak in languages they had never learned. This was accompanied by the sound of a mighty rushing wind and “tongues” of fire (I’m not sure if these were “balls” of fire or what looked like glowing human tongues) setting above the disciples’ heads. God sure provided a memorable experience with this one; it was both visible and audible – no doubt it was permanently etched into the minds of the eyewitnesses. Unfortunately though it caused a great deal of confusion and, for some critics, it was a cause for ridicule and scorn.

            Even today this incident causes the same kinds of reactions among believers and nonbelievers alike. Too many dismiss all miraculous phenomena and write this off as a story fabricated by fanatical disciples to impress and promote the cause of Christianity. Yet how do you account for all of the reports (secular and religious) that describe this occasion? And there are also many who focus solely on the “sign”, the disciples speaking in other languages (tongues) and miss the main point of this important event. Peter’s sermon that follows is still applicable today as a means of countering both difficulties – especially in verses 14-18. He says that main event was the fulfillment of God’s promise from Joel 2:28-32:

"Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:  'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’”

      The important event he says is that God had begun to pour Himself out on all who are saved in the blood of Christ! The speaking in various human languages was the “sign” and “wonder” meant to capture their attention and point to the main event. Though Peter didn’t say it, this was also the answer to Moses’ prayer found in Numbers 11:29. He (Moses) wished that all of God’s people were prophets (see 1 Peter 2:4-9) and that they would all be filled with God’s Spirit. You see, before only certain individuals received this pouring out, temporarily, and to perform certain tasks. But, as Peter says in conclusion, this promise is for all of the saved and forever!

      It’s obvious that the crowd understood what he was saying. They wanted to know what they had to do to (1) remedy their killing God’s Son and (2) be recipients of God’s indwelling presence that they were seeing and hearing in the Apostles. Peter’s answer is classic (verse 38):    

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

            Three thousand took him up on the offer and so Jesus’ promise to Peter (Matthew 16:19) was also fulfilled: the doors to His Kingdom were opened for all who are clothed with Christ to enter in. And the celebration began. Notice the joyfulness, selflessness and love the new Christians demonstrated. They were obviously bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) which proves their being filled with God’s Spirit (Romans 8:9-11).

            You can take advantage of this promise in the same way today. Have you been baptized into Christ and received forgiveness for your sins? If so, then God has moved into your soul to help with the regeneration process (sanctification – see 1 Corinthians 6:19). And this will be obvious to yourself and to everyone around you.

            But if the fruit of the Spirit hasn’t been evident in your daily life then you need to reconsider your commitment and dedication and do something about it soon. His Spirit is not going to inhabit a house (your life) that is dirty and damaged with sin. He will only take up residence in a life that is devoted to getting rid of sin once and for all.

            Follow God’s will and take advantage of this promise that God desire of all people. Allow Him to pour Himself into you so that He can guide you safely back home to Himself.

Doug

Resurrection!

Once a year many Christians all over the world pause in order to commemorate Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. The early Christians also celebrated during this time calling their festival Pascha (from the Hebrew Passover). The Passover was a reminder of God’s liberation of His people from bondage to freedom through a series of miraculous events (plagues) that showed His absolute power over any of the idol gods that humans can devise. The final act was memorialized by the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, painting its life-blood on the doorframes of their houses, and feasting on the meat while eating bitter herbs and unleavened bread. That night, the angel of death saw the blood and “passed over” that house sparing all inside.

The prophetic lesson of this ritual meal was fulfilled in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross: He was our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Peter 1:19), His blood is applied to our hearts at baptism (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:26-27), now when the death angel appears he will “pass over” those who belong to Him (Rev. 7:1-3) and they will live with Him forever. Jesus fulfilled all of this imagery perfectly by willingly going to the cross and paying our debt of sin, and (the most important part of the event) raising from the dead three days later as prophesied and as He promised.

So all throughout the church age, resurrection has been the central element of the faith. In fact, without resurrection Christianity has no meaning, no basis, no significance (1 Corinthians 15:12-18). God’s work of redemption is founded upon Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. It was the means by which God proved His victory over sin. And our hope of resurrection to new life, eternal life with God, is now guaranteed to all of those who through baptism have died to sin, been buried with Christ and raised to new life. As Paul says, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Resurrection for those clothed with Christ, then, is a certainty (Romans 6:5; 8:11).

In our fellowship, the resurrection of Christ is so fundamental to our faith, thinking, behavior, and practice that each week we commemorate this great event by eating the Lord’s Supper together. Jesus established this meal on the night He was betrayed to be a constant reminder and proclamation of His sacrifice and resurrection. We partake of it in order to identify with His life of holiness (what the bread symbolizes) and with His total commitment to God’s will (what the wine represents). And we eat it together to proclaim our unity in His body, the church. This is also the basis for the Great Commission that Jesus assigned for His disciples to engage in: He wants to provide resurrection to as many souls as He possibly can.

So in this season of resurrection, consider these few things;

1. Are you prepared to experience the ultimate blessed event (Php. 3:10)? If not, put on Christ now in baptism so you can be guaranteed of resurrection to new life (Eph. 1:13-14).

2. Are you walking in the light with God’s Spirit (1 John 1:7-8)? If not, rid yourself of sin and its damaging effects and know God’s love and peace for all eternity.

3. Are you maturing your faith (2 Pet. 1:5-9)? If not, get back in touch with your Father who is longing to welcome you home where you really belong.

4. Are you a beacon of light for those seeking a return to the Father (Matt. 5:14-16)? If not, consider those around you and their need to know and practice the truth.

Doug

Humble and Consistent Service

             God’s specially chosen corps of spokesmen (the prophets) were an amazing breed of people.  They came from all walks of life (upper-class, lower-class, royalty, priests, farmers, nomads); common, ordinary folk.  Some wrote inspired Scripture, some didn’t.  Some were honored for their work, some severely persecuted.  Some bore famous names and some remain unnamed.  Yet all of them were empowered by God’s Spirit to proclaim His word and are remembered because of their willingness to do God’s bidding regardless of the cost (physically, financially, reputation, etc.).

            Two that seem to stand out the most are Elijah and Elisha.  These two are amazing for completely different reasons.  While neither wrote anything inspired in Scripture, what is told about their ministries inspires God’s people and causes even the modern reader to notice God’s work among them.  Elijah is best known by his strange lifestyle and fiery personality; Elisha by his humble and consistent service to both friend and enemy alike.  They are a great study in contrasts.  It’s most unusual when you consider that they were co-workers laboring for God’s cause side-by-side.

            One can easily see how these two prophets, with all their different personalities and styles of ministry, foreshadowed many great missionary teams in the Bible (John the Baptist and Jesus, Barnabas and Paul, Paul and Timothy).  They were so opposite in many ways, but were perfectly matched by their faith in God and their willingness to bring Him the glory instead of seeking fame or honor for themselves.  Elijah and Elisha are a great example of unity.

            We can follow their example today during this last dispensation.  As Paul makes plain, the church is made up of a wide variety of personalities, opinions, viewpoints, gifts and abilities.  We can (and are expected to) work together in unity in order to build the body of Christ and keep it growing spiritually until Jesus comes again.  The only way this mission will be accomplished though is if each one of us is dedicated to providing humble and consistent service for Christ. 

            Reflect daily on your commitment to Christ:

            1. Ensure that it is focused on showing the meaning of humble and consistent service. 

            2. Be sure that your good deeds are done to help supply the needs of others and to bring God glory. 

            3. Understand your purpose in the kingdom and the work God has equipped you for. 

Doug

Ready At All Times

            Being a student of history, I’m always impressed how the great leaders of the past showed up just at the right time and were so perfectly fitted to the part they would play.  Is it possible the Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, George Washington, Albert Einstein, U.S. Grant and others were specifically placed into their respective time periods just so that they would be able to deliver when the world needed them most?  Or is it possible that God empowered seemingly ordinary men to rise up the challenge of the hour and be willing to expend themselves at a moment’s notice?  A study of Scripture seems to say the latter is the real case.

            Joseph was in Egypt ready to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams and save many lives from a severe famine (Gen. 41).  Moses was ready for the position to intercede for the Israelites – though he didn’t think he was (Exod. 3; Heb. 11).  Gideon’s faith empowered him and a handful of courageous fighters to stand by and watch a vast enemy army kill themselves (Judges 6, 7, 8). God heard blind Samson’s prayer and strengthened him one last time to work against a godless foe. Samuel was filled with God’s Spirit from a young age and served faithfully all of his life. Isaiah volunteered to be God’s spokesman when called (Isa. 6).  Philip willingly baptized an Ethiopian Eunuch as he was traveling along the road (Acts 8).  Ananias agreed to help Saul of Tarsus complete his conversion to Christ (Acts 9).  And Paul later taught and baptized his captor, jailer and his family though he was unjustly imprisoned (Acts 16).

            These were just ordinary folk.  The honor we afford to them came after their time of selfless service; after they overcame their fear of what the future would bring; after laying it all on the line and trusting God with the outcome.  What they teach us today is that God is ready and able to do the same for us if we, like them, are willing to put our faith in the only One that could turn them into heroes.  The Holy Spirit has a long track record of perfectly fitting and enabling ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

            Simon Peter, a simple fisherman turned outstanding apostle of Christ, encourages those filled with God’s Spirit to: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.  It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:15-17).  And who would know better how to encourage others to be empowered with God’s Spirit at all times and to stand firm in your faith than the one who denied Christ, but then determined never to make that same mistake again? 

            God promises to enable, empower, and to prepare us to succeed and be victorious through any challenge that comes our way (Rom. 8:18, 28); and He has never failed on a promise.

            So, will your faith in God allow you to complain, or to sing (Acts 16:25)?

            When things go wrong, do you know who to call on for help?

            Are you ready to serve Him faithfully should He call for you – at this very moment?

            Trust Him to take control of your life; He has a perfect track record on making ordinary people extra-ordinarily great.

Doug

The Great Escape

            One of my favorite movies made in the 60s is called The Great Escape.  It was based on a true story of WWII prisoners of war that planned and executed a brilliant and daring escape.  What intrigued me most about this story was the way the men worked together and patiently did their own personal part in order to accomplish their plan. And most of them did it for the benefit of others; many were not able physically to participate.

            The Bible also tells of a great escape.  It is probably the greatest breakout attempt of all human history.  Commonly known as the Exodus, the Israelites escaped from Egypt (the most powerful nation in the world) in a very daring way. 

            What a grand sight it must have been to see that mass of people walking away from 400+ years of slavery!  How excited they must have been to finally be free.  What a tremendous victory their God had just provided for them at the hands of the greatest nation on earth.  Through His Spirit, God proved beyond any doubt who the greatest force in the universe really was.

            But it wasn’t long until the people lost patience (and faith) and fear took over:

               Trapped between the Sea and Pharaoh's army!  Now how were they to escape?                  Thirsty in a barren land! Did God forget to have them bring water?

               No food! Hungry people get mean don’t they?

               The mountain is on fire! What’s become of our leader?

               Those people are BIG! We’re not strong enough to face them!

            Yet God, through His Spirit, delivered them from all of their problems:

               Crossing the Sea on dry ground!

               Water from a rock!

               What’s Manna? And all I have to do is pick it up off the ground?

               Moses shows up and we need God to forgive us!

               Forty years of wandering, yet God routed our enemies before us!

            The Exodus event was a foreshadowing of the next Great Escape: the liberation of souls from their bondage to sin. Jesus began the opening salvos of this epic battle by His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection three days later. And God’s Spirit is leading, and guiding the souls that have been redeemed by His blood to finish their quest with ultimate victory.

            So how do you think this great escape will turn out?  How many do you think are going to make it to the next Promised Land (Heaven)? Sadly, we’re told that only a few will follow the Spirit to the end. Most will lose faith and be too discouraged to continue on.  Don’t let that happen to you: don’t die in this earthly wilderness.

            The God who orchestrated the first Great Escape is also orchestrating the next and ultimate one. His Spirit has provided the sacrifice and power of resurrection from death in Jesus, and promises to do the same for you (Romans 8:12). There’s no need to guess, and wonder, and fret, and worry. God guarantees that you have been justified freely by Jesus’ blood (Romans 3:24) through your baptism into Him (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:26-27), that you have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), and that His Spirit is within you to guide you to the ultimate victory – eternal life with Him.

            So hold on. Persevere. Take courage and fear not. Follow the Spirit and be assured of a blessed life both now and forever more in God’s holy and loving presence.

Doug