The God Who Forgives
Matthew 6:9-13
Jesus Christ gave His followers a pattern for prayer that includes seeking forgiveness daily. The invitation to regular repentance is not a means of renewing our salvation, but rather a maintenance plan for our fellowship with the Lord. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, our sins are forgiven forever. The stains from our past, present, and future wrongs are wiped from our record; however, we're a fallen people so we do continue to commit sin.
With the exception of Jesus Christ, no person is perfect. Sin is simply a fact of human life. The Lord's payment for our transgressions means that we can look forward to an eternity spent in God's presence instead of getting the punishment we deserve. On this side of heaven, though, we still have to contend with our tendency to do wrong--and we must also deal with the consequences. The Lord's admonition to seek daily forgiveness is a reminder to confess our sins and turn away from them because we are forgiven.
Matthew 6:9-13
Jesus Christ gave His followers a pattern for prayer that includes seeking forgiveness daily. The invitation to regular repentance is not a means of renewing our salvation, but rather a maintenance plan for our fellowship with the Lord. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, our sins are forgiven forever. The stains from our past, present, and future wrongs are wiped from our record; however, we're a fallen people so we do continue to commit sin.
With the exception of Jesus Christ, no person is perfect. Sin is simply a fact of human life. The Lord's payment for our transgressions means that we can look forward to an eternity spent in God's presence instead of getting the punishment we deserve. On this side of heaven, though, we still have to contend with our tendency to do wrong--and we must also deal with the consequences. The Lord's admonition to seek daily forgiveness is a reminder to confess our sins and turn away from them because we are forgiven.
God's grace is not a license to sin; instead, it's a reason to pursue righteousness. Bad attitudes, thoughtless actions, and unkind speech do not fit who we are as children of light. We're new creatures in Christ, bought for a price and set free to live as partakers of His grace.
Salvation makes a way for us to enter God's presence, while regular confession and repentance keep the pathway well maintained and free of obstruction (1 John 1:9). The so-called "sinner's prayer" need be said only once, but a saint will tap into God's forgiveness every day of his or her life.
Storm Survival - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
So, we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. -2 Corinthians 4:18
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who are going through a crisis, and those who will go through a crisis. These days, it seems you'll encounter more of the former.
Jesus, at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, talked about two men who built houses. One built his on a solid foundation of rock, while the other built his on an unstable foundation of sand.
Then Jesus said this about both houses: "And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house" (Matthew 7:25, 27 NKJV). It is not a matter of if the rain descends; it's a matter of when.
I wish I could say that we'll reach a point in our lives when all our problems go away. In reality, some problems simply replace other ones. If we're not pulling into or out of a storm, we'll face one eventually.
Worse yet, storms can seemingly come out of nowhere. It might be a hardship. It might be anxiety. It might be a tragedy. But it's something that came up pretty quickly, and it's had a major impact on you.
Sometimes those trials and hardships in our lives seem random, but they never are. Matthew 5:45 tells us, "For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike" (NLT).
The apostle Paul wrote, "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT).
Storms have a beginning, middle, and end. And something will come out of them: an immeasurably great glory.
We cannot control circumstances. Nor can we control what people say to us or about us. We cannot control everything that comes our way, but we can control our reaction to it.
Threescore Years and Ten
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10)
When Moses wrote these words near the end of his life, he was 120 years old (Deuteronomy 34:7), but all the rest of the people of Israel (except Caleb and Joshua) who had been over 20 at the beginning of the 40-year wilderness wanderings had died there (Numbers 14:28-34), and so there were no others over 60 years old.
In former days men had lived much longer. Adam died at 930 and Noah at 950, but then Shem only lived to 600, and Abraham died at 175 years of age. Thus, the normal lifespan by Moses’ time was down to 70 or 80 years, and he prophesied that this would continue.
It is remarkable that, with all the increase in medical knowledge, this figure has stayed about the same, and there seems to be little the gerontologists can do to increase it.
Furthermore, the latter years are largely “labor and sorrow,” just as God told Adam when his sin brought God’s curse on the earth (Genesis 3:17-20). No matter how much we try to prolong our lives, we are “soon cut off.”
But then, we “fly away”! The soul/spirit complex of the Christian believer, released from its weary body, flies away to be with the Lord. Those left behind may sorrow, but “to depart, and to be with Christ…is far better.” The Christian may confidently say with Paul: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:23, 21). In the meantime, as our time grows shorter, it is more important than ever that we “walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Colossians 4:5). “So teach us to number our days,” prayed Moses (and so should we), “that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). HMM
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10)
When Moses wrote these words near the end of his life, he was 120 years old (Deuteronomy 34:7), but all the rest of the people of Israel (except Caleb and Joshua) who had been over 20 at the beginning of the 40-year wilderness wanderings had died there (Numbers 14:28-34), and so there were no others over 60 years old.
In former days men had lived much longer. Adam died at 930 and Noah at 950, but then Shem only lived to 600, and Abraham died at 175 years of age. Thus, the normal lifespan by Moses’ time was down to 70 or 80 years, and he prophesied that this would continue.
It is remarkable that, with all the increase in medical knowledge, this figure has stayed about the same, and there seems to be little the gerontologists can do to increase it.
Furthermore, the latter years are largely “labor and sorrow,” just as God told Adam when his sin brought God’s curse on the earth (Genesis 3:17-20). No matter how much we try to prolong our lives, we are “soon cut off.”
But then, we “fly away”! The soul/spirit complex of the Christian believer, released from its weary body, flies away to be with the Lord. Those left behind may sorrow, but “to depart, and to be with Christ…is far better.” The Christian may confidently say with Paul: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:23, 21). In the meantime, as our time grows shorter, it is more important than ever that we “walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Colossians 4:5). “So teach us to number our days,” prayed Moses (and so should we), “that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). HMM
Christ Our Substitute
�So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.� (Hebrews 9:28)
There are two specific references in the New Testament to Christ �bearing� our sins as He died on the cross. In addition to our text above, the other is 1 Peter 2:24: �Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.�
However, the same word (Greek anaphero) is also used with a similar thrust in Hebrews 7:27, where it is translated �offer up�: �Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people�s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.�
When Christ died, He died as a substitutionary sacrifice, �offering up� our sins for judgment and punishment by a holy God, as He simultaneously �offered up� Himself as the One who would submit to that judgment and bear that punishment. He was able to do this because He was both the infinite Creator and the one sinless man, who needed not to offer a sacrifice for His own sins. He was willing to do this because He loved us and wanted to save us.
This doctrine of substitutionary sacrifice is central to the gospel of salvation, and therefore precious to the saint. But its central importance likewise means that it is profoundly offensive to the natural man. Many acclaim Him as a great martyr or a great teacher but deny either His deity or His humanity, and certainly deny the universal efficacy of His shed blood in substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of a lost world.
Nevertheless, He did bear the sins of �the many,� and He did completely settle our account with God. In both Hebrews 7:27 and 9:28 (as cited above), the word �once� means, literally, �once for all.� He did have to die once�but only once�as our sin-bearing substitute. Thus, when He comes again, it will be �without sin unto salvation.� HMM
�So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.� (Hebrews 9:28)
There are two specific references in the New Testament to Christ �bearing� our sins as He died on the cross. In addition to our text above, the other is 1 Peter 2:24: �Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.�
However, the same word (Greek anaphero) is also used with a similar thrust in Hebrews 7:27, where it is translated �offer up�: �Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people�s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.�
When Christ died, He died as a substitutionary sacrifice, �offering up� our sins for judgment and punishment by a holy God, as He simultaneously �offered up� Himself as the One who would submit to that judgment and bear that punishment. He was able to do this because He was both the infinite Creator and the one sinless man, who needed not to offer a sacrifice for His own sins. He was willing to do this because He loved us and wanted to save us.
This doctrine of substitutionary sacrifice is central to the gospel of salvation, and therefore precious to the saint. But its central importance likewise means that it is profoundly offensive to the natural man. Many acclaim Him as a great martyr or a great teacher but deny either His deity or His humanity, and certainly deny the universal efficacy of His shed blood in substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of a lost world.
Nevertheless, He did bear the sins of �the many,� and He did completely settle our account with God. In both Hebrews 7:27 and 9:28 (as cited above), the word �once� means, literally, �once for all.� He did have to die once�but only once�as our sin-bearing substitute. Thus, when He comes again, it will be �without sin unto salvation.� HMM
Pastors and Teachers
�And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.� (Ephesians 4:11)
The four or five specific spiritual gifts mentioned by Paul in this passage are said to have been given �for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ� (Ephesians 4:12). And all of this is for the ultimate goal that �we�speaking the truth in love, may grow up into [Christ] in all things� (Ephesians 4:14-15).
The teaching gift is of particular importance in attaining this goal. The gift of serving as an apostle was given only to the 12 plus a few others (e.g., Paul) who had actually seen the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1); the last of these was John. The gift of real prophets who could convey God�s revelations to men was necessary in that first century before the New Testament was written, but that also has apparently ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8), though there are still many false prophets (Matthew 24:11).
The gifts of evangelists and pastors will continue as long as there continue to be lost people who need to be won and new believers who need to be led (the word �pastor� actually means �shepherd� and is so translated in all its other occurrences). The other two lists of spiritual gifts do not mention either evangelists or pastors, but all three do mention teachers (Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28). Many pastors also have the gift of teaching, but the other two lists indicate that teaching is a gift for many others as well.
In fact, Christ�s great commission included teaching people �to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you� (Matthew 28:20). And since He in the beginning had created �all things� and is now �upholding all things� (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:3), this teaching could well include all true education, in every subject. HMM
�And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.� (Ephesians 4:11)
The four or five specific spiritual gifts mentioned by Paul in this passage are said to have been given �for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ� (Ephesians 4:12). And all of this is for the ultimate goal that �we�speaking the truth in love, may grow up into [Christ] in all things� (Ephesians 4:14-15).
The teaching gift is of particular importance in attaining this goal. The gift of serving as an apostle was given only to the 12 plus a few others (e.g., Paul) who had actually seen the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1); the last of these was John. The gift of real prophets who could convey God�s revelations to men was necessary in that first century before the New Testament was written, but that also has apparently ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8), though there are still many false prophets (Matthew 24:11).
The gifts of evangelists and pastors will continue as long as there continue to be lost people who need to be won and new believers who need to be led (the word �pastor� actually means �shepherd� and is so translated in all its other occurrences). The other two lists of spiritual gifts do not mention either evangelists or pastors, but all three do mention teachers (Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28). Many pastors also have the gift of teaching, but the other two lists indicate that teaching is a gift for many others as well.
In fact, Christ�s great commission included teaching people �to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you� (Matthew 28:20). And since He in the beginning had created �all things� and is now �upholding all things� (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:3), this teaching could well include all true education, in every subject. HMM
Fear Not, Little Flock
�But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.� (Luke 12:31)
In these days of financial worries and rampant materialism, it does us good to reflect on Christ�s teaching concerning our priorities. In this passage, He was teaching His disciples not to be troubled over temporal things (v. 22), but to rest in the fact that He will supply our needs. �If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?� (v. 28). We are not to have our mind set on material things (v. 29), neither are we to be �of doubtful mind� wavering between hope and fear of the future.
We are to be different. We are children of the King and are in His care. The �nations of the world seek after� (v. 30) these things. Our Father knows that we have need of certain things, and since He loves us and has our best interests at heart, we have nothing to �fear� and can be assured that �all these things shall be added unto [us]� (v. 31).
But more is involved. It is not enough simply to avoid improper fixation on the things of the world; we are to seek rather �the Kingdom of God�; we are to be about His business. His priorities should be our priorities. We must strive to know Him and His Word so well that we naturally conform our actions to His desires. If we do so, He not only will take pleasure in supplying our physical needs (v. 31), but also �it is your Father�s good pleasure to give you the kingdom� (v. 32).
It is our privilege to participate in His work on Earth as He enables. Our part may be to give: �Sell [what you] have, and give alms,� thereby storing up �a treasure in the heavens that faileth not� (v. 33), or to pray, �for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also� (v. 34). If our primary desire is to enhance the work of the Kingdom, then He will give us that desire, and we will see fruit that lasts for eternity. JDM
�But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.� (Luke 12:31)
In these days of financial worries and rampant materialism, it does us good to reflect on Christ�s teaching concerning our priorities. In this passage, He was teaching His disciples not to be troubled over temporal things (v. 22), but to rest in the fact that He will supply our needs. �If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?� (v. 28). We are not to have our mind set on material things (v. 29), neither are we to be �of doubtful mind� wavering between hope and fear of the future.
We are to be different. We are children of the King and are in His care. The �nations of the world seek after� (v. 30) these things. Our Father knows that we have need of certain things, and since He loves us and has our best interests at heart, we have nothing to �fear� and can be assured that �all these things shall be added unto [us]� (v. 31).
But more is involved. It is not enough simply to avoid improper fixation on the things of the world; we are to seek rather �the Kingdom of God�; we are to be about His business. His priorities should be our priorities. We must strive to know Him and His Word so well that we naturally conform our actions to His desires. If we do so, He not only will take pleasure in supplying our physical needs (v. 31), but also �it is your Father�s good pleasure to give you the kingdom� (v. 32).
It is our privilege to participate in His work on Earth as He enables. Our part may be to give: �Sell [what you] have, and give alms,� thereby storing up �a treasure in the heavens that faileth not� (v. 33), or to pray, �for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also� (v. 34). If our primary desire is to enhance the work of the Kingdom, then He will give us that desire, and we will see fruit that lasts for eternity. JDM
Simon from Cyrene Carries Jesus' Cross by Max Lucado �A man named Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming from the fields to the city. The soldiers forced Simon to carry the cross for Jesus� (Mk. 15:21)
Simon grumbles beneath his breath. His patience is as scarce as space on the Jerusalem streets. He�d hoped for a peaceful Passover. The city is anything but quiet. Simon prefers his open fields. And now, to top it off, the Roman guards are clearing the path for some who-knows-which-dignitary who�ll march his soldiers and strut his stallion past the people.
�There he is!�
Simon�s head and dozens of others turn. In an instant they know. This is no dignitary.
�It�s a crucifixion,� he hears someone whisper. Four soldiers. One criminal. Four spears. One cross. The inside corner of the cross saddles the convict�s shoulders. Its base drags in the dirt. Its top teeters in the air. The condemned man steadies the cross the best he can, but stumbles beneath its weight. He pushes himself to his feet and lurches forward before falling again. Simon can�t see the man�s face, only a head wreathed with thorny branches.
The sour-faced centurion grows more agitated with each diminishing step. He curses the criminal and the crowd.
�Hurry up!�
�Little hope of that,� Simon says to himself.
The cross-bearer stops in front of Simon and heaves for air. Simon winces at what he sees. The beam rubbing against an already raw back. Rivulets of crimson streaking the man�s face. His mouth hangs open, both out of pain and out of breath.
�His name is Jesus,� someone speaks softly.
�Move on!� commands the executioner.
The Cradle of Hopeby Max Lucado
Christ rose first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will become alive again.
1 Corinthians 15:23 TLB
Let�s go to the tomb, for Jesus lies in the tomb.
Still. Cold. Stiff. Death has claimed its greatest trophy. He is not asleep in the tomb or resting in the tomb or comatose in the tomb; he is dead in the tomb. No air in his lungs. No thoughts in his brain. No feeling in his limbs. His body is as lifeless as the stone slab upon which he has been laid.
The executioners made sure of it. When Pilate learned that Jesus was dead, he asked the soldiers if they were certain. They were. Had they seen the Nazarene twitch, had they heard even one moan, they would have broken his legs to speed his end. But there was no need. The thrust of a spear removed all doubt. The Romans knew their job. And their job was finished. They pried loose the nails, lowered his body, and gave it to Joseph and Nicodemus.
Joseph of Arimathea. Nicodemus the Pharisee. Jesus had answered the prayer of their hearts, the prayer for the Messiah. As much as the soldiers wanted him dead, even more these men wanted him alive.
As they sponged the blood from his beard, don�t you know they listened for his breath? As they wrapped the cloth around his hands, don�t you know they hoped for a pulse? Don�t you know they searched for life?
But they didn�t find it.
So they do with him what they were expected to do with a dead man. They wrap his body in clean linen and place it in a tomb. Joseph�s tomb. Roman guards are stationed to guard the corpse. And a Roman seal is set on the rock of the tomb. For three days, no one gets close to the grave.
But then, Sunday arrives. And with Sunday comes light � a light within the tomb. A bright light? A soft light? Flashing? Hovering? We don�t know. But there was a light. For he is the light. And with the light came life. Just as the darkness was banished, now the decay is reversed. Heaven blows and Jesus breathes. His chest expands. Waxy lips open. Wooden fingers lift. Heart valves swish and hinged joints bend.
Headstone of the Corner
�The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.� (Psalm 118:22)
That this enigmatic verse is really a Messianic prophecy is evident from the fact that Christ Himself applied it thus. �Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?� (Matthew 21:42). The Jewish leaders had refused Him as their Messiah, but the day would come when they would have to confess their sad mistake.
Later, addressing them concerning �Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,� the apostle Peter said: �This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner� (Acts 4:10-11).
This analogy evidently refers back to the building of Solomon�s great temple a thousand years earlier. At that time, each of the great stones for its beautiful walls was �made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building� (1 Kings 6:7). According to tradition, there was one stone that didn�t fit with the others, so the builders moved it out of the way. At last, when the temple tower was almost complete, they found they were missing the pinnacle stone that would cap all the rest. Finally they realized that the stone they had rejected had been shaped to be the head stone at the topmost corner of the tower.
Peter referred to it again in his epistle: �Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:�Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient� (1 Peter 2:6-8). HMM
On the Run? - by Greg Laurie -
Simon grumbles beneath his breath. His patience is as scarce as space on the Jerusalem streets. He�d hoped for a peaceful Passover. The city is anything but quiet. Simon prefers his open fields. And now, to top it off, the Roman guards are clearing the path for some who-knows-which-dignitary who�ll march his soldiers and strut his stallion past the people.
�There he is!�
Simon�s head and dozens of others turn. In an instant they know. This is no dignitary.
�It�s a crucifixion,� he hears someone whisper. Four soldiers. One criminal. Four spears. One cross. The inside corner of the cross saddles the convict�s shoulders. Its base drags in the dirt. Its top teeters in the air. The condemned man steadies the cross the best he can, but stumbles beneath its weight. He pushes himself to his feet and lurches forward before falling again. Simon can�t see the man�s face, only a head wreathed with thorny branches.
The sour-faced centurion grows more agitated with each diminishing step. He curses the criminal and the crowd.
�Hurry up!�
�Little hope of that,� Simon says to himself.
The cross-bearer stops in front of Simon and heaves for air. Simon winces at what he sees. The beam rubbing against an already raw back. Rivulets of crimson streaking the man�s face. His mouth hangs open, both out of pain and out of breath.
�His name is Jesus,� someone speaks softly.
�Move on!� commands the executioner.
The Cradle of Hopeby Max Lucado
Christ rose first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will become alive again.
1 Corinthians 15:23 TLB
Let�s go to the tomb, for Jesus lies in the tomb.
Still. Cold. Stiff. Death has claimed its greatest trophy. He is not asleep in the tomb or resting in the tomb or comatose in the tomb; he is dead in the tomb. No air in his lungs. No thoughts in his brain. No feeling in his limbs. His body is as lifeless as the stone slab upon which he has been laid.
The executioners made sure of it. When Pilate learned that Jesus was dead, he asked the soldiers if they were certain. They were. Had they seen the Nazarene twitch, had they heard even one moan, they would have broken his legs to speed his end. But there was no need. The thrust of a spear removed all doubt. The Romans knew their job. And their job was finished. They pried loose the nails, lowered his body, and gave it to Joseph and Nicodemus.
Joseph of Arimathea. Nicodemus the Pharisee. Jesus had answered the prayer of their hearts, the prayer for the Messiah. As much as the soldiers wanted him dead, even more these men wanted him alive.
As they sponged the blood from his beard, don�t you know they listened for his breath? As they wrapped the cloth around his hands, don�t you know they hoped for a pulse? Don�t you know they searched for life?
But they didn�t find it.
So they do with him what they were expected to do with a dead man. They wrap his body in clean linen and place it in a tomb. Joseph�s tomb. Roman guards are stationed to guard the corpse. And a Roman seal is set on the rock of the tomb. For three days, no one gets close to the grave.
But then, Sunday arrives. And with Sunday comes light � a light within the tomb. A bright light? A soft light? Flashing? Hovering? We don�t know. But there was a light. For he is the light. And with the light came life. Just as the darkness was banished, now the decay is reversed. Heaven blows and Jesus breathes. His chest expands. Waxy lips open. Wooden fingers lift. Heart valves swish and hinged joints bend.
Headstone of the Corner
�The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.� (Psalm 118:22)
That this enigmatic verse is really a Messianic prophecy is evident from the fact that Christ Himself applied it thus. �Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?� (Matthew 21:42). The Jewish leaders had refused Him as their Messiah, but the day would come when they would have to confess their sad mistake.
Later, addressing them concerning �Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,� the apostle Peter said: �This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner� (Acts 4:10-11).
This analogy evidently refers back to the building of Solomon�s great temple a thousand years earlier. At that time, each of the great stones for its beautiful walls was �made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building� (1 Kings 6:7). According to tradition, there was one stone that didn�t fit with the others, so the builders moved it out of the way. At last, when the temple tower was almost complete, they found they were missing the pinnacle stone that would cap all the rest. Finally they realized that the stone they had rejected had been shaped to be the head stone at the topmost corner of the tower.
Peter referred to it again in his epistle: �Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:�Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient� (1 Peter 2:6-8). HMM
On the Run? - by Greg Laurie -
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. -James 4:7
Are you running from God? Maybe you were raised in a Christian home, and you're running from that. You're saying, "I don't want these values. I don't want to live this way. I want to live my way. My family doesn't know what they're talking about." And off you go.
How's that working out for you? God will give us the freedom to make our own choices. And He will allow us to experience the repercussions of those choices.
Jonah found out that it was a really bad idea to run from God. The others on the ship called out to their gods, and ultimately Jonah called out to his God.
Would you rather have a nice easy flight and a crash landing, or a bumpy flight and a safe landing?
For nonbelievers, life on Earth is as good as it will get. That's it. If Jesus Christ isn't a part of their lives, it will get a lot worse.
But for the Christian, life on Earth is as bad as it ever will be, because the best is yet to come.
When Jesus told the disciples to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, a terrible storm hit. But they did make it to the other side.
Some people in life seem to have no suffering at all. Then there are others who seem to have more than their share of suffering. Why is this?
I don't know. But I do know this: There is more than life on Earth. There is eternity.
As Christians, ultimately. we will live happily ever after. But there might be some rough seas along the way.
God loves you. His plans for you are better than your plans for yourself. So, don't run from Him. Run to Him.
Elioenai
�And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.� (1 Chronicles 3:23)
Elioenai�s name is in a long list of names in the book of Chronicles. In fact, it is significant that the Bible contains the proper names of more individuals than can be found in all the other books of antiquity put together�strong evidence of its historical authenticity. These were real names of real people, and each would, no doubt, have a fascinating story to tell if he could. The ancient Israelites were very conscious of their divine calling as God�s chosen people; family relationships and genealogical records were highly valued.
Godly parents were very conscious that �children are an heritage of the LORD� (Psalm 127:3) and commonly gave each of them a name with some special spiritual meaning. Neariah, whose name meant �servant of the LORD,� was a distant descendant of David, and his firstborn son was Elioenai. This was a testimony of parental faith, for it means �turning your eyes to the mighty God.�
Very little else is known about Elioenai (except the names of his two brothers and seven sons), but the lengthy genealogies break off in the generation of his sons, indicating probably that his parents were in the generation taken captive to Babylon. It is fascinating to wonder why they gave Elioenai his name and to imagine how it may have influenced the life and spiritual growth of Elioenai himself.
In any case, it is a beautiful and meaningful name, and we can hope that his character developed accordingly. For, if so, believers will be able to meet him in heaven someday.
His name still bears an urgent message to us today: �Turn your eyes upon Jesus; turn to the mighty God, your Creator and Savior!� We should also remember the example of the godly parents in ancient times, in giving our children names that will inspire them and be a testimony to others. HMM
�And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.� (1 Chronicles 3:23)
Elioenai�s name is in a long list of names in the book of Chronicles. In fact, it is significant that the Bible contains the proper names of more individuals than can be found in all the other books of antiquity put together�strong evidence of its historical authenticity. These were real names of real people, and each would, no doubt, have a fascinating story to tell if he could. The ancient Israelites were very conscious of their divine calling as God�s chosen people; family relationships and genealogical records were highly valued.
Godly parents were very conscious that �children are an heritage of the LORD� (Psalm 127:3) and commonly gave each of them a name with some special spiritual meaning. Neariah, whose name meant �servant of the LORD,� was a distant descendant of David, and his firstborn son was Elioenai. This was a testimony of parental faith, for it means �turning your eyes to the mighty God.�
Very little else is known about Elioenai (except the names of his two brothers and seven sons), but the lengthy genealogies break off in the generation of his sons, indicating probably that his parents were in the generation taken captive to Babylon. It is fascinating to wonder why they gave Elioenai his name and to imagine how it may have influenced the life and spiritual growth of Elioenai himself.
In any case, it is a beautiful and meaningful name, and we can hope that his character developed accordingly. For, if so, believers will be able to meet him in heaven someday.
His name still bears an urgent message to us today: �Turn your eyes upon Jesus; turn to the mighty God, your Creator and Savior!� We should also remember the example of the godly parents in ancient times, in giving our children names that will inspire them and be a testimony to others. HMM
A Mark of God's Love - by Greg Laurie -
For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. -Hebrews 12:6
Have you ever wondered what the phrase "Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" means? Let's remember what David said a few verses earlier: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1 NKJV).
David, a shepherd himself, would have carried two very critical tools: A rod and a staff. A staff was basically a long instrument with a crook on the end to pull a wayward sheep back into line. But then there was the rod, which is self-explanatory.
The shepherd would use the rod to defend his sheep against predators. But he might also have to use it to get a wayward sheep's attention. One quick whack, and the sheep paid attention.
We're just like those sheep. The Lord is our Shepherd, and sometimes He tells us not to do something. But we do it anyway. So He says, "Don't do that." And we keep doing it. Then God essentially says, "Don't make me use this." Yet we continue to disobey.
Whack! Now the Lord has our attention. It's hard for us to believe that God would allow a hardship in our lives because He loves us. It seems that He would want to protect His children from all difficulties.
But remember, the Lord wants us to mature in our faith. And one of the marks of God's love for us is discipline, because the Bible says that God disciplines the one that He loves (see Hebrews 12:6).
Just as a shepherd takes care of his sheep, the Lord takes care of us. And when God disciplines us, it's an indication that we are His children.
That discipline might be something that seems like the worst-case scenario at the time. But ultimately, it can be the very thing that actually brings us to our senses.
Who Shall Let It?
�Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?� (Isaiah 43:13)
This is one of the classic �archaisms� of the King James Version, where the English word �let� does not mean �allow� (as we now use the word) but almost the exact opposite. This particular English word was originally written and pronounced �lat� and was from the same Teutonic root as the word �late.� Thus, to our Old English ancestors, it meant essentially �make late,� or �hinder.� Note its similar use in the King James in Romans 1:13 and 2 Thessalonians 2:7.
However, the Hebrew word (shub) from which it is translated in the verse of our text is extremely flexible, being rendered no less than 115 different ways in the Old Testament, occurring about 1,150 times altogether, with the context controlling its meaning in any given case.
In this context, the great theme is that of God as omnipotent Creator and only Savior. The first occurrence of shub, however, is at the time of the primeval curse on the creation, implanted in the very dust of the earth because of Adam�s sin. To Adam, God had said: �In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return� (Genesis 3:19). Here, shub is twice rendered �return,� and this is the way it is most often translated in its later occurrences.
God therefore challenges every man: �When I work, who can return anything [or anyone] to its [or his] prior condition?� Though none can deliver out of His hand, or �make late� His work, He has promised to be our Savior, �and will not remember thy sins� (Isaiah 43:11, 25). When it is time for God to do His work�whether of creation or judgment or salvation�there is no one in all His creation who can �make it late�! HMM
�Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?� (Isaiah 43:13)
This is one of the classic �archaisms� of the King James Version, where the English word �let� does not mean �allow� (as we now use the word) but almost the exact opposite. This particular English word was originally written and pronounced �lat� and was from the same Teutonic root as the word �late.� Thus, to our Old English ancestors, it meant essentially �make late,� or �hinder.� Note its similar use in the King James in Romans 1:13 and 2 Thessalonians 2:7.
However, the Hebrew word (shub) from which it is translated in the verse of our text is extremely flexible, being rendered no less than 115 different ways in the Old Testament, occurring about 1,150 times altogether, with the context controlling its meaning in any given case.
In this context, the great theme is that of God as omnipotent Creator and only Savior. The first occurrence of shub, however, is at the time of the primeval curse on the creation, implanted in the very dust of the earth because of Adam�s sin. To Adam, God had said: �In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return� (Genesis 3:19). Here, shub is twice rendered �return,� and this is the way it is most often translated in its later occurrences.
God therefore challenges every man: �When I work, who can return anything [or anyone] to its [or his] prior condition?� Though none can deliver out of His hand, or �make late� His work, He has promised to be our Savior, �and will not remember thy sins� (Isaiah 43:11, 25). When it is time for God to do His work�whether of creation or judgment or salvation�there is no one in all His creation who can �make it late�! HMM
Don't Be the Straggler - by Greg Laurie -
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. -1 Peter 5:8
Have you ever watched one of those wildlife shows where predators such as lions or alligators lie in wait for an unsuspecting animal? They just sit there waiting for the prey that separates from the pack, the slow one.
There go all the gazelles, but the one in the back is lagging behind. The lion thinks, "That looks like lunch to me" and grabs the lone victim and pulls it down.
That is what can happen to us as followers of Christ. When we're fellowshipping with God's people, we move in harmony. Social distancing doesn't mean social isolating. We still need to pray for one another and encourage one another, even if that means a text message or a phone call.
But when you're the straggler, when you neglect contact with other believers, you're "following at a distance." And that's where you can get into trouble.
Peter was walking close to the Lord, but he ultimately denied Him and began to self-destruct. The Bible tells us that after Jesus' arrest, "Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest" (John 18:15 NKJV).
Peter kept his distance from Jesus-not just physically, but spiritually. He was close enough to see what was going on, but he was far enough away to get into trouble.
When you get involved with your church family, you develop friendships with Christian brothers and sisters. What's more, you have accountability and people to pray for you and help you through life.
So, engage. Be a part of what God is doing. Don't be the person who isolates, the one that has too much of the world to be happy in the Lord but too much of the Lord to be happy in the world. That's a miserable no-man's-land. Don't be the straggler.
The Flesh and the Spirit
�This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.� (Galatians 5:16)
The conflict between flesh and spirit is a frequent theme in Scripture, beginning way back in the antediluvian period: �And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh� (Genesis 6:3). The �flesh,� of course, refers to the physical body with all its feelings and appetites, while man�s �spirit� refers especially to his spiritual nature with its ability to understand and communicate in terms of spiritual and moral values, along with its potential ability to have fellowship with God.
Because of sin, however, the natural man is spiritually �dead in trespasses and sins� (Ephesians 2:1), and �they that are in the flesh cannot please God� (Romans 8:8). When the flesh dominates, even the apostle Paul would have to say, �I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing� (Romans 7:18). This aspect of human nature became so dominant in the antediluvian world that �all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth� (Genesis 6:12), and God had to wash the world clean with the Flood.
Now, however, the substitutionary death of Christ brings salvation and spiritual life to all who receive Him by the Holy Spirit. �If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you� (Romans 8:10-11). By the Lord Jesus Christ, the human spirit is made alive right now, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the body�s resurrection is promised when Christ returns.
�They that are Christ�s have crucified the flesh.� The daily challenge to the believer is this: �If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit� (Galatians 5:24-25). HMM
�This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.� (Galatians 5:16)
The conflict between flesh and spirit is a frequent theme in Scripture, beginning way back in the antediluvian period: �And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh� (Genesis 6:3). The �flesh,� of course, refers to the physical body with all its feelings and appetites, while man�s �spirit� refers especially to his spiritual nature with its ability to understand and communicate in terms of spiritual and moral values, along with its potential ability to have fellowship with God.
Because of sin, however, the natural man is spiritually �dead in trespasses and sins� (Ephesians 2:1), and �they that are in the flesh cannot please God� (Romans 8:8). When the flesh dominates, even the apostle Paul would have to say, �I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing� (Romans 7:18). This aspect of human nature became so dominant in the antediluvian world that �all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth� (Genesis 6:12), and God had to wash the world clean with the Flood.
Now, however, the substitutionary death of Christ brings salvation and spiritual life to all who receive Him by the Holy Spirit. �If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you� (Romans 8:10-11). By the Lord Jesus Christ, the human spirit is made alive right now, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the body�s resurrection is promised when Christ returns.
�They that are Christ�s have crucified the flesh.� The daily challenge to the believer is this: �If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit� (Galatians 5:24-25). HMM
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