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Liberty Worship Center

Author: Bert Mendelson

  • The Last Supper

    The Last Supper

    Passover

    In the Old Testament, God sent Moses to set the Israelites free from their slavery to the Eqyptians. At that time, Egypt had one of the most powerful armies and nations in the world. The Israelites were a poor nation, living in their borders, doing slave labor, mainly making bricks for the Eqyptian building projects.
    God gave Moses ten plagues/judgments to announce to Egypt. Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt, was stubborn and refused to let the Israelites go – until the last of the ten plagues.

    Exodus 11:4-7 (NASB)

    4 Moses said, “Thus says the LORD, About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
    5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
    6 Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again.
    7 But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

    God said that He would make a distinction between the Jews and the Egyptians. Only the firstborn of the Egyptians would die. He told Moses that in order for the angel of death to “pass over” the houses of the faithful Israelites, they had to keep a meal, sacrificing a lamb that had no defects, then kill it at a specific time, cook it in a special way, without breaking any bones, and eat it together as a family. They would then use the blood of the lamb to mark their houses.

    A Sign

    Exodus 12:7 (NASB)

    7 Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

    This was more than just a sign to the angel of death. The faithful Jews who did this were declaring their belief in, and trust in, the one true God. If God did not save them, the Egyptians would have seen this mark on their houses, and they probably would have punished them for it.

    Unleavened Bread

    Exodus 12:11, 13-15, 17 (NASB)

    11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste t is the LORD’S Passover.
    13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
    14 Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
    15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
    17 You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance.

    After all of the firstborn people and animals of the Egyptians died, they drove the Jews away quickly. God had told the Jews to be prepared, but everything happened so fast, they did not have time to put leaven in their bread (leaven makes the dough fluffy). That was why God told them to eat unleavened bread to remind them of what He had done for them in Egypt, and to remind them to always trust Him.
    The Passover meal was what Jesus and His disciples were celebrating in the meal that we call the Last Supper.

    Meal Preparation

    Matthew 26:17-19 (NASB)

    17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
    18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” “
    19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

    Normally, this was a happy time. They were celebrating God miraculously freeing them from slavery. This day was different, though. Jesus had been telling His disciples that He was going to be betrayed by one of them, then He would be crucified, then rise from the dead. This was all too much for any of them to fully comprehend at the time.

    Judas Iscariot

    We’re not sure of all of the reasons why Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, but we are given a clue about one possible reason.

    John 12:3-7 (NASB)

    3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
    4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said,
    5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?”
    6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.
    7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

    Judas was a thief, and his greed only let him think about what he could get today, in this life. The other disciples understood that there was something far more important in their midst – the Kingdom of God.

    Betrayal at the Meal

    Matthew 26:20-25 (NASB)

    20 Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.
    21 As they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”
    22 Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”
    23 And He answered, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me.
    24 “The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
    25 And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself.”

    During this normally happy time, Jesus tells Judas that He knows that he is the one who will betray Him.

    John 13:26-27 (NASB)

    26 Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
    27 After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

    This was after Jesus washed all of the disciples’ feet, including Judas’s feet.

    Remember

    Luke 22:19-20 (NASB)

    19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
    20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.

    Jesus told us to remember Him in this way. He wanted us to celebrate this time together and remember what He did for us.
    Just like the Old Testament Passover lamb was sacrificed, Jesus was sacrificed. The blood of the lamb over the top and sides of their doorways was their protection from death – just like the blood of Jesus protects us from eternal death. The Passover lamb could not have any broken bones; Jesus did not have His bones broken.
    The bread in the meal symbolized His body that He gave for us. He took the penalty for our sin and nailed it to the cross.
    The wine symbolized His blood that He shed for us, the same blood that protects us and washes us from all of our sin.

    Lord’s Supper

    The early church followed what Jesus had established. They called these celebrations either the Lord’s Supper or love feasts. The early Christians were not perfect, though. Just like us, they had their own problems. Paul reminds the Corinthian church what Jesus Himself had told him about the Lord’s Supper (again, stressing the importance of it).

    1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NASB)

    23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
    24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
    25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
    26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

    When we partake in the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim His death and resurrection. We also proclaim that we believe in and receive His sacrifice for us. It is His sacrifice that frees us from sin.

    All He had He gave to us. We need to do the same.

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  • Whatever Happened 2

    Two children in plaid shirts gaze into the distance outdoors

    Whatever Happened 2

    Demas

    Paul had a number of people who helped him in his ministry – Timothy, Titus, Luke, and many others. Demas was one of his helpers. We see in Colossians 4:14 where Paul includes Demas in his greetings to the church.

    Colossians 4:14 (NASB)

    14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.

    He also includes greetings in his letter to Philemon.

    Philemon 1:23-24 (NASB)

    23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
    24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

    This Present World

    At the end of Paul’s life, he was in prison in Rome. Church tradition tells us that he was beheaded in prison shortly after he wrote his second letter to Timothy. In this letter, he mentions Demas again.

    2 Timothy 4:9-10 (NASB)

    9 Make every effort to come to me soon;
    10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

    Crescens and Titus were on ministry journeys, but Demas had left Paul, because he “loved this present world.” Contrast this with verse 8, just above this.

    Loved

    2 Timothy 4:8 (NASB)

    8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

    The same Greek word for “loved” His appearing also is used for Demas having “loved” this present world – agape. Instead of loving the appearing of Jesus, and preaching to those who were lost, Demas got distracted by his love for this world. This is the last that we hear about Demas.
    Jesus told a parable about the sower sowing seed. Some of the seed fell among thorns.

    Seed

    Matthew 13:22 (NASB)

    22 “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

    There are many things in this world that can distract us from following after Christ. Sometimes, we can get caught up in worrying about things that might go wrong, or even what has gone wrong. Other times, the deceitfulness of the world can either look very tempting or very scary.

    Fear

    Fear is basically the opposite of faith. Fear can cause us to look at our problems, instead of looking at the Problem Solver – Jesus. Fear is what made Peter look at the wind and waves instead of Jesus. As long as his eyes were on Jesus, Peter was defying the laws of physics and gravity. He was doing the impossible. He was walking on water.
    Notice how Jesus said in the parable that this person became unfruitful. Living only in the world, tempted by temporary pleasures and terrorized by tales of what might go wrong, we can live our entire lives, and never do a single thing for the kingdom of God – or for our eternal destination and reward.

    Laziness

    Jesus told another parable about trusted slaves and talents. A talent was worth a lot of money, about 6,000 days (19 years) of labor for a typical worker. The master was leaving for a long trip, and he entrusted three slaves with his money. To the first one he gave 5 talents, and he earned 5 more, using the 5 talents he had been given. The second one received 2 talents, and he earned 2 more for his master. The last slave received one talent, but he dug a hole in the ground and buried his talent. When his master returned, he tried to justify himself, but the master saw through his deceitfulness.

    Matthew 25:24-27, 30 (NASB)

    24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
    25 And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.
    26 “But his master answered and said to him, You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
    27 Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
    30 “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    This slave tried to say that it was because of his fear that he buried the talent. His master said that he was wicked and lazy. God has given all of us different abilities. If we don’t use them for the kingdom of God, we are wasting them. We could fall into the same category as this “wicked, lazy slave.”

    John Mark

    Acts 12:12 (NASB)

    12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

    This is the first time that we are introduced to John, also called Mark. He and his mother appear to have been faithful Christians, because there was a group of Christians meeting and praying for Peter’s deliverance from prison, from their own home. This could have cost them their freedom or even their lives.
    They were also well-known in the church, and it seems that they had some wealth (see Col.4:10 and Ac.4:37). He was the cousin of Barnabas, a ministry companion of Paul. They brought John Mark from his home in Jerusalem to Antioch, Paul and Barnabas’s home base. When Paul and Barnabas were called by God for their first missionary journey, John Mark went with them.
    He was there with them when they confronted a false prophet and magician who was opposing their preaching. He was there when God temporarily blinded this false prophet. He was there when the leader of Cyprus became a Christian, because of what he saw.
    John Mark saw the trials and satanic attacks, but he also saw the power of God overcome them all.

    Retreat

    Acts 13:13 (NASB)

    13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

    Maybe what he had seen was just too much for John Mark. Whatever the reason, it seems that he left Paul and Barnabas with less of a ministry team than what they needed. When Paul and Barnabas were planning their next missionary journey, Paul did not want to take John Mark.

    Disagreement

    Acts 15:37-40 (NASB)

    37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.
    38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
    39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
    40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

    From this, it seems that Paul and Silas had the approval of the church, but Barnabas did not. This could have ended badly for Barnabas and Mark. Instead, it seems that John Mark did humble himself and he became a faithful servant to the church. Even Paul told others how much he valued Mark’s assistance.

    Colossians 4:10 (NASB)

    10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);

    2 Timothy 4:11 (NASB)

    11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

    Unworthy

    Luke 9:62 (NASB)

    62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

    John Mark could have had a very different life. He could have determined that he just wanted to live a “normal” life, just like everyone else. If he had done this, Paul and many others would not have had the help that they needed, then they would not have been able to minister to others. Maybe, Paul would not have been able to write as much as he did.
    If John Mark had not spent a lot of time with Peter, ministering to him and hearing Peter talk about his time with Jesus, we might not have the gospel of Mark today. It’s not certain, but many people believe that John Mark was the author of this incredible treasure in the word of God.

    End Well

    John Mark had a rough start to his ministry, but you could probably say the same thing about Moses (Ex.2:11-15), Jacob, and Abraham. It looks like Mark, after he had failed on his first missionary journey, went to God, changed his thinking, and decided to put all of his trust in Jesus. He was a great help to Paul and others in the church, including Peter. Perhaps Mark did not fully count the cost before he went on that first journey with Paul and Barnabas. It seems that he eventually did, and he chose well; he chose eternal riches, instead of temporary riches.

    1 Peter 5:13 (NASB)

    13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark.

    Trials and tribulations will come. God tells us this; there is no doubt. Whether we are tempted by the world with all of its riches, or we are scared by what ungodly people might do to us, things happen. How we handle them will have repercussions now and for all of eternity.

    Eternity

    Are we willing to give up everything we see now, so that we can gain more than we could ever imagine in eternity?

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  • Whatever happened with…?

    Two children in plaid shirts gaze into the distance outdoors

    Whatever happened with…?

    Sometimes, we will think about someone from our childhood or an actor you haven’t seen in a while, and wonder “whatever happened with them?” There are a few people in the Bible that seem to disappear from the scene, then reappear later; we can learn from their experiences.

    Elisha

    In the book of 1 Kings in the Old Testament, we see the prophet Elijah. He was an incredible man of God, used in very powerful ways. God told him to anoint a man named Elisha to be his successor. Elisha became his servant, always with him, helping him in any way he could. At the same time, Elisha was learning how to be a true man of God.
    After Elijah was taken up into heaven (2Ki.2:11), Elisha became the main prophet in Israel. He had asked for, and apparently did receive, a double portion of Elijah’s anointing.
    After Elijah was gone, Elisha had a servant by the name of Gehazi.

    Gehazi

    We first meet Gehazi in 2 Kings 4:12, where he is helping Elisha thank a Shunammite woman for her hospitality. The woman said that she did not need anything, but Gehazi suggested to Elisha that she did not have a son, and her husband was old. At this time, it was very hard for a single woman or widow to make a living, because most jobs were hard, manual labor. A son would be able to take care of her in her old age. Elisha told the woman that she would have a son by that time next year, which she did.

    2 Kings 4:13-14 (NASB)

    13 He said to him, “Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army? ” And she answered, “I live among my own people.”
    14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.”

    Years later, the son died, and Gehazi was there, assisting, when Elisha raised the son from the dead. Gehazi was observing, ministering, and learning, just like Elisha had ministered to Elijah. Maybe Gehazi was picturing himself in that position.
    At some later point, we see Gehazi again, still ministering to Elisha.

    Naaman

    The nation of Israel at this time had been unfaithful to God, so He allowed the nation of Aram (Syria) to be used to discipline Israel. The captain of Aram’s army was a man named Naaman, who also happened to have leprosy. This was a horrible disease in that day. It had no cure, would continue to spread, and made the leper an outcast, because no one wanted to catch it from him.
    Naaman heard about the prophet Elisha, so he took a large amount of money and treasures with him to meet Elisha and ask for healing of his leprosy.

    2 Kings 5:9 (NASB)

    9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha.

    Naaman was a very important person, and he came to Elisha, prepared to show him just how important he was. Elisha, though, was not impressed by worldly possessions and strength.

    Jordan River

    2 Kings 5:10-11 (NASB)

    10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”
    11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.

    Naaman was insulted. Didn’t Elisha, a lowly (in that day) Jew, realize how important he was? Didn’t Elisha care that Naaman could make him very rich? Eventually, Naaman’s servants convinced him to humble himself just a little and do what the prophet said. Naaman did that, and he was healed, and convinced that Elisha’s God was the only true god. He went back to Elisha, prepared to give him all the treasures that he had brought with him – ten talents of silver (about 750-100 pounds), six thousand shekels of gold (about 40 pounds of gold), and 10 changes of clothes. Keep in mind clothes were also very valuable, because they were all hand made, including the fabric and even the thread.
    Elisha, however, was not impressed. He knew the power and provision of God.

    Jordan River

    2 Kings 5:15-16 (NASB)

    15 When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.”
    16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

    God wanted Elisha to depend on him, not riches from an ungodly king. Elisha was not being rude, just obeying God. Gehazi, however, saw all of these riches that they could have. He might have even reasoned that his master, Elisha, seemed to only be getting by, and there were times that Elisha, Gehazi, and the schools of the prophets barely had food to eat. Besides, Gehazi thought, this was a pagan. It’s only right that he should pay for the blessings of God.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
    21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?”

    Now, Gehazi goes from lusting after the treasures to lying.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    22 He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes. “
    23 Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
    24 When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.

    God wanted Naaman to know that His blessings were not for sale. He is looking for righteous people, not those who could buy their own “blessings.”
    It’s amazing how we sometimes think, consciously or unconsciously, that we can hide our sins from God.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    25 But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
    26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?
    27 “Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

    Gehazi not only lost his position serving Elisha, he also lost the approval and respect of all of the prophets and everyone else that he knew. Because he was now a leper, he also became an outcast from society. He thought that he would improve his standing in the world, but he totally destroyed it.
    Whatever happened to Gehazi?

    Gehazi Later

    2 Kings 8:4-5 (NASB)

    4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done.”
    5 As he was relating to the king how he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”

    Gehazi was now reliving some of his “glory days” when he was serving the man of God. Instead of being a man of God, he was remembering how he once served a man of God.
    What great plans did God have for Gehazi? What could he have been? If only he had remained faithful and focused on God, his calling, and his ministry to Elisha, his life would have been far different.

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  • The Beatitudes (part 3)

    The Beatitudes (part 3)

    Merciful

    Matthew 5:7 (NASB)

    7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

    The Greek word for mercy that is used here also implies a type of empathy. A merciful person cares for others, and can even identify with them. They reach out to those in need.
    Jesus has already shown all of us incredible mercy. If we want mercy, we need to be merciful. We need to be proactive; we need to take the initiative. Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move. Be merciful. Be gracious. Be forgiving.

    Matthew 6:14-15 (NASB)

    14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
    15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

    Pure in Heart

    Matthew 5:8 (NASB)

    8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

    For many years, it has been the longing of my heart to see God. I know that I will see Him when I die, unless the rapture comes first. Jesus said that the way to do this is to be pure in heart. All evil thoughts, jealousies, hatred, lust, and greed have no place in a pure heart. Pure gold has no impurities. A pure heart only has goodness and godliness.

    1 John 3:2-3 (NASB)

    2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
    3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

    Philippians 4:8 (NASB)

    8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

    A pure heart meditates on godly things, pure things. This is where we should live, dwell, spend our time and energy.

    Peacemakers

    Matthew 5:9 (NASB)

    9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

    In this world, we see wars and fighting everywhere. One political group says the other group is hateful, so we need to hate them. The other side says the same thing. Groups of criminals and street gangs do all kinds of horrible things, because they think that is what will make them happy. If you tell people that we need to find a way to get along and live in peace, often you will find yourself being mocked as simple-minded and naïve.
    The problem is that people who don’t have peace in themselves can’t live a peaceful life with anyone else. Peace comes from not having any worries. People will always, sooner or later, let you down, whether they want to or not. Only God will never let us down, because He is all-powerful and has a truly pure heart.

    1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)

    6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
    7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

    Jesus said that the peacemakers will be called sons of God. It doesn’t matter what others might say or do. If God calls us His sons and daughters, that is the greatest gift we can have.

    Persecuted

    Matthew 5:10-12 (NASB)

    10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
    11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
    12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

    Jesus said that those who have been “persecuted for the sake of righteousness” would have the kingdom of heaven. All of the 12 disciples, except for one, were killed because of their faith in Jesus. They were all persecuted – stonings, beatings, imprisonment, losing their friends, losing family, and more. It really doesn’t make sense why other people should get offended when someone wants to live a righteous life, but it happens. Maybe, it’s because that person feels guilty for their own sin.
    Notice that Jesus says that they were persecuted for righteousness. If we do bad things, or say things just to offend people, that is not righteousness; it’s just the opposite. He did say that some people would insult, persecute, and lie about Christians, because of Jesus. When that happens, we should rejoice and feel blessed, because our “reward in heaven is great”, because that is how every prophet was treated.

    Matthew 10:41 (NASB)

    41 “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

    Be Blessed

    Receiving God’s blessings is both easy and the hardest thing we will ever do. He tells us what to do, but trials and temptations can get in the way. Trusting Him and relying on Jesus will get us closer and closer to Him, becoming more and more like Him every day. There is only one answer. There is only one truth. There is only one way.

    It’s All About Jesus!

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  • The Beatitudes (part 2)

    The Beatitudes (part 2)

    Righteousness

    Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

    6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    Righteousness occurs when someone is in a condition where they are completely innocent of doing anything against the commands or will of God. In our legal system, if someone is accused of committing a crime, they are either found guilty or not guilty. The judge and jury do not attempt to claim that the person has done nothing wrong, only that they don’t believe they committed this crime.
    The righteousness that Jesus is speaking of here is where someone is completely innocent of any wrongdoing against God and others. People who long for this righteousness the same way that someone who is starving or dehydrated longs for food or water will be satisfied, which will make them blessed.
    Of course, the only person that I know of Who has ever been completely innocent and righteous is Jesus.

    Sinless

    2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

    21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

    Jesus never sinned (“knew no sin”). He knew what it was like to live a sinless life. Even though He was God while walking on this earth, He was still a man. He still had temptations and trials. He had to overcome them, the same way that we need to.

    Sinners

    Romans 3:23-25a (NASB)

    23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
    24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
    25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.

    The Bible plainly tells us that we have all sinned, and none of us deserves the glory of God. We had no hope, because just one failure was enough for us to be sinners. Some people think that they are better than other people because they don’t sin as much as they do. Unfortunately, we were all in the same position, because we all have sinned.

    Hopeless

    Jesus told a parable about someone who owed a huge amount of money – so much so that it would be impossible to pay.

    Matthew 18:23-24 (NASB)

    23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
    24 “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

    In Jesus’ day, a talent was about 75 to 100 pounds of weight, either in silver or gold. Assuming that it was only 75 pounds per talent:

    1 talent = about 75 pounds
    10,000 talents = about 750,000 pounds
    Current price of silver: $32.78/ounce
    Current price of gold: $2,927.90/ounce
    10K talents silver = $393,360,000.00 ($393 million)
    10K talents gold = $35,134,800,000.00 ($35 billion)

    1 talent = ~6,000 denarii (19 years labor)
    10K talents = 192,307 years labor

    For the average laborer (much less a slave), it would take them over 192,000 years to earn enough to pay that debt, assuming they spent nothing on anything else.
    Our sin debt was just as hopeless for us. Because Jesus knew this, He provided the only way possible for our debt to be paid – He paid it Himself.

    Substitute

    Romans 3:23-25a (NASB)

    23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
    24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
    25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.

    Jesus took our place. He became our propitiation (substitute). He paid all of the legal obligations of sin that we had. We literally owe Him our eternal lives.

    Hunger and Thirst

    Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

    6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    Considering all that Jesus did for us, you would think that more of us would be longing to do everything we could to please Him, and seek His righteous. That’s what Jesus said we should be doing. He doesn’t just say to do this, though; He also tells us that if we seek His righteousness in this way that we will be satisfied. That’s a promise! That is why and how we are blessed, because if we hunger and thirst for His righteousness, the righteousness that He purchased for us with His own blood, we will be satisfied. We will be righteous.

    1 Corinthians 6:20 (NASB)

    20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

    It’s All About Jesus!

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  • The Beatitudes (part 1)

    The Beatitudes (part 1)

    Canine Authority

    Have you ever noticed how small dogs tend to bark a lot more than large dogs? Many of them do this, because they know that they are weaker, so they try to make themselves seem bigger than they are by loudly barking and growling. Most large dogs, when they see this small, loud dog, will not be impressed, and might even completely ignore them. They know that they are larger and they have nothing to fear from this little animal.

    Human Authority

    Humans can act the same way as these dogs. In a confrontational situation, if someone does not feel like they have the authority or the “upper hand”, they might start yelling and getting angry.
    The person in authority does not need to act this way. Since they have the authority, or possibly are much stronger physically, they are not threatened by the other person, so they can remain calm, knowing that they have nothing to worry about.

    Authority of Jesus

    Matthew 5:1 (NASB)

    1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

    When Jewish teachers in His time would teach in their synagogues or the temple, the teacher would sit down, while the rest of the people would typically stand. This was symbolic of the authority of the teacher. Jesus was very humble. At the same time, He knew who He was – the Son of God, and He never shied away from His authority and responsibility as such.

    Our Authority

    1 John 4:4 (NASB)

    4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

    Matthew 10:1 (NASB)

    1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

    Jesus has given us His authority on this earth. This does not mean that we will rule over other people or that we will have a life without problems. Remember the persecution that Jesus and His disciples received. Jesus was crucified, then all but one of His twelve disciples was martyred – killed because of Jesus.
    At the same time, we see that they had and exercised authority over demons, sickness, and even death, to the glory of God.

    Live His Authority

    Jesus knew that He was God, the Creator of the universe. At the same time, He was humble and meek. Because He knew who He was, He did not need to show off or prove Himself. He lived His life and was never intimidated by those who challenged Him.
    Since He gave us His authority, we can, and should, act the same way. We should never be intimidated by other people, or even the devil himself. With Christ living in us, we have the authority.

    Sermon on the Mount

    The Sermon on the Mount was possibly the greatest message that Jesus preached while on this earth. He taught us how to act and think. He taught us how to live humbly, knowing our place as children of God, while at the same time not boasting or asserting our authority.

    Matthew 5:2-3 (NASB)

    2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
    3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    Someone who is poor in spirit is not someone who brags about who they are, what they own, or how important they are. They know and accept their place. Yes, we are children, but at the same time, we are servants of God.

    Luke 17:10 (NASB)

    10 “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ “

    If you take a job making brooms, at the end of the day, you are satisfied with yourself that you did a good job. You don’t need your boss to come over to you and congratulate you for making the brooms; that’s why you were hired.
    Living a godly life and humbly looking for ways to serve Christ and lead others to Him is simply what we are called to do. We should not expect congratulations or extra rewards for doing this. As Jesus told us to say, “We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.”
    Remember, though – we are slaves of God, not other people. We choose to serve people. We do not, however, have to submit to their ungodly behavior or pretended authority, at least not in this country.

    The Kingdom of Heaven

    Matthew 5:2-3 (NASB)

    2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
    3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    The kingdom of heaven is not something that we need to wait for. We can start living in this kingdom now, today. Jesus told His disciples at that time to tell people, “as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ” This same kingdom that started then is still in existence today, and it will last for all eternity.
    Living in the kingdom of heaven means that we can have fellowship with Jesus now, we don’t have to wait until we die. It also means that can take comfort in the fact that He is watching over us and is providing for us.

    Philippians 4:19 (NASB)

    19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

    Blessed

    The Greek word that is translated “blessed” here means supremely blessed, happy, happier, fortunate, well off. Jesus is going through a list of things that we normally consider undesirable, not things we want to experience. He is making the point that this world is not our goal; the kingdom of God is. If we are living in the kingdom of heaven, fellowshipping with Jesus, comforted by the Holy Spirit, hanging out with God’s people, even though we are physically here, going through hard times, we are still truly blessed, happier than most people can imagine.
    We might be rich or poor; it doesn’t matter. We are not “blessed” with worldly, physical things. We are blessed with God Himself.

    Those Who Mourn

    Matthew 5:4 (NASB)

    4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

    There are times in this life that are unhappy. Loved ones die. People get sick and injured. You might lose your job or even your house or car. Nothing is guaranteed here.
    The Greek word translated “mourn” here literally means mourning for someone who died, but it can also mean that type of intense, sorrowful mourning that you have when a loved one dies.

    John 16:33 (NASB)

    33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

    Jesus told us what we already know, “In the world you have tribulation.” Bad things happen in this life. There are evil people who will want to take advantage of us. There are people who seem to get away with stealing, and all types of ungodliness. We don’t always have wonderful, happy experiences. Life is hard.

    Comforted

    John 14:16 (NASB)

    16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

    This word, “Helper” could also be translated “Comforter” or “Someone called alongside to help.” Jesus told us that we would go through trials, but He also made sure to let us know that He would be right there with us.

    John 14:18-20 (NASB)

    18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
    19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
    20 “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

    We are blessed when we mourn, because we have comfort that could only come from the hand of God. If we never had the sad experience, we could never have the incredible comforting experience.

    Gentle

    Matthew 5:5 (NASB)

    5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

    We don’t typically think of “gentle” or “meek” people as being conquering heroes, yet Jesus Himself was described that way, and He conquered the ultimate opponent – death.

    Matthew 11:29 (NASB)

    29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

    There were other heroes that we look up to, yet the Bible describes them as gentle and humble.

    Numbers 12:3 (NASB)

    3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)

    The Bible also records how Moses spoke with God “face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” (Ex.33:11) Do you think that maybe his humility had something to do with it?

    Inherit the Earth

    Matthew 5:5 (NASB)

    5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

    We were just talking about how we shouldn’t focus on earthly things, but heavenly things. Here, Jesus is saying that the gentle will “inherit the earth.” The earth itself is not bad, just what sinful people have done to it. Of course, the way that the earth is right now, it’s probably not what we would want to inherit. When Jesus is in charge during the Millennium, the earth will once again be what He created it to be. After He created the heavens and the earth, He said that it was “very good.” (Gen.1:31)

    Trust in God

    Some of these things that Jesus said don’t make sense at first, until we look at them from a heavenly perspective. If we trust God completely, and our focus is on Him, we will learn to keep our eyes on Jesus, and not the world around us. He is our Savior. He is our Redeemer. He is our Provider. He is our Comforter. He is our All in All. He is everything we could ever hope, dream, or imagine. He is the Lover of our souls.

    His name is Jesus!

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  • Not Many Wise

    antique library

    Not Many Wise

    1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NASB)

    26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
    27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
    28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
    29 so that no man may boast before God.

    Wisdom of the World

    We have some very smart people in the world – people who have discovered chemicals that make cleaning our houses easier; people who know how to make a delicious meal; people who build rocket ships to carry people and equipment off of this planet. These are all great things, but they pale in comparison to the wisdom of God.

    Creation

    black hole galaxy illustration

    God created the entire universe just by speaking the word. He invented math and physics. He created sound, music, light, beauty, and everything that we see, hear, feel, touch, and even imagine. When we invent something new, we are really just discovering what God has already created. He is the real Creator/Inventor.

    Learning

    girl in purple and black long sleeve shirt holding black pen writing on white paper

    If you want to be a good football player, find a football player who is at the top of his game and learn from him. If you want to learn about computers, find people who know more than you, then start asking questions. With anything you want to do, there are many ways to learn: searching the Internet, reading books, going to school, speaking with people, and just trying. One of the key things is that you want to learn from someone who actually knows more than you do. For example, don’t ask a five-year-old child to teach you calculus.

    Putting On a Show

    man hiding behind a mask

    Some people like to believe that they know about a certain topic, even when they don’t. They might look like they “have it all together” when they really don’t. This is called pride, and it can keep us from actually learning and growing. Unless we realize that we don’t know something and we need help, we can never get the help that we need.

    Foolish Things

    1 Corinthians 1:27 (NASB)

    27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

    When I want to know about a stove I just bought, I’m not going to ask the guy who just installed a fence for me. I’m going to ask the appliance salesperson or go to the company web site and download the instruction manual. I will find someone who actually knows this product.
    God has given us His Bible, a compilation of 66 separate books, written by about 40 human authors, over a period of thousands of years. They were from various backgrounds – some educated, some not. They were sheepherders, kings, poor fishermen, Jewish priests, scribes, governors, and others. The one thing they had in common was that they knew God and had a calling from Him.
    Don’t ever think that God can’t use you because you didn’t go to the right school or come from the right family. God prefers to use people that the world would not choose, so that He gets the glory, not us.

    Power of God

    1 Corinthians 1:18 (NASB)

    18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    If you were to go back in time 1,500 years ago and tell someone about airplanes and flying long distances at hundreds of miles an hour, you would seem foolish to them, but you know that it’s true, because you have experienced it yourself, or you know people who have. Until you have truly experienced God’s forgiveness of your sins, the whole idea of the Son of God taking our punishment and dying in our place, so we could live with Him forever sounds just too good to be true; it sounds like foolishness. However, “to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18)

    False Teachers

    1 Corinthians 1:20 (NASB)

    20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

    Why do so many people trust others who say they know about God and how the universe works, but they are really just guessing? There are whole schools dedicated to teaching people about the “mysteries of the universe”, but the “mysteries” that they claim to know are just guesses.
    Don’t settle for “easy answers.” Don’t settle for something that seems plausible; keep searching for the truth.

    Truth

    If I want to know about God, I can talk with Him directly and I can read the instruction manual that He wrote – the Bible. I don’t have to go to the people who call themselves “experts”, but they don’t really know anything at all about God, much less know God personally.

    1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NASB)

    22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;
    23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
    24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
    25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

    God’s weakness is stronger than the strength of some so-called “experts.” God has made the message of Christ so simple that a child can understand it, yet so profound and sublime that scholars spend their whole lives trying to grasp all of the intricacies of what God has created.
    If you question some people about what they believe, they either start laughing and mocking you, because you don’t agree with them, or they will get angry and start yelling at you. This is usually a sign that they are not fully convinced of their own beliefs. They don’t have evidence to support what they think they know.

    Holy Spirit

    white dove flying in front of sunrise

    After Jesus had been resurrected and went back to heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to be with His followers. The Holy Spirit gave them power to be witnesses of Jesus, as well as to perform miracles and heal people, as God directed. One day, two of His disciples, Peter and John, were going to the temple to pray, and they saw a man who had been crippled since birth. He was sitting by the gate of the temple, where friends would carry him every day. He saw Peter and John, and he asked them for money. Peter gave him far more than just money.

    Healing

    Acts 3:6-8 (NASB)

    6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene – walk!”
    7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.
    8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

    This man had been crippled for his whole life. Everyone in the temple knew him, because they had seen him for years, begging for money.
    Peter and John told the people that this was not because of them, but because of Jesus. They told the people about how Jesus came to save them from their sins, so they also could live with Him forever.
    A group of religious people, the Sadducees, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, so they got angry and threw Peter and John in prison. The next day, they had a trial for them. The high priest and other important priests (powerful religious and political people at the time) were there, accusing Peter and John of false teaching. Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, were not intimidated by the people in power. God spoke through them powerfully and eloquently. The religious politicians knew something was different.

    With Jesus

    Acts 4:13-14 (NASB)

    13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
    14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.

    Truth can always stand on its own. Facts are facts. People can try to deny them (and many do), but the truth will always stand up to scrutiny. The well-educated, powerful, religious people could not possibly admit that these “uneducated and untrained men” had anything they could possibly teach them. They did, however, recognize that these men had been with Jesus. They could also see that something was very different. These men were not intimidated by them, the way that most people were.
    If you have been with Jesus, and you have learned from Him, you can actually know more than some people who have studied their whole lives. Studying does not bring you closer to God; humbly spending time with Him does.

    Where to Start

    Proverbs 9:10 (NASB)

    10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

    Truly foolish people are those who deny the existence of God, just because they say He can’t exist (or they don’t want Him to exist). If you have to solve a complex math problem, but you make a mistake at the very beginning, because you were too impatient to take the time to understand the question, it won’t matter how much effort you put into it, or how sincere you are; the answer will always be wrong.
    Until we come to the point where we are willing to acknowledge that God is God, we can never reach the truth. Our conclusions will always be wrong, because our assumptions are wrong.

    What Now?

    a man kneeling down next to a cross on top of a hill

    Pride blinds people. It will keep us from seeing the truth. Until we are willing to humble ourselves, look foolish to the world, and submit to God’s will, we will never be able to see the truth.
    Start today. If you are a Christian, keep going; hunger and thirst for God’s presence more and more. If not, we encourage to seek Christ and start your new life with Him today.
    If you have questions about Jesus, or would like to know more, click here to find out how to be saved. Click here to contact us.

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  • Make It Personal

    adult hand reaching down to child's hand with cross in the background

    Make It Personal

    Personal

    Have you ever had someone tell you, “Don’t take this personally”, then they say something hurtful to you, personally? How about someone you just meet, then they start a conversation, sharing really personal things? They might even be asking you personal things.
    These are all things that make most of us uncomfortable. We all have certain things that we just want to keep private, keep to ourselves. It might not be logical, but we might even try to hide some things from God.

    Relationship

    two people holding hands on white surface

    It’s good to keep your private things to yourself. If you want a relationship with someone, though, you have to be willing to share who you are, including some (or all) of your most personal thoughts, feelings, embarrassing moments, etc. You also need to open yourself up to listening to the other person’s needs, hurts, and personal feelings. That’s a relationship – sharing with each other.

    Fear

    Fear is what stops us from sharing more of ourselves with others, including those we love the most. We think, “If they knew this about me, they wouldn’t love me anymore.”
    Something you figure out as you get older is that everyone has these secrets. Everyone has things that they want to hide. Everyone has made mistakes. Since that is the case, we really should feel more comfortable with each other, and not feel intimidated, because we think someone else never has any problems.

    Comfort

    brown puppy on bed

    When we reach a certain comfort level with someone, we are more willing to share more about ourselves, because we know they will keep our private things private, and they only want what is best for us. There is a scripture in Proverbs that talks about this kind of friend.

    Proverbs 18:24 (NASB)

    24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

    Having a really close friend, someone who is “closer than a brother” is precious, and actually somewhat rare. Having this kind of friend and being this kind of friend is special.

    Jesus’ Friendship

    Jesus walking with a man on the beach

    Jesus spent about three and a half years with His disciples, teaching them, eating and sleeping with them, and caring for all of their needs. They always knew that they could go to Jesus with any problem they had. Jesus, the Son of God, even called them His friends.

    John 15:15 (NASB)

    15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

    Jesus is our “friend who sticks closer than a brother.” He wants to be our best friend. In fact, when He knew that He was about to be crucified, He told His disciples that He would not leave them alone. He was going to send someone to take His place – someone Who would never leave them.

    Holy Spirit

    John 14:16-17 (NASB)

    16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
    17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

    In the Greek (the original language of the New Testament), the word that is translated “Helper” here could be translated “attorney”, someone who is called to stand by your side and plead your case, no matter what you are accused of. The Holy Spirit (God) is always on our side, always looking out for our best interests, always ready to listen and give advice. He truly is our best friend, but is He a person or just a thing?

    Feelings

    Ephesians 4:30 (NASB)

    30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

    A “thing” can’t be grieved; only a person can. The Holy Spirit is a person, the same way that Jesus is and God the Father is. It’s easy to think of the Holy Spirit as a feeling or a part of God, but He is a person Himself, even with feelings. We don’t know all of the details, but the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are called the Trinity – three Persons, all God individually and together. God cares for us and only wants what is best for us.

    He goes before us

    Deuteronomy 31:6 (NASB)

    6 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

    As the Israelites in the Old Testament were about to enter the promised land, they knew that they had to fight many people who were stronger and more numerous than they were. God told them that He would go before them; He would not leave them. He led them with a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night.
    We see this same type of leading and protecting in the New Testament.

    Greater is He

    1 John 4:4 (NASB)

    4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

    Have you ever seen kids arguing and one of them says, “well, my dad could beat up your dad?” That child knew that he was not very strong, but he knew someone who was very strong, and he knew that his dad would always protect him.
    Our Father is greater than anyone or anything in the universe; He created everything in the universe! We also know that He loves us more than we can imagine.

    True love

    1 John 4:9-10 (NASB)

    9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
    10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

    Jesus was willing to sacrifice everything, just so we could be forgiven of our sins. In verse 10 above, the word, “propitiation” means that He became the sacrifice that we needed. We deserved death, because of our sins, but He took our place – even before we turned away from our sins. He died so that we could live.

    Fellowship

    1 Corinthians 1:9 (NASB)

    9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

    This word, “fellowship” refers to sharing. It is not where we pray and God listens. It is also not where God gives us a bunch of hard rules, then tells us to follow them. This fellowship is the same word that is used when you have two or more friends that get together, maybe over a good meal, and they enjoy each other’s company. Each one gives and receives from the other one. This is what we have been called into, if we are living for Christ. He wants fellowship with us. He wants us to share with Him and receive from Him. He is the best friend ever.

    Wedding feast

    Revelation 19:7-9 (NASB)

    7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
    8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
    9 Then he said to me, “Write, Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. ” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”

    Jesus calls us His bride. One day, we will be fully united with Him in heaven, forever. Just as a bride and groom anxiously wait for their wedding day, He is waiting for our wedding day. We should also be looking forward to that day with anticipation and great joy. Then, we can fellowship and spend time with our best friend – forever!

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  • Do You Love Me More Than These?

    Jesus speaking with His Peter and His other disciples

    Do You Love Me More Than These?

    Love

    After Jesus was resurrected, He appeared a number of times to different people, over a 40-day period, then He ascended to heaven. One of these times, He met with His disciples and cooked some fish for them. He then asked Peter three times if he loved Him – the first time, “do you love Me more than these?”

    John 21:15 (NASB)

    15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”

    Before Jesus was crucified, Peter told Jesus that he would die for Him, yet on the night that Jesus was on trial, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Now, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. He not only asked if he loved Him, but did Peter love Him “more than these.”

    Job and money

    Peter was a fisherman, until he met Jesus.

    Matthew 4:18-20 (NASB)

    18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
    19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
    20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

    Jesus told Peter to leave everything he knew and follow Him, which Peter did. For over three years, Peter lived with and followed Jesus, traveling throughout the country of Israel, learning from and ministering to Jesus. They were supported by donations from other people.
    Now, after Jesus had been crucified and was raised from the dead, Peter was confused, so he went back to what he knew – he went fishing.

    The hard way

    John 21:1-3 (NASB)

    1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way.
    2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
    3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

    These were all experienced fishermen, but they caught nothing, even though they tried all night long. There are times when we do things in our own strength instead of asking Jesus what we should do, and all we get is tired.

    The easy way

    John 21:4-6 (NASB)

    4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
    5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”
    6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

    When we listen to the voice of God, and we follow His instructions, He will bless our efforts. Jesus asked Peter to bring some of the fish he caught and add them to the fish that He was already cooking for them on the shore. He reminded Peter that he was supposed to be a fisher of men, not fish, when He asked Peter if he loved Him “more than these.”
    God is able to provide. If we want His blessing, we need to be willing to work, but only do what He tells us to do, how He tells us to do it.

    More than the other disciples

    Matthew 26:33-35 (NASB)

    33 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”
    34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
    35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.

    From what we see in the gospels, it seems that Peter was very impetuous, and he loved Jesus very much. I’m sure that he truly meant it when he told Jesus that he was willing to die for Him. Years later, Peter actually did die for Him.
    Was Jesus now asking Peter if he loved Him more than the other disciples? That’s what Peter had proclaimed in John 21. Was Peter ready to step up to the commitment he had made before?

    Peer pressure and fear

    Matthew 26:69-70 (NASB)

    69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
    70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”

    After Jesus was arrested, Peter feared for his life. Right after he had said that he would die for Jesus, he denied knowing Him three times. Jesus was now asking Peter, “do you love Me more than these?” Was Peter ready to sacrifice what people thought of him, as well as his own physical safety? Do you love Me more than your own life?

    Family

    Luke 14:26 (NASB)

    26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

    In Luke 14, Jesus was not telling His disciples that we should hate each other, but that our love for Him compared to our love for even our family members should make it seem like that.
    One of the disciples was Peter’s actual blood brother. After three years together, the others were like brothers. Jesus was asking Peter “do you love Me more than these” other disciples? Do you love Me more than your family?

    The world

    Jesus could have been showing Peter the beautiful Sea of Galilee where he was just fishing, or the shoreline with all of the trees, or the incredible sunrise. He could have been pointing to Peter’s boat, the way he made a living and what he was comfortable with. He could have been pointing to the fish they had just caught. He could have been pointing to the other disciples.
    He probably meant all of the above. “Do you love Me more than these?”

    Our love

    I love watching sunrises and sunsets. I love seeing the incredible beauty that God has created. I love the wonderful family that He has given to me and my wife. I am grateful for my job and my house. In the grand scheme of things, though, seeing things from an eternal perspective, all of these things fade away when they are compared to my love for Jesus.
    Jesus loved us before we even knew Him. He gave everything that He had to give, and all He asks us for is our love.
    Do we love Jesus more than all of these?

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  • No Job Too Small

    No Job Too Small

    No Job Too Small

    We have all seen this expression. It could be in an ad or on the side of a truck: “No job too big or too small.” This is showing that this person is ready to do whatever you need done; they just want to work.

    Obadiah

    Obadiah 1:1a (NASB)

    The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom

    In the Old Testament, there is a short book – only one chapter – written by a prophet named Obadiah. It has a very simple message of God’s deliverance of His people and judgment on those who were hurting them.
    We know nothing about this prophet. We don’t know where he lived. We don’t know when he lived. We don’t know if he was rich or poor, whether he was married, whether he had children. We do know that he had a message from God and He was faithful to deliver it.

    Obadiah’s Purpose

    Some people might question why Obadiah had to write this book. We have many other prophets who told almost exactly the same message. Why did we need one more? There is no way for us to know exactly what was happening at that time and why they needed this particular man to be sent to them. We do know that God had a purpose and a plan for Obadiah and His people.
    We also know that we can receive encouragement from this book even today. God always takes care of His people. In the end, the righteous and unrighteous will be judged justly.

    Business Efficiency

    In business, the way to make money is to minimize your expenses and maximize your income. To some extent, every business has to do this, so that they will have money to pay rent, pay their employees, etc. If all they care about is making money (and that should not be all they care about), they will focus on what makes them the most money.
    Suppose a business had a customer who comes in once every year or two and buys something for $3.00, and it costs the company $2.00 to make it. That business only makes $1.00 every year or two from this customer.
    Then, suppose that the same business had a customer who came in every day and bought another item for $300.00, and it only costs the company $20.00 to make it. The business makes $280.00 every time this customer comes in.
    Which customer do you think will get more attention? The business will probably also ask the $300.00 customer if they have any friends who would like to come in. The business might even tell the $3.00 client that they don’t want them to come in anymore; they only want to focus on the rich people.

    God’s Economy

    God does not operate that way. He already owns everything. What is valuable to God is usually different than what most people consider valuable.

    Jesus had many people following Him. Everywhere He went, many people came to hear Him and see Him heal people and cast out demons. People were coming from all over Israel, and even other countries.

    Matthew 4:23-25 (NASB)

    23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
    24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.
    25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

    The Individual

    Jesus always focused on reaching people, whether in crowds or just one person. He cared nothing about fame and fortune. He wanted to reach people who were hurting, people who were suffering, people that society did not consider valuable, much like our $3.00 customer earlier.

    John 4:3-6 (NASB)

    3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.
    4 And He had to pass through Samaria.
    5 So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;
    6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

    Judea was in the southern part of Israel, and Galilee was in the north. Samaria was in between. There was a lot of hatred and racism between the Jews and the Samaritans. “Righteous” Jews, when they had to travel between the northern and southern regions, would usually go around Samaria, so they could avoid becoming “unclean” by being around the Samaritans.
    In verse 4, we see that Jesus “had to pass through Samaria.” He knew that someone was there who needed Him, and He wanted to reach her. He “had to pass through Samaria” to reach her.
    Jesus and His disciples came to this town, Sychar, in Samaria, around noon (the sixth hour). He was hot and thirsty.

    Breaking Barriers

    John 4:7-9 (NASB)

    7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
    8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
    9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

    In that day, there was no indoor plumbing, except maybe for the king and very rich people. Usually, the women would go early in the morning (when it was cooler) to the town’s well, so they could get water for the day. This woman came in the hottest part of the day, so she was probably an outcast in that town.
    Jews would typically not even speak with Samaritans, because they felt that they were “unclean.” In addition, Jewish men would not want to speak alone with a woman, especially a Samaritan woman, because someone might think they were being immoral.
    Jesus did not care about the traditions or prejudices of people. He wanted everyone to experience true, abundant life – the life that only He can give.

    Living Water

    John 4:10-12 (NASB)

    10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
    11 She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?
    12 “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”

    Jesus now tells her about a supernatural, eternal gift that He has, waiting right in front of her. All she has to do is ask Him, and He will give it to her. This is just like today – Jesus is right here, waiting to give each one of us a new, abundant life. All we have to do is ask Him.
    She still thinks that He is talking about natural water, because the term “living water” was commonly used to refer to water that moved, like with a spring. At the same time, she is seeing that there seems to be something different about this man.

    Never-ending Water

    John 4:13-14 (NASB)

    13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;
    14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

    What Jesus had to offer was better than a never-ending, artesian well. He came to give her new life.
    Jesus told her about her five husbands, and the man that she was currently living with. He told her that there is a better way to live and worship. The way that she had been taught to believe was wrong. He was there to show her a better way. He was there, because He was the better way. He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world, sitting right in front of her.

    Eternal Life

    John 4:39-42 (NASB)

    39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”
    40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
    41 Many more believed because of His word;
    42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

    Jesus brought eternal life to a town that probably never would have heard His message otherwise.
    Even though he had places to be, He took two days to be with these people and give them everlasting, abundant life.
    Even though He was tired and thirsty, He still took time to speak with this woman.
    Even though society said that He shouldn’t talk or associate with her or any of the other Samaritans, He did not care. He wanted them to have new life, and be with Him forever.

    John the Baptist

    John the Baptist came just before Jesus did. Let’s look at his life a little.

    Luke 7:28 (NASB)

    28 “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

    Jesus had some very high praise for John, as did the average Jewish person. People heard John’s message and knew that they needed to change.

    Matthew 3:1-6 (NASB)

    1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
    2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
    3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT! “
    4 Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
    5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;
    6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

    Ministry

    The Old Testament prophets prophesied about John. He also had an angel announce his miraculous birth. As he ministered, though, some people did not like how he was preaching righteousness and living a godly life. This included the king and his wife, who were living in adultery. Up until this point, it looked like John was having a major impact. People were turning away from their sins and turning to God, but not everyone.

    Mark 6:17-20 (NASB)

    17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her.
    18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
    19 Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so;
    20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him.

    Herodias and her daughter plotted to kill John, in spite of the king’s wishes, which they were able to do. John was only thirty years old, just starting his ministry as a priest and a prophet, then he was thrown in prison and killed by evil people.

    John’s entire ministry only lasted about six months.

    A Wasted Life?

    We see this tragedy and think what a waste this was. Why would God allow this? How much more could John had done, if only he had not been tragically murdered. What was his purpose?
    When we are first introduced to John the Baptist, we see him pointing out who Jesus was.

    John 1:29-36 (NASB)

    29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
    30 “This is He on behalf of whom I said, After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.
    31 “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
    32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
    33 “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
    34 “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
    35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,
    36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

    John had to come and prepare the way, then baptize Jesus, then testify that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. His ministry, as short as it was, had to occur before Jesus could come!

    Your Purpose

    It can be tempting sometimes to wonder why we were put here on this earth. Why did God create me? What is my purpose? Why does it seem that everyone else is used by God, except for me?
    God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us. Just because our purpose doesn’t seem like something big to us doesn’t mean it’s not important. Just because other people resist you or try to stop you does not change the fact that you are created in the image of God – created to do great things, even if they are “small” things.

    Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)

    10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

    Rejoice in God that He cares and has a purpose for you, even if you or anyone else can’t see it right now.

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