LEARNING DAILY

John 11: 21-22, Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

After reading the writings of some great writers from the past, I am learning to pay closer attention to detail in the Bible. That means to not read too fast, thinking I have read something many times before or heard messages given about certain passages. In the last page of the blog, I wrote about Charles Spurgeon’s writing on the sickness/death of Lazarus being for the glory of God and the Son of God. In his writing, he also emphasized the words “even now” in the verses above.

Jesus took two days longer than needed to get there. Lazarus has died. It is important to remember that when Lazarus became sick, Martha and Mary reached out, sent word to Jesus about his condition. That would be similar to Believers today praying, going to Jesus, to answer prayer requests when needs arise. They must also believe that Jesus will come at the right time. With Lazarus, He chose to arrive when He did in order that God and the Son of God would be glorified. Martha’s statement to Jesus, if read quickly, might be thought of as saying Lazarus would not have died if He had been there. Was she indicating that his death was Jesus’ fault? Or was her statement mixed with frustration, mourning and hope? She does not ask Jesus to bring back her brother, but she seems to be willing to trust God to do something. “Even now”.

“But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Spurgeon writes, “Since the omnipotence of God could be claimed, she felt no anxiety as to the greatness of the request. Whatever was asked could easily be gained if it was only asked by Him who was never denied.” Martha knew that the Father in heaven would grant to the Son what He asked. She believed that Lazarus could be resurrected if Jesus would only ask! Spurgeon continues, “Certainly we can have great faith in whom never wearies and never fails. We can trust Him who lives for no other purpose than to plead for those who trust in His dying love and in His living power”. “Even now”.

Be encouraged today as you read the statement by Martha to the Lord Jesus. You may have been praying for your son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter or someone regarding their spiritual condition or the need in their life and your heart is heavy regarding that person. Can you believe with Martha that “even now” the Lord Jesus can answer your prayer and the delay you have experienced will be made up to you (Spurgeon)? The encouragement for you is to not give up! Your answer may have been delayed but know “even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Martha must have done all she knew to help Lazarus get better; nothing helped. You may have done all you know to do for the person you are praying for, and nothing has changed. Do not give up. Do not stop praying! Continue to believe and trust that Jesus hears your prayer and is able to meet Your need. He is able to speak to that lost person, the person who is living under deception, and the person who needs to be healed by Him.

Martha was bold in stating what she did. She was confident in Jesus because she knew of His love for her and Lazarus. The more time we spend with Jesus the more we grow to know He loves us, regardless of our situation. He hears our prayer and knows exactly how to answer it and when. He knows how to speak to the one(s) we are praying for. Even in the most difficult situation, the Believer’s trust and faith is in Him, knowing that “even now God gives to Him whatever He asks of Him”.

“Even now” He asks you to put your faith and trust in Him for your need!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 11:4, When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness in not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Because of some of the writing contain in the blog lately, I believe today’s page of the blog might be an encouragement. My thoughts are taken from a writing by Charles Spurgeon; he used the verse above to explain why some of the trials/temptations we go through are for the purpose to strengthen the faith of those who follow Him. Not only that, but our situation and how we handle it might encourage others as they watch us.

Jesus has been told His friend Lazarus was sick; his sisters, Martha and Mary, wanted Jesus to come to Lazarus and heal him.   A trial, a test of faith over something that cannot be controlled is occurring. It deals with sickness and death; it is occurring within a family that Jesus cares a lot about. The next verse states that Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus. The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ loves you and me in the same way. That is an important part of this scenario!

This is about the Creator of all things, the Savior’s love and the faith He wants to build in those who follow Him, even in the face of death. It is about testing faith, “for faith that is not tested can still be faith, but it is sure to be little faith” (Spurgeon). I know people who have believed in Jesus, who have known He is able and can do anything. Yet when faced with a cancer or some other problem that could lead to death, faith becomes the issue. Is faith built up or just forgotten? Faith, when tested through an experience like this may make one’s walk with God become very real. Jesus’ disciples need to see that. You and I, as Believers need to see and understand that!

Spurgeon wrote, “Talk about Christianity that is not based on experience is mere talk.” I can write about forgiveness. It is only when I have experienced it that I can write from the point of view that is really meaningful. I can write about God’s grace, but without experiencing it, it is only theory. I might not fully understand the forgiveness and grace of God, but experience has shown me how much God loves me. If He doesn’t, I would have been in great trouble. You would too!

Spurgeon wrote, “Faith increases in strength, assurances, and intensity the more it is exercised. Trials drive faith to God.” The trials in the lives of Believers ought to drive you closer to God, knowing that He is always with them through those things they face. Jesus loved this family. He knew what they were facing. He knew Lazarus was sick and dying. He said it was for the glory of God and that He might be glorified through it. So, it is with Believers today. He strengthens our faith in our trials in order that He might be glorified. How is He glorified? When you know He is with you. When you place your situation in His hands, knowing he can heal you. You glorify Him when you know that He might heal you by taking you to His kingdom for eternity and you trust Him. You glorify Him by your actions, letting all who see you be amazed at how you are dealing with your situation. You are able to do this because “your faith is driven to God”.

I have watched my family and my friends over the years as they faced situations in their lives. Yes, they were difficult situations. I have seen the faith of some grow greatly. I have watched as God was glorified by the way the situation was handled. Each time, my faith increased! I wonder how often the trial, trouble, or sickness was allowed to make them and me come face to face with the reality and importance of one’s faith in the Father above and His great love for each of us!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 3:16-18, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-Nego answered, and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Another thought was briefly mentioned in the weekend’s message at Community Bible Church regarding the statue built as an image of Nebuchadnezzar. He had “an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits” (over 90 feet high and 9-10 feet wide). It was set in an area where all the government officials and “peoples of the nations” could see it and bow down and worship when the music began. We know from Daniel’s account that all the people bowed to the statue when the music played – all but Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-Nego.

There is another day when an image will be built, and all people will be required to bow down and worship it. Read what John writes in The Revelation 13:15, “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed”. In The Revelation a second beast (known as the False Prophet) forced the people living at this time to bow and worship the image of the Antichrist. “It will set up in the most sacred area of the newly constructed Jewish temple” (David Jeremiah Study Bible).  All of that may have seemed impossible a few years ago; think of the advances in technology today and the impossible now seems a lot more likely. Refusal to obey the command to worship this image will result in the death of those people.

I want to be real this morning. At any given time, this event is only three and one-half years away. Think about that for a moment. Sometime after the first half of the tribulation, what is known as the Great Tribulation will begin and that includes this image being built in order to be worshipped. When does the tribulation begin? In my opinion, it begins when the True Church, the True Followers of Jesus Christ are taken up to meet Him the air/clouds in what is known as the rapture. It is at that time that the Antichrist makes a peace treaty with Israel for three and one-half years. After that time terrible persecution of those Jews (and Gentiles?) who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior worsens and the Antichrist establishes himself as God!

That is nice but what do people do today? Believers stand! They stand by making sure they put on the belt of truth and guard their heart with the breastplate of righteousness! You stay ready so there is no getting ready! Is that day close? I do not know but I am not willing to take a chance that it is far in the future. Believers walk the narrow way and do not just talk about it! Even if the rapture does not happen before the Lord takes you home, you live for Him, giving Him praise, honor, and glory through that process.

We are living in days where the signs Jesus said would occur before He returns are happening more frequently and more severely! Evil and deception are spreading misinformation in every area of life. Do not be misled. Only those who have been saved by Jesus Christ and are in the process of being changed by Him will be taken when the trumpet blows to meet Him. Those who remain will be left to walk in the days of tribulation. This has not been meant to scare anyone. I write to encourage all Believers and possibly encourage those who are not walking on the narrow way to get on it through Jesus Christ, the only way to be placed on it.  

 

LEARNING DAILY

Ephesians 6:14, Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Pastor Jonathon Moore, Lead Pastor at NorthRock Church, had a great message this past weekend as he continued his series on the Armor of God. I am particularly interested in this series because of its importance for every Believer to put on each in order to fight the spiritual battle that is increasing around us. The armor was an emphasis for the administration and faculty when I went to First Baptist Academy and has been interesting to study since then.

The breastplate of righteousness is essential for any warrior going into battle because it protects the heart. “It really does not matter how strong or fast you are, if you get stabbed in the heart, you are going down” (Pastor Moore). It is the same for the Believer who wants to walk with God on the narrow way. Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life”. Believers need to be doing what they need to do, walking with the Father as He desires, pleasing Him with the way they live their live. In order to do that, they need to be diligent in the walk on the narrow way.

Righteousness is “living right”; it is living and “doing the right things when people are watching and when people are not watching” (Moore). Proverbs 13:6 tells us, “Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner”. So, righteousness protects/guards the Believer’s heart by speaking truth and helping them know false teaching; it helps us to be obedient to the truth, understanding that “unrighteousness is an invitation for the enemy to attack our heart. Believers must attack not only the outward expression of these attacks but the very problem from where they come from. Be careful what you watch, what you listen to, who you hang around. If you watch scary movies before you go to bed, you might have scary dreams, for example. That may lead to fear or look for demons under every rock and bush.

Pastor Moore said righteousness can be faked. A person might look right, do and say the right things but not be righteous on the inside. “Righteousness can be faked, but neither God nor the enemy is fooled. Without the presence of God in one’s life, a person is not righteous” (Moore). Know this: Jesus Christ came to not only make a person look right on the outside but to deal with their sins. His righteousness is embraced not earned. Pastor Moore explained this by explaining imputed and imparted righteousness.

Imputed righteousness is given to us at the moment one is saved by Jesus Christ; that is justification (Just as if I had no sin). “I gave Him my sin, and, in return, He gave me His righteousness” (Moore). Why do I still have all these problems, then? The answer is found in the fact that Believers are still human – each Believer must crucify the flesh every day making it known it is no longer in control of you. You are a new creation centered in Jesus Christ and walking a narrow way. Secondly, we have a soul that wants to dominate -the center of this is our mind, will and emotions. To deal with the soul, Believers must, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. And the third thing that needs to be done is the surrender of the Believer’s spirit to the Holy Spirit every day; this is where righteousness begins.

He also explained imparted righteousness is worked out every day after Believer’s are saved. This is sanctification which means walking the narrow way everyday according to biblical principles and God’s standards. It is where right living begins to transform Believers from the inside out. This is not living a legalistic life; it is living by wearing the breastplate of righteousness.  It is about protecting the heart!

He concluded by quoting Ephesians 4:20-24 where the Apostle Paul writes to Believers. “But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness”.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 3:16-18, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-Nego answered, and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will worship the gold image which you have set up.”

It is Memorial Day; the day set aside for us to remember those who “gave everything” so that we might be able to enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today. Many do not work today, get together with family for bar-b-que and to do whatever people do on this day. It is important to stop and remember those relatives, friends, classmates and acquaintances who served and who gave their lives for us to do whatever we do today. For those of us who enjoy this day, we must remember!

Pastor Ed Newton, Lead Pastor at Community Bible Church, used the three Hebrews who refused to bow down to the image of Nebuchadnezzar to speak about remembering those who have fallen so we might have freedom. He said, “Courage infers courage. Bravery infers bravery.” Later he showed us how Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-Nego stepped forward “together” against Nebuchadnezzar telling him that they would not bow down to this image of him.

Pastor Newton asked where these three had gotten their conviction and their faith. Where do the men and women of our armed forces (at least in the past) gotten their conviction and faith to serve the people of this country? Pastor answered the question that the three Hebrews got their faith from their parents, their upbringing before they were taken to Babylon. Think of their story and remember they were taken to Babylon as “teenagers” and they never allowed what they had been taught to be changed. Now, their faith had become their own and now “they would rather die for their convictions than to live in the king’s comfort and his convictions” (Newton).

 Pastor mentioned “God was raising up an army that would not bow nor buckle to the world’s agenda and what it wants people to become. I may address this thought more fully in the coming pages of the blog, but for now, let each of us walk with God in such a way that our faith would be unshaken. Each Believer must be developing their own faith that when faced with their own fiery furnace, faced with whether you will bow or burn that you, too, will stand on the convictions you have. You develop those convictions by reading/studying/meditating on the Word of God and by spending time with Him in prayer and fellowship. This is solidified by spending time with brothers and sisters in the Lord. My faith is strengthened by being around other Believers, watching their faith and their commitment to God grow.

It is important “to do life with brothers/sisters in the Lord because when the fiery furnaces come, we know we are not in the ‘foxhole’ alone. Those trials come and the ‘fourth man’ shows up to be with us, to purify us, and helps us get to the place He wants us to get to” (Newton)! It has been so much fun to see those in my family grow in their faith. It has been fun catching glimpses of former students grow in their faith as well. Was part of the family of God, we must never lose sight of the importance of being united together in the body of Christ. We must never forget the influence of those in our past who have helped us get to where we are in this walk of faith – into eternity with our heavenly Father in His kingdom! We must never forget!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Galatians 1:6-7, I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

There are times compromise is not good! Compromising the gospel of Jesus Christ is certainly not a time to compromise. Paul was concerned, and perhaps surprised that the Christians in Galatia have been so quick to mix the teachings of the gospel with manmade doctrines. The Bible makes it clear that God does not ignore, does not condone the compromising of His Word! In other words, Believers do not negotiate, do not bargain with the commands of God!

The problem with compromise is that it often comes at us in a subtle way. Compromise may not demand the Believer wholeheartedly surrender or submit to worldly ways or ideals. Compromise will attempt for the Believer to accept and accommodate those worldly ways. The Christians in Galatia compromised the gospel with the teachings of those who were perverting the grace of Christ with a different gospel. It’s okay to follow and obey the law because you still have Jesus (or so was the teaching).  

Believers cannot compromise the truth today in order to appeal to people; it must be their aim to please God only. There can be no compromise on the essential of the Christian faith, the standards that the gospel of Jesus Christ sets forth. It is essential for Believers to live out our biblical beliefs. It does no good to know the truth but not live our lives based on that truth. When the Believer’s intention is to live the way the Bible tells us to live, to do our best to walk on the narrow way with Jesus, compromise is less likely to occur. That includes recognizing what things might try to tempt us to walk different from what the Bible teaches.

I do not believe any of us are able to do this in our own strength. Philippians 2:14 tells us, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure”. God’s word encourages us to walk according to God’s desires; He is walking with us to guide and help us do so. All Believers need to follow Romans 12:2 which tells us to “renew our mind” daily by being in God’s Word so we can know and follow His will. Psalm 1:2 tells us, “to delight in the law of the Lord’ meditating on it day and night.”

Living a life that does not compromise the gospel is done out of love, out of gratitude and appreciation for what Jesus Christ has done for us. He gave His life so we would not have to hang on a cross for our sins. Not one time did He compromise His mission to save whosoever would believe in Him; not one time did He compromise the mission His Father sent Him to accomplish. Because of that, it seems Believers could live an uncompromising life in a world that seems to compromise all things. Can we not find the strength and courage to follow uncompromising devotion to our Savior who should be our example as we walk the narrow way!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Galatians 1:3-5, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I have been doing some reading on Paul and his writings and would like to share some thoughts over the next few pages of the blog on his writing to the Galatians. In the verse above, it is important to see that the same evil that surrounds us was in the world the Galatians lived in. The Galatians faced many temptations from Satan and the false teaching that we do today. Paul focused on a problem many deal with today, “the challenges of transitioning from following many rules for salvation to one based on a relationship; from a life based on merit to one birthed by grace; from a life empowered by human flesh to one experienced in the power of the Holy Spirit” (David Jeremiah study Bible). The key problem Paul was addressing was “legalism”.

First and foremost, Paul begins this letter with stating the way to be delivered from the evil world was to have faith in the “Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins”. Paul reminded the Galatians that Jesus gave His life for them; no one took it from Him. He willingly sacrificed His life as a substitute for their sins. He did so because it was the “will of our God and Father”. Because of the obedience of Jesus, the Father will receive the “glory forever and ever”.

Paul’s statement of Christ’s saving purpose needs to be remembered by all Believers today. The salvation He gives is to deliver Believers from the evil that dominates this world’s societies.  Believers today are set on a narrow way that leads to eternal life with “our God and Father” in His kingdom and “must live for Him and refuse to be governed by the prevailing values, wisdom, opinions, corrupt desires and self-indulgence of the people of the world” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible).

The world we live in today is saturated with temptation, sinful indulgences, false teachers and preachers spewing their deceit in order to lead even the elect away from their walk on the narrow way. Paul is writing to warn the Galatians that false teachers teaching salvation included not only believing in Jesus Christ but included incorporating their salvation into the Jewish faith. These teachers said salvation included circumcision, following the Jewish law, and keeping Jewish holy days. Paul expressed his surprise that the Galatians would be so quickly turned from the “gospel of Christ” (verse 9) to follow or to mix in additional teaching with it.

Just as Paul wrote to the Galatians, “there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (verse 7). These who do this are preaching a false gospel. Yes, these people appear to be sincere in their teaching and may certainly have a lot of charisma. They turn the truth to make it look different; they turn it to make it agree with their false beliefs. These people are from their father, the devil, twisting the truth enough to make it believable. Same old story, same old technique. “Did God really say ….? This perversion of the truth appeals to our pride – we want to believe that we can save ourselves by being a “good person”. Those perverting the gospel appeal to one’s desire to live as he/she wants, to walk on the broad way and not live by denying self and following Jesus on the narrow way.

Be careful believer what you read and what you listen to. We live in perilous times, a time when the enemy is working extremely hard to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. The lies are in abundance; they are not even subtle! Know the Word of God! Read/study/meditate on it every day in order for the truth to saturate your mind, your soul, your heart. Put on the belt of truth every day so you know when lies of the enemy come against you! That is the only way for the peace Paul write about to come into your life.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Ephesians 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Every day I watch Ranger, the cat, and the squirrels in the yard “play”. Ranger is constantly trying to sneak up on them and the squirrels are seemingly daring him to catch them. I have seen them be so close to each other and wondered if that was the day Ranger would catch one of them. I have seen the chase happen several times and wondered what would happen if Ranger did catch one of the squirrels. It is almost a daily happening and I am not sure who is tempting who! The battle is certainly a real one.

Paul writes that there is a very real battle happening in the Believer’s life daily as well. He makes it very clear that this battle is not a physical battle; it is a spiritual one. “Satan’s war against God’s people follows an organized strategy. Principalities refers to his head officers; wiles refer to clever plans, crafty deceptions, and cunning methods. Like a military general, Satan plans his attacks and directs his forces (2 Corinthians 2:11)” (David Jeremiah Study Bible). Satan may use other people or objects in this warfare, but the real opponent is sin.

While it is unhealthy to become obsessed with Satan and demons, Believers must understand they exist. They are not those cute cartoon characters or those in a red suit with a tail and a pitchfork; they are very real and desire to destroy and kill everything that is godly and everyone who is walking on the narrow way! At the same time every believer (even the very weakest) has enough power and authority from God to overpower every demonic power thrown at them.  Every Believer must know that the real battle in their lives is against Satan who is doing everything he can, including using people, to tempt them to sin. The most effective weapon he uses is the lie; that is why I believe the first piece of armor Paul describes is the belt of truth (see the last page of the blog).

“The struggle” Paul mentions may be different for each Believer. Your struggle may be thought of as anything that causes you to sin. What I struggle with may or may not be what you struggle with. I can tell you that the enemy knows our weakness and strategizes to exploit it. I can also tell you that on your own, in your own strength, you are not capable of defeating the spiritual forces that come against you; it is impossible on your own. Paul writes in verse 10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.” It is the task of the Believer to stand, to be strong in the Lord and let God fight for us.

Stand strong! When David fought Goliath, he stood strong believing in the strength and power of God to fight for him. His answer to the mocking and challenge of Goliath was to say, “The battle is the Lord’s”. That is the only way Believers are assured of victory. Believers do not need to live in fear of the devil. We do need to be aware of the reality of the battle that is raging for the lives of Believers and stand on the Word of God and His strength each day!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Ephesians 6:14: Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH,

Jonathon Moore, Lead Pastor at NorthRock Church, has begun a series on the armor of God. It is a very appropriate teaching today as the body of Christ is experiencing more and more spiritual warfare, from an unseen realm. Ephesians 6;12 reminds us that this battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. This battle has been waged for a long time; it is intensifying because the days of the enemy are drawing to a close and his hatred for God, His Word, and all who follow Him continues to grow. The days we live in are growing darker and more and more evil. Every Believer must know how to prepare and do battle in their lives; it begins with standing firm in what you know about God’s Word.

The belt was important for the Roman soldier; it was where he would carry his sword. He would also pull up his garment and tuck in his belt giving him more freedom of movement during battle. Pastor Moore said, “The belt of truth stabilizes my life; it strengthens my core”. In the notes my granddaughter Audrey gave me, she wrote, “There is comfort living in the truth”. Pastor Moore went on to refer to Jesus saying, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). When we put these thoughts together, the Believer’s confidence “to stand” increases in the face of false teaching and false beliefs. “The truth is not relative – it is absolute” (Moore). That keeps believers from chasing after every wind of doctrine that comes our way. There is no need to write about all the false teaching and lies that are in this world. There is no need to write about all the lies and deceitfulness in the world. It is all around you.

At the ridiculous sham of a trial for Jesus, Pilate asked Him, “What is truth?” He asked this question after Jesus had told him, “He had come to bear witness of the truth and everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37-38). Jesus had earlier declared that “He was the way. and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Today, Believers find truth in the Bible, through prayer and worship because Jesus is the truth! (from Audrey’s notes). Understand there are teachers that teach to trust your feeling for truth. Feelings vary from day to day, from week to week -- they cannot be trusted! To know truth each Believer must “filter everything we hear and read by the truth written in God’s Word (Moore)! This is so important because Satan and his followers are always whispering in our ear to question God’s Word. We put on the Belt of Truth, daily, in order to recognize the lies of the devil.

If you leave your Bible on the table or desk and never read it, it does you no good! Pastor Moore stated, “Some of the things about your life are lies from the devil!” Stop believing those things and begin to believe what the word of God says about you. Pastor Moore suggests that you begin to speak what the Bible says about you out loud; say it every day in order to build your faith and to destroy the works of the devil.

I went for a walk in the neighborhood a while back and I was feeling pretty down because of something. I was trying to pray and probably feeling sorry for myself when I came to one of the two churches that are in the area. I looked up and the church reader board read, “You are Chosen”. Let me tell you my countenance changed. Speak the Word over yourself every day. Every believer is a child of God! Chosen by Him and a new creation. The old has passed away and you are new in Christ Jesus. Your identity has changed because Jesus Christ has set you free and placed the Truth in you. The Truth is the person of Jesus Christ! Stay close to Him and that is staying close to the Truth.

Have you put on the Belt of Truth today?

 

LEARNING DAILY

Numbers 6:22-27, And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

This weekend, Community Bible Church recognized the graduates, those who had graduated with any level of degree “which made one’s life better”. Three other pastors from the church joined Pastor Ed Newton to preach a message on the Priestly Prayer as a blessing over the graduates.

The first pastor spoke on “The Lord bless you and keep you”. The point he was making was “God desires a personal relationship with you”. He began by defining the word “bless” by saying it means to bow or kneel down and explained it as God kneeling down to look at His child in his/her eyes. It is a way to know them personally and about a relationship. He explained that this relationship is based on what Jesus did on the cross and the individual’s accepting what He did in faith. He said that God wants to have a personal relationship with each of His children and warned that God and His word must not become too stale or familiar. The meaning was people must not use godly language (such as God bless you!) without having a personal relationship with Him. He finished his part of the message with God knows how to keep you! Not only is our relationship based on God’s blessing, it is based on knowing that He is keeping us. He tests us and sustains us through it and all the temptations/trials we face as we walk that narrow way!

The next pastor spoke on, “The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you”. The point He made was God declares His pleasure over you. He began by asking us to consider that the God of all creation, who holds all of the universe together, pays attention to each of those who are a part of His family. Stop reading and do not read further until you consider that statement. Because you are His child, he pays attention to you; God delights in you! Because of that His full attention is on you and does not initiate or allow anything in your life that is not for your good. You may not “feel” or think about His watching you, but He is and delights in you. He never stops watching you. There is no need to go to anyone or anything else to find your acceptance or get approval. The only thing that breaks that fellowship is sin and He is always near to forgive when we confess it and thank Him for His forgiveness.

The third pastor spoke to “The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace”. His point was God desires to deliver prosperity to you. No, he did not preach the “prosperity gospel” that says God wants each of us to be rich, wear designer clothes, and drive a Porsche. Be aware of anyone elevating material wealth over spiritual wealth. To focus on material wealth is to preach a false gospel. The prosperity in this blessing is a spiritual blessing; it is God’s smile of approval over His children – a smile of approval over who we are in Him. He concluded his message with the peace God gives. It is a “peace with God” which occurs when we place our faith and trust in His Son. God loves us and wants a relationship with us. It is a ‘peace from God’; to whom and where do you run when things are not going so well? He stated that the world’s peace is only temporary; God’s peace is not based on circumstances – His peace is in spite of the circumstances we face. And the peace of God passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). God’s peace within you will be seen by those around you and present an opportunity to tell them why you are at peace.

As a Believer and Follower of Jesus Christ, God’s name is on you. Because of that God blesses you. I hope you will take a moment to go back and read this placing your name in the various points made by these pastors. God desires so much to have a relationship with you each and every day! I am so much in awe of that!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Genesis 3:8, And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

This is one of the sad verses in God’s Word, in my opinion. Adam and Eve had walked and talked with God for a long time. But they fell for one of the great deceptions the devil throws at us – unbelief. The devil preached to them a lie and they fell for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life that Timothy writes about. Nothing has changed since that time as people still fall for these same schemes of the enemy. Even while walking on the narrow way (as Adam and Eve walked with God) Believers fall for these deceptions. When believers fall for these deceptions, they try to hide from God. By hiding, I mean they might stop praying or reading God’s Word because, like Adam and Eve, they are ashamed because of their failure.

Notice that God called out to Adam asking, “Where are you?” They could not hide from God, and neither can any of us when we sin. It was a question that a parent might ask their child when they already know the answer. It is a question that was asked to give Adam the opportunity to tell God where he was and to tell Him what he had done, to confess. It might also be pointed out God did not ask, “Where are you two?” Adam was ultimately responsible for the fall and being removed from the garden.

That brings the message to you and to me. I know this will challenge some, but none of us is perfect; God is still working on us. That’s probably why we are still walking on this earth and not with Him in His kingdom. We still have sinful thoughts, say sinful things, and do sinful things. Temptation and evil is all around us and sometimes we give in to it. What do you do when that happens. I know conviction of my wrongdoing does not let go no matter what I do to get away from it. You know what I mean, right?

 My brother, IRA Paine, wrote in his devotional, “Eternal Security?  Absolutely!  God is not going to change His mind about you, or me, or the human race.  What He has declared He will bring to pass.” When you have been saved by Jesus and set on the narrow way, God never changes His mind about you and your salvation. He does expect you to confess your wrongdoing, your sin, and thank Him for the forgiveness He gives you through Jesus Christ.

Why did Jesus Christ suffer and die? He died in our place in order that “whosoever would believe in Him would have eternal life”. That means to have fellowship with Him. When Adam sinned, he lost fellowship with God. Nothing has changed! Believers know when they have sinned. God desires to fellowship with Believers, that is why He created man; justification through His Son made fellowship with the Father possible again. It is encouraging to me that God has not given up on me when He could have done so; he has not given up on anyone reading this page of the blog. The devil would try to get you to hide from God when you sin. Do not do it. Instead, run to the Father. Tell him what you did and rejoice in His forgiveness. David Wilkerson wrote, “Jesus did not die to take you to paradise. He died so that every day you could live in beautiful, close relationship with the Father.”

 

LEARNING DAILY

Titus 2:11-13, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to a young pastor named Titus who needed encouragement. Titus had taken on the challenge to pastor multiple churches on the island of Crete and there were false teachers presenting a threat to his teaching. The island of Crete was Gentile territory and Paul’s letter was about “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men”. That meant salvation was for both Jew and Gentile; of course, that brought Jewish opposition and false teaching.

Paul wrote that the grace of God brings not only salvation but changes in the one accepting this salvation. I do not need to remind you that God not only saves us but begins to change us to make us ready to walk into His kingdom. That is why we walk a narrow way with all its trials and tests. David Jeremiah writes, “God’s grace instills a desire to please Him in four ways: (1) by rejecting sin – that is, disowning ungodliness and denying one’s passions and sins (2 Corinthians 5:17); (2) by ruling self through sober living; (3) by respecting others through righteous living that mirrors one’s relationship with Christ (Matthew 25:40; Colossians 3:23, 24); and (4) by reverencing God with a disciplined devotion (1 Timothy 4:7, 8).” Jeremiah continues, “God’s grace should not be an excuse for sins but a motivation for holiness.” Jeremiah’s comments and Paul’s writing certainly applies to each Believer today!

Why does the writing in this blog concentrate so much on walking the narrow way as God instructs Believers to do? It is because Jesus said it was a difficult way. It is a way that is meant to turn Believers away from worldly thoughts and from living our lives any way we want to live them – godless ways. Godlessness is anything that contradicts God’s will or His nature. God’s grace helps Believers to reject ungodly living and reject the sinful desires that have plagued our lives for so long.

God’s grace emphasizes that believers live a self-controlled (sober), disciplined life. That involves saying “no” to those sinful things that have had control of the lives of Believers until they met Jesus and were saved by Him through His forgiveness. The “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16) have caused people problems for a long time; It seems to be only growing worse in these “last days”. Be sure to understand what is about to be written. “Grace is not a license for laziness” (David Jeremiah). Here’s why.

Paul tells Titus that the reason for living a godly life, for walking the narrow way with Jesus, is to include “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”. If the Believers of Paul’s day were to be living their lives in a godly way and looking for the return of Jesus Christ, should not Believers today be living their lives as if Jesus was to return at any time? That is the “blessed hope”. This is the return of our Lord Jesus to the earth to judge the earth and set up His kingdom. Believers need to be doing all they can to purify themselves from sin right now and walking the narrow way in holiness. Jesus gave His life that those who believe in Him would be empowered to overcome the world and resist the temptations found in it. Galatians 1:4 encourages Believers by saying this is the will of the Father. Grace is not about escaping the judgment of God that too many want; it is about accepting the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and living for Him each day by walking on a narrow way.

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 8:28-29, Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left me alone for I always do those things that please Him.”

There is plenty of teaching for us to understand packed into these two verses. He is responding to the Pharisees who either did not understand who He really was or did not care and wanted to get rid of Him. He has told them in earlier verses that He was divine, that He “was from above”. He had told them they needed to know who they were opposing or “they would die in their sins”. Verse 27 tells us that they ”did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father”.

To this Jesus predicts His death and His resurrection, telling them that His words and actions are in obedience to His Father in heaven. To be “lifted up” was a common way Jesus spoke of accomplishing His mission (see John 3:14 and John 12:32 as examples). When He used the term “Son of Man” those listening would recognize it as a reference to Himself as the Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament. He also used the phrase “then you will know that I am He” referring to Himself as the One who is the source of salvation. Think of God telling Moses that “I AM WHOM I AM” when sending him to Egypt in the book of Exodus.

Jesus also tells His listeners that He and the Father are in constant communication and “the Father has not left Him alone for I always do those things that please Him.” Jesus has been consistent in acknowledging to have God’s power, judgment, and knowledge; Jesus has always given this ability to the fact that He and the Father are One. That brings us to the central thought that Jesus was always obedient to what the Father said. Jesus always had His mission on this earth before Him. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of My Father who sent Me that I should lose nothing but should raise it up on the last day” (John 6:38-39).

Here is the teaching to grasp, Jesus did everything out of love and obedience to His heavenly Father. Jesus centered His life in pleasing his heavenly Father by what He thought, by what He said, and by what He did. Th Pharisees did not grasp this – they probably did not want to. All believers who want to really please their Father in heaven should have this same desire to be obedient, to have a constant desire to live their lives out of love and be obedient to God’s Word. I hope the encouragement to walk on the narrow way that true Believer's walk never grows stagnant or old for you. Our walk must be one of obedience as we follow and walk with the Lord Jesus into His eternal kingdom. Obedience to the Word of God must be for us as it was for Jesus, the foundation and motive for all we think, say, and do each day.

Every day we do battle against unbelief, deception, false teaching, and all the worldly forces that want to discourage our walk with the Lord. To be obedient, we must daily be with our heavenly Father by reading/studying. Meditating on His Word and staying close to Him through prayer. Then we are to be doers of what it says. I pray that is your desire and part of your daily routine.

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Corinthians 1:27-28, But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.

Grace is God’s to use as He desires. I don’t have to understand. Read the verses before the verses above and you will see “God made the foolish the wisdom of this world”. “To those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Paul wrote for the Corinthians to look around at the people who made up their church; they were very few who were wise according to the world and there were few nobles. The point being it did not take education, great intelligence nor power to be saved. As a matter of fact, “preaching Christ crucified to the Jews was a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness”. Isn’t it amazing that many people allow their intellect and/or their position and wealth to keep them from trusting God and walking with Him in faith daily on a narrow way to His kingdom.

David Jeremiah writes, “God uses five things to accomplish His work: (1) foolish things, (2) weak things, (3) base things, (4) despised things, (5) things which are not. The word weak can be translated ‘sickly, feeble, impotent’ (Acts 4:9). The base things are ignoble [shameful, immoral]. The word despised here means ‘contemptible’ like the way Goliath looked at David and his God (1 Sammuel 17).” Paul emphasizes that God’s standards and values for whom He uses is much different from the world’s standard of wisdom and standards. The question is why? Is not the answer found in the verse above – God is shaming the wise and mighty by using what the world believes are weak and foolish.  

Getting into heaven and walking a narrow way does not come through human wisdom. To the Jew, a god dying on a cross was foolishness, a sign of weakness. Therefore, anyone who would believe in this god would be foolish and weak. How could one honor and follow him. Remember worldly wisdom is not meant to honor God but to please oneself and walk according to what is best in their own estimation. Examine the world around us and see what that thinking has gained! So, God uses the foolish things mentioned to confound the wise.

Through the crucifixion, resurrection, and through choosing the foolish things of the world, God is bringing the philosophies and psychologies of this world system to an end. It is through those who place their faith in Jesus and walk the narrow way with Him to show that the foolishness of the world system is not all it appears to be.

I am so thankful for God’s grace to have called me to be one of the foolish and weak, an idiot as the world would call me, yet, is able to see clearly enough to receive what is actually wise and clear. It is by God’s grace that I trust in Him, walk with Him on a narrow way and receive wisdom that will last throughout eternity! “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Love suffers long and it is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

To those of you who are mothers, I wish you a happy Mother’s Day. It is good to give you honor for the many things you do each day for your family. It is a day to remember what our mothers have done in our lives as well; I pray there are happy memories when you remember! As I was considering what to write about the celebration of Mother’s Day, listening to two messages from pastor’s wives, and thinking about the mothers in my life – my mom, my wife and my daughters – my thoughts went to 1 Corinthians 13.

This chapter of the Bible is often quoted, most often during a wedding ceremony. The chapter, or portions of the chapter, are found on art work or photographs or some other form of romantic setting. Paul did not write something that was meant to be repeated as some sort of inspirational words or “lovey-dovey” stuff. He was writing to Christians at Corinth who were needing some strong teaching about the expectations of how God expected them to treat one another. God expects His people to treat one another by loving each other as he wrote in the verse above. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians concerned the problems within the church of Corinth and it centered on the lack of a true Christlike love.

Paul describes a love that is difficult to live up to. It seems that the days we live in today have become faster paced, more self-centered, less yielding and more self-seeking. We live in different times! I believe we can look at Paul’s writing and consider his application to mothers. I have dealt with a lot of mothers as an educator, and I have watched and considered those moms closest to me. I’m not sure I have found any perfect mother. I believe I have seen and talked to moms who have been tested in some way by their children. I have interacted with some “momma bears” and some who were just beside themselves. I have seen a loving mother who will do anything for their child. I never interacted with a mother who was willing to give up on the child. I have also seen mothers who did all they could to help their child become who God wanted them to be regardless to any inconvenience to themselves.

I am grateful for God’s influence upon my wife as a mother and grandmother, and for my daughters as they raised their children. Nope, they were not perfect, but they love their children as Paul wrote. I know sacrifices have been made, when necessary, in order to be sure things were done, places were gotten to on time, and tough love shown when needed. Tears of happiness and tears may have been shed out of concern depending on the situation; yet, at no time was giving up an option. A loving mother does not do that!

With that, I pray your Mother’s Day was a great day for you. Do not let this day be the only day of the year you tell your mother your love for her. Take the time to do that often!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 9:25, He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

The result of the blind man’s encounter with Jesus is pretty amazing!  He was obedient to Jesus, washed the mud from his eyes, and the man could see at once! His blindness was gone at once. The account does not tell us whether the man went looking for Jesus or not. It takes us to those who knew the man recognizing that he could now see. The account also takes us to the “healed man” and his interaction with the religious leaders. There was an interrogation of the man’s parents and the man himself. Finally, the man, who is not a scholar and certainly not well read, does not know anything about Jesus or His ministry, tells the religious leaders “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

There was a major change in him when He encountered Jesus; for the blind man the details did not matter. There was no debate about what had happened to him. He had been blind and now he could see. Other people had seen the change. They might not have understood what happened, perhaps even cautious to say, “He is like him.”

The man was cast out of the synagogue for testifying about what happened to him. Jesus found him later and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” The man asked, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus told him that he had seen Him and was talking to Him. The man believed and worshiped Him. Do you believe this encounter with Jesus not only opened his physical eyes but opened his spiritual eyes as well? Don’t you know that this encounter with Jesus changed his life for eternity! Jesus had given him his sight and that was permanent. Jesus gives all who truly give their life to Him, a salvation that is never lost. His promise is the enemy would never be able to snatch away from Him those who accept Him and follow Him.

It is not difficult to see that when one truly gives their life to Jesus, in faith, that their life changes. Their life changes to the point that all can see the difference Jesus makes in one’s life. Genuine conversion is not easy to do. When the grace of Jesus becomes part of you, in your heart, it will be seen by how you live your life. I am not sure why anyone would want to hide it!

Yet there are those who want to be forgiven but do not want to be changed. Those people do not want to stop doing their sin because they enjoy it too much. There must come a time when one decides that walking with one foot on the narrow way and still trying to keep the other on the broad way, has to change. Once again, those trying to walk the narrow way fail; they are not perfect. The narrow way is a time of change and cleansing when the Lord is preparing those on it for eternity in His kingdom.

What a wonderful change had occurred in this blind man. The Lord Jesus had opened his eyes to see. He also gave him eternal life and the man worshipped Him for it. What a wonderful opportunity the Lord Jesus has given to all who trust Him – eternal life in His kingdom. Shouldn’t each of us who have said yes to Him and allowed Him to change us, take time to worship Jesus for opening our spiritual eyes as well? Can’t we say with this man that I may not be able to explain all the theological stuff about what He has done; the one thing I know is Jesus has saved and changed me and set me on a path that leads to eternity in His kingdom!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 9:6-7, When He said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And he said to him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” Which is translated, Sent. So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

The blind man in this passage is an interesting study. The obvious was that he could not see Jesus, but Jesus could see him. There must have been other blind people in Israel, but Jesus stopped when He saw him. What was Jesus thinking when He stopped and looked at this blind man? Why did He open his eyes and give him sight? The man was blind from birth; giving him sight was not about restoring sight he once had; He was going to give the man an awareness of the Savior.

This man did not know what it was like to see. Since he had never seen before, he had no idea what that sense was like; because of that, seeing was not a loss to him. Does that make sense? He was content to do what he had done day after day. I wonder if he had the same attitude when it came to spiritual things. Did he know about them? And if he did, did he understand them? But then Jesus comes along; Jesus knows the value of what it means to see. He knows the changes that the “light from heaven” can do to change each individual whose eyes are opened to it. I do not see where this man prayed and asked for sight, but that is just what Jesus did for him. Isn’t that what Jesus does? Isaiah 65:1 tells us, “I was found of those that did not seek Me”. I wonder, in a spiritual sense, if Jesus was one day passing by and saw you, saw me and looked upon us with compassionate eyes and with mercy. Perhaps, it was that day we sensed our eyes being open to the saving grace Jesus alone offers to us.

Jesus spits on the ground, making mud that He applies to the man’s eyes. It was divine power that gave the man sight. His method reminds us that man was formed from the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7). His instructions were then for the man to go wash the mud from his eyes in the Pool of Siloam. The man could not just sit back and wait for a miracle to happen; he had to go do what Jesus told him to do. The man trusted Him because he was commanded to. When the man did, his eyes were opened and “he came back seeing”.

There is no doubt about what happened to the blind man. Read on and read in verse 30 the man said, “He opened my eyes”! Do you read or sense any uncertainty? No! The man’s eyes had been opened by Jesus – only Jesus! Do I need to explain the relevance for each of us today? The tomb is still empty! Jesus has risen and sits at the right hand of the Father. He is clothed with infinite power and majesty and desiring to open the eyes of all who are blind spiritually. Because of that, His desires express the love He has for each person who has not confessed their desire to be forgiven, saved and changed by Him. He desires each Believer to place their faith and trust in Him as they walk the narrow way, facing the challenges of this evil and dark world. When Jesus told the man to go wash, He was teaching him the importance of obedience, obedience by faith. Isn’t that same teaching essential to Believers right now? Paul writes that salvation comes to those who hear the Word of God. May I suggest that continuing to read/study/meditate on the Word of God is the only way to continue walking on the narrow way into God’s eternal kingdom. Isn’t that the message of “Go”, for Believers today?

The man went and did what Jesus commanded. Believers are commanded “to be doers of the word, not just hearers” (James 1:22). So, Believers must do what the blind man did – be obedient! I believe we are certainly in days where obedience will be challenged; those who continue in obedience will be rewarded.

LEARNING DAILY

John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is still day; the night is coming when no one can work.”  Jesus

I am stuck on this saying of the Lord Jesus as spoken to the disciples. I am stuck on it because doing the work of the Lord is precisely what every Believer needs to do. We work – not to be saved because every Believer is saved by their confession of faith in Jesus Christ – because we are saved. In the last page of the blog I wrote, “We must allow the love of Jesus in us to stop to help those in need help, those who God brings into our path.” I was on my way home from Home Depot this morning when I drove by a woman holding up a sign saying she needed help. I drove on past her. I got about a hundred yards beyond her when the Spirit of God spoke to me (Know I seldom express that; but there was absolutely no doubt!), saying, “What did you write today about helping those in need when I give you opportunity? Yes, I tried to ignore it until the word came “Hypocrite”! Yes, I turned around. I even asked her to forgive me for driving past her. Yes, I did help her. Now that might not be what you would do; for me it was needed to be done because of obedience.

I do not know what work God has called you to do to bring honor to Him. I encourage you to do it. Jesus told His disciples that He “must work”. There was no debate. There was no if I want to, I will. “I must”! With Jesus, He could not help Himself. He wanted to help the blind to see. He wanted to open the eyes and the hearts for men and women to come to Him. He could not stop healing those who desired to be healed. He did all He could to save mankind from perishing; it was His love for people and His desire to “work the works of Him who sent Him” that drove Him to the cross, His greatest sacrifice. It was the name of every person who would say “yes” to His offer of salvation that caused Him to say, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me”.

I believe it was seeing the multitude of people that were perishing and the misery they were living in, that continued to drive Him, even when there were Jews who had picked up stones to stone Him. He had only so much time to work. His work had not been something He decided to do once His ministry began. His work was the work His father had established for Him to do. He did not pick and choose what He did; He did all the Father had given Him to do. He saved souls from an eternity in hell. His works of healing, casting out demons, resurrecting the dead opening the eyes of the blind and making weak and disabled legs strong were acts of mercy and works that pointed to the One who sent Him. Nothing was done out of selfish ambition and to gain recognition for Himself. He had no desire to be made a king of the land because His kingdom was not of this world.

Don’t you know that Believers are to do the work of Him who saved your soul and set you on a narrow way. Your work is different from mine; we are each to follow the way established for you. It is on the narrow way, but with different work to accomplish – all for the glory of the One who saved you. Do the work “while it is still day”, while you still can. I recently looked in the mirror and saw the color of my hair had changed; I must work while I am still able because I don’t know how much day I have left. I have read that Jesus does not ask us to do anything we are unable to do. He just wants us to do what He has given us to do. That may be to tell others about what He has done to save and change you. It might be to pray for others, specifically for those in your family. It might be to preach His word, to be an usher or volunteer in the church. It might be to stop and give someone in need a little cash and a word of encouragement. The point is “to work the works of Him who sent Me (you) while it is still day”! And do it cheerfully! 

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 9:3-4, Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is still day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Examination of the healing of the blind man by the Lord Jesus was begun several pages ago in this blog. As Jesus and His disciples were passing by Him, the disciples asked Jesus who had sinned causing the man to be blind. They were addressing the common thought that the man was being punished for something he had done.

Jesus told them that was not the situation. I suppose that sin is the cause of all the suffering in around us, in a general sense. Violence, crime, etc. are caused by the evil and sin of others. Jesus was addressing the thought that not all suffering was a punishment for sin.

 Focus in on the Lord Jesus when reading this passage. Remember Jesus may have been leaving the temple because the Jews there had picked up stones to stone Him. Yet, Jesus took the time to stop when He saw this blind man. I find this very interesting; if I had been the one getting away from those wanting to stone me, I would have missed this man and the opportunity to show the “the works of God”. Jesus came to this earth to do the will of His Father. In my “sanctified imagination” I see Jesus stopping to have a profound effect on this man’s life without consideration or fear for His own. Was He so intent on doing God’s will, glorifying God that He did not fear what men could do to Him? Was He so set on doing what He had been sent to do that danger to Himself was ignored? If so, should not the devotion of the true Church, all who call themselves Believers have this same goal in mind?

I wonder if the situation around us would change if we were so consumed with enthusiasm and passion for God and our desire to live and walk the narrow way so others could see Jesus in us. Jesus was under constant threat of those watching Him, waiting for just the right thing to condemn Him for; yet He stopped and saw an opportunity to glorify His Father. Isn’t Jesus to be the example to His faithful followers. He saw a need and stopped to meet it. He did not focus on anything else; He did not judge by the appearance of this man, even when the disciples did.

The entire focus was to glorify His Father. When He said He must do the work of God while it was day, He meant the time he had left to be on earth. The coming night referred to the day of His death when His work on earth would be finished. The time Believers have on earth is also short. We must use the time we have here to live as a light to a dark, dying world. We must allow others to see Jesus in us as we walk that narrow way. We must allow the love of Jesus in us stop to help those who need help, those who God brings into our path. Consider those who have not accepted Jesus, in faith, as blind. We are to put away all thoughts of our own self-importance and allow ourselves to be used by the Lord to do what brings glory to Himself. Jesus is to be our example when we see another who is in need; we must not see that person and question how she/he came to be in the situation. We must begin to think and believe that here is an opportunity to show the love of the Father. It is an opportunity to show the grace and goodness that God has given to us. Is that not what being a follower of Jesus Christ means!

What a great blessing has been given to each Believer. We have been given a great Light because of saying “yes” to the salvation Jesus Christ offers. That light is to “shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven” (Mathhew 5:16)!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Revelation 2:29, He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Dr. Ed Newton, Lead Pastor at Community Bible Church, has just led a second group of people on a tour of the seven Churches of The Revelation. The message he spoke this past weekend concerned these churches and the message each brought to the True Church. I have written about each individual church in the past; today’s blog will try to capture what Dr. Newton gave in his message. I doubt I do justice to all he said in this short page of the blog.

To each church, the Lord Jesus introduced Himself in a way that spoke to the need and condition of that specific church. Dr. Newton said it is as if He was saying, “Let Me tell you who I am”. To each church he was saying that He is in authority over the church; He is the One who reigns (listener Guide). To Ephesus He was the One who has ownership (Rev. 2:1). To Smyrna He declared He was the only One qualified to reign (Rev. 2:8). To Pergamum, He “first came on a donkey, but the second time He comes it will be on a warhorse” (Rev. 2:12) (Newton). To Thyatira He declared He was holy, “seeing all things which will either comfort or convict us” (Rev. 2:18) (Newton). To Sardis, He said He alone had authority over the churches (Rev. 3:1). To the church at Philadelphia, He said He alone has authority because He now held the key of David (Rev. 3:7). To Laodicea, He said He was faithful, He was the true witness (rev. 3:14).

Dr. Newton then spoke about the changes occurring in each church. As you read about these changes, consider the church today. Ephesus left their first love (Rev. 2:4. Pergamum became worldly (Rev. 2:14-15). This church taught that it was okay to be sexually immoral within the church and that they could live anyway they wanted because Jesus had forgiven them already. Thyatira became tolerant (Rev. 2:20). Sardis became dead. “They looked alive but they celebrated their past accomplishments” (Newton). Laodicea was lukewarm (Rev. 3:15-16). Dr Newton spoke of this church being a very wealth church but were of “no value spiritually”.

Do you recognize the church today. Is sin and worldliness being tolerated today or is being spoken against from the pulpit? Why do I see articles being written about people leaving the church, disappointed with it and not meeting their needs? Has trying to look like the world to attract people been successful? Why are denominations giving in to sinful practices, those teachings contrary to the Word of God?

Only the church at Smyrna and Philadelphia were affirmed by Jesus. The message to them by the Lord was to be resilient, to be strong knowing they were favored. To the other churches, the message was to get right with the teachings of the gospel. Each church was told to repent, to wake up, come back to purity.

The message to each church in The Revelation should resonate with each one of us. Look around you and you cannot help but notice everything these churches were accused of abounds in the churches today, I believe every person who has given their life, in faith, to follow the Lord Jesus Christ on a narrow way must do several things. First, pray that the Lord would, “Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there are any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Revival begins with each of those in the True Church allowing the Lord to examine them and reveal anything that needs to be changed or you need to stop doing. Jesus told the churches of The Revelation to get right with Him; He was their reward. Pray for a fresh move of God in your life, to make you stronger in your walk with Him on the narrow way, and to help you become bolder in a world that so desperately needs Jesus.

All true Believers are called to live their lives in the way Jesus desires them to live. That helps them stay on the narrow way and to be a light to a dark world. Will you join me in taking time to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to me those areas where I need to repent in order to be who He wants me –you – to be?

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 9:1-2, Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, the man or his parents that he was born blind?”

I am not sure what the timing is regarding the time Jesus was escaping from those Jews who wanted to stone Him and when He saw this blind man. Remember there were no chapter and verse designations when the Bible was first written. The writers of the Scriptures were more concerned with the things Jesus did than the minor details we like to examine. This encounter may have occurred as He left the temple; it is more likely that there was some time between the events of chapter eight and chapter nine.

Regardless, pay attention to Jesus seeing the blind man. Jesus saw the condition of the man – he was blind. I wonder how often Believers forget that the Lord Jesus sees our situation. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 139:1-3, O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.” David was writing that God knew all about him, even the deepest parts of him. As Believers, we must realize that the Father knows all about each one of us, where each of us are as we walk the narrow way. He is constantly searching the heart and testing our minds in order to keep us centered on Him and preparing us to enter His kingdom.

This man is blind; he was born blind. Many in this world are like this. Sin has caused a blindness that all have suffered with. The blind man in the writing is about to have his eyes opened by the only One who was able to do so and his life was about to change. The Lord Jesus Christ is still opening the eyes of the spiritually blind today. Do you remember when He did so for you and how He has been changing you ever since? The blind man was to be an example for God to display His power to heal and change those who had their eyes opened by Him.

He was born blind. I imagine the blind man was led to this spot each day in order to beg. He was a public beggar and people probably spoke to him as they passed by (I know I am using my sanctified imagination here!). Perhaps that was the reason he was the person Jesus selected to receive his sight. When the disciples saw him, they asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, the man or his parents that he was born blind?” They must have been trying to make some sense of his situation. Common thought was a person’s condition or situation was caused by sin; they wanted to know if he had sinned or if his parents had sinned. Jesus told them his blindness was not due to sin, but he was blind for the glory of God. It is much easier to give God the glory when something good occurs in our life. It is much harder when we are going through difficulties.

When Jesus took our place on the cross, He did so to save us from our blindness, our sinfulness; all of us have stood guilty of sin before the Lord. When we said yes to His offer of salvation, we were declared not guilty and set free and set on a narrow way to be changed – all for the glory of God. Be encouraged today. Endure the situations and trials that come your way because they come with a purpose: to show the working of God in your life.

There are many great teachings in this account of Jesus opening the eyes of this blind man. We will look more at the teaching of this blind man in the days ahead.

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 8:25, Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”

Matthew 16:13, When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

Matthew 16:15, He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

By way of an introduction, I am not trying to go back over the elementary teachings of who Jesus is; most readers of this blog have already established Jesus as the Son of God as Simon Peter responded to the last question. In the last page of the blog, the statement was made about each of us desiring to walk in holiness because God Himself is holy. Encouragement to do so is the intent of this blog. Also, I would like to begin writing what the Pastor of NorthRock Church called Jesus Stories by examining the writings of John about Jesus. John 8:25 is where we begin.

 In John 8, John writes about Jesus being brought a woman caught in adultery, defending His self-witness, and predicting He is going to a place (heaven) where the Pharisees cannot go. He tells them that their unbelief in Him will cause them to die in their sins. After all this the Pharisees ask Him, “Who are You?” I suppose there might be different interpretations of this question. Were they genuinely interested? Or, were they asking more of a question of, “who do You think You are?” Jesus continues on He is who He has said He was from the beginning of His ministry. Yet, the religious leaders simply did not understand that He was portraying them as ignorant, lost sheep. He went on to tell them there was coming a time, when they would “lift Him up” that they would know who He was and that all He did was to please His Father.

Different groups of people had their thoughts and ideas of who Jesus was. That is no different from the time we live in. Thus, the question Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” The disciples told Him that some thought He was one of the Old Testament prophets and some thought He was John the Baptist (resurrected). The voices today might say a good teacher or a prophet or just a historical figure. Yet this question was not at the heart of what Jesus wanted to know; it was really a lead up to the question, “But who do you say that I am?”

The question was aimed specifically at this close group of followers. They were never going to understand His teachings, His gospel without knowing and believing who He truly was. May I tell you that once one answers that question and knows fully who Jesus is, you will begin to represent Him as He desires and walk that narrow way, desiring to be holy as He is holy. Yes, the narrow way is still difficult. Notice a few verses later, Jesus disciplined the same Peter that had previously declared Jesus to be, “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Just as Peter showed his limited understanding of what following Jesus means, we might deny or misunderstand and even focus on our own agendas rather than the things of God. When we do, we can expect God’s discipline to get us back on track as we walk the narrow way into His kingdom.

Perhaps there is one more question to be asked and to be answered by each of us. Whose are you? When you know you are a child of God, that you belong to Him, there is an identity with Him. That certainly helps us know we are members of the family of God and He is with us through every situation we face, helping us grow in our knowledge of Him, which helps us walk confidently on the narrow way.