LEARNING DAILY

John 8:12, Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but have the light of life”.

Jesus is in the temple at Jerusalem, the people come to Him and He is teaching them. It is during this time the scribes and Pharisees bring to Him a woman they had caught in the act of adultery; they want to know what He has to say because in the Law, Moses commanded that she (and the man, by the way) be stoned to death. Pastor Ed Newton stated, “They were pitting Moses against Jesus, the Law against grace”. John writes, “They were testing Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him” (verse 6a). Pastor Newton continued, “The finger of God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets; Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with His finger. Then Jesus stood and said for the person who was without sin to cast the first stone and then bent down and wrote on the ground again. What did He write?” Pastor answered the question by stating, “He was recording something very specific. When they heard it – they felt it in their heart, and they left.” Pastor thought Jesus might have been writing specific sins of those there to trap Him, to stone the woman.

They left and just Jesus and the woman were there. When He asked her who was there to accuse her, she responded, “No one Lord”. She called Him “Lord” when the scribes and Pharisees had called Him “Teacher”. Interesting! Jesus told the woman, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” “He did confront the woman; he did not sweep sin under the rug – instead he took her sin to the cross! Jesus accepts her, forgives her, tells her not to go on doing what she has been doing. Grace does not allow us to live the way we want.” (Pastor Newton).

This is when Jesus declares He is the light of the world. This event occurred during the Feast of the Tabernacles (the Feast of the Booths). As part of this festival lamps would be lit using wicks made from the garments of priests. Light was important to the Jews because it represented salvation, knowledge, and goodness. For Jesus to declare He was the “Light of the World” was a big deal. He had just been pitted against the Law and Moses. Now “He is saying He the fulfillment of the Old Testament teaching” (Pastor Newton). He is claiming He is the only source of spiritual light; there is no other source of spiritual truth available to man. Jesus applies the high calling of biblical Israel to be the “light of the world” to Himself!

Jesus is the “Light that exposes darkness” (Listener Guide). Truth exposes the deceitfulness in the human heart, the sinful behavior, the pride and self-centeredness that is in man’s heart. Turning a light switch on removes the darkness. The light of Jesus removes the darkness of the Believer’s heart. The spiritual light He gives is necessary to live and walk the spiritual life of the narrow way. Every Believer must be moving toward spiritual life through Bible study, prayer, being with likeminded Believers, and walking the narrow way in obedience to Jesus.

Jesus’ statement of “I am the Light of the World”, comes with two promises. One, those who follow Him will never walk in darkness, Believers are assured of their salvation. Believers will never stay in habitual sin (read 1 John 1:5-9) as they continue to confess and repent of sinful thoughts and behavior. Secondly, Believers will reflect the True Light that removes the darkness and deception. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world”. And in verse 16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. Believers are to reflect the light of Jesus so that all can see it in us by our words and by our actions. Believers are to honor God, be trustworthy, sincere, and honest in all things. By this, others might be drawn to the Light, leaving the darkness behind.

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Peter 5:6-7, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Peter has been writing about suffering and its purpose. In this last chapter he writes that Believers are to walk in humility, even when in a time of suffering. Peter has written that suffering is to be expected by those who follow Christ, and if a Believer is walking the narrow way as He desires, suffering is according to God’s will and for His glory (4:12-19).  The writer of Hebrews has written that suffering is for a reason – perhaps discipline, perhaps for instruction (Hebrews 12:5-11).

 Believers are to walk through the situation in submission to God’s sovereignty in their life. That means trusting Him and accepting His will for them, no matter what difficulties He allows. Humility does not mean weakness or that one must hate themselves. C.S. Lewis has said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less”. In verse 5, Peter has used Proverb 3:34 to emphasize the need for humility, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”. For those who are full of pride, those with an over inflated opinion of themselves, those who are relying on their own righteousness (the I am a good person), God will humble you! It is better to humble ourselves that have God do it for us.

Why do Believers walk the narrow way in humility, submitting themselves under “the mighty hand of God”? because at some time, the proper time, God will exalt them; it may be in this life, it may be when the Believer enters heaven, or it could be both times. I do not know how God will exalt anyone. I do understand that walking the narrow way with him, making ourselves insignificant, walking in humility is a declaration that God can be trusted to give us recognition when the time is right.

Until that time Peter writes to cast all cares upon Him. Why? Because “He cares for you”! When Believers come to fully understand that God is God and they are not (walking in humility), they trust He will be with them in every situation they face. When Believers come to really believe that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and able to take care of all their needs, they “cast” all of them to Him so He can manage each and every concern. May I suggest that you stop holding on to those things, the “stuff” you are so concerned with and give it to your loving heavenly Father who cares for you, loves you more than you know and allow Him to handle those things for you.

“Cares” refers to worries, difficulties, needs of this world, and anxieties; “cares” are everything that worry or weigh one down. Give them to God. That does not mean He will take the problem or difficulty away, even though He could. It means He will care for you and be with you to see you through it. Romans 8:28 remind us, “And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”. God is telling Believers that He works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. That means Believers are to trust He is willing and able to deal with our “cares”.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to Me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” When the Believer casts his burden on Jesus, he/she finds rest for our soul; Jesus Christ is the Believer’s assurance that even when the burden or trial still exists that He is with us, helping us carry it and supporting him/her through it.

God does not want us to be weighed down by the difficulties that come in this life. His promise is to give rest to those walking the narrow way with Him, trusting that he has all things under His control, and is able to handle every difficulty that comes their way.

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Peter 1:3-5, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In verse two Peter is writing to the “elect”. These are the ones who have said yes to the salvation Jesus Christ gives through His death and resurrection. Did you notice that word “hope” again? Hope is based on Jesus Christ and His promise that because He overcame death, His followers would overcome the grave as well! What a wonderful promise – one that Believers can base their future on! What is the appropriate response to God’s great mercy toward the Believer? Praise, worship, obedience as he/she walks the narrow way into God’s eternal kingdom.

Our praise and worship are to “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” because of the punishment each person deserves, He gave the Believer something he/she could never earn or purchase. Through His Son He gave Believers eternal life, “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”. No one has to wish about eternal life with Him. Because the Lord Jesus Christ died, and then showed Himself alive to so many, Believers can know they too will live again for eternity in God’s kingdom with the Lord Jesus.

Peter continues that Believers will be born into “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away”. Paul wrote in Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself bears witness, with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together”. In other words, because God has made Believers His children, they have full rights to receive His inheritance; Believers are His beneficiaries. Jesus, as the only begotten Son, is the only true heir of God, the Father. Being a joint heir with Jesus means Believers, as adopted children, will share in the inheritance of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:2 tells us, “He was appointed heir of all things”. That means what belongs to Jesus belongs to Believers; the believer’s inheritance can never be lost (nor fought over). It can never be lost, cannot be corrupted, and will never lose its value. It is worth everything the Believer does to walk the narrow way into eternity.

This inheritance is “reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”. Peter has written about the Believer being a joint heir with Jesus Christ and about the inheritance that is the Believer’s. He finishes this making sure Believer’s know that God is actively guarding Believers right now. Guarding them from what? From persecution? From suffering? From trials and temptations? The word “kept” here means “to be shielded from or to be watched over” (Vine’s Bible Dictionary). Whatever the Believer is experiencing or during trials and difficult times, he/she needs to know that they are not insignificant or forgotten; they are secure in God through faith! That does not mean they are shielded from pain, suffering, or the hardships of life. It means that the Father in heaven is watching over their walk with Him, keeping them secure through His divine power and faithfulness to them. The Believer’s faith unties him/her to the Lord Jesus. The walk on the narrow way is stressed so much in this blog because it is on this path that the Believer grows in the faith and in their trust in their relationship with Him. What Believers go through is growing their relationship to Him. So, I write it again, Read/study/meditate on God’s Word daily! Be obedient to it and the Holy Spirit’s leading! Pray, pray, pray! Submit yourself to the will of God! The reward is so worth the walk on the narrow way!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Lamentations 3:21, This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.

Yesterday I finished reading the writings of Jeremiah, and as I began to read the introduction to the book of Lamentations, the verse above was highlighted in it. Yesterday’s blog page included Pastor Jonathon Moore’s comments about hope. Remember he said hope was not wishful thinking, but “confident expectation of something good”.

The David Jeremiah Study Bible’s introduction to Lamentation states, “Lamentations is often called the most sorrowful book in the Bible, written by the most sorrowful author – Jeremiah – known as the weeping prophet”. It goes on to explain that Jeremiah is in deep sorrow over the siege of Jerusalem and the terrible things that went with this siege. Jeremiah knows that God is a righteous Judge and the sins of the people must be dealt with; the people have become spiritually defiled, and God is carrying out the consequences warned about through His prophets.

Read Lamentations 3:1-20 and you will read about a man suffering so deeply and in great despair because of what has happened to Jerusalem. Yet! Yet, he recalls, he remembers, and he has hope. He has hope in the mercy of God and His unfailing compassion. I am not sure any Believer wants to live in the valley where “stuff” just seems to continue to happen, where there are trials and temptations and worries and anxieties. But that is where growth occurs. All Believers remember those times when everything was going great – there were no worries, singing praises came easily, those times considered “mountain top experiences”. Jeremiah was suffering greatly, but he recalled those times God was faithful to him. That brought him hope.

As Believers, we need to reflect on those times of God’s faithfulness to us when we go through times of even great despair. We remember God never changes. The circumstances of the Believer may change but his/her walk on the narrow way is based on trust and faith in God whose love and compassion remains constant. Read Lamentations 3:22-23, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” God is faithful! In the midst of taking all his pain and sorrow to the Lord, Jeremiah knew that He heard and would respond in time (supports Pastor Moore’s message, doesn’t it!). Jeremiah’s lamentation was an expression of his faith in an unchanging God!

Pastor Moore also said, “Hope must be practiced in our waiting”. Again. Jeremiah supports this by reminding Believers that hope is expressed in the Believer’s faith as he/she trusts in God’s faithfulness, even with all the things going on around him/her that would try to drag them down in discouragement and defeat.

I began with the DJSB’s introduction. I am going to finish this page with thoughts it states are worth remembering:

“Because God is faithful, we can have confidence when we pray.

Because God is faithful, we can conquer evil and temptation.

Because God is faithful, we can praise Him.

Because God is faithful, we can have courage when we are afraid.

The prophet’s point was: when you do not understand what is going on, and when things are not going as you would like, you can have courage in the time of trouble if you understand that God is faithful.”

Be encouraged today that God knows everything about you and your situation. He cares about it and loves you more than you know!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 11:5-6, Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Pastor Jonathon Moore began a new series centered on “Jesus Stories”; he began with the Lazarus becoming sick, dying, and Jesus raising him from the grave. These stories begin with a clip from the film series The Chosen. This a well-known, much preached story of Jesus waiting for two days before He and His disciples went to see Lazarus. Lazarus had died.

Pastor Moore stated, “Patience is required to receive God’s promise”. Perhaps it is the times we live in because few want to wait in line for anything. For example, I remember when “fast food” meant a person would order and it would be ready to go – almost before money was exchanged. Not anymore! Perhaps that idea has been transferred to expecting God to move when we pray. I’m sure you have found over time that God does not do anything except according to His time. Pastor Moore mentioned Hebrews 6:12 where the writer tells us it is “through faith and patience that one inherits the promises”.

He stated, “Patience is long term faith and outweighs the emotion when answers or promises take a long time to come”.  The important thing for Believers to remember is “Jesus is with us when we wait; He is not panicked nor stressed when those waiting might be” (Pastor Moore). Jesus waited for two days to go to Lazarus so He would be able to show His power over death. Waiting does serve a purpose for the Believer as his/her faith is developed and strengthened by waiting.

Pastor Moore stated, “God’s waiting time is never wasted time”. He used Isaiah 40:31 to support this idea. “But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” During the waiting time, God’s promises give strength and courage to overcome the obstacle or difficulty being faced. It is a promise as the Believer patiently trusts God that He will give strength for the journey one takes on the narrow way. The idea is for the Believer to “wait expectantly – not with wishful thinking” (Pastor Moore).

The last point Pastor Moore made was, “Hope must be practiced in the waiting”. He defined hope as “confident expectation of something good”. Jesus told Lazarus’ sister Martha, “Your brother will rise again”. This statement was in response to her comments about what could have, should have occurred if He had come sooner. Pastor said she was looking at the past, not where God was taking her. Practice hope. Hold on to God’s expectation for the future, the future He has for every Believer’s life. Like Jesus told Martha, each Believer needs to “get out of holding on to the past, holding on to the emotions of the past and realize that hope gives you purpose for tomorrow” (Pastor Moore).

Every Believer can know that Jesus is with him/her through each and every trial, when facing every obstacle and in each difficult situation being faced. Let that encourage and comfort you!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 15:1, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”

I know! I know I wrote on this not too long ago. However, Pastor Ed Newton is on a series where Jesus said, “I AM”; he spoke on this topic this weekend. He had some interesting perspectives that I want to share. The target statement for the message found on the Listener Guide is: “The life you have always wanted is found in staying connected to Jesus, drawing from His strength, and allowing His life to flow through you.”

Pastor Newton began by making sure it was understood that the “vine” is the root and the branches are what are seen above the ground. “The branches receive nutrients from the root – the vine; Believers get nourishment, abundance, fruitfulness from the ‘true vine’” (Pastor Newton). He continued, “The Jewish people [Jesus was talking to] had placed their faith in nationalism, not in God. Jesus was telling them they would not go to heaven because of their Jewish heritage.” These people were not bearing fruit and the warning given by the prophets in the Old Testament (about the judgment of God) was applied to them as well.

Pastor Newton made a point about the word “prune” that I found very interesting. He said, “Every person connected to the vine – those connected to Jesus and not connected by religion – that did not bear fruit would be pruned”.  The words “takes away” in verse 2 is from the Greek word “Airo’ which means “lifts up and washes”.  Pastor said, “Those branches who are not bearing fruit (but are in Jesus, not in religion), He lifts up and washes the dirt of the world off of them in order that they bear fruit.” Consider that statement for a minute. That means that Jesus loves me, loves you, so much that he washes the dirt off me that is keeping me from growth; Jesus cleanses you and me in the form of discipline, removing “stuff” from my life. Have you experienced that discipline, that cleansing in your life in order for you to produce fruit? Again, referring to the narrow way, that is part of the difficulty Jesus said would come with walking the narrow way.

Pastor referenced Hebrews 12:11, “Now, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained for it.”  “Pruning removes what hinders us from producing fruit. It changes one’s desires, so they produce fruit, the evidence that one is in Christ” (from the Listener Guide and Pastor Newton). Experience has shown me that this may be a painful time.

The last point that Pastor made is about “abiding in the vine (Jesus)”. Read John 15:4. To “abide” “means stay connected, dwell in, and to rest in Christ. My relationship to Jesus is not to be just on Sunday [when I go to church], but in every moment of the day and in every aspect of my life” (Pastor Newton). He asked the question: Do you want to produce more fruit? If you do, then spend more time abiding in Jesus. The fruit produced by an individual is directly proportioned to the amount of time abiding in Him” (Pastor Newton). Here are ways to abide in Christ as listed on the Listener Guide. Know your identity is found in Christ (Galatians 6:14). Your identity is shaped by Scriptures (Psalm 1:2-3) [read/study/meditate on God’s Word daily]. Be constant in your prayer life (1 Thessalonians 5;17). Be obedient to Christ (John 15:10) [as you walk the narrow way]. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) [The Holy spirit is the One who produces the fruit of the Spirit in you]. Walk in community (Hebrews 10:25) [That is associating with other Believers in Christ]. Be kingdom mined (Matthew 6:33) [The Believer’s home is in heaven and their focus should always have heaven in mind.].

The final thought is that those who do not abide in Jesus, those who walk in their flesh and seek the worldly recognition, are “thrown away”. For those not connected to the vine, “hell is real” (Pastor Newton).

 

LEARNING DAILY

Jeremiah 44:5-6, But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn away from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods. So, My fury and My anger were poured out and kindled to the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as it is this day.

I end this week of the blog with a stern warning. God’s Word declares in Hebrews 13:8, “God is the same yesterday, today and forever”. The theological term for this is “immutable” – He is unchanging! Throughout the book of Jeremiah, it is written that he spoke prophetically, and the people refused to listen to what God said to them. For example, Jeremiah 25:3, 4, and 7 speak this same message, the people refused to listen to the warnings of their lifestyle and serving other gods. God punished them “through famine and through the sword”. The people ignored the warnings given through Jeremiah, and judgement came. God’s people were taken to Babylon. In Jeremiah 44, Jeremiah warned the remnant to not go to Egypt. The Jews believed that they could change location and be safe from God’s judgment. They did not listen, and God said He would punish them by the sword and through famine as well; they found out that the Lord’s sovereignty is everywhere.

Judah sinned in failing to listen to God’s Word and to take seriously what He said. That statement is easily applied to people today as a great number continue to sin by living selfishly because they ignore God’s Word or treat it flippantly or as a joke. They simply do not believe God means what He says. Read and understand what God did to His people in Judah. “Therefore thus says the lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will set My face against you for catastrophe and for cutting off all Judah” (Jer. 44:11). “They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine. They shall die, from the least to the greatest, by the sword and by famine; and they shall be an oath, an astonishment, a curse and a reproach! (verse 12b).”  “By their disobedience, rebellion and unbelief, the Jews in Egypt forfeited God’s promises of help and restoration. Therefore, Jeremiah prophesied that God’s judgment against them would be complete; they would all perish” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible).

God does not change; He is immutable, remember! The consequences for rejecting God are repeated over and over in the Word of God and certainly apply to each person today! Scripture provides clear knowledge to what happens to those who turn away from God and live according to their own desires and self-centeredness. Let me be clear that the Word of God states the consequences for rejecting God are spiritual emptiness (that is the present) and separation from God (that’s eternal).

2Timothy 4:3 speaks to the days we live in right now. “The time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine but with itching ears, they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.” Those days are here. People do not want to hear or study sound doctrine (God’s Word) because it interferes with what they want to believe and how they want to act; they only want to hear what pleases them. These people seek affirmation for what they believe and seek no other word that will aid them in living as God desires them to live. Far too many people fall into the description of “people who exchange the truth of God for a lie, worshipping created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). These people believe their self-centered lifestyle, their idolatrous beliefs do more for them than the Lord, their Creator does. Just as those who would not listen to God in the day of Jeremiah, people who do not listen to and follow God’s Word will face punishment and judgment.

The warning is clear – do not be one of those who does not take God and His Word seriously!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Titus 3:9-11, But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Paul has been giving positive instructions to Titus and his congregation as to how to live in God’s grace. Now he tells Titus four areas to avoid. Believers today would do well to keep these in mind. First, he tells Titus to avoid foolish debates. There are those who want to argue, have another person show them where they are wrong in their view of Scripture; they will just not let the argument alone. These types of arguments are not productive in the growth of Believers; these arguments are unprofitable and worthless. There are thoughts in God’s Word that are not worth arguing about. Does it really matter when or is something going to occur? Jesus taught Believers to be ready, to stand firm in Him and His Word for His return (for example). It will happen, the rapture will happen; Believers need to be living as Jesus instructed and be ready, looking for the trumpet to sound!

This statement came from before Gentiles were allowed to come into the church. Jewish Believers found it very difficult to break the traditions of Jewish elders and this caused foolish controversies over Mosaic law and genealogies to develop. This led to ridiculous arguments that were unrelated to “sound doctrine” which caused difficulties within the body of Christ.

Regarding the statement about genealogies, Paul’s warning was to be careful of false teachers who took great pride proving they were descendants of Abraham. It is doubtful that God really cares about this as He is more concerned with one’s salvation and the Believer’s obedience as he/she walks the narrow way. Titus was a Gentile; he had no Jewish lineage. Paul encouraged him to not worry about family history and to preach Jesus Christ and the Good News He brought.

Paul wrote Timothy about the same thoughts (1 Timothy 1:3-4). He wrote about “strange doctrines, fables and endless genealogies”. In his letter, Paul encouraged Timothy to stand firm in the faith and to communicate the truth of the gospel. He warned of growing apostasy (rebellion or abandonment of God or His Word) and false teaching within the church. It is obvious that Paul was very concerned with false teachers who deliberately infiltrated the body of Believers and began to draw people away from the truth of the gospel of grace.

Realizing there were false teachings infiltrating the church in the days of Paul, Timothy, and Titus help us understand the seriousness of the teachings that are leading people away from the true gospel message today. Once again, I point Believers to the Bereans (Acts 17:11) who searched out the Scriptures daily to make sure the teaching (or blog they read) was accurate and true. Every Believer must be doing this in order to not be “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14; see also James 1:6) that is spoken or written about. To not be grounded in “sound doctrine” is to be easily led into believing false doctrine, false teaching!

Paul wrote to Titus that “foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law” were “unprofitable and useless”, a waste of time. They take too much energy and take resources away from the good works Paul wrote about! I encourage each Believer to consider this carefully!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Titus 3:1-2, Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

The culture in Crete where Titus was ministering was an immoral one. Titus and his congregation were not to be a part of the of the immorality where they were. As Believers Titus and his people are to apply the teachings of chapters one and two. Gentleness, humility, a peaceful and submissive spirit are to be a part of their lifestyle. These are not necessarily new teachings (Paul wrote, “Remind them”); yet they are to be applied when interacting with not only rulers and authorities, but with everyone.

He did not write for these people to obey. When Paul wrote “be subject to” he meant to submit to government official (Read Romans 13). To be obedient would mean they might have to obey a law that is unjust or goes against the Word of God. Believers are still faced with this, today; they must obey God when His decrees contradict man’s laws. Obedience to God is expected of each Believer.

Paul also wrote that Believers are “to be ready for every good work(s)”. Ephesians 2:10 supports this (also written by Paul), “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”. Believers are saved “for good works” not by them. In Titus 3:8 and 14, Paul writes the people are to “maintain good works” (New King James Version). Other versions use the word devote for maintain. That means Believers must learn to do good works. The ability to do them becomes part of Believers when they are saved; yet doing them is not easy for many. What are good works? They are acts of love that meet the needs of others (see verses 8, 9 14). The phrase I have heard today is doing acts of random kindness. It is sharing the gospel with someone. Helping someone with a financial need. It might be praying for someone or just taking the time to listen to someone. Good works are not something hard to find – the needs of others are all around!

Verse two adds four more thoughts to verse one. Believers are not to gossip or tear down others. That’s a tough one! But let’s speak truth here – gossip, according to the Bible is a sin for the Believer. It can separate friends, cause quarreling, leads to ungodliness and often leads to bitterness and anger. God’s Word warns Believers against speaking badly about other people.

That leads to the warning to be peaceable. Backbiting and arguing were another part of Crete’s culture. False teachers were telling false teaching about what Believers had to do to be saved. There is nothing else needed to be saved but to admit one is a sinner and put their faith in the blood shed by Jesus Christ. Nothing else needs to be done. Then walk the narrow way in faith and obedience.

The third and fourth thoughts can go together. Be gentle and extend kindness to both Believers and nonbelievers. Believers are not to be hotheaded or violent. Gentleness goes beyond being polite; it is humility and tender-hearted and demonstrated through gentle words that can have great power. It emphasizes that we have limitations and have surrendered to God’s authority, His leadership. That does not mean we go easy on people or try to justify our actions that God calls sin. Gentleness is accepting God is in control and He is concerned about our spiritual growth not our comfort; therefore, we do not judge what is best for ourselves or for others.

God wants every Believer to Give Him control of our lives and submit to His leadership. I speak from experience that doing so is the only way to live as Paul instructs in this writing to Titus. There is some more on this in the next page of the blog.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 23:1, The Lord is my shepherd.

It is so fitting that Pastor Moore of NorthRock Church finishes this series on the Psalms with Psalm 23. It follows the message Pastor Ed Newton shared about Jesus being “the door” to the Sheep pen or to heaven. Pastor Moore said David was writing about his own experiences as a shepherd and with the Shepherd. “Being called sheep [Believers] is not necessarily a compliment as sheep are curious, but dumb animals. They can’t learn, are not good with directions, and wander away,” said Pastor. He continued, “Shepherds have to keep an eye on the sheep continually. The shepherd protects the sheep from danger and from themselves; don’t forget David fought a lion and a bear while protecting his sheep.”

His first point was that all the words of Psalm 23 are written to define the first two – “The Lord”. David knew from personal experience that God shepherds His people. “Never forget that God is taking care of us, is watching out for us, and never takes a day off. He never changes!” (Pastor Moore). God took care of David’s every need; he wrote, “I shall not want.” As a shepherd, he took care of the needs of his sheep. Believers can be sure of this as well; God listens to our prayers, and in time of need He will take care of us. One of the names for God is Jehovah-Jireh – “the Lord will provide”.

“I have all I need – not want but need!” (Pastor Moore’s second point). Veres 2 and 3 tells us God makes His sheep lie in green pastures, leads us beside still waters, restores our soul, and leads us on the path of righteousness – for his name’s sake. “David is trying to tell those who read this Psalm not to worry. Life is filled with ‘what ifs’. The original Greek for worry meant ‘to divide the mind’, which means worrying over tomorrow’s problems while in today.” (Pastor Moore). Jesus asked the question in Matthew 6;27, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” Being anxious or worrying is to be torn apart by circumstances according to God’s Word. How does one overcome worry? “The answer is found in these three verses: God is your Shepherd, He leads you.” (Pastor Moore).

As I listened to this message, the question of how God guides me, leads me, restores me, and gives me contentment came to my mind. When one is saved, the Believer is given the Holy Spirit to lead and guide, convict him/her of sin. I know since Jesus saved me, I have an intense desire to study His Word. That was almost 49 years ago, and I still have that intense desire. Through His Word He directs and leads me. He also has set me on a narrow path (a path of His righteousness) where He continues to make me more like Him each day and the Holy Spirit continues to convict me of sin. Hebrews 4:16 states, “Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.” Believers can come boldly to the Lord because “they know they will not be turned away; they never have to hide or omit anything from their prayers”. (David Jeremiah). Pastor Moore’s third point was He chooses your path” [I call it the narrow way].

Pastor Moore finished this message with verse 6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” David is expressing a conviction that each Believer can join him in. The Lord’s goodness will be with him forever! His unfailing love will be with Believer’s even when “Going through the valley of the shadow of death”. Believers can know that nothing will separate them from the love of God and the circumstance faced will help them grow closer to the Lord and His unfailing love. Believers can also know that walking with “the Lord”, our Shepherd makes their life worthwhile and blessed, and when we walk into Heaven, we will be with Him forever!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and go in and out and find pasture.”  Jesus

In the second of the “I AM” statements made by Jesus, Pastor Ed Newton, Lead Pastor of Community Bible Church, spoke about Jesus being “the door”, the only door by which one may enter into the kingdom of God. Pastor made an interesting connection between John 9 and John 10:9. In John 9, Jesus had healed a blind man. The religious leaders did not like this and eventually the man was excommunicated or “put out the door” (Pastor Newton). In John 10:9, Jesus states, “He is the door”; there is no claim, no question, and no doubt!

If you have time, read Ezekiel 34:11-16. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord God gave a prophetic word that “a day would come when He will search for, seek out, and gather the people of Israel from all the places He has scattered them and bring them back to the Promised Land where He will care for them, make them prosper. He will do for them what their failed shepherds refused to do (read Ez. 34:1-10). This prophecy began with Jesus Christ, as the Good Sheperd” (David Jeremiah). Continue reading in this chapter of Ezekiel and you will read more about the provisions the Good Shepherd does for His sheep.

I once read a book by Josh McDowell where he wrote Jesus was either a “Lunatic, a Liar or Lord”. That is the choice each person must make. Pastor Newton said, “Jesus Christ is ‘the door’, the only door; there is no other choice.” I must mention that he used the Matthew 7:13-14 when emphasizing this point. “For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” There are many people who preach there are many doors into heaven; they are false teachers. Too many refuse to take the one true door to heaven.

Notice this! When anyone accepts the invitation offered by Jesus Christ, they are saved. There is nothing one needs to do to qualify to go through this door; one does not have to be good enough to accept the invitation. Come as you are. “But to all who did receive Him, who believe in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God” (John 1:12). “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). “It is through the authority of Jesus, not works, not through baptism, not by anything; it is exclusively through the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12) that one is saved (Pastor Newton).

Pastor Newton stated, “The door is the Promise!” John 10:9c reads, “he will be saved’” There is “no if”, “not maybe”, nor “not eventually” in this statement. The statement is, “he will be saved”! (Listener Guide). “Saved” means rescued, the war has been won, the price has been paid. When one is saved, he is saved for today (2 Corinthians 5;17). He is saved for tomorrow (Philippians 1:6). And he is saved forever (Matthew 24:35). The verses are from the Listener Guide – take time to look them up and read them.

The last point Pastor Newton made is “The door is protection.” (John 10:9d). In Jesus, Believers have access to Him, “I give them eternal life, and they never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28), Believers have assurance, “All that the Father gives me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me will never be cast out.” (John 6:37), and believers have abundance, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”  (Ephesians 3:20. “Once the sheep are in the sheep pen, safe and secure, the shepherd lays down where the sheep entered in order to protect them. Do you see the picture of the Good Shepherd always with each Believer to keep them safe and guide them as he/she walks the narrow way into His kingdom?

 

LEARNING DAILY

Titus 2:13-14, Looking for the blessed hope, and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

In the last page of the blog, we looked at the grace of God. Verse 13 as Believers, we look to the blessed hope and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This coming event is known as our “blessed hope”, not because Believers are uncertain it will happen but because they have an assurance that Jesus Christ will return as He promised. Because He is going to return Believers need to be doing all they can to walk the narrow way, purifying themselves from sin right now cultivating a life of holiness (1 John 3:3), and living as Paul wrote to Titus in the last two verses.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:7 Believers should live each day in eager expectation as they wait for Jesus Christ to return. That gives the idea of being persistent in their expectation. Can you even imagine what it will be like to see Jesus Christ, “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”, when He returns. Think for a moment about going to be with Him in His kingdom for eternity; the trials Believers have faced physically, mentally, spiritually, will be over. Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed”.

So, the Believer’s walk on the narrow way doing their best, with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit, to live their lives according to His will and His glory, anticipating His return; His return is a motivating factor in how we live. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that all Believers will stand before Christ to give an account for the way they lived their lives. This is not about salvation because that was taken care of the moment you placed your faith in Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. This is about rewards given out because of the way you lived your life, what the Believer did for the honor and glory of God. Works do not justify (validate) the Believer, the works are done because one is justified by Jesus Christ.

 Verse 14 begins, “who gave Himself for us”. The focal point of this statement is Jesus Christ gave His life for “whosoever would believe in Him” (John 3;16); redemption – He willingly gave His life to pay the penalty of sin. I know this is basic theology, but Believers must not ever become complacent about their salvation and the need to grow, to walk the narrow way with Him. The purpose of this redemption is not only about being saved from the sinful nature and eternal death but also to be delivered from the power and influence of sin every day. That is what Paul is writing to Titus and Believers today when he writes Jesus “might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works”. It is not enough to just acknowledge the sacrifice Christ made for the Believer, there is the expectation that the Believer’s life would change and reflect purity and holiness – to walk the narrow way! Good works become the natural result of walking the narrow way as God intends Believers to do. Doing so reflects His character and brings honor and glory to Him.

May I encourage each of you reading this to live out your faith through your speech and actions!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Titus 2:11-12, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.

Paul changes direction in his writing to Titus from giving instruction that Titus needed to give to the Christians in Crete to discuss the grace of God. The grace of God is a topic referred to in this blog; often is not spoken of in those terms. Grace is God choosing to forgive and bless those who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ rather than curse them for their sin. All are undeserving of this kindness; God’s grace gives blessing no one deserves. God’s grace is the only way a person is able to enter into a relationship with God; no one can be good enough to earn it as each person is saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8). God chose to send His son Jesus Christ to take the punishments for the sins of those who place their faith in Him – that called mercy. Jesus took the punishment you and I deserved!

The Old Testament writers focused on salvation for the Jews. However, when Jesus came to earth salvation was extended to the Gentiles (non-Jews). The territory of Crete was located in an area primarily consisting of Gentiles. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men”. Paul wrote the salvation Jesus brings unites “all men”. In Galatians 3:28 Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile], there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”.  Through Jesus Christ all racial barriers, all social barriers, and all gender barriers are eliminated; every Believer stands equal before God because of His Son.

It has been written before in this blog that the Believer’s salvation is only the beginning. When a Believer is saved, he/she is placed on a narrow path that takes them into eternity in God’s kingdom. Jesus Himself said this path would be difficult (Matthew 7:14) due to the temptation and lusts of the flesh and the enemy every day. Paul wrote that grace involves turning away from these worldly influences and ungodly behaviors. Ungodliness is anything which contradicts God’s will for Believers or His nature. That’s why it is so important to be reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God.

The second point Paul made is to live morally, godly, and with self-control. Believers walk on the narrow way to deny themselves and become more like God in order to enter His kingdom as he desires. God’s grace continues to help them recognize and reject ungodly behavior. He is continually teaching and training those on the narrow way to walk in faith and obedience. Walking the narrow way teaches the importance of self-control in order to live a disciplined life. As a Believer who has been on the narrow way for long, you know those temptations that continually try to get you off the narrow way.; the walk can be very difficult! It means taking your eyes off yourself and means moving your self-centered lifestyle to focus on living the way God demands.

All Believers struggle as they walk on the narrow way. When you fall, get back up, “confess your sin, your mistake and know God is faithful and just to forgive you and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “Acknowledging the truth of the gospel is not enough – you must also confess your sin and then walk in the light” (David Jeremiah). This is about doing everything you can to strengthen your relationship with God. To not do this is to weaken that fellowship and your fellowship with Him becomes distant. It is false teaching that says you do not need to admit your sin or need to be cleansed by Jesus.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Titus 2:7-8, In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say to you.

In chapter two of Titus, Paul is giving advice to Titus about the proper order to be maintained and gives advice about living a godly life. He has given Titus specific instructions to pass on to the older men and women who were to instruct the younger men, women, and slaves. This instruction was for Titus to be sure he was teaching sound doctrine; if you go back to verse 1 you will notice that the people were to live a disciplined life. They were to live a life worthy of respect by encouraging others to live a Christ-centered life. Look at the instructions and notice that they centered in self-control; the older men and women were to be examples to the younger ones. That is the same way Believers should be living today in order for others to see and want to know what makes them different.

Living a self-controlled life is the focus of today’s blog. Self-control is self-restraint that the Holy Spirit empowers every Believer within order to resist impulsive behavior and to not go to places he/she ought not to go. He also helps the Believer to control their tongue when that needs to be done. Verses 7-8 give specific instructions Believers today should be encouraged to follow. Paul lists characteristics that are important for Believers today.

The teachings begin with the understanding that Titus (Can it be understood in the rest of this writing that using Titus’ name is a reference to every Believer today?) should study the Word of God carefully so that all who saw him would see his spiritual growth. Others watch and want to see how one behaves after committing their life to Christ; they want to see if the change, the commitment is real. The first trait Paul lists is integrity which refers to soundness, purity, incorruptible, doing what you will say you will do. It is living or doing what you believe, not just talking about it. Different versions of the Bible use the term dignity with integrity. The idea is to live with honor and respect that should be given to others, which in turn should gain the respect from others. This lifestyle includes how one treats their spouse, their children, others, the things they say, and so much more.

Paul writes briefly about sound speech. Paul wrote to Tmothy that, “Believers should be an example in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity”. The idea behind Paul writing about one’s speech is so anyone who attacked them for what they say might be ashamed. Peter wrote somewhat the same thing in 1 Peter 3:15-16, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed”. (Another page of the blog another day.) Both Peter and Paul are writing Believers are to live in such a way that when anyone attacks their character will embarrass themselves in the eyes of others.

I pray that reading this will help all Believers to be encouraged to know and understand the reasons for their beliefs. As Paul directed Titus to study so others would see his spiritual growth, be encouraged to apply that to your life. I believe the importance of that will become more and more evident in the days ahead! This is about standing strong in your faith and being able to communicate the truth of God’s Word to those who doubt or oppose it; someone may even just want to know what it is about you that is different. Be ready for that because God might just lead someone to you with that question.

Stand strong in your faith. It will make it very difficult for opponents to say anything negative about you – at least that can be proven to be correct.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 139:1, O Lord, You have searched Me and know me.

Pastor Winston Harris spoke at NorthRock Church this past weekend. He continued the series about the Psalms. He used the following quote by A.W. Tozer, “What comes to your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about us”. He used the quote to introduce Psalm 139 and said, “Your circumstances reveal who God is and who you are; faith is looking for God when our circumstances say He’s not there” (from granddaughter Audrey’s notes). Pastor Harris went on the say, “Faith tells you God is with you when your circumstances say He isn’t”.

Read verses 1-4 of this Psalm and you will see that David writes about the character of God. “He does not sit in the heavens doing nothing. No, He is an expert about you, about each believer, knowing you intimately. David writes that God has looked into his heart and knows everything in it. He continues to write that God knows everything David does, where he is, and knows his thoughts, knowing what motivates him. God knows our conduct and the condition we are in, examining them so thoroughly that He does not miss anything. Not one person can hide from Him. This is important when one might be tempted to think God does not know or care about the situation they are facing. He knows and He cares!

Pastor Harris moved on to discuss Psalm 139:23-24. Audrey wrote in her notes, “We don’t need to wait until we’re desperate to run to Him. Ask Him to search us as a preventative measure before things get bad.” Pastor Harris used the example of trying all the over-the-counter remedies when we are sick. There finally comes the time we ask God to heal us.” David asked God “to search him, to know his heart”; “it was a cry for change and healing” (Pastor Harris). Have you, in your prayer time, asked God to search you, to know you? Have you asked Him to show you how to change you, to fix you, and change you into what He wants you to become?

“God wants to reveal things to you in order to heal you, to make you better, not to harm you” (Pastor Harris). It is God’s desire to remove those things that cause you to not be who He wants you to be (James 1:14-15). All Believers have “stuff” in their lives that lead them to places God does not want us to go. That “stuff” in our lives keeps Believers from being who God wants them to be; He wants to reveal that “stuff” and get Believers to where God can use them for His glory.

Pastor Harris reminded Believers that they have a lot of information about God, but He desires to have a personal relationship, to have an intimate relationship with each Believer. To have the relationship the Believer needs God to reveal what He sees in their heart so they can give it all to Him. Pastor Harris said, “Giving all that “stuff” to God turns fear into love (1 John 4:18). God exposes the messes of our heart, not to punish Believers but to expose them to His love, grace, and forgiveness.”

The question he ended his message with was, “Who is leading you today? The most dangerous person leading you is you.” Be careful of those who tell you to follow your heart! Jeremiah 17:9 tells us the heart is deceitful; it will mislead you and take you to those places the Believer does not need to go. God’s leadership will lead you away from those places; He will lead you to where you will know Him more (Pastor Harris). God’s desire is for each Believer to submit to Him. “When the Believer follows God, pursues Him, and is obedient to Him, he/she will experience continual blessings [from God’s presence].” (Pastor Harris).

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 6:35, “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.’”

Pastor Ed Newton began a series this weekend on the seven times Jesus said, “I AM”. He began where Jesus said, “I Am the bread of life”. When Jesus made this statement, “Make no mistake He was claiming to be God in the flesh” (from the Listener Guide). He was referring to Exodus 3:14 when Moses was standing before the burning bush receiving instructions to go to Egypt to lead His people to the Promised Land. When Moses asked who he should say sent him, he was told, I AM WHO I AM. Tell them I AM has sent me”. Those hearing Jesus say this understood Jesus was making a direct connection to God speaking to Moses. He was saying to His listeners that as “I AM”, He was everything you need Him to be” (Pastor Newton).

The people connected easily to Moses leading the Hebrew people through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Pastor Newton continued to tell us that Jesus also said that He was greater than Moses (6:32). He made the following comparisons (listed on the Listener Guide). “Moses was the Mediator; Jesus is the source.” Moses performed ten miracles before Pharaoh would allow the Hebrews to leave; he was able to do so because Jesus was with him empowering him to do what needed to be done to get the people released. Jesus continued to do the miraculous through Moses. “Moses led them out of Egypt; Jesus leads us out of sin.” Moses led the people to the Promised Land. Jesus is the only One who can take us to heaven. “Moses dies; Jesus lives.” Moses was not allowed to live and enter the Promised Land because of disobedience. Jesus overcame death through His resurrection – He defeated death.

Jesus said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I give for the life of the world is My flesh.” Pastor Newton said, “The things I [Believers] keep chasing [power, prestige, wealth, things of this world] do not fulfill my life. I eat snacks, sometimes, as a meal substitute but they do not fulfill my needs. Jesus fulfills me, giving me life [eternal life] and that is all I need.” Pastor continued, “Jesus was not saying people needed to literally ‘eat His flesh and drink His blood’. He was teaching the people that when you accept Him as Savior and Lord, He fully takes away your sins. He was saying to them He was looking for people who are ‘all in’ when following Him. He wanted people to follow Him not for what was in His hand, but for what He has for them in their heart.” Jesus told the people and Believers today when they come to Him, receiving Him as Savior and then walk with Him on the narrow way, He is all they need – “whoever does so shall never hunger or thirst again [spiritually].

Pastor Newton ended his message with three responses. In verse 60, the people could not understand what He was saying; it was too difficult. In verse 66 the people walked away from Him. Pastor noted this verse – John 6:66 – as it relates to the sign of the Antichrist with people walking away from Jesus. I had not given this a thought before. If you read on, Jesus did not go after these that walked away begging them to come back to Him. The third response (verse 69) was to accept Him as “the Holy One of God”. They accepted Him for who He was and followed Him.

As Believers, we have accepted Him “the Holy One of God” and He has saved us from our sins. Now it is our responsibility to do all we can to follow Him in obedience and in faith as we walk a narrow way set before us. It is our responsibility to be diligent reading/studying/ meditating on His word making sure it gets deep into our heart and soul. We need to be in prayer daily and doing all we can to bring honor to our Savior and Lord until He takes us to be with Him for eternity. Be encouraged as you walk the narrow way, the more difficult way, knowing He is with you guiding and strengthening you to become more and more like Him!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Titus 1:9, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

I have begun reading the letter Paul wrote to Titus and was particularly struck by the words “sound doctrine” in this verse. Paul is writing about the qualifications to be a bishop in the church and being one of “sound doctrine” was the last qualification he wrote about. It seems to me that we live in times where this is important for every Believer, not just leaders in the church. Paul wrote about the need to “hold fast” or “hold firm” to sound doctrine because of the false teachings being taught today and because the world’s philosophies seem to be getting farther and farther away from the Word of God. There are growing numbers of people who claim to have a heard new direction, a new interpretation of God’s Word. In the days when Titus lived, he faced many false teachings; Believers, today, experience this as well.

The question that must be asked is, “What is sound doctrine”? David Jeremiah writes, “Sound doctrine comes from studying, teaching, and applying God’s Word.” Paul wrote to Timothy in     2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourselves approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”.  In Acts 17:11, Luke wrote this about the Bereans, “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” The Bereans willingly heard what Paul had to say. But instead of immediately condemning or believing him for his teaching, the doctrine he taught, they “searched the Scriptures” themselves to find out if what he taught was really true. It is important for every Believer to do that same thing instead of believing what they read or hear with no questions.

To do this it is important to understand “rightly dividing the word of truth” to know “sound doctrine”. Paul wrote to both Timothy and Titus to encourage them to live their lives, including their ministry, to please God, not men. Their ministry was not to make people happy, to build a large following because they spoke what people wanted to hear, but to please God. This is in contrast to false teachers who argue over their words, trying to convince others their thoughts, their words are right and everyone else (past and present) have been wrong in their interpretation of God’s Word. Paul wrote to tell them they had been taught God’s Word and how to accurately handle it form their youth.

I have considered this for some time. I have decided it is pointless to argue, bicker, need to be right over when something is going to happen as stated in the Word, or if something has already happened or not. Continue to do as the Bereans – study the Scriptures daily to show yourself approved by God. This will help Believers to defend their faith and to know the difference between something worth arguing about and something that is just a distracting argument.

 

LEARNING DAILY

3 John 1:3-4, For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

John speaks of Gaius as walking in the truth. More than likely Believers had visited the church Gaius belonged to and had spoken well of him and the church.  Regardless, John called him a beloved friend. From the writing, John was excited to know about Gaius’ example to other church members. The Greek word for truth is “aletheia” meaning “actual, real, and objectively accurate”. Truth is not something a Believer strives to know by reading and studying God’s Word; it is a way of life he/she actually walks or practices. That is the meaning of walking the narrow way each day. People that see you should see that you believe different from the world’s philosophy.

Gaius not only lived what he believed, he reached out with the truth to others. In doing a little research on Gaius, he was selfless in helping others and in Christian hospitality. In fact, I learned that in Romans 16:23, John must have been staying with Gaius when he wrote his letter to the Romans. I have written several times about Quartus, the brother (in the last part of verse 23) several times. Finish reading this letter and you will find John wrote about Gaius’ hospitality (verses 5, 6, 8), his faithfulness (verse 5), his love (verse 6), and for walking in the truth (verse 3).

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” John writes of the joy he has when he hears about other Christians who are faithfully following the Lord. The Christian’s “walk” refers to following Jesus Christ, reading/studying/meditating on His Word, loving as He showed while on earth (and continues as He sits at the right hand of the Father), and conforming to His image while walking the narrow way. In the phrases used today this would be “walk the talk’ or “practice what you preach”.

To “walk in truth” is to be led by the Holy Spirit. The last sentence of 1 John 5:6 states, “And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth”. It is the Holy Spirit who testifies or gives witness that Jesus is the Son of God (John 15:26). When Believers walk in obedience with the Holy Spirit, He begins to change them from within. Being obedient is to walk in the light (1 John 1:7), walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and walk in a way that pleases the Lord (Colossians 1:10).

When we “walk in truth” others cannot help but notice something different in our lives. I believe that the Lord Jesus wants His light in us to shine brightly so that others wonder what it is that makes us the way we are. That certainly can give every believer the opportunity to share how Jesus has changed us. Who knows that light might rub off on others. “Walking in the light” has the power to change and transform not only each Believer but to impact those around us!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 27:1, The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Read again what David writes about the Lord. He is “light”, “salvation”, and “strength”. In Scripture light often refers to knowledge, truth, and goodness. Light helps one be aware of their surroundings even when it is dark. Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” For David the “light” was the source of his joy, his understanding and his life. The Lord was also his source of salvation; He “saved” David from his enemies. David, the warrior, never forgot who the source of his victories was. As David’s strength, the Lord was his security, where he took refuge.

When David considered the Lord in this way, he had no reason to fear anyone. Paul wrote to Timothy giving him a reason to not fear. Perhaps Timothy needed to be encouraged to not fear something. He encouraged Timothy to stand strong because God had given him a spirit or attitude of power and self-control. Timothy must have needed to understand the power he had in the work he was doing for God; there was no need to fear.

In many of the Psalms that David wrote, he prayed for God to deliver him from his enemies. David was chased by Saul who wanted to kill him. David was chased by his son, Absalom. David was surrounded by his enemies. Yet, David dealt with his fear and troubles by acknowledging God and looking to Him with confidence. He was confident in the One who had delivered him from his enemies in the past; David knew God would do it again.

As David was confident God would deliver him from his physical enemies, the Believer can rest in the Lord, knowing the Lord is their light, salvation, and strength. Believers are not immune to people slandering them, gossiping about them, or doing things to them that might harm them. There are things that cause Believers to have anxiety about their situation or what lies ahead; they need to be reassured that the Lord is with them. That was David’s situation.

What are you facing today? Be assured that God loves you more than you can imagine and wants to walk with you through it. When you place Him at the center of your life, do all you can to walk the narrow way, God will, “light your lamp, and will light up your darkness” (Psalm 18:28). He will be “your light and protector, give grace and glory, and not withhold any good thing from those who do what is right” (Psalm 84:11).

Reading more in Psalm 28 and you will see that David would have lost heart if did not believe in the power of the Lord to deal with his situation. When the worries and fears come the Believer’s way, trust in the Lord, as David did. Doing so brings comfort and confidence that He is in control. I pray you have found His love and goodness are necessary to persevering in this walk of faith. Draw close to Him and be diligent to walk the narrow way, with Him, into His kingdom.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 46:2-3, Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Psalm 46 was the Psalm Pastor Jim Piper shared with NorthRock Church this weekend. The Psalm was written to look back as the Assyrian army, under King Sennacherib, besieged Jerusalem; King Hezekiah was the king of Judah. You can read about this situation in 2 Kings 18 -19.

Look again at what then Psalmist wrote. Even if all these things happen, there is no need to fear. Why would he write this. The answer is because, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”. Even if these things happen God is still there. Pastor Piper said, “Regardless of your situation, God is near!” Believers have no need to fear when they place their faith and trust in Jesus. The enemy in this world wants Believers to live in fear. “He knows your language” (Piper). “He knows how to get our attention and tries to intimidate you all the time”, said Pastor Piper.

This might be a good word for us today – nations rise, and nations fall; there is commotion of all sorts going on within nations. Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, unstable earth, and wars cause people to worry and be fearful. But take heart, God is still on His throne, in control of all that is happening. He remains the same, never changing, never caught off guard by anything. The political scene may change. Believers grow older and have to deal with those kinds of changes. God remains the same. Malachi 3:6 states, “I the lord do not change!” One may not be able to count on their bank account, their position, and can’t count on good health. They can count on God – always!!

Pastor Piper spoke about King Hezekiah building an underground aqueduct to bring water into the city of Jerusalem during the siege. He knew the Assyrians were coming and had time to do this. There is another thought regarding “a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God” (verse 4) that I want to mention. Ezekiel 47 refers to the river that flows out from the throne of God in the Millenium. Revelation22:1-2 writes of a “river of the water of life” flowing from the city of Jerusalem, as well. This speaks to the continual flow of God’s power in the midst of His faithful people. God is always in the midst of Believers to strengthen and protect them as they honor Him. The Lord God is with Believers today; He is their refuge just as He was with those in Jerusalem during this siege.

If you read 2 Kings 18-19, you saw that God came to the rescue of Jerusalem, destroying 185,000 Assyrian troops. Jerusalem and the people were saved by God’s unending protection. The people did not have to fight the battle themselves. Read the last four verses of Psalm 46 and you will see God destroying the troops of the Antichrist at the end of the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. At the end of the Millennium the devil will be released from his prison, deceive nations into war and a siege against Jerusalem. God will once again defeat the Antichrist and his army in a final defeat before being thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Many prophecies about wars ending will be fulfilled.

The Psalmist ends this psalm by writing for Believers to stop, relax, and listen – trust in God as your source of strength!  Get rid of those things that one holds on that prevents you from “knowing God is God”. “He will be honored among the nations and He will be exalted in the earth” (verse 11). The time is coming when, “at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess Christ as Lord, giving glory to God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).