LEARNING DAILY

Acts 16:25-26, About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone 's bonds were unfastened.

Each one of us has experienced those times when we think if something does not happen real soon our time will run out. You know those times when you need an answer about a really important decision or when you need help in a very desperate situation. Pastor Ed Newton talked, a situation that Paul and Silas found themselves in the city of Philippi. While in the city Paul and Silas had been used to save and baptize a woman named Lydia and her household. They had cast out a spirit of divination from a slave girl, which caused them to be thrown into jail. They were beaten and jailed for doing what the Lord Jesus Christ wanted them to do.

Their response while in jail was to “pray and sing hymns of praise to God”. They worshipped before the miracle. Worship may not change the circumstances, but it will change the one doing the worshipping. When worry is high, worship goes down; when worship goes up, worry goes down” (EN). I doubt that Paul and Silas knew what was going to happen to them while in this jail. But they pray and they worship God who is in control. Who needs to apply this to their own situation today?

“And the prisoners were listening to them”. Do we forget that people are watching those who profess to be a Believer and Follower of Jesus Christ? People want to know if they are genuine in the beliefs or just talkers. When Believers mess us, people are quick to point out their failings and use the failure to dismiss Christianity. At the same time when praise and worship and faithfully following the Lord during times of trial bring people to see faith in action. Those in the prison with Paul and Silas were watching and listening to them.

“Their prayer and their praise ‘activated a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken’” (EN). “And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone 's bonds were unfastened.” “When God shakes the situation, He opens the doors and the shackles fall off” (EN). Pastor referenced Isaiah 61:1 when referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound”. Notice that the building does not collapse, the prison doors were open but no one left. The prisoners could have been free but they all stayed. If the prisoners escaped the jailer would have to forfeit his life.

“But Paul cried with a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here’.” (Verse 28). It is either by Paul’s direction or the Holy Spirit’s influence that the prisoners stay; by doing so the jailer’s life is spared. “When Paul spoke by the Holy Spirit (and when the Believer speaks or writes) the jailer’s spirit was lifted, finding hope and salvation” (EN).

At that time the jailer asked the greatest question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”. The answer given, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, you will be saved, you and your household” (verse 30-31). “This is not complicated. Jesus plus nothing equals salvation” (EN). Do not misunderstand! Each member of the jailer’s household did not become saved because he had accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. NO! Each person had to do so for themselves. But because the jailer did, his family followed. “This is not an intellectual knowledge; it must come from the heart! (EN).

The takeaway from this is for each of us to never panic when facing those situations that are out of control for us. Instead, we place our faith in the Savior who controls every situation we face and know He is able to deliver us. “But if not….” we still trust and follow Him!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Isaiah 43:2, When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. (new Living Translation)

1 Peter 1:6-7, So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

`Isaiah is addressing the people of Israel during uncertain times. They were facing exile and were unsure of what the future held for them. In my mind I see the people coming to Isaiah to hear a word of encouragement in this time. The crowd probably consisted of those faithful to God and those who were skeptical and fearful; people looking for any hope Isaiah could give them as they faced their circumstances. Isaiah told them God was with them – they would not be alone!

Believers today, are facing uncertain times. The verse from Isaiah is a wonderful reminder that God is with us as we face each day. His presence is steadfast as He watches over us. Look at the description of circumstances by Isaiah. Deep waters, rivers of difficulty, the fire of oppression, and flames of fire gives the impression of great difficulty and struggles. But through all of it there is the promise, “I will be with you.” God’s promise is, “You will not drown.” “You will not drown.” “The flames will not consume you.”

This blog has been about trials being faced before. Followers of Jesus Christ are not immune from trials and difficulties. Jesus told His disciples they would have troubles in this life (John 16:33). He told them that the rain falls on both the just and unjust (Matthew 5:45).  He said the narrow way would be difficult (Matthew 7:14). Those faithful written about in Hebrews 11 faced all sorts of difficulties as did each of the disciples. One cannot help but think of the three Hebrews that Nebuchadnezzar threw into the fire.

Peter wrote, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” He wrote to rejoice when we endure trials. Do I? Do you? Maybe we need to understand we do not have to associate positive feelings about a situation when we are told to rejoice. James 1:2-3, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” He is telling us the same thing Paul is – sometimes we need to see the good side of the bad things happening to us. What is happening in the circumstances has nothing to do with our emotions; we can be angry about the trial but still have “joy”. The proper response in the midst of trials is to have faith in God! “I will be with you!”

Remember the response of the three Hebrews to Nebuchadnezzar? “Our God is able to deliver us, but if not…” (Daniel 3:17-18). Their response should encourage each Believer when facing trials. Isaiah and Peter’s writing should encourage each Believer when facing various trials. “I will be with you!” God is with you! This is certainly less about your feelings and more about your faith! The trials being faced test, purify, refine, and prove your faith! The result: “So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

God can certainly deliver the Believer from trials, but learning to be faithful through it, knowing God is with you is for your good and for the glory of God.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Amos 6:1, What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury in Jerusalem, and you who feel secure in Samaria! You are famous and popular in Israel, and people go to you for help. (New Living Translation) `

The prophet Amos gave warning to the proud leaders of Israel and Judah about their complacency and confidence in wealth and fortifications. The people were enjoying a life of ease and comfort. He wanted to shakeup their complacency by beginning his message with the word “woe” (Most versions begin this verse with the word woe.), “which would have stirred up images of death in the minds of his audience” (David Jeremiah). It was a warning of the coming destruction of the people of Israel who were living in luxury and ease, believing they were safe due to their position among the nations.

Why did they believe they were safe? Why were the people complacent? Amos lived during the reign of Jeroboam II; during this period of time Israel and Judah were both living in prosperity. It was a time of social injustice, idolatry, and the neglect of godly living by the leaders and the wealthy who surrounded them. It is times of ease, when there is no trouble to deal with that often lead to living without a care that led people into complacency.

Continue reading and see that Amos directs them to look at the cities of Calneh, Hamath, and Gath – all were great at one time. All were defeated and humbled by invading armies. Amos wanted them to look at what happened to these cities and learn from their experience. Read further and see that the people laughed at the idea that calamity was coming. The people’s senses were dulled believing that their material success proved they were living under God’s blessing. Banquets, overindulgences, and privileged circumstances – God’s judgment would never come! Those in Israel and Judah were in for a great surprise!

From a biblical standpoint, one’s social and economic standing in life and military power do not guarantee God’s favor. From what I see, God’s word meant nothing to those living in Israel and Judah at this time. Because of that, they lived to satisfy their sinful desires, were indifferent to the needs around them, and trusted in things other than God. I have heard it said many times that what someone is doing must have the blessing of God because of the prosperity he/she has. Once again, prosperity and a comfortable lifestyle does not prove one is living under God’s blessing. Instead, it can cause a person to live a worldly lifestyle where desiring and living for God no longer exists.

It is just this sort of belief that Paul writes about in chapter 3 of his second letter to Timothy. In the last days people will be focused on love of self, money, and pleasure. Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5! People will have all the right words (speaking Christianese), have a form or an appearance of godliness but instead are living for themselves. Just as the powerful in Israel and Judah did, the people Paul wrote about will take advantage of the weak and less fortunate in the world. Just as the people Amos spoke to were surprised, many people today are in for a great surprise when the Lord comes for His Bride!  

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 1:45-46, Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

After Philip is called by Jesus to “Follow Him”, Philip finds Nathaniel and tells him about Jesus. Nathaniel is from Cana which is close to Nazareth, giving a pretty sarcastic remark about Jesus coming from Nazareth. Calling someone a “Nazarene” would be like saying someone is a “country bumpkin” today. It was saying someone from there would not amount to anything. How could a person from Nazareth be the Messiah then? There was no argument recorded, only Philip telling Nathaniel to, “come and see”.

Perhaps Believers can learn from this when talking to someone about Jesus! John MacArthur suggested, in Twelve Ordinary Men “Philip did not appeal to Nathaniel on the basis of how Jesus might make his life better, he spoke of Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies.” He continues, “it appears that all the apostles, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, were already seekers of divine truth before they met Jesus”. The Holy Spirit had already been drawing them causing their hearts to be open to truth and hungry to know it. John 14:6 states, “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Salvation is not a process; it is a person. No one just accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Holy Spirit has been at work in their heart, drawing him/her to Jesus Christ.

"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" MacArthur characterizes Nathaniel as “A student of Scripture…a man of spiritual interests…a person that was faithful, diligent, and honest in his devotion to the Word.” That characterization would certainly be how I would like to be known for! But MacArthur went on, “He was also human, with human characteristics. Nathaniel’s question about Jesus coming from Nazareth was not a biblical question; it was based on sheer bigotry revealing contempt for the entire town of Nazareth. It was a rough town with a culture that was largely unrefined, uneducated, and looked down on by the Galileans.” How often do you look down on someone because of where they live, who they associate with, how they are dressed, or for whatever reason?

Each Believer needs to react the way Jesus did to Nathaniel. He said in verse 47, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" How many times have you heard or read that Jesus looks at the heart? Jesus did not need anyone to tell Him or educate Him about human nature or other people’s thoughts (Read John 2:25). Nathaniel had “written” Jesus off because He had come from Nazareth. The comment by Jesus when He saw Nathaniel “speaks volumes about Nathaniel’s character…he was human, he had sinful habits, his mind was tainted with prejudices, but his heart was not poisoned by deceit” (MacArthur).

When Nathaniel questioned Jesus about how He knew him, Jesus replied He had seen him while he was still under a fig tree (verse 48). “Jesus was telling him that He knew his heart. I knew what you were doing. I saw your secret place. Jesus knew the sincerity of Nathaniel’s character” (MacArthur). It was then that the light must have gone on in Nathaniel’s heart for he declared Jesus as the Messiah.

Early church records indicate that Nathaniel ministered in Persia, India, and as far as Armenia. There is no reliable record of his death.

Do you recognize anything of Nathaniel’s character in yourself? Jesus looked into the heart of Nathaniel; He has looked into your heart as well and chose you to “Follow Him”. Jesus knows you for who you are and knows what you have done. He loves you anyway!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Philippians 4:6-7, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jim Piper spoke on the fruit of peace at NorthRock Church this past weekend. Peace is talked about so often in the world today. It is obvious the peace the world talks about is not God’s peace. “God’s peace exceeds everything we think about; His peace guards our heart and mind” (JP).  In Audrey’s notes she has written, “God’s peace is not dependent on circumstance; God’s peace comes in the middle of unsolved challenges. It is beyond human logic. It is a gift from God; it is not created through positive thinking.  It is spiritual in nature; the more you walk with God, the more peace one has (Galatians 5:25).”

Choosing to pray when anxiety comes results in the peace of God – three things happen according to Paul’s writing to the Philippians. First, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding”. It is truly amazing how God responds to those who pray in the midst of their difficulty. Second, God “will guard your hearts”. Through Scripture Believers are told that their heart influences all aspects of their heart; it is to be guarded at all cost! Third, God’s peace will guard “your mind”.

To continue with what Piper said, “If you walk with God, His peace is already in your possession” (John 14:27). He explained with three thoughts why Believers do not experience God’s peace more fully. First, he said this was “because we forget life includes ‘unavoidables’.  Jesus said, “In this life you will experience troubles. The narrow way is not the easy way! “For some reason, we are always surprised by troubles. Peace is not the absence of trouble; it is giving it to God as soon as it comes” (Audrey’s note). Has anyone been able to stop the uncontrollable things from happening? “Stop trying to be God and control life” (JP).

The second reason believers do not experience the peace of God more fully is “because we forget that God will make all things right in His time [and I will add in the way He knows best]”. His way, His time – even if its not in our lifetime – is always best. Piper added, “The truth will come out and the things needing to be corrected will be corrected”.

The third reason believers do not experience the peace of God more fully is, because we focus on the problem instead of focusing on God”.  Audrey wrote, “what we focus on magnifies”. Piper suggested that Believers “replace worry with prayer. In prayer, tell God what you need. Always express gratitude for all your blessings and replace bad thinking with good thinking.”

Let me encourage each person who reads this to do what Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Walking the narrow way with the Lord is not freedom to do whatever we want. This verse tells us that we walk with the Holy Spirit as a Believer keeping up with Him and going where He leads. This does not happen automatically; it is a day-to-day choice. Doing so is the only way to bring peace, “God’s peace” into our life!

 LEARNING DAILY

Mark 5:6-7, When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!" (NIV)

Pastor Ed Newton taught this weekend on the man “who had lived among the tombs with an unclean spirit” (Mark 5:2) until he met Jesus. Pastor emphasized that the man’s name was never mentioned saying, “each of us could take what we are facing and place our name in the blank where no name was mentioned”. This man lived among the tombs, separated from everyone else in the area; he was bound with shackles and chains which really had no effect on him. “The people in the area bound this man, trying to solve supernatural problems with natural means; it did not work” (EN).

He is an example of one who has not given their life to walk on the narrow way with Jesus – bound in sin and shame, often led by demonic spirits. Pastor made sure to emphasize that when one gives their life to Jesus, no demon can possess that person; only Jesus fills those that commit their life to Him. That does not stop the devil from doing everything he can to embarrass, shame, and isolate a Believer. Remember Jesus said that all who desire to follow Him will face persecution and distractions to their walk by the world and their sin nature.

This man met Jesus when He came to Gerasenes.  Pastor said, “Society tells us that Jesus was just a good teacher, but the demons recognize the authority of Jesus and know what their future holds.” The demons know Jesus as El Elyon, “Son of the Most High God”, which recognizes God’s supreme authority, signifying that He is the highest possible object of worship. The demons know the end of the story where they will be bound and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone forever. They “saw Jesus coming, and thinking they had more time, went to Jesus to not just make a request but to ask Him or perhaps force Him to not torment them. Perhaps they thought they could manipulate Him or influence His actions in some way.

It is interesting that Jesus did not torture or torment them; He just sent them away. In verse 13, “He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.” “The mission of demons is to bring death” (EN).  Pastor Newton state, “Believers must know their future, that it is victorious. Do not live in defeat – we win!” Believers are to walk in the kingdom authority we have because Jesus Christ lives in each of our hearts.

Those living in the region heard about what had happened, and that the pigs had drowned in the sea. They were concerned with the loss of their possessions. Read what happened in verses 14-15. “Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.” What were they afraid of? They were afraid of the tremendous power that it took to free this man of all that had tormented him for so long. Jesus is greater than everything else; He is able to deliver us from all that troubles us. The reaction of the people was to beg Jesus to leave. Perhaps they did not want Him there because He had caused them to lose their prosperity (the pigs). Perhaps they feared the power that set the man free. Perhaps they saw the difference in the man and they did not want to pay the price for living differently – accepting Jesus causes one to live different than they lived before. Perhaps they had become comfortable in their lifestyle, living with sin and evil.

Our sin nature controls and condemns us as much as the demons living in this man. Only the power of Jesus breaks the chains that bind us so that we may walk the narrow way in faith and obedience with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. He alone makes us right and fit for the kingdom of heaven and places His righteousness in each Believer! Give Him the praise and thanksgiving He deserves!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 5:25, And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.

No doubt you have heard the expression, “The handwriting on the wall”. Here is where it came from. Daniel told the king, “And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven.” (verse 22-23a). A supernatural sign – the finger of God – had written this message on the wall where this drunken orgy was taking place. Belteshazzar, in his drunken and blasphemous actions, had gone too far and rebelled against God. I ask you to consider our own culture which used to honor God and give Him credit unashamedly for the blessings and successes we have enjoyed! We have just simply forgotten God!

We have forgotten the settling of this nation by people who were seeking God and the freedom to worship Him without the control of a state-run church. Few remember, if even know, that most state charters of the original thirteen colonies had something written into their constitutions about Jesus as the Lord of lords and King of kings or His gospel and the freedom to share it. What have we done today? The courts have ruled to remove the Ten Commandments from public places. Prayer and mention of the Bible have been forbidden in schools. All regard for God and His Word has been abandoned in universities and colleges where our forefathers placed God’s name in stone.

 Go back and read about this party Belteshazzar was throwing. There were no restraints! Consider ancient Rome, as well. Men abandoned their wives and children. Divorce was easy to obtain resulting in abandonment and no discipline in children. There was no respect for what was once considered sacred and holy. The vessels used in worship in God’s temple were brought into this party to be used in Belteshazzar’s drunkenness. Are we quick to judge what was going on here? I wonder if the handwriting on the wall of Belteshazzar’s palace is not a warning for the people of this nation to consider!

“And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.” The words were written in Aramaic; they could not be read by Belteshazzar and Daniel was called in. “Mene” means to be weighed; written twice means a thorough consideration had been made. “Tekel” refers to weight or the purity of what was being weighed; the purity here was found to be inferior in quality. “Parsin” suggests something being divided or split into smaller parts. Danile told Belteshazzar that God had weighed Babylon, found them lacking, and was going to split them apart. Babylon’s days were numbered; time had run out! Babylon had not measured up to God’s standard. Judgment was coming!

Consider the last part of verse 23, “And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.” Do I believe this warning is also for the United States of America? Yes! No, I do not know how close this nation is to being judged by God; I do believe God is speaking to this nation “Mene” Mene”! Do we really think this nation is indestructible? Pride was a major reason Babylon fell – they were partying and living it up when they should have been praying. They were involved in immorality when their destruction was at there gates. They mocked God, were perverted, and were rebelling against Him and His Word.

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14). Only God knows if it is too late. I believe the enemy is at the gates!

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Corinthians 10:12, Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

I have been wondering for some time about the attitude and condition of the world, specifically in the United States. There is seemingly an attitude that sin does not matter. Even those who say they have accepted Christ as their Savior have an attitude that sin does not matter since Jesus forgave sin when He was on the cross. Let me be perfectly clear this morning that sin will be judged; Christians are not free to live any way they want to. This is a great misunderstanding of the grace of God.

We are a people that believe that wealth, position, power are more important that character and who we are within (Remember, God looks at the heart!). Jesus told a wealthy young man who felt secure in his wealth that “his soul would be required of him that very night” (read Luke 12:16-21). The man was more interested in the comforts of life, building bigger barns to place his harvest in; he put more work into his possessions than a relationship with God. This man’s problem was not that he was wealthy or about what he stored away in his barns. It was about his greed that was never satisfied – he always wanted more and more. His hope was in his treasure. Jesus said his death would come that very night.

This country seems to have a belief that it is indestructible; it is a mistake to place our security in our military and believe we are secure from the evil that exists around the world. Just like the parable above the nation is focused on what are threats to it on the outside without any consideration about warnings and things happening around it each day. What does the world around us really think about this nation? Do they trust or fear this nation as they once did? Yet, there is this thought that we will not fall, that we cannot be defeated. I wonder if the real problem is the internal problems rather than other nations.

When I recently studied the book of Daniel, chapter 5 stood out about this very issue. Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, is now king. I suppose that power and control may have a way of causing one to forget the lessons learned by one’s father. Belshazzar seemed to forget! Babylon was still powerful, rich, and secure, at least they thought so. Verse 2 describes their culture, “Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.” Here is a culture of sexual immorality, drunkenness, blasphemy, prostitution, and a total disregard of God and His ways! Bringing the vessels from the temple to be used in their drunkenness was an act of arrogance and rebellion against God!

The people of Babylon followed the example of their leaders; they failed to remember the lessons God taught Nebuchadnezzar.  They thought they could not fail, that they were too big and powerful. Certainly, no enemy was strong enough to defeat them, they thought. As you read in the paragraph above, they were an immoral and corrupt people. Their arrogance and rebellion against God were the final act of their way of life.

Does this sound familiar in any way to you?  Do you think the people of this nation ought to be thinking about this carefully? I know, there is no way they will.  Would you agree that the people of this country have forgotten the lessons we should have learned from those who have gone before us?

If it is okay, I want to do something I normally do not do. I would like to tell the rest of the story tomorrow.  (Saturday).

 LEARNING DAILY

2 Corinthians 9:8, And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

“And God is able”! The question I want you to answer this morning is do you believe that statement? I’m not talking about just believing it, I’m asking if you are able to apply this statement to your situation, your need, your crisis that you are facing right now. Here is another thought to consider. Would you hesitate to help meet the need of another person or would your giving, your help (whatever it might require) be an act of faith, trusting God to meet your needs while you are helping that other person meet their needs? I know, you may need to read that again.

When I think of these four words, I think back the to the situation three Hebrews faced when the king made a statute and required everyone to bow down to it. They refused and the king confronted them threatening to throw them in a fiery furnace if they did not bow down. That’s a crisis! They responded with confidence that “God was able to deliver them”. That’s trust and faith! That statement was not some sort of speculation or hope but was based on the Word of God and their experience as they walked with God. Think about this for a moment; they put their lives on the line for their conviction. They believed that their God was able to do anything, anywhere, and anytime.

Is that not the issue every Believer must settle in their mind? If you need grace, God is able to make it abound in you. You can absolutely trust Him; God has proven Himself faithful by giving us grace through faith in Jesus Christ. To me that means He has given us enough of what we need to help others in their need. Let’s look at other Scripture as an encouragement. Jesus was tempted in all things (Hebrews 2:18), so He is able to help us when tempted. That means we can help others when they are facing temptations. Jude 24 encourages us to know He will keep us from stumbling when facing difficult situations. “And God is able” to ___________ (You fill in the blank)!

The Hebrews facing Nebuchadnezzar finished their statement with “But if not”. That powerful statement was a demonstration of their total trust in the power of God to aid them in their situation when defying the king. It was not a command by them to do so. It was statement of faith knowing He could take care of their situation. But if He chose not to, they were determined to remain faithful to Him. For Believers today, we must be able to “Yes, God is able – but if not”, we are going to stand on our faith in His decision. There are those times we pray and do not see Him answer the prayer as we might desire. That’s not the time to blame God or shrink in our faith.

The issue is not God’s inability to do anything; it is an issue of His sovereign will. The Bible tells us of many individuals who went through difficult situations; what they endured was never about God not being able! Every individual depended on God and His ability to meet their needs. As Believers, we must stand in confidence that God is faithful, not just when everything is going great, but also in the days of testing and trials come. Those in the Bible who went through testing must have had their minds made up about who God was and about His faithfulness. It would have been too late once thrown in the fiery furnace to decide. Job would not give into peer pressure when going through his trial. It can be said for many more who placed their faith in God.

Each Believer must have godly principles down deep in their being that “God is able – but if not”!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 1:43, The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."

Philip was probably another fisherman. It is interesting to me how many fishermen Jesus called to “Follow Him”; He did not look for the most qualified – those with the degrees and the experience. Jesus found those who He could teach, who would faithfully continue to tell the world about Him and do miracles by His power. Fisherman were hardworking, real-world individuals; they were not well-educated, but not ignorant. If you want to know a modern-day term for them, it would possibly be “blue-collar workers”. That still holds true today as Jesus still calls those who are willing to be used by Him in the way(s) He chooses. A submissive heart and a willingness to serve Him is far more important than wealth, position, and even talent.

John MacArthur wrote, “All we know about Philip is found in the book of John…and he is often paired with Nathaniel. Piercing together all that the apostle John records about him, it seems Philip is a classic ‘process’ person… a facts-and-figures, by-the-book person…predisposed to be pragmatic, cynical, and sometimes defeatist – rather than visionary.”

Philip is a Greek name which shows the extent of the influence the Greek culture had on Israel at the time Jesus walked on the earth. I imagine that there was a greater conversation between Jesus and Philip rather than Jesus going up to Philip and saying, “Follow Me”. Philip had been a follower of John the Baptist, returned to Galilee where Jesus found him. Philip’s reaction was like that of Andrew who told Peter about Jesus. Philip went to Nathaniel and told him about Jesus, about “The One” written about in the Hebrew Scripture.

There is an interesting discussion between Jesus and Philip found in John 6 where the feeding of the five thousand is recorded. Remember to say the crowd numbered this many is not the true number as it did not include the number of women and children. In verse 5 Jesus singled out Philip, asking him where they could but bread for such a number of people. The next verse states that Jesus asked him this question to “test him”. Philip “may have been in charge of arranging for meals and logistics” (MacArthur). Philip’s answer was materialistic, replying, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little." How would you have replied? Jesus was confronting Philip, the other disciples, and even you and me for looking at a situation from the human effort first instead of appealing to God to handle the results. (A lesson I was taught yesterday, by the way!). Philip was concentrating on the financial solution to the problem – they simply did not have enough money to feed all these people.  The proper approach to solving our problems is to trust God completely and submit to His will (verses 10-11).

One other place to look at Philip and his response to Jesus is in the Upper Room at the Last Supper. Jesus was telling the disciples that He was about to leave them; seeing they were having trouble with what they were being told, He promised He would prepare a place for them. Jesus told them He was God’s Son, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip’s replied for Him to show them the Father. He is keying in on “seeing the Father. This is not a statement of ignorance. He may have been focusing on the experience of Moses or Isaiah, or even the Transfiguration experience of several of the other disciples. Jesus replied to him that he had seen Him, the Christ, so He had seen the Father.

Philip was one of the first disciples to be martyred for his faith. Obviously, he had overcome those human reasons that often hinder Believers from being the salt and light in a dark world.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Jonathon Moore, Lead Pastor at NorthRock Church began his message with an encouragement to fathers to “filter life through God’s Word” to their family. He used Ephesian 6:4 to do that, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”. He used this verse as a positive command for fathers to “bring up” their children in God’s Word.

He continued his teaching series on the Fruit of the Spirit by teaching about the fruit of joy. “The Holy Spirit wants to produce joy in you!” (JM) He suggested that joy is often considered an afterthought or an extra compared to the other fruit; no, “it is an essential fruit produced by the Holy Spirit in the Believer’s life”! In the last sentence of Nehemiah 8:10 it is written, “Don’t be dejected or sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (NLT and from Audrey’s notes). “Lack of joy is weakness.” (JM). Pastor Moore continued, “Joy is eternal. Legalistic religion portrays God as stern, looking from heaven, just waiting for someone to make a mistake so He can punish him/her. No, God is a God of joy who wants joy to live within [each Believer]”. John 15:4 gives the secret of maintaining joy, “Remain in Jesus”. Go to verse 15 and see that “remaining in Jesus so His joy will be in you and your joy may be complete”. There is no real joy outside of Jesus and “to know joy you must first know Jesus” (JM). Audrey wrote in her notes, “the joy we have from knowing Jesus will show in every area of our lives”.

Pastor Moore then related the story of the Prodigal Son to illustrate trying to find joy in other ways and in what the world has to offer. He said, “Joy isn’t out there, it’s in here [within us, in our heart because of Jesus]”. The prodigal thought if he could just have his portion of his inheritance, to be able to do as he wanted when he wanted, he would find joy. He wanted to just experience “this or that” to find joy. Nope! He found instead, “circumstances do not drive inner joy” (JM). Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me my path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy”. Audrey wrote, “Searching for joy externally blinds us from the blessings right now, internally”. “Joy is not related to our circumstances! In the midst of our circumstances, we can still be joyful!” (JM).

In Luke 15:20 the father is waiting and watching for his son. Pastor Moore’s second point was, “Joy is found in one’s presence not perfection. The son had disappointed his father; but he has returned and to the father this reunion was not about perfection, not about what should have been done, and what should have been said. The father probably was not perfect either – none are. Here is where I take a side trip. Father’s own your mistakes (Pastor Newton). Apologize and move on. Pastor Newton made a comment about his father in his message that I really appreciate and can say about my dad, “He was not perfect, but he was always present”. “Just be present as the prodigal’s father was – you just do not have to fix everything!” (JM).

Pastor Moore concludes his message with Luke 15:21-24 with this, “Joy reflects the heart of our heavenly Father. When Believers, you and I, walk in joy our home reflects God’s love, who God is.” “The Parable of the Prodigal Son, ultimately, is about the heart of God. When we realize that joy comes from Him when He dwells within our heart” (Aurey’s notes).

Proverbs 17:22, “A joyful heart is good medicine”.

 

LEARNING DAILY

1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

Ed Newton, Lead Pastor at community Bible Church, had an important and challenging message for men on Father’s Day. I pray each man who reads this especially Joey, John, Derek, and Andrew read carefully today in order to be the man of God He desires you to be. Pastor gave five principles that affirm biblical manhood. Let me summarize them as best I can.

“Be watchful”! Be awake, vigilant, alert (Listener Guide). As men of God, you must be watchful for those times when there is spiritual pressure coming at you. You better understand that the enemy, the devil, is pursuing, wanting to devour you; if he can’t do that, he is trying to get you to compromise or tempt you with those things he knows you are weak in. The devil knows the things that are pressure points in your life, those area of weakness in your life. “Stay awake: If the devil can’t destroy you, he’ll distract you, If he can’t derail you, he’ll dull your sensitivity to sin” (Listener Guide). “Once you mock sin and feed on it, it becomes the beast that destroys you” (EN).

“Stand firm in the faith”. “Be fixed, immoveable, and persistent in conviction” (Listener Guide). You must know what you believe and stand on it. How do you get this conviction? “It comes by knowing and walking in the Truth; knowing the truth comes from being in the word of God every day” (EN). One can write about being in the Word of God daily. One can tell you to be in the word of God daily. But only you can make the time to be in the word of God daily. It is the only way to know Truth and walk in it every day. You find time to do every other thing you want to do in your schedule; not finding and making time to read/study/meditate on God’s Word is an excuse. The world is getting crazier every day and not being in God’s Word should be the primary thing you do each day! Pastor Newton said, “If your convictions do not cost you something, your convictions will not be very strong”. Be anchored in God’s Word. “No compromise: The world will shift, culture always drifts, but God’s Word doesn’t” (Listener Guide).

“Act like men”. Be brave, courageous, of valor! Men do not act like boys. That does not mean men do not like to have fun and play; it means that they grow up! Do you understand the difference? Men step up, admitting their mistakes, committing to do better the next time. They step up, doing what they say they will do and committing to lead where God calls them to lead. “Biblical manhood: Maturity doesn’t run from responsibility…it rises to it’ (Listener Guide).

“Be strong”. This is inner strength, given to be received by our father in heaven. Men, pray over your house and your family. My daughters are grown, married to men of God, and have their own families. But I still do my best to pray for each one of them daily. I pray for specific needs. I pray for each of them to have a “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:60) and that they “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness before everything else” (Matthew 6:33). I pray for each of them to be reading/studying/meditating on the word of God in order to know truth. I pray this over each person who reads the blog as well. “Being strong is not about striving, it is about surrender” (EN). “Power up: real strength begins where self ends and surrender begins” (listener Guide).

“Let all that you do be done in love”. Each of the above must be done in love. Pastor said this is agape love, which means each is done in a love that expects nothing in return. “One can say and do all the right things; but if they are done without this type of love, what they say and do is empty” (EN). Your love is to be genuine (Romans 12:9) and agape love is to guide your actions (1 John 3:18). Pastor said, “We must be careful that our ‘toughness’ is tenderized in love and truth. Courage without compassion becomes cruel. Strength without love causes depression. Correction without conviction becomes legalism.” “The love of Christ is more than an emotion to feel; it is a mission to live out” (Listener Guide).

Men be men! The takeaway statement on the Listener Guide states, “Biblical Masculinity isn’t toxic. It’s tender and tough, shaped by sacrifice, led by love, and modeled after Jesus. I pray blessings over each of you this day and a Happy Father’s Day!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Matthew 7:1-3, Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?

Today’s writing is the result of a conversation I had with a close brother-in Christ a while back. Yes, I was complaining, and he brought this verse to my attention. I’m not sure he was talking about me or who I was complaining about when he mentioned the log in the eye verses the speck in the eye. Obviously, I have been considering this verse for some time.

Those who want people to be tolerant of everyone and everything people do will often bring up this verse. They usually take it out of context. They do not want others to disapprove or correct the actions of others. One cannot read “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged” and stop. Jesus did not say “never judge”; He said there were consequences for judging. In John 7:24 Jesus said, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." Hypocritical judgment is wrong!

In the Sermon on the Mount (where these verses come from) Jesus has been teaching on the way the religious leaders of Israel have been practicing their righteousness. They do things to be seen as religious, want the best seats in order to be seen, pray and fast to be seen – doing things to show how worthy they were instead of humbly serving God. Hypocrites! The religious leaders performed their religious duties to be seen and belittled those who did differently than they preferred. The religious leaders looked for opportunities to condemn others they did not think lived up to their religious standards.

This led to unfair pressure to live up to the standards of those in authority. So, Jesus told those following Him to not judge unfairly in order to not be judged unfairly themselves. The religious leaders were arrogant in their beliefs and attitude. Because of that, they declared their own righteousness and the opinion of others unworthy. Their lack of humility led them to perceive and believe the thoughts and actions of others as inferior to their own. The teaching of Jesus in Matthew 7 is not that God’s people should never speak the difference between right and wrong; they are to be careful not to judge by external circumstances. Make right judgments about what is true and what is false. One better be careful about judging others, especially Believers, as if one were God. That is hypocrisy and shallowness.

Jesus made it very clear that those who make judgments on others as if they were God will be judged by those standards. Judgmental people are going to be judged by other people. Can I just say that it is not anyone’s role to judge or hold others to an unfair standard. That is God’s role. He judges righteously. He holds each person accountable for their relationship to His Son. He holds each Believer accountable for their walk on the narrow way. Those who hold others accountable, who judge according to external circumstances will be judged by God by those same standards.

Jesus was showing Believers that they can be blind to their own sins. He was asking how we can see the speck in another’s eye but be blind to the log in their own eye. It does seem interesting that I can often see the faults of another or when what another does not measure up to “my” standard. Be careful! Perhaps human nature is to see the speck in another’s eye and assume it is okay to judge it. Helping another remove the speck only occurs when the log is taken out of our own. The point seems to be that both the “speck” and the “log” may be sinful and not everything we see in others should be accepted (there is that thought about tolerance again). No, we approach sin and wrongdoing in others with humility and grace, not arrogance!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Luke 21:24, They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

In my reading I came across the phrase “the times of the Gentiles” found in the Luke 21:24. In Romans 11:25, a similar phrase is used, “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in”. Similar references are found in the Old Testament as well. Ezekiel 30:3 for example, “For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations”, refers to time. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue in Daniel 2 deals with very powerful Gentile nations and how God uses them in His plan. God gives further information in Daniel 8 about how He will use Gentile nations to fulfill His purposes. This information tells us that Gentile nations will be ruling the earth until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to establish His kingdom on earth. Bible prophesy is supported by the history of kingdoms and empires ruling the earth since the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. The Jewish people have been scattered around the world since that time. We are living in the time of the Gentiles; I wonder if that time is coming to an end!

God had given the government of the world to Israel. Israel’s priests, God’s prophets and godly kings were to be His administrators leading by God’s principles. Israel failed because they sought to live without God’s guidance, following the Gentile idols and practices. The result was God giving Israel what they wanted by “stepping away” and putting Israel under the government of Gentiles. The last verse in the book of Judges summarizes the “days of the Gentiles”, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes”.

Other Old Testament prophets like Hosea have stated that the time when the Jews will return to the Lord, fearing and seeking Him will happen in the “latter days”. The stage is set today for the Lord Jesus, not King Jesus, to return to earth to establish His Millennial reign. After World War II Jewish people began to return to the area once known as the “Promised Land”, establishing the Nation of Israel in 1948; in 1967 a significant event took place when Israel took control of Jerusalem. For the first time since Nebuchadnezzar had entered the city and destroyed it, the Jewish people were controlling and ruling their own land.

Yet, “days of the Gentiles” are in play. The news is constantly speaking of Israel being targeted by those who oppose her –Gentiles. The dome of the Rock is prevalent in Israel today. Israel and Jewish people are constantly being attacked. Jewish people are being attacked constantly in our own country because they are Jewish. Why? The answer is found in the Jewish hardening of their hearts toward Jesus Christ. The rejection of the Messiah, His crucifixion by the Jewish leaders still lingers today. Yet, God still loves the Jewish people dearly! Do not think for a moment that He has forgotten His promise to soften their hearts; even now He is directing events to break the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, demolishing the Gentile powers of the world in order to fill the earth with His kingdom.

Romans 11:25-27, “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; and this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins." Yes, God is in control of the event you and I are witnessing in Israel right now. We can trust Him in all we see; everything is happening exactly as Nebuchadnezzar dreamed and Daniel explained.

You and I need to be ready, staying ready by seeking Him daily, staying in His Word and watching diligently for His signal to meet Him in the clouds. Don’t go to sleep! Do not become lazy in your walk on the narrow way! King Jesus is coming for His Bride, the Church! It could be any day!

LEARNING DAILY

John 13:23, The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. (New Living Translation).

“John was volatile, brash, aggressive, passionate, zealous, and personally ambitious – he and James were certainly brothers” (John MacArthur). Yet, John liked to call himself “the disciple Jesus loved”. He was a fisherman, like most of the disciples. As he matured, the area of weakness in his life became his strengths – spending the time he did with Jesus will do that. Every Believer can learn to allow the Lord’s strength to be made perfect in their weaknesses.

John wrote one Gospel, three Epistles, and The Revelation, writing more than any other author of the New Testament, with the exception of Paul. Throughout his writing the emphasis of love is easily seen. From his background the idea of love did not come easily; it was learned from being with the Lord Jesus Christ. Themes found in his writings are a Believer’s love for his/her Lord, Christ’s love for His Church, and love for one another as central to true Believers (MacArthur).

I think a quality I relate to in John is his passion for truth. MacArthur points out in his writing that John used the Greek word for truth forty-five times and for love eighty-five times. The point, according to MacArthur, was balance between the truth and love. MacArthur wrote, “truth without love has no decency; it’s just brutality…love without truth has no character, just hypocrisy…a truly godly person must cultivate both virtues in equal proportions. Paul even wrote about this in Ephesians 4:13-15, where he wrote about speaking the truth in love.

Another aspect of John’s writing is his straightforward, black and white thinking. He deals with certainties such as light versus darkness, life versus death, the kingdom of God versus the kingdom of the devil, children of God versus children of Satan, judgment of the righteous versus the judgment of the wicked, the resurrection of life versus the resurrection of damnation, receiving Christ versus the rejection of Christ, fruit versus unfruitfulness, obedience versus disobedience, love versus hatred (MacArthur).  In 1 John he writes a person is either walking in the light or walking in darkness. He writes that Believers sin; confess it and believe God if faithful (1 John 1:9), making the point that the righteousness and not sin is the dominant principal of the Believer’s life.

 Along with his brother, John learned about how to balance ambition with humility. John and James argued about who would be the greatest in heaven, asking to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus in His kingdom. Jesus rebuked them. MacArthur wrote, “Ambition with the wrong motives is wrong; ambition without humility becomes egotism!” I wonder how many of us today need to understand that! I wonder if we really understand that the kingdom of God is advanced by serving the Lord in humility, not through politics, one’s status, or position of power. It does not seem many in the political realm understand this.

There is one other aspect of John’s life every believer can learn from; I doubt many are going to enjoy reading about it. John learned to suffer. He watched Jesus being beaten. He was the only disciple to witness the crucifixion; he was close enough to the cross for Jesus to see him and give him instructions. He no doubt experienced the pain of each of the other disciples being martyred. He was alone, banished to the island of Patmos where he lived in a cave. I do not remember reading any complaints about what he suffered in any of his writings.

John died around 98 A.D. and had to be carried to the church because of his frail condition.

What would life be like if Believers would “love one another” as John learned from the Lord Jesus Christ! Would doing so be enough to bring revival into a world filled with ambition, self-centeredness, greed and the desire for more and more? 

 

LEARNING DAILY

Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

“When a person walks through a grove of trees filled with beautiful, rich oranges that person knows that the fruit on the trees are oranges. The fruit on the trees reflect what is going on inside of the tree. Galatians 5 describes the fruit produced by the Spirit in the Believer; it is evidence that God is working within the Believer. It cannot be faked (even though many try) as it is the natural result of being connected to God and being changed by the Holy Spirit.” That is how Pastor Jonathon Moore of NorthRock Church began a new series on the “fruit of the Spirit”.

Pastor Moore shared three reasons for this series. One, God wants us to bear fruit of our relationship with Him so people can be drawn to Him. Believers make a difference for God by being different. Two, fruit informs us (the Believer) – gives us evidence – we are doing relationship with Jesus in the right way. He no doubt meant that fruit is evidence the Believer is walking the narrow way with Jesus. “What I am producing is evidence of what is going on inside of me” (PM). Matthew 7:16 states, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.” (New Living Translation). And third, God wants us to have all His fruit. Jesus said He came to give life in abundance (John 10:10). Audrey wrote in her notes, “God wants our lives to be improved by the fruit”.

Pastor Moore said, “You do not learn the fruit – the fruit grows as a natural result of a healthy and whole relationship with God” (Audrey’s notes). Every Believer needs to pursue a relationship with Him by wanting to grow closer to Him; yes, that happens as he/she opens the Word of God daily to read and study it. Read John 15:4-5 which says the only way to bear fruit is to remain in the Lord Jesus Christ. Audrey wrote in her notes, “We shouldn’t aim to just know things/scripture, what matters is what we do! Do all things in love (1 Corinthians13:13)”.

The first fruit mentioned is “love”. Pastor Moore said, “Love is the verb of the Bible”.  “God is love” (1 John 4:8). “God so loved the world ….” (John 3:16). “Let love be your greatest aim” (1Corinthians 13:14). In John 13:34-35 “Believers are told how to treat others – your family and others, those who are driving around you on the highway” (JM). Ephesians 3:17 tells Believers, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in faith, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the width and length and depth and height; to know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge,”.

Pastor Moore’s first point was to “understand the depth of God’s love toward you. You can do nothing to make Him love you more or love you less. He just loves you! He took your place on a cross, and He continues to love you even though you keep sinning. He does not stop loving you.” Read Micah 7:18-19. Nothing a Believer does can make God stop loving you. (When you sin, admit it to Him, asking for His forgiveness so fellowship with Him continues; remember 1 John 1:9).

Secondly, receive God’s love for you. “In 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, Paul is personifying love. Love is received by a connection with an individual – Jesus Christ (John 4:19)” (Audrey’s notes). Love never fails, and the only person who never failed is Jesus Christ. “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14). Jesus knows everything you have done, said, and thought – He still loves you more than you can imagine. Instead of telling yourself all sorts of negative stuff and reminding yourself of all your mistakes, “Declare God’s love over yourself” (Audrey’s notes). Walk in the love of God each moment of each day!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Luke 19:2-3, And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.

Rome controlled the area of Israel when Jesus walked on this earth. The Roman government hired Jewish men to collect taxes from the Jewish people; of course, the tax collectors were very unpopular among their own people. The Romans taxed the people as much as 80% of their income while the chief tax collector adding a little more to this to pay those he hired to collect the taxes. Zacchaeus was one of these chief tax collectors; “he was Jewish but worshipped the Roman government” (Pastor Ed Newton). “There were great problems between the Jews and the Romans. One of those problems meant Zacchaeus was unwanted by his people because of his position. It also meant he was unclean by his association with the Gentiles, meaning he could not go into the temple” (EN).

You probably remember hearing about Zacchaeus being a “wee little man and climbing a sycamore tree to see Jesus” from a Sunday school class. But did you ever consider why he was even interested in seeing Jesus?  Zacchaeus had wealth, possessions, everything he wanted, but he was lonely. Pastor Newton thought out loud about the possibility that Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus calling Matthew, another tax collector, to “follow Him”. Could it be that He might do the same for him? Remember it was not typical for a tax collector to go out of his way to see who Jesus was!

Jesus was passing through Jericho; He was passing through with a crowd following him. Being “small in stature”, Zacchaeus had to climb a sycamore tree to get a look at Jesus. Perhaps Zacchaeus is “a reflection of every person’s desire to know God even when the outward expression of their life reflects otherwise” (David Jeremiah). When he was in the tree and Jesus passed by, he had a defining moment, an encounter with Jesus that changed his life.

Pastor Newton reflected on the problem with the crowd. Too many people made it difficult for Zacchaeus to see or get to Jesus. There were other times “the crowd” made getting to Jesus difficult. John 18:35-43, tells of Jesus passing by a blind beggar who cried out to Him to have mercy on him. The crowd wanted him to be quite but he would not. In Luke 8:43-48, a woman who had an issue with blood for years knew that if she could just touch the garment of Jesus, she would be healed – but there was a crowd and it was difficult to get to Him. The point? Jesus stopped to talk to and healed the blind beggar. Even in a great crowd, Jesus knew healing had gone from Him to heal a woman in need of healing.

And Zacchaeus, Jesus knew him by name and called to him to come down from the tree because He had to stay at his house. That is the result of the compassion of Jesus! “Salvation does not just happen in the temple. It happens at a person’s table, in a classroom, at the gym; it can happen anywhere because Jesus comes to the person who needs to be saved or healed or encouraged” (PN). “When Zacchaeus got saved, he also got generous” (PN). He basically admitted he was a thief, giving to the poor and reimbursing those he had defrauded four times (verse 8) (From the Listener’s Guide). It is important to understand that Zacchaeus did not get saved because he promised to return people’s money. No, these actions were promised because Jesus had saved him and God was already at work in his heart; this was an indication of his decision to follow Jesus!

“And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (verse 10). In other words, Jesus was restoring Zacchaeus and identifying him as a true Jew. The reason Jesus came into this world was “to seek and to save the lost." When Zacchaeus met Jesus, everything changed for him.

Can I say that is my story and the story of every person who meets Jesus and gives his/her life to Him. When one meets Jesus, everything changes!

 

LEARNING DAILY

John 8:10-11, Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

I read a devotional the other day about those things we tolerate. With an education background I thought back to teachers who allowed students to call them by their first name or by a nickname. I always thought that showed little respect for the teacher’s authority; I never allowed that. I did not allow a student to talk back to me. Nope, it was not going to happen. I would not allow one of my athletes to go through an undisciplined practice. Do the “little things” right because if the athletes didn’t or there was no discipline, it would come back to haunt that team when game day came. I thought back to the few years I was in retail management. I look at the undisciplined, mediocre retail business practice today – well, it would have never been that way with the upper management I worked for.

Mediocracy, tolerance, the thought that everyone’s belief systems, and lifestyles should be accepted is part of our current culture and standards are decreasing because of it in every aspect of life. Are we really to accept a person throwing Molotov cocktails on a crowd of people, like just happened in Colorado? Do we really accept what is happening in our educational system at all levels as freedom of speech? I imagine Jesus would be called intolerant to His face today if He spoke to the woman caught in adultery (the verse above).

John 8:11 might be said by some today, at least the first half of the verse. People who want everything people do to be tolerated might use the words, "Neither do I condemn you”. But I doubt the last part of Jesus’ statement would be used. There is an expression I have heard, and I may not write it correctly, that goes like this, “We have today what we tolerated yesterday”. I think that statement still applies today. Tolerating a lack of discipline and lowering standards to make ourselves look better contributes to many of the problems faced in our society today.

Jesus finished His statement by saying, “go, and from now on sin no more." I would bet the woman did not continue the lifestyle she had been in. She met her Savior and it changed her life! Believers have met their Savior and He has and continues to change them. Personalize that for a moment. The decisions you make today and tomorrow are based on the Word of God that you have put into your heart. You will either allow God’s Word to shape your thinking or the world’s thinking will do so. Your faith, your beliefs will be tested over and over by what goes on around us. Jesus did not console the woman by telling her she was innocent because her attackers had left. He told her to stop sinning! He showed her grace; but also told her to go and live different from the world.

So, Jesus tells us to no longer be tolerant in a world that wants us to be. Do not go along with the crowd, blending into what everyone else is doing. Stop giving in to peer pressure and worrying about what others think or say about you. It is more important to consider what Jesus thinks and says about you.

 

LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 2:45, A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.

Yes, history has proven Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was correct, there are details regarding the toes of iron and clay are still debated. Jesus Christ is certainly the stone cut without hands, and I will state that he is the only hope for humanity. When He strikes the statue, it is at His second coming, when He returns in power and in glory. No human can know all the details of this, especially the timing – this is a prophetic dream. The Word of God tells us that Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom after the Battle of Armageddon, which occurs at the end of the Great Tribulation.

While researching these verses I came across a statement regarding the shattering of the toes (Gentile nations). “God was destroying – and He will destroy – the old. Why? To bring in the new.” When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He ends the days of the gentiles and establishes His kingdom. It is at that time, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). This is the ultimate victory, the triumph and establishment of God’s kingdom over the kingdoms of man. God’s sovereignty will, His kingdom will once and for all be established on earth for eternity!

Look around; man’s rule has created a mess. Humanity is not getting better; the toes of the statue are uncertain in their stability and it is getting more uncertain. How do the verses from Daniel challenge each Believer to reevaluate their priorities? It is certainly a time to place what is important into the hands of God who controls the future where his righteousness will triumph! Believer, you need to consider if your pursuit of earthly success has overshadowed your pursuit, your commitment to righteousness and walking the narrow way as God desires.

Daniel challenges each Believer to place their trust in Jesus Christ and be obedient to Him in a world that is falling apart. Only God’s kingdom is established on the solid rock (Matthew 7:24). This dream and interpretation challenge me to get my priorities in line with the Word of God. It challenges me to be more diligent about reading/studying/meditating on the Word of God and spending time praying.

Back when I “had” to watch those football films, I often went to sleep because I wasn’t really interested in them. I was not a very good football coach! The point is the end is approaching fast. The stone – Jesus Christ – is going to return and smash the statue in order to set up His kingdom. Don’t sleep! Be diligent! Be ready! Be watching! He is coming for His true Church to be with Him. Make sure your lamps are full of oil (Matthew 25, The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins)! Knowing how this all ends takes away the fear and believers can walk the narrow way with confidence knowing God is still on His throne and has all history under control – even the future!

 

 

LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 2:27-28, Daniel answered the king and said, "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.

I used to coach football early in my teaching career. One of the things I would dread was watching film, especially of the other team we would be playing. The idea was that if we knew enough about the other team’s tendencies we would win. Today, I believe that God has told us everything we need to know about the future and how we are to prepare for it as we walk the narrow way into His kingdom. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream which Daniel interprets. In that dream there is an image of a statue that shows how the history of the world will unfold with the conclusion of the Lord Jesus Christ returning to earth. God foretold the various empires that would rise and fall and about a stone that would smash the statute’s feet and cause the entire statue to fall to the ground.

The history of the world foretold by this dream and Daniel’s interpretation happened – the Medo-Persian Empire replaced the Babylonian Empire which was replaced by the Greeks which was replaced by the Roman Empire. Everything God revealed happened. He still reveals that which will happen. He still sits on the throne. Daniel’s words to Nebuchadnezzar still are true, “There is a God in heaven!” But there is a part of this dream and interpretation still to come.

Daniel 2:34, “As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.” Two things should be seen by this verse. One, the feet and toes of the statue are made of iron and clay. Iron is strong and clay is able to be broken up. Obviously the two do not bond together. In researching what this means, I found several thoughts. One thought was the mixture of totalitarian/imperialism mixing with the principles of democracy that can be molded like clay. Another thought was the inevitable downfall of human empires, no matter how “strong” they appear to be.

The second thought from this verse is that a stone not cut by human hands strikes the statue, shattering it, and it collapses. When the statue collapses, it breaks into many pieces and, “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” (verse 35).

Without doubt the stone is not cut by human hands; “the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” Isn’t it interesting the statue weakens as it is seen from head to the toes! Human existence seems to have been in a downward spiral morally instead of getting better as many believe. Can you agree with me that God has a plan that is unfolding according to His will and His schedule? What nations comprise the ten toes? Is it possibly ten kingdoms that make up the world system? I’m not sure it matters; it does appear that the choices man has made throughout history will be judged. The stone is no doubt the Lord Jesus Christ who will come from heaven, smash the world system, and establish His kingdom on the entire earth.

Daniel said in verse 45, “The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure." God is on His throne, in control of all that happens. We can trust Him; everything in human history will happen exactly as Nebuchadnezzar dreamt and as Daniel interpreted!

 

LEARNING DAILY

Matthew 4:21-22, And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

The Bible does not tell us much about James, the brother of John. James, along with John and his father, are mending their nets when Jesus called them to follow Him. Immediately, they got out of the boat, left their father and began their ministry. Jesus was now going to show them “how to be fishers of men”. Understand the cost to leaving the family business, which if I can assume, was a profitable business and career.  They left everything behind to follow Jesus. Yet they did not hesitate.

James was the elder brother. John MacArthur wrote, “James, as the elder brother, might have felt that by all rights he ought to have been the chief apostle because of family status…which may be the reason for so many disputes ‘over which of them should be considered the greatest’” (read about this in Luke 22:24). James was considered part of the “inner circle” as he was included when Jesus healed Jarius’ daughter (Mark 5:37), at the Transfiguration (Mark 17:1), questioned Jesus privately with three other disciples on the Mount of Olives (Marl 13:3), and in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark13:33) when Jesus urged the three disciples to pray with Him.

James and John were given the nickname “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus. James was “zealous, passionate, and fervent” (MacArthur), but James’ passion would sometimes get out of control. In Luke 9:54, James and John were ready to call down fire from heaven on Samaritans who refused hospitality to Jesus and the disciples when passing through Samaria. James thought calling down fire would please Jesus. He was still learning what it meant to follow Jesus.

James (and John) was “insensitive, ambitious, and overconfident” (MacArthur). MacArthur continued, “He wanted a crown of glory; Jesus gave him a cup of suffering…he wanted power; Jesus gave him servanthood…he wanted a place of prominence; Jesus gave him a martyr’s grave…he wanted to rule; Jesus gave him a sword, not as a weapon, but as an instrument of his own death. Jesus asked James and John if they “could drink the cup He would drink” and “Be baptized with the baptism He would be baptized with” (Mark 10:38). I doubt they understood what Jesus meant, but they said “yes” to His question.

James was the only disciple whose death is recorded in Scripture as the first disciple to be killed for his faith. As mentioned, he was killed when King Herod killed or had him killed by the sword. James’ passion had become too great for Herod who thought he would stop the growth of the church by killing James. MacArthur writes of James, “James had learned to temper his passions, control his anger, bridle his tongue, redirect his zeal, eliminate his thirst for revenge, and completely lose his self-ambition. And the Lord used him to do wonderful work in the early church.”

 

LEARNING DAILY

Joshua 2:1, And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.

Pastor Ed Newton shared some thoughts about Rahab this weekend at Community Bible Church. You probably know the background regarding Joshua sending spies into Jericho (the Promised Land); they came to Jericho and they came to the house of Rahab. I found the English Standard Version interesting regarding her house. “Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall.” Look at the emphasis in this verse. Pastor explained she lived between the city walls with a window facing the outside of the city. 

Rahab was a prostitute. “She had a tainted past, an outcast, who lived on the outside of the city looking in; she was pursued only when someone wanted her” (EN). Romans 3:23 states, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” So, before any of us looks down on Rahab, we must remember that we too have sinned and fall short of God’s desire for our lives. But when we said “yes” to the salvation Jesus offers, we were washed clean. “God uses unlikely people to do His will; our past does not define us” (EN).

Verse 11 states, “And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” Rahab and others had heard testimonies of what God had done for His people as He led them out of Egypt. Rahab, a “Canaanite woman emersed in the Canaanite worship of many false gods, heard the testimonies about a God who cared for her, repented and her life changed direction” (EN). Pastor continued, “It still happens today for those living in walls (ie. Doing the right things with the wrong motives); God saves them, changes them and changes their story.” Do any of you relate to the change Jesus Christ brought into your life when He saved you and set you on a narrow way into His kingdom?

 The king of Jericho was looking for the spies. Rahab hid them and eventually let them down the wall so they could report back to Joshua. Verse 18, “Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father 's household.” She let them down with a scarlet cord, the same cord that she let men down from her room so they would not be seen. “The tool of sin became a tool of salvation for Rahab and her family when Joshua and the people walked around Jericho and when the walls eventually fell” (EN). It saved her and her family because of her hope and faith she had placed in God. “The most unholy place in Jericho became the place of redemption” (EN).

God had changed Rahab’s story. She is mentioned three times in the New Testament. Her name is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:5 – Pastor emphasized that the word prostitute had come off the association with her name. She was the Great Great grandmother of King David (Listener Guide). She is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31 (the Hall of Fame for heroes in the Bible) as the mother of Boaz who married Ruth. And she is mentioned in James 2:25 as proving her faith through the works she did.

The parting words Pastor Newton spoke are probably words each Believer reading this can relate to. “When God gets into one’s story, He changes everything!” Take a few minutes to just thank the Lord Jesus Christ for stepping into your life, saving and changing you and your story!