Month: March 2015

What God Has Done

pjimgallagherLeave a comment

Numbers 23:23
“For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’

IMG_4239.jpgOnce we get past the fact that God allowed a man as carnal as Balaam to speak some of the Old Testament’s most poetic and amazing prophecies, we can begin to appreciate what was being said. In addition to looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, Balaam also looked back at the Lord’s accomplishments in the nation of Israel. His commentary on all of it was that God worked in such a way, when it was all concluded, people would have no other choice than to declare “Oh what God has done.” 

This seems to be a pattern with God. Not only does He want to work in and through the lives of His people, but He also desires to do it in a way that He alone will receive the glory. We see this concept declared in both principle and practice throughout Scripture. The principle is declared in 1Corinthians 1:27-29 “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

 When God wants to accomplish something, He chooses people who are less than qualified, so when the task is achieved, it is clear they were guided and gifted by His Spirit. We see this principle carried out time and time again, within the pages of Scripture. In fact, there is not a generation that goes by where this principle is not practiced. Moses will face the Red Sea, Joshua has his Jericho, Gideon has only three hundred men, David goes before Goliath, Solomon is a young man with no experience, taking over a kingdom, Nehemiah has his wall, the Apostles are sent into a hostile world, armed with nothing more than the Spirit and the Word of God. Within every generation, God is looking for men and women who will trust Him enough to respond to His call, regardless of the obstacles that we might face. When we live like that we will find that:

“For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done.'”

 

Pastor Jim

 

 

 

 

Beginning Of Miracles 

pjimgallagher1 Comment

John 2:11 
“This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

John tells us, the miracle of turning the water into wine was the first of Jesus’ miracles, and its purpose was to make His glory known. The word “glory” is used synonymously in the Bible with the word “name” and speaks of a person’s character. When Moses longed to know God more, he asked God to “Please, show me Your glory.” (Exodus 33:18) God responded, saying, “I will cause My goodness to pass before you and declare My name.” It is in that passage we learn much of the merciful and gracious character of God. Here, at this wedding feast, John tells us that we are to learn something about the character of Christ.

John also tells us, this was the first miracle Jesus accomplished. Think about it. The Son of God, who came to save the world, is going to accomplish His first miracle, and He chose to provide refreshments at a wedding reception. Why? I think it is because He wants us to learn that He did not come for the masses, but the individual. He wants us to understand, He loves and cares about each of us. In the grand scheme of things, a family being embarrassed by running out of refreshments at the reception does not mean much, but it would mean a lot to them, and so it meant a lot to Jesus.

What a blessing to know that Jesus never loses sight of the individual. He knows and cares deeply about each of us and the struggles we are facing. I think it would be wise of us to take the advice of Mary and “Whatever He says to you; do it.”

Pastor Jim

 

Different Point Of View 

pjimgallagher1 Comment

Numbers 23:21
“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a King is among them.”

Balaam is an enigma. While he is clearly a false prophet who does great harm to the people of God, he is also responsible for some of the greatest Old Testament sermonettes. Here, he is taking a second look at the camp of Israel, attempting to find a way for Balak, king of Moab, to overthrow Israel. Instead, he learns how God sees His people.

Numbers 23:21
“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.”

If you or I were standing on Mount Pisgah, remembering the actions of Israel, we would not find it difficult to observe iniquity. We might call to memory their constant complaining about food and water, their continual doubts and fears, which compelled them to long for Egypt, their obstinate disregard for the Word of God in the worship of a golden calf, or their unwillingness to enter the Promised Land. When God looks at His people, He looks through the lens of His covenant. Because of the Altar, Israel’s sins were pardoned, and God saw nothing but a forgiven people.

The same is true of the child of God. We are fully aware of our sins, and how guilt often keeps us from moving forward with the Lord. The devil is fully aware of our sins, and is quick to bring charges against us. But because of the cross, the Lord has chosen to use His omniscience to forget our sins. If you have trusted Christ, God does not observe iniquity, because it has been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Pastor Jim

 

The Light

pjimgallagher1 Comment

John 1:4
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

Jesus was magnetic! People from all walks of life were drawn to Him. Lepers, paralytics, rich men, beggars, fishermen, and even Pharisees were drawn to Jesus; to meet Him, hear Him speak, and be touched by Him. At times, we read of massive crowds that gave up all other pursuits, to listen for hours as He spoke about the Kingdom of God. What was it that drew people to Him? John tells us that His life was like a light in the darkness.

Often, when I come home at night, my route into the house is through the garage. The problem is, the light switch is on the far end of the garage, near the kitchen door. Skateboards, bikes, shoes and other sports equipment are scattered across the floor, and in the darkness, facing these dangers, I am drawn to the light that shines from the house. In the same way, people facing the pitfalls of life were drawn to the light that came from Christ. John points out what that light was:

“In Him was LIFE and that was the light of men.”

John tells us, the light which shone forth from Christ was the life that He possessed. Jesus later stated that we, His followers, would be the light of the world; that through us the world would be drawn to God (Matthew 5:14). Just as the life of Christ drew men to Himself, the life that we have is what will win others to Jesus. The more we surrender to Christ, the more we allow Him to cut away, the more closely we follow Him, the greater life will come out of us; like a brilliant light drawing others to Christ.

“Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Pastor Jim

 

Look At That

pjimgallagher2 Comments

Numbers 21:8
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.'”

Unknown.jpegThe sins of the people put them under the curse. One by one, they watched as their loved ones fell ill and died. At some point, they realized there is no cure for the plague and they beseech Moses to seek God for the solution. As Moses cries out to the Lord, he is instructed to forge a brass serpent on a pole. Any who look upon the serpent will be healed. One only need use a little imagination to understand the joy which filled the hearts of all who would look upon the pole. Instantly, the effects of the curse were removed and they were safe. At the same time, imagine the folly of one who is plagued and yet refuses to look. Imagine his friends and loved ones, who had been on the verge of death themselves, but they looked upon the pole and were redeemed. They plead with him to simply look. They might declare, “I was once as your are, sickly and dying, but I looked upon the pole and I have been healed and my life restored.” Imagine the heartache of mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers and friends, as some, with obstinate hearts refuse to look, and as a result, suffer death under the curse.

Years later, under the veil of the night sky, Jesus met with a religious leader who was interested in understanding the ways of Christ. During their conversation, Jesus referred to the serpent in the wilderness and compared it to His work on the cross.

John 3:14-15
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God has made salvation as simple as looking at a serpent on a pole. All we must do is look to the cross, believing we are sinners, and Christ is the Savior. When we do, ALL the effects of the curse are removed. We are no longer under the wrath of God, but are the recipients of His divine favor and blessing. Sin that kept us from God, has been removed, we are forgiven, and given eternal life.

Imagine the folly of those who refuse to believe. Those who continue under the curse, heading toward eternal destruction, all because they refuse to look to the cross. Do not be among those who remain under the curse, to your own destruction, and to the anguish of those who love you. Look to the cross and have your sins forever forgiven.

Sadly, as time moved forward, Israel took the serpent on a pole and made it into a religious relic. People even began to bow down to the pole and worship it. The same thing is true of the cross. Rather than seeing the cross for what it is; the way of salvation for all who believe, many look to the cross as a religious symbol. We see crosses as jewelry, artwork and tattoos. We should see the cross as a reminder of the fact that God alone can save us from the curse.

Pastor Jim

 

Seek Him

pjimgallagher1 Comment

Luke 24:1
“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning…”

Crucifixion was a violent and public form of execution. The display was designed not only to punish the condemned, but to dissuade others from violating the law of Rome. It is difficult for me to comprehend the emotions that would flood those who watched, as Jesus was beaten and crucified.

These women were not casual observers, they did not watch the events as spectators or journalists, they were some of Jesus closest friends, and Mary was His mother. Watching the events of the cross must have filled her with fear, confusion, sorrow, anger and even hate. Her own Son had been betrayed by one of His close friends, He had been falsely accused, condemned, beaten and violently killed. It would be reasonable for us to read that Mary shut down, or she was filled with sorrow, wept, and questioned the love of God. Instead, we read she rose early, went seeking, and found Christ was risen from the dead.

What pains are you enduring today? Are you struggling with the emotions caused by loss, confusion, or disappointment? Are you allowing your emotions to keep you from God, or like Mary, are you willing to rise early and seek Him? I wonder what we are missing out on when we fail to take time to seek Christ.

Pastor Jim


Striking The Rock

pjimgallagher1 Comment

Numbers 20:11
“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.”

‘The end justifies the means’ is the governing principle in the life of many. The implication is very clear, it does not matter how something is done, as long as positive results are reached. However, Moses would learn, though this is a common principle among men, it is not a principle for ministry.

Numbers 20 opens by recording the death of Miraim, the sister of Moses and Aaron. It seems her death hit Moses rather hard, and he may have even blamed the people. It was, in fact, their disobedience that resulted in her never entering the Land of Promise. Directly on the heels of her burial, we find the congregation once again facing a great dilemma; they marched to a place without a sufficient water supply for their vast numbers. As their custom was, they did not look to the Lord, but to Moses, and as usual,began to complain. Moses quickly cried out to the Lord, who promised to provide for the needs of the people. His instruction to Moses was quite clear; “speak to the rock” and water will be supplied. It is here, where Moses allows his emotions to get the better of Him. Instead of speaking to the Rock, he yells at the people and beats on the rock. Sure enough, water is supplied, but not without consequences. Moses would soon learn he and Aaron would be forbidden from entering Canaan.

Why such grave consequences for what seems to be such a minor infraction? I think two things must be kept in mind. The first, Moses represents God. Moses was Israel’s pastor. It was his job to rightly reflect the way God felt about His people. When his voice was raised in anger, and his staff flying about, the people would no doubt conclude God was angry with them, when He was not. All those who stand before men, on behalf of God, should take careful stock of this event. Preachers who constantly yell at, and demean their congregations for failing to live to the standard of God, would do better to simply wash them with the water of the Word.

Second, the consequences were so great because of what the Rock represented. Paul would later refer to this event by calling Christ the Rock. It was on Calvary where he was beaten to provide living water for all who believe. Now that He has been crucified, we need only to speak to the Rock, and this living water will be given to us. A second beating of the same rock was unnecessary.

Whatever you may be facing today, you can call on the Rock of Ages and He will provide living water to satisfy your thirsty soul.

Pastor Jim

 

Timeless 

pjimgallagher1 Comment

Deuteronomy 10:1-2
“At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark of wood. And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark.’

img_1595-0.jpgEvery generation likes to think of themselves as more advanced than the one before them. I recall one of my children, when he was about four, asking what life was like back when things were in black and white. He really thought color was only seen by his generation and the rest of us had grown up in the gray hues of a silent movie.

This vantage point on life may be the force behind people thinking that the Bible is antiquated. They might say, “while the Bible might be filled with some fascinating stories, it certainly cannot be relevant for a modern 21st Century world. The problems we face are so much greater than the problems a wandering tribe of nomads had to endure in the Sinai Peninsula thirty-five hundred years ago.”

I think the passage of Scripture before us speaks to that kind of thinking. When Moses came down the mountain and found the nation violating the very laws he had received from God, he reacted by throwing the tablets on the ground. The breaking of the tablets symbolized the people’s behaviors and the breaking of the law of God. When Moses met again with the Lord, he did not get an updated version of the Word of God that would fit into an ever changing dynamic world. Instead, he was given the exact same commandments written on a new set of stones.

The word of God will not change as the world changes. New advancements in medicine and science, or a changing viewpoint of what is right and wrong, will not alter the Word of God. The Bible was never designed to be molded by culture, but to shape it. In a time when things seem to be changing before our very eyes, we need a firm foundation for our lives, and no bedrock is more solid the the Bible.

Pastor Jim

 

 

 

 

The Veil Was Torn 

pjimgallagher1 Comment

Luke 23:45
“The veil of the temple was torn in two.”

veil-torn.jpgThe veil of the Temple was designed by God; and it was beautiful. Moses describes it for us in Exodus 26:31

“You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim.”

As beautiful as this curtain was, its beauty would be overshadowed by its purpose. The veil was not designed as a work of art to be gawked at, but as a symbol of the separation between man and God. Even the angels portrayed on the veil spoke not of accessibility, but of separation. Remember the angels that were posted outside the garden? They carried flaming swords and were set as guards to keep Adam and Eve from entering the garden (Genesis 3:24). What about the angels around God’s throne? We read, they constantly sing of His holiness; a character trait of God making it impossible for sin to remain in His presence. As much as man needs God, and as much as God loves man, our sin stands in the way. Access to God is barred by sin, and the veil was a constant reminder of that.

As a result of the cross, all that would change. Jesus was not dying for Himself, He was dying as a sacrifice. By doing so, He was paving a way for sinful man to come to a Holy God. The tearing down of the veil represents the access that is available to all mankind through Christ. While it remains true that we are all sinners, it is also true that there is now a way to God. What a joy must have filled the heart of Luke as He penned these words,

“ . . . and the veil of the temple was torn in two.”

He took advantage of the access. What about you? The cross is not the end, it is the beginning. Through it, we have access to the throne, and to the presence of God.

Hebrews 10:19-22

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Pastor Jim

 

Behind The Scenes 

pjimgallagher1 Comment

Numbers 18:7
“Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve…”

While it is clear Moses is being instructed regarding the role of the priests who would care for the articles within the Tabernacle, this statement is also a beautiful picture of the ministry of Jesus. He takes care of everything that happens behind the veil. Just as the curtain would serve as a divider between the outside world and what happened within the holy chambers of the Tabernacle, so we have a veil that separates heaven’s proceedings from our view. Paul spoke of the fact that our vision of God is marred by the experiences of life.

1 Corinthians 13:12
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

Just because we are looking through the stained glass of the natural world, does not mean Jesus is not at work in the heavens, behind the scenes. In fact, the Bible goes into great detail to explain what our heavenly High Priest is doing daily, as He “attends to everything behind the veil.”

First, He watches. Like a loving parent who watches over a child, so Jesus observes all that we do. Nothing is ever really done in secret, but openly, before the eyes of the One to whom we all must give account. Even those things that no one seems to notice, like the widow offering her mites, can not sneak past the watchful eye of Christ.

Second, He prays. In fact, we are told, “He always lives to make intercession for us,” that He might save us to the uttermost(Hebrews 7:25). In every trial we face, or temptation we struggle with, we can be assured, Christ is at the right hand of the throne of God interceding on our behalf.

Third, he represents us. Like a defense attorney, Jesus stands between us and the accusations that fly out of the devil’s mouth. Instead of believing the worst about us, he remembers that we are blood-bought children of God, and defends us before the Father.

Finally, he waits for us. Hebrews 12 speaks of the great cloud of witnesses that have gone into glory before us. Jesus is awaiting our arrival into that assembly. On the day Stephen died, we are told Jesus arose from His seat to welcome him into eternity (Acts 7:55). What a beautiful picture! I can imagine every time a believer steps into glory, Jesus arises to meet him with a heavenly multitude at His side.

Pastor Jim