Month: May 2015

Beauty 

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Psalm 33:1
“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.”

There can be great value in getting away from our manmade world and looking at the creative work of God. Seeing the beauty of His creation seems to give us new perspective on His love, power, and glory. I can recall one particular sunset in Africa that was so magnificent and seemed to last for an hour. The sky was filled with an array of colors, like I had never seen before. I recall how the view of the snow capped Austrian Alps, and the water falls of Kauai captivated me, filling me with awe and amazement at the beauty of God’s handiwork. I am sure you have a list of your own experiences that cause you to celebrate the beauty of creation. That being said, the Psalmist begins to talk about what God views as true beauty. He declares;

“For praise from the upright is beautiful.”

From Heaven’s perspective, perhaps the most beautiful thing on earth, is when the child of God looks up and shouts out with heart felt praise. It seems that our worship accompanies the sound of Angels singing, and fills the throne room of heaven like sweet incense.

There are many different types of worship. There are times when God does something in our lives that forces out praise; we cannot contain the joy within, and have to express it to Him. There is also responsive praise. Those times when we examine what God has done for us, perhaps in a time of communion, looking back upon the cross, our hearts are so filled with thankful worship for what Christ has accomplished for us. There is what we might call “faith-filled praise.” Those times when everything seems bleak and hopeless, yet we know the love, mercy, and power of God, so we begin to praise for what we know He is able to do. In those times, our worship will completely change our perspective in life. Perhaps the highest type of worship is when we praise Him, not for the things He has done, but simply for who He is. No matter what my perspective of life, God is still God. He remains the King of kings, the Lord of lords, high and lifted up above all His creative work. He sits enthroned in the floods of life, holding all things together with the Word of His power. Creation is under His authority and reacts to His commands, He even sends angels forth to do His bidding, and provide assistance to the saints.

No matter what you are facing this day, praise from the upright is beautiful. Take some time to get your eyes off of you and unto Him, and fill your room with songs of praise.

Pastor Jim

 

Don’t Blame Me!

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2 Samuel 4:8

“And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, ‘Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.’”

King Ishbosheth’s officers could see that the kingdom was collapsing; Abner, the head of the military had joined forces with  David and Ishbosheth was so depressed he spent his days lying in bed. Baanah and Rechab saw this as an opportunity to make a name for themselves. Thinking they would be richly rewarded, they decided to kill the king and bring his remains to David. Their thoughts and behaviors were a clear violation of the Word of God, and of the heart of king David, yet they convinced themselves they were serving God.

“. . . the Lord has avenged my lord the king. . . “


While it is not everyday a Christian will lop the head off of a king, it is fairly common to blame God for our own desires. I don’t think a week goes by without my hearing someone explain,  the Lord told them to do something that seems highly questionable. Just recently, a man stood emphatically on a doctrinal position, and rather than use scripture to support his position, he kept expressing how God had revealed it to him. The same is often true as it relates to actions. I have heard believers who use this same rational to justify all kinds of ungodly practices, including harboring bitterness, being divisive, or even living with a boyfriend or girlfriend. 


It is important that we learn to make a distinction between the will of God and our own emotions. The clarifying agent in every case will be the Word of God. 


Pastor Jim 



Loyalty

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2 Samuel 3:9
“May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the Lord has sworn to him”

Abner is an interesting case study in human behavior. He was the commander of Saul’s armies. After Saul’s death, he became the commander of Ishbosheth’s army. In many ways, he seems to be a very good man, and had even earned David’s trust. If there is one word that sums up the life of Abner, it is loyalty. Webster defines loyalty as “unswerving allegiance.” In other words, Abner was a man of commitment. We might say his word was his bond. When he committed to something, he saw it through to the end. In many ways, this is an admirable character trait. Abner’s folly was in putting his allegiance in the wrong place. By his own admission, he knew God had called David to be king, yet he found himself committed to Ishbosheth, refusing to allow David to sit upon the throne.

Today, too many follow the pattern of Abner. Knowing they should surrender their complete allegiance to Jesus, as Lord of their lives, instead, they sway back and forth between commitment to the Lord and loyalty to something else. For many, it is friendships, for others, it’s lifestyle, or substances. Whatever the case, we must learn that not all loyalty is admirable.

If you are continuing down a certain road just because that’s where you began your journey, or because you have traveled it for a long time, it is time to get off, and put your allegiance in the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

Horses And Mules 

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Psalms 32:8-9
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.”

I am not a farmer, and do not have a lot of experience with either horses or mules. With my limited knowledge, I have observed, that bits are used in horses for an entirely different reason, than they are used in mules. Horses want to run free; they must be broken, and the harness and bit are to keep them from running off on their own. Mules are stubborn; they are not known for running off, but for standing still. The bit and harness are used on the mule to get them going. While I do not have a lot of familiarity with horses and mules, I have spent lots of time with Christians.  It seems to me, we are by nature, a lot like either the horse or the mule. Some of us have the tendency to run ahead. We are the self-reliant; the ones who are constantly thinking we can handle things, and forgetting our need to cling to the Lord. Others of us, are more mule-like. We are the ones who tend to sit back, always aware of our own weaknesses. Those weaknesses keep us from venturing out into what God would have us do.

The instruction the Lord gives David is for all of us. It does not matter what your natural tendencies are, we must learn not to trust in self, but to look to the Lord. God does not want to lead us as if we were a domesticated animal. Instead, He wants to lead us with His eye. That can mean one of two things. First, it can mean He is giving us signals with His eyes. My wife does that periodically. If we are in a group of people and she wants to talk to me, she may signal me with her eyes. The key is, I must be looking carefully at her to get it. God wants our eyes on Him. If we are going to be led by the Lord, our eyes must be fixed upon Him.

Second, the writer to the Hebrews stated,

” . . .looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

I think the illustration can mean something else as well. Guiding us with His eyes is only possible when we look at things through His eyes. I can remember sitting with some friends in the mountains on a clear night. The stars were so bright and vivid that our attention was drawn up. One of my friends is an amateur astronomer, so he began to explain the various constellations to us. I was having a very difficult time locating the beginning point of one of them, so he stood next to me and pointed up. I looked at the stars through His eyes and was able to see what he saw. To be guided with His eye,  is to look at things through God’s eyes. We do that by becoming familiar with His Word. We will only know what God thinks, when we spend time reading what He has to say. It has become all too common in our world, for us to imagine what God wants based upon personal experience, instead of looking into His Word, and seeing life through His eyes. Instead of looking at life through the eyes of culture, experience, trial, pain, sorrow, ambition, fear, want or worry, lets look at things through the eyes of God, and allow Him to lead us.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 32

  1. How does David describe the blessed life?
  2. What are the physical effects of un-confessed sin?
  3. What is significant about the fact that God wants to guide us with His eyes?
  4. Why are we warned against being like mule or horse?

Shadow Boxing

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2 Samuel 2:17

“So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.”

If we had a bird’s eye view of the events that transpired that day, we would see two armies positioned to fight against one another. On one side, the armies of Ishbosheth, led by Abner, and on the other, the armies of David, led by Joab. After a contest designed to show the talent of the soldiers, a bloody battle ensued, leaving three hundred and eighty men dead. If we take a closer look, we will see that this is not two armies fighting, but one nation turning on itself. When the battle ended, no enemy had been defeated and no real victory had been won. Instead, we find a nation has turned upon itself, leaving hundreds of families devastated, and the seeds of future conflict being sown. This battle was more like a cancer, and in the end, Israel was weakened by its victory. 


The applications from this truth seem almost endless. We see it implemented when the church spends it’s time fighting over minor doctrinal issues or philosophies of ministry, instead of seeking to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world. We see it in marriages, when couples fight over insignificant things, forgetting that it is possible to win an argument and lose a marriage. We see it in relationships, when people are unwilling to humble themselves and forgive, when they feel they have been wronged, and their stubbornness destroys a friendship. 


For the sake of the kingdom, your family, and your own health, it is time we stop fighting the wrong battles. Paul wrote to the Corinthians regarding interpersonal conflicts they were having, and said,  


1 Corinthians 6:7

“Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?”


Sometimes, the best thing we can do is humble ourselves, and let the fight end. Jesus declared a blessing on those who seek to make peace (Matthew 5:9). 


Pastor Jim 


The Opportunist 

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2 Samuel 1:8
“And he said to me, ‘Who are you? ’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’”

Some confusion has arisen from the two seemingly contradictory records of the death of Saul. 1 Samuel closes by recording the incident, and explaining that a wounded Saul, no doubt fearful of being captured, tortured, and brutally killed, fell upon his sword, taking his own life. Now, as 2 Samuel begins, we read that in agony, Saul pleaded for a young Amelekite to end his life. The law of contradiction is not broken by joining the two accounts, and concluding that when Saul fell on his sword he did not die immediately. So he pleaded with the young man to end his suffering. However, based upon the account in 2 Samuel there seems a more likely conclusion. This young Amalekite was something of an opportunist, and lied about what actually happened.

The Amalekites were enemies of Israel dating as far back as the wilderness journey. They were a nomadic group that survived by raiding and plundering the unsuspecting. While David and his men were out fighting, it was the Amalekites who attacked their camp, and took the women and children captive. They were known for attacking the weak, and for looting the battlefields. A more likely account of what happened, is the record of 1Samuel. It relates how the incident really went down, and this young man simply looted the dead. When he came across the body of Saul, the crown and bracelet were not enough of a prize, and he was hoping for a reward from David.

In short, this young man was pretending to be something he was not, in order to gain favor with the people of God. The New Testament warns of such men, calling them wolves or hypocrites. We might call them sharks or opportunists. We need to beware of their tactics so we are not led astray by them. More importantly, we need to be sure we are not one of them. It is wrong to play the Christian game, in order to get something. If you have a Christian emblem on your business, but you have no real desire to do business that glorifies the Lord, you are much like this Amalekite. If you are going to church, pretending to be a Christian, in order to find a date, you are acting like the Amalekite. Instead of being an opportunist, seeking to get something by pretending to follow Christ, why not surrender all to Him and become a true follower of His today.

Pastor Jim

 

Give To The Lord 

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Psalm 29:1-2
“Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, Give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

When Moses pleaded to see the Glory of God, the Lord responded by passing before him and revealing His nature. He declared Himself to be merciful and gracious. The word gracious speaks of the giving nature of God. It is His desire to give what is best to man. James, addressing a group of trial-ridden Christians, reminded them, since God is gracious, every good and perfect gift comes from Him (James 1:17). The message of the Bible has a whole lot more to do with what God gives us, than what we are to give to Him. Hosea reminded Israel of what God had done for them,

“I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.” Hosea 11:3-4

The message of the New Testament is no different. Jesus declared,

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Paul commenting on the giving nature of God wrote,

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

When it comes to giving, God is all in. He has spared nothing. He even gave His only Son. That being said, David exhorts us to respond by giving back to the Lord. When we understand all that God has done for us, it becomes very natural for us to give back to Him. After all, what do you have that has not been given to you?

This makes me think of two questions. First, what is it that God desires from you? David reminds us, God wants glory. That is, He wants first place in your heart and life. He wants to be exalted to the highest place in your life and living. He also wants your strength. He desires your life be surrendered to Him, and your abilities given back as instruments of righteousness. One of the most amazing things about the Lord is, He can take any talent given back to Him and use it to further the Kingdom, and reserve heavenly treasures. The Bible is filled with people who took their gifts as writers, singers, musicians, cooks, doctors, hosts, artists… gave them to the Lord, and furthered the Kingdom. The second question is, what do you have to give back to the Lord today? You may have had some rough experiences in life, causing you to devalue yourself. May I remind you, that you matter to God. He loves you and wants to use you. Right now, offer your life to Him as a gift, for all He has done for you. Who knows what amazing things God has in store.

Pastor Jim

 

Sad Ending 

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1 Samuel 31:6

“So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.”

Death is the natural end of every life.  However, the death of Saul and his sons was particularly tragic because it was premature. 


Years earlier, Saul set in motion a course of life that was guaranteed to end badly. He began to ignore the Word of the Lord, and to live life his own way. Although the impact was not immediate, it was inevitable. Before long, Saul and his sons found themselves surrounded by an enemy they could not defeat. Things did not have to end this way for Saul. It clearly was not the will of God for him to watch his children die in battle, or to fall on his own sword to avoid being tortured by his enemies. All of that could have been avoided had Saul been willing to get off the road of self will and disobedience, and return to following the Lord, and His Word. 


Not all tragedy in life can be avoided. Jesus explained, in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33); however, much of the difficulty we encounter in life is self inflicted. When we stray from the will of God to pursue things His Word forbids, it is inevitable, we will have to endure difficulties that He never intended. Many of the struggles in life, marriage, or family could be stopped, by returning to the ways of God. 


It is not too late. The mercies of God are new this morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). No matter how far down the path of disobedience you have journeyed, there is an off ramp called grace, where God will restore you to Himself, and begin to restore what the years have stolen. 


Pastor Jim 



  

That’s Not Fair

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1 Samuel 30:24-25
“’…But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.’ So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.”

As David and his men pursued the Amalekites, some of them grew weary. It is not difficult to understand why. Not only were they pursuing at a rapid pace, but they were doing so with broken hearts. Amelek had plundered their goods and kidnapped their families. For days, these men had been grieving, many, perhaps, unable to eat, due to the deep sorrow they were feeling. As a result, two hundred men were unable to press on, and the company split into two groups. Two hundred men stayed behind, and four hundred went to battle.

After a decisive victory, David’s men returned with all their goods, their families and the spoils of wars. As the two groups came together, the men who went to battle thought they should receive a larger portion than those who stayed behind. This seems to be reasonable, after all they were the ones who risked their lives to do the work and defeat the enemy. David, however, intervened and declared that equal portions would be given to those who go to battle and to those who remain behind. Obviously, David saw things differently. All they could see was the hard work they had put in, David saw that the victory was the Lord’s.

Whenever we are involved in ministry, of any kind, we must realize we have been chosen, equipped, strengthened, and will be directed by the Lord. When the ministry has been accomplished, it is because of the work of God. We no more lead someone to Christ, than David’s men won the battle. It is the Lord who does the work, and we are involved in the process so we can grow in Christ. It is folly to exalt ourselves above another, because of the way God has chosen to use us.

Whether you are called to go to the mission field, serve in children’s ministry, lead a home fellowship, be on the prayer team, invite friends to church, or serve in any other capacity, it is critical we realize, the rewards are the same. There is no greater reward for teaching than there is for inviting. The key is, understanding we are rewarded for faithfulness.

Whatever God has called you to, do it heartily as unto the Lord. If you are struggling to determine how God wants to use you, keep a few things in mind. First, He loves souls, so invite friends to Christ, or to church where they can hear about Him. Second, He wants to make disciples, so invest in the lives of others to help them grow in Christ.

Pastor Jim


The Hearts Cry 

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Psalm 27:4 
“One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, . . .”

Did you ever have that daydream, as a kid, where you found the magic lamp, and the genie promised to grant your wish, no matter how outlandish it may be? Imagine what it would be like if God appeared to you, declaring He would give you whatever you asked for. How would you respond? What would you ask from the King of Kings.

The Bible records the stories of a few men who actually had that experience. God asked them what they wanted, and granted their request. Solomon, the son of David, after receiving the kingdom from his Father, was overwhelmed by the task of ruling the nation. While seeking God for direction, he had a fascinating dream. In Solomon’s dream, the Lord appeared, explaining that he would be given anything he wanted. Solomon’s response was for a heart that would listen to God, and wisdom to rule the people. During the ministry of Jesus, he encountered two blind men outside the city of Jericho. Upon hearing that Jesus was passing by, they cried out for help. Jesus responded to their cry with a question, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Their response was foreseeable, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

Here we find David giving his unsolicited response to the question. He declares that if he could have anything from the Lord, it would be to dwell in the presence of the Lord all the days of His life. More than riches, wisdom, health, power, or prestige, the heart of David cried out simply for more of the Lord. David was not alone in this cry, Paul declared; “. . . that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, . . .” (Philippians 3:10). Like David, Paul’s heart cried out to know Jesus better. It could be argued, the greatest hero of the Old Testament was David; and of the New Testament, Paul.

David was known as a man after God’s heart, who led the nation to the pinnacle of godliness, prosperity and success. Paul, after a remarkable conversion experience, became the greatest evangelist, and pioneer of the Gospel the church had ever seen. He was responsible for writing at least thirteen New Testament books, and carried the Gospel across the Roman Empire. I think a case could be made that the reason for their success, above their contemporaries, had to do with the desire of their hearts. They longed, not for riches or reward, but for more of Christ. What is your heart’s cry? No matter what it might be, there is nothing greater than to cry for more of Jesus.

Psalms 27:8 “When You said, ‘Seek My face’ My heart said to You, ‘Your face, Lord, I will seek.’”

Pastor Jim