Month: October 2015

Crime And Punishment 

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Jeremiah 9:9
“’Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’”

Jeremiah went to great lengths to expose the sinful behaviors of his nation. Not only had they violated the covenant with idolatry, but they were also horribly mistreating one another. A nation that was supposed to love, care for, and serve one another, was instead committing heinous sins against one another. Adultery, theft, corruption, deceit and injustice filled homes, courtrooms and politics. A nation designed to be a light to the world, had become just like the world they were supposed to impact. It is no wonder that God asks,

“’Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.”

It seems whenever the subject of judgment comes up, God is accused of wrongdoing. It is as though righteous assessment of wrong behavior is somehow unfair or unloving. We fail to recognize that society cannot survive without dealing with injustice and immorality. We also fail to realize, the judgment of God is as much corrective as it is punitive. While there will ultimately be an accounting for sin, God’s first desire is not to punish, but to redeem. It was only after years of prophets rising early, staying up late, and consistently warning the people, that God finally sent the Babylonians to conquer Judah. We need to keep in mind, although judgment will fall and it may seem sudden, it can easily be avoided. No one has to sit under the judgment of God. All can receive pardon through faith in Christ.

It is important, as a follower of Jesus, we declare faithfully, consistently and clearly that judgment can be averted through faith in Christ. Instead of being afraid of the subject, we should be heralding the way of escape.

Pastor Jim

 

Throne Of Grace 

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Hebrews 4:16
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

It seems the Apostle Thomas sometimes spoke what the others were thinking. On one occasion, when Jesus spoke of where He was going, Thomas replied, “Lord we don’t know where You are going or how to get there” (John 14:5). To which Jesus stated, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6). It was through the cross that Jesus made a way. On the cross He bore our sins and their penalty, opening a doorway, for any and all who trust in Christ, to have access to God. That access to God has two applications. First, when we die, we attain heaven. Jesus was declaring, as emphatically as possible, that heaven is awarded to those, and only those, who trust Christ for salvation. This is not the only time this truth is declared.

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”

Acts 4:12 “Nor is their salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

But there is a second application this doorway into heaven provides. Hebrews 4 states, while we live, we have access to the throne of God. For the Christian, this is not a throne of judgment, where we are penalized for the things we have done wrong, or things we have neglected to do. Instead, it is a throne of grace, where we are able to receive from God the things that we need while here on earth. The word grace speaks of the giving nature of God. Because of His love for us, and our relationship with Him, He desires to give good things to His children. He will not hold back anything from us that would help us to become more like Him, or assist us in making it to the end of our journey and enter glory. Notice, at the throne of grace, we receive two things. First, there is mercy provided for the failures of the past. Second, there is grace given to help us not fall into those same snares in the future.

The way has been made to a throne of magnificent grace. All that remains is that we come boldly, consistently, and expectantly. I want to encourage you to take some time right now to sit before the Throne of Grace, pouring out your heart and receiving mercy and grace to help.

Pastor Jim

 

Perpetual 

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Jeremiah 8:5
“Why has this people slidden back,
Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit,
They refuse to return.”

Like a doctor who has carefully examined a patient and given his diagnosis, Jeremiah declares the sickness of Judah to be perpetual backsliding. Backsliding is a biblical term that refers to a follower of God who has returned to his pre-conversion lifestyle. Perpetual is a term wnich means continual, like a pendulum. The perpetual backslider is the person who makes a commitment to the Lord, falls back into sin, makes another commitment, followed by another fall, and this becomes the cycle of his life.

God designed the human brain to develop patterns. These patters can be extremely helpful. I recall my first attempts to learn chords on the guitar. It was a pain staking process, my brain would tell my fingers what to do, but they seemed incapable of following orders. I can remember times when I had to use my right hand to bend my left hand into the proper shape to make a simple ‘D’ chord. After some time however, a pattern developed, and I could contort my fingers to the proper position, seemingly without thought or effort.

While these patterns can be positive, they can also lead to perpetual bad behavior, and great effort must be taken to break the pattern. This is particularly true of someone whose Christian life has become cyclical. The solution is not to give up or to think that is just how things have to be. Instead, it is time to make some changes in how you approach walking with Christ. It is already clear that you love the Lord deeply, or you would not continually come back to Him, so the focus must be on things that will create permanence. Jesus explained that the secret to a fruitful life is to abide in Him. The Psalmist proclaims, this is done by daily delighting  in the Word of God. To delight in the Word means we read it, study it, meditate upon it, and do what it says. The key to breaking the pattern of perpetual backsliding is to make daily investments in God’s Word.

Let’s get started today.

Pastor Jim

 

Should I Pray? 

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Jeremiah 7:16

“Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.”

The Bible is filled with commands from God, which place requirements upon man. Bible scholars tell us there are over 600 distinct commands in the Old Testament alone. On one occasion, Jesus was approached by a man who was seeking to list these commands in order of importance. He asked “which is the greatest commandment?” To which Jesus replied, “love God…” (Matthew 22:26—37)

Of all the commands, this one in Jeremiah has to rank among the strangest. The prophet was instructed NOT to pray for the people. It is easy to understand commands such as: have no other gods, no graven images, or do not steal. But what could be the reason God commanded his prophet not to pray?

Keep in mind, Jeremiah had been calling upon the people to turn from their wicked lifestyles and return to the Lord. He exhorted them time and time again to “amend their ways”; which means to make things right. Sadly, the people ignored the Word of God and the pleas of the prophet. Despite the fact that they were living in sin, they expected to receive the blessing and favor of God. Jeremiah was instructed not to pray for blessing on their lives. Living outside the will of God, takes us outside the favor of God; we cannot expect His promises to apply to us.

The Bible is filled with conditional promises. These promises are reserved for those who have received Christ and walked away from their former lifestyles. If we refuse to give up our sin, we cannot expect to be filled with the fullness of God.

Pastor Jim

 

A Hard Heart 

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Hebrews 3:12-13
“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Life is dangerous and filled with pitfalls. We are constantly warned to be on the lookout for danger. We see signs warning us that the road is slippery, the coffee is hot, there is a low beam, animals may cross the highway; riptide, sharks, jellyfish and high surf face us in the ocean. Paul reminds us of a hazard that is far more dangerous because it has taken many more away than any riptide ever has. He warns us against having a hardened heart. Biblically speaking, a hard heart could be defined as being unwilling to do what God asks. This was the primary issue with the pharaoh in Moses’ day. He clearly heard the word and will of God, yet he was unwilling to submit to it and fought against God. This proved costly to him, as it always will to us. Our text reveals three things we must avoid because they will result in a hardened heart.

First, we are warned against unbelief. Unbelief is simply not trusting the Word of God, whether it is warning, instructing, or providing us with promises. Israel in the wilderness is cited as an example of unbelief. God promised them victory as they entered the land, yet they cowered in fear and refused to enter. Looking at their circumstances, instead of looking to the Lord, resulted in unbelief that led to a hardened heart. We can avoid our hearts hardening by taking God at His word and doing what He asks.

Second, we are warned against departing from the living God. Departing means to move away. The closer you are to Jesus the easier it is to trust Him. Mark records the story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding feast, where the host had run out of refreshments for the guests. When word came to Jesus, he sent his disciples to fill large contains with water from the local well. Upon arriving back at the party, the water was served but had miraculously been turned into wine. The guests were unaware of what had been accomplished, but those closest to Jesus experienced the miracle. Close proximity to Jesus is always beneficial to walking with Him. James exhorts us to draw near to God and He will draw near to us (James 4:8).

Finally, we are warned against our hearts becoming hardened by sin. Sin is doing what God has forbidden. We often sin because, from our limited perspective, we cannot see why something is bad. This is very common in relationships. We see many Christians get involved with someone who is not pursuing the Lord, but is a very nice person. They cannot understand why that is forbidden. Others cross the line physically, because they believe they are in love and convince themselves that sexual activity is acceptable. In every case, sin leads to a hardened heart and must be avoided. Be very careful that you do not cross verses out of your Bible, in order to justify your behaviors.

Let us not harden our heart, but keep it soft to hear all the Lord has to say to us.

Pastor Jim

A Storm Is Coming 

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Jeremiah 6:16
Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls.” But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

The worst hurricane in U.S. History reached landfall in Galveston Texas on September 8, 1900. With winds exceeding 145 mph and a storm surge of over 15ft this category 4 storm had a devastating affect upon the growing city and its inhabitants. Records show that over 3600 homes were destroyed and more than 8,000 people lost their lives. While technology was not what it is today, the storm did not come without warning. As it passed over Cuba, reports were wired, but those in charge chose to ignore them believing the storm would turn and head north up the Atlantic. As a result the people did little to prepare for what would become the worst natural disaster the nation had ever faced.

In Jeremiah’s day, Judah is about to face a devastating storm. It will not be one of wind and rain but rather an invasion by Babylonian forces, so great the walls of the city will have no chance of defending them. This storm would also not come without waring, Jeremiah stood before the people calling them to prepare for the inevitable. Their preparation did not include stockpiling canned goods, or boarding up their windows. Instead they were called to “ask for the old paths and walk in them.” In other words they were to look into the word of God and live accordingly.

I have been meditating lately on the words of a modern hymn written by Michael W. Smith. He writes,

“In this world, where e’er we roam

Ancient words will guide us Home.

Ancient words ever true, Changing me, and changing you.

We have come with open hearts

Oh let the ancient words impart.”

Things today are not unlike they were in Jeremiah’s day. Our national leaders seem to have forgotten that righteousness exalts a nation and we are enacting laws that will put us under the direct judgment of God. The solution to this is to stop, turn to the Lord and let His word be our guide for life. The first step toward this is not to expect others to intact change but for each of us to devote ourselves to Christ and allow Him to bring about change in our private life, our homes and the way we behave within our community.

A storm is coming, let’s turn to the ancient words and be prepared.

Pastor Jim

 

Don’t Beleive That

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Jeremiah 5:25
“Your iniquities have turned these things away,
And your sins have withheld good from you.”

The Bible portrays the devil as a dragon who seeks to defeat the work of God by destroying the followers of God. This fiery beast has opposed the followers of God since the beginning of time. While he is crafty and sly, he seems to revert back to the same old lie whenever he attempts to deceive us. In the garden, he convinced Eve that departing from the ways of God would make life better. She soon discoveredt that true life is not found in freeing ourselves from God, but in walking within the confines of His Word.

People in Jeremiah’s day were buying into this same old lie. In pursuit of life, they were leaving the commands of God and following their own desires. Tragically, they found sin cannot fulfill its promises. The lifestyles they hoped would give them pleasure, only filled them with pain, and led them away from the Lord who made them, and desired to save them. To make matters worse, their sins were ripping them off from life in God, and hardening their hearts against Him.

Thousands of years have passed since Jeremiah’s day, yet this lie is still the number one tactic in the devils playbook. So many refuse to come to Christ, thinking that to do so means to miss out on life. Others, drift from Christ in search of the pleasure sin promises, but can never deliver. It would do us good to remember, freedom is not found in removing all restraints, but in living according to the proper restraints. Just as our bodies cannot survive without air, water and food, so we cannot experience true life apart from Christ, and the boundaries determined by His word.

Pastor Jim

 

Drifting Away 

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Hebrews 2:1
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

Sadly, we have all seen Christians fall by the wayside. People who at one time were walking with the Lord, but have fallen back into the life from which they were once delivered. We see this happen to new believers and old. We may have even been victims ourselves. How does that happen? I can think of at least four things that result in a person finding themselves away from the Lord.

First, we are warned against falling away. This is caused by giving into temptation instead of resisting it. One of the necessary elements of success in your Christian life is to deny the flesh’s desire for sin. When we let our guard down, or think we are mature enough to handle a little sin, we will fall captive to its snare.

Second, we are warned against walking away. Sometimes, the difficulties of life can cause us to accuse God of wrong doing. Soon, we become embittered toward Him and deliberately turn away, going back into our old life. This was a constant problem for Moses in the wilderness. As the people faced the struggles of wilderness living, they attempted, on numerous occasions, to turn back to Egypt.

Third, we are warned against being led astray. Jesus told us to be on the lookout for wolves, false prophets, false teachers and false christs. The Christian walk has no shortage of people claiming to know more than the Bible, and leading unlearned Christians away from the Lord.

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

Our text warns of a fourth danger; drifting away. We are told drifting is caused by neglect. Drifting is the danger faced by those who travel by sea. Since the surface the ship sits upon is constantly moving, and often not moving in the direction the pilot wants the vessel to go, constant attention must be given to avoid drifting into pitfalls like rocks, reef or even other ships. Anchors play an important role in keeping a ship from drifting, but another key is moving. A moving vessel will be less likely to drift into danger than a stationary one. If we want to avoid ending up on the rocks, one key is to keep moving forward with the Lord. This is possible only by keeping the first things first. If you are like me, when you first received Christ, you were told to read the Bible, pray, fellowship with others, and tell someone about your decision for Christ. Now that I have been a Christian for almost 30 years, I still need to read the Bible, pray, fellowship and tell others. The faster you are moving forward, the less likely you will be to drift away.

Pastor Jim

 

Backsliding 

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Jeremiah 3:22
“Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding.”

Paul warned against having an attitude toward grace that encourages sin. Some were suggesting, since God is gracious, it is okay to sin, knowing we will receive forgiveness. He put it this way,

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Romans 6:1

This attitude not only cheapens the grace of God, but also leaves a door open for sin to damage our lives. I think we often forget that sin is not bad because God forbids it, but that God forbids it because it is bad.

Jeremiah alludes to the dangers of sin when he declares, if we return to the Lord, He will “heal our backsliding.” Jeremiah understood that backsliding has grave consequences and will do us much harm. Some of the most common scars on the backslidden Christian include, shame, defeat, a shattered witness, broken families, lost years and even addictions. If we think we can toy around with sinful behavior without any consequence, then we are failing to understand the danger of sin, or the purpose of Grace.

Judah failed to heed the warnings of the prophets. They thought they could continue down a road of compromise without any lasting impact. It was not long after Jeremiah uttered these words that the nation collapsed. It would do us good to examine our lives and see if we are allowing compromise to keep us from complete commitment to Christ.

Pastor Jim

 

Time For A New Path

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Jeremiah 3:3
“Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no latter rain.”

Difficulties in life are not always the result of personal sin, but sometimes they are. Sometimes our struggles could be alleviated by getting things right with God. Haggai wrote, the people in his day were ignoring the Lord and their relationship with Him, and as a result he wrote, “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes. ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts’: “Consider your ways!'”” (Haggai 1:6&7) It is possible that the hardships you are enduring are not actually trials or even the natural results of living in a fallen world. It is possible that you are facing the consequences of certain behaviors, or even the chastening of God. The solution to alleviate those types of difficulties is through what the Bible calls repentance; a word meaning to change both your mind and your direction.

A few years ago, I was involved in taking a group of high school students to the mountains for a retreat. We decided to take them on a hike that led to a deep water creek. As we ventured down the path, we realized that it was much more difficult and dangerous than we expected. Instead of walking, we were forced to sit down and “scooch” our way down the hill. Once we finally reached the bottom, we saw some local teenagers who informed us that we had taken the wrong path. They pointed us to a much easier and safer way in and out.

Perhaps the solution, for the troubles you are facing, is to get on a different path. Instead of living like those in Jeremiah’s day, who “followed the dictates of their hearts” (which is a fancy way of saying they did whatever they wanted), we need to turn to Christ and live pleasing to Him. Don’t take another step down the road of self will. Stop, surrender to Jesus, and start following Him.

Pastor Jim