Year: 2015

Wrap It Up 

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2 Corinthians 4:3-4
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

A few years ago we purchased a pool table for the kids as a Christmas gift. Because of the size of the table it was not practical to wrap, so we set it up in the middle of the living room, threw a table-cloth over it and set our breakfast on it. Our disguise worked. The kids went about the morning without even noticing there was a huge gift right under their noses.

Paul writes, God has given us the precious gift of eternal life. A gift received by recognizing we are sinners, and placing faith in Christ. A gift that results in having our sins forgiven, being made right with a Holy God, and having our lives transformed from the inside out. This precious gift, that is so easily received, is sitting right in front of everyone, yet many fail to see it. The reason they fail to see it is because the Gospel has been veiled to them by the devil.

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe…”

The word veiled, also translated hidden or covered, comes from a word meaning to hide. Webster defines the word veiled as “disguised or obscured by a covering.” God, because of His love for us, sent His Son to make a way for our sins to be forgiven, and to give us eternal life. He placed this message in the hands of His followers, who continue to herald it around the world, in their homes, schools, and places of work or leisure. Even though the death and resurrection of Jesus were public events, the Bible is the greatest selling book of all time, Christians are in every corner of the world, and the Gospel is preached on the airways and internet, still, many fail to see their need for Christ. Paul explains it is because the god of this world (Satan) is blinding their eyes and obscuring the message of Christ.

Just as the ministry of the Christian is to declare the good news of salvation, the ministry of Satan is to obscure it. He desires to cover up the Gospel message, and make it look like something it is not. He has used many different coverings to hide the Gospel. Some have been blinded with pleasure. They think coming to Christ will mean missing out on the real “fun in life.” For others, he uses fear. They are afraid of what will happen to them if they release control of their lives, and put it into the hands of Christ. Still others are blinded with hurt. They have had difficult experiences in life, causing them to question if there really is a God who loves them.

When we look at our friends, loved ones, or our circle of influence, and see those who have yet to receive or surrender to Christ, we must understand it is because their minds have been blinded and the Gospel veiled. Rather than being discouraged or repelled, we ought to pray. Our prayers ought to be specifically for God to remove the blinders from their eyes, so the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ could shine on them.

As you seek to invite your friends to Christ, church, or an outreach event, pray that God would remove the veil, that they might see Christ as He really is, and invite Him to reign in their hearts and lives.

Pastor Jim

 

The Edge 

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Job 26:14
“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

After describing the power of God in His acts of creation, Job concludes, everything he has ever known about God is but a glimpse of what He is truly like.

Psalms 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”

The Palmist declared, God revealed Himself to man in creation. When we take the time to look at the marvels of the universe, we learn much of the nature of God. We are reminded of His power, majesty and even His creativity. Creation, however, is much too limited, it can only give us a glimpse into the character of God.

Psalms 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

Because of the limits of creation, God chose to reveal Himself through His written Word. The more time we invest in getting to know our Bible, the more we will learn of the ways of God. Page after page reveals who He is and how He acts. However, even the Word is limited. The apostle John declared, all the books in the world would not be sufficient to tell the story of who Jesus is and what He has done (John 21:25).

Because of the limits of the written word, the Bible tells us God took on human form so we could see Him as He truly is. Jesus declared, to see Him was to see the Father (John 14:9). It is only by looking at Jesus that we can actually understand the way God feels about man. Story after story, and with each encounter, Jesus shows us something of the nature of God. When He drove men from the Temple, we realize He has a passion against any who would stand in the way of people coming to Christ. When He touched the leper, we learn He loves the unlovable. When He arrived at the funeral for His friend, we learn He has compassion in our times of need. When He multiplied bread and fish, we see He will do whatever is necessary to meet our needs. Each turn of the page, teaches us something else of who God is. Once again, this is but a glimpse into the Eternal One; a shadow of His glory, or the edge of His garment.

Paul declared, by taking on human form, Jesus was in fact setting aside much of His glory. That is one of the reasons behind the writing of the Book of Revelation. It is there, where Jesus clothes Himself again in the garments of glory, and reveals what His human flesh had obscured. Much of His majesty and power had been cloaked in human skin, only to be shed at the resurrection and revealed in Revelation. However, even the Revelation is somewhat limited. It is not until we step out of time and into eternity, that we will see Him as He truly is. At that time, the filter of this life will be removed, and we will know Him as we have been known.

What a glorious day awaits the child of God! A day when we no longer look at God as if looking at an image through a dirty window pane. At that time, all our questions will be answered and we will begin a whole new relationship with Him; where for all of eternity, He expresses the riches of His grace in His acts of kindness.

Until that day, let’s be sure we get to know the edges of His ways.

Pastor Jim

 

Being Transformed 

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2 Corinthians 3:18
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Have you ever looked around at the circumstances you are facing and wondered what God is doing in your life? Why it is that you are facing these particular trials, while someone else seems to be immune to them. The answer to that question is tucked away in this verse. Paul writes,

“We… Are being transformed into the SAME image…”

All who have trusted Christ for salvation, have been born again and are in the midst of a process that began at conversion, and will continue until we reach heaven. It is the process of being conformed into the image of Jesus. Paul instructed the Romans that God uses all things to reach that end (Romans 8:28). Every difficulty, every blessing, every person, every trial, is a tool in the hand of the Master to make us more like Jesus. Earlier Paul wrote,

“. . . who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant . . . ” (2 Corinthians 3:6)

One of the ways we are made effective ministers, is that we are being made more like Jesus. The longer we walk with Him, the more we should become like Him. If we are struggling to understand what God is doing with a particular trial, we must look into the pages of His Word, at the person of Jesus, and determine what is lacking in us. I am often frustrated by the way others treat me, but then I am reminded of the way Jesus was treated. I realize God desires for me to love those who don’t love me, to be merciful and gracious to those who are unkind or even hostile. The work of Jesus is being done in me.

Notice, Paul not only tells us what God is doing, but how He does it. He writes, we are being transformed, “by the Spirit of the Lord.” This work of becoming more like Jesus is a work of the Spirit. It is not something that can be accomplished apart from the work of God, or by sheer resolve of heart. It is a work done by allowing the Spirit of God to work within us. A number of years ago, I was sitting on the floor of a church listening to Pastor Chuck teach through John 15. As he explained what it meant to abide in Christ, he said, “God does not want to walk through the factory and see all the work you are doing, He wants to walk through the garden and enjoy the fruit.” I remember being particularly struck by that example, realizing that the secret to my growing in Christ, becoming like Christ, and bearing the fruit of Christ, was spending time with Christ.

It is God’s desire for each of us to become more like Jesus. The more like Him we become, the richer life becomes and the more effective we are in reaching others for the Kingdom. However, it is a work of the Spirit; we must allow the Spirit free reign to speak to us, lead us, and correct us through the Word of God. As we subject ourselves to the work of the Spirit, we will also find that the power of the Spirit is available to us. We will truly become “able ministers of the New Covenant.”

Pastor Jim

 

Still Thirsty? 

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Job 24:11
“They press out oil within their walls, And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.”

The Bible teaches that true life will only be experienced when a person is in relationship with God through Christ. This is due to the fact that we are, by nature, spiritual being. Just as our natural bodies have appetites that must be satisfied, so spiritually, we crave relationship with the God who made us. Job describes a person apart from God as a man who is treading wine and yet still suffering thirst. Every attempt we make to satisfy our thirst for God without Christ, will never truly satisfy us. Yet, it seems that many will try just about anything other than Jesus.

Israel’s history is filled with seasons of idolatry. Although they knew YHWH, they still tried to satisfy their spiritual yearnings with images of wood or stone. Today, at least in the west, it is not very common to see someone bowing to stone images, but it is common to see people trying to fill a spiritual void with natural things. We pile up possessions or run from relationship to relationship hoping to satisfy an emptiness within our lives, that can only be filled by God. Jeremiah called this “digging cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:3).

Perhaps today is the day to start over. Don’t take another step without getting to know the God who made you. You can do his by believing Jesus Christ loves you and died for you. You can actually receive Him into your life and begin a relationship with Him. If that is your desire, perhaps praying he following will help you get started.

“Jesus, I believe you love me and died for me. I ask You to come into my life, forgive me of my sins, and make me your child.” 

If you prayed that prayer, take a moment to let us know by emailing us at church@ccvb.net
We would love to help you walk with God.

Pastor Jim

 

Where Are You? 

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Job 23:8-9
“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; when He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.”

I am sure each of us has felt this way at one time or another. We might be going through a particularly difficult season of life, and it seems God is hiding in the shadows. We may look in all the obvious places and not seem to be able to find His purposes in what we are facing. I think it is valuable to notice that righteous Job, not only experienced this same dilemma, but gives us the steps he took along the way. There are four important steps he took when it seemed God was hiding.

Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”

First, Job realized part of what he was experiencing was designed to test him. Tests, or trials, as they are often called, are designed by God with a purpose. While it is not always easy to uncover what God is desiring to show us, it is important to recognize what we are going through is not random; God has a plan. Trials might be defined as difficulties we are facing over which we have no control. When the economy crashes, our place of employment goes bankrupt, a storm knocks a tree onto our roof, or any number of other things; these events are beyond our control. Trials are different than consequences. If we disobey God and suffer something as a result, that is not a trial, and the proper response is to turn back to God and walk with Him. If we are, in fact, in the midst of a trial, we must remember God has a purpose in it.

Job 23:11 “My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.”

Second, Job determined, in the midst of his trial, he would not turn from the Lord. In the Parable of the Soils, Jesus explained that many turn from Him because of the difficulties of life (Matthew 13:5-7). Like the sun scorching a small plant, the difficulties of life become an excuse for many to turn from the Lord. Too often, the first thing we do when times get tough is to blame God. We question His love and His right to allow us to go through anything difficult. The seeds of this way of thinking will often sprout into disobedience. Job determined, in his difficulty, he would not turn from the Lord.

Job 23:12 “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

Third, and perhaps most important of all, Job realized the only way to endure was by clinging to the precious promises found in the pages of God’s Word. It is all too common, in the midst of difficulty, to neglect the promises that have been designed to keep us going. In the midst of difficulty, we need to cling to the promises of God and see Him carry us through. Whatever the trial might be, we should go to the promises as often as we go to the fridge.

Job 23:13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.”

Finally, Job understood the ways of God were much bigger than he could ever understand. This should not be an excuse to neglect getting to know Him through His Word, but should serve as a guide in times of trouble. Since we are finite, and cannot see around the corner, we often fail to realize that much of what we face has been designed with the long term in mind. God is in the business of ministering to us, and reaching the next generation for the kingdom. I think we spend too much time blaming God for the difficulties we are facing, instead of looking to Him for comfort and direction.

Pastor Jim

 

Fragrance Of Christ

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2 Corinthians 2:15-16
“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?”

As a child I spent a great deal of time, perhaps a little too much, watching cartoons. I remember seeing, on more than one occasion, a scene where a character smelled the fragrance of a home-baked pie. The smell would lift him in the air and carry him to the window sill of the farmer’s house where the delicacy sat. Regardless of the danger posed by the farmer, he would attempt to steal the pie. While I am quite certain Paul did not see the same cartoon, he is reminding the Corinthians of the effect their lives can have of drawing others to Christ. He refers to our lives as being like a fragrant aroma that will lead other people to Jesus. Notice he refers to us as being two different aromas, to two different groups of people. If we follow his word order, he seems to be suggesting, to the Christian, the one who is being saved, we are the smell of death, while to the unsaved, we are the smell of life.

Jesus spoke of abundant life being a byproduct of a relationship with Him. He spoke of torrents of living water, and of bearing the fruit of the Spirit. All of this flows from the life of the Christian who is abiding in Christ. Not only providing the Christian with abundant life, but it is also designed to lure others to Jesus. The more time you spend growing in your relationship with Jesus, the greater effect you will have in leading others to Christ.

Paul also spoke of the fragrance of death. Death has at least two smells. One is the rotting smell of decay, a horrendous smell. The other is the fragrant smell that comes off the grill. In Old Testament times, the children of Israel were required to offer multiple sacrifices to the Lord. Part of the purpose, was to offer a sweet aroma to the Lord. The smell of burning flesh is a sweet aroma in heaven and a wonderful smell on earth. Have you ever been driving home, smelled someone grilling, and hoped that the smell was coming from your house?

Paul mentioned being led in triumph by the Lord. The idea is not only that of God leading him into victory, but Christ having victory over Paul. In ancient times, when a general was conquered, he would be laid at the feet of his conqueror, who would put his foot on his neck. We will have the greatest effect on others when Christ has conquered us. When we choose, like Paul, to lay our lives down and pick up Christ, a sweet aroma will fill the air and lead others to do the same. How often have you heard the testimony of another Christian, who speaks of putting aside sin and self, to live for Christ and others, and you were encouraged to go deeper in your relationship with Jesus? That is the fragrance of death leading to death.

Paul wrote that he dies daily, and always carries about in his body, the dying of Christ. He said he was crucified with Christ, and now lives for Christ. If we want to have an increased impact on others for the kingdom of heaven, it is time that we surrender all to Christ, and abide in Him.

Pastor Jim

 

What’s In It For Me? 

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Job 21:15
“Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?”

images.pngJob raises an interesting question, worthy of our time and attention. If he asked it today, his question might be posed like this, “Why should a person be willing to trust in, follow after, and serve Christ? What are the benefits?” I know many people who have decided to devote their lives to Christ. I have friends and acquaintances who have moved to foreign countries, giving up their personal comforts, in order to serve the Lord. Are they wasting their lives by living for eternal things or are there benefits to following Jesus? Allow me to share a personal experience.

Years ago my wife and I began praying about leaving the comforts of our life in Southern California and heading out on our own venture of faith. We were informed about a group of Christians in Vero Beach, Florida, who were looking for a pastor. We began to pray, and soon after booked a flight to check it out. After a few months of praying, we determined to move our family across the country in order to serve the Lord. Almost immediately, after making the decision, we were plagued with self doubt. Is this the right decision? What will happen to our four children growing up in an unfamiliar place, without the support of family and friends. While we struggled through these and many other questions, I was reminded of a promise Jesus gave His disciples,

Mark 10:29-30 “So Jesus answered and said, ‘ Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.'”

Essentially, Jesus was reminding us there are benefits to serving Him. These benefits fall into two categories. The first would be eternal reward. Elsewhere, Jesus instructed the disciples to store up treasures in heaven that cannot be lost or destroyed (Matthew 6:19-21). In God’s economy, nothing we do for eternity will be forgotten. There is a day coming, for every child of God, when we will be lavishly rewarded for a life lived for the kingdom. There is another category of benefits, those we do not have to wait until eternity to receive. Jesus spoke of receiving reward in this life. He promises blessing will flow from obedience.

As I look back over the years, I am amazed how God has blessed us for our willingness to follow Him. It has not always been the easiest journey. We have had our share of painful experiences and times where our faith has been greatly stretched. But I can attest, the benefits of following Christ far outweigh the difficulties we have had to endure.

Pastor Jim

 

You Are Not Alone

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2 Corinthians 1:8
“For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.”

Sometimes, it is comforting to know we are not the only ones to face difficulty. Paul was a godly man involved in the business of the Kingdom, yet he found himself face to face with trials that caused him to despair. Fortunately, Paul walked through those trials and came out the other side with insight to help each of us. He points out three things which should guide us through our difficult days.

First, he speaks of the comfort that comes from the Lord. One of my favorite titles for God is found in this chapter. He is called, “The Father of mercy and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Paul went on to describe the mercy of God, explaining it is both sufficient and abundant. He declared, no matter what we might be facing, God has comfort available for us, and this comfort is so great we will be able to pass it on to others who are in the midst of their own trying times.

Second, Paul speaks of the confidence he had in the midst of his trials. He speaks of trusting the Lord, because He is the one who raises the dead. This reminds me of Abraham who was willing to offer Isaac, because he believed God could raise the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19), No matter what we are facing, if we face it with confidence in God and His word, we are trusting the One who can do the impossible.

Third, Paul explains, he did not walk this road alone, but was accompanied by the prayers of the saints. Often, when a friend is facing difficulty, we feel like there is something we should do, but we don’t know what it is. We do not have the financial resources to fix their problems, or the strength to lift them from their despair. Instead of feeling helpless, we should come alongside them in prayer. When Paul was released from his Roman imprisonment, he attributed it to the prayers of the saints coming alongside the work of the Spirit.

Finally, Paul speaks of having conducted himself with godly sincerity. In other words, he lived righteously through his trials. Instead of using the difficulty as an opportunity to compromise his walk with God, he chose to set a standard for others to follow. Too often, we allow difficult circumstances to give us excuse to sin. We complain, backbite, murmur, wander, or even indulge in vice, thinking our hardship gives us license. Paul chose to trust in and walk with Christ through his trial, and come out the other end as a shining example.

Pastor Jim

 

Repeat

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Job 20:4-5
“Do you not know this of old, Since man was placed on earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?”

Once again, Job’s agony is answered by one of his self-appointed counselors. This time, Zophar, the Naamathite, raises his voice and refutes Job’s cries, telling him that all of human history testifies against his logic. I find it interesting that Zophar sites history in support of his argument.

We can learn a lot from those who have gone before. It was philosopher George Santayana who wrote, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” The idea being, if we attempt to do the same things generations before us have done, we should expect the same results. One common definition of insanity is when a person does the same action over and over, and expects a different result. Much could be avoided if we honestly looked back at those who have gone before us. If young people would look at the affect drugs, alcohol, and even smoking, have had on the generation that’s gone before them, they would avoid the temptation to party. If married couples looked at the impact adultery has had on countless marriages and families, they would avoid those flirtatious moments that lead to sin. If we, as a culture, were to carefully examine Israel’s heritage, we would find that sin weakens a nation, and we would vote for leaders who were willing to take a stand for righteousness.

We cannot make decisions for others, but we can make personal decisions that will impact on others. Don’t wait for the world to change.  Instead, determine that you will live for Christ in such a way as to impact others for His Kingdom.

Pastor Jim

 

Hope 

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Job 19:25-26
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God”

Sometimes, the only comfort for the difficulties we face, is knowing where we are ultimately going. The sorrow Job faced could not be eased by the joys of this life. His only hope was to look beyond the boundaries of the temporal, into the glories of the eternal. Whatever we are facing today, if we have received Christ, we can be sure there is a day coming when we shall see God. Then, all the pains of this life will be consumed with the glories of eternity. Job reminds us of a few important truths that should keep us going during our darkest hours.

First, Job declares, our Redeemer lives. The grand message of Scripture is, Christ died for the ungodly. While we were yet sinners, the Son of God laid His life down for us. His death was substitutionary, meaning He died in our place. It was there, on the cross, where Jesus bore the penalty for sin so we might be forgiven. We know death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him. On the third day, He rose from the dead, conquering sin, death and hell. He ultimately ascended to the right hand of God the Father, where He lives to intercede for us and await our arrival.

Second, Job declares we will one day see God. So much of the difficulty we face, comes about because sin has marred our ability to see God. Everything we know about Him is found in the pages of His Word. However, we struggle to believe much of Old Testament, because we look at Him through the lens of personal experience, pain and loss. We wonder how a God of love could allow us to go through so much suffering. Isn’t it wonderful to know, a day is coming when the veil will be removed, and we will see Him face to face. All the questions which plague us will be answered, and we will know, as we are known.

Whatever you are facing, understand it will one day run its course, and we will stand together before the throne of Grace. On that day, rewards will be given revealing how we trusted Him through the times of trial. Until that day, we should seek to get to know Christ and share Him with others.

Pastor Jim