Bible

No Idols

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Exodus 20:4
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;”

IMG_1422On the top of a mountain covered in smoke, Moses met with God, and heard the standard upon which relationship with God would be established. The Lord gives a list of ten commands that reveal His holiness, and our need for sacrifice. The first four commands reveal things about the nature of God. We learn, along with being jealous, just, merciful, faithful and holy, He is also the only true God and must not be reduced to an image or an idol.

Icons or religious artifacts are a part of every religious system. People cling to man-made objects thinking they are closer to God if they kiss an image, wear a necklace, or carry a religious charm. God makes it clear, this has no place in relationship with Him. It seems to me there are two primary reasons for this.

First, no image can adequately represent God. If we try to make something that shows His love, He often looks weak. If we try to replicate His power, it makes Him looks tyrannical. If we showcase His mercy, we neglect to reveal His justice and holiness. There is no earthly image that can reveal the majesty of His divine nature. That does not mean we cannot know God. In fact, Paul wrote,

Colossians 1:15
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

The person of God will never be adequately revealed in a poster, icon or artifact. However, we can see deeply into the nature of God by examining the words and ways of His only begotten Son.

Second, images not only fail to represent God, they also give a false sense of his presence. When we cling to an icon as a reflection of God, we lose sight of the fact that He is ever near His children, and wants us to cry out to Him. We must learn not to look to an image, but beyond the image to the very throne of God, where Jesus sits ready to pour out His grace, mercy, love and power, to help us walk with God.

Pastor Jim

 

Where Are You Going?

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Exodus 19:4
“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.”

IMG_1421I imagine if any of the people in this massive caravan were asked where they were headed, they all would have given the same answer, “We are going to the Promised Land.” They had grown up with stories of a land flowing with milk and honey; had been dreaming of this day for generations. Their goal was to reach a land where they were free from the tyranny of Egypt. At the same time, if we were able to look up and ask the Lord where this multitude of people was headed, His answer would not be the same. To Him the destination was somewhere entirely different. God said “I am bringing them to myself.”

That is always the desire of God. Whatever situation you are facing, God is seeking to bring you closer to Himself. You may be experiencing difficult financial times, problems at home, hardship at work, or any number of other struggles. From our perspective, the goal may be to reach the end of the trial, but from God’s perspective, the goal is to bring us closer to Himself. The verses following this statement encourage the people to obey the Word, make a commitment to the Lord, and separate themselves from things that are displeasing to God.

If we want to reach the destination God is calling us to, that place of being closer to Christ and more like Him, we need to separate ourselves from any sin, and obey His Word.

Pastor Jim

 

Limited Work

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Mark 6:5
“Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.”

IMG_1420The phrase “He could do no mighty work there…” has always fascinated me. Think about it. The one who healed the sick, calmed the seas, rebuked the demons, raised the dead, created all things, and by the word of His power, holds all things together, could do no mighty work there. Why? What is it that kept the mighty God from accomplishing His mighty works.

“He marveled because of their unbelief.” Mark 6:6

Mark tells us unbelief limited the work of God in the lives of the people of Nazareth. They did not believe Jesus could do for them what they heard He had done for others. Since faith is the currency of the kingdom of God, without it we cannot expect God to work in our lives. The question we must ask is, “Why didn’t they believe?” Why did some, like Jairus, exercise such great faith, and yet these have so little. I think perhaps the answer is found in their statement about Jesus.

“’Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?’ So they were offended at Him.” Mark 6:3

They knew who Jesus was, but knew so little of Him. They knew of His humanity, but none of His deity. They knew nothing of His great power and thus were “offended at him.” That word “offended” means to cause to stumble. They were stumbled because they knew so little of Jesus. When the time came that they needed a great work in their lives, their puny view of Jesus limited them from being able to trust He could accomplish what they needed.

What is your view of Christ? Do you see only the carpenter’s son, or have you met the Son of God? Do you know the one Who said, “I am the resurrection and the life?” He then went on, not only to raise the dead, but to arise from the dead, Himself, ascend to heaven, and reign as King of kings and Lord of Lords. Perhaps it is time to take a closer look at the risen Christ, so you might trust Him to do “a mighty work.”

Pastor Jim

 

Next Generation

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Exodus 18:17
“So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘The thing that you do is not good.'”

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As the leader of the congregation of Israel, Moses was sought out for advice for the issues of everyday life. Whenever people had a dispute with a neighbor, or a family crisis, they would set up an appointment with Moses, who would give them godly counsel. While it was good for Moses to be available to the people, and understandable that they wanted to meet with their pastor, this schedule was not good for either Moses or the people. Jethro, as an outsider, was able to see the flaw with this approach right away, and counseled Moses. The solution to the problem would be in raising up good, gifted, and godly men, who could assist him in the ministry. This approach will prove to be God’s method down through the ages.

Whether it is the nation of Israel or the local church, God is in the business of reproducing leaders. The way this happens is that godly people are given ministry opportunities. It would take great faith on the part of Moses to let go of some of his ministry and put it into the hands of others. It would take great faith from the people, to trust that God would speak as clearly through another, as He had through Moses. And it would take great faith from this new group of “Pastors,” that God would speak to them, and through them, when they met with the people. When Jethro’s advice was followed and this system implemented, we find that an entire new generation of leaders will be raised up to serve the Lord.

God has established a method of ministry that is sustainable. It is not built on the strength, gifts or leadership ability of one man, but on the fact that God will use anyone who is devoted to Him. Perhaps the proper response to this passage of Scripture is to seek to become a person who God will choose to use. The more we set ourselves apart to the Lord, focus on growing in Christ, and learn the Word of God, the more ready we will be when the time comes to raise up another generation to do the work of God.

Pastor Jim

 

Hitting Rock Bottom

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Exodus 17:7
“So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’”

IMG_1418When the sojourning camp of Israel reached Rephidim, they were horrified to discover there was no water. There are many things in life we view as necessities, which are actually comforts; water is not one of them. A person can survive in difficult desert conditions for about three days without water. Their situation was grave, to say the least. This truly could have been the end for Israel. As the people assessed the problem, the only solution they could come up with was to return to Egypt. They knew if water was not discovered quickly, they would certainly perish.

When Moses heard their complaint, he immediately sought counsel from the Lord. After crying out to God, he received a remarkable promise. If he would take his rod and strike a rock, water would be provided for the people. Rather than relying upon the science that a rock is more dense than a stick, and if rock hits stick, the stick will break, Moses chose to trust in the word of God and strike the rock. Miraculously, water began to gush forth, and Israel lived to see another day.

After the events had been accomplished, Moses decided to name the area. Whatever this particular site had been known as before, it would now have a different name. Reflecting on the events, many names would be applicable; he could have called it “Miracle Water,” “Where the Rock Struck,” “Provision from God,” “Watering Hole”; truly the possibilities seem endless. I am struck by he name Moses chose;

“So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah”

Massah means tempted and Miribah means contention. Of all the things Moses chose to take away from the events of this day, he thought they should remember the contention of the people, rather than the amazing work of the Lord. This is a dangerous and costly way to live. We will read, some thirty-eight years later,  Moses will once again find himself with the people, and without sufficient water. The seeds of his hostility toward the people which were planted here, will get the best of him, and he will strike another rock in anger, costing him his position as leader of the nation.

Whatever situation in life we are facing, there is always more than one perspective. If we choose to look through the eyes of doubt, bitterness, anger, fear or frustration, we will walk away with seeds that will produce the same kind of fruit later. On the other hand, if we choose to look for the hand of God in the midst of our struggles, we will have our faith strengthened and be more conditioned to face the next difficulty life throws our way.

Moses was a great man who served the Lord in tremendous ways, but here he chose to look at things from the wrong perspective. Let’s learn from his example.

Pastor Jim

 

They Could Not Tame Him

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Mark 4:36
“When they had left the multitude”

IMG_1417Mark 4 ends with the story of a dangerous journey on which Jesus took His disciples. Knowing all things, He knew they would face a storm on the sea. He knew this storm would be so great that those who had grown up fishing those waters, and experiencing rough conditions, would fear for their very lives. But it is not until we venture into Mark 5, that we understand the reason for the journey was one man. Jesus left the multitudes and took twelve men on a death-defying trip across dangerous waters, in order to reach this one man. Multitudes were flocking to Him, but in the country of the Gadarenes, was a man in need. This becomes even more amazing when we understand who this man was. We read of him,

“. . .who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.” Mark 5:3-4

As sad as that description is, I am struck by the final phrase, “neither could anyone tame him.” Tame him! What a word. It seems so out-of-place to be used of a man. It is a word I reserve for animals; yet, it is so appropriate for this man. His lifestyle, whatever that was, had ruined his life. The world had done all they could do to help, but to no avail. He was now chained in a graveyard, and people simply avoided him. That is, until Jesus, not only went out of His way to rescue this man, but took His disciples on a trip they would never forget, for the purpose of saving this one lost soul.

When the story ends, we find the man in His right mind, sent out to tell His friends what Jesus had done for Him. No doubt, he would explain how Jesus crossed a turbulent sea to save him. Let’s learn the lesson the disciples were meant to learn: Jesus places the highest value on the human soul, even if he is living like a wild animal.

Pastor Jim.

 

Curiosity

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Exodus 16:20
“Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.”

Exodus 16:27
“Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none.”

IMG_1416Have you ever heard the proverb, “curiosity killed the cat?” It speaks to that part of our nature that wants to look into things that we shouldn’t. Not all curiosity is bad, in fact it can often lead to some pretty amazing opportunities. However, when our curiosity leads us to disobey the clear commands of God, that will always lead to danger.

In Exodus 16, God unveils his plan to supply Israel’s provisions while they journey through the wilderness. He explains that each morning when they arise, the ground will be filled with a bread like substance they would later call “Manna.” This pastry “was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” He explained, there was no need to save any because it would be provided every day, except the sabbath; Friday’s supply would last for two days. Incredibly, we read some of the people tried to save some, only to find it smelly and molding the next morning. Others arose early on the sabbath, only to discover there was no manna. Later, Moses commanded that a jar of manna be saved. It was to be a reminder to the people of God’s provision, and perhaps a reminder to us that we should resist the temptation to look into things that God has forbidden.

Exodus 16:32
“Then Moses said, ‘This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: “Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.”’ ”

I think Christians should be the most curious people in the world. We should seek to discover everything we can about God and His creation. As far as we have come, we have only scratched the surface of God’s amazing universe. But we need to avoid the temptation to look into things that have been forbidden.

Pastor Jim

 

New Song

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Exodus 15:1
“Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: . . .”

IMG_1415
After experiencing the work of the Lord, Moses led Israel in a song of praise. This song is a beautiful example of worship. Moses begins by giving God praise for the thing He has done, moves on to worship for who God is, and ends by looking at the road ahead, in light of what God has accomplished in the past. He begins,

“I will sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!”

The victory wrought by the Lord seemed impossible. Israel was a band of construction workers traveling with their families, while the Egyptians were men of war. Their soldiers wore iron clad armor and rode in chariots in pursuit of Israel. Things looked bleak until God stepped in.

Exodus 15:4-5
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them;
They sank to the bottom like a stone”

The armor, worn by the soldiers, was designed to instill fear in Israel. This same armor was the reason they drowned in the sea. God turned an impossible situation into a great victory for His people; causing the heart of Moses to burst forth in praise.

Exodus 15:11
“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

After seeing the work of God, Moses reflected on all he had seen, and realized no one could be compared to the Lord. His actions toward man confirmed that He stood above all the false gods, who are merely the creations of man’s imagination. God chose, redeemed, and delivered Israel from the armies of Egypt, all because of His greatness. Israel must realize that while they are fickle, and will sway with their emotions, God is the unchanging One, who will always keep His covenant.

Exodus 15:16
“Fear and dread will fall on them;
By the greatness of Your arm
They will be as still as a stone,
Till Your people pass over, O Lord,
Till the people pass over
Whom You have purchased.”

As Moses looked at the road ahead, he was confident that no matter what obstacle they faced, they would overcome, because God was with them. He saw the enemies, encountered as their journey continued, filled with fear, at the God who parts seas. He saw the inheritance promised to Israel realized, all because of the power of God.

We spend too much time looking at our problems, and too little time looking up at our God. If He truly is the sea-parting God Moses knew Him to be, what obstacle in our lives is too great for Him to overcome? Let’s spend more time looking back at His faithfulness, and up at His person, as we move into what our future holds.

Pastor Jim

Mysteries Of God

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Mark 4:11
“To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God”

IMG_1410Paul wrote in1 Corinthians 2:14,

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

In other words, before we receive Christ, the things of God remain a mystery to us. While we are capable of reading the words on the page, we do not truly understand the ways of God. However, the moment we put our faith in Christ for salvation, we are born again. The Spirit of God enters into us and we come alive to God. Spiritual things that had no meaning to us before, begin to make sense. Again let’s let Paul explain,

1 Corinthians 2:10-11 “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”

God reveals Himself and His ways through the Spirit, and in the Word. It is because the Spirit of God rests within you that John writes,

1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”

John is not saying teachers or teaching is unnecessary, but that the same Spirit who resides in the pastor or Bible teacher, resides in you; the same God who opens the Word and makes it alive to them, will make it alive to you. The psalmist put it like this:

Psalms 119:99 “I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.”

If all that is true, then why does so much of the Bible still evade us? Why are there so many things that still remain in the realm of “mystery” to us? I think the key may be found in the response the disciples had when Jesus first made this statement.

“And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.” Mark 4:34

Jesus spoke something that was puzzling to them. Rather than gathering together to discuss what they all thought it meant, which they did that on other occasions to no avail, they got alone with Jesus and listened to more of His Words. That, my friends, is the secret! If we want to understand the mysteries of God, we must frequent the Throne of Grace. We must follow the pattern of the twelve and get alone with Him. These mysteries will not unfold to us by getting alone with our own thoughts or meditations, they will not be uncovered by simply discussing them with one another, if we want to truly understand the ways of God, we must get alone with the Word of God. It is time we make His meditations our delight. Then it will be said of us, as it was of Moses:

Psalms 103:7 “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.”

Pastor Jim

 

Boxed In

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Exodus 14:13
“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today…’”

IMG_1409There can be little question that the children of Israel were following the leading of the Lord. They had a miraculous door open; freeing them from slavery. They began to march, carrying gifts from Egypt, and being led by a pillar fire and a cloud. What was hard for them to understand was, the Lord had led them into a very difficult place. With Baal Zephon on one side, Migdol on the other, and the Red Sea before them, Israel was boxed in, with no where to turn. As the Egyptian army approached, the Israelites were the proverbial sitting ducks. With fear gripping their hearts, they cried out to Moses, declaring life was better in slavery than in the wilderness. It was with this backdrop, Moses gave one of the most beautiful promises of God.

“Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today…”

No matter how bleak the situation, Moses promised that God would deliver His people to safety. He promised it will be done in a uniquely divine way. Although no one in Israel or Egypt could imagine what would happen next, God had a plan to rescue His people. The plan would create a situation allowing God the latitude to do something amazing.

It seems to me, we do all we can to ensure we never find ourselves boxed in, with no way out. We save, plan, and even manipulate, to guarantee we will not have to rely upon the Lord. I think it is vital we keep in mind, that God wants to bring us to places where we have to rely upon Him, so He can do great things in our lives.

Whatever your circumstances, be sure you are allowing God the latitude to work in your life. If you are facing obstacles that are too big for you to handle, then seek the Lord to move them. If you are facing challenges that are too big for you to accomplish, then ask the Lord to transform you. After all, He is the God who turned a shepherd boy into a giant killer.

Pastor Jim