Bible

The Runner 

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2 Chronicles 30:6
“Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: ‘Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.'”

As revival began to break out in Judah, a group of people were organized to take the message beyond their borders and reach out to the northern tribes of Israel. Their message was a simple call on the people to return to the Lord. These men, armed with the word of God and the authority of the king, were called “Runners.” This name was certainly appropriate because of the speed in which they carried the message, and distance they had to travel.

This passage is a vivid illustration of the commission Jesus gave to the church when He told us to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15) Throughout the history of the church, many have taken this commission seriously and followed the example of the runners, carrying the gospel beyond their comfort zone, and even outside of their own borders. I think of Philip, who was driven by persecution from Jerusalem to Samaria, where he led many to faith in Christ. Later, It was Paul and Barnabas who heard the call of God to travel to the farthest reaches of the globe with the message of salvation through faith in Christ. The story of the church, down through the ages, is always enhanced when men and woman will follow the example off the runners, and are willing to count the costs and carry the gospel beyond their borders. I am so thankful that from the earliest years of my walk with The Lord, a great emphasis was always placed upon extending beyond the church walls, to reach the world with the message of Christ. I grew up in a church that made huge investments in the kingdom of God. They sent teams around the world, and even bought facilities in foreign countries to help train men and women for the ministry.

Let’s follow the pattern of the runners and keep our eyes on the horizon, willing to give whatever it takes to reach as far as The Lord will allow. Who knows what long lasting impact we might have for the kingdom of God.

Pastor Jim

 

Mr. Fix It 

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2 Chronicles 29:9
“For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.”

When Hezekiah assumed the throne, the nation of Judah was experiencing difficult times. The Assyrian forces had defeated most of the nations surrounding them, and the threat of Judah being overthrown was a daily reality. All eyes were fixed upon the king. What would he do to protect his people? Hezekiah realized the natural problems needed a spiritual solution. He knew the best defense for the nation would be found in turning back to the Lord, so he called the people to “sanctify themselves.” Sanctify means to set apart. The cure to what ailed the nation was to set themselves apart to the Lord.

I can almost hear those who would complain saying, “Hezekiah we need real world solutions, what are you going to do to protect us against the enemies?” As the story continues to unfold, we will see that Hezekiah did what no other nation was able to do. He led his people to victory over the Assyrians. So striking was this defeat, that Babylon sent delegates to learn Judah’s foreign policy.

I think Hezekiah was on to something. He realized what we often fail to see; almost all natural problems have a spiritual solution. No matter what we might be facing, we will have a better chance of victory when we choose to draw near to the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

Truth & Lies 

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Romans 3:4
“Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.”

A few years ago, I was returning home from one of my many visits to West Africa. Since it was a day flight, most of the passengers were wide awake, doing anything they could to pass the time. After a while, I struck up a conversation with the young lady sitting beside me. After covering the pleasantries: where we were from, our families, what had brought us over seas, I noticed an open door to engage her in the things of the Lord. After sharing the Gospel message, and even giving a few examples of lives that had been drastically changed by responding in faith to Christ, she grew disinterested. Realizing, that to push too hard would only turn her off to Christians, I concluded our conversation by asking her if she would do me a favor. I requested she simply read the Gospel of John, and pray if God was real, He would show Himself real to her. I was surprised when she responded, “I do not have time for that. I live in the real world.” I realized that her statement revealed a struggle we all face, between what seems to be “real” and the promises found in the Word of God. It is as though a battle is raging between the promise of God, and what we “know” to be true.

How often we doubt the Word of God over the claims of our circumstances, emotions, or the experience of others. Perhaps the biggest arena where the Word of God is brought to question, is in the realm of science. To some, it seems we have a choice of either being a critical thinker, or believing the claims of the Bible. To that Paul would say, “let God be true but every man a liar.”

History is filled with examples of Biblical promises that seemed unbelievable, only later to be worked out with precise detail. The Bible promised a Messiah that would be born of a virgin, have a ministry of the miraculous, be rejected by men, suffer and die by crucifixion, and rise from the dead. After four hundred years of silence, the promised Messiah appeared fulfilling the promises of God. The same Messiah promised the gigantic stones of the Temple would be knocked down, and the city of Jerusalem conquered. It seemed ridiculous to his disciples. How could such a massive building be leveled. Yet within a few decades, the Romans attacked, and the promises were fulfilled. In more recent times, we have seen the fulfillment of a promise so outlandish that even pastors and Bible scholars did not believe it. The Bible promised that the nation of Israel, that ceased to exist in 70AD, would be revived.

Now, Israel is a nation, and has celebrated its 67th anniversary. “. . . let God be true but every man a liar.” We have grown to question the authority of the Bible, while believing in the inerrancy of emotion, experience and science. It is as though we question every claim of the Bible, and believe without hesitation the claims of science. It might help to keep in mind, not everything that was once heralded as scientific fact still holds true today.

For instance, in the Nineteenth Century a French mathematician discovered a tiny planet between Mercury and the Sun, and named it Vulcan. His discovery became the buzz of much of the science community. Others came out with claims to have also seen the planet in its orbit. It was only after his death that his claims were proven false, and the planet Vulcan remains only the fictitious home of Mr. Spock. In more recent times, an Italian astronomer discovered a series of intricate “canals” on Mars. Many believed they were a detailed irrigation system built by Martians. Only after the development of more powerful telescopes, was it proven that no such canals existed. As recently as the 1700′s, many scientists believed life could literally spring out of nothing, when sun light struck the right environment. This theory, known as the Spontaneous Generation of Life, dates as far back as Aristotle who, seeing maggots appear in dead animal carcasses, thought that sunlight had birthed these disgusting little bugs.

Suffice it to say, science, experience, nor emotion are trustworthy foundations to build our lives upon. There is a Rock that will sustain us in the storms of life and through the test of time. That Rock is the authoritative, infallible, inerrant Word of the Living God. Read it, know it, trust it and live by it. His promises will never let you down.

Pastor Jim

 

Always Watching 

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2 Chronicles 27:6
“So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.”

My early years in ministry were spent as a Bible teacher at a Christian school. I recall one occasion, when I was called out of the classroom and into the hallway, I told the students to continue with the assignment I had given them. About five minutes later, I returned to the class to find the students had not followed my instructions. All but a few, were no longer working on the assignment, and some were completely out of control. I remember seeing paper flying across the room, and at least two students standing on their desks. I can attest, these behaviors NEVER happened while I was in the room. There is something about human nature which causes us to behave better when we know we are being watched.

The same was true of the ancient king, Jotham. We read in 2 Chronicles 27:2, he “did what was right in the sight of the Lord” and that his secret was, he “prepared his ways BEFORE the Lord.” How differently would you behave, if you kept in mind, everything you do is before the eyes of the Lord? The New Testament tells us every thing we do is “. . . naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13). In other words, God is watching everything we do, and we will one day have to account to Him for our behavior.

There are many things we do because we know no one is watching, or we fail to do unless someone is watching. The proper attitude is to “. . . do ALL things heartily as unto the Lord. . . ” Colossians 3:23).

Pastor Jim

 

No Excuses 

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Romans 2:1
“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

excuses.pngBeginning with the eighteenth verse of chapter one, Paul is developing his case against humanity. He states, because of the inner witness of the conscience, and the outer witness of creation, men have no excuse for atheism, agnosticism, or idolatry. He makes it clear, unbelief is primarily driven, not by lack of evidence of the divine, but out of a desire to practice things God forbids. He speaks of those who reject the truth in order to practice unrighteousness.

After giving a long list of sinful activities, Paul declares, it is not only the one involved in such sins, but also the one who looks on with approval, who is guilty before God. One of the fascinating issues of today, is the widespread idea that tolerance means we must accept behaviors and lifestyles that are lived in open defiance to the teaching of the Word of God. Many, practicing these behaviors, even go so far as to say that God is TOLERANT of their behaviors, even though His Word clearly condemns such actions. We live in a time where people are afraid to stand up and call sin what it is, and as a result, we find ourselves approving lifestyles that God condemns. As the second chapter of Romans unfolds, Paul’s attention switches from those who assume any and all behaviors are acceptable to God, to those who think they will be accepted for the things they don’t do.

I am reminded of a story Jesus told of a Pharisee who stood before God, attempting to justify himself. He prayed, “God I thank you that I am not like other men, I am not an extortioner, I am not unjust and I am not a tax collector…” (Luke 18:10-14) This man considered himself to be acceptable to God for the things He did not do. What we ‘don’t do’ is not what makes us right with God; because what we ‘don’t do’ in action, we often do in thought. Jesus explained that adultery, theft, and murder were issues of the heart, as much as they are actions of the body. When I look at a woman with lust, I am guilty of the same sin as the man who is cheating on his wife, or having sexual relations before marriage. Paul put it like this, “And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?” Romans 2:3

If you assume God will look past your sins because they are not as bad as the sins of others, you have misunderstood the righteousness of God. The list of things we have not done does not justify us before God. Instead ,we are justified when we realize our need for a savior, and put our trust in Christ. This long treatise that Paul develops is to remove all excuses, and bring each of us to a place of accepting Christ; having our sins removed, and receiving eternal life. I realize some of us feel stuck in our sins. We have been practicing them for so long they have become a part of us. Will you allow me to encourage you? When you come to Christ, He will wash your sins from you, as far as the East is from the West. He wants to give you a brand new start in life, by making you a new creation in Christ. Rather than excusing our sins, let’s confess them, and allow Him to transform us into the persons He designed us to be.

Pastor Jim

 

It’s Not About The Money 

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2 Chronicles 25:9
“Then Amaziah said to the man of God, ‘But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?’ And the man of God answered, ‘The Lord is able to give you much more than this.’”

Amaziah was king of Judah during very tumultuous times. The surrounding nations were a continuous threat, war was a way of life, and the people lived with the constant fear of being attacked. In order to help guard against the enemies, Amaziah hired a group of mercenaries from Israel. Although it was a great expense for the nation, it brought them comfort knowing they had a vast army reserved to assist in the event of battle. At this point in the story, we are introduced to an unnamed man of God who came to the king and warned him not to trust in the mercenaries, but to pay them, and send them back to Israel. He wanted the king to learn two important lessons.

First, he needed to know, no matter what the setting, we must learn to put our confidence in the Lord, and not in man. It is natural for us to want something tangible to trust in; even if it is not worthy of our trust. Like a child holding a blanket or a teddy bear, we can derive comfort from things that really lack the ability to actually help us. Israel’s strength was never their vast army or their military strategies. Their strength was always the power of the Lord. No matter what you are facing, you can trust the promises of God, knowing He will never fail.

Second, he needed to know there are worse things to lose than money. Amaziah’s resistance to obeying the words of the prophet, was all about the money he had spent hiring the mercenaries. It seemed that he wanted to continue with a bad decision, simply because he had invested so much in it already. I have found, some people resist the Lord because they have lived apart from Him for so long. Admitting their need for Christ, is admitting they have been living life wrong for years. Unwilling to admit guilt, they continue apart from the Lord, just because they have always done it that way. It is crucial that we realize God is able to “give us more than this.”

Whatever you are facing, it is high time to trust the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

The Gospel

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Romans 1:1
“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God . . .”

The Gospel was the favorite subject of the Apostle Paul. He used the term four times in the first chapter of Romans, 15 times in the book, and a total of 71 times in his writings. It was the subject of every letter he wrote, and every message he preached.

When writing to the Corinthian church he declared, “For I determined not to know anything among you accept Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2

Here, he refers to himself as being “set apart to the Gospel.” The picture he paints is that of an Old Testament Priest, who was set apart to the service of God around the Temple. The priest’s whole life was consumed with the service of the Lord. His daily activities, lifestyle, even his clothing, were ordered by the fact that he was set apart unto the Lord. It is clear, declaring the Gospel was not a random act, a hobby, or even a job for Paul, but rather it was his way of life. He saw every day as an opportunity to share the love of Christ with others, and every encounter as an open door to declare the message of eternal life found in Christ. As this chapter unfolds, Paul gives us at least three reasons why the Gospel message was so important to him.

First, in verses 14 and 15, Paul declares that because of what Jesus has done for him, he sees himself as one who owes a debt to the world. The only way he can repay this great debt is by declaring the hope of eternal life, found in Christ alone. Paul would endure personal suffering, mockery, lack, imprisonment, and ultimately death, in order to ensure that all might hear the message of the cross.

Second, he declares the reason he would risk all for the gospel is because of what the gospel can do. He says it is the power of God to save. The latter half of Romans, Chapter One, declares the condition of man apart from God. This condition would be hopeless if It were not for the Gospel message. God sent His Son to rescue man from the power and penalty of sin.

Finally, when a person puts their trust in Christ, they are redeemed from bondage and restored to a right relationship with God. The gospel alone has the power to accomplish that, and it takes place within a person, as soon as he puts simple faith in Christ. Paul explains, it is then that the righteousness of God is revealed. In other words, when we trust Christ, our sins are taken away, and His righteousness is given to us. This is a transformation that takes place in every person who trusts in Christ. Oh that we would be separated to the gospel!

Pastor Jim

 

Oh, Gravity! 

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2 Chronicles 24:20
“Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you. ’”

Isaac Newton is credited with discovering certain laws governing the natural world. These laws cannot be broken. The law of gravity simply states, what goes up must come down. We prove that to be true each time we toss something into the air and watch as it lands back on the ground. Just as there are natural laws determining the course of nature, so there are spiritual laws that will determine the course of our lives. One of those laws is expressed here.

“Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper?”

To prosper means succeed, flourish or get ahead. Zechariah essentially declares, it is impossible to ignore or trample over the commands of God, and succeed in life. You might be able to gain much in life apart from God, but in the end, the only thing which will truly matter is what has been laid up for you in heaven. Jesus told a story of a man who acquired great wealth in this life, only to find torment in the next. All of his luxury was of no benefit to him when he stepped into eternity.

Some, who have trusted Christ for salvation and been freed from eternal punishment, still live in disobedience. They transgress many of the commands of God, and wonder why their lives seem to be filled with so much turmoil and confusion. Keep in mind, if we break the laws of God, there are always consequences. If you choose to ignore Him and do things your own way, you cannot prosper. If you choose to look into the pages of His Word and live obediently, you cannot fail.

Pastor Jim

 

A New Song 

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Psalms 149:1
“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints.”

Sometimes, worship can have a tired feel to it because we are singing the same songs over and over again. It is so refreshing when the worship team brings a new song; partly because new songs come out of new experiences with the Lord. I spent many weeks of my early years of ministry serving at a Christian camp. Those days were filled with lessons I still benefit from today. One afternoon, while sitting by the pool, I struck up a conversation with the worship leaders wife. While her children were in the pool, she was relaxing in the sun, but her husband was noticeably absent. I will never forget her response when I asked where he was, she said, “He is taking some time alone with Jesus because that is where the songs come from.” He realized, in order to have a new song to sing, he needed a fresh experience with the Lord. Anything done over and over again can become tedious or stale, even our relationship with the Lord. We might wake up each day, read a chapter or two, get the kids up, make breakfast, clean up, make lunch, clean up, make dinner, clean up, run out of energy, go to bed, and start it all over again the next day. Our days become routine, and soon our relationship with the Lord has grown stale. How can we have new experiences with Jesus that result in new songs of praise?

I am reminded of the story of Caleb. We are first introduced to him when Moses selects him as one of the twelve spies sent to check out the Promised Land. When the people refused to enter, we read in Numbers 13:30, Caleb quieted the people and said “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

Sadly, the people rejected his encouragement and suffered thirty-eight years in the wilderness. When the generation who refused to enter the land died off and a new generation stood within the its borders, it was Caleb who set the example of how to press into what God had for His people. Scripture tells us, at eighty-five years old, he came to Joshua with a fascinating request. In Joshua 14:9, he reminded his leader and old friend of the promise he had received from Moses,

‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’

Then he pointed to the most difficult terrain within the land and asked that it be given to him. His words are one of the most striking statements ever uttered. He declared,

“Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” Joshua 14:12

Anakim were men of great stature, bred for battle. They were the most feared of all the inhabitants of Canaan. To make matters worse, they lived in fortified cities and inhabited the hill country which was easily defendable and almost impossible to overthrow. Caleb, a man described as one who had a different spirit in him, and who wholly followed the Lord, looked at the greatest obstacle facing the people of God and said, “Give me the mountain because it might be the Lord.” IT MIGHT BE THE LORD! I think I would want to know for certain that it was the Lord before I ventured out like that. However, Caleb was a man who trusted the Lord to be true to His promises, and was willing to venture into new ground in his walk with God.

Has your relationship grown so tired that you have no new song to sing. Perhaps it is time to look back into the promises of God and step forward into a new area of service. You will find God is true to His promises and your relationship with Him will be ignited with a fresh fire. What are you waiting for? The church is need of a new generation of Calebs who are willing to see just what might be the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

A Mother’s Influence 

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2 Chronicles 22:3
“He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly.”

These were dark days in Judah. The once glorious land was filled with idols, immorality and unrighteousness. This had so weakened the nation, they were being attacked and defeated on all sides. Desperate times like these always provide a backdrop for men and women of God to rise to the occasion, and have a tremendous impact upon their world for the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, Ahaziah was not that man. Instead of using his position as king to bring about true and lasting change by turning the hearts of the people back to the ways of God, Ahaziah led the people farther and farther away from the Lord. This young man helped weaken the nation and hasten its demise. Sadly, the strongest influence in leading Ahaziah away from the ways of God was his mother, Athaliah, who advised him to do wickedly.

A mother has an immense influence on her children. Her choices will have a lasting impact on the development, and later success of her kids. In the New Testament, we read of a young man named Timothy, who became a great leader in the early church. Timothy grew up in a home with a believing mother and an unbelieving father. It was the godly example of his mother and grandmother that had the greatest influence on his life. Their example of prayer, obedience, and Scripture reading, would prove to be a greater draw to young Timothy than the temptations of the world in which he grew up.

We must never lose site of the impact we have on those around us. The way we choose to live will influence others. This is particularly true of parents. If you want to see your children walk with the Lord, the first step is to walk closely with Him yourself. If you have prodigal children. Take a moment right now to pray for them, and to remember, God is in the business of bringing prodigals home.

Pastor Jim