goodness

God Is Great

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Job 36:26
“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered.”

God has gone to great lengths to ensure He is knowable by man. He gave us His written Word, took on the form of human flesh, and shines as a light through the lives of His followers. He has revealed Himself to be a loving Father, who is accessible through Christ, and who comes to the aid of His children. Sometimes, because of the intimacy of our relationship with God, we can lose sight of what some have referred to as, “the other worldliness of God.” While it is important to get to know Him through the pages of His Word, it is also important to realize, there are facets of His character that cannot be known.

Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”

One of the most valuable aspects of our walk with the Lord, is when we come to the realization, there are things about God beyond our discovery. This should not make us careless expositors, or lazy worshippers. It should instead, put a deep desire in us to worship the One who is past finding out.

Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Too often we reduce God to something we can understand. The result, we are confused and frightened in our times of trial. We wonder at a love which allows us to go through such difficulty; because we do not realize His love is other worldly. There is simply nothing like it on the earthly plane. We question His mercy, grace, and kindness; all because we think we would not behave that way if we were God. It is important to keep in mind, there are characteristics about God beyond our understanding. This is in no way a cop-out, or an attempt to gloss over the difficult questions of life. It is a simple reality, and when properly grasped, will bring us to the place of being able to worship and witness in our times of trial and tragedy.

Let’s be sure to be the kind of worshippers who will adore the Lord for what we understand, and even what we don’t.

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

 

He Loves Me…

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Job 16:9
“He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.”

When we find ourselves in times of great trial, it is often difficult to discern the voice of God. In Job’s case, the voices of pain, sorrow, suffering, and loss were screaming so loud, the voice of God was drowned out. He could no longer hear God’s Word reminding Him of the great love with which he had been loved. He could no longer hear the voice of compassion, mercy or providence, explaining He would make all things right. All Job could hear was the voice of his anguish, and it was screaming, “God must hate me.”

While we may never face trials as grievous as Job endured, we will no doubt, encounter difficulty that will call into question the character of God. We will all experience times when looking at our circumstances will make it difficult to perceive the love and mercy of God. It is in those times, I lean upon the advice I received from my pastor. He told me when I do not know, I should always fall back on what I do know. In other words, there are foundational truths about God we can cling to in difficult times. Having a grip on those truths will take us through our darkest hours.

First, we must remember, God is good and everything that flows from Him is good. The psalmist put it this way,

“Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.” Psalm 73:1-2

He declared the circumstances he faced brought him to the brink of falling, but the cure was to remember the goodness of God. Not only is He good, but He also promises to work all things out for our good. That means He has a plan to work with the circumstances we are facing, in order to accomplish His best for our lives. Often, we fail to see any value in the trials we endure, because we are by nature shortsighted, we cannot see into the future, or understand the big things of God.

Another important, even foundational truth, to rely upon in times of confusion is, God is in all this for the long haul. He is making decisions that will effect, not just the moment we are in, but the generations that will follow. Abraham was promised descendants as the stars, but at his death only Isaac had been born. It was not that the promise failed, but that the vantage point of God was much more far-reaching than Abraham could see. Keep in mind, the way we choose to react to the difficulties we face, will have an affect upon those who come after us.

Finally, no matter how loud your trials may scream that God hates you, the cross cries out emphatically, God is love. The very fact that God initiated the steps to redeem man back to Himself, knowing those steps would lead to the brutal death of His only begotten Son, are proof enough of the magnificence of His love.

In your sorrow, pain or confusion, take the time right now to focus upon the majesty of the cross and allow God to bathe you in His infinite love.

Pastor Jim

 

More Or Less 

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Job 11:6
“…Know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.”

Scattered throughout the book of Job are some of the most amazing truths about God and His treatment of man. Here, Zophar reveals something about the way God deals with sin in the life of the believer. We know, because of the great love God has for us, He will chasten us when we misbehave. The chastening is not only punitive, but is designed to bring us out of sin, before it destroys us. We see in the story of the Prodigal, God will allow everything we trust in to fall apart, in order to bring us to our senses, so we might return to Him. That being said, notice what Zophar declares,

“Know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.”

In His infinite mercy, God does not give us, His children, what we deserve. He holds back His wrath and only gives what will awaken us from our spiritual slumber, and bring us back to Himself. There is however, an inherent danger with mercy. That is, we begin to think His kindness means He approves of our bad behavior. If you are practicing something the Word of God forbids, do not allow yourself to think the patience of God implies His approval of your actions. Remember, His kindness is designed to bring you to repentance. The very fact He does not give what we deserve, is the reason we should let go of sinful behaviors and follow after the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

Promises 

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Psalm 50:16-17
“But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?’”

One of the strangest phenomenon that I have experienced, over the years, is to hear the unbeliever quote the Bible. It fascinates me how those who have read so little of it seem, at times, to consider themselves the authority on what it says. Those who are living a lifestyle which the Bible does not condone, and quite frankly, they know to be wrong, are so quick to pull words from the Bible to justify their behavior.

“Do not judge me” seems to be the anthem of the sinner. We have all heard the Hollywood rhetoric, or political speeches with the token Scripture reference, from a person whose lifestyle is contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. Perhaps the most common abuse of the Bible is when a person who is living in sin, uses the promises, given to the child of God, as a source of comfort in their difficulty. To that, God has some very strong words,

“What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?” 

The promises of the Word of God are given to those who are in a covenant relationship with God. Those who have looked at the cross, recognized that they are sinners, and received Christ as their Savior, are the ones to whom the promises of God are written. It is that person who is able to take the covenant in their mouth, and benefit from the promises of God.

The promises of God are abundant, and should draw us into a deeper relationship with Him. He promises our sins are removed from us, as far as the East is from the West, casting them into the depths of the sea. He promises that we become brand new in Christ; all our past failures are forgotten, and life gets a fresh new start. He promises power to overcome the struggles, even addictions that we face in life. He promises peace to calm us in the midst of life’s biggest storms, joy that wells up in us like a fountain, love that is shed abroad in our heart, removing all prejudices and hate. A love so great that enemies become allies, and victims become friends. He promises to never leave us or forsake us, to be an ever-present help in time of need, One to whom we can cast all of our cares, concerns, fears and struggles. He promises to be a shelter from the storms of life, much like a walled city or a high tower, which provided safety for those in battle. He promises to be the bearer and giver of abundant life; a life with meaning and purpose, a life that He has preordained with good works for us to walk in, and experience. But all these promises are given to those who are in a covenant relationship with Him through Christ.

If you have not yet received and surrendered to Christ, there are promises for you. He invites you to come to Him, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Take Him up on His offer. Stop striving against God and surrender all to Him. Watch how He takes your life and transforms you into the person He has designed you to become.

Pastor Jim

Psalm 50

  1. Sometimes we forget about the Majesty of God, how does the description of God in verse 1-3 change your view of Him?
  2. The Psalmist goes into great detail to explain that God is not in need. If He were hungry, He would not ask man for help. Contrast that with what He declares in verse 15.
  3. We often hear people who are not following God making reference to the Word of God. It is even common for those who do not read the Bible to misquote the Bible to defend their actions. According to verse 16-17, what is God’s reaction to that?
  4. Verse 23 requires a response. What response will you give to it today?

 

What Did You See?

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Deuteronomy 11:7
“. . . but your eyes have seen every great act of the Lord which He did.”

There is no question, the children of Israel made mistakes. Their years in the wilderness were marked by complaining, doubt, fear and outright disobedience. Yet, things could have been worse. They could have remained in Egypt, never experiencing any of the great acts of the Lord. Moses reminds the people of what they saw because they were willing to follow the Lord. He recalls the parting of the Red Sea, their provision in the wilderness, and the judgment of those who rebelled.

I wonder, what does your list include? When you look back over your Christian experience, where has your willingness to follow the Lord led you? Can you remember times when you stepped out in faith to serve or follow the Lord, and found that He was faithful to His promises? Can you think of a time, when your heart was beating through your chest, you were being prompted by the Lord to share the Gospel with someone, and when you did, they received Christ. Can you remember setting aside your vacation time to go on a mission trip, and bring Christ to those in another land? What does your past say about your experience of Christ?

Whatever your past might say, it is important we do not live in the past. The great works God did in the wilderness were not the end of His works. In Israel’s future, was the parting of the Jordan, the walls of Jericho, defeating giants, and becoming a great and mighty nation. Whatever your past might say, your future remains filled with opportunity to serve and follow Christ. Be sure, today, to walk in the ways of God.

Pastor Jim

 

What God Has Done

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Numbers 23:23
“For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’

IMG_4239.jpgOnce we get past the fact that God allowed a man as carnal as Balaam to speak some of the Old Testament’s most poetic and amazing prophecies, we can begin to appreciate what was being said. In addition to looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, Balaam also looked back at the Lord’s accomplishments in the nation of Israel. His commentary on all of it was that God worked in such a way, when it was all concluded, people would have no other choice than to declare “Oh what God has done.” 

This seems to be a pattern with God. Not only does He want to work in and through the lives of His people, but He also desires to do it in a way that He alone will receive the glory. We see this concept declared in both principle and practice throughout Scripture. The principle is declared in 1Corinthians 1:27-29 “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

 When God wants to accomplish something, He chooses people who are less than qualified, so when the task is achieved, it is clear they were guided and gifted by His Spirit. We see this principle carried out time and time again, within the pages of Scripture. In fact, there is not a generation that goes by where this principle is not practiced. Moses will face the Red Sea, Joshua has his Jericho, Gideon has only three hundred men, David goes before Goliath, Solomon is a young man with no experience, taking over a kingdom, Nehemiah has his wall, the Apostles are sent into a hostile world, armed with nothing more than the Spirit and the Word of God. Within every generation, God is looking for men and women who will trust Him enough to respond to His call, regardless of the obstacles that we might face. When we live like that we will find that:

“For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done.'”

 

Pastor Jim

 

 

 

 

More

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Exodus 33:18
“And he said, ‘Please, show me Your glory.’”

IMG_1456While most of Israel seemed satisfied with their present experience of God, Moses had a longing for more. His past experiences of being commissioned directly by God at the burning bush, seeing the miraculous hand of God work through the plagues, watching the Red Sea part, tasting Manna from heaven and water from a rock, hearing the voice of God from the mountain, and seeing the Shikinah glory abide in his own tent, were not enough to satisfy the longing in Moses’s heart for more of God.

He desired a deeper and fuller experience of God than he ever had. He is illustrating the words of Jesus when He declared, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Moses is not alone in his desire for more of God. We read that Joshua did not depart from the Tabernacle. Later, David would cry out, “One thing I desire of the Lord and that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord forever. . .” (Psalm 27:4). And again, “As the deer pants for the water so my so longs after You, oh God.” (Psalm 42:1). Elisha would cry out for a double portion of the Spirit of God that was on his predecessor (2 Kings 2:9), and Paul declared that his greatest desire was to know Christ, even if that meant great suffering (Philippians 3:10).

Oh, that our hearts would long to know Christ better. That the experiences of the past would only work as fuel to drive us closer to Him, that we might see His glory. For Moses, the longing to experience the glory of God,  began with a desire expressed in prayer, but it did not stop there. To truly encounter the Lord, he must go from prayer, to the Word. It was through His Word that God revealed Himself to Moses. He did not see Him, but heard Him. The same will be true of us. If you are yearning for more of God, the place to go is His Word. There He reveals Himself as the merciful, gracious, patient, true, good, forgiving and just, Lord of all.

Pastor Jim

 

Mercy And Compassion

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Proverbs 11:17
“The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.”

Mercy is often defined as not getting what we deserve. While that is true, the word carries a greater meaning. It also means to show compassion and kindness to those who are in need or distressed. We see it evidenced in the life of Jesus. When He heard the leper calling out for Him, we read Jesus was moved with compassion, reached out His hand, touched the man, and cleansed him. Mercy stirred the heart of Jesus to touch the untouchable, and restore what leprosy had destroyed (Mark 1:40-41). When He felt a tug on His garment, He turned to see a woman who had been struggling with an illness for 12 years, without any hope of healing. Mercy stirred Him to heal her sickness, and reward her great faith (Luke 8:43). When He arrived on the scene of Lazarus’ funeral, and heard the wailing of his family and friends, mercy stirred the heart of Jesus, to weep with those who wept, and to intervene by raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-17). Over and over, page after page, person after person, we see Jesus expressing His mercy, in compassion and kindness, to those in need. Nowhere, is this seen more clearly than in the cross. Our need was much greater than that of a woman with a blood disease, a man with leprosy, or even a family with a dead brother. Our need was caused by sin, and the only cure was the death of God. Jesus saw our condition, and bore the weight of all our sin, as He hung on Calvary’s cross. Mercy was extended as His blood was shed.

Mercy is something we are to receive and to spread. Solomon stated, it is the merciful man who does good for his own soul. Jesus said we are blessed when we are merciful. Just as Jesus looked for, and aided those in need, we should be looking for ways to express the mercy of God to others. Mercy is expressed in forgiveness. When we choose to forgive someone who has wronged us, and treat them as though they had never acted that way, we are expressing mercy. When we choose to be kind to someone, not because they have been kind to us, or in hopes of being rewarded, we are expressing mercy. When we go out of our way to show the love of Christ to others, whether it be in word or action, we are expressing mercy. This mercy will benefit the receiver and the giver alike. Those who receive mercy are learning something of the nature of God, and those giving it, are doing good to their own soul.

Pastor Jim

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