holiness

Being Different

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Leviticus 19:19
“You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.”

IMG_1503One of the primary purposes of the book of Leviticus is to teach us that God is holy, and requires holiness from His people. The opening verse of Chapter 19 declares, “‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Holiness carries the idea of being set apart. Something that is holy, is something set apart for the Lord’s use. In the same way, someone who is holy has set themselves apart from anything that would defile them, so they might be fit for use by the Lord. As Moses explains the details of how to live a holy life, he speaks to the people regarding their fields and their garments.

“You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.”

There are some very practical reasons behind these statutes. For example, a garment of mixed materials will wear differently. Jesus referred to putting new, unwashed cloth on an old garment. He explained that when the new cloth shrinks, it will tear away from the garment. The primary reason for this statute was to teach spiritual lessons. Israel was to learn, they were different from the world around them, and needed to live differently. In a similar passage, God explained it was unlawful to yoke different kinds of animals to the same plow. Paul, spring-boarding off of that principle, stated,

2 Corinthians 6:14
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”

As believers, we are called to be different from the world; that difference requires separation. That does not mean we are to live in isolation, but we are to seek to be the influencer, rather than those who are influenced. Relationships have proven to be the downfall of many. Too often, a Christian, out of loneliness, will lower their standard and begin to date an unbeliever. In time, they become emotionally invested in the relationship and do not see that they are being drawn away from the Lord. The same thing was true for Israel. We read, time and time again, of them establishing covenants with the unbelieving nations around them; only to find they are soon led away from the Lord and into foreign, idolatrous practices. We have been called to be the light of the world. In order to be that light, we must live committed to the Lord, and separate from the sinful practices of the world we live in.

Pastor Jim

 

Holy Life

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Leviticus 10:9-10
“It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean”

IMG_1487Perhaps, the clearest message from the Book of Leviticus is, God is Holy and requires holiness from His people. Rather than leaving it to us to determine what is holy and what is not, God has given us His Word. In the pages of Scripture, we will learn how to “distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.” Holiness was first achieved through the Old Testament sacrifices. God established a system by which sin could be forgiven through the shedding of blood. These sacrifices are no longer required because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, paid the penalty for all sin, when He died on the cross. We are made holy when we receive Christ, and our sins are forever washed away. Those who have been made holy are required to live holy. Holiness carries the idea of being set apart. A person who is holy is a person who has set themselves apart from others, by determining that he/she wants to live to please the Lord. It is the holy person who is looking into the pages of their Bible to determine the meaning of life and how to live. It is the holy person who, when faced with a decision, will seek answers from the Word of God, or when facing conflict will seek to solve it through the Wisdom of the Word. Holiness is achieved when we set ourselves apart to the Lord, and live out His Word.

Pastor Jim

 

Utensils

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Exodus 37:16
“He made of pure gold the utensils which were on the table: its dishes, its cups, its bowls, and its pitchers for pouring.”

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Here in the closing chapters of Exodus, the focus is upon building an elaborate tent designed as the focal point for Israel’s worship. This tent went by many names; it is called the Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle, and the Holy Place. Each of the titles reveals something of the purpose of this structure. The term, Holy Place, helps us to understand what holiness actually means.

It seems holiness is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Bible. If we go back to the time of Jesus, we find holiness was defined by the clothes a person wore, the food they ate, and the time of day they chose to pray. The Pharisees became the embodiment of holiness, and all others in Israel were considered to be somewhat common. Things have not changed much as the years have passed. Today, it seems holiness is still defined by what we don’t do, rather than by who we are. I think a quick glance at the utensils designed for the Tabernacle might help us better understand what it means to be holy.

Aholiab and Bezalel were instructed to take common earthly materials like silver, gold, wood, and a variety of fabrics, and construct them into what would become a holy place, filled with holy instruments. It was not the material the objects were constructed from that made them holy, but the fact that they were dedicated to the Lord. One spoon stood out above all other spoons, because it had been given to the work of God. Holiness then, is more about dedicating ourselves to the Lord, than it is about the kind of food we refrain from eating.

Years later we will read of these utensils no longer being treated as holy. Belshazzar, king of Babylon, will use the cups that were once dedicated to God, as common drinking cups to hold his liquor. His actions will invite the judgment of God upon himself and his nation.

Perhaps today it is time to take inventory of your life and the way you are living. Have you dedicated yourself to God and His glory? Are each of your members being used for His service?

When life has passed, only what we have done for God will last.

Pastor Jim

 

Following The crowd

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Exodus 23:2
“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil…”

IMG_1436The Law of God was given as a standard to show the people their need for a Savior, and as a pattern to ensure that the people lived righteous lives. Here we find a principle that would protect Israel from becoming like the surrounding pagan nations. God is declaring that popular opinion is not what determines right from wrong. Almost every child has heard his parents say, “Would you jump off a cliff if your friends were doing it?” We attempt to instill within our children the principle that just because the crowd is behaving a certain way, it does not make it right. Sociologist refer to “mob mentality.” They say it is possible for individuals to lose the ability to think for themselves, and begin to follow whatever the crowd is doing. Living in a democratic state can make this even more complicated. God declares to Israel that popular vote is not the standard of righteousness. If all the people vote to erect a golden calf to represent God, that does not make God a gold cow. His righteous standard will never be changed simply by getting a crowd to reject it.

We live in a time, perhaps like no other, where the Word of God is challenged. The very foundational principles of righteousness are being questioned, ridiculed, and legislated away. We need to keep in mind that righteousness is not a floating standard that can be voted upon. No matter what society tells us, God has a standard of right and wrong, and we must not follow a crowd to do evil.

Pastor Jim

 

Thoughts On Marriage

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Matthew 19:4-6
“He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?” So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’”

2015/01/img_1349.jpgWe understand that marriage was designed by God. He created man and woman, and designed marriage as the most intimate of all relationships. But why? What is the purpose of marriage? If we were to walk the streets and interview people, asking them, “Why did you get married?”, I think the most common reply would be, “I got married to be happy.” I don’t think every married couple is happy, but I think that it is the motivation behind most marriages. We think being with that person will make us happy. But I want you to notice what we read regarding God’s design in marriage: “It is not good for man to be alone…” (Genesis 2:18). It was not for man’s happiness alone that God designed marriage, but instead, for his good.

Let me remind you of another very familiar verse:

Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good for to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Paul is reminding us that God uses everything in our lives for good. But what is the good? Does he mean everything in our life is designed to make us happy, or healthy, or wealthy? If we look at verse 29, Paul continues:

Romans 8:29
“For whom he foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…”

What is the good that everything is working toward? What is the good that marriage was designed to provide? It is the good of being made more like Jesus. Everything in our lives is like a tool in the hand of God, which He uses in order to make us more like Jesus. The difficult boss, the rain on your wedding day, receiving the promotion, finding money you did not know you had, are all tools God uses to make us comparable to Jesus. What is the tool that He uses the most? Once you get married, I think that tool will be your spouse. In fact, the marriage relationship is the closest thing the unbeliever will see of a relationship with the Lord. The husband’s love is compared to Christ’s love for us, and the wife’s obedience is compared to the obedience the believer is to show to Christ.

We need to learn not to look to our spouse to make us happy. It is too great a burden for them to carry. We need to learn to look to the Lord, and allow the Lord to mold and shape us into the image of Christ.

Pastor Jim

 

Cover It Up

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Genesis 9:21
“Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.”

/home/wpcom/public_html/wp-content/blogs.dir/b9a/30989304/files/2015/01/img_1295.jpgOnce the waters had resided and the ark settled, Noah and his family exited the ark to begin a new life. They would have to survey the land, build shelter, plant crops, and much more. It is interesting to me, of all the events that must have transpired, the Scriptures only focus upon a few. We read in Genesis 8, Noah offered sacrifice to the Lord. We can assume, after all he experienced, he was still a very godly man. We read in Chapter 9,  a covenant between God and man was re-established, based upon the shedding of blood. When we come to the story before us, having settled in the new world with his new life, we find Noah indulging in wine and becoming fall-down drunk. As we continue through the Bible, we will see clearly that drunkenness is both foolish and forbidden. In our text, it is not the sin of Noah that is the focus of our attention, but the sin of his son, Ham.

It seems Noah had so much to drink he passed out naked in his tent. Whether his son was looking to find error in his father, or he just stumbled upon him, we are not told. We do know, Ham found his naked father, and went off to tell anyone who would listen. The reaction of his two brothers is quite heroic. Instead of mocking, condemning, or making a spectacle of their father, they simply cover him up. In so doing, they are covering up his failure. The next morning, when Noah awakens, he realizes what has happened and speaks prophetically concerning his sons. A curse is promised to Ham, while blessing is promised to Shem and Japheth.

Proverbs 10:12
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.”

This story teaches us an important truth about dealing with sin. First, we learn that even the godliest of men can stumble. Second, we find it is not our responsibility to broadcast the sins of others, but to help them overcome sin. The actions of Ham did nothing more than ridicule the failure of his father, while Shem and Japheth work toward restoration. They did not condone the sin of their father, but sought to restore his dignity that he might get back to following the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

Finding Grace

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Genesis 6:8
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

/home/wpcom/public_html/wp-content/blogs.dir/b9a/30989304/files/2015/01/img_1290.jpgThe story of the flood is a story of judgment and redemption. Mankind had turned its back on God. Moses is careful to describe the condition of the world at that time;

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

People were living in open defiance of God. The line between the godly and the ungodly had become so blurred that the sons of God were marrying the daughters of men. The men of renown, the leaders of the ancient world, wanted nothing to do with the things of God. There was open demonic activity taking place among men. Jesus described a scene of such spiritual apathy that even Noah’s preaching of coming judgment, did not deter the people from their sinful lives. They continued on, as though they would never have to give an account to the God who created them. After 100 years of warning, the sky suddenly became dark, the rain began to fall, the earth began to rumble and split open. The judgment of God broke forth on the very people He had created to for fellowship. In the midst of this we read,

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8
As much as this is a story of God judging sin, it is also a story of God redeeming man. Noah was the recipient of the grace of God, which rescued him from wrath. Nothing has changed. God is still Holy and will forever judge sin. He is also gracious, providing a way for sin to be forgiven, and men to be delivered. We receive the grace of God when we choose to accept the pardon for sin He has provided through the death of Christ upon the cross. When we receive Christ, all our sins are washed away and we are rescued from wrath.

We see in Noah a picture of how this grace affects a man. We read that Noah “walked with God.” Walking with God is a common idiom found throughout the Bible. It is used to illustrate a person who is living a life that is well pleasing to the Lord. We read of three distinct things about Noah’s walk. First, he obeyed the Lord. Four times we read that “Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him”. Not all that was commanded seemed to make sense. Instead of arguing, rationalizing, complaining or disobeying, Noah did as the Lord commanded. Second, we read that Noah’s faith impacted his family. Unlike Lot, Noah lived out his walk with God for others to see, and won his family members to the Lord. Too often our best Christianity happens at church, and we fail to live for Christ within the home. Finally, we read that upon exiting the ark, Noah offered sacrifice to the Lord. He realized that salvation was not based upon his good work, and he accepted the pardon that God provided.

Jesus told us, the times leading up to His return would be like the days of Noah. With evil increasing we must walk with the Lord all the more.

Pastor Jim

 

A Fork In The Road

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Proverbs 8:2 “She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet.”

Have you ever been following someone’s directions to a place you have never been, and encountered an unexpected fork in the road? When that happens, we are forced to stop, study the map again, ask for help, and make a decision as to which way to go. Solomon tells us, that in life, when we encounter the unexpected fork in the road, wisdom is there to meet us, and provide direction for our lives. While wisdom is always available to us, there are times when it may be more difficult to know the right path to take. Solomon gives a description of wisdom so we will be able to recognize it the next time we are in need.

Proverbs 8:7 “For my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.”

God’s wisdom will always lead us away from wickedness and sin. Late,r Solomon defines the fear of the Lord as hating evil (Proverbs 8:13). Any direction that leads you closer to sin, or away from fellowship with God, is not the way of wisdom. If you are trying to decide whether to go out with the guy from work, look at his life. Has he been showing evidence that he wants to walk with, serve and please God? If you are trying to decide about a move. Is there a healthy church nearby where you will be able to continue to grow in Christ and raise your family around the things of the Lord? The way of wisdom always leads us toward the Lord.

Proverbs 8:12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.

Wisdom does not travel alone, she has a partner named Prudence. Prudence is defined as the ability to govern oneself, especially as it related to being circumspect in times of peril. We are able to recognize the way of wisdom when we realize that God’s way will always lead us to denying the flesh, and to personal growth in Christ. We were all taught about adrenaline and the body’s “fight or flight” reaction to danger. It is natural for all of us to want to avoid danger or difficulty; to choose the easy road over the difficult one. There are times, however, when God wants us to take the more challenging road, because He desires to do a work within us. That work will always involve the cutting away of the flesh. While that may be difficult, the end of that road, is our becoming the persons God created us to be, in Christ.

Proverbs 8:20 “I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice”

Righteousness, like holiness, is a word we sometimes struggle to define. I recently saw a sign that referred to a location as a holy site, and stated “no smoking, bare feet or loud talking.” Apparently, their definition of holy was to be quiet, not smoke and have covered toes. Biblical righteousness is best defined as becoming more like Jesus, and the path of wisdom always leads us to Christ.

Proverbs 8:23 “I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.”

Solomon takes us back to the very beginning, when all things were created, and reminds us that wisdom was there. We learn  true godly wisdom does not change when culture does. The things that will lead us toward or away from God, do not change like the tide. Cultural mores may be different now than they were back in the “good old days”, but the wisdom of God has not changed. Regardless of what Hollywood says, or what new laws are passed in Washington, the wisdom of God will never change. Sin will always be sin, and righteousness will always be righteousness.  Wisdom and prudence lead us to knowledge and discretion.

Let’s be sure, as we face a fork in the road, that we are looking for signs that point to heaven’s wisdom.

Pastor Jim

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On The Edge

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Proverbs 5:14 “I was on the verge of total ruin, in the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

“The assembly of the congregation”, or in our case, the church, was designed by God as a means to help the individual believer grow in Christ. The Word of God, corporate worship, and fellowship, were all designed by God to help each of us grow in Christ. When we come to church with a soft heart, eager to hear from God, His Word has a way of speaking directly into the things we are facing; equipping us in advance against trials and temptation. When we enter worship, with a desire to give back to God for all He has given to us, we find we draw near to Him, and surrender more of ourselves to Him. When we develop honest fellowship with other believers, we are willing to ask for prayer and counsel. When we remain open to share our struggles, we find that iron sharpens iron, and we are able to overcome sin and temptation.

That being said, it is dangerous when we enter the assembly of the congregation, put on a mask, and begin to play the Christian game. By wearing a smile and speaking our best Christianese, we convince others that all is well, when in reality we have begun to wander from the Lord. Instead of allowing the Word to do its work in our lives, by convicting, instructing, and changing, or taking advantage of the fellowship of the saints, we use our church time to pretend all is well.

Solomon warns of the danger of living like that. He declares, it is possible to be on the verge of total ruin, while standing in the midst of the assembly. Backsliding begins long before we stop gong to church. It starts when we begin to pretend all is well; when truly we have begun to drift. Instead of putting on your best mask, come to the fellowship with a hunger for the Word, a desire to worship, and an eagernes to glean all you can from other believers.

Pastor Jim

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