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His Word, Our Lives

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John 10:21
“Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’”

Those struggling to determine if Jesus is truly the Son of God and Savior of man, are influenced by both His words, and the lives of those who believe in Him. Certainly, the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, but the believer is the light of the world, casting light upon the Gospel of God. Jesus exhorts us to let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify God (Matthew 5:16).

It has been my experience that people are most often drawn to the Lord by the lives of others. One family member, co-worker, or friend influences another, and that influence creates a willingness to listen to the Word of God. The more we allow Jesus to impact our life, the greater influence we will have on lives around us. Many of the great works Jesus did in the lives of individuals, were the result of their exercising extreme faith. They believed God to do the impossible in their lives, and the result was impossible things were accomplished. Maybe today it is time to trust that God will do in you what cannot be done any other way. Perhaps you have been struggling with drinking, smoking, pornography, gossip, or some other sin that is holding you back. If that is the case, why not exercise extreme faith; trust God to help you overcome. Not only will you find victory in your personal life, but you will have a testimony that will draw others to the Words of Christ, the very Words that are capable of saving the soul.

Let’s live out loud!

Pastor Jim

 

The Light

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John 1:4
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

Jesus was magnetic! People from all walks of life were drawn to Him. Lepers, paralytics, rich men, beggars, fishermen, and even Pharisees were drawn to Jesus; to meet Him, hear Him speak, and be touched by Him. At times, we read of massive crowds that gave up all other pursuits, to listen for hours as He spoke about the Kingdom of God. What was it that drew people to Him? John tells us that His life was like a light in the darkness.

Often, when I come home at night, my route into the house is through the garage. The problem is, the light switch is on the far end of the garage, near the kitchen door. Skateboards, bikes, shoes and other sports equipment are scattered across the floor, and in the darkness, facing these dangers, I am drawn to the light that shines from the house. In the same way, people facing the pitfalls of life were drawn to the light that came from Christ. John points out what that light was:

“In Him was LIFE and that was the light of men.”

John tells us, the light which shone forth from Christ was the life that He possessed. Jesus later stated that we, His followers, would be the light of the world; that through us the world would be drawn to God (Matthew 5:14). Just as the life of Christ drew men to Himself, the life that we have is what will win others to Jesus. The more we surrender to Christ, the more we allow Him to cut away, the more closely we follow Him, the greater life will come out of us; like a brilliant light drawing others to Christ.

“Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Pastor Jim

 

This Old House 

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Leviticus 27:14
“And when a man dedicates his house to be holy to the Lord, then the priest shall set a value for it, whether it is good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand.”

20140227-074948.jpgAccording to Webster’s dictionary, the word ‘dedicate’ means, “to devote to worship or to set apart for sacred use.” As Leviticus comes to a close, Moses instructs the people to dedicate their homes to the Lord. Since the family is the foundation of society, the key to Israel’s future success was in each and every household dedicated themselves to the Lord.

A few years back some friends of mine purchased a new home. Before the foundation was laid, they went to the site and buried scripture verses in the ground. That is a beautiful picture of what it means to dedicate our homes to the Lord. We want to build upon the foundation of the Word, but we cannot stop with symbolism. If our homes are truly going to be devoted to God, we must ensure that they are a place where, in every way, God is honored. For this to happen, we might need to do some house cleaning and remodeling.

Take a moment to examine the contents of your home. I am not talking about the furnishings or what is in the pantry. Instead, think about the things are being allowed in the home. Imagine if, like Mary and Martha, Jesus was coming to your home with His twelve Apostles. What would you change right now? Are there cupboards that need to be cleaned out of things that have no business being in the home. Are there attitudes toward one another that would cause you to die of embarrassment if they were exposed in His presence? Jesus might not be on His way over for a physical visit, but keep in mind, everything is “open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13).

Christianity should never be reduced to what we don’t do. When we stand before Christ, we will not be examined for what we did not do, but for what we accomplished. Look at your home, is it time for an addition or two? What are you doing to ensure your kids are being trained up in the ways of the Lord? What are you doing to be a light to your neighbors? In what way are you seeking to make your spouse the most loved and respected spouse on the planet?

I think it is time we dedicate ourselves and our homes completely to the Lord and watch to see what great things God will do through it.

Pastor Jim

 

You Deserve A Break

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Leviticus 25:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord.’”

image1.jpegMoses refers to the Sabbath over twenty times in Leviticus; instructing Israel how to worship the Lord. The Sabbath was a very important facet in the life of the children of Israel. God designated a weekly Sabbath day, then every seven years was a Sabbath year, and every forty-nine years, a special Sabbath year, called the year of Jubilee. One of the Ten Laws written by the finger of God, stated, the Sabbath day was dedicated, above all the others, as a day of rest. The driving force behind this command, was the example God had set in Creation.

Exodus 20:11
“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”

The Sabbath would serve a number of valuable purposes in the life of the believer. First, God wanted His people to rest. Since He designed our bodies, He knows what is best for them, and wants us to learn to take a break. It would do us good to set aside times to rest from our labors and concerns, simply focusing on the goodness of the Lord. Second, the Sabbath was designed to build faith. Israel was an agrarian society, whose existence depended upon the harvest. Yet, in the midst of harvesting the grain, they would be required to stop and rest for a day. Every seven years, they were required to let the land rest, and not plant crops. All of this was designed to cause Israel to trust in the provision that would come from the Lord. God wants us to realize, although we must work hard and apply the principles of the Word to our daily living, we must also learn to trust in His grace. Finally, the Sabbath would set Israel apart from all other nations. As the nation grew and developed trade with surrounding countries, they would stand out because of their refusal to do work on the Sabbath. Much of God’s law was designed with that purpose. He wanted His people to stand out. It was never the desire of God that we be hidden away in the crowd, but like Shadrach and his friends (Daniel 1-3), we stand above the culture and point the way to God.

While we are no longer under the law of the Sabbath, the principles remain. Much of what God is doing in your life, is so you might learn to rest in Him and trust Him. Rather than looking at our daunting circumstances, we should look to the promises of His Word. He is also seeking to make us stand out. Not in a weird way, but because we are a people who are trusting Him, and living according to His Word. Like a city set on a hill, we will become the light of the world, pointing people to the Savior.

Pastor Jim

 

 

Forbidden Food

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Leviticus 11:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.'”

IMG_1488If we go back to the call of Abraham, we realize Israel was a nation chosen and established by God. Abraham was told that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Later, we read God’s purpose in choosing Israel was for them to be a light to the rest of the world.  God’s idea was for the world to know who He was, through the witness of His people. One factor that would make their light shine more brightly was living by a higher standard than the world around them. This is part of the reason for the dietary laws.

There may be some health reasons behind the food restrictions God placed upon His people, but this is certainly not the main reason for adopting them. There are many foods they were allowed to eat that are as unhealthy as what was forbidden. Instead, the laws were designed to cause Israel to stand out, and be a witness to the world. This principle is highlighted in the story of Daniel. You recall how he was offered all of the king’s delicacies, but chose to eat only vegetables (Daniel 1:8). This was, no doubt, driven by two factors. First,  the dietary restrictions of the Law, and second was the fact that much of the food of Babylon was offered to idols. When Daniel chose to stand up for the Word of God and live accordingly, he became a powerful witness to his generation. We find others joined him in his stand for the Lord, and many were drawn into relationship with God.

Jesus explained that the Christian is called to be a light to the world. The more we commit ourselves to the ways of God, the brighter that light will shine. When we refuse to bow to the standards of our culture, and instead, live according to the Word of God, we will see others drawn to Christ. While we do not have a list of movies, television shows, or a playlist of songs, that we are to avoid, it is clear from content, there are many things on which Christians have no business spending their money, or filling their minds. Remember, our first priority is to glorify God, and be a light to the world in which we live.

Pastor Jim

 

I Will Arise

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Micah 7:8
“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
When I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
The Lord will be a light to me.“

IMG_1229.JPGI have heard a a lot of exercise mantras designed to motivate behavior. They often read a bit like Micah’s declaration,

“Believe you can and you are half way there,”

“I cannot be stopped,”

“Stop saying I can’t and start saying I will.”

The big difference is, Micah does not claim that the strength to succeed is found within. He realizes if he Is going to rise above his current condition, he will need to rely upon the strength provided by the Lord.

The prophet Daniel was a man who faced big challenges and had even bigger successes. We read his journey began with resolve. He determined he would not allow himself to be pulled down by the world he lived in, nor by the compromise of others. Instead, he purposed in his heart not to defile himself (Daniel 1:8). His success began with determination, but it did not stop there. Later, we read of a different spirit that resided in Daniel. That spirit enabled him to overcome obstacles and accomplish great things. In other words, Daniel was filled with the Spirit of God, and given Heaven’s strength to overcome earth’s obstacles.

If we want our walk with the Lord to succeed, if we want to be people who are no long falling prey to constant wiles of the devil, the secret is found in accessing the power of God, made available through the Spirit. Take time today to ask God to fill you with His Spirit and His accompanying strength. When you face an obstacle, do not rely upon yourself, but pray for strength and see if you too, will rise above.

Pastor Jim