love

Deep Desire 

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Romans 10:1
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.”

We use the word heart to refer to the seat of our deepest desires. It is not uncommon to hear someone say, “I love you with all my heart.” The same was true in Paul’s day. He declares, with this expression, one of the things that kept him going in the face of difficulty, opposition, and persecution, was his desire to see his friends come to Christ.

As the chapter continues, he speaks of two actions born out of this desire. First, Paul informs us, his desire led him to pray. Prayer is the greatest weapon in the arsenal of the Christian. With it, we are able to pull down the strongholds that Satan has in a person’s life. In this case, Paul explained, the Jews were held captive by thinking they were righteous enough because of their actions. They thought keeping the Sabbath, observing the feasts, and eating Kosher, were enough to grant them access to heaven. Paul’s response was to explain they completely misunderstood how righteous God actually is. Sin and holiness are contrary terms. Holiness speaks of purity, while sin refers to uncleanness. Since God is perfectly holy, no sin can withstand His presence. Those who think God will ignore their sin because of their good deeds, misunderstand the holiness of God, and are in for a rude awakening when they stand before Him. Paul knew arguing was not the secret to rescuing His friends from this deceit. So he resorted to a much stronger force. He prayed for their salvation. Prayer will soften the heart of the hearer and provide an open door to share the Gospel. Having said that, prayer is not the only weapon in our battle to rescue our friends into eternal life. Paul went on to say,

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:15

For a person to have their sins forgiven and be made right with God, they must believe they are a sinner, and Christ died to remove their sin. This is not intuitive knowledge, nor is it something revealed in nature. A person can look up at the stars, around at the environment, or down into the seas, and realize there is a God. However, in order to know the Son of God became man, died on the cross, rose again, and that belief in Him results in eternal life, the Gospel must be preached. Paul’s deep desire drove him to bring the Gospel to his friends, even if it meant opposition from the very ones he was seeking to save.

What is your hearts desire? To answer that simply, look at your actions. What do you pray for? What do you spend your time, talents and treasures upon? What do you risk your life for? Perhaps it is time that we develop a greater love for God, expressed in a greater desire to see others come to Christ.

What will you do for the kingdom today?

Pastor Jim

 

Raising Leaders

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1 Chronicles 24:4
“There were more leaders found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus they were divided. Among the sons of Eleazar were sixteen heads of their fathers’ houses, and eight heads of their fathers’ houses among the sons of Ithamar.”

Webster’s dictionary defines a chronicle as “a historical account of events arranged in order of time without analysis or interpretation.” The main purpose of 1Chronicles is to give an historical record of the nation of Judah. This chapter focusses on the descendants of Aaron, the priest. While it may seem less than devotional to read a list of names, I think it is worth noting, that a system based on heritage would require a huge emphasis upon raising the next generation to follow the Lord. If Israel was going to remain as the people of God, then the priests would have to raise their children to love, trust, and obey the Word of God and the God of the Word.

The death and resurrection of Christ has ushered in a new covenant that is no longer based on heritage. We become a child of God, and a priest in our home, the moment we place faith in Christ. This, however, does not diminish the need to raise our children to love, trust, and obey the Lord. We should make it our chief aim to train up our children in the way they should go so when they are old they will not depart from ways of God (Proverbs 22:6). Some basic tools to help us do that include teaching them the Scriptures, setting a godly example, and being sure our home is filled with an atmosphere of grace.

Pastor Jim

 

Divine Justice 

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Psalm 109:2
“My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.”

When I read the songs of David, I am fascinated with the level in which He knew the Lord. He expresses praise in a way that reveals the depths in which he understood the majesty of God. He speaks of mercy, grace and loving-kindness, not as one who studied it in a classroom, but as one who experienced it daily. This psalm reveals the level in which David understood the justice of God. If this Psalm seems harsh, it may be partly due to the limited understanding we have of God’s justice. We live in a world that finds it difficult to reconcile love, mercy and justice. We see it as unloving to punish an offender, yet we know it to be unjust to allow them to go free. It is common to project our limited understanding of righteousness on the Lord, only to then accuse Him of wrongdoing when He judges the ungodly. We must never forget, God is a holy and just God. When sin is committed it must be judged, God will bring justice upon those who have rebelled against Him, and mistreated His children. Ultimately, this judgment will be punitive and those who have rejected Christ will be separated from God.

CS Lewis put it like this, “God in the end really gives people what they want, including freedom from Himself. What could be more fair?”

But until then, the judgment of God is meant to draw people to Himself. God does not want the rebellious to continue in their sin, ignorant of how He feels about it. Instead, He desires all men everywhere to be saved.

Before we are too hard on David for the intensity of his prayer regarding the wicked, I think we have to visit where he had been. I am not talking about going through the kind of hardship that make us callous to others, but rather I am referring to the statement David makes in verse 24,

“My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.”

To be honest, I am humbled by these words. David describes the physical weakness he experienced as a result of the intensity in which he was seeking the Lord. His prayer for the wicked to be judged was not birthed out of their mistreatment of him, but rather out of his time spent seeking the Lord on their behalf. The best thing for those who are living in rebellion against God is to taste a little of His severity, if it will bring them to a place of repentance that they might avoid eternal judgment.

As you seek to understand this Psalm, take a few moments to pray for your loved ones who are still living apart from Christ. Pray that they would surrender all without having to go through any more of the severity of God.

Pastor Jim

 

Misguided Affections 

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1 Kings 11:40
“Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.”

It is almost eerie to compare the similarities between Solomon and Saul, and Jeroboam and David. As a result of personal sin, Solomon, like Saul, had the kingdom taken from him. While Jeroboam, like David, was chosen by God, to rise to the challenge and lead a new nation. Sadly, both men failed miserably. The root cause of Solomon’s sin is explained earlier.

1 Kings 11:1-2. “But King Solomon loved many foreign women… from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love.”

Solomon was responsible for introducing idolatry into the nation. He built temples, shrines,  and high places for Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh and Molech. These were the gods of the nations surrounding Israel. Along with the worship of these gods, came all kinds of lewd and licentious behaviors. The seeds dividing the nation were planted by Solomon, and quickly picked up by the people of Israel. In one generation, the once powerful nation of Israel, would be devastated by civil war that would lead to invasion, and ultimately collapse.

We read, although Solomon knew his behavior was unbiblical, he “clung to these women in love.” Love has been used throughout history to justify the sinful behaviors of men. A Christian will disobey the will of God, begin to date an unbeliever, and justify it as love. An unmarried couple will cross the line physically, move in together, using their love for one another as an excuse. A married man will leave his family because he is “in love” with his secretary, or a high school sweetheart.

Love is an important part of life, but misguided love will lead us away from the Lord, and into a world of hurt. The same God who instructed us that love is the chief grace, also warned us not to love the world, nor the things that are in the world. It is crucial that we examine our lives and be sure we are not using love as an excuse to sin.

Pastor Jim

 

Good And Evil

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Psalm 52:1
“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually.”

We live in a world of contrast. On the one hand, we see the fingerprint of God all around us, demonstrating His goodness. Earlier in the Psalms, David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm19:1). When we see the beauty of creation, the birth of a child, or the love of betrothal, we are struck by the goodness of God.

On the other hand, there is another force clearly at work in our world. David calls it “evil,” and he witnessed its effects all around him. This Psalm was written after Doeg had murdered dozens of men, out of his selfish ambition and lust for gain.

We, too, see evil all around us with the ability to access information from all of the world. We have all been stunned by thousands killed in floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. As horrible as these things are, they pale in comparison to the evil that men inflict upon other men. Wars, fought for nothing more than a selfish drive for power, have been responsible for the brutal death of millions, upon millions, of lives. We have all heard of the atrocities under Hitler and Stalin. Tragically, these are not just distant memories of the dark days of man. The events, in places like El Salvador, Liberia, and Rwanda, in recent decades, have been nothing short of evil.  Nor has evil stopped. We hear today of threats of terrorism, and even global war. Sadly, we do not need to look far to find evil. We have all been dumbfounded by reports of shootings at schools or job sites, where an expressionless gunman shoots innocent victims; leaving the victim’s families to grieve in shock and horror. We all know, and perhaps even are the victims of abuse. I have sat in my office with people who were molested by the very ones who should have loved them, and seen the far reaching and devastating effects of that evil. As a result, we are all left to wonder how these two truths can be reconciled. We ask the age old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Allow me to have Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck answer this question for us: “It is a strange thing. Dozens of times I have been asked by patients or acquaintances: ‘Dr. Peck, why is there evil in the world?’ Yet no one has ever asked me in all these years: ‘Why is there good in the world?’ It is as if we automatically assume this is a naturally good world that has somehow been contaminated by evil. In terms of what we know of science, however, it is actually easier to explain evil. That things decay is quite explainable in accord with the natural law of physics. That life should evolve into more and more complex forms is not so easily understandable. That children generally lie and steal and cheat is routinely observable. The fact that sometimes they grow up to become truly honest adults is what seems the more remarkable. Laziness is more the rule than diligence. If we seriously think about it, it probably makes more sense to assume this is a naturally evil world that has somehow been mysteriously “contaminated” by goodness, rather than the other way around.”

The mystery of goodness is even greater than the mystery of evil. “An evil world contaminated with goodness.” The Bible explains this clearly. When Adam sinned, sin entered the world, and has affected everything. However, God, through Christ, has infused His goodness into this world. James went on to explain, that every good and perfect gift comes from God. The evil in this world goes against the nature of God, and is caused by sin. The good in this world is left by the fingerprint of God, who loves us, and desires to work in us, even to be a fortress when evil is on the rise. Will you cling to Him today?

“At the tree in the garden we passed from good to evil
At the tree on the hill we passed from evil to good.”

Pastor Jim

Psalm 52

  1. Read chapter 21 and 22 of 2Samuel, for background on the writing of this Psalm.
  2. What is the confidence and strength of the wicked man?  Where does he place his trust and what does he love?
  3. Yet what is the end of the wicked man?
  4. In contrast what is the strength, confidence, and trust of the righteous before God?

 

What’s Love Got To Do With It? 

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2 Samuel 13:1
“After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.”

“I love you” is one of the most common phrases in any language. It is the heartbeat behind many popular songs, movies or works of literature. It seems a love story is an underlining theme in every movie whether it is designed as an historical piece, a comedy, or even a horror film. The story of Amnon and Tamar reveal that the love story is as ancient as time itself, and  people were as confused then, as they are now as to what love really is.

We are told Amnon loved Tamar. However, as the details are described, it becomes clear that his feelings for her were anything but love. We read, she was his half sister, making the relationship forbidden, both biblically and genetically. After he forced himself upon her, he then cast her away like an unwanted trophy. Even the most callous reader would clearly see this was not love, but instead, a man who was driven by his passions.

While it is almost universally accepted that it is wrong to force yourself upon another, or to engage in incestual relations, there are many things which are passed off as love, that are truly nothing more than uncurbed passions. The Bible explains that true love is others-centered, and is driven by a desire to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. One of the problems in relationships is, we forget that true love desires to please another, not just to please ourselves.

Pastor Jim

 

Forsaken

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Psalm 22:1
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?”

Although David wrote this Psalm as an expression of the experiences he was facing, it has a much bigger application than he ever could have conceived. It was on the cross that Jesus uttered the opening words to this great Psalm.
“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” Mark 15:34

In order to speak from the cross, Jesus would have to endure unimaginable pain. He would have to straighten Himself up by pressing against the nail driven through His feet, and breathe in deeply to force any words out. When His silence was broken by these words, His followers would have been immediately drawn to the words of Psalm 22. After watching the crucifixion, there could be no other conclusion; David was speaking prophetically of Christ.

This Psalm, written almost one thousand years before Christ, gives a vivid picture of the events of that dark Friday. David speaks in advance of the ridicule that Jesus would endure. We know that the religious leaders, the crowd, the soldiers and even the thieves all mocked Jesus; calling for Him to prove that He was God and break free from the cross. David also describes the way Christ died with amazing detail. He speaks of His tongue clinging to His mouth in thirst, His hands and feet being pierced, His bones being unbroken, yet out of joint, and his heart melting like water within Him. This Psalm gives undeniable proof of the inspiration of the Word of God, and of the claims of Christ.

That being true, the cry of Christ from the cross does more than draw our attention to the prophetic words of David. It also reveals something of the suffering Jesus endured on the cross. While on the cross, Jesus was giving His life as a substitute for ours. He was bearing the penalty of our sin, so we would not have to. Paul put it like this;

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

The penalty for sin is separation from God. While on the cross, bearing our sin, Jesus experienced sin’s penalty. His cry was not mere poetry, but the expression of what He must endure to save us. Our experiences allow us to understand the weight of sin to a small degree. We have all felt the heavy burden of committing sin, and knowing what it has done to our relationship with God, and with others. We can never imagine the weight of all the sin of humanity. Every vile thought, word, and action ever committed by every man,woman, and child who ever lived, bore down upon our Savior as He hung upon the cross, paying for our sin. And we read that the Father forsook His Son.

All this was done, Christ was forsaken, so that we would never be forsaken. Because of His substitutionary death, the writer of Hebrews was able to declare,

“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5

What love…

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 22

This is what is referred to as a Messianic Psalm. It has a meaning in the life of the psalmist but also points prophetically to Christ.

  1. Verse 1 is spoken by Jesus from the cross. What is significant about Jesus speaking of being forsaken?
  2. What do you learn about the value of trusting the Lord from verses 4-5?
  3. How were verses 6-8 fulfilled in the crucifixion?
  4. How were verse 14-18 fulfilled in the crucifixion?
  5. How does the cross make verses 27-31 possible?

 

 

A Love Story

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Ruth 2:11

“And Boaz answered and said to her, ‘It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.'”


The book of Ruth is one if the most beautiful love stories ever written. In it, we read of a wealthy landowner who falls in love with a young servant girl, and goes to great lengths to earn her hand in marriage. His story is so fascinating that, until recently, it was part of the mandatory reading in public high schools, and as a result, was the first Bible story I ever read. While the assumption is that Ruth must have been physically attractive, that is not what caught the attention of Boaz. He was drawn to her for her character and her commitment to the Lord. 


Ruth  2:11

“And Boaz answered and said to her, ‘It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.'”


Ruth made a decision to lay her life down, first for the God of Naomi, and then for Naomi, herself. She left her culture, her religion, and homeland, to remain with her mother-in-law, even if it meant she would never have a husband, children, or life of her own. This act of self-sacrifice was driven by her commitment to God and became a testimony that spread throughout Bethlehem. 


Ruth 1:16-17

“For wherever you go, I will go;

And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

Your people shall be my people,

And your God, my God. 

Where you die, I will die,

And there will I be buried.

The Lord do so to me, and more also,

If anything but death parts you and me.”


Relationships are key to successfully following Christ, and no relationship is more important than the person we choose to marry. Boaz is a good example of a man who waited until he met someone who was as committed to God as he was. His wealth and status in the community would have afforded him the opportunity to pursue the woman of his choice, but he chose to wait. It was not until he met Ruth, who not only spoke of being a follower of God, but demonstrated it with her lifestyle. 


Pastor Jim 

  

 

Serve God 

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Joshua 24:14
“…Serve the Lord!”

Years ago Bob Dylan wrote a song that included the phrase, “You’ve got to serve somebody.” Centuries before, the Psalmist declared, we will become whatever we choose to serve. He stated, if we serve false gods we become like them, but if we choose to serve the True and Living God, we will become like Him. Our lives will be determined by what masters us.

Romans 6:16
“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

Sin is a reckless master. It makes promises it will never fulfill. When we choose to disobey the Word of God, getting involved in practices He forbids, it is not long before we are controlled by the very things we thought would be pleasurable. Drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, are all harsh taskmasters, destroying the lives of those who serve them.

With his final breath, Joshua pleads with Israel to serve the One who will transform their lives, and who promises to give them life. All those who stood before Joshua on that day have long since passed from this life. They found the exhortation of Joshua to be true. They came to realize the brevity of life and the length of eternity. Won’t you follow their lead, and choose today to serve the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Pastor Jim

 

A Town Called Joppa

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Acts 10:5
“Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.”

Joppa was a port city in Israel with a wealth of history. It serves as a powerful illustration of the heart of God for the world at large. Over 700 years before Peter slept on the rooftop of the tanner’s house, another famous character passed through Joppa. His name was Jonah, and he is infamous as Israel’s most reluctant prophet. Most of us are familiar with his story of disobedience. We read, he was commissioned by God to preach a message of mercy to Nineveh, but instead, he traveled to Joppa, boarded a ship, and attempted to run from God. His story is a fascinating one, as God goes to great lengths to win the heart of this wandering servant. One of the key lessons in Jonah is, God loves the world even when His people don’t.

Over 700 years later, we find another servant of God resting quietly in this same port city. While he sleeps, his world is interrupted with a vision form heaven. The vision was simple, but the message profound. He saw a sheet filled with all kinds of animals, which he was commanded to kill and eat. Peter’s initial response was to refuse, for many of the animals were in a category marked as “unclean” by old testament standards. His rebuke was met by a further command, “What I have cleansed do not call common.” While this passage is freeing the believer to eat whatever he wants, the message is much deeper. Peter needed to learn that the Gospel was intended for all people.

As he pondered the meaning of the message, a band of men arrived, inviting him to visit Cornelius, in the city of Caesarea. Peter would soon be faced with a great dilemma, he would stand at the threshold of the house of a gentile and have to decide whether, for the sake of the Gospel, he would put aside his cultural fears and enter a gentile home.

Cornelius and his family were loved by God and needed to hear the message of salvation in Christ. Peter, like Jonah before him, would have to set aside his own personal feelings for the sake of the kingdom of God.

All mankind is loved by God, and needs to hear the message of salvation found in Christ. It is time we set aside anything that keeps us from declaring the message of the cross to a dying world.

Pastor Jim