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Forty Lashes 

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Deuteronomy 25:3
“Forty blows he may give him and no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight.”

A man, condemned of certain crimes, was to be beaten as a form of punishment and humiliation. The beating was reserved for the wicked, while the righteous were exonerated. Years later, a “Kangaroo Court” met in Israel, gathered false witnesses, and condemned the Son of God to death, for the high crime of blaspheme. He was taken to the Roman authorities, where He was again tried, convicted and condemned. Part of the sentence meted out to Him was the Roman scourging. Unlike the Jewish law that carried with it a level of mercy, the Roman scourge was designed, not only to punish, but to kill.

After withstanding the agony of the garden, the hostility of the Jewish leaders, a sleepless night, and the mistreatment by the Roman guards, Jesus was bound and beaten. The beating was carried out by a Roman soldier, who used a leather whip with many “tails.” Woven into the leather were sharp, hard objects, like broken glass or metal. The whip would tighten the skin, while the glass would tear through it. Since the beating was only a step in the crucifixion process, no mercy was shown. Jesus would have been beaten to the very brink of death. We know what He endured was so great He was unable to carry the cross (Mark 15:21), and collapsed under its weight. Isaiah, with prophetic commentary, wrote, “His visage was marred more than any man.” In other words, He was beaten beyond recognition.

As painful, difficult, humiliating, and cruel as these beatings were, they were not without purpose. We are told it is through the sufferings of Christ, we are able to recognize, in our own difficulties, we have a God who can sympathize with us. You have not endured pain so great that He cannot understand it, or feel compassion for you. Also, we know, it is by His stripes that healing is made available to the child of God. Finally, it is the suffering of the cross which reveals the depths of His love. As we reflect upon what He endured to save us, our hearts should be stirred to a greater personal commitment to His service.

Pastor Jim

 

Jesus The Gardner 

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John 20:15 
“She, supposing Him to be the gardener, . . .”

Mary saw Jesus, but the circumstance she was in, and the experiences she was facing, caused her to conclude that He was a gardener. It was not until she heard His Word, that she clearly understood who He really was.

It interests me how many different, even opposing views, people develop regarding Jesus. These views have two things in common. First, they are usually forged as a result of personal experience, and second, they are always formed without the illumination of Scripture. Some consider Jesus to be a good person who was misunderstood; others, a mythical figure; while till others, use portions of Scripture to develop a hybrid Jesus, who bears little resemblance to the Jesus of the Bible.

This is not only true of the unbeliever or the seeker, it is also true of the Christian. How often do we allow the circumstances of life to shape our view of Christ? When we are facing hardship, we think of Him as unloving, distant or even weak. While blessings cause us to think of Him as loving and kind. It is not our circumstances, but His Word, that defines Him. When we will listen to His Word, we will see who He truly is, and how He wants to work in our circumstances.

Never limit Jesus to what you understand of Him; He is so much greater than that. Let His Word define Him as you worship Him.

Pastor Jim

 

Happy Marriage 

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Deuteronomy 24:5
“When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.”

Moses is reminding the people of the laws of God. These were the standards which would govern individuals and the nation. If they followed His precepts, they would be blessed by God, and would be attractive to the world around them. Like a light in the darkness, Israel would draw men to the Lord. Tucked away in this list of regulations is a principle, that if heeded, will lead to a blessed and happy marriage. Certainly, a happy and healthy family life will serve as a strong witness in a world. A world where so many marriages are falling apart, and children are the victims of a fallen and sin-filled world.

The principle here is very simple. For the first year of marriage, nothing was to matter more to the man than making his wife happy. Business trips, and even the protection of the nation against invasion, was to take a back seat to the happiness of his wife. God is not suggesting the husband have a calendar, marking off each day, as if it was a prison sentence to be completed. Instead, the early years of the relationship is where the foundation is laid. If a man can convince his wife that nothing matters more to him than she, he will be well on his way to having a happy, married life. Paul put it like this,

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, . . .” Ephesians 5:25

Psychologists tell us, the greatest need a woman has is to know that she is loved. A wife who knows the love of her husband can handle just about anything.

Whether you are a husband or a wife, perhaps it is time to make an effort to invest in the happiness of your spouse. Instead of thinking of all the ways you’ve been  disappointed,  why not spend time thinking of ways to pour love into your spouse, and see if the God who parts the seas, is able to put life into your relationship. Remember, there is more at stake than your personal happiness, the whole world is watching.

Pastor Jim

 

He Is Praying For You

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John 17:9
“I pray for them.”

Perhaps the best title for John 17 is, “The Lord’s Prayer.” As the hour of His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion approaches, Jesus takes time to pray for His disciples. His prayer, while encompassing many things, seems to focus upon three thoughts.

First, Jesus prays for His followers that they may be one. Division within the body of Christ has been one of the most confusing things for the unbelieving world. If Christians all believe in the same God, are washed in the same blood, and filled with the same Spirit, then why is there so much division in the church? Some division is good. Worship styles are different. It is good to have lots of variety within the church in order to provide an atmosphere where people are able to connect with God. Also, cultures are different, and to some degree, the church should be relevant to the culture, in order to win souls to Christ. That being said, much of the division in the church is wrong and harmful. The church fights with itself over petty differences and misunderstandings. It is as if we believed that our church is the only real church. Thank God, Jesus is praying for us.

Second, Jesus prays for His followers, that we might be kept from evil. Christianity would be so much easier if the moment we made a decision to follow Christ, we were translated from this life into eternity. It would be easy to know who the true believers were, because they would be gone. It would be easy to give up the temptations of life, because we would be in Heaven. It would, however, make evangelism very difficult, because there would be no one left to share Christ. Jesus prays for us, that we would withstand the temptations of life. It encourages me to know that He faced what we face, and He overcame through the power of the Word of God, and the Spirit of God in His daily life.

Finally, His prayer is like a commission. In it, He makes mention of the fact that He is sending us into the world. We, His church, are His solution for reaching the lost. Later, He makes it clear that we are fully equipped when He states,

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:18-19

We are sent into the world with the authority of Jesus, the blessing of the Father, and the empowering of the Spirit. As you go forth today, keep in mind, Jesus is praying for you, that you might be kept as you go.

Pastor Jim

 

Fruit-Filled Life

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John 15:8
“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”


God desires that we live fruit-filled lives. When we do, He is glorified and we are blessed. A fruit-filled life is marked by the characteristics of Christ. In Galatians 5, Paul listed many of the “fruits” that God desires us to bear. These are inward qualities that are a result of being transformed by Jesus.

 

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,   self -control. Against such there is no law.”

When our lives are filled with these qualities, God is glorified, others are drawn to Him, and we are blessed. Think about it. Don’t you want to be filled with love, joy and peace? Isn’t life better when you are patient and kind? Jeremiah contrasted two lives. He spoke of the one who departs from the Lord, being like a shrub in the desert; while the one who trusts in the Lord is like a tree by the waters bringing forth fruit (Jeremiah 17:5-8). I don’t speak “tree”, but if I did, I think I would hear the trees longing to be by the water’s edge where life is better, and fruit is abundant.

The key to living a fruit-filled life is abiding in Christ. The word ‘abide’ speaks more of a condition, than an action. We abide in Christ when we believe Him and receive Him. At that moment, a miracle happens. Our sins are forgiven, we come alive to God, and we are placed in Christ; where the life of Christ begins to flow into our lives. Jesus contrasts the branches that are in Him, with the branches that do not abide. He tells us the branches that are not abiding, or not connected, are cast out, withered and burned; while the branches that are in Him, are lifted up and pruned, in order to bear more and more fruit (John 15:4-6).

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are attached to the life-giving vine. The more time you spend with Him, the more His life will be produced in you. Take some time today allowing the vinedresser to lift you up, that you may become more fruitful.

Pastor Jim

 

10 Commandments

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Deuteronomy 5:22
“. . . and He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.”

The commandments of God were given to the people of God so they had a standard by which to govern themselves. These laws were given the highest place of honor in the nation. They were placed within the Ark of the Covenant, in the Holiest place within the Tabernacle. Years later, when the Tabernacle was replaced with Solomon’s Temple, the only articles remaining in the Ark were the two stone tablets containing the commands of God. We need to understand, God’s design for His people was that He be at the center of their personal, and their national lives. The center of the nation was the Temple, the center of the Temple was the Ark, and the center of the Ark was the Word. The people of God must always be governed by the Word of God.

As the years passed, and the decades became centuries, the people of God lost sight of the Word of God. Religious activities continued to be practiced in the nation, but without an understanding of the basic principles of who God was, and what relationship with Him was like. During the reign of King Josiah, while doing some renovations on the Temple, they stumbled across the Word of God. When it was read to the King, he realized the real problem with the nation was a failure to observe the Word of God. Josiah elevated the Word to its rightful place, and saw a movement of the people back to the ways of God. It was actions like his that preserved the nation for another century (2 Kings 22:8-20).

It is high time we give the Word of God it’s rightful place. Certainly, we should pray to see the commands of God hanging in courtrooms and classrooms across our nation. However, the chief place we need to see the Word elevated, is in our own lives. Are we willing to become a people governed by the Word of God? That, my friends, is what will transform our nation to the utmost.

Deuteronomy 5:1
“Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them.”

Pastor Jim

 

Set Free

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John 8:34
“ Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”

James explains the process of sin,

James 1:14-16
“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”

The gist of what he is saying is, while sin promises to bring pleasure, it can only produce death. We have all found that to be true. We all face temptations, and those temptations make promises, but when sin gets its hooks in us, we find that it really destroys. We find that instead of serving us, we are the slaves of sin. One of the worst elements of slavery is the hopelessness  it produces. When a person is bound up in sin, they see no way out. They may have resolved over and over to quit, but the grip of sin is too great, and they find themselves bound to it once again.

Into this hopeless scene, Jesus enters with a message to liberate captives. Earlier, He declared He came to set the captives free.

John 8:31-32
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”

Jesus promises, what resolve, counseling, even incarceration have been unable to do, He will accomplish through His Word. The process is in two parts. First, believe in Him. When you do, He will come into your life and wash the guilt, and penalty of your sins, away from you. Second, abide in His Word. The same Word that spoke the world into existence, healed the lame and the blind, and even raised the dead, is the same Word that can transform your life. It can unloose the grip sin has on you, giving you true freedom and a fresh start.

Today, if you find yourself enslaved by sin, I am sure you have lost a great deal in life because of it. You have given up personal freedom, and both negatively and drastically, impacted those who you love. I am sure you have also tried everything to be set free. You may even feel like the Pharisees who said;

“How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” John 8:33

Rather than question the promises of Jesus, how about obeying them? Let’s determine together that we will receive Him and daily dive into His Word, trusting that He will transform our lives.

Pastor Jim

 

Beginning Of Miracles 

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John 2:11 
“This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

John tells us, the miracle of turning the water into wine was the first of Jesus’ miracles, and its purpose was to make His glory known. The word “glory” is used synonymously in the Bible with the word “name” and speaks of a person’s character. When Moses longed to know God more, he asked God to “Please, show me Your glory.” (Exodus 33:18) God responded, saying, “I will cause My goodness to pass before you and declare My name.” It is in that passage we learn much of the merciful and gracious character of God. Here, at this wedding feast, John tells us that we are to learn something about the character of Christ.

John also tells us, this was the first miracle Jesus accomplished. Think about it. The Son of God, who came to save the world, is going to accomplish His first miracle, and He chose to provide refreshments at a wedding reception. Why? I think it is because He wants us to learn that He did not come for the masses, but the individual. He wants us to understand, He loves and cares about each of us. In the grand scheme of things, a family being embarrassed by running out of refreshments at the reception does not mean much, but it would mean a lot to them, and so it meant a lot to Jesus.

What a blessing to know that Jesus never loses sight of the individual. He knows and cares deeply about each of us and the struggles we are facing. I think it would be wise of us to take the advice of Mary and “Whatever He says to you; do it.”

Pastor Jim

 

Seek Him

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Luke 24:1
“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning…”

Crucifixion was a violent and public form of execution. The display was designed not only to punish the condemned, but to dissuade others from violating the law of Rome. It is difficult for me to comprehend the emotions that would flood those who watched, as Jesus was beaten and crucified.

These women were not casual observers, they did not watch the events as spectators or journalists, they were some of Jesus closest friends, and Mary was His mother. Watching the events of the cross must have filled her with fear, confusion, sorrow, anger and even hate. Her own Son had been betrayed by one of His close friends, He had been falsely accused, condemned, beaten and violently killed. It would be reasonable for us to read that Mary shut down, or she was filled with sorrow, wept, and questioned the love of God. Instead, we read she rose early, went seeking, and found Christ was risen from the dead.

What pains are you enduring today? Are you struggling with the emotions caused by loss, confusion, or disappointment? Are you allowing your emotions to keep you from God, or like Mary, are you willing to rise early and seek Him? I wonder what we are missing out on when we fail to take time to seek Christ.

Pastor Jim


Behind The Scenes 

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Numbers 18:7
“Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve…”

While it is clear Moses is being instructed regarding the role of the priests who would care for the articles within the Tabernacle, this statement is also a beautiful picture of the ministry of Jesus. He takes care of everything that happens behind the veil. Just as the curtain would serve as a divider between the outside world and what happened within the holy chambers of the Tabernacle, so we have a veil that separates heaven’s proceedings from our view. Paul spoke of the fact that our vision of God is marred by the experiences of life.

1 Corinthians 13:12
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

Just because we are looking through the stained glass of the natural world, does not mean Jesus is not at work in the heavens, behind the scenes. In fact, the Bible goes into great detail to explain what our heavenly High Priest is doing daily, as He “attends to everything behind the veil.”

First, He watches. Like a loving parent who watches over a child, so Jesus observes all that we do. Nothing is ever really done in secret, but openly, before the eyes of the One to whom we all must give account. Even those things that no one seems to notice, like the widow offering her mites, can not sneak past the watchful eye of Christ.

Second, He prays. In fact, we are told, “He always lives to make intercession for us,” that He might save us to the uttermost(Hebrews 7:25). In every trial we face, or temptation we struggle with, we can be assured, Christ is at the right hand of the throne of God interceding on our behalf.

Third, he represents us. Like a defense attorney, Jesus stands between us and the accusations that fly out of the devil’s mouth. Instead of believing the worst about us, he remembers that we are blood-bought children of God, and defends us before the Father.

Finally, he waits for us. Hebrews 12 speaks of the great cloud of witnesses that have gone into glory before us. Jesus is awaiting our arrival into that assembly. On the day Stephen died, we are told Jesus arose from His seat to welcome him into eternity (Acts 7:55). What a beautiful picture! I can imagine every time a believer steps into glory, Jesus arises to meet him with a heavenly multitude at His side.

Pastor Jim