God of All Comfort

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

What a marvelous title – God of all comfort!  New Testament writers use the concept comfort repeatedly.  It conveys the idea of encouraging and exhorting those who cope with defeat, doubt, and depression.  Indeed, Jesus always stands next to His people with the pledge that He will never forsake them (Matt. 28:20).  Although suffering is not eradicated, we have Someone who soothes us in the midst of it.  Often we cry for temporary relief, but the God of all comfort gives permanent consolation in the midst of excruciating pain.

Many think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away.  But if that were always so, people would turn to Him only out of a desire to be relieved of pain and not out of love for Him.  We must understand that being comforted can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles.  The more we suffer, the more comfort God gives us.  If you are feeling overwhelmed allow God to comfort you.  Remember that every trial you endure will help you comfort other people who are suffering similar trials.  Paul makes it clear that the comfort we receive from God is not for our benefit only, but also for sharing with other hurting people.

Comfort is not found in the absence of pain, but in the midst of it.  So many hurting Christians believe their walk with the Lord is not as it should be because of their intense pain.  Feeling comfortable and being comforted are two entirely different things.  The first is a nice feeling, but tends to come and go.  The second is a fact based on the Comforter, not on circumstances.  And the wonderful thing is He does not come and go: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).  When we are hurt, the God of all comfort gets out either the gentle medicine or the stronger dose to heal our wounds.  And the wonderful part is, He stays with us to comfort the pain.  The God of all comfort, by the Holy Spirit, breathes comfort in the scrapes and wounds of life.

Those who have experienced hurting or suffering know it gets tiring after a while.  The weary saint cries out with Paul to remove the thorn in his flesh.  The Lord Jesus Christ Himself also prayed for the cup to be removed.  In fact, He was so physically and emotionally weary, an angel was sent to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43).

Times of suffering are particularly difficult times, especially if the suffering has persisted.  But it is precisely at these times the Comforter is the most precious.  He is the Shepherd in the valley; the Father to His child; the Rock of ages; the Shelter in time of storm.

This should encourage those who are in pain.  The parents of a wayward child will mourn, but does that mean they are not comforted?  No!  Their parental heart might ache for years to come, but their regenerated souls will take great comfort that there is One who loves their child more than they do.

The wife whose husband has abandoned her will grieve and mourn, but does that mean she is not a victorious Christian?  No!  The victory comes when she goes to her empty bed and realizes there is One who will never abandon her.  She hurts, but her soul rests in One who is able to soothe her wounds.

The husband who takes fresh flowers to a grave weeps uncontrollably when he remembers his wife’s smile.  Are his tears a mark of spiritual immaturity?  No!  The tears are a mark of a man who dearly loved his wife.  His heart breaks, but his soul rests in the Comforter who promises he will see his wife again.

Peace is not the absence of pain.  We would not be promised a Comforter – much less need One – if the Christian life was a life of unending bliss.  The typical view of the Christian life is one of deliverance from trouble, but Scripture calls us to deliverance in trouble.  I have learned an amazing truth amidst my struggles in life: I can have a pain in my heart and a settled peace in my soul at the same time.

And so can you through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  The Comforter soothes in various ways – through Scripture, through music, through other saints (who have probably been hurt), and through other tailor-made ways that suit our particular struggles.  God is wonderfully creative, perfectly matching comfort with sorrow.  As a comforting Father, He gives strength to go on in the midst of pain.  He is the perfect parent to His children!

My prayer for you today is that you will feel the loving arms of God wrapped around you.  He is saying to those who belong to Him, “Sweet hurting child, you are so special to Me.  I hurt with you.  I’m staying right here to take good care of you.”  As He is blowing gently on the stinging wound, He is remaining close to His children.

God’s peace is often unexplainable to someone who has not experienced it.  In my life, the deeper the sorrow has been, the more indescribable the peace.  So, the next time you tell someone about Christ, listen carefully to see where the brokenness is and how Christ can put that person’s life back together.  God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.

One of the many paradoxes of the Christian life is that the grace of God is most keenly experienced not in the best, but in what seem to be the worst of times.  As much as a Christian longs for exaltation (1 Cor. 4:8), it is often in humiliation that he finds grace (2 Cor. 12:9).  It may not always be well with my circumstances, my emotions, or my personality, but it is always well with my soul!

Parable of the Good Samaritan: Being a Neighbor

Luke 10:25–37 is perhaps the most well-known parable.  It stresses the inherent interrelationship between how one reacts to people and how one relates to God.  At the heart of believing in God is loving Him and others.  Being a neighbor does not make distinctions in offering care.  The issue is not to define who our neighbor is or to seek to do the minimum we can do.  This parable is a call to be a neighbor to everyone, showing compassion to those who are in need.

EXEGESIS

1. Legal Questions About Inheriting Eternal Life (10:25–28)

     a. The Lawyer’s Question (10:25)

Is the lawyer asking only about “getting saved” or is he asking a broader question about pleasing God and receiving all that God has to offer him?  The lawyer’s question is, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  In other words, he is asking: “How can I be sure I will be saved?”

     b. Jesus’ Question (10:26)

Jesus responds, “What is written in the law?”  The commandments are the expression of God’s revealed will for that time.  The deflection of the original question also avoids the lawyer’s test, for he was trying to justify himself.  Now the lawyer will need to take the opportunity to answer his own question.

     c. The Lawyer’s Reply: The Great Commandment—Love God and Neighbor (10:27)

The lawyer answers in terms of what has been called the “Greatest Commandment,” a combination of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.  This text has been known as the “law of love,” since one’s relationships to God and humans are both covered in the command.  Both God and humans are to receive love.  Such love is not marked by the presence of great feeling, but is objectively manifested in considerate responsiveness.  This answer does not defend righteousness by works because love for God and others is an expression of total allegiance and devotion that in other contexts could be called faith.  There is no compartmentalization of response; the entire person responds.  Devotion to God is expressed by devotion to others, so there is no distinction between devotion to God and treatment of people.  They go together.  Jesus encourages total love for God and humankind.  Love for one’s neighbor is often seen as a summary of the law.

     d. Jesus’ Commendation (10:28)

Jesus encourages the lawyer for knowing he is to love God and to serve his fellow humans; he is headed in the way of life.  However, just having knowledge of what God requires him to do is not enough.  Such knowledge needs to be put into practice.  Love that comes from the heart responds with the hands.  The Spirit enables the believer to respond (Romans 8:1–11).  To love God is to be devoted to the teaching and person of Jesus.  Anyone who loves God will respond to His message and, as a result, to fellow humans.  Loving God is a summary description of believers (1 Corinthians 2:9; James 1:12, 2:5).

2. Call to Be a Neighbor: The Good Samaritan (10:29–37)

     a. The Lawyer’s Question About Neighbors (10:29)

The lawyer wants to clarify who a neighbor is and how extensive the demand is that he loves his neighbor.  Was he anxious to correct his past neglect?  Was he seeking a clarification that would allow him to feel confident about where he stood?  Or did he want to justify his past conduct? The implication is clear that he wished to soften Jesus’ command and not feel a sense of obligation to respond to the needs of others.

It is here that Jesus turns the discussion into a confrontation.  Jesus rejects all attempts to shrink the scope of responsibility.  The lawyer is looking for the minimum obedience required, but Jesus requires total obedience.  That the lawyer seeks the minimum shows that something is wrong: he is approaching God on human terms and not on God’s.  Jesus refuses to allow this limitation.

The parable leaves no doubt that the lawyer is challenged by Jesus’ command.  The question becomes does he loves God enough to respond?  Does he love others enough to be a neighbor to them regardless of their origin?  I will paraphrase the lawyer’s question this way: “How can I spot others who belong to God, so that I can love them?”  The lawyer’s question about identifying his neighbor is really an attempt to say there is such a person as a “non-neighbor.”  Jesus refuses to turn people into a subspecies or into things that can be ignored.

Jesus’ answer to the lawyer’s real question is, “Do not worry about spotting God’s people first, just be a neighbor to everyone, as this Samaritan was.”  The scope of the command is greater than the lawyer might have anticipated.  All people are to be loved and treated fairly.  By choosing the Samaritan as the model, Jesus shows that neighbors may be found anywhere, among any racial group, even in those groups despised by the Jewish leadership.

     b. The Parable of the Priest, Levite, and Compassionate Samaritan (10:30–35)

Jesus begins to tell a story about a certain man who falls prey to robbers.  The victim is only minimally described, since he is not the focus, those who react to him are.  He is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho.  This journey had a reputation for being very dangerous.  It went from almost 2,600 feet above sea level to 825 feet below sea level and was about 17 miles in length.  It was rocky, went through the desert, and was surrounded by caves, which made good hideouts for robbers who laid in wait to attack people and exploit travelers on this road.  To meet such robbers was the fate of this man.  They were political zealots or what we might call terrorists today.  The traveling man is outnumbered by a group of bandits.  The robbery left the man in a serious state, for not only was he robbed, stripped, and beaten, he was also “left for dead.”  The man is literally “fighting for his life.”

What is the reaction to this tragic scene?  Who will respond to this man in dire need?  The first man with an opportunity to help is a priest.  He was coming down the road “by chance.”   This appears to be optimistic; help is around the corner.  Having a priest on the road would not be entirely surprising, since many priests lived in this region.  Here is God’s servant who ministers in the temple and represents the height of piety.  What will he do?   When the priest sees the man, he passes by on the other side of the road and provides no help to him.  Many motives have been suggested for the priest’s refusal to help: fear of becoming unclean from touching a corpse; hesitation to help someone who may be a sinner; fear of being robbed while giving aid.  However, the text gives no motive, nor is it concerned with the reason.  The point is that the priest gave no help.

A second Jewish religious leader comes down the road.  He too passes on the other side and offers no help.  He was a Levite: a member of the tribe of Levi.  He was responsible for the less important tasks at the temple and could be thought of as a priest’s assistant.  The Greek wording suggests that he took a closer look at the injured man and the place where he lay, but he still walked away.  Disappointment with the lack of help is heightened.  Official, pious Jewish leaders had two tries to respond and did not.  The drama remains, “Who will love this dying man?”

Everything changes as a third man, a Samaritan, arrives on the scene.  For a Jew, a Samaritan was among the least respected of people.  Eating with Samaritans was equated with eating pork.  Such people were unclean and to be avoided.  The Samaritan would be the last type of person the lawyer would expect to love the man and resolve the story.  The parable’s twist in the story is key.  It is a despised Samaritan, who loves the man, outshining the exemplary Jews with his sensitive response.  It is he who showed compassion to the half-dead man (Luke 7:13; 15:20).  Here is the essence of being a neighbor: having the sensitivity to see a need and act to meet it.  It is also a way to define love and show mercy.  The account focuses on the Samaritan’s activity as a neighbor.  The others scurried past, but this man lingered over the one who needed help.

Jesus describes six concrete compassionate actions that the Samaritan undertakes for this man:  He (1) comes up to him and (2) binds his wounds.  This might have involved the Samaritan’s ripping up some of his own clothes for bandages.  As he engages in the process of bandaging the wounds he (3) anoints the cuts with oil and wine.  Oil soothed the wound, while wine disinfected it.  He may have deprived himself of refreshment in the midst of his journey to care for the man.  He (4) loads the man on his own mule, which probably meant that the Samaritan walked from here on.  Then, he (5) takes him to an inn, where he (6) can provide further care and comfort to this man he has just met.  He does not dump and run, but stays the night to care for him.  As a neighbor, the Samaritan did everything he could to help.

The Samaritan insures the continued care of the man by laying out two days’ wages and offering to pay additional expenses.  The innkeeper is to look after the man until the Samaritan returns.  The money was enough to take care of the man’s room and board for twenty-four days, since the daily rate for a poor man was about one-twelfth of a denarius.  That the Samaritan plans to pay the entire bill is clear.  The sense is, “I will repay, not the man.”  The Samaritan has taken care of this problem, as well as helping with the man’s physical wounds.  This compassionate act, as many compassionate acts do, involved a concrete price that the Samaritan was willing to pay.

     c. Jesus’ Question About the Neighbor (10:36)

Jesus asks the lawyer’s opinion about which character acted as a neighbor to the injured man.  Compassion, response, and love make a neighbor, not locale or race.  Jesus’ question shows what a neighbor is.  One should not seek to narrowly define who is a neighbor, so as to limit one’s responsibility.  The obligation is not to see what can be avoided, but to render aid when it can be readily supplied.

     d. The Lawyer’s Recognition of the Samaritan (10:37a)

The lawyer gives the obvious answer to Jesus’ question, though he cannot bring himself to say “Samaritan.”  He focuses instead on the showing of mercy, which was the key to the Samaritan’s exemplary action.  The lawyer has seen the point, but has yet to break through his prejudice.

     e. Jesus’ Command to Do Like the Samaritan (10:37b)

Jesus calls him to respond.  The lawyer is to emulate the Samaritan: “Do this and you will live.”  The lawyer should be a neighbor—like the Samaritan was.  Love for God expresses itself in a life that is sensitive to others.  This is how life is to be pursued and found.

LIFE APPLICAION

This is a significant passage about a disciple’s ethics.  What kind of action does God require of us?  We are to love God fully and to manifest that love toward others.  If we love God, we will respond obediently to what God asks of us.  The outgrowth of that love for God is a response to our fellow humans.  We are to love and be a neighbor to those who are part of our lives.  We become a neighbor by responding sensitively to the needs of others.  If we seek to restrict those we serve, we are not loving and being a neighbor to all people.  The issue is not who to serve, but serving where a need exists.  We are not to seek to limit who our neighbors might be.  Rather, we are to be a neighbor to everyone.  Are you and I good neighbors?

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: Reversal in the Afterlife

This parable is so striking and solemn that it has been said, “They must be fast asleep who are not startled by it!”  The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) is the second major teaching on wealth in Luke 16; the first is the parable of the Shrewd Manager (vv. 1–13).

This parable contrasts the fate of the callous rich and dependent poor through a graphic picture of reversal in the afterlife.  All the benefits that the rich man possessed in this life are lost in the next, while all that the poor man lacked on earth is provided for him.  This parable is a warning that the possession of wealth now does not necessarily mean we will possess it later.  It also calls on the wealthy to be generous with what they have to meet the needs of those who have nothing.  Callous indulgence in this life will be met with an absence of blessing from God in the next.  A person reaps what he sows.

EXEGESIS

1. The Rich Man and Lazarus in This Life (16:19–21)

The rich man is introduced in terms of his wealth.  He is fancily clothed, eats well, and lives in a mansion.  In contrast to the rich man is Lazarus who is poor, in bad health, and starving.  He is crippled or at least so hungry that he is immobilized, and has been placed at the gate because he is too ill to move himself.  The imagery is graphic: the rich man feasts inside, while the crippled poor man lies outside in hopes of receiving a few crumbs.

Lazarus has a basic desire: to eat—even scraps if necessary.  All he wants is the rich man’s leftovers.  This might be something as simple as the bread used as a “finger towel” to mop up any gravy from the dish and then tossed under the table for the dogs after the meal.  This is hardly an extravagant request, since such food would have been thrown out anyway.  To add insult to injury, Lazarus has to endure wild dogs licking his sores, which both infect him and leave him ceremonially unclean.  There could be no more of a sad and pathetic scene.  There is no suggestion that the dogs picture mercy extended to Lazarus.  He desires food, but gets only the embarrassing attention of unclean animals.  Lazarus never speaks; he suffers alone and in silence.

2. The Rich Man and Lazarus in the Next Life (16:22–23)

     a.      Lazarus at Abraham’s Bosom (16:22a)

Then the story switches settings.  Time passes and Lazarus dies.  He goes from being a lonely sufferer at the rich man’s gate to an accepted, blessed saint at the side of Abraham in heaven.  This fits Luke’s concern to show God’s compassion for the poor (4:18; 6:20; 7:22; 14:13, 21).

     b.      The Rich Man Tormented in Hades (16:22b–23)

The rich man also passes away.  His death is mentioned in the same simple fashion as that of Lazarus.  Death reduces the rich man’s stature.  His wealth no longer counts for anything.  His extravagance becomes poverty.

Death permanently changes everything.  A reversal occurs as the rich man looks up and sees Lazarus at Abraham’s side.  The spatial imagery is graphic and creates a mood of distance.  The rich man’s doom in hades stands in stark contrast to Lazarus’s new position in heaven.  He is suffering from judgment, while Lazarus is enjoying blessing at Abraham’s side.  Their roles have completely reversed as a result of their journey into the afterlife.  The rich man is now suffering, while Lazarus is receiving blessing.

3. The Rich Man’s Pleas to Abraham (16:24–31)

The rich man tries to change his circumstance by appealing to Abraham.  This may suggest that he was relying on his heritage to pull him through.  Such an appeal to Abraham, protector of the Jews, was natural since he was the bearer of God’s covenant (Gen. 12:1–3).

The situation is ironic.  The rich man did not notice Lazarus on earth, but now he appeals through Abraham for the poor man’s help.  The use of Lazarus’s name in his appeal suggests that the rich man knew about Lazarus all along, making his neglect of the poor man that much worse.  Perhaps even now he sees Lazarus as a servant, or perhaps he concludes that if someone like Lazarus can be at Abraham’s side, surely he can get relief too.  The rich man acts as if nothing has changed despite his present location.  He is sadly mistaken, for his fate was determined by his lack of response during his earthly life: “Give and it will be given to you… for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (6:38).  His lack of help to those in need means no help for him now.  The rich man’s former wealth does him no good in the afterlife.

The rich man’s request that Lazarus put a drop of water on his parched tongue to relieve his anguish from the heat recalls Lazarus’s similar requests for scraps of food.  Just as there were no crumbs for Lazarus, there will be no water for the rich man.  The difference is that now the rich man has no hope of reversing his fortune.  He sealed his own fate by his actions.  The idea of quenching thirst is a general image for desiring God’s presence (Ps. 42:1–2, 143:6; Rev. 21:6), while being thirsty is an image of divine judgment (Isa. 5:13; 50:2; 65:13; Hos. 2:3).

     a.      Reversal (16:25)

Abraham’s words are tender, but firm in addressing the rich man.  He has gone from self-indulgence to anguish.  He is now suffering in continual pain because of his life on earth, but Lazarus has gone from suffering to comfort.  The fate of the two men in the afterlife stands opposite of what each experienced in his earthly life.  The rich man has already received in full what life on earth can give him. Now, he is destitute and tormented in hell.  In contrast, Lazarus receives life forever in heaven.

In essence, their roles have been reversed.  What Lazarus was in the old life, the rich man has become.  What Lazarus lacked, he now lacks.  The rich man did not provide for Lazarus then, and neither will Lazarus provide for him now.  The rich man is reaping what he sowed.  His extravagant wealth and lack of compassion on earth has resulted in spiritual poverty and absence of mercy eternally.  There is no mercy in the afterlife for those who fail to show compassion in this life.

It is important to recognize that the parable illustrates Jesus’ teaching in 16:9 about using wealth generously.  The rich man is not condemned because he is rich, but because he slipped into the coma of callousness that wealth often produces.  He became consumed with his own joy, leisure, and celebration and failed to respond to the suffering and need of others around him.  His callousness made his earthly riches all that he would receive from life.

     b.      The Unbridgeable Chasm in the Afterlife (16:26)

The book closes for the rich man.  In a decisive remark, Abraham portrays himself as helpless to act because of sovereignly established boundaries between the rich man on one side and Lazarus and himself on the other.  There is a great gulf between them.  This chasm describes an unbridgeable space between heaven and the place of torture.  No one can pass from one area to the other in either direction.

God has set up the afterlife in such a way that the righteous and unrighteous do not mix.  There is no bridge over the chasm.  The image is strong and shows that how we respond in this life is decisive for where we reside in the next, a key point that some find hard to accept.  Since the righteous and unrighteous do not mix in the afterlife, the possibility of being saved after death is excluded.

4. The Appeal for Lazarus to Be Sent to the Family (16:27–29)

     a.      Request (16:27–28)

Once the rich man realizes his own situation is hopeless, he changes his approach: he appeals on behalf of his family members who are still alive and have a chance.  Now that he realizes the reality of his situation, he wishes to spare his family the same mistake he has made.  He knows his brothers need to repent, so he literarily becomes an advocate of the very position that Jesus is taking.  He speaks as one who made a fatal, eternal mistake in his life and wishes to help others avoid doing the same.  Basically, he says, “Do not let them make the same mistake I made.  Warn them that the way I lived ends in disaster.”  The rich man wants no followers when it comes to his deadly lifestyle.

Significantly, his current conversion of perspective does not change his fate, which was already irreversibly determined by his earthly life.  The parable teaches that some realizations, even though they are right, come too late to be of any good to anyone.  This point lends a note of tragedy to the story.

The rich man explains his concern for his five brothers, who apparently share the same philosophy of life that he had on earth.  These brothers need to be warned, for if they continue with their lifestyle they also will end up in torment.  The rich man believes that only a warning from someone who has died and now knows better can save them.  The rich man wishes to spare them eternal pain.

     b.      Reply: Scripture is Enough (16:29)

Abraham responds that a warning from someone who has died is not necessary.  Since God had already spoken on the matter, he tells the rich man that his brothers must hear (obey) the warning from Moses and the prophets.  Many Old Testament passages teach how to treat fellow humans, especially the poor (Deut. 14:28–29; 15:1–3, 7–12; 22:1–2; 23:19, 24:7–15, 19–21; 25:13–14; Isa. 3:14–15; 5:7–8; 10:1–3; 32:6–7; 58:3, 6–7, 10; Jer. 5:26–28; 7:5–6; Ezek. 18:12–18; 33:15; Amos 2:6–8; 5:11–12; 8:4–6; Mic. 2:1–2; 3:1–3; 6:10–11; Zech. 7:9–10; Mal. 3:5).  If these brothers heard the Scriptures and responded, they would be in good shape.  Any message that someone from the dead could bring them would be no clearer than what they already had.

Signs may impress a worldly mind for the moment; but only a will freely submitting itself to moral control can avail to change the heart.  God is only impressed with a heartfelt change, a change of conviction that the Word is capable of generating in a receptive heart.  To respond to Jesus means to become more sensitive to others, and the ability to respond this way will be supplied by the Spirit, as seen in the responses by believers in the Book of Acts.

5. The Appeal for a Message from the Dead (16:30–31)

     a.      Request (16:30)

The rich man does not give up.  He disagrees that Moses and the prophets are enough, since he himself failed to heed them.  The rich man’s false premise—that there is something greater than God’s message through his servants—is significant.  He is convinced that some type of sign from the afterlife will be more effective.  The premise could not be more incorrect.  This focus on a specific type of sign is something that Jesus has already warned against (11:16, 29–32).  The only sign that people need is the call to repent.  God’s revelation of His will and His call to love others should be enough.  That sign is present in Moses, the prophets, and Jesus’ teaching.  Ultimately, this message must be heeded.  A supernatural wonder alone is not good enough.  There were many other indicators and signs of this type in Jesus’ ministry, but they went unheeded as people pursued a specific sign or tried to make Jesus fit their expectations.  Why add another sign, when many had already been made available?  Even when such a sign is given, response will still be lacking.

     b.      Reply: To Refuse Scripture is to Refuse the Sign (16:31)

God has often worked mightily, only to see people lack belief.  Abraham reveals God’s mind in this clash of worldviews: even a resurrection from the dead will not lead to belief, because failure to believe Moses and the prophets show where one’s heart really is: “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if someone is raised from the dead” (v. 31).  A lack of evidence does not stop people from believing; their will does.  What is needed is a heart that responds to God and does not seek heavenly signs.  To see God’s work and hear His call the heart must be open and the eyes must be looking for Him.  Only faith yields understanding, nothing else.  To reject Scripture is to reject Jesus.  If God’s Word is believed, a resurrection is not necessary to produce faith; it only bolsters it.  If they cannot hear God’s voice, they will not see His hands at work either.

There is great irony in the parable.  Jesus’ listeners (and Luke’s readers) hear the testimony of one from the dead, which the brothers in the story are denied.  Thus, the parable ends with the listeners facing a choice.  Will they become generous in response to God’s demands to love others?  Or will they live in a self-indulgent way, unconcerned about those in need?  The message of the afterlife issues a call to repent and a warning about the importance of the decision.

LIFE APPLICATION

Luke 16:19–31 is one of the most complex of Jesus’ parables and makes four fundamental points:

1. We are to examine how we use our wealth.  God is not pleased with a self-indulgent lifestyle that has little care and compassion for those in need.  The parable is a call for us to repent of our inappropriate use of wealth.  The parable’s sympathetic portrait of the faithful poor illustrates God will judge the uncaring rich in the afterlife.

2. Nothing can change our fate in the afterlife beyond the factors present in this life.  No matter how bad the torment or how good the blessing, one message rings clear: once God has rendered judgment, it is permanent.  The choices of this life last for eternity.  The encounter with Jesus and His teaching has long-term implications, bringing either comfort or torment.  The moral demands in this parable, especially love for our fellow humans, apply to all who would follow Jesus.

3. Signs in themselves are of no value if our heart is not right.  Only a responsive heart will listen to God’s message and respond to His great works.  No amount of wonder-working can change a heart that is unwilling to be challenged by God’s demand for righteousness.  A lack of signs is not why people reject Jesus.  Rather, people willfully reject Him.  The heart cannot see what it is not looking for.

4. We must accept the call to repent.  If we have a repentant heart, we recognize the need to come to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.  We also receive the righteousness and relationship He supplies.  Compassion for those in need is the result of a repentant heart.  On the contrary, if we have a hardened heart, we will never recognize the need to let God change us.  Do you have a repentant heart?

Parable of the Shrewd Manager: Wealth and the Kingdom

Luke 16 includes two parables about wealth.  Jesus told the first parable
of the shrewd manager (vv. 1-13) to teach the disciples they must use their resources for kingdom purposes.

In Jesus’ day, managers or stewards were often hired by wealthy people to care for the finances of their estates.  Such a steward would be comparable to a modern-day financial planner or trustee who controls the finances of an estate for the purpose of making more money for that estate.  The money did not belong to the manager, but was his to use for the estate.

In the parable, a rich man called his manager to give an account of his dealings because he had heard the manager was not handling his finances wisely.  Apparently, the manager was “wasting” his owner’s goods.  He was being irresponsible with his finances (v. 2) and was fired.

In order to make friends who might later hire him, the manager devised a plan in light of his unemployment.  He charged the rich man’s debtors less than what they actually owed—400 instead of 800 gallons of olive oil, and 800 instead of 1,000 bushels of wheat.  When the rich man heard what his ex-manager had done, “he commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly” (v. 8a).  The dishonest manager had not done a good thing, but he had been careful to plan ahead, using material things to insure a secure future.

Jesus was turning a bad example into a good lesson.  He was not saying that His disciples should be dishonest, but that they should use material things for future spiritual benefit.  His point was if the unrighteous know how to use money to win friends and secure a future, how much more ought the righteous do so, albeit righteously, helping those in need, and with a view to God’s reward?

In this parable, we have a foreshadowing of the relation in which we stand to God.  “Steward” is the word which indicates this relation.  To every one of us is given a charge of goods whose Owner is God.  All our endowments—possessions, talents, abilities—are God’s property of which we are stewards or managers.  With regard to all our influence—direct and indirect—it is a power delegated to us by the Almighty and is to be rendered to Him.  Money, relationships, social positions—all are items of God’s estate over which we are His stewards.

Although Jesus was speaking primarily to the disciples, the Pharisees, who loved money, had also been listening, and their response was anything but spiritual.  They “sneered at Jesus” (v. 14) because they saw Him as a poor man being followed by other poor men, yet having the nerve to teach about money.  In spite of their strict religious practices, the Pharisees loved money and cultivated values that were godless.  They professed to trust God, but they measured life by wealth and possessions, the same as the unbelieving world.

Jesus responded that God is not impressed with their outward appearance or their wealth: “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.  What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight” (v. 15).

The Pharisees misunderstood the blessings of God’s covenant.  They wrongly assumed that a person’s wealth was God’s blessing in return for his righteous conduct.  They completely neglected the fact that many righteous people in the Old Testament lacked material things, while many unrighteous people had plenty.  Far too many professed Christians today are making the same mistake.  With their lips, they honor the Lord; but with their wealth, they live like the world.

Knowing exactly what was happening, Jesus unmasked these hypocrites. What He told them amounted to this: “You are the people who pass yourselves off before men as if you were living in harmony with God’s holy law, but your righteousness is only a facade.  On the inside, you are the very opposite of what you want people to believe you are.  God knows that your religion is a sham.  What men see of you and admire is an abomination in God’s sight.”

In this parable, Jesus teaches if we are faithful in our use of money, then we “can be trusted” (v. 10) with greater things.  “True riches” (v. 11) refer to the kingdom’s spiritual riches, of which the disciples will partake.  We “cannot serve both God and money” (v. 13; Mt. 6:24).  The two masters are mutually exclusive.  Love for money will drive a person away from God (1 Tim. 6:10), but love for God will cause him to not make money his primary concern in life.  Wealth should be our servant, not vice versa.

Do we realize we are stewards of God’s estate or do we forget this fact when we speak, without hesitation, of “my fortune, my land, and my house?”

How To Determine God’s Will

Sometimes God delays revealing His will because He is getting me ready.  Perhaps He knows I am not prepared to fulfill His plan.  Perhaps God knows in three months He has the most fantastic ministry ready for me, but He is working on some character traits in my life in the interim.

My own will is often the problem in seeking God’s will.  When He draws me into conformity to His will, my circumstances will no longer be a priority because my attitude about them will be different.  My own pride is the major obstacle I must overcome before I can pray for God’s will to be accomplished in my life.  Pride caused Satan to rebel against God and pride also causes me to reject God and disobey Him at times.  I must abandon my own will for God’s.  The Apostle Paul tells me how to do this: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritualact of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:1–2).  Paul knows that unless I lay down my life as a living sacrifice—until my will is dead—God’s will cannot manifest in my life.

I do believe God is interested in my decisions and has a plan for my life.  I believe He has a preference as to which direction I should take.  God’s will falls into two categories.  One category is His “moral will.”  The other category is His “personal will.”  God’s moral will is the prohibitions in Scripture: “thou shalt do this; thou shalt not do this.”  Peter says it is God’s will we obey human government.  Paul writes it is the will of God we be sanctified and abstain from moral impurity.  There are almost a dozen other instances in the New Testament where God says, “This is my will.”

The other category of God’s will is His personal will, that is, His personal agenda for my life.  These are the things He has specifically designed for me to do.  Paul was “called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God” (1 Cor. 1:1).  God did not call everybody to be an apostle.  That was His specific will for Paul.

God is involved in the process of discovering His will and while I may simply want information, He wants me to trust Him.  The principle of discovering God’s will is couched in the context of a relationship.  He is working to reveal Himself to me because He wants me to walk away from the process with my faith greater and my relationship with Him more intimate.  I believe God has given an incredible and practical approach to discern His will.  It is not some kind of mysterious journey.  He has given objective markers to help me know if my decisions agree with His will for my life.

The first marker is God’s moral will.  He will never lead me to do anything that is in conflict with His moral will.  Any decision I make or any option I am looking at that is in conflict with God’s moral will is simply not of God.  God’s moral will plays another important role.  Obeying His moral will (the things that are clear) is the foundation for decision making in the more challenging area of discerning God’s personal will.  In John 14:21, Jesus put it this way: “Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me.  The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”  When I develop a lifestyle in harmony with God’s moral commands, I will experience God’s guidance.  When I live an obedient life, I am constantly in step with God’s thoughts and ways.  It makes sense that I would be able to discern His voice more easily.

The second marker is the principles of God’s Word.  The Bible is full of principles.  At some point in my decision making, my options will intersect with the principles of His Word.  God has given His principles as a check and balance in our decision making process.  The difference between God’s moral law and His principles is this:  God’s moral law is clear commands.  “This is what you do.  This is what you do not do.”  Principles, however, are more like equations – an equation where God says, “If you do this, you can expect that to happen.”  God has given principles that intersect with all the choices I must make.  God wants to renew my mind with His principles.  I believe principles take precedent over a sense of inner peace.  God does not want me to be a slave to vacillating feelings.  If I keep God’s moral law and constantly renew my mind to what is true, then as the decisions come along, I will be able to sort out the options and discern what the will of God is.

I must spend a good amount of time in God’s Word.  I must have a systematic discipline to fill my mind with God’s principles.  If I do not, I am going to have a difficult time making the right decisions because the key to decision making is the principles of His Word.  I need to meditate on the Word of God.  Scripture gives understanding of the ways, will, and purpose of God.  Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  As I search and think deeply on the Word of God, asking Him to speak to my heart, God will work in such a way to help me understand His will.  The only way to know the mind of God is to know the Scriptures.  The Scriptures sift, purify, and clear up my thinking process, so I am able to think after God.

The third marker is wisdom.  Ephesians 5:15 says, “Be very careful how you live, not as unwise but as wise.”  In light of where I want to be in the future, what kind of marriage and family I want to have, where I want to be financially, and where I want to be in terms of my ability to serve God, is this the wise thing to do?  Thinking about the ramifications of my actions is especially important in discerning God’s will.  When what I decide to do affects other people, being in God’s will is doubly important because I have more than my own life at stake.

Sometimes God will give me wise counsel through others.  A godly counselor will tell me the truth whether I like it or not.  If somebody is committed to God’s principles, he is going to be honest with me.  Godly counselors are often God’s way of providing direction when I am unclear.

The Holy Spirit also has an essential role in helping me know God’s will (1 Cor. 2:12).  One of the purposes of the Holy Spirit is to reveal truth.  In the Upper Room, Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).  There will be times when I am faced with a decision.  In that moment, I may not be certain what to do, which way to turn.  As one of His prescribed, designated, divine responsibilities the Holy Spirit unfolds and unveils God’s will by interceding on my behalf with God to reveal the mind of Christ in that given issue.

God has made a commitment to tell me what I need to know when I am trying to make wise decisions.  God does not want me to make foolish choices.  The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom because God wants His children to make wise decisions.  It is evident God is interested in directing and guiding our lives, providing helpful wisdom for effective decision making.

In seeking and knowing God’s will, I need to measure my decisions against God’s moral will and the principles of His Word, and determine if this is the wise thing for me to do.  If I do all these things and still do not know God’s mind, I do not need to worry.  I believe God, through His Word, has demonstrated if His children are willing to be honest and, to the best of their ability, do what He wants them to do, He will intervene if they make faulty decisions.

Parable of the Sower: Kingdom of God

“Then Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: ’A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up…” (Matthew 13:3-23).

In the first of seven parables in Matthew 13, Jesus told about a farmer who sowed seed in his field.  The emphasis in the story is on the results of the sowing, for the seed fell on four kinds of soil: “along the path” (v. 4), “on rocky places” (v. 5), “among thorns” (v. 7), and “on good soil” (v. 8).  So the farmer had four kinds of results.  Jesus compared the four results of sowing to four responses to the “kingdom” message (v. 18-23):

The first result is the seed sown along “the path.”  When someone hears the message about the kingdom, but does not understand it, the devil (“evil one”) snatches away the Word that was sown in their heart.

The next two results—seed on “rocky places that had no root,” and seed “among thorns that choke it out”—speak of hearers’ initial interest in the kingdom of God, but with no genuine heartfelt response.  The seed on “rocky soil” refers to the person who hears the gospel, but quickly falls away (“is offended”) when trouble or persecution comes because of the Word.  The seed “among thorns” refers to someone who hears the Word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth “choke it out,” making the Word unfruitful in his life.

Only the seed that fell on “good soil” had an abiding result and a fruitful crop that produced “30, 60, or 100” times what had been sown.  This refers to the person who believes Jesus’ message about the kingdom (“hears and understands it”).

The farmer sowed good seed, but not all of it sprouted.  The difference in these results was not in the seed, but in the soil on which the seed fell.  As the gospel was presented, the good news is the same.  The difference was in the individuals who heard the Word.  Jesus demonstrated why the Pharisees and religious leaders rejected His message.  They were not “prepared soil” for the Word.

In fact, the majority of hearers do not respond positively to the good news; the gospel is rejected by most people.  The four types of soil represent different responses to God’s message.  People respond differently because they are in different states of readiness: some are hardened, others are shallow, others are contaminated by distracting worries, and some are receptive.

How has God’s Word taken root in our lives?  What kind of soil are we?

Parable of the Unmerciful Servant: Forgiveness

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?  Up to seven times?’  Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but 70 times 7” (Matthew 18:21-22).

That’s 490 times!  By this, Jesus meant no limits should be set.  We should not keep track of how many times we forgive someone.  We should always forgive the person who is truly repentant no matter how many times they ask.

To illustrate this point, Jesus told a story about two servants’ who were in debt (Matthew 18:21-35).  Jesus told about a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  One servant owed a large amount: 10,000 talents (a talent was about 60 pounds of gold, so 10,000 talents equaled a few million dollars).  When he could not pay, the master ordered that the servant, his wife, children, and possessions be sold so he could repay as much of the debt as possible.  The servant pleaded with his master, begging for time to repay his debt.  The master took pity on the servant, canceled the debt, and set him free.

But shortly later, this servant went out and found another servant who owed him a much smaller amount: 100 denarii (a denarius was a Roman coin, worth about 16 cents; it was worth one day’s wage).  The first servant demanded payment and refused to show mercy toward his debtor.  In fact he had the second servant thrown into prison until he paid the debt.  The other servants, aware of all that had happened were greatly distressed and told their master what had happened.  The master called back the first servant and jailed him for failing to show mercy to a fellow servant when he had been forgiven a much greater debt.  The first servant had been forgiven, and he in turn should have also forgiven.

Jesus not only taught about forgiveness, He also demonstrates His own willingness to forgive.  He forgave the women caught in adultery (John 8:3-11).  He forgave Peter for denying He knew Jesus.  He forgave the criminal on the cross (Luke 23:39-43).  He forgave those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34).  He is even willing to forgive you and me for the sins we have commit.  Jesus forgives all who come to Him through repentant faith.

A child of God has had all his sins forgiven by faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore when someone sins against us, we ought to be willing to forgive from the heart no matter how many times the act occurs.  Because God has forgiven all our sins, we should not withhold forgiveness from others.  Recognizing how completely Christ has forgiven us will produce an attitude of forgiveness toward others.

Christian Life is a Journey

 “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Do you sometimes feel as though you are not making any progress in your spiritual life?  The life of a Christian is a journey.  We have a supernatural, proficient guide and map in the Spirit-inspired Scriptures, but we face distinct temptations and trials.  We know we have been saved by faith in Christ and have heaven as our sure destination, but the intervening pilgrimage is unique.  We need God’s help.

I do not know where you are on your personal journey.  Perhaps you are exhausted and spent.  Maybe you have recently experienced significant growth, or you may have settled on a comfortable plateau because of an uncertain future.  But I do know this: God wants you and I to enjoy and complete the journey.  He has pledged Himself to finish the good work He began in us at salvation and will keep us strong until the end.

As with the Philippians, God will help us grow in grace until He has completed His work in our lives.  The God who began a good work in us continues it throughout our lifetime and will finish it when we meet Him face to face.  God’s work for us began when Christ died on the cross in our place.  His work in us began when we first believed.  Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, enabling us to be more like Christ every day.

Great confidence gripped the apostle as he thought and prayed for the body of Christ.  Paul guaranteed the believers that God would consider them “blameless” when Christ returns (1 Corinthians 1:8-9).  This guarantee was not because of their great gifts or shining performance, but because of what Jesus Christ accomplished in them through His death and resurrection.  It was God’s work, not theirs, so Paul had no question about the outcome.  All who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be considered blameless when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 3:13; Hebrews 9:28).  If you have faith in Christ, even if it is weak, you are and will be saved.  All believers are justified by God’s grace and stand before Him “blameless” (“free from accusation”).

If you are feeling discouraged, remember God won’t give up on you.  If you are feeling incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings, remember God’s promise and provision.  Don’t let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to Him.  God will most certainly continue on to completion the good work He began in us!

Set Godly Priorities

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

What is really important to us?  People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for our priority.  Any of these can quickly bump God out of first place if we do not actively choose to give Him first place in every area of our lives.  To “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” means to turn to God first for help, to fill our thoughts with His desires, to take His character as our example, and to serve and obey Him in everything.

One of the biggest obstacles that all of us face is the gap between what we think should be done and what is actually done.  It is the pull between priorities and our ability to move the resources needed to attack the priorities.  We know what is important (or at least we think we do).  In our world of instant answers, we try to move directly from bright idea to action plan with little time for contemplation, feedback, and prayer in between.

Yet, I must admit that on several occasions, what I thought was the right time to solve a problem or reach a goal was not God’s perfect timing.  Sometimes, He did make me wait. In turn, this caused me to spend much time thinking and praying for God’s will to be accomplished, especially if His will was different than mine.

Although it is in our best interest to slow down, be patient, and wait for God’s perfect timing, we will only wait for Him if we have a clear basis on which to function.  For me, my main priority is my love and commitment to Jesus – knowing Him, becoming like Him, and worshiping Him.  My second priority is my love for people.  This rises directly from my commitment to Christ and includes loving my family, friends, neighbors, strangers, and even enemies.

Usually, if I appear to have a conflict, a clash between what I think should happen and what actually does happen (because of my limitations or the people involved), I need to examine my priorities to see if they are in order.  This forces me to put my love for God and other people before anything else.  If I ever find myself feeling frustrated, it is usually an indication that I have misplaced priorities.

To commit ourselves to the Lord means entrusting everything – our lives, families, jobs, possessions – to His control and guidance.  To commit ourselves to the Lord means to trust Him (Psalm 37:5), believing that he can care for us better than we can ourselves.  Let’s take a look at four tough questions to answer, but provide the basis for setting godly priorities:

Are our motives pure?  Why do we want to accomplish a particular task?  Will it make us look good?  Will it move us up a popularity ladder and give us more leverage?  We may frown at the idea that we could be less than sincere, but our motivations are complex.  We all struggle daily against the desire for recognition and power.  For example, the same program that will comfort the sick may also score points for the pastor.  This is where our human reasoning often fails us, so we need to ask God to search our hearts.

Does our activity fit in the Bible?  I once heard of a church that runs a bar in its parish hall.  I do not believe that fits into the teachings of the Bible, but the pastor thinks it brings people together in a social setting and contributes to the life of the church, so he is ok with it.  That is an extreme example and our issues may be subtle, but the point is that we need to examine our activity through the grid of the Bible.

Will our goals enhance the lives of other people?  The love we have naturally for ourselves—a constant tendency—should be directed equally toward others (Mark 12:31).

Are we seduced by our culture?  Has society’s worship of size, success, speed, production, promotion, and glamour influenced our evaluation of what God says is good and right?

When God is the center of our lives, we live to please Him!

Secret of Contentment

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

The Apostle Paul knew something that most of us have missed.  He knew how to be content in any circumstance.  That is a bold claim.  When I think about the life of Paul, such a claim is amazing!  After only a few years of work in God’s service, he was falsely arrested and sent to a Roman prison.  There he sat, well aware that the various churches he planted needed his immediate attention and leadership, and yet content.

Notice he said, “I have learned the secret.”  The word learned implies a process.  As Paul grew in his spiritual life, he discovered the truth about contentment.  He referred to it as a “secret” because the truth he discovered is a truth that eludes so many believers.  It is a truth we search for in our own way and yet miss.

Paul learned the secret of being content in and through circumstances.  It wasn’t the secret of changing or getting God to change his circumstances.  Real contentment does not hinge on circumstances.  It goes beyond that.

Paul’s discussion of contentment closes with a verse that many of us are familiar with: “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”  Unfortunately, for many of us, no one explained the context of this popular verse.  Paul was referring to his ability to be content in every circumstance.  To paraphrase, “I can endure any circumstance without losing my peace and joy because of the strength I gain through my relationship with Jesus.”

What is the secret of contentment?  From what Paul says, it has to do with our willingness to accept three powerful truths.

First, real contentment hinges on what’s happening inside us, not around us.  We are all tempted to believe the lie that our contentment (or happiness) hinges on our ability to control what is going on around us.  We spend a great deal of energy and time trying to control our environment and the people in it.  But real contentment has to do with what is going on inside us, not around us.

Think about it this way.  When we become discontented, the first two things we lose are our peace and joy.  But the Bible teaches peace and joy are the fruits of the Spirit.  Their source is the Holy Spirit; He is producing them in us.  If we can lose our peace and joy when our circumstances turn bad, the peace and joy we were experiencing were not fruits of the Spirit; they were fruits of good circumstance.

As long as our contentment can be destroyed by a change in our environment, we can never be content in any circumstance.  Such is the fragile nature of externally oriented contentment.  For Paul, what was happening around him didn’t overwhelm what was happening in him.  His contentment was internal from start to finish.

To experience contentment, we must first begin by refusing to blame our circumstances (or the people who make up our circumstances) for our lack of contentment.  As long as we blame what’s going on around us, we will never understand what is happening in us.  When circumstances rob us of our peace and joy, we must take responsibility.  We must acknowledge that we are looking to what we cannot control to provide us with our contentment.  Only then can we begin to look in the right direction for our contentment.

Second, contentment is need, not want, oriented.  God will meet all our needs; He is going to take good care of us.  Much of our discontentment stems from not getting what we want.  God has not promised to meet all of our wants according to His riches in glory.  As long as our peace and joy hinge on getting what we want, we are on an emotional roller coaster.

God is a perfect heavenly Father.  He knows what we need.  He knows what we don’t need.  He knows what we want.  He knows what we can handle.  He is committed to doing what’s best for us.

The secret of contentment, then, includes distinguishing between what we need and what we want.  It means rejoicing over the promise of God to meet our needs.  We can stop and thank God for meeting our needs without allowing our emotions to attach themselves to our wants.

The third truth we must accept if we are to learn Paul’s secret of contentment is contentment is a matter of trust.  If we really trust God – if we really believe He loves us and has our best interests in mind – when things fall apart around us, they don’t have to fall apart inside of us.  Contentment is trusting God even when things seem out of control.

Discontentment, on the other hand, is really a lack of faith in God’s love and concern for us.  To express discontent is to suggest God has lost control or He doesn’t care.

Paul’s unshakable faith in God allowed him to say, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  He trusted God completely.  When things fell apart around him, he kept trusting.  Consequently, he was content.

The flip side of contentment, however, is discontentment.  Discontentment always causes three things to happen.

First, discontentment erodes relationships.  Discontentment usually translates into a burning desire to change the people around us.  If others would act the way we think they should act, we would be fine, right?  But as soon as we try to change others to suit our particular taste, mood, or style, we are no longer able to love them.  Love is replaced by manipulation.  Manipulation is to a relationship what fire is to paper.  While the only person you and I are responsible for changing is ourselves, a discontented person usually expresses discontentment by attempting to change others.

Second, discontentment clouds the decision-making process and makes it almost impossible to wait.  Discontented people want change – and they want it now!  Consequently, their decision-making abilities are skewed.  The emotions that accompany discontentment are so strong that they often override reason.

People in marketing and sales understand this all too well.  Part of any effective advertising campaign or sales pitch is to make potential customers discontented with their existing product.  The feelings that accompany discontentment are enough to make people buy things they don’t need or can’t afford.  Discontentment clouds the ability to make wise decisions.  Discontented people tend to make foolish decisions.

Have you ever noticed how bad your car looks when you drive it onto a new car lot?  Have you ever become self-conscious about your clothes when shopping for new clothes?  Have you ever noticed how small your house feels after visiting in a larger and newer home?  These feelings get us in trouble if we do not keep them in proper perspective.

Third, discontentment distorts our view of God.  Discontented people attempt to control God.  Worship, prayer, Bible study, and church attendance become a means to an end – getting God to change whatever they think needs changing.  Even faith is reduced to another tool to use to move God in their direction.  Discontented people reduce the heavenly Father to the status of an automatic teller machine.  Christianity becomes a lifelong attempt to find the right code to get from God what they want.  Discontented believers will never know God for who He is.  Their discontentment distorts the picture.

Like many, I struggle with contentment.  How much is enough?  Should I be satisfied with what I have or seek more?  Is ambition bad?  What kind of goals should I make?  The answers are not simple, but I believe Scripture provides the balance we need to cultivate godly contentment.  Jesus said to pray for our “daily bread” – sufficient provision for our daily needs.

The key to contentment is learning I can do everything God wants me to do through His strength.  I can establish objectives that are in God’s plan.  Ambition is all right as long as my primary aim is to glorify Christ.  I cannot do everything, but He will help me to do what He has planned for my life.  I can be content knowing that He enables me to deal with all the fluctuations of life as I depend on Him.  Contentment is something I learn by adhering to the basics – cultivating a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, living daily, and knowing that Christ strengthens me for every challenge.

Choices and Consequences

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7).

Very few things motivate us to give God our undivided attention like being faced with the negative consequences of our decisions.  Regardless of our guilt, we find the courage (or nerve) to turn to God for help and oftentimes a miracle.  We make promises to Him as if this would change His mind about our situation.  Suddenly, we’re concerned for the welfare of others.  We look for whatever leverage we can find to get God to do something on our behalf.

Many of us experience tension because we live daily with the painful consequences of sin.  Mistakenly, we thought, hoped, or were told that once we accepted Christ, God would miraculously erase our consequences.  With the daily evidence He has not taken away our consequences, some of us conclude we have not received God’s forgiveness.  If God really loves me and truly forgives me, we surmise, surely He wouldn’t allow me to suffer as I am.  We expect the financial problems that threaten our very existence to disappear once we accept God’s forgiveness.  We count on God to heal a broken marriage or return a runaway child once we accept Christ as Savior.  The person who lived a promiscuous life and is at high risk for AIDS is convinced that his relationship with God will eliminate this horrific nightmare.

Seldom is that reality.  God is under no obligation to remove the consequences of our sin.  In fact, He often allows us to live with our consequences as He faithfully loves and teaches us the lessons we would otherwise never learn.  This is very difficult to accept, but often we learn our most valuable lessons as the result of the continuing consequences for something that happened long ago.  A friend once told me in response to his consequences, “It’s just not fair!  I quit drinking six months ago and I’m still not able to get a decent job.  It’s just not fair!”  My heart goes out to him.

If we struggle to understand why God allows us to suffer the consequences of sin, it is helpful to realize that forgiveness is relational, but consequences are circumstantial.  The man who drank for so many years and develops cirrhosis of the liver knows that his disease has a direct link to his drinking.  He knows, even though he may deny the truth, that as a result of his drinking, he is experiencing the negative effect of his choice to indulge in liquor.  The woman who gave into temptation and has an affair with a coworker knows that her ruined marriage is the consequence of her choice to sow to her sinful nature.

There are many illustrations to explain this principle, but perhaps the most compelling comes from the Cross itself.  Jesus gave us an example that cannot be argued or debated.  As He hung there, dying for you and me, He was in the process of teaching us priceless truths for our lives today.  Remember the criminal who hung on the cross next to Jesus?  (Luke 23:40-43).  He was completely forgiven, yet moments later, he died a painful death.  Forgiveness and consequences stood side by side.  The criminal was forgiven; yet he suffered the full extent of the consequences of his sin.  This act of forgiveness stands as a testimony of God’s grace, while the stark reality of sowing and reaping is portrayed for all of us to behold.  Unlike many of us, who rededicate our lives at some point as Christians and vow to live as we should, that man did not have time to rededicate his life.  He died within minutes of trusting Christ as Savior.  Forgiven, yes; free of consequences, no.

It is never easy for us to face the negative consequences of our decisions, but nothing is so bad that we can’t rejoice in the grace of God and the forgiveness He offers.  Many people who have become effective in leading the lost to Christ bear the scars of consequences God has chosen not to eliminate from their lives.  We all have scars, but they have a purpose, not to cause us grief, but to be used as a tribute to God’s mercy and grace.  The way we look at our scars makes the difference in how we face the consequences of our decisions.  Whatever our consequences, whatever our scars, our attitudes will determine how we relate to the Lord.  Either we will reach a point of understanding and thank Him for the daily reminders of His grace, or we will become bitter.

If there were no consequences, as the world tries to convince us daily, where would we be?  Headed for trouble, most likely.  The negative consequences of sin have led many into quiet desperation to the throne of God’s forgiveness. It did for me.

11 Reasons to Wait on God

“Wait for the Lord.  Be strong and take heart.  Wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14).

In this hurry-up world, waiting for anything can cause us to lose our tempers, tongues, and good senses more frequently than we care to admit.  I don’t know anyone who enjoys waiting in line.  We don’t like waiting at stoplights.  We don’t like waiting for dinner.  We don’t even like waiting for good things – like for fish to bite.  We want what we want now.

Why is it so hard to wait?

Perhaps we misunderstand what waiting is all about.  Is waiting on the Lord the same thing as twiddling my thumbs?  Should I clear my mind of everything?  I have learned the answer to both of these questions is NO.  Waiting has nothing to do with twiddling our thumbs in boredom.  Waiting is not passive.  It is an activity.  It is quiet, active stillness.  Waiting is a directed, purposeful expectancy.  It is a definite directing of our attention toward God, waiting for His intervention in our circumstances and waiting for further instructions.

One way we will know God’s instructions is through His Word.  I am aware of the tendency of some to take Scripture out of context to make it fit their particular need.  That is not what I’m suggesting.  Rather, those who earnestly seek God’s leading will be tuned to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  Scripture was not made for us to prove our point, but to speak God’s truth to our spirits.

Another way we will know God’s instructions is through the changing of our circumstances.  Not all change in circumstances is instruction for the Lord, so as we study Scripture the Holy Spirit will give us discernment to know the difference.  Sometimes, we are so close to the experience we want to believe God has ordered the change in our lives – particularly if the change is for the better.  We are wise to listen to what the Spirit says to us through God’s Word and the counsel of godly friends.

God is rich in mercy.  He always has a specific reason for telling us to wait.  Our responsibility is to trust Him.  A lack of trust is perhaps the root cause behind our decisions to jump ahead in disobedience.  What arrogance to think we can work things out better than God can.  If we have ever wondered if it wise to wait, a closer look at the subject will answer our questions:

First, it is wise to wait because God gives clear direction only when we are willing to wait.  Remember, we don’t operate like the world operates.  We live in the now generation.  Instant gratification defines society.  But we, as believers, live differently.  We belong to a different family.  We live in Light, not darkness.  We don’t take our cues from the world.  We take them from God.  He will give clear direction, whether it is guidance for making a move, changing a career, choosing a mate, or something else.  However, much to the distress of many, He seldom does it quickly.  We must wait until He is ready to give direction.

The world will think we are foolish for waiting.  “Take the bull by the horns,” they’ll say.  “What are you waiting for?  It looks to me like you’re just wasting time and sitting around!”  That kind of shame has prompted many well-meaning believers, including myself, to make rash decisions.  Satan uses that tactic to take our eyes off God’s direction and causes us to jump ahead of Him.

God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Psalm 32:8).  We must wait until He is ready to give us counsel.  I know it’s hard.  I struggle at times in my life with waiting.  I find the longer God takes to give direction the more He has to teach me.  When things aren’t going smoothly, I have to trust His love for me and not complain.  I can’t step in front of God and not get in trouble.  Once in the thick of the battle, no matter how dark the clouds, how heavy the fog, how hot the fire, and how fierce the fight, we need to wait on God’s instruction.  Once we make it through and His direction becomes evident, we will be able to look back at our struggles as times He was able to teach us most effectively.

Second, it is wise to wait because God uses that waiting time to get us in step with His timing.  I have come to recognize the importance of being in step with God’s timing.  I have a sense of peace.  When I run ahead of Him, I have no sense of calm.  Instead of peace, I am constantly trying to figure out how to make my decisions work.  But when I am in His timing, I don’t have to worry about making it work.  God wouldn’t have us do something if He had not already figured out how to see us through.

Delayed timing, from our perspective, is perfect timing from God’s point of view.  Most of the time, our decisions affect others’ lives.  In God’s timing, He perfectly meshes it all together.  When what we decide to do affects another person, being in God’s will is doubly important because we have more than our lives at stake.

Third, it is wise to wait because God uses the time of waiting to prepare us for the answer.  For instance, God may say to a young man, “Yes, you may marry her, but you need to wait.”  Sometimes, God does the same thing in business deals or purchases: “Yes, this is My plan for you, but you need to wait.”  It’s so unnatural to wait.  But the wise person does what is best, not what feels good at the moment.  As a parent, I don’t give my children everything they ask for.  Sometimes, I know the timing isn’t right.  How much more our heavenly Father knows what is best for His children!

Fourth, it is wise to wait because waiting strengthens our faith.  We might want to say, “God, I’ve learned as much faith as I care to.  You can act now.”  But when we realize God is more interested in our character than in our comfort, waiting becomes a lot more attractive.

Fifth, it is wise to wait because God gets our attention and sifts our motives.  While we are waiting and praying for the promotion at work, we have time to think through our motives.  Why do we really want that promotion?  Do we want it to get more money or so others will think we are powerful?  Could it be we want the promotion so we have a greater platform to serve the Lord?  If we allow God to sift through our motives the truth will surface – whether good or bad.  It is amazing what we learn about ourselves through this waiting period.

How do we wait?

We wait actively.  We wait where we are, doing what God says to do, until God intervenes or tells us to do something different.  It is probably not a good idea to quit your job until God has led you to another one.  Most of the time, God is not going to say, “Do nothing and shut down your life until further notice.”

We wait patiently: “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7).  We are willing to endure until He works.  Waiting patiently is always easier when we’re resting in Him.

We wait silently: “My soul silently waits for God” (Psalm 62:1).  Remember Paul’s amazing conversion on the Damascus Road?  Wouldn’t the natural tendency be for him to want to get to Jerusalem and give his dynamic testimony as fast as he could?  Instead of going to Jerusalem, Paul went to the Arabian desert, so he could spend time alone with God.

We wait expectantly.  This is a period of time in which we sharpen our discernment and learn to look for evidence of God working.  We live in anticipation of what He is going to do.

We wait courageously because we are standing on the Word of God: “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His Word I do hope” (Psalm 130:5).  Waiting courageously is not the absence of fear, but a calmness and stability in the midst of fear, and inner sense of leaning on the arms of a perfect heavenly Father.  We wait courageously claiming the promises from God’s Word that He loves us and will do what is best for us.  Just because He doesn’t work as quickly as we think He should is no proof of His indifference to our needs.

What are the consequences of not waiting?

When we fail to wait, we get out of God’s will.  Even if we do the right thing at the wrong time, it is disobedience.  Running ahead of God is not obedience.  When we fail to wait, we not only get out of God’s will, but delay God’s planned blessing in our lives.  If God is waiting so that He can stretch our faith and we run ahead, He may have to wait longer to make sure we have learned the lesson.  We only lengthen the training time!

Failing to wait also brings confusion into our lives.  We feel no sense of direction because we are going so hurriedly, and we don’t take time to reflect on where we are headed.  We speed through important intersections in our lives and refuse any four-way stops.  This is especially disastrous because some decisions are lifetime decisions.

Some of life’s greatest lessons are learned while we wait.  Some of life’s hardest classrooms are waiting rooms.  There are vast rewards in waiting.  God graciously uses the long pauses in our lives if we let Him.

Here are six more reasons to wait on God:

We discover God’s will and purpose in whatever we’re concerned about when we wait: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25).  God is not stringing us out to tantalize us.  He is not saying, as do earthly parents, “We’ll see about that.”  No.  He is working all things together for our good and His glory.

We receive supernatural physical energy and strength when we wait: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).  During our waiting on God, He supplies us with energy for the short term and the long term.  Impatience will make us weary and worn, but actively waiting on God will energize us.

We win battles when we wait: “The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His loving kindness” (Psalm 147:11).  How wonderful it is to have the Lord favor us and be on our side!  Most of the time, we’re defeated because we do it our way, in our hurried time.  Contrary to what it might look like on the surface, waiting for God will ensure our victory.

We receive answers to our prayers when we wait: “I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1).  One reason we don’t see more answers to prayers is that we want the answers on our schedule and not His.  We have become such an indulgent society that thinks it’s unfair to put off personal gratification.  God knows just the right timing.

We see the fulfillment of our faith when we wait: “They shall not be ashamed who wait for Me” (Isaiah 49:23).  We won’t be embarrassed when others encourage us to forge ahead instead of waiting on the Lord.  I know it’s easy to say, “Suppose is doesn’t work out, God?”  He will not let us down.

We see God working on our behalf when we wait: “God acts for the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:4).  Isn’t that a wonderful promise?  While we actively wait, He actively works.  Every single day we have the greatest Mediator working on our behalf when things go wrong and when they go right!

We need to transform our thinking about waiting.  The only way we can do this is to understand why God asks us to wait and learn to trust Him even when it doesn’t make sense.  Waiting is one of the more difficult things in the Christian life.  Waiting is valuable.  It is not wasted time.  God gives instructions through times of actively waiting.  He may change our circumstances while we wait.  He keeps us in step with Himself and prepares us for answers.  He uses the time to sift our motives and strengthen our faith.  He wants us to wait patiently, silently, expectantly, and courageously as we trust His Word.  When we choose to wait, God rewards us by allowing us to discover His will and renews us with physical energy.  He enables us to win battles and receive answers to prayer.  He fulfills our faith while working on our behalf.

With all the advantages of waiting, why do we so often rush ahead as if we don’t have a trustworthy Father?  I never understood the importance of waiting until recently.  We need to hit the pause button in our lives and take ourselves out of the fast-forward mode.  God will amaze us at what He is doing.

When we plant a garden, we put seeds under the soil, add water, and then wait.  After several days of sun and rain the seeds begin to grow, and we finally see evidence of what we planted.  Suppose we become impatient and dig up the seeds because nothing is happening?  We would ruin our garden.  That is exactly how we live our lives at times.  God sends sunshine and rain, yet we don’t want to see what He is growing in us.  We get impatient and want to dig up what the Vinedresser is bringing forth (John 15:1).  In the process, we ruin the fruit He is developing in our lives.  Some fruit takes a long time to mature.  The One who wants to bring it forth in our lives knows exactly how long we need to wait.  Waiting is not wasted time.  It brings forth the most luscious fruit of all.  “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

What is Worldliness?

“Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

Today’s culture is saturated with tempting pleasures, endless luxuries, and ever-changing technology—flashy cars, jumbo plasma TVs, GPS gizmos, iPhones, iPods, cruise vacations.  How do we identify and resist sinful cravings, lusts of the eye, and empty boastings?  How do we pursue godliness and live in a fallen world without being conformed by it?

What does it mean for Christians—for us—to not love the world?  Does it mean we can’t watch R-rated movies?  Do we have to give up our favorite TV shows?  Is it okay to watch a movie as long as we fast-forward the sex scene?  How much violence or foul language is too much?  Are certain styles of music more worldly than others?  How do we know if we’re spending too much time on the internet?  Can a Christian try to make a lot of money, own a second home, drive a nice car, and enjoy the luxuries of modern life without being worldly?  Are we worldly if we read fashion magazines and wear trendy clothes?  Do we have to be out of style in order to be godly?  How can we evangelize the world if we don’t relate to it?  How do we know if we’re guilty of committing the sin of worldliness?

A love for the world begins in the heart.  It’s subtle, not always obvious to others, and often undetected by the people who are slowly succumbing to its lies.  If we focus exclusively on externals we’ve missed the point of worldliness.  Worldliness does not consist in outward behavior (although our actions can certainly be an evidence of worldliness).  The real location of worldliness is internal; it resides in our hearts.

The world we are forbidden to love is the world of arrogant, self-sufficient people seeking to exist apart from God and living in opposition to God.  It gratifies and exalts oneself to the exclusion of God.  The goal of worldly people is to move forward rather than upward.

What are our goals?  Do they drive us forward—to financial security, more friends, successful kids, a certain position at work?  Or do they drive us upward—to obeying and glorifying God above all else?

The world draws the heart away from God, and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays.  The world competes for the love of Christians and we cannot both love it and the Father at the same time.  Love for the world is incompatible with love for God.  “Friendship with the world is hatred toward God.  Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4)

This may make us feel uncomfortable.  Or perhaps we think this verse doesn’t apply to us.  From all outward appearances we’re anything but worldly—a solid member of our church, an exemplary Christian who worships on Sunday and faithfully attends a small group.  We’ve never committed a scandalous sin.  Maybe because of our age, or our position in the church, or our reputation for godliness, we think we’re immune to worldliness.

So often we’re ignorant of the signs and symptoms of worldliness.  We can attend church, sing praise songs, listen to sermons, and yet still be worldly.  I know because I’ve been there.

“The cravings of sinful man . . . the lust of his eyes . . . the boasting of what he has and does” are the root issues of the sin of worldliness (1 John 2:16).  John’s first phrase, “the cravings of sinful man,” is targeting our hearts.  Although Christians have new hearts, our sinful nature still produces cravings that compete for God’s love and supremacy in our lives.  The “cravings of sinful man” are desires that have become false gods we worship.  It’s wanting too much of the things of this fallen world.  These desires include obvious sins and less obvious sins as well.

John’s next phrase: “the lust of his eyes.”  Please don’t limit this to sexual sin; anything we see can stimulate greed and idolatry in our souls.  What are you and I captivated by?  What do we think about most often?  What images have the power to arouse our interest?  If we’re more excited about the release of a new movie than about serving in church, if we’re drawn to people more because of their job title than their character, if we’re impressed by celebrities or professional athletes regardless of their integrity or morality, then we’ve been seduced by a fallen world.

John’s last phrase: “the boasting of what he has and does.”  I’m certainly guilty of this sin.  I find myself so tempted to take pride in my abilities and accomplishments.  While some of us may be too polite to boast aloud, we may secretly revel in what we have and what we’ve done.  Secretly, we think we’re significant because of our wealth and achievements, and we want others to notice.

How do you and I define ourselves?  How do our profiles read?  Are we known as people after God’s heart or are we known as people pursuing a fallen world?  Do we think of ourselves as “the guy with the impressive title” or “the most attractive woman in the room?”  Are we the person with the Ivy-League education, fancy car, or the beautifully decorated home?  Is our hobby, talent, or career the most important thing in our life?  What dominates our minds and stirs our hearts?  Is it discontentment with life?  Longings for earthly pleasures?  Does outward prosperity appeal more to us than growth in godliness?  Do we relate to God as if He exists to further our selfish ambitions or are we convinced that we exist to glorify Him?  Do we crave the approval of those around us?  Do we go to great lengths to avoid looking foolish or being rejected for our Christian faith?  These are tough questions, I know; but they are necessary if we are to discover whether we’ve been infected by worldliness.

John concludes this passage by telling us, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (v. 17).  The verse is clear: the world doesn’t last; it passes away.  I don’t want to waste my life pursuing things that won’t last.  There’s no future in worldliness.  The world is temporary and superficial; it doesn’t satisfy.  The world sparkles and dazzles, but in the end it will leave us empty and dry.

I know because I’ve been there. And what did I discover?  The world didn’t deliver as advertised.  It deceived me.  What it did deliver were unadvertised consequences that I wasn’t informed of and didn’t anticipate.  Through all of this, I learned the things of this world are worthless.

Every moment of every day we’re making choices—whether we realize it or not between love for a world that opposes God and love for the risen Christ.  If we have succumbed to worldliness, sin does not grieve us like it once did.  Passion for our Savior begins to fade.  Affections grow dim.  Excitement lessens to serve in the church.  Eagerness to evangelize starts to wane.  Growth in godliness slows to a crawl.

James tells us how to overcome worldliness: “Submit yourselves to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and He will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Grieve, mourn and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:7–10).

Paul also provides advice on how to overcome worldliness “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

Maybe, as we hear these words, we realize we’re drifting.  We realize our affection for the things of this world is strong, our love for Christ weak.  There was a time in our lives when we were passionate for God, characterized by extravagant devotion and love for the Savior, but now we have fallen in love with the world.  And we feel trapped, entangled in the net of worldliness.  Despair has already set in . . . I’ll never change.  I might as well not even try.  I’m beyond hope!

I will admit resisting worldliness requires effort.  It’s an inside problem and serious heart-work is needed to effectively cut it out.  The good news is this isn’t a battle fought by sheer willpower or teeth-gritting self-denial.  We can’t overcome worldliness on our own.  We’re not sufficient.  A much greater strength is required.

Do you and I want the world to lose its appeal?  The antidote to worldliness is the cross of Christ.  Only through the power of Christ can we successfully resist worldliness.  When we fill our hearts with love for the risen Christ, we will find there is no room for the world.

Heaven & Hell

“If a man dies, will he live again?” (Job 14:14).

What exactly does the Bible say happens after we die?  Does everyone go to the same place or do we go to different places?  Is there really a heaven and hell?

God’s Word most certainly affirms there is an afterlife in a number of biblical passages.  The Bible says there is not only life after death, but eternal life so glorious that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).  Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to earth to give us this gift of eternal life.  He took on the punishment that all of us deserve and sacrificed His life to pay the penalty for our sins: “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).  Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus proved Himself victorious over death by rising from the grave: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25).  The resurrection of Jesus is a well-documented event and is the cornerstone of the Christian faith.  Because Christ rose from the dead, we too can have faith that we will be resurrected.  The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate proof of life after death.

Although all people will eventually die, not everyone will go to heaven.  A choice must be made by each of us in this life, and this choice will determine our eternal destination.  Those who have been made righteous by faith in Christ will have eternal life in heaven, but those who reject Christ will be sent to everlasting punishment in hell (Matthew 25:46).  God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires all men to turn from their ways so that they can live eternally with Him (Ezekiel 33:11).

One aspect of the afterlife worth noting is that there is no intermediate state for those who die; they go directly to their eternal destiny.  For believers in Jesus Christ, the Bible says after death their souls/spirits are taken immediately to heaven because their sins are forgiven by having trusted Jesus as Savior (John 3:16-18, 36).  For believers, death is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23).

On the contrary, for those who do not trust Jesus as Savior, death means everlasting punishment.  Hell, like heaven, is not simply a state of existence, but a literal place.  Luke 16:22-24 describes a rich man being tormented immediately after death: “I am in agony in this fire.”

The Bible devotes much less space to describing eternity than it does to convincing people that eternal life is available as a free gift from God.  Most of the descriptions of eternity would be more accurately called hints, since they use terms and ideas from present experience to describe what we cannot fully grasp until we are there ourselves.  These references hint at aspects of what our future will be like if we have accepted God’s gift of eternal life.

How can we receive eternal life in heaven and avoid eternal wrath from God?  There is only one way—through faith in Jesus Christ.  The Bible is clear on what determines our eternal destination—whether we have faith in Christ and trust Him to save us from our sins.

Salvation by faith in Christ sounds too easy for many people.  They would rather think that they have done something to save themselves.  Their religion becomes one of self-effort that leads either to disappointment or pride, but finally to eternal death.  Christ’s simple way is the only way, and it alone leads to eternal life.  Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Witnessing to Muslims: Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

Question: “As I debate Christian theology with my Muslim friends, the issue of the cross and the atonement always seems to be a sticking point.  From their perspective they ask, ‘Why can’t Allah just unilaterally forgive my sins and cut out the middle man?’  So the question is, ‘Why did Jesus have to die?”

Answer: Muslims use much of the same terminology that appears in the Bible: sin, salvation, heaven, hell, law, and punishment.  What is missing from their lexicon, however, is the word “savior.”  The Muslim does not believe he needs a savior because he believes he alone must atone for his sin by his works.  Islam teaches that man is born sinless and, therefore, does not have a sin nature from which he needs to be saved.  His sinlessness was corrupted by external influences and can, therefore, be ‘cleaned up’ by works and efforts that please Allah.  The Qur’an tells the Muslim that his good deeds can cancel out his bad deeds (Sura 11:114), but no one knows how many good deeds are enough.  Muslims believe they can ask Allah for forgiveness from sins, but Allah may or may not forgive them.  There is, therefore, no assurance of salvation for Muslims.

Compared to Christianity, Islam has some similarities, but significant differences.  Muslims depend on Islamic faith and works—submission to Allah, belief in Muhammad’s revelation of Allah, obedience to the Qur’an and the Five Pillars—for entrance to paradise.  Muslims reject the Trinity—that God has revealed Himself as one in three Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Muslims claim that Jesus was a mere prophet—not God’s Son.  While Muslims honor Jesus as a noble prophet, they do not understand why Allah would allow His prophet Isa (the Islamic word for “Jesus”) to die a torturous death.

Here is why Jesus had to die: the Bible speaks of the wickedness of man’s heart (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18), the holiness of God (Exodus 15:11; 1 Samuel 2:2; Joshua 24:19; Psalm 93:5), and His hatred for sin (Deuteronomy 25:16; Proverbs 6:16-19). As long as the Muslim believes he can atone for sin himself, the message of the gospel will be foolishness to him.  But if he comes to understand that “no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law” (Romans 3:20), then the door is open for the light of the gospel to shine in his heart.

The Bible reveals that sinful man can never measure up to the holy God (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Only by God’s grace may sinners be saved through repentant faith in Jesus (Acts 20:21; Ephesians 2:8-9).  Sin is not just big things like murder or blasphemy but also includes lying, lusting, and stealing.  Even the love of money or hatred of enemies is sin, according to the Bible. Good works cannot make up for wrongs against the holy God.  Compared to His holiness, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

And that is why Jesus had to die.  The Scripture explains Jesus died on the cross to bear sin’s punishment.  His death makes it possible for us to be free from both the penalty and the power of sin and to live for God (Rom. 6:2, 13).  His substitutionary death satisfies the wrath of God against sin and allows God to “overlook” our sins because they have been paid for by Christ.  The Bible shows how the death of Jesus was essential to pay for the penalty our sins (Isaiah 53:5-6).  Christ suffered so it would be possible for us to follow His example, both in suffering and in righteous living: “He himself bore our sins in His body so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24).

Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).  Jesus stressed that salvation, contrary to what many people think, is not obtainable through good works.  Only one Way exists (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5).  Jesus is the only access to the Father (John 1:1-2, 51; 3:13).  Remember, the holy God will not let sin go unpunished.  If we bore our own sins, we would suffer judgment in the flames of hell.  But God sacrificed Jesus as our perfect Substitute.  Scripture affirms that the sinless Jesus died on the cross to pay the punishment for believing sinners: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

While some misunderstandings can be cleared with Muslims, the main offense is . . . Jesus Christ! (1 Peter 2:4-8).  Islam asserts that Jesus, though born of a virgin, was created like Adam.  Many Muslims do not believe Jesus died on the cross.  Muslims reject God the Father who sent His Son to die for sinners.  Islam does not offer the things Christianity most certainly does: forgiveness for their sins, a loving heavenly Father with whom they can communicate personally, and assurance that eternal happiness awaits them beyond this life.

The Muslim believes he or she must be sorry for sin and repent of it, but the idea that payment for sin is required by a holy God is not part of Islam.  It’s important to begin with the idea that being sorry for sin will not help the Muslim when he stands before a holy God on Judgment Day.  The key to witnessing to a Muslim is helping him or her understand that all men are sinners by nature and by choice.  We cannot earn our salvation through good works.  We cannot reach paradise on our own merit.  Jesus died for sinners to provide the only way to eternal life.  Romans 5:6-21 says,

“At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. ¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned… ²⁰ But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

At His death, He cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30).  Jesus finished paying the punishment for sin as the perfect Lamb of God.

Of course, no one comes to the knowledge of the truth solely by good apologetics.  The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned (2 Corinthians 2:14), and the Holy Spirit is the only one who can open the eyes of the spiritually blind.  Therefore, any witnessing efforts should be bathed in prayer that hearts and minds will be opened so that when we speak the truth in love to another person, it may please the Lord to grant him or her salvation through Jesus Christ.

Why Did God Commanded Killing in the Old Testament?

As we look at difficult issues such as this one, it is important we remember that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9; Romans 11:33-36).

The fact that God commanded the killing of entire nations in the Old Testament has been the subject of harsh criticism from opponents of Christianity for some time.  In fact, I have a few atheist friends who refer to God as “a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser and murderer.”

But are these criticisms valid?  Is God a “monster” who arbitrarily commands genocide against innocent men, women, and children?  Was His reaction to the sins of the Canaanites and the Amalekites a vicious form of “ethnic cleansing” no different from atrocities committed by the Nazis?  Or is it possible that God had morally sufficient reasons for ordering the destruction of these nations?

Let’s take a closer look. God commanded Saul and the Israelites, “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt.  Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them.  Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys” (1 Samuel 15:2-3). God also ordered similar killings when the Israelites were invading the Promised Land: “In the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.  Completely destroy them — the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites — as the LORD your God has commanded you.  Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 20:16-18).

Why would God have the Israelites exterminate an entire group of people, women and children included?  Unlike us, God knows the future.  He knew what the results would be if Israel did not completely eradicate these evil people. God did not order their extermination to be cruel, but rather to prevent even greater evil from occurring. In commanding the Israelite attack on the Canaanites, God enacted a kind of corporate capital punishment on a people who were deserving of God’s judgment.  It was not ethnically motivated.

The Canaanites were known to engage in bestiality, incest, and even child sacrifice.  Deviant sexual acts were the norm.  They were an aggressive culture that wanted to annihilate God’s chosen people. Israel was God’s instrument of judgment against the Canaanites, who were evil, almost beyond what we can imagine today: “Every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods” (Deuteronomy 12:31).  Their utter annihilation was commanded to prevent Israel from following in their ways: “Lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 20:18, 12:29-30).

Probably the most difficult part of these commands from God is that He ordered the death of children and infants as well.  Why would God order the death of innocent children?  Because they would have grown up as adherents to the evil religions and practices of their parents.  We must remember that the Canaanites were a barbarous and evil culture.  If those infants and children had lived into adulthood, they would have turned into something similar to their parents… or worse! Surely the issue of God commanding violence in the Old Testament is difficult, but we must remember God sees things from an eternal perspective, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The Apostle Paul tells us that God is both kind and severe (Romans 11:22). It is true that God’s holy character demands that sin be punished, but His grace and mercy remain extended to those who are willing to repent and be saved.  The Canaanite destruction provides us with a sober reminder that while our God is gracious and merciful, He is also a God of holiness and wrath. It must be remembered that God gave the Canaanite people more than sufficient time to repent of their evil ways—over 400 years (Genesis 15:13-16)! But the Canaanites were “disobedient,” a phrase that implies moral culpability on their part (Hebrews 11:31).

The Canaanites were aware of God’s power (Joshua 2:10-11, 9:9) and could have sought repentance.  The example of Rahab and her family is a sure proof that the Canaanites could have avoided their destruction if they had repented before God (Joshua 2). Always, God desires the wicked to turn from their sin rather than die (Ezekiel 18:31-32, 33:11).  Until the final judgment, there is always mercy to be found!

Does Jeremiah 29:11 Still Apply Today?

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Can this famously quoted verse in the Old Testament be applied directly to my life today or was it only meant for Israel?  To correctly interpret this verse (or any part of the Bible for that matter), we need to address the following questions:

First, what did the text mean to the original audience?  We need to discover the meaning “God intended” when the Scripture was originally written.  We do not create the meaning of the text, so we need to find the meaning that is already there.

Second, what are the differences between the biblical audience and us?   We are separated by differences in culture, customs, language, situation, time, and covenant.  We must recognize these differences.  To overlook them would cause us to grossly misinterpret the text.

Third, what is the theological principle in the text?  While the specifics of the passage only apply to the particular situation of the biblical audience the theological principle is applicable to all of God’s people at all times.  And this is the key to correctly interpret and apply Jeremiah 29:11.  We need to figure out how to apply the theological principle in the text.  We must grapple with how we should respond to that principle.  How does the principle apply in real-life situations?  Each of us must grasp and apply the same theological principle in slightly different ways depending on our specific life situations.

Regarding the specifics of Jeremiah 29:11, in 605 B.C. the Babylonian’s invaded Jerusalem and took the Israelites captive.  Jeremiah 29 is part of a letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent to the surviving Israelites who had been taken captive by the Babylonians.  God’s Word (through Jeremiah) to the exiles was to prepare for a long stay in Babylon.  They were to build houses and settle down.  They were also to plant gardens to sustain them during the period.  Life was to go on as normal.  The people were exhorted to marry and have sons and daughters.  Instead of hoping for Babylon’s quick demise, they were encouraged to seek its peace and prosperity.  Jeremiah even told the Israelites to pray for Babylon (Jeremiah 29:4-9).

Let’s break this down.  The restoration of the exiles would happen only when God’s 70-years of judgment were completed (Jeremiah 25:11-12).  Then, God would fulfill His gracious promise to restore the exiles to their land.  The 70-year Exile was a part of God’s plan to give Israel “hope and a future.”  The judgment prompted the exiles to seek God wholeheartedly (Daniel 9:2-3, 15-19).  Once they turned back to God, He gathered them from Babylon, where they had been banished, and returned them to their land (Jeremiah 29:10-14; Deuteronomy 30:1-10).

Moving forward, Jeremiah 29:11 still has applications for us today!  God knows the future, and His plans are good and full of hope.  As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill His mission, we can have boundless hope.  This does not mean that we will be spared pain, suffering, or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious future.  My friend explains this application well.  She says, “When I am afraid, I often think of this verse.  I believe that God’s promises are for everyone; He does know the plans He has for us.  He loves us and wants us to have a future.  He will not harm us.  God’s love for us, whether Israelite or Gentile, goes through and through and I feel that His promises to care for His people then and now are forever.”

God’s Grace

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

It is no small wonder these two verses are frequently memorized.  They sum up the gospel of grace.  Every heart’s desire is grace.  We surely don’t want justice.  If we got what we deserved for our sin, we would all be condemned.  We want what we don’t deserve, and that is grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches our salvation has nothing to do with our works.  It is a free gift from God which we receive by faith.  Salvation is not something we work up or even work on.  Works have nothing to do with it.  If that were the case, we could boast, “I did this,” or “I did that.”  But only God can say, “I did this: I provided all these sinners need through My Son.”  Even the faith to believe comes from God, so it is grace from start to finish.

Paul knew about boasting.  In Philippians 3, he referred to his past.  It was quite an impressive past too!  Talk about religious credentials!  He was impeccably religious.  He was “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (vv. 5-6).  If anyone could boast or have confidence in the flesh, it was him.  But he looked at his impressive past and counted it all rubbish: “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (v. 8).

According to Romans 3:23, none of us deserves salvation.  We all have sinned.  But God’s grace is greater than our sin.  All we need to do is receive Christ.  If we think any of our works add anything to the Cross, we insult God.

Have you ever looked at your circumstances and thought, I would love to have a chance to do that again?  Or If I could just change that, I would.  I need another chance.  That is what grace is all about.  I don’t mean after we die, we get another chance to receive the Lord Jesus as Savior.  The Bible does not teach that.  I mean in this lifetime God lavishes His forgiving love on us after we have thoroughly blown it.  We are never outside God’s grace.

Most people hear the gospel many times before they receive the Lord.  That is grace.  God does not give up on wooing us to Himself.  He is the God of second chances – and oftentimes a thousand chances.  He sends someone our way to tell us of the Savior.  We reject the truth.  Because He is the God of grace, He sends another.  We reject the truth again.  Because He is the God of grace, He sends yet another.  Sometimes, this process goes on for years until finally one day – because of pursuant grace – we become children of God.

This should encourage us to pray for unsaved people.  This should encourage the Christian wife who has prayed for years for her unsaved husband.  God’s grace is pursuing him.  This should encourage parents who have been praying for their unsaved child.  God’s grace is pursuing that son or daughter.  We may give up.  God does not.

Some of us were saved early in life, and some were saved late in life.  But the wonderful fact is it takes the same amount of grace to save a five-year-old boy as it does a sixty-year-old man.  Grace is abundant, no matter the age.

God is beyond time.  It’s like being in a helicopter and seeing all of a parade at one time.  That’s the way God sees time.  He sees everything, from the beginning to the end.  When God forgave Adam and Eve for their sin, He did so based on what was already in His mind accomplished – the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.  His substitutionary death makes our salvation possible.  God says to us, “I’m going to give you another chance.”

Many struggling Christians understand they have been saved by grace, but they still want to pay God back with good works.  Some even think this is necessary to remain saved.  The Bible teaches neither.  God’s love for us flows from His character, not ours; it is not dependent on anything we have done or will do.  In fact, if we do nothing to serve Him for the rest of our life, He will not love us any less.

I have a friend who reacted negatively when I told him he could not earn his way to heaven.  He could not comprehend this kind of grace.  He felt he had to earn God’s love and acceptance.  In time, however, he was able to accept God’s unconditional grace and an enormous burden lifted off his back.  After accepting this truth, he found that he still wanted to serve God, but his motivation was different.  He served God because he loved Him, not to earn His approval.

This is certainly a liberating truth.  God isn’t keeping score.  We can’t pay Him back for His grace.  No amount of good works can pay the debt we owe.  It is only by God’s grace through faith in Christ that we are saved.  We can’t do anything to make Him love us any more.  And we can’t do anything to make Him love us any less either.

The book of Galatians was written to those who were adding law to grace.  Paul wrote, “Therefore the law was our tutor until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.  Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (3:24-25).  There is no way we could keep God’s moral code perfectly.  We need a Savior.  Even after we become Christians, God does not want us to add law to His grace.  He wants obedience, of course.  But the obedience is an overflow of a heart full of love, not legalism.

When Jesus tells us to keep His commandments, He emphasizes that obedience shows others that we love Him.  The moral law shows us our need for a Savior.  The corresponding imperatives in the New Testament help us see we cannot obey the Lord Jesus, even after we are saved, without His help.  It is not ought to, should, must to gain His favor.  Rather, it is children wanting to please their heavenly Father because we love Him.

This delivers us from legalism and keeps us on the ground of grace, not only for salvation, but also for living the Christian life.  Grace brought us to the Savior, even after we spurned Him on many occasions.  Grace brings us back to Him when we fail.  Grace lavishes us with all the things we need to live for Him.  Grace implores us to do good works out of sheer gratitude.  Grace displaces us when we test the limits.  Grace tells us we’re accepted.  Grace is more than what we need when we suffer.  Grace super-abounds where sin abounds.  Grace invites us to God’s throne where we find help in times of need.

What about those who abuse God’s grace?  Paul asked and answered this very question: “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means!  We have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2).  The implication is that it is unthinkable a Christian would be comfortable continuing in sin.  Sin does not stay dormant.  It grows.  It enslaves.  If we are saved, sin cannot destroy our relationship with God, but it surely can damage our testimony and our fellowship.

If you are struggling to earn your salvation, please know God’s grace is all you need.  We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part.

5 Characteristics of a Godly Person

In the Bible, nothing negative is written about Joseph or Daniel.  Both were promoted to the king’s court.  Both stood alone for what is right.  Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den; Joseph was thrown into a pit by jealous brothers and later into prison.  Daniel interpreted dreams, Joseph interpreted dreams.  Neither changed the interpretations to save himself.  They were men of God.  They exhibited godly character qualities.  They never once backed down or compromised what is right.

In a day when we have a desperate need for godly people in our homes, at work, among friends, and as leaders, I think it would do us well to determine the characteristics of a godly person.  We could look at many passages of Scripture, but for the sake of choosing one, I think the very first psalm gives us a wonderful characterization of what a godly person looks like, acts like, and thinks like.  Let’s take a closer look.

First, the godly person orders his life around godly counsel: “Blessed is the one who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly” (v. 1).  A godly person is not too proud to seek advice or too self-centered to ask.  He understands that he can still learn and there is much he doesn’t know.  He wants to dip into the well of godly advisement.

Second, the godly person seeks friends with fellow believers: “Nor stands in the path of sinners” (v. 1).  That does not mean he does not have friendships with unsaved people.  But I believe his closest friends are believers.  No matter how successful, sophisticated, or influential unsaved people are, a godly person longs to have his or her closest friends be persons of godly character who follow after God’s heart.

Third, the godly person gets enjoyment, encouragement, and refreshment from the Word of God: “His delight is in the law of the Lord” (v. 2).  He loves the Bible more than television, hobbies, or any other form of entertainment.  He not only delights in the Word of God, but also meditates on it: “And in His law he meditates day and night” (v. 2).  Meditation is gnawing on what was just read.  It is different from memorizing.  Meditation asks questions.  What did this just tell me about God?  What did this just tell me about myself?  What do I need to change?  How does this apply to my work, friends, and home?  Meditating on Scripture is absorbing the truth into our very being.  It is totally different from a cursory reading.

Fourth, the godly person will successfully stand the storms of life: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water” (v. 3).  His or her roots go down deep.  The godly person has a taproot all the way down to Jesus Christ.  He is continually being nourished, refreshed, and cleansed by his relationship with Christ.  He can stand all the winds of life because he is firmly rooted.

Fifth, the godly person is a fruitful person: “That brings forth its fruit in season” (v. 3).  He is more interested in investing in a life than merely spending his.  He is interested not only in how much fruit he spreads, but also in its quality.  “And his leaf does not wither” (v. 3).  He sticks with it.  He can be counted on.  He doesn’t wither under pressure.  He is consistent.  He is faithful and loves bearing fruit.  He plods away at investing his life in the lives of others.  He doesn’t live for a paycheck.  He understands that winning others to Christ is more important than reaching the top of his profession.

The beginning of being a godly person is receiving Jesus Christ as Savior.  That’s the foundation to build on.  Homes need him.  Churches need him.  The world needs him.  I hope you know one.  I hope you are one.  I hope I am one.

What else comes to mind when you think of a godly person?

Assurance of Salvation

“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy” (Jude 24).

It would be a terrible thing for children (or adults!) to wonder how they fit in their families.  And while that is terrible in an earthly family, it is even more unsettling in the spiritual family.  Many Christians live with the thought that they are just not sure how God sees them.  Is He in a good mood or a judgmental mood?  Are they in the family or has their Father decided He has had enough?

What a horrible way to live!  How incredibly sad for children of the King to live as beggars!  I am surely not being critical.  I find it heartbreaking for people whose sin debt has been paid in full to squirm under the uncertainty of whether they belong in the family of God.  Let’s look at 5 reasons why people tend to doubt their salvation:

The first reason is because of sin in their lives.  Sin brings a feeling of estrangement from God, a feeling of isolation.  John warns Christians to take a close inventory of their salvation if they continue to sin and do so merrily, often, and long: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9).  If sin is the constant bent of our lives, we should worry about our salvation.  The non-Christian can sin all day long and not sense any isolation from God; only His children experience a lack of harmony with the Father.

The second reason is because of false teaching.  This false teaching is primarily in two camps.  The first camp includes liberal pastors who do not hold to the view that the entire Bible is the Word of God.  They discount certain parts, verses, and authors.  False teaching that deletes portions of the Bible certainly leads to doubts of salvation.  The other camp includes teachers who strongly believe the Word of God from cover to cover, but overemphasize human performance.

The third reason is because of an overemphasis on emotions.  There are those who place a lot of importance on “feel good” religion. I am all for joy in the Christian life.  But when the entire Christian life is based on emotions rather than doctrine, assurance of salvation is rare.  Heartaches will come.  Financial setbacks come.  Sorrows come.  Disappointments come.  This is the reality of living in a fallen world.  We can’t live on feelings.  The Christian life is not always going to feel euphoric.

The fourth reason is because of failure to take God at His Word.  Sometimes, I meet people and they say, “Well, I used to be saved.”  I ask, “How did you get lost?”  They name something they’ve done or thought.  Then, I remind them what John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  If we take God at His Word – and He is indeed trustworthy – we will not wonder if we were bad enough to lose our salvation (or good enough to keep it, for that matter!).  Let me put it another way: if I came up to you and said, “I am very happy you’re reading my blog,” and you responded, “Oh, I don’t really believe you mean that!” you would be doubting my sincerity.  That is exactly what we do when we doubt what God has promised about our salvation in His Word.  We doubt His trustworthiness.

The fifth reason is because of satanic attacks.  Satan will be happy to whisper, “Look at you.  Look how you’re acting.  A Christian doesn’t act like that.”  Not only will Satan whisper that, but he often uses others as his unsuspecting agents.  A mother scolds her child, “A Christian girl wouldn’t behave like that!”  What conclusion is the little girl supposed to reach?  And the mother can’t understand why her daughter doesn’t have assurance of her salvation.

Satan is the accuser of the brethren. We need the Word of God to answer Him.  There are a couple truths God wants us to understand to counter the enemies of assurance.

The first truth God wants us to understand is His will for our salvation.  “He desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).  God’s desire is for us to be saved, not for us to be condemned.  Peter tell us He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  God is standing with open arms, just like the father of the prodigal son, to welcome us into His family.

The second truth God wants us to understand is the provision He has made for our salvation.  He gave “His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).  “He Himself bore our sins on His own body” (1 Peter 2:24).  He paid the price for our salvation.  Jesus died in our place, so we could belong to God.

What earthly father would provide everything his child needs, only for the child to wonder, “Are you sure you want me to have it, Daddy?”  Of course, that is what he wants.  He is grieved his child is so insecure of his love.  Our heavenly Father is the same way.  He has provided everything we need for salvation and is grieved when we think otherwise.

We still have a responsibility, though.  Jesus did not die, rise again, and ascend into heaven to automatically save us.  The Bible does not teach universal salvation (that is, all people by virtue of the fact they’re created are Christians).  We need to believe in Christ and receive Him as our very own.  There must be a personal and definite decision.  Jesus said, “Whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life” (John 5:24).

Those who were saved very young often need to reaffirm or make sure of their salvation later in life.  This does not insult God.  Teens, especially, go through a long process of making sure they are making their own choices and not resting on their parents’ decisions for them.  They may need to resettle the issue.  Don’t be alarmed.  People are different and God deals with us where we are.

One of the most frequently asked questions I hear is, “How can I know I’m saved?”  That is the dilemma of many people.  Maybe you are wondering about your salvation.  You have prayed, you have read the Scripture, you have done everything you know to do, but you still don’t have any assurance of your salvation.  John wrote his epistle so his audience could know without a doubt they were part of God’s family.  You can know as well.  Tell God you are ready to settle this issue once and for all.  Tell Him you are taking Him at His Word.  Salvation is not a feeling; it is a fact based on the finished work of Christ at Calvary.

Adoption: Once Saved, Always Saved

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption…” (Romans 8:15).

Whereas Jesus speaks of our being born into the family of God (John 3:3), Paul uses the term adoption.  Both are pictures of the same spiritual reality.  The emphasis is on a relationship – Father and child.  God’s ultimate goal in our salvation is the relationship made available to us through our adoption as His children.

God does not intend for us to consider Him a stern Judge peering over the bench at the accused.  Yet many believers have this perception of Him.  I’ve actually talked with Christians who fear the gavel may strike again – this time with a guilty verdict.  For some reason, they never get out of the courtroom and into the family room.  To them, God is always a Judge and never a Father.  This view is so unfortunate.  But even worse, it is a precursor to doubt basic doctrines of the faith.

The good news is after the Judge pronounces us not guilty, He welcomes us into His family.  That is apparent from Jesus’ words in John’s gospel: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged, but has crossed over from death to life” (5:24).  As believers, we will never be judged for our sins.  That is a settled issue.  It is so settled in the mind of God that at the moment of our salvation, knowing all the sins we were yet to commit, God adopted us as His children anyway.  I have heard of many unwanted pregnancies, but I have never heard of an unwanted adoption.  Couples adopt children because they want children.  God adopted us for the same reason.  He knew our shortcomings.  He knew our inconsistencies.  He knew all about us.  But He wanted us just the same.

The concept of adoption is a strong argument for the doctrine of eternal security.  To lose our salvation, we would have to be unadopted.  The very idea sounds ludicrous.  If the logistics of such a belief system are not enough to make us wonder, consider the relational problems.  Can we really put our total trust in a heavenly Father who may unadopt us?  Let me put it another way: can we pledge unconditional loyalty to a God who promises only conditional loyalty in return?  Isn’t it unrealistic to think we could ever grow comfortable with God as our Dad when we know if we drift away and fall into sin, our relationship will be severed?  I can remember one of the very first sermons I preached.  I asked the congregation if they thought a father would stop loving his child if he fell while learning how to walk.  “Of course not,” was the unanimous response.  The same is true with us as God’s children.  He will never stop loving us even when we stumble.

Persons holding to a view that allows for someone to be unadopted must confront another major theological hurdle.  Why would an omnipotent God choose before the foundation of the world to adopt someone He knew would eventually be dismissed from His family?  To believe we can be unadopted is to believe we are able to thwart the predestined will of God.

The permanency of our adoption is best illustrated by the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32): “There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate” (v. 11-12).  With those words, Jesus had His audiences’ undivided attention.  In first century Jewish culture, no son with any respect for his father would make this sort of demand from him.  To make matters worse, it was the younger son who was making the demand.  What he did was unthinkable!

Jesus continued, “So he divided to them his livelihood.  Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living” (v. 12-13).  Not only did the son demand his inheritance, but he left town with it and squandered his gift.  Apparently, he had no concern for his father’s welfare.  He was concerned only about himself.  No doubt Jesus’ listeners were rehearsing in their minds what they thought the disrespectful brat deserved.  How dare he take such a large portion of his father’s hard-earned estate and throw it away!

But then the story took a surprising turn: “But when he had spent it all, there arose a severe famine in the land, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed swine.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, but no one gave him anything” (v. 14-16).  The crowd must have become almost nauseous as Jesus described the condition in which the son found himself.  The Pharisees would not go near swine, much less feed them.  By definition the boy was ceremonially unclean.

The crowd listened carefully as Jesus continued: “When the son came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’  So he got up and went to his father” (v. 17-20).

I imagine everyone who heard Jesus that day had an opinion about what the father should say or do when the son began his speech.  I doubt any of them would have ended the parable the way Jesus did: “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (v. 20).

The Pharisees must have cringed at the thought of embracing someone who had spent time feeding pigs.  Jesus then added:  “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick!  Bring the best robe and put it on him.  Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it.  Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’  So they began to celebrate and were merry” (v. 21-24).

Culturally speaking, what Jesus described in this parable was a worst-case scenario.  The son could not have been more disrespectful.  He could not have been more insensitive.  And he certainly could not have been a greater embarrassment to the family.

No one would have blamed the father if he had refused to allow the son to work for him as a menial servant.  The son didn’t deserve a second chance, and he knew it.  He recognized how foolish it would be to return as a member of the family.  In his mind, he had forfeited all the rights to sonship.  He was of the conviction that by abandoning his father and wasting his inheritance, he had relinquished his position in the family.

His father, however, had a different perspective.  In his mind, once a son, always a son.  The father’s first emotion as he saw his son returning wasn’t anger.  It wasn’t disappointment.  He felt compassion for him.  Why?  Because the boy was his son.  The father said, “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again.”  He did not say, “This was my son, and now he is my son again.”  On the contrary, there is no hint that the relationship was ever broken, only the fellowship.

The imagery of adoption is a powerful one.  It is powerful because it is volitional on the part of God; He chose to adopt us.  It is also powerful because it is permanent: once a child, always a child.  At the moment we trust Christ as Savior, we are justified (declared not guilty) and adopted into the family of God.  The truth is, once a family member, always a family member.  Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39).  Nothing can remove us from God’s hand (John 10:28-29).  God is both willing and able to guarantee and maintain the salvation He has given us (Jude 24).

Pride vs. Humility

“God extends His grace to the humble, but resists the proud” (James 4:6).

Humility expresses a genuine dependency on God and others.  Humility recognizes we live the Christian life in the same manner we become Christians – by the grace of God.

To those who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told a parable about two men who went to the temple to pray (Luke 18:9-14).  Both men appeared and sounded religious.  As the story unfolds, we quickly understand the focus of each man.  The Pharisee trusted in himself and looked down on others.  He was proud he was not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even the tax collector standing next to him.  He looked on outward appearance and was consumed with his behavior to a fault.  He spent little time evaluating the motivation behind his actions.  He overlooked the fact God looks at the heart and is concerned about not only what we do, but also why we do it.  The Pharisee was so rigidly self-righteous that he missed the opportunity for God to change him from the inside out.  He overlooked the humility required to apply God’s grace to his life.

The tax collector, on the other hand, was keenly aware of his sinfulness, and looked to God for mercy and forgiveness.  He recognized humility put him in a position to hear from God.  We too, like the tax collector, understand the heart of God more clearly when we approach Him with dependence rather than smug self-sufficiency.  Humility is an attitude of the heart.  When God sees humility, He sees someone with whom He can entrust His grace.  God responds to the humble prayer.  Humility arrests the attention of God!  The proud prayer is ignored, but the humble prayer is powerful.  God says in His perfect timing the humble man will receive the proper recognition he deserves, while the proud man will be disgraced.  There are at least three characteristics humility I find in this parable.

First, humility is quick to confess sin and slow to point out the sin of others.  The tax collector asked God to be merciful to him, a sinner.  Humility asks God to surface sin, so we can repent.  Pride, on the other hand, is slow to confess sin and quick to point out the sin of others.  We can hear the pride in the Pharisees voice as he thanked God for not being like other men (v. 11).  Outwardly, his actions looked right, but inwardly, his heart was ravaged by pride and selfishness.  He was not teachable; he was not humble; he knew no compassion or mercy.  To him, it was his way or no way.  Pride says if you don’t look, talk, and act just like I do, you are wrong.

Second, humility asks for and receives God’s forgiveness, and in turn is quick to forgive others.  Once we have received God’s forgiveness, we recognize the need to forgive others.  We realize we cannot expect perfection from others until we get to heaven.  A proud person, on the other hand, sees no need to ask for God’s forgiveness, nor does he forgive or seek the forgiveness of others.  Pride says, “I will never forgive you.”  This is where a lot of people are today.  There is nothing the offending person can do to compensate for the wrong.  Since the offended holds on to the wrong and does not forgive, anger, bitterness, and pride seep into his heart.  Only through humility and forgiveness can the relationship ever heal.

Third, humility is content to be behind the scenes.  A humble person is secure, knowing his or her service is just as important to God as the service of the one who is in the spotlight.  Pride, on the other hand, insists on being in the spotlight; it wants everyone to know how much time and energy are being sacrificed for “God’s work.”  Pride is always causing conflict because it insists on being the center of attention.  Jesus said the proud love to hear the praises of people.  Jesus also said the praises of people were their only reward – nothing more.

God hates pride.  Pride made sin a reality in His creation and brought evil into the world.  God has such a disdain for pride that He is willing to allow adversity in the lives of His children to inject healthy doses of humility and root it out.  The tragedy, however, is some of us are clever enough to weasel our way through or around the adversity God intends to use.  Through ingenuity and determination, we manipulate things in such a way as to temporarily bypass God’s plan for keeping us humble.  This may work in the short run, but nobody outsmarts or outmaneuvers God forever.  For a while, we may continue functioning as if we are in control, but eventually, what is true privately will surface publicly.

What has happened in your life to keep you humble?

Signs of a Hard Heart

“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you” (Exodus 7:3-4).

Have you ever met someone who was just plain stubborn?  You might know people within your circle of friends who insist on having their way.  They are hardheaded and obstinate about what they want (a moment of reflection may cause us to think of ourselves too). God calls it a heart problem.  This problem of self-centeredness has existed from the beginning of time, documented in the lives of people we read about in Scripture as well as people we live with today.

Pharaoh is probably the best illustration in the Bible of a person with a hard heart.  He was exposed to the truth over and over again, yet refused to respond accordingly.  Pharaoh was presented with overwhelming evidence.  Plague after plague, sign after sign, miracle after miracle, but still he refused to accept God’s warnings and let the Israelites go.  God repeatedly presented Pharaoh with the truth of who He was, yet Pharaoh wouldn’t bow.  Even when faced with undeniable evidence that he was wrong, Pharaoh wouldn’t give in.  He refused to acknowledge that another kingdom was greater than his.  His pride, stubbornness, and hard-heartedness caused him great grief and distress.  His overexposure and under response to truth proved to be extremely costly for him, his family, and his kingdom.

Notice God said, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart.”  God engineered the situation we read about in Exodus.  In doing so, God displays His power and provides a blueprint for what happens when a person refuses to accept and bend the will to the truth.

All of us have experienced the stubborn desire to have things the way we want them, even when “our way” isn’t God’s way.  That’s what Pharaoh was doing.  If we are wise, we will learn from his experience.  Every time we say no to God, we live in rebellion, stubbornly asserting our selfish will over His will for our lives.  Just as Pharaoh stubbornly clenched his fist and said no repeatedly to God, we too cannot do that for long without developing a hard heart that will lead to destruction.  We stand in danger of following in the footsteps of Pharaoh if we refuse to submit to God’s standard.  The more we can be duped into believing we’re right and God is wrong, the more we are in danger of developing a hard heart.

Although we must be careful, we need not despair.  One of the primary reasons I believe God initiated this entire sequence of events was to provide us with a lesson plan for not following the way of Pharaoh.  God wouldn’t leave us without a way to experience victory over our tendencies to assert our rights over His truth.  We can rejoice in the graciousness of God as we study the lesson He gave us and apply its truth to our lives.

Let’s be honest.  We all want things the way we want them.  We all want what we want when we want it.  I’m more comfortable when things are the way I like them.  All people are.  The tension comes into play when what we want is not what God wants, when the two conflict.  Refusal to act on the truth time and time again will corrode the heart of man until nothing can melt the hardness.

Paul wrote, “Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).  It’s dangerous to say no to the truth because there will come a time when God allows us to have our own way: “Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind” (1:28).  Paul clearly portrays the inevitable downward spiral into sin when a hard heart develops.  God does not cause this steady progression towards evil.  Rather, when we reject Him, God allows us to live as we choose.  He gives us over or permits us to experience the natural consequences of our sin.

We can count on this: frequently saying no to God will eventually result in God letting us have our own way.  Sounds pretty good?  Don’t bet on it.  How many children have cheered their independence from mom and dad only to weep in the dark of the night because they discovered having their own way was not always as appealing as it seemed?

To avoid the pitfalls that are sure to occur in our paths, we must understand the danger signs of a hard heart.  Otherwise, we can and will rationalize ourselves into disaster!  The saga of Pharaoh supplies us with signs to use as a checklist for a hard heart.

The first sign (and one that we all struggle with) is stubbornness.  Pharaoh was eaten up with a stubborn spirit when confronted with God’s truth.  All of us have been here.  It’s the way we react when we know we shouldn’t do something.  We respond, “I know I shouldn’t, but I’m going to do it anyway.”  When we are confronted with truth repeatedly and ignore it, our lack of response to God demonstrates a hard heart that no doctor can fix.

The second sign of a hard heart is a lack of concern for spiritual things.  This is made evident when God’s work becomes second to our own.  Insensitivity to God’s work is a sure sign we are developing a hard heart.  A lack of concern for spiritual things means we are more concerned with our business than with God’s.  The selfishness of that attitude is evidenced when God gets in the way of our plans, yet we choose to do things the way it works best for us anyway.

The third sign of a hard heart is ignoring the testimony of other people.  Similarly, if we ignore undeniable evidence over and over again, there is no doubt we are developing a hard heart. Whether the evidence comes from a person or event, ignoring it can result in tragic consequences.

The fourth sign of a hard heart is recognizing sin, but refusing to deal with it.  We know cheating is wrong, but we do it anyway.  We know lying is wrong, but we do it anyway.  We understand there is a speed limit for a good reason, but speeding is just something we do.  We may feel bad for a time (feeling bad relieves some of the guilt), but that’s as far as it goes.  If we are honest, some of us have no intention of doing anything about our sin.

The fifth sign of a hard heart is pride.  The prideful person says, “I know better than anyone else.”  Men suffer from this disease quite often.  We pretend to be experts about everything.  No matter what anyone else says, our way is the right way.  Often, it is hard for us to take instruction from anyone.  Even when we know we are wrong, we argue instead of facing up to it.  And the tragedy is everybody knows our problem is pride.  The root of Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness was pride.  He considered himself a god.  He wasn’t about to let some other God get the best of him.

The sixth sign of a hard heart is acknowledging sin, but attempting to make a deal with God.  Instead of turning from sin, we rationalize it and try to make deals with God, so we can continue sinning and not be plagued by our consciences.  Think about the college student who is scared he has gotten his date pregnant.  I can just imagine listening in and hearing him try to make a deal with God: “God, if You will just fix it where she’s not pregnant, I will go to church on Sunday, and I’ll even volunteer to help out in the nursery!  After all, it takes two to make a baby!”  Do you think God is impressed one bit with his excuses?  A woman who plays the same game, blaming her plight on the man she chose to be with, is just as guilty of the attempt to bargain with God.  While we may attempt to make deals with God, our efforts lead to more problems, and the gap between His truth and our desires get wider and wider as our hearts harden.

The signs for developing a hard heart are made unmistakenably clear to us in Scripture.  We don’t have to wonder and assume things because God has already given us a description of the problem and what we must do to fix it.  We can promise, bargain, and rationalize all we want, but unless we come to an accurate understanding of God and His will for us, we will fail miserably in our efforts to succeed.  It’s not so much our behavior that needs to change (although it certainly needs to change) as it is our hearts that need restoring.  Once that happens, our behavior will change, and we will know what is right and wrong.  We sometimes focus too much on changing behaviors when we should be focused on doing what will result in changed hearts.

As we grow as Christians, sin should bother us more, not less.  Yet every day we spend hours being entertained by the very sin Christ died for!  We rent it at Red Box, view it online, watch it on television, and read it in books.  “But I never thought if it that way,” you say.  Over time, we have changed the rules and our hearts have come to accept things we wouldn’t have dreamed of accepting a few years ago.  Do we remember when bad language really bothered us?  Perhaps now it hardly affects us.

We must be sure of two things when we contemplate the problems of a hard heart: (1) the warning signs or red flags God has given us through Scripture, and (2) how to avoid taking the same road Pharaoh did.  Our response to truth determines whether our hearts will be hardened or remain pliable and ready to have God make them after His own.  Applying the truth we’ve obtained through study is the key to victory in this (or any) situation!  Unless we allow God to apply the truth to our lives, we will continue to go our own way.  And that’s a sure sign of a hard heart.

There’s only one absolute answer to the problem of a hard heart.  Nothing short of honest repentance will bring about the change needed.  I don’t mean rededicating our lives.  I’m talking about allowing God to change our hearts to the point where our no becomes a yes to His truth.  True repentance manifests itself in a changed life.

God’s priority for us is that we take Him seriously when He says, “Go into the world and change it!”  When we lead people to trust Christ as Savior, we change the world.  Recognizing this puts our response to truth in a totally different perspective.  We’re not in this world just for our pleasure or well-being.  God put us here for a purpose, and it was not to spend our days fulfilling selfish needs at the expense of those He would have us bring to know Him personally.

We have to understand the big picture to understand why developing a hard heart will bring about disaster.  Putting all things into perspective, if we continue to insist on our way, there will come a time when God’s truth no longer matters to us at all.  When Paul wrote, “God gave them over to a debased mind,” he was making sure we understood what would happen to us if we continued to insist on our way long enough: God will back off and let us have what we think we want!  Sounds great until the reality of our depravity destroy our life.

Humbling ourselves before God is a proven cure for the hard heart.  Christ can transform a hard heart into one that responds cheerfully and obediently!

Knowledge vs. Wisdom

“Be very careful how you live, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Knowledge is good, but there is a vast difference between “knowledge” (having the facts) and “wisdom” (applying those facts to life).  To have knowledge is not to be wise; rather, to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.  We may amass knowledge, but without wisdom, our knowledge is useless.  Many men have a great deal of knowledge and are all the greater fools for it.  We must learn how to live out what we know.  Wisdom is like a sixth sense.  It enables us to evaluate circumstances and people, and make the right decisions in life.

I will admit there have been many occasions where I have been unwise.  I have been a fool in many ways and this has led to serious consequences in my life and the lives of others.  It is not unusual for people who lack wisdom to walk blindly into situations without giving much thought to the outcome.  Unwise people do not consider the consequences that follow their unsound decisions.

The Bible, however, instructs us to walk wisely.  This means to scope things out, to think things through, and to look at things from every angle.  It is all-encompassing.  The wise person demonstrates caution in his relationships, finances, decision making, business transactions, family matters, and everything else.

We are surrounded by people whose values are diametrically opposed to everything Christianity stands for.  It is easy to get swept along by the current of our society.  It may seem as if everything is working against us.  There is something in all of us that wants to take the path of least resistance.  But to do so is often to disobey the command to “walk wisely.”

There is a common characteristic in those who are wise: they make the most of time.  Wise men and women take advantage of every opportunity to do what is right.  They look for opportunities to move forward in their faith and service “because the days are evil.”

The essence of wisdom, from a practical standpoint, is pausing long enough to look at our lives – invitations, opportunities, relationships – from God’s perspective.  And then acting on it.  Many issues we are forced to deal with on a daily basis are not specifically mentioned in Scripture.  Complicated situations arise and there seems to be no biblical parallel to use as a guide.  In these situations, we are to turn to God for wisdom (James 1:5).  We are to ask, “What is the wise thing to do?”

Wisdom takes us beyond the realm of mere right and wrong.  Wisdom takes into account our personalities, strengths, weaknesses, environment, and even our present state of mind.  Wisdom is often the tool God uses to personalize His will for our lives.  What is wise for you may not be wise for me – and vice versa.

All of us are tempted to excuse things because they are not overtly wrong.  No specific verse of Scripture prohibits them.  But wise men and women don’t ask, “Is there a verse that prohibits this?”  Instead, we ask, “What is the wise thing for me to do?”  It is not enough to merely stay on the right side of the line that divides right from wrong.  In many cases, God would have us stay a safe distance away from the line itself.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:7).  Fear refers to reverence and respect.  Too often, we want to skip this step, thinking we can become wise by life experience and academic knowledge alone.  But if we do not acknowledge God as the source of wisdom, then our foundation for making wise decisions is shaky, and we are prone to mistakes and foolish choices.  The wise person fears the Lord, trusts Him, and seeks to obey His will.  Wisdom begins when we acknowledge God for who He is, when we recognize that His ways are best.  Wisdom begins when we submit ourselves to His will, trusting that if we could see our lives from His perspective, things would make perfect sense.  The only way to become truly wise is to fear (revere) God.

Faith or Presumption?

As children of God, we are free to ask Him anything we please, and once we ask, we can hope He will give us exactly what we’ve asked for.  But to believe He will do something He has not promised to do is not faith; it is presumption!  I fear that much of what is passed off as faith today is really presumption.

If I sent you an email inviting you to my home for dinner, I wouldn’t include such statements as, “I have perfect faith you are coming!  I know you will be here!  I am claiming your arrival!  By faith, I am announcing to all my friends you will be here!”  On the contrary, I would say things like, “I hope you can join me; I would like to have you; please check your schedule.”  I would be foolish to believe you were coming until you told me.  Once you called me and confirmed the date, I could have faith you were coming, but not a moment sooner.  Why?  Because you told me you would be here; you made a commitment to come; I received a promise to hang my faith on.  And if you don’t show up, my disappointment would be justified – you broke your promise.

Disappointment with God usually stems from confusion over the meaning of faith.  Most people who are disappointed with God misunderstand what faith is.  To them, faith is some sort of power or force.  They think if they have enough faith, God will do whatever they ask Him.  So when a crisis comes along, they try to move God into action through their faith.  When God doesn’t respond, they become disappointed.  Their misunderstanding leads to unrealistic expectations, and their expectations eventually lead to disappointment.

There was a time in my life when I was disappointed with God.  I felt as if He had let me down because He didn’t answer my request as I desired.  It’s not unusual for people in this situation to stop reading their Bibles, stop attending church, and stop praying.  In some cases, their disappointment turns to anger and even bitterness.

Part of the reason for confusion in the area of faith is because we want to be in control.  We want God to do our bidding.  We don’t want to submit to His will; we want Him subjected to ours.  We don’t really want God to function as the Lord of our lives; we would rather have Him operate like a vending machine (we put in a little faith and He sends out whatever we think we need).  But God doesn’t operate that way.  To approach the Christian life as if He does is to set ourselves up for disappointment.

Faith is not an escape hatch from all the trials and tribulations in this life.  Faith is not a lasso we slip around God’s neck to force our will on Him.  Faith is not a button we push to prod God into action.  Rather, it is confidence God will do what He promised.  That’s what all those men and women in Hebrews 11 were commended for.

Another reason for confusion in the area of faith is incorrect interpretation of James 1:6-7 and Matthew 21:21-22 .  Some of us think it says, “God will give us whatever we ask for provided we have enough faith and believe He will grant our requests.”  But that is not what the Bible says.  We are not told God will give us $1,000,000 or a new car or a better salary if we just have enough faith.  We are not given a promise from God for unlimited access to anything and everything we want.

On the contrary, James writes, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God” (James 1:5).  Whenever we need “wisdom,” we can pray to God and He will generously supply it.  We don’t have to grope around in the dark, hoping we will stumble upon answers.  To those who lack wisdom, this valuable resource is readily available to guide our choices.

God’s provision, however, has some prerequisites.  To receive God’s wisdom in trials, we must ask in faith.  To “believe and not doubt” means to not only believe in the existence of God, but also believe in His loving care.  This includes relying on God and expecting He will hear and answer when we pray.  God does not grant every thoughtless or selfish request, so we must have confidence God will align our desires with His purposes (Psalm 37:4).  Receiving wisdom from God depends on our faith in Him.

A third reason for confusion in the area of faith has to do with the foundation of faith.  Most of us tend to judge God’s interest and involvement in our lives according to what is happening around us.  When things are going well – our health is good, our finances are solid, our family gets along – we are quick to praise God for His faithfulness.  But when things take a turn for the worse, we often doubt.  We ask, “Where is God?  Has He forgotten me?  I thought He loved me!”  We make the mistake of drawing conclusions regarding God’s faithfulness based on what is happening at the time.

The writer of Hebrews warns us against this deception.  His original audience made the same mistake two thousand years ago.  Their situation, however, was a bit more severe than anything most of us will ever face.  He was writing to a group of Jewish Christians who were being persecuted for converting from Judaism to Christianity.  Their persecution was so intense that they began to doubt whether they had made the right decision.  God wasn’t honoring their faithfulness in any tangible sort of way.  On the surface, it looked as if He had abandoned them.  They were judging His love and concern for them on the basis of what was happening around them.  Consequently, some abandoned the faith.

However, we never, regardless of our circumstances, have any reason to doubt God’s promises to us.  The primary support of our faith is not what is happening now, but what happened two thousand years ago on the cross.  Jesus demonstrated His faithfulness to us in a way that far surpasses bailing us out of unpleasant circumstances and answering a prayer or two the way we want.  The fact He died on the cross for our sins settles the question of His love for us.  The fact He rose from the dead settles the question of His reliability.  God’s concern for you and I has nothing to do with the circumstances surrounding us right now.  That question was settled a long time ago.  By faith, we can have confidence God will always do what He has promised.

Faith’s Hall of Fame

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for” (Heb. 11:1-2).

Hebrews 11 has been called faith’s hall of fame.  Some of the people named experienced outstanding victories, but others were severely mistreated, tormented, and even killed.  The people whose stories are recounted were all men and women of faith; they were all confident and certain about something.

As the author of Hebrews recites the experiences of some of our favorite Bible characters, along with some of the most spectacular events recorded in Scripture, it becomes evident why these ancient men and women were so confident and certain.  They were confident because they received a promise from God and were certain God would do exactly what He promised.  That is the essence of faith – confidence in the promises of God.

The term promise, or some derivative, appears eighteen times in the book of Hebrews and seven times in this chapter alone.  What is the significance of that?  Faith and the promises of God go hand in hand.  Where there is no promise, there can be no faith – only hope.  Every person mentioned in this chapter was given a promise by God and their faith was grounded in God’s promise to them.

Living by faith requires we become familiar with God’s promises to us and then live as if He will keep them.  The Bible is filled with promises for believers.  Nothing is more encouraging to our faith than reviewing His promises to us regarding our forgiveness, protection, relationship with Him, and future inheritance He is preparing for all His children.  Just like the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11, we too can be confident and certain God will do what He promised!

Life Application

How much richer would our lives be if we left each Bible reading with a new perspective and a small change for the better?  A small change every day adds up to a changed life – and that is the very purpose of Scripture.

Applying God’s Word is a vital part of our relationship with Him.  God urges us to apply His Word (Isa. 42:23; 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Thess. 3:4; Jas. 1:22), but too often we stop at accumulating Bible knowledge instead of putting into practice what we have learned.  Exposure to God’s Word must lead to obedience otherwise it’s just another history lesson.  When we don’t apply the Bible to our personal situations, spiritual dryness, shallowness, and indifference will result.

The best way to define application is to determine what it is not.  Application is not just accumulating knowledge.  History is filled with philosophers who knew what the Bible said, but failed to apply it to their lives, keeping them from believing and changing.  Application is not just illustration.  Illustration only tells us how someone else handled a similar situation.  While we may empathize with that person, we still have to apply the Bible to our own individual situations, which is likely different than his or hers.

What, then, is application?  Application is deeply personal – unique for each individual.  A good application shows us how to take the timeless truth of Scripture and apply it to our lives today.  It shows us what to do about the passage we are reading and motivates us to respond to what God is teaching through His Word.  Application is putting into practice what we already know (Mk. 4:24; Heb. 5:14) by confronting us with the right questions and motivating us to take action (1 Jn. 2:5-6; Jas. 2:17).  It involves taking a relevant Bible truth and making it a personal truth.  It involves developing a strategy and action plan to live in harmony with God’s Word.  Application is the biblical “how to” of life.