Today we will talk about a man whose name is well known in the Word, and who had an important place in God's plan to redeem the children of Adam. The Scripture refers to this man as "the friend of God" and "the father of all who believe.", Abraham. ~ Genesis 11, 12
Scriptures speak a great deal about Abraham. We will search the Scriptures to discover what they teach concerning this man who was called the friend of God. Today we intend to look into the beginning of the story of Abraham, to see how God called him to follow Him, and why He called him.
Keep in mind that Abraham was first called Abram. In chapter eleven of the book of Genesis, we learn that Abram belonged to the descendants of Shem. Shem, Ham and Japheth were the three sons of Noah. After his sons were grown, God chose Noah, a descendent of Seth and a righteous man, to save mankind when God judged the wicked men on the earth in the Great Flood. Through Noah's son Shem, in the ninth generation, God choose another man named Abram (meaning "exalted father") to be in the lineage of Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Between Shem and Abram, there were ten generations, (Gen. 11) just as there were ten generations between Adam (Seth's name meant "the appointed one") and Noah. (Gen. 5) Abram's father's name was Terah. The Scripture says: "Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot." (Gen. 11:27) Lot was the son of Abram's older brother. Lot's Father had died {Note: in Wolof culture that would make Abram Lot's functional father}. Abram's wife's name was Sarai. "Now Sarai was barren; she had no children." (Gen. 11:30) Abram and Sarai had the same father, but not the same mother.
God had promised that He would send a Savior and salvation to man. His plan was to call this man Abram, and from him make a great nation of people who would not only be the people from whom the Messiah would come, but also they would be God's chosen nation, a witness of God to all the earth. (See Deut. 7:7-8, 28:37, Isa. 43:9-10)
One day the Lord God revealed Himself to Abram and spoke with him. You need to know that in early times, God occasionally spoke directly with people, because they did not yet have the Writings of the Prophets. Today God speaks to people through the Holy Scriptures. That is why we no longer need words which resound from the sky, or visions, or angels in order to know God's way of righteousness. When we meditate upon the Holy Scriptures, we are listening to the voice of God.
When God called Abram he was in a city in Babylonia, named Ur of the Chaldees. Ur was a very advanced city and was believed to have been founded some five hundred years before the time of Abraham.
Ur could be compared to a modern city, having libraries, schools, and a system of law. It was a rich city and many valuable treasures have been discovered including elaborate jewelry.
The false religion of astrology which was begun at Babel was practiced there as it was in all Babylonia. Abraham's father, Terah according to Joshua 24:2, worshiped idols. Jewish tradition refers to Terah as an idol maker. Ur was an idolatrous city worshiping many different Gods such as the god of fire, moon, sun and stars. Sin was the name of the chief idol deity of Ur. Ningal, was the wife of the moon-god, Sin, and was worshiped as a mother God in many other cities. Ur was an evil and sinful city as can be seen in the worship practices of the moon-goddess, Ningal.
With a father who worshiped idols and a city dedicated to wickedness, Abraham was not raised in the best of environments. Yet, when God called, Abraham believed God and by faith followed God's instructions. Hebrews 10:8, states that: "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whether he went."
Let us listen now to what God said to Abram. In chapter twelve, verse one, we read: "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'" (Gen. 12:1) Did you hear what God commanded Abram? He told Abram to leave his father's house, bid farewell to his relatives, leave his country, and move to a country to which God would lead him. To man's way of thinking, what God asked Abram to do was extremely difficult, but God had plans to greatly bless him.
Let us now reread this verse and the two verses which follow, to know why God called Abram to leave his home and go to another country.
"The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Gen. 12:1-3)
Why did God command Abram to move to another country? This is why: God planned to make of Abram a new nation from which the prophets of God and the Savior of the world would arise. That is why God promised Abram saying, "I will make you into a great nation…and you will be a blessing…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Here is a great truth. Do you understand it? God chose Abram to become the father of the ancestors through which the promised Redeemer would come into the world. This Redeemer was destined to be the Savior for all the peoples of the world, so that whoever believes in Him might be saved from the dominion of sin and Satan, and from the eternal fire. Thus, we see that when God called Abram, He was moving forward with His plan to send the Savior of sinners into the world. Abram himself was not the Savior of the world, but he was to become the father of a nation from which the promised Savior would come.
That is the promise {or covenant} God made to Abram-on the condition that he leave his country and go to the place that God would show him. Did Abram obey God? What do you think? The Word of God tells us:
"So Abram left, as the Lord had told him…Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there." (Gen. 12:4-5)
Why did Abram obey God, turning his back on his father's home and religion? There is only one reason. Abram had confidence in God. Abram did not know where he was going, but he believed the word of the Lord which said, "Move out! If you move, I will greatly bless you!" Abram had confidence in God and left his country as the Lord God had told him. And God, in His faithfulness, led Abram to the land of Canaan, which today is called Palestine or Israel.
Next, the Scriptures say: "Abram traveled through the land…At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.'" (Gen. 12:6-7) Thus we learn that God, who promised to make Abram the father of a new nation, also promised him a new country as well. That is what God meant when He appeared to Abram and promised him, "To your offspring I will give this land."
Again, we see something which surpasses human wisdom. The land of Canaan had people living throughout it. How could Abram and his descendants possess it? Abram was seventy-five years old. His wife was sixty-five and childless. Could two elderly people have enough children and descendants to fill the land? How could this happen?
This is the kind of promise God made to Abram-to a man who was old and childless, with a wife who could not conceive. Listen to what God promised Abram in chapter thirteen. He said,
"All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go; walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you." (Gen. 13:15-17)
Did God do what He promised? Did He make of Abram a great nation? Did He give the land of Palestine to Abram's descendants? He did! Abram became the father of the Hebrew nation to which God gave the land that, today, is called Israel.
Next, the Scriptures say: "So [Abram] built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent…. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord." (Gen. 12:7, 8) What was the first thing that Abram did, upon arriving in the new country which God had promised to give him? He slaughtered an animal and burned it on an altar he constructed. Just as Abel, Seth, Enoch and Noah did, Abram, in the same way, offered up animal sacrifices to God. Why did Abram do this? He did it because God had not done away with His law which states: "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin!" (Heb. 9:22) Abram, like all of Adam's offspring, was a sinner. The only reason God could overlook Abram's sins was because Abram believed God and brought to Him the blood of a sacrifice, which was an illustration of the holy Redeemer who was to come into the world to die in the place of sinners.
God intended to make of Abram a new nation, which would be a "door of blessing" for all peoples of the earth. What God planned to do with Abram was part of the wonderful plan that He announced in the Garden of Paradise on the day that our ancestors, Adam and Eve, sinned. Do you remember how God had promised One who would come into the world to deliver the children of Adam from the power of Satan? Two thousand years later, in the time of Abram, God had not forgotten His promise.
Abraham heard the voice of God. There is no hint that when God spoke to him that he questioned who God was. Further, he did not confuse the voice of God with the idols and false Gods that his father worshiped. He knew who was speaking to him. It is apparent that he believed that it was God that was speaking to him and because it was God, he believed the promise that God made to him. Abraham's call was a call to salvation and a call to service. God called Abraham to eternal life – A new life that began when he by faith trusted God's Word to him. "Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) The call to salvation is a call to a new life. Many miss this truth. Before Abraham, could accept the promises of God he had to believe God and receive eternal life. Hebrews 11:8, says, "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Abraham first exercised saving faith and the evidence of his having saving faith was that he trusted what God said. God told him to leave his country, his relatives and his father's house and go to a land that He would show him. Abraham's faith was tested and proven in that he did what God said. He showed his faith, by putting his trust in the Lord, and acting upon God's word.
Abraham's life was changed! His trust in God set him on a new course for his life. It is that way for one who believes today and receives eternal life by believing God and trusting in God's son the Lord Jesus Christ. The believer is set on a new road. The old road, marked by a life of sin and self serving, is abandoned! The new road is one of believing, obedience and serving God, by serving others. You remember in Jeremy Frazor’s message he told the story of Rand Hummel’s encounter with the flight attendant who became very offended at being called a servant. The lesson is that a servant or slave to Christ is a good thing, and we cannot be a child of God without being a servant. Many miss this truth about being a slave to Christ instead of a slave to sin. We are always slaves to something or someone. God's called to salvation is a call to a changed life. God's call is to a new life of serving God. Many profess to know Christ and have eternal life yet, absent from their lives is commitment and service. Being a Christian to many is a Sunday affair. During the week, it is business as usual. In everyday life service to the Lord takes a back seat to the everyday affairs of life. It anything conflicts with their responsibilities to the Lord, these responsibilities go lacking.
It seems to be a paradox that many who profess to know the Lord believe they have exercised saving faith and have had their sins forgiven, yet they do not seem to have the faith to turn their lives over to the Lord. Saving faith is a faith that does turn one’s life over to the Lord. You cannot accept salvation without accepting what goes with it. God plan is that the saved man then lives the rest of his life by faith. Nothing else will please Him. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6).
The Bible's example of the actions of a saved man has always been that those who receive salvation by trusting in the Lord live changed lives.
Today we have seen how God, in His faithfulness, called Abram so that he might become the father of a nation through which the promised Savior would come into the world. That was why God promised Abram saying, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Gen. 12:2, 3)
As a follow up to what we have seen so far, let’s look at
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (Genesis 12:3-4)
God made a covenant, (contract) with Abraham. This covenant was an unconditional one. God did not say, "Abraham, if you do certain things, then I will do certain things". God's promise to Abraham was unconditional. God said, "Abraham, I WILL make of thee a great nation, and I WILL bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou SHALT be a blessing: and I WILL bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee: and in thee shall all the families of earth be blessed". Genesis 12:2-3 Note that there is no condition in the covenant for Abraham to fulfill. That is why it is an unconditional covenant. God was promising to do these things and nothing could prevent it.
The Covenant was fourfold:
(1) God would make Abraham's descendants a great nation.
(2) God would bless Abraham materially and make his name great.
(3) God would protect Abraham by blessing those that blessed him and cursing those that opposed Abraham.
(4) God would bless all the families of the earth through Abraham.
God fulfilled His promise to Abraham:
(1) Abraham's descendants became the nation of Israel. Until this very day the child of Abraham, the Jews have remained an ethnically pure people. They, of all the peoples on earth, are the only people on earth that can make that claim. It seems it would be impossible for a people to remain ethnically pure for four thousand years. And in truth it would be, except that God made an unconditional promise to Abraham. The continuing fulfillment of that covenant can be seen today. The Jews have been scattered all over the earth in every continent. Almost every city in the western world has a population of Jews. For example, many peoples from all over the world have come and settled in the United States. However, most immigrants in a generation or two lose their ethnic identity and become simply "Americans". However, the Jews have remained a pure people and retained they identity as Jews. Clearly God has done this and is keeping His promise made to Abraham.
(2) Abraham was richly blessed materially, and also in his descendants. Although the Jews have suffered great persecutions throughout their history, they are not known as a poor people. They have always been powerful in business and had great economic and political power. Their power in Europe was the cause of Hitler's great hatred of them. At the heart of his plan for a new Germany and Europe was the elimination of all Jews and their influence from Europe. Today, in the United States and Europe, the Jews are very powerful people. They have great economic and political power. Although the present day Israel, is one of the smallest countries on the earth, it is one of the most powerful. Its economic, political and technological power rivals even that of the USA and the China. Surely the hand of God is all this.
Further, the name of Abraham is a world renowned name. He is the father of not only the Jews, but of Christianity, and the entire Arab world as well. The three great religions of the world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam all look to Abraham as their father. Apart from the Jesus Christ, no name is as well known as that of Abraham.
(3) God promised to bless those that blessed Israel and curse those that cursed them. Every government that has persecuted the Jews has fallen even to modern times. The Russian government, which has had a national policy of persecution of the Jews, is in shambles. However, the United States, who has always been the friend of the nation of Israel, has prospered greatly. No matter how intense has been the persecution of Israel, God has protected them. In 1967, in what is called the Six Day War, the tiny nation of Israel utterly destroyed all the combined efforts the Arab nations which surround them. It has been called one of the greatest military victories in history. Against impossible odds they repelled everything the Arabs threw at them. They not only deflected these forces, but took great amounts of land including in the south the Gaza Strip to the Nile River, the West Bank and all of Jerusalem. Surely God's protecting hand is upon this small nation.
(4) God also promised that all the families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham. History shows that the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, changed the whole world. The history of western civilization is the history of the spread of Christianity. Even our calendar dates from the birth of Christ. The moral teaching of Christ and the New Testament, have shaped to a large degree all of western nations. The United States Constitution was based on Biblical standards of morals. Those nations which are identified as "Christian" have prospered greatly.
The greatest value of God's promise has been that through the Lord Jesus, salvation is freely offered to the Gentiles (non-Jews). Today in this the Church Age, God is saving mostly Gentiles. The Gospel is being carried around the world, however, not by the Jews God's chosen people, but by the Gentiles. Truly, among every nation on earth, men have heard the Good News (the meaning of the word "Gospel") and have receive by faith, salvation through Jesus Christ.
We can see that God has kept His promise. Satan, has done all he can to defect the plan of God, yet his efforts have been to no avail. God promise stands and will stand till God's plan is completed.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Why Did God Call Abraham?
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Are You Bearing Fruit?
The Fine Art of Bearing Fruit
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NKJV)
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NKJV)
Sometimes we grow impatient in our lives when we don't see the spiritual growth we would like to see. But an important thing to remember about spiritual fruit is that it doesn't grow overnight. It takes time. If I were to plant a peach tree on Monday, I could scarcely expect to enjoy fresh peach cobbler on Friday. It takes time for peaches to reach their full size. I could pull up a chair, sit down, and wait for the peaches to grow, but I still would not see any discernible difference. Even though I can't see it at the time, that fruit is still growing toward maturity.
Another reason we may not see spiritual fruit in our lives is because we don't recognize it as such. Let's take a look at several definitions from the New Testament of what it means to "bear fruit."
Winning others to Jesus Christ and helping them grow spiritually is one form of spiritual fruit. Paul wrote to his friends in Rome, "Often I have planned to come to you . . . that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles" (Romans 1:13 NKJV). We also read in Proverbs 11:30 that "the fruit of the righteous is the tree of life, and he that wins souls is wise" (NKJV).
Sharing what God has blessed us with is a way of bearing fruit. When Paul received an offering from the Gentiles for the saints in Jerusalem who were in need, he referred to that offering as fruit: "Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain" (Romans 15:28 NKJV, emphasis mine). When I take my finances and invest them through my tithes and offerings, it will result in fruit to my account (Philippians 4:17). Let me add that if your Christianity does not affect your pocketbook, then one has to question how much your Christianity has affected you. It should permeate every area of your life.
Praising and thanking God is another type of spiritual fruit. When we lift our voices in praise to God, it's an offering of fruit to Him. The Bible tells us, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV). You should not be a spectator when it comes to worship. You should engage, because it is offering fruit to the Lord.
Last, our change in conduct and character is fruit. Galatians 5:22–23 tells us, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (NIV). These virtues should be a part of every believer's life. But again, they don't become visible overnight. It takes time for this fruit to grow. Be patient, and sink your roots deeply into the person of Jesus Christ.
One Sunday morning after a service, a friend began talking with a group of guys who were all brothers. I was pleased to learn that one Christian Brother had recently led each of them to the Lord. As we discussed their newfound faith in Christ, he told them, "Just keep moving forward spiritually, because the moment you start relaxing is the moment you start falling back. But if you keep at it and keep applying yourselves to the basic disciplines of spiritual growth, then you will continue to flourish and bring forth fruit."
Whether you've been a Christian for six months, like these brothers, or for six decades, you must continue moving forward in your spiritual walk. God help you and me to fulfill the purpose for which He has created us. May we glorify Him by bringing forth fruit in our lives as we become more like Jesus Christ.
How Do We Bear Spiritual Fruit?
"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13:23)
The concept of bearing fruit is used often in Scripture. In the Gospels, Jesus told the story of a sower who went out to sow seed. The seed fell on various types of ground. Some of the ground was rocky and hard. Other ground was receptive, but weeds choked out the seed. But there was a portion of ground that was not rocky or weedy, and the seed took root. Jesus said that this was a picture of the different people who hear the gospel. Those who are true believers are those who bring forth fruit (see Luke 8:4-15).
What is bearing fruit? Essentially, it is becoming like Jesus. Spiritual fruit will show itself in our lives as a change in our character and outlook. As we spend time with Jesus and get to know Him better, His thoughts will become our thoughts. His purpose will become our purpose. We will become like Jesus.
The Bible gives an excellent description a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."
Is that what others see in your life? If not, then either you don't know God or you are living outside of fellowship with Him. If that is the case, then a commitment or a recommitment to Him would be in order. God is not asking for a perfect life. But He is asking that these fruits be primary characteristics of a life that is lived for Him.
Known by Our Fruit
A little boy went over to a pastor's house, where the pastor was doing some carpentry in his garage. The boy simply stood there and watched him for quite a long time. The preacher wondered why this boy was watching him and was finally so curious that he stopped and said, "Son, are you trying to pick up some pointers on how to build something?"
The little boy replied, "No. I am just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer."
Often, we will find out what we are made of by what comes out of our mouths in both good and bad circumstances. When we have a change in conduct and character in our lives, it is a type of spiritual fruit. Galatians 5:22 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . . . " (NKJV). A Christian's life should be characterized by these things. Are you producing fruit? Or is the opposite true? Instead of love, is there hatred, bitterness, or even prejudice in your life? Instead of joy, is there constant gloom? Instead of peace, is there turmoil? Instead of gentleness, is there a short temper? Instead of faith, is there endless worry? Instead of meekness, is there pride and arrogance? Instead of self-control, are you a victim of your own passions? If so, then either you don't know God at all or a recommitment to Christ would be in order.
If you are a Christian, then people should be able to look for-and find-fruit in your life. Why?, because a disciple of Jesus Christ will produce spiritual fruit. Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:8 NKJV). Jesus also said, "by their fruits you will know them." (Matthew 7:20 NKJV).
The metaphor of bearing fruit is used quite often in the Bible. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus spoke of seed that falls on different types of ground, representing different reactions to the truth of the gospel message. The final category He mentioned in Mark 4:20 was good ground: "But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred" (NKJV). In other words, those who have spiritual longevity are those who embrace this truth and produce fruit. The Bible tells us that we should bear fruit worthy of repentance (see Matthew 3:8).
The Bible gives us different pictures as to what "bearing fruit" means. For example, praising and thanking God is a way of bearing fruit in our lives. Hebrews 13:15 says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (NKJV). When you praise God, that is bearing fruit.
I heard this story from a pastor.
At one of our church services, I noticed a young woman in the front row who was in a wheelchair. Her legs were gone, and she had only one arm, which was a partial one. As we were worshipping, this young woman lifted what she had of her arm to the Lord. I thought about how this must have pleased God. She didn't have hands to lift, but what she had, she lifted to the Lord. Did she have troubles in her life? Did she have difficulty? Of course she did. But she offered a sacrifice of praise to God.
We don't praise God only when we are in the mood. Rather, we praise God because He is worthy of our praise. Our word, "worship," comes from the old English form, worthship. We praise that which is worthy. Therefore, we don't praise God because we feel like it. We praise God because He deserves our praise. When we do this, we are bearing fruit.
What we say is also a type of fruit in our lives. Jesus said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45 NKJV). When you are a true Christian, it will be reflected by what you say. This is bearing fruit as well.
Can others identify spiritual fruit in your life? Remember, people are watching you. They are listening to you. I hope that you are pointing them to Jesus.
The story of Jackie Robinson
April 15th is generally not my favorite day of the year. Tax day is never fun for a guy who is organizationally challenged. My idea of being prepared is having everything in one gigantic box. (Bonus points if the lid will close on it) This year I caught a break because of some local holiday in the Nation’s Capital. The day of reckoning is now April 18th. But April 15th has been redeemed for me because it is a wonderful day for baseball fans.
Jackie Robinson made his major league debut at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on this date in 1947. It was a historic and significant day for baseball but maybe more so for our country. You can argue that the American civil rights movement was truly ignited when Robinson came to bat in Dodger Blue. The journey for Robinson was difficult at best and nearly impossible at worst.
Many Dodgers players, mostly Southerners led by Dixie Walker, threatened to walk if forced to play with a black player. That ended when Dodger management let them know in no uncertain terms that they could keep walking all the way to the unemployment line. I often write about the pain that is caused by “bad” or thoughtless Christians. Can you imagine the pain that Robinson felt to have his teammates reject him for only one reason and for a reason over which he had no control?
But one teammate reacted in a way that I wish all serious and thoughtful Christians would emulate. Team captain Pee Wee Reese was an unlikely ally for Robinson. He was born in segregated Louisville, Kentucky, and the odds were that Reese would participate or even lead the boycott against a black player. But the diminutive Pee Wee Reese proved to be a giant of a man one day in Cincinnati. During infield practice the Redleg players were screaming at Jackie with all of the usual hateful epithets. And then the venom was distributed to Reese. They were yelling things at him like “How can you play with this,(epithet)?”, as Jackie stood uncomfortably at first base.
"Pee Wee kind of sensed the sort of hopeless, dead feeling in me and came over and stood beside me for a while," Robinson recalled, as quoted in his biography “Jackie Robinson,” by Arnold Rampersad (Alfred A. Knopf). “He didn’t say a word but he looked over at the chaps who were yelling at me through him and just stared. He was standing by me, I could tell you that.” The hecklers ceased their attack. “I will never forget it,” Robinson said. A silence fell over the Reds dugout and the fans witnessing this amazing act of grace.
At Reese’s funeral, Joe Black, another Major League Baseball black pioneer, said: “Pee Wee helped make my boyhood dream come true to play in the Majors, the World Series. When Pee Wee reached out to Jackie, all of us in the Negro League smiled and said it was the first time that a White guy had accepted us. When I finally got up to Brooklyn, I went to Pee Wee and said, ‘Black people love you. When you touched Jackie, you touched all of us.’ With Pee Wee, it was No. 1 on his uniform and No. 1 in our hearts.”
Robinson later wrote this sentiment to Reese in a book inscription.
“Pee Wee whether you are willing to admit what you being just a great guy meant (a great deal) to my career, I want you to know how much I feel it meant. May I take this opportunity to say a great big thanks and I sincerely hope all things you want in life be yours.”
We need a lot more Pee Wee Reese’s in the body of Christ. We need men and women who are willing to step up for others when it may not be the best action for personal gain. We need men who are brave enough to look hatred and bigotry in the eye and call it by its name. April 15th was a day that demonstrated the greatness and courage of Jackie Robinson. It also reminds us of how one man did the right thing for his teammate. We need men who have the courage to emulate both Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese in our walk with Jesus. If Pee Wee Reese was willing to risk his reputation for the cause of team and winning a World Series how much more should we be willing to risk for one another to further the cause of Christ? The Apostle Paul had some good advice to accomplish that dream.
Bear and Share the Burdens
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load. I want to be willing to stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. As I meditate on the gift of grace and redemption I received through Jesus I wonder - how can I do anything else? (Gal. 6:1-5, NKJV)
Stuck in a Groundhog Day Faith?
Years ago a funny and underappreciated movie came on the scene. Groundhog Day told the story of a self-absorbed news reporter (redundancy alert?) that finds himself stuck in an endless repeat of the same day. Bill Murray is perfect in the role of reporter Phil Connors. Reporter Phil is less than thrilled that he has been assigned to cover Punxsutawney Phil's annual peek outside to predict winter's duration. Connor's looks into the camera and cynically reports:
"This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather."
What got me thinking about that movie again was the plot-line where Phil Connors realizes he is doomed to live the same day over and over and over. The plot is summed up in this article in Wikipedia. For Connors, Groundhog Day begins each morning at 6:00 A.M., with his waking up to the same song, Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe", on his alarm clock radio, but with his (and only his) memories of the "previous" day intact, trapped in a seemingly endless "time loop" to repeat the same day in the same small town.
Connor has this exchange in the film.
Phil: What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?
Ralph: That about sums it up for me.
So what is the point of these ramblings? The point is that too many followers of Jesus are stuck in a Groundhog Day life of their own. They wake up every day and feel trapped in a repeating pattern of frustrating behavior. And then, depression sets in.
Why is that?
Einstein was once quoted as saying that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." I am not quite willing to concede that I was insane. But the truth is that for years I did approach my spiritual life the same way every day while somehow expecting different results.
I would make a mistake (that is politically correct for sin) and I would convince myself that I would never do that again. I was grateful that the consequences were not worse. I was determined to stay far, far away from that sin. And then before I know it I had forgotten the lesson and I would awaken each morning to my own version of Groundhog Day. The Apostle Paul wrote about this very thing (not the giant rodent part, but the repeating behavior part) in his letter to the Romans.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. (Romans 7:18-20, NKJV)
Wow, can I relate to that. A bit later Paul writes, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Isn't that the real question?
That is the real question. And there is a real answer offered by Paul.
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
So what can you do to get out of this sin spiral?
Nothing.
Wait! Don't let depression set in. This is good news. You and I can't do it. I am incapable in my own efficacy to escape my spiritual Groundhog Day. Only Jesus can enable me to escape this endless loop of frustration. Further advice from Paul follows in Chapter 8 of his amazing letter to the Romans.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Allow the truth of that verse to soak in.
Want to get out of your Groundhog Day existence? Most readers of these humble ramblings realize they couldn't deal with their sin separation from God on their own. We needed Jesus. So why do we think we can deal with our ongoing sin issues on our own? When the Father looks at me on my very worst day this is what He sees.
Jesus.
That is step one. I don't have to clean up the sin to please God. He loves me already because of Jesus.
Step 2. I am learning daily to recognize that the Spirit of God has taken up residence in my life. I am learning that I am the one who limits His power by restricting access and control to my thoughts and actions. I am learning that I don't need to wake up to the frustrating effects of repeated self-effort. I can wake up trusting God, trusting that Jesus has my sin covered and trusting that the Spirit of God will allow me to resolve that sin. Trusting God and what His Word says to be true allows me to escape the Groundhog Day syndrome. Instead I have a new day full of possibilities to thank God for His amazing grace.
How Do You Treat The Poor?
Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail. (Amos 8:4)
God is speaking of the exploitation of the poor. I feel it is important for us to realize how God feels about the poor of this world. I have experienced being poor. You probably have, too.
In the days of Amos, God accuses them of even making "the poor of the land to fail." That is, the poor were brought down to such a low poverty level that they never could escape from it. The poor always suffer more acutely in a godless nation - I don't think that statement can be successfully contradicted.
Saying, "When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn?" and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? (v. 5)
God knew what was in their hearts. "The new moon" and "the Sabbath" were holy days on which business was not transacted. God is saying that even when the rich went to the temple to praise God, they were so greedy and covetous that they were thinking about business the next day and how they could make more money by cheating their customers. They not only practiced their sin during the week, but they carried it into the temple. What a picture this gives us of Israel in that day - and of modern man as well.
That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? (v. 6)
The poor even had to sell themselves into slavery. That was permitted in that land under the Mosaic system. They would buy the needy for a pair of shoes - that's how cheap they were! And they would sell the poor the refuse of the wheat. That means they got the "seconds," the leftovers which an honest dealer throws away. I have never felt right about giving old clothes to help the poor in the church. I have never felt they should be given the leftovers of anything. Remember how David said, "… neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing …" (2 Samuel 24:24).
It is no accident that the Lord Jesus, when He was here on earth, sat and watched how the people gave in the temple. Was that His business? Yes. And He is interested in how much we give to Him and how much we keep for ourselves.
Maybe the reason I love this man Amos so much is that he talks my language. He was a poor man himself, and he says the thing that I understand. You see, Amos is explaining why Israel was like a basket of summer fruit. The goodness of Israel was just as perishable and just as soon deteriorated as summer fruit. One evidence of this was the way they treated the poor.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Are you surrendering so as to be Christ-like?
Grace and Christ-likeness. Surrendering/giving up on self Romans 14 Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another
14:1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Do Not Cause Another to Stumble
13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumbleLet’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. Some of us judge others because you feel they are incorrect in practice. Others of us are inconsiderate of those we might negatively influence by our Grace given liberty.
So, it does matter how we live our lives! Maybe we should check to see if our daily lives are God honoring [Christ-like, since He was the only man who ever was God honoring], and NOT causing someone to fall or doubt, or worse , pushing them away from God, pointing them to hell. Think about it.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Liberty or Humility - or both?
What is the "Law of Liberty"?
Your liberty ends when you offend. Don't let your liberty become a license to offend or to sin.
Romans 14 The Law of Liberty
Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose] and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written:
“ As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
I Peter 5 says,
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Then we can look at what James 2:12-13 says.
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 1:25 says,
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
John MacArthur writes,
"James here uses an even stronger verb for looking thatn in verse 23. Parakupto (looks intently) means to bend over and carefully examine something from the clearest possible vantage point. It is the verb used by Luke to describe Peter’s looking into the empty tomb after Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24:12) and by John of both Peter’s and Mary’s looking into the same tomb (John 20:5, 11). The person who looks intently at God’s Word, the perfect law, the law of liberty, examines it to discover its deepest and most complete meaning. For him it is not a mere exercise of curiosity, as with the forgetful person just mentioned. When he discovers a truth, he abides by it, understanding that this is the purpose for the Lord’s revealing it to men. God did not reveal His Word simply to be learned, but to be obeyed and applied.
Adam Clarke wrote,
[But whoso looketh into the perfect law] The word parakupsas, which we translate “looketh into,” is very emphatic, and signifies that deep and attentive consideration given to a thing or subject which a man cannot bring up to his eyes, and therefore must bend his back and neck, stooping down, that he may see it to the greater advantage.
There Is An Objective Aspect In Our Looking
What is it that we are looking into? James calls it “the perfect law of liberty.” And some believe that this is specifically the Gospel, while others view it as “the law of God or His will” (Barnes). But James has been referring to the totality of God’s Word, so that must be what is meant by “the perfect law of liberty.” It is God’s revelation that is meant here.
The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown commentary says that the perfect law of liberty – the Gospel-rule of life, perfect and perfecting (shown in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:48): making us truly walk at liberty (Psalm 119:32,45).
Warren Wiersbe said - Why does James call the Word of God “the perfect law of liberty”? (James 1:25) Because when we obey it, God sets us free.
There Is An Ongoing Aspect In Our Looking
"and continueth therein" The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown commentary says that there is a contrast here with that one that “goeth his way” in James 1:24.
A. T. Robertson said that the word “continueth” (Paramenoo) means “to stay beside.”
Adam Clarke wrote [And continueth] Parameinas, takes time to see and examine the state of his soul, the grace of his God, the extent of his duty, and the height of the promised glory. The metaphor here is taken from those females who spend much time at their glass, in order that they may decorate themselves to the greatest advantage, and not leave one hair, or the smallest ornament, out of its place.
The Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says that the word “continueth” (NT:3887 – parameinas) means "To remain beside, continue always near (and continues to do so, not departing till all stains are washed away)".
Barnes says, [And continueth therein] means He must not merely look at the law, or see what he is by comparing himself with its requirements, but he must yield steady obedience to it.
The Reward Comes Through Faithful Living
(James 1:25) "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."
There Is A Different Way Involved In The Life Of Blessing
"being not a forgetful hearer, as is seen in verse 24, describes one who does not immediately put the Word out of their mind after they are confronted with it."
A. T. Robertson says that the phrase means “not a hearer of forgetfulness” or one “marked by forgetfulness.”
There Is A Doing Of The Work Involved In The Life Of Blessing
The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary says that, "Doer of the work" - rather, ‘of work:’ is an actual worker, "blessed in his deed", [poieesei] - ‘in his doing.’
This describes one who is not just listening to the Word but living the Word through their work.
Cf. (Joshua 1:8) "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Devastating TC Yasi Crashing Australia Coast: Updated
We have missionary friends in Cairns. Please pray for them.
AccuWeather.com - Weather News | Devastating TC Yasi Crashing Australia Coast: Updated
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