From the House of Bread comes the Bread of Life

“I am the bread of life.” John 6:48

If you have ever studied much language or paid attention while reading all the names (that people typically skip due to pronunciation issues) in the Bible, you will know how important it was in Biblical times to have a name that meant something. Most people were named for certain reasons, or their names ended up predicting some sort of life behavior. Samuel’s name was chosen by Hannah because it meant “heard from God” because she cried out for a child and she was finally granted one from a closed womb. God often renamed people after life-changing events, such as Abram (exalted father) becoming Abraham which means “father of many.” This is why Abraham is celebrated as the Father of Nations because the great Hebrew nation began with him and his covenant with God. All this information leads up to something because I recently completed a Bible study about the Old Testament book of Ruth. In this study, I came to know that Bethlehem means “house of bread.” That is the literal meaning of the traditional Hebrew word. This fascinated me because Bethlehem has been an important location in the Bible since the beginning. It was a place of great famine (Ruth 1:1) and a place of the birth of a Savior (Micah 5:2). We mostly recognize the name because of the Christmas story, where Mary and Joseph go up to Bethlehem for the census of Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:4). This is where Jesus was born of a virgin in a stable and thus began the most amazing and important event in human history. God went to great lengths to perfectly time the birth of Christ since this was not Mary and Joseph’s home. They were there for the census, and God knew before time that they would be in Bethlehem at the exact moment of the birth as it was foretold in Micah. So out of the House of Bread comes the Bread of Life. God has such a wonderful sense of humor for foreshadowing if we just pay attention, and He willingly shares much of His wisdom and intentions. If you cannot find examples of God’s amazing providence and divinity throughout history, you are not looking very hard.

We are born into sin, with a true hunger for relationship. God knows that our sins divide us from Him but we often do not realize just what it is that we are “hungry” for. Just like a bodily craving for some food and being unable to put your finger on it, we are born with the same craving for a relationship with God. Satan does his best to distract our hunger through worldly possessions and other people, but we will never receive true satisfaction and satiation through anything of this world. We may move from person to person, or job to job, or house to house to try and fill these needs, but they will only leave us feeling empty and dissatisfied. The devil smiles every time we turn to one of these and away from God for our satisfaction and purpose in our lives.

As Jesus was teaching and feeding the crowds in John 6, they came to him looking for more miracles saying “our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat’” (31). But Jesus goes on to tell them that their life here is not merely about sustaining their flesh, and Moses did not truly give them the bread from Heaven but the Heavenly Father who sends the bread from Heaven. “For the bread of God is he who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:33). Then the people exclaim that they want this bread! “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe” (John 6:35-36). The people conveniently wanted to follow Jesus around and receive all of their meals for free, and they were so blinded by the actual provisions that they missed the intention of Christ.

In all of the gospels, Christ refers to the bread as his body at the Last Supper. “And he took the bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘this is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:19). As we re-enact this event today in our churches all over the world, we recognize that Christ gave up his flesh and spirit so that we may believe and have eternal life. He came down from Heaven as the Bread of Life to be consumed by humanity for the salvation of its sins. Jesus serves as a sacred sacrifice for each one of us so that we may not suffer the wrath of God but understand that the only way to never hunger again is through Him. God may have cursed man in Genesis (3:17-19) that we would have to toil and labor for our food to sustain our bodies on earth, but He freely gives us the Bread which will sustain our souls for all eternity.

Money

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matthew 6:24)

I have heard the phrase “the one who dies with the most toys wins” on more than one occasion. Do we really believe that? Is that what this life is all about? I disagree completely with that statement. Certainly having toys here on earth makes it much more entertaining for us, but they are not really necessary for our existence. Filling our time and our minds with tangible things makes us lose focus and it takes our eyes off God. I have seen it happen so many times and I have had it happen to me. Putting this world and our possessions ahead of God can truly jeopardize our souls. “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36). So I tend to agree more with something my mother always said. “I have never seen a hearse pulling a UHaul,” because that is so much more applicable. You cannot take it with you. We know this because archeologists are always finding tombs of important people and kings filled with treasures that they left here on earth believing that they would pass into the next life with them. For Jesus said “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

The exchange of currency simply exists for us to take care of the basic needs in our lives like food, clothing and shelter. With too much money, we tend to hoard or become greedy for more stuff. Without enough money, we tend to look for ways to get what we need often by sinning against God and our fellow man through stealing or whatever else can bring the greatest immediate reward. Money distorts our sense of ownership and challenges our humility. Money gives us control and with money we feel like we can control our own destiny and we have no need for God. Those with much money often use it as a tool to get more and control those who do not have as much. It is a very powerful thing on the earth to have much because often the more you have the more you can control. Satan uses this lie to pull people away from God. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). Money can also tear apart the most important relationships that we have here on earth, our family. “An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end” (Proverbs 20:21). Fighting over money that is left behind that did not ever belong to you causes strife and discord among even among the strongest believers.

But God controls everything. He owns everything, therefore His power is so great that we have nothing to offer Him or barter with Him. Simon the Sorcerer saw this in Acts. “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:18-21).

Our greatest power comes with the wisdom and knowledge of God. Understanding that we are merely His servants is our greatest reward. “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away” (1 Peter 5:2-4). And know that this power and wisdom is distributed by God for His glory alone. “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6). God’s glory and power are revealed through our actions that glorify Him. The moment we try to use God’s power and glory for self benefit, it will be taken away.

So Lord, thank you for giving me my basic needs so that I do not have to sin against you or any man to be able to survive. But also, thank you for not giving me so much that I lose sight of what is important and have excess that I do not need that would cause strife between me and my friends and family. Amen.

The Ultimate "Flipper"

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

I like watching those house flipping shows that come on TV on Saturday mornings sometimes. Most of the time, the investor comes to a piece of property or home that is typically run down and maybe infested with insects or destroyed from years of having no caretaker. They decide if it is worth their time and money to rejuvenate it and then they dig in. Cleaning, tearing out old and rotten materials, and replacing everything unworthy of salvage with something new. Within a few weeks, the house is ready for a new owner or occupant and they proudly stand back and admire their handiwork. Then it is time to move on to another, cleaning up the world one unwanted home at a time.

I image this is how God sees humanity. He knows the human heart to be rotten and unworthy, but He can see the potential of the property. “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). He comes in, cleans us up, replaces the old and worn out stuff with new and beautiful things. “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22). Then He moves in to make a home for Himself there. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). The only catch is that we must understand that our property is in desperate need of repair. Then we must open the door to Him and allow Him to complete his work in us. “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8). Only after God comes in and transforms us and creates a new being can we be beautiful both inside and out. “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Peter 3:4).

I am one of those flipped properties. God has made me new on the inside and is living every day continuing to keep this house up and running. I am so grateful for His many blessings on me and my family. Although it may be challenging to live in this world right now, I am comforted to know that God is preparing an even better place for me in my home with Him in Heaven.

Dining with Jesus (Part 2)

It all started in a garden

“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die’.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

When God created Eden it was a reflection of His Heavenly realm. “And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food” (Genesis 2:9). The river running through it provided water for the plants and trees (Genesis 2:10). John writes of his visions of Heaven in Revelation 22,

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding it fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (1-2)

This broken place is but a glimpse of the eternal kingdom that is being prepared for us (John 14:3). God knew that man would fall into sin and from His grace, yet He made him anyway. His intentions all along were to send Christ as our Savior and eternal sacrifice (2 Timothy 1:9). He provides glimpses of His glory and majesty on this earth that we may understand how much greater our lives will be in Heaven.

Unfortunately, the ruler of this world is Satan and he chooses to distort and pervert everything that God intended for good. Once Adam and Eve ate that fruit from the tree (Genesis 3) they then understood that there are two sides to every action, a good one and an evil one. While God was in control there was only good because there is no evil in Him (Psalm 92:15) but once the knowledge of evil was revealed, Satan got a foothold. “ ‘You will not surely die’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ (Genesis 3:4-5).” Of course Adam and Eve did not physically die, but they died spiritually. The communion with God was broken and now nothing could save them from eternal damnation but a complete and total sacrifice for their sin.

So now we are presented at every turn with the opportunity to do good or to do evil. We are born dead and must be “reborn” to God and Christ in the Holy Spirit in order to see right from wrong . John 1 says “yet to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (12-13). How cunning Satan was when he told Eve she would not die. Of course he did not elaborate on the type of death, he only alluded to the death she understood, which was physical and a return to the dust of the ground.

After this heartbreaking moment, God cursed Adam and his descendants. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:17-19). There was not a man that God could have created that would have avoided the temptations of the devil forever. God knew that in order for man to love Him, he had to give him the choice to hate him. Only true love is revealed in the choices we have. The only human who chose to love God completely and obey His every command was of God Himself. Only Jesus Christ had the wisdom and knowledge to overcome Satan while in human form, and it was not easy for Him. Surely He was God in the flesh, but He was also a man, to whom the pleasures and temptations of this earth are rarely overcome.

Dining with Jesus (part 1)

It’s all about eating

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

When we sit at a table and dine together, we talk and laugh and commune with one another the way that humans were meant to share with each other. Seems these days that we spend more time eating in the car, eating in front of the television, eating alone, eating in the “closet” or just not eating at all. The nourishment of food has been lost since its original intention of communion. A true “dining experience” comes at a high price where we pay large sums of money for people to bring us plates of food for our fleeting pleasure. We rarely experience the taste and texture of food any more, it is simply to fill the empty space in our stomachs and stave off the hunger of our bellies. The foods we eat now have very little nutritional value and simply leave us fat and dissatisfied until we can find something else to ease our cravings.

The world has lost its communion with itself and with God. In the Bible, God used food to remind people of His presence and His promise to take care of us. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years being provided every meal by God. And when they complained about the fare for the day, he sent them something different! Very few fathers would relent to the childish antics of one of their own by providing a different meal when the child insolently proclaims “I don’t like that” or “I am tired of that!” Of course these days, with the ease of microwaves and pre-packaged delights, so many parents simply give in and cook those chicken fingers and French fries for the finicky child who refuses to eat the green beans on his plate.

God gave us the hunger pangs in our bellies to remind us to fill them with good things to nourish our bodies and keep us alive. I believe we have spiritual hunger pangs similar to physical ones that God also gave us as a gift to remind us to fill our hearts and minds with Him. We are supposed to commune with God, to dine with Him daily, to fill our spiritual stomachs with His Word. We have lost the knowledge that the hunger we feel is for a righteous God and now look for earthly things to fill our spiritual insides. Material possessions, sex, empty religions, other humans, and even food are the things we believe that we crave to stave off the spiritual hunger that we feel. Of course, we never get full. We just keep stuffing it in at an ever-increasing pace only to become more and more empty inside. We are literally obese and starving to death at the same time!

Food was obviously important in the Bible. God carefully crafted man as a machine that had to be fueled to remain running at its peak. This daily eating was a way to remind ourselves of our humanity and God’s infinity. We are His creation and we can only survive on His terms. The intricacies of our bodily systems and the pleasure we derive from fueling our bodies with food are no accident. God intended to parallel our physical desires with our spiritual desires. It is perhaps the only way He had to allow us to understand the greater knowledge that awaits us upon our rebirth into the Kingdom.

The Law and the Prophets

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17

All things from the beginning of creation point to Jesus. The record of creation says “let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The plural was used because God has always been triune. Jesus was always there, along with the Holy Spirit, from the beginning until now and forevermore.

As soon as Adam and Eve fell from grace and into sin, the intention was always to send the Savior. The Law was created for men and handed down from God to Moses so that men might understand the difficulty they would encounter meeting God’s expectations. You see, God’s expectation is perfection. Nothing more, nothing less. And man was completely incapable of meeting God’s expectations. So many religions today teach good works, good will, enlightenment and so many different paths to Heaven. But none of these good works will ever be good enough, because only perfection will do. God created the Law to reveal man’s inability to keep it! Men who believe that they can get to Heaven on good works are deluded. Our realization that we are not and cannot be good enough is the catalyst for Christ in our lives. We cannot earn favor with God-He is holy and perfect-only Christ is good enough. Jesus says “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). The moment that we embrace this truth and turn to Christ for our salvation, we encounter an entirely new feeling of peace and grace. Our willingness to admit that we will never earn God’s favor without Christ is the beginning of our communion with God. The end of our “selves” is the beginning of our relationship with Him.

An Underdog Story

“We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:42 (NIV)

People just love a good underdog story. As much as we like to see the popular people fall from grace, we want the most unlikely people to succeed and catch the limelight for a moment or two. It is very heartwarming. The Bible is filled with stories of the unlikely people succeeding. Moses, Abraham, David, Esther… and too many more to count. Of course, they could never have done it without the grace of God on their side.

Jesus met up with the Samaritan woman at the well in the heat of the day. It was noon, when most people stayed inside to gain some relief from the heat, and she was out drawing water to avoid the scoffing murmurs of the other women in town. She had been through five husbands and was currently living with a man who was not her husband (John 4:18). It was certainly not socially acceptable for a man to talk to a woman in public, but it was even less acceptable for a Jew to talk to a Samaritan. The two groups had a significant disdain for each other and did not associate at all. But Jesus selected her, much to her confusion, to ask for a drink of water and offer up his own “living water” (John 4:10).

After their initial conversation, the woman begins to realize that Jesus could possibly be the Christ, the one they have been waiting for. She urgently runs back to town, leaving her water jar behind. When she arrives she exclaims with excitement “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29). As they all rush out to meet Jesus, I try to imagine what that Samaritan woman is thinking. This is her moment of redemption, both literally and figuratively. Jesus has saved her soul and helped her regain her dignity and reputation. I would be inclined to believe that if God’s grace had not intervened in her life at that moment, the people in town would have just looked at her and laughed. How interesting that Jesus chose not only a woman, but a woman of ill repute to deliver the news of his arrival to the town in Samaria. Of course we learn that Jesus stayed for several days teaching the Samaritans and many believed in him, but it was because of the Samaritan woman at the well that his grace and glory were received by this town. I believe this story is telling us that we should never underestimate what God can do through us, and that we are never so far gone that he will not accept us into his loving arms of mercy and grace.

The Glory of God

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

I have begun a new Bible study to begin this New Year. By the end of the reading today I was overwhelmed with joy and absolute amazement, yet again, for God. Today’s lesson was about one of the reasons God created man, which was for His Glory. Glory is used to denote “the manifestation of God’s presence” according to Wikipedia. God created everyone and everything for HIS glory alone. Isaiah writes of God calling to “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (43:7). The Bible makes an overwhelming number of references to God’s glory from the beginning to the end. It is represented as filling the whole earth (Isa 6:3), appearing to Moses and Aaron (Num 20:6), filling the temple (2 Chron 5:14), being declared by the heavens and the people (Ps 19:1, 29:9), and belonging to God alone (Isa 42:8). And those are just a few of the Old Testament references to glory. Glory is God’s amazing and wonderful presence is all that He is and all that He has made.

The New Testament is also filled with references to God’s glory, which has now become manifest in the person of Christ Jesus (John 1:14). Christ owns all the same glorious attributes that were always present in God and He is now revealing them to us by walking on the earth. So the amazing thing is that God’s glory now can belong to us, His children, while we are waiting here in these earthly tents in which we dwell. “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27). Christ is OUR hope of glory as we are revealing God’s glory through Him in ourselves. Paul writes “and we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). Ever-increasing glory. Praise God for His many blessing, for we are now the small vessels in which God is pouring his glory through our faith in Jesus and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the key that unlocks God’s glory in us. Just as we have no hope of glorifying God without Christ in us, we begin to understand that as we mature in Christ we will reveal “ever-increasing glory” to the world around us. I can’t think of a more wonderful thing than revealing God’s glory. It is an honor, a privilege, and an amazing gift that God would even consider revealing a tiny portion of His glory though sinners like me and the rest of the fallen humanity of this world.

Treasures

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 (NIV)

Have you ever thought about treasure? When I conjure up visions of “treasure” I see pirate chests full of gold and jewels hidden in some dark cave surrounded by a watery moat. Human nature tends to visualize tangible things when we think of treasure. Our treasures are “health, wealth, and happiness” on this earth. We equate earthly prosperity with personal treasures.

But Mary had it right. She treasured time and events rather than physical things, and the things she treasured all had to do with the glory of God. She treasured the birth of God’s son through herself (Luke 2:19). She also treasured the amazing revelation that Jesus was teaching in the synagogue when he was still just a boy (Luke 2:51). We should treasure all the wonderful things that God reveals to us and ponder them in our hearts like Mary did.

Jesus says in Luke “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (12:34). The Lord will bless us with earthly gifts so long as we do not exalt them above Him. If our treasures become more important than the Almighty God who provides them, He will take them away and leave us to understand that He alone is our ultimate treasure. Isaiah writes “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure” (33:6). Understanding that God is Almighty and Sovereign is the KEY to untold wealth and treasure; not earthly storehouses full of treasure, but treasures in Heaven (Matthew 19:21).

So as we embark on a new year and a new decade, where are our treasures to be? Are we going to set aside gifts for ourselves here on earth to make our lives more prosperous and happy for a season or will we lay everything at the feet of the Almighty God of the Universe and know that the only treasure worth owning is the knowledge and fear of Him? This is the only true treasure that will last forever.

Hope and Peace

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14

This is the time of year when we see so much commercial interpretation of what Christmas is all about. You see people living together in harmony, thoughtfully sharing gifts with each other, and visiting family and friends. You see cards and ornaments and wrapping paper with words like “hope” and “peace” on them. But do people truly understand why those words are associated with Christmas? They seem to think that the world itself is going to suddenly grasp one another’s hands and start singing in a circle and be happy neighbors and friends with no strife. But that is really not true. As long as we live on this earth, we will always have strife and trouble because Satan rules here. He is the “prince of this world” (John 12:31).

The hope and peace for which each person longs is found in our hearts and minds through Jesus. When that little baby was born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, He alone brought hope and peace. Not through His presence here on earth, but through the promise that was fulfilled by His presence. Isaiah 9 says “for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” (6). The promise is that if we would trust in God and seek Him alone, we would be given that hope and peace. God is in us by the filling of the Holy Spirit, God is for us because He created us out of love never to be harmed, and God is with us through Christ, our Emmanuel. So our hope is found in Jesus through eternal life and our peace is inside by the filling of the Holy Spirit. Of course it would be wonderful if the world could all “just get along” and be peaceful like the beauty queen wishes of the pageants, but as long as the devil remains and we are broken and sinful, that will never happen.

My prayer is that each person who longs to understand the true meaning of Christmas and the peace and hope that accompany it will come to know Jesus Christ, the author of this season. May the hope for the future that He brings to fulfillment, and the peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) be found by every single person. The gifts are nice but they will be forgotten or wear out. The seasonal happiness is great, but it will fade with the coming of the new year and the bills that follow. But the joy of the knowledge of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift that we have ever been given, by our Father Himself, and it remains for all eternity.

Thanksgiving

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.” 1 Thessalonians 1:2 (NIV)

I have been pondering lately what it means to be thankful. I mean truly thankful. We say short prayers to God thanking Him for our food and homes and clothes and friends, but what does it mean to give thanksgiving to God? Thanksgiving as a holiday was traditionally a time to give thanks to God for the harvest. Of course, Americans have manages to turn it into a commercial holiday as much as possible through food sales and football. I’m sure we’ll be giving gifts on Thanksgiving in the next 50 years or so…but I digress. I think the key we forget about Thanksgiving is not about eating or watching a parade or football but giving thanks to GOD. We use Thanksgiving as a special time to get together with friends and family that we may not see very often, but let’s not forget to be truly thankful for everything that we have through God, our Father. Revelation chapter 7 says “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!” (12). All good things come from God, and may we not dismiss or trivialize this fact as we begin to prepare turkey and ham and dressing and cranberry sauce this coming week. Not only should we be thankful for all the things we HAVE but we should be forever thankful to God for the privilege of being His children! Paul writes to the Colossians that we are “being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints of the kingdom of light” (1:11-12). May we remember that this life contains fleeting things that will pass away and that they are simply a small step toward the forever kingdom of God. Let’s be thankful for what we have been given here on earth and also for God’s saving grace, without which all things would be useless. I like the way Paul puts it. “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim 1:17). Now that is Thanksgiving!

Prayer in the Spirit

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

Of all the things Paul ever asked from the saints, it was mostly prayer. He always stressed prayer in the Spirit for himself and others that they may further the kingdom of God. Do we still pray today for others and the kingdom? I believe our prayers have become more self-centered and conceited, stressing our own desires and those closest to us. There is nothing wrong with asking God's blessing on yourself and your family, but your prayer time should not be consumed with selfish prayers. The Holy Spirit should guide your prayers for yourself and others, helping you to find ways to help others and further the kingdom. God will ordain our circumstances in every situation, but we must pay close attention to the Spirit. What is our reason for being in a certain place at a certain time? Do we listen to the prodding of the Spirit when a friend keeps coming to mind over and over? Oswald Chambers wrote "Your part in intercessory prayer is not to agonize over how to intercede, but to use the everyday circumstances and people God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne, and to allow the Spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. In this way God is going to touch the whole world with His saints" (My Utmost for His Highest).

May we remember that our prayers and our actions are the most powerful things that we have been given by God. They are our direct connection to Him and His will for our lives and others. Jesus said "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" (Matthew 21:22). This should not be misconstrued. We know in our hearts and do not actually believe that we will receive things we ask for that are inappropriate and do not conform to scripture and the will of God. So let's pray in the Spirit and listen to the gentle prodding so our lives can have the most impact and glorify our Lord in everything we ask in prayer and do each day.

Disturb us, Lord

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
[Sir Francis Drake]

What keeps us from stepping outside of our comfort zone? Perhaps I just answered that question in its self because the word “comfort” is synonymous to us with soft, inviting, engrossing surroundings. Like laying in a comfortable bed surrounded by fluffy blankets and soft pillows on a cold winter morning, or snuggling on the sofa with a pet reading a good book on a rainy day. We don’t want to move from our comfort zone.

We tend to do the same thing in our religion. We stay in our zone of Christian friends in our safe neighborhood and go to our pretty, modern churches with comfortable pews on Sunday. We relish in the blessings of the Lord and cry out in dismay to Him when we are faced with trials like we are undeserving of anything but His best. But we do get His best, each and every day. He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him and sometimes that requires discomfort. But we can take comfort in knowing that Christ loves us. Paul wrote to the Philippians “if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, them make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Philippians 2:1-2).

Our goal is to be more like Christ. He did not come to this world, giving up his glory in heaven, to be comfortable. He suffered shame, loss, heartache, and pain so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. So the next time we get comfortable in our environment, consider what Paul continues to write, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). Let’s ask the Lord to disturb us, convict us, and give us a heart for the hurting. May we listen to the gentle prodding of the Holy Spirit and seek those who need our loving kindness in Christ Jesus. Psalm 147 says “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (3). Are you the salve that God has sent to comfort the hurting?

Behind the Velvet Rope

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:16 (NIV)

Have you noticed these days how important the word “exclusive” has become? We want to be part of exclusive groups, live in exclusive gated communities, and go to exclusive Ivy League schools. We put unborn children on the waiting list at exclusive daycares, drive exclusive automobiles, and on and on. People stand in line at exclusive clubs to get in to party with the rich and famous and to see and be seen. Everyone wants exclusivity in their lives until it comes to spirituality. We like our religion with a little less exclusivity and a little more leniency. No one wants “old fashioned authority, guilt trips, accountability, or moral absolutes” (MacArthur).


Christians are cursed for claiming that Christ is the exclusive way to Heaven. Yet Jesus himself says “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:16). He also says “for I did not come to judge the world, but to save it” (John 11:47). Christ died for our sins that we may freely receive his grace and compassion. We are not worthy to enter into the presence of our Almighty God if it were not for the saving grace of Christ. So our “exclusive” religion is open to all. Christ is standing at the velvet rope of salvation to enter into eternity. All we must do is accept him and trust him and then he will open the narrow gate for us. What makes Christianity so exclusive is that so few people actually accept Jesus, not that He is unwilling to accept us. Jesus said “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:26).


Once we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become sanctified, or “set apart” in our lives. God takes us into a group that becomes “exclusively” His. Paul writes in Romans “through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (5:2). And Acts 20 says “now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (32). Our reward and inheritance is God and eternal life through Jesus. We become exclusively His.

The Lord of the Harvest

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV)

I just love the Fall Season. It is perhaps the best season of all, and I am so glad when it finally comes around every year. It brings with it fond memories of school days, football, homecomings, cool weather, and magnificent clear blue skies and autumn leaves in every hue. It also ushers in Halloween and Thanksgiving with pumpkins and cornucopias full of harvest fruits and vegetables. Harvest is a wondrous time of reaping the bounty of what we have sown.

There is also a bounty that God has sown. Jesus tells his disciples that “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” in Matthew. Imagine fields full of ripe fruits and vegetables just rotting and wasting away because there is no one willing to pick them. That is the analogy that Jesus uses for the people of this world. He came to die for the sins of every person so that we might all be saved and harvested from our sins and eternal damnation. But those of us who are saved by this knowledge will not go out and share in the harvest. Jesus says “even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘one sows and another reaps is true’” (John 4:36-37). We are not picking the fruit from the vines that God has sown.

Paul writes to the Galatians “let us not become wearing in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (6:9). We should be filled with excitement to work in the fields for Our Father in Heaven. He has planted a great harvest which we are joyous to help reap. May we not grow weary but be ever knowing that God is good and He wants everyone to come unto Him so that we may increase our inheritance in His kingdom forever. As David writes, so we should also believe “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Psalm 16:8).

Heaven, anyone?

“Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” Matthew 5:12 (NIV)

Are you afraid to go Heaven? Somewhere out there the world has convinced everyone that Heaven is a place where people become angels and sit around on clouds all day with harps looking down on the earth. I have heard more times than I care to admit “if that is what Heaven is like, I would be bored and I don’t want to go there.” Well, I would dare to say that God is not going to allow us to just sit around and be “bored.” I also cannot find any references in the Bible to sitting on clouds and playing harps, so what does God tell us about Heaven?

Heaven is God’s dwelling place. Acts says “Heaven is my throne, and earth is the footstool of my feet” (7:49). I would certainly rather be in the presence of a throne than a footstool. Thrones are beautiful seats made especially for a King that reveal His glory and honor. Typically in older cultures, those who were seated were in a position of honor and authority. All of the courtiers stood around the king on his throne. And when Jesus prayed to God he said “pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). Jesus knew where God was-He was in heaven. Jesus had come down from heaven himself to earth to bring salvation to its fallen and sinful inhabitants (John 6:41).

Heaven is filled with rewards for the righteous. Matthew 5:12 says “rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” And Peter writes “in his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). So whatever rewards and treasures we may have here on earth that can be taken away and perish, nothing compares to the ones waiting for us in heaven that cannot be stolen or fade.

Heaven will not have any sin or sadness. “For of this you can be sure: no immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph 5:5). Won’t it be wonderful to go to a place where there is no sin, evil, harm, tears, greed, impurity, sickness, disease or any other bad things?

Heaven and Hell are actual places that exist and each person on earth will one day reside in one or the other for eternity. Heaven is for true believers who are sanctified by God and Hell for the unbeliever who refuses God’s grace of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that eternal life in either of these places is a deliberate choice by the person.

So what is our alternative? Jesus says in Matthew 13 “the Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (41-42). And in Matthew 25 “then he will say to those on his left, ‘depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (41). So it looks like the alternative to the beautiful dwelling place of God with many rooms and righteous people (John 14:2) will be an eternal fire where we can share space with the devil himself and all his minions where there is much pain, suffering, and gnashing of teeth. Hmmm…that one is kind of a “no-brainer” to me. I think I will put my faith in Jesus Christ and live for Him so that I can dwell eternally with the Almighty God, Creator of the Universe. How about you?

Refined by Fire

“For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.” Psalm 66:10 (NIV)

When we look upon the trials that we face in our lives with dismay, we should remember that everything that happens to us today will influence who we become tomorrow. James writes “consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (1:2). When we are faced with all kinds of troubles in our lives with money, people, illness, or work, we are being honed for the future. We are constantly being prepared for future tests and learning to cope with the resources that God has entrusted to us. We are charged to be good stewards of our resources and to treat our fellow servants of Christ with respect and courtesy. How we think and react to our troubles determine our testimony for the ways that Christ says to live. James goes on to say “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (1:3). These trials will give us perseverance in our faith and bring us closer to God.

In the past year I have had two of my sisters diagnosed with breast cancer. Each has been through surgery, chemo, and all of the pain and uncertainty that goes along with the disease. Even though I have not personally undergone what each of them has, I have spent many hours in prayer trying to discern what God would have people to learn from their experiences, including myself. Each person who is touched by their lives will have some sort of reaction to the news. Would they react with drama and dismay and fear for their own life? Would they react with shock and wonder how they would feel in the same situation? How would I handle this test? What would I do? What decisions would I make? I just pray that I would challenge myself each new day to discern what God would have me to reveal about myself to those around me. How He alone has gotten me through the uncertainty and challenges, even though I am surrounded by family and friends to help me.

And in our trials, may we remember that anything that drives us closer to God is good for us. Even though it may seem like punishment in the beginning, if you look at trouble as an opportunity to be refined and molded into the image of Jesus Christ then it is all worth it. “These [trials] have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7).

Children of God

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God." 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

What does it mean to be a child of someone? In my family, it meant that the parents were in charge of the home, that the children were obedient, and everyone loved each other and lived in harmony. I was very fortunate to belong to parents who truly wanted and loved each and every child that they had. But other homes are not so fortunate to have loving parents who desire the best for their children. Then there are those parents who want a child so desperately that they have to adopt a child that was ultimately born to someone else. They take them in as their own and love them as their own. In God's family, his children belong to Him as his creation AND they are loved as children who are adopted.

For God loves each and every one of us so much that He was willing to sacrifice his ONLY son that not one of us should perish into the eternal flames of damnation (John 3:16-17). If you are a parent, would you sacrifice your only child to save the world? How about a community? How about a family of four? God sacrificed His son to save each person individually. If there would have only been one person who needed saving, He still would have sent Jesus. Abraham bartered with God over the saving of Sodom. He asked God to save the city if there were only 50 righteous men in it, and God agreed to save it. When Abraham finished the questioning of God, the Holy Lord agreed to save the city if there were only 10 righteous men in it! And, of course, there was not because Sodom was consumed in flames.

It is difficult to understand the magnitude with which God loves us. His all-knowing, all-powerful Spirit understands the thoughts and hearts of each of us. He is all that is good within us! Psalm 147 says “great is the Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (5) and “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” (10-11). I will put my hope in the unfailing love of God the Father, because He cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). God’s plan is always perfect for us (Isaiah 25:1), even though we cannot see the outcome for some potential discomfort on the front side.

So may we live in perfect peace, understanding that God’s love will keep us and protect us (Isaiah 26:3) as we are HIS children and heirs to the kingdom and co-heirs with Christ our brother (Romans 8:17).

Effects of Prayer

“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16 (NIV)

We are a means to an end.

Prayer changes things.

God ordains the final outcome, but our prayers can influence the situation.

We hear the statements above, but do we truly believe them? The Holy Spirit urges us to pray for others and ourselves. Our prayers are the only way to truly communicate with God. Of course, He knows our every thought and deed, but he longs for us to WANT to communicate with Him. And as saints of God, it should be our desire as well. In a society that cannot go into another room without taking a cell or cordless phone, we do not seem to be communicating with the One that matters most. If we want to be in constant communication with our work, our friends, and our families, why don’t we want to be constantly communicating with the most important Person we will ever know? The Bible says “pray without ceasing” but we can hardly pray without allowing ourselves to be interrupted by other less important things. Would it not make sense that Satan would use our desire for communion to our demise? Being able to constantly talk to and listen to other humans keeps us distracted from talking and listening to God. And don’t the humans usually take precedent since they are actually here on earth and are much easier to “reach out and touch” as the old phone commercial says? God does not give into our “instant gratification” that we can satisfy with a quick phone call or text message. He requires earnest prayer and inquiry, rather than shallow, trite drivel.

So when was the last time that you actually prayed to God? Today, yesterday, a week, or a month ago? Allow the Holy Spirit to take you by the heart and lead you to that magnificent place of communion with God. Not the shallow “thank you for this food” but the genuine praise that accompanies moving into the presence of the Almighty Creator God.

David knew the importance of prayer. His psalms are written prayers to the Almighty Father set to music. He spent times of war, want, abundance and glory in praise to God.

The apostle Paul knew that the prayers of the saints were powerful. He counted on them to help deliver him through the trials he faced while preaching the gospel. He often asked for prayers and also offered his prayers to others.

Jesus knew the importance of prayer more than anyone. He taught the disciples how to pray in our model Lord’s Prayer in Matthew. He spent early mornings before the rising of the sun in prayer and spent the night before his crucifixion praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We should understand that God wants to hear our prayers. Revelation 5 speaks of golden bowls of incense which are the “prayers of the saints.” God gathers and keeps our prayers as beautiful offerings to be cherished. Let us pray for each other and ourselves understanding that God is waiting to hear from us and longs to communicate back through His blessings and answered prayers.

Laziness

“The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.” Proverbs 15:19

What does it mean to be lazy? Is it just lying around all day watching television and being completely inactive, or does it go deeper? Is being spiritually lazy just as detrimental as being physically lazy?

My husband and I visited a boarding house the other day while we were out working with a clothes ministry. We were bringing over a few additional items that were not available during their initial consultation. One of the people we were visiting had told him that she loved to read old Sunday School books and any other literature that she could get her hands on, so we found some stuff we had laying around the house to bring to her. The clincher was that she asked for a dictionary to help her when she reads the Bible because there are often words that she does not understand and she likes to look up the meaning. When I heard him tell me that, my eyes filled with tears and my heart filled with joy and sadness at the same time. Joy that the woman was reading the Bible, and sadness because so many of us take our education and abilities for granted. While we were talking to her at her home, she told us that she wanted to go to school so she could have homework! She said that she wanted to get her GED so she could have homework every night so she could learn more. The lady was plagued with a learning disability, but her excitement and desire to have homework and be able to get a job pierced my heart. Consider all of the people in the world who have the mental capacity to learn, are given the opportunity for an education, and they often squander it. I thought, “we should all be so eager to learn and work as this woman.”

I often consider all of the things the world has to offer these days to us to make our lives easier, faster, better, etc. From cliff notes to provide us with information so that we don’t have to read books to “bytes” of information to keep us from spending too much time truly learning about a topic. The abundance of resources to minimize the time we spend “working” on something is truly the work of Satan in our society today. Our physical and mental laziness had lead to our spiritual laziness and the lack of concern for the unsaved and broken hearted. Romans 12 says “never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (11). And Jeremiah writes “a curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” (48:10).

Christians today often spend much time complaining about things that are wrong with society so there is not much time left to do anything to change or improve it. Paul writes to the Thessalonians “we hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right” (2 Thessalonians 3:11-13). Shall we settle down, earn our keep, and remember that our work here is to minister to the lost and the broken hearted? I believe we should. Let’s work to keep ourselves spiritually fervent, physically laboring, and always working to spread the Good News to those who need to hear it.