Where in the World Are We Going

WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE WE GOING?

PART 1 of 3

One of the most intriguing books in the Bible is entitled ‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ’. While it definitely lays out a framework and key details as to where this world is headed, and why it is in the condition it is in, the key message in the 22 chapters of the book focuses on who Jesus is, what He has done by going to the cross, what He is doing now, and what He is going to do. We have no hope of benefitting from or understanding the present and/or future correctly unless we are or become beneficiaries of the four emboldened points above. The purpose of this first article is to focus on Who Jesus Is.

The one who penned the book of The Revelation had spent 3 ½ years as a privileged follower (disciple) of Jesus and knew Him on a closer level than any other of the 11 disciples.

In the 2nd chapter of Revelation however, he comes into the presence of this One who he had followed, the One who had gone to the Cross and the Grave, but now was risen and at God’s right hand in heaven. Upon seeing him John’ falls at His feet as dead’, only to have ‘Jesus lay His right hand on Him, saying, don’t be afraid; I am the First and the Last, the One who lives, and was dead, and is now alive evermore, and have the keys of Hades and of Death’. Previously John had noted that even now He is ‘the Ruler over the Kings of the earth’ which should give those of us who know Him, confidence that every circumstance in in our world is allowed by Him, and He ultimately is in control

In the 1st chapter of John’s gospel, we learn that ’all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made’, and in the 4th chapter of Revelation that He is ‘Worthy, to receive glory and honor and power, because He created all things, and by His will they exist and were created’.

In the 19th chapter of John’s gospel, John records the horrific crucifixion of Jesus Christ when He would pay for our sins and shed His blood that we might be forgiven, and in the 5th chapter of Revelation John would see ‘in the middle of the throne of God a standing Lamb as though it had been slain’, and then a great company around the throne ‘saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain’.

In the 5th chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus states that ‘the Father has committed all judgment to the Son’, and in the 22nd second chapter of Revelation we see a Great White Throne and ‘Him who sits on it from whom the earth and the heavens flee away’. The Lord Jesus will be the final Judge and have the final say in regards to those who have lived, yet refused to bow their knee to Him during this life.

So, Who Is Jesus?

·        He is Eternal. Revelation 1:17, 18; 22:12, 13

·        He is the Ruler over the Kings of the earth and will Rule during His Kingdom age. Revelation 1:5; 9:16

·        He is the Creator. John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 10:5

·        He added humanity to His deity to be the Redeemer. Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 10:5

·        He is the Final Judge and will have the Final say. John 5:22, 23; Revelation 20:11-15

What should we do now that we know this?

‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me. To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,  as I also overcome and sat down with My Father on His throne’. Revelation 3:20, 21

Author: Sid Osborn

The Narrow and the Wide Gates

Matthew 13:14 & Luke 13:24

Then Jesus opened His mouth and taught them, saying:… Enter by the Narrow Gate; for Wide is the Gate and Broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because Narrow is the Gate and Difficult is the Way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13, 14  Strive to enter through the Narrow Gate, for many, I say to you will seek to enter, and will not be able. Luke 13:24

We are thankful for Gates aren’t we, as they enable the invited to come in and when necessary keep the unwanted out. In the New Testament part of the Bible the word Gate is used ten times, and the thrust of the above referenced Gates is to invite us to come through the Narrow Gate in lieu of the Wide Gate, as one leads to an eternal relationship with God and the other leads to eternal separation from God.

People have many of their own ideas on how to get to heaven, but the only way is through God’s plan and provision, and not our own ideas. A relationship with the God of heaven is through His Son, Jesus Christ who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, - no one comes to the Father but by Me. John 14:6

Earlier Jesus said those qualified were I did not come to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:1 and the Bible affirms that while - the wages of sin is death, The Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

This Gift from God is legitimately and only offered to undeserving people, because God loves them and sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to not only become a Man and to live a perfect life, but die what is called an atoning death on the Cross.

Many people want to get to heaven by being Good, but God clearly says that…There are none righteous (good), no not one. Romans 3:10

Others want to get to heaven by doing Good Works, but God clearly says, it is - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy (kindness) He save(s) us. Titus 3:5

The Son of God, is the one - by whom were all things created Colossians 1:16 as well as the one by whom - all things were made and without Him nothing made that was made. Jn 1:7   He would then pay a price on the Cross to satisfy a Holy God as to our sins, that now – whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13 and – as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to be children of God. John 1:18

The proof that God has been satisfied with the death of His Son and the price that He paid, is that He raised Him from the dead, the only person to ever die, be resurrected, never to die again, as – He was delivered up because of our offenses (the cross), and was raised (resurrection) for our justification (made right with God). Romans 4:25

In summary – the Narrow Gate is Jesus Christ, because - the gift of God is eternal life thought Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 and the Wide Gate is any one of the multitudes of man’s ideas on how he can get to heaven, but – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way is death. Proverbs 14:12

Come to God His way, and as Jesus said - the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. Jn 6:37 The Gate is open and you are invited. Please come through!

 Author – Sid Osborn

Becoming An Example - July 2021

As a believer in the Lord Jesus, I am so thankful for others who have walked in the Christian life before me and have been an example to me in how to live Christ.

The Apostle Paul writes to the believers in the City of Rome who had been ’lost’ but now were ‘saved’, he noticed that their lives were changing, as a result of them now listening to, reading, and responding to the Word of God. Paul gratefully says, ‘thank God, that although you used to be ‘slaves of sin’, you obeyed from the heart that example/pattern of teaching to which you have been committed, and are now set free from sin, becoming ‘slaves to righteousness’. Romans 6:17, 18.  Paul’s point is that the Bible contains the teaching that is God’s example/standard on how Christians should now live. Remember that song that says ‘read your bible & pray every day & you will grow, grow, grow’, applies to us as well.

In the same way Paul encouraged the believers in City of Philippi to join in following his example, saying, ‘brothers, join in following my example, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example, as you have us for a pattern/example’. Php 3:1. These believers were privileged to have Paul and others who were with him as an example/pattern on how to live in a way that is consistent with being a Christian.  While Paul and his friends are no longer here, let’s remember that we now have the privilege of living godly lives in such a relevant way, that we can be the good examples to others. Let’s encourage ourselves in this practice.

The believers in the City of Thessalonica had lives that had changed as well, to such an extent they became examples to (believers in other cities) all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 1 Thessalonians 1:7. So it is one thing to be changed because we are privileged to see and follow another believer’s example, but another to become an example ourselves in our world who desperately need to see a Christlike example. In Paul’s 2nd letter to the believers in the City of Thessalonica who were drifting off course, he tells them that while the older believers had authority to enforce them to live this in way, they would not do that, rather they would ‘make themselves an example of how you should follow us’.  2 Thessalonians 3:9. Are we forcing others to live up to the Christlike standard, or living it out in a way, that our example whets their appetite to live that way themselves?  Be encouraged to be an example!

Paul then writes a young man named Timothy, and he gives specific instructions on the areas of life where a young person can be an example as well. ‘Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity’. 1 Timothy 4:12

Lastly, Peter will confirm Paul’s encouraging instructions, when he exhorts those in church leadership to ‘not [be] domineering over those in their charge but be an example to the flock’. 1 Peter 5:4, like the Lord Jesus who is our perfect example, and that ‘we should follow in His steps’. 2 Peter 2:21

 ·         The Bible is the resource we have that shows us on how to be examples of a changed life.

·          Paul was a great example not only to those he wrote to but now to us who now read the Bible.

·          The believers he had written to were now becoming examples to others.

·          Leadership in a local church can enforce others to live as examples, but it is so much better when their lives are such good examples that others start living in the same way.

·          Young believers should be given encouragement and the resources they need to be examples themselves.

·          Peter confirms Paul’s instructions on how church leadership should demonsrate what being a good example looks like, and that the Lord Jesus is always our perfect example.

Author – Sid Osborn

Being Cleansed to Cleansing Others

It is understood that leprosy in Scripture is a picture of sin. The reference is vivid as there is no known cure for the leper just as there is no natural cure for sin. And the fact that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, Romans 3:23, shows the extent that sin has gripped this world. More widespread than leprosy, sin has had a vastly more devastating impact on our world and on individuals.

But do we give up is despair when we realize we are sick or have contracted a deadly disease? Most people will seek help. Consider a group of people we read about is Luke 17. “And as he (Jesus) entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” After realizing their dire condition, these men asked for help from the only one who was uniquely able to cure them. Upon compliance with the simple command of “Go”, they were cured. In verse 14 we read “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God.”

Truly, a miraculous cure from a dread disease had just occurred. And this one man was so overwhelmed that he needed to thank Jesus Christ, who had just healed him. But if “sin” is a condition far worse than leprosy, shouldn’t we each take time to thank the one who has granted us eternal cleansing? And wouldn’t it be fitting if we allowed this spirit of thankfulness to control our character on a daily basis?

Another Scriptural passage dealing with lepers is found in II Kings 7. There we read of four men who knew they were going to die, so in verses 3 and 4 they weighed the options of their fate and the relative certainty of their choices. After choosing to visit the camp of their enemy, the Syrians, how surprised were they when they found that nobody was there. Being unaware that God had miraculously driven the Syrian host away, they began to enjoy the provisions of food, clothing and riches they found. However, we read in verse 9 that their consciences made them feel guilty: “Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace”. So they returned to the city and told the King’s household of what they found in the Syrian camp. The end result was the God’s people were rescued from their enemy and enjoyed the spoils from the camp of the Syrians.

The lesson from these two groups of lepers is that we, as sinners, are no different than the lepers. But there is a cure for sin by simply believing in Jesus Christ – that He alone can wash our sins away because He paid the price for those sins at Calvary’s cross. And then once we realize we’ve been cleansed, we need to tell others how they, too, can be clean. We should be encouraged to do just this as Jesus, himself, tells us, ”Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel”, Mark 16:15. The world starts on the street where we live. We can all help to spread the good news of salvation from our sins.

Author ~ Jim Johnston

Shower of Blessings - Mercy Drops - Part 2

Mercy For Us in Our Everyday Lives

Mercy is God’s, not punishing us as our sins deserve. It even applies to the mistakes we make which might have ended up in a disaster.  How often have I pulled up to a stop sign and quickly taken off without noticing a car coming my way and just missed having a crash.  I breathe a sigh of relief and quietly say, “Thank you, Lord for your mercy”.

We would all do well to take a moment each day to consider how we are experiencing the mercy of God in our lives. Maybe we deserved a speeding ticket but got a warning instead. This happened many years ago when I was taking my family to a week night prayer meeting at BPCF.  I was in a hurry because we were late and I was exceeding the speed limit.  I got pulled over and “piously” said to the police officer that I was hurrying to get to our church prayer meeting.  He said, “OK, I will let you go, but slow down”.  I said quietly to the Lord (which I have said many times), “Thank you Lord”.  I really deserved a ticket but thankfully did not get one.  This is the mercy of God.

We live in a fallen world . We all struggle and commit sins and make mistakes.  Some are more egregious and others are from the fact that we are weak and imperfect human beings.  Every mistake or sin that has occurred in our lives is an opportunity to learn something valuable about God’s mercy.  When God’s mercy meets us in our problems, it transforms something that is or could be ugly into something that is beautiful.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy” James 3:17

It is easy to be overwhelmed with the problems of life, some of our own making and others that suddenly descend into lives.  It is natural to want to hide these things and put on a good front to others.  However, the Scriptural advice is to “humble ourselves” and acknowledge our problems, first to the Lord and then perhaps to a trusted friend who can join in taking the matter to the Lord.  So instead of getting preoccupied with the problems that have invaded our lives, we can look beyond them to Jesus. Make the choice to trust Him in his presence with us and rely on his ability to bring good out of even the worst problems.

Mercy for Others-Become a Mercy Show-er

Jesus told the story in Matthew 18 of a man who owed a great debt to a king.  It was described as a debt of 60 million days of work.  He could not pay it and was in danger of losing all that he had including his family.  He came to the king and pleaded for patience promising that he would repay the debt over time.  However, the king had compassion on him and mercifully forgave the debt.

The man who was forgiven had a fellow servant who owed him a hundred denarii (a denarii is a day’s wage); and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe”. He forgot that he had been forgiven 60,000,000/100 , (equal to 600,000) times more than what the other servant owed him.  The fellow servant went and reported this to the king.  This is what the king said, “Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’?  Matthew 18:33.  As a result the unforgiving servant  had to suffer the consequences of his belligerent  and selfish attitude.

When I was in high school I was required to study one of William Shakespeare’s plays every year.  The one I studied in my freshman year was “The Merchant of Venice”.  It is the story about a merchant in Venice named Antonio who defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Shylock demands a pound of flesh in lieu of paying back the loan.  A woman named Portia appeals in court for mercy for Antonio and made this famous speech which I was required to memorize;

“The quality of mercy is not strained.   (filtered or diluted)
It drops as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesses him that gives and him that takes..
But mercy is…enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute to God Himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this:
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.”

William Shakespeare obviously had read his Bible and recognized that mercy comes from heaven.  “It is an attribute to God Himself”.  He sees mercy coming down from heaven as a “gentle shower”.  This is indeed a Shower of Blessing. 

As Christians we have received this Mercy Shower in the forgiveness of our sin debt.  What Jesus taught and what William Shakespeare learned from his Bible is that we should be Mercy Givers..Mercy Show-ers..the source of Mercy Showers to others.

Mercy Show-ers are the ones who meet a need at the right time. They are the ones people call first when they are hurting because something bad has happened. A Mercy-Show-er, is a person who had Spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by identifying with and comforting thesewho are in distress. He is a person who steps in to meet the needs of another person even though they do not deserve it because he realizes how much he has been forgiven.

As undeserving recipients of God’s mercy, nothing else is more fitting than that we ourselves show unreserved mercy and compassion for other people. Indeed, we are commanded, ““Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” Luke 6:36

Author – John Spence

SHOWER OF BLESSINGS ~ MERCY DROPS - PART 1

Author - John Spence

For Californians who live on the edge of a desert, rain is as precious as gold. We depend on the winter rainy season to replenish our water supplies particularly in the snowpack in the Sierra. Israel is also one of those places also that is partly desert but gets some rain especially in the northern parts like the Galilee area and also further north in the mountains of Lebanon. Thank you Lebanon!

Moses spoke about the blessing of rain to the Israelites in the words of a song just before they were going enter the promised land in Deuteronomy 32:1-4:

“Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; And let the earth hear the words of my mouth! May my teaching drip as the rain, my speech trickle as the dew, as droplets on the fresh grass, And as the showers on the vegetation. For I proclaim the name of the Lord; Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and just is He.” Deuteronomy 32:1-4

This is a very awesome image. You can almost see the water from rain gently falling and seeping deep down into the dry, hard, sun-parched dirt, making it capable of nourishing plants and producing grain and produce and flowers and trees and fruits and vegetables and grass…. like a garden. You can see the dew every morning glistening on the leaves of the grass and plants, protecting them from losing their moisture in the later heat of the day. You can watch the rain be broken up into showers that successively allow the water to be absorbed into the soil and not be lost by runoff.

Moses is describing his “teaching” and “speech” as showers of spiritual rain that God is sending down for the blessing of His people. He describes this as “proclaiming the name of the Lord”. Moses desires that the Israelites will realize how great their God is. He is “the Rock”, “His work is perfect”, “His ways are just”, He is “faithful and without injustice” and He is “Righteous and just”. Not only is He the God of the Israelites but He is our God as well. What a wonderful “Showers of Blessing” these inspired words of Moses are.

Isaiah tells us that God’s word to us has that same effect on our souls as water does to dry land. “‘For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants” Isaiah 44:3

Just as rain brings needed nutrients, God’s blessings give us what we need to thrive. Not only that, but He wants us to feel absolutely drenched with His goodness. His desire for us is to be constantly refreshed, growing, fruitful, and healthy. Furthermore He says He will pour out His Spirit on our offspring and blessing on our descendants.. God showers us with all his blessings- he never holds back or leaves out a few. His blessings are the fulfillment of all his promises. He showers us with his mercy and love every day.

I have always enjoyed this hymn:

There shall be Showers of Blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Refrain:

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead

There shall be showers of blessing,

Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain

There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing

Come, and now honor Thy Word

Mercy for A Sinner
We desperately need God’s mercy. We do not deserve it. The Bible says, ” But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved” Ephesians 2:4,5

It says in Psalm 36:5, “Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds”. He desires to rain upon us as individuals his abundant mercy. One of my favorite hymns is, “Mercy Walked In”, written by the blind Southern Gospel piano player, Gordon Mote:

I stood in the court room the judge turned my way
It looks like you're guilty now what do you say
I spoke up your honor I have no defense
But that's when mercy walked in

Mercy walked in and pleaded my case
Called to the stand God's saving grace
The blood was presented that covered my sin
Forgiven when mercy walked in

I stood there and wondered how could this be
That someone so guilty had just been set free
My chains were broken I felt born again
The moment that mercy walked in

Mercy walked in and pleaded my case
Called to the stand God's saving grace
The blood was presented that covered my sin
Forgiven when mercy walked iin

In Luke 16 the tax collector who went to the temple to pray “was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” Luke 18:12-14.
When we cry out to God as a guilty sinner and put our faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness, He rains his mercy and forgiveness down on us and gives us eternal life. He showers us with His Spirit to guide and comfort and teach us His ways.

Mercy for Our Nation

The greatest need for our nation today is for the mercy of God. We hear presidential speeches so often ending with the expression, God bless America. It has become such a common utterance that it now seems like a cheap tag line with little meaning. In the past God has blessed this nation, in abundance, yet sadly America has progressively forsaken those blessings, while blaspheming the God who gave these blessings year after year.

Over my lifetime I have witnessed a tremendous change in America’s culture. The “Cancel Culture” movement is trying to destroy the history of this country that was built on Biblical principles. Critical Race Theory is being taught in our schools and is attempting to blame one race for all the problems of America and the world. The nuclear family is under attack. Marriage is no longer considered a sacred commitment between a man and a woman but has been expanded to include individuals of the same gender. Laws are bent to benefit the powerful and greed has divided our society into two classes, those who have and those who have not.

All of this is really a rebellion against the God of the Bible as explained in Psalm 2. “Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”

Apart from God’s merciful and gracious intervention in America’s moral and spiritual suicide, further darkness will prevail in this land. Too often the modern church has sought ways to nurture friendship with the world, but this has only led to compromise and corruption.

God has presently suspended His wrath toward the USA. God’s mercy is still active so that we can “live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28), and enjoy “rains and fruitful seasons” here on the earth (Acts 14:17).

Another additional and more important reason that God’s mercy is in place is that men may continue to experience his mercy by receiving eternal life through Jesus Christ: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36). Note that the text tells us that God’s wrath “abides” on all those who do not obey the Son. In other words it is currently suspended. Some day God’s merciful restraint will give way to the release of His just and eternal wrath upon all those who resist Him. God is also presently active in restraining evil in our world and country through the Holy Spirit, “He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way” 2 Thessalonians 2:7. So let us continue to pray that God will continue to have mercy on America and the world.

Part 2 To Be Continued in May

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PEACE WITH GOD and THE PEACE OF GOD

We live in a world where there is increasing violence and corruption. Because of this, many people are longing after, and even crying out, for peace in their hearts and souls. In their desperation they wonder if such a peace really does exist, and if it does, how can they obtain it?

     Well, thanks be to God such a peace, of heart and soul, does if fact exist, and is available to anyone who will come to God, on His terms, to receive it. We read of this peace with God in Paul’s letter to the Romans, “Therefore, having  been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1) Once we have trusted in the Lord Jesus, and His finished work for us on the cross, we have this wonderful peace with God which can never be taken away from us. This peace never changes because it has been made by God Himself on our behalf as we read further, “Having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Col. 1:20) Everlasting peace! What a gift!

     So far, we have been looking at the subject of Peace with God which has to do with our eternal salvation and well-being, a position which can never change. Now let’s take a look at the subject of The peace of God, which has to do with the practical state of our hearts and minds as we pass through this sinful world. There are many things which can trouble us as we journey onward to our home in Heaven, but God has made full provision for His beloved people so that we can enjoy His peace, even now, as we pass through troubling circumstances.

     In Colossians 3:15 we read, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Here we are told to “let the peace of God rule in your hearts” and to “be thankful”. Let’s take a look now at four portions of the Scriptures that shed light on how we can live these things out in a practical way every day.

     #1 “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3) What a resource we have revealed to us here! Not just peace, but perfect peace! Is promised to each of us if our minds are stayed, or fixed, on Him. The real secret of keeping our minds fixed on Him is “because he trusts in You.” May we experience His wonderful peace in this way every day!

     #2 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom. 8:28-29)  When our minds are troubled and out hearts are not at peace, let us remember the wonderful truths that are brought before us here. God is working all things for our good even when it doesn’t feel like He is. Our destiny is to be conformed to the image of His Son! We can trust Him with that process and be at peace in our souls.

     #3 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal”  (2 Cor. 4:16-18) God Himself is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory! Let’s look more at the things that are not seen which are eternal  and be at peace.

     #4 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7) What a promise to each of us if we will only do what He says. To enjoy this peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, we need to surrender our anxieties to Him and spend our energies rather on prayer and supplications, with thanksgiving, making our requests known to Him

     May each of us who have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, experience more of the peace of God as our minds are steadfastly fixed on Him!

 Author ~ David E. Zwicker

God is For Us - Part 2

1. Christ Jesus Will Intercede for Us

Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.. Romans 8:34

The Devil or people often keep pointing their accusing fingers at us and say, “You are not a Christian, look at the things you have done”. In this verse Paul gives an answer to this accusation by pointing out that Christ is sufficient as our intercessor.

(a). Christ Jesus is the one who died. Focusing on our past guilt or even present failures only makes us more miserable. Paul puts the focus on Christ who has died for us. It would be absurd for Jesus who came to earth to die for us to condemn the ones He died for.

(b). Christ Jesus was raised for our justification. Christ’s death satisfied God’s justice, thus providing the basis for our justification. But His resurrection was God’s stamp of approval, showing that God accepted Christ’s death as payment for our sins. Paul staked everything in the Christian faith on the bodily resurrection of Jesus. “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17. When you struggle with doubts or with guilt, go back to the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. It is a solid place to stand. He was raised to justify us.

(c). Christ Jesus is now exalted to the right hand of God. “The right hand of God” is figurative language to say that Jesus is now far above all rule and authority. He is over every power in heaven and on earth. This means that no one, not even Satan, can challenge Christ’s rule in safeguarding us from his destructive attacks. Christ has ascended to the position of supreme authority in heaven where He represents us.

(d). Christ Jesus is now interceding for us. He presently intercedes with the Father for our welfare. There are two helpful examples of this in the Bible. The first is when Jesus tells Peter that Satan has demanded permission to sift him like wheat, and then adds in Luke 22:32, “but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

The other is Christ’s wonderful prayer in John 17, just before the cross, where He prays for His disciples. He prays for us as well who would later believe through their witness. Jesus’ throne at the right hand of the Father is not a throne of judgment, but rather a throne of grace, where we are invited to find mercy and grace to help with all our needs (Heb. 4:16). We may feel too ashamed to pray because of our failures and sin, but we can be assured that Jesus is there interceding on our behalf.

God Is For Us Because..

2. He Will Eternally Love Us

The Apostle Paul now reaches the summit of the first 8 chapters of Romans. It is the love of God for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is eternal, unchanging, unfathomable, and life transforming. It will enable us to persevere through trials and get the victory over sin and temptation in our lives. Paul asks this question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Romans 8:35. Then he goes through the potential things that could separate us from that love. We could call this our “worry list”.

Worry List #1-The “Big Seven”-

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:35

Let’s look at Paul’s list: First, he mentions trouble (tribulation), a general word for difficult trials. It has the idea of external pressure. Jesus used this word when He said in John 16:33), “These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Hardship (distress) has the nuance of a narrow or tight spot. It may have to do with the inward feelings that we battle when we go through tribulations. It was used for an ancient form of punishment, where prisoners were put into cages or cells where they did not have room to stand, sit, or lie at full length. They felt the reality of constantly being squeezed by their circumstances.

Persecution literally means to pursue someone to harm him. While God has so far spared most of us in America from physical persecution for our faith, that is not so with thousands of our brothers and sisters in other countries who are being tortured and killed for their faith. We may yet see the same here.

Famine and nakedness both point to extreme poverty and deprivation, especially (in this context) because of our commitment to Christ. In some countries, if you’re a Christian you can’t get a job to provide for your family’s basic needs. And in some places, famine is a reality that believers suffer. Again, it could happen here.

Danger means “peril”. Paul uses this word eight times in 2 Corinthians 11:26 to describe the many dangers that he had faced in his labors for Christ.

Sword refers to execution or death, which Paul finally suffered for his faith. The quote from Psalm 44:22 in verse 36, shows that it is for the Lord’s sake that His people suffer martyrdom. The world just considers believers as “sheep to be slaughtered.” And it shows that such suffering is nothing new. God’s people have experienced it down through the centuries

Paul then says that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”. What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? I got an understanding of this verse many years ago sitting around a campfire in the High Sierras at an elevation of 10,000 feet. A group of us had hiked to this spot going over 2 mountain passes of nearly 12,000 feet. We sat around the campfire reading this passage from Romans 8. One of the hikers asked the question posed above. None of us knew the answer. He answered his question by saying a “victor” is more than a conqueror”. A conqueror may still be involved in the conflict but a victor has put it all behind him. The battle is over. We hikers all could appreciate his answer because we had just conquered 2 challenging mountain passes carrying 40 pound backpacks and felt like victors sitting around the campfire at our campsite. We can be victors over all the things that Paul has listed because His love will never desert us if and when we experience them.

As if the above list were not enough, Paul adds a series of contrasts to reinforce his argument that absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Worry List #2-The “Big Ten”-

First, neither death..can separate us from God’s love. If Christ has saved you, death takes us into His presence-Philippians 1:23. The moment we die our spirits go to be with the Lord. There is no such thing as “soul sleep.” As Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

He also states that, neither life..can separate us from God’s love At first, it may seem strange that Paul says that life cannot separate us from God’s love. But life can be a bigger threat than death. In the parable of the sower in Luke 8:14, Jesus identifies the thorny ground as “the worries and riches and pleasures of this life,” which choke out the word so that it does not bear fruit. Paul in another epistle mentioned the desertion of Demas, who “loved this present world”.

Then Paul mentions neither angels, nor principalities. Paul is saying that there are no spiritual powers, good or bad, that could possibly separate us from God’s love. Paul is citing extreme contrasts to show that absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love. In Galatians 1:8, Paul says that even if an angel from heaven preaches a gospel contrary to the gospel that Paul had preached, he is to be accursed. It’s not possible that an angel from heaven would do that, but Paul is stating an extreme hypothetical situation to make his point.

Neither things present, nor things to come, could refer either to our present circumstances as contrasted with things that could happen to us in the future before we die. Paul is referring to everything that can possibly happen to us. No bad circumstance now or in the future can separate us from God’s great love.

Neither height nor depth possibly means that nothing in heaven or in hell can separate us from God’s love. Or, it may have a physical connotation: However high or low you go, you can’t get away from God’s love. It’s everywhere!

Then, as if Paul were afraid that he had missed something, he throws in a catch-all: nor any other created thing. He is saying, “Name anything that you can conceive of. God will work it together for good for His saints, and so it cannot separate us from His love.”

Paul’s conclusion is that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Thus we have four reasons why we can confidently say that God Is For Us.

Author: John Spence

God is For Us ~ Four Promises for 2021

God is For Us ~ Four Promises for 2021

Part I

We all have days or periods in our life when the going gets a bit tough. One problem arises after another, leaving us feeling like everything is against us. We try to stay on top of things but it feels like the harder we try, the worse things get, and the problems just keep on piling up. Anxiety starts to creep in, bit by bit. And often it keeps us awake at night. It's not easy when we get into a spiral like this, and it most certainly doesn't help us feel like the Lord is on our side.

The happenings in the world today are on the doorstep of our minds and lives because of modern media. We know almost immediately when something bad happens on the other side of the world. We hear about the increase in COVID cases, the devastation caused by hurricanes, the economic downturn and loss of jobs, the increase in the cost of living, political extremism, etc. and we sometimes wonder how we are going to make it. Often it is family problems or problems at work or school that make us think that everything is against us.

Even though we are Christians, we may wonder whose side God is on. In the heat of the American Civil War, one of President Lincoln’s advisors said he was grateful that God was on the side of the Union. Lincoln replied, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” What a great challenge for us who often assume that God is there to support our plans, our perspectives, our decisions, and our desires. However, Lincoln’s reply reminds us that even our best plans may not be near to what God desires for us.

David said in Psalm 118:6-7: “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me”. Some qualification is needed in regard to this verse. God is on our side only because we are on His side, because we have bowed the knee to Him and joined His army. Furthermore, that the Lord is on our side does not mean we are guaranteed immediate success in every endeavor.

· God Is For Us

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:31, “What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” The word “If” does not mean that God might not be on our side. It has the meaning of “since”. Since God is for us. Paul uses the word "for" and "against" in this question. This reminds of competitions, courtrooms, sports, and political debates. What does it mean that God is "for us"? If this was a sports team, it could mean that God is on our team. If this was a courtroom, God would be our lawyer. If this was a political debate, God would be promoting our platform.

Maybe we think that this verse means that we should get a hold of God and get Him to support our side. Reading the 30 preceding verses in Romans 8 shows that this is not true. We are not taking hold of God. Instead, God has taken hold of us, and continues to hold on to us to keep us on His side every single day of our lives.

The Apostle Paul answers the question he has posed in verse 31 in the final verses of Romans 8.

God Is For Us Because..

1. He Will Give Us All Things

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Romans 8:32

God has given His Son for us. God’s Son is worth infinite value. Paul’s positive logic is, “God did the greatest thing imaginable when He gave His own Son for us on the cross”. So don’t you think that He will graciously give you the lesser things that you need? “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”. Romans 8:28 . It would not make any sense for God to withhold good from us if He has given us the ultimate good. However we don’t really believe that all the time.

We are a lot like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God gave them all the things they needed and permission to eat from all the trees in the Garden, except for one tree. Then they believed the lie from the Serpent that God was not on their side and so, they decided to take matters in their own hands. They did not think that God had given them everything that they needed. In a similar way for us today, we have all things in Jesus. Why, then do we doubt that God will not give us what we need. Paul's is asking the Romans, and you and me today! What kind of a Father is God? What kind of treasures are in Christ?

What are the kinds of things that I do not have that makes me doubt if God is for me? What am I asking God for, to prove His love for me when He has already done that?

According to 2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence”.

God Is For Us Because..

2. He Will Defend Us

Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Romans 8:33. The bottom line answer to this question is that God will defend us because He has defended us in the past. He has justified us as part of our salvation. God alone has declared us righteous and innocent before His law, which is the meaning of the word "justifies". This took care of our sins past, present, and future. The implication therefore is that no one else can bring a charge against God's elect because He has justified us.

Psychologists have identified that guilt and shame are among our greatest struggles and problems. We have a tendency to second guess ourselves for things that we have done and wish we hadn’t done them. No matter what kind of a front we put on for people, deep down inside, we constantly battle these accusations. We know this only too well. We often hide these feelings of guilt and shame but they don’t go away. We should identify the wrongs we have done and acknowledge our failures to the Lord. However, we do not need to carry a load of guilt because God has forgiven and justified us. Romans 8:33 reassures and reminds us that God has justified us, and therefore, no one can bring a charge against us who are God's elect.

Author: John Spence - Part 2 to be posted February

Temptations and How We Can Overcome Them

In James 1:14-15 we read, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”  These verses reveal to us the downward spiral of evil desires, which if give in to them, will lead to the conception and birth of sins, which eventually lead to death.

 It order to better understand this downward spiral of temptations and evil desires, let’s take a look at king David’s sad failure which is recorded for our learning in 2 Sam.11:2-4

 “ 2Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.”

 In the second verse it says, “he saw a woman bathing” – Instead of turning his eyes away, David continues to look at her and notices that, “the woman was very beautiful to behold.” Clearly at this point David is starting to be “drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:14) The next thing that David does (vs. 3) is to send and inquire about the woman and finding out that she is married, instead of stopping in his tracks, he sends for her and commits adultery with her. David’s evil desire has conceived and given birth to shocking sins. (James 1:15 ) If you read the rest of this sad chapter you will see how these sins led to more sins and eventually to death itself.

 This is indeed the sad story of how temptations coupled with evil desires will lead us into sin and sin will eventually lead to certain death!

 Now I would like to bring to your attention four of the many resources that the Lord has made available to each of His children in order that we may be kept from falling into temptation and eventually into sin.

 Resource #1

 “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41)

 Praying to the Lord Himself and asking for His help to resist temptation is one of the very best ways to be preserved from temptations.

 Resource #2

 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Rom. 13:14)

 Making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts is a very important part of being kept from evil. To me this means removing from myself, as much as possible, the specific things  that have a negative draw on my emotions and affections. If something is tempting you to sin – stay away from it as much as possible. (See Gen. 39:10)

 Resource #3

 “Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”  (Romans 6:12-14)

 Here we are clearly told to present ourselves to God as alive from the dead and we are also told to present the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness to God. Two wonderful and effective ways that do not leave the door open for temptations to gain an advantage over us.

 Resource #4

  “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13)

 God is faithful in shielding us so that be will never be confronted with a temptation that is beyond what we are able to withstand with His divine help. His faithfulness will also always make a way of escape that we may be able to bear up under it.

 May the Lord help each of us to avail ourselves of these four resources as we resist temptations and as we seek to bring increasing honor to God with our lives.

   Author: Dave Zwicker

"CASTING YOUR CARE"

The COVID-19 pandemic has created problems all over the world that have not been experienced for over 100 years when the Spanish Flu in1918 infected over 500 million people worldwide.  In the United States alone over 9 million people have been infected by COVID-19 resulting in over 229,000 deaths.  Because the virus can be easily transmitted between people the government has issued stay-at-home orders, masking, social distancing, and temporary closure of many businesses and schools.  Churches have been given guidelines that limit and restrict in person services until the disease subsides.

The lives of people have been seriously disrupted because of this pandemic.  People are living in fear that they may contract the virus and are limiting social contact with other people.  Some have lost their jobs and are living on unemployment and wondering how they can meet their financial obligations in the future.  Many people, including Christians, find themselves worrying about all these things even though they know they can’t change them.  Worry never changes reality. If you worry, the outcome is the same as if you don’t worry. Actually, the outcome is worse because worry takes a toll on your health, your mental and emotional state, and your spiritual life.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-32, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

I grew up on a farm.  My father was a farmer.  He worked very hard to provide food and clothes for his wife and three sons.  He got up at 5:00 am every day and often worked until it was dark raising animals and crops that he could sell to make income for our family to live.  I never had to worry about having enough to eat or clothes to wear because my Dad was taking care of this responsibility. Dad knew we needed these things in order to live and he gladly provided them.

The worst thing about worry is not that it makes us miserable, although it always does. The worst thing about worry is that it dishonors our loving Heavenly Father. Suppose my Dad saw heard his kids say: “We’re not sure whether our dad is going to feed us tonight”. What would that say about his love for his children? That would not be a good evaluation of our Dad. And yet so many of the Lord’s children live as if their Father in heaven either isn’t concerned or isn’t able to take care of their needs!

In the above verses from Matthew 6, Jesus is speaking to His disciples and he refers to “your heavenly Father”.  Christians have a Father in heaven who knows that we need the basic necessities of food and clothing in order to live.  He is committed to providing these things.  However, Jesus also said: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow”

What Jesus is saying is that the key thing in life is being rightly related to God. If your soul is rightly related to God, then He will take care of your bodily needs.  Jesus also said in Luke 12:22-28: “Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?... If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

Jesus’ rebuke, “O you of little faith,” hits the heart of worry: our little faith in God. It is safe to say that all worry stems from our lack of faith in God? When we worry, we are doubting that God truly cares for us. Keep in mind that Jesus here was addressing the disciples. He was talking to believers. And yet, believers who have trusted God with their eternal destiny can easily fall into a state of unbelief when it comes to the immediate problems we face, especially with regard to basic necessities of life. We all need to keep in mind Paul’s words, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). In other words, if God did the greatest thing in eternally saving us, can’t we trust Him to take care of comparatively short term lesser problems while here on earth?

So how do we find relief from the worries that weigh us down every day?  This is the apostle Peter’s advice in 1 Peter 5:6-7:

 “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” The “care” referred to in 1 Peter 5:7 is also translated as anxieties and worries. We can cast all of our anxieties, worries, and fears on the Lord, because He cares for us. The first part of this verse tells us to humble ourselves under God’s hand.  This means that we need to recognize that God had allowed us to experience problems so that we will shift our eyes from our self to Him and allow Him to carry the burdens for us.

I love this verse: ““Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28-30, Only God can truly give us rest. For anyone who is heavy laden and filled with cares, cast them on God!  Peter says to cast all your care — not just some of your care. God wants it all. And in exchange, He’ll provide you with the peace that passes all understanding.

We must all admit that it is not easy to give our worries and cares to the Lord.  We pray about them but they still linger in our minds. Often our prayers are not answered right away because God is taking us on a journey to learn to trust Him. God hears our prayers but never gives us more than we can handle. When we keep our eyes on Jesus and all that He has given and promised to give us, situations change, mountains are moved, and troubles melt away.

I love this hymn, “Does Jesus Care?”

1 Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song;
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?

2 Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near?

3 Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief there is no relief,
Though my tears flow all the night long?

4 Does Jesus care when I’ve said goodbye
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks —
Is it anything to Him? Does He see?

Chorus:
O, yes, He cares - I know He cares!
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares, He cares.

I have had two younger brothers precede me in death.  I know they are with the Lord.  I have seen my children and grandchildren experience difficulties in their lives which have caused me worry and anxiety.  But I have learned that Jesus cares and is carrying those burdens for me.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6,7

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:14-16

Author - John Spence

"The Work of Love"

THE WORK OF LOVE

I Corinthians 13:4-8

“Work”. The word brings to the natural mind thoughts like: hard labor, obligation to others, effort resulting in reward, or toil without compensation. We have all experienced most, if not all, of these challenges we call “work”. But how is “work” viewed from God’s perspective? Although we might use the word “work” when we consider creation, salvation or preservation, for God, there neither was, nor is, physical work as we humans understand the word. God spoke the world into existence (Psalms 33:9). Jesus’ work on the cross to accomplish our salvation is referenced in Hebrews 12:2 as “the joy that was set before him”. And we are kept by the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13). So all three persons of God are involved in this word we interpret as “work”.

“Love”. Love is one of the themes of the Bible. The very nature of God is Love (I John 4:8). It’s difficult for us to understand the extent of God’s love; so let us consider the many aspects of that love as recorded in I Corinthians 13, verses 4 through 8 (NIV):

-          Love is patient. Therefore, it endures for a long time, or as the KJV states, it sufferth long.

-          Love is kind. In other words, it is gentle, tender and merciful.

-          Love does not envy. Nor is it jealous or desire what it doesn’t have.

-          Love does not boast. Love does not put itself forward.

-          Love is not proud. It is not arrogant or vain.

-          Love is not rude. Love is neither conceited nor prideful.

-          Love is not self-seeking. Love never puts itself first.

-          Love is not easily angered. Or not quickly provoked.

-          Love keeps no record of wrongs. It never thinks evil of others.

-          Love does not delight in evil. Love is never considered unrighteous or unjust.

-          Love rejoices with the truth. Love always does what is right.

-          Love always protects. Love bears up under anything and everything that happens.

-          Love always trusts. Love believes the best of every person.

-          Love always hopes. It is never fading.

-          Love always perseveres. Love never weakens; it stays strong through trials.

-          Love never fails. Love is endless; it never gives up.

In summation, the real work of love can only be accomplished by God. It is His very nature to act in love and He has demonstrated that nature by His dealings with man-kind throughout history. The actions of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have been marked on our universe and in the hearts of His people. And the wonderful fact is that these “Works of Love” will continue throughout eternity.

Author: Jim Johnston