Reflections in The WORD

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Healed for Saviour-Service, not Self-Service

“²⁹And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. ³¹And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.” ~ Mark 1:29-31

In this brief passage, Simon Peter’s mother-in-law demonstrates the right response to healing, which is service. As soon as she was healed, she set about serving Jesus and the rest of the household. Likewise, when God removes an obstacle from our path, whether it is a health problem, a financial problem, a social problem or something else, our reasonable response to Him is service.

This might seem obvious, however, the Gospel accounts of healing suggest that this response was fairly rare, perhaps occurring on only two other occasions (Mark 5:8-20, John 9). Indeed, right after this miracle Jesus goes on to heal many who lived in that region (Mark 1:32-45), and one of those who were healed was so happy that he immediately disobeyed Jesus’ command to not tell anyone. In other words, the healed often focused on their healing rather than on The Healer.

As it was in Jesus’ time, it is still true today: when Jesus works a miracle in our lives, we often get caught up in the opportunity the miracle presents for us to fulfill our own plans for our life, rather than focusing on the opportunity it provides to serve Jesus more than before.

Too often we have seen someone who prays (and asks the church to pray) for God to give them a job. Then, when that job appears, it becomes an obstacle for service, rather than an asset for service. There are also some we know who have been healed miraculously, yet outwardly they don’t appear any more dedicated to serving God after their healing than before.

However, let us apply this lesson more personally. If we have each experienced Jesus working in our lives, then we must ask ourselves: “Did/Do we respond to our experience of Jesus with service?”

It is easy for us to fall into a rut where we see God as ‘Mr. Fix-It’; where we call on Him to remove problems from our lives so that we can accomplish the goals we had set for ourselves. Rather, we should call on God to remove problems from our lives so that we can accomplish the goals He has set for us. For example: when we are sick, we shouldn’t just pray for healing so that we can be healthy, instead we should pray for healing so that we can serve God. For what use is life unless it is lived in service to our Master?

So, instead of, “Help/Heal me so that I can be!” let us cry, “Help/Heal me so that I can be of service!”

Jesus’ Return: Responsibility, Righteousness and Reality

Published by reflectionsintheword

Recently, there was yet another controversy about the time of Jesus’ return. Sadly, many people were misled into thinking that May 21, 2011 would be that date and were deeply disappointed and confused when they found out they were misinformed.

It is easy, and quite tempting, to be dismissive of these forlorn followers, but empathy and reflection are far better responses. We respond with empathy, because we recognize that like them each of us has weaknesses and blind spots that our adversary, the devil, uses to trip us up, repeatedly.

“Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” ~ Mark 14:38

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:12

And we respond with reflection, because there are many things to learn from their plight so that we can avoid making similar mistakes in our own lives.

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” ~ Galatians 6:1

With that said, here are a few lessons we can learn from this incident:

STUDY, it’s our Responsibility

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” ~ 2 Timothy 2:15

There are many warnings in Scripture about false prophets and teachers, namely, those who would (try to) lead Believers astray. Moreover, the Bible makes it clear that a primary method false teachers use is the distortion of Scripture:

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” ~ Matthew 24:11

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies…” ~ 2 Peter 2:1a

Accordingly, when satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), he deliberately misused Scripture in a vain effort to deceive our Lord (Matthew 4:6, which quotes Psalm 91:11-12). In this battle, Jesus shows us how to resist false teaching by quoting another Scripture passage to reveal satan’s deception through misapplication. Indeed, Jesus repelled ALL of satan’s attacks with Scripture!

(Footnote, Psalm 91:11-12 talks about the protection God provides to a believer walking in His will. Psalm 91:11-12 does NOT imply that we can do our own will and still receive God’s protection, therefore Jesus rightly countered satan’s misuse of Scripture by pointing out that we should never tempt God. That is to say, we must never try to impose our will on God, God does not do our bidding, rather we are to do God’s bidding. We don’t step into “fire” and “make” God save us, rather when God sends us through “fire” He promises to keep us from being “burnt” by it.)

In other words, to fight false teaching specifically, and to fight temptation generally (Psalm 119:11) we must know for ourselves what God’s Word, The Bible, says. We must be able to “rightly [divide] the Word of Truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Otherwise, we will always be vulnerable when a false teacher misapplies Scripture in order to deceive us.

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” ~ Ephesians 4:14

It is the responsibility of every Believer to learn Scripture (not just pastors/priests/deacons); so that The Holy Spirit that indwells us can “teach you all things” (John 14:26). In short, The Holy Spirit is our teacher and the Bible is our textbook. Without reading the textbook, how can we expect to learn? And if we don’t learn, how will we be able to resist false teachers/teaching?

SERVE, it’s the result of Righteousness

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is” ~ Mark 13:32-33

These well-known verses quite clearly and explicitly state that no human being has knowledge of the time of Jesus’ return. Nevertheless, they are universally overlooked, undervalued or otherwise discounted, by those who try to predict Jesus’ return. The Bible tells us the how and why of Jesus’ return (Matthew 24-25, 1 Corinthians 15), but it withholds the time, because God alone is in control of the event.

Jesus explains this in a brief parable in Matthew 24:43-51. In the parable, Jesus contrasts two servants, the first one conducts himself well consistently even when his master was gone away for a long time. The first servant is unconcerned about the time of his master’s return because he is good: his orientation, his whole purpose is to do what is right. For him, goodness was an end in itself; he wasn’t just doing good to stay out of trouble, he wasn’t just doing good for personal advancement. Consequently, the time of his master’s return was irrelevant.

Conversely, as soon as the second servant realized that his master would be away for a while, he immediately sets out to do wrong. He took advantage of the other servants and indulged in the pleasures that were available. For the second servant goodness was only valuable when his master was around. As long as the master was away, it was time for dirty play. His ultimate plan was to be “good” again just before his master returned. Therefore, for him, the time of his master’s return was absolutely crucial!

Hence, the three great lessons from the parable are,

The time of the Master’s (Jesus’) return is of concern primarily to the unrighteous. The righteous are busy doing the work of God; the time of His coming won’t change how hard they work for Him.
Our omniscient, all knowing, and omnipresent God is not fooled by insincere displays of goodness. God KNOWS those who truly love Him and are truly dedicated to serve Him. The Good Shepherd KNOWS His sheep (John 10:14); he isn’t fooled by “wolves in sheep’s clothing”.
Therefore, by not revealing the time to us God has benevolently protected us from the temptation of fooling ourselves.

If we knew the day and the time of Jesus’ return, imagine how many people would rush to find salvation in the days leading up to that event, convinced that there is merit in ignoring God for all but the last few days of their lives (just like the evil servant in the parable, Matthew 24:43-51). Even worse, imagine how many of us would be tempted to do just the same. On the other hand, NOT knowing the time of Jesus’ return helps us to identify whether we see salvation as “fire insurance” (best bought at the last minute) or as a real everyday relationship with God (best accepted as early as possible).

SCHEDULE, His Return is a Reality

“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” ~ Matthew 16:27

Jesus IS coming again. We know this truth by faith. Believers can’t prove it to be true and Non-believers can’t prove it to be false. Jesus’ return is accepted, or rejected, on faith alone. Some might have been led astray, because of their lack of knowledge, while others might have become mistakenly preoccupied by the day and time, BUT the truth of Jesus’ return remains. Likewise, the same Bible that tells us of His return, tells us that while His first coming was for justification (Luke 19:10), His second coming is for judgment (Matthew 24-25, 2 Timothy 4:1).

Therefore, whether we live or die Jesus’ return is on every man’s schedule. Even though many might mock the mistaken misled on May 21, that does not change the fact Jesus’ will return. And those who fail to acknowledge this fact—not just notionally, but by faith—will at that time find the joke’s over. In the words of a song:

There’s no time to change your mind,
The Son has come and you’ve been left behind

———————————————————————

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works… and they were judged every man according to their works… And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” ~ Revelation 20:12-15

I Must Work While It Is Day

Published by reflectionsintheword

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” ~ John 9:4

The Gospel of John gives us another window into the way Jesus felt about the works God wanted Him to do. According to this vision statement of Jesus He knew the reality that He had less than three years to do those works.

In 1956 the famous missionary Jim Elliot was speared to death, along with his four colleagues, by the tribal people they were trying to reach with the Gospel. Jim was a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. About four years before he died, he wrote in his journal, “When it comes time to die, make sure all you have to do is die.”

We can’t understand how God decides the day of our death. We don’t know when our own finish line will come. But we should all live in such a way that when we come to the finish line of our life there will be no unfinished business, no works our Father assigned to us that we’ve left undone.

Do you have the magnificent obsession of Jesus to work the works God has assigned to you while it is day; not knowing when the night is coming and you cannot work anymore? Can you accept the challenge of being like Jesus in your attitude toward the works God wants you to do?

Adapted from I Must Work While It Is Day by Dick Woodward.

Three Steps to Freedom

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.
With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee. ” ~ Psalm 119:9-11

In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible and a beautiful acrostic poem dedicated to the Word of God, we have been provided with three simple steps to freedom from the power of sin in our lives.

Acceptance, by God’s grace and through faith, of Jesus as Lord and Saviour by means of His death and resurrection instantaneously yields the gift of salvation: the redemption from the ultimate penalty for sin: eternal damnation in Hell. However, after salvation God directs Believers through a process of spiritual maturation called sanctification, by which we overcome the power of sin in our lives. Jesus in praying for His disciples, after acknowledging their salvation (John 17:9, 14, 16), prayed:

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” ~ John 17:17

The necessity and method of sanctification is further amplified in the letter to the Ephesians:

“…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” ~ Ephesians 5:25-27

Together these passages define sanctification (the process of removing imperfections/defects arising from sin) and its purpose (Holiness, set apart for God) and the method (the word of God).

Our text gives us further insight/detail on how the Word is to be employed to get us through the sanctification process. The psalm outlines three steps to freedom from the power of sin: Submission to the Word, Dedication to the Word and Incorporation of the Word.

Submission to the Word

The psalmist opens this passage by asking “How shall a young man cleanse his way?” which we might paraphrase as “How can my life be purified/sanctified?” He answers this question first by identifying the essential first step in the sanctification process: “Taking heed thereto according to” God’s word. In other words, he would ‘attend to’ or ‘take charge of’ his life according to God’s word: he would submit the running of his life to what he found in Scripture. This is the first step of sanctification, the first step to freedom.

It is submission to God’s Word that initiates the process of sanctification. When believers submit their lives to God’s Word it means that Scripture replaces all the influences (opinions, personal views cultural preferences, idiosyncrasies, prejudices and deductive reasoning) that had previously informed our mindset/attitude and our decision-making. Submission to God’s Word, therefore, radically transforms our outlook and brings us into the position where we can begin to see life through God’s eyes.

Submission to God’s Word demands a change in our value-system. It forces us to re-examine what is important, because importance is no longer driven by the desires of our flesh. Rather importance is determined solely by the divine principles of God outlined in His Word. Therefore, instead of making decisions with a “What do I think?” OR a “What do the experts say?” approach, our approach changes to, “What does God’s Word say?”

Now, clearly, God’s Word does not tell us what color car we should buy. But it does give us principles for managing our finances AND ordering our priorities. Both of which have a far greater impact on our lives than the color of a car.

Dedication to the Word

The second step in the process of sanctification by the Word is Dedication to the Word of God. Verse 10 tells us “With my whole heart have I sought thee…”. To be clear, we find God, we discover God’s character in the Scriptures. Therefore, the psalmist was declaring his total dedication to God’s Word. He had put everything he had into knowing God. Moreover, he identifies this effort as key to staying within God’s will for his life (“O let me not wander from thy commandments”).

Submission to God’s Word is the crucial first step, but that step must quickly be followed by an all-consuming Dedication to the Word of God. Dedication to God’s Word means committing to know it, to know it thoroughly. In verse 105 of this psalm we are told

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” ~ Psalm 119:105

Hence, we can readily conclude that the more of God’s Word a Believer knows, the more light that Believer has. Indeed, many of us stumble around in our Christian walk because we have so little light available to us: we don’t know God’s Word enough.

Stumbling from sin to sin, stumbling repeatedly off the path God has willed for us impedes the sanctification process for a believer. Conversely, dedication to knowing God and knowing God’s will through knowledge of His word, propels us to freedom, because we will have the light we need to walk in, able to avoid stumbling into the traps of the devil.

Incorporation of the Word

The third step to freedom is the Incorporation of God’s Word into the very essence of a Believer: where we hide God’s Word in our hearts. We approach his step having already submitted the governance of our lives to God’s Word and after dedicating ourselves to knowing God’s character and will though study of His Word. In this final step to freedom, God’s Word becomes a part of us.

To understand this transition, consider the experience many missionaries have when going to live (for an extended period) in a foreign land with a different language from their own. Initially, the missionaries speak the new country’s language but they think (and dream) in their own native tongue; and conversation involves constant translation from their native language to the language of the foreign land. However, after a few years they slowly find themselves thinking (an even dreaming!) in the language of the foreign land. At this point, the missionaries don’t just know the foreign language, it has now become a part of them.

When God’s Word becomes a part of us our orientation towards life changes in the most fundamental way. We not only have light for the way, we KNOW the way.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” ~ Romans 12:2
“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” ~ Colossians 1:9

A Believer becomes a new creation at the point of salvation, but that new man does not automatically exert control over the old, but still present, sin-nature. Sanctification is the process of putting to death that old sin nature so that Christ can reign in us.

The incorporation of the Word of God in a Believer’s heart signifies that it has become the driving force in that Believer’s life. To be clear, the old sin nature is an ever-present problem, but rather than being a flesh-driven carnal Christian, a Believer with God’s Word incorporated in his/her heart is now Word-driven and Spiritually centered, free from the power of sin.

“And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” ~ Acts 20:32

Clothe Your Children in Scarlet

Published by reflectionsintheword

“She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.” ~ Proverbs 31:21

Scarlet (fr. ecarlate) refers to a type of very fine (high quality) wool cloth, that was made in various colors including but not limited to bright red. Therefore, the Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31 was not afraid of winter/snow, because her children were well dressed/prepared for the cold/snowy weather.

However, the text also has beautiful symbolism in it. Scarlet (the color) is a metaphor/symbol of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Winter is the symbol of (spiritually, economically, emotionally and socially) barren times. Therefore, the verse is also telling us that the Virtuous Woman was not afraid of hard/difficult times because her children were clothed in the Blood of Jesus Christ: her children were SAVED!!!!!!

Her children are part of God’s royal family (1 Peter 2:9). And as children of The King, she does not have to fear when they face the winters in their lives. They are cared for by God.

Likewise, all parents today, mothers AND fathers, should prepare their children for the hardships of life by leading them to the LORD; by teaching them His WORD.

Modern day society tells us that, to prepare our children to be successful in the world, they have to go to the best schools, have the best experiences, operate in the right social circles, have excellent health (be inoculated from everything) and be exposed to as much art/culture/sports as they/we want.

However, in doing so we not only run them and ourselves ragged, but we also often miss our most important responsibility to our children: tilling/cultivating the soil of their heart (getting rid of all the growth-hindering rocks and all the life-choking weeds of distraction) and planting the seed of God’s Word in it (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23).

Education, money, connections, health, social-skills are all important, but they don’t prepare us or our children for the hardships of life. A great education prepares you for a great job, but only God’s grace sustains you when you lose it. Financial security is reassuring, but money can’t buy good health or good friends. Great works of art are inspiring but they don’t give much comfort when a loved one is dying.

Wisdom for living is ONLY found in the WORD of God and only the Holy Spirit can guide us through life. So, let us “clothe” our children in the scarlet Blood of Jesus Christ so that they will be prepared for the harshest winters of life.

There will come a glory in your eyes,
There will come a peace within your heart;
Sitting ‘neath the quiet evening skies,
Time will dry the tear and dull the smart.
You will know that you have played your part;
Yours shall be the love that never dies:
You, with Heaven’s peace within your heart,
You, with God’s own glory in your eyes.

An Excerpt for “The Mother” by Robert William Service

True Teachers Teach with “Authority”

Published by reflectionsintheword

“And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he [Jesus] entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.” ~ Mark 1:21-22

When Jesus taught in the synagogues of Judea, the people were shocked by the authority with He taught compared to the scribes who were their usual teachers. In Jesus’ day, the Scribes were the scholars and protectors of the written Law. They were the best of the best in their knowledge and study of the Hebrew Scriptures: The Books of Moses. In today’s world a Scribe would be a combination of legal professor, judge, and archivist/conservator. Their expertise in The Law was such that they had superseded the Priests as teachers of God’s Word and this caused at least two problems that Believers today must also be careful of avoiding. Specifically, the Scribes valued and taught the people to value Academics over Appointment and Traditions over Truth. However, Scripture teaches us exactly the opposite.

Appointment over Academics

The Scribes used their scholarship to set themselves apart from the “common” people. In their calculus knowledge equaled superiority. Therefore, they expected to have the best/honored position in social gatherings (Matthew 23:1-6) and in the synagogues they assumed the role of teachers. However, this was never the way God had planned it. Scripture plainly shows that God had appointed the Priests [the sons/descendants of Aaron] and the Levites to be the teachers of His people.

“And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee… that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” ~ Leviticus 10:8-11

“And of Levi he said… They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law…” ~ Deuteronomy 33:8-12

In other words, the qualification for teaching God’s word was not academic scholarship; rather, it was divine appointment. The academic ability of the Priest/Levite was not relevant, they were appointed to teach by God and therefore God would enable them to do the task He appointed them to fulfill. Similarly, someone not appointed by God would NEVER be able to teach the Scripture, regardless of their academic excellence, regardless of how much they studied it, because they would have no authority to do so.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” ~ 2 Timothy 2:15

This principle remains true for Believers today. Jesus warns us not to let anyone call us “Rabbi” or “Master”, because He alone is our Teacher (Matthew 23:1-12). In other words, ALL knowledge comes from Him and goes into us for our edification and through us for the edification/blessing of others. We are never the source of Spiritual knowledge/insight. God’s Word cannot be understood (and then taught) by human effort. Instead, God’s Word is accessible ONLY through the intervention of His Spirit: The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to understand His Word (John 14:26; 2 Peter 1:20).

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” ~ 1 Corinthians 2:12-14

Therefore, He can appoint/authorize anyone—even uncultured, unlettered fishermen—to teach His Word. Indeed the office of teacher in the Body of Christ is by appointment ONLY: The ability to “teach” Scripture is a Gift of God (Ephesians 4:8-12; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 12:5-7).

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” ~ Ephesians 4:11-12

The scribes taught without “authority” because they had none, let us as Believers be wary of falling into that same trap. Let us never think that our academic ability qualifies us in any way for any office in the Kingdom of God. AND, let us be wary of those who claim authority because of their academic excellence. To be clear, academic aptitude is a blessing, BUT it neither qualifies nor disqualifies us from service in God’s Kingdom.

Truth over Traditions

The Scribes further leveraged their academic advantage to undermine the authority of the Scripture and promote man-made traditions, which were to their profit. Traditions are defined as:
“…of the body of precepts, esp. ritual, which in the opinion of the later Jews were orally delivered by Moses and orally transmitted in unbroken succession to subsequent generations, which precepts, both illustrating and expanding the written law, as they did were to be obeyed with equal reverence”

The traditions the Scribes emphasized were never part of the written Word of God (The Scripture), but appealed to them because of how they could be used to manipulate the society to their favor:

“But he [Jesus] answered and said unto them [the Scribes and Pharisees], Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? …Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition… This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” ~ Matthew 15:3, 6, 8-9

For example, they taught that money dedicated to paying their tithes could not be used to help others in need; not even their parents (Matthew 15:3-9). But Jesus pointed out that this tradition was being used to cancel the very commandment of God to honor their parents (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16).

Moreover, it appears they were using this tradition as a trick, to say in effect: “The only money I had to help you, is the money for my tithe/gift to God” (Mark 7:9-13). This sin was particularly obnoxious because Scribes were among the wealthiest individuals in Jewish society since they usually worked as Rabbis, lawyers, notaries, judges and politicians (which were the highest paying jobs at that time).

“Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.” ~ Psalm 119:148

Consequently, instead of teaching the Scripture, the Scribes taught the people how difficult it was (for the uneducated) to know the Scripture. And presented their own traditions as a convenient substitute more suitable for the commoners; thus elevating themselves above their fellowmen and above God. A further effect of this ploy was that the people could mature spiritually under the teaching of the Scribes. After years of listening to the Scribes teach in the synagogues, a person would have been no better off than if they had not attended. They would not have learned anything more about God or God’s Word.

“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” ~ Matthew 23:13

Though they claimed to be scholars of the Law, the Scribes had forgotten this instruction:

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” ~ Deuteronomy 4:2

They didn’t teach with God’s authority, and they didn’t want God’s authority they we satisfied to operate on their own authority.

Sadly, there are many modern-day Scribes occupying the pulpits of our churches today. They teach opinion instead of the Word of God. They train their congregants to rely on them, on their scholarship, instead of on the Word of God and the Holy Spirit for instruction. They take advantage of the gullible, the Spiritually immature and the weak to gain for themselves power, popularity and prosperity.
Some examples of modern man-made traditions vs. Biblical truths include:

Tradition	Truth
Not all of the Bible is true	All scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16)
People are basically good	There is none righteous, no, not one (Rom. 3:10)
All religions are equal, they all lead to God	Jesus saith… “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
If I live okay I will go to heaven	…Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3, 5)
There is no Hell	And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:15)

BUT, Believers do not have to be victims of false teachers with false teachings. Every Believer CAN know the Word of God for himself/herself, BECAUSE we have the Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts! We can know the truth we don’t need to depend on any traditions.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you… the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” ~ John 14:16-17, 26

Believing is Seeing

Published by reflectionsintheword

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” ~ Romans 5:8

One of the hardest concepts I struggle with is the reality of God’s forgiveness. I was raised in the church, so the story is very familiar to me: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so….” But the reality of that story – of a God who so loved a corrupted creation that He spilled His own blood to win us back to Himself – that’s a wonder that baffles and amazes me so that I can hardly believe it sometimes.

The Enemy is always out to steal us from God. Even when we become His by grace through the death and resurrection of Christ, the devil works feverishly to distract and accuse us, to steal the joy and communion that God offers us. He is acutely aware of the sin nature that haunts us on our journey through life, and makes the most of it at every opportunity. He counts on the fact that it is always easier to convince people that what they see is more real than what they cannot; but the Bible says the reverse is true:

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:18

The devil never wants us to look beyond our own noses. When failures confront us, he not only draws our attention to our own shortcomings, but mockingly displays every past failure as well, and inspires us to imagine endless mistakes in the future. When trouble comes our way, he wants us focused on the problem, rather than the promises of God. When doubts assail us, he’s quick to produce illusory “proof” that God is not there, or at least that God’s not who He says He is.

Those who are in the world are easily caught up in the mindset that only that which we can see, feel, taste, smell and audibly hear is real; everything else is myth or imagination. And a struggling Christian can easily get drawn into the same error when discouragement and frustration pull our eyes from Jesus.

For all his power in this world, the devil’s games have changed little: he was a liar from the first, and always will be (John 8:44). In the Garden of Eden, the first tactic he ever used was to take the truth of God and distort it. There he challenged Eve’s understanding of God’s simple rules, restructured God’s words to mean the opposite of what He said and presented a temptation of the senses that overturned the knowledge of truth in Eve’s mind: presenting the tangible as more desirable than the intangible.

This method worked so well, that he uses it still today. Every sin and the stumblings that lead up to it is a repeat of the same pattern: denial, distortion, and a short-term reward offered for grasping with the senses instead of clinging by faith to the promises of God.

So, what are the promises of God?

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” ~ Isaiah 41:10
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand.” ~ John 10: 27 – 29
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” ~ John 8:36
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” ~ Romans 8:1
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ” ~ Philippians 1:6
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me?” ~ Hebrews 13: 5-6
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

The list goes on and on. In spite of our repetitive failings, in spite of our utter hopelessness to be as good as God intended us to be, His strength and grace and love overshadow every distraction and weakness with a light that will nourish and guide us all of our days if we dare to walk in it. Even when the Enemy has us so shortsighted that we stumble at every step, God’s arms are still there: still holding us up—because His Truth never, ever fails. It never changes, even when discouragement keeps its reality hidden from us. God is not suddenly powerless simply because we have lost our strength to believe in His provision; He can and will bring us through, and lift our eyes to see His glory again.

“And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Has the LORD’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.’” ~ Numbers 11:23

Salvation as a work has always begun and ended with the power of God. In strength, it is not up to us; so when our strength fails, it is God who upholds us – and He can never fall. So our most fundamental work is simply to choose to believe Him, to accept His promises and His Word as more real than the problems and failures that confront us every day.

I love the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus because it is a pattern I often see in my own life (Matthew 14:22-33). In a burst of courage, Peter believed in the power of Jesus and did what no man other than Christ has done – walked on water, through a violent storm no less! But once he was out there, the storm distracted him so that his faith wavered, and he began to sink into the squall. In terror he cried out to his Lord, and immediately Jesus did the work of reaching out to bring Peter to safety; and countered with nothing but a gentle rebuke. “Why did you doubt me?”

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; (1 Peter 2:9)

Why do we doubt Him? Why do I doubt Him? I have walked with Jesus now for 17 years; I have not drowned once. I’ve gotten pretty tangled up in my fears, and some days I succumb to the depressing accusations of Satan; but He has never accused me, never railed against me, never punished me for my failings. In fact, his tender mercies and persistent forgiveness are what makes it so difficult to grasp the reality of His love some days. It would be easier to understand if He got mad sometimes and beat me for being stupid; but God does not answer to our small understanding and is true to Himself always.

“And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” ~ Exodus 33:19

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” ~ Psalm 51:1

What we see and feel and touch and smell and hear with our ears is temporary; it all rots, it all fades, and one day it will be destroyed by fire to make way for a world that will never corrode or decay. Don’t let Satan use transient trash to distract you from the truths of God. What we know in God’s Word, what we hear in our hearts from His Holy Spirit, what we see through a mirror darkly are the things that are eternal and true. Living this reality is the challenge – and unspeakable joy – of every Christian.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” ~ Psalm 103:12

Contributed by Joelle Heilemann

Payback!

Published by reflectionsintheword

“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” ~ Joel 2:25

Though not well known, this is a beautiful verse of Scripture. Earlier in the book, the prophet Joel had warned the Israelites that a terrible judgment was on the way: God was sending a plague of locusts, palmerworm, cankerworm (especially destructive caterpillars/larvae that suddenly appear in large numbers and overwhelm vegetation) and caterpillars.

Despite many warnings and messengers, the Israelites persisted in their idol worship and, therefore, God promised to send a terrible judgment on them.

And He did.

All their crops were lost, consumed by the locusts, palmerworm, cankerworm and caterpillars.

The effect of this plague was far-reaching: Not only would they lose their crops for that year (which would lead to famine); but, the recovery from the crop loss would have been slow because they would struggle to find seeds to plant: so great would be the devastation of the locusts and caterpillars.

Joel, therefore, urged the people to pray and to fast (Joel 1:14, 2:12, 2:15): to sincerely recommit themselves to God and seek His abundant mercy:

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness…” Joel 2:12-13a

And, in the midst of Joel’s prophecy of doom comes this marvelous ray of hope: “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:25).

Most of us have made mistakes in our lives. We can look back at times when we chose the wrong path when we went our own way instead of god’s way. And many of us are living with the consequences of our decisions.

“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.” ~ Job 14:7

We are the single, unwed mothers, the estranged fathers; we are those suffering from HPV or HIV; we are the drug-addicted, the sex-addicted, and the porn-addicted; we bought houses we couldn’t afford to buy and now can’t afford to keep; we are the career men/women who sacrificed everything to get nothing and to give that to no-one.

But, whatever the suffering we might be experiencing as a consequence for following our own way instead of God’s way, the promise of God still extends to us: If we will recommit our lives to Him; if we will serve Him; if we will do things His way; if we will look at life through His eyes; then God promises to restore the years we have lost.

Like the Israelites we will still have to face the consequences of our actions. A painful famine was the consequence of their sins; and we often face painful consequences for our sins too. But, in later years God poured out His blessing on the Israelites and they had so much that it erased the shortfall they had experienced earlier.

Likewise, though we might suffer the consequences of our sins, God will pour out His blessings in our lives if we turn to Him: He will restore to us the years the locusts have eaten.

The Purpose of Life

Published by reflectionsintheword

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” ~ John 17:4

Jesus was obsessed with the works His Father gave him to do. Doing those works was more important to Him than food. When He came to the end of His perfect life all He had to do was die. The night He was arrested, in deep prayer to His Father he prayed the words quoted above.

In these words He not only gave a capsule summary of the meaning of His perfect life, He showed us all the purpose of our life. “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” That’s the way a catechism states the purpose of life. By example and precept Jesus stated the purpose of a purpose driven life for all of His followers for all time. Our purpose is to glorify God.

He also showed us how to glorify God. We glorify God by finishing all the works He has given us to do for Him. When I was thirty years old I had an accident that I miraculously survived. Many asked me if I had been terrified that I was about to lose my life. That was not my concern. My concern was that I had not finished the works I knew the Father wanted me to do for Him. I had not even found those works at that point in my life. Fifty-one years later I feel much better about that life goal.

Are you glorifying God by finding and finishing the works He wants you to do for Him for His glory?

Adapted from The Purpose of Life by Dick Woodward.

The Believer’s New Clothes

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” ~ Colossians 3:12

As much as we love the feel of our old, everyday clothes, softened by use and many washings, we’re being urged to put on something brand new.

Paul was writing to new Christians at Colossae in this letter to strip off their former practices and ways of living. When we are “born again” we become entirely new; washed clean in the blood of Jesus Christ. Our human spirit becomes infused with the Holy Spirit so that we will want to please God in every way possible. It’s His LOVE that causes us to change from the inside out.

Were you ever the one who didn’t “get the memo” regarding a dress-up occasion? Did you show up to a formal wedding in khakis and a Hawaiian shirt? Blue jeans and a t-shirt? Better yet…the old polyester leisure suit of the ‘70s? It’s high time for a change of clothes.

Of course Paul is talking about clothing your spirit man. Now, as we are considered the “elect of God”, we must dress appropriately as His ambassadors. We are no longer self-serving, but Christians on assignment to serve others as Jesus led by His example.

Our clothing consists of hearts that are tender and filled with compassion displaying mercy; human-kindness that overflows to meet the needs of others; a humble preference to put others first; a meek, spirit-controlled temperament; and the willingness to go the distance with others without complaint: these are the new clothes.

We are the church, the bride of Christ and the bride needs to clean up in readiness for the appearance of the bridegroom.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” ~ Revelation 19: 7-8

Today, get the memo: There’s a wedding coming: Dress appropriately as God’s holy people whom He loves.

Dear Father, thank you for washing us in the blood of Jesus, Your Son, and for giving us the Holy Spirit to do the internal clean up of our spirits. Help us to strip off and throw away the old clothing of our former lives and to put on the attributes Jesus displayed while He walked the earth. We want to be ready for the Bridegroom and to present to Him a dazzling bride “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white”. Thank you for your patience with us while we change our clothes! I love you, LORD. Amen

“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.
And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.” ~ Revelation 7:13-15

Contributed by Cindy Stelter Tesar