As it were, the devil one day decided that he was going to have a yard sale and in this yard sale he would have for sale all of the weapons in his arsenal. And he would sale them to some sinister creature that would take his place. So he made the advertisement that his weapons were for sale.
Then one day walking up his drive way he saw a dark, hideous sinister creature looking at him and saying to him,” I want to be the next enemy of the world”.
The devil takes him through his yard sale and begins to show him all that he has for sale. As they begin to walk up and down the rows of tables they see on the tables weapons like
-covetousness
-lust
-worry
-envy
and as this dark sinister creature sees all of these things he says, “my goodness what wonderful and powerful tools these would be in my hands to stop the work of God in the earth and to keep the people of God from being what God would have them to be”.
But then the devil turns to this sinister creature with a smile on his face and says to him, “yes these weapons have been used wonderfully and yes of course they have accomplished the work that I have wanted them to do, but I want you to see the weapon I have used the most to bring down nations and to cause people to give up on serving God and to stop great things from happening in the world”.
As this sinister creature awaits wringing his hands anxiously to see what weapon that the devil is talking about, the devil reaches back in a corner and pulls out a weapon and written at the top of this weapon is the word, “DISCOURAGEMENT”.
The devil presents this weapon before him and says, “by this weapon I have toppled kingdoms, I have stopped people that were excited about the things of God and excited about serving God, I have stopped them dead in their tracks, by this weapon I have stopped people that have made a good start with God, I have made them to give up and lose hope and lose heart, by this weapon I have conquered and by this weapon I have overcome more than by any other weapon in my arsenal. And by this weapon you can well continue on the work that I have begun”.
I want to tell you, that the single greatest weapon that the devil has to use against the people of God is discouragement. The discouragement we see in the valley does not stem from the dry bones from a lack of faith that these bones can live again.
Picture the scene if you will, each Sunday, Ezekiel stands at the cliff of the valley opens his bible, reads his text, gives his topic of discussion, starts to proclaim the Word to silent, lifeless, and hopeless situation. He preaches hard each week, extends the invitation, and no one comes down the aisle. How discouraging can that be? And many of us pastors/preachers, we preach each week to dying and dead generation but no life has come. What do you do when it seems as if your work is non-productive? What do you when there's no life in a church and its members? What do you when you've tried everything possible and the bones don't come together? I'll tell what Ezekiel did, he stayed at the task he was assigned by God.
Many of us are discouraged in life personally and spiritually because we’re too busy looking at the condition of valley rather than the possibilities that can come out of the valley. Life would be so much better if we just learned to stop focusing on bad conditions and start focusing on the possibilities.
We must always keep in mind that, God specializes in breathing life into dead situations.
This may well be the devil’s weapon of choice, when we look at the lifeless valley but I declare what seems lifeless, dead, hopeless, and a waist of time is nothing more than an opportunity to see God work a miracle in our lives and church.
This text offers three (3) facts about the restoration life (Let me says also that these principles are universal. It applies to us individually but also to the church collectively):
I. The Power of God Restores Life – v. 1-3
The Prophet Ezekiel is taken to the valley of dry bones and God asks him the question: “Can these bones live?” God starts Ezekiel mission with the start of question just like Jesus did in John chapter 6 in the story of the feeding of 5000. In John chapter 6 Jesus asks His disciples; “Where shall we buy bread for these to eat?” However, the question was asked not because Jesus did not know what He was going to do. But He asks the disciples to test their in the midst of an impossible situation.
Understand church that before life can be restored, we must have the faith life can be restored. The hardest work in restoration is not the situation in and of itself but getting Christians to see the possibilities of life. I think there is another way of question the same question in a different way: “Do you believe there’s life in the valley?” Or, “Do you believe God can do anything?”
If you can’t get past this question, then that which is dead will remain dead no matter what you do.
(Footnote: Too many people in the church are working in the church but don’t believe that the church can live again.)
I like Ezekiel’s response the God’s question in v. 4: “O Lord God, You know.”
The Living Translation says: “Lord, you alone know the answer to that.”
Illustration: John 11: “The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead”
Point: God has the power to raise dead stuff.
____________________________________________________________________
II. The Proclamation of God’s Word Restores Life – v. 4-7
Ezekiel preached a message of hope in a hopeless situation.
And that’s what preaching is all about, preaching a message of hope; “All is not lost.” Just because the valley looks dead doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.
If we’re going to see life being restored to the people of God and the church we must PREACH THE WORD. This text says that restoration starts with the preaching of God’s Word.
Point: The Word of God can change things.
Secondly, we must TRUST THE WORD OF GOD. It’s one thing to preach the Word of God but it’s a totally different thing to believe and trust that which is being preached.
Point: You can depend on God’s Word.
____________________________________________________________________
III. The Promises of God Restores Life – v. 8-14
What does God promise when life is restored? God promises complete restoration.
God promises unity – v. 7-8
God promises strength – v. 10
God promises freedom – v. 11-13
Point: It’s not over until God says its over.
Showing posts with label Sermon Manuscript. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sermon Manuscript. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Lift Leadership in Prayer
Let me briefly walk you through the story here in Exodus 17 and then we will draw from it principles to practice.
On the journey to Sinai, the events taking place illustrate the Israelites need for Law. They complain angrily about food; yet God supplies meat and manna (Exodus 16:1-35). They quarrel with Moses and question God’s commitment yet God supplies water (Exodus 17:1-7).
Now Moses and children of Israel is faced with another challenge, the attack of Amalekites. This is the first fight on their way to the land of promise. The Amalekites seem to have attacked the Israelites in the same way and through the same motives that the wandering Arabs attack caravans which annually pass through the same desert. It does not appear that the Israelites provoked any reason for the attack, it seems that Amalekite army attacked them merely through hopes of plunder (to steal from them). In the most treacherous and dastardly manner, for they came from behind them to attack this weary and feeble group of believers. Attacking every person in the camp (children, women, young and old) taking all that they possess.
Isn’t life just like that sometimes, when the enemy comes to attack you’re not looking and unaware. He comes up from behind and attacks to steal your joy, your self esteem, your faith, your emotions, your money, your family, your children, your job, your success, your mind, and your zeal for God. He attacks you when your already struggling with God’s presence, power, and participation in your life. You’re wondering where is God in the midst of this? It’s at that moment when the enemy comes up from behind and attacks you.
Moses tells Joshua to choose several men and go out and fight the Amalekites. While in battle, Moses assures Joshua that he would be on the mountain with the rod of God in his hand. While Moses hands were lifted the Israelites were winning but when his dropped they started loosing. Hands lifted they’re winning, hands lowered they’re losing.
I do not understand, in a literal sense, how the lifting and letting down of Moses hands influenced the battle with the Amalekites, humanly speaking. It is, however, likely that he held up the rod of God in his hand as a banner to the people. It is recorded in the Exodus chapter 9 that hands lifted and spread out is a posture of prayer and supplication. The Jerusalem Targum says, “When Moses held up his hands in prayer, the house of Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands from prayer, the house of Amalek prevailed.”
The lifting of Moses hands in the battle signifies Moses spiritual strength to pray over the people of God while in a battle for their lives. However, what’s troubling in the story is that Moses’ hands become heavy and starts to drop signifying Moses physical and spiritual weakness.
The text says; “Moses’ hands became heavy!” Heavy meaning burdensome. The heavy is explained in various portions of OT passage as being described in the following:
- “…for the famine was severe in the land” – Genesis 12:10
- “So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.” _ Genesis 41:31
- “Now the famine was severe in the land” – Genesis 43:1
Moses hands becoming heavy was like a famine hitting the land, no more, it’s all gone! Here lies the reality of leadership, Moses had no more in him. Meaning there are times when leadership has reached its point where every part of his spiritual being has been exhausted.
Here’s something you need to understand about leadership, when God uses his power to touch lives with his power, it often leaves his servant drained and vulnerable.
Pastoral leadership is an endangered species and every pastor is at risk. Why, you ask?
Pastors have more responsibility
Pastors are more subject to temptation
Pastors are the biggest target for spiritual warfare
Pastors have more influence on others
Pastors have more visibility
Pastoral leadership is at risk and we’re seeing the attack on leadership greater today than ever before. Pastors are falling be the wayside. Losing their lives, families, money, ministry, self-esteem, credibility, and pulpit/personal influence because of the attack of the enemy when they’re weak and vulnerable.
Pastors are at risk and something must be done!.
This text provides the solution for a burden, vulnerable, and spiritually zapped leader, here it is:
LIFT LEADERSHIP IN PRAYER!
The text says that when Moses’ hands were heavy, Aaron and Hur came alongside of him, sat him on a stone, and stood to the left and to the right they lifted his hands.
What a beautiful scene! Pastor Moses is being lifted by the church. Translation, pray for your pastor!
Several years age while at Mt Sinai, Pastor H.B Charles taught a lesson in our Tuesday night bible study entitled; “The Responsibility of the Flock to its Shepherd”. It was a lesson instructing the members of the church to pray for their pastor. While studying this passage of scripture his outline came to mind and I want to use the same outline today to instruct the members of this church to pray for your pastor.
Let’s consider five (5) ways you can be a prayer shield for your pastor.
Ask God to give you respect for the office of pastor.
1 Thes. 5:12-13 (NKJV)
And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, [13] and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
1 Tim. 5:17 (NKJV)
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV)
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Petition God to help your pastor be faithful to his divine calling
2a. Pastors are called to oversee the congregation
Acts 20:28 (NKJV)
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
2b. Pastors are called to set an example of godliness
Philip. 3:17 (NKJV)
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
2c. Pastors are called to preach and teach the bible.
2 Tim. 4:2 (NKJV)
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
2d. Pastors are called to develop godly members
2 Tim. 2:2 (NKJV)
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2e. Pastors are called to nurture the members of the congregation
1 Thes. 2:17 (NKJV)
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
Pray that your pastor will use the right ministry tools
- True ministry is done with prayer
- True ministry is done with the Word of God
Acts 6:2-3 (NKJV)
Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. [3] Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
Pray for the ministry team that supports the pastor
There are four (4) things that will sabotage a man’s ministry:
Ministerial laziness
A neglect of personal holiness
A Non-supportive wife
A uncooperative team of leaders
Pray for the specific needs your pastor has
™ Pray for his personal concerns
Brethren, pray for us – 1 Thess. 5:25
™ Pray for his family life
If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? – 1 Timothy 3:5
™ Pray for his physical/spiritual health
Meditate on these things; give yourself to them, that your progress may be evident to all – 1 Timothy 4:15
™ Pray for his pulpit ministry
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. – Acts 20:26-27
™ Pray for his pastoral leadership
And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our suffering is from God – 2 Corinthians 3:4-5
What was the result of Moses hand being lifted by Aaron and Hur? The result is found in verse 13, “So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword”.
Victory is given to the church when we keep our leader lifted in prayer.
On the journey to Sinai, the events taking place illustrate the Israelites need for Law. They complain angrily about food; yet God supplies meat and manna (Exodus 16:1-35). They quarrel with Moses and question God’s commitment yet God supplies water (Exodus 17:1-7).
Now Moses and children of Israel is faced with another challenge, the attack of Amalekites. This is the first fight on their way to the land of promise. The Amalekites seem to have attacked the Israelites in the same way and through the same motives that the wandering Arabs attack caravans which annually pass through the same desert. It does not appear that the Israelites provoked any reason for the attack, it seems that Amalekite army attacked them merely through hopes of plunder (to steal from them). In the most treacherous and dastardly manner, for they came from behind them to attack this weary and feeble group of believers. Attacking every person in the camp (children, women, young and old) taking all that they possess.
Isn’t life just like that sometimes, when the enemy comes to attack you’re not looking and unaware. He comes up from behind and attacks to steal your joy, your self esteem, your faith, your emotions, your money, your family, your children, your job, your success, your mind, and your zeal for God. He attacks you when your already struggling with God’s presence, power, and participation in your life. You’re wondering where is God in the midst of this? It’s at that moment when the enemy comes up from behind and attacks you.
Moses tells Joshua to choose several men and go out and fight the Amalekites. While in battle, Moses assures Joshua that he would be on the mountain with the rod of God in his hand. While Moses hands were lifted the Israelites were winning but when his dropped they started loosing. Hands lifted they’re winning, hands lowered they’re losing.
I do not understand, in a literal sense, how the lifting and letting down of Moses hands influenced the battle with the Amalekites, humanly speaking. It is, however, likely that he held up the rod of God in his hand as a banner to the people. It is recorded in the Exodus chapter 9 that hands lifted and spread out is a posture of prayer and supplication. The Jerusalem Targum says, “When Moses held up his hands in prayer, the house of Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands from prayer, the house of Amalek prevailed.”
The lifting of Moses hands in the battle signifies Moses spiritual strength to pray over the people of God while in a battle for their lives. However, what’s troubling in the story is that Moses’ hands become heavy and starts to drop signifying Moses physical and spiritual weakness.
The text says; “Moses’ hands became heavy!” Heavy meaning burdensome. The heavy is explained in various portions of OT passage as being described in the following:
- “…for the famine was severe in the land” – Genesis 12:10
- “So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.” _ Genesis 41:31
- “Now the famine was severe in the land” – Genesis 43:1
Moses hands becoming heavy was like a famine hitting the land, no more, it’s all gone! Here lies the reality of leadership, Moses had no more in him. Meaning there are times when leadership has reached its point where every part of his spiritual being has been exhausted.
Here’s something you need to understand about leadership, when God uses his power to touch lives with his power, it often leaves his servant drained and vulnerable.
Pastoral leadership is an endangered species and every pastor is at risk. Why, you ask?
Pastors have more responsibility
Pastors are more subject to temptation
Pastors are the biggest target for spiritual warfare
Pastors have more influence on others
Pastors have more visibility
Pastoral leadership is at risk and we’re seeing the attack on leadership greater today than ever before. Pastors are falling be the wayside. Losing their lives, families, money, ministry, self-esteem, credibility, and pulpit/personal influence because of the attack of the enemy when they’re weak and vulnerable.
Pastors are at risk and something must be done!.
This text provides the solution for a burden, vulnerable, and spiritually zapped leader, here it is:
LIFT LEADERSHIP IN PRAYER!
The text says that when Moses’ hands were heavy, Aaron and Hur came alongside of him, sat him on a stone, and stood to the left and to the right they lifted his hands.
What a beautiful scene! Pastor Moses is being lifted by the church. Translation, pray for your pastor!
Several years age while at Mt Sinai, Pastor H.B Charles taught a lesson in our Tuesday night bible study entitled; “The Responsibility of the Flock to its Shepherd”. It was a lesson instructing the members of the church to pray for their pastor. While studying this passage of scripture his outline came to mind and I want to use the same outline today to instruct the members of this church to pray for your pastor.
Let’s consider five (5) ways you can be a prayer shield for your pastor.
Ask God to give you respect for the office of pastor.
1 Thes. 5:12-13 (NKJV)
And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, [13] and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
1 Tim. 5:17 (NKJV)
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV)
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Petition God to help your pastor be faithful to his divine calling
2a. Pastors are called to oversee the congregation
Acts 20:28 (NKJV)
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
2b. Pastors are called to set an example of godliness
Philip. 3:17 (NKJV)
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
2c. Pastors are called to preach and teach the bible.
2 Tim. 4:2 (NKJV)
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
2d. Pastors are called to develop godly members
2 Tim. 2:2 (NKJV)
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2e. Pastors are called to nurture the members of the congregation
1 Thes. 2:17 (NKJV)
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
Pray that your pastor will use the right ministry tools
- True ministry is done with prayer
- True ministry is done with the Word of God
Acts 6:2-3 (NKJV)
Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. [3] Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
Pray for the ministry team that supports the pastor
There are four (4) things that will sabotage a man’s ministry:
Ministerial laziness
A neglect of personal holiness
A Non-supportive wife
A uncooperative team of leaders
Pray for the specific needs your pastor has
™ Pray for his personal concerns
Brethren, pray for us – 1 Thess. 5:25
™ Pray for his family life
If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? – 1 Timothy 3:5
™ Pray for his physical/spiritual health
Meditate on these things; give yourself to them, that your progress may be evident to all – 1 Timothy 4:15
™ Pray for his pulpit ministry
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. – Acts 20:26-27
™ Pray for his pastoral leadership
And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our suffering is from God – 2 Corinthians 3:4-5
What was the result of Moses hand being lifted by Aaron and Hur? The result is found in verse 13, “So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword”.
Victory is given to the church when we keep our leader lifted in prayer.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Don't Touch the Tithe
Genesis 2:15-16-chapter 3
“One of the greatest missing teachings in the American church today is the reminder to men and women that nothing we have belongs to us.” - Gordon MacDonald
The American way of thinking is that we are self-sufficient and that we are responsible for all that we possess. The Bible provides a different perspective, of course: that we are merely the overseers of God’s earthly domain, responsible for taking care of His resources until Jesus returns. Getting people to understand and accept our role as managers rather than creators of wealth and resources is a crucial element toward encouraging good stewardship.
Scriptural Perspective
• Genesis 14:17-24 (Abraham acknowledged that his victory spoils were a gift from God).
• 1 Chron. 29:14-18 (everything is God’s; we watch over it on earth).
• Psalm 24:1-2 (everything belongs to God).
• Psalm 50:10-12 (God created, knows and owns everything that exists).
· 1 Cor. 4:2 (Paul exhorted those being trusted to prove themselves faithful).
However, there is another passage of scripture on the level of stewardship that we often times don’t see as a passage on stewardship or one as a lesson on tithing. This passage is recorded in Genesis 2:15-17.
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. [16] And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
What does it mean to be a steward? To be a steward is to be a manage of God’s divine resources. Understand that being a good steward is not that of being cheap, stingy, over-protective, and/or a numbers watcher. A good steward is a good manager for manager.
A man doesn’t decide to become a steward after he has been saved, nor after he begins to make good money. He is a steward—good or bad—when he becomes a Christian.
Stewardship in the Christian life demands that a man take good care of his financial affairs because he has been commissioned by Christ to manage those affairs for the Lord.
Stewardship is seen in how we manage our time, talents, and tithe. And the beginning account of scripture teaches us that God expects us to:
- Work: “tend and keep”
- Eat: “of every tree of the garden you may freely eat”
- Tithe: “of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”
Here’s the underlining theme of the message we all need to get. As stewards of God’s divine resources make sure you don’t touch the tithe. I believe our stewardship is measured by how well we stay away from the tithe.
Well, let’s unwrap this text so that we can become better stewards (managers) of God’s divine resources.
I. The Call to Stewardship – v. 15
Understand that the book of Genesis is the book of beginnings. It is in Genesis that we read, witness, and believe that God spoke into nothing and created something. It is in Genesis where God forms the oceans, lakes, and land. It is in Genesis where we see God separate the moon and sun. It is in Genesis where we see God hang stars in the sky. It is in Genesis where we see God create the birds of the air, fish in the see, and animals on the land. It is in Genesis where we see God create man from the dust of the ground in God’s own image.
By the time we get to chapter 2 God breathes breathe into the nostrils of man. In verse 8 of chapter 2 we see God now creates a Garden which is named the Garden of Eden. In this garden, God placed 2 trees. One tree is the Tree of Life and the other Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and there where other trees in the garden as well.
Out of all the things we see in the Book of Genesis, we see a very important concept here. We see the concept of stewardship in the book of Genesis for in chapter 2 verse 15 the text says; “God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” The verse shows us a very important concept here that we cannot forget and miss. God places Adam in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. In other words, God places Adam in the Garden to manage that which God has created and given unto him. Here’s what we need to understand:
- Everything belongs to God
- Everything we possess is a blessing from God – v. 9
- God provides and sustains our every need – v. 10-14 – understand that no rain had come to water the garden. However, God provides and sustains the garden by allowing water to come from the ground to water the garden. What that means is that God can provide and sustain the stuff he places in your care.
II. The Command in Stewardship – v. 16-17
Chapter 15 of 1 Samuel reveals the developed flaws in Saul’s character that serve as warnings to believers today. Once humble, power made him so arrogant that he disobeyed God in the name of godliness. God regrets Saul and sends Samuel to call king Saul on the carpet. In verse 13 Saul feels as if he obeyed God’s command to destroy Amalek. Saul and the people of Israel pick the best animals to bring to God as an offering of sacrifice. In 1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV) we read these words:
So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
The message that Samuel brought to Saul is the same message that God brings to us today; sacrifice and obedience is not the same thing. More than what you bring to God, God wants your obedience. See, if we get being obedience right, we won’t be fighting with God, the pastor, and/or church over how much we ought to give of our time, talents, and tithe. God wants you to obey Him!
There is a positive and negative command here for those who obey to voice of God:
Positive - Satisfaction – The text says; “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat.” 1 Tim. 4:4 (NKJV) “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving…” See many of us are not satisfied with what we have because we’re not thankful for what we have.
Negative - Suffering – The text says; “If you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you will surely die”. Will a person physically die from being a bad steward? My answer is “I don’t know”. It is possible. Romans 6:16 (Msg) says – “You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!” In other words, when we disobey God we open ourselves up to a life of suffering and pain which can lead to death physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Disobedience breeds consequences. But if you keep reading chapter 6 you will find out that while Romans 6:23 (Msg)
You work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.
The only way out is to do what God tells us to do.
III. The Challenge in Stewardship – Chapter 3
The challenge of stewardship is seen in chapter 3.
First, the TEMPTATION – v. 1-5
As a little boy my mother would tell me over and over again, Clint don’t touch that, don’t do that, stay away from that. Don’t play with matches. Stay away from the electrical socket. Stay out of that field. And everything she told me to stay away from seemed like that’s what I wanted to do most. I heard her voice with the command of what to do and not do but challenge was trying to stay away from it.
The challenge in life is resisting temptation. We fight hard to resist all temptations of life but when it comes to our money we tend to be care-free. We give in to the temptation to spend what we know we don’t have, for things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t like (and they don’t like us). The serpent tricked Eve into believing that her disobedience was the right thing to do. He made her to think that she will not die nor will there be any consequences for her actions. And that’s what temptation will do, it makes you think it’s the right thing to do even when you know it’s the wrong thing to do.
Second, DISOBEDIENCE – v. 6-8
The 2nd challenge of stewardship is just as important and vital as the first, disobedience. Yielding to temptation leads to disobedience. I’ve learned a new definition for disobedience, disobedience is being spiritually stubborn. Nehemiah chapter 9 describes this spiritual stubbornness during the time when scripture is being read and study and true revival takes place with the people Israel. As they confess their sins to God in response to the word of God, v. 26 of chapter 9 gives this description of stubborn disobedience;
"Nevertheless they were disobedient
And rebelled against You,
Cast Your law behind their backs
And killed Your prophets, who testified against them
To turn them to Yourself;
And they worked great provocations.
Here is what you need to understand about disobedience, disobedience is never rewarding! Throughout all of Scripture, you will learn that disobedience doesn’t bring any good to the one who disobeys. Nehemiah 9:27 says;
Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies,
Who oppressed them;
And in the time of their trouble,
When they cried to You,
You heard from heaven;
And according to Your abundant mercies
You gave them deliverers who saved them
From the hand of their enemies.
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and the text says their eyes were opened, they covered themselves, and tried to hide from God.
Disobedience is never rewarding!
Third, ACCOUNTABILITY – v. 9-19
God held the serpent, Eve, and Adam responsible for what took place in the Garden of Eden. The point is simple here, there is no escaping God’s accountability. He will hold you (and I) accountable for everything deed done good and evil.
Praise God that the story doesn’t end in Genesis chapter 3 with Adam and Eve being kicked out of the Garden of Eden. And praise God that whatever was lost due to our disobedience can be restored. Here’s a few suggestions to help each of us get back on track with God on this issue of stewardship:
- Confess Your Sins - James 5:16A
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
- Pray Hard - James 5:16b - The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
- Be realistic (frugal) - Luke 14:28 (NKJV)
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--
- Stay away from people, things, and places that will tempt you to spend the tithe - 1 Cor. 15:33 (NKJV)
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
My final suggestion, pray harder than the first time:
Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;Each victory will help you some other to win;Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Ask the Savior to help you,Comfort, strengthen and keep you;He is willing to aid you,He will carry you through.
Let’s pray!
“One of the greatest missing teachings in the American church today is the reminder to men and women that nothing we have belongs to us.” - Gordon MacDonald
The American way of thinking is that we are self-sufficient and that we are responsible for all that we possess. The Bible provides a different perspective, of course: that we are merely the overseers of God’s earthly domain, responsible for taking care of His resources until Jesus returns. Getting people to understand and accept our role as managers rather than creators of wealth and resources is a crucial element toward encouraging good stewardship.
Scriptural Perspective
• Genesis 14:17-24 (Abraham acknowledged that his victory spoils were a gift from God).
• 1 Chron. 29:14-18 (everything is God’s; we watch over it on earth).
• Psalm 24:1-2 (everything belongs to God).
• Psalm 50:10-12 (God created, knows and owns everything that exists).
· 1 Cor. 4:2 (Paul exhorted those being trusted to prove themselves faithful).
However, there is another passage of scripture on the level of stewardship that we often times don’t see as a passage on stewardship or one as a lesson on tithing. This passage is recorded in Genesis 2:15-17.
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. [16] And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
What does it mean to be a steward? To be a steward is to be a manage of God’s divine resources. Understand that being a good steward is not that of being cheap, stingy, over-protective, and/or a numbers watcher. A good steward is a good manager for manager.
A man doesn’t decide to become a steward after he has been saved, nor after he begins to make good money. He is a steward—good or bad—when he becomes a Christian.
Stewardship in the Christian life demands that a man take good care of his financial affairs because he has been commissioned by Christ to manage those affairs for the Lord.
Stewardship is seen in how we manage our time, talents, and tithe. And the beginning account of scripture teaches us that God expects us to:
- Work: “tend and keep”
- Eat: “of every tree of the garden you may freely eat”
- Tithe: “of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”
Here’s the underlining theme of the message we all need to get. As stewards of God’s divine resources make sure you don’t touch the tithe. I believe our stewardship is measured by how well we stay away from the tithe.
Well, let’s unwrap this text so that we can become better stewards (managers) of God’s divine resources.
I. The Call to Stewardship – v. 15
Understand that the book of Genesis is the book of beginnings. It is in Genesis that we read, witness, and believe that God spoke into nothing and created something. It is in Genesis where God forms the oceans, lakes, and land. It is in Genesis where we see God separate the moon and sun. It is in Genesis where we see God hang stars in the sky. It is in Genesis where we see God create the birds of the air, fish in the see, and animals on the land. It is in Genesis where we see God create man from the dust of the ground in God’s own image.
By the time we get to chapter 2 God breathes breathe into the nostrils of man. In verse 8 of chapter 2 we see God now creates a Garden which is named the Garden of Eden. In this garden, God placed 2 trees. One tree is the Tree of Life and the other Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and there where other trees in the garden as well.
Out of all the things we see in the Book of Genesis, we see a very important concept here. We see the concept of stewardship in the book of Genesis for in chapter 2 verse 15 the text says; “God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” The verse shows us a very important concept here that we cannot forget and miss. God places Adam in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. In other words, God places Adam in the Garden to manage that which God has created and given unto him. Here’s what we need to understand:
- Everything belongs to God
- Everything we possess is a blessing from God – v. 9
- God provides and sustains our every need – v. 10-14 – understand that no rain had come to water the garden. However, God provides and sustains the garden by allowing water to come from the ground to water the garden. What that means is that God can provide and sustain the stuff he places in your care.
II. The Command in Stewardship – v. 16-17
Chapter 15 of 1 Samuel reveals the developed flaws in Saul’s character that serve as warnings to believers today. Once humble, power made him so arrogant that he disobeyed God in the name of godliness. God regrets Saul and sends Samuel to call king Saul on the carpet. In verse 13 Saul feels as if he obeyed God’s command to destroy Amalek. Saul and the people of Israel pick the best animals to bring to God as an offering of sacrifice. In 1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV) we read these words:
So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
The message that Samuel brought to Saul is the same message that God brings to us today; sacrifice and obedience is not the same thing. More than what you bring to God, God wants your obedience. See, if we get being obedience right, we won’t be fighting with God, the pastor, and/or church over how much we ought to give of our time, talents, and tithe. God wants you to obey Him!
There is a positive and negative command here for those who obey to voice of God:
Positive - Satisfaction – The text says; “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat.” 1 Tim. 4:4 (NKJV) “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving…” See many of us are not satisfied with what we have because we’re not thankful for what we have.
Negative - Suffering – The text says; “If you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you will surely die”. Will a person physically die from being a bad steward? My answer is “I don’t know”. It is possible. Romans 6:16 (Msg) says – “You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!” In other words, when we disobey God we open ourselves up to a life of suffering and pain which can lead to death physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Disobedience breeds consequences. But if you keep reading chapter 6 you will find out that while Romans 6:23 (Msg)
You work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.
The only way out is to do what God tells us to do.
III. The Challenge in Stewardship – Chapter 3
The challenge of stewardship is seen in chapter 3.
First, the TEMPTATION – v. 1-5
As a little boy my mother would tell me over and over again, Clint don’t touch that, don’t do that, stay away from that. Don’t play with matches. Stay away from the electrical socket. Stay out of that field. And everything she told me to stay away from seemed like that’s what I wanted to do most. I heard her voice with the command of what to do and not do but challenge was trying to stay away from it.
The challenge in life is resisting temptation. We fight hard to resist all temptations of life but when it comes to our money we tend to be care-free. We give in to the temptation to spend what we know we don’t have, for things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t like (and they don’t like us). The serpent tricked Eve into believing that her disobedience was the right thing to do. He made her to think that she will not die nor will there be any consequences for her actions. And that’s what temptation will do, it makes you think it’s the right thing to do even when you know it’s the wrong thing to do.
Second, DISOBEDIENCE – v. 6-8
The 2nd challenge of stewardship is just as important and vital as the first, disobedience. Yielding to temptation leads to disobedience. I’ve learned a new definition for disobedience, disobedience is being spiritually stubborn. Nehemiah chapter 9 describes this spiritual stubbornness during the time when scripture is being read and study and true revival takes place with the people Israel. As they confess their sins to God in response to the word of God, v. 26 of chapter 9 gives this description of stubborn disobedience;
"Nevertheless they were disobedient
And rebelled against You,
Cast Your law behind their backs
And killed Your prophets, who testified against them
To turn them to Yourself;
And they worked great provocations.
Here is what you need to understand about disobedience, disobedience is never rewarding! Throughout all of Scripture, you will learn that disobedience doesn’t bring any good to the one who disobeys. Nehemiah 9:27 says;
Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies,
Who oppressed them;
And in the time of their trouble,
When they cried to You,
You heard from heaven;
And according to Your abundant mercies
You gave them deliverers who saved them
From the hand of their enemies.
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and the text says their eyes were opened, they covered themselves, and tried to hide from God.
Disobedience is never rewarding!
Third, ACCOUNTABILITY – v. 9-19
God held the serpent, Eve, and Adam responsible for what took place in the Garden of Eden. The point is simple here, there is no escaping God’s accountability. He will hold you (and I) accountable for everything deed done good and evil.
Praise God that the story doesn’t end in Genesis chapter 3 with Adam and Eve being kicked out of the Garden of Eden. And praise God that whatever was lost due to our disobedience can be restored. Here’s a few suggestions to help each of us get back on track with God on this issue of stewardship:
- Confess Your Sins - James 5:16A
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
- Pray Hard - James 5:16b - The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
- Be realistic (frugal) - Luke 14:28 (NKJV)
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--
- Stay away from people, things, and places that will tempt you to spend the tithe - 1 Cor. 15:33 (NKJV)
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
My final suggestion, pray harder than the first time:
Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;Each victory will help you some other to win;Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Ask the Savior to help you,Comfort, strengthen and keep you;He is willing to aid you,He will carry you through.
Let’s pray!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
A Believers Response to Deception
As we have seen, James writes about very practical problems and needs of the Christian life. Although he writes in very practical “how to” kinds of principles, he does not always organize his material into specific paragraphs.
For example, verse 16 is a transitional verse and poses a challenge of understanding for me. Between his teaching on the important subject of trials and temptations and his specific consideration of the goodness of God[1], is a short discussion on deception. Pay close attention to the proceeding verses as well as the next verse:
- v. 13-15: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 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.”
- v. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren
- v. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Verses 13-15 deals with sin; verse 16 deception; and sandwich in between is deception. How’s does verse 16 flow into this discussion of sin, deception, and blessings?
The important teaching of verse 16 could be included at the close of the previous verses (v.13-15) or at the start of the next verse (v. 16). I’ve decided to look at the verse by itself.
Understand that the evidence of spiritual maturity will be evident in how we respond to deception. Deception will effect our ability to live practical Christian lives. Therefore, your response to deception will determine your outlook of life’s challenges (v. 1-15) and the blessings of God (v. 17-18).
This verse helps us to recognize and how to respond to deception by presenting three (3) present realities of the attack of deception:
I. Recognize the SOURCE of Deception
Deception is an attack of the enemy. We saw/see his attack in the beginning of creation in Genesis chapter 3 in the story of the fall of Edam and Eve. We discuss the act of their sin but not much of the attack. Often times we tend to overlook the deceptive conversation between the serpent and Eve. God tells Adam and Eve not to touch the tree of knowledge or they will die. The serpent in deception says: “You will not die but adds “surely, you will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." With this deceptive assurance, Adam and Eve ate off the tree that God told them not to. After the act of sin, God calls Adam and Eve, knowing what they have done asked them “what have you down?” Eve explains: “The serpent deceived me and I ate”. Let’s give Eve a break here, Eve has done what many of us struggle with on a daily basis, she didn’t recognize that she was being tricked by the servant. The enemy preys on our vulnerability, weakness, struggles, stresses, and ignorance to the command of God. And the struggle is that many of us mature and immature believers don’t and can’t recognize the attack of the enemy through deception.
From that day forward, the enemy has used (and is using) deception as an instrument to pull the worse out of us.
Deception means craftiness, trickery, cunning, cleverness, shrewdness, evil design. It means a person will do anything and use any means to get what they want.
So what happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden happens to us everyday. The devil attacks us with deception to pull us away from God.
Not only did we see deception in the Garden of Eden but we also see deception in the birth of Jesus Christ in Matthew 2 when Herod calls the wise men in hanger to go search for baby Jesus that he might worship Him. Herod had no intentions on worship the young child. Herod wanted to kill Jesus. But Herod’s intentions was flipped because when the wise men saw Jesus they began to worship Jesus and in a dream God warns to not go back to Herod and instead they left their own country.
Adam and Eve yielded to deception but the wise men were protected from deception that no harm would come to them or the Jesus.
Sin is deceptive, and Satan is always seeking to deceive us.[3]
Peter was right when he warned us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).[4]
In contrast, God never deceives. He always deals with truth. Jesus came declaring, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus said if we would know Him we would know the truth, “and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). He proceeded to call the devil “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
And so the wise counsel of James is that we should not be deceived. And, since this verse is the transition between two important paragraphs of truth, it is appropriate for us to apply both truths to the teaching of this verse. First, we should not be deceived regarding the source of evil—that is Satan. He is the one who would tempt us to do evil and who would delight in leading us to sin and death.
Then, we should not be deceived concerning the One who is the source of all good—that is God. He is not only the source of good, but He is the One who is committed to making all things work together for good for His children, those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
II. Be Aware of Self Deception
Luke chapter 18:9-14 record the story of the Pharisee and Tax Collector. Luke 18:10-14 (Msg)
"Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. [11] The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.' "
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
The bible warns us against being more than we think we are.
- Spiritual ignorance is self deception: 1 Cor. 3:18 - Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
- Spiritual Arrogance is self deception: Galatians 6:3 - For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 1 John 1:8 says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
- Hypocrisy is self deception: 2 Tim. 3:13 – “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived”. And James 1:22 says “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”.
- Religious practices is self deception: James 1:26 - If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.
Practical Christian living is not lying about where we are as Christians but admitting we are sinners trying to be all we can for God.
III. Be On Guard for Scriptural Deception
One of the most prominent deceptions taken place in our day and time is the false teaching of scripture. Many pulpits around the nation are being filled with lies on scripture. People are being deceived about the truth of Scripture. The sad indictment is that many believers are not able to recognize scriptural falsehood. So they go with anything that sounds good but everything that sounds good is not necessarily good in sound.
2 Timothy 2:17-18 says: “And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some”.
What’s the remedy for guarding against scriptural deception? 2 Timothy 2:15 says; “Be diligent (study) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”.
For example, verse 16 is a transitional verse and poses a challenge of understanding for me. Between his teaching on the important subject of trials and temptations and his specific consideration of the goodness of God[1], is a short discussion on deception. Pay close attention to the proceeding verses as well as the next verse:
- v. 13-15: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 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.”
- v. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren
- v. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Verses 13-15 deals with sin; verse 16 deception; and sandwich in between is deception. How’s does verse 16 flow into this discussion of sin, deception, and blessings?
The important teaching of verse 16 could be included at the close of the previous verses (v.13-15) or at the start of the next verse (v. 16). I’ve decided to look at the verse by itself.
Understand that the evidence of spiritual maturity will be evident in how we respond to deception. Deception will effect our ability to live practical Christian lives. Therefore, your response to deception will determine your outlook of life’s challenges (v. 1-15) and the blessings of God (v. 17-18).
This verse helps us to recognize and how to respond to deception by presenting three (3) present realities of the attack of deception:
I. Recognize the SOURCE of Deception
Deception is an attack of the enemy. We saw/see his attack in the beginning of creation in Genesis chapter 3 in the story of the fall of Edam and Eve. We discuss the act of their sin but not much of the attack. Often times we tend to overlook the deceptive conversation between the serpent and Eve. God tells Adam and Eve not to touch the tree of knowledge or they will die. The serpent in deception says: “You will not die but adds “surely, you will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." With this deceptive assurance, Adam and Eve ate off the tree that God told them not to. After the act of sin, God calls Adam and Eve, knowing what they have done asked them “what have you down?” Eve explains: “The serpent deceived me and I ate”. Let’s give Eve a break here, Eve has done what many of us struggle with on a daily basis, she didn’t recognize that she was being tricked by the servant. The enemy preys on our vulnerability, weakness, struggles, stresses, and ignorance to the command of God. And the struggle is that many of us mature and immature believers don’t and can’t recognize the attack of the enemy through deception.
From that day forward, the enemy has used (and is using) deception as an instrument to pull the worse out of us.
Deception means craftiness, trickery, cunning, cleverness, shrewdness, evil design. It means a person will do anything and use any means to get what they want.
So what happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden happens to us everyday. The devil attacks us with deception to pull us away from God.
Not only did we see deception in the Garden of Eden but we also see deception in the birth of Jesus Christ in Matthew 2 when Herod calls the wise men in hanger to go search for baby Jesus that he might worship Him. Herod had no intentions on worship the young child. Herod wanted to kill Jesus. But Herod’s intentions was flipped because when the wise men saw Jesus they began to worship Jesus and in a dream God warns to not go back to Herod and instead they left their own country.
Adam and Eve yielded to deception but the wise men were protected from deception that no harm would come to them or the Jesus.
Sin is deceptive, and Satan is always seeking to deceive us.[3]
Peter was right when he warned us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).[4]
In contrast, God never deceives. He always deals with truth. Jesus came declaring, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus said if we would know Him we would know the truth, “and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). He proceeded to call the devil “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
And so the wise counsel of James is that we should not be deceived. And, since this verse is the transition between two important paragraphs of truth, it is appropriate for us to apply both truths to the teaching of this verse. First, we should not be deceived regarding the source of evil—that is Satan. He is the one who would tempt us to do evil and who would delight in leading us to sin and death.
Then, we should not be deceived concerning the One who is the source of all good—that is God. He is not only the source of good, but He is the One who is committed to making all things work together for good for His children, those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
II. Be Aware of Self Deception
Luke chapter 18:9-14 record the story of the Pharisee and Tax Collector. Luke 18:10-14 (Msg)
"Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. [11] The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.' "
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
The bible warns us against being more than we think we are.
- Spiritual ignorance is self deception: 1 Cor. 3:18 - Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
- Spiritual Arrogance is self deception: Galatians 6:3 - For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 1 John 1:8 says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
- Hypocrisy is self deception: 2 Tim. 3:13 – “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived”. And James 1:22 says “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”.
- Religious practices is self deception: James 1:26 - If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.
Practical Christian living is not lying about where we are as Christians but admitting we are sinners trying to be all we can for God.
III. Be On Guard for Scriptural Deception
One of the most prominent deceptions taken place in our day and time is the false teaching of scripture. Many pulpits around the nation are being filled with lies on scripture. People are being deceived about the truth of Scripture. The sad indictment is that many believers are not able to recognize scriptural falsehood. So they go with anything that sounds good but everything that sounds good is not necessarily good in sound.
2 Timothy 2:17-18 says: “And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some”.
What’s the remedy for guarding against scriptural deception? 2 Timothy 2:15 says; “Be diligent (study) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Hang In There
The bible is filled paradoxes. A paradox is a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true. Scripture contains many paradoxes, telling us that the weak are strong, the empty are full, the slave is free, the cursed are blessed, and that death brings life. G.K. Chesterton gives this definition of a paradox: “a paradox is truth standing on its head shouting for attention”.
The 1st chapter of James shouts for our attention with paradoxical statements. The opening sentence of this epistle says: “when you fall into trouble be glad about it (paraphrased) in verse 2 and verse 12 is no different, “A person is blessed who endures trouble”. To the human, this makes absolutely no sense at all. I’m blessed because I hung in there through the midst of trying times. I’m blessed in trouble. I’m blessed with no money in my pocket. I’m blessed when my marriage is on the brink of divorce. I’m blessed when my child was shout in a drive-by-shooting. I’m blessed after receiving a pink slip on the job. Here’s another way saying: “Am I being blessed in the midst of hardship, trials, tests, troubles, sufferings, and pain?
James, is concerned that the pressure of life does not take over the life of the Christian to instability. So to encourage them he writes paradoxical encouraging statements to provide stabilizing wisdom to hang in there in when hanging in there ain’t easy. Listen again to these statements (but listen carefully):
“Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into a lot of trials.” – v. 2
“Let the brother of lowly degree (or in humble circumstances) be elevated in due time” – v. 9
“Let the rich be humble for his stuff will perish in due time” – v. 10-11
“Blessed is the person who hangs in there” – v. 12
Translations:
Amplified: Blessed is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive, the victor’s crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
NLT: God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Phillips: The man who patiently endures the temptations and trials that come to him is truly happy. For once his testing is complete he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to all who love Him.
Msg: Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.
Here’s the C.E V (Clint’s English Version): Hang in there, God wants to bless you.
Let’s open the shell of this oyster to uncover the pearls inside. The pearls of wisdom I see in the text are:
I. The PRINCIPLES OF HANGING IN THERE
Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
How can a believer conquer trials and temptations? Answer: A person can conquer trials and temptations with…
A. The Principle of Disposition – “Blessed…”
The text starts with the word “Blessed”. An interesting word within the circumstances of the text presented before us. Blessed is the same word used in Matthew 5: 3-12 in the Be Attitudes. Blessed means to be happy. It is the ability to live independently of daily cares and worries because his every breath and situation is in the hands of God.
The Greeks in using the word “blessed” used in reference to the dead who were “the blessed ones” because they reached the place free of trials, problems, test, struggles, and strains. They also used this word to refer to the socioeconomic elite (filthy rich people). In short, the Greeks felt that one had to be either dead or filthy rich to be considered blessed. However, if we stay with the Greeks usage and meaning of the word it says we have to die or be filthy rich in order to be blessed. Now, let’s talk for a moment, I don’t want to die to be blessed although for the believer dying is a blessing to spend eternity with God. And if I have to be rich to be blessed then I’m in big trouble right about now.
Thank God, that word “blessed” as a wider meaning. John McArthur explains the word to mean happiness is a divine pronouncement, the assured benefit of those who meet the conditions God requires. Therefore, blessed is a state of existence in relationship to God in which a person is blessed from God’s perspective even when he or she doesn’t feel happy or isn’t presently experiencing good fortune. Ultimately, blessed means the state of those who believe in Christ and in so possessing God, posses everything. Being blessed means possessing the favor of God. Warren Wiersbe says: James started and ended with joy to express to the reader that OUR OUTLOOK DETERMINES OUR OUTCOME!
It’s not in the believers DNA to live defeated lives. Charles Haddon Spurgeon says: “Untested treasures may be worthless; not so with those which have endured the fire”.
Here’s what we need to understand today, you’re blessed!
- Blessed when all hell breaks loose in your life
- Blessed if you loose your job
- Blessed if your marriage is falling apart
- Blessed if you loose your job
- Blessed if the doctor gives you a bad report
- Blessed during the gossip
- Blessed during times of test, trials, troubles, and strains
- Blessed in good days and bad days
- Blessed in up and downs
- Blessed rich or poor
You’re blessed because being blessed is a state of mind that lives independently of life’s difficulties.
B. The Principle of Decision – “Blessed is the man who…”
There is a principle here in the text that I believe is vital to your survival during difficulties. Here it is: “You gotta make the decision to hang in there”. The easy decision to make is quit, give up, sit down, and totally shut down. James is a practical letter written to believers who must make decisions to live in a manner that will glorify God. Look at all the examples of Scripture of people who had to make a choice to live for God no matter what comes there way.
- Abraham had to believe God’s promise of being the father of many nations while his wife Sarah laughed at him and God
- Noah built an ark for flood he’d never seen before and warned the people for 120 years that it was going to rain
- Job lost everything in one day but declares; “Tho He slay me yet will I trust him.”
- Jeremiah wanted to quit on God but couldn’t because he says: “It’s like fire shut up my bones.”
- The three Hebrew boys would not bow to the golden image, placed in fire, but decided to stand for God in the fiery furnace.
- Daniel kept praying before, during, and after the lion’s den.
- Rahab made the decision to hide the spies until the enemy left
- Ezekiel kept preaching in the valley of dry bones until they started living again
- Jesus decided to hang on the cross; “Not my will but thy will be done”.
- Paul and Silas decided to have a prayer meeting while in the jail
Point here is beautiful to behold, hanging in there is decision you must make!
C. The Principle of Determination – “Blessed is the man who endures temptation…”
When I started studying this text, I will admit I tried to re-visit the word “endure” for some new revelation. I was looking for a rhema word from the Lord to help e understand what endurance or hanging in there meant. The discovery I found wasn’t anything new. The word endurance means exactly what says hang in there. The Greek meaning comes back to the same meaning; hang in there. Hang in there under the pressures of life. The word in the original language is really intense. To remain under the pressure is not that of remaining under trial with resignation. That means hanging is not hanging in there living defeated or like a victim. The one thing God doesn’t want us to do is live life always feeling defeated and/or sorry for yourself.
The meaning of endure or persevere is descriptive language.
- Bearing up under the trying ordeal is to be our habitual practice.
- To remain under
- Robert Louis Stevenson says it like this; “Saints are sinners who keep on going.”
- Here’s my definition of the word endure, you gotta keep pushing.
By perseverance the snail made to the ark (Charles Haddon Spurgeon). Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s little nut that held its ground. Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts (Coleman Cox). Though Christians be not kept altogether from falling, yet they are kept from falling altogether (William Secker)
II. The PURPOSE OF HANGING IN THERE
“…for when he has been approved…”
Why is it important for us to hang in there? What’s the purpose? Why so much talk about endurance? What’s at the end of this? I prefer to give up rather than deal with this mess?
Have you ever made statements like these are similar statements? Before you totally loose your mind this explains the purpose for enduring hardships. Here’s the purpose, “for when he has been approved”.
In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens, to stop the practice of shaving down the coins then in circulation. But some money changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money. There were men of honour who put only genuine full weighted money in circulation. Such men were called approved. It is said that we are put to the test for the purpose of being approved, and having me specifications, having the stamp of approval placed upon one.
Enduring and coming out of the test is God stamping His approval on your faith.
I remember a sermon preached by Pastor Maurice Watson, “It’s only Test. He gives an illustration of going to the doctor to his annual check up. The doctor wanted to check the strength of his heart so he placed Pastor Watson on a treadmill and explained to pastor Watson what the test entail. The doctor says; I’m going to start the treadmill and each progression is going to get faster and faster in an incline. The purpose of this test is to test your endurance. The treadmill began and pastor Watson says it was a breeze for him. He was an athlete. This was nothing for him. The doctor warned him that he was going increase the speed and incline of the treadmill. It became a fast walk. The instructed pastor Watson that the speed and incline was going to increase, his walk became a jog. The speed and incline increased and his jog become a run. The doctor says this one is going to prove your endurance. Both the speed and incline were increased to full blown. Pastor Watson describes the experience as a person running for his life of which he ultimately looked at the doctor and told to stop this thing, man, you trying to kill me.
- The purpose of hanging in there is to pull the best out of you
- The purpose of hanging in there is to glorify God: 1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV) - that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Hanging in there is for sole purpose of glorifying God.
III. The PROMISE FOR HANGING IN THERE
“…he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
What can we expect from hanging in there?
The promise of the text for those who hang in there is this the crown of life. The believer who endures the temptations of life shall be crowned with life itself, eternal life, life that will go on and on, never ending. This is living life with the hope of a better tomorrow but don’t limit tomorrow to eternity for that’s the ultimate life for us to live.
- We have life now
This text not only speaks to our future life but it encourages us in living for today. The sad indictment is that the pressures of life causing men and women to take their own lives to escape the stress and frustration that life brings. However, this text encourages that we live today in order to live tomorrow. We live today so that we may see a better tomorrow. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalms 23:6)”.
- We have life in the future
We not only have life today but we also have life eternally. Just imagine the actual moment when Christ will crown us with the crown of life. The crown of life will fill us with unbroken joy and rejoicing. The crown of life will bestow on us honor and glory. The crown of life will give us a deep and perfect sense of victory and triumph. The crown of life will conform us to the image of eternal royalty.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-2).
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).
“For our conversation [behavior] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Phil. 3:20-21).
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
“And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25).
The crown is the emblem of spiritual success, given by the King of the universe to those who keep their faith in the midst of suffering and temptation. Life should be taken as identifying the reward and that reward is life itself.
O the friends that now are waiting
In the cloudless realms of day
Who are calling me to follow
Where their steps have led the way
They have lead aside their armor
And their earthly course is run
They have kept the faith with patience
And their crown of life is won
The 1st chapter of James shouts for our attention with paradoxical statements. The opening sentence of this epistle says: “when you fall into trouble be glad about it (paraphrased) in verse 2 and verse 12 is no different, “A person is blessed who endures trouble”. To the human, this makes absolutely no sense at all. I’m blessed because I hung in there through the midst of trying times. I’m blessed in trouble. I’m blessed with no money in my pocket. I’m blessed when my marriage is on the brink of divorce. I’m blessed when my child was shout in a drive-by-shooting. I’m blessed after receiving a pink slip on the job. Here’s another way saying: “Am I being blessed in the midst of hardship, trials, tests, troubles, sufferings, and pain?
James, is concerned that the pressure of life does not take over the life of the Christian to instability. So to encourage them he writes paradoxical encouraging statements to provide stabilizing wisdom to hang in there in when hanging in there ain’t easy. Listen again to these statements (but listen carefully):
“Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into a lot of trials.” – v. 2
“Let the brother of lowly degree (or in humble circumstances) be elevated in due time” – v. 9
“Let the rich be humble for his stuff will perish in due time” – v. 10-11
“Blessed is the person who hangs in there” – v. 12
Translations:
Amplified: Blessed is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive, the victor’s crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
NLT: God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Phillips: The man who patiently endures the temptations and trials that come to him is truly happy. For once his testing is complete he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to all who love Him.
Msg: Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.
Here’s the C.E V (Clint’s English Version): Hang in there, God wants to bless you.
Let’s open the shell of this oyster to uncover the pearls inside. The pearls of wisdom I see in the text are:
I. The PRINCIPLES OF HANGING IN THERE
Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
How can a believer conquer trials and temptations? Answer: A person can conquer trials and temptations with…
A. The Principle of Disposition – “Blessed…”
The text starts with the word “Blessed”. An interesting word within the circumstances of the text presented before us. Blessed is the same word used in Matthew 5: 3-12 in the Be Attitudes. Blessed means to be happy. It is the ability to live independently of daily cares and worries because his every breath and situation is in the hands of God.
The Greeks in using the word “blessed” used in reference to the dead who were “the blessed ones” because they reached the place free of trials, problems, test, struggles, and strains. They also used this word to refer to the socioeconomic elite (filthy rich people). In short, the Greeks felt that one had to be either dead or filthy rich to be considered blessed. However, if we stay with the Greeks usage and meaning of the word it says we have to die or be filthy rich in order to be blessed. Now, let’s talk for a moment, I don’t want to die to be blessed although for the believer dying is a blessing to spend eternity with God. And if I have to be rich to be blessed then I’m in big trouble right about now.
Thank God, that word “blessed” as a wider meaning. John McArthur explains the word to mean happiness is a divine pronouncement, the assured benefit of those who meet the conditions God requires. Therefore, blessed is a state of existence in relationship to God in which a person is blessed from God’s perspective even when he or she doesn’t feel happy or isn’t presently experiencing good fortune. Ultimately, blessed means the state of those who believe in Christ and in so possessing God, posses everything. Being blessed means possessing the favor of God. Warren Wiersbe says: James started and ended with joy to express to the reader that OUR OUTLOOK DETERMINES OUR OUTCOME!
It’s not in the believers DNA to live defeated lives. Charles Haddon Spurgeon says: “Untested treasures may be worthless; not so with those which have endured the fire”.
Here’s what we need to understand today, you’re blessed!
- Blessed when all hell breaks loose in your life
- Blessed if you loose your job
- Blessed if your marriage is falling apart
- Blessed if you loose your job
- Blessed if the doctor gives you a bad report
- Blessed during the gossip
- Blessed during times of test, trials, troubles, and strains
- Blessed in good days and bad days
- Blessed in up and downs
- Blessed rich or poor
You’re blessed because being blessed is a state of mind that lives independently of life’s difficulties.
B. The Principle of Decision – “Blessed is the man who…”
There is a principle here in the text that I believe is vital to your survival during difficulties. Here it is: “You gotta make the decision to hang in there”. The easy decision to make is quit, give up, sit down, and totally shut down. James is a practical letter written to believers who must make decisions to live in a manner that will glorify God. Look at all the examples of Scripture of people who had to make a choice to live for God no matter what comes there way.
- Abraham had to believe God’s promise of being the father of many nations while his wife Sarah laughed at him and God
- Noah built an ark for flood he’d never seen before and warned the people for 120 years that it was going to rain
- Job lost everything in one day but declares; “Tho He slay me yet will I trust him.”
- Jeremiah wanted to quit on God but couldn’t because he says: “It’s like fire shut up my bones.”
- The three Hebrew boys would not bow to the golden image, placed in fire, but decided to stand for God in the fiery furnace.
- Daniel kept praying before, during, and after the lion’s den.
- Rahab made the decision to hide the spies until the enemy left
- Ezekiel kept preaching in the valley of dry bones until they started living again
- Jesus decided to hang on the cross; “Not my will but thy will be done”.
- Paul and Silas decided to have a prayer meeting while in the jail
Point here is beautiful to behold, hanging in there is decision you must make!
C. The Principle of Determination – “Blessed is the man who endures temptation…”
When I started studying this text, I will admit I tried to re-visit the word “endure” for some new revelation. I was looking for a rhema word from the Lord to help e understand what endurance or hanging in there meant. The discovery I found wasn’t anything new. The word endurance means exactly what says hang in there. The Greek meaning comes back to the same meaning; hang in there. Hang in there under the pressures of life. The word in the original language is really intense. To remain under the pressure is not that of remaining under trial with resignation. That means hanging is not hanging in there living defeated or like a victim. The one thing God doesn’t want us to do is live life always feeling defeated and/or sorry for yourself.
The meaning of endure or persevere is descriptive language.
- Bearing up under the trying ordeal is to be our habitual practice.
- To remain under
- Robert Louis Stevenson says it like this; “Saints are sinners who keep on going.”
- Here’s my definition of the word endure, you gotta keep pushing.
By perseverance the snail made to the ark (Charles Haddon Spurgeon). Today’s mighty oak is just yesterday’s little nut that held its ground. Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts (Coleman Cox). Though Christians be not kept altogether from falling, yet they are kept from falling altogether (William Secker)
II. The PURPOSE OF HANGING IN THERE
“…for when he has been approved…”
Why is it important for us to hang in there? What’s the purpose? Why so much talk about endurance? What’s at the end of this? I prefer to give up rather than deal with this mess?
Have you ever made statements like these are similar statements? Before you totally loose your mind this explains the purpose for enduring hardships. Here’s the purpose, “for when he has been approved”.
In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens, to stop the practice of shaving down the coins then in circulation. But some money changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money. There were men of honour who put only genuine full weighted money in circulation. Such men were called approved. It is said that we are put to the test for the purpose of being approved, and having me specifications, having the stamp of approval placed upon one.
Enduring and coming out of the test is God stamping His approval on your faith.
I remember a sermon preached by Pastor Maurice Watson, “It’s only Test. He gives an illustration of going to the doctor to his annual check up. The doctor wanted to check the strength of his heart so he placed Pastor Watson on a treadmill and explained to pastor Watson what the test entail. The doctor says; I’m going to start the treadmill and each progression is going to get faster and faster in an incline. The purpose of this test is to test your endurance. The treadmill began and pastor Watson says it was a breeze for him. He was an athlete. This was nothing for him. The doctor warned him that he was going increase the speed and incline of the treadmill. It became a fast walk. The instructed pastor Watson that the speed and incline was going to increase, his walk became a jog. The speed and incline increased and his jog become a run. The doctor says this one is going to prove your endurance. Both the speed and incline were increased to full blown. Pastor Watson describes the experience as a person running for his life of which he ultimately looked at the doctor and told to stop this thing, man, you trying to kill me.
- The purpose of hanging in there is to pull the best out of you
- The purpose of hanging in there is to glorify God: 1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV) - that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Hanging in there is for sole purpose of glorifying God.
III. The PROMISE FOR HANGING IN THERE
“…he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
What can we expect from hanging in there?
The promise of the text for those who hang in there is this the crown of life. The believer who endures the temptations of life shall be crowned with life itself, eternal life, life that will go on and on, never ending. This is living life with the hope of a better tomorrow but don’t limit tomorrow to eternity for that’s the ultimate life for us to live.
- We have life now
This text not only speaks to our future life but it encourages us in living for today. The sad indictment is that the pressures of life causing men and women to take their own lives to escape the stress and frustration that life brings. However, this text encourages that we live today in order to live tomorrow. We live today so that we may see a better tomorrow. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalms 23:6)”.
- We have life in the future
We not only have life today but we also have life eternally. Just imagine the actual moment when Christ will crown us with the crown of life. The crown of life will fill us with unbroken joy and rejoicing. The crown of life will bestow on us honor and glory. The crown of life will give us a deep and perfect sense of victory and triumph. The crown of life will conform us to the image of eternal royalty.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-2).
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).
“For our conversation [behavior] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Phil. 3:20-21).
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
“And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25).
The crown is the emblem of spiritual success, given by the King of the universe to those who keep their faith in the midst of suffering and temptation. Life should be taken as identifying the reward and that reward is life itself.
O the friends that now are waiting
In the cloudless realms of day
Who are calling me to follow
Where their steps have led the way
They have lead aside their armor
And their earthly course is run
They have kept the faith with patience
And their crown of life is won
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Man, Save Your Family
The society in which we live has neglected to teach men about their role in the home, in the church, and society. The worldly view of a man's role is that he should provide financially for his family, but we shouldn't expect him to be very engaged with home life. In spite of all our talk of feminism, we have left the job of making a home and raising the kids to the female of the household. The role of leadership, of teaching and correcting the kids has fallen to the feminine side of our society. This is both unwise and unbiblical. As a result our homes are very weak and the enemy finds it very easy to destroy our families through divorce, rebellion, addictions, molestation, and child abuse.
In a quote from Leon Podles, who wrote the book “The Church Impotent” he remarks:
“Women go to church; men go to football games. Laymen attend church activities because a wife, mother, or girlfriend has pressured them… If a man goes to church, he goes because a woman has wheedled him into what hi would normally consider unmanly behavior. But if he goes voluntarily, he suffers suspicions about his masculinity. A devastating criticism of Christianity is many men see it not only as irrelevant, but as effeminate. As one man put it, ‘life is a football game, with men fighting it out on the green, while the minister is up in the grandstands, explaining it to the ladies.’”
The tide of leadership has changed drastically in our society, homes, and churches and women have been forced into areas that God did not intend for them to be. And while this maybe true, I believe that many a men and women do not understand their God-given roles while here on earth. God bless our fathers, grand-fathers, uncles, friends, and other adults for their attempt to try and teach us as men, our roles in society. However, much of what they taught us was based on what they were taught when they were coming up along with life long experience. So we as men have been taught:
That crying is for punks.
That success of a man is based on his economic status.
That beating a woman into submission is mucho.
That our sexual activity and little black books determine our worth in life.
That the woman’s role is in the kitchen and the bedroom
That life is what we make it.
That man is the bread winner of the family.
If we hurt, we’re told to suck it up and stop crying
If we’re sick, we’re told stop whining like a big baby
If we have to much fun, we’re told you’re nothing more than a big kid
If we we’re any other color outside of black, brown, and blue, then we’re gay (Homosexual)
And the list goes on and on and on……. And it’s this teaching that we’re judged by. We’re judged by our bank account, car, house, credit, looks, success, leadership, and our sexual performance.
I can continue on talking about the confusion of a man’s sexuality heterosexual or homosexual (the down-low syndrome). I can beat us up about what we’re not doing and congratulate us on what we’re doing right. But that’s not what I want to do today in this message. We’ve been beating up enough over the years by the church and society.
I have a two-fold agenda with this message today:
To give us as men an understanding of our roles in society, in the home, and in the church. I believe the principles to be rendered here today will apply to all three areas of our lives.
To call us to repentance for missing for so long, restore us to the place of godly leadership and stability, encourage us to hang in there even when the going gets tough.
The story of Noah presents to us three (3) principles for saving our families:
I. The Reasons for Saving Our Families (Why should we save our family?)
The story starts with a tragedy, God is angry with humanity because of their immoral living. What’s such a tragedy to me in this story is that just 4 chapters earlier God says: “Let’s make man in our very image”.
Now, four (4) chapters later, God is angry with the very creation He just created. Unfortunately, I believe God’s anger with humanity started in chapter 3 when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Then Cain kills his brother Abel. Now, in chapter 6 the text opens with sexual immorality and God is angry and ready to wipe out all of humanity.
Reason 1: Save your family from worldliness – Ch. 3 and Ch. 6:1-2
- Compromising Situations: The serpent approached Eve
- Carnal People: The children of God, among whom the true religion was at first preserved, corrupt it by forming matrimonial connections with irreligious women.
Reason 2: Save your family from the wrath of God – Ch. 6:3, 6, 7
Reason 3: Save your family from you – Ch 6: 5
II. The Requirements for Saving Our Families (Seeks to answer the question: What does it take to save our Family?)
a. Be Different – Ch. 6:8-12
b. Be Ready to be used by God – Ch. 6:13-20
c. Be a Provider – Ch 6:21
d. Be Obedient to God – Ch. 6:22
III. The Reward of Saving Our Families (Seeks to answer the question: What should we expect from saving our family?)
A. God’s Protection – Ch 7:1-24
B. God’s Provisions – Ch 8:19
C. God’s Blessings – Ch 9:1
In a quote from Leon Podles, who wrote the book “The Church Impotent” he remarks:
“Women go to church; men go to football games. Laymen attend church activities because a wife, mother, or girlfriend has pressured them… If a man goes to church, he goes because a woman has wheedled him into what hi would normally consider unmanly behavior. But if he goes voluntarily, he suffers suspicions about his masculinity. A devastating criticism of Christianity is many men see it not only as irrelevant, but as effeminate. As one man put it, ‘life is a football game, with men fighting it out on the green, while the minister is up in the grandstands, explaining it to the ladies.’”
The tide of leadership has changed drastically in our society, homes, and churches and women have been forced into areas that God did not intend for them to be. And while this maybe true, I believe that many a men and women do not understand their God-given roles while here on earth. God bless our fathers, grand-fathers, uncles, friends, and other adults for their attempt to try and teach us as men, our roles in society. However, much of what they taught us was based on what they were taught when they were coming up along with life long experience. So we as men have been taught:
That crying is for punks.
That success of a man is based on his economic status.
That beating a woman into submission is mucho.
That our sexual activity and little black books determine our worth in life.
That the woman’s role is in the kitchen and the bedroom
That life is what we make it.
That man is the bread winner of the family.
If we hurt, we’re told to suck it up and stop crying
If we’re sick, we’re told stop whining like a big baby
If we have to much fun, we’re told you’re nothing more than a big kid
If we we’re any other color outside of black, brown, and blue, then we’re gay (Homosexual)
And the list goes on and on and on……. And it’s this teaching that we’re judged by. We’re judged by our bank account, car, house, credit, looks, success, leadership, and our sexual performance.
I can continue on talking about the confusion of a man’s sexuality heterosexual or homosexual (the down-low syndrome). I can beat us up about what we’re not doing and congratulate us on what we’re doing right. But that’s not what I want to do today in this message. We’ve been beating up enough over the years by the church and society.
I have a two-fold agenda with this message today:
To give us as men an understanding of our roles in society, in the home, and in the church. I believe the principles to be rendered here today will apply to all three areas of our lives.
To call us to repentance for missing for so long, restore us to the place of godly leadership and stability, encourage us to hang in there even when the going gets tough.
The story of Noah presents to us three (3) principles for saving our families:
I. The Reasons for Saving Our Families (Why should we save our family?)
The story starts with a tragedy, God is angry with humanity because of their immoral living. What’s such a tragedy to me in this story is that just 4 chapters earlier God says: “Let’s make man in our very image”.
Now, four (4) chapters later, God is angry with the very creation He just created. Unfortunately, I believe God’s anger with humanity started in chapter 3 when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Then Cain kills his brother Abel. Now, in chapter 6 the text opens with sexual immorality and God is angry and ready to wipe out all of humanity.
Reason 1: Save your family from worldliness – Ch. 3 and Ch. 6:1-2
- Compromising Situations: The serpent approached Eve
- Carnal People: The children of God, among whom the true religion was at first preserved, corrupt it by forming matrimonial connections with irreligious women.
Reason 2: Save your family from the wrath of God – Ch. 6:3, 6, 7
Reason 3: Save your family from you – Ch 6: 5
II. The Requirements for Saving Our Families (Seeks to answer the question: What does it take to save our Family?)
a. Be Different – Ch. 6:8-12
b. Be Ready to be used by God – Ch. 6:13-20
c. Be a Provider – Ch 6:21
d. Be Obedient to God – Ch. 6:22
III. The Reward of Saving Our Families (Seeks to answer the question: What should we expect from saving our family?)
A. God’s Protection – Ch 7:1-24
B. God’s Provisions – Ch 8:19
C. God’s Blessings – Ch 9:1
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Goal Of Life's Tests - James 1:1-4
As a brief introduction to James, let me say, I think we've made Christian living entirely too complicated. We’ve placed religious rules, traditions, philosophical opinions, by-laws, church attendance, religious practices, and Robert Rules of Order as a potential gauge for measuring a person’s and/or our own spiritual growth. As well, we use our spiritual maturity to measure someone else’s growth. If they don’t do it like we do then they have not grown in Christ.
Accountability is no longer accountability for the sake of helping each other become more Christ-like. Accountability has now become a judging match between 2 people that eventually creates fights and quarrels (James 4:1). Let me caution you to be careful judging someone else’s development against yours for when you place your supposed maturity next to the holiness of God you will discover you still have a little more growing to do.In addition, we allow supernatural events to be our gauge for measuring our spiritual growth. The more of the "supernatural" (whatever that means to you) we experience the more we feel we have grown in Christ. So, being healed physically, financial prosperity, near death experiences, and so many others, we assume, are valid experiences and expressions to measure our spiritual growth. This letter teaches that Christian living is practical and doable. The measurement for spiritual maturity rest in practical Christian living day-by-day. James writes; “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything (NLT)”.We’ve all asked this question (or ones similar); “Am I growing as a Christian?” But when you ask this question what type of answer are you expecting? Are you expecting a heavenly voice to trumpet down and say; “This is my son/daughter in whom I am well pleased?” Are you looking for others to validate your spiritual maturity with a word of congratulations? Are you living a false spiritual maturity that on the outside says “I have everything together” but on the end side you’re just as sinful as you can be?Whatever the case, I believe the only real measurement for spiritual development is in areas of daily living disciplines.
The letter of James shows us practical daily disciplines as a means to measure our spiritual development. I want to outline the book of James in question form to help each us look at our spiritual development in a different light.* How do you respond to the struggles of life? James 1:1-4* What is your process for making decisions? James 1:5-8* What is your financial goal in life, to be rich or honor God? James 1:9-12* Do you own up to your mistakes? James 1:13-16* How do you view God’s blessings? James 1:17* Are you a quick tempered person? James 1:18-20* Are you honest with yourself about your spiritual development? James 1:21-27* Do you show favoritism? James 2:1-17* Do you trust God at all cost with everything? James 2:18-26* Can you control your tongue (WOW, this will show who’s growing)? James 3:1-12* Are you a selfish person? James 3:13-18* Do you like to fight? James 4:1-10* Do you respect other people? James 4:11-12* Are you impatient? James 4:13-17* What’s your focus here on earth, temporal satisfaction or eternal security? James 5:1-11* Are you an indecisive person? James 5:12* How is your prayer life? James 5:13-20* Can you be trusted? James 5:16* Do you believe God to do what you’ve requested? James 5:17-18* Are you on speaking terms with God? James 5:19-20Will we ever reach spiritual maturity at it’s best? I don’t know but we can try our best.
James wastes no time getting to his imperatives: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). Has James lost his senses? He is writing to beat-up brothers and sisters and he says, “Consider it pure joy,” or as the NEB says, “count yourselves supremely happy.” How nice . . . a letter of encouragement from Pastor Whacko! “Don’t worry . . . be happy!” Then and now James’ command to “Consider it pure joy . . . whenever you face trials of many kinds” sounds irrational! Put this verse on a sign next to the expressway and it would appear to be the work of a crazed fanatic. Indeed, to any culture (including ours) determined to insulate itself from trials, even from discomforts, this sounds crazy. Tragically, it even seems irrational to many who identify with Christianity.
The first practical evidence of daily Christian living is our response to life’s tests. Let’s be honest, life has a way of pulling the worse out of us. Some people respond cussing, fighting, drinking, gambling, immorality, adultery, drugs, stop coming to church, stop praying, stop reading the Word of God, no fellowship with other believers, we go in our shells and dare someone to knock on door to get us out. Here’s what we need to understand about life:
- No one is exempt from trouble
- Life is filled with difficult days
- Life is filled with difficult people
- Life will inevitably put you in unpleasant situations
- Life has its disappointments
The point is this, it is a misconception to think that just because you’re a Christian that life will take it easy on you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen that way. Yet while we have to face trials, tests, temptations, and tribulations, you can control how you respond to the difficulties of life.
Listen to James’ instruction, again:
James 1:2-4 (NIV)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 (NRSV)
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; [4] and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 (Msg)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. [3] You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. [4] So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
These verses teaches us three (3) practical principles regarding how to profit from trials:
I. Respond with JOY – v. 2
What does James’ command really mean? In answer, we must first understand what it does not mean. James is not ordering all-encompassing joyful emotion during severe trials; nor is he demanding that his readers must enjoy their trials, or that trials are joy. He knew, as did the writer of Hebrews, that “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful” (Hebrews 12:11).
James was not commanding that we exult upon hearing that our career position has been given to our secretary, or that the neighbor’s children have leukemia, or that one’s spouse is adulterous. Rather, James is commending the conscious embrace of a Christian understanding of life which brings joy into the trials that come because of our Christianity. James says, “Consider it pure joy,” which means to make a deliberate and careful decision to experience joy even in times of trouble. Is this possible? Yes. Paul told the Corinthian church, “in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds” (2 Cor. 7:4). Luke reports that the Sanhedrin “called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:40, 41). Later, Luke tells us, Paul and Silas, having been severely flogged and being in intense pain, were in prison, and “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). Their concert so pleased God that he brought down the house! This apostolic experience is still the experience of the church today.
Several years ago the Presbyterian pastor Lloyd John Ogilvie underwent the worst year of his life. His wife had undergone five major surgeries, plus radiation and chemotherapy, several of his staff members had departed, large problems loomed, and discouragement assaulted his feelings. But he wrote,
The greatest discovery that I have made in the midst of all the difficulties is that I can have joy when I can’t feel like it—artesian joy. When I had every reason to feel beaten, I felt joy. In spite of everything, [God] gave me the conviction of being loved and the certainty that nothing could separate me from him. It was not happiness, gush, or jolliness but a constant flow of the Spirit through me. At no time did he give me the easy confidence that everything would work out as I wanted it on my timetable, but that he was in charge and would give me and my family enough courage for each day: grace. Joy is always the result of that.6
James did not say, “Consider it pure joy if you face trials” but “whenever.” Such trials are a part of every believer’s life. We are to thoughtfully find joy in our own diaspora experiences — when we feel alienated, disenfranchised, unpopular, even when difficulty and tragedy come our way which have no apparent connection with our Christianity. Such joy may seem irrational, but in Christ it is perfectly rational.
II. Respond with ENDURANCE – v. 3-4a
The rationale for such joy comes from knowing that the various trials we face have spiritual value. James says there is a two-step process through which our trials elevate us.
The first step is to understand that “the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:3) Elaboration on what is meant by perseverance will unlock rich truth. J. H. Ropes renders this “staying power.”7 Martin Dibelius calls it “heroic endurance.”8 And the NEB translates this as “fortitude.” James is talking about toughness — “the testing of your faith produces toughness.”
Here is how this works: we develop toughness or fortitude by repeatedly being tested and prevailing. The more tests we pass, the tougher we become. As a boxer engages in bout after bout, he toughens and becomes wiser and stronger. After a time he develops such fortitude, perseverance and staying power that he can take on the best. There is no way a fighter, or any of us, can develop toughness without testing! The endurance and fortitude of the Apostle Paul or William Carey or Corrie ten Boom did not come overnight and did not come apart from trials. Paul, in Romans 5:3, confirms this truth: “but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.”
Nature teaches us the same principle. Free a butterfly from its chrysalis, and thus from the struggle of liberating itself, and you destroy its life, for it will never develop the strength to soar as it should. When fortitude is lacking in one of God’s children, he has a time-tested remedy — “the testing of your faith.” With this in mind, James’ irrational call — “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” — becomes brilliant.
III. Respond with the GOAL IN MIND – v. 4b
The rationale becomes even clearer when we observe the second step: perseverance produces maturity. “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4). Spiritual perseverance or toughness produces a dynamic maturity. “Mature” refers to a personality which has reached its full development. Regarding the corresponding synonym “complete,” Peter Davids explains: “Perfection is not just a maturing of character, but a rounding out as more and more ‘parts’ of the righteous character are added.”9Thus, maturity is a dynamic state in which a thousand parts of us are honed, shaped, tempered and brought together, making a dynamic wholeness.
It is commonly taught that trials bring maturity, but it is not so. Rather, fortitude and perseverance in times of testings produce maturity. In troubled times we must practice spiritual toughness. As we endure “trials of many kinds” — economic stress, disappointments, criticisms, domestic pressures, persecution for our faith, illnesses — the multiple facets of our being are touched with grace. Dick Seume wrote beautifully about this:
Life on earth would not be worth much if every source of irritation were removed. Yet most of us rebel against the things that irritate us, and count as heavy loss what ought to be rich gain. We are told that the oyster is wiser; that when an irritating object, like a bit of sand, gets under the “mantle” of his shell, he simply covers it with the most precious part of his being and makes of it a pearl. The irritation that it was causing is stopped by encrusting it with the pearly formation. A true pearl is therefore simply a victory over irritation. Every irritation that gets into our lives today is an opportunity for pearl culture. The more irritations the devil flings at us, the more pearls we may have. We need only to welcome them and cover them completely with love, that most precious part of us, and the irritation will be smothered out as the pearl comes into being. What a store of pearls we may have, if we will!10
The key to a graced life, pearl-tipped facets of personality, and thus full maturity is constancy, tenacity, perseverance. Spiritual toughness is the key to saintliness!
The idea that when we “get it all together” our trials will lessen is a falsehood. Paul told Timothy the truth: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). Life will always be full of testings for the true Christian. We must not imagine they will lessen with time — say, less trials at thirty-five than twenty-five, or at forty-five than thirty-five, or at fifty-five than forty-five, or at sixty-five than fifty-five, or at seventy-five than sixty-five. Trials are not a sign of God’s displeasure but are opportunities to persevere in the Lord.
James commands the irrational: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Is this crazy talk — pious prattle? Not when we embrace the double rationale:
1) Testing brings spiritual toughness — “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:3). When we, by God’s grace, tough it out, our entire person becomes pearly.
2) Toughness brings a dynamic maturity — “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4).
When God wants to drill a man
And thrill a man
And skill a man,
When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses
And with every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out —
God knows what He’s about!11
Such logic makes the command rational and supremely sane: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” James calls for a decisive act — to consider our troubles opportunities for joy and endurance. May we in prayer so acknowledge today and in days to come!
Through It All
I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,
there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consulation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.
I've been to lots of places,
I've seen a lot of faces,
there's been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do.
Accountability is no longer accountability for the sake of helping each other become more Christ-like. Accountability has now become a judging match between 2 people that eventually creates fights and quarrels (James 4:1). Let me caution you to be careful judging someone else’s development against yours for when you place your supposed maturity next to the holiness of God you will discover you still have a little more growing to do.In addition, we allow supernatural events to be our gauge for measuring our spiritual growth. The more of the "supernatural" (whatever that means to you) we experience the more we feel we have grown in Christ. So, being healed physically, financial prosperity, near death experiences, and so many others, we assume, are valid experiences and expressions to measure our spiritual growth. This letter teaches that Christian living is practical and doable. The measurement for spiritual maturity rest in practical Christian living day-by-day. James writes; “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything (NLT)”.We’ve all asked this question (or ones similar); “Am I growing as a Christian?” But when you ask this question what type of answer are you expecting? Are you expecting a heavenly voice to trumpet down and say; “This is my son/daughter in whom I am well pleased?” Are you looking for others to validate your spiritual maturity with a word of congratulations? Are you living a false spiritual maturity that on the outside says “I have everything together” but on the end side you’re just as sinful as you can be?Whatever the case, I believe the only real measurement for spiritual development is in areas of daily living disciplines.
The letter of James shows us practical daily disciplines as a means to measure our spiritual development. I want to outline the book of James in question form to help each us look at our spiritual development in a different light.* How do you respond to the struggles of life? James 1:1-4* What is your process for making decisions? James 1:5-8* What is your financial goal in life, to be rich or honor God? James 1:9-12* Do you own up to your mistakes? James 1:13-16* How do you view God’s blessings? James 1:17* Are you a quick tempered person? James 1:18-20* Are you honest with yourself about your spiritual development? James 1:21-27* Do you show favoritism? James 2:1-17* Do you trust God at all cost with everything? James 2:18-26* Can you control your tongue (WOW, this will show who’s growing)? James 3:1-12* Are you a selfish person? James 3:13-18* Do you like to fight? James 4:1-10* Do you respect other people? James 4:11-12* Are you impatient? James 4:13-17* What’s your focus here on earth, temporal satisfaction or eternal security? James 5:1-11* Are you an indecisive person? James 5:12* How is your prayer life? James 5:13-20* Can you be trusted? James 5:16* Do you believe God to do what you’ve requested? James 5:17-18* Are you on speaking terms with God? James 5:19-20Will we ever reach spiritual maturity at it’s best? I don’t know but we can try our best.
James wastes no time getting to his imperatives: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). Has James lost his senses? He is writing to beat-up brothers and sisters and he says, “Consider it pure joy,” or as the NEB says, “count yourselves supremely happy.” How nice . . . a letter of encouragement from Pastor Whacko! “Don’t worry . . . be happy!” Then and now James’ command to “Consider it pure joy . . . whenever you face trials of many kinds” sounds irrational! Put this verse on a sign next to the expressway and it would appear to be the work of a crazed fanatic. Indeed, to any culture (including ours) determined to insulate itself from trials, even from discomforts, this sounds crazy. Tragically, it even seems irrational to many who identify with Christianity.
The first practical evidence of daily Christian living is our response to life’s tests. Let’s be honest, life has a way of pulling the worse out of us. Some people respond cussing, fighting, drinking, gambling, immorality, adultery, drugs, stop coming to church, stop praying, stop reading the Word of God, no fellowship with other believers, we go in our shells and dare someone to knock on door to get us out. Here’s what we need to understand about life:
- No one is exempt from trouble
- Life is filled with difficult days
- Life is filled with difficult people
- Life will inevitably put you in unpleasant situations
- Life has its disappointments
The point is this, it is a misconception to think that just because you’re a Christian that life will take it easy on you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen that way. Yet while we have to face trials, tests, temptations, and tribulations, you can control how you respond to the difficulties of life.
Listen to James’ instruction, again:
James 1:2-4 (NIV)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 (NRSV)
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; [4] and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 (Msg)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. [3] You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. [4] So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
These verses teaches us three (3) practical principles regarding how to profit from trials:
I. Respond with JOY – v. 2
What does James’ command really mean? In answer, we must first understand what it does not mean. James is not ordering all-encompassing joyful emotion during severe trials; nor is he demanding that his readers must enjoy their trials, or that trials are joy. He knew, as did the writer of Hebrews, that “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful” (Hebrews 12:11).
James was not commanding that we exult upon hearing that our career position has been given to our secretary, or that the neighbor’s children have leukemia, or that one’s spouse is adulterous. Rather, James is commending the conscious embrace of a Christian understanding of life which brings joy into the trials that come because of our Christianity. James says, “Consider it pure joy,” which means to make a deliberate and careful decision to experience joy even in times of trouble. Is this possible? Yes. Paul told the Corinthian church, “in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds” (2 Cor. 7:4). Luke reports that the Sanhedrin “called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:40, 41). Later, Luke tells us, Paul and Silas, having been severely flogged and being in intense pain, were in prison, and “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). Their concert so pleased God that he brought down the house! This apostolic experience is still the experience of the church today.
Several years ago the Presbyterian pastor Lloyd John Ogilvie underwent the worst year of his life. His wife had undergone five major surgeries, plus radiation and chemotherapy, several of his staff members had departed, large problems loomed, and discouragement assaulted his feelings. But he wrote,
The greatest discovery that I have made in the midst of all the difficulties is that I can have joy when I can’t feel like it—artesian joy. When I had every reason to feel beaten, I felt joy. In spite of everything, [God] gave me the conviction of being loved and the certainty that nothing could separate me from him. It was not happiness, gush, or jolliness but a constant flow of the Spirit through me. At no time did he give me the easy confidence that everything would work out as I wanted it on my timetable, but that he was in charge and would give me and my family enough courage for each day: grace. Joy is always the result of that.6
James did not say, “Consider it pure joy if you face trials” but “whenever.” Such trials are a part of every believer’s life. We are to thoughtfully find joy in our own diaspora experiences — when we feel alienated, disenfranchised, unpopular, even when difficulty and tragedy come our way which have no apparent connection with our Christianity. Such joy may seem irrational, but in Christ it is perfectly rational.
II. Respond with ENDURANCE – v. 3-4a
The rationale for such joy comes from knowing that the various trials we face have spiritual value. James says there is a two-step process through which our trials elevate us.
The first step is to understand that “the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:3) Elaboration on what is meant by perseverance will unlock rich truth. J. H. Ropes renders this “staying power.”7 Martin Dibelius calls it “heroic endurance.”8 And the NEB translates this as “fortitude.” James is talking about toughness — “the testing of your faith produces toughness.”
Here is how this works: we develop toughness or fortitude by repeatedly being tested and prevailing. The more tests we pass, the tougher we become. As a boxer engages in bout after bout, he toughens and becomes wiser and stronger. After a time he develops such fortitude, perseverance and staying power that he can take on the best. There is no way a fighter, or any of us, can develop toughness without testing! The endurance and fortitude of the Apostle Paul or William Carey or Corrie ten Boom did not come overnight and did not come apart from trials. Paul, in Romans 5:3, confirms this truth: “but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.”
Nature teaches us the same principle. Free a butterfly from its chrysalis, and thus from the struggle of liberating itself, and you destroy its life, for it will never develop the strength to soar as it should. When fortitude is lacking in one of God’s children, he has a time-tested remedy — “the testing of your faith.” With this in mind, James’ irrational call — “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” — becomes brilliant.
III. Respond with the GOAL IN MIND – v. 4b
The rationale becomes even clearer when we observe the second step: perseverance produces maturity. “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4). Spiritual perseverance or toughness produces a dynamic maturity. “Mature” refers to a personality which has reached its full development. Regarding the corresponding synonym “complete,” Peter Davids explains: “Perfection is not just a maturing of character, but a rounding out as more and more ‘parts’ of the righteous character are added.”9Thus, maturity is a dynamic state in which a thousand parts of us are honed, shaped, tempered and brought together, making a dynamic wholeness.
It is commonly taught that trials bring maturity, but it is not so. Rather, fortitude and perseverance in times of testings produce maturity. In troubled times we must practice spiritual toughness. As we endure “trials of many kinds” — economic stress, disappointments, criticisms, domestic pressures, persecution for our faith, illnesses — the multiple facets of our being are touched with grace. Dick Seume wrote beautifully about this:
Life on earth would not be worth much if every source of irritation were removed. Yet most of us rebel against the things that irritate us, and count as heavy loss what ought to be rich gain. We are told that the oyster is wiser; that when an irritating object, like a bit of sand, gets under the “mantle” of his shell, he simply covers it with the most precious part of his being and makes of it a pearl. The irritation that it was causing is stopped by encrusting it with the pearly formation. A true pearl is therefore simply a victory over irritation. Every irritation that gets into our lives today is an opportunity for pearl culture. The more irritations the devil flings at us, the more pearls we may have. We need only to welcome them and cover them completely with love, that most precious part of us, and the irritation will be smothered out as the pearl comes into being. What a store of pearls we may have, if we will!10
The key to a graced life, pearl-tipped facets of personality, and thus full maturity is constancy, tenacity, perseverance. Spiritual toughness is the key to saintliness!
The idea that when we “get it all together” our trials will lessen is a falsehood. Paul told Timothy the truth: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). Life will always be full of testings for the true Christian. We must not imagine they will lessen with time — say, less trials at thirty-five than twenty-five, or at forty-five than thirty-five, or at fifty-five than forty-five, or at sixty-five than fifty-five, or at seventy-five than sixty-five. Trials are not a sign of God’s displeasure but are opportunities to persevere in the Lord.
James commands the irrational: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Is this crazy talk — pious prattle? Not when we embrace the double rationale:
1) Testing brings spiritual toughness — “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:3). When we, by God’s grace, tough it out, our entire person becomes pearly.
2) Toughness brings a dynamic maturity — “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4).
When God wants to drill a man
And thrill a man
And skill a man,
When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses
And with every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out —
God knows what He’s about!11
Such logic makes the command rational and supremely sane: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” James calls for a decisive act — to consider our troubles opportunities for joy and endurance. May we in prayer so acknowledge today and in days to come!
Through It All
I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,
there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consulation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.
I've been to lots of places,
I've seen a lot of faces,
there's been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
I Can Rest Peacefully" Manuscript
Series: The God of Our Trust
Jehovah-Roi – God, Our Shepherd
Mini-Series: Trusting God Our Shepherd
(An Exposition of Psalms 23)
“I can rest peacrfully”
Psalms 23:2a – “He makes lie down in green pastures”
The testimony of David is powerful. Verse 1 sets the tone for the rest of this precious Psalms; “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not. After verse 1, David begins to outline for us the loving care of the shepherd.
The beauty of the Psalms is that David communicates to us through his personal testimony some guaranteed promises for the sheep. David says now that I’ve declared my satisfaction in the Shepherd, now, let me tell you why I’m satisfied. The first guarantee for every believer is this; “He makes me to lie down in green pastures”.
What a word of comfort and encouragement, especially, in times in a world filled with so much unrest.
In 1933 Gerhard Von Rad aptly observed that among the many benefits of redemption offered to man by Scripture, that of rest has been overlooked in biblical theology.
Not only has rest been overlooked in biblical theology but it is overlooked in personal practice. Many people survive off 4-6 hours of rest on a daily basis. Many people search for peaceful rest through Nyquil, alcohol, drugs, sleeping pills, tea, and Thera-flu, only to discover a lack of refreshment the next morning.
The tragedy of Michael Jackson’s life is that he left too soon trying to find rest in prescription drugs that ultimately took his life. His story was tragic but many of us still look for rest in all the wrong places.
Restlessness, stain, toil, the daily grind, anxiety, worry, nervousness, tension, and distress zap our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual vitality.
Restlessness results in physical, emotional, and spiritual burnout. Have you ever been so exhausted that mentally you can’t think straight, physically, you couldn’t find the right position to sleep right, and spiritually, you couldn’t hear the voice of God clearly? Restlessness causes you to make the wrong decisions in life. Restlessness makes a person mean and evil. Restlessness causes ineffectiveness in life’s responsibilities. Restlessness causes short-temperedness. Restlessness causes a person to be un-productive.
I think you get the picture now…
However, what we must remember, realize, recognize, and understand is that apart from God no one can nor will find peaceful rest. Rest is freedom from work, toil, strain, or activity. Rest is the cessation of motion or action of any kind, and applicable to any body or being, rest from labor, rest from mental exertion or rest of body or mind. Rest is freedom from anxiety or disturbance. To rest is to dispose oneself at ease in order to relieve or avoid fatigue.
In a spiritual sense, rest means to cease from one’s work as a way of release from life’s strains and toils. The only way to experience spiritual rest is through the rest that only Christ, our Shepherd, can provide.
Understanding the significance of rest is to understand the character of sheep. Sheep are needy creatures who don’t know how to care for themselves. So much so that David praises God for being able to provide rest for all of us who are restless.
John Walvoord writes that...
"Sheep are utterly dependent upon the shepherd for almost everything pertaining to their well-being. Only as sheep are willing to follow Christ will they find their complete spiritual needs supplied.
Green pastures and quiet waters are mentioned first because they are priority needs of the sheep if they are to survive and grow. The idea here is "He makes me rest".
The 1st guaranteed provisional care of the shepherd is communicated to us today to place our trust in the Shepherd for the rest of our lives, why, because;
Only God, our Shepherd, can give you complete and peaceful rest!
Let’s pull back the covers on this text to discover the provision of rest provided to us by the Shepherd of our souls:
I. The Sovereignty of God’s Rest
I struggled with this text, somewhat, because of the words, “He makes me…”
I questioned the statement trying to understand what it means to say “He makes me to lie down in green pastures”. Does God force us to lay down like an angry parent? Does He hold us tight and shake us hard to make us go to sleep?
Has a little a boy I remember an occasion of “She made me to lie down in the bed”.
I grew up in a house with 4 boys and 1 sister. You can just about imagine the chaos our house had each and every day. My sister is the youngest, so she and my younger brother got away with murder. My other two brothers and myself were always in trouble. I’ll never forget, we were in the house being mischievous, playing with matches. It was in the middle of the day and we decided to setup camp in the living room of our house. We got blankets and sticks to make a tent. We got sleeping bags to place in the tent. We got food, hot dogs and marshmallows, to place in the tent. We made homemade lemonade to drink. We were ready for our in-house camping trip in the living room. One problem, we can’t have a camping trip with a camp fire to roast our hot dogs and marshmallows.
We got a plastic trashcan, filled it with paper, lit a match, and there was our fire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs. When the hot dogs started to cook real good the hot dogs began to release oily juices igniting our fire to a greater temperature. In addition to this fire we created was the fiery presence of our mother who got home earlier than normal this particular day. She called and said she was on her home and all of our chores better be done or we couldn’t go outside. We put out the fire, broke down our campground, and started spraying air freshener all through the house to get rid of the smoke smell.
When she got home, before entering the house, she yelled; “Who’s been in here playing with fire?” We all got quiete and wouldn’t say a word. We learned that it really didn’t matter who did it because all of us were going to get it anyway. And sure enough the instructions were given to get the belt and we got our spanking followed by these words, “Got to bed and don’t come out until I wake you up!”
I wonder is that what David meant when he says “He makes me lie to down in green pastures”. I don’t know but there is a level of Sovereignty involved in our resting times. Here’s the point: God controls our times of rest, either voluntary or involuntary. His sovereign control of our resting times are seen:
- Through the Implementation of the Sabbath – Genesis 2:1-3 “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. [2] And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. [3] Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”
Exodus 20:8-11: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. [11] For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
I don’t have time to go through fully all ramifications behind the Sabbath so let me quickly give you the interpretation scripture is tailored to teach us about the importance of the Sabbath:
“Rest is important to God, take time to rest!”
- Through the invitation of Christ – Matthew 11:25-30
Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
- Through the Inclination of our Bodies – In a more practical explanation of the text, here’s the point, our bodies need to rest and often times will shut down for mandatory rest. Many people feel guilty for resting. They fell unproductive because they laid around and did nothing. However, there’s a practical theological principle worth noting here; It’s ok to be lazy sometimes!
II. The Surety of Given Rest
Point: God assures us of permanent rest through salvation
A cross reference to this phrase is Hebrews chapter 3 & 4 which speaks of rest in the three (3) tense of salvation: past, present, and future rest.
A. Salvation Rest - Hbr 3:7-11; 18 – 4:1-2 - Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, "do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, "where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works "for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways. "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'"… And to whom did he swear Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
God saves you to rest!
Salvation rest is associated with placing one’s faith in Christ. In the text of this thesis written by the unknown writer of Hebrews, it appears to the primary meaning, that is, of coming to Jesus by faith and entering His rest where self effort is replaced by initiated and empowered effort.
Warren Wiersbe offers the following interpretation of the concept of rest in Hebrews 3 & 4:
Spiritual rest is found in Jesus Christ when we surrender to Him. When we come to Christ be faith, we find salvation rest. When we yield and learn of Him and obey Him by faith, we enjoy rest. The first is peace with God (Romans 5:1) and the second is peace of God (Phil. 4:6). It is by believing that we enter into rest (Hebrews 4:3).
B. Sanctified Rest - Hbr 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hbr 4:4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." Hbr 4:5 And again in this passage he said, "They shall not enter my rest." Hbr 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hbr 4:4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." Hbr 4:5 And again in this passage he said, "They shall not enter my rest."
God sanctifies us for continued rest!
Sanctified rest is for believers who are living their Christian life in the power of the Spirit by keeping short account, and thus experiencing peace of God. Ray Stedman in his sermon; “The Rest Obtained Is New Creation Rest”, says; “Those who have entered salvation rest be faith have experienced breakdown in their Christianity under the pressures of stress and/or responsibility because they try to work out their salvation in their own power. Sanctified rest allows the believer to rest in the power of God’s grace that works best in our weakness.
C. Glorified Rest - Hbr 4:11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
God glorifies us unto permanent rest
We don’t have to go far to see glorified rest because verse 6 of Psalms 23 says; “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”.
Glorified rest is a reward of the believer’s labor for the Lord. Paul says; “I’ve fought the good fight, I kept the faith, now is laid up for me crown in glory”. Praise that we may not experience full satisfaction in rest down here but soon and very soon we will experience rest everlasting when we see Jesus in heaven.
III. The Sufficiency of Green Pastures
What are the "green pastures"? Although, we cannot be dogmatic, surely this picture includes the nourishment found in the Word of God (cf Jer 15:16 ) which alone satisfies the Good Shepherd's flock. As the Good Shepherd of the sheep He meets every need of His flock (Php 4:19note), and there is no want to those who trust him. When we follow the Shepherd closely, His will and desires will become our will and desires. We can trust the Good Shepherd to be consistent with His own nature. As someone has well said, the "Secret" of growing in grace is to be like a sheep & to FILL UP, LIE DOWN & RUMINATE (Meditate) A hungry, ill fed sheep is ever on its feet, on the move, searching for another scanty mouthful of forage to try and satisfy its gnawing hunger. Such sheep are not contented, do not thrive & are no use to themselves nor to their owners. They languish and lack vigor and vitality. Can we not see the clear spiritual application? ARE YOU RESTING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SHEPHERD OR RESTLESS BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GREENER PASTURES of INFERIOR FORAGE?
Point: God provides peaceful rest through His Word
Say what you want about sheep as being dumb and stupid, there is one characteristic of sheep that we must give them credit for; “When led to green pastures, at least, they have sense enough to nibble unto their bellies are full”.
Many believers are spiritually hungry and can’t rest because they refuse to nibble on the green pastures of God’s word.
The green pastures of a rural beauty expands before us. We see a happy flock resting in calm quietness in fields rich in luxuriant plenty; we see them guided to meadows through which refreshing streams glide tranquility. The scene is perfect and nothing disturbs the calm enjoyment.
The believer’s soul is secure from all alarms, peaceful in knowledge of the Lord’s protection, feasting on the rich provision of God’s word, regaled with sustaining promises, nurtured by the Spirit’s rich supplies, reposing under the shadow of the cross, drinking the cooling streams of scriptural teaching. How ample is this sweet provision?
Laying down in green pastures is resting in God’s word that provides all we need to rest in life’s difficulties.
Jehovah-Roi – God, Our Shepherd
Mini-Series: Trusting God Our Shepherd
(An Exposition of Psalms 23)
“I can rest peacrfully”
Psalms 23:2a – “He makes lie down in green pastures”
The testimony of David is powerful. Verse 1 sets the tone for the rest of this precious Psalms; “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not. After verse 1, David begins to outline for us the loving care of the shepherd.
The beauty of the Psalms is that David communicates to us through his personal testimony some guaranteed promises for the sheep. David says now that I’ve declared my satisfaction in the Shepherd, now, let me tell you why I’m satisfied. The first guarantee for every believer is this; “He makes me to lie down in green pastures”.
What a word of comfort and encouragement, especially, in times in a world filled with so much unrest.
In 1933 Gerhard Von Rad aptly observed that among the many benefits of redemption offered to man by Scripture, that of rest has been overlooked in biblical theology.
Not only has rest been overlooked in biblical theology but it is overlooked in personal practice. Many people survive off 4-6 hours of rest on a daily basis. Many people search for peaceful rest through Nyquil, alcohol, drugs, sleeping pills, tea, and Thera-flu, only to discover a lack of refreshment the next morning.
The tragedy of Michael Jackson’s life is that he left too soon trying to find rest in prescription drugs that ultimately took his life. His story was tragic but many of us still look for rest in all the wrong places.
Restlessness, stain, toil, the daily grind, anxiety, worry, nervousness, tension, and distress zap our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual vitality.
Restlessness results in physical, emotional, and spiritual burnout. Have you ever been so exhausted that mentally you can’t think straight, physically, you couldn’t find the right position to sleep right, and spiritually, you couldn’t hear the voice of God clearly? Restlessness causes you to make the wrong decisions in life. Restlessness makes a person mean and evil. Restlessness causes ineffectiveness in life’s responsibilities. Restlessness causes short-temperedness. Restlessness causes a person to be un-productive.
I think you get the picture now…
However, what we must remember, realize, recognize, and understand is that apart from God no one can nor will find peaceful rest. Rest is freedom from work, toil, strain, or activity. Rest is the cessation of motion or action of any kind, and applicable to any body or being, rest from labor, rest from mental exertion or rest of body or mind. Rest is freedom from anxiety or disturbance. To rest is to dispose oneself at ease in order to relieve or avoid fatigue.
In a spiritual sense, rest means to cease from one’s work as a way of release from life’s strains and toils. The only way to experience spiritual rest is through the rest that only Christ, our Shepherd, can provide.
Understanding the significance of rest is to understand the character of sheep. Sheep are needy creatures who don’t know how to care for themselves. So much so that David praises God for being able to provide rest for all of us who are restless.
John Walvoord writes that...
"Sheep are utterly dependent upon the shepherd for almost everything pertaining to their well-being. Only as sheep are willing to follow Christ will they find their complete spiritual needs supplied.
Green pastures and quiet waters are mentioned first because they are priority needs of the sheep if they are to survive and grow. The idea here is "He makes me rest".
The 1st guaranteed provisional care of the shepherd is communicated to us today to place our trust in the Shepherd for the rest of our lives, why, because;
Only God, our Shepherd, can give you complete and peaceful rest!
Let’s pull back the covers on this text to discover the provision of rest provided to us by the Shepherd of our souls:
I. The Sovereignty of God’s Rest
I struggled with this text, somewhat, because of the words, “He makes me…”
I questioned the statement trying to understand what it means to say “He makes me to lie down in green pastures”. Does God force us to lay down like an angry parent? Does He hold us tight and shake us hard to make us go to sleep?
Has a little a boy I remember an occasion of “She made me to lie down in the bed”.
I grew up in a house with 4 boys and 1 sister. You can just about imagine the chaos our house had each and every day. My sister is the youngest, so she and my younger brother got away with murder. My other two brothers and myself were always in trouble. I’ll never forget, we were in the house being mischievous, playing with matches. It was in the middle of the day and we decided to setup camp in the living room of our house. We got blankets and sticks to make a tent. We got sleeping bags to place in the tent. We got food, hot dogs and marshmallows, to place in the tent. We made homemade lemonade to drink. We were ready for our in-house camping trip in the living room. One problem, we can’t have a camping trip with a camp fire to roast our hot dogs and marshmallows.
We got a plastic trashcan, filled it with paper, lit a match, and there was our fire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs. When the hot dogs started to cook real good the hot dogs began to release oily juices igniting our fire to a greater temperature. In addition to this fire we created was the fiery presence of our mother who got home earlier than normal this particular day. She called and said she was on her home and all of our chores better be done or we couldn’t go outside. We put out the fire, broke down our campground, and started spraying air freshener all through the house to get rid of the smoke smell.
When she got home, before entering the house, she yelled; “Who’s been in here playing with fire?” We all got quiete and wouldn’t say a word. We learned that it really didn’t matter who did it because all of us were going to get it anyway. And sure enough the instructions were given to get the belt and we got our spanking followed by these words, “Got to bed and don’t come out until I wake you up!”
I wonder is that what David meant when he says “He makes me lie to down in green pastures”. I don’t know but there is a level of Sovereignty involved in our resting times. Here’s the point: God controls our times of rest, either voluntary or involuntary. His sovereign control of our resting times are seen:
- Through the Implementation of the Sabbath – Genesis 2:1-3 “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. [2] And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. [3] Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”
Exodus 20:8-11: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. [11] For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
I don’t have time to go through fully all ramifications behind the Sabbath so let me quickly give you the interpretation scripture is tailored to teach us about the importance of the Sabbath:
“Rest is important to God, take time to rest!”
- Through the invitation of Christ – Matthew 11:25-30
Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
- Through the Inclination of our Bodies – In a more practical explanation of the text, here’s the point, our bodies need to rest and often times will shut down for mandatory rest. Many people feel guilty for resting. They fell unproductive because they laid around and did nothing. However, there’s a practical theological principle worth noting here; It’s ok to be lazy sometimes!
II. The Surety of Given Rest
Point: God assures us of permanent rest through salvation
A cross reference to this phrase is Hebrews chapter 3 & 4 which speaks of rest in the three (3) tense of salvation: past, present, and future rest.
A. Salvation Rest - Hbr 3:7-11; 18 – 4:1-2 - Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, "do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, "where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works "for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways. "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'"… And to whom did he swear Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
God saves you to rest!
Salvation rest is associated with placing one’s faith in Christ. In the text of this thesis written by the unknown writer of Hebrews, it appears to the primary meaning, that is, of coming to Jesus by faith and entering His rest where self effort is replaced by initiated and empowered effort.
Warren Wiersbe offers the following interpretation of the concept of rest in Hebrews 3 & 4:
Spiritual rest is found in Jesus Christ when we surrender to Him. When we come to Christ be faith, we find salvation rest. When we yield and learn of Him and obey Him by faith, we enjoy rest. The first is peace with God (Romans 5:1) and the second is peace of God (Phil. 4:6). It is by believing that we enter into rest (Hebrews 4:3).
B. Sanctified Rest - Hbr 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hbr 4:4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." Hbr 4:5 And again in this passage he said, "They shall not enter my rest." Hbr 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hbr 4:4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." Hbr 4:5 And again in this passage he said, "They shall not enter my rest."
God sanctifies us for continued rest!
Sanctified rest is for believers who are living their Christian life in the power of the Spirit by keeping short account, and thus experiencing peace of God. Ray Stedman in his sermon; “The Rest Obtained Is New Creation Rest”, says; “Those who have entered salvation rest be faith have experienced breakdown in their Christianity under the pressures of stress and/or responsibility because they try to work out their salvation in their own power. Sanctified rest allows the believer to rest in the power of God’s grace that works best in our weakness.
C. Glorified Rest - Hbr 4:11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
God glorifies us unto permanent rest
We don’t have to go far to see glorified rest because verse 6 of Psalms 23 says; “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”.
Glorified rest is a reward of the believer’s labor for the Lord. Paul says; “I’ve fought the good fight, I kept the faith, now is laid up for me crown in glory”. Praise that we may not experience full satisfaction in rest down here but soon and very soon we will experience rest everlasting when we see Jesus in heaven.
III. The Sufficiency of Green Pastures
What are the "green pastures"? Although, we cannot be dogmatic, surely this picture includes the nourishment found in the Word of God (cf Jer 15:16 ) which alone satisfies the Good Shepherd's flock. As the Good Shepherd of the sheep He meets every need of His flock (Php 4:19note), and there is no want to those who trust him. When we follow the Shepherd closely, His will and desires will become our will and desires. We can trust the Good Shepherd to be consistent with His own nature. As someone has well said, the "Secret" of growing in grace is to be like a sheep & to FILL UP, LIE DOWN & RUMINATE (Meditate) A hungry, ill fed sheep is ever on its feet, on the move, searching for another scanty mouthful of forage to try and satisfy its gnawing hunger. Such sheep are not contented, do not thrive & are no use to themselves nor to their owners. They languish and lack vigor and vitality. Can we not see the clear spiritual application? ARE YOU RESTING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SHEPHERD OR RESTLESS BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GREENER PASTURES of INFERIOR FORAGE?
Point: God provides peaceful rest through His Word
Say what you want about sheep as being dumb and stupid, there is one characteristic of sheep that we must give them credit for; “When led to green pastures, at least, they have sense enough to nibble unto their bellies are full”.
Many believers are spiritually hungry and can’t rest because they refuse to nibble on the green pastures of God’s word.
The green pastures of a rural beauty expands before us. We see a happy flock resting in calm quietness in fields rich in luxuriant plenty; we see them guided to meadows through which refreshing streams glide tranquility. The scene is perfect and nothing disturbs the calm enjoyment.
The believer’s soul is secure from all alarms, peaceful in knowledge of the Lord’s protection, feasting on the rich provision of God’s word, regaled with sustaining promises, nurtured by the Spirit’s rich supplies, reposing under the shadow of the cross, drinking the cooling streams of scriptural teaching. How ample is this sweet provision?
Laying down in green pastures is resting in God’s word that provides all we need to rest in life’s difficulties.
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