The Word for Everyday Disciples with Dave DeSelm: Recent Episodes
Dave DeSelm
A weekly podcast bringing biblical teaching to everyday people in ways they can understand and put into practice. Visit us at DaveDeSelmMinistries.org.
Today’s episode is different.
In June of 2025, Dave was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer. And so, after five years of weekly teaching, this will be the final new episode of The Word for Everyday Disciples.
Rather than a sermon, what you’ll hear today is a conversation—an honest and thoughtful interview Dave recently recorded with a longtime friend and former colleague, Clinton Faupel. Clinton is the co-founder of Remedy Live, a ministry devoted to mental health advocacy and providing real-time, online crisis support to anyone who reaches out.
This conversation is not a farewell as much as it is a reflection—on faith, on suffering, and on hope. It’s a reminder that discipleship doesn’t stop when life gets hard, and that God often meets us most powerfully in honest conversation.
Thank you for listening. Thank you for walking with us through these years. And thank you for being part of this community of everyday disciples.
Watch the full video of this interview on YouTube.
Recorded in the Remedy Live studios in Fort Wayne, IN, on November 18, 2025.
There is a popular holiday movie based on an award-winning children’s book called “The Polar Express.” In the story, a young boy is unable to hear the bells at Christmas. The reason? The disappointment of life had dimmed his belief and wonder. It was only after a magical encounter that he was able to believe again.
Now, I know that story is about Santa Claus, but there are some striking parallels to our walk of faith. Life in this cold, dark world has a way of dimming our belief, too.
Maybe this Christmas, the bells in your heart have gone silent. You once believed in a good, loving, powerful God – back when you were a kid. But then life got in the way. The doubts began to creep in.
To you who struggle to believe that there is a God who’s in control, who cares, and who understands, Christmas holds the answers to your questions.
Is God in control? God literally moved heaven and earth to fulfill His purposes for mankind. He moved the heart of a king so His Son would be born in Bethlehem. He can handle whatever you’re facing.
Does God understand? Jesus didn’t come as a conquering king or as some sort of superhero. He came as a baby to dirt-poor parents among a marginalized people. But even more, He was born in a barn and slept in a feeding trough, wrapped in rags. Why? So that we would never wonder if He knows what it’s like to really live in this cold, dark world under the worst of circumstances.
In “The Polar Express,” there’s a great line offered by the train’s conductor in his attempt to get Billy to at least investigate the possibility of another reality. He says to him, “Sometimes the most real things in this world are the things we can’t see.”
The Apostle Peter thought the same thing. He wrote, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” (1 Pet. 1:8)
God came to our world and faced all of its ugliness firsthand. He understands exactly what you and I face – because He faced it too. God came to earth in human form, seeking us.
And if you will go on an honest pursuit of Him, God promises that you will find Him (Jer. 29:13). And you, too, will be changed for the better.
Text: Is. 9:2, 6-7; 1 Pet. 1:8; Jer. 29:13
Originally recorded on December 24, 2007, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In our last episode, we talked about the mystery of unanswered prayer. There are times when God, in His sovereignty and love, chooses to say “No” to our requests.
However, the Bible also tells us that our Father loves to say “Yes” to His children. So, why is it that so often we pray and pray, and nothing seems to happen? Where’s the problem?
All too often, the problem is with us. We’re the ones who torpedo the process.
In this episode, we’re going to look at eight “prayer busters” the Bible warns us about.
- Failure to pray -“You do not have because you do not ask God.” James 4:2
- Unconfessed sin - “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. ” Psalm 66:18
- Unresolved conflict - "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there…go and be reconciled to your brother…” Matthew 5:23-24
- Uncaring attitudes -“If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” Proverbs 21:13
- Improper motives - “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3
- Improper timing - "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” Ecclesiastes 3:1
- Inadequate faith - “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like the wave of the sea… that man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.” James 1:6-7
- Inappropriate requests - “…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us…” I John 5:14
If the request is wrong, God says, “No.”
If the timing is wrong, God says, “Slow.”
If you are wrong, God says, “Grow.”
If the request is right, the timing is right, and you are right, God says, “Go.”
Text: various
Originally recorded on September 26, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Have you ever begged God for something that mattered more than anything — and He didn’t come through the way you hoped? That very thing happened to the great King David.
After years of conquest, Israel was now unified and at peace. But, Israel was still worshiping Yahweh at a tent—the Tabernacle that had made the trek through the wilderness with God’s people.
Nestled in his cedar-lined palace, David—the man after God’s own heart—began to dream. “The Lord has been so good to me, and He is such a great God. It isn’t right that I should live in such splendor and luxury while God’s presence is still relegated to a tent. God deserves better. I want to build Him a glorious temple!”
Nathan, the prophet, heard David’s dreams and could see that the king’s motives were pure and his dreams noble. So, he immediately told David, “Sounds like a great idea. Go for it!”
But what was God’s response to David’s dream? In a word, His answer was…no. He affirmed David for his desire to honor Him, but he would not be the one to build God a temple. God had a better plan in mind. And that leads us to our four main points:
1. It’s not wrong to dream great dreams and pray great prayers.
2. Sometimes, though the dream is noble, it’s not God’s plan.
3. When God says “No” to our dreams, it’s because He has better ones in mind.
4. When disappointed with God, the best response is thoughtful reflection and humble submission.
How did David respond to God’s “no”? The Bible says he “sat before the Lord and said, ‘Who am I, Sovereign Lord…” He paused to reflect on all the dreams that were fulfilled, the times God had answered prayer. And then he humbly submitted his dreams to the sovereignty of God.
God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. When faced with the mystery of unanswered prayer, may we, like David, trust in the Sovereign Lord who is strong and loving and does all things well.
Text: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17
Originally recorded on September 12, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that prayer wasn’t a responsibility to be pushed into for Him; it was a relationship to be pulled into. It was in prayer where He found rest, strength, and direction, and where He experienced the Father’s love most deeply.
In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus offers some straightforward advice on how to pray like He did.
1. Pray systematically – carve out time.
Deep, satisfying relationships are a function of time spent together. The same is true with God.
However, time seems to be the one thing we run out of fastest! God offers to give wisdom and perspective, guidance and direction, encouragement and confidence through prayer. But I’m too busy to take Him up on His offer.
It’s been said, “If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.” Why? Because if you’re too busy to connect with God, eventually, you’ll make yourself bad.
Take a look at the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Jesus and his men stop by, and Martha heads to the kitchen to start preparing a meal. Meanwhile, her sister Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning from Him. Martha gets ticked off—not only at Mary, but at Jesus! She’s so busy doing “good” stuff, that she fails to do the “better” thing. And it made her worried and upset over things that didn’t really matter.
For Jesus, being busy was not an excuse to not pray. Instead, it was precisely because He WAS so busy that He intentionally got away and alone to spend time with His Father.
And so should we. You will never know Jesus’ power until you follow Jesus’ pattern.
2. Pray secretly – get away and get alone.
In Matthew 6:8, Jesus talks about going to your closet to pray. Find a quiet place where you can meet with God.
It's alone, in the silence, when we can share withthe Lord what He means to us. It’s alone, in the silence, when we can pour our hearts out to Him. It’s alone, in the silence, when all other voices are shut out, that we can hear the whisper of His still, small voice. It’s alone, in the silence, when we can just be with our Father.
Can you imagine doing life that way? Here’s the thing: You will not drift into this way of life. You must choose it.
Text: Mt. 6:5-8; Lk. 10:38-42; Mk. 1:35-36
Originally recorded on August 29, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
It has often been said that prayer is the greatest force in the universe. And yet, it remains a largely untapped resource for so many Christians. Why is that?
There are a lot of reasons why we don’t pray, but I think they can be summarized under two headings:
- We don’t know how it works. It feels very unnatural to talk to someone I can’t actually see and whose voice I’ve never literally heard.
- We don’t think it really matters. We take a fatalistic view. “If it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen, whether I pray or not.”
In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable that addresses the issue of prayer straight-up. The story has two main characters: a widow and a judge.
Widows in Jesus’ day were vulnerable. Unless she had a son to take care of her, she was without resources, power, or connections. In Jesus’ story, this widow was being harassed by an adversary, so she took her case to the local judge, seeking relief.
Unfortunately, the judge in this story was a hard-hearted man. He didn’t fear (respect) anyone – neither man nor God!
When the widow came to him, he dismissed her. But she wouldn’t give up. She kept pestering the judge over and over again until finally, the judge threw up his hands and said, “I can’t take it anymore. Give her what she wants!”
Now, most people read this story and think... we’re like the widow—defenseless and weak. And God is like the judge! He’s super busy and doesn’t have time to bother with little people like me and my little problems.
So, the moral of the story is… it pays to pester! The more I pester God in prayer, the more likely He’ll finally cave in and give me what I ask for!
Friends, that could not be further from the truth. This parable is not an allegory. It is a beautifully crafted study in contrasts! Jesus’ point is, if this sort of judge gives this sort of help to this sort of person, how much more will your Father give all kinds of help to you? And in so doing, He gives us three prerequisites we need to understand if we hope to keep praying and not give up.
1. We need to understand our identity.
Some of us see God as Oz the Terrible. Like Dorothy and her friends, we tremble before Him. But for those who have come to faith in Christ, the King of the Universe is our Father! And He is thrilled with your presence and delighted to hear of your needs. No one’s voice sounds sweeter to God than yours.
2. We need to understand God’s inclination.
Don’t think for a minute that you have to concoct some way to wrench a blessing from some tight-fisted miser. That just isn’t so. From cover to cover in the Bible, we read of a God who loves to give good things to His children. He delights in it.
3. We need to understand God’s invitation.
God calls us to talk to Him—to ask, seek, and knock—not just to have our needs met, but that we might enter into a faith partnership with Him.
Text: Luke 18:1-8
Originally recorded on August 22, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
As we come to the end of our journey through the book of Joshua, our hero is now elderly—over 100 years old. He realizes his time of leading his people will soon be over. So, he calls the people together and gives a remarkable farewell speech.
He begins by reminding them of the covenant God had made with their ancestors. He invited each of them to enter into that covenant, to choose to be loyal to God above all else. Abraham said, “I’m in.” Isaac and Jacob each in turn said, “I’m in.” Hundreds of years later, Moses said, “I’m in,” and even Joshua himself had made that choice. “I’m in. All in.”
Now, as he prepares to pass from this earthly life, he asks his people, “What about you?”
He reminds them of all the ways God had led and protected them, miraculously giving them the land upon which they now stood. He knows that the temptation to assimilate the local gods into their worship would be fierce. In fact, it was already happening.
So, he makes this challenge: “Choose for yourselves whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The Israelites, moved by Joshua’s words, answered, “We’re in! We will serve the Lord, too!” But Joshua knows them all too well.
“You can’t do it.” Joshua was pushing his people to really think through what they were committing to. See, talk is cheap. It’s easy to say you’ll follow God. But what will you do when serving God costs you? When someone important to you chooses another way?
The Israelites raised their voices to quell Joshua’s doubt. “No! We will serve the Lord and obey Him.”
This same challenge is laid before you today. “Choose for yourself whom you will serve.” If you choose a life of loyalty to God, there are some timeless truths it would be wise to understand.
1. You need to know that your allegiance will be opposed.
There are Satanically-inspired strategies all around us trying to trip us up—hoping to woo our hearts and compromise our values. We must be alert.
2. You need to see that your decision might be a lonely one.
When I was a young believer, I learned a song that has stuck with me over the years. It says: “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.” The last stanza says, “Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back.”
To make a decision to serve God wholeheartedly…and for your family to be “on mission” for the Kingdom…might well be lonely.
3. You need to understand that your dedication needs to be shown and not merely said.
Are you a noun Christian or a verb Christian? A noun Christian is just a title you wear. A verb Christian is a life you live.
4. You need to trust that your resolution will be worth it.
To follow the Lord wholeheartedly will pay off with dividends that are literally out of this world.
“Choose yourselves this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
What about you?
Text: Joshua 24
Originally recorded on December 11, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
They were ready to fight. They thought they knew the truth. They were wrong.
Joshua 22 shows how fast things can go wrong when we rush to judgment.
As the Israelites were making their way northward toward Canaan, some of the tribes found the land east of the Jordan to be quite attractive. They asked to settle there, and permission was granted for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh to stake their claims.
The only stipulation was that the troops from those tribes were to assist their brothers in conquering the territory west of the Jordan. Once the fighting was done and the land divided, the Reubenites, Gadites, and men of Manasseh, returned to their land and families east of the Jordan.
But when the troops got to the edge of the river, somebody probably said, “Wait a minute. Suppose, sometime in the future, someone would say to our descendants, ‘You can’t really be God’s people – you’re on the wrong side of the river!’”
They decided, as a safeguard against that and to preserve their connection with the western tribes, they would build a monument. The text says that it looked like an altar – a place for sacrifice and worship. But it was never intended to be that. It was simply to be a reminder that they were part of the people of God.
Seems so innocent, doesn’t it?
Not to the western tribes. They jumped to the conclusion that the eastern tribes had built their own place to worship God—something strictly forbidden. “This is heresy!” they thought. And they strapped on their swords, intending to go to war against their brothers.
The problem was, they didn’t pause to look into the situation first. Instead, they rushed to judgment and nearly destroyed untold lives.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. They sent some elders to get the facts. Their eastern brothers were horrified that their efforts to mark unity could be so badly interpreted. But because someone took the time to look into it rather than jump to conclusions, a split among God’s people was averted.
Such close calls still happen today among God’s people. And all too often, the tragedy isn’t averted. Misunderstandings arise. Assumptions are made. Accusations follow. And in the end, friendships are lost. Partnerships are ended. Churches are split.
So, given this, let me offer you several points to remember lest you rush to judgment.
- Set your default to think the best not presume the worst.
- Get the facts before you draw your conclusion.
- Let your commitment to unity trump your need to be right.
If we hope to live a life of courageous faith and be communities of courageous faith, we must commit to love and unity. In the words of St. Paul:
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:2-3
Text: Joshua 22
Originally recorded on November 27, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
After twelve chapters of action, miracles, and conquest, our journey through the book of Joshua enters a long stretch of mind-numbingly boring descriptions of towns and boundaries. What in the world could the division of the land into tribal territories have to do with us today?
In trying to answer that, I began to ask myself some questions: Why did God assign certain people to live in certain places? Was it simply to demonstrate His authority? Or could it be that He had bigger, Kingdom reasons for wanting them there?
In my pondering, I came to this conclusion: When it came to occupying ground for the Kingdom, the Lord assigned His people the territory where they could uniquely make an impact.
This idea of the Lord sovereignly placing people is carried over to the N.T. where we read that “God began by making one person, and from him came all the different people who live everywhere in the world. God decided exactly when and where they must live.” (Acts 17:26 NCV)
I want to suggest that the Lord might well do the same with you and me. Could it be that, of all the places you could be living, you are in the exact place God wants you to be to make a Kingdom impact? What would it be like if, as surely as the tribes of Israel possessed their land, you and your tribe—your family— would possess your land? Your city, your zip code, your neighborhood, your street? How might you make a Kingdom impact in your land?
1. Recognize that you have been given a land.
God has put you there as His representative. You have been given a land in which you are to represent the Kingdom of God. And, for good or for bad, you do. It’s not a matter of if you will represent your King, but how you represent your King. That leads to the next point.
2. Honor the Lord in your land.
From the words we say to the attitudes we display to the actions we take, we are to glorify the One we represent.
3. Pray for your land.
Pray for the peace, prosperity, and people of your neighborhood. Take a prayer walk and intercede for individual homes. If there’s a nearby school, pray for it. Pray over the fire station. Pray over the parks. Pray over governmental buildings.
4. Engage with other believers in your land.
While you have been placed in a specific part of the land, you are likely not the only Christ-follower who has been placed there. God has given others that territory as well. Ask the Lord to show you who those people are, then look for ways to engage them in the mission.
5. Seek to impact the unbelievers in your land.
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others so they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-15) Be the kind of people your neighbors are glad to live beside. Serve with kindness and sacrifice, and pray for opportunities to have spiritual conversations with those in your land.
Text: Joshua 13-21
Originally recorded on November 6, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
When the going gets tough—and the battles don’t end as quickly as we hoped—it’s easy to grow weary and discouraged. That’s where Israel found themselves in Joshua 11. Victory didn’t come in a single day or even a single campaign. It took years of relentless struggle.
After conquering the land in central and southern Canaan, Joshua turned his focus to the north. There, he was confronted by a huge coalition army. Not only was Joshua outnumbered 7-to-1, but for the first time in battle, he faced horses and chariots—terrifying and effective war machines of the Bronze Age.
Yet despite the odds, Joshua and his army ultimately triumphed. It didn’t happen easily, and it didn’t happen quickly. Estimates are that the Northern Campaign took more than seven years – seven painful, bloody years.
Here’s what we need to understand. There is no record in chapter 11 of any sort of dramatic supernatural intervention. No rivers that parted…no walls that fell down…no hail from the sky…and no sun standing still. For seven long years, God’s people had to fight day after day after day.
And that’s something we need to grasp in our day.
Sometimes God demonstrates that He is with us by moving in dramatic ways, which result in a quick victory.
Other times, God demonstrates that He is with us by enabling us to doggedly fight on over the long haul.
What can we learn from Joshua that can help us keep going when the going gets tough?
- Joshua demonstrated an unwavering trust in God.
Joshua trusted that the God who had promised him ultimate victory would eventually take him there—even though there was pain and struggle along the way. Courageous faith soldiers on.
- Joshua demonstrated an uncompromising obedience to God.
When the going gets tough, it’s easy to begin cutting corners. A bit of compromise here or there. But Joshua recognized that the end does not justify the means. Obeying, even when it was difficult or didn’t make sense, was the key to success.
- Joshua demonstrated an unfaltering perseverance with God.
When the going gets tough, it’s no easy thing to keep on fighting day after day after day. Yet, during those long years of struggle and battle, Joshua never gave in…he never gave out…he never gave up. And in the end, he realized victory.
Text: Joshua 11
Originally recorded on October 30, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Today, we’re going to be considering one of the most remarkable occurrences in all the Bible. It happened on a day when an ordinary man asked an extraordinary God for a miracle of the highest order. He asked for the sun to stand still. And it did!
In Joshua 10, Joshua and his troops marched all night to come to the aid of their allies, the Gibeonites. A coalition of five kings had marched against Gibeon, seeking to take control of this strategic location before Joshua could occupy it. But Joshua’s move surprised the enemy, the Lord threw them into confusion, and the rout was on.
However, as night approached, Joshua realized they were running out of time. If these armies escaped to their walled cities, he would have to conquer them one by one, a process that would cost him time and men. So, he offered a shamelessly audacious prayer. He asked God to make the sun stand still.
And, amazingly, God did. Given the extra daylight, the Israelite victory became complete, and the door to southern Canaan was pushed wide open.
How this miracle happened, I don’t know. But one thing I do know is that if you grant me God, ANYTHING is possible!
If you have the audacity to ask, God has the ability to respond.
We all face difficult situations that appear to be impossible. It may be financial, emotional, relational, or physical. Whatever it is, God is bigger, and if God is with you in that thing, there is still hope.
If the size of your need is too big for you, it’s just the right size for God. Prayer is what moved the hand of God. Prayer was what won the battle.
But often we don’t see God move like He could or may want to, because we don’t ask. (Jms. 4:2) Maybe we don’t ask because we’re afraid of being disappointed. Or we don’t think we matter enough to God to ask big. We can ask for small stuff, but the really big stuff?
Yet your prayers matter more than we could ever imagine! And through those prayers, the impossible can happen.
God can do more in a moment in time than I can do in a lifetime of effort. Prayer doesn’t take the place of action. Joshua still had to fight! But because he prayed first, God moved.
While we have every right to pray “sun, stand still” prayers, there are times that the answer isn’t what we’d hoped for. God is not some cosmic genie, and prayer is not some lamp that we can rub to get our three wishes.
He is still sovereign, and He still has the last word, and that word may be “no” or “not yet.”
Even if the sun doesn’t stand still in your situation, the sun can stand still through your situation.
God can use your faith and persistence for His glory every bit as much as a miracle.
Text: Joshua 10
Originally recorded on October 23, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
If there’s one lesson to learn from today’s message, it’s this: As freely as God’s blessing is given to those who obey, it can be removed from those who disobey.
After Israel’s miraculous victory at Jericho, the next strategic target for Joshua’s conquest of the land was the city of Ai. Its small size should have made it an easy win. Instead, Israel was defeated, leaving Joshua and his people angry, ashamed, and confused.
Before we move on with this story, a little flashback is necessary. When God gave Joshua His strategy for taking Jericho, He gave strict instructions for the utter destruction of all the inhabitants of Jericho and the total surrender to the Lord of all the valuable objects found there: silver, gold, bronze, and iron. This “ban” was clearly communicated, but apparently, one man and his family didn’t think God was serious.
After their defeat, Joshua fell facedown before the Lord, pouring out his heart, trying to understand what went wrong. Finally, God told him to stand up and call the people together. There was sin in the camp.
Following the Lord’s orders, Joshua had the tribes come forward, one by one, until Judah was chosen. Then Judah came forward by clans, then by families, and then man by man until one man was chosen. Achan.
Joshua beseeched him, “Tell me what you have done; don’t hide it.” Achan confessed. He had taken silver, gold, and valuable things and buried them beneath his tent.
When the contraband was found, Joshua took Achan and all his family and all he owned and had them stoned and then burned.
Hidden sin is no small matter to God. We dare not let the Evil One’s lies or our own rationalization cause us to downplay sin. We need to call sin what God calls it.
Hidden sin is seen by God. Nothing is hidden from God.
Hidden sin removes God’s hand of blessing. As a wise parent, God cannot and will not reward rebellion. Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper…”
Hidden sin will eventually be exposed. Hebrews 4:13 puts it plainly: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
But there is hope. Hidden sin can be forgiven. Proverbs 28:13 started by warning us, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper…” But it continues, “but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
To confess is to say the same thing about your sin that God does. “It’s wrong…and I’ve been wrong.” To renounce or to repent is to have a change of mind and make a change of action. “I’m so sorry and I’m going to stop doing that.” And to receive forgiveness is to believe Jesus paid the penalty. His grace is enough, even for that.
Text: Joshua 7
Originally recorded on September 25, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
The story about how the walls of Jericho came “a-tumblin’ down” is a favorite. But it’s also the target of a great deal of skepticism. Today, we’re going to look briefly at three of the most frequently asked questions related to the battle of Jericho, and then we’ll seek to apply the events of that day to our day.
1. Is Jericho a real historical site?
Yes! In fact, Jericho is known as the oldest continually inhabited city on earth. Archeologists have uncovered artifacts that indicate a large city did exist in the late Bronze Age—the time of Joshua.
2. Is it possible that such complete destruction could actually occur?
Yes! Jericho is located in the Jordan Rift—one of our planet’s most seismically vulnerable places. In addition, it was built on sandy soil. Likely, an earthquake occurred, causing the walls of the city to collapse. Then the Israelite armies could enter the city through the breaches in the walls.
Suggesting an earthquake could have brought down the walls doesn’t negate the miracle. That it happened exactly when and how God said it would is the miracle!
3. How can we reconcile God’s order to kill all the city’s inhabitants?
This is a tough question, but that difficulty is eased some when one considers the sociological history of that region at that time.
Historians have verified that Jericho’s Canaanitish culture was unquestionably as perverse and corrupt as any in the history of our planet. Among other perversions, hideous forms of child abuse were rampant.
In light of this, if the living God, as Great Physician, determines in the interest of the larger body of the human race to perform radical surgery, to eradicate the cancer of a culture so corrupt that it can only corrupt and destroy others, then are not His actions indeed loving and just?
They had ample time to repent. Rahab did and was saved! But they refused, and judgment fell.
HIS CITY—YOUR CITY—OUR CITY
With that groundwork, let’s consider Joshua’s city (Jericho), your personal city, and our city—the place we live.
When God gave Joshua instructions for taking Jericho, He commanded them to use trumpets, not drums, like armies typically would. Drums are a function of hands. Trumpets are a function of breath—ruach—spirit. Breath that offers praise.
The Lord was underscoring to His people that the impossible walls they were facing would not come down through human effort, but through divine power that flowed out of obedience and praise.
So, for six days, they walked around the city, following God’s strategy for city-taking. They walked in unity. They walked and worshiped. Then, when told to, they shouted. And the walls fell.
Just as worship played a role in overcoming Joshua’s city, it is powerful in facing the walls in our lives.
Worship is not only glorifying to God, but it is debilitating to the forces of evil.
We all have walls, things that defy forward movement. Those walls could be blockaded relationships, crippling emotional issues, painful physical maladies, unbreakable habits, or chronic financial challenges.
Could it be that the strategy for your city-taking is the same as it was for Joshua? That God is calling you to walk in faith, praising Him even before you see the walls come down?
What about in our city, the place we live? How do we begin to see the walls come down so God’s Kingdom can break through?
What if we borrowed Joshua’s strategy for our city? Walk your neighborhoods and worship. Walk and pray—for schools, for neighbors, for streets. Who knows what might happen if we did?
Text: Joshua 6
Originally recorded on September 18, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
You would think that after miraculously parting the torrent of the flooded Jordan River, bringing fear to their enemies, God would have said to Joshua, “Now, go! Strike hard and fast while you have the momentum!” But He didn’t. God brought everything to a screeching halt when He gave Joshua this command: Circumcise all the men and boys.
This seemed to make no sense. Not only did it go against military logic, but it also left their fighting forces physically vulnerable for days as they recovered. But Joshua obeyed anyway.
For the 40 years the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness, the people had failed to circumcise the boys born into their families. That faithless generation died along the way, and the generation that now stands on the threshold of their future is the uncircumcised.
Why was it such a big deal to God that the men be circumcised?
Since the days of Abraham, circumcision had been a sign of the Israelites’ identity. It was to be a constant reminder of God’s covenant with them and a supreme symbol of their loyalty to Yahweh.
He offers His provision and protection to all who will enter into this covenant with Him. Unless and until this generation of Israelites were willing to embrace the covenant, they would be trying to take the land in their own strength. But once they DID embrace that covenant, the Lord God Almighty was bound by that covenant to bring His power to bear.
God called his people to mark out their identity through circumcision—the most basic and most intimate of ways. That reminder resulted in several things.
- It emboldened them. Every day as a man dressed, he was reminded, “I am in covenant with God. God is for me; I will not be afraid.”
- It assured them. With every act of procreation, they were reminded that not only were they God’s people, but their children were too. They were part of a multi-generational movement.
- It admonished them. When tempted to compromise sexually, it was a visible admonishment to live God’s way.
In the New Testament, Paul draws a parallel between circumcision and baptism. For the believer in Jesus, baptism is a symbol of the Christian’s identity.
If you are in covenant with God through your faith in Christ, you can have confidence in your future. God has committed Himself to bringing His protection, His provision, and His power to bear upon your life.
Text: Joshua 5
Originally recorded on September 11, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
She wasn’t anyone’s first pick for a hero, but God had other ideas. She showed a courageous faith that changed her life—and history—forever.
Her name was Rahab, a disreputable woman from the pagan Canaanite city of Jericho. The word the Bible uses to describe her is zonah: prostitute, harlot. There’s no way to sanitize it.
Yet Rahab had come to a point of faith in Israel’s God, Yahweh. She had heard the stories of the miraculous ways God had given victory to His people, so when she heard that the Israelite army was breathing down Jericho’s neck, her faith moved her to act with courage.
Israel’s commander, Joshua, had sent two spies into the city of Jericho. When the king of Jericho heard about the two strangers who had entered the city and that they had gone to the hostel run by Rahab, he sent a message commanding her to turn the spies over to him.
But Rahab hid the spies and sent a message back to the king, saying that the men had already left. Once the pursuers left Jericho, the gates to the city were closed.
Rahab went to the spies where they were hiding and begged for her life. “Please swear to me that you will spare my life and the lives of my family when you attack the city.”
The men agreed, with one caveat. She must gather her family into her house and hang a scarlet cord from the window to identify her house.
Rahab then let the men down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, and they safely returned to the Israelite camp.
When the time came for the battle of Jericho, there on the city wall was a scarlet cord hanging from the window. Rahab and her family were spared, and Rahab lived among the Israelites for the rest of her life.
Rahab’s story teaches us some wonderful lessons.
1. Though God’s righteousness demands that evil must be judged, His love demands that He looks to offer mercy.
2 Peter 3:9 says, “God does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2. God is looking for any who might be seeking Him and will pull out all the stops to make their salvation possible.
Could it be that God had Joshua send those spies, just for Rahab?
God is ready, willing, and able to reach out to those who are seeking Him. He is using creation, conscience, and Christ to prompt them by His Spirit. But…
3. God uses His people to help spiritual seekers take the necessary next steps.
At the top of this message, I mentioned that Rahab’s courageous faith changed history. In the first chapter of Matthew, we find the genealogy of Joseph, husband of Mary. Believe it or not, Rahab was the great-grandmother of King David. Not only that, the shady lady of Jericho is listed in the ancestral line of Jesus, the Messiah.
Text: Joshua 2, 6
Originally recorded on August 21, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
As we open the book of Joshua, our hero is standing at the edge of the Promised Land, the destiny they have been hoping for.
He is entering the third “leg” of his journey of faith. For the first 40 years of Joshua’s life, he was a slave. Born into bondage, as his fellow Hebrews had been for 400 years. He knew no other life.
Then came the glorious day when God sent the great deliverer, Moses. Joshua experienced Passover and the parting of the Red Sea. He saw firsthand that the Lord was able to work mightily for His people.
The second leg of Joshua’s journey was a mixture of education and maturation as he spent the next 40 years in the wilderness. During this season, he was Moses’ right-hand man, and he developed a deep trusting relationship with God.
Now he begins the third leg. He is in his 80s. Moses is dead, and now God says, “Joshua, I want you to lead my people into the Promised Land.”
The journey of his life has been a series of steps preparing him for this day. The same is true in our lives.
Spiritual maturity is a function of moment-by-moment choices regarding whether to trust or mistrust, as well as day-to-day decisions about whether to obey or disobey.
Now, as Joshua is being called into the biggest challenge of his life, God gives him these stunning words: “Be strong and courageous.” (Josh. 1:6, 7, 9)
In Hebrew, the words are:
- chazaq – be strong; “grab hold”
- amats – courageous; “don’t let go”
God was saying to Joshua, “I have a future for you. It’s a good future, a hope-filled future, a future that will not only result in My glory but your good. I want you to grab hold of it. And once you do, don’t let go.”
But that sort of future wasn’t just offered to Joshua. There’s a point of parallel for you and me.
First of all, you need to…Grab hold and don’t let go of God’s promises. (vs. 6)
Here are two promises regarding your future to grab hold of and not let go:
- Regarding your identity. You are no longer a slave. You are a child of God. (Ga. 4:7)
- Regarding your destiny. God has plans for His glory and your good. (Jer. 29:11)
Next, we need to… Grab hold and don’t let go of God’s patterns. (v. 8)
Patterns for success are found in Scripture. Read it. Meditate on it. Obey it. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Then, we need to… Grab hold and don’t let go of God’s presence. (v.9)
God promises to be with us every step of our journey. (Deut. 31:8)
Text: Joshua 1:1-18
Originally recorded on August 14, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
We’ve been talking about how to build a big connection to Jesus because the stronger the connection, the better the fruit, and the greater the joy. In this message, I want to look at a practice we don’t often think about in terms of spiritual rhythms, and that’s the practice of celebration—marking moments with joy and gratitude.
God understood the power of joyful celebration. God dotted the calendar of His people with it. Regularly, He told His people to stop their work, to gather together, and celebrate.
While we no longer are required to honor those feasts, there is still a principle for us to follow.
Set aside regular times for celebration.
What might that time of celebration look like? Here are three suggestions:
- Feasting: Feasting was always an important part of the celebrations we read about in the Bible. Indeed, there’s just something about preparing and sharing a meal together with family and friends that produces joy.
- Friends: One author wrote, “One of the greatest keys to a good celebration is to share it with joyful people.”
- Fun: There is restorative power in play.
Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine…” That’s why it’s important to make celebration an intentional part of our abiding.
Now, I know that there is a lot more to life than fun and games. And I’m fully aware that some of you come into this season in real pain and with real challenges.
But what I'm trying to establish today is that, even in the midst of that seriousness, it's okay to make room for celebration. It’s okay to pursue joy. In fact, it's more than okay – it’s essential. The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Neh. 8:10)
Don’t wait until everything is great to celebrate. Begin today.
“THIS is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps. 118:24)
No matter what you’re facing, the fact that God is with you and loves you and will see you through the deepest of waters is worthy of celebration. And that joy will give you strength.
Text: John 15:1-11
Originally recorded on August 6, 2017, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In this series, we’ve been exploring ways to build a strong connection with Jesus. In John 15, He calls it “abiding” in Him. What we’ve discovered is that the stronger the connection, the better the fruit and the greater the joy.
We’ve talked about the importance of rest and nutrition in producing good fruit in our lives. Today, we are looking at the necessity of breathing, and the way we do that is through prayer.
What word comes to mind when you think of prayer? For some, it’s joy! Prayer is a delight. But for others, the word might be bewilderment, frustration, disappointment, or more likely… guilt.
But I want to propose that prayer is not a responsibility to be pushed into, but a relationship to be pulled into. Put another way, sustainable prayer comes not from gritting our teeth, but by falling in love.
Our God is amazingly relational. And He wants us to share life with you!
Our souls were made to walk with God and talk with God. And when that happens… when we abide like that…all sorts of good things can happen that lead to bearing fruit and knowing joy.
God wants to make every moment of your life glorious with His presence. It’s not just that God is for us, but that He wants to be with us. He wants to fill our souls with His presence.
Lately, I’ve been challenging myself with this: How many moments of my life today can I fill with a conscious awareness of God’s presence?
The life of abiding is not a life of more religious activities. It’s a life of inner peace and contentment as you walk with and talk with One who not only loves you but is big enough to see you through whatever you may face.
I’ve also discovered that…the best way to start living life with God is in small moments.
Talk to God while watching the sunrise, while taking a walk, or while out fishing. Converse with Him when stuck in traffic, while waiting on hold, or while washing the dishes. Celebrate what He has done for you. Thank Him for that which you so often take for granted.
And then, before you know it, you’ll find yourself sharing with Him those things that concern you.
What are you doing? You’re praying! However, I’m doing this not out of guilt. Not out of duty. But simply as an overflow of my relationship with Him.
Out of your moments of devotion, you will find it natural to offer petition and make intercession.
The more we abide with Jesus, the more our prayers align with His will and the more He delights in answering those prayers.
Text: John 15:1-11
Originally recorded on July 30, 2017, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In John 15, Jesus tells us that if we hope to have lives of fruitfulness and joy, we must abide in Him. We must remain intimately connected with Him at the soul level. The stronger the connection, the better the fruit and the greater the joy.
In this series, we’re exploring ways to build a strong connection with Jesus. The analogy of a grapevine helps us identify some of those practices. Today, we are considering the importance of nutrition. Just as a grapevine needs good soil from which to draw nutrients in order to produce an abundant harvest, so we need to put our roots down deep into the soil of God’s Word.
Psalm 1 paints a picture of a tree planted by streams of water that bears abundant fruit. Then the psalmist draws the parallel for us. We, too, will bear good fruit if we are well-nourished. And that nourishing is found by meditating on the law of the Lord – that is, the Word of God.
What does it mean to “meditate” on God’s Word? The Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for meditate is the word “hagah.” Literally, it means “to growl.” The picture is that of an animal gnawing on a bone. Chewing on it. Savoring it. Digesting it.
This is what we’re to do with Scriptures. Take it in. Chew on it. Make it part of you.
How might that happen? How might we move from merely reading the Word to truly eating up and digesting the Word?
Here are a series of questions that might get you moving in that direction. Call them “Meditation Questions.” As you read the Bible, ask yourself these questions. You may want to get a notebook and write down your answers.
- What got my attention? What stood out to you?
- What did I learn about God? It may be something new, or it may be something old that strikes you in a fresh way.
- What did I learn about myself? This takes it from the theoretical to the personal.
- What am I going to do about it? It’s not enough to just “hear the Word.” We must be “doers” as well. What is a practical, tangible step you can take to make this Word part of your life?
Text: John 15:1-11
Originally recorded on July 23, 2017, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In John 15, Jesus uses the analogy of a vineyard to describe the life of a disciple. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. Like branches grafted into a grapevine, so it is with our relationship with Christ: the stronger the connection, the more the fruit, and the greater the joy.
Put another way: Fruitfulness is the result of abiding, and that leads to joy.
To abide is to remain intimately connected to Jesus at the soul level. The stronger that connection, the greater the fruit in our lives.
- Kingdom fruit: the kind that comes from allowing God to work through you, making a difference in the lives of those around you.
- Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Looking more and more like Jesus.
In this series, I want to talk about abiding. How do we build a strong connection to the Lord?
We’re going to start with a practice that may seem strange, and that’s rest.
I don’t know much about growing grapes, but one thing I’ve learned is that in order to have an abundant harvest, there has to be a season of rest—of dormancy.
So it is in the life of a disciple. You were created to not only work, but to rest. And if you only attend to the former and not the latter, you simply can’t keep producing fruit, and you’ll end up losing your joy.
Thus, at the very beginning, God showed the…
Daily Rhythm of Rest
In the creation narrative, we see that every day there was “day and night.” A time to work and a time to rest. This daily rhythm was part of the “very good” before sin ever entered the world.
Sleep loss can have a profound impact on otherwise healthy individuals…and on our discipleship. How are you doing with your daily rhythm of rest?
God also established a…
Weekly Rhythm of Rest
God was so concerned that our penchant for work might get out of hand and would cost us dearly, that from creation, He set in motion a rhythm whereby a fruitful life might be sustained – a weekly rhythm between work and rest. Then to make sure we didn’t miss the point, He both modeled it (Gen. 2:1-3) and mandated it (Ex. 20:8-11). The Bible calls it Sabbath, a one-day-in-seven cease work order.
Finally, there is a…
Seasonal Rhythm of Rest
There are seasons in life that require an intensive outpouring of effort. Times when work demands a lot from you. It’s wise to plan for a more extended time of rest during or after that season to refuel and renew for another season of fruiting…and greater joy.
Text: John 15:1-11
Originally recorded on July 16, 2017, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
With the powerful hold idols have over us, is there any hope that we might dethrone these counterfeit gods? The answer is, “Yes!” …IF we take to heart this foundational truth.
Idols cannot simply be removed – they have to be replaced.
How do we do that?
If we hope to deal with our idols, what we need is not merely a vague belief in God but a profound encounter with God.
Jacob had such an encounter, and it changed him forever.
We met Jacob and his wives, Leah and Rachel, in a previous message. By the time we get to Genesis 31, Jacob has settled into married life and is prospering quite nicely. But Jacob’s success became a threat to his father-in-law, Laban, and tension began to grow between them. So, Jacob decided it was time to part ways and return to his homeland.
By now, his parents were gone, but his twin brother, Esau, the one Jacob had deceived, was still around. And the last time they had seen each other, Esau threatened to kill him.
As Jacob and his huge entourage of family, servants, flocks, and herds drew near, he received the alarming news. Esau was heading his way, accompanied by a small army.
Jacob was sure Esau was coming to make good on his threat. So, he springs into action. He sends out some servants with a huge gift of livestock for his brother. Then he divides his family into smaller groups and sends them across the river. Now night is falling, and Jacob is alone.
All of his life, Jacob had been a “control freak.” He had sought to control people and circumstances to get what he wanted. He demonstrates the ultimate counterfeit god: SELF.
The idol of self comes in many forms: self-sufficiency, self-determination, self-rule. Every one of us is challenged by the idol of self. Like Jacob, you’ve determined to be a survivor. And like Jacob, you survived—but at a huge cost.
Jacob’s life had been one long wrestling match to get a blessing. He wrestled with Esau to hear it from his father’s lips. He had wrestled with Laban to find it in Rachel’s companionship. But it hadn’t worked. He was still needy and empty on the inside.
And now, he wrestles with God Himself. A mysterious figure comes to Jacob in the night, and they wrestle, struggling all night long, until at last, the Lord touches his hip and it is wrenched out of its socket.
But rather than let go, Jacob clung all the harder. “I won’t let go until you bless me!” He realized that nothing else matters. If he didn’t have God’s blessing, he didn’t have anything.
At long last, Jacob recognized the true God and surrendered to Him. God gave him a new name—Israel. And He left him with a reminder of who is really in control: Jacob would walk with a limp for the rest of his life.
Jacob’s transformation came after a profound encounter with God. And, in the end, that is the only remedy against idolatry. When you know God as GOD, you don’t need anything or anyone else. And when you give control to Him, you don’t have to bow to the idol of self.
Text: Genesis 31-32
Originally recorded on December 12, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
You’ve probably heard the saying “Money talks.” What would money say to you if it wanted to be your idol? And what might God say in contrast?
1. Money says: “Look at how much more others have than you.” This counterfeit god uses envy to enslave us, driving us to want more. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
God says: “Be content with and grateful for what you have.” The antidote to envy is gratitude.
2. Money says: “You don’t have a greed problem.” Money insists, “You don’t have enough money to be called greedy. Only rich people are greedy.” Yet Jesus warned an audience of mostly poor people, “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed.”
God says: “Recognize that the tendency toward greed is a constant challenge.” The antidote to greed is generosity.
3. Money says: “Worry about me!” We have the illusion that we won’t worry about money if we have more money. But the fact is, the more money we have, the more we think about it and worry about it.
God says: “Trust me as your provision and source.” There is a linkage between seeking God’s Kingdom and knowing God’s provision.
4. Money says: “Giving may be a good idea, but you can’t afford it.” One of the biggest lies money tells is that if you had more money, you’d be more generous. But statistics show that people with lower incomes give a higher percentage of their money than people with higher incomes.
God says: “Give, not because you can afford to, but because you can’t afford not to.” If you don’t start understanding the role of generosity when you don’t have much, you will not grow into it when you do have much.
5. Money says: “If you just keep getting more, eventually you’ll have enough.” But it’s like a treadmill of acquisition; we never get there. We never reach “enough.”
God says: “The antidote for consumerism is compassion.” Only when you choose to spend on behalf of others instead of on yourself will your heart begin to change.
Text: Luke 16:13; 12:15-34; 19:1-8
Originally recorded on December 12, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
An idol is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your attention and affection more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.
Idols can take on many forms: money, success, power, popularity, or physical attractiveness. But idols can also take on human form.
When you look to a person for the kind of deep affirmation and acceptance that only God can provide, it results not only in pain but in bondage.
The Bible graphically illustrates this in the story of Jacob and Leah. Jacob had a twin brother, Esau. Esau was their father, Isaac’s favorite—his idol. Because of this, Esau grew up proud, willful, and impulsive, while Jacob grew up cynical, bitter, and conniving.
After Jacob deceived his father and received the blessing Esau desired, Esau vowed to kill Jacob. So, Jacob fled for his life.
He ended up in his Uncle Laban’s house, where he got a job tending sheep. There he met Laban’s daughters—Leah and Rachel. Leah had “weak eyes,” while Rachel was beautiful. Jacob was utterly smitten by the lovely Rachel. He had to have her. He would do anything for her. She became his idol.
This unhealthy desire consumed Jacob. Rachel was not just the wife he wanted; she was the savior he needed.
Jacob asked her father for her hand in marriage. But Laban deceived the deceiver, Jacob, and after working for seven years, Laban gave him, not Rachel, but Leah. Jacob had to work another seven years for Rachel.
Perhaps the greatest casualty in this story is Leah. The daughter whom her father did not want is now the wife her husband did not want. As a result, Leah had a hole in her heart every bit as big as the one in Jacob’s heart. And now she tries to fill it with a person. She sets her heart on getting Jacob’s love.
Genesis 29:31 says that “when the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.” The Lord gave Leah sons, and with each birth she thought, “Maybe now Jacob will love me.” But it didn’t work out that way.
Ironically, after all that pain, Leah is the one who shows spiritual progress in all this. When her last son is born, her response is, “This time I will praise the Lord.” It appears that she has finally taken her heart’s deepest devotion off of a person and put it on the Lord. She has dealt with her idol.
I look at what God did in Leah, and then I consider what God did for her. If you track the genealogy of Jesus, you will see that of all Jacob’s sons, He came through the line of Judah, Leah’s son.
God reached out to the girl that nobody wanted, the unloved one, and made her the ancestral mother of the Messiah. Salvation came to the world, not through the beautiful Rachel, but through the unwanted, unloved Leah.
No human can bear the burden of godhood. No person can meet the deepest needs of your soul.
Jesus is the only one who can live up to the hopes, dreams, indeed, the expectations that we all have. And only when we place Him in the temple of our hearts in a position of unrivaled prominence will we be in a position to love anyone well.
Text: Genesis 29
Originally recorded on December 5, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Most of us believe nothing could be better than seeing our dreams come true. In that pursuit of happiness, it never enters our minds that getting our heart’s desires could, in fact, be the worst thing that ever happened to us. Good things can go bad.
Why does getting your heart’s desire so often lead to disaster? It’s because our hearts are idol factories. We can take a good thing, indeed a gift from God, and if we’re not careful, we can end up elevating it to a place where it was never meant to be, giving it a position it was never fit for.
An idol is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your attention and affection more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.
One of the most classic pictures of this is found in the Old Testament book of Genesis. Abraham was born into a wealthy family of idol-worshipers. But God made him a staggering offer: if he would forsake his idols, leave his ancestral home, and follow God’s leading, the Lord would bless him beyond his wildest dreams. More specifically, this promise would be fulfilled through Abraham’s offspring.
The problem was, Abraham had no offspring. He and his wife were childless. But he took God at His word and stepped out in faith.
The years passed, and still, no child came. Finally, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90, it happened. Miraculously, a son was born to them. They named him Isaac.
From the moment of his birth, he was the delight and the idol of his father’s heart. So, “God stepped in to save both father and son from the consequences of an uncleansed love.” (Tozer)
God tested Abraham, asking him to sacrifice his son—his only son, whom he loved. The Lord knew Abraham had to deal with his idol, and as painful as that was for Abraham, the alternative would have been even more painful.
If a person is put in the place of God, it creates an idolatrous love that will smother the person and strangle the relationship.
Abraham passed the test. He obeyed, and God stepped in, stopped Abraham, and gave him back his son.
In our lives, things will inevitably arise – even good things – that we will turn into idols. It may be your children, your husband, wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend. It may be success in athletics, or a dream to be on the stage, or making it big in business.
Idols demand to be fed. We will sacrifice for them, or to them. Yet they never end up delivering.
Good things can and often do go bad as we turn them into our idols. And it’s then that God, in His mercy, calls us to a Moriah moment.
Mark it well: It will not be easy. The most painful of times will be when our “Isaacs” are challenged, threatened, or even removed.
Sometimes it seems as if God is killing us when He challenges our idols. In reality, He’s saving us. Though it appeared that God was being excessively cruel to Abraham, in reality, God was freeing Abraham to be a great man who would become the Father of our Faith.
Text: Genesis 22:1-18
Originally recorded on November 21, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel wrote, “These men have set up idols in their hearts.” (Ex. 14:3) I would suggest that those words written thousands of years ago could easily apply to us. Though we may not bow to idols of stone or wood, the issue of idolatry is no less real now than it was in Ezekiel’s day.
As we begin this series, we’re going to consider some fundamental questions:
- What is idolatry?
- How do I know what my potential idols are?
- Why does the Bible make such a big deal about idolatry?
Let’s start with “what is idolatry?”
An idol is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your attention and affection more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.
An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought. An idol is anything so central or essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would hardly be worth living.
The question isn’t IF we have an idol problem. That’s a given. The question is, “Which idol is God’s biggest rival in my life?” Some potential idols might be:
- Money
- Success
- Attractiveness
- Relationships
- Children
- Pleasure
- Career
- Church
So, how do I know what my idol threat is? These questions might reveal it.
- Which of these do I find myself thinking about the most?
- Which one of those do you most fear losing or feel like life might not be worth living without it?
- Which one of these idols most gives me a sense of identity?
- Which of these do I look to most to make me feel secure?
- Which one of these do my efforts and resources most tend to revolve around?
- Which one of those would other people who know me well say is my most threatening idol?
The Ten Commandments begin with a warning against worshiping any gods other than Yaweh. Why? Because it’s the key to all other issues. You never break any of the other commands without first breaking the first one.
Why does God hate idolatry so much? He hates it not simply because it robs Him of the honor and worship and adoration He deserves, but God hates it because of what it does to us.
See, the counterfeit gods have not gone away. They have just changed clothes. They still promise much and fail to deliver. They still get us to sacrifice our lives to them without coming through for us. And that’s why God hates them so much. They destroy His children.
Text: Ezekiel 14:3; Exodus 20:1-3
Originally recorded on November 14, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
We are wrapping up our series on the topic of worship with some honest talk, because here’s the thing: worshipping God from the heart isn’t always easy.
There are times when worship comes easily—when life is good, prayers are answered, and joy overflows. But what about when it’s not? What about when your heart is heavy, when questions remain unanswered, and when hope feels distant? That is the place where worship sacrifices.
Some would say it’s hypocritical to praise when you don’t feel like it. God says, it’s not hypocrisy, it’s obedience.
Hebrews 13:15 says: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name.”
Praise and worship are never to be slaves to our circumstances but masters over them.
Sacrifice has been part of worship since the beginning. And while Jesus’ death and resurrection mean blood sacrifice is no longer needed, there is still a place for sacrifice in our praise. There is still a time when our worship of God costs us something. Will we worship even then? Is He still worthy of our praise—even when it’s hard?
Here are three conditions when worship may require sacrifice for you in the days ahead.
1. When someone has hurt or wronged you. (Acts 16)
Like Paul and Silas, you, too, to varying degrees, are going to be hurt by people. You’re going to be wronged and mistreated. And you’re going to face the challenge of how you’re going to respond. Will you commit to offering a sacrifice of praise anyway? Is God still worthy of your praise?
Christ is often most clearly shown when in our mistreatment, when things are totally unfair, and we worship anyway. It’s then that people wonder, “What is it that you have? What do you know? Whatever it is, I want it.”
2. When you are deeply disappointed. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
What happens to your worship when things don’t turn out the way you’d hoped? For the prophet Habakkuk, his worship rose like a defiant “nevertheless.” Even in the face of all these hard things, even when things don’t go my way…I will rejoice in the Lord.
3. When you’re worried or afraid. (Psalm 27)
David is faced with threats of all kinds, yet even in the middle of all these fears, the one thing he knows he needs is worship. He knew that in the sanctuary, in God’s presence, he would find perspective and the recovery of hope.
Note what happened in each of these stories. Worship came first, and then came the transformation. The sacrifice of praise was offered before circumstances changed.
Now it’s our turn. Will you allow the circumstances to silence your praise, or will you determine to offer God a sacrifice of praise? Give God the worship that perhaps touches His heart the most, and in the process, you may find Him to be everything you need.
Text: Heb. 13:15; Acts 16; Hab. 3:17-18; Ps. 27
Originally recorded on February 7, 1999, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Psalm 73 is one of my favorites because it’s just so true to life. Here we have a guy named Asaph who was a worship leader in his day. But he starts this song by admitting that he nearly lost his spiritual footing. He was ready to quit.
Why? Because he saw the inequity of life. He noted how often people who didn’t follow God were successful, healthy, and wealthy, while he gave everything to serve God and His people, yet he struggled to get by. The dissonance was killing him.
“It’s not fair, God!” That’s the gist of the first several verses. “I’ve tried to keep myself pure and do the right things, but what has it gotten me? I’m faced with afflictions and pain all day, every day.”
But then he came to a turning point. “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God…” (v. 17)
Worship was the hinge upon which his soul swung from death to life. Worship changed him.
What worship did for Asaph, it can do for us.
- In worship, he received perspective. (vs. 18-19) When we have eternity in view, we recognize that what really matters, that which is truly valuable, is not wealth, beauty, or fame—it’s the Kingdom.
- In worship, he was able to diagnose the condition of his heart. (vs. 21-22) In worship, we come face to face with our selfishness and shortsightedness. But we also see how much God loves us and that His ways are best.
- In worship, he was reminded of the fact that he wasn’t alone. (vs. 23-24) Picture yourself walking through life with God holding your hand like a little child with her father. By drawing close to God in worship, He is able to keep us from making foolish, self-destructive mistakes.
Asaph concludes his song with these beautiful words: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (vs. 25-26)
It’s as if he’s thinking, “What if I hadn’t come to the sanctuary? What if I hadn’t prioritized worship? I would have gone on in bitterness and envy. I would have settled for short-term gains at the expense of long-term benefits. I would have trashed my life by engaging in self-destructive decisions. I would have walked through life all alone. Thank God for the sanctuary. Thank God for worship. Because worship has the power to change me.”
Text: Psalm 73
Originally recorded on January 31, 1999, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
What is worship? Here are a few definitions:
- Worship is the total adoring response of man to the Eternal God.
- Worship is responding to all that God is with all that I have.
- Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth.
Do you see some common threads? First of all, worship is an active response. There is no such thing as passive worship. Secondly, worship is to God. It’s not “me”-focused. It is ever and always a God-centered activity.
But what happens when worship deteriorates into something else? And how does that happen?
To help us answer those questions, we’re going to look at one of the darkest chapters in the Old Testament— a time when the worship of God’s people totally unraveled.
In Exodus 32, Moses had gone up Mt. Sinai to receive the law from God and had been gone for many days. The people started getting restless, so they went to Aaron (Moses’ brother) and asked him to “make us gods” to worship. So, Aaron created a golden calf and invited the people to worship it. The people’s worship of this “god” devolved into drunkenness and revelry. When God saw this, He was angry and ready to destroy them.
How did this happen? How did their worship so utterly deteriorate and what observations can we make related to our own worship?
1. Worship deteriorates when it becomes casual.
These people did not abandon worship or forget God altogether. They simply wanted to make Him more palatable, more controllable.
You might be wondering, “Did they know any better? What had their encounters with God been like before this?” Exodus 19 gives us a snapshot. God has given Moses instructions to gather the people to encounter Him. God’s presence was displayed through fire, smoke, thunder, lightning, and the sound of a trumpet. The holiness and fearsomeness of God filled the people with awe.
Could you imagine anyone in that crowd picking their fingernails or chatting with their neighbor? Would anyone dare critique the presentation? No! They trembled with holy fear because they realized they were in the presence of the Living God!
Friends, when we gather for worship, the same God is here! But all too easily we can lose our sense of awe and trivialize God by making worship casual.
Here are three ways you can begin to challenge the drift to casual worship.
- Come prepared. We prepare for what matters.
- Come on time. We prioritize what matters.
- Come with a sense of commitment. Commit to worship with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
2. Worship deterioriates when it becomes consumer-oriented.
The Israelites asked Aaron to “make us gods to go before us.” They focus was on them.
Consumer-oriented worship has its emphasis on what I want, what I get out of it. It sits back with arms folded and says, “Wow me.” It critiques worship as one might a show.
But real worship focuses on God and responding to Him as He deserves, not as we prefer.
3. Worship deteriorates when it becomes compartmentalized.
That is, it becomes disconnected from life. In Ex. 32, the people went straight from “worship” to behavior that was disgusting and dishonoring to God.
If our worship is simply going through motions, God is not impressed. Worship is meaningful to God only to the extent that it is the reflection of the authentic desires of my heart and an extension of my lifestyle on a day by day basis.
Text: Exodus 32, 19
Originally recorded on January 10, 1999, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
What is it that God is calling us to when He says, “Come and worship”? Let’s seek to answer that question by looking first at some…
Biblical Examples of Worship.
The first example is found in Psalm 95. It gives us not only a call to worship, it also provides a pattern for worship.
- Celebration (v. 1-5) Notice the phrases “sing for joy,” “shout aloud,” and “let us extol Him.” Worship is a time for God’s people to celebrate their Lord.
- Adoration (v. 6-7) Here we’re called to “bow down,” to “kneel” before the Lord. It is a quieter, more intimate response.
- Instruction (v. 8-11) The psalmist says, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Part of worship is hearing God’s Word.
Psalm 96 provides us with a few additional insights. The very first word in this psalm is “sing.” Three times in the first two verses, we are told to “sing to the Lord.” This is one of the most common commands in Scripture. This is why singing is such an integral part of our corporate worship gatherings.
As you worship the Lord…
- Sing boldly.
- Sing thoughtfully.
- Sing wholeheartedly.
- Sing skillfully.
Something else we see in Psalm 96 is the call to “bring an offering.” (v. 7-9) Giving to God is an act of worship. As such, when we give, we should…
- Be intentional.
- Be thoughtful.
- Be cheerful.
Next, let’s look at some…
Biblical Expressions of Worship.
Here are eight Hebrew words, often translated as “praise,” that may revolutionize your worship.
1. Halal: to boast; to celebrate; to be vigorously joyful; to be clamorously foolish (Ps. 35:18)
Halal is the more common word for “praise” in the Psalms. It’s the root from which we get the term “hallelujah.” It’s is an explosion of enthusiasm in the act of praising.
2. Tehilla: to sing; to laud (Ps. 33:1) Literally, this is the singing of one’s halals.
3. Zamar: to touch the strings; to make music (Ps. 104:33) This is why we use instruments in our worship.
4. Shabach: to address in a loud tone; to triumph; to glory (Ps. 145:4) This is a loud verbalization of praise—a shout.
5. Shachah: to bow down; to pay homage; to prostrate oneself; to have the arrogance knocked out (Ps. 96:9) This refers to lying prostrate, flat on your face before the Lord.
6. Barak: to kneel down expecting a blessing from God; to bless God as an act of adoration (Ps. 34:1) This is kneeling before God in humility and surrender, but also expectation.
7. Yada: to acknowledge God’s character; to make a declaration of worship; to throw out the hand enjoying God (Ps. 63:3-4) This involves lifting our hands to the Lord in worship.
8. Todah: to extend hands in thanksgiving and acceptance; to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Ps. 116:17) This also involves the lifting of hands to the Lord, but it more specifically has to do with offering a sacrifice of praise.
Text: Psalm 95, 96
Originally recorded on January 24, 1999, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Worship is basic to everything else in the walk of faith. Seeing God for who He really is and responding to Him as he truly deserves is at the center of everything the church believes, practices, and seeks to accomplish. It is so important, that if it gets off track, it is disastrous for the people of God.
When the people lost their awe of God and let their worship deteriorate, everything else fell apart. They began to compromise and fall into sin. They lost their passion for the lost around them. They stopped giving sacrificially and dissension arose within their ranks. When worship got fuzzy it led to cold hearts, hard spirits, and the death of love.
The Bible gives us three reasons why worship matters both personally and corporately.
1. Worship is the dividing line of all humanity.
Essentially, all human beings can be divided into two groups: those who willingly bow their knee to the true and Living God, and those who do not…and will not.
This line was first seen back in the book of Genesis with the first two people ever born—Cain and Abel. Abel gave God his first and his best, and God was pleased. But Cain only gave “some” of his crops. His worship was careless and mindless, and God was displeased. In the end, Cain’s hardened heart led him to murder his brother. (Gen. 4:1-12)
A failure to worship wholeheartedly not only dishonors God, it removes you from God’s blessing, and is the first step toward sin gaining a foothold in your life.
2. Worship is the destiny of the redeemed.
We were made to worship. We were saved so that we might “declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Pet. 2:9) And one day, when we see Him face to face, we will worship Him fully, an eternal celebration of the wonders and glories of God.
But we don’t have to wait until then to experience His presence. You can know the firstfruits of that here and now as you provide Him a throne in your worship.
3. Worship is the one disctinctive that God cannot give Himself.
God is completely self-existent. He depends no one and no thing for anything. And yet, there is one thing He cannot give Himself: people who will worship Him. Indeed, He longs for this.
In John 4:23, Jesus said that the Father is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
Will you be one who says, “I will be that kind of worshipper. I will respond to all that You are with all that I have.”
Text: Genesis 4:1-12; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 19:5-10; John 4:23
Originally recorded on January 3, 1999, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
There are certain passages in this book that are downright stunning to me. For instance, Paul doesn’t just tell the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord,” he tells them to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4). He doesn’t just say, “don’t worry,” he says, “don’t worry about anything” (Phil. 4:6) Now in today’s passage, Paul says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Phil. 4:12)
Remember, Paul isn’t able to say these things because his life has been easy. Just the opposite! He faced life-threatening circumstances over and over again, all for the sake of Christ. Indeed, at the very moment he penned these words he was chained to a guard in a Roman prison. Even so, Paul had “learned the secret” of being content.
What can we learn from Paul that can help us learn to be content no matter what comes our way?
The Greek word Paul uses for contentment means “satisfaction with what one has; independence from all things and all people.” It’s the idea of not needing anything, anyone, or any change in the circumstances in order to be at peace.
But how do you get there? In Paul’s day, as in ours, there were two philosophies that people followed to ease their discontent. Counterfeit contentment, you could say.
Contentment isn’t a matter of giving in to stoicism. Stoicism believes the goal is to get rid of desire, to eliminate emotion. In other words, to simply not care.
In today’s parlance, the watchword would be “whatever.” “My job’s been eliminated. Whatever. I don’t care.”
But this is not what Paul is talking about.
Contentment isn’t a matter of turning in to self-sufficiency. This is the philosophy of the Cynics. One of their beliefs is to trust no one but yourself.
The problem with that is, the only resources you have are the ones you can muster up, and when those run out, you’re out of luck. That’s why Cynics are seldom content; they’re bitter.
So, what’s Paul’s secret? It’s found in verse 13. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
This is one of the most popular verses in the Bible, used as motivation by athletes and millions of others facing challenging situations. But we would do well to understand that the original context of these words has to do with learning to be content. What they remind us is that…
Contentment is a matter of leaning in to divine sovereignty.Paul’s contentment was anchored in His awareness that Christ was enough and that his life was controlled by a sovereign God who worked all things together for our good and His glory.
Here are some actions steps that can help us when discontentment creeps in.
Ponder: thank God for all that you do have. Discontentment is largely triggered by ingratitude. Instead of focusing on what isn’t, thank God for what is. One of the secrets of contentment is gratitude.
Wonder: ask yourself what God might be up to. God is always at work. What might He want you to learn about Him, about you? How might He use these circumstances for the greater progress of the gospel?
Surrender: trust God’s heart rather than your understanding. There will be times when God’s actions baffle us. In those moments, we much surrender our need to understand the situation and fall back on what you know is true about God – His character and love for you.
Text: Philippians 4:10-13, 2 Corinthians 11:23-28; 12:7-12
Originally recorded on February 1, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
We have been given the incredible offer by God to not only find forgiveness, but to experience transformation. We have been made different to make a difference.
How is this transformation done? Romans 12:2 gives us a hint. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Transformation starts in the mind.
Paul teaches the same thing in Philippians 4:8-9. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—THINK about such things.Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice (DO). And the God of peace will be with you.”
THINK—DO. According these verses, the transformed life begins on the inside with what you think. Your outward action – that which you do – is an overflow of that. THINK—DO.
Cognitive psychology has confirmed what the Scriptures have taught and from that study, have identified two “laws.”
1. The Law of Cognition: You are what you think.
Another way to say it is:the way you think creates your attitudes, shapes your emotions, and governs your behavior.
Using trees as an illustration, Jesus taught that if the inner life (what you can’t see) is healthy, the outer display (the fruit—that which you can see) will be healthy also. If the stream of your thoughts is “true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute” then you will be able to “do” or “put into practice” that which is delightfully different.
By the same token, if the inner life, the unseen life of a person is unhealthy—if the stream of thoughts is misguided, false, impure or ugly—then that will become evident as well. The state of your inner life will inevitably leak out.
2. The Law of Exposure: Your mind will think most about what it is exposed to.
What repeatedly enters your mind eventually shapes your thinking and ultimately expresses itself in your behavior. It’s like creating mental ruts in our brains—pathways worn deep by repeated patterns of thought.
These ruts can be destructive, like resentment, complaint, negativity, worry, or lust. Or they can be life-giving, “whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely,” etc.
How can you change the ruts you’re in?
- Catch the negative or untrue thought.
- Replace it with that which is true and contstructive.
- Guard your mind by being careful about what you expose yourself to.
- Build structures that can help you create new ruts, such as worship, Scripture reading, and community.
Text: Philippians 4:8-9; Romans 12:2
Originally recorded on January 25, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
What are you known for? Your wit, appearance, talent, or success? Perhaps you’re known for your sharp tongue or short fuse. Or maybe it’s for your biblical knowledge and wisdom.
But none of these things (not even the positive ones) are mentioned by Paul as noteworthy. Rather, in Philippians 4:5, he says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
Gentleness. The Greek word is hard to translate but it implies “generosity, goodwill, magnanimity, bigheartedness, forbearance, mercy toward the failures of others, charity toward the faults of others.”
One way to understand what gentleness looks like is to look at the life of Jesus. In Luke 7, we see three examples of gentleness in action. The first encounter is with a Roman centurion – a gentile - who asks Jesus to heal his servant.
The second encounter occurs when Jesus’ journey is interrupted by a funeral procession. A local widow had lost her only son.
The third encounter was potentially the most embarrassing for Jesus. While seated at a dinner in the home of a prominent citizen, a woman, known to be a prostitute, comes in, sits next to Jesus, and bursts out crying.
How did Jesus handle each of these encounters? And what can we learn about how to make gentleness known to all?
- Your gentleness becomes evident when you aren’t too narrow to engage those who are different from you.
Jews would never associate with Gentiles, but Jesus went out of His way to help Roman soldier.
- Your gentleness becomes evident when you aren’t too important to reach out to those who are below you.
It wasn’t even the “important” person who needed help. It was a servant. Yet Jesus healed him. To be gentle is to love and serve the “little” people.
- Your gentleness becomes evident when you aren’t in too much of a hurry to care about those who have needs beyond you.
When Jesus saw the grieving widow, His “heart went out to her.” See, people mattered more to Jesus than His schedule. In fact, the needs of people were not seen as interruptions in His schedule, but part of His schedule. So, Jesus stopped, spoke to the woman and raised her son from the dead.
- Your gentleness becomes evident when you aren’t too proud to embrace those who might be embarrassing to you.
No one was too low in the social pecking order for Jesus to associate with. In fact, knowing how seldom such people were cared for, Jesus seemed to intentionally seek out the last, the least, and the lost, unconcerned about what it did to His reputation.
What do you do when you encounter those whose mere proximity to you would be embarrassing?
None of these people to whom Jesus expressed gentleness ever served to advance His position. But His action certainly enhanced His profile. People were filled with awe and praised God. Moreover, a servant, a widow, and a prostitute were transformed.
I ask you again: What are you known for? I pray it will increasingly be said that your gentleness is evident to all.
Text: Philippians 4:5; Luke 7
Originally recorded on January 18, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In this passage, the Apostle Paul makes one of the most extraordinary statements of this entire letter: “Do not be anxious about anything.” Anything? I can understand saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” but “Don’t worry about anything?”
It would be easy to dismiss Paul’s words if he were some lofty, ivory-towered theologian. But remember, Paul was writing this letter from prison! If anybody had reason to worry, it would be him. He literally didn’t know if he would survive from one day to the next. And yet, letting go of worry was how he lived–how he survived.
How is that possible? Let’s see if we can find some answers by looking at three questions:
- Where does worry come from?
- What does worry cost?
- How is worry defeated?
1. Where does worry come from?
Your culture and history and biology can set you up to be a worrier. But we all wrestle with worry because we all have problems.
An expert in this field says that worry results primarily from two things:
- A heightened sense of vulnerability, and
- A diminished sense of power.
We worry because we’re vulnerable and exposed and we know we can’t do much about it.
Conversely, where there’s a decreased sense of vulnerability and increased sense of power, anxiety will be lessened.
This is why Pauls reminds us to “Rejoice in the Lord.” When you have entered into a relationship with Him, you have no reason to be anxious because Someone real big is with you
2. What does worry cost?
Worry causes all kinds of physical ailments. But it also leads to a “divided mind.” That’s literally what the Greek word means. Worry multiplies problems actually keeping me from finding a solution.
3. How is worry defeated?
We said earlier that when you increase your sense of power, anxiety is diminished. That’s why Paul tells us, “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything.”
Pray about the big stuff. Pray about the little stuff. If something is big enough to be in your thoughts, it’s big enough to pray about. And when you do, soon you’ll find a sense of God’s peace settling down over you.
Text: Philippians 4:4-7
Originally recorded on January 11, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
The church at Philippi faced a problem that believers have faced down through the years. How do you pursue the dream of extending God’s Kingdom when you have to do it with actual, real-life people – people who can so easily rub you the wrong way?
Like porcupines, we can be prickly and cause a lot of hurt and harm to others. That’s why porcupines are solitary creatures. They live alone…until it’s time for mating.
This is the porcupine’s dilemma: How do you get close enough to multiply without getting hurt?
In nature, porcupines have found a way to avoid the quills and come together in a unique mating dance. All for the sake of reproducing their kind.
Friends, we face the same dilemma. We struggle to relate to those who rub us the wrong way. And we’re tempted to either withdraw or lash out. But if we could see that there’s something bigger at play – the multiplication of disciples – perhaps we could learn to do an awkward dance with one another.
This is what Paul is calling two women to do in this text. Their names are Eudia and Syntyche and Paul pleads with them to get along. These women are leaders in the Philippian church but their break down is so severe, so costly to the community, that Paul calls them out.
He then asks someone he calls “loyal yokefellow” to intercede. When believers break down, it’s the responsibility of those who know and love them to help them reconcile.
Let’s look at how Paul handles this situation and see what we can learn about handling breakdowns.
1. Paul doesn’t take sides.
Most likely this was not an issue of right and wrong, but rather an intense differing of opinions. So, Paul doesn’t side with either one.
2. Paul doesn’t say that their strong opinions weren’t justified.
His apparent neutrality probably tells us that he thought both women had legitimate points of view.
When it comes to the work of the Kingdom, we can be gripped by a “beautiful anger,” a powerful passion for a cause. And that’s great! What’s not great is to condemn others for not sharing it or to say that their passion is unworthy.
3. Paul doesn’t say they have to be friends.
Reconciliation doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be best friends. There will be people you just don’t resonate with, and that’s okay.
However…
4. Paul does challenge them that their breakdown is costing the community.
Even the most faithful, mature, and committed people can become so passionate about their points of view that they can poison the very thing they love.
5. Paul does ask them to be open to mediation.
Remember that this letter would have been read aloud to this church body. These women would have heard Paul’s request to “get help. Do whatever it takes to resolve this.”
Follow the pattern Jesus gave us in Matthew 18. When you break down with someone, go to them – just the two of you. If that doesn’t work, get help. Bring in a mediator.
6. Paul does call them to remember what they do share together and let that unite them.
These ladies had “contended by his side” (v. 3). They had labored together in this Kingdom mission. And Paul reminds them…and us… that what unites us is greater than what divides us.
Text: Philippians 4:2-3
Originally recorded on January 4, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
One of Paul’s favorite metaphors for the transformational journey everyday disciples are on was the footrace. Paul saw the life of faith as a race to be run... and run well.
The goal of this race is to be like Jesus. And while we will never fully achieve it in this life, each of us should keep pressing on toward that goal.
There are four keys to running your race well.
1. Dissatisfaction
A healthy dissatisfaction with the status quo of your discipleship can push you to keep growing, keep learning, keep maturing.
- Devotion: “one thing I do”( v. 13)
Every serious runner knows that if he/she is to have any hope of winning the race they’re committed to, it will take real devotion. They go into training for the race. They seek advice from other runners who they respect. Often they engage a coach to help them.
The parallels to the spiritual race are quite obvious. If you hope to run well, you will have to go into training and engage in some spiritual disciplines. You will need to find others you can learn from and who can encourage you (community). And you will probably need a coach (mentor, discipler, accountability partner) who will push you when you feel like coasting.
- Direction: “forgetting what is behind” (v. 13)
I can’t tell you how many races have been lost when runners, rather than looking ahead, chose to look behind. When Paul talks of “forgetting what is behind,” he is saying, “I am no longer letting the past influence or control my race.” Stop living in the past and start leaning into the future.
- Determination: “I press on” (vs. 12, 14)
In a long race, it is often the middle miles that the run gets hard. The excitement of the start has faded, and the finish line seems so far away. It’s easy to slow down. It’s tempting to give up.
It’s the same in race of faith. In those early days of walking with Jesus, you ran with such enthusiasm, willingly making the sacrifice, but now it’s hard. The miles seem to never end, and the encouragement is few and far between.
Don’t you give up! Press on, my brothers and sisters! Press on!
Text: Philippians 3:12-16
Originally recorded on November 16, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
She is mentioned more than any other character in the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus, yet she is often overlooked. Her name is Mary Magdalene.
She had been there at the foot of the cross that Friday for every moment of the six horrific hours Jesus hung there. She heard every word, every groan. Then she watched Him cry out, breathe His last and die.
Mary watched as they took down His body and place it in a borrowed tomb. And she sat there in the garden, watching as the stone was rolled in place and sealed.
She was shocked, numb, unable to move. Her grief would have been overwhelming. The One who had changed her life, restored her dignity, and given her purpose… was dead.
The following day was the Sabbath. No work, no travel. She hunkered down with her grief and waited.
On Sunday, Mary and some friends left for the tomb early in the morning bringing spices and linen to wrap Jesus’ body in. On the way, they questioned among themselves how they were going to move this huge stone. But when they arrived, they found the stone rolled away!
When Mary saw that, she did not think, “Resurrection!” She thought, “Grave robbers!” She quickly ran to tell Peter and the others.
Peter and John ran back to the tomb. There on the slab were the strips of linen that had bound Jesus’ body. Instantly, they believed. Jesus was alive!
After the men left, Mary stood outside the tomb crying. When she finally got up the nerve, she bent over to peer into the tomb. To her amazement, there inside were two angels. They asked her, “Why are you crying?”
She turned around and through her tears saw the figure of a man in the garden. He asked her the same question: “Why are you crying?”
She was confused, thinking it was the gardener. And then He spoke one word. “Mary.” He called her name. And in that instant, she knew. He was alive! Jesus was alive!
Her tears of grief turned to tears of joy as she threw herself into His arms. What a reunion!
I’ve been thinking about the question Mary was asked on that resurrection Sunday. “Why are you crying?” Mary was crying because she thought it was all over. Friday had won. The dream was dead. Hope was gone.
Maybe you can identify with Mary. It feels like all your hopes and dreams seem have died. You’re confused and frightened. You feel hopeless, like you have no future. And I suppose you have every right to cry, if that’s really the way it is. If, indeed, Friday has won.
But what if that’s not the case? What if Jesus really is alive? And what if He is calling your name today?
It’s true! The Resurrected Jesus is alive and well and He knows your name. He is calling out to you. Can you hear Him?
He is calling you to believe that Friday doesn’t have the last word, and you can trust Him for what concerns you.
Text: Matthew 27:55-61; John 20:1-18
Originally recorded on April 12, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to live under the “performance plan” – to try to be good enough, to jump through all the religious hoops in order to be “righteous” before God.
Then one day, he met Jesus, and this man who had taken such pride in his performance, saw perfect righteousness for the first time – a righteousness so brilliant that it blinded him. And in that instant, Paul saw how far short he fell of it. He saw Jesus for who He really is, and Paul declared his belief and cried out for mercy. In that moment, stripped of the rags of self-righteousness, he was clothed in the robe of God’s perfect righteousness. (Is. 61:10)
The same is true for all of us. No matter how hard we try, we cannot get rid of the stain of sin on our own. Jeremiah 2:22 says, “Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me…”
But what we can do is to allow God to cover over our sinfulness with His righteousness.
“True righteousness,” Paul says in Phil. 3:9, “does not come from the law.” We can’t earn it by following the rules or doing good deeds. Those things aren’t sufficient to remove the stain of guilt we all have before a holy God. Instead, God offers the amazing gift of “righteousness... through faith in Christ...righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
How is this possible? How can it be that faith in Christ can accomplish what all those rituals couldn’t?
God made a way for the stain of sin to be dealt with. Jesus Christ came into our world, lived a sinless life among us, taught us how to love and showed us how to live. Then He went to the cross where He paid the penalty for our sin and rebellion and rose again defeating sin’s hold and giving us the hope of eternal life with Him.
But it’s not enough to just know this. It changes nothing if you don’t take the next step. Entering into a relationship with Jesus can be thought of in terms of A-B-C.
A- Admit: “I admit that I’m a sinner. I’ve got stains, God. I know I can’t remove them or pay for them. I acknowledge that I’ve gone my own way and done my own thing and I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
B- Believe: “I believe that Jesus is Your Son and the only Savior of the world. I believe He died on the cross for me and that His blood is sufficient to cleanse my stain.”
C- Commit: “God, I commit myself to you from this day forth. Lord Jesus, even as I ask you to be my Savior, I commit to following after You, learning from You, and living for You.”
Text: Philippians 3:2-9
Originally recorded on November 2, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Our world revolves around “the performance plan.” If we work hard enough, perform well enough, and impress the powers that be sufficiently enough...we’ll make the cut.
It’s not surprising, then, that “the performance plan” shows up in the realm of religion as well.
Religion could be defined as: a system of beliefs, rituals, and behaviors by which a person can be made right with God. It is an attempt to make the ultimate cut.
This “performance plan” approach is what Paul is warning about in Philippians 3. “Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh…” (vs.2-3)
In order to understand what Paul is talking about, we have to go back to the story of Abraham found in Genesis 17. There God makes a covenant with Abraham. In essence, “I will be your God and you and the descendants I give you will be my people.” Then God chose circumcision as the outward sign of this covenant.
Circumcision became the symbol of man’s need to be cleansed from sin at the most basic point of his identity. But from the very beginning, this outward act was secondary to something of far greater importance: an inward belief.
In Genesis 15:6 we read that “Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” Faith came first – then the symbolic action.
The problem is that all too quickly the Jewish people came to believe that to get right with God all a man had to do was to be circumcised, bypassing the heart change altogether.
But making the cut and getting on God’s team has never been a matter of performance. It is a matter of turning to Him in faith, confessing your sinfulness and receiving His forgiveness.
In the N.T. this became clearer. Jesus came to replace the old system, giving His life to offer access to not only God’s team but to God’s very family. And He offered that to one and all as a free gift received by faith.
Enter the Apostle Paul – or Saul as he was formerly known. He had not only been taught this misunderstood performance plan, he had become its greatest proponent. In fact, he was so committed to it that he had sought to snuff out the Jesus movement.
And then one day, he encountered Jesus who offered Him grace, forgiving him and freeing him from the need to perform. Paul never got over that and devoted the rest of his life to sharing this good news.
He would go from town to town, planting communities of Jesus-followers. After getting these churches grounded, Paul would head off to a new city to continue spreading the gospel.
Now, many of these new believers were Gentiles – uncircumcised non-Jews. And after Paul left, often a group of people called “Judaizers” would come in behind him and tell these young non-Jewish believers that in order to truly be saved, they had to become Jews. More specifically, they had to be circumcised. In other words, faith alone wasn’t enough. They had to jump through the hoops of the performance plan.
When Paul heard about this, he came unglued! This is what he was confronting in Phil. 3:2.
He says, “Do you want to compare performance? My pedigree, degrees, and zeal are second to none. Yet all of that is utter garbage because it didn’t deal with my heart. Only Jesus can do that.”
Are you still depending on the performance plan to be made right with God?
Text: Philippians 3:2-9
Originally recorded on October 26, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Philippians chapter 3 begins: “Whatever happens, dear friends, be glad in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you this and it is good for you to hear it again and again.” (TLB)
Whatever happens…rejoice in the Lord. Really? Whatever happens?
Before you dismiss Paul’s words, keep in mind that when he wrote them, he was in prison! Yet even there he lived a life of unconquerable joy. And so can you…whatever your circumstances.
How does one rejoice in the Lord always?
One way to begin is to note that it doesn’t say, “Be happy always.”
Happiness is an emotion that is dependent upon your circumstances.
Joy is a decision that is independent of your circumstances. Joy has been called “the defiant nevertheless.”
What does a joyful spirit look like?
- A joyful spirit is not dependent upon outward circumstances but on an upward focus.
It’s born of an unshakable conviction that God is too good to be unkind, too powerful to be thwarted, and too deep to explain himself. When the bottom falls out, the question to ask is not, “why?”, but “what?” “What do you want me to learn from this?”
- A joyful spirit in your struggle will have greater impact than any words spoken out of strength.
Joy in the midst of suffering is a more powerful sermon than any religious rhetoric.
- A joyful spirit takes life and trusts God one day at a time.
The psalmist said: “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps. 118:24) Yesterday is past and tomorrow hasn’t’ happened yet. All we have is today. So choose joy now.
Text: Philippians 3:1; 4:4; Psalm 137; Habakkuk 3:17-19
Originally recorded on October 19, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
When Jesus ascended into heaven after the resurrection, He put the entire future of His Kingdom movement into the hands of a group of ordinary men and women. They had no wealth, no position or power, still Jesus entrusted them with the mission of taking the gospel to the world.
It was a pretty audacious plan! But through the power of the Holy Spirit, this ragtag band of 120 disciples soon became thousands of believers. And by the year 300 AD, historians estimate that over half of the population of the Roman Empire proclaimed faith in Christ.
How did they do it? It wasn’t because they had resources or government assistance or positions of influence. No, the early church grew because the presence and power of Jesus in their midst created a community the likes of which the world had never seen. A community where rich and poor, male and female, slave and free loved, honored, and valued one another. A community that demonstrated a love, generosity, and courage that was truly counter-cultural. “And people… liked what they saw.” (Acts 2:27 MSG)
This upside-down way of life is what Paul is calling the Philippians to. He says: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Phil.2:14-16)
He first urges them to be “blameless”: amemptos = without fault or compromise. Their lives should be not only compelling but consistent.
They are also to be “pure”: akeraios = unmixed, unadulterated. Their behavior should be consistent with the way of Jesus and come from pure motives, no hidden agenda.
Consistent behavior with pure motives will stand out in our warped and crooked world.
- “warped”: skolios = deviates from what is right and true. Paul says we live in a world that is bent and twisted, out of whack, not as it was intended to be.
- “crooked”: diastrepho = distorted and destructive. It’s a world filled with violence, injustice, and oppression.
It’s a pervasive darkness that is desperately in need of light. Paul urges his friends to live in such a way that their lives shine in the darkness just like the stars shine brightly the dark of night.
Jesus calls us to do the same. “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-17)
The book of Proverbs puts it this way: “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.” (Prov. 11:10) The “righteous” are those who are willing to disadvantage themselves to advantage the community.
When God’s people are blessed by God, they turn right around and become a blessing to their city. The presence of God’s people causes those in the city to say: “We are so glad you’re here.”
Opportunities abound to touch our city. Jesus’ call is for us...you and me...to shine the light in the darkness. It’s up to us, friends. He has no other plan.
Text: Philippians 2:14-18
Originally recorded on September 28, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In our last episode, we began talking about what it means to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you…” (Phil. 2:12-13). We said that if we hope to see the ongoing transformation of God in our lives, we must cooperate with God in the process.
Transformation of any sort involves three elements:
- V – Vision
- I – Intention
- M – Method
Take the example of an NFL player. Their vision is to win the Super Bowl. But to accomplish this vision, they must intentionally arrange their lives around the methods that will get them there. Even if those methods are costly! Why? Because the vision drives them.
The same thing is true in our spiritual journey. What is it that will compel us to grow? The vision of the day all will kneel and proclaim that Jesus is Lord. The day we will stand before Him and hear Him say, “Well done.”
But that kind of life will not just happen. You don’t stumble into that kind of maturity. It will take intention.
But what method, practice, or activity will help us experience that vision?
I believe that spiritual disciplines are essential methods of spiritual training.
Spiritual disciplines are activities that enable you to receive power and life from God. Things like Bible study, prayer, fasting, solitude, confession, community, and worship are valuable training methods.
Spiritual disciplines are not an indicator of spirituality. As with an athlete, the disciplines are the drills that prepare you for the game. They are not the game itself. Spiritual disciplines are not the end in themselves. Rather, they should train us to be more kind, generous, forgiving, wise, and courageous. That’s the real game.
Spiritual disciplines are not a way to earn favor with God. We don’t engage in these practices because we’re trying to impress or please God. We do them because we love Him and want to be more like Him.
Spiritual disciplines are not necessarily unpleasant. Rather than being onerous or drudgery, spiritual disciplines can and should be life-giving and joy-filled.
Spiritual disciplines are a matter of personal choice. Which disciplines result in the transformation you’re looking for? Do those!
But remember, spiritual transformation only happens when we cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the place to start your extreme makeover is by starting each day with the discipline of presentation. “Oh, God, fill me this day with Your Spirit. Do Your work in me.”
Text: Philippians 2:12-13
Originally recorded on September 14, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Makeover shows have been exceedingly popular television viewing for decades. Do you remember the show, “Extreme Makeover”? They took ordinary people and completely changed their appearance. The transformations were astonishing!
While we may never be the recipient of that kind of makeover, the Bible says that an extreme makeover is possible for those who place their faith in Christ. Not only is such transformation possible, it’s expected!
But the changes Jesus wants to make are not necessarily on the outside. They are on the inside…where it matters most.
The Apostle Paul talked about this a lot, telling us that God’s plan for us to be to “conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29), to be “transformed into His likeness” (2 Cor. 3:18). And in Philippians 2, he writes: “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling...” (vs. 12)Notice he doesn’t say “work for your salvation,” or “work to keep your salvation.” He says “work out your salvation.” There are aspects of our maturity that require our involvement and effort.
God does what we cannot do; but He will not do what we are to do.
Verse 13 says that God is not only cheering us on in this transformation process, but He is helping us. If we hope to become more loving, more patient, more gentle, or more self-controlled, it will require the dual partnership of us working with God as He does His work in us.
Elsewhere, Paul uses sports to illustrate the idea of working out our salvation. He says that in the same way that an athlete goes into training in order to win the prize, so we should “train yourself to be godly” (1 Tim. 4:7).
Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder, but of training wisely.How do you go into this kind of training? Well, there are some classic training techniques for spiritual transformation. They are known as the spiritual disciplines, such as: Bible study, prayer, Scripture memory, community, accountability, worship, and service.
These disciples are themselves indicators of maturity. Rather, they are the means to spiritual maturity.
An extreme makeover really is possible if you are willing to rearrange your life around those activities that enable you to receive power and life from God.
*Text: Philippians 2:12-13
Originally recorded on September 7, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN*
Have you ever wondered, “Is it worth it?” Is all the sacrifice and effort for the Kingdom really worth it? Is all the ridicule and mockery for following Jesus worth it?
Well, friends, today we are going to find the answer. And that answer is: Yes. It is worth it!
How do I know? Let’s look at Philippians 2:9-11 together.
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”In the previous episode, we talked about how Jesus climbed down the ladder. From the glories of heaven, he lowered himself and became a human, a servant even, and ultimately gave His life to die on a cross.
Was it worth it? Hebrews 12:2-3 indicates that Jesus was able to endure all this because of what He knew was coming. Jesus, for the future joy set before Him, endured the present pain of sacrifice.What is that future joy? Phil. 2 gives us a clue. It points to a coming day when God will:
- Exalt Jesus to the highest place.
The Greek term means “hyper-exalted.” Because of His sacrifice, the Father bestowed on the Son even more rights, privileges, and honors than He had before.
- Give Jesus the ultimate name.
Verse 11 tell us that name: Lord. The Greek is kurios – deity, sovereignty, and authority in the highest possible sense. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.
At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow:
- in heaven – the angels and the redeemed who’ve gone before us
- on earth – those alive when Jesus returns, whether saved or unsaved.
- under the earth – demonic spirits and those who died without Christ.
Jesus’ exaltation to the highest place guarantees our vindication. It proves we were right. Jesus really is Lord. We were right to give our lives to Him.
I love these words from Jesus Himself in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible:
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what He has done.” (Rev. 22:12)One day, all who have given up everything, sacrificed, and served for the sake of Christ, will receive a reward from Jesus Himself.
So, as Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Cor. 15:58)What’s the apostle saying? Even as a life of sacrifice was worth it for Jesus, it will be worth it for us.
Text: Philippians 2:9-11
Originally recorded on August 31, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
All our lives, we are encouraged to climb up the ladder. The word “up” has come to be cherished in our society. It’s a word reserved for winners, heroes, and overcomers: upscale, up-and-coming, upper class, upwardly mobile. The premise, indeed the promise, is that if you devote yourself to climbing up the ladder and making it to the top, that’s where all the good stuff is – status, significance, and success.
Of course, devoting yourself to ladder climbing can carry a cost. Often to climb up, you need to climb over others. Because your focus is upward, you pay no attention to those below you.
But the cost is more than worth it - or so we’re told. The problem with ladder climbing is it’s not only lonely at the top, it’s empty.
But Jesus didn’t come to climb up the ladder. He went down the ladder.
Philippians 2:5-8 gives a beautiful, poetic picture of the upside-down life of Jesus.
“…who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage…” (v.6)There is a boatload of theology in these verses:
- “being” = huparchein = that which one is in very essence and which cannot be changed
- “in the very nature” = morphe = an essential form which never alters
Paul is making it clear that Jesus always was, is, and always will be fully and unalterably God. To put it into our context, He started at the top of the ladder. But note which direction Jesus goes.
“…rather, he made himself nothingby taking the very nature[b] of a servant,being made in human likeness.” (v. 7)Jesus’ downward mobility began with simply taking on human flesh with all its limitations. But His descent didn’t stop there. He came not just a man, but as a servant, spending time with lepers and prostitutes.
And still, His descent continued.
“And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (v.8)Jesus, the One who flung the stars into space, voluntarily gave Himself over to die. And not just any death. Death on a cross – the most painful, humiliating way to die.
Jesus’ story is not a rags-to-riches story. It’s a riches-to-rags story (burial rags).
Why did He willingly pursue this downward path?
He was not committed to climbing up the ladder but to accomplishing God’s purposes.Now vs. 5 takes on new meaning. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”Jesus’ descent was meant to be an example for us to follow.
Jesus came as a servant, not in spite of the fact that He was God, but because He was God.
It is the nature of God is to give and to serve. Jesus, when He came in the form of a servant, was not disguising Who God is; He was revealing Who God is.
Intentionally moving down the ladder is the most God-like thing a person can do.
Text: Philippians 2:5-8
Originally recorded on August 24, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In Philippians 2, Paul calls his friends – and us – to live in a totally countercultural manner. This “upside-down living” is the very opposite of what our society sees as normal. The irony is that by living upside down, we’re actually helping to turn the world right-side up.
Having been called to unity, Paul now urges us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3-4)
Let’s unpack this a bit. The phrase “selfish amibition” comes from the Greek word “eritheia” or “selfishness.” The word was used to describe three kinds of people:
- A mercenary – a soldier who fights for pay.
- A politician – who seeks his own advancement and gain over the good of the people.
- A gambler – whose gain was always at the expense of someone else.
The other phrase here is “vain conceit.” It comes from the Greek “kenodoxia” or “empty glory.” It’s the idea of making a claim you can’t back up; having an overly exaggerated view of yourself.
Another way to think of these ideas is: selfish ambition pursues personal goals; vain conceit seeks personal glory. Paul is saying, “Friends, have nothing to do with this lifestyle. Rather, think of others as better than yourselves!”
Talk about countercultural! We’ve been taught to “look out for#1!” We’re afraid that “looking to the interests of others” will cost us. It’s a scarcity mindset that says, “If they win, I’ll lose.” It’s why we have such trouble “rejoicing with those who rejoice” (Rom. 12:15).
Ultimately, the reason we struggle to celebrate others’ wins comes down to our view of God. If we think that God has a limited supply of grace – of blessing – then someone else’s blessing means there is less for me.
But the reality is God’s grace is not only unmerited, it’s unlimited. To live “upside-down” is to have an abundance mindset! **God is intimate in His focus, generous in His favor, and limitless in His supply.
You can freely look to others’ interests when you’re convinced that God is looking to yours.**
Text: Philippians 2:3-4
Originally recorded on August 17, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
What do you think God’s favorite word is?
While we aren’t given a direct answer to that question, I’d like to hazard a guess. It’s a word found in the first two verses of Philippians 2: “….make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”I think God’s favorite word is… ONE.God is so committed to the idea of oneness and unity among His people and so longs for intimate community to flourish here and now that it’s difficult to overstate His heart for its protection. Our unity—our oneness—not only glorifies Him but also sends a clear message to a broken, fragmented world.
We see that clearly in the life of Jesus. On the night He was betrayed, the Savior prayed for His disciples and for future disciples yet to come. He prayed “that they may be one as we are one…so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (Jn 17:22-23)
To Jesus’ way of thinking, one of the greatest evidences of His transformational power was relational unity. Indeed, it was the undeniable unity of the incredibly diverse first church that caused an amazed world to say, “How they love one another!”
But this unity is fragile. Traditional loyalties, personal preferences, and individual desires die hard. Real unity in a diverse community, while a beautiful sight to behold, requires constant attention.
That’s why Paul urges the Philippians to get along. We don’t know exactly what the threat was to their unity, but likely it was the same thing that threatens many churches today. When people feel passionate about an issue, and others don’t share their passion, conflict can arise.
Paul begins his admonition by offering… The Motivation for Unity
- paraklesis = encouragement
- paramuthion = consolation
- koinonia = partnership, fellowship
- splanchna = deep affection
- oiktirmos = mercies
Have you experienced any of these in the community of faith? If so, then use it as motivation to fight for unity within the Body of Christ.
Paul then shows us…The Marks of Unity:
- auto phronete = likemindedness Look for places of common understanding and genuine agreement.
- agape = selfless and sacrificial response Giving up one’s rights for the greater good.
- to en phronountes = intent on one purpose Keep the big picture in mind, the ultimate vision: the Kingdom of God
Jesus gave His life that we might enter into His eternal family and demonstrate our unity to a watching world. So how committed are you to honor the oneness He died for?
Text: Philippians 2:1-2
Originally recorded on August 10, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Paul had told his friends, the Philippians, how he had suffered for the sake of Christ. Now, he tells them that they will face the same struggle.
Rome, at this time, was the mightiest power on earth. It had utterly crushed its opponents. To be a Roman citizen was to be at the top of the pecking order. Because of their loyalty during a time of war, Philippi had been given the honor of citizenship and became an outpost for the Roman army.
In addition, when Paul wrote his letter, Nero was the emperor. To elevate himself in the eyes of the populous, the people were to refer to Nero as “our Lord and Savior.”
Can you see a potential problem for followers of Jesus?
Paul had already bucked the system and was in prison, facing an uncertain future. Now he writes to the church in Philippi that they, too, will suffer for the sake of Christ.
He tells them not to be afraid of those who oppose them (vs. 28). The Greek word is: “pturo” = alarmed. It refers to being intimidated by something that shouldn’t really scare you. Even though Christians were dying for refusing to deny Jesus as Lord and Savior, Paul is reminding them that in the end, there’s nothing to be afraid of. They may kill your body, but they can’t kill your soul… and the future that awaits the believer is worth it all.
Paul continues that their suffering would “be a sign” - “endeixis” = proof, evidence. That you are willing to stand your ground and remain loyal to Christ sends a message that there is a higher God than Caesar, and one day, the whole world will bow before Him.
The word for “suffer” here is “pascho” = to be afflicted. It’s the same word from which we get “paschal lamb” – the term used for Jesus, the One who was sacrificed to the redemption of mankind. Paul is calling this kind of suffering redemptive, something that will ultimately bring life.
Will suffering like this be easy? No. The word for “struggle” in vs. 30 is “agon,” from which we get “agony.”
If you are pursuing a life of allegiance to Jesus, you will face the challenge to bow before “Caesar”: the Caesar of status, success, financial security, or comfort. Then you, too, must decide: will you stand tall no matter the cost?
Text: Philippians 1:27-29
Originally recorded on August 3, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
When Paul wrote his letter to his Philippian friends, he was under house arrest in Rome, chained constantly to a Roman guard. But Paul saw this as an opportunity for the gospel. He had a captive audience! As a result, members of the palace guard were coming to Christ and taking their new-found faith with them to the far reaches of the empire.
God was at work! Paul was aware that God was using his imprisonment to advance the gospel.
His mindset is reflected in a theory by Albert Ellis called The ABC’s of Emotional Life.
- A = Antecedent. The starting point is the situation you find yourself in.
- C = Conclusion. This is the way I respond to the situation and the conclusions I draw.
But the thing that gets us from A to C is:
- B = Beliefs. It’s my beliefs about what happened to me (the antecedent) that ultimately determine the way I feel. That’s why two people can go through the exact same situation and have polar opposite responses. Their beliefs are different.
Here are Paul’s antecedents: He is in chains. He’d rather be out preaching the gospel, but instead, he’s in prison with a good chance of being executed.
If Paul’s beliefs had been, “I’ve failed; my life is over,” you’d expect them to lead to negative emotions like despair or fear.
But Paul believed that God was still in control. He believed that even what appeared to be bad would end up being used for good.
This unshakable belief brought him to this conclusion: “…because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” (Phil. 1:18)
The ABC’s of Paul’s emotional life were:
- Antecedent: Life is difficult.
- Belief: Jesus is Lord.
- Conclusion: I will rejoice.
You find this mindset throughout Scripture. The OT character of Joseph captured it perfectly when he said: “What you intended for evil, God used for good.” (Gen. 50:20)
You could say that Paul’s perspective was this: “I have given up trying to get God to engineer the circumstances I want. Rather, I’m devoting my life to partner with God in the circumstances He’s allowed.”In his letter, Paul goes on to ask the Philippians to pray that the things that had happened to him would result in his deliverance. But he is not saying, “Please pray that I will be released.” Rather, he is saying, “Pray that no matter how difficult this gets, I will not dishonor God. Pray not that I will be delivered from my circumstances. Pray that I will be delivered in my circumstances.”
Text: Philippians 1:11-20
Originally recorded on June 29, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
There are many kinds of prayer and many reasons for prayer, but most of the time, it seems that we pray when there is a need or crisis. Such prayers are appropriate and powerful! But is that all God had in mind when He gave us the gift of prayer? Was its sole purpose to serve as a spiritual fire extinguisher with the sign stating, “Break glass in case of emergency”?
I decided to do some research by studying how the Apostle Paul prayed. Multiple times in the letters he wrote to the churches he planted, we find these wonderful prayers. These prayers are more than just for the obvious needs. They go much deeper.
We have one of those prayers recorded in Philippians 1:9-11.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.This is more than simply asking God to “be with” them! Paul is praying that they would grow in their capacity to love.
Let’s look at four keywords in this prayer that we can bring into our own prayers – for ourselves and others.
1. Abound: “perissos” – meaning no limit, exceedingly, out of measure.It’s in the present progressive tense, which means it is ongoing. Literally, Paul is saying, “may your love expand more and more and more. May you be more loving today than you were last year and may you be more loving a year from now than you are today.”
For Paul, living a life characterized by love mattered more than anything. (1 Cor. 13)
2. Knowledge: “epignosis” - full knowledge; not merely knowledge about something but knowledge born of personal encounter and involvementIf we want to love a person well, we must know them well. So many of our relationships are superficial. Even in families and among friends. We don’t really know each other. Is it any wonder our love is so shallow?
3. Insight: aesthesis - moral discernment, especially in ethical mattersThe word has to do with making wise decisions in the heat of the moment. Have you ever felt pressured by someone who said, “If you love me, you’ll do this”? Yet the reality is the most loving thing to do is to say no. "No, I'm not going to lie for you.” “I’m not going to cover for you.” “I’m not going to enable you or join in that behavior.”
4. Discern: “dokimazo” – test, prove, scrutinizePaul is challenging these folks to be careful and not be fooled. It may not be an issue of right and wrong but good, better, and best. “Is this what’s best?”
I want to love well and love much, don’t you? Let’s start praying that very thing.
Text: Philippians 1:7-11
Originally recorded on June 22, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Have you ever started a good work and not finished it? Maybe it was a New Year’s resolution that started well, but quickly faded. Or a home project that began with good intentions but was never completed.
Well, let me give you some good news today. God has never done that. Whatever God starts, God completes. Our God is a Finisher.
Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, wrote: “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6)
Consider your life – where you came from, how far from God you once were. But look at where you are now – not perfect, but in process. Why? How? Because He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.
There’s an important theological concept that is reflected in Phil. 1:6. It’s called The Principle of First Mention: the first place and time a subject is mentioned in the Bible carries special significance.Note these keywords: “began,” “good work,” and “completion.”
Now, turn to Genesis 1. As we read this account of the creation of the world, we have God beginning a work, and this work, He says, is good. Then in Gen. 2:1, we are told that this good work is completed.
So, we have a good work begun and completed, and the principle of first mention would tell us to pay special attention to that as we read Paul’s words in Phil. 1:6.
Paul is reminding us that this powerful God who brought the universe into being is the same God who began a good work in you.
When we say “Yes” to the God who created the universe, that same power is unleashed in us.There are five-and-a-half billion people on the planet, and yet God has arrived at your life with work gloves, a tool belt, and a plan to transform your life.
Let that soak in for a moment. God is at work in your life. He may have just started his work, but it has begun. And He will bring His power to bear, but you have to decide whether you will cooperate with Him.
God knows the impact you can make. So, He says, “I love you too much to allow you to stay comfortable or mediocre. I started a good work in you, and I am going to complete it.”
Will you let Him?
Text: Philippians 1:3-6
Originally recorded on June 15, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Grace and peace. With this simple phrase, the Apostle Paul opens his letter to the Philippians. In fact, it’s how he opens every letter we have recorded in Scripture. Grace and peace.
Typically, letters of that day would have begun with the Greek word chairein: “Greetings!” But Paul uses two other words: charis – “God’s blessings!” and eirene – “harmonious relationships.”He is saying to these brothers and sisters, “May you come to know the goodness of God in ever-increasing ways. May your relationships be characterized by harmony. Grace and peace to you.”
This is how Paul always starts his letters – with grace and peace. It’s as if he is saying, “No matter what else you know or do, if you don’t live in grace and peace, it’s all in vain. Grace and peace are of first importance.”
Paul is writing this letter while in chains, a prisoner because of the gospel. Shortly before his arrest, Paul was saying farewell to another group of friends he had spent time discipling. In his parting words, he said this: “…my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24)
For Paul, life on earth had one goal: to testify to a skeptical world that the God of grace and peace was real. He knew that hardship was coming, but he also knew that it’s when we suffer or are abused that the greatest testimony can be given.
You never more testify to the grace given to you than when you demonstrate grace to those who hurt you.
Jesus showed us that. As he was being crucified, he uttered these words: “Father, forgive them.” Grace in the midst of suffering.
Do you have someone who has caused you or someone you love intense pain? Someone who has in the past or continues in the present to hurt you? What would it be like to be so alive to the grace and peace given you that you could begin to speak grace and peace to them? If we hope to be a community that reaches out and maintains unity, we must, as Paul did, lead with grace and peace.
So, how do we maintain the priority of grace and peace?
1. Stay close to the cross.
It is much harder to be ungracious to others when we’re standing in the shadow of the cross.
2. Allow others to remind me to extend grace and peace.
That’s why we need community. People we know and trust to put a hand on our shoulder to calm us down and call us back to grace and peace.
May you know grace and peace. May you extend grace and peace. May we challenge one another to be people of grace and peace. And may the God of grace and peace flow His power through us as we do that.
Text: Philippians 1:1-2
Originally recorded on June 8, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
There was once a group of people - a church - who dared to live out fully the gospel that had been shared with them. Two thousand years later, we still read of them and can learn from them how we, too, can more fully live out the good news of Jesus.
They are the Philippians, and we first encounter them in Acts 16 when Paul responds to a vision of a young man from Macedonia begging him to come and help them. Paul and his team go to Greece and make their way to the city of Philippi. There, they meet a woman named Lydia, who responds to their message about Christ. Soon, others also believed, and the first church was planted in Europe.
As often happened in Paul’s missionary journeys, the gospel upset the status quo and trouble erupted in Philippi. After a miraculous release from prison, Paul and his team left Philippi and spread the gospel to other cities throughout Greece.
But he never forgot his friends in Philippi.
Thirteen years later, Paul again found himself in chains. This time under house arrest in Rome, shackled to his guards. In those days, prisoners depended on friends and family to provide for them, and Paul was thrilled to receive a financial gift from his friends in Philippi. With the gift, the courier shared the news that the church in Philippi was thriving. So, Paul writes them a letter. This is the book we have today. The N.T. book of Philippians.
Of all the epistles, Philippians is the simplest - only 104 verses long. It is also unique. It isn’t an academic treatise, like Romans or Ephesians. It isn’t a corrective for some theological error, as in Galatians or Colossians. It isn’t to straighten out some problems, as in Corinthians or Thessalonians.
It’s a letter of thanks and encouragement to friends who are displaying a degree of discipleship that is deep and sincere.
In the opening verses of this great letter, Paul refers to this community of believers as partners in the gospel. They were banded together around a common mission and purpose.
So, what is our church’s mission? Or, in the words of business great, Peter Drucker, “What business are we in?”
We are in the life-saving business. These communities we call churches were never intended to be self-serving. All along, God’s purpose was that we would build a community to reach a community.
The church is the only institution on earth whose primary focus is on those not yet a part of it.Jesus was in the life-saving business. He still is. He is still looking for communities where people, just like the Philippians, are willing to band together and say, I’ll bring whatever gifts I have and do whatever I can to save those who are lost.
Within churches, as with most organizations, you’ll find three kinds of relationships.
- Customers: “I want you to fulfill my expectations and meet my needs. If you don’t, I’ll leave.”
- Employees: “How little can I do and still be a part? How can I reap the benefits with minimal effort?”
- Partners: “It’s not about me. It’s about others. Whatever it takes! I’m in!”
Which are you?
Text: Philippians 1:1-11
Originally recorded on June 1, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Our world is a messy, broken place filled with messy, broken people. But if the birth of Jesus tells us anything, it tells us that God is not afraid of a mess.Born in a stable, wrapped in rags, and laid in a feeding trough, the Son of God began His life in a mess. Later, His life ended in a mess, wrapped in rags and nailed to a cross. In between, He mostly hung out with pretty messed up people, and it didn’t bother Him one bit! He just kept on loving them, teaching them, and showing them a better way.
When He went to the cross, Jesus willingly took all of our messiness – our sin, our junk, our mess – and paid the penalty for it.
And He will enter into your life – no matter how messed up it is – if you’ll only ask Him. In fact, nothing would give Him greater joy than to hear you say, “Lord, I know I’m messed up. Please come into my life. Forgive me and help me. Fix my brokenness and heal my messiness.”
That decision will change your life.
The Bible uses a metaphor to describe this change. It’s that of light coming into the darkness.
In foretelling the coming of the Savior, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light… for unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given…and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:2, 6)
The darkness he talks about isn’t a literal night, it is a darkness that covers the soul. But the Good News of Christmas is that the darkness doesn’t have the last word. A light has dawned and His name is Jesus. For those who open their hearts to Him, the light of His grace, mercy, and forgiveness will rise in your heart and never stop shining.
The light has come! That’s good news! But what do we do with that?
The same prophet, Isaiah, gave this counsel, “Arise, shine, for your light has come.” (Is. 60:1) Have you received the light of Jesus? Then shine that light to the world around you! As one whose messiness has been cleaned up, arise! Shine! Spread the news! Share the hope!
Isaiah 58 tells us that to shine your light is to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke. It’s to share your food with the hungry and clothe the naked. And if we do, then God’s blessing, provision, and deliverance will appear in our own lives.
So, arise, shine, for your light has come!
Text: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; 60:1-3; 58
Originally recorded on December 24, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In the last episode, we talked about Caesar Augustus, ruler of the vast Roman Empire at the time of Jesus’ birth. One of the ways he made governing this massive area more manageable was to establish local kings to rule on his behalf.
At this time, there arose in Israel a young man who fit the bill perfectly. He was half-Jew, half-Edomite, born into a politically connected family, and hungry for power. His name was Herod.
He curried favor with Augustus and at 25 years old was conferred by the Roman Senate with the title, “King of the Jews.”
Though Herod is known as an accomplished builder, history remembers him even more as a butcher. He was almost insanely suspicious, and his suspicions drove him to murder. He murdered his wife, his sons, his rivals, anyone who threatened his power.
So you can imagine his response when the Magi showed up asking where they could find the new King of the Jews! Matthew 2 says Herod was “disturbed,” literally agitated, all shook up.
But rather than eliminating these foreign visitors, he used them. People accustomed to getting and keeping power are masters at using those around them.
“Go find this child, and when you do, come back to me so I can worship him too.”
Is that really what he intended to do? No! He played these guys. People who grasp for power are not only users, they are deceivers.
When the Magi didn’t return to Herod, but having been warned by God they went home a different way, Herod was furious. He ordered the slaughter of every baby boy under the age of two in the region of Bethlehem.
People who seek to hold on to power, to stay in control, use people… they deceive people… and they ultimately hurt people.
Though Herod died shortly after this, the Herod spirit didn’t die. It’s alive and well and threatens us today.
Every one of us has areas of our lives that we struggle to submit to Jesus’ rulership – private areas over which we desire to stay on the throne, protected places where we want to wear the crown.
Ask yourself these questions and see if the Lord may identify a Herod spirit in your life.
- In what area of my life do I have a tendency to use people? At work? In your family? Perhaps you control or manipulate people to get what you want.
- In what area of my life am I guilty of deceiving people? Whether you openly lie or leave others with false impressions, where do you shade the truth to maintain control?
- In what area of my life am I willing to hurt people? It may not be physical harm, but you’re willing to hurt people through gossip or slander. Through lashing out in anger or rage. Or maybe you freeze them out and seek to punish them through passive aggression.
Are you willing to lay down your crown and surrender control to the true King, Jesus?
We will be looking at a very familiar portion of Scripture today, but I’d like to put a twist on it by starting with a verse that, as a recovering control freak, I’ve had to lean into again and again. It reminds me of who’s really in charge…and who’s not.
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Prov. 19:21)With that in mind, let’s look at Luke 2. It starts, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.”Let’s set the stage here. In the days of Jesus, the Romans ruled the western world. Their military might was legendary. They were ruled by a series of “caesars” or czars. The first of whom was Julius Caesar.
When he was assassinated in 44 B.C., a power struggle ensued. The assassins and conspirators Brutus and Cassius battled for control with Mark Antony and Julius Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian. When Mark Antony sought to grab power for himself by making an alliance with Egypt and Cleopatra, Octavian took them both on and won. Octavian returned to Rome as a hero and was declared to be the new Caesar.
He soon changed his name to Augustus (which means “the revered one”) and quickly took absolute power.
About 10 years into his reign, there was an astronomical phenomenon (probably a comet). The Romans declared that it was actually Julius Caesar ascending to the heavens to join the other gods and become a god himself.
If Julius was Augustus’ father, what does that make him? “The son of God.” From then on, Augustus would be celebrated and worshiped as “God incarnate.”
Notwithstanding his newly claimed status, Augustus still had a massive army that needed to be bankrolled. How would he do that? By raising taxes.
So, now we come to Luke’s account. A decree goes out that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. Why? So they can be taxed!
A king lifts his finger in Rome and 1500 miles away, in an obscure little village, a poverty-stricken couple undertakes an arduous 70-mile journey. And because they did, Mary’s child was born in Bethlehem, a little town that just happened to be the one mentioned in an ancient Hebrew prophecy about the Messiah.
You might be tempted to think this was an amazing coincidence. That all this “came to pass” because Augustus gave a decree. He was in control.
But who really made the decree? Whose will was really being done? Whose kingdom is it really?
Luke is exposing the illusion that we all live with – that we are mere pawns in the hands of human powers – whether they are government officials or city ordinances, whether they are employers or coaches, whether they are former friends or ex-spouses.
His point is clear: Human powers may make their plans and plot their strategies, “but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” He is ultimately the One who is on the throne, and His will is that which will prevail.
What was the slogan of the day 2000 years ago? “Caesar is lord.” What does Christmas tell us? “NO, HE’S NOT! Jesus is Lord.”
God is in control. He was fully in charge then and He is fully in charge now.
Text: Luke 2
Originally recorded on December 10, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
When the Lord brought His people out of slavery in Egypt, He promised to bring them up to Canaan – the “Promised Land.” But before they were ready to step into their inheritance, they had to spend time in the Land Between – the wilderness where God wanted to develop and mature them so He could display them to the world.
However, after two years in the Land Between, they had yet to learn to trust and depend on God. They whined and complained about food, so God gave them manna. But soon, they whined and complained about that!
We need to understand that they weren’t just whining about the food being served. This was a rejection of God Himself. They were saying, “God, we were better off back in Egypt…without you!”
So, when they started to whine and complain that they had no meat, God said, “Fine. I’ll give you meat! So much meat it will come out of your nose!” (Nu. 11:19-20)
God literally blew quail into their camp. Tens of thousands of birds! The Israelites were thrilled! They gathered up so much meat they spread it out in the sun to dry for future meals.
But the quail started to rot, and soon, disease began to spread through the camp. And at God’s hand, in an act of severe discipline, people died. Why?
Before we talk about that, let’s talk a bit about discipline in general.
First of all, wise parents know that discipline is not the opposite of love. Rather, it is a function of love.
Proverbs 13:24 says, “A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by disciplining them.” (MSG)
We sometimes forget our goal is not to raise happy children. It’s to raise mature adults. Wise parents recognize that as painful as discipline may be to administer and for that child to receive, failure to discipline can be costly in the long run. Love requires discipline.Could it be that when God disciplines us in ways that seem harsh or difficult to bear, He is actually trying to rescue us? To save us?
If so, what could God have been trying to save his people from back in Numbers 11?
Perhaps that answer is found a few chapters later in Numbers 13. The Israelites are at the border of the Promised Land. Moses sends 12 men into the land to spy out the situation. They came back with a mixed report. Joshua and Caleb said that it was everything God had promised! A land flowing with milk and honey. But the other 10 spies were filled with fear, not faith. They saw the walled cities and giants in the land and said, “We can’t conquer this land!”
After two years in “trust school,” God’s people had failed completely. He was ready to be done with them. Wipe them all out! But Moses pleaded with God and He relented. Instead, He handed down a harsh discipline. They would wander in the wilderness until every one of that generation perished (except Joshua and Caleb). Only their children would enter the Promised Land.
Could it be that the discipline of Numbers 11 was God’s last-ditch effort to rescue this generation? A loving Father’s attempt to get His children’s attention and teach them to trust Him?
I believe it was. Sadly, they didn’t learn that lesson.
The Land Between can be a place where God can discipline you – correct your self-destructive behavior, and keep you from something far more painful. It can be a place of growth… if we will let it.
Text: Nu. 11, 13, 14
Originally recorded on October 27, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
When you’re in the Land Between, the natural question we ask is, “How long? How long will I be in this hard place?”
This question nagged the Israelites as they slogged through the wilderness, eventually leading to complaint. Their relentless complaining turned personal, and they blamed Moses for their woes.
The accusations and criticism beat down on Moses until he couldn’t take it anymore. He hadn’t asked for this job! He is so discouraged and weary that he asks God to let him die rather than continue like this.
The Land Between can be a place of emotional meltdown.
You might think Moses is no different than the Israelites, complaining and ready to quit. But there’s a key difference. The Israelites were complaining about God. Moses is praying to God.
Moses isn’t the only biblical leader to go through a “dark night of the soul.” The prophets Elijah and Jeremiah both experienced emotional meltdowns of their own. So discouraged and defeated, each of them despaired of life itself, and they poured out their pain and lament to God in prayer.
You might read their prayers and wonder if this kind of honesty with God is acceptable. Can we really bare our souls and give vent to our feelings in this way?
Keep in mind that these guys are spiritual heavyweights. They are not among the ranks of the immature. Their honest prayers are an indication of their spiritual depth rather than a sign of shallowness. And God never condemns or disciplines them for pouring out their emotions.
But I also wonder if God chose to include their emotionally raw and honest prayers in the Scriptures to validate our pain. Perhaps these prayers and others like them in the Bible were preserved as a way for the Lord to whisper to us, “See, you’re not alone. Go ahead and cry out. Turn to Me and give vent to your fatigue, hurt, and disappointment.”
In the words of Jesus, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28)
The Land Between can provide an opportunity for intimate prayer.You may be thinking, “I like the idea of pouring out my heart to God, but to be honest, I am so numb and exhausted, I don’t know what to say.”
Let me give you some practical help in three simple words: SCAN…CONNECT…BORROW.
- Scan through the Psalms. See if you can find some language for crying out. Many of these songs were written by King David during times of tremendous pressure. (Ps. 69)
- Connect personally to the words. If your response to the words you scan is, “That’s me! I feel like that!” then pause. (Ps. 55)
- Borrow those words and use them in your own prayer. (Ps. 13)
In the Land Between, emotional meltdowns are inevitable. But honest prayer is powerful. When we turn to God, we’re turning in the right direction. Rest is found. Intimacy is deepened. And hope is fueled.
Text: Nu. 11:4-6, 10-15; Mt. 11:28
Originally recorded on October 20, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Sooner or later, all of us will find ourselves in the Land Between – a place of undesired and difficult transitions. We are ripped from normality and find ourselves in an unfamiliar world. The world of the unemployed, the suddenly single, the chronically ill. Everything has changed, and we are at a loss to know how to navigate this new terrain.
The Israelites found themselves in the Land Between in the Old Testament. Having been miraculously led out of the bondage of slavery in Egypt, they found themselves in the wilderness. A desert…where nothing grows.
They are hoping to get to the Promised Land. A land flowing with milk and honey. But they’re not there yet, and it’s going to take a long time to get there.
With a group of several hundred thousand people slowly moving through this desert, you can imagine that, eventually, they are going to run out of food. And when they did, they started to complain.
God saw to their need by providing a unique food substance. It was called manna. And this is what they ate, day after day, week after week. For two years, they’ve been eating manna, and they are sick of it. So they start to complain and wail.
Now, we can easily criticize these folks. But how often do we do the same thing?!
The fact is… the Land Between can be fertile ground for complaint.For the Israelites, their complaint was not only chronic, it was intensifying. They were not merely rejecting the food, they were rejecting the God who had given it to them.
What were the Israelites doing in the wilderness for so long? If you look at a map, it seems there to be a much shorter, more direct route they could have taken. Why did God lead them out into the middle of the desert?
Because He needed to take this ragtag group of ex-slaves and form them into a people who knew their God and their identity as His people. A nation that was clear on its mission and prepared to step into it.
The fact is… The Land Between can be a greenhouse for trust.It can be a place where we allow ourselves to be disciplined and trained by God so that we can learn to trust in God and live as a greater display for God.The Land Between can either make you bitter or better. And that’s a function of our response to it.
Our patterns of response to challenges and trials will ultimately shape who we will become.Here are some questions to consider in your Land Between:
- What if the situation you’re experiencing that you most detest is intended for your best?
- What if this wilderness you find yourself in can be a greenhouse for growth?
- What if God’s purpose is not to destroy you but to develop you and ultimately display you?
- What if the soil you most hate is producing the fruit you most want?
Text: Ex. 1:1-11; 3:1-8; 16:1-4, 13-16; Nu. 11:1-9, 20
Originally recorded on October 13, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
We all know what it’s like to screw up. To go somewhere we shouldn’t have gone and done something we shouldn’t have done. When we do, we wonder, “Will anybody come and set things right?”
It’s this longing that is answered in the attribute of God we’re going to look at today.
God is gracious. Full of grace. From the Greek word charis, grace means helpfulness toward someone in need without receiving anything in return; generosity merely for the sake of another.The scarlet thread of grace runs all through the Bible.
· Rahab:
A prostitute living in Jericho, she risked her life to save two Hebrew spies. They made a promise to her that if she would hang a scarlet cord from the window of her home when the Israelite army attacked, she and her family would be spared. She trusted in that scarlet cord and by grace, she was given a new life.
· Adam and Eve
The scarlet thread begins in the opening pages of the Bible. Having committed the first sin, they now experienced guilt, shame, and brokenness. Yet God made garments of animal skin to cover their guilt and shame. But the covering came at a price. Death has now entered the world. Innocent blood has been shed. And a message has been sent: Your sin is covered because a sacrifice has been accepted on your behalf.
· Passover
Thousands of years later, God’s people were trapped in slavery in Egypt. But God had a plan to free them from their bondage and the judgment that was coming. They must take the blood of a flawless lamb and spread it on the doorposts of their homes. Then when the Death Angel moved through the land, he would see the blood and pass over their homes.
Grace was offered, but that grace came at a cost. A sinless substitute paid the price that justice required.
· Day of Atonement
It is the satisfaction of the demands of justice so that oneness can be restored. On the Day of Atonement, two goats would be chosen. One of the goats would be sacrificed and the blood sprinkled over the Ark of the Covenant. But the chief priest would lay his hands on the remaining living goat and confess all the sins the people had committed. This goat would then be led out of the camp and into the wilderness, symbolically carrying away the sins of the people. This goat was called…the scapegoat.
· Jesus
The scarlet thread is woven throughout Jesus' life and ultimately leads to a hill called Calvary where the Lamb was sacrificed for the sins of all mankind.
Here is the message of the scarlet thread, as clear as I know how to make it. God is not willing that any should perish, but He gives to everyone a choice. Who are you trusting to set things right between you and God?
There are two options. You can say, “I’m trusting myself,” and God will allow that – for now. But the Bible is real clear that if you do, when the time comes that you face the righteous God, there will be an accounting. And it’s then that the issue of atoning for your sin will have to be dealt with by you and you alone.
OR… you can take advantage of the grace that God offers through His Son. You can ask that the Lamb of God, Jesus, atone for your sin.
Text: Joshua 2:1-21; Is. 53
Originally recorded on October 31, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
If asked to name the attributes of God’s character, most likely you’d say love, power, or wisdom. But the attribute mentioned more than any other in the Bible is His righteousness or justice. Here are a few examples:
- “For the Lord is righteous and He loves justice.” Psalm 11:7
- “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and justice go before You.” Psalm 89:14
God is a righteous judge committed to perfect justice, and because He is, we can look at life differently.
Because God is righteous, I can be confident that He will right all wrongs and correct all inequities.Notice the word “all.” No one will elude God’s judgment. The righteous judge saw what happened, and you will be vindicated.
Because God is righteous, I need to understand that justice is His responsibility while forgiveness is mine.The Bible says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”(Rom. 12:19)Justice is in God’s hands. But forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. To hold on to bitterness is to remain under the control of your offender. But forgiveness sets your soul free.
Back in the O.T., the Lord raised up prophets who were absolutely committed to God’s standard of justice. Time and again they spoke out against injustice, and more times than not, their words were not directed at those outside of Israel, but at God’s people.
One of these prophets was Micah. Specifically, he addressed the injustice of the wealthy using their power and position to seize the property of the poor.
Now if we have not personally faced a great deal of injustice, it’s easy for us to read the prophets like Micah and think, “What’s the big deal? There will always be injustice. It’s just the way things are.”
The big deal is that the God who is righteous cares deeply about the poor and is appalled at the injustice that all too often comes their way. Moreover, He thunders against the complacency of His people who merely shrug their shoulders and offer prayers of gratitude that they’re not the ones suffering.
God is making a profound point. Walking in His way isn’t simply defined by sinful behaviors that we don’t do. It’s also defined by righteous behaviors that we do. And nowhere is that kind of righteousness more needed than those living in the margins.
Because God is righteous and just, we who bear His name are called to share His passion and act on His behalf.So, how am I supposed to respond to the injustice? In Micah 6:8, God makes it very clear.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
- Act justly
“Acting justly” starts in small ways. How about freshly committing yourself to being a person of absolute truth and total integrity?
But it’s not to stop there. We have to look at the world around us and ask God, “Where do You want me to be an agent of justice?
- Love mercy
Other translations use the word “kindness.” Kindness is love in action.
- Walk humbly
To walk humbly before the God who is righteous is to act righteously without getting self-righteous.
Text: Micah 3:1-3, 8-12; 6:8
Originally recorded on October 24, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Our God is all-powerful. King David tried to describe His power in Psalm 29. He likened God’s power to a ferocious thunderstorm that splintered trees and shook the earth. Yet as incredible and fearsome as that storm was, God’s power is even greater. And all who encounter it can’t help but tremble in awe and worship.
But while most of us have no problem acknowledging the power of God, rather than marvel, we are left with questions. We hear verses like Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” and wonder, “If God is so powerful, why doesn’t He use it more?”
If He could part the sea, give sight to the blind, and feed 5000 people with a little boy’s lunch… why can’t He give a lonely single a mate? Why can’t He grant a devoted childless couple a child? Why can’t He raise the cripple out of his chair or wipe out the cancer cells in a young mother? If God’s so powerful, why doesn’t God use His power for good things like that?
The words of A.H. Strong begin to answer that: “God can do all that He will, but He will not do all that He can.”The release of God’s power is contingent upon His purposes.As limited humans, we simply don’t know all that is at play in any given situation. But God does and those purposes…those plans… are for the best and one day they’ll be perfectly clear.
The release of God’s power is coupled to His love.Parents can understand this better than most. Children ask and plead for things that are within your power to give them, yet you don’t because you know it’s not good for them. Your love constrains your power.
So it is with God. Sometimes God doesn’t exercise His power on our behalf not because He doesn’t love us, but because He does.
The release of God’s power is available to His children.God is willing not merely to show His power, but to share His power with His children.
The release of God’s power is accessed through our obedience.Time and again in Scripture, we read how God’s power was released when someone took the next right step. And as they did, somewhere along the way, God’s power was manifest. The sea was parted, the leper was healed, the bread and fish were multiplied.
We so long to see God’s power displayed right now…in this moment. But more times than not, He asks us to walk in the direction He has told us and to trust that somewhere between here and there, in His perfect timing, His power will be shown.
Text: Jer. 32:27; Ps. 29
Originally recorded on October 17, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
What does it mean that God is omnipresent - that God is everywhere.
Omnipresence means that God is not confined to the limits of any particular space. He is no less present in one portion of the universe than any other.In other words, with equal truth and confidence, it can be said from anywhere in the universe, “The Lord is in this place.” Wherever you are, God is right there, right now. The God who is...is everywhere.
One of the best biblical texts on God’s omnipresence is Psalm 139. In the first 6 verses, David marvels that God knows everything. Then he goes on to speak of the fact that God is everywhere.
*“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence” If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.”
“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” (vs. 7-10)I love the way St. Augustine describes God’s omnipresence: “God is not partly here or partly there...but He is totally present at every point in the universe.”*The truth of God’s unlimited presence in the universe is interesting; the awareness of God’s unlimited presence in your life is transforming.Realizing that you’re never alone – that God really is with you – changes how you look at even the most challenging circumstances.
As we seek to grasp God’s omnipresence, there are two other theological truths that we need to recognize.
1. God’s transcendenceTranscendence refers to God’s greatness; His utter distinctness from all of His creation.
That our transcendent God is everywhere in this vast universe is pretty easy to buy. It’s this second point we struggle with.
2. God’s immanenceThis is His nearness, knowability, closeness, and intimacy. The great God who created the entire universe is interested in me.Do you know God this way? Do you sense His nearness as you go through an average day in your life?
Here are a few ways you can begin to look to encounter Him.
- Daily times with God.
Through quietness, journaling, Scripture reading, and listening, I carry on a conversation with God. I talk to Him about what’s going on in my life. I pour out my heart and ask Him for help. I write down what I think He’s saying and speak back to Him about it. These times have deepened my awareness of God’s presence in my everyday life.
Where do you meet with God? Where do you talk to Him and let Him talk to you.
Another way to experience the presence of God is through…
- Community with believers.
In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”Whether in a small group during the week or a large gathering on Sunday, you have the chance to encounter God’s presence with the family of God.
Let me encourage you to move through your week practicing the presence of God. If He really is with you, then engage Him. Talk to Him. Be sensitive to ways that He might want to reveal Himself to you.
Text: Psalm 139:1-10
Originally recorded on October 10, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
It has been said that what comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. If we have a faulty or limited understanding of who God is, it is not only dishonoring to Him, it’s devastating to us. It is, in fact, at the root of nearly every one of our problems.
But if you can come to grips with the attributes of God that we will be looking at in this series, you will never be the same.
The reason why I can promise you this is that Scripture makes that very claim. Daniel 11:32 (RSV) says, “...the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”That verse is validated on multiple occasions in the early chapters of the book of Daniel.
In chapter one, we find Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in exile in Babylon. They were pressed into the king’s service where they faced all sorts of challenges and temptations. Among them was being given food to eat that would compromise their beliefs.
They made a deal with their keeper allowing them to eat their preferred diet, and at the end of the test period, these young men were clearly healthier and stronger than their peers. Because they knew their God, they stood tall and God blessed them. Which brings us to our first point:
Those who know their God display great zeal.In chapter three, we read how the king, Nebuchadnezzar, built a golden statue and demanded that everyone bow and worship it. Any who would not bow would be thrown into a furnace of fire. The three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused.
When the king learned of it, he gave them a second chance – bow or die. They still refused, saying, “Our God can rescue us from the fire, but even if He doesn’t, we will not bow.”
Here’s our 2nd point: Those who know their God demonstrate great courage.Nebuchadnezzar was furious and ordered the young men to be bound and thrown into the fire that had been stoked 7 times hotter. But as he looked into the furnace, the king saw, not three men, but four! And the fourth looked like a “son of the gods.” Indeed, it was the pre-incarnate Jesus Himself.
Those who know their God discover a great presence.Those who know their God sense Him as others don’t sense Him. They see Him where others don’t see Him. They hear Him when others don’t hear Him.
The king called the men out of the furnace and to everyone’s amazement, not a hair was singed. They didn’t even smell of smoke.
These men who knew their God got the attention of a cynical, skeptical king. He could not deny that they were different and that it was because of their God.
Those who know their God demand a great audience.That can and will happen today. As cynical and skeptical as our world might be, when it witnesses people who live compellingly different lives...better lives...more gracious, more courageous, more confident lives...we won’t lack for an audience.
Text: Daniel 1:6-20; 3:1-30; 11:32
Originally recorded on September 26, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Jesus was an immigrant. Have you ever thought about that?
Shortly after His birth, an angel warned His father, Joseph that Herod was seeking to kill the infant Jesus and that they should flee to Egypt.
So, in literally a life-and-death situation, Joseph quickly packed up his wife and young child and left his homeland for a place he’d never been before.
He doesn’t know anyone there. He doesn’t have a job. He doesn’t know the language. But Joseph has no choice. He has to take care of his family. And love will take all sorts of risks when that’s at stake.
So it was that Jesus spent the early years of His life Jesus as an exile, a refugee, a stranger in a foreign land.
You have to wonder if Jesus had a special identification with the words from the Mosaic Law that say that God “loves the foreigners” and that His people should “love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” (Deut. 10:18-19)
In the highly prejudiced, racially divided land in which He lived, how did Jesus relate to the marginalized? And what can we learn from His example?
In the middle of Palestine lay the region of Samaria. Back then Samaritans were a racially mixed group that had come into being during the time of Israel’s captivity. Crudely speaking, Samaritans were seen as “half-breeds,” and as such they were considered aliens and strangers in the land. To the “pure-blooded” Jews, these “border crossers” simply didn’t belong.
As often takes place when a group is marginalized, the Samaritans turned inward and stuck together. Over time they developed their own expression of the Jewish religion. Thus, they were seen as not only racially impure but religiously impure. As a result, they were despised social outcasts and to be avoided at all costs.
That’s why the story in John 4 is so astounding. Jesus not only goes to Samaria, He encounters a woman there. And not just any woman. She was an outcast even among her own people.
Ponder that for a moment. Jesus was willing to challenge social norms and to be seen as being “soft on sin” in order to treat this woman with dignity and meet her deepest needs. Why? Because He recognized that she was a person made in the image of God and thus had great value.
And because He did, a magnificent kingdom harvest was reaped as her friends and neighbors heard the Good News and believed.
Jesus models for us a new and different way of looking at and relating to persons who are outside the circle of cultural acceptability…and that includes immigrants.
There are Christians at our borders, brothers and sisters in Christ, who not unlike Joseph and Mary, have had to leave their homeland because of life and death issues.
Their lives are in jeopardy either due to direct persecution or indirect starvation. And the question we must ask ourselves is, “What should be our attitude toward these fellow members of God’s family?”
There are also potential Christians at our borders. Men, women, and children who are loved by God but have yet to embrace or even hear of the hope that can be found in Jesus.
We often speak about how we need to take the Good News of Christ to the world. Well, guess what? The world is coming to us and is not merely open but hungry for the gospel.
Friends, is Jesus your merely Savior… or is He your Lord? And as your Lord, are you modeling your response to the marginalized after His?
Text: Matt. 2:1-21; John 4:1-35
Originally recorded on November 10, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
With the issue of immigration increasingly in the headlines nationally and with the reality of refugees in our own city and perhaps your neighborhood, I think the time has come for us to look at what the Bible has to say regarding the “strangers” among us.
I have no political agenda here and I am not touting any particular legislation. But I am charged to teach you “the whole counsel of God,” and to challenge you to take your cues for discipleship not from the pundits, not from the press, not from social media …but from the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 10:12-19, Moses speaks of the importance of loving, serving, and obeying the Lord. Then he gives this specific application of what that means:
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” (vs 18-19)
Here, we are introduced to “the trio of the vulnerable” – the widows, orphans, and foreigners. Over and over again in Scripture, we are reminded of God’s heart for and challenged to care for these, the most vulnerable among us. (Ps. 146:9; Zech. 7:10) God also harshly condemns those who mistreat immigrants. (Ez. 22:7; Mal. 3:5)
The reason God gives for why His people should welcome the stranger? Because they themselves had been aliens.
How did that happen? Not unlike today, there were multiple reasons why the Israelites throughout history became aliens and strangers in a foreign land.
- Opportunity
- Hunger
- Force
Consider these examples:
- Abraham immigrated to Canaan in pursuit of the opportunity of a better life.
- Later, famine-induced hunger led him to become a refugee in Egypt.
- Joseph became a foreigner in Egypt by force when his brothers sold him into slavery.
- Daniel was an exile in Babylon after being relocated by force.
Given their history, knowing how it felt to be aliens and strangers, God’s people were to extend grace to the aliens and strangers in their midst.
So I would ask us, “Given our history, shouldn’t we as well?” Unless you’re a native American, every one of us is a descendant of an immigrant. Because someone offered opportunity, assistance, or comfort to our ancestors, we have what we have. So, what should our response be to the strangers in our midst?
There is, however, an even more basic reason why we should treat such people graciously. It goes all the way back to the creation account in Genesis 1.
“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:27
Every person is made in the image of God. That means that every person has inherent value.
As such they are worthy of respect and should be treated with dignity. And friends, that includes the immigrants, exiles, and aliens among us.
Text: Micah 6:8; Deut. 10:12-19; Gen. 1:27
Originally recorded on November 3, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In this series, we’ve been looking at a simple formula that will serve you well no matter your level of income. GIVE. SAVE. LIVE on the rest.Taking our cues from God’s Word we’ve seen that we need to GIVE to God first. Then we should SAVE.
To then “LIVE ON THE REST” not only implies a prioritization of these first two actions but also a limitation of your spending. Another way to say it is “living within your means.”
Living within one’s means is not spending money you don’t have.The issue isn’t that we don’t get that. The issue is that all too many don’t do that.
We all have a limited income. When we spend more than that we are forced to borrow, and borrowing always comes at a cost. That cost is called “interest.” Lenders get a cut of your money for letting you use their money.
If you can keep this under control and pay the lender off quickly, such borrowing is manageable. The problem comes when this is not kept under control and the lenders aren’t paid off quickly. Eventually, things begin to collapse.
If your outflow exceeds your income your upkeep will be your downfall.The Bible speaks quite clearly about borrowing and lending. In Deuteronomy 28, Moses makes it clear that the preferred place is to be in the position of being able to lend, not in the position of having to borrow. He calls it being the head, not the tail.
In contrast, when you are in debt, you are the tail and that carries more costs than you might realize. Proverbs 22:7 puts it this way, “…the borrower is servant to the lender.”
Now, the Bible doesn’t say it’s a sin to borrow. Debt is warned against, but it is not prohibited.
Living within one’s means requires two things: conviction and planning.If you want to climb out of the hole of debt, know this. It is possible to change your reality! It will take planning. It will require sacrifice. It will demand discipline…but it can be done.
Here are 5 keys for getting out of debt:
- Learn what God has to say about the danger of debt.
- Recognize the desire to acquire and determine to incur no new debts.
- Pay off your credit cards and use them in the future only when necessary.
- Get on a budget and follow it faithfully.
- Seek counsel from a reputable advisor who has biblical convictions.
Text: Prov. 22:7; Deut. 28:12-13, 43-44
Originally recorded on January 22, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
If I were to ask, “Do you think that consistently putting some of your income into a savings plan is a wise financial strategy?” Most people would say yes.
But if I were to ask, “Are you doing that?” Far fewer would say yes.
Why don't we save? There are many reasons, some of them valid. But for all too many of us, we don’t save because we let present realities overshadow future possibilities. All we can see is “now.” What I want now. What I need now. The future is too far off.
As a result, in the event of a loss of income, the average American family is only 3-6 weeks away from bankruptcy.
But there is a simple formula that can help you get a handle on your finances, both now and in the future. First, you GIVE…then you SAVE…then you LIVE on the rest.Out of every $10 you make, we GIVE the first dollar to the Lord. The Bible is clear on this. It’s called a tithe.
Though the Scriptures make no such demand on what we are to save, I suggest that a wise strategy is to pay God first, then pay yourself second. If God gets the first dollar, you SAVE the second dollar, setting it aside for future needs.
The Bible speaks of the value of saving. Proverbs 21:20 says, “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.”
We also see the example of Joseph in the OT, who for years wisely reserved a portion of Egypt’s reserves thus saving his people when the years of famine came.
The NT also speaks of the value of providing financially for one’s family’s future. (1 Tim. 5:8)
Now there’s a difference between saving and hoarding. James warns of hoarding in his letter, talking about the folly of clinging to resources that could and should be put to Kingdom use.
Why do we hoard? Because of fear or pride. Fear of not having enough or pride that flaunts your wealth. The foolishness of hoarding is that it will all be destroyed one day. We can’t keep it.
GIVE, SAVE, and then LIVE on the rest. This simple formula has served us well for years.
By giving first, we’ve not only kept our "desire to acquire" in check and invested in God’s Kingdom, but we've also brought His supernatural power to bear upon our finances.
By saving second, we have acquired a nest egg of sorts for our retirement and put some margins in place so that when we need to replace or fix something, we can.
That means we’ve had to adjust our lifestyle to live on the rest. It’s the idea of living within our means and keeping debt in check. And that’s what we’re going to talk about next week.
Text: Prov. 6:6-8; 21:20; I Tim. 5:8
Originally recorded on January 15, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Our culture is driven by the desire to acquire. We see something, then we find ourselves wanting that thing, and before we know it, we convince ourselves that we need it. And in order to buy this stuff, we need MONEY.
Fueled by our acquisitive culture, few, if any, escape the Money Monster’s grasp.
But I want to share with you a simple yet practical formula for handling your money that has its foundations in God’s Word. A plan that can help you to be freed from the Money Monster and the regrets that come from caving in to him.
Here it is: Give. Save. Live on the rest.The formula begins with GIVE. The only way to keep your balance in this culture of consumerism is to give first.
The Bible speaks clearly about this: “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops.” (Proverbs 3:9)Way back in the O.T. God’s people were challenged to give Him the first and the best of their resources before making any other investments or doing any other spending. This idea of giving first was noted in the Law and a percentage was noted: a tithe – 10%. This was God’s strategy for financing His Kingdom.
The tithe was non-negotiable. The Bible never talks about “giving” a tithe. It refers to the tithe being “brought” or “presented” or even “paid” – but not “given.”
It was the free will offerings on top of the tithe which were “given.” As people were especially moved with gratitude or saw a particularly great need they would give offerings.Jesus also spoke of the giving first because He recognized that it not only honors God, but it also puts our stuff into perspective.
When we give first, not only can God do something for us, He can do something in us.God’s approach to money is counter-intuitive to the world’s. That way is to LIVE first, then SAVE if you can, and if there’s any leftover, GIVE. But the Bible calls us to GIVE first, then SAVE, and then LIVE on the rest. Not simply for God’s glory – but for our good.
Text: 1 Tim. 6:6-7, 9-10; Prov. 3:9; Mal.3:6-9
Originally recorded on January 3, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In describing the journey of faith, the Bible uses the metaphor of a race. Each of us is running with the goal of finishing well. But though we are responsible for running our own race, we can’t ignore the fact that there are other runners around us. And if one of them falls, what should we do?
As James closes his letter, he calls us to look out for our fellow runners and to go after those who “wander from the truth.”
Such wandering can take many forms:
- theological: led astray by false teaching
- situational: the hardships of life or disappointment with God
- careless: drifting into lukewarmness
- moral: sinful behaviors, character issues
Whatever the reason, people who had once been running well can and do go down and it is our responsibility to go to them and try to help them get back in the race.
How do you do that? There’s a story in the O.T. that gives us some great guidelines.
In 2 Samuel 11, we read of how King David had an affair with the wife of one of his best soldiers. When she revealed that she was pregnant, David began a cover-up effort that ended with her husband’s death at David’s command.
For a year, David lived with the guilt of his actions. Psalm 32 describes the misery and physical anguish he felt.
David had gone down and left on his own, he wasn’t going to get up. It took the love and courage of a fellow runner to come back after him.
David’s friend, Nathan, went to him and told a story that pierced through the hardness of David’s heart, and David broke. He confessed.
Here are a few observations that might serve you well when you have to play the part of Nathan.
- The timing was right. In confronting someone with their sin, the timing is as important as the wording.
- The person was appropriate. An individual’s capacity to receive truth is directly proportionate to the depth of relationship they have with the truth-teller.
- The words were wise. Rather than going in with accusation, try starting with humble curiosity and tender concern.
- The truth was spoken. Call it “the last 10%” – the tough stuff we tend to dance around, but the truth they desperately need to hear.
- The runner was restored. In this case, David got up and back in the race.
I wish that was always the case, but it’s not. But that doesn’t mean you were wrong in trying. Moreover, it doesn’t mean that God is done. It might well be that you are only part of the process. And maybe...as you keep praying...someone else will say the right words at the right time and this time the downed runner will be restored.
Text: James 5:19-20; Psalm 32; 2 Samuel 11-12
Originally recorded on June 20, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Does God still heal? Can we...should we... pray for it? And, if so, just how much faith does it take to get the miracle you’re looking for?
Here in James 5, we come to the topic of sickness and healing. And while I can’t give a comprehensive teaching on the subject in one message, we do get some insight from this passage that can help us.
Before we talk about healing, we need to lay a foundation by discussing sickness.
REASONS FOR SICKNESSThese reasons can be categorized under three headings:
1. The fall of man. Sickness and death were never part of God’s “very good” original creation. But because of their sin, deterioration came to the human race. We get sick, weaken, and eventually die simply because we are human.
2. An attack of Satan. Though he was rendered a death blow at Calvary, the Evil One still prowls this earth and there are occasions when his attack comes in the form of sickness.
3. One’s personal sin. Some sickness is part of God’s judgment or discipline for unconfessed sin.
Returning to James’ instruction, we find some…
GUIDELINES FOR HEALINGVerse 14 begins, “Is anyone among you sick?” James is not speaking of a lightweight ailment here – a headache or a cold or the flu. Praying about that sort of thing might fall under the instruction of verse 13. What he has in mind here is a sickness or disease that incapacitates.
In such serious situations, you should…
1. Call for the elders or other spiritual leaders.This first step appears to be an act of faith and point of submission. The person who is sick takes the initiative: “I’m in trouble and I want to bring God’s power to bear upon this by asking His people for help.”
2. Take a thorough spiritual inventory.We noted earlier that personal sin can be a reason for sickness. Unconfessed sin robs prayer of its power. Is there any sin that would preempt what God might want to do? Are there any relational breakdowns that need to be addressed? Are there any behaviors that need to be confessed?
God desires our spiritual healing much more than our physical healing. Once the sin is dealt with, healing can flow.
3. Receive anointing and prayer.When the elders are called for, the text says they are to “pray over” the person. This could imply that the elders are to lay their hands on the person as they pray.
They are also to “anoint them with oil.” To anoint a sick person with oil might be a way of setting them apart for God’s special touch. It’s a way of saying, “Lord, give this person to You asking for their healing. Most of all may this situation result in Your glory.”
The elders are also to pray “in the name of the Lord.” To do something “in the name of “ a person invokes the authority and the will of that person.
Thus, to pray “in the name of the Lord” not only calls upon the power of Jesus to heal, but it also surrenders to the prerogative of Jesus’ purposes. Whether the person is healed or not is a matter of His will, not ours.
4. Leave the results in God’s hands.Does God heal? Yes! Does He sometimes do it through medical means? Yes! Does He sometimes do it supernaturally as we pray? Yes!
Does God always heal? No – not always in this life.
But no matter what the outcome, can we trust Him and the way He runs His business?
Text: James 5:13-18
Originally recorded on June 13, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Do you know what it’s like to endure mistreatment? Whether because of your race, gender, age, position, or experience, someone in authority or power treated you in a way that was unjust, unfair, or uncalled for.
When that happens everything within you cries out for vindication or vengeance. That’s human nature. But Jesus shows a different way to respond when you’ve been done wrong.
The Apostle Peter wrote to people who were facing mistreatment. In 1 Peter 2, he says it’s one thing to bear up under punishment you deserve. It’s something else to endure mistreatment you don’t deserve. To do right when done wrong is commendable before God.
He then offers the example of Jesus that we might “follow in His steps.” Jesus did not retaliate when He suffered mistreatment. Instead, “He entrusted Himself to Him to judges justly.” (v. 23)
Forbearance when being mistreated is rooted in the unshakeable assurance that God is in control.James picks up this theme in chapter 5. He says, “Be patient…until the Lord’s coming.” (v. 7)
This is the second time James calls us to patience. In 1:3-4, he uses the Greek word hupomone, which means “to patiently endure difficult circumstances.
Here in chapter 5, the word is macrothumeo. It speaks of “patiently enduring difficult people.” Other translations render this word as “longsuffering.”
Longsuffering is “self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate.” It’s the opposite of anger and despondency and is associated with mercy and hope.
What is the hope that allows us to endure mistreatment? The hope that “the Judge is standing at the door.” (Jms. 5:9) Three times in these verses James reminds us that Jesus is coming again and this time it will be as King and Judge. In that day, all wrongs will be made right.
But don’t forget. There is only one King…and you’re not Him. There’s only one Judge…and you're not Him. Only His timing is perfect and only His actions just. When you try to even the score or make someone pay, all you ever do is cause more damage and disrupt the plans that He had.
So be prayerful and patient. “The Judge is standing at the door.” (v. 9)
Text: James 5:7-11
Originally recorded on June 6, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Money does funny things to people, doesn’t it?
Sometimes, however, what it does isn’t funny at all. That’s why James offers some stern warnings to the wealthy.
Before you dismiss his words as not applying to you thinking, “I’m not rich!” Keep in mind that 1 in 11 people globally live on less than $2.15/day. If you live on more than that, you are richer than you think.
James addresses three sinful behaviors people with resources are prone to.
1. Hoarding treasuresLet me offer 2 disclaimers here. It's not wrong to have resources. Neither is it wrong to save or invest those resources. The Bible talks about both.
What James is speaking of in these opening verses of chapter 5 is “hoarding.” It’s the folly of wasting resources that could have and should have been put into play to advance the Kingdom. Instead, they are taken out of circulation for two reasons: fear and pride. Either a scarcity mindset or a prestige outlook.
James tells the rich to “Weep...wail...” Why? Because one day those who have so much and yet hoarded it will have to give account to the One who had trusted them with those resources. Jesus Himself gives a sobering word regarding that: “To whom much is given...much is required.”
Don’t hoard your wealth foolishly. Use it wisely.
2. Defrauding measuresTo defraud is to fail to pay what you owe because you want to keep your wealth.
In James’ day, the wealthy often failed to pay the day laborers that worked in their fields. Their cries of injustice reached the ears of God Almighty, he says in vs. 4.
In our day, we defraud employees or people we hire to do a job by failing to pay a fair wage in a prompt manner. Even if you’re not a business owner, do you pay your bills fully and on time?
Don’t increase your wealth sinfully. Earn it and spend it honestly.
3. Indulging pleasuresIs God opposed to pleasure? Is He against us having nice things? No. In fact, Paul wrote of “...God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 6:17)There’s a difference between the “enjoyment” that Paul speaks of and the “self-indulgence” that James speaks of. Enjoyment moves to self-indulgence when living the good life becomes your entire life.
There’s an old saying that helps me stay in balance: “You will have all eternity to celebrate your dividends. You will only have a few years to make your investments.”
Don’t spend your wealth thoughtlessly. Invest it strategically.Someone who understood this was the martyred missionary Jim Elliot who wrote these powerful words: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Text: James 5:1-6
Originally recorded on May 23, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
What are your plans for the future?
In James 4, the author uses the illustration of business people who make plans that will make them a lot of money. The problem James is addressing isn’t that they’d strategized or made plans. Indeed, the Bible speaks about the value of planning. (see Prov. 21:5)
Rather James reveals three mistakes people commonly make when it comes to navigating the future.
Mistake #1: Making plans without God.All too often we make plans without ever consulting God and then ask Him to bless them!
There are three ways we can respond to God’s role in navigating our lives:
- We can show INDIFFERENCE to it: Simply ignoring God as we make plans.
- We can make REFERENCE to it: Giving God mere lip service.
- We can give PREFERENCE to it: Take the time and make the effort to seek Him before making this decision or taking this step.
The Bible tells us that God needs to be in the forefront of our plans, not an afterthought. Foolishly thinking we know best, we fail to see that not only does He has the last word, He has the best word.
Mistake #2: Taking tomorrow for granted.This type of thinking has two faulty assumptions:
- Life is predicatable.
- I am invulnerable.
James says that our lives are like mist, here for a moment then gone. You are not promised tomorrow. Don’t say, “I’ll get right with God someday.” Now is the time. Today is the day of salvation.
Mistake #3: Failing to do the good you can do now.James is talking about sins of omission – things we should do, but don’t do.
What has God been asking you to do...yet you have not responded?
Text: James 4:13-17
Originally recorded on May 16, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
All of us have taken on the role of judge. We’re not elected by the citizens or confirmed by the congress. We are self-appointed judges. We place ourselves on the bench and proceed to pass judgment on the observed behaviors of our family, friends, and fellow believers.
James has some strong words to say about this tendency, giving a blunt warning to all of us.
First, he speaks against slander. ( vs. 11a). The Greek word is...katalaleo = to talk down.Slander is careless, critical, demeaning, derogatory speech directed against others. It impugns another’s character and smears their reputation, lowering them in the eyes of others.
Then James warns against judging others. (vs. 11b). Slander is spoken, but judgment is in your heart. Judgment snubs, ignores, dismisses, and ultimately, judgment condemns.
The Greek word used here for “judge” is krino = to assume the office of a judge. But James makes is clear in vs. 12 that there is only one judge and that’s God Himself. To judge another is to assume a role that is reserved for God alone.
In verse 11, James states that when we judge, we “speak against the law.” What law is that? He tells us earlier in his letter: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” (2:8)
We might not think that to slander or judge our neighbors or brothers and sisters in the faith is such a big deal. But James would suggest that it is one of the most damnable of all sins in that we violate the royal law and infringe upon the privilege that is God’s alone.
Alan Redpath developed what he called his “code of conversation.” When you’re tempted to speak in slander or judgment, stop and THINK.
T - Is it true?
H - Is it helpful?
I - Is it inspiring?
N – Is it necessary?
K – Is it kind?
Text: James 4:11-12
Originally recorded on May 9, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
It’s one thing to have knowledge – it’s something else to possess wisdom.
**Knowledge is the accumulation of information.
Wisdom is the application of insight.
Knowledge provides you with the facts of life.
Wisdom gives you the ability to live.
Knowledge is measured by degrees acquired.
Wisdom is measured by deeds accomplished.**James begins verse thirteen by asking the question, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” Our natural response is, “I am!” But James says, in effect, “Not so fast.”
“Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” (vs. 13)Mark it well. The qualifications for being wise have nothing to do with your I.Q. or even your Bible knowledge. Wisdom is a function of a good life lived with humility. Grace then truth.
James refers to two kinds of wisdom: that which is from above and that which is from below.
So how can you tell the difference? In verse 14 the apostle describes Unholy Wisdom as that which is characterized by two things:
- Bitter Envy
Perhaps a more accurate translation would be “prickly zeal.” James is speaking about an enthusiasm that’s gotten out of hand. Where you’re right and everyone who disagrees with you is wrong.
- Selfish Ambition
The Greek here has to do with having a “party spirit.” Not like a birthday party but a political party. The idea is that if you’re not of my party... if you’re not doing it my way... then we can’t be real partners.
When a prickly zeal or a party spirit is seen, when sides are taken and shots are fired at others, the wisdom being touted isn’t God’s wisdom at all. Such unholy wisdom may claim to be from God, but its source is...well...otherwise. (vs. 15-16)
In contrast to this, vs.17 describes godly or Holy Wisdom as:
- Pure: free from contamination or defilement
- Peaceable: the desire to get along and work together with others
- Considerate: beingreasonable
- Submissive: willing to yield
- Full of mercy: going the extra mile; not demanding its own way
- Impartial: doesn’t favor some at the expense of others
- Sincere: No deception, manipulation, or maneuvering
So, are you wise or otherwise?
Text: James 3:13-18
Originally recorded on April 18, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
“Sticks and stones may break my bones...but words will never hurt me.”We’ve all heard those words and maybe even said them ourselves. But as catchy as they might be, they’re just not true.
Words are extremely potent and can mark a person for life.
The writer of the book of Proverbs recognized this when he wrote: “The power of life and death is in the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)Now James picks up that theme in his letter. He has just spoken about how faith needs to be seen in our works. Now he continues that thought noting that among these “works” is the issue of how we use our “words.”
First of all, he notes...
The tongue is small but very significant.He uses the illustrations of a bit in a horse’s mouth and the rudder of a great ship to show how something relatively small can control something much larger. These are both positive examples of the tongue’s capacity for good.
Words of encouragement and blessing can be life-giving and healing.
But the flip side is also true.
The tongue is delicate but very dangerous.Spoken words can burn deeply into a person, many times scarring them for life. Whether it’s sarcasm, mockery, accusation, ridicule, or rage, your words can burn deeper than you could ever know.
The tongue is restless and resistant.Like a wild animal resists being restrained, so the tongue resists our human efforts to tame it.
James exposes the inconsistencies he has seen among believers. One minute your tongue is praising God and the next that very same tongue is cursing people. How can this be?
The tongue is a symptom, not the source
James asks a couple of rhetorical questions. “Can both fresh and saltwater flow from the same spring?” Of course, the answer is, “No.” The water that comes out of a spring is determined by the subsurface nature of the spring.
“Can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs?” he asks. Again the obvious answer is, “No.” The fruit is a function of the root.
James’ point? What comes out of your mouth is illustrative of a deeper issue: the state of your heart.
We must freshly present ourselves to the Lord and regularly ask the Spirit of God to control our tongues.
Text: James 3:12
Originally recorded on April 11, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
The Apostle Paul declared that we are saved by faith alone. James agreed but noted that the faith that saves is never alone.
Paul's teaching is consistent with James': “For it is by grace, you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works...” (Eph. 2:8-10)There are three important phrases in this passage: “by grace,” “through faith,” “unto good works.” If you get those out of order, you’re in trouble. If you think works save you, you’re back into the “performance plan.” Salvation is by grace through faith. But, if you don’t recognize that good works are to follow, you’re also in trouble.
This is James’ focus. According to James...
Real faith is not just something you say.All too many who call themselves Christians are all talk. Oh, they may be religious. They may even be active in their churches. But as it relates to a walk that’s “beyond belief’ – that just isn’t there.
Real faith is not just something you feel.A lot of people confuse emotions and sentiment with faith. You can go to church and get a "quiver in your liver" but it may never make any difference in how you live.
Becoming a part of God’s family means more than enjoying the privilege of sharing the family name. It also includes embracing the responsibility of bearing the family burdens.
Real faith is not just something you believe.In James’ day, as in ours, a lot of people have great thoughts about and even a strong belief in God. James says in effect, “That’s all well and good, but the fact is Satan and his minions know theology backwards and forwards.” No one believes in God more than they do. But that “belief” is a far cry from saving faith because they’re still in rebellion.
The belief God is looking for isn’t mere mental assent. Faith means to trust in, to rely on, and commit oneself to completely.
Real faith is something you act on.James then gives two examples of a faith that works: Abraham and Rahab. You couldn’t find two more opposite characters, yet each of them possessed a faith that went beyond words and into action.
While we are saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone.
Text: James 2:20-26
Originally recorded on March 28, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Over the centuries, humankind has passed along a lot of wisdom from generation to generation through truisms or proverbs. But many of these “words to the wise,” while they seem to contradict each other, are both true, such as:
- “Look before you leap”and “He who hesitates is lost.”
- “Better to be safe than sorry”and “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
While we can easily overlook the apparent contradiction of proverbs by saying their interpretation depends on the context, the tension can be much harder to overlook when it’s in an area as fundamental as the doctrine of salvation.
For example, Paul writes in Romans 3:28, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.”But in James 2:24 we read: “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”At first blush, these statements seem to be quite contradictory. But rather than contradict one another, the teachings of Paul and James actually complement one another.
PAUL / JAMES
- Stresses the root of salvation / Stresses the fruit of salvation
- Works are not in order to / Works are because of
- Focuses on God’s declaration / Focuses on our validation
- We are saved by faith alone! / The faith that saves is never alone!
Paul wanted to get people out of the “performance plan” – a faulty theology that believed if they fulfilled enough religious rituals and kept enough of the rules that God would sort of weigh the good versus the bad and judge them accordingly.
But the “performance plan” simply doesn’t hold water. Our sinfulness is SO profound and God’s standards have been SO mocked that no amount of doing rituals or obeying rules after the fact can erase that.
God’s Word is very clear on this: “The soul that sins shall die.” “The wages of sin is death.”This is why Jesus voluntarily stepped up on our behalf. Though totally sinless, He incurred our judgment, paid our penalty, and died in our place.
This act opened the door of salvation for us, but only if we respond to God’s offer of grace and by faith embrace Jesus as our Savior.
James’ audience was facing a different challenge. Though they had heard the gospel message and even responded to it, their lives had not changed. There was no evidence of the transformational power of Jesus.
How many times, when pressed about their faith, do people say, “I believe in God!” But James says, “Good for you. So do the demons. They believe and tremble.”
The fact is no one believes in God more than Satan and his demons. But they aren’t part of God’s family. Why? Because belief that doesn’t result in repentance is worthless.
While we are in fact saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone. Genuine faith not only should but will produce the fruit of good works.
When that fruit, over time, isn’t seen...when there is no change in values, attitudes, or behaviors... when there are no “good works” then, according to James, you need do some serious soul-searching.
Text: James 2:14-19
Originally recorded on March 21, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In the book that bears his name, James challenges us to be hearers and doers of God’s Word. If we fail to do so, we will eventually end up “being polluted by the world.” And one way that will be manifested is that we will speak and relate to others with prejudice and partiality.
In Chapter 2, James takes on this problem within the church.
The Principle StatedIn verse 1, he takes it head on: “My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?” (NLT)
James states in no uncertain terms that... faith in Christ and favoritism are incompatible.
Favoritism comes from two Greek words which, when put together, mean “to receive by face.” It’s the idea of judging a person by face value, first impressions, or outward appearances: the clothes they wear, the car they drive, the color of their skin.
Can you see how deadly such thinking can be to a community?
The Principle IllustratedJames then gives an illustration of the way a wealthy person might be welcomed to a church versus the way a poor person might be treated. He then challenges his readers, if you show such favoritism, “Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (v. 4)
James now explains why such thinking and behavior are inconsistent for a Christ-follower.
The Principle ExplainedHe begins by reminding his readers that throughout redemptive history, God has always shown special concern to the deprived and downtrodden. Jesus Himself declared that He had come to preach the good news to the poor.
The gospel of the Kingdom ever and always had a special message for and appeal to the poor. Why? Because it clearly stated that those who mattered to no one else mattered intensely to God.
James says that prejudice and favoritism are no different than murder and adultery. All of them break God’s law. In fact, prejudice and favoritism actually break the highest level of God’s law: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The Principle AppliedJames makes it clear that these issues of favoritism and prejudice are really serious – not only because they will affect the community of faith in the present, but because they will be issues at the time of judgment.
God is watching whether we are people of mercy or people of judgment, and He will reward accordingly.
Text: James 2:1-13
Originally recorded on March 14, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
God’s Word is timeless and transformational. Through its inspired words, the Holy Spirit will mark those of us who live in the 21st century just as He did those disciples who lived in the 1st century.
However, that will only happen if we are not only hearers of the Word, but we are also doers of the Word. In other words: it’s one thing to be open to what the Bible has to say, it’s another thing to be obedient to what the Bible has to say.James uses the illustration of a mirror. The person who is a hearer but not a doer of the Word is like someone who looks in the mirror but then walks away and forgets what he sees. The purpose of a mirror is to help us “face” the truth about ourselves so we can make the necessary changes.
God’s Word is like that mirror. But unlike a literal mirror, which only reflects outward appearance, the Scriptures reveal our inner character and call us to change.
The Greek word for “hearers” in vs. 22 is “akroates”: one who sits passively in an audience.Today it could be used for those who audit a college class. They come and listen, but they don’t have to “do” anything - no papers, no tests.
As with James’ audience, in all too many churches today there are a lot of “auditors” – people who attend and even listen a bit. But when it comes to acting upon what they’ve heard...when it comes to obeying what’s been taught... well, that’s optional.
Friends, we have been given the very Word of God. Hearing it, reading it, studying it, and discussing it are good things. But that’s not the ultimate purpose of this Book. The purpose of this Book is to help us to live in the way of Jesus. And that will necessitate applying the Word of God.
The goal isn’t information – it’s transformation.James then moves on to some practical illustrations of where hearing must become doing. First, he speaks of the need to keep a tight rein on your tongue. Next, he moves to the issue of caring for widows and orphans, those who are the most vulnerable.
Finally, James notes that if you’re a doer of the Word you will keep from being polluted by the world. More than just moral purity, this has to do with not letting worldly values drive our thinking and actions - such as: looking out only for yourself; doing whatever it takes to get ahead; living only for this world and not the next.
Making the commitment to move from merely hearing to doing won’t be easy. But you’re not on your own. God will help you. Scripture promises that: “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (II Chronicles 16:9)
Text: James 1:22-27
Originally recorded on March 7, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
This message is about divorce. Not the kind that separates husbands and wives. Rather, it’s the divorce between hearing the Word of God and doing it. Between believing and behaving. Putting our faith into practice is at the heart of the Book of James.
In 1:19, James says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” Though this is great relational advice, the context makes it clear that James is talking about how we relate to the Word of God. Verse 21 has the key phrase: “humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
James is telling us to be quick to listen to the Word, slow to speak against the Word and slow to anger at the Word. It’s all about the Word.
Tragically, all too many Christians are spiritually malnourished, failing to feed themselves on the “pure milk of the Word” (1 Pet. 2:2). The Word of God is given to us not only for our “health” but also for our success and training (Josh. 1:8; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
If we are going to “accept the Word…which can save you,” there are four necessities.
1. You need an open ear. “…be quick to listen.”
People are much more interested in talking to God than listening to Him. But taking the time to listen to what God has to say is the only way any of us can walk in the way of Jesus and know the blessed life that He promised.
2. You need a controlled tongue. “be…slow to speak.”Isaiah 45:9 says, “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker.”
Do you ever argue with God? We read His Word but we don’t like what we hear. Our reply is… “yeah, but…!”
- “Love your enemies” – Yeah, but you don’t know what they did to me.
- “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” – Yeah, but these are hard times.
- “Refrain from sexual impurity” – Yeah, but we love each other!
Don’t look for ways the Word can’t apply to you. Look for ways you can put it into practice… even if you don’t like it. That’s why…
3. You need a submissive spirit. “be…slow to become angry.”A submissive spirit receives correction and accepts rebuke.
4. You need a clean heart. “get rid of all moral filth...”Continuing that which is filthy or evil can actually hinder your reception of God’s Word as surely as if your ears were blocked by wax.
Text: James 1:19-22
Originally recorded on February 28, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Our culture tends to believe that a person is lucky if they’re wealthy and unlucky if they’re not.
But in these verses, James is saying that the true status of God’s people cannot be determined simply by their finances.
The poor are richer than they think if they trust Christ and the rich are poorer than they think if they trust anything else
James first addresses “the brother in humble circumstances” (1:9) – the poor man. There are two kinds of poverty: generational poverty and situational poverty. Both of them are exceedingly difficult to overcome.
But, according to experts, one of the keys for a person to get out of poverty is that the individual who is poor needs to rethink his/her identity.
All too often we measure what we are and what we have by earthly standards. James makes it clear that’s tragically short-sighted. Rather, it’s who you are in Christ and what you possess because of Him that puts poverty and even suffering into perspective.
Next James addresses “the rich” (1:10-11). He likens them to a fragile wildflower. A scorching heat blows through and the beautiful blossom withers and dies.
James’ point is to warn those who would consider themselves rich merely because they have beautiful resources just how fragile and temporary those things are. To glory in your riches, to trust in your resources is ultimately a losing proposition.
James is not making a value statement regarding the rich and poor. He is not saying, “God loves the poor and hates the rich.” Nor is he saying that one cannot be wealthy and godly. Some of the greatest heroes of the faith were people of great means.
But they saw themselves as rivers, not reservoirs. They understood that “to whom much is given, much is required.”
However, for most, having much – whether it’s beauty, talent, or wealth – can blind a person to what’s truly important and what’s really needed. They can all too easily deny their need of a Savior and end up “fading away” just like flowers.
Bottom line? This world is not the ultimate. Our life here is short. So, if you are a “poor man,” one without many resources, remember: if you know Christ, you are richer than you think. We
If you’re a “rich man,” one who has resources, yours perhaps is the greater danger. What you have can deceive you into putting your trust in the wrong place. Remember: if you don’t have Christ, you are poorer than you could ever know.
Text: James 1:9-11
Originally recorded on February 7, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
There’s a big difference between faith and foolishness. That is why we need wisdom.
How do we get wisdom? James says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all…” (vs. 5)
Of course, the primary source of wisdom is God’s Word. But God can also lead and guide His children by giving them direct insight regarding situations that they are facing. He can impart wisdom to us apart from His written Word but never at variance with His written Word.
But James goes on to give a qualifier to receiving wisdom. He says we must “believe and not doubt.” That doesn’t mean if you have one shred of doubt God won’t answer. Rather, you must be open to the possibility that God can speak before you'll ever hear Him speak.
If you aren’t even open to the possibility of God giving you wisdom, then such unbelief will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. And as a result, in your “double-mindedness,” you will bounce around from here to there on the waves of human opinion.
God is ready, willing, and able to speak wisdom to us. Our challenge is learning to listen.
There’s an intriguing Old Testament story that gives us some insight into how to listen to God. It’s found in 1 Samuel 3.
Here we have young Samuel – probably about 12 years old. He was living in the Tabernacle under the tutelage of the priest Eli.
One night, Samuel hears a voice calling his name. Assuming it’s his guardian, he runs to Eli and says, “Here I am.” Eli replies, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.”
This happens again, and again Eli sends Samuel back to his bed. The third time it happens, Eli realizes it must be the Lord calling him. He tells the boy to go back to bed and if the voice calls again to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
When the Lord called again, Samuel replied as Eli taught him, and thus began a lifetime of listening to God.
What can we learn from Samuel’s experience that can give us insights for listening to God?
- Listen expectantly.If you’re convinced that God can’t or won’t speak to you, then guess what? You won’t hear anything. The starting place for anyone in this whole area of listening to God for wisdom is being open to its possibility.
2. Listen quietly.In our day, that’s no small challenge. In the midst of all the noise, it’s next to impossible to hear God’s voice. That’s why the Psalmist wrote in Ps 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”
3. Listen patiently.Psalm 62:1 says, “My soul waits in silence for God only.”
While wisdom sometimes comes quickly, many times God does not tell us what we want to know instantaneously. He doesn’t speak on demand. We must persevere in seeking Him.
4. Listen submissively.Samuel’s reply to God’s call was, “Your servant is listening.” It was a posture of total submission. “Just say the word, God, and I’ll act on it.”
Many people do not really want to know God’s guidance for their lives. They want “inside information” to make their lives easier.
The wisdom that God wants to give is for us to live for Him, not for ourselves. And until we come to grips with that, He may not have much to say. 5. Listen corporately.There is untold value in being part of a community that can help you process what you think God might be saying to you.
Text: James 1:5-8
Originally recorded on January 31, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
The book of James was written to followers of Jesus who had been “scattered” by the threat of persecution. They were facing tough times and James knew that unless he helped these young believers gain a different perspective on their trials and tribulations, they might very well compromise their commitment if not bail out altogether.
That’s why he begins his letter with this striking statement: “Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (vs. 2)
From these words, we learn some…
**FACTS ABOUT TRIALS.
- They are inevitable.**James doesn’t say “Consider it pure joy…IF you face trials.” He says “WHEN you face trials.” The Bible is very clear that trials are simply part of life – and believers aren’t exempt.
These inevitable trials come in “many kinds.” We can expect our lives to be spattered with trials of all shapes and sizes.
2. They are purposeful.Trials are in reality “gifts” – severe gifts to be sure – but still gifts that God gives for our good. Moreover, these gifts are custom-designed with our unique developmental needs in mind.
How then do we move from trials to triumph?
**KEYS TO TRIUMPH
- Keep a joyful attitude.**The word “count” in vs. 2 was a financial term and meant “to evaluate properly.” James is calling us to maintain an attitude of joy by evaluating our trials accurately.
2. Have an understanding mind.Why can we count it all joy when we face trials? “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (vs. 3)
More than mere patience, perseverance is an inner quality of strength to press onward and upward no matter what the challenge.
3. Maintain a submissive will.I like The Message paraphrase of verse 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.”
That’s what it means to have a submissive will. To persevere so that the trial can do its job...so the refining the Master had planned can happen.
Text: James 1:2-4
Originally recorded on January 24, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Our world is weary of “noun” Christians. It’s looking for “verb” Christians – people who will walk the walk, not just talk the talk. But how can you move to a life that goes beyond belief?
The Bible is filled with counsel toward that end, but one of the most practical texts is the N.T. book of James. We were made for more than “easy chair living.” We were called to a life “beyond belief.” And that is what James addresses in his remarkable epistle.
- WHO was James?
Most biblical scholars agree that the writer of this letter is not James the brother of John, one of Jesus’ original 12 disciples. This James was martyred in A.D. 44, so the timing doesn’t work.
They also don’t believe the author was another one of the 12 – James, the son of Alphaeus.
The person most scholars believe penned this letter is James, the brother of Jesus. Now some religious traditions claim that Jesus did not have any literal brothers, that the brothers mentioned in the gospels (see Matt. 13:53-57) were cousins. However, the Greek word used here means blood brother, not cousin. So, Scripture seems to indicate that after Jesus’ miraculous birth, Joseph and Mary went on to have several other children, including James.
But James and his siblings struggled to believe that their big brother was the Messiah. They thought He’d gone crazy! (see Mk. 3:20-21; Jn. 7:5) So what changed?
Jesus made a special post-resurrection appearance to, of all people, his little brother. And, in light of that, James came to a point of unshakable belief and total commitment.
James rose to a place of prominence. In Gal. 2:9 he’s described as a “pillar” in the church. And by the time we get to Acts 15, he is the leader of the church at Jerusalem.
2. WHEN did he write the letter?
Though there is some debate, many scholars date the epistle from James at around A.D. 48. It is believed that this was the first N.T. book to be written, pre-dating all 4 of the gospels.
3. WHERE was this letter addressed?
James sent this letter to Jewish Christians who had been scattered throughout the Roman world following an outpouring of persecution. He was responding to reports that many were living lives of comfort and compromise. So, as leader of the church, James writes this letter to be shared among the diaspora – and he doesn’t hold any punches.
4. WHAT is the content of this letter?
In short, James asks his audience then and us today, “If you say that you believe as you should, then why do you behave as you shouldn’t?
5. Why should we rise to the challenge?
The answer is seen in how James saw himself. He opens his letter by calling himself “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Greek word he uses to identify himself is “doulos.” Literally, it means “slave.”
The title of “slave” implies:
- Absolute obedience.
- Total humility
- Complete loyalty
- Ultimate identity
Far from being a title of dishonor, “slave” was the title by which the greatest figures of the O.T. were known. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were called the doulos of God. So were Job, Moses, and Joshua, as well as the prophets Amos and Zechariah.
By referring to himself this way, James recognized that there was an identity that went beyond being Jesus’ brother or the Jerusalem church’s pastor. He recognized that the greatest name by which he could ever be known was a doulos of the Lord.
Text: James 1:1
Originally recorded on January 17, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Feelings of inadequacy have sidelined so many people in the Kingdom of God. Whether because of past failures, poor self-esteem, or too many put-downs, they’ve concluded they could never make a difference.
Ironically, one of the greatest heroes of the Bible suffered from feelings of inadequacy. His name is Moses.
Hidden by his mother in an attempt to protect her baby from those committed to killing all the male Hebrew children, he was discovered and adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses was raised as the prince of Egypt, living a life of privilege and power.
But eventually, an inner turmoil ensued as Moses came to understand that the blood of Hebrew slaves ran through his veins. It came to a head one day when he saw one of his countrymen being beaten by an Egyptian overseer. Moses intervened and in the struggle killed the Egyptian.
Fearing for his life, Moses fled to the desert of Midian. There Moses took a wife, had a son, and spent the next 40 years herding sheep in the wilderness.
But God wasn’t done with him.
Moses had a dramatic encounter with God who spoke to him from a burning bush. God gives Moses an assignment: return to Egypt and tell Pharoah to let my people go.
Moses struggles with this mission for multiple reasons. First of all, he’s 80 years old. Surely his best leadership years are behind him. How can an old man make a difference?
Secondly, he’s already failed at this deliverance thing once. He’d messed things up so badly, who would ever dare to trust him to do anything right?
Third, he has some sort of speech impediment. How do you rally a dispirited group of people if you have no oratory skills?
Finally, Moses has a credibility problem. How would these people believe that God sent him of all people?
God responds to Moses’ skepticism by asking a question: What’s in your hand?See, the issue isn’t the ability you bring to a situation but the availability you offer to God.The thing in Moses’ hand was an ordinary shepherd’s staff. God tells him to throw the staff on the ground and the staff becomes a snake! Then God tells him to pick up the snake…by the tail…and it becomes a staff again.
Why would God do that? Because He had an important lesson for Moses…and for us.
Moses was a shepherd and he had a shepherd’s staff. It was nothing special, nothing more than a stout stick. But that staff represented everything Moses was. The staff represented his identity, his influence, and his income.God was saying, “Moses, you don’t think you have all that much in your hand. But if you will give Me what you do have… your identity, your influence, and your income – as small and insignificant as they may appear... I’ll do miraculous things with it. Things beyond your wildest dreams.”
From then on, that staff was known as the “rod of God,” and God used it to turn the Nile to blood, to part the Red Sea, and to bring water from a rock. History was changed because Moses gave God what was in his hand.
I have wondered, what would have happened if Moses had said no to God. What happens when we say no to God?
When you fail to respond to God’s challenge, over time His voice fades and His reality dims.God is not concerned with all that you don’t have or can’t offer – He’s looking for what you’re willing to submit and let Him multiply.
What’s in your hand?
Text: Exodus 3-4
Originally recorded on June 19, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Loss is a part of life. Some losses are natural, even predictable. But there are other losses that are unnatural and unexpected. These “catastrophic losses” change your life forever.
How does faith survive in those times? Is God big enough for that?
The book of Job speaks of the pain and confusion that always accompanies loss and offers us a remarkable perspective to help us through our loss.
To understand the book of Job, we would do well to think of it as a play with 2 stages. There’s a lower stage - which is earth, where Job lives. And then there’s an upper stage – where God is.
The story opens on the lower stage, introducing us to Job, a God-fearing man committed to living in a God-honoring way. And God has given him this wonderful life. Which to most people’s way of thinking, is only fair. Bad things don’t happen to good people. Good things happen to good people. Right? But this philosophy is about to be shattered.
The scene shifts to the upper stage where Satan challenges God. “The only reason Job is devoted to You is because You’ve given him all this stuff. Turn off the blessing and watch how fast Job turns off his devotion.”
Then God allows Satan to test Job. Job loses his livestock, his wealth, his servants, and all of his children. Everything! How does he respond? He falls down before God…and worships.
The story then returns to the upper stage where Satan again throws down the challenge. This time Job’s body is the target. Covered with painful sores, Job sits in the ash heap and his heart starts to waver.
The question being asked in the book of Job is this: Can a human being continue to have faith in a good God in the face of catastrophic loss?
That would be a lot easier if we understood the “why” of our loss. But like Job, we can only see the lower stage of life.
We don’t know what divine purposes are being fulfilled by a big God.Some of Job’s friends hear of his troubles and come to comfort him. For 7 days they sit with him in silence.
Then they venture to explain why all this has happened to Job. Their conclusion: Job must have done something wrong because bad things don’t happen to good people.
For 35 chapters Job and his friends debate the “why” of his suffering. Gradually, Job begins to see himself as a victim of random, senseless suffering and longs to ask God some questions and find some answers.
And then…God shows up.
For the next two chapters, God challenges Job about who is really in charge. Over and over again the Lord notes how big He is and how little Job is.
“You think you have the whole picture. You don’t. I am in total control of everything. Your loss was not an accident. Your suffering was not random. It was part of a big plan…a big plan authored by a big God.”
A light begins to dawn in Job’s thinking. And Job worships even though he isn’t given all the answers he was looking for.
At no time does God ever explain why everything happened. Rather, He shows that His sovereignty over both good and bad is so comprehensive, that He is truly bigger than our loss. He asks Job to live with that and trust Him until the day when all things will be explained. And that’s where we’re left as well.
We have to decide whether we will worship a big God even though our questions aren’t answered.Satan’s mocking accusation is silenced every time a suffering child of God offers up worship, love and trust to the One who is bigger than their loss.
Text: Job
Originally recorded on June 12, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
How big is your God?
This is an important question because the way you live will be the consequence of the size of your God.If you have a small God, you will live in a constant state of fear and anxiety.
But we do not have a small God. He is the sovereign, transcendent Lord of all! Whatever your weakness, God is stronger. Whatever your lack, God is sufficient. Whatever your loss, God is enough. And whatever your fear, God can see you through it.
In Judges 6 we meet a young man named Gideon, threshing wheat in a winepress at night. Why would he be doing that? Because he was afraid. Afraid the marauding Midianites would steal his family’s meager supply of grain.
So here he is, threshing wheat in a hole in the ground under cover of darkness, when an angel appeared to Gideon. “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” (v. 12)
Mighty warrior? Gideon has a hard time comprehending this.
One of the consequences of living with a little God is that you come to the conclusion that things can never change.
But God gives Gideon a mission. “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand… I will be with you…” (v. 14,16)
“I will be with you.” This is the hinge that everything turns on – not just for Gideon, but for us too. That which would seem to be unthinkable, undoable on my own becomes not merely possible, but unstoppable when you partner with a big God. Believing that God is with you changes everything.
Gideon finally commits to taking on the Midianites, so he sends out a call to the Israelite tribes to send soldiers, and 32,000 show up. The problem is Midian has an army of 135,000!
God effectively says to Gideon, “You have a numbers problem. You have too many!” Then He leads Gideon through a couple of rounds of cuts until he is left with just 300 men. Armed with a torch, a trumpet, and a clay pot, this ragtag bunch of nobodies defeats the enemy in a totally unpredictable way. Against all odds, God brought about a tremendous victory.
One of the results of partnering with a big God is that that which frightens you the most is brought down to size.How big is your God compared to what frightens you?
Friends, the issue isn’t the size of that which so frightens you. The issue is the size of the God who is with you.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Text: Judges 6, 7
Originally recorded on June 5, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
We have reached the conclusion of this great book. But it’s also how God chose to conclude the entire Bible. So, if these are the last words of the Bible, we need to ask ourselves, “What does God hope for us to remember?”
As I read through these final verses, I came up with a list of His hopes for us, and my hopes for you.
- I hope we will have a greater commitment to the local church.
The book of Revelation began with “To the seven churches…” Now it ends in the same way: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.” (Rev. 22:16)
This truth was written to real people in literal assemblies with the hope that they would live for God’s glory and extend His Kingdom…and that they would do so within the context of community. Putting it simply, from the very beginning, God believed in the local church as the hope of the world.
The church never has been perfect. But this imperfect new community was, and still is, His chosen tool to fix a broken world. And, that being the case, I want to challenge you - as never before – to commit your time, talent, and treasure to the local church.
2. I hope we will have a greater desire for heartfelt worship.
One of the great themes of this book has been the supreme importance of worship. Now here in chapter 22, we see a two-word mandate given to John in vs. 9: “Worship God!”
My prayer is that you will come out of this study determined to follow the heavenly model. That every time you enter the sanctuary to worship, you will see it as an opportunity to glorify God on earth even as you practice for heaven.
3. I hope we will have a greater devotion to active obedience.Verse 7 says: “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy…”
My hope is that we will come out of this study with a newfound commitment to obey. That every time our King asks something of us, we’ll instantly respond, “As You wish.”
Obedience, though difficult, always leads to blessing.
4. I hope we will have a greater zeal for courageous evangelism.One of the great points of joy in this study has been the hope of heaven that we who know Christ have. But we’ve also been confronted by the ultimate judgment that awaits those who don’t come to Christ: the Lake of Fire.
I hope we will look at every person we meet as someone who matters to God. Moreover, he/she is an eternal being who will live forever in either heaven or hell. And maybe, just maybe, God has brought them across my path so that I can help them move a bit closer to the Cross.
5. I hope we will have a greater anticipation for Christ’s return.This is our hope. He is coming …He is coming soon. So, let’s be a church that is ready for Him…with robes washed white…actively serving while we’re excitedly waiting.
Text: Revelation 22:7-21
Originally recorded on June 25, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Home. What does that word mean to you?
Take all those wonderful memories, multiply them a hundred-fold, and you will just have scratched the surface of what our heavenly home will be like.
What will heaven be like? Revelation 21-22 gives us a glimpse. Here John describes a place that is absolutely perfect with streets of gold and gates of pearl.
He is introduced to the “Bride” – a city that is a family, God’s perfect new community.
What will life be like in this new community?
1. You will be wondrously transformed.
Verse 1 speaks of a “new heaven and a new earth,” and aren’t you glad? Satan’s savagery and human sinfulness have raped God’s creation. It’s a far cry from the “very good” world that the Lord first made.
But it’s not only the world at large that will be transformed – you will be transformed. Think of it! A new fit-for-eternity body and housing a whole new sin-free nature.
2. You will be thoroughly joyful.Not only will all those things that rob you of joy be removed, but heaven will add the things that bring the greatest joy.
3. You will be ceaselessly productive.You need never fear that heaven will be boring! We were made with a desire to grow and learn… to contribute and produce. And that’s what we will do in heaven. The responsibility God gave mankind in Eden will be reinstated… to have dominion and rulership.
4. You will be intimately cherished.Think of it! We’re going to be in the very presence of the Father. We’ll get to crawl up on Abba-Papa’s lap.
We’ll be in the presence of the Lamb who died for us. We will see His face and look into His eyes. All our questions will be answered.
This is your destiny when you’re finally home. With that in mind, how should that impact the way we live?
- Knowing there’s a heaven can keep us from handling discontentment in unwise ways.
We have this deep longing for contentment, but in this world that desire is consistently frustrated. And you’re tempted to meet that need for contentment in a way that does not honor God or advance His Kingdom. But knowing what awaits us in heaven allows us to delay gratification and remain faithful to our Father.
- Knowing there’s a heaven can comfort us when times are hard.
When the bottom of life drops out…when the roof begins to cave in… the promise of heaven reminds us that there’s a firm, unshakable shelter above.
- Knowing there’s a heaven can encourage us that our lives have meaning.
Sometimes we’re tempted to think that life is futile and that we’re simply marking time down here. But the Bible clearly teaches us that every day has meaning and purpose.
Your life matters. Your actions are not in vain. Your sacrifices have not gone unseen. And that can make all the difference in the world in how you approach life.
Text: Revelation 21:1-22:6
Originally recorded on June 11, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
After Jesus’ glorious defeat of the Antichrist and his armies at Armageddon, He steps down on planet Earth once more and takes up His throne. The King has returned to set up His Kingdom.
The 1000-year reign of Jesus is best known by its Latin name: the Millennium. Revelation 20 lays out four events that will take place during this time.
1. Satan will be chained.Jesus commissions an angel to seize, bind, and chain Satan and throw him into a place called “the Abyss.” We can infer that with the subjugation of Satan, the world is swept clean of all demonic influence because vs. 3 notes that this imprisonment will keep him from stirring up the nations against the rule of Christ.
2. Saints will be enthroned.Incredibly, as part of our inheritance as children of God, we will join with Jesus in the judging and ruling process. Specifically named are those who were martyred during the Great Tribulation, but most scholars see such a highlighting as a word of assurance more than a word of exclusivity. All believers who had died before this are now given their “fit-for-eternity” bodies. This is called “the first resurrection.”
3. Satan will be released.Why bind Satan for a thousand years just to release him and have to deal with him again? I think God does this to prove once and for all that He is just in His judgment – of Satan and of mankind.
When Satan is released, he will once again deceive the nations and lead a rebellion against the Lord. Who are these people who rebel? One theory is that these will be some of the children born during the Millennium. Notwithstanding a perfect environment and flawless social conditions, there will be some who will still want to do their own thing and have their own way. They will chafe at Christ’s rule.
This brief rebellion is the final proof that the terrible and final judgment that is about to happen is right and just.
4. Sinners will be judged.Satan is thrown into the lake of fire with the Antichrist and False Prophet. Then a white throne is set up and unbelievers come forth to stand before the Lord one last time. “The books” are opened, the record of their deeds. Make no mistake, this is not seeing if their good deeds outweigh their bad. That’s impossible. These books do not save, they condemn.
Then the “book of life” is opened and all those whose names are not found written there, are thrown into the lake of fire.
What can we take away from all this as an application?
· Realize Christ’s authority.There is no dualism. Good and evil are not two equal sides of an equation. God alone is God and Satan is nothing but an angelic being. Authority is Christ’s alone.
· Remember your destiny.As children of God, you are destined to rule with Christ. All your sacrifice for the Kingdom is going to be worth it!
· Recognize man’s impurity.There’s only one way to make real and lasting change. You need a new heart…and only Christ can give you that.
· Reflect on eternity.Hell is real…and real people will be going there. If anything should cause you to consider Christ, it’s this. And if anything should drive you to your knees praying for your unsaved friends and family, and give you the courage to witness to your hope…it’s this.
Text: Revelation 20
Originally recorded on June 4, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
The Second Coming of Christ is not a point on which the Scriptures are ambiguous or unclear. “In the same way” as He ascended, it says in Acts 1:9-11, He will return. Literally, bodily, gloriously. The Bible even tells us where He will return: the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4).
But it’s in Revelation 19 that the day of Jesus’ return is described.
First of all, there is rejoicing at the destruction of evil. “Hallelujah!” shouts this great multitude in heaven. “Praise God! At last! He has won!”
To all waiting for that day, waiting for evil to be overcome: your desire for justice may be deferred, but it will not be denied - so be confident.
Secondly, there is rejoicing at the wedding feast of the Lamb.We all have a great fear of rejection. Rather we long to know and be known, to love and be loved. But the truth is, no relationship on earth can fully satisfy that longing. Only God can.
One of the uniquenesses of Christianity is that our God describes Himself as our “husband.” We are designed and destined to know an intimacy with God and He uses the illustration of marriage to convey it.
Verse 8 talks about the “bride” – the church – being given fine linen to wear, symbolizing the “righteous acts of God’s holy people.”
If you were to appear before God dressed in a wedding gown made up of your righteous acts (service and love), what type of gown would you be wearing? Would it be stained or wrinkled? Or would it be beautiful?
Your hunger for love will be fully satisfied – so be ready.
Finally, there is rejoicing at the return of Christ.The setting of His return is the battle of Armageddon. The kings of the earth have rallied their armies against the Antichrist has his horde as his empire begins to implode. Suddenly, Jesus appears – riding on a white horse, with the armies of heaven behind Him. The earthly armies join forces and turn to take Him on. But there is no contest. With the sword of His mouth, the armies are destroyed.
There is a lot that is unclear about Christ’s return, but one thing is clear: Jesus is coming back to earth, and this time He’s no meek Lamb. He’s the Lion of Judah. And His judgment on all who have not come into His camp will be decisive and devastating. If you’re not prepared for His return…if you’ve not allied yourself with Him…you will face that wrath.
Your questions about the coming of Christ will be answered – so be saved.
Text: Revelation 19
Originally recorded on May 28, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Revelation 17 is one of the most difficult passages in the entire book. The identity of the woman on the beast has been a matter of great theological debate down through the years.
In trying to interpret these thornier texts, it’s important to ask this basic question of biblical hermeneutics: What did the writer intend to say to his original audience? The Bible cannot mean what it never meant.
As John’s audience read the vision of this woman, they would have quickly identified her as Rome. The beast, as we’ve seen in earlier visions, symbolizes political power. In John’s day, that would have been the emperor. So, we have a godless system supported by political power.
But this vision did not simply apply to a 1st-century empire. It also points to a leader that is yet to come. The Antichrist – the beast of Rev. 13 - a charismatic leader who will arise in the last days out of a restored Roman Empire. He will create a city that will serve as his social, political, and religious base while he attempts to establish his kingdom. And world leaders will “get in bed” with the Anti-Christ and his godless system.
As God’s wrath is poured out with greater and greater destruction, the Antichrist will turn on his allies and the system will begin to implode. Like wounded animals, they devour each other.
So, what are we to learn here?
Rev. 18:4 is a key verse: “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins…”
We need to understand that we all face the temptation to compromise with the system.
The system – “Rome” – is anything that could seduce you or intimidate you into not fully following Christ.
In an earlier letter, John called this system “the world.” He wrote: “Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world…” (1 Jn. 2:5-6)
He then breaks down the things in the world as:
- The lust of the flesh = Sensualism
- The lust of the eyes = Materialism
- The boastful pride of life = Egotism
We can have promising beginnings and thriving hearts, and then get seduced by the world. It is a very real threat.
We need to understand what will be the end of any system that defies Christ.
That John symbolized “Rome” as a prostitute isn’t accidental. He’s making a vivid point. You may think this grand and glorious world system is so desirable, but the reality is that “Rome the Magnificent” is a bloated, pathetic streetwalker. Doomed to destruction. So don’t be seduced by her evil or intimidated by her power. Take a long view of life and be faithful.
We need to understand the loss for any person who trusts in such a system.In Rev. 18:9-19 we see people who bet everything they had that alliance with “Rome” would give them power, wealth, and security. But in the end, “Rome” didn’t come through. All her promises were as empty as the words of a prostitute.
You’ve started the race well; but will you finish well?
Only you can answer that. Only you can put safeguards into your life - spiritual disciplines, solid community, honest accountability - so you can run the race, finish the course, and win the prize.
Text: Revelation 17-18
Originally recorded on May 14, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Deep inside every human spirit, there’s this unquenchable longing for justice. We look at the inequity of our world and ask, “How long, Lord? How long must we put up with this evil? How long before You step in and set things right?”
At last, in our study of Revelation, we reach the point where God says, “Enough!” He pours out His wrath and final judgment on “every living thing.” (Rev. 16:3)
Since judgment is coming, how should we then live?
Let’s ask a few questions and consider some practical implications.
1. Who will do the judging?The Bible makes it clear that God will be the judge (Rev. 16: 5, 7). But from other scriptural references we learn that, more specifically, the Father will delegate that judgment to Jesus. (Jn. 5:22; Mt. 28:19)
- Since Christ will judge with absolute authority, I must not take vengeance into my hands.
Revenge is a losing proposition every time because the victim and the victimizer never weigh pain on the same scale. It never comes out as “fair” to both parties. Therefore, whenever you get hurt you only have two choices: to exact revenge or to forgive.
By forgiving, we are trusting God to be the judge, a role only He is qualified and competent to hold. He says, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.”
When we insist upon vengeance, we are actually placing ourselves in a position that is reserved for Jesus Himself. And that is idolatry.
2. How will He judge?Rev. 16:5-7 uses these phrases to describe God’s judgment:
- “You are just”
- “as they deserve”
- “true and just”
We see miscarriages of justice all the time in our world – and that makes us wonder if people will somehow pull the wool over the Lord’s eyes.
But these verses make it very clear that He will be absolutely fair and unbiased. True justice will be done.
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Since Christ will judge with utter integrity, I need not wonder if He will be fair.
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What will He judge?
In vs. 15, there’s a sort of parenthetical statement that pops out in all the plagues. “Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
Jesus warns that there is nothing hidden that will not one day be revealed. (Lk. 12:2-3) Have you ever done something in the dark you didn’t want to be exposed? Ever whispered words in private you wouldn’t want to be shouted?
It’s these dark deeds that Jesus will judge on that day. The only way you will keep from being utterly exposed on the Day of Judgment is if your sins are covered with Christ’s forgiveness.
- Since Christ will judge with ruthless efficiency, I dare not stand before Him in naked rebellion.
Too many people are “playing dress up.” They come to church, they put on a façade of righteousness, but they’ve never actually repented – given their lives to Christ and been covered in His righteousness. Their lives have shown no change. Their hearts instead are hard and rebellious.
Don’t play dress up. Run to the cross and be clothed in Christ.
Text: Revelation 15-16
Originally recorded on May 7, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
In this message, I’d like to walk us through four key images in Revelation chapters 8-11 – one from each chapter – and then find an application in each for our lives.
When Revelation chapter 8 begins, Jesus opens the seventh and final seal on the scroll of God’s ultimate plans for mankind. This triggers the 7 Trumpet Judgments.
Before the first trumpet sounds, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. All of heaven seems to be holding its breath. Why? Because the prayers of God’s people were being poured out.
What prayers? Likely the prayers of the saints back in Rev. 6 when the martyrs prayed for vindication. “How long, Lord? How long?”
Now, at last, God answered those prayers…and acted.
God’s plan is to bring us into partnership, and the point of that partnership is prayer.Your prayers matter more than you could ever know. As Walter Wink says, “History belongs to the intercessors.”
- Am I willing to engage in the responsibility of intercession?
In answer to the prayers of the saints, God’s judgments now fall on earth. As each trumpet sounds, a plague is poured out upon the world - the wrath of a holy God upon a people who had chosen to give its allegiance to the Antichrist rather than to His Son.
In each of these plagues, we read of the destruction of 1/3 of the earth. Why? Why not just destroy it all? I think it’s a sign of God’s mercy.
God’s desire is to bring about repentance, and sometimes pain is the only way to get people’s attention.
- Is there any pain in my life that God is trying to speak to me through?
The third image comes from Rev. 10. John is given a small scroll and told to eat it. The scroll tasted sweet in his mouth but turned sour in his stomach. The scroll symbolizes God’s Word.
God’s Word is all truth, but it’s not all easy or pleasant.
- Do I feed on God’s Word, obeying the hard commands as well as enjoying the happy promises?
Finally, we come to the 2 witnesses in Rev. 11. Whether these are 2 literal people or they represent God’s people faithfully witnessing in these last days, the reality is, the cost of their witness was death.
God’s call is for us to be courageous and faithful in our witness, not necessarily successful.
- Am I willing to take my stand for Christ even when it costs me?
Text: Revelation 8-11
Originally recorded on April 30, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the central themes of the book of Revelation is the struggle that has been going on down through time between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
We’ve already seen how that conflict will culminate in a series of dramatic “end time” events. But in John’s vision recorded in Revelation 12, God pulls back the curtain of human history and lets us see what’s been going on behind the scenes.
There are three primary players in this great struggle:
1. The woman = faithful Israel
2. The Dragon = Satan
3. The Child = Jesus, the MessiahTo understand this conflict, we need to go back into eternity past. From the Creation account in Genesis 1, we know that God created everything and called it “good.” There was no evil whatsoever.
Part of God’s “good” creation were the angels themselves. These angels had various ranks and responsibilities, among the highest were archangels. The Bible names two of them: Michael and Lucifer.
However, the Bible tells of a time when Lucifer began to desire the throne of God for himself. He rallied other angels to his side - a full 1/3 of them - and a civil war of sorts broke out in heaven. This is what we read about in Rev. 12.
Michael and the holy angels defeated Lucifer and his horde, and they were booted out of heaven. Now called “the devil” or “Satan,” he prowls the earth assisted by those dark angels or demons. Their goal is to destroy the ones God, in love, created to be His family.
Though things looked ruined when Adam and Eve sinned, God still had a plan. A plan for Satan’s ultimate destruction and mankind’s ultimate redemption – all through the offspring of a woman. (Gen. 3:15)
When all things were ready, this promised Deliverer was born to a Jewish girl named Mary. The Dragon sought to kill that child, but God’s promise would not be thwarted.
Rev. 12 then leaps ahead to the end of time where it speaks of God’s protection of His faithful people and the persecution of the woman (faithful Israel) for 3 ½ years.
The chapter ends with the sobering truth that we who are committed to Christ are the unique focus of Satan’s rage and efforts to destroy.
The point of John’s vision is clear: there is a battle going on and like it or not… we’re in it.
From this passage, we see 3 strategies the enemy uses against us in this battle and 3 counter-strategies God gives us.
- Deception (v.9)
If Satan can’t make you unfaithful to God, he will seek to make you unfruitful for God. And the primary way he does that is through deception. Every chain of sin begins with the link of deceit.
Deception is countered by Truth. Don’t buy the lie. You’ll lose every time. Rather, cling to the truth.
- Intimidation (v. 12)
John Ortberg said, “The Evil One will use deceit to get you to do what’s wrong and intimidation to keep you from doing what’s right.”
Intimidation is countered by pre-decision. Before the temptation ever comes, you need to have already made up your mind about how you will react .
- Accusation (v. 10)
The Evil One deceives us and intimidates us to induce us to do wrong… then when we give in…he takes on the role of the Accuser.
Accusation is countered by the cross. Verse 11 says the way we overcome the Accuser is by the “blood of the Lamb and the word of (our) testimony.”
*Text: Revelation 12
Originally recorded on April 16, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.*
One of the most exciting events on the end-times timeline is the Rapture of the Church - the day when believers in Jesus will suddenly be “caught up” to meet Him in the air.
Paul speaks of this great day in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 when he says that we will be caught up to meet Christ in the air. The Greek word for “caught up” is the term “harpazo.”
There are 3 basic ideas conveyed in the word harpazo that will help us understand this great event.
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To seize with a sudden and overwhelming force. Don’t imagine us all floating up into the sky. No, the Rapture will be a sudden snatching up.
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To transport to another setting. This usage of the word harpazo is found in Acts 3 where we read of how Philip the evangelist, after leading the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ, is transported suddenly by the Spirit of God to a completely different city. Similarly, in the Rapture we will be transported from earth to a new heavenly location.
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To seize and rescue from imminent peril. In this usage of harpazo found in Acts 23, Paul is saved from a violent mob when Roman troops suddenly step in to seize and thus rescue the apostle.
The term “rapture,” then, speaks of all 3 of these elements: seized suddenly, transported to another location, and rescued from harm.
The timing of the Rapture has been a matter of debate by Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians for years. There are 3 classic views of the timing of the Rapture.
1. Pre-Tribulation: This view believes the rapture will take place before the Antichrist ever shows up. They believe we could be taken up at any moment and we will see none of the events of the final 7-year period we’ve been talking about.
2. Mid-Tribulation: This view maintains that we will be here for “the beginning of sorrows,” but will be taken out at the 3 ½ year mark, before the Great Tribulation.
3. Post-Tribulation: This view takes the position that we will be here for all of it. We will be vulnerable to the Anitchrist’s persecution, but we will be supernaturally protected from God’s wrath.
There is an adaptation of this view that I have come to embrace, called The Pre-Wrath view. It seems to line up with both Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 as well as the book of Revelation.
In the timeline we’ve been working with, the final 7-year period begins when the Antichrist rises to power with a peace plan for the world and a special covenant with Israel. Three and a half years into this covenant, this ruler, aided by the False Prophet, will set up an idol in the newly constructed Temple and demand to be worshiped. Persecution then breaks out against all who refuse.
This is the beginning of The Great Tribulation. Jesus says that if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive.
What will cut those days short? The great cosmic event of cataclysmic proportions described in Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12-17.
In Jesus’ description, this event is followed immediately by the Rapture. And then comes the pouring out of God’s wrath on the earth. The church is here for the persecution but taken out before God’s wrath.
We may be called upon to suffer and even die for our faith. But if God allows that, we need to know that He will also give us the same capacity He has for His people down through history.
God never commands something without giving the capacity to obey it.
Text: Revelation 7:9-17
Originally recorded on April 9, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
What will the first five minutes after your heart stops beating be like? The answer to that question all depends on whether you’ve been sealed or marked. What do I mean by that?
In Ephesians 1, we read that those who come to God by faith in Christ have been sealed with the Holy Spirit.
A seal, such as a king’s signet ring, would be pressed into hot wax on a document to affirm its authenticity and guarantee its security. A seal, thus, denoted 2 things: ownership and protection. When you came to Christ you were given the Holy Spirit as God’s “seal of approval”. A sign of belonging to God and the promise of heaven.
With this truth in mind, let’s look at Revelation 7 & 14. Here we read of a group of people simply called “the 144,000.” Their identity is mysterious, but one thing we know is that they will be specially sealed by God before the persecution and eventual Day of Wrath. They will not cave into the spiritual seduction of the Antichrist. They are blameless - not meaning sinless, but rather not being condemnable because of their faith in Christ.
Along with the rise of the Antichrist, we read of another figure – a second beast that comes from the earth. Other texts identify him as “the false prophet.” His description of having 2 horns is understood by most scholars to mean he will be more of a religious leader than a political leader. It is he who begins to concoct the scheme of universal worship of the Antichrist.
This false prophet will be satanically empowered (spoke like a dragon – Rev. 13:11) and will amaze and deceive with signs and wonders. But his best effort will be the animating of the idol or image of the Beast and then killing all who would not worship the image. (Rev. 13:13-15)
During this time, the pressure to capitulate will grow stronger and stronger. In order to gain control of the populace, economic sanctions will kick in. (Rev. 13:16-17) No one will be able to buy or sell without the mark of the Beast.
We must be cautious not to give in to conspiracy theories about what the mark of the Beast is. Nor should we be afraid that we will mistakenly take the mark without knowing it.
Scripture seems to make it clear that there will be no mistaking the moment when people are called to take this loyalty test. And I believe that part of God’s seal on His people is to protect us as well as identify us.
Text: Revelation 14:1-13; 7:1-8; 13:11-18
Originally recorded on April 2, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Bible talks about a 7-year period of time that will be the climactic era of history - when the church will be raptured, God’s final judgments will be poured out, and Jesus will come again.
This 7-year period will be kicked off by the arrival on the world scene of a key figure: the Antichrist.
In 2 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul reassures these young believers that despite the rampant rumors and false teaching, they had NOT missed the coming of Christ. The reason they should know that, Paul says, is because “that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.” (2 Thess. 2:3)
This and other texts all seem to agree that before Jesus returns and before we’re raptured, there will appear on earth a human being who will be the ultimate false messiah - a satanic duplicate of Christ. The prefix “anti” not only means “against” but “in place of.” That is, he will not only be against Christ, but he will seek to take the place of Christ in the hearts of men and women.
We learn more about the Antichrist in Revelation 13. He is described as “a beast coming out of the sea.” The sea symbolizes the chaos of the nations. This figure arises out of the chaos and confusion of the world.
What can we learn about The Antichrist?
1. He will be a world-class political and military dictator. (v. 1)This Beast is described as having 10 horns with 10 crowns and 7 heads. In Biblical imagery, horns have to do with military power and crowns with political power. The Antichrist will be a leader with unmatched clout and charisma.
2. He will be extraordinarily powerful. (v. 2a)The imagery seems to mean that this leader will have the stealth of a leopard, the brute strength of a bear, and the intimidating power of a lion. The point is that this ruler will be incredibly powerful, and that’s because…
3. He will be energized by Satan. (v. 2b)The dragon will both empower and enable this beastly leader.
4. He will gain an audience by recovering from a fatal wound. (v. 3)Some scholars take this literally, while others interpret it symbolically. In any event, the world will be taken with the newly recovered life of this Beast and will see him as someone worth following.
5. He will seek to be worshiped and blaspheme God. (vs. 5-6)At first, the Antichrist will win the world’s respect and admiration for solving the Middle East crisis and making a covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27), even creating a way for them to rebuild the Temple.
But halfway through these 7 years, there will be a shift. The Antichrist will demand more than respect. He will demand worship. He will break his covenant with Israel, set up an idol in the Temple, and demand the world to worship him.
6. He will persecute the people of God. (v.7)This is the Great Tribulation.
What should we take away from all this?
- The deception will be powerful; don’t be fooled. (v.8)
- The challenge will be great; don’t be naïve. (vs. 7, 10a)
- The victory will be sure; don’t be intimidated. (v. 10b)
Text: Revelation 13
Originally recorded on March 26, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We’re about to enter into the portion of this book that speaks of a series of cataclysmic events that will bring history to its dramatic climax. And one of the words we’ll be seeing with some frequency is “tribulation.”
Jesus makes it clear that tribulation – trouble, stress, pressure – is to be expected in this life because we live in a sin-stained, Satan-controlled world.
But there is coming a day when there will be a time of tribulation that is on another level entirely. In Mt. 24:21 Jesus refers to it as “a great tribulation” that is unlike any ever seen before or since.
The $10,000 question is, “when will it begin?” We begin to see the answer in Revelation 6.
The chapter opens with Jesus taking the scroll that contains God’s plan for the restoration of His Kingdom and one by one opening the 7 seals. These seals must all be opened before the scroll can be unrolled, which would seem to say that these 7 seals are preparatory and preliminary to the Great Tribulation to come.
If we look at Matthew 24 in parallel, we can gain some insights into what these seals mean.
Each of the first four seals brings forth a rider on a horse, sometimes called “the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”
Seal #1: The White HorseIt is my belief that the white horse represents false Christs who will deceive many. Ultimately, there will come the consummate deceiver: the Antichrist himself. But until then, there will be an acceleration of counterfeits.
I have to ask you. Is that happening today?
Seal #2: The Red HorseThe red horseman symbolizes war. As the end nears, war will increase. Not only between nations but between people groups.
Are we seeing more war?
Seal #3: The Black HorseThe black horseman seems to reflect great scarcity if not actual famine. A time when it would take all a man earns to buy enough food to survive. But it also seems to indicate that luxury items would suffer no lack. That is, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Is that happening in our world?
Seal #4: The Pale HorseDeath rides this horse with the grave (Hades) following close behind. The sword and famine will claim many lives. Some suggest the “wild beasts” might be the deadliest beast of all: the rat, spreading disease as their population explodes.
Seal #5: MartyrsPersecution of Christians will increase and intensify.
A natural question here would be, “If these first five seals have been exhibited down through history, how will we know when it’s not simply a function of general tribulation and we’re in the Great Tribulation?”
As best I understand it, we won’t exactlyknow that we’re in the Great Tribulation until this moment when the sixth seal is broken.
Seal #6: A Cataclysmic EventThe cosmic meltdown alluded to is greater than any earthquake we’ve ever known. The seismic implications of this event will literally change the face of our planet. Could it be an asteroid or comet that strikes the Earth? We don’t know. But when it happens, it will be a day unlike any other ever to take place on this planet. And it will trigger in rapid succession all the other aspects of His wrath as the seventh seal is broken.
Simultaneously with this event, this may be when the Rapture of the Church takes place.
In light of this, what should we do?
1. Stand firm.
2. Keep watch.
3. Be ready.
Text: Revelation 6
Originally recorded on March 12, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Revelation 5 continues from the previous chapter with the scene of God the Father on the throne. But now John notices that in His right hand is a scroll sealed with 7 seals. This is how important, confidential documents were kept private.
The scroll represents the title deed to Planet Earth. Whoever held the scroll and opened it up had the authority to rule the world and the ability to fulfill God’s ultimate purposes for the human race.
However, until it was opened, God’s plan could not and would not be realized.
The natural question that’s asked is this: “Is there anyone worthy to open the scroll? Who has the authority to rule the earth? Who is capable of setting things right? Is there anyone?
The answer comes back: no one. No one was found worthy to take the scroll in hand and open it.
Hearing this, John weeps. He weeps for the beauty of a world that could be but is not. And he weeps for his own failure to be part of the solution.
Friends, if you’ve ever wept that things are so ugly and so unfair and so wrong… then you’ve wept the tears of John.
Then one of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! There is One who is worthy to take the scroll and open the seals.”
Then John sees a Lamb – a Lamb who is worthy. He is worthy because…
1. He was slain. (v. 9)Literally, “slaughtered” - like a sacrifice offered for sin. Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn.1:29), was the sinless sacrifice offered once and for all so that we might be saved. And not only saved, but adopted. And because we are children of God, we are also His heirs.
That’s why He is worthy of all praise and glory!
The Lamb is also worthy because…
2. He is strong. (vs. 6b)The Lamb is described as having 7 horns and 7 eyes. The number 7 speaks of perfection or completeness. 7 horns indicate that He is all-powerful. 7 eyes convey that He is all-seeing. This Lamb was strong enough to conquer! He conquered demons, sickness, and disease. He conquered sin on the cross. He conquered death in His resurrection. He is worthy!
And He is...
3. Standing. (v. 6)He is standing because He is ready to take action. Taking the scroll in hand, He is about to bring that power to bear upon our twisted and perverse world. He is about to begin the judgment on evil. He is about to vindicate His church and set up His millennial reign.
This is our destiny – and it’s a glorious one. (v. 10)
He is worthy! Worthy to rule. Worthy to worship.
Text: Revelation 5
Originally recorded on February 20, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Much of the book of Revelation is about the future – the unfolding of God’s judgment and Satan’s last-ditch effort to thwart that plan. But before the visions of beasts and dragons, the Antichrist, and the Great Tribulation, God gave John a vision that would put all of that into perspective. He gave John a vision of heaven. Indeed, of the very throne room of God Himself.
His point is this: “Yes, the days ahead will be challenging – even for the redeemed. But know this and mark it well: there is a throne, and it is occupied!
Nothing or no one will preempt His sovereign plan. Everything is under control. That’s the theme of this chapter.
John tries to describe what he sees, but it is almost beyond explanation. It’s like looking into the sun on a summer day.
Around the throne, John sees a rainbow, the symbol of God’s covenant. It speaks of the fact that God will be faithful and merciful to His people - even through the storm to come. Which leads us to your first point:
1. There is no storm where He is not faithful.Around the throne are 24 elders likely representing the redeemed of all mankind. There are also 4 creatures covered with eyes – cherubim – surrounding the throne. The number 4 may refer to the four corners of the earth, and their eyes speak to God’s total awareness of and complete control over all that He has made.
2. There is no situation where He is not sovereign.Note that the text clearly says that One was sitting on the throne. Mark it well: God is not pacing about heaven hoping things are going to work out. He is never panicked. He’s not even nervous.
Nor is He some sort of celestial cheerleader rooting us on and pulling for us in “the game of life” hoping that we win. No! He is our God, bringing all things together in the counsel of His will…working all things together for the good of those who love Him.
What are they doing in the throne room of God? They are worshiping. The elders are casting their crowns before the Lord and the cherubim never stop saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.”
Worship is our destiny. If God is worthy of our worship then, is He any less worthy of worship now?3. There is no setting when He is not worthy.
Text: Revelation 4
Originally recorded on February 13, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Most scholars feel confident that the author of this amazing book is none other than the Apostle John, the brother of James, the “one Jesus loved.”
The timing of the writing of this book is approximately A.D. 95. By now, John is nearly 90 years old and the only surviving member of the original 12 disciples who lived with and learned from Jesus.
During the reign of Domitian, severe persecution broke out against Christians. Many were martyred, including Paul and Peter. But John was sentenced to work the rock quarries on an island off the coast of Asia Minor called Patmos.
Imagine for a moment what life must have been like for this old man. Yet it was amid these brutal conditions that John received the most extensive revelation ever given of the victory-filled future awaiting God’s people.
The Symbolism in RevelationWhen reading the book of Revelation, it’s necessary to understand that is written in a literary style known as “apocalyptic.” Apocalyptic literature is highly symbolic. The drama between God and Satan, this evil age and the age to come, is played out in spectacular imagery.
Apocalyptic symbolism uses objects, creatures, and numbers. We’ll see all of that throughout the book of Revelation.
We begin to see some of that symbolism in chapter 1 with an incredible vision of the risen Jesus.
The Savior in RevelationEach element described – from His robe and sash to His white hair; His blazing eyes and feet like bronze, the sword in his mouth, voice like an ocean, and face like the sun - symbolized Jesus’ position as priest and king, His eternal wisdom and all-seeing power. They portrayed Jesus’ justice and authority, His Lordship and glory.
What does all this mean for us today?
1. All of us end up on Patmos sooner or later.Patmos is the place of disappointment. When you’re confused, alone or disillusioned. Patmos is a place of pressure and pain. We’ll all end up there eventually and when we do, all we want to do is get out!
But God’s plan was not to take John off Patmos but to meet John right there.
2. Patmos was the place where Christ was unveiled.You can never be in so forsaken a place that the Lord can’t seek and find you. Christ is with you - in the midst of your crisis. Jesus is closer than you think.
3. Christ is seen by those who turn to Him and touches those who fall at His feet.All too many never see Jesus because they’re so wrapped up in their crisis that they never turn to see who is with them. This is one reason why worship is such an important part of this book. Those who turn in worship see that Jesus is with them after all.
4. His words to us are still the same:
- Stop being afraid.
- Pass on the truth.
Text: Revelation 1:9-20
Originally recorded on January 16, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Are we living in the last days?
Technically, we’ve been living in the last days for 2000 years, ever since the Day of Pentecost with the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that “in the last days” God would pour out His Spirit on all people. (Acts 2:14-18)
The real question we want answered is: Are we in the last days of the last days?
Truth is…we just don’t know. It’s like a soccer match where you aren’t even shown the clock. We have no idea how much time is left. The best we can do is say, “It’s got to be close.”
This study of the book of Revelation is going to zero in on the last part of the last days.
There are 2 Wrong Responses people have toward the book of Revelation:
1. Obsession. We get so preoccupied with charts and timelines that we get diverted from the heart of discipleship and lose our evangelistic credibility.
2. Avoidance. Many Christians have decided that the book of Revelation is too hard to even attempt to understand.
So, why study it?
Here are **3 Right Reasons:
- Because it’s in the Bible.** There is practical truth here for our equipping and we’ll end up more mature as a church for having studied Revelation.
2. Because it provides a source of hope for tomorrow. You can summarize the book of Revelation in two words: “WE WIN!” John wants us to know that whatever may come our way, in the end, we win!
3. Because it contains the promise of blessing for today. Revelation is the only book in the Bible that carries a promise of blessing for those who read it and take it to heart.
The word “revelation” literally means “to unveil.” This book is nothing less than the unveiling of the magnificence of the Lord Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is hope unveiled.
*Text: Acts 2:14-18; Revelation 1:1-8; Acts 1:6-8
Originally recorded on January 9, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.*
In the beloved telling of the Christmas story in Luke 2, the angel gives this amazing message: “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (vs. 10-11)
Good news… of great joy… for all people.
That sounds wonderful, but all you have to do is look at the news today and it seems that we are surrounded by bad news! In our world, in our city, and even in our own lives.
If you find yourself wondering where the good news is, it might interest you to know that the context within which the angels gave their message was to people just like you who lived in a world not much different from yours. For example, then as now…
There were real forces that sought to stifle the good news.This Christmas story was set in a specific historical context. There were very real tyrants ruling in a world that was characterized by violence, oppression, and perversion.
The angel’s message of good news came right in the midst of all the bad news. It didn’t deny that reality; but neither did it surrender to it.
See, God is not afraid of a mess. He came to a messy, bad-news world. But He didn’t come to simply experience what we experience in that world – though He did. He came to help us walk through that world, make a difference in that world, and ultimately to take us out of that world.
There were real faces that struggled to believe the good news.This message of good news of great joy came to shepherds. Shepherds in that day were nomadic, poor outcasts. They epitomized the least and the last.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what you’ve done, or how others might view you. It doesn’t matter how hardened you’ve become, or how soured you might be that life could ever be different. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve messed up your life or been messed with by others. The fact is there is good news of great joy – for ALL people. And friend, that includes you!
Look at the angel’s message again: “Today… to you… a Savior.”
- Today. Christmas joy is present.
- To you. Christmas joy is personal.
- A Savior. Christmas joy is powerful.
Shepherds were a highly suspicious lot. They didn’t trust easily. You have to wonder if they thought all of this wasn’t simply too good to be true. But the angel challenges their doubts by inviting them to make their own investigation.
There were real facts that served to verify the good news.Only after having investigated the angels’ words for themselves, did the shepherds agree that the evidence was undeniable.
Let me just say to those of you with more questions than answers regarding the event we celebrate and the One we worship: go to Bethlehem. Make your own investigation.
After finding the baby, the shepherds returned to their flocks. Outwardly it appeared that nothing had changed. But inwardly, everything had changed.
Text: Luke 2:1-11
Originally recorded on December 18, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
From the very beginning, God desperately wanted to show Himself to mankind. To let us see that even in the chaos of life He was there and that above all, He really did LOVE them.
He attempted to do so through the sheer grandeur of creation itself. But many people still couldn’t (or wouldn’t) see Him.
So, He decided to showcase one nation that did grasp His reality: Israel. In displaying what He could do in and for that people – weak and insignificant as they were – He was also demonstrating what He could and would do for any people who would trust in Him and walk with Him.
But though some saw Him, most didn’t. The image was flawed in this all-too-human and all-too-fickle people.
But God wouldn’t give up. Outrageous as it may seem, He loved this blinded world. So much so that He decided to pull out all the stops – to do the unthinkable. He came Himself.
God became man for us. Why? BECAUSE HE LOVED US! Friends, this is the very heart of Christmas.
Because of Christmas, I can know that I matter to God.Can one person on a speck of a planet in a smallish solar system in a mediocre galaxy make a difference to the Creator of the Universe? Yet God determined to prove how much we mattered to Him by becoming one of us and coming to us.
Because of Christmas, I can trust that God truly understands.In Jesus, God came to experience all the hardship and heartache of life from the very beginning. He experienced firsthand the all-too-real fatigue and frustration that you and I face. He understands the agony of betrayal and the pain of losing a loved one to death.
And it's here where the LOVE of God is seen in its greatest dimension, because not only did Jesus experience our pressure and endure our pain in His life, He provided the way out of it through His death.
Because of Christmas, I can hope that God will take me home.You and I will one day die. What then? Jesus offers to take His loved ones home.
That offer is still being made. In the book of Revelation, Jesus says, “Behold. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will open the door, I will come in…”
He will come in, grant forgiveness, provide wholeness, and give meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. And ultimately, He will take you home.
Jesus came for you. He loved you that much. But whether you’ll open up to Him is up to you.
Text: Hebrews 1:1-3; 10:5-7; John 1:1-3, 14
Originally recorded on December 4, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
On the first week of Advent, we light the Candle of Hope. For some of us, it symbolizes hope realized. It’s been a good year. Hope is soaring.
Yet for others, maybe you, it’s been disappointment after disappointment. To your way of thinking, God hasn’t come through as you…well, as you hoped.
Hope - or the lack of it - is a powerful thing. Proverbs 13:12 says: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Or as one paraphrase puts it, “When hope is crushed the heart is crushed.”
But what is hope? Perhaps one way to answer that is to consider what hope isn’t.
Hope is not wishful thinking. There’s nothing behind that sort of hope, nothing to back it up.
Hope is not naive optimism. Denying reality has nothing to do with living in hope.
So, what is hope?
Hope is the confident expectation that God is willing and able to fulfill the promises He has made.Hope is rooted in the character of God. Look at the story of Abraham. When God gave him the promise that he would be the father of many nations, he was childless. Not only that but he and his wife, Sarah, were nearly 100 years old! Yet, Abraham believed God could do what He promised.
That lends itself to three challenges that need to be faced in order to keep hope alive.
1. You need to come to a point of belief that God is good and in control.When hopes are dashed, when things happen that make no sense, it’s then that your theology is truly revealed. What do you believe – not about the circumstance (which can be very bad), but about God? It’s in those times that I have to take time to review what I know to be true and to remember how many times I’ve seen God’s goodness
2. You need to discern whether a promise is yours to claim.Here’s where a lot of folks get into trouble. They read their Bibles and put their hopes in promises they have no right to claim – a promise that was unique to that person in that day. And while the fulfillment of that promise back then can encourage us that God is powerful enough to keep His promises, they aren’t necessarily ours to claim.
3. You need to understand that God is not only the Master of time – He’s the Master of timing.God’s promise to Abraham of a son wasn’t realized for 25 years! Hoping, all too often, requires waiting. Waiting and hoping. Hoping and waiting.
In reading through the biblical account of redemptive history, one thing is clear: God will not be rushed.Christmas is a perfect picture of that. Galatians 4:4 says: “But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son…”
God literally choreographed history to prepare it for the arrival of His Son. His timing was perfect. He wasn’t one bit late in delivering on His promise. And friend, His timing is no less perfect in your life.
Text: Luke 2:8-14; Is. 40:25-31
Originally recorded on November 28, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Stuff is very important to us. We see Stuff. We want Stuff. We buy Stuff. We compare our Stuff with other people’s Stuff. Stuff has a way of getting hold of us and how we view and use our Stuff affects our walk with God.
But David, “the man after God’s own heart,” illustrates the kind of heart that is needed to keep Stuff from controlling us. He displayed a generous heart.
After God said no to David’s desire to build the Temple, he didn’t get angry or sulk. Rather, in an extraordinary display of maturity, he said, “Okay then. Maybe I can’t lead the way in building, but I can lead the way in giving.”
David threw his financial weight behind a building project he will never see, to construct a Temple in which he will never worship.
He opened not only the nation’s treasury, he opened his own wallet, and gave generously. David knew that his stuff was not really his stuff. It all came from God. It all belongs to God.
One day, all of us – whether we had a lot of stuff or not so much stuff – will stand before God and He will say, “What did you do with the Stuff that I gave you to use?” And our response will carry eternal implications.
Do you have a generous heart? One way to assess that is this:
Consider your attitude in giving.When the people were invited to give toward the Temple project, the word that describes the spirit in which they gave was... “willingly.” Freely, voluntarily, and joyfully.
2 Corinthians 9:7 says that when we give it shouldn’t be reluctantly or under compulsion. Why? Because God loves a “cheerful” giver. Literally… a hilarious giver! Someone who just loves to give and give generously.
You will never live a life of real discipleship if you never enter into a life of generous stewardship.
Text: 1 Chronicles 28-29
Originally recorded on August 27, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Ready on the tongue of every parent is one simple word. No. When you stop and think about it, it’s probably the word that is used more than any other in rearing children.
What makes it hard, of course, is that you can’t always explain to the child why the answer is no. They don’t have the capacity to understand. And though it may anger or disappoint them, love requires us to say “no.”
The same is true with God. Sometimes our loving Father says “no” to our dreams. Even good, honorable, even Kingdom-advancing dreams.
So, how do you handle it when God says, “No”?
There are some lessons to be learned from David, the man after God’s own heart.
In 2 Samuel 7, we find that life is going great for David. His kingdom is thriving and at peace. And as David begins to reflect on all that God has done for him, he begins to dream. “Here I am living in this beautiful palace while the Ark of the Covenant sits in a tent. God deserves better than that! I want to build a great house for God, one that displays to the world the glory of Israel’s God.”
He shared his dream with the prophet Nathan who thought it was a great idea and told David to go for it.
But… Sometimes my dreams are not God’s dreams.That night, the Lord spoke to Nathan and said: “Go tell my servant David that he is not the one to build Me a house to dwell in.”
God said, “No.”
It wasn’t because David had done anything wrong. It just wasn’t part of God’s higher plan. The Temple would be built, just not by him.
It is not wrong to dream great dreams or to pray great prayers.**When God says “No” to your dreams, don’t view it as rejection as much as redirection.
When God says “No” to your dreams, submit to His sovereignty.**No less than 5 times in his response to God’s “no,” David calls Him “Sovereign Lord.” What’s David admitting to? “You are God, and I am not. You are on the ultimate throne – not me. You have the last word, and I will accept that.”
What do you do when God says no?
- Remember God’s faithfulness and recount your blessings.
- Adjust your plans to fit God’s revealed promises.
Text: 2 Samuel 7
Originally recorded on August 20, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
If you were to make a list of the qualities that are important for the everyday disciple to display, where would compassion rank? I’m afraid for many, it wouldn’t be very high on the list! Holiness, maybe. Discipline or biblical knowledge, yes. But compassion?
Yet for David, compassion was an important part of what made him a man after God’s own heart. We see David’s heart of compassion in 2 Samuel 9.
After establishing his kingdom and quelling all opposition, David did something remarkable. The custom was in that day that when a new king rose to the throne, all family members of the outgoing king were killed, removing any threat to the crown. But that’s not what David did. Instead, he asked this question: “Is there anyone still left of Saul’s house to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (vs. 1)
That word “kindness” is better translated as “grace.” One author defines it this way:
Grace: a demonstration of love that is undeserved, unearned, and unrepayable.As one who never got over the grace given to him, David wonders, “Is there anyone around whom I can give that to? He’s told about this crippled kid who’s in hiding and in the actions that follow he shows us a bit more about what it means to have a heart for God.
He was told that Jonathan had a surviving son named Mephibosheth who was crippled in both feet and lived in a desolate place called Lo Debar. David called for Mephibosheth to be brought to him.
With trepidation, Mephibosheth bowed low before the king, but David called him by name and said: “Don’t be afraid for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father.” Then David announced that he was restoring all of Saul’s lands to him and that Mephibosheth would always eat at the king’s table.
From this story, David teaches us much about the practicalities of compassion.
**1. Compassion sees people as individuals who matter.
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Compassion reaches out in generous, practical ways.
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Compassion flows from gratitude for what you’ve been given**.
The grace-giving Christian never quite gets over what Jesus has done for him/her. He/she asks the question, “Is there anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jesus’ sake?”
*Text: 2 Samuel 9
Originally recorded on August 13, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.*Jason McElwain video
Author Philip Yancey refers to pain as the gift that no one wants. Yet it’s pain that lets you know something is wrong, not only on the physical level but at the soul level.
That was true of David following his affair with Bathsheba and the cold-blooded murder of her husband. For a year David’s guilt caused deep anguish in his heart and mind that spilled over to his body. Pain, sickness, and sleeplessness plagued him.
David’s heart was in turmoil. He knew what he’d done was wrong, yet he refused to come clean – to confess.
It took a special friend to open David’s eyes to the truth.
In 2 Samuel 12, we read that the Lord sent a man named Nathan to David, and he told the king a story. How a rich man, owner of flocks of sheep, carelessly, needlessly, and selfishly took for himself the only, beloved lamb of a poor man. King David was outraged by the story of injustice. This man must pay!
Then Nathan looked at David and said, “You are the man.” (v. 7)
David was broken. “I have sinned against the Lord.” (vs. 13)
It took a special person to open David’s eyes. This is why we need each other. Yes, we need the encouragement and motivation of community, but we also need each other because sometimes we’re “the man” and we need someone to speak truth to us.
How do you play the part of Nathan? Here are a few keys:
1. The timing was right.Proverbs 15:23 says, “…how good is a timely word.”Before you go to a person who’s walking in disobedience or compromise, you need to ask the Lord, “Is this the right time to go?”
2. The person was appropriate.Nathan was a man who had David’s respect. He’d earned it over the years they’d spent as partners in ministry and brothers in service. But more than this, there was friendship between them.
Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.”I’ve come to see that an individual’s capacity to receive truth is directly proportionate to the depth of relationship they have with the truth-teller.
3. The words were wise.Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”I have found that I am more apt to accept correction when the person comes to me humbly and curious. “Help me to understand…” “Maybe I don’t have the whole picture, but here is what I see…” “I have a concern for you. May I share it?”
4. The truth was spoken.Proverbs 27:5 says, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.”Ignoring the truth isn’t love. But the truth…the whole truth… spoken in love can bring healing.
Text: Psalm 32; 2 Samuel 12
Originally recorded on June 25, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Have you ever had a season where day after day you find yourself asking: Why am I so blue? Why do I feel so empty? Why am I so angry all the time?
King David understood that feeling all too well. In Psalm 38 he describes that season for him. His body and soul literally ached. Why? Because of his “sinful folly.” (v. 5)
There can be various triggers for our internal struggles. Physiological and psychological factors play into it. But many times the cause for our season of discontent is rooted, like David, in “sinful folly.”
Like sand in your car’s gas tank, eventually, sin will foul up your system to the point where there’s performance breakdown. And internal dissonance – anger, apathy, depression, lethargy – is like the flashing light on your dashboard telling you something is wrong.
David’s sinful folly is described in 2 Samuel 11. It was spring, the time of year when kings of that day went off to war. But David stayed home. He sent his armies off, while he remained in his palace in Jerusalem.
Alone one night, he got up from bed and went out on the roof terrace. Looking out over his city, he notices something. A woman bathing. A beautiful woman bathing.
David sent someone to find out who she was. “She’s Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of your loyal soldiers.” David sent for her. And he slept with her. And she got pregnant.
Hearing of the pregnancy, David goes into cover-up mode. He calls her husband home from the front and tries to coerce him into sleeping with his wife. But the soldier had more integrity than the king.
When his plan fails, David acts with cold-blooded calculation. He sends Uriah back to the battle carrying the orders for his very own murder.
With Uriah out of the way, David marries Bathsheba, and she bares him a son.
You hear this story and it’s easy to think: This is the man after God’s own heart? How could this happen?
I think there are three warnings we can find in this story that we would do well to heed for our own lives.
1. David stopped doing what he should have been doing.He should have been on the battlefield with his soldiers. When we are engaged in doing the Lord’s work, temptation often loses some of its leverage.
David was also alone when this happened. As far as we know, he had no community or accountability. He was vulnerable.
Have you stopped doing what you should be doing?
2. David failed to heed the warnings God provided.“She’s someone’s wife!” But David ignored the warning.
Are the people you know and love noticing signs that something is off in your life?
Have you ignored the warnings you’ve been given?
3. David refused to face up to what he had become.The consequences of sin will lead to one of two results – either confession and repentance or cover-up and more sin. Sadly, for David, it was the latter.
David thought the great danger of his life was that somebody might find out. But, his greatest danger was that no one would find out, and his soul would be destroyed.
Will you face up to the state of your heart and seek to understand it?
Text: Psalm 38; 2 Samuel 11
Originally recorded on June 18, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
What is the one thing the self-existent Creator and Sustainer of the universe wants that He cannot give Himself? Worship. He wants people who will freely and passionately love Him.
And God found that in David. The one constant thread in the tapestry of his life was David’s hunger to worship God.
Once David ascended to the throne as King of Israel, he wanted the worship of God to be central to the life of the nation. So, he decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant – the place where God’s glory and presence dwelled - to his capital in Jerusalem.
David knew that ruling these people was a truly daunting task. He would need the powerful presence of the Lord with him. And he understood that that presence would only be realized if and as God was worshipped.
Now for the last several decades, the Ark had been stored in the house of a guy named Abinadab, located in the hills of Judah several miles from Jerusalem. When David and his fighting men arrive, they load the Ark on a new cart pulled by a team of oxen and set off for Jerusalem. Two men, Uzzah and Ahio, are guiding the cart – one in front, the other in back. At one point the oxen stumble and Uzzah reaches out to steady the Ark.
Then a shocking thing happens: God strikes Uzzah dead. Everyone is stunned, including David. It seems so unfair.
But Uzzah’s action was not simply a mistake of the moment. It reflected a growing carelessness and nonchalance regarding who and how we worship.
David forgot that while worship is a wonderful privilege, it’s serious business.Not sure what to do, they left the Ark in a local guy’s house and went back home and did their homework. They discovered that God’s Word actually gives really clear instructions on how to carry the Ark.
So, David went back to try again. This time the Levites carried the Ark on poles on their shoulders. And as the musicians played and sang, David, dressed in a simple linen tunic, danced before the Lord with all of his might.
David understood that worship is an active response of unashamed adoration.Spectator worship is an oxymoron. You can’t be an observer and call yourself a worshiper. Worship is the total, adoring response of man to the Eternal God.Sadly, there was one person who considered David’s worship inappropriate and undignified. His wife, Michal, mocked him to his face. Her response led to God’s judgment. She was barren the rest of her life.
David saw that there is a severe penalty for spiritual arrogance.Friends, we’re not going to get worship completely right until heaven. But between now and then, we can practice. And become men and women of great passion, people after God’s heart.
Text: 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 15
Originally recorded on June 11, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
David’s story starts so good. Rising from lowly shepherd boy to court musician to successful army officer, his career path was a thing of beauty. Then a funny thing happened on his parade to the throne: the wheels began to fall off.
In short order, David lost his job, his wife, his mentor, and his best friend. He had to run for his life and ended up living in a cave.
I want to talk to you about cave-dwelling. A cave is where you end up when everything that props you up, gets stripped away.
The cave may have any number of names – Discouragement, Disillusionment, Despair. Maybe you’ve lost a job or you’re under financial pressure. Maybe your relational dreams have been shattered. Maybe you’ve lost your health or you have to care for someone who has. Maybe you made a bad decision somewhere along the line, and everything is crashing down and you find yourself alone.
Sooner or later, everybody spends some time in a cave. And if you’re like me you start to wonder, “Has God lost track of me? What’s the purpose for this? Will I ever get out of here?”
You need to know a couple of things about caves.
· It’s in caves where you can meet God.Don’t waste your days in the cave. Lean into God. Learn about God. Allow your isolation to intensify your focus.
· It’s in caves where God does some of his best work.It’s in caves where God molds and shapes human lives like no place else. David spent ten years in caves, on the run. From a human perspective, it looked like God’s promises to him were never going to come true. But it was here that the shepherd boy was sculpted into a king.
At perhaps the lowest point of this cave-dwelling season, the Bible tells us how David got through. “David encouraged himself in the Lord.” (1 Sam. 30:6b KJV)
So, how does that happen? Here are four steps that we see in the life of David from this era.
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Pour out your discouragement openly and honestly.If you want to be encouraged in the Lord, be real honest about your discouragement. Name it. Be open about it. Talk to God about it.
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Take some positive action.Taking action requires a decision. What is one step you can take to address your discouragement?
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Resist the temptation of shortcuts.Will you have the courage to NOT take the shortcut, to NOT give in to temptation, to stay in the cave even though it would be so easy to get out? Because I’ll tell you, a shortcut like that, though it may feel good for a moment, can destroy a soul.
4. Find your ultimate refuge in God.Sometimes with God’s help, we can get out of the cave. But sometimes you’re in the cave for the long haul. It’s something you cannot fix or escape. All you can do is hang on to God, your ultimate refuge.
God understands all about caves because He’s been there. Years later the Son of David also had everything stripped away from him. He lost his position; he lost his family; his friends ran away from him; he had his life threatened by his enemies; he went to a cross and he died.
Then they put his body in a cave. And they thought He was finished. But what they didn’t know – what the Evil One always forgets – is that God does some of his best work in caves. In fact, caves are where God resurrects dead stuff.
Text: 1 Samuel 21-22, 24, 30; Psalm 57, 142
Originally recorded on June 4, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the saddest things in the world is to see something that was once strong and vigorous in a state of decay. But I believe the saddest decay to witness is the decay of the human heart.
The O.T. character David had a front-row seat to watch that process take place in a man named Saul.
Saul started out so well. Anointed the first King of Israel, he was refreshingly humble and demonstrated a noble spirit.
But by the time he died, Saul was a shell of what he’d once been. Tormented by depression and driven by pathological jealousy, his heart, mind, and soul were in ruins.
I look at all the promise that was in Saul at the start, and I look at him at the end, and I wonder, what happened? How does a life deteriorate so badly?
Saul didn’t set out to be wicked or violent. It happened over time through a series of bad decisions.
1. He learned to tolerate subtle disobedience.Twice we read of instances where Saul failed to obey the direct command of the Lord through the prophet Samuel. Twice, instead of owning up to his disobedience, he rationalized it. But to do something that looks good and sounds spiritual but to withhold from God a heart of trust and obedience is to totally miss the point.
Are there areas in your life where you’re tolerating subtle disobedience?
2. He learned to tolerate the loss of intimacy with God.Because of his disobedience, God’s Spirit departed from Saul’s life. The loss left Saul “tormented.” God allowed Saul to experience deep pain in the hopes that he would yet repent.
It’s at this point that David enters the story. It was discovered that when David played his harp, it soothed Saul’s spirit and he felt better. Saul needed to repent, but he settled for relief.
People still do that. Are you experiencing spiritual pain because there’s something wrong between you and God? Don’t just distract yourself from the pain, deal with it.
3. He learned to tolerate poisoned relationships.After David’s military victories gained him popularity and success, Saul becomes overwhelmed with a murderous anger, fear, and envy. Twice Saul tried to kill David by his own hand thinking if he could just eliminate David, it would eliminate the brokenness in his heart.
If you have a toxic spirit towards another person, if there is a fractured relationship, do whatever you can to heal it.
4. He learned to tolerate utter compromise.Now we see the extent of Saul’s deterioration. The same king who outlawed the occult disguises himself and seeks out a medium. He wants to speak to the dead – to the prophet Samuel. But the message he hears predicts his doom. Just days later, Saul is wounded in battle and dies at his own hand. The final outcome of a life of spiritual decay.
Text: 1 Samuel 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 28
Originally recorded on May 21, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Friend. It’s one of the most powerful words in the world. A good friend will mark you at the heart level as nothing else. That was certainly true of David.
In the aftermath of the giant-killing, the story of David was heavily shaped by two relationships. One of them was with King Saul. No one was happier that Goliath was out of the way than Saul. But all too quickly, his appreciation of David turned to jealousy that eventually rose to a murderous level.
In the midst of that craziness, David is given a gift: the gift of a friend. Jonathan, the son and heir of Saul.
By all rights these men should have been bitter rivals, instead they are connected at the soul level. And during those painful and turbulent days, that friendship became an anchor for David.
Jonathan makes a covenant, a binding agreement with David: “I promise whatever happens, whatever my father does, whoever the people cheer for, you can count on me. I am and will be for you forever. This is my solemn vow.”
Jonathan is making it clear that he recognizes God has called David to be king, and he wants David to know that he sees this. So, he takes off his royal robe, the symbol of his position, and hands it to David. Then he takes off his sword, the sign of authority, and freely gives it up as well.
When Jonathan discovers the truth of his father’s murderous intent, it becomes clear that the two friends must go their separate ways.
As far as we know, David and Jonathan only saw each other one more time, and what did Jonathan do? He “helped (David) find strength in God.” (1 Sam. 23:16)
That’s what friends do.
Shortly after that, Jonathan and his father fell in battle and David “mourned and wept” for the loss of his friend.
Can such friendships exist today? I believe the answer is “Yes.” God’s desire is that we go through life with our hearts no less marked by special friends. Spiritual friends.
**WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL FRIEND?
A spiritual friend is a generous, life-giving individual who believes in you, defends you, calls out the best in you, and reminds you of your destiny.**A true spiritual friend is generous with their time and their support. They leave you feeling enriched rather than impoverished. A spiritual friend believes in you – not merely for what you are, but for what you can be. And a spiritual friend keeps pointing you to your destiny and the God who loves you. They
HOW CAN I FIND A SPIRITUAL FRIEND?
- Prayer: Ask God to surface a spiritual friend for you.
- Positioning: To find a spiritual friend you need to get into settings where you will meet likely candidates.
- Process: Go slow. Be patient. Make sure there’s some chemistry at the “friend” level before you move to the “spiritual friend.” Then start to probe the potential depth of the relationship by appropriate vulnerability. Is there a level of empathy? Do they listen well, or do they only want to focus on talking about themselves? Are they wise and discerning in their response? Do they honor confidentiality?
- Promise: Talk about your expectations. How often you’re going to meet; how deep you’re going to go; how free you are to speak hard truth, etc.
Is spiritual friendship worth the effort, time, and pain? Yes, it is. Because nothing will mark your heart more than a spiritual friend.
Text: 1 Samuel 18-20
Originally recorded on May 14, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Every one of us would love to exhibit the kind of giant-killing courage David had as we deal with our own Goliaths. So, how does that happen? How do you develop a bold heart?
1. You develop a bold heart by consistently facing up to everyday challenges.
It takes time to grow a bold heart. David had already slain the bear and he’d already faced down the lion. He was ready for the giant.
It was in everyday moments when nobody was watching in an unglamorous job as a shepherd that David, day after day, built this very bold heart. If he’d waited until he faced Goliath, David would have backed down like everybody else. But he’d seen God’s faithfulness as he’d stood up to the lion and the bear.
That’s the first way you build a bold heart – by facing up to everyday challenges in God’s strength. So start there. Stand up to the lions and the bears. Ask for God’s guidance. Pray for God’s strength. Face them down in God’s power. And your heart will get bolder.
2. You develop a bold heart by wisely handling criticism and opposition.
David’s brother, Eliab, a soldier in Israel’s army, didn’t like being shown up by his little brother. He criticized and judged David. But David didn’t let it deter him.
Friends, whenever you decide to stand up to your giant – whether it’s illiteracy or alcohol or anger – you will be criticized. “So, you think you’re better than the rest of us?” Many times, those words will come from folks who won’t face the giant themselves…even family.
You could give up and lose heart. You could get defensive and spend the rest of your life trying to straighten them out. Or you can say, “As best I can discern, this is what I think God is calling me to do. I need to stand up to this Goliath.”
3. You develop a bold heart by confidently resisting human strategies.
The scene is almost comical as David tries on Saul’s armor. The helmet slides over David’s eyes. The tunic drags on the floor and the armor is cumbersome. But David said, “I cannot go in these because I have not tested them.”
You will never defeat the giants in your life with human weapons. Only Christ can give you the supernatural capacity to slay the giants of your life.
4. You develop a bold heart by courageously trusting God in the crisis moment.
David knew that when he went to face Goliath, he would stand alone. Just him against the giant. And yet, he knew he wasn’t truly alone. Perhaps as he walked into the down into the valley of Elah, he remembered the words he had written years before: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…”
So, what’s your next step?
- Identify your giant.
- Be in relationship with Jesus.
- Do what only you can do. For David, that meant giving the stone a fling. For you it might mean confessing to your small group, or seeking out a counselor or mentor.
- Pour on the prayer. Fight with the weapon that makes giants tremble: prayer.
Text: 1 Samuel 17
Originally recorded on May 7, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
David had a bold heart. And the place we see that most wondrously played out is in arguably the most famous story in all the Old Testament – the story of David and Goliath.
In 1 Samuel 17, we find the two armies – the Israelites and the Philistines – camped out on the hills on either side of a valley. Stalemated. No one wanted to give up the high ground.
The custom in such circumstances was that each side would choose a champion to come out and they would fight to the death. The army of the survivor would be declared the winner.
The Philistines sent out Goliath draft – 9’6” tall, strong as a bull, and twice as mean. For 40 days, morning and evening, he roars out his challenge. And for 40 days, morning and evening, the challenge went unanswered. Instead, the Israelites cowered in their tents, afraid to take on the giant.
They were content to co-exist with the giant.
Until the day David walked into camp. Upon hearing the defiant challenge, David said, “This ends today. I’ll take him on.”
Armed with a slingshot and 5 smooth stones, David walked into the valley to face the giant. Goliath mocked and taunted him, but David’s response is one we all need to remember: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty… he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Sam. 17:45, 47)
David ran quickly to attack, taking out a stone, he slung it at the giant. The stone sank into Goliath’s forehead and he fell facedown on the ground. David took the giant’s sword and cut off his head.
Pandemonium broke out as the emboldened Israelites pursued the fleeing Philistine army.
Part of why we love this story is that we thrill to see the little guy win. But I think it’s also because deep, down inside, we would all love to be giant-killers.
And the reason why? Because… life is full of giants that defy conquering.You have your giants and I have mine – those threatening individuals, those frustrating problems, and those intimidating situations that mock your plans and block your progress.
Giants come in all shapes and sizes but the one thing they have in common is that it will take a bold heart to slay them. So where do you start?
1. You need to name your giant.Perhaps, as with David, it’s a person – maybe someone from your past who continues to haunt or control you. Or someone in the present who threatens you or intimidates you.
For many, the giant is named FEAR. For others it’s INSECURITY. While others struggle with ANGER, LUST, ALCOHOL, or DEBT.
2. You need to consider what your giant is costing you (and your family).What’s it costing you to co-exist with your giant? How long are you going to pay the price of not facing up to it?
For many of us, the giant has been around for so long and seems so strong that we’ve simply resigned to live with him…and with the resulting reduced life.
Then ask yourself: “What is my giant costing my spouse…my kids?
3. You need to dare to believe that with God’s help this giant can be slain.I don’t know what the Goliath is in your life. I don’t know how big your giant is, but I’ll guarantee you this: He’s not bigger than God.
Text: 1 Samuel 17
Originally recorded on April 30, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In many ways, David was the central character of the Old Testament. A truly remarkable man with the soul of a poet, the competitive drive of an elite athlete, the leadership of a statesman, the military prowess of a general, the artistry of a musician, and the looks of a movie star.
But what set him apart from all others was not his external accomplishments. It was his heart. Indeed, it all starts with the heart.His story begins in 1 Samuel 16. Israel’s first king, Saul, had failed miserably, disobeying God repeatedly until finally, God said, “Enough.” A new king would be chosen – “a man after His own heart.” (1 Sam. 13:14)
So, the Lord sends the judge Samuel to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse. One by one, all of Jesse’s sons are paraded before Samuel. One by one, God said no. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)
Finally, the youngest is sent for. David. And God says, “He’s the one.”
Now if “man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart,” then obviously God saw something in David. The question is what was it that made David’s heart so appealing to God?
- David had a heart characterized by wild abandon.
David had an unguarded passion for God in his worship and in the way he fought for a just cause.
- David had a heart characterized by deep humility.
Humility is seeing God for who He truly is and seeing myself for what I truly am and not getting confused about the two.
David had the heart of a servant – willing to serve in the shadows and trust God implicitly.
- David had a heart characterized by total submission.
David’s attitude was: “Whatever…wherever…whenever… I’m your man.” Then the Spirit of God fell on him and the adventure began.
God is still on the lookout for men and women after His own heart. Men and women whose hearts are available to Him. When God looks at your heart, what does He see?
Text: 1 Samuel 16
Originally recorded on April 23, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
What if material prosperity does not always lead to spiritual prosperity?
What if material affluence can result in spiritual indifference?
I’d like you to keep those questions in mind as we look at Jesus’ message to the Church in Laodicea.
He begins with this graphic condemnation: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Rev. 3:15-16)
This word picture didn’t come out of nowhere. See, Laodicea lay just 10 miles from Colossea, a city known for its crystal-clear, ice-cold water straight from the mountains. Just 5 miles in the other direction was Heiraoplis, known for its hot springs.
Laodicea, however, didn’t have a natural water source. Their water was piped in from their neighbors. But by the time that water traveled that distance, the water was no longer cold nor hot. It was a disgusting lukewarm.
This is what Jesus is saying here. “You have become this tepid, lukewarm church that, quite frankly (Are you ready for this?) makes me sick.”
What’s striking is that these folks have everything going for them. The believers here were prospering financially. They do not seem to be facing any major persecution. No heresy appears to be threatening the church. Rather, the fact that they have it so good seems to have led to complacency, self-sufficiency, and ingratitude.
It’s noteworthy that of all seven churches, Laodicea is the only church that does not get ANY affirmation…none. Their material affluence led to spiritual indifference. Their prosperity led to self-sufficiency.
Pride…arrogance…self-sufficiency…ingratitude. These are the seeds of spiritual lukewarmness.
So, what counsel does Jesus give to this church? He says, “Come to me for true wealth because you’re poorer than you think. Come to me for white clothes to cover your nakedness because you’re more exposed than you realize. Let Me touch you so you can see things as they really are.
Friends, Jesus speaks hard words to these disciples not because He doesn’t love them…but because He does love them. And He loves you and me. Notwithstanding our self-sufficiency and complacency and ingratitude…notwithstanding our lukewarmness…He loves us.
Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Church is standing at the door of your heart, knocking. He’s not forcing His way in. But neither is He disgustedly walking away. He is patiently and lovingly knocking.
He’s been trying to get your attention in so many ways. He so longs to see the relationship between you and Him as it is supposed to be. He’s not pleased with half-hearted, lukewarm discipleship.
How long are you going to leave Him standing there? When are you going to open the door?
Text: Revelation 3:14-22
Originally recorded on June 9, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.
The city of Philadelphia (Turkey, not Pennsylvania) was considered the gateway to the whole central plateau of Asia Minor. Jesus used this strategic point of geography to give the church there this spiritual challenge: “I have placed before you an open door.”
Doors not only symbolized protection from something but opportunity for something. Jesus wanted these believers to recognize the huge potential that lay before them and to see themselves as missionaries to aggressively spread the Good News.
This optimism that Jesus had is rather surprising when you consider the makeup of this church. Most scholars believe the members of the church at Philadelphia were from the lower classes of society. Many, in fact, were quite poor. Just ordinary people in a little crossroads of a town. Which explains His words, “I know you have little strength….”
Beyond economic weakness, they also faced social vulnerability. Jews who embraced Jesus as Messiah were removed from the rolls of the synagogue, and as a result lost their privileges and protection.
But Jesus sees that these believers are not only suffering, they are suffering faithfully.
- There’s a difference between suffering and suffering well.
- Suffering can either be a greenhouse where faith grows or a desert where faith dies.
- God can send a message out of a mess. And God can give a testimony out of a test.
- What you stand to gain as you endure suffering will far eclipse whatever you might have lost.
There’s an open door of opportunity to show a watching world how believers can cope as no others. And there’s an open door of welcome that is literally out of this world.
Text: Revelation 3:7-13
*Originally recorded on June 2, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.*
Thyatira was the smallest of the 7 cities named in Revelation 2-3, but its church received the longest letter. Perhaps because they faced far more serious challenges.
Jesus begins by commending them for 4 qualities:
- Love
- Faith
- Service
- Perseverance
Then the Lord moves to some grim accusations. He condemns them for tolerating a false teacher in their midst.
The text calls her “Jezebel” because, like the wicked Old Testament queen, she used her charismatic personality and great influence to lead people away from the Lord.
The seriousness with which Jesus took this is seen in how He identified Himself. He calls Himself “the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” (v. 18)
His approach to the Church at Thyatira is not as sympathetic High Priest but as Divine Judge. He’s not offering soothing comfort here but, rather, coming judgment.
His piercing eyes, which are like blazing fire, see through all the lies and deception. Nothing can be disguised, covered up, or hidden from Him.
His feet are like burnished bronze. What’s symbolized by that is His utter purity and total commitment to trample out all that is impure. This terrifying description must have sent shockwaves through the Church at Thyatira.
Elsewhere in Scripture Jesus warns that “…many false teachers will appear and deceive many people…” (Mt. 24:11)
So, how do we stay alert to false teachers? Here are a few things to watch for.
- False teachers are self-proclaimed, not widely recognized.
- False teachers offer new teaching that is often feeling-oriented.
- False teachers typically have no accountability outside of their inner circle.
To those who remain faithful to the end Jesus promises we will one day rule with Him.
Text: Revelation 2:18-29
Originally recorded on May 12, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.
Jesus begins His message to the Church at Pergamum by saying this: “I know where you live, where Satan has his throne.” Indeed, Pergamum was home to temples to nearly every major Roman deity there was. There were temples to:
- Zeus – the greatest of the gods
- Dionysus – the god of wine and revelry
- Caesar – the political god
- Demeter – the goddess of the harvest
- Athena – the goddess of wisdom
- Asclepius – the god of healing
Paying homage to the gods was woven within the very fabric of life in Pergamum. It was normal, even expected, to entreat them for help.
If you wanted power, you would go to the Temple of Zeus. If you wanted pleasure, you would go to the Temple of Dionysus. If you wanted good crops, you would go to the Temple of Demeter. If you wanted wisdom, you would go to the Temple of Athena. If you wanted to demonstrate that you were a loyal citizen, you would go to the Temple of the Emperor. If you wanted healing, you would go to the Temple of Asclepius.
To be a Christian in Pergamum and not compromise one’s loyalty, morality, or integrity, was a huge challenge.
Though some of the believers held fast, even to the point of martyrdom, others had caved into the pressure to “go along to get along.” “It’s not so bad. God will forgive you.”
Satan’s strategy hasn’t changed… because it works.
Satan’s strategy: Draw them into compromise.
We worship on Sunday, but then Monday comes, and with it the call to compromise. And if we’re not careful we can start to rationalize our actions.
Jesus calls us into a Way of Living – a way that includes integrity, fidelity, and purity.
For those who have fallen into compromise, Jesus gives a stern warning:
Repent or face judgment.
Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of heart which results in a change of behavior.
To be sure, Jesus loves you no matter what you have done. But that doesn’t mean He’s okay with whatever you’re doing. We are spiritually naïve if we think we can do whatever we want to do and experience the presence, peace, and provision of God.
But to those who remain faithful, Jesus gives two symbols of promise:
- hidden manna – “I will be enough for you.”
- the white stone – “I will welcome you.”
Text: Revelation 2:12-17
Originally recorded on May 5, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.
Jesus introduces Himself to the Church at Smyrna as “the First and Last, the one who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty.” In identifying Himself this way, He was telling these believers…
“I know your pain.”
Jesus knew what it was like to be mocked, beaten, imprisoned, and even killed. And He knew that these believers were being crushed by persecution. Their loyalty to Jesus had cost them everything, even their lives.
The Lord of the Church had a second word for these suffering saints…
“Don’t be afraid.”
Fear is a natural response to the unknown… especially when that unknown seems threatening. Fear is amplified when you have to face that threat alone.
But remember, the “First and Last” sees it all and has the big picture in mind. He also sees you and is with you.
The third word Jesus had for these folks is…
“It’s only temporary.”
Mark it well – the Lord does not say that they won’t suffer. Some will be imprisoned. Some will be killed. But the reference to 10 days (in vs. 10), suggests God had sovereignly limited the amount of persecution they would face.
What does Jesus ask of them?
“Be faithful.”
Great is your reward if you are. In other words, it will be worth it.
Text: Revelation 2:8-11
Originally recorded on April 28, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.
The Lord begins His message for this flagship church by affirming them for three things.
The Lord Commends:
- Deeds
This was an energetic, hard-working Church. Forty years earlier, the Apostle Paul planted this church and discipled them for three years. As a result, the Ephesians were solid in their spiritual disciplines. They worked hard to spread the gospel throughout Asia Minor. In fact, all the other churches of Revelation owed their beginnings to the church at Ephesus.
- Perseverance
Under the pressure of persecution, the Ephesian church stood strong. They didn’t compromise.
- Discernment
This church had been taught well doctrinally. They were able to discern truth from error. When false teachers tried to worm their way in, claiming apostolic authority, the Elders in the Ephesian church sniffed out the deception.
But then come these chilling words: “Yet I hold this against you…” (vs. 4)
The Lord Condemns:
- “You have left your first love.”
Relationships always tend toward disconnectedness. This is true not only of horizontal relationships but also of our relationship with God. Without real effort and specific plans, our once passionate relationship with Christ can…and will…be lost. It becomes more about duty and discipline and less about love and delight.
So, what does Jesus tell them to do about that?
The Lord Commands:
- Remember
How do you regain a love that has been lost? One way is to reflect on how your relationship with Jesus began and what it was like then.
Ask yourself, when did that change? Why did it change? Did something or someone else captivate your heart?
- Repent
Repentance is a change of mind born of a deep sense of regret. Recognize the damage done, ask for the Lord’s forgiveness, and commit to do things differently.
- Take Action
Don’t wait for the feelings to return before you act. Warm feelings typically flow out of solid action. Do the things that help you connect in loving, joyful ways with the Lord. Prioritize them.
If you don’t, the Lord says basically, it’ll be “lights out.” Your deeds become lifeless. Your devotion becomes legalistic. Your discernment becomes angry.
Yet, for the one who listens, who heeds Jesus’ warning, He promises a taste of heaven.
Text: Revelation 2:1-7
Originally recorded on April 21, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.
At the beginning of the book of Revelation, we find the Apostle John living on the rocky island of Patmos, located 40 miles from the coast of modern-day Turkey. Great persecution was sweeping across the Roman Empire, and a now elderly John was sentenced to a life of exile.
It happened on a Sunday. John was in prayer when he heard a voice “like a trumpet.” The voice said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” (Rev. 1:11)John turned to see who was speaking, and he got the shock of his life. There before him stood the glorified Jesus! The Lord’s appearance was beyond description and so overwhelming that John passed out and fell at Jesus’ feet.
Jesus raised him up and told him, “Don’t be afraid. Write down what you see.”
Then John saw Jesus holding seven stars in his right hand and walking among seven lampstands. The seven stars, Jesus said, were the “angels” (likely the pastors) of seven churches, and the lampstands were the seven churches.
Then Jesus, the Lord of the Church, brings a specialized message to each of those seven churches.
When John completed writing down his revelation, it would have been smuggled to the mainland and circulated from church to church to church.
- Ephesus: the Forgetful Church
- Smyrna: the Suffering Church
- Pergamum: the Compromised Church
- Tyatira: the Wayward Church
- Sardis: the Slumbering Church
- Philadelphia: the Persevering Church
- Laodicea: the Lukewarm Church
Over this series, we’re going to look at the letter to each church and ask the Lord what He has to say to us and what He wants us to do.
Text: Revelation 1
Originally recorded on April 14, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are grateful to Ada Bible Church and Pastor Jeff Manion for generously sharing their teaching resources for this series.
In our fallenness, walls can easily form between us and others. Brick by brick, hurt by hurt. If we are going to know the blessing of being a peacemaker, then we must deal with those bricks before the wall gets too high.
Jesus taught in Matthew 5 that when we become aware that someone has something against us, we are to go and be reconciled to them.
So, how do we take such steps in a way that leads to peace? Here are the “Five A’s” of reconciliation.
- Address everyone involved.
When you go to a person you have broken down with, you are to ask for their forgiveness for the ways you have sinned against them.
But sometimes your sins splash on others and cause them hurt. You need to go to them too.
- AvoidIf, But, and Maybe
The best way to ruin a confession is to use words that appear to minimize or excuse your guilt. True confession leaves no room for rationalization or justification. It simply says, “I was wrong.”
3. Acknowledge their hurt.
If you want someone to respond positively to a confession, acknowledge and express sorrow for how you have hurt them.
- Accept the consequences.
Explicitly accepting the consequences of your actions is another way to demonstrate genuine repentance.
- Ask for forgiveness.
Don’t just say, “I’m sorry.” In contrast, when you use the words, “Would you please forgive me for…” it requires a response. Both of you are given the opportunity to make this a genuine dialogue, point by point by point.
When you’ve worked your way through your list, ask one last question: “Is there anything else I need to ask forgiveness for?”
Jesus’ teaching about reconciliation is among His most challenging and difficult. It strikes at our pride and challenges our insecurity. Yet, as with all other commands, it’s always for our good…and, ultimately for His glory.
Text: Mt. 5:23-24; Ro. 14:19; 12:18
Originally recorded on September 22, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In this message we’re going to answer 5 basic questions about forgiveness: why, who, when, where, and how. Let’s begin with:
WHY should we forgive?
- It’s a matter of obedience if we do. You cannot disconnect your commitment to forgive from your discipleship.
- It’s a matter of consequences if we don’t. There are spiritual, as well as emotional and physical implications to unforgiveness.
Bottom line? We forgive because we have been forgiven.
WHO should we forgive?
- Those who ask for it. (Mk. 11:25)
- Those who don’t ask for it. As He was being crucified, Jesus forgave his executioners, even though they never asked for it. We forgive because to fail to do so is to pay a heavy price.
WHEN should we forgive?
- At the moment of offense. Don’t delay. Forgive immediately.
- As the Spirit reveals. God always reveals in order to heal.
WHERE do we forgive?
- In prayer. It’s between us and God.
- In private. Don’t go to the person and say, “I just want you to know that I forgive you.” Forgiveness is a transaction between you and God.
HOW should we forgive?
- Thoroughly. The Bible says we are to “forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.” How did God forgive you? He forgave freely, fully. So should we.
- Specifically. The more specific I am in my forgiving, the more free I am in my living.
Ask the Spirit to bring to mind the things you need to forgive. Make an itemized list of each offense, grievance, or hurt. Then one by one, in prayer, let them go. “Father, I forgive (person’s name) for (name the offense).”
It may be wise to have a mature, spiritual friend help you expand your list and witness your forgiveness.
Then once you are done, destroy the list. 1 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Love keeps no record of wrongs.”
Text: Various
Originally recorded on September 15, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul tells us that “as God’s chosen people,” we are to “forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Col. 3:13) Having been forgiven by God, we are to extend forgiveness to others.
Not only is forgiveness the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. See…
Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.
But forgiving can be a huge challenge. And one of the biggest reasons why is because of the misconceptions we have about what forgiveness is…and isn’t. So, let’s begin by clearing away some of that faulty thinking.
1. Forgiveness is not excusing the offense.
In fact, forgiveness is the opposite of excusing. Forgiveness acknowledges that the offense is utterly inexcusable. But you forgive anyway because, in the words of C.S. Lewis, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
2. Forgiveness is not denying or minimizing the pain.
While forgiveness is a matter of the will, it doesn’t mean we ignore our feelings. It hurt! It has scarred you. But rather than deny the pain, you need to admit it…and then determine to forgive anyway… lest your abuser continue to have power over you.
Refusing to forgive keeps you tethered to the one who hurt you. Though you may think you’re free of them, in reality you’re in bondage to them. But with forgiveness, there is freedom.
3. Forgiveness is not “letting them off the hook.”
When you forgive you’re not letting them off the hook, you’re letting them off your hook and putting them on God’s hook. They’re not getting away with anything.
God is just and vengeance is His. (Rom. 12:17-19) Let God do His job.
In the final analysis, forgiveness is an act of faith. By forgiving another, I am trusting that God will deal with them far better than I ever will. I release my need to get even and leave it for Him to work out.
4. Forgiveness does not mean you must blindly trust again.
There’s a difference between forgiveness and trust. Forgiveness can be granted at a moment in time; trust is earned over the passage of time.
5. Forgiveness does not require immediate restoration of the relationship.
It takes one to sinner to repent and it takes one victim to forgive, but it takes both to reconcile.
Forgiveness is the gateway to potential reconciliation, but whether that happens is a function of many other factors.
Forgiving another person is primarily for the sake of our relationship with God and for the healing our own soul. That is what we can control. Whether they ever reciprocate is something we cannot control.
6. Forgiveness is not synonymous with forgetting.
Ever heard this line? “If you forgive, you must forget. If you haven’t forgotten, you haven’t really forgiven.” It sounds slick, but it’s simply not true. “Forgive and Forget” sounds appealing, but it just doesn’t square with reality. The fact is our memories simply cannot be erased on command.
Rather, as we choose to forgive and continue to release them to God each time the memory comes, gradually the hold the hurt and pain have on you will lessen and dim.
Text: Colossians 3:12-13; various
Originally recorded on September 8, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Jesus’ approach to peacemaking is to pursue reconciliation. There are three steps in that process that are important for us to understand and practice. The first step is confession.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used a word picture to get this point across when he asked, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Mt. 7:3)
We have the remarkable ability to see others’ faults but remain blind to our own. Any attempt at relational repair must begin with recognizing this tragic self-deception. We need to consider the plank in our own eye before ever dealing with the speck in someone else’s eye.
To be a peacemaker, you need to deal honestly with your contribution to the conflict.
Here are some steps that can help with that.
1. Ask God to help you see your own sin clearly.
King David offers this great prayer. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23-24)
Reflect on these questions and write down the things God brings to mind:
- Have I used reckless, hurting words?
- Have I lied or deceived?
- Have I sought to control or manipulate?
- Have I gossiped or slandered?
- Have I sought revenge or looked for ways to hurt?
- Have I responded in sinful ways to the sins against me?
2. Have a spiritually mature friend help you press into your confession list.
A wise, discerning, and courageous brother or sister can bring a less biased perspective and allow you to be more thorough in your confession.
3. Confess each sin on your list to God.
One by one, say, “Father, please forgive me for __________.” Be specific and thorough.
Consider having your friend witness your confession to God. This allows for a sense of accountability in the future.
James 5:16 says: “…confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
This teaching is followed by a Q&A conversation with Dave on the topic of confession.
Text: Matthew 7:3-5; Psalm 139:23-24
Originally recorded on September 1, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
While conflicts take place on larger, collective scale, the bigger issue for most of us are the conflicts that take place on a smaller scale. Personal conflicts between work associates, friends, or even families.
As long as we have people, we will have differences. As long as we have differences, we will have tension. As long as we have tension, we will have collisions. As long as we have collisions, we will have conflict.
Jesus’ brother James points out in his letter that we don’t get what we want and that leads to “fights and quarrels.”
There are three basic ways that people respond to conflict.
Typically whenever conflict occurs, the natural response is either “fight” or “flight”. So on one side of the slope we have ESCAPE RESPONSES, and on the other ATTACK RESPONSES. Each response has three stages.
ESCAPE RESPONSES
-
Denial: “Problem? What problem?”
-
Withdrawal: Running away from the problem either physically or emotionally.
-
Suicide: The ultimate escape when hope is lost.
ATTACK RESPONSES
-
Assault: The use of force or intimidation whether through verbal, physical, or emotional abuse.
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Litigation: You take them to court. A divorce, a lawsuit.
-
Murder: In extreme cases, people may be so desperate to win a dispute that they will actually seek to murder those who oppose them.
If ESCAPE and ATTACK are the two death-dealing responses, are there any other options?
The good news is, “Yes.” We can opt for PEACEMAKING RESPONSES.
PEACEMAKING RESPONSES
-
Overlook: Let it go. Proverbs 19:11 says, “..it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”
-
Reconciliation: Taking the steps of confession, forgiveness, and then going to the person to make thigs right.
-
Mediation: If the previous step still doesn’t resolve things, the biblical next step is to allow wise, impartial people to help.
Text: James 4:1-2; various
Originally recorded on August 25, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Relational breakdown is as old as the Bible, and none is more deeply ingrained as the animosity that exists between people of different races, religions, and ethnicities.
In Ephesians 2:11-19, Paul talks about the centuries-old hostility that divided Jews and Gentiles. The “circumcised” and the “uncircumcised”.
The Jews saw their selection as God’s people not as a platform from which to invite others in, but as a reason to keep others out.
This sense of tribalism continues today. The thought that my people and my ways are above all others. The ten-dollar word is “ethnocentrism,” the belief that one’s people group is more superior and significant than others.
Ethnocentrism created what Paul refers to as a “wall of hostility.” This was reflected in how Israel’s Temple was laid out.
There were barriers everywhere. Walls that divided Jew from Gentile, men from women, priests from laity. Then there was one final barrier. A 6” thick curtain within the Temple itself separated man from God’s presence. It was called the Holy of Holies and only the High Priest could enter and then only once a year to make atonement for sin.
Then came Good Friday. Scripture says that at the moment of Jesus’ death, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The barrier between God and man was gone!
Through His death, Jesus destroyed the “dividing wall of hostility,” and created a “new humanity.” A new tribe with a totally new identity. This is the Church.
When we become Christians, we may retain our cultural affinity, but it’s no longer our primary identity.
This is not to say that there isn’t a richness in who we are culturally. Rather, our primary identity is in Christ, not our culture.
In Christ, no matter what our race, gender, age, history, or position in life, we’re closer to those in our Christian family than we are to those of our same race, gender, age, history, or position in life who are not in the family of God.
In Christ, we join the ultimate “tribe.” As a result, we need to live by a whole new value system.
Our cultural differences may distinguish us, but they should not define us, and they must not divide us.
Text: Ephesians 2:11-19
Originally recorded on August 18, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Perhaps the most daunting aspects of being a peacemaker is the challenge of peace-making in our own relational worlds. Our natural reaction to conflict is either fight or flight – punish or withdraw.
The only way to get beyond this natural inclination is through a supernatural infusion.
Our capacity to reconcile with others is rooted in our reconciliation with God. Without vertical reconciliation, there can never be horizontal reconciliation.
Jesus came to this broken planet that it might be healed. He sought to bridge the gap between a sinful humanity and a holy God. The cost of this extraordinary act of reconciliation? His very life.
Friends, the immensity of that truth needs to powerfully grip us so that each of us might personally appropriate Jesus’ offer of reconciliation. And that we might be motivated to become agents of reconciliation.
When you embrace Christ as your savior, you become “new” in multiple ways.
1. Externally New: Justification
When we come to Christ by faith, God, the Judge, accepts Jesus’ payment for sin’s penalty and declares us “not guilty.”
2. Internally New: Regeneration
When you embrace Christ by faith, you are given a new nature and out of that new nature, you can begin to live a different life.
3. Outwardly New: Reconciliation
Once a person gets “put back together,” he/she is given the greatest assignment of all – to help put a broken world back together.
Text: 2 Cor. 5:17-18; Col. 1:15-23
Originally recorded on August 11, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes two things:
- what life in the Kingdom of God is like, and
- what should characterize those who live in it.
Specifically, He says that Kingdom people will be characterized as peacemakers.
Those who are committed to becoming agents of peace will be called children of God.
The Kingdom of God is all about reconciliation – bringing that which was broken back into wholeness.
Reconciliation is defined as the re-establishment of a friendship; the resolving of a dispute.
We certainly need peace and reconciliation in our world! However…
We will never see societal peace until there’s individual peace.
It’s always bottom up, and inside out.
Of all the ways you could be described, would observers of your life say, “In this world where conflict is the norm, she/he is a peacemaker?”
The reality is that relationships naturally tend toward disconnectedness. Even the most spiritually mature have enough residue of our sinful flesh that we struggle to live in peace with others at times. So, we would do well to see what the Bible has to say about handling the breakdowns that will inevitably occur.
In this series, we’re going to be talking about the different aspects of peacemaking.
We’re going to grapple with the importance of personal confession, with issues of forgiveness and the “how to’s” of reconciliation. We’ll even get to how to handle those occasions when all of our peace-making efforts are to no avail.
But we have to begin by recognizing that…
Our capacity to reconcile with others is rooted in our reconciliation with God.
Text: Mt. 5:1-9; 2 Cor. 5:17-18
Originally recorded on August 4, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We all know that Christians are supposed to forgive. Jesus said as much when He taught His disciples to pray, “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Mt. 6:12)
What’s intriguing and, in no little way, disturbing, is how out of this entire prayer, Jesus only adds a commentary on the issue of forgiveness. He makes the point that to bask in your own forgiveness while withholding forgiveness from another is at the least inconsistent and at worst it's very costly. In the parlance of this series, to not forgive someone who has sinned against you is to be a Christian Atheist.
Now, it’s one thing to forgive the low-level “dings” that come our way, but what do you do with the major hurts and offenses?
It’s here that Christian Atheism is often seen. Sure, we should forgive most of the time, maybe even almost all of the time. But forgive that?!?!? I can’t…and I won’t.
This morning, we have a special guest who came face to face with this challenge.
Cyprien Nkiriyumwami was the Africa Director for Integral Mission and Peacebuilding at World Relief. In 1994 he and his wife, along with their 2 children were living in Rwanda when over a period of 100 days, nearly 1 million men, women, and children were slaughtered in the attempted genocide of the Tutsis by the Hutus.
In this interview, Cyprien, a Hutu himself, tells the story of how he and his wife hid their Tutsi neighbors from the death squads that were going house to house, risking their own lives in the process. Eventually, they fled for their lives and lived as refugees in neighboring Congo for 2 years.
He also tells of the challenges they faced when they returned to their home in Rwanda, and how he confronted the reality that to be a follower of Jesus would require him to confess his anger and bitterness and forgive those that had sought to kill him and his family.
No doubt, forgiveness is hard! In many ways, it is an unnatural act. Everything within us demands justice if not vengeance when we get hurt.
But while forgiveness may not be the natural response, it’s the healthiest one – spiritually, mentally, and physically. You don’t forgive because the person deserves it. Ultimately you forgive because it’s the smartest thing to do.
Mark it well: Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.
Text: Mt. 6:9-15; Eph. 4:31-32; Col. 3:12-13; Heb. 12:15
Originally recorded on March 10, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the trends happening increasingly in recent years is a reduction in church attendance. People say they believe in God, but they’re not committed to a local church.
There are many reasons for this. For some, it’s just the busyness of life. But for others, church is boring. Irrelevant. Or bad memories, old wounds, and blatant hypocrisy make them want to steer clear of church.
When you stop to think about it, who needs church anyway? We can get all the content we need from websites, podcasts, and books. There’s Christian radio and Christian television. Why pour time, energy, and money into something that needlessly complicates life?
Let me try to answer that question by going all the way back to the very first church.
In Acts 2 we read how in one day, 3000 people responded to the good news of Jesus and were baptized. Male and female…young and old… rich and poor…slave and free…they eagerly joined the family of God.
Friends, the Church is not a building; it’s not an institution; it’s not an organization; it’s not a club. It’s a family.
Church is not a place you go to. Church is a family you belong to. This building is simply a convenient place where the family can all gather together.
Acts 2:42-47 shows us several benefits that first church realized in gathering together regularly, benefits we can find as well.
· The joy of community
They “devoted themselves to… fellowship.” The Greek word is koinonia. It speaks of both deep partnership and deep relationship. It describes having a group of people with whom you “do life.”
You were not merely created to know and be known, love and be loved by God; you were created to know and be known and loved and be loved by others.
· An opportunity for maturity
That early church also “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.”
Look for a pastor or teacher in a local church who speaks God’s Word, lives God’s Word, and contextualizes God’s Word, then “devote” yourself to learning from him/her. Make a strategic decision to prioritize that weekly time of instruction.
· A place of ministry
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the analogy of a body to describe how the church should function. If you are a believer, then you are part of the greater body and there is a part for you to play in that body.
You have been wired up and gifted to bring something to the body that others need. And there are things you need that only others can provide.
Bottom line? I need you and you need me.
· A vehicle for accountability
One of the greatest dangers in being a “lone wolf” Christian is the susceptibility we all have to getting off-track theologically, or morally. It’s in isolation when the Enemy’s whispers are most dangerous.
The church has been called the “bride” of Christ. Imagine how He would feel to hear us say, “Jesus, I love you, but I can’t stand your wife.”
Jesus loves the church. He dreamed of and died to create this new community that would represent Him to the world. Who are we to deny it?
Text: Acts 2; 1 Corinthians 12
Originally recorded on March 17, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
You might be surprised at how much the Bible has to say about sex. In fact, the very first commandment found in the Bible is about sex! God said to Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply…” (Gen. 1:28)
The special union they had was celebrated with sexual intimacy. Scripture calls it, “becoming one flesh.”
All too many people take a glib approach to this act. “It’s only sex. It didn’t mean anything.”
Friends, that’s simply not so. In that act, Adam and Eve somehow became glued, knit, joined together at the soul level.
Now, don’t be deceived into thinking that God is anti-sex! He’s not! He is very pro-sex! He created it! And He created it in a unique way for humans to enjoy.
There in the Garden, two huge points were being made: the beauty of sex and exclusivity of sex.
In the New Testament, Paul reminds the Corinthians that as the people of God, they are not merely animals that are ruled by their urges. Jesus secured for us not only a new identity but a new capacity.
Therefore, we are to “flee immorality.” (1 Cor. 6:18)
Many people read that phrase and say, “Well sure, I'll flee sexual immorality. But my boyfriend and I really do love each other, so that doesn't count as sexual immorality.” Or, “We’re planning on getting married, so what we’re doing doesn’t count as sexual immorality.”
Here's the deal: We do not get to redefine sexual immorality in light of what we see as “special circumstances.” That is a sign of Christian Atheism.
The Bible is quite clear so let me say it to you bluntly: Sexual intimacy outside of marriage is sexual immortality.
Paul then makes it clear that sexual sins are in a unique category. The fact is our bodies and souls are woven together in ways that we cannot untangle. That’s why it’s not just sex. That’s why infidelity is so devastatingly painful. There is literally a ripping, a tearing of the one-flesh covenant.
Sex outside of God’s pattern is bad for you even if it happens to feel great at the time.
Ultimately, eventually, you will find that your body and your soul (those two things that cannot be separated from your humanity) will keep score. And the result will be emptiness, disconnectedness, and regret for what was meant to have been a truly fulfilling experience.
Text: Genesis 1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Originally recorded on March 3, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When it comes to evangelism, we face pressure from our culture: “If you want to believe in Jesus, fine. Just don’t try to force that on me.” We also face internal pressure: “I feel so inadequate when it comes to witnessing.”
These two pressures combine to create this gap between what we believe and how we behave in a lost world.
The book of Acts might be one of the best places to go to learn about evangelism in the 21st century because our world is more like that 1st-century setting than at any time.
What can we learn from these early disciples that we can put into practice in our lives today?
1. Take this responsibility personally.
In Acts 8, we are told of a severe persecution that broke out against the church. These believers scattered throughout the region and they “preached the word wherever they went.” (vs. 4)
Christianity spread not because of the testimony of the apostles…the “professionals” if you will… but through the witness of ordinary men and women who were shot through with evangelistic passion born of their own transformation.
2. Share the truth credibly.
It’s rightly been said that a person with a testimony is never at the mercy of a person with an argument. But that testimony will only be credible if it’s demonstrated. Our lives have to show the change we profess.
3. Leverage your opportunities relationally.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas meet a woman who is described as a “God-fearer.” God had already been working behind the scenes, preparing her for the message of Jesus.
God wants people to come to know eternal life more than you do. Look for those open doors.
Not only did this woman accept Jesus, but so did her entire household!
The Greek idea of household (oikos), involves more than immediate family. It includes friends, neighbors, business associates. In short, your relational world.
You have a unique oikos today. People you live with, work with, play with. People God put in your life so you can influence them for Christ.
- Pay the cost willingly.
Later in Acts 16, it was Paul and Silas’ response to suffering that blew the mind and softened the heart of their jailer.
There is something profoundly powerful that is communicated when we suffer for the gospel.
Text: Romans 1:16; Acts 8:1-4; John 9:1-27; Acts 16
Originally recorded on February 24, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
This message is for those who are rich. That’s who Paul directs his instructions to in 1 Timothy 6:17. “Command those who are rich in this present world…”Now, before you let yourself off the hook, consider this. Did you know that more than half the people in the world live on less than $2/day? If you make $24,000/year you are in the 90th percentile of the world’s wealth. If you make at least $80,000/year you are in the top 1%.
I would suggest that biblically speaking, to “be rich” is to have more than what you need to make it from one day to the next.
Paul says “Command those who are rich in this present age”... (that’s you and me)… “not to be arrogant.”
How might money make you arrogant?
1. In how you see yourself.
You see yourself as the creator of your wealth. “All I have is because of me – my hard work, my financial planning, my strategic investing.”
Christian atheists fail to see that all they are and all they have is a gift from God, who “richly provides us with everything…” (v. 17)
2. In how you see others.
Down through history, there has been this mindset that there is something innately good about those who have and something innately bad about those who don’t have.
This isn’t a new issue. One of the great challenges in the early church was showing favoritism to the rich while undervaluing the poor. They failed to see people like Jesus had seen them.
3. In how you see money.
In verse 17, Paul warns his readers not to “put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God.”
Money simply cannot be trusted. You dare not base your ultimate security on something that shaky. Only God is unshakable. And, as a result, God must ever and always be that which is trusted in.
How should money be handled?
- With appropriate enjoyment of the present.
Look at the last phrase of verse 17. “…God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”Our God is not against our enjoyment. He doesn’t begrudge us nice things.
2. With profound awareness of our responsibility.
Verse 18 continues, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
From the beginning, God gave mankind a responsibility to be stewards of His kingdom.
3. With abiding confidence regarding the future.
Verse 19 wraps things up with this: “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
In a very real sense, you and I are being invited to invest our time, talent, and treasure into a kingdom that will never end.
Can you see how money is such fertile ground for Christian Atheism? We say that God is our source …that we trust Him… that His promises of caring for us as we partner with Him are true. Yet we clutch and hoard because notwithstanding what we say, we’re afraid that God won’t come through and we won’t have enough.
Coming to grips with this is an integral part of what it means to be a disciple.
Text: 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Originally recorded on January 27, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Every one of us knows what it’s like to carry around a “sack of shame” – guilt over what we’ve done in the past.
What do you do with the contents of that sack? Our “can-do” culture has some suggestions:
Man’s Solution
- Talk it out.
But while it can help to talk to someone about your struggle, that counselor cannot offer absolution.
- Brush it off.
But being reminded that others have their own bags of regret doesn’t help you carry yours.
- Explain it away.
Passing the blame in a kind of reverse relay race won’t get rid of the weight of guilt for the foolish choices we made.
- Work it off.
This is the religious solution. Burn a candle. Say a prayer. Do 2 good deeds for every bad one. Sounds logical, but who sets the quota? And why doesn’t peace come after all the effort?
God’s Solution begins with Jesus’ words: “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28)
God’s Solution:
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Admit the sinfulness of your actions. (Psalm 32:5)
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Ask for the forgiveness that is freely offered. (1 John 1:9)
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Accept the offer of total cleansing. (Psalm 103:12)
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Affirm the truth of God’s promises when feelings of guilt and shame return. (Romans 8:1)
Text: Mt. 11:38; Psalm 32
Originally recorded on January 20, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
A Christian Atheist is someone who says they believe in God yet lives as if He doesn’t exist. As Titus 1:16 describes them, “They profess to know God, but their behavior contradicts their profession” (PH).
Their faith is like “cafeteria Christianity.” They like the grace, the blessing, and the freedom. But they’ll pass on the obedience, sacrifice, and discipline. They want all of the benefits and none of the costs.
The root of the problem stems from a failure to recognize that it’s one thing to say you “believe” in God and it’s another thing to genuinely “know” Him.
In this introductory talk, I’d like to define three levels of “knowing God.”
Level 1: someone who claims to believe in God but does not really know Him.
I can believe in a famous quarterback. I see him on TV, hear him on interviews, read about him in magazines. I believe he exists and is a great athlete. But I don’t really KNOW him.
It’s the same with God. We can say we believe in Him, but if that belief does not result in any sort of real relationship, then we may be a Christian Atheist.
Simply saying, “I believe in God” means nothing if there’s not an accompanying demonstration of commitment.
One of the most sobering texts in the New Testament is found in Matthew 7. Jesus warns:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord’ did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers.’”
Matthew 7:21-23
Level 2: someone who knows God but does not know Him well
It’s possible to have a relationship, but a shallow one. You had a genuine experience with God – at a camp or a church service. It was moving and powerful. But over time, that relationship with Him faded. It’s stale and dated. And because it is, you’re returning to your old ways of doing things.
Level 3: someone who knows God intimately and serves Him wholeheartedly
When a person lives in Level 3, there is this ongoing sense that God is with them all the time. There’s this desire to practice His presence by talking to Him throughout the day, to listen for His prompts, and to reflect on His counsel through Scripture. As a result, there’s a consistency between the “talk” on Sunday and the “walk” on Monday.
They’re not perfect, but their hearts are committed to Him…every day.
Text: 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Tit. 1:16; 1 John 2:3-4; Mt. 7:21-23; 2 Chr. 16:9
Originally recorded on January 13, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the fallacies in our day is that all religions are pretty much the same. But the fact is, Christianity stands alone and apart. For one thing, no other major religion takes its stand and stakes its reputation on the bodily resurrection of its founder.
The resurrection of Jesus changed everything.
This is why the Apostle Paul gave his life to spreading the news, not only of the reality of the resurrection but also of the relevance of the resurrection to our everyday lives.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul tells these believers that he is praying that they would know God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead…”
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us who believe! Here! Now! Today!
If God can raise Jesus from the dead, what else can He do?
Those impossibilities which, like a massive stone, appear to blockade your destiny can still be moved by resurrection power.
Not only is there a power to be released, there’s a purpose to be realized.
We are the personal creation of a loving God. True, we all too quickly became broken by sin.
But something extraordinary happens when light shines through broken pieces of glass. It becomes a work of art. Such is the wonder of the Master Craftsman. He not only redeems, He restores.
Text: 1 Cor. 15:3-8, 14-19; Eph. 1:18-2:10
Originally recorded on April 8, 2007, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
It was probably about midnight when Jesus led His men down from the Upper Room and through the sleeping city. Having shared the Last Supper together, Jesus and the Eleven left through the Fountain Gate, across the Kidron Valley running red with the blood of thousands of sacrificed Passover lambs. They ascended up the Mount of Olives to Gethsemane, a secluded gardenlike grove of olive trees.
Gethsemane means “olive press.” How ironic that in this familiar place of prayer, Jesus would be crushed, pressed to the very limit.
Matthew says that Jesus was “sorrowful and troubled,” “overwhelmed…to the point of death.” He fell to the ground again and again, in anguish and agony.
“Abba…Poppa…” Jesus cried. “If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” (Mt. 26:39)
What cup is He talking about? The cup of God’s divine wrath poured out on sin. To “drink the cup” was to take all that judgment and punishment on Himself.
And everything human in Jesus shrank back.
Let me give you three observations.
THE WAY OF JESUS IS OFTEN HARD.
To be sure, walking with God carries a purpose and gives a meaning to life as nothing else. But it can be so hard.
The fact is, this sorry, old world is still under the sway of a Dark Prince who will not loosen his hold easily. Satan will fight God’s people and seek to frustrate God’s purposes every step of the way.
And because of that there will be dark nights of the soul for Christ-followers just as there was for Christ. There will be tear-filled, sweat-stained nights when you wrestle in prayer and groan in anguish. There will be nights when you grapple with what submission to God’s purposes will require of you.
THE WAY OF JESUS IS SOMETIMES ALONE.
The very fact that He took Peter, James, and John with Him shows that the Savior knew how valuable others could be – especially in times of pressure and pain.
But at the time Jesus so needed to be surrounded and supported by those closest to Him, they let Him down. Instead of praying, they were sleeping.
THE WAY OF JESUS IS ALWAYS YIELDED TO THE FATHER’S WILL.
Jesus prays, “…if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will…if it is not possible for this cup to be taken from me unless I drink it, may your will be done…” Matt. 26:39, 42
With no other option provided by His Father, Jesus knew that He had to submit. Because He saw you. He saw you as surely as he saw His sleeping friends who had so failed Him. He saw you as surely as He saw the flicker of the approaching torches, led by one who had betrayed Him. He saw you when the Father didn’t come through with an alternative plan. He saw you and He saw me. And He submitted Himself to the Father’s will for our sake.
How do we respond to this?
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With GRATITUDE and PRAISE.
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By Following His EXAMPLE.
One of the nicknames given early Christians was “People of the Way.” They were called this because they dedicated themselves to following the way of Jesus. Wouldn’t it be great if that’s how we were known?
Text: Matthew 26:36-46
Originally recorded on April 14, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he tells this group of believers he had never met that he was agonizing in prayer for them. Why? What was he praying for so fervently?
He was praying for their growth - their maturity in Christ.
In the opening verses of chapter 2, he lists some of the characteristics of the person who is growing and maturing in Christ. These “Markers of Maturity” can serve as a basis for your own personal inventory of growth.
Paul’s first goal is for them to be “encouraged in heart.” The word used here can often mean “comfort.” In this case, however, it is best translated “strengthen”. We might use the word…
1. Resilience
The ability to bounce back when knocked down. The capacity to keep going when others might give up.
What’s your resiliency quotient these days? Are you growing in your capacity to bounce back?
Secondly, Paul says that real maturity is evident when a person is united in love. The second marker, then, is…
2. Unity
Jesus knew that love and unity, so rare in the world at large, would be one of the best (or worst) testimonies of His power to transform lives.
What’s your unity quotient these days?
How fiercely do you fight for peace? When breakdown takes place, how determined are you to rebuild? Will you make the extra effort, go the extra mile, pay the extra price to maintain unity?
3. Knowledge
Knowledge is understanding what is true and acting in light of that.
The greatest source of knowledge we have is found in God’s Word.
What’s your knowledge quotient these days?
Are you growing in your understanding of God’s truth? Are you maturing in your grasp of biblical principles? Or are you, by and large, biblically illiterate …and at risk of deception?
4. Wisdom
I read this great definition of wisdom: “Wisdom is to be able to say and do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason.”
Wisdom is ultimately found in Jesus. It involves gaining the heart and mind of Christ – thinking like Jesus would, understanding like Jesus would, responding like Jesus would. This is maturity.
One of the ways you can know if you’re growing in wisdom is that you find yourself fouling up less. Immaturity is displayed when you keep making the same mistakes, being defeated by the same sin, living with the same stream of regret.
What’s your wisdom quotient these days?
- Gratitude
Ingratitude - as seen in thanklessness, grumbling, or discontentment - carries all sorts of challenges to maturity. But being thankful defuses things such as envy, jealousy, greed, ambition, etc.
What’s your gratitude quotient these days?
Do you find yourself complaining more or less lately? Do you find yourself largely content these days or always wanting more? Do you find yourself celebrating all that is or grumbling about all that isn’t?
Text: Colossians 1:28-2:7
Originally recorded on January 21, 2018, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
You would like to think that by the time we get to the end of his story, Jonah has changed. That after all he’d been through, he was a better person, a better servant of God than he was at the start of the story.
Sadly, by the time we get to chapter 4 of Jonah, we find that he is pretty much the same person he was in chapter 1: arrogant, opinionated, self-centered, and unsympathetic.
Jonah finally obeys God and goes to Nineveh, warning them of impending judgment. His message is blunt and offers no mention of God’s mercy or how to find His forgiveness.
Why? Because Jonah doesn’t really WANT the Ninevites to repent! He wanted them to pay for their wickedness.
But God’s Spirit breaks through anyway! And the people break down in sorrow.
So widespread is the repentance that we’re told it reaches from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich – including the king himself! And God relents.
The Ninevites are happy. God is happy. But one person isn’t happy. Who is that? The preacher, Jonah!
What’s Jonah peeved about? That God would show mercy and withhold judgment from others.
Do you smell a hint of hypocrisy here? “I’m so grateful for my forgiveness, but I’m not about to offer that person forgiveness!”
Jonah goes outside the city, sits down, and waits. For what? He’s hoping their repentance will be short-lived and God’s judgment will still come… and he wants a front-row seat!
Instead, God gives him an object lesson. A vine grows up to give him shade from the sun and Jonah is happy. But then God appoints a worm to destroy the plant, and a scorching wind to blister the prophet. And Jonah gets angry.
God’s response? He asks a question: You cared about a plant that grew up overnight and was gone the next day. Should I not care about the Ninevites – people I created and love?
Thus we come to the conclusion of the book of Jonah. A strange way to end, isn’t it? Yet God’s question still rings today.
Who are the Ninevites in your world? People who have hurt you and the ones you love. People deserving of judgment every bit as much as the Ninevites.
Yet God loves them…every bit as much as He loves you.
Will you leave the judgment to God and forgive as you have been forgiven?
Text: Jonah 4
Originally recorded on May 22, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
There are certain words the writer of the book of Jonah uses to emphasize important elements of the story. Words like “great” and “down.” But there’s another important word that is in fact, one of the most fundamental words in the Bible.
GO.
Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, and Esther – all were called by God to GO. To step out in faith. To take a risk. And because they obeyed, they changed the course of history.
Unfortunately, over time, God’s people began to define their holiness not in terms of GO, but in terms of STOP. What they had stopped doing. Where they had stopped going. Who they had stopped being with. As a result, they ceased being influencers for good.
This is the deeper meaning of the book of Jonah. It wasn’t merely the story of a man who refused to GO to those God had a heart for, it was the story of a nation who refused to fulfill its purpose.
Nowhere was this seen more clearly than in the lives of a group called the Pharisees, a first-century sect whose religion was one of prohibition rather than liberation.
As you can imagine, this approach put them on a collision course with Jesus. Jesus didn’t confuse being set apart for God with being set apart from people. Rather, at all times and in all ways, He sought to engage, to help, to heal, and to restore. Rather than running from evil to good, He brought good to evil.
The tragedy is that, in our day, all too many would-be disciples have embraced the ethic of the Pharisees rather than the ethic of Jesus. For them, the word isn’t “go,” but “stop.” Friends, the heart of Christian discipleship is not what you have stopped but how you’re going. It’s not primarily evidenced by what you’ve avoided but in how you’re engaged.
Jesus made the importance of this quite clear in how He lived. But He also made it quite clear in what He taught.
John 20:21 captures that: “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”
Notice that first little word: As. That two-letter word contains both a motive and a model.
Why did God send His Son into this broken world? Because He loved it. As with Him, so must it be with us. As those who have touched by His outrageous love, so we are called to love.
But not only is that our motive, it’s our model. Jesus didn’t love from a distance. Jesus didn’t play it safe. Jesus was engaged. Jesus got involved.
Christ’s ethic sends us into the fray. It’s about engagement. It’s about restoration. It’s about healing. It’s about going.
Jesus’ last words, words that are known as “The Great Commission” summarize not only His life but His call to everyone who would be His disciple: “GO into all the world…go into the marketplace…go into the schools…go into the neighborhoods of your city. Go into the prisons and the hospitals and the food banks. Go into all the world. And don’t leave it as you found it.”
Text: Jonah 3:1
Originally recorded on May 15, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time…” (Jonah 3:1)
To my way of thinking, this is arguably the most remarkable verse in the entire book of Jonah.
The first time word of the Lord came to Jonah, he consciously and stubbornly disobeyed. And yet, in a display of remarkable patience and loving discipline, God chased him down and brought him to the end of himself. From the belly of a fish, Jonah recognized the foolishness of his actions, confessed his sin, and committed himself to obey.
Now God is offering Jonah a second chance.
The assignment hadn’t changed…and it hadn’t got any easier. In fact, more times than not God will call you right back to the venue where you went wrong.
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back to that family you hurt
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back to that person you betrayed
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back to that place where you denied Him
Jonah was told to go to Nineveh.
Nineveh not only symbolizes the place we don’t want to go to, it symbolizes the place that isn’t worth going to. Nineveh represents all that seems to be beyond redemption. Nineveh represents that which is simply too screwed up, too messed up, too washed up for there to be any hope of it ever being otherwise.
And yet the God of the Second Chance says, “That’s where I want you to go.” Why? Because the same God who thought you were worth going after thinks they’re worth going after.
So, Jonah obeys…finally. And when he arrives, he gives a short, terse sermon. “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (v. 4)
It’s as if Jonah is caught up in the “no way” list. “There’s no way that anything will change.”
We have “no way” lists too. “I can’t hope to have an impact. My presence won’t make a difference. My words won’t matter. These people, this situation, will never change. No way.”
But God says… “Way!”
Against all odds, the people of Nineveh from the lowest citizen to the king heard the warning…and repented.
Once you allow room for and partner with the God of the Second Chance anything is possible.
Text: Jonah 3:1-10
Originally recorded on May 8, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
ROY RIEGELS PHOTOS
In the journey of faith God not only frequently calls us to hard things but He will chase us down if we run from that call. In fact, what we’ve seen is a pattern that God uses to correct His kids.
It starts with disobedience.
That disobedience typically results in God’s discipline.
This often creates a moment of distress. That’s when Jonah finally cried out to God.
It’s at this point that we have to make a decision to obey. Will we repent or not? Will we just feel sorry or will we start doing what’s right?
It’s when we choose to obey that God can provide deliverance.
When Jonah found himself in the belly of a fish, he was at the bottom of that circle of disobedience, discipline, and distress. But it was there that Jonah turned to God in prayer.
When you’re sinking fast, prayer moves from simply being “nice” to being a “necessity.”
Here in the second chapter of the book of Jonah, we find a model of prayer for when you’re sinking. The first letter of each step will spell out FAITH.
- Feelings. Express your thoughts and feelings about your circumstances.
- Affirmation. Affirm that God is big enough to handle it, and that you trust Him.
- Intentions. State that, by faith, you will follow wherever God leads.
- Thanks. Giving thanks reminds you that the One who helped you back then is no less able to help you right now.
- Hope. Choosing to believe that God will come through for you once again.
F-A-I-T-H. It’s a great pattern for prayer for when you’re sinking.
Text: Jonah 2:1-10
Originally recorded on May 1, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
As we ended the last episode, after admitting that he is the cause of the ferocious storm battering their ship, our hero, Jonah, has been thrown overboard. As he sinks down into the sea, Jonah no doubt believes he is going to die.
But God has other plans.
The Bible says God “provided” a huge fish to swallow Jonah.
Now, many people hear this part of the story and react with great skepticism. Swallowed by a whale and living to tell the tale?
Well, let me offer a couple of possibilities.
HOW DID JONAH SURVIVE?
- Through natural means
Believe it or not, there is actually an account of a British sailor with an oddly similar story.
But even if you don’t buy it, Jonah’s survival may have happened…
2. Through supernatural means
Simply said, it was a miracle. Listen, you grant me God, and anything is possible!
So here is Jonah, in the belly of a fish for three days. What did he do?
He prayed.
WHY DID JONAH PRAY?
- Because he was in over his head.
There are a lot of reasons why we don’t pray as we should. But do you know what one of the main ones is? We think we can handle life without praying.
God brings Jonah to a place of total desperation. He is in over his head. And it’s then that he finally looks up.
- Jonah prayed … because he was out of options.
The honest truth is that Jonah turns to God because he has nowhere else to turn.
Maybe that’s where you find yourself. You’re in over your head and you’re fresh out of options. You don’t know what to do.
I’ll tell you a place to start: PRAY.
God is never more than a prayer away. And the first step to getting out of the deep water you find yourself in is to humbly go to the only One who can help you get out of it or live through it.
Jonah prays and as he does, he begins to get some badly needed perspective. “Why have I been so foolish?”
It’s then that Jonah does what he should have done a lot earlier. He repents.
Repentance isn’t simply admitting that you’ve been wrong; it’s making the decision to start doing what’s right.
Repentance is the prerequisite for deliverance.
Jonah gets delivered on the third day when the fish vomited him onto dry land.
WHAT DOES JONAH TEACH US?
- Our failures are not fatal.
- Our hope is not futile.
Text: Jonah 1:17-2:10
Originally recorded on April 17, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When Jonah heard God’s call to go the Nineveh, the capital of Israel’s enemy, Assyria, instead of obeying, the prophet ran in the opposite direction.
The biblical narrator paints the picture with words packed with meaning.
Jonah 1:3 - He went down to Joppa.
Jonah 1:5 – But Jonah had gone below deck where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
Running from the Lord, refusing to do what He asks begins a downward spiral. It was true for Jonah, and it is true for you.
Jonah went to Joppa, and “found a ship” that was headed to the opposite end of the Mediterranean Sea. Coincidence? Not when you are looking for it.
When you’re looking for a way out, there will always be a ship to take.
When you’re searching for a reason to NOT obey what you’re being called to do, you will never lack for “a ship” - an excuse, an “out,” a rationalization.
Jonah found a ship and then he “paid the fare.”
There will always be a fare to pay.
There will always be a price exacted when you say, “No” to what God is asking you to do. There always are hidden costs when you opt for your way rather than God’s.
There will always be a storm to face.
Who sent the storm? Verse 4 says God did. Why did He send the storm? To effect repentance in His servant. The storm was God’s disciplinary tool.
This idea of God disciplining His children isn’t talked about too much these days. But the Bible makes it clear that His is not only a tender love but a tough love. Sometimes He must hurt us in order to heal us.
There will always be a surprise to behold.
As the storm raged, the crew of this vessel began praying to their various gods and throwing cargo overboard. They asked Jonah, “What's going on?”
Jonah answers, "There is one supreme God. He's the one that sent this storm. He reigns over heaven and earth. That’s who I’m running from. You should throw me overboard.”
Amazingly, the sailors don't do it. Ironically, these sailors have more compassion for someone from another race than this prophet had for the people of Nineveh.
They’re rowing like crazy, but the storm is too strong. They start praying again, but this time it’s not to their Elohim. It’s to YHWH.
Notwithstanding Jonah’s utter failure to be a compelling witness, God still moves and people still respond.
Text: Jonah 1:4-16
Originally recorded on April 10, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The story of Jonah ranks among the best-known of any in the O.T. It’s right up there with Noah and the ark, David and Goliath, and Daniel in the lion’s den.
Jonah’s story takes place about 770 BC. By this time the nation of Israel has been split into two kingdoms through a tragic and costly civil war. By this time both kingdoms were in spiritual freefall. Immorality and idolatry were rampant. Injustice was the rule not the exception. Though there was a veneer of religion, God was increasingly marginalized.
In an attempt to pull His people out of this tailspin, the Lord sent prophets to both kingdoms.
Sadly, very few listened to the words of warning and ultimately judgment came to both kingdoms.
In the last half of the 8th century B.C., storm clouds began to form on the northern frontier as the nation of Assyria rose to power, with its great capital, the mighty city of Nineveh.
Assyria was not only a great military power, it was known for its incredible cruelty. More than one historian has argued that the Assyrians were the cruelest conquerors who ever walked the earth.
THIS is where God called Jonah to go. His assignment was not simply to preach “to” Nineveh, but “against” Nineveh. He was to give a solemn message of impending judgment with no promise or expectation that they would listen.
To put this into perspective, imagine being asked to go to Iraq at the height of Saddam Hussein’s power and walk the streets of Baghdad calling people to repent in the name of the God of Israel.
But the Word of the Lord came to Jonah – “Go to Nineveh.” This leads to the first observation I’d like to make:
God’s callings are often challenging.
When God calls a man or woman to something great, very seldom is it comfortable, convenient, or safe. Part and parcel of being a disciple is hearing His call to go to difficult places and do scary things…with no promise of success.
And that leads to a second observation:
Our first response to a difficult calling is usually fear.
But that fear response doesn’t mean the calling isn’t from God. God intentionally calls us into that which is doomed for failure without His help. But that doesn’t mean we can’t step into it.
Courage is not the lack of fear. It’s the decision to act anyway.
This leads us to the last observation:
The decision we make reflects our view of God.
Friends, the question isn’t, “How big is the challenge?” The question is, “How big is your God?
God’s callings include God’s enablings.
Here are 2 concluding thoughts:
- It is never too late to quit running from God.
- It is never too soon to start trusting God.
Text: Jonah 1:1-3
Originally recorded on March 27, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
“Sweet spot.” Golfers understand the term. So do baseball players and tennis players. Connect with that prime inch of real estate and kapow! Your arm doesn’t tingle and the ball doesn’t ricochet. You think, “Yes!!!”
What engineers have given to sports equipment, God has given to you. A zone, a region, an intersection in which you were made to live. And life makes sweet sense when you find it.
Your sweet spot can be found at the convergence of three circles: your PASSION, your spiritual GIFTS, and your STORY.
The first circle involves… identifying your passion.
Your passion is a powerful or compelling emotion or feeling; a strong enthusiasm or desire for something. You can begin to identify your passion by asking 2 questions:
· What really captivates me?
· What seriously disturbs me?
The second circle requires … unwrapping your gifts.
Spiritual gifts are special abilities distributed by the Holy Spirit to every believer according to God’s design for the common good of the Body of Christ and the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
A spiritual gift inventory can be a helpful tool. In addition, it’s wise to ask these questions:
· Where do I find great fulfillment?
· Where do I find great fruitfulness?
The third circle involves… leveraging your story.
Romans 8:28 tells us that “God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him.” (NASB) That means that God can give meaning and purpose to both the high points as well as the low points in our life.
To that end, I encourage you to spend some time thinking through these questions:
· What positive experiences have I had that God might want to use?
· What painful experiences have I had that God might want to use?
The journey of discovering and living out of your calling begins with a relationship with Christ. Open up your heart to Christ and ask him to be your Forgiver and your Redeemer and your Friend and your Guide for this life.
If you’ve already done that, and are still unsure of your calling, then keep surrendering yourself on a daily basis, saying, “God, I’m open. Show me the way.”
And then as he prompts you (and He will), step out a little bit and try your hand at something.
You probably won’t get it right on the first try. But if you’re willing and you’re moving in this direction, there will come a day when you’re doing exactly what God made you for. And you’ll find yourself saying: “I was born for this.”
And that’s about as good as it gets, friends. That’s about as good as it gets.
Here are some resources to help you Discover Your Calling:
- The Three Circles worksheet.
- “My Story” worksheet
- Free Spiritual Gifts online test.
Text: Jer. 1:5; Eph. 2:10; Ps. 139:13-16
Originally recorded on January 3, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Not only are you a unique person, but you were also made for a unique purpose. One of the factors in discovering that purpose, or “calling,” is understanding your PASSIONS. Another is unwrapping your GIFTS.
Today we come to the third element. Your STORY - those past experiences (both good and bad) that marked you and even made you into what you are today.
One of the finest illustrations of how a story was used for God’s glory is that of the Old Testament character of Joseph. As you read his story beginning in Genesis 37, we see how God never wastes anything – even those pieces that are most painful.
In many ways, his story is an illustration of the truth of Romans 8:28:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Everyone has a story. God is not only the Creator of our life – He is also the Author of our life. And each chapter passes through the editing of His permissive will. NOTHING happens to you that He is not aware of and ultimately in control over.
To be sure, there’s all sorts of mystery in that. But in looking at the life of Joseph and holding on to the truth of Romans 8:28, we can know that our story is not “a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing” but rather a journey of purpose even though it’s filled with seasons of pain.
In order to mine the meaning from your past, you will need to examine both your good and bad experiences through some thoughtful reflection. Ask these questions:
· What positive experiences have I had that God might want to use?
What are the mountain tops in the landscape of your story? What are the everyday things that helped shape you into who you are today?
· What painful experiences have I had that God might want to use?
What are the valleys in your life’s landscape? How have they formed your beliefs and values?
· What do you think your experiences have done within you that might point toward your calling?
What do your positive and painful experiences have in common? The connections between the joy and the sorrow may be the themes that God wants to use to reveal His glory through you.
Author Dan Allender wrote: “If you want to know the will of God for your life, look behind you. Your future is meant to be written in light of the patterns of the past.”
Want to explore your story?
Download the “My Story” worksheet and spend some time exploring how your past shapes your unique calling.
Text: Genesis 37 ff, Romans 8:28
Originally recorded on November 22, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
As you seek to discover your unique purpose, one way to go about it might be to think of three circles. Label them your PASSIONS, your GIFTS, and your STORY. Where those circles overlap often point to a person’s calling.
In this message, we’re going to talk about our GIFTS.
Spiritual gifts are special abilities distributed by the Holy Spirit to every believer according to God’s design for the common good of the Body of Christ.
Let’s break that sentence down to gain a greater understanding.
Spiritual gifts are special abilities distributed by the Holy Spirit…
A spiritual gift goes well beyond talent. It is a supernatural enabling that may go “hand in glove” with your natural talent, but it accomplishes well beyond what mere talent ever could.
The New Testament lists some of these gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. Here is a compilation:
- Administration
- Apostleship
- Craftsmanship
- Discernment
- Encouragement
- Evangelism
- Faith
- Giving
- Helps
- Hospitality
- Intercession
- Interpretation
- Knowledge
- Leadership
- Mercy
- Prophecy
- Shepherding
- Teaching
- Tongues
- Wisdom
These spiritual gifts are given…to every believer.
Everyone who has come to know Christ has been given at least one spiritual gift. Think of it: you are a gifted child!
Spiritual gifts are distributed …according to God’s design. He knew just what gift would bring Him the most glory through you and at the same time bring you the satisfaction and joy that your one and only life was making an eternal difference. He knows you that well, and He loves you that much.
The gifts are given…for the common good of the Body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit’s gifts are never given for individual gratification but to enrich the community.
So, how do you unwrap your gifts?
1. Ask these questions: Where do I find great fulfillment? Where do I find great fruitfulness?
2. Take a spiritual gift inventory. Though not foolproof, they can be a helpful resource. Here is a link to a FREE ONLINE TEST.
3. Try something. Often discovering our spiritual gifts is a matter of trial and error.
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-11
Originally recorded on November 15, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
God made you unique. Your very fingerprint shows that there is no one else like you. You are one of a kind! As a unique person, you were brought into this world for a unique purpose.
So how does one discover what that purpose is? How do you find your unique calling?
One way to go about that might be to think of three circles. Label them your PASSIONS, your GIFTS, and your STORY. Where those circles overlap often point to a person’s calling.
In this message, we’re going to talk about our PASSIONS.
The dictionary defines passion this way:
Passion - a powerful or compelling emotion or feeling; a strong enthusiasm or desire for something
As creatures made in the image of a passionate God, we are by our very nature passionate. We were hardwired with this need to give ourselves fully and enthusiastically to something.
We see this worked out all the time in all sorts of ways. Some people are passionate about golf or French cooking. There are those who are passionate about genealogy or growing roses. But we sense God’s smile when we become engaged in that which mirrors His passion: putting a broken world back together.
It’s when your passion takes that direction that you get that glorious sense that “I was made for this!”
So, how do you start to identify your passions? There are two questions you can begin to grapple with that, over time, may provide you with some answers.
What really captivates me?
What sort of activity brings you deep feelings of fulfillment and a profound sense of meaning? When have those times been when you thought, “I loved that!”? What do you find yourself talking about, studying about, reading about, or dreaming about?
Write those things in your PASSIONS circle. They may not necessarily seem “Kingdom-oriented.” That’s ok! Just brainstorm. Better yet, ask someone who knows you well.
Here’s a second question:
What really frustrates me?
I’m not talking about personal pet peeves here. Rather, what is it that when you see it, you say to yourself, “That is wrong! Somebody should do something about that.”
Add those things to your circle.
Still not sure what your passions are? Ask God about it. He’s the one who gave you these passions and He’s the one who wants to see you use those passions for His glory. He can help you identify yours.
Here’s a sample prayer:
Dear God, I desperately want to honor You with my life. You have placed passions in my heart to guide me into your calling for my life. Please reveal those passions to me and give me the power to live by the. I ask this in Jesus’ name and for the glory of His Kingdom. Amen.
Text: Psalm 139:13-16; Eph. 2:10
Originally recorded on November 8, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When you look at a tombstone, you often see two dates – the date of the person’s birth and their date of death. In between is this little line. A dash.
When you think about it, you have no control over either date. The only thing you have any say about is your dash - how you will live your life.
Call it your “dash” of life. The word is appropriate because life is quite short. The Bible refers to life as a vapor. It’s here for just a short time and then it’s gone.
And once it is, all that will be left here will be your legacy – that which you will be remembered for after you’re gone.
Sadly, all too many people go through life with no sense of purpose. It’s just “same old, same old” day after day.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You were made for so much more!
Psalm 139:13-16 says that you were skillfully, wonderfully, and purposely made!
You were custom-designed by a Master-Craftsman. The uniqueness of your fingerprint sends that message clearly. There will never be another you.
Moreover, as a unique person, you were brought into this world for a unique purpose. God has a plan and a purpose for you. You have been given a calling.
Songwriter Darlene Zschech recognized this when she said that the two greatest days of a person’s life are the day they were born and the day they discover why they were born.
So how does one do that? How do you find what your unique calling is?
In this series, we’re going to explore how your unique PASSIONS, GIFTS, and STORY play a role in this. Where these three converge is where the calling of your life explodes in spontaneous spiritual combustion.
REFLECTION
Take some time to reflect on your legacy. Ask yourself: How would I want these statements to be completed?
- People will say that I stood for...
- I made a difference in this world by...
- God was glorified because I...
- People knew I loved them because I...
- The reason I expect God to say “well done” is...
Text: Psalm 139:13-16; Eph. 2:10
Originally recorded on November 1, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
“There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NASB)
An angel spoke those words and shepherds were the first to hear them. But what was proclaimed back then to them is being proclaimed right now to you. “There has been born for you…” – a Savior…who is Christ… the Lord.
Here’s the thing, friends. You need all three.
You need…a Savior to forgive you.
That’s good news because there’s not one of us here who doesn’t need to be forgiven.
Most of us are familiar with John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” But you need to keep reading because the next verse continues, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn that world, but to save the world…”
Jesus did not come to rub it in, but to rub it out. Regardless of who you are or what you have done, you matter to God and He longs to forgive you.
Secondly, you need… a Christ to empower you.
The Greek word christos literally means “the anointed one” or “king.” Kings in that day were anointed with oil and in that moment they were given both power and authority.
As children of the King, we have been given access to His kingly power
Could you use some kingly power like that to move forward into what seems to be a challenging and uncertain future? The Apostle Paul, who was no stranger to stress and pressure discovered that Immanuel was a prime power source. He writes: “I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me.” Philippians 4:13 (PH)
There has been born for you …a Savior to forgive you. A Christ to empower you.
And, finally… a Lord to lead you.
In the Greek language of the New Testament, there were 2 words for “lord.” One is despotes from which we get our word despot - a cruel, tyrannical lord. This is not the word that is used to describe Jesus.
The word used to describe Jesus is kurios. It means the rightful ruler of a dominion.
So when the angel gives this announcement, he’s saying that the rightful ruler has come to establish His Kingdom. A good ruler…a generous ruler…a wise ruler.
And we are promised that one day… “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
A Lord to lead us. Listen, friends: Congress doesn’t lead the world. Jesus does. The economy doesn’t control your future. Jesus does. The cancer in your body will not determine your fate. Jesus will. The grave does not have the last word. Jesus does.
Text: Luke 2:1-11
Originally recorded on December 23, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The reality of Immanuel is that this “with us” God can actually live “in” us. And when He does, He can then do something through us.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, Paul says anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come. But it doesn’t end there, as wonderful as that is. He goes on to say that we are now given a new responsibility. We have been given the “ministry of reconciliation.”
The Bible teaches us that because of our fallenness and through our sinfulness, we are not only separated from a holy God, we are actually His enemies. But even though we rebelled against Him, He was the one took the initiative to pursue reconciliation with us.
At what cost? The death of His Son. That’s what it took to restore our relationship with Him. Surely this had to have been the greatest act of love ever demonstrated.
Reconcilers
Now, as those who have wondrously been reconciled, we are charged to go out and share with others who are still as dead and doomed as we once were and tell them that they can be freed and forgiven as we have been.
Do we do this because we’re better than them? No. We do it out of gratitude. We share the story of our reconciliation with others because someone shared the story of their reconciliation with us.
And often there are many influencers along our journey to the cross. See, most people need at least 6-12 encounters with “reconcilers” before they can begin to grasp the message of reconciliation.
In a very real sense those who shared this message of reconciliation were ambassadors of Christ.
Ambassadors
What does it mean to be an ambassador? What’s their job? They are to represent our country in a foreign land. Though they live in an embassy, their responsibility is to get outside those walls to promote our interests.
And they are very careful with what they do and what they say. Why? Because those with whom they come in contact will draw their conclusions regarding our country and its leader from the only representative they can see.
Can you begin to draw some parallels here? You and I, as citizens of God’s Kingdom, live in a sense as people in a foreign land. Jesus never told us to hide from the world but to be an influence on the world.
As God’s ambassadors, we need to ever and always keep in mind that what we say and what we do is being closely watched.
God is making His appeal through us. Like it or not, you are an ambassador. That’s not in question. The question is what sort of ambassador are you?
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17-20a
Originally recorded on December 16, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Read about the transplant journey of Caleb Kinnaird.
Can you imagine what it must have been like to be Mary - to have the Son of God growing inside you? Can you imagine Him becoming bigger and bigger until He just had to come out? What would that have been like?
In a very real way, that’s exactly what God wants to happen in you. He wants to put His very presence within you so you can bring His presence into the world.
Immanuel can live in you if you will open up to Him.
There is a famous painting inspired by the words of Jesus from Revelation 3:20. Jesus is standing at a door knocking. There is no doorknob on the outside. The door must be opened from within.
So it is with our lives. Jesus desires to come in, to have a relationship with us. He knocks persistently. But will we open the door to Him? Will we invite Him in?
If you open up to Immanuel, He will come to live in you.
As Immanuel grows in you in a healthy way, He will flow out of you in a wonderful way.
There comes a time in the spiritual life of those carrying Immanuel within when He grows to the point where He just comes out. Love, kindness, and peace are is no longer forced. They naturally flow out of our lives.
But sometimes things can happen to choke off the flow of the Spirit living within us.
When Immanuel is not carried in the right way, He will be delivered in a wrong way.
When we engage in sinful behaviors and refuse to repent of them as the Spirit within convicts us (and He will do that), The Bible tells us that that Spirit can be quenched… choked off. And when that happens, He is unable to flow through our lives and out into the world in a healthy way.
Are you engaged in some behavior that you know is displeasing to God? The way to remove that blockage is through repentance - changing one’s mind and direction.
Ask God to do a thorough examination regarding your actions, your attitudes, your thoughts, and your motives. Then take some time to see what He might reveal.
When something comes to mind, you’ll be faced with a decision – to excuse your behavior, to rationalize your words, to minimize the wrongness…or to admit your failure and repent of that which is choking off the flow that you so desire and the world so needs to see.
Text: Luke 1:26-38
Originally recorded on December 9, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We’re all familiar with the Christmas story. How a baby was born in a stable to a carpenter and his young wife. How angels announced his birth to some ragtag shepherds who show up to see the Savior they’ve been told about. How a group of wise men travels from afar bringing gifts for the infant King.
But the real miracle of this story actually happened 9 months earlier when a teenage girl conceived a child by the Spirit of God.
Shocked and confused, her fiancée decided to break off their engagement quietly, hoping to spare her from public disgrace.
But that night an angel appeared to him and said, “Don’t be afraid to marry her. She will have a son and he will be called…Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’
That’s what this season is all about. God with us.
But what does that mean and, more importantly, how can that impact our lives?
First of all, the Christmas story shows us that God showed up to normal people.
Mary and Joseph were not A-listers. They didn’t grace the cover of People magazine. They were ordinary people.
God still shows up to normal people. To you and me.
The Lord of Heaven shrank down, down, down and became a fetus that was planted inside that normal girl. He became one of us that He might be with us in the midst of our commonness. The very thought of this is utterly mind-blowing.
Not only does He love to show up to normal people, God shows up in normal circumstances.
We have a tendency to relegate the “with us” God to the large, significant events of our day. But what about the other days of our week? What about the issues we face day to day and moment to moment?
Could it be that He really is with us then?
How might your life change if you recognized that God really is with you? What if you looked for Him in the ordinariness of life? What if you talked to Him throughout your day?
Are your normal? Congratulations! God came for you. Immanuel. God with us.
Text: Luke 2:1-7; Matthew 1:18-23
Originally recorded on December 2, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In the last episode, we looked at the first three pieces of armor. Today we look at the last three.
The Shield of Faith
A Roman soldier’s shield would have been a large rectangle made from a hardwood such as oak and covered in leather. When soaked in water, this shield would not only deflect the enemy’s arrows, it could extinguish flaming arrows.
Just as a soldier must lift up his shield in battle, so we must take up our spiritual shield to defend against the attacks of the enemy. His arrows take the form of not only temptation and deceit, they come as discouragement, distrust, fear, guilt, shame, pride, greed, lust, jealousy, bitterness, and hate.
Paul’s admonition to take up the shield of faith suggests a deliberate action whereby we hold on to the truth revealed in the character of our God when those arrows come our way. Proverbs 30:5 says that “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”
These Roman shields could not only protect an individual soldier, but locked together, they became a wall in front or a roof overhead.
There’s a spiritual parallel. Not only does your shield of faith protect you but, at times, it’s your shield that will be strategic for the defense of another. When they get wounded or weary, together the community can surround and protect them.
The Helmet of Salvation
The purpose of the helmet was, of course, to protect the head from injury. Particularly, it served to protect the soldier from a sword stroke from an enemy cavalryman.
The “helmet of salvation” is about our glorification. It helps us to realize that this battle will not last forever and that we will be victorious in the end. And when that time comes, not only will we share in the rewards that will be dispensed to faithful soldiers, we will be transformed to be like our Captain.
To the persecuted and discouraged believers who lived in Thessalonica, Paul wrote parallel words: “Since we are of the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” I Thessalonians 5:8-9
The Sword of the Spirit
Finally, Paul tells us to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
The sword which Paul refers to was 18” long. It was carried by Roman foot soldiers and was the principal weapon in hand-to-hand combat.
The believer’s sword is the Word of God. The writer to the Hebrews said: “…the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword…” Hebrews 4:12
There are two different words for the “word” of God in the Bible.
· logos – the collection of words embodying the whole of Scripture.
· rhema – specific, individual words
It’s this latter term, rhema, that is used here. Paul’s point is that when we get engaged in spiritual combat, we need to appeal to specific, relevant passages in order to defeat the enemy.
You would do well to identify where your unique points of weakness are – whether in attitude or action - and then find specific verses of Scripture you could memorize to neutralize the attack.
Apply the sword of the Spirit to the attack of the enemy. The more specifically you can do that the more successfully you can parry the blow.
Text: Ephesians 6:13-17
Originally recorded on July 24, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
ARMOR OF GOD PRAYER
We are in a very real battle. But that fight is not with a flesh and blood enemy, but with spiritual powers and principalities. In light of that unique conflict, Paul counsels us to put on the full armor of God that we might engage in battle effectively.
We’re going to look at 3 of those pieces of armor in this message and the remainder in the next episode.
The first piece of armor Paul mentions is the…
The Belt of Truth.
For the Roman soldier, the belt was key to many of the other aspects of the armor. For one thing, it gathered a soldier’s tunic so the material wouldn’t hamper his movements. As well, it secured the bottom of the breastplate and the sheath for the sword.
In beginning with this piece of armor, Paul reminds us that one of the most basic elements we need to put on is truth. The reason why is that our Adversary specializes in the lie.
The Evil One’s lies come in all sorts of ways, but the two primary things he lies about are who God is and who you are. But Satan’s lies are countered by the truth of God’s Word.
The second piece of armor is…
The Breastplate of Righteousness.
The Roman breastplate protected the vital organs and was an essential piece of armor, one no soldier would go into battle without. When the enemy would thrust with his sword, stab with his spear, or fire an arrow in an attempt to get to the soldier’s heart, it was the breastplate that protected him.
In a similar way, it’s the breastplate of righteousness that protects our hearts. There are two layers to this.
- Imputed righteousness: This is the righteousness given to us by God at salvation. When Satan accuses us and condemns us for the times we fail, remember it is Christ’s righteousness that protects our hearts.
- Imparted righteousness: When we become Christians, God’s Spirit is imparted, or given, to us and He gives us the capacity to live righteously. We are then to walk in ways that are consistent with who we are as everyday saints.
However, when we sin, if we do not deal with it quickly through confession and repentance, it can create a chink in our breastplate. Paul warns us here to keep our breastplate on and intact.
The third piece of armor is…
The Shoes of Peace.
For the Roman soldier, to lose his footing in a battle quite often insured his death. Thus it was that he would wear open-toed boots or sandals with nail-studded soles.
The foundation we are to stand on in the battles we face is the readiness that comes from God’s peace - peace with God and the peace of God.
Text: Ephesians 6:13-17
Originally recorded on July 17, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
ARMOR OF GOD PRAYER
Why is life so hard? Why does it feel like we are in a battle - whether in our marriages, with our kids, on the job, and even in the church?
The answer is simple: We live in a universe at war.
The Bible describes how Satan fell from his place in heaven and now he and his army of demons roam the earth intent upon destroying God’s people.
We must understand that we have a very real enemy.
But Jesus defeated that enemy by His death on the cross. And that victory was validated by His resurrection three days later.
Now we are offered a glorious salvation.
Christ rescued us from bondage to sin and Satan. And He calls us to join Him in that mission.
We are called to rescue others.
Though the victory was won that Easter morning, we live in the “not yet.” There is a lot of fighting yet to be done before Christ rules in heaven and earth. There is a lot of ground to take back for the Kingdom.
Paul reminds us that in this battle “we wrestle not with flesh and blood.” Rather our fight is against demonic spirits of various kinds and levels.
However, in our battles, we are given access to powerful weapons. Primary among them is prayer.
Though the battle is long and hard, we can have hope and confidence because we are promised ultimate victory.
Text: Ephesians 6:10-12
Originally recorded on July 10, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
For many, this is a tough passage because Paul is discussing a topic that, understandably, hits a raw nerve: slavery. Some might even go so far as to dismiss these verses as being short-sighted if not bigoted. But to draw that conclusion would be to make a mistake and to miss the apostle’s point.
Paul’s purpose was not to offer a commentary on changing the social structures of that day but to give instruction on how believers were to live in the structures in which they found themselves.
In Ephesians, Paul was writing to a church in which there were slaves and masters who lived under the same roof. Those who had much power worshiped next to those who had little to no power.
What can we take away from Paul’s words to those believers?
One place of parallel for us today would be the marketplace where there are unique issues between those who have much power and those who have little power. Employees and employers. Teachers and principals. Union and management. Call them “Working Relationships.”
As we do, we must consider our ultimate model when it comes to workplace ethics: Jesus. Before He began his itinerate ministry, Jesus was a tecton – a craftsman. As such he would have been an employee, and likely a supervisor.
How would Jesus have acted as an employee? How would He have handled Himself as an employer? I believe Jesus would have been…
- morally distinctive
- relationally gracious and
- professionally excellent.
As followers of Jesus, EMPLOYEES should show these distinctive behaviors in their working relationships:
- respect
- honor
- sincerity
These behaviors come from a distinctive motive: “As if you were serving the Lord.” (v. 5)
When it comes to EMPLOYERS, the role may be different, but the behaviors are not. They too must show:
- respect
- honor
- sincerity
What is the distinctive motive to be that sort of a boss?
- “He (God) is both their Master and yours.” (v. 9)
The key to working relationships is a deep-seated conviction that Jesus is not only our model but our Master. He is the one who we work for. And He should be the one we want to please when on the job.
Text: Ephesians 6:5-9
Originally recorded on July 3, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
A wise walk on a macro level is a function of regularly making right decisions on a micro level.
There’s not one of us who has not and who will not face many decisions. That’s not the issue. The issue is, “How do we make good decisions?”
1. Walking wisely is a function of seeking the mind of God.
2. Walking wisely is a function of engaging with wise people.
3. Walking wisely is a function of asking the right question.
That question, quite simply is this: “Is it wise?”
You can ask that question in three different ways – each of which will help you with the choices you have to make. Here’s the first:
1. In light of my past experience, what is the wise thing to do?
You cannot escape the fact that you are a product of your past. As a result, your past experiences predispose you toward specific weaknesses and strengths in every area – from finances to relationships to habits, etc. Consequently, what’s safe for some folks may not be safe for you.
The right question often isn’t, “Could I do this?” But “should I do this?”
2. In light of my current circumstances, what is the wise thing to do?
Life is seasonal. What’s wise in one season of life may be unwise in the next – and vice versa.
3. In light of my future dreams, what is the wise thing to do?
What do you envision for yourself in ten years - physically, financially, professionally, maritally, parentally, or spiritually?
We all have hopes and dreams. But the fact is most people’s hopes and dreams don’t come true. And while it is true that the twists and turns of life can reshape our future, the primary reason why people are robbed of their dreams is we make decisions in the present moment with no thought of how those decisions will impact our future.
If in fact you will one day face Him and have to give an account of your life to Him...what would be the wise thing to do now? Wouldn’t it be to get to know Him and to come into relationship with Him? Wouldn’t it be to walk through this life with Him and know His wisdom?
Want to hear more on this topic? Check out the series, “Decision-Making 101.”
Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.
Text: Ephesians 5:15-17
Originally recorded on June 12, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Today we’re going to be considering what it means to live as children of light. In particular, in the area of sexual purity.
Paul begins by describing actions that characterize…
Children of Darkness. (Eph. 5:3-7)
- sexual immorality (porneia) Originally this word referred to prostitution. In the New Testament, however, it refers to all aspects of sexual sin including fornication (sexual activity before marriage) and adultery (sexual activity outside of marriage).
- impurity (akatharsia) Less familiar, this is a descriptive word for that which is unclean or filthy. It’s a more general term, going beyond the sinful act of the body to the evil thoughts and intentions in the mind.
- greed (pleoinexia) It means to lust after or pursue something that is not your right to have. In this case, it means to lust after or pursue not a something but a someone – someone that is not your right to have – in order to fulfill one’s desire.
- obscenity (aischrotes) The context here seems to indicate using words that are crude and sexually laden.
- foolish talk (morologia) The best way to understand this would be engaging in a conversation that is morally out of bounds. Many times this begins with suggestive emails or inappropriate texts. All too quickly it leads to face-to-face verbal exchanges. As you might imagine, that quite often opens the door for those words to be acted upon.
- coarse jesting (eutrapelia) This carries the idea of turning something that is said or done – no matter how innocent – into something sexually suggestive.
Those whose life pattern is one of ongoing immorality, obscenity, or lustful greed are living in a manner that is inconsistent with their identity as children of light. They are acting like children of darkness. And that if one continues in that behavior, he/she would do well to question what their true identity is.
Paul then contrasts the life of darkness with that of the light.
Children of Light (Eph. 5:8-9)
- goodness (agathosune) The classic definition of this word is “moral excellence.” It finds its fullest and highest expression in that which is willingly and sacrificially done for others.
- righteousness (dikaiosune) This word means virtue, purity of life, correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting. It’s a word that is used to describe God Himself. As His children, we’re called to live in a way that honors our Father.
- truth (aletheia) Truth has to do with honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity in the inner man.
In putting all of these together, we see that goodness pertains primarily to our relationship with others, righteousness primarily to our relationship with God, and truth primarily in our relationship with ourselves. The fruit of light is found in those three things and in those three ways and this is what pleases the Lord.
Text: Ephesians 5:3-14
Originally recorded on June 5, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
A great rallying cry for this section of Scriptures would be, “Off with the old! On with the new!” Off with the old clothes of godless living and on with the new wardrobe befitting our new identity in Christ.
This can apply to a whole array of behaviors. The behaviors listed in Eph. 4:25-32 can fall into four categories. Let’s look at each one.
1. Your Speech
Paul refers to 3 different aspects of our speech we’re to put off.
- Falsehood - pseudos(vs. 25)Lying always costs. It undermines trust. And it threatens unity. That’s why we’re to put off falsehood. Instead, we’re to speak truthfully to one another.
- Unwholesome talk - sapros(vs. 29) The word used here describes rotten fruit or putrefying meat. Applied to language, it can refer to profanity, cursing, vulgar phrases, or crude jokes. But it can also describe cutting words that tear a person down.
- Slander - blasphemia (vs. 31) Slander is the ongoing defamation of someone that rises from a bitter heart. It’s the gossip about a person with the intent of putting them in a bad light. It’s the innuendo that fuels suspicion and compromises a person’s reputation.
2. Your Temper.
- Anger - parorgismos (vs. 26) This is a conviction that something is terribly wrong and directed in the right way at the right thing, it can be even righteous. However, if not used correctly, it can turn to bitterness, resentment, and self-righteousness. Consequently, Paul says, “…don’t let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil a foothold.”
- Rage - thumos (vs. 31) This is a wild outburst. When a person “loses it.”
- Anger (orge) (vs. 31) speaks of an internal smoldering hatred.
3. Your Ethics.
- Steal – klepto(vs. 28) Stealing is when you take that which you have no right to take – from man or God.
4. Your Relationships.
- Kind - chrestos(vs 32) Gentleness is tenderness displayed to those who are weak. Kindness puts that into action.
- Compassionate - eusplagchnos(vs 32) Compassion is a warmth of sympathy that comes from deep inside for those are suffering.
- Forgiving – charizomenoi(vs 32) The root of this word is charis – which means “grace.” To forgive is to offer grace to those who are hurtful, whether they deserve it or not. And why should we do that? Because that’s how God treats us.
So, off with the old! On with the new!
- Living the new you starts with a fresh realization of your identity.
- Living the new you continues with ongoingly presenting yourself to the Holy Spirit.
- Living the new you is maintained by being in a community that will offer accountability.
Text: Ephesians 4:25-32
Originally recorded on May 15, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Those who are in Christ have been given a new identity and we are called to live in light of that identity. Like a change of wardrobe, we are to “put off our old self,” stripping off certain behaviors and attitudes as a set of filthy, smelly clothes.
Off with the Old.
In Eph. 4, Paul “insists” that believers must no longer live like the godless around us. Why? Because they have…
· a darkened mind (vs. 17-18)
Why are our minds so important? Because what we think determines what we do. You don’t ever step into compromise without first of all rationalizing why it isn’t so bad. Behavior is cognitive before it is experiential.
Directly related to this idea of a dark mind is…
· a hard heart (vs. 18-19)
The Greek word refers to an especially hard kind of stone. It was also used to describe calluses.
And in this case, it emphasized how repeated behaviors could deaden any sensitivity. Those who walk in the old way of life and continue to compromise gradually grow more and more deadened to the conviction of the Spirit.
The result of a dark mind and a hard heart is…
· a godless life
Two of Paul’s terms are particularly strong:
· Sensuality – “This man… does not care how much he shocks public opinion so long as he can gratify his desires…he is lost to decency and shame.” Wm. Barclay
· and Greed – “…always ready to sacrifice his neighbor to his own desires…the irresistible desire to have what we have no right to possess.” Wm. Barclay
Paul warns his readers and us to not live this way…to be off with the old. Instead, we must say…
On with the New.
He calls for us to have…
· a renewed mind. (vs. 20-24)
How do we keep renewing our minds? We continue to give them a spiritual education. Where does that instruction come from? Scripture. The only thing that can compete with the voices of this world is the voice of God’s Word.
The second aspect of this is to seek…
· a soft heart.
Having a soft heart is one of the best deterrents to slipping back into old ways. Being open to the Spirit’s conviction or others’ observations…and then responding in repentance can keep the calluses from growing thick.
A renewed mind and a soft heart lead to…
· a godly life.
To be godly means leaving behind values and choices that reject God’s will and way and embracing the values and choices that are aligned with God’s will and way.
It’s like taking a shower each day that cleanses us and readies us to put on the Christ-like clothes of our new wardrobe. And it means throwing out our old worldly clothes once and for all.
Text: Ephesians 4:17-24
Originally recorded on May 8, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Each of us in the Body of Christ have been given a role to play so that together we can build up the Church, making it strong and mature. Those roles are:
- Apostle
- Prophet
- Evangelist
- Shepherd
- Teacher
Each of us has a primary gift. It’s the one you are best at, most passionate about, and most refreshed by. You might call this your “base ministry.”
But as followers of Jesus, we are not exempt from stepping into the other roles. For instance, my “base ministry” is Teacher, but there are times when I must step into a Shepherding role, caring for people in their hurt and need. I still need to be prepared to share the Good News of the gospel even though Evangelist is my weakest of the fivefold.
We call that having to “phase.” In moving into this “phase,” you will not only serve others in the Body, but you will also grow in your understanding of that role and will further mature in it.
Moreover, as you phase into other areas, it will give you insight into your base ministry. I’m a far better Teacher because of those times I phased in the Shepherd role or the Evangelist role.
In the online assessment, you may have had several gifts very close in score. Perhaps you came out high as a teacher and yet prophet or shepherd was very close.
You might discover that you can “phase” far more easily into that gift and linger longer in using it before the grace runs out.
You may also find that your secondary gift can strongly affect the way your primary gift is used. This adds to your unique contribution to the Body.
One last thing. As important as it is to identify what your gift is and commit to using it with competence, it’s equally important to grow in your character.
Character is who we are.Competency is what we do.
As we function in our roles, it’s important to continue to grow in our skill (competency) - becoming a better teacher, a more effective shepherd, a more skilled evangelist. Call these “Gifts of the Spirit.”
Yet, as we grow in our competency, we dare not neglect also growing in our character. One of the greatest ways that character can be assessed is in the “Fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22)
When a person demonstrates godly character, but they are lacking in their skills, you might say they are LIMITED in their Kingdom potential.
Someone who is not characterized by the fruit of the Spirit and is not using the gifts of the Spirit would likely be IRRELEVANT – making little to no Kingdom impact.
Sadly, a person who has a lot of skill but weak character can actually be DANGEROUS. They have the potential to cause great harm to others.
But, a person who is growing in both character and competency is UNLIMITED in their potential for Kingdom impact.
Apostles, we need you to dream your dreams. Prophets, we need you to share your insights. Evangelists, we need you to lead our outreach. Shepherds, we need you to deepen our sense of family. Teachers, we need you to instruct us further in how to live.
May God help us to lean into this as never before. And, as that happens, may the Kingdom further come on earth as it is in heaven.
DIAGRAMS
Free online Fivefold test
Text: Ephesians 4:7-16
Originally recorded on April 10, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In Ephesians 4, the Apostle Paul lists five unique roles God has given each one of us in the Body of Christ. These spiritual roles are the unique callings distributed to believers that enable them to fulfill strategic functions for the church.
These five roles are (Eph. 4:11):
- Apostle
- Prophet
- Evangelist
- Shepherd
- Teacher
These are often referred to as the “5-fold Ministries” or the APEST (after the first letters).
As we grow and mature into our unique roles, the Body is strengthened and the Kingdom is extended. But it’s wise to be alert to immature expressions of these gifts.
An Apostle is visionary, pioneering, always dreaming of new ground to take and new ways to take that ground. They have all kinds of new ideas!
But an immature apostle has difficulty discerning which of those ideas are simply good ideas and which are God ideas.
Another sign of immaturity is jumping from idea to idea. After a while, people don’t take immature apostles seriously because they always flit from one thing to another.
The Prophet is one whodiscerns the spiritual realities in a given situation, seeing beyond what most people see and calling them to action.
In contrast, when an immature prophet senses God is saying something, they insist on providing the interpretation and application themselves rather than releasing the revelation to a community of people outside of them to discern what God is saying and what they should do about it.
Another sign of an immature prophet is the tendency to assume they are always right.
An Evangelist loves spending time and sharing Christ with lost people and reminds other believers of a lost world.
An immature evangelist may want so much for people to be saved that they present a reductionist gospel. Just say this prayer and you’re “in.” They fail to talk about the cost of following Jesus.
Other times they can button-hole people, forcing the gospel down their throats which often turns people off.
Another sign of an immature evangelist is they may engage with a person until he/she crosses the line of faith and then move on to someone else. The young follower can feel like they were nothing more than a project.
The Shepherd possesses a deep love for the Body; sees needs, provides comfort, and gives encouragement.
But an immature shepherd often hesitates to challenge a person to change. They fear that, if pressed, the sheep might leave the fold. Yet to allow that person to keep on sitting in their neediness or brokenness is not loving.
Finally, there’s the Teacher who communicates the revealed truth of God’s Word so that others can understand it and obey it.
Immature teachers, however, can become so enamored with the Word itself that knowledge becomes the goal rather than application. The result is those around them become merely hearers of the Word rather than doers of the Word.
You might have a sense of what your role is. If not, here are some suggestions that might help you.
1. What does the assessment tool reveal?
2. What are the observations of those who know you well?
3. Which of the 5 are the most life-giving/life-draining to you?
4. Which of the 5 are the most fruitful/unfruitful for you?
5. What does your own discernment tell you?
Free online Fivefold test
Text: Ephesians 4:7-16
Originally recorded on April 3, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, we find lists of “spiritual gifts.”
Spiritual gifts are special abilities distributed to believers that enable them to perform special actions in the church.
In Ephesians 4, however, we find, not a further listing of spiritual gifts., but rather a listing of spiritual roles.
Spiritual roles are the unique callings distributed to believers that enable them to fulfill strategic functions for the church.
Verse 11 identifies five roles:
· Apostle
· Prophet
· Evangelist
· Shepherd
· Teacher
These are often referred to as the “5-fold Ministries” or the APEST (after the first letters).
The Apostle Paul says that “to each one grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” This tells us that these roles are not simply reserved for “leaders,” but for each member of the Body of Christ, and these gifts have been given in differing degrees. We’ve been given different-sized portions of grace.
For example, my base function is as a Teacher. And, it would appear that that is very strong in me. By the same token, I am not as gifted as an evangelist. That’s low in my gift mix.
When each person (not just pastors or leaders) is functioning in their role…in humility – no one thinking more of themselves or less of others and everyone seeing the value not only of their calling, but of others’ calling – the result is further unity in the body of Christ and further conformity to the image of Christ.
Here are some basic definitions of these various roles. Maybe you can begin to identify what yours might be.
Apostle: (apostolos)visionary, pioneering, always dreaming of new ground to take and new ways to take that ground.
Prophet: (prophetes) discerns the spiritual realities in a given situation, sees beyond what most people see and calls people to action.
Evangelist: (euangelistes) loves spending time and sharing Christ with lost people and reminds other believers of a lost world.
Shepherd: (poimen) possesses a deep love for the Body; sees needs, provides comfort, and gives encouragement.
Teacher: (didaskalos) communicates the revealed truth of God’s Word so that others can understand it and obey it.
You have been graced with one of these roles. And whether you fulfill that role and find your place really matters.
The Body of Christ will only reach its potential when the vast majority of its members take this seriously. And yet if…when… that happens, we’ll increasingly attain to the full measure of the fullness of Christ. And, oh, how that will impact not only the church but the world!
Free online Fivefold test
Text: Ephesians 4:7-16
Originally recorded on March 13, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When a person joins an organization, he obligates himself to live and act according to the standards of the group.
The same thing should be true of believers. If you are part of the family of God, there’s an expectation that you will be loyal to your brothers and sisters and represent your Savior well.
In Ephesians 4:1-2, Paul implores – literally “begs” – these believers to live lives that reflect who they truly are in Christ. To “walk worthy” of their identity as followers of Jesus.
He then gives four characteristics of a worthy walk.
- Humility: the attitude of the heart that recognizes God’s love for and value of others and is willing to put their needs first.
There was no greater example of this than when, at the Last Supper, Jesus took off his robe, picked up a towel, and washed the feet of His disciples – including Judas. This was the lowest task usually performed by the lowest servant, and yet Jesus humbled Himself and served.
- Gentleness: the spirit of one who is not only committed to worthy goals but displays graciousness in the pursuit of those goals
The Greek word here is often translated as “meekness,” an attribute most think of as weakness or timidity. But actually, meekness means “power under control.” Like a horse with all its power and strength and speed, but when tamed and trained is easily controlled by its master.
Again, Jesus is our example. Matthew 11:29 describes Him as “gentle and humble in heart.” No one was more committed to God’s will and way than Jesus. And no one was more gentle than Jesus in getting people to embrace that will and way. That’s a worthy walk!
- Patience: the response of longsuffering towards hurtful people in the same way Christ has shown us.
1 Peter 2:23 says that when people hurled insults at Him, Jesus did not retaliate. Instead, He trusted in the One who judges justly. Jesus knew that one day the truth would come out…and on that day, all wrongs would be made right.
4. Forbearance: the capacity to bear with another’s weaknesses, ignorance, or shortcomings, knowing that we have our own
Whereas patience has to do with a forgiving attitude toward those who are aggravating if not hurtful to us, forbearance is a response of tenderness to those who are weaker than we are or who struggle in places where we don’t.
These characteristics link together. Humility gives birth to gentleness, gentleness leads to patience, and patience results in forbearance. And all of these preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
But unity is a fragile thing. Selfishness, harshness, bitterness, and dismissiveness can all too easily invade any family or community. Thus, the Apostle exhorts us to make every effort to fight for that unity.
Text: Ephesians 4:1-6
Originally recorded on March 6, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Has anyone ever told you that you have unrealized potential? Maybe it was in athletics or academics, or the arts. But for those in the family of God, you have the potential to make an impact for the Kingdom. Indeed, YOU can be a world-changer.
We are reminded of this potential in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
You are God’s “work of art.” And God has plans for you uniquely, plans prepared in advance.
Paul begins to unpack how we can realize that potential in a prayer he offers in Eph. 3:14-21.
1. We will realize our potential when we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit’s power.
You don’t have to ask for the Holy Spirit to enter you. His presence is part of the gift of salvation. However, it’s one thing to possess the Holy Spirit – it’s another thing to access the Holy Spirit.
· This is a function of presentation.
“Lord, I can’t be what you want me to be and I can’t do what you call me to do without Your Spirit freshly empowering me. So I humbly yet confidently come to you yet again asking for this grace for another day.”
What might happen if you would pray that for yourself and your loved ones?
2. We will realize our potential when we are rooted in Christ’s love.
Paul prays that we will experience the strength and stability that come from Christ’s love.
When you begin to grasp this love, all fear is cast out. And, because of that, I can pray great prayers and dream great dreams.
· This is a function of reflection.
I need to regularly reflect on the love that God has not simply for the world at large, but for each individual. Jesus loves me!
3. We will realize our potential when we are filled with God’s fullness.
To be filled up to God’s fullness means to be totally dominated by His character – His goodness, His graciousness, His kindness, His mercy – with nothing left of your old way of life.
It also means you are filled with His passion, His vision, His desires, His Kingdom.
· This is a function of submission.
“Lord, I bow before You, asking that your ways become my ways…that your will becomes my will. As I empty myself of myself, fill me with Yourself.”
What might God be able to do through you if He is given that freedom in you?
Text: Ephesians 3:14-21
Originally recorded on February 28, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
As we continue our series from the book of Ephesians, we come to some of the most miraculous, hope-filled, life-changing verses in the whole epistle. These words are like a spiritual before and after picture.
Paul begins by describing what it was like for us when we were…Apart from Christ. He surfaces three aspects of our desolate condition in Ephesians 2:1-3.
· We were spiritually dead (v. 1)
Though outwardly we looked very much alive, inside we were cut off from the essence of life because we were cut off from the Author of life.
· We were bound by sin (v. 2)
People apart from Christ, while thinking they are free, are in fact in bondage. They are slaves to sin…and to Satan.
· We were destined for hell(v. 3)
This is a challenge for many to accept. Sure, some people deserve hell – like the Osama Bin Ladens or Adolf Hitlers of the world. But not them! They’re not that bad!
Yet though they do not lead equally sinful lives, these folks are equally in the state of sin because they have not perfectly honored the standards of a holy God. And though they may have done some, perhaps even a lot of good things, they are still not perfectly good – and that disqualifies them from being in the presence of a God.
Fortunately, that’s not the end of the story. Paul continues with an explanation of what it’s like when we become... United with Christ.
· We are made alive (v. 5)
While we couldn’t do anything about our spiritual death, Jesus could. His sacrifice on the cross in a very real sense absorbed our death.
Through our union with Him, we are now made alive. We can experience and share God’s love, joy, and peace.
· We are raised up (v. 6a)
When I consider this, I picture the Lord taking this once dead, now alive man or woman by the hand and lifting them out of the mire of sin. Freeing them from bondage to Satan and enabling them to stand up above what they once were.
And rather than being destined for Hell, as those united in Christ…
· We are seated in heaven (v. 6b)
According to Eph. 1:20, Jesus is already there – seated far above anything else there is, including Satan and all of his evil forces.
And now Paul adds that this our reality as well! This gives us hope in the midst of earthly heartache and encourages us to live lives of daring discipleship.
When you grasp the immensity of these verses, it’s truly mind-boggling, and it begs the question: Why would God do this?
Verse 4 states God has this incomprehensibly “great love” for us. He is “rich in mercy.” And what greater picture of that do we have than when He took on our flesh, living with us, teaching us, and finally stretching out His arms on a cross to die for us… paying our penalty and providing our salvation? Think of it!
And those who will open up to and receive that stupendous work by faith will be celebrated throughout eternity.
It’s a simple yet absolutely essential act of faith. By grace through faith. Not because we earned it. Not because we deserved it. It’s by His gift of grace we were saved.
Because of God’s grace, we who have taken that step have been moved from death to life, from corruption to redemption, from hell to heaven. And that’s something worth living for, indeed something worth dying for.
Will you exercise your faith in Jesus and embrace Him as your Savior and Lord?
Text: Ephesians 2:1-8
Originally recorded on January 31, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Most of the time we pray on what might be considered “felt need” prayers. We’re facing a crisis, we have practical needs, we’re trying to cope, so we pray. We ask God to intervene.
But have you ever considered that there could be a whole other level to our prayers? The Apostle Paul certainly thought so, and the prayer we find in Ephesians 1:15-23 demonstrates that.
As we look at this prayer, we need to understand that:
· What Paul is longing for in this people, God is longing for in us.
· What Paul is praying for this people, we ought to pray for others.
There is so much to dig into in this prayer, but for now, let’s break this prayer down into three simple parts.
- The apostle prayed that these everyday saints might come to understand…the wonder of God’s person.
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (vs. 17)
People who know their God have a holy boldness that nothing and no one can defeat or deflect. They have a quiet confidence notwithstanding their circumstances.
- The apostle prayed that they come to understand…the wisdom of God’s plans.
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (vs. 18)
God has plans for you. Yes, plans for heaven one day. But God also has plans for you here and now, and those plans are not only for His glory but for your good.
- The apostle prays that they would grasp…the wealth of God’s power.
“…and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” (vs. 19a)
Notice that Paul doesn’t ask the Ephesians to pray that God will give them this power, but that they would live in light of the power they already have.
What would it be like if you began to pray this for yourself and for others in the months ahead? What if we devoted ourselves to praying below the surface?
One of the easiest ways is to take these verses and just fill in the blank with the name of the person you’re praying for.
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give _________ the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that _________ may know Him better.
"I pray that the eyes of _________ heart may be enlightened in order that _________ may know the hope to which He has called ________...
"…and His incomparably great power for _________ who believes…"
Here are other passages you can pray for yourself and others.
- Romans 15:5-6
- Romans 15:13
- Ephesians 1:17
- Ephesians 1:18-19
- Philippians 1:9-10
- Colossians 1:9-10
- I Thessalonians 5:23
- Philemon 6
Text: Ephesians 1:15-23
Originally recorded on January 24, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Who are you? How do you know who you are?
The World bases your identity on appearance, achievements, acquisitions, and associations. It’s a matter of how you look, what you do, what you get, and who you know. The thing is…basing your identity on these things is a set-up for a heart-break. Sooner or later, all of that will change. None of it is lasting.
But the Word bases your identity on being chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, and sealed by God Most High.
· You are chosen (Eph. 1:4)
For many of us, one of the most painful aspects of growing up was not being chosen. Whether for kickball or the school dance, not being chosen leaves deep scars on our hearts.
But you are chosen by God – chosen not only to be part of the greatest team of all time but chosen to be part of the greatest family of all time.
· You are adopted. (vs. 5)
We are adopted for no other reason than because of His love for us. And the intimacy born of that love is so great, we are invited to call God, “Abba” – which means “Papa”…“Daddy.”
· You are redeemed. (vs. 7a)
The word “redeemed” has to do with something being bought through exchange.
In Paul’s day, a slave’s freedom could be redeemed. Someone else could pay the cost of setting the person in bondage free.
This is precisely what Jesus did for us. He paid the price (with His very life) to redeem us. He purchased our freedom from sin. Whatever has enslaved you - be it drugs, food, sex, gambling, fear, or something else - Jesus has redeemed you. You no longer have to be a slave to those things. You can walk away from whoever or whatever held you captive and enjoy a new life of freedom.
· You are forgiven. (vs. 7b)
What regrets haunt you? What harm have you done? What shame have you carried?
In Christ, you are totally, completely, and eternally forgiven. Jesus died to pay for it all and lives to forgive it all.
· You are sealed. (vs. 13-14)
In the ancient world, owners would affix their personal seal to their possessions, marking it out as their own.
When you made a decision to embrace Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you were sealed by the Spirit of God who took up residence within you. It is this Spirit who comforts you, empowers you, convicts you, and guides you. He reminds you time and again that you are God’s possession and will be through all eternity.
This sealing reminds us that as much as we’re blessed now, it’s just a foretaste of the blessing to come.
Text: Ephesians 1:3-14
Originally recorded January 17, 2016 at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The letter to the Ephesians starts like this: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus...”
Right away, Paul makes a striking statement about how God sees these everyday people. They are “holy people.” The Greek word here is hagios and it means “saints.” Paul is calling them…saints!
Now some of you came out of a background where you heard a lot about saints. You came to understand, and even the dictionary defines, a saint as “a person officially recognized for their holiness of life.”
But the Apostle Paul didn’t think of saints that way. For Paul, sainthood was not a result of something wonderful you accomplished or some courageous deed you performed. According to him (and the other biblical writers), becoming a saint required one step.
Be in Christ.
Jesus came to die for us…to not only pay the penalty for our sins, but to give us a new identity.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come.” II Corinthians 5:17
While you may have once been a “natural born sinner,” when you are in Christ you become a supernaturally born saint! In fact, in this book of Ephesians alone, Paul calls these everyday believers “saints” no less than 9 times.
Being in Christ changes your identity, and a changed identity can and should result in a change in your behavior.
The more you grasp who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect it. “I am not a nobody. I am somebody. I am called a saint by God Himself. I’m a child of the King. I am royalty…deeply cherished and highly valued. And, as such, I refuse to live beneath my identity.”
While our positional acceptance is perfect because we are in Christ, at times we still practice sin. But our identity as saints is still intact. You might want to look at it this way.
Christians are saints who sometimes sin.
The things that you did or that which was done to you might explain you, but they don’t define you. Your identity is in Christ, and because of your new identity, by God’s grace and through the Holy Spirit’s power you can change your activity.
You need to constantly renew your mind as to what true identity really is.
When you are tempted to engage in the activity of a sinner, remember who you are. You are a child of God… dearly loved…completely accepted…wonderfully destined…you are a saint.
This is an aspect of repentance that we all too often fail to practice. Yet “to repent” literally means “to change your mind…to change your thinking.” And one of the most important occasions to do that is when you’re tempted to reduce your identity.
Take a breath. Pause. And say to yourself, “I am a saint. I am no longer what I was.”
Text: Ephesians 1:1
Originally recorded January 10, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians has been called “The Queen of the Epistles.” It brilliantly blends some of the loftiest theology in Scripture with some of the most practical application. As we begin our study together, allow me to introduce this masterful letter.
- The Writer of the Letter: the Apostle Paul
As was the custom in that day, the writer of this letter identifies himself right off the bat. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus…”
Once called Saul, this highly educated and zealous Pharisee passionately hated the way of Jesus and was grimly determined to destroy this movement. But one day he had a miraculous and dramatic encounter with Jesus Himself, and his life turned completely around. Instead of persecuting the Church, he became a leader of the Church. Instead of seeking to wipe out gospel, he sought to expand the gospel, traveling throughout the Roman world to make disciples.
On one of those journeys, he stopped in the city of Ephesus, a thriving Roman metropolis. This letter we have preserved in Scripture wasn’t written out of a crisis or to correct wrong beliefs or behaviors. This letter was written to remind these beloved brothers and sisters who they were in Christ and how this identity gets played out in everyday life.
2. The Recipients of the Letter: everyday saints
The believers in Ephesus were everyday people who were learning to follow Jesus every day. They were a diverse family of believers: religious and irreligious, young and old, male and female, slaves and masters. Yet they were united as the family of God and awed the world by their love for one another.
3. The Structure of the Letter:
The letter can be divided into two parts.
Chapters 1-3 Chapters 4-6
• Doctrinal • Practical
• Belief • Behavior
• Relationship • Responsibility
• Covenant • Kingdom
Text: Ephesians 1:1-3
Originally recorded January 3, 2016 at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Losing someone you love to death is incredibly painful. The grief you feel isn’t something you get over quickly. But for those who have a relationship with Jesus, there is actually hope in the midst of the tears.
In this message, Dave offers encouraging reminders for all believers that the day of reunion nears, the reality of heaven is immediate, and the transformation of your body will be complete.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Originally recorded October 28, 2018, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Jesus‘ ministry was characterized by three things:
· WORDS: He taught with authority.
· WAYS: He chose disciples in whom to invest.
· WORKS: He healed the sick and oppressed.
And His disciples - then and now - are called to not only follow but to imitate their Rabbi.
For most of my Christian life, I committed myself to obey Jesus’ words. And I have come to see that I needed to follow Jesus’ ways, intentionally and strategically investing in a few who will invest in others.
However, when it came to Jesus’ works, I didn’t think I could hope to do the things He did!
But then I saw how Jesus sent out the 12 disciples and “gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Mt. 10:1)
Then I read how he sent out 72 of His followers and gave them the same authority. (Lk. 10:1,9)
Finally, I came across John 14:12. And my excuses began to shrivel up.
“Truly, truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12
Notice the word “whoever.” That implies that ordinary, garden-variety disciples can, in light of their identity in Christ, exercise their authority as it relates to healing.
My problem is that this has not been part of my experience. But recently I have come to see that I have allowed my experience to become more authoritative than God’s Word.
So, here’s a question for you to ponder: As it relates to doing the works of Jesus, do you bring God’s Word down to your experience or do you bring your experience up to God’s Word?
But God doesn’t always heal every time we ask. So how do we live in this tension?
As you know, in Eden everything was very good. There was no sickness or pain. There was no death. Then came the fall when everything broke. Sickness, pain, and death became part of life.
We also know that one day there will be a new earth. The Bible calls this “the Day of the Lord.” In that day, as Rev. 21 says, “…There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain...”
We have the hope that one day full healing will be known by everyone once and for all. We can hold on to that fact and rest in that promise. If healing doesn’t come in the here and now, it will come in the then and there.
We also know that, until that time, “…God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Rom. 8:28(NASB)
Even when healing doesn’t come when we pray, we can be confident that God will cause all things to work together for our good.
The problem is that all too often followers of Jesus quickly capitulate to these first two threads.
But what if there’s another thread? Call it “The Greater Things” thread. If John 14:12 is true and whoever believes in Jesus will do greater things than He did… then everyday disciples have the authority to ask…to pray for healing…now.
Let’s hold on to the hope of heaven, trusting in God’s perfect plan, and step out and pray boldly. Pray and keep on praying until the person is either healed, Christ returns, or they receive their healing in heaven.
Text: Mark 1:15-34; Mt. 10:1; Lk. 10:1,9; Jn. 16:12
Originally recorded June 18, 2017, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When it comes to healing, it’s one thing to deal with the physical brokenness in our bodies or the emotional brokenness in our minds. However, there are occasions when beneath all of that is something that’s hidden yet even more deadly – the spiritual brokenness in our souls. Such strongholds can seriously affect the physical or the mental.
We read of that in Luke 13:10-13.
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.
When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
We might easily conclude that this woman simply had some form of scoliosis. But Doctor Luke notes that the woman’s physical condition had a spiritual cause.
Notice Jesus’ wording: “…you are set free from your infirmity.” This would seem to say that she had been held in bondage.
Friends, that’s what we need to grasp. There are occasions when healing is a matter of deliverance. A Bondage Breaker is needed.
And as disciples of Jesus, we need to be alert to the possibility of spiritual bondage as we pray for healing.
HOW MIGHT GROUND BE GIVEN TO THE ENEMY?
Dr. Marcus Warner uses the acrostic S.O.U.L.
· Sin
Unrepentant sin, especially sexual sin, can open the door to give evil spirits permission to torment us.
· Occult
Ouija boards, seances, witchcraft, visiting mediums, etc. – participation in occult practices is like an open invitation to infestation.
· Unforgiveness
In His parable of the unjust servant, Jesus said that this unforgiving man was turned over “to be tortured.” He then went on to say, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Mt. 18:34-35)
Unforgiveness leads to bondage which can manifest as sickness.
· Lies
Jesus called Satan, “the Father of Lies.” He lies to us about who God is and who we are.
When we believe the lies of the Evil One, often our bodies keep score.
HOW GROUND MIGHT BE TAKEN BACK?
Confess
“In the name of Jesus, I confess my participation in ________ and I renounce any further participation in this sin. I agree with you that it was wrong and I ask Your forgiveness.”
Cancel
“In the name of Jesus, I cancel the permission this has given the enemy. I would take back the ground I gave and ask, Lord for you to cleanse it and claim it.”
Command
“In the name of Jesus I now command every demon who took advantage of this ground to leave and go where the Lord Jesus Christ sends you.”
Commit
“Lord Jesus, I commit these areas of my life and all other areas of my life to You. I ask for Your grace to walk in victory as I go forward.”
Text: Luke 13:10-13
Originally recorded June 11, 2017, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The people of Israel looked forward to the day the Kingdom of God would be revealed, ushering in an era of shalom – complete wholeness in body and soul.
Blind eyes are going to see. Deaf ears are going to hear. Lame legs are going to leap. When? When God comes to save.
That day ultimately arrived. Jesus entered the world, announcing that in Him the Kingdom had come. He not only declared the Kingdom, He demonstrated it.
“… The blind receive sight. The lame walk. Those who have leprosy are cleansed. The deaf hear. The dead are raised. The Good News is proclaimed to the poor.” (Luke 7:22)
He then sent out His representatives and gave them the authority to heal. (Lk. 9:1; 10:1)
Jesus was and still is ready, willing, and able to heal. And part of the commission He gave us - His disciples – was, and still is, that we also be agents of healing
Today I’d like to focus on one of the most striking examples of healing in the Bible. It’s the story of a man who was “covered with leprosy.” As He approached Jesus, he fell on his face and begged, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus’ response was shocking because lepers were considered “unclean.” They were banished from community and treated with fear and disgust. To come into physical contact with a leper was to become contaminated yourself.
But Jesus touched the leper. He reached out his hand and said, “I am willing. Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
I think there is something for us to learn from this story that helps us understand healing today.
The Leper’s Approach
· He approached with courage.For this man to dare approach the great rabbi, Jesus, and ask Him for healing took an enormous amount of courage. But he knew Jesus was His only hope.
Jesus’ response to his courage should give us courage too. If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever – might it be worth the risk for those of us who feel like modern-day lepers to approach Him and ask for deliverance?
· He approached with humility.Note the man’s words: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Not demanding…not insisting… but simply and humbly asking. Healing and humility go hand in hand.
· He approached with faith.Notice what the leper called Jesus: “Lord…” This is the essence of faith – to confess who Jesus is and the power He has even before you see that manifested on your behalf. It’s not seeing then believing; it’s believing then seeing.
Jesus’ Response
· He responded with compassion.Jesus intentionally touched the man. It’s as if He wanted to heal not only the leper’s outward trauma but his inward trauma.
· He responded with reassurance.“I am willing.” Jesus is ever and always willing to heal. The challenge is that this willingness needs to be understood in relationship to His will.
· He responded with power.“Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Here’s what I know: God is the God of Shalom – the God of Salvation, Deliverance, and Healing.
That healing is coming. It may come in this life. It may come in the next, but it is coming.
His one request in the midst of the mystery of His plan and His purposes is, “Ask.” Ask for the healing of your body, your mind, and your soul. Ask.
Text: Luke 5:12-15
Originally recorded April 30, 2017, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
There are certain regrets in life that fall under the category of what might be called, “If only I’d known…” But the ultimate regret story is the one Jesus told in Matthew 25.
Nearly all of Jesus’ parables come out of ordinary life situations and this one is no different. The imagery of a mixed flock of sheep and goats would have been familiar to His audience as would the need to separate the flock at the end of the day. According to this parable, the last judgment will have such a moment of separation.
The Bible states that the day will come when every person who has ever walked this earth will stand before the Lord. And this text makes it clear that there will be a dramatic separation. Some will be invited in (vs.34); others will be told, “Depart from me…into eternal fire” (vs. 41).
What’s striking in this parable is the basis for that judgment: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (vs. 35-40)
According to Jesus, it will be the compassion either shown or not shown to the poor and needy that will be a determinative factor in entering the Kingdom.
Now, at first blush, it appears that Jesus is suggesting eternal life is determined by what you DO. But that is at odds with what the Bible says elsewhere. Salvation is by grace through faith…alone.
However, while we are saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone.
When there has been a true transformation in your heart and soul there is to be an accompanying transformation of your hands and feet. Genuine faith is necessarily connected to works – not works in order to but works because of.
That’s the point Jesus is making here. At the judgment, it will be clear that some people never demonstrated deeds that validated their words.
The second thing that makes this parable so striking is the sort of works the Master is looking for. Of all the examples Jesus could have used to show who really had saving faith and who didn’t, the example He picked was that of showing compassion to those in need.
As he’s separating out the “goats” Jesus doesn’t say to them, “You were brutal and cruel.” In fact, He doesn’t say, “You did bad things,” at all.
He just says, “You did nothing. You saw the need and you looked away. You decided you had more important things to do, but you were wrong. For whatever you did not do for one of the least of these my brothers you did not do for me.”
So, how do we build more compassionate hearts? You must regularly get out of your comfort zone.
There’s a gravitational pull toward comfort and security. That desire impacts where we live, where we shop, where we play, and the schools we send our kids to. It can even impact where you go to church.
As long as I keep myself in that sort of cocoon, the people who live in other conditions - people who are different from me - will never be recipients of the compassion that the Lord expects from His followers.
What typically transforms your heart toward compassion is a real-life experience that grips your heart and ignites your passion.
And that’s going to require getting out of your house.
That’s when your eyes begin to be opened. That’s when you see that there are opportunities for compassion all around you.
Text: Matthew 25:31-46
Originally recorded August 30, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are told right from the start why Jesus told this story. He wanted to motivate His followers to pray and never give up.
In this story, there are two characters. First, there’s a widow. In the Bible, the widow symbolizes one who is weak and helpless, utterly devoid of power or resources. .
The widow in our story was being harassed by some sort of adversary. Perhaps he was trying to intimidate her or exploit her. Whatever the case, she had no means of protection and was in a bad way.
Enter the second character: the judge. Jesus described him as one who “neither feared God nor cared what people thought.”
But this widow is determined to get his attention and gain his favor. She keeps pestering him until he finally gives in and grants her request.
Now at first blush, it would seem that the moral of this story is… it pays to pester!
So, hearing this story, people conclude: “We’re like this widow – helpless and harassed. And we need help from the Judge. And God is like the Judge – only nicer. But He’s busy with big problems, so I better not bother Him unless it’s really important.
“But when it IS important, then I need to do what the widow did…and pester Him! I’ll start banging on the doors of heaven. I’ll call my friends to join me in a corporate pestering assault. Eventually, through sheer persistence, we’ll wrench a blessing from the hands of a God who doesn’t really have the time or interest.”
Friends, that explanation couldn’t be more wrong! This story is NOT an allegory. Rather, it is a brilliantly constructed study in contrasts.
His point is, if this sort of judge gives this sort of help to this sort of person, how much more will your Father give all kinds of help to you?
He gives us three prerequisites we need to understand if we hope to keep praying and not give up.
1. We need to understand our identity.
The needy widow of our story was in a bad way – abandoned and forgotten. But if you have come to faith in Christ and embraced Him as your forgiver and leader, you have become God’s child!
You are not forgotten or abandoned. You are a son or daughter of Almighty God – with all the rights and privileges thereof – wonderfully cherished and passionately loved. As a result, the King of the universe is thrilled with your presence and delighted to hear of your needs.No one’s voice sounds sweeter to God than yours.
2. We need to understand God’s inclination.
Don’t think for a minute that you have to concoct some way to wrench a blessing from some tight-fisted miser. From cover to cover, the Bible tells of a God who loves to give good things to His children.
Understanding God’s heart also helps when the answer is NO. A loving Father sometimes says NO or not now or not in that way. If we have learned to trust his heart toward us and his sovereignty, the NO’s are easier to take.
3. We need to understand the invitation.
You are supremely important to God. He’s thrilled with your presence. He’s predisposed to your good. He delights in pouring out resources for your needs. You don't have to moan and groan, snivel and grovel. Just ask. He is ready, willing, and able to meet with you and partner with you.
Text: Luke 18:1-8
Originally recorded August 9, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Whenever you deal with people, there will inevitably be conflicts. People will hurt you. You may be facing that right now – in your family, your neighborhood, your job, or your church.
And our response is to want to settle the score. Even as Christians we have ways of making them pay, such as:
- Silence. You get wounded, so the walls go up and the words shut down
- Distance. You withdraw, ostensibly to keep them from hurting you further; but deep down inside you’re doing it to hurt them.
- Sabotage. Gossip, slander, back-biting...even veiled prayer requests. It’s one more way we can get back at them.
Here’s the irony: such revenge is always a losing proposition. When you throw mud, ultimately it’s the Kingdom that loses ground.
Jesus knew that, so He frequently taught about relational integrity. The parable in Matthew 18 is one such case.
A king wanted to settle his accounts with his servants, so he called them in one by one. One particular servant came in who owed his master a massive amount of money – more than he could possibly repay. The king, as was his right, declared the man, his family, and all that he owned should be sold to recoup something of this debt.
The servant begged for mercy, pleading for more time. The king took pity on him, canceled his debt, and let him go.
That brings us to the first theme in this story.
The cost of the master’s forgiveness
It was neither easy nor cheap for that master to let his guilty servant go. He canceled the debt at a huge personal cost.
That word, “canceled,” is also used in Colossians 2:13-14. Each of us owed God a massive debt because of our sin. That debt was real and none of us had the capacity to repay it.
If we were going to be set free, someone else was going to have to pay. Somebody was going to have to absorb the loss. And according to Col. 2, someone did. Jesus paid our debt…with His very life.
Back to the parable.
When the man left, he found another servant who owed him a few bucks. He attacked him, saying, “Pay back what you owe me!” The other servant begged for mercy, but the wicked servant refused and had him thrown in prison until he could repay the debt.
We read this and think, “How could this guy do such a thing?” Yet, we all likely have faces that appear on our mental screens. People we won’t forgive because they shattered our hopes and broke our hearts.
To be sure, there was no excuse for their actions. But the question isn’t, “Were they wrong?” The question is, “In light of the staggering amount we have been forgiven, what possible right do we have to withhold forgiveness?”
When the king heard what had happened, he was incredulous. He called in the servant and said, “After all I did for you, shouldn’t you have shown mercy?” The king then threw him in prison and turned him over to the torturers.
This brings us to the next theme.
The price for the servant’s unforgiveness.
Jesus is making a powerful point here: If you choose to hold onto your hate…if you will not forgive…you will pay a high cost. Studies have shown the connection between harboring long-term resentment and numerous emotional and physical illnesses…and even death.
In contrast, there’s forgiveness. Though it appears to be foolish, in reality, it's one of the smartest moves you’ll ever make. Lew Smedes writes: “The first and often the only person to be healed by forgiveness is the person who does the forgiveness… When we forgive we set a prisoner free and then discover that the prisoner we set free was us.”
Text: Matthew 18:21-35
Originally recorded August 2, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
It happened at a dinner party. Jesus’ critics tried to lay a trap for Him, but Jesus turned the tables on them. How? He told them a story.
A man planned a banquet and sent out the invitations. RSVPs came in and preparations were made. On the appointed day, once everything was ready, the man sent his servants to each of his guests saying: “Come! The party’s ready to start.” But one by one each guest offered a lame excuse. Jesus’ audience would have laughed at the reasons given for why they couldn’t attend. They were ridiculous, and the height of rudeness.
When the host heard the excuses he told his servants, “Go bring in the poor and the lame and the blind and bring them to my party. Go to the highways and the byways and bring people in. I want my table to be full.”
There’s a lot of symbolism here that would have been readily understood by Jesus’ audience. The master of the banquet obviously stands for God. And the guests who were originally invited were the Jews – God’s “chosen people.”
The point Jesus is making is this: Throughout history, you people (He was speaking mostly to the religious elite here) have been looking forward to the day when the Kingdom would break in, and yet, now that it finally has, you have all sorts of reasons why you don’t want to commit.
Why would that be? For one thing, Jesus didn’t fulfill their expectations of a conquering hero leading them to triumphant victory. Rather, He took the form of a servant and He was calling them to be servants as well.
Moreover, He seemed to be predisposed toward those who they’d tried to stay away from - the broken, the sick, the stained, and the marginalized. The idea that these were the people not only to be reached out to but actually prioritized messed up their privileged way of thinking.
So now, when told “all is ready,” the reply from all too many was, “Sorry, but I’m not interested.”
So how might we summarize this and apply it to our day?
1. GOD INVITES US TO A GREAT BANQUET.
For some, all you’ve had is a view of God as a mean tyrant or an aloof, impersonal force. Others have known nothing but dry religion – where you have to keep the rules and jump through the hoops.
But here God says, “Come, all things are ready.” How could that be? Because Jesus paid for your invitation with His life. He made it possible for you to be invited to the banquet.
But...
2. GOD’S INVITATION CAN BE REFUSED.In Jesus’ parable, the excuses came down to three things:
-
the preoccupation with business
-
the distraction of things
-
the affection for another
Each person has to decide whether they will accept the invitation or opt for life outside the banquet hall.
3. GOD IS ANGERED WITH OUR EXCUSES.
We don’t like to think about the anger of God. Yet this parable tells us quite clearly how God feels about our excuses for rejecting his wonderful and costly offer.
Finally…
4. GOD ASKS US TO INVITE IN THE LEAST, THE LAST, AND THE LOST.
While the master gives the invitation, it’s up to the servants to share the word. The master longs for the house to be full, for all the seats around the table to be taken. And He wants those who are in your sphere of influence to know that there is a place for them.
Text: Luke 14:1-27
Originally recorded June 21, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We are treasuring creatures. The question is not if we treasure, but what we treasure.
Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21)
Now the Lord didn’t say this to make us feel bad. He’s just stating the way things are. What you treasure is the trigger to your deepest points of response.
So, what did Jesus treasure?
In the parable found in Matthew 13:44, Jesus says: “The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure…”There it is! Jesus valued above all else God’s Kingdom. This was His treasure.
The Kingdom...
- captivated His thinking
“From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near.” Matt. 4:17
- prioritized His activities
“Jesus went throughout Galilee…preaching the good news of the Kingdom…” Matt. 4:23
- focused His prayers
“…Your Kingdom come, Your will be done…” Matt. 6:10
- impacted His investments
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...” Matt. 6:19-20
How does what Jesus treasured compare with what you treasure?
Jesus tells the story of a man who found a treasure buried in a field. He was so excited about his discovery that he sold everything he had so he could buy that field and with it the treasure that was far greater than anything he’d ever known.
This is Jesus’ point. Just as the treasure was hidden in the ground, with its true value remaining unseen, so the Kingdom is all too often undiscovered and untapped. In effect, He’s saying here, “Oh, if you could grasp just how incredible the Kingdom is! It’s the greatest thing you could ever be a part of! It’s the ultimate treasure!”
See, Jesus had experienced this Kingdom. He knew how great this treasure was and He came and ultimately died so we could experience it too.
His vision for the Kingdom fueled His passion which resulted in His mission.
Jesus treasured the Kingdom above everything and everyone else. What might it look like if we did the same?
Ask yourself these questions:
· Has the Kingdom begun to captivate my thinking?
· Has the Kingdom started to prioritize my activities?
· Has the Kingdom changed the focus of my prayers?
· Has the Kingdom impacted my investments?
Oh, that we would have a fresh vision for the Kingdom.
Oh, that we would have a renewed passion for the Kingdom.
Oh, that we would undertake the mission of the Kingdom.
Can you imagine the fulfillment that would be ours in this life?
Can you imagine the rewards that will be ours in the next life?
Text: Matthew 13:44
Originally recorded June 14, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Many of the lessons we learn in life come through stories. No one knew this more than Jesus. So, as He began to share with people about this Kingdom that He was launching, He told stories to capture their attention – that they might join Him in the ultimate revolution.
The storytelling strategy He used is called parables. He used parables for many reasons.
1. Parables arouse our interest.
2. Parables facilitate our understanding.
3. Parables disarm our objections.
4. Parables challenge our sincerity.
5. Parables awaken our desire.
In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the four soils.
A farmer would walk his field “broadcast spreading” his seed. Some of it was lost immediately since it fell on hard ground, and the birds would quickly come and snatch away the seed.
Some of it fell on places where the soil was over a layer of rock and though there was immediate receptivity, the roots of the plant couldn’t go deep and it soon died.
Some seed fell in places where weeds were present. As it grew, the weeds eventually strangled it out.
Some seed fell on good soil. It was received well, roots went down deep, and the result was a wonderful harvest.
The four-part interpretation of the parable is a brilliant picture of how people respond to the preaching of the Kingdom. It illustrates four types of heart. In this parable, Jesus is asking you to analyze the soil of your heart.
First of all, there’s a hardened heart.
What makes a heart hard? Well, what makes soil hard? Three things: being trampled on, no rain, never having been plowed.
Hearts can be hardened in the same way. Some people grow hard because of how they’ve been trampled on.
Harsh circumstances can also harden hearts. Dry periods where there’s nothing refreshing at all.
Or maybe the hardness is born of a stubborn unwillingness to be broken up by God’s Spirit.
Secondly, there’s a shallow heart.
This person hears the message and has a quick, even emotional, reaction to it. And it was a great thing...until the feelings faded...until the heat was turned up. And then the seed was in trouble. Why? Because there was no root system. There was no depth because there wasn’t any growth.
There’s a third kind of soil. It represents a crowded heart
Jesus identifies the weeds as: “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth.” I’ve seen this happen with tragic frequency in those who once were growing so well as disciples. Then life got in the way: the pressures of the job, the activities of children, the call of leisure, etc.
What makes this so subtle is that these “weeds” don’t look so bad at first blush. The problem is that before you know it, the worries of this life and deceitfulness of wealth can slowly but surely squeeze out any fruitfulness.
But there is one soil left – good soil. Call it a fruitful heart.
In this situation, the seed is well-received. And fruit is produced.
What are some signs of fruitfulness? The Bible talks about the “fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Fruit is something that others can see and enjoy.
Another function of fruit is its capacity to reproduce itself. You can tell fruit is good when it leads to other fruit.
Jesus was looking for fruit in His people.
Text: Matthew 13:1-15
Originally recorded June 7, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Worship does many things.
Worship…
- gives praise to the One who is above your circumstances.
- provides perspective in your circumstances.
- breaks the power of the forces of darkness behind your circumstances.
Psalm 8:2 says: “From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise because of your enemies to silence the foe and the avenger.”
And a paraphrase of Psalm 50:23 reads: “To him that uses praise over and over, enough to make a trodden path, will I show the deliverance of God.”
I don’t quite understand how worship offered to God can be so crippling to the powers of darkness, but somehow, someway, praise scrambles the enemy’s strategy and frustrates his plans.
No place is that more clearly seen than in the life of King Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was a good king; he was a faithful and godly man. Yet, this did not exempt him from the threat of trouble. In fact, as he sought to extend God’s Kingdom, that actually invited trouble.
In 2 Chronicles 20, we read that 3 armies converged on the small kingdom of Judah to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
What was his response to this huge threat? First of all, he was alarmed! He was afraid!
What I think this shows us is that fear in the face of sudden crisis does not disqualify you as a person of faith or a person of potential victory. The key is what a person does after that fear comes.
So, what does Jehoshaphat do? He sought the Lord. Standing before the entire nation, this leader cried out, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (vs. 12)
Then from the midst of the crowd, a Levite – a worship leader – spoke up. “Don’t be afraid…for the battle is not yours but God’s.”
The everyone…from the King to the smallest child worshipped the Lord. With a “very loud voice,” they stood and praised the Lord!
The next day, the army of Judah assembled to go into battle, but upon the counsel of the people, Jehoshaphat sent out a choir of worshipers before the army. And the Bible says that “when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against” the enemy armies. They turned on one another, destroying each other. All that was left for God’s people to do was to pick up the spoils of war.
Friends, you may be facing a very real threat - physically, relationally, financially, emotionally. Like Jehoshaphat, you don’t know what to do. Keep in mind that there may well be more at play than meets the eye. We’re in a real battle.
And though you might feel as if you’ve lost your song, remember your praise is powerful. So sing… even in your tears…even with your doubts. Because worship is a powerful weapon in this war.
Text: Psalm 8:2, 50:23; 2 Chronicles 17, 20
Originally recorded October 23, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul tells us that the battles we face in life are not against flesh and blood humans. The real battle is against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, we need to fight our battles on that front.
He then uses the illustration of a Roman soldier armed for battle, instructing us to put on the armor of God, protecting and preparing us for the attacks that are sure to come.
But of all the pieces of armor he describes, there is only one piece that is offensive in nature. The Sword. (Eph. 6:17) And since we do not fight with the weapons of this world, what is our sword?
It is the Word of God.
But while it’s one thing to understand that the Word of God is a sword that can be wielded against the powers of darkness, it’s something else to see it used effectively. And the best example I know is Jesus Himself.
Following His baptism, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. And after 40 days of fasting, Satan comes to Him. (Mt. 4:1-11)
Here we see a classic pattern of temptation that we would do well to understand.
Expect the attack that is sure to come.
We live in a war zone. You might not like it. You can, however, be ready for it.
Let me give you two instances when you need to be especially alert.
· It will come at a time when the enemy thinks you are vulnerable.
Jesus has been fasting for 40 days. He was hungry. That’s when Satan stepped in.
Satan is not omniscient. But he is very observant. He knows when you’re weak, tired, hurt, or alone, and he will take advantage of those moments.
· It will come when you’re on the threshold of something great.
Jesus was about to launch His ministry. The Evil One knew that and tried to stop it in the fragility of its infancy. This strategy hasn’t changed.
We also need to…
Understand that the attack is going to be directed at your weak spot.
The first of Satan’s temptations was to turn stones into bread so He could eat. It wasn’t that eating was wrong, it was that this wasn’t the time to eat.
We all face the same temptation.
· fulfilling your desires at the wrong time
The issue isn’t the legitimacy of the desire; it’s fulfilling it at the wrong time.
Satan’s second temptation was to entice Jesus to throw Himself off the highest point of the Temple. Seems like a strange temptation, but the heart of it was…
· attaining your goals in the wrong way
Many of us are vulnerable to the whisper that the end justifies the means.
The third temptation was to gain wealth and power by bowing the knee to Satan. The temptation we face is…
· focusing your worship on the wrong thing
An idol is anything more important to you than God. Anything that absorbs your attention and affection more than God. Anything you seek to give you what only God can give.
How did Jesus triumph over these powerful temptations? He used His sword, the Scriptures. He determined to…
Combat the attack with the Word of truth.
- Jesus knew the Word and
- Jesus used the Word
Jesus responded to each temptation with these words: “It is written.” Jesus not only had Scripture memorized, but He knew how to apply that Word to specific situations and temptations.
As His disciples, we must learn to do what Jesus did if we hope to overcome temptation.
Text: Ephesians 6:10-20; Matthew 4:1-11
Originally recorded October 16, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We live in a world at war. A spiritual war that is being felt in the lives of people since the fall of man.
But the incarnation of Jesus Christ was an invasion. The Son of God dropped down from above…into occupied territory…to do battle with the Enemy…and to free those held captive.
The mission was a glorious success. But the price paid couldn’t have been higher. It cost Jesus His life. Yet, because of that sacrifice, those of us who have embraced Him by faith have experienced wonderful liberation from sin and Satan.
Shortly after His successful mission, Jesus ascended to heaven, retaking His position at the right hand of the Father. The Bible says that positionally, we are seated there with Him, sharing in His authority above all powers and principalities.
And now, in light of that authority, Jesus asks us to follow His example by joining the invasion. The Great Commission is our mandate to take back territory and liberate prisoners.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 says: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
If you’re going to be engaged in a battle, you need to know what your weapons are. The first of those weapons is PRAYER.
In Ephesians 6:10-20, the Apostle Paul talks about who our enemy is, and urges us to put on the armor of God. Why? To pray. Verse 18 says: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Paul not only challenges these disciples to pray as it relates to the attack they’re under but to pray that they and he might go on the offensive.
There are two aspects of warfare praying that I want to highlight. The first is using…
- The Name of Jesus
Luke 10:17 notes how demons were cast out “in Jesus'” name. Jesus, Himself promises extraordinary power being released when we ask anything “in His name” (John 14:13).
In inviting us to use His name, Jesus transfers divine authority to us. I’m not talking about glibly and mindlessly closing a prayer with “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” But when we thoughtfully, boldly, and confidently bring the name of Jesus to bear upon a situation, the Enemy is forced to back down because of the authority it holds.
Another aspect of warfare praying is…
- The Blood of Jesus
When Jesus shed His blood on the cross, not only were our sins paid for but Satan’s power was definitively broken.
The forces of evil hate nothing more than to be reminded of the blood of Christ. That shed blood broke the Evil One’s power. And when it is invoked in prayer, darkness must give way.
Dear ones, we who have come to embrace Jesus by faith have been saved. We’ve been sealed. We’ve been seated. But we’ve also been given an assignment – to invade a lost world and to engage an Enemy who still holds millions as prisoners.
The task is daunting. But it’s not hopeless. Our victory is assured. The time is coming when Satan and his forces will be sentenced once and for all to the Lake of Fire. And then, Jesus will reign!
But until that day, we’ve got a job to do. We’ll have all of eternity to celebrate our victories, but we only have a short time to gain them. Let’s make the most of the time we have.
CLICK HERE for links to resources mentioned in this episode.
Text: Ephesians 6:10-20; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Originally recorded October 9, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the strategies used by special forces teams is called H.A.L.O. – High Altitude, Low Opening. In order to minimize their exposure to enemy gunfire, these expert parachutists jump from a plane at a minimum altitude of 25,000 ft. They then free fall accelerating to up to 200 mph, opening their chutes only 2000 ft above the ground. Special forces from above, landing behind enemy lines, prepared to take back occupied territory.
That’s a great metaphor for what we’re called to as disciples of Jesus. In a very real sense, we are His special forces and join His invasion to liberate His people.
We live in a world at war. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, not only did they fall from their exalted position, but Satan, the Evil One, stepped into the power vacuum. Since then, not only is everyone born broken, we’re born in bondage.
Fortunately, God was not willing to give up on what He had created. He came up with an amazing strategy to reverse the curse. In the fullness of time, Jesus made the first HALO landing. We celebrate it to this day, calling it “Christmas.”
Jesus battled the Enemy for several years, til on a gray Friday afternoon, it appeared that He had been defeated. In reality, Jesus’ death on the Cross and His resurrection three days later validated His victory.
Now Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father, “far about all rule and authority, power and dominion” – terms describing the evil forces of darkness. (Eph. 1:20-21) God has declared Jesus to be Lord over all!
Then a few verses later, we read that those who are in Christ are seated “with Christ in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 2:6). This position of authority means that we fight our battles, not FOR victory, but FROM victory!
Though the final outcome is assured, there is still a battle being waged all around us. Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-12 that we “wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
But 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us that God has given us weapons to fight with in this spiritual battle. Not guns or tanks, but spiritual weapons. Powerful weapons that can demolish the strategies of the enemy and help us overcome him.
Over the coming weeks, we’re going to look at three of them: Prayer, Scripture, and Praise.
Text: Ephesians 1:20-2:6; 6:10-12; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Originally recorded October 2, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
If there was ever a prophet of hope in the OT, it was Isaiah. And yet he recognized that, as a diamond is best displayed on a black background, hope is best seen in the midst of despair.
The voice said, “Cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades…
But the word of our God stands forever.”
Isaiah 40:6-8
Even in the darkest of situations…even in the very presence of death itself …God has the last word.
I want us to look at an illustration of this in John 11. it involves Jesus and a good friend of his, Lazarus.
One day Lazarus got sick - so sick his sisters, Mary and Martha, knew he was dying. Their only hope was their dear friend…Jesus. They knew He could heal people. They’d seen Him do it. Surely He could heal Lazarus!
So, they sent a message. “The one you love is sick.” But rather than drop everything and come immediately, Jesus stayed where He was…for 2 more days. When Jesus and his disciples finally made their way to Bethany, they were greeted by a grieving, angry Martha who told them that her brother was dead and buried.
But Jesus replied with a remarkable statement: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn.11:25-26)
Jesus was using the name God gave Himself when He appeared to Moses in the burning bush: I AM. It speaks of God’s eternity and His sovereignty. He is over all things.
Then He asks Martha a question: “Do you believe this?”
How about you? Do YOU believe this?
As for Martha, the answer is yes. She has seen enough. The evidence that Jesus is indeed “I Am” in the flesh is beyond reasonable doubt.
Then Jesus encounters Martha’s grief-stricken sister, Mary, and His response is completely different. He wept.
Why? He knows that Lazarus is going to be okay. Why does grief come pouring out of Him like this?
Jesus, in a wonderful snapshot of His compassion, wept because of His friends’ hurt. He wept for their pain and their suffering. Don’t ever wonder if Jesus is indifferent to your pain. He cares!
Jesus then asked to be shown to the tomb and to have the stone rolled away. Martha protested because, after 4 days, the body would have begun to decompose…and with is a terrible stench.
Then with a loud voice, Jesus cried out, “Lazarus, come forth!” And to everyone’s amazement, Lazarus walked out of that tomb!
Friends, I don’t know what you’re facing, but remember this. God has the last word. You may feel like your marriage is over, your health is hopeless, your finances are finished. But hold on to hope, for God has the last word.
Text: John 11
Originally recorded April 18, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Near the end of his life, the Apostle Paul wrote these words to his protégé, Timothy: “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7)
Each of us has a race to run. And how you run that race carries huge implications – not only in the present but for the future. Indeed, for future generations.
The race of life is in fact a relay.
To be sure, each of us must run our own race. But it’s our responsibility to pass on the baton of belief to the next runners.
And that lends itself to our second point.
The race of life will be a success when the baton is passed.
No matter how good your “split” may be, you can’t really claim a “win” if the baton isn’t passed to the next runner.
As Paul is writing this letter, Timothy is running in full stride. But the race still isn’t over. Another hand-off needs to be made. That hand-off is alluded to in II Tim. 2:2.
“You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” II Timothy 2:2 (NLT)
Passing the baton off to one’s family is hugely important. But passing the baton of faith goes well beyond family.
Now, I always thought that the rules were, if you dropped the baton in a relay, you were automatically disqualified. But that’s not so.
A dropped baton does not necessarily result in disqualification.
Look at these words from the United States Association for Track and Field regarding the baton pass:
“The baton shall be carried by hand throughout the race. If dropped, it shall be recovered by the athlete who dropped it. He/she may leave the assigned lane to achieve the baton provided no other runner is impeded and provided that by doing so the distance to be covered is not lessened.”
If I’m the passer and I fumble the exchange, I have to pick up the baton. If I’m the receiver and I drop the baton after the exchange was made, I have to pick it up.
Can you see where I’m going with this? Parents, some of you know you dropped the baton. Perhaps you were careless or distracted.
Here’s the thing. The race isn’t over. You aren’t disqualified. You can still go back and pick up the baton. But only you can do it. It’s never too late to start living a life worth imitating.
Perhaps your parents tried their best to pass on the faith, but you fumbled it. Perhaps you made some foolish decisions. Maybe you even left the faith for a while.
You’re not disqualified either. But you have to go back to where you dropped the baton, pick it up, and start running in a smarter way.
The next challenge in passing the baton is…Exchange zone violations
Once again from the USATF rulebook:
“The takeover zone shall be 20 meters long. In all relay races the baton shall be passed in the takeover zone…Passing the baton outside the takeover zone shall result in disqualification.”
Space is limited for the baton pass.
Parents…grandparents…you have roughly 18 years to make the pass. When that time is gone, your potential for making the exchange is reduced.
That’s why it’s so important to be intentional and strategic in your parenting.
Check out the book Sticky Faith by Kara Powell and Chap Clark which served as a major resource for this series.
Text: 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Originally recorded May 11, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
I have four audiences in mind for this message.
1. YouthYou who are in junior high school or high school face the challenge of making the faith your own faith.
2. Young AdultsYou are the Church’s hope for the future. It might encourage you to know that ever since the 1st century the greatest Kingdom movements came from 18-29 year-olds. Stay strong. Shine your light and shake your salt.
3. ParentsResearch indicates (and this was kids saying this), the #1 influence in their lives was their parents. However, those same kids said that influence wasn’t manifest in what those parents said as much as in how those parents lived.
4. GrandparentsThe importance of your role cannot be overstated. Perhaps your kids have dropped the baton with their kids. You can pick it up and pass it on to your grandchildren.
Or perhaps you can intentionally look for those kids outside of your family who don’t have an engaged parent and make a difference. You have experience and wisdom, and above all, you have time.
The bottom line? We’re all in this together. And it’s going to take all of us buck the odds.
2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.”(NKJV)
What is seen here is that when we face the challenges of life, we can take two different responses. The first is…“timidity/fear” – a reactive response.
We can look at the matter of passing on the faith to our children in an increasingly depraved world and worry ourselves sick that our kids might become a statistic. The thing is, not only will that lead you into misery, but ironically it can make things worse.
What God has given us is a spirit of “power, love, and a sound mind” – a proactive response.
- Power
In order to access the power of God to pass on the faith to the next generation is the proactive position of prayer. Not reactive prayer where we pray after a crisis surfaces, but proactive prayer where we pray before a crisis surfaces.
God has also given us a spirit of…
- Love
The Greek word here is agape. That word means “love without limits, love without cause.” It’s the sort of love that God has for His children – a love that gives the best and forgives the worst. As those who’ve been given this love, we’re to pass it on.
The proactive position is care. Agape love is not simply a feeling, it’s an action. Research has shown that young people who end up with a sticky faith experienced care (well-calibrated grace and truth) from their parents and grandparents.
God has given us a spirit of power, love, and a…
- Sound mind
80% of the young adults who walk away from their faith admitted they never thought they would do so. So, the proactive position is to prepare.
How can you help prepare your children for life when they’re not under your roof? We need to be strategic and intentional. To have unduly sheltered your children while in your home without preparing them for life outside your home is to send them out totally unprepared.
Check out the book Sticky Faith by Kara Powell and Chap Clark which served as a major resource for this series.
Text: 2 Timothy 1:3-7
Originally recorded May 4, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
A few years ago a sobering statistic came out. According to Gallop polls, approximately 40% of the 18-29-year-olds who attended church when they were 16 or 17 are no longer attending church.
About the same time, the Barna Group released its own, even more disconcerting, findings, noting 61% of today’s young adults who had been churched at one point during their teen years are now spiritually disengaged.
The greatest crisis we may be facing in the American church isn’t the debate about a literal hell or the relaxing of sexual mores, important as those may be. It’s the loss of our kids.
How does such news strike you? Some might respond with:
- Disgust: “That generation is just a bunch of spoiled kids who don’t seem to care about anything.”
- Blame: “If the youth department were doing their job, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
- Denial: “Those are kids who came out of bad homes or lousy churches. Won’t happen to my kids.”
- Resolve: “I have to do something.”
So, how did we get here? What went wrong? Here are a few root causes:
1. Outsourced parenting.Scripture is clear that the primary responsibility to pass on the faith to the next generation falls on the family. Faith begins at home. But whether because of busyness or lack of skill, we have turned the discipleship of our kids over to the church. But we only have your kids for a couple of hours a week…at most. You have them the rest of the time.
2. Diluted discipleship:Our children are encouraged to accept Jesus into their hearts so that their sins might be forgiven and they get to go to heaven when you die.” But we don’t teach our children, much less show our children, anything about living for Jesus now – why that matters and how fulfilling that can be.
3. Generational fragmentation.
One of the biggest changes I’ve seen in the American extended family is the loss of generational connectedness. If influence is a function of relationship and relationship is a function of time spent together… we’ve lost a huge amount of potential influence.
4. Societal disintegration.On multiple fronts, the very fabric of society is becoming unraveled. And, as a result, it’s far more challenging to be a parent and far more difficult to be a kid.
So, how can we reverse this trend?
1. Recognize the value of multi-generational influence.In 1 Timothy 1, we see that while Timothy’s sticky faith began with his grandmother and then his mother, his father seems to be nowhere in the picture. So, Paul became a father figure for the young man. He invested in this young man…and that investment paid great dividends.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your kids is to put them into environments where they would be influenced by other men and women who shared your love for God. The greater the level of generational connectedness, the greater the sticky faith.
2. Remember the importance of personal investment.Paul had spent time with Timothy. He had talked to Timothy. But above all, he had been a model for Timothy. People will remember 30% of what you say and 70% of what they see.
Check out the book Sticky Faith by Kara Powell and Chap Clark which served as a major resource for this series.
Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-7
Originally recorded April 27, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Well, we’ve reached the end of Abraham’s journey of trust. At the “good old age” of 175, Abraham breathed his last and was buried by his sons.
He had his flaws and failures, but all things considered, he lived a truly triumphant life.
I want to leave you with a few parting principles. They’re very simple to understand but quite challenging to apply. In fact, they’ll take a lifetime to master. Yet, if followed, they can steer you well toward your goal of leaving a lasting legacy.
Here’s the first: Wherever God leads, follow.
When God called Abraham to leave his home and go to some unknown land, he was 75 years old. But he didn’t let age hold him back from obedience. The time never comes when you’re too old to move forward into a new spiritual frontier.
There’s a second principle that you would do well to grasp: Whatever God promises, believe.
Abraham took God at His word. Do you?
If He challenges you through His Word to trust and obey, do you look for ways to dodge around the issue, or do you dare to believe that it’s ultimately for your good?
If a command doesn’t appear to make a lot of sense – to extend grace, offer forgiveness, serve sacrificially, share generously – do you rationalize your obedience or do you see it as an opportunity to live by faith?
My friends, don’t let the difficulty of obedience keep you from doing what He asks. And don’t let the odds of success keep you from trusting.
One last principle: Whenever God tests, trust.
Sooner or later, every one of us here will have to travel to Moriah. The walk of faith will mean a trip to that painful mountain where you will be asked to place that which is very precious to you on the altar.
There you’ll have to decide if God can be trusted or not. There you will have to grapple with whether He is enough – even though your heart is breaking.
You may have heard it said that “God never gives us more than we can handle.”
The fact is… that’s totally untrue.
Many of God’s tests challenge us to trust Him at a whole new level by giving us far more than we can handle on our own.
He wants us to be stretched in our faith through these Moriah moments. Moreover, having passed that test, we will discover that it opens the door to a whole new level of blessing.
Abraham’s story is our story. In a very real way, each of us is a nomad. Like him, we are all invited to embark on a great spiritual journey. Abraham’s epitaph can be ours if, like him, we choose to believe in God’s promise of provision through the Son. And, like him, we can also be declared righteous because of it.
Text: Genesis 25:7-11
Originally recorded December 14, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The opening words of Genesis 22 read: “Some time later God tested Abraham.”
That word “test” is only used in the Bible in reference to the people of God, never unbelievers. Which begs the question, “Why would a loving Father test His cherished children?”
I’m convinced that the answer to that question is within that question. It’s because our Father is loving and does cherish us that He tests us.
The purpose behind the giving of tests is to develop us, not to destroy us.
At the age of 100, Abraham and 90-year-old Sarah had a baby. A son they named Isaac. He was the son of God’s promise, the beginning of a line of descendants that would be as numerous as the stars, a nation through whom the world would be blessed.
And Abraham loved Isaac…more than anything.
Then one day God came to Abraham and said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering...”(v. 2)
In reading this, any thinking person immediately asks, “Why? What is the purpose of such a demanding test?” It almost doesn’t seem fair after all this man has been through.
Had Isaac perhaps grown too dear to Abraham? Had the boy taken the place of primary loyalty in Abraham’s heart? Could this wonderful gift of promise have begun to cloud Abraham’s commitment to the Promise Keeper?
We’re not specifically told. All we see is that God decides to test Abraham in a way that none of us can begin to fathom.
We aren’t privy to the agonizings of Abraham’s heart. But what we are told is that he obeys… immediately. He sets about to do what God commands, even though it means giving up what he loves the most.
The journey to Moriah took three days. Throughout those miles of travel, Abraham’s mind must have been spinning even as his heart was aching. But Abraham stays on the journey of faith, showing a tenacious obedience in the midst of agonizing pain and unanswered questions.
The key to handling tests is to never forget in the dark what you learned in the light.
Arriving at the mountain, Isaac asks his father, “We have the wood and the fire, but where is the sacrifice?” Abraham’s answer? “God will provide.”
Then he bound his son, laid him on the altar and, I can imagine with tears streaming down his face, Abraham raises the knife to sacrifice his son.
Some of you know exactly what that feels like. Your laughter has ceased because your dreams seem to be as good as dead. Maybe it’s your marriage, your singleness, or your dream of children. Perhaps it’s your ministry or dreams of a life of impact.
Now you stand on Moriah, with your dreams on the altar. It means being willing to trust and obey even when from a human perspective it appears to be absurd to do so. It means believing that God knows what He’s doing even if you don’t.
With the knife in the air, a voice rings out: “Abraham. Don’t lay a hand on the boy… Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
This test wasn’t for God’s benefit. It was for Abraham’s. It allowed him to see the extent of his faith and plumb the depths of his trust. It forced him to grapple with who really was #1 in his life.
But, more than that, it allowed God to bless him even further. His willingness to lay it all on the altar opened up the door to something only God could give.
The reward for passing tests is provision in your present and fulfillment in your future.
Text: Genesis 22:1-19
Originally recorded December 7, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Some of the most comforting words in all the world are these: God forgives your sins.
But while God forgives our sins and wipes the slate clean in terms of our relationship with Him, our wrongdoing may have lingering consequences with others.
For example, say you got caught shoplifting. As you confessed that to God, He forgives you. However, you might have to deal with the fact that you also sinned against society, and that society demands that you pay a penalty. So now you have a criminal record. Consequences.
Or maybe your anger has wounded your children and now that relationship is damaged. Or you engaged in sexual sin and now you can never get back what you’ve given away. Consequences.
Can God forgive? Yes. But consequences remain.
This is where we find Abraham in his journey of trust. Isaac, the child of God’s promise, is now 3 years old and the doting parents are throwing a party. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Ishmael, the son of Abraham’s sin, is harshly mocking and mistreating his half-brother. Isaac’s mother, Sarah, would have none of it. She demands that Abraham get rid of Ishmael and his mother, Hagar.
Abraham was distressed. It’s not difficult to imagine him kicking himself for his earlier actions. “What a mess I’ve made of this! Now I’m caught between a grown son whom I love and an angry wife.” To Abraham’s way of thinking, there were no good options, and he was paralyzed.
Finally, God steps in. Ishmael had to go. And Abraham obeyed.
It seems heartless, but God had a plan – not only for Abraham but for Hagar and Ishmael.
Hagar and her son wandered into the desert and when their food and water had run out, Hagar put her son in the shade of a bush and walked away so she wouldn’t have to watch him die.
Perhaps you feel like Hagar. Your memories are sad, and your future is bleak. Your soul is parched, and you don’t know where to turn.
May I offer you a word of hope? While you may feel all alone, you are not alone. God sees you. He hears your weeping. And He is willing to meet you and care for you. He will see you through the barrenness of this desert if you will but follow His lead.
God opened Hagar’s eyes to a resource that was right there all along – a well. Life-giving water.
Scripture goes on to say that Ishmael became the father of 12 sons, and eventually the entire Arab nation.
This lends itself to our first point of application.
Though past events might result in a painful present, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a hopeful future.
It also points us to points to a difficult yet helpful truth:
Though every act of sin is forgivable, the effects of some sins are not erasable.
To varying degrees, we all live with the consequences of our poor decisions. Some carry minimal cost. Others, sadly, are truly life-altering.
Make no mistake: sin always costs…always. And many times, it kills. To take the attitude that says, “I can go ahead and do this. I know it’s not right, but God will forgive” is to make a tragic error.
Yes, God will forgive. But what will your actions cost you and those you love? What consequences might you…and they…have to deal with for years to come?
Text: Genesis 21
Originally recorded November 30, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Sodom and its sister city, Gomorrah, controlled a lush, fertile valley through which the Jordan River ran. These two population centers were the economic hub for everything at the south end of the valley.
The magnetic appeal of that – the culture and the wealth – was why Abraham’s nephew, Lot, chose that region when given the opportunity. He not only moved into the city, he moved up in the city.
The thing is the beauty of the city’s architecture and art notwithstanding, its immorality had become notorious. The outcry against them had reached heaven, and God said, “Enough.” He sent two angels to rescue Lot and his family from the coming judgment.
When the angels (in human form) arrived in Sodom, Lot invited them to stay with him. He knew all too well what happened to strangers who slept on the streets. But that evening, the men of Sodom, young and old, came pounding on Lot’s door. “Bring the men out to us so we can have sex with them.”
Lot tried to bargain with them, offering an unbelievable trade. Before the mob could turn violent, the angels struck the crowd with temporary blindness, then turned to Lot and said, “Pack up your family and leave. Now. And don’t look back.”
As Lot and his family fled the city, God rained down sulfur and fire from heaven and utterly destroyed the cities and the region around them. But Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.
What are we to take from this?
1. God’s character has not changed – neither have His standards.
Sin is still sin, no matter what a more “enlightened” and “broadminded” society might proclaim. And ultimately Jesus, the One to whom the Father has given judgment, will act.
2. Human depravity has not improved – even though it is denied.
There are those who think humanity is getting better and better – that our enlightenment is ever-advancing. Yet the fact is, the human heart is still dark. All one has to do is read the headlines – not only in what’s happening in the world at large but in our own city – to see just how depraved humanity is.
3. The coming judgment is certain – yet there is a way of escape.
God is holding back judgment, not because He is blind to what’s going on…or because He is hesitant to pull the trigger. He’s waiting so that as many as possible can “get out of Sodom.”
So, here’s the question: Have you?
There is a way of escape. It’s found in Jesus.
We often refer to the idea of repenting of your sin and placing your faith in Christ as “being saved.” But seldom do we explain what that means. Being saved from what? It means being saved from God’s judgment.
While your sinful behavior may not be as reprehensible as that of the people of Sodom, it’s no less heinous in the eyes of a holy God. Indeed, as Isaiah put it, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…”
Our only hope is for someone to cleanse us of our sin and cover our filthy rags. And that’s what Jesus did. He is the way of escape. He will escort you to safety.
If you would like to know more about being saved and having a relationship with Jesus, email us at info@davedeselmministries.org.
Text: Genesis 19
Originally recorded November 2, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Three visitors came to Abraham. One of them was Yahweh Himself. After a dinner where a miraculous birth was promised, God brought His friend, Abraham, into His confidence. The outcry against the repulsive depravity of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached the point where God chose to step in. The time for judgment had come. These cities would be wiped out.
Abraham’s response was not what you or I might have done. I might have said, “Good! They deserve it!” But Abraham intercedes. He pleads with God for mercy for those who don’t deserve it.
There are a few lessons we can learn from Abraham’s intercession:
1. God really wants His people to take a role in His Kingdom dream.
For some reason beyond understanding, the Lord is very pleased to partner with His redeemed children in the working out of His purposes.
- One of the primary roles we can play is intercessory prayer.
While God wants to use our hands and feet, what He values most is our prayers.
The Apostle Peter wrote… “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer.” (I Peter 3:12)
James adds… “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
The flip side is also true. Again from James… “You have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2)
Apparently, there is that which God could do and would do but can’t do and won’t do if we fail to pray.
We also see from Abraham that…
3. Effective intercessory prayer is persistent.
One of Jesus’ most compelling parables was about a woman who came to a judge and kept on asking him to intervene in her case. She kept asking and kept asking, refusing to give up. And Jesus said that such action demonstrated that we should keep on praying and never give up.
I’m struck by Jesus’ injunction to “Love your enemies.” Most of us are familiar with those words. But the whole verse is, “Love your enemies and pray for them.” (Mt. 5:44)
Who would you call an enemy? Who has so hurt you or those you love? Who has taken from you far more than those thieves took from me? Who would you, in your totally honest moments, like God to pour judgment upon?
Now…consider the grace you’ve been shown. Think about the patience God had in not pouring judgment down on you. What should your attitude be toward that person? How might you follow Abraham’s lead?
Text: Genesis 18
Originally recorded October 26, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Three visitors showed up at Abraham’s tent one day, and one of them….was God. The others are later identified as angels, but the Scripture makes clear, the One talking to Abraham was Yahweh Himself.
And He had an incredible message for Abraham and Sarah. In one year’s time, Sarah would have a son.
Is it any wonder that Sarah, eavesdropping from inside the tent laughed to herself? She was 90 years old! And Abraham was 100!
Yet God responded to her doubt with a question. A question all of us should ask when we’re faced with impossible situations.
“Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:13)
- Isanything too hard for the LORD?
- Isanythingtoo hard for the LORD?
- Is anything too hard for the LORD?
- Is anything too hard for the LORD?
We read of Sarah’s doubt-filled laughter and shake our heads at her inability to be open to the miraculous. Yet my guess is that an awful lot of us can identify with her, doubting any real possibility of a miracle. Not because we don’t want there to be a supernatural change in various situations, but because it just seems like a real long-shot.
Friends, if we hope to see the Kingdom breaking into our lives and world more and more, then we must make room for the miraculous.Where is it that God would have you change your thinking regarding His supernatural intervention? And what would He want you to do about that? Here are three suggestions:
1. Stop doubting.
2. Start asking.
3. Keep believing.
Text: Genesis 18
Originally recorded October 19, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
It’s been 25 years since Abraham began his journey of trust by leaving his hometown of Ur. Over 10 years since the Lord had promised Abram many offspring. He is now 85 years old and Sarai, his wife, is 75…yet the promise of an heir was still unfulfilled.
The Lord saw his friend struggling and He graciously appeared to him once again to offer him help and hope. He reassures Abram that he will indeed have an heir who would in fact be, not his servant, but a son of his own DNA. In fact, Abram’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.
And Abram believed. He didn’t know how God was going to give him a son, but he believed that He could and would give him a son.
At this point in the story, the narrator inserts a simple comment. “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (v.6)
This phrase is one of the most significant verses in the Bible.
Because of Abram’s faith, God gave the man the gift of relationship with Him.
Coming into a right relationship with God is not a function of works (what we do) but faith (that we believe).
See that word “credited”? It literally means, “put to a person’s account.” God deposited righteousness into Abram’s spiritual saving account. And it was because of faith – nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. To this day that’s no less true.
Then God formalized His promise to Abram by “cutting a covenant” with him.
Covenants were always confirmed through the shedding of blood.
As was the custom of the day, Abram arranged the carcasses of the slain animals so they created a corridor of blood.
Typically, both parties involved would walk between the slaughtered animals. It was a symbolic way of each one saying, “May the same thing happen to me if I should fail to live up to my end of the agreement.”
However, in this case, note that Abram didn’t walk the path. Only God did. God chose to unilaterally commit Himself to Abram and his descendants.
God was so determined to stay in this relationship that He demonstrated it in the ultimate display of love – the death of Jesus.
You might look at it this way: you and I failed to keep the covenant. But rather than our bodies being torn apart, God’s was in order that the covenant might be reinforced in a new way.
Jesus alluded to this in familiar words that are often quoted when we share communion.
“In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.’”(Luke 22:20)
If you’ve ever wondered just how much the Almighty wants to be in covenant with you …all you have to do is look at the cross. For it was there that the new covenant was offered.
The new covenant we are offered is by grace, but it is only accepted through faith.
You and I are invited into the greatest of all covenants. When we embrace it, a new relationship is formed. We are now children of God.
When you are in covenant with God, your identity is forever changed.
Text: Genesis 15
Originally recorded September 21, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Genesis 14 would make an exciting action movie. It contains all the elements necessary: a riveting plot, villains, a hero, strategy, swordplay, and acts of daring.
Abram’s nephew, Lot, who has moved into the city of Sodom, gets caught up in a retaliatory move made by a coalition of kings. Seeking to bring the rebellious Canaanite cities back into line, they invaded from the north, taking captive every man, woman, and child, and carrying off flocks, herds, and carts piled with plunder.
When word reached Abram that Lot has been captured, he rallies the men allied to him – a force 318 strong – and takes off on a rescue mission. Catching up to the lumbering train of captives, Abram’s army attacked by night, taking the invaders by surprise. In a decisive victory, they recovered all the plunder and returned all the people to their homes, including Lot.
Notice the amazing graciousness of Abram toward Lot.
Remember, Lot chose to live in Sodom. He chose to identify with this sin-filled city and its sin-sick people. And by doing so, Lot opted to walk away from the values he’d been taught and the relationships which had given him so much.
Not to mention the fact that this rescue mission came with considerable risk to Abram. He would be making some powerful enemies.
Nevertheless, Abram went after the boy.
So how might we apply this lesson to our lives?
First of all, when talking about simply helping people in physical need, we often assess whether or not we will engage by asking these 2 questions:
1. Does this person deserve my help?
2. Can I assist without it costing too much?
If the answer to those questions is “yes,” we are normally glad to do what we can for the person. However, if the answer is “no” to either question, we tend to hold back. Isn’t that true?
The lesson we can learn from Abram is, he helped a person in physical need because it was right, not because they deserved it.
If we hope to change a person’s life, it will require graciousness for which we might well have to pay a price.
There’s another application that has to do with spiritual rescue.
Jesus made it very clear that a key part of His redemptive mission was to save us – to make payment for our sins.
The Bible says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:11)
Let me ask you…did we deserve it? No. Not one of us. Yet Jesus came after us.
So here’s the deal: having been saved…having been rescued from the evil forces that had taken us prisoner, we are now sent into the world to go after those who are still captives. How much effort will we put into this mission we have been given?
If we hope to see spiritual eyes opened, it will require consistent kindness and passionate intercession.
Text: Genesis 14
Originally recorded September 7, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
After Abraham settled in Canaan, God blessed him financially. The Bible says he was “very wealthy.” And he shared that abundance with his nephew, Lot. Each man’s flocks and herds multiplied to the point that the land could not sustain them all. Soon quarreling broke out between Abram’s herders and Lot’s.
So, Abram said to Lot, “Look, we’re family, so let’s stop this fighting. This is a big land with plenty of resources. Let’s part ways. You choose where you want to settle and I’ll head the other way.”
Now, as patriarch of the clan, Abram had every right to demand the land of his choosing. But in his generosity and humility, he gave Lot first choice. Lot chose the green, lush land toward the east, leaving Abram with the dry, sparse land to the west.
It was another step in Abram’s journey of trust…and God blessed him for it. He took Abram out one day and said, “Look around, Abram. All this land I will give to you and your offspring.”
What can we learn from Abram that can help us in our journey of trust?
1. While the journey of trust is unique to everyone, you don’t walk it alone.
While God is your Father, He is also Father to others. Like it or not, that gives you brothers and sisters. And, as is true with any family, while the potential is there for great fulfillment there is also the possibility of great frustration.
2. When you walk on the same path as others, even the closest relationships can become strained.
This helps explain Jesus’ prayer following the Last Supper.
“My prayer is not for these alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You…May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent Me.”
John 17: 20-21, 23
With the specter of death hanging over Him, it was the unity of His followers that captivated the mind of Christ.
Question: Are you an answer to Jesus’ prayer? Or a traitor to it?
3. When breakdown occurs, mature believers take the initiative toward reconciliation.
Jesus taught, “If your brother sins against you, go to your brother…and be reconciled.” (Mt. 18:15)
Addressing relational breakdown early on may not be the easiest thing to do – but it’s always the best thing to do.
4. If resolution can’t be found through compromise, it might be more important to lose than to win.
When it comes to relationships, God says that winning is not the most important thing. Unity is.
Abraham was willing to lay down his rights because (1) he had totally abandoned himself to God’s faithfulness and (2) he realized that this world wasn’t his ultimate home.
There’s an intriguing commentary on Abraham in the N.T. book of Hebrews:
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.”
Hebrews 11:13
Many of us really need to take this text to heart: I am an alien. This world is not my home. There are bigger issues at play.
5. When you relate to people graciously, God will bless you and even expand your influence.
God’s promise was of newer and even broader dimensions of life to Abraham. But they came about because of this man’s refusal to allow his personal preferences to make him small. In his weakness, God was able to bless him with greatness.
Text: Genesis 13
Originally recorded August 31, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Self-protection is one of the strongest of human instincts and sometimes drives us to do foolish things. That’s exactly what happened to Abraham in his journey of learning to trust God.
When Abram arrived in Canaan, he and his “tribe” lived in tents, raising sheep and goats for food, clothing, and trade. As such, they were constantly on the move to find new grazing land.
The time came, however, when a famine struck the land of Canaan causing the water sources and pastures to dry up. Without water, soon his crops, his flocks, and ultimately his family would die.
So, Abram made a decision. He packed up his family and went to Egypt.
The problem was, we see no indication that he sought the Lord about the decision.
Once in Egypt, Abram’s self-protection kicked in. Fearing the pharaoh would kill him and take Sarai (Abram’s wife) for his own, Abram lied. “Say you are my sister.
Abram’s plan backfired. Pharaoh took Sarai into his harem anyway and sent Abram numerous wedding gifts. Apparently, Abram accepted them but had no idea how to get out of this predicament.
Fortunately, God did!
He inflicted Pharaoh and his household with serious diseases. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together, Pharaoh turned to Abram, “What have you done to me?” Abram confesses and is unceremoniously deported.
So, what can we learn from this remarkable story?
1. Every journey contains trials.
Some are due to our own poor decisions. Some are due to someone else’s poor decisions. Some of the tests come because of the natural circumstances of life in a broken world.
Trials are part of life. And while threatening and fearsome, they can, however, provide the opportunity to take your relationship with God deeper.
- Every trial provides an opportunity to trust.
Trust builds over time when issues, whether large or small, are placed in the Father’s hands.
3. Every failure to trust triggers a default response.
It starts with that self-preservation reflex. When facing a threat, our natural response is to ask, “How do I get out of this?”
For Abraham, that default response was to lie. You might share that response.
Or perhaps you try to control or manipulate. Or you may intimidate with explosive anger. Or, in a passive/aggressive way, you may withdraw. Or you opt to escape in sleep or substance abuse.
I know some individuals whose reflexive response is to refuse to admit wrong or to deny responsibility.
Over time, these default responses can take over and keep us from trusting God.
4. Every default response leads to compromise.
Whenever we revert to our default response, someone we love gets hurt.
First, you hurt yourself. Your character will be compromised and you will bog down on the journey of trust.
Secondly, you compromise those closest to you. There is no such thing as a victimless sin.
Finally…
5. Every compromise jeopardizes our witness.
Falling back into our self-protective behaviors ends up bringing shame to God instead of glory.
In the backwash of his failure, Abram repents. He returns to Bethel - back to where he got off track and bows before the Lord.
When you recognize that you’ve made a wrong move or a short-sighted decision, go back to where you got off-track.
If you will, God will meet you there – just as He met Abram. It’s never too late to go the right way and do the right thing. That’s why this is called “a journey of trust” – one step at a time in the right direction.
Text: Genesis 12:4-13:4
Originally recorded August 24, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Abraham’s journey of trust began in the Mesopotamian city of Ur, one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. It was a city of great wealth and culture.
It was also a city of deep religion. The Chaldeans worshipped a pantheon of gods and the Bible reveals that Abraham’s father Terah was a worshiper of these idols.
It was here, in Ur, where God first called Abram (as he was then called). He called him to leave his family and his home and go to a land God would show him. He called him to take a step of trust, to leave the known, and step into the unknown.
Ur represents the place of emptiness you were born into.
It symbolizes the culture of frustration and futility… brokenness and barrenness…that surrounds us. Sure, Ur may sparkle and glitter at times. But at the end of the day, we find ourselves feeling empty and unfulfilled.
Could God be calling out to you today? “Leave your old life. Leave your old acquaintances. Leave your old ways. Make a clean break. Dare to seek a new life, a new community, a new way, and a new God.”
Here’s the thing. Only you can decide whether or not to respond. See…
You cannot stay in Ur and move to the land of promise at the same time.
To choose one, you must forsake the other. Which will it be for you – your old life or a new life? Only you can decide…and decide you must. For to not decide is to decide to stay in Ur.
The next part of Abram’s journey took him to the city of Haran. Here he stalled out for 15 years.
When Abram left Ur, he didn’t leave behind his family. He took them with him. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine Abram’s father, the patriarch of the family, saying, “This is far enough.” And Abram’s journey of trust was put on hold.
Haran represents the place of compromise where you pull up short of full commitment.
Even though Abram shouldn’t have taken Terah with him in the first place, when his father decided to only go as far as Haran, Abram should have bade him farewell and pressed on to Canaan. He should not have allowed someone from his past to compromise his future.
Neither should you.
You must not allow someone from your past to prevent you from entering your future.
Some of you are being held back from all that God has for you by someone who doesn’t want to completely walk away from the old way of living. They don’t want to abandon the practices they enjoy or the behaviors they’re comfortable with.
Let me give you a warning that someone gave me back when I was a young believer grappling with old relationships. “Never let anyone steal your crown.”
At long last Abram gets to the Promised Land. To be sure, his journey hadn’t been perfect. Yet God exhibits amazing patience and grace. He appears to Abram again and reiterates the promise of blessing.
Canaan represents the place of promise where all things are made new.
Canaan isn’t heaven. There were still challenges for Abram to face and battles for Abram to fight. But as he’d responded to God’s call, he was now positioned to be blessed and to be a blessing to others.
You need to remember that full commitment is the doorway through which God’s best can flow.
God is eagerly looking for just such people.
For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (II Chronicles 16:9)
Ur. Haran. Canaan. Which land do you live in?
What’s the next right step you need to take in the journey of trust?
Text: Genesis 11:31-12:3; Acts 7:2-4
Originally recorded August 17, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The extent that you trust God will be the key determiner for how you navigate your life.
This is true no matter where you are along the spiritual spectrum – whether you’re a skeptic, a seeker, or a Christ-follower. Since we don’t know what the future holds, nearly every decision we make is strongly influenced by what or who we trust. In short, how you live will be determined by who and who much you trust.
This is why a study of Abraham can be so powerful. Because ongoingly he had to grapple with who God was and whether He could be trusted. And, as we’ll see, it was no easier for him than it is for us.
Abram (later changed to Abraham) lived during the end of the Early Bronze Age (around 2000 BC) in a thriving, bustling, cultured city known as “Ur of the Chaldeans” (located in modern-day Iraq).
From all that we can deduce, Abram and his family were highly successful and quite prosperous, living very comfortably in that culture. When the Bible picks up his story, Abram is a 75-year-old man of wealth and status.
People in ancient Mesopotamia worshiped a pantheon of many gods. And we know from Joshua 24:2 that Terah, Abram’s father, and the clan patriarch, worshiped these gods.
This makes the Lord’s invitation to Abram all the more remarkable. God graciously appeared uniquely to Abram and gave him an extraordinary challenge and with it an intriguing opportunity.
“Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1-2)
Think about that for a minute. Your journey of trust and my journey of trust are greatly encouraged because we have the stories of people like Abraham in the Bible for us to learn from. But Abraham didn’t have that! There was no Bible back then!
He had to start his journey of trust with very little information. Just enough trust to take a step.
Some of you find trusting God to be a relatively easy thing these days because He’s shown Himself to be so faithful in powerful ways.
But for many us, that’s not the case. All of life’s disappointments and pains, injustices, and sorrows make up “Exhibit A” in the case against trusting God. Then we take that list and hold it close to our hearts until our hearts become hardened.
Sometimes disappointment from the past becomes an excuse for keeping God out of the present.
Would you be willing to hold “Exhibit A” a bit more loosely? Would you be willing to open up to the possibility that maybe you don’t have all the facts yet regarding God’s character and actions?
Trust is based in the knowledge of and confidence in the one in whom it’s placed.
The more you understand the character of God and His love for and commitment to you, the more you’ll trust Him.
Text: Hebrew 11:8-10; Genesis 12:1-2
Originally recorded August 10, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We don’t know a lot about the Magi. They were from the East, probably ancient Persia. And they apparently had education, wealth, and status.
They had read the ancient writings of Israel about the arrival of a great king. And when they saw a unique sign in the heavens, they were motivated enough to go looking for him.
They spent a lot of time, effort, and money on this journey. Why? Because they were looking for something beyond the wealth, education, and power they already possessed.
And when they came to the place where the baby lay, they knew they’d found what they’d been looking for. They knew they’d found not simply a king but the King – one whose arrival would change everything.
And they bowed down and worshiped.
The next day they headed for home after having been warned in a dream not to return to the wicked King Herod. The text says that they went back home “a different way.” I know that means they took another route, one that would shield them from Herod’s scouts.
However, I like to think that their going back home a different way means that they were different. They were different because of the gift they’d found in Jesus.
This is the Good News of Christmas. God gave His Son (the ultimate gift)… that whosoever (no exclusions, no exceptions)… believes (puts their trust in Him)… will have eternal life.
Eternal life – everlasting life that goes on after this one is over. But it’s more than about duration. Everlasting life is about quality of life. Abundant life.
All is this possible because Jesus gave His life to pay the penalty for our sins.
I wonder where this holiday season finds you. Maybe you’re totally happy. Everything in your life is great. Your body is healthy. Your marriage is thriving. Your kids are terrific. Your job is pure joy.
Or maybe not.
Maybe this Christmas is hard for you. Disappointments are many. Discouragement is real. Things look so bleak.
And yet the gift of eternal life is offered to you today.
Having received the gift of Jesus, the Magi gave gifts.
Years later, Jesus would speak to this idea of reciprocity to His disciples.
“Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
What did you receive from God when you were given eternal life? Did you receive…
- Forgiveness
- Kindness
- Reconciliation
- Joy
- Grace
- Love
Yes! But what if more than simply offering our thanksgiving, we would display “thanks living”?
So if Jesus says, as you’ve freely received, freely give…what might that look like?
- You’ve been forgiven – who do you need to forgive?
- You’ve been offered kindness – who might you offer kindness to?
- You’ve been reconciled – who might you seek to reconcile with?
- You’ve discovered joy – who might you bring joy to?
- You’ve been shown grace – who could you show it to?
- You’ve been loved – who can you demonstrate that to?
Maybe the place to start is to ask a simple question, “Lord, where would you have me be the gift?
If you’d like to know more about how you can begin a relationship with Christ, send Dave an email at dave@davedeselmministries.org.
Text: Matthew 2:1-12; 10:8
Originally recorded December 24, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Three times in the Christmas narrative, angels appear to people bringing what would seem to be news of hope and promise. But each time they begin their tidings with these words: Don’t be afraid.
It happened to Mary, to Joseph, and to the shepherds.
So, for this Christmas message, I’d like us to consider each of these characters and ask these questions:
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What was it they might have been afraid of?
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What steps did they have to take to overcome that fear?
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What did they gain for having taken those steps?
Let’s start by looking at Mary.
Mary was probably no more than 14 or 15 years old. Now here comes this angel telling her that she will become pregnant through the direct power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to a son.
Can you imagine the fear she must have felt?
The fear for her reputation. The fear of the responsibility of motherhood. Coupled with those is the fear of giving birth to and caring for the Son of God. All of these seem to come under one heading.
Mary’s fear: “It’s too big for me.”
You and I also face “Mary moments” - when you’re asked to respond to God’s request to do something that seems well beyond you. Fear warns us of all the bad things that might happen if we say “Yes” to God.
Then there’s Joseph.
Joseph was a skilled laborer with a solid reputation. Probably quite a bit older than Mary, he had an established business and was known in the town as a “righteous man.
What might Joseph have been afraid of when the angel said: “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife…”?
Joseph’s fear: “What will others think?”
Perhaps you can identify with Joseph’s fear. “If I do what God is asking of me, what will others think?”
Finally, let’s look at the shepherds.
Certainly, being confronted by a host of angelic beings is enough to terrify anyone! But I think their fear goes beyond that.
The shepherds’ fear: “Things will never change.”
You have to understand who the shepherds were. They weren’t the cute bath-robed figures in our nativity scenes. They were considered outcasts of society. They were poor, transient, uneducated, and looked down upon by nearly everyone.
In giving them the message first, God was making a profound point. This good news that a Savior has come isn’t just for the religious, or wealthy, or educated. This Good News message is for folks who have lived lives of rejection.
Each of these people – Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds – received an offer from the angelic messenger. Each of them experienced fear. And each of them took the same steps.
- Surrender – They chose to lay down their former way of thinking. They stopped giving in to the lies.
- Trust – They took God at His Word.
- Obey – Each one of them took a step.
As with them, so with us. We won’t lack for fear; but we can take steps of surrender, trust, and obedience. And as we do, we will discover:
- the thrill of a deeper, more fulfilling life
- the privilege of participating in God’s redemptive work.
- the peace that God really is with us.
- and the joy that fear does not have to have the last word.
Text: Matt. 1:18-21; Luke 1:26-33; Luke 2:8-10
Originally recorded December 22, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Fear and worry are endemic in our culture. Whether it’s TV news, social media, our upbringing, or our genetics, it seems we are being conditioned to fear.
God knows what fear can cost a person and He wants us to live beyond it. That’s why, more than any other single command in the Bible, God tells us to “Fear not.”
But for most people simply being told to not be afraid is not enough. Information alone is not sufficient to enable most of us to overcome patterns of fear that are real deeply ingrained in us.
Moving beyond fear requires more than receiving information – it requires taking action.
There's a beautiful picture of this in Deuteronomy 32. It’s taken from nature and mother eagle’s efforts to get her young to fly.
When the time comes for the eaglets to leave the nest, the mother stirs up their once soft and comfortable surroundings causing the once hidden thorns and pebbles to come to the surface.
She intentionally creates discomfort for her young – not because she wants to harm them, but because she wants them to learn that there’s more to life than sitting in the nest.
God uses the same strategy with His people.
1.God challenges those He loves. And when He does…
- You will experience fear. It’s just natural.
But here’s what you need to know: People who soar are not people who never experience fear. People who soar are those who do experience fear, and yet refuse to be turned back by it.
Fear is not the issue. What you do in the midst of the fear is.
This is the pattern: 1. God challenges. 2. People fear. And…
3.God reassures us of His presence and power.
I love the words He spoke through Isaiah: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
But all of that implies a fourth step:
4. You must step out.
This is where faith comes into play. You see, some people play the “when-then” game.
- “When I don't feel afraid...then I'll take action.”
- “When I don’t feel afraid, then I’ll call the person and seek to restore our relationship.”
- “When I don't feel afraid, then I'll apply for the job.”
- “When I don’t feel afraid, then I’ll start tithing.”
- “When I don't feel afraid, then I'll join a small group.”
- “When I don't feel afraid, then I'll get involved in this ministry.”
And you know what? Those people wait their whole lives.
But it’s only when you leave the safety of the nest, as fearful as that may be, do you find that God is ready, willing, and able to carry you on His wings.
5. As you take a first step of obedience, God will supply the power for you to take other ones.
God challenges. I fear. He reassures. Then I take a step. As I do, He supplies power. And I learn that God can be trusted. And the wonderful reward of the whole thing is that what used to frighten you doesn’t frighten you as much anymore.
Who knows? Before you know it, you might begin to start soaring.
Text: Deuteronomy 32:9-11; Isaiah 41:10
Originally recorded December 8, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
There’s a particular phrase that’s repeated over and over again in the Christmas story. It’s said to Mary, to Joseph, and to the shepherds.
“Do not be afraid.”
I think a clear message was being sent to them, and to all people who were facing fearful circumstances: “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. No matter how scary things may look, fear not.”
Fear is universal. Every one of us wrestles with it. Not that all fear is bad. There’s a good kind of fear as well.
Good fear protects us from danger and prevents us from hurting ourselves.
The problem is that fear strikes when it’s neither helpful nor wanted. Then it becomes bad fear.
Bad fear paralyzes us from doing what we ought to do and prompts us to do what we ought not to do.
When you delve into the root causes of sin, more times than not you will find fear at the root. Fear that “if I obey God in this circumstance, I’ll lose.”
Pastor and author John Ortberg wrote, “Fear has created more practicing heretics than bad theology ever has, for it makes us live as though we serve a limited, finite, partially-present, semi-competent God.”
Today I’d like for you to see just how costly it really is by looking at a story in Numbers 13. To set the context for you, the Israelites, after having been miraculously delivered from slavery and supernaturally provided for in their two-year trek through the wilderness are now on the threshold of the Promised Land. Sadly, throughout this journey they’ve done nothing but whine and complain, continually giving into their fears instead of growing in their faith.
Moses sent 12 men into Canaan to spy out the land. When they came back, their report was filled with fear. “Giants in the land! Great walled cities! We’ll never be able to conquer them. It’s hopeless!”
But two of the men looked above the giants and saw that God was bigger! Surely, with God’s help, they could take the land.
Sadly, the people chose the path of fear, and it cost them…dearly.
The same is true for us.
- Living in fear distorts your identity. When fear becomes your focus, you not only don’t see God for who He is…you don’t see yourself for who you are.
- Living in fear limits your progress. In opting not to face their fears…by deciding not to risk uncharted territory…the Israelites sealed their fate. They would go no further and ultimately they failed to fulfill their destiny.
- Living in fear robs your joy. Worriers tend to have great imagination, but their imagination runs toward the negative. The little phrase that runs through their mind quite frequently is,“What if . . .?” “What if?” is a joy robber of the highest kind.
- Living in fear handicaps your children. A mindset of fear is contagious. It unwittingly gets passed from one generation to the next.
Text: Numbers 13
Originally recorded December 1, 2013, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Psalm 121 begins, “I lift up my eyes…” A common expression in Hebrew Scriptures. It means to notice something, to become aware of the possibilities, to have your attention grabbed. Sometimes it’s a good thing that gets our attention. But sometimes it’s a difficult thing.
In this case, it says “I lift my eyes to the hills.” Hills might seem like a good thing to you and me. But in the ancient world, hills represented hardship and difficulty.
Psalm 121 is a “psalm of ascent.” That means it was sung by pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem. For these travelers, hills not only made travel difficult, they made it dangerous. Thieves and wild beasts that could not hide in the plains could hide in the hills. And the hills provided high ground for an attacking army.
So, when you read these words, don’t think of the psalmist singing happily. Rather, think of him saying it with a sense of dread and worry: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where will my help come from?”
Try substituting “hills” with the word “problems.” “I lift up my eyes and I see my problems.” Money problems. Job problems. Family problems. Health problems. Emotional problems. Relational problems.
I see them and I think, “How am I going to make it? Where am I going to find help? Things look so grim and it seems like I’m all alone.”
This is why we all wrestle with worry. Worry results primarily from a heightened sense of vulnerability and a diminished sense of power. We know we’re vulnerable and exposed and we know that we can’t do much about it.
But the psalmist quickly moves out of panic mode to a place of quiet assurance. “My help comes from the Lord.”
God is our help and that’s good news because I need help! God is in control and that’s good news because I am not in control…and neither are you.
And this brings us to the most important word in this psalm. It gets repeated over and over. That word is, “watch.” The psalmist says:
“He who watches over you. He who watches over Israel. He will watch over your life. He will watch over your coming. He will watch over your going.”
God is watching you. Whatever is going on in your life, in your body, with your money, your relationships. He's watching.
When this reality grips you, you don't have to be afraid. You don’t have to worry. There is One who is watching you and there is One you can call out to.
Philippians 4:4, 6-7 says:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Note that phrase, “in everything.” All too often we pray about the major issues we’re facing but consider the minor challenges not worthy for prayer. We have this idea that we’d be bothering God if we brought those things before Him. As a result, we end up worrying… a lot.
Listen, nothing is too big for God to handle. And nothing is too small for God to care about.
We need to become “in everything” pray-ers if we hope to get a handle on worry. So let me give you a good rule of thumb: If something is big enough to worry about, it’s big enough to pray about.
Text: Psalm 121
Originally recorded November 25, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Apostle Paul knew full well the power that could be unleashed when someone determined to really pray. That’s why in Colossians 4, he exhorted those believers to become passionate, persistent pray-ers. “Devote yourselves to prayer (v.2),” he wrote.
Now, this wasn’t an exhortation from some ivory tower theologian. Paul practiced what he preached. The Colossians had, in fact, been the beneficiaries of his intercession.
Paul had earnestly prayed for them – and God had powerfully answered. Now he asks them to pray for him. But what’s especially striking about this is what he asks them to pray for.
To set the context, Paul is writing this letter from prison.
So, let me ask you a question: If you were in prison and asking people to pray for you, what would you ask them to pray for? Release, right? “Pray that God will get me out of here.”
But look at his request. “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.” (v. 3-4)
And you know what? Those 1st-century followers did! They asked for God to open doors and open hearts. And God answered. Tens of thousands came to know Christ in explosive Kingdom growth that was due in no small part to prayer.
The importance of praying specifically, fervently, persistently for lost people to come to know Christ cannot be overstated.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul pulls back the curtain so we get a glimpse of what’s really at play.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
To be sure, those who are outside of God’s family are there because of the foolishness of their own choices. They have opted to go their own way and do their own thing. As such they are without excuse.
But make no mistake – behind all of that there is one who continues to whisper lies in their ears and blinds the eyes of their understanding. That is why before we ever hope to see their conversion, we must engage the powers that are holding them captive.
Friends, we have the privilege, indeed the responsibility, to fight the ultimate battle – the battle for the souls of our families and friends.
What if we were to spend this next year asking and asking and asking God to open doors and open hearts? What if you determined to pray for a least three people to come to know Christ?
There’s no reason why it couldn’t happen…if we commit ourselves to pray.
To download the Mark Bubeck prayer, CLICK HERE.
Text: Colossians 4:2-4; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 10:3-5
Originally recorded November 18, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
I’d like to tell you about someone. His name isn’t important. His gender is irrelevant (in fact we don’t know whether this someone was a “he” or a “she”). There’s no reason to think that this someone was a person of great significance. The reason why this person is important isn’t because of who they were, but because of what they did.
He went to Jesus on behalf of a sick friend.
John 11:3 (NCV) says, “So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’”
By the time Jesus arrived 4 days later, Lazarus was dead and buried. But rather than being too late, Jesus was right on time. And one of the most dramatic stories in the whole Bible occurred. Lazarus came back to life and walked out of that tomb!
The steps that led to Lazarus’ healing began when “someone” came to Jesus and requested Him to act.
The power of God was released when a fervent request was made.
S.D. Gordon wrote:
“The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is pray. You can do more than pray after you have prayed; but you cannot do more than prayer until you have prayed.”
The Apostle John, who tells us the story of Lazarus, also gives us a glimpse of what happens in heaven when we pray.
In the book of Revelation, the Lord pulls back the curtain and allows the aging, exiled apostle to see what is happening in the very throne room of heaven.
In Chapter 4 the beauty of that throne room and the worship of the cherubim is described in glorious detail.
In Chapter 7 we read how John saw the multitude of martyrs surrounding the throne. People from every tongue, tribe and nation who had died rather than deny their Savior are now in His presence. Their worship fills the air as well.
In reading this we get the impression that the throne room is quite a noisy place, filled with glorious sounds….wondrous sounds…moving sounds. Heaven isn’t like some quiet cathedral – it’s more like some raucous praise gathering.
And then we come to Chapter 8. Until then there had been all this noise in the throne room. Then suddenly, everything goes silent. Every song ceases. Every voice is stilled. For thirty minutes there is utter silence in heaven.
It’s as if the Lord says, “Shhh…everyone, be quiet. I want to hear something.”
And what is it He so wants to hear that He would interrupt the worship and praise?
He wants to hear the prayers of His people. Think of that! When you pray, God listens intently.
Our words prompt God’s works. Our requests trigger God’s response.
The prayers of God’s children on earth result in power from the throne room of heaven.
Never doubt for a moment that whenever you pray, that request goes straight to the throne room.
- “Lord, the one you love has cancer.”
- “Lord, the one you love is broken.”
- “Lord, the one you love is empty.”
- “Lord, the one you love is needy.”
You don’t have to be a powerhouse Christian to see God work in response to our prayers. You just have to be… a “someone.”
Text: John 11; Revelation 1, 4, 7-8
Originally recorded November 4, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
A young man once asked me, “If believing in God is such a big deal to him, why doesn’t God make himself more obvious?”
That’s a great question! You’d think that if God would part the heavens and reveal Himself with a thunderclap, knocking us to our knees, that even the harshest skeptic would become a believer.
But I don’t know that that would work. I think that over time, the shock would wear off and the memory fade away, and as time passed, they’d dismiss the experience as a hallucination or a strange dream.
The reason I think that is because people have been able to dismiss dramatic encounters with God for a long time.
People can believe in the supernatural, but still be moral or spiritual disasters. That’s why more times than not God chooses to forgo grandiose displays and forces us to grapple with faith and doubt. Rather than such demonstrations leading to faith, more times than not they simply create a demand for more displays and leave people unchanged.
The challenge that God faced wasn’t merely to get the human race to admit that He exists. God’s challenge was to win them back to Himself. And that is not a function of the head but the heart.
We don’t merely need information. We need transformation. This is also why the issue of faith must ultimately include the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not only the “evidence” that skeptics are looking for; He is the “solution” that all of us need.
One day your doubts will be answered. But that will be the day you walk through the door marked “Death.”
Before that day you have to decide which “leap” to make – the leap of belief or the leap of unbelief. And here’s the thing. That leap will not only determine your eternal destiny, it will guide your one and only life in the here and now.
Text: Exodus 19:16-21; 32:1-7; James 2:19; Matthew 28:16-20
Originally recorded September 19, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
As we wrestle with issues of Faith and Doubt, the question that all of us must answer is: Who is Jesus? Is He who He said He is – the Son of God and Savior of the World?
The answer to that question rises and falls on one single event: the Resurrection.
Did Jesus, in fact, rise from the dead? Where does the evidence point?
The case for Jesus’ resurrection necessarily involves two steps:
- What is the evidence to be explained?
- Which explanation of that evidence is most compelling?
In looking at the evidence to be explained, there are three key areas that must be addressed:
- The empty tomb
- Jesus’ postmortem appearances
- The explosive birth of the church
Let’s look at each, then you can decide which explanation is most compelling.
The Empty Tomb
Some explain the empty tomb by suggesting that the women went to the wrong tomb. The authorities (who had a lot riding on Jesus staying dead!) could easily have pointed to the real tomb and put to rest the resurrection theory once and for all. But they didn’t. They couldn’t.
Others say that the disciples snuck in in the middle of the night and stole the body, then proclaimed a miraculous resurrection. But this theory overestimates the disciples’ courage and strength and underestimates the might and intimidation of a team of Roman soldiers guarding the tomb.
Then there’s the issue of...
Jesus’ Postmortem Appearances.
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul mentions several individuals by name who claimed to have encountered the risen Jesus. He also mentions 500 people who saw Him all at the same time. Paul was saying in effect, “There are witnesses available to be questioned.” A bold invitation to examine the evidence.
Finally, we must look at...
The Explosive Birth of the Church.
When you track the growth of the church through the pages of the book of Acts, you find that within 25 years, this group of 120 believers grew to an estimated 125,000 Christians in Jerusalem alone.
Those numbers are mind-boggling. How did that happen? What was behind it? The only one reason that makes sense is that these believers really did believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.
And now it’s your turn. What do you say? What do you do with the resurrection factor?
Click HERE to view photos of 1st-century tombs.
Text: 1 Corinthians 15; Mark 15-16; Matthew 27-28; Acts 1
Originally recorded September 12, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
For many people, in this age of pluralism and tolerance, that any single religion would lay claim to exclusively being the truth – well, that is...intolerable. And it has resulted in deep doubts about Christianity.
“I can buy that there’s a God,” they say. “But that there’s only one way to God or that Jesus is unique among all the religious leaders who’ve ever lived...well, that’s just too narrow.”
An illustration that appeals to such a point of view shows a mountain with “God” at its peak. And going up the mountain are several different paths – Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, etc. The thinking goes, “All religions are basically the same. We all believe in the same God. We just have different ways of reaching Him.”
The problem is…that is just not true. The doctrines that define both those “climbing the mountain” (the nature of man), as well as the One who sits at the top (the nature of God), are mutually exclusive.
So, that’s where any individual who struggles with doubts must start. Who was Jesus?
Brilliant thinker and writer, C.S. Lewis knew that, unlike any other religion, Christianity rises or falls on its founder, not its doctrines. In his classic book, Mere Christianity¸ Lewis suggests that the question of who Jesus is comes down to a series of options. Was He a Legend, a Liar, a Lunatic, or is He in fact, Lord?
Was Jesus a Legend?
Jesus of Nazareth is referred to in a wide range of ancient sources from Christian, Jewish, and Roman sources whose reputation for accuracy is validated by their writings about other figures.
The Legend theory fails because:
1. The timing doesn’t fit for the gospel accounts to be legends.
2. The content is far too counterproductive for the gospels to be legends.
Many would say, “Jesus never claimed to be God.” On the contrary, Jesus made it very clear that that’s exactly what He thought of Himself.
The issue, then, isn’t that He said it – it’s whether it was true or not. If such a statement was, in fact, false we face two alternatives. He either knew it was false (which makes Jesus a Liar), or He didn’t know it was false (which makes Jesus a Lunatic).
So... was Jesus a Liar?
If, when Jesus made these claims, He knew He was not God, then He was deliberately deceiving His followers. He was a liar. Not only that – He was a total hypocrite because He taught others to always tell the truth. His whole life, then, was a colossal lie.
However, the life Jesus lived was consistent with the truths He taught.
Moreover,the death He suffered wasn’t consistent with the agenda of a liar.
If Jesus knew He wasn’t really God and proclaimed otherwise, He was a Liar. But to believe that you are GOD...when you’re not...well, we have a word for that sort of person: lunatic
Was Jesus a Lunatic?
Jesus has been scrutinized as no other teacher has ever been, and no signs point to such mental illness. Consider this:
The skill and depth of His teachings support the case for total mental soundness
The composure and compassion of His demeanor challenge any accusation of instability.
So, what does this mean for us? If Jesus really did exist...and if He really did say what He said... then we’re left with one option. And that is that Jesus is..
Lord!
Text: John 1:1-18; 8:52-58; 14:6, 8-11
Originally recorded September 5, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Old Testament character of Job has become the poster child for pain, loss, and suffering. But though we’ve heard of Job and have felt sorry for Job, very few of us have ever considered what experiencing all that hardship did forJob. The struggles he went through and the doubts he had to grapple with proved to be, in the end, a gift.
Psalm 84:5-7 says:
“Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca (literally, the valley of tears), they make it a place of springs...They go from strength to strength till each appears before God...”
Valleys are tough to traverse. Yet it’s in the valley of uncertainty where springs can be found. It’s in the valley of uncertainty where strength can be gained. Uncertainty can in fact be a gift.
Here are four ways that can be true for you.
1. Uncertainty gives meaning to our faith.
2. Uncertainty adds humility to our faith.
3. Uncertainty creates depth in our faith.
4. Uncertainty allows for growth in our faith.
Uncertainty and doubts are disconcerting to be sure. There are many times when we long for absolute confidence and total understanding. But maybe grappling with our doubts and struggling with unanswered questions will make us into the kind of people God wants us to be... and the world needs.
Text: Job 42:1-10; Psalm 84:5-7
Originally recorded August 29, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Bible contains dramatic stories of times God would show up and reveal His glory to people. Often these events took place on mountaintops. They were unforgettable moments!
But here’s the thing: God never lets them stay there. He always asks them to leave the mountaintop – to leave that special moment and go down off the mountain – usually to do some difficult thing in the valley below.
It’s no different for us. The walk of faith requires leaving the mountaintop of certainty and going into the valley of ambiguity.
Maybe God knows us better than we know ourselves. Maybe we’ll only become the sort of believers we’ve always wanted to be when we are forced to walk through and even linger in the valley of doubt.
The Bible is filled with men and women who experienced the valley of doubt, and yet God doesn’t give up on any of them.
One classic example is John the Baptist. He experiences the mountaintop of baptizing Jesus; of seeing the heavens open and the Spirit descending like a dove; of hearing the voice of God proclaim His love for His Son. Amazing!
But a few short years later, John finds himself in prison. If there ever was someone who “deserved” to have Jesus come through for him, it would be John!
But Jesus didn’t rescue him. He left John in prison. He left him to die. And thus John, even with all that he’d seen, struggled with doubt.
That’s why he sends some of his followers to the Lord, asking Jesus, “Are you the one who was to come or should we look for another?” That is, “Was I right to trust in you?”
How did Jesus respond? He didn’t get angry. Nor did He placate him. He just gently tells John to reflect on all that he had seen and heard. Then He says: “Blessed is the one who does not stumble because of me.” Or as another paraphrase puts it: “Blessed is the person who does not get upset with the way I run my business.”
Friends, for all we can know about the ways of God, there is so much we don’t know about the will of God. When He comes through as we wish, our faith soars, doesn’t it? And when He doesn’t, that’s when doubt creeps in.
I hope you have many mountaintop experiences. As you do, remember them well. But when the valley times come and when the doubts arise...remember:
Never doubt in the dark what you learned in the light.
Text: Mark 9:2-6, 20-24; Matthew 3:1-16; 11:1-3; 14:1-2, 6-12
Originally recorded August 22, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We all live in the tension of faith and doubt. They are simply part of the human experience.
But for some, that doubt goes to questioning the very existence of God. If that’s you, this talk is for you.
The Bible posits that God is...and that one of the primary evidences is creation itself. That such a design points to a Designer.
Doubters, on the other hand, say, “The universe is nothing but meaningless stuff that came together by accident and it will disappear without a trace.”
The thing is, neither position can be absolutely proven. Both statements are actually faith statements.
Years ago, philosopher Soren Kierkegaard coined the phrase “leap of faith.” I would suggest that as much as there is a “leap of faith,” there is also “a leap of doubt.” The one who disbelieves that there is a God is making a leap every bit as much as the believer.
The question to consider then is this: Which is the more reasonable leap? That a personal, powerful God exists or that God “isn’t” and it’s all a meaningless accident?
An atheist has been defined as “a person who disbelieves the existence of God.” If that is your position, I would ask you gently… Is that logical?
Consider this illustration. Draw a large circle and call it “All Knowledge.” Now, draw another circle inside that one and call it “My Knowledge.” How much of all knowledge do you know?
Now, here’s the question. Is it possible that God’s existence could lie outside the circle of what you know and still within the circle of truth?
It would seem to me, friends, that at the very least, an intellectually honest person must admit, “The existence of God is possible simply because I don’t know everything.” That being the case, it would seem to me that the best you can be is an agnostic: a person who believes that God’s existence is incapable of being known.
Maybe your questions about God are genuine…or maybe they’re not. Maybe, like many skeptics, you don’t WANT there to be a God.
But maybe you want to believe, but you just have so many questions. If so, know this: The God who is WANTS to be found by you. He says as much. “And you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all of your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
Text: Isaiah 40:25-28; Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20; Jeremiah 29:13
Originally recorded August 15, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We all live in the tension of what we hope for and what we wonder about. Like the father in Mark 9, we too cry out, “I believe. Help me with my unbelief.”
As we walk this line between faith and doubt, let me offer a series of observations.
Observation #1: Doubt is an inescapable part of the human condition.
We’d like to think that we could get beyond doubt, but the fact is, there is no such thing as doubt-free living. Part of what it means to be a finite creature with limited understanding is that there is no escape from doubt.
That’s why the verse from the N.T. book of Jude is so comforting: Be merciful to those who doubt. (Jude 1:22)
Observation #2: Faith is only possible when there is room for doubt
The very nature of faith requires the presence of doubt, for once uncertainty is removed, there is no need for faith.
We all live with varying degrees of certainty. It ebbs and flows throughout life. Faith is not the absence of doubt. It’s daring to believe anyway because of the evidence of the established character of the one believed in.
Observation #3: Grappling with doubt can lead to stronger faith and a more vibrant witness.
An unchallenged, simplistic, sentimental faith might sound nice…but it is not going to help you through the complexities and injustices of life.
Those who have grappled with doubt will not only have a more robust faith, but they will have far greater insight into and compassion for those still wrestling. If you let your doubts drive you to know God more, you may become the very sort of Christian the world is looking for.
Text: Mark 9:20-24; Jude 1:22
Originally recorded August 8, 2010, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In this series, our core text has been Ephesians 5:15-17. It says: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
From these verses, we discovered a great filter for decision-making. A simple three-word question that we could ask about any area of our lives. Is it wise?
In this final episode, we come to the ultimate question. The greatest decision of your life.
It comes from the book of Deuteronomy (30:11-20). Moses has led the children of Israel to the edge of the Promised Land, but he will go no further with them. A new leader will take over. Here at this fork in the road, he asks his people to make a decision. Will they choose God and follow Him? Or will they choose the gods of the nations?
The choice was theirs. But this choice carried huge implications. It would literally be a matter of life or death…the blessing or the curse. So going back to our filter question, “What would be the wise thing to do – to go on through life with God or without Him?”
The same choice is before us. Like the Israelites, we will be entering into an unsure and challenging future. There will be enemies all around us. There will be hardships to endure and battles to fight. There will be suffering and pain and we’ll have many questions and doubts.
But that’s not the issue. The issue is, do you want to face those enemies, endure those hardships and fight those battles with God or without Him? The choice is yours. Choose wisely.
A generation later, after entering the Promised Land and conquering their enemies, Joshua, stands before his people and calls them to the same point of decision: “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
They could not slide on their parents’ faith. They had to choose for themselves. See, God has no grandchildren. He only has children.
Choose to commit yourself to Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Commit to following and serving Him all the days of your life.
You will never do anything more wise.
Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.
Text: Ephesians 5:15-17; Deuteronomy 30:11-20; 31:1-3, 14-18; Joshua 24:11-15
Originally recorded February 24, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In his book Mastering Your Money, Ron Blue points out that there are really only 5 things you can do with your money.
- Spend it.
- Repay debt.
- Pay taxes.
- Save it.
- Give it.
This is the order of priority most of us live by.
But Jesus offered an alternative priority system in Matthew 6:25-33. In these verses, it’s clear that Jesus knows we have needs and He promises to meet them. The problem isn’t our needs. The problem is the priorities we live by.
That’s why He ends with these words: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Jesus is essentially offering us a deal. He will take responsibility for our needs if we will prioritize His Kingdom.
In light of Jesus’ words, I would suggest that we consider flipping the list.
1. Give it.“Honor the Lord with your wealth with the first fruits of your crops…”
2. Save it.“The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.” Proverbs 21:30
3. Pay taxes.“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's…” Mark 12:17
4. Repay debt.“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7
5. Spend it.
Is living by the flipped list easy? No. It flies in the face of our culture with its insistent urging for immediate gratification. But for your own peace of mind, for the privilege of God’s partnership, for the difference you can make on earth, and for the rewards that await in heaven, it’s the wise thing to do.
Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.
Text: Matthew 6:25-33
Originally recorded February 3, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the biggest concerns most people have is the economy. And rightly so. The statistics are troubling. Huge numbers of Americans are deeply in debt, declaring bankruptcy, and living way beyond their means. The consequences of poor decisions about money are devastating.
Why do we struggle so much with money? It’s because we’ve allowed our culture to form the question instead of God’s Word. The questions our culture asks are: Is it on sale? Can I afford it? How much is my credit limit? What will the monthly payments be? When do I have to start paying?
Instead, God’s Word tells us to ask this simple question: Is it wise?
Andy Stanley teases out that question this way: In light of my past financial experience, my current financial picture, and my future financial hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?
Think back on your financial decisions. Can you imagine where you would be today if you had asked that question? Can you imagine how much less stress would be yours? Can you imagine how freer you might be? Can you imagine how much more you could have released to God’s Kingdom purposes?
In his book Mastering Your Money, Ron Blue points out that there are really only 5 things you can do with your money.
- Spend it.
- Repay debt.
- Pay taxes.
- Save it.
- Give it.
This is the order of priority most of us live by. But what would it be like if we flipped the list? I believe this is what God teaches in the Scripture…and we’re going to talk about that in the next episode.
Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.
Text: Ephesians 5:15-17
Originally recorded January 27, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When it comes to living wisely, there is no more important area than the matter of your time. Your time equals your life. You can run out of money and still have some life left. You can run out of friends and still have some life left. But once you’ve run out of time, you have no life left.
We’re told in Ephesians 5:15-16 to live “not as unwise, but as wise.” It then goes on to say “making the most of every opportunity.” From this we get this great question that can guide our decision making:
In light of my past experiences, my current circumstances, and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wisest use of my time?
In the language of the New Testament, there are two words used for “time.” One is chronos. It means a space of time, whether long or short. It’s specific time. The minutes of life, you could say.
The other word is kairos. These are the moments of life. The special seasons that come along never to be repeated. Ephesians 5:16 tells us to make the most of every one of these kairos moments. Opportunities when the door is open, the heart is tender, and salvation is near.
Here are a few reminders that can help us redeem the time well.
1. There is a cumulative value to investing small amounts of time over a large period.
You can’t expect to get the results you desire by going to the gym for one marathon workout session. But over time, you’ll see the payoff. The small investments of time over time add up. It’s the same with investing in your marriage, with your kids, or in your spiritual life.
2. There are rarely any immediate consequences for neglecting single installments of time.
If you miss one date night with your spouse, will that kill your marriage? No, but it makes it easier to miss two or three or more, and over time the relationship suffers. If you miss going to church once in a while, does it really damage your spiritual life? Maybe not, but it sets a precedent that can become a pattern that over time will keep you from the life you hoped for.
3. Eventually the investments made or not made add up and pay dividends of one sort or another.
There will come a day when you will be either glad for your commitment of time over time…or sad for your lack of commitment. When the bottom drops out of your life, you will be so glad for the commitment of time you gave to deepen your connection to God. When a crisis comes in your marriage, the time you both invested in your relationship will help you weather that storm.
4. In the critical areas of life, you cannot make up for lost time.
You can’t make up for a year of ignoring your kids by taking them on a trip to the amusement park. You can’t make up for a year of overeating and lack of exercise with a single day at the gym. There’s no shortcut in the important areas of life. They require time.
So, in light of all this…what is the wise thing to do?
What is one thing you could begin doing this week in each of these areas, that if you continued doing would have a positive impact on your life?
- Physically
- Relationally
- Financially
- Spiritually
Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.
Text: Ephesians 5:15-17
Originally recorded January 20, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Bible gives us a filter that can help us evaluate every decision we make in every arena of our lives – whether it’s our finances, our relationships, our schedule, or our careers.
It’s the simple question, Is this wise?
There are three ways we can approach this question that can help us make wise decisions.
1. In light of my past experience, what is the wise thing to do?
Philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” To put it another way, “Those who do not pay attention to what got them in trouble yesterday are liable to end up in the same trouble tomorrow.”
2. In light of my current circumstances, what is the wise thing to do?
Life is seasonal. What’s wise in one season of life may be unwise in another. For example, parents of young children are in a different season of life than empty-nesters. What’s wise for one set of parents may be unwise for the other in light of their current circumstances.
3. In light of my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?
What do you envision for yourself 10 years from now? Will this decision help you get there? We rob ourselves of our dreams when we make decisions in the present moment with no thought of how those decisions will impact our future.
This principle goes well beyond this earthly life. In light of eternity and the fact that you will one day have to give an account for your one and only life, what is wise for you to do today?
Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.
Text: Ephesians 5:15-17
Originally recorded January 13, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We’ve all made dumb decisions. Choices we wish we could take back and do over. Some merely embarrass us. Others tragically scar us. Nobody ever plans to mess up their life, but few of us ever plan not to.
But God’s Word offers us a filter that will help us make better decisions. It’s easy to remember…but a challenge to live out. Why? Because we all are really good at deceiving ourselves. In fact, every poor decision typically begins with self-deception.
- “It’s only this once.”
- “It won’t hurt anybody.”
- “I can afford it.”
- “I’ll be careful.”
- “I know what I’m doing.”
But Ephesians 5:15 gives us a grid by which we can measure and judge every choice we make that may not be specifically addressed in Scripture. It says this: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise…”
Here is Decision Making 101. It consists of asking this simple question: Is this wise?
Typically, when making decisions we start by asking the wrong question: Is there anything wrong with this? The assumption being that if there’s nothing wrong with it, it must be ok!
But if we start with the question – is it wise? – we can save ourselves a load of regret.
Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.
Text: Ephesians 5:15-17
Originally recorded January 6, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
God modeled taking a day of rest way back in the beginning. But He knew that wouldn’t be motivation enough. So He mandated a day of rest in the ultimate list of laws, the Ten Commandments.
We find this list of guidelines for God’s people in both Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, but the nuances we see in the two renderings of the Sabbath command give us unique insight into God’s heart for us.
In Exodus 20:8-11, the text looks up – we’re to look at God and His example. It remembers Eden when work was in balance. It’s also grounded in creation, looks to God’s divine example, and calls us to holy mimicry.
On the other hand, Deuteronomy 5:12-15 looks backand remembers Egypt, observing that they were once slaves and were driven to work. It’s grounded in liberation, in the truth that they have been set free, that their identity has been changed. It points to divine deliverance and calls for a holy defiance – “I am no longer a slave! I am a child of God!”
The thing is, just like the Israelites in Egypt who had cruel taskmasters that worked them ruthlessly, we too have “taskmasters” – voices that drive us relentlessly. And most of the time, those taskmasters are in our own heads! They call us to push harder, shame us for being weak, saying “if you don’t do it, it won’t get done.” “You don’t deserve to rest. You can’t stop!”
Sabbath is a weekly opportunity to silence the “taskmasters.” To remind ourselves of our true identity…that in Christ, we are no longer slaves.
Sabbath is not a reward for finishing the job. It’s a gift of relief from the job.
So, what does that look like practically? What can or can’t we do on the Sabbath?
At the risk of oversimplification, let me give you two “rules of thumb” that have served me well:
Rule #1 – Stop doing what you ought to do.There are six days to do what you ought. Sabbath is the one day when the only thing you must do is to not do the things you must. A good question to ask is: Is this a “get to” or a “have to”?
Rule #2 – Embrace that which gives life. Think about these 3 questions: What it is that fills you up? Where do you find renewal? Who breathes life into you? Sabbath is a function not only of refusal, but pursuit.
Sabbath. It’s one of the most gracious gifts we’ve been given by our loving Father. And it’s yours for the taking.
Text: Exodus 20: 8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Originally recorded June 22, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
From the beginning of time, God established a rhythm of rest and work that He knew would result in life, health, and fruitfulness for all of creation…especially mankind. In fact, it matters so much to Him that we learn to live by this rhythm, that He put it in the law. The Ten Commandments.
Think about it. Right alongside “Do not murder, do not steal, and do not commit adultery” is this… “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”
The word Sabbath literally means to “stop, cease, desist.” God gives us 6 days in which to do our work, but 1 day in 7 we are to stop…cease…desist…from our labors and rest. We are to make that day “holy” – set apart from every other day. Why? Because God wants to save us from ourselves. He actually gives us permission to stop…even in the midst of unfinished work!
Sabbath is God’s gift to us.
Sabbath was ever meant to be a delight, not a duty. It’s a day when multiple possibilities open up because of time being given and space being allowed. Let me give you a few:
- Rest your body.
- Restore your soul.
- Remember your identity.
- Recalibrate your values.
Six days a week, you labor by the sweat of your brow to wring a living out of the earth, but on the 7th day, the Bible says, “Stop. Cease. Rest.” On the 7th day, you get to rest and restore your soul. On the 7th day, you realize who you are and who you’re not. On the 7th day, you remember, for God's sake and for your sake, that there’s something more important than working or winning.
Text: Exodus 20: 1-17
Originally recorded June 15, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
From the beginning of time, God set a rhythm into motion. A rhythm of rest and work that He knew would bring greater joy and fruitfulness for His creation. Then He modeled that rhythm for us so we could imitate Him. Six days of work and one day of rest.
We call that day of rest “Sabbath,” and it is the first thing in the Bible to be called “holy.” Literally, set apart as special. In fact, God mandated this day of rest in the Ten Commandments when He said, “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.”
What if we recognized that we were hardwired by our Creator to live with this rhythm between work and rest? What if we saw this rhythm as truly sacred – that as with other aspects of our discipleship we were really expected to honor it?And what if we understood that in violating those rhythms we would pay dearly?
When we honor this call to rest, we mimic God so we'll remember that we’re not God. Our failure to take this seriously, our refusal to stop usually stems from getting this exactly backward. We don’t dare imitate God’s own rest because we are too busy trying to be God.
I may proclaim faith in One who has all things under control, but my actions would seem to say that I believe it all depends on me. And that being the case, I can’t step away from work to rest.
So, let me invite you to some holy imagination. Can you imagine one day a week where you say, “This day is my gift from God? On this day it is not my job to fix the world. It’s my opportunity to rest, reflect, and rejoice.”
GETTING IN RHYTHM
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What is it about this idea of living a life of sacred rhythms between work and rest that resonates with you? Why?
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What is it about this idea of living a life of sacred rhythms that frustrates you? Why?
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What do you think God’s heart is for you regarding this?
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What do you think God might be saying to you about this?
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What do you think God might have you do?
Text: Matt.11:28-30; Gen. 1:28, 2:2-3
Originally recorded June 8, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
After 20 years of separation, years of believing his son was dead, Jacob is finally reunited with his beloved son, Joseph. And what a reunion it was!
But as beautiful as this reunion was, it pales in comparison to the reunion that awaits those who are in Christ. It foreshadows the day we will say goodbye to goodbyes and be forever with the Lord, reunited with our loved ones now waiting for us in heaven.
The promised reunion between God and His people is not just a passing topic in the Bible. It is mentioned in the New Testament over 300 times! Nearly every New Testament writer references the wonderful day when those who have embraced Jesus by faith will see Him face to face.
Think about that! As surely as Jacob saw the very face of Joseph, so you will see the very face of Jesus. He’ll touch your cheek. He’ll wipe away your tears. He’ll welcome you to your perfect, permanent new home. And then you’ll see all those loved ones who got there before you. Scripture tells us…
“There will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.” I Thessalonians 4:18 (MSG)
What a day that will be! It will be a time when, once and for all, we say “Goodbye” to goodbye.
Text: Genesis 37, 45-46
Originally recorded May 20, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When you have the right kind of big brother, it can change anything. Have a bully on your block? Big brother can take care of him. Lose your lunch money? Big brother can float you a loan. Fall down on the ice? Big brother can help you up. Big brothers at their best can be a blessing of the highest order.
Could you use one in your life right about now? Of course! We all could.
For Joseph’s brothers, having their brother be the Prince of Egypt was an incredible blessing! He offered three “brotherly” actions. He wept for them. He called for them. And he cared for them.
And because he did, they finally began to understand that they were safe. Why? The Prince was in fact their brother. And in the shadow of the Prince, they were in the safest place in the world.
In many ways, Joseph is a picture of Jesus. Beloved by their fathers. Betrayed and sold for silver. Falsely accused, given up for dead, but gloriously raised to positions of glory.
We are familiar with calling Jesus Lord and King, but He is also called our Brother. And as our brother, He stands before you and weeps for you. He aches for those who don’t know Him. He calls for you. He invites you to come to Him. And He cares for you. He has provided all you need to get to heaven.
Jesus stands before you and invites you to come to Him and allow Him to be your big brother. Doing so is as easy as ABC.
· ADMIT that you are a sinner and don’t deserve God’s mercy.
· BELIEVE that Jesus is the unique Son of God and Savior of the world. BELIEVE that He died on the cross for your sins. BELIEVE that He rose from the dead.
· COMMIT to follow after the One who alone has the right to demand your allegiance. COMMIT to further His Kingdom and look for ways to increase its influence. Belief is not really belief if you’re not ready to commit to follow.
The Prince stands with arms outstretched to you. Will you embrace Him?
Matt Steven video
Text: Genesis 45
Originally recorded May 13, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
I grew up playing with a blow-up Bozo the Clown punching bag. I loved that I could punch it, bop it, and kick it…and it would always bounce back up. No matter what I threw at it, you couldn’t keep Bozo down.
Oh, that we could be like Bozo! When life hurls its punches, we get knocked down. And many of us have a hard time getting back up. We just stay down – beaten, bruised, defeated.
Joseph is a lot like Bozo. He took shot after shot, but he kept bouncing back. Now here in Genesis 45, he has gotten knocked down again. This time by the memories of abuse triggered by the appearance of his brothers – the very ones who sold him into slavery. He gets slammed by a wave of resentment and a gut-punch of grief.
But somehow, Joseph was able to forgive his brothers. He was able to stand up before them and reconcile.
How was he able to do that? Like the Bozo punching bag, Joseph had a weightiness deep down inside him that enabled him to keep bouncing back. It was a sense of God’s sovereignty – a deep, abiding conviction that his life was totally in God’s hands.
Joseph saw a bigger picture. Put another way…he refused to let the immediate define the ultimate.
Joseph also saw a better picture. He refused to allow his future hope to be dashed by the present hurt.
Whenever life throws a punch and knocks you down, you’ll face a choice. Do you get angry at God? Do you accuse God? You could and some do. Having been knocked down, they opt to stay down.
OR…you could say, “You know, this is painful…and it doesn’t seem to make much sense. I don’t know how God is going to use this, but I’m going to get back up and trust that one day He will.”
Text: Genesis 45
Originally recorded May 6, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Up to this point in this series, we’ve been looking at the story from Joseph’s point of view. In this episode, we turn the tables and look at the story from the viewpoint of Joseph’s brothers. We learn that these men who had victimized Joseph had been haunted by guilt.
But God wants to heal them too. He wants their hearts whole no less than He did Joseph’s. But first He had to awaken their consciences. How did He do that? In this passage, we see that God awakened them with affliction. He stunned them with kindness. And He perplexed them with circumstances.
God often gets our attention in the same ways. We feel like we keep running into a brick wall – hardship after hardship. Or we are blown away by God’s blessing. How could we behave so faithlessly when God has been so faithful to us? Other times the “coincidences” in life all seem to be sending us the same message. But will we listen?
The Bible says that the way to deal with the guilt of our sin is to confess it. Not bury it, minimize it, or rationalize it. We’re to “agree with” God about it. “It’s wrong. Please forgive me.”
Would you dare to pray this prayer today and respond to the things God brings to mind?
“Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my anxious thoughts, and see if there be any hurtful way in me…”
Psalm 139:23-24 (NASB)
Text: Genesis 42-44
Originally recorded April 29, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the most amazing parts of Joseph’s story is his ability to forgive those who hurt him so deeply. Most of us have the tendency to bury our hurt until it becomes a roiling cauldron of resentment. Whether it’s a recent offense or an ancient one, resentment only makes one person miserable, and that person… is you.
But God’s desire is that we move out of a house of spite and into the place of grace. See, He knows that the healthiness of your future is always impacted by the healing of your past. And that means releasing your resentment and choosing to forgive.
The Bible calls us to forgive as Christ forgave us (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). When we do, we give the issue of justice to God (Rom. 12:17-19). As a follower of Jesus, you do not have the right to punish. You have the responsibility to forgive.
Think about all that God has forgiven in you. Aren’t you grateful He gave you grace? Then maybe it’s time to release your resentment and forgive.
Text: Genesis 42-43
Originally recorded April 22, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the sad realities of life is that we all get wounded. You can’t live in this world without getting hurt. But an even sadder reality is that much of that wounding comes from those who are supposed to love us most – our family.
That was certainly true for Joseph. And in this episode, Joseph is forced to face his past when his brothers show up out of the blue – the ones who had sold him into slavery.
Joseph thought he had put all that behind him. He just wanted to forget the flawed family that had failed him so.
But God had other ideas. See, God not only wants your whole heart, He wants your heart whole. When He sees a heart fractured by childhood pain, rather than ignore it, He actively seeks to heal it.
Why? Because He knows that wounded people will wound people. We tend to live out of our wounds and then pass on the effects of our wounds to others – especially those closest to us.
But God also knows that healed people can heal people. Your past does not need to define your future. And what your family did to you does not have to have the last word. You can be the agent of healing in your family.
How do you start that healing process? First of all, talk to God about it. Revealing is the key to healing. Then bring others into it. Safe, spiritual friends and counselors are essential in the journey of healing our wounded hearts.
Text: Genesis 41-42
Originally recorded April 14, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When life is going our way, it’s easy to say, “God is good!” But what about when life is hard? When pain and struggle, sorrow and loss fill our days? Is God still good?
In this episode, we learn that Joseph believed a couple of basic truths about God. First of all that God is always God. To his way of thinking, there’s never a time… there’s never a place…when God is not fully in control, totally sovereign over all that happens.
In Genesis 41, Joseph tells Pharoah that there would be 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine…and that God would be in both. When life is good, God is God. And when life is hard, God is still God.
Joseph also believed that God is always good. We may not understand why God allows the things He does, but His forecast for you and me is simple. There will be good days and there will be bad days. But God is in all days.
God is God. And God is good…all the time.
Text: Genesis 41
Originally recorded March 25, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Up to this point, it’s felt like the story of Joseph has been nothing but bad news. One painful experience after another. But all those events have been leading up to this moment.
At last, all the links in the chain of God’s sovereignty are about to become clear…and it’s the greatest story of promotion in the Bible. In one day, Joseph went from being in the pit of prison to being second in command of all Egypt.
The question is, “If God could do that with Joseph, is He able to do with you?” Dare we dream that the God who is alive can take this mess that we call our past and use it to do something greater than we’ve ever imagined?
Text: Genesis 41
Originally recorded March 18, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Wait.
In our hurry-up culture, it’s almost a dirty word. Yet waiting is not the exception in life, it’s the rule. Some of the greatest of God’s heroes had to wait a long time before His plan for them came to fruition.
One of them was Joseph.
Ten years have gone by. Ten years of servitude and imprisonment. Then just when he thought there might be hope of getting out of prison, he is let down again. Two more years pass before he finally gets his big chance. Two more years in life’s waiting room.
Remarkably, these years of waiting didn’t make Joseph’s heart bitter. They made his faith better.
What about you? You may not be in a literal prison, but you may be in God’s waiting room. The waiting room of infertility, joblessness, cancer treatment, singleness. And that waiting room can be hard.
But from heaven’s perspective, the waiting is a good thing because while we wait, God works. He works for us and He works in us. What He asks of us is to trust Him, stay close to Him...and wait while He works.
Text: Genesis 40-41
Originally recorded March 11, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
God had big plans for Joseph, but Joseph wasn’t ready for them yet. He had to go through a time of training first. After being betrayed and sold into slavery, he was falsely accused and thrown into prison.
But this prison proved to be the place where God developed Joseph’s character. See, not only was God with Joseph, God wanted to do something in Joseph so He could do something through Joseph.
As with Joseph, so with us. God does some of His most formational work in our prison-like situations. So, if you want to make this hard time training time, here are three lessons to learn from Joseph:
- When you are given an opportunity, take it.
- When you see a hurt, address it.
- When you need to demonstrate courage, show it.
Text: Genesis 39-40
Originally recorded March 4, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Bible gives us multiple examples of individuals who experienced unimaginable loss only to discover that not only was God bigger than their loss, He was with them in their loss.
One of the best of these is the story of Joseph.
At the age of 17, he was betrayed by his very own brothers and sold into slavery. He ends up far from home in the land of Egypt with nothing but the clothes on his back. He doesn’t know the language. He has no friends. He would appear to be all alone.
But Genesis 39 makes one thing clear. The Lord was with Joseph.
Just as the Lord was with Joseph, He is with you in your darkest moments.
Text: Genesis 39
Originally recorded February 19, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
He was just 17 years old when his jealous brothers sold him into slavery and for the next 13 years, Joseph went from one pit to another.
Perhaps you know what it’s like to live life in the pits. Life in the pits is an unexpected tumble. One day the sun is shining and next the clouds roll in and the bottom drops out.
Life in the pits has an uncertain future. “What will I do now?” That which seemed to be clear is now foggy and frightening.
This was certainly true for Joseph. But somehow through all the mistreatment, betrayal, and abandonment, he never gave up on God. He never turned bitter or hateful. How?
If you’re in the pits today, let this message give you hope and strength.
Text: Genesis 37
Originally recorded February 12, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Bible tells us that what awaits the believer in Jesus is so amazing, it’s beyond comprehension. But it also gives us glimpses of what heaven will be like.
In heaven, you’ll be wondrously transformed. You’ll be thoroughly joyful. You’ll be ceaselessly productive. And you’ll be intimately cherished.
With this hope and confidence set before us, how should that impact our lives here and now?
Knowing there’s a heaven can keep us from handling discontentment in unwise ways. It can comfort us when timesare hard. And it can encourage us that our lives have meaning.
If you’d like more information about how you can begin a relationship with Christ and be assured of heaven, contact us at info@davedeselmministries.org.
Text: 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:1; Revelation 21:1-4; 22:3-5
Originally recorded April 26, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Bible has a lot to say about hell. In fact, Jesus talked more about hell than He did heaven. He described hell as a place of physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual suffering.
Which begs the question: how could a loving God send anyone to such a horrible place?
Ultimately, God doesn’t “send” anyone to hell. A person chooses it.
Love cannot be forced and when a person says, “God, I don’t want to be with you. I don’t want to submit to you. In fact, I don’t even think you exist. I want total independence and complete freedom.” God, in effect, says, “If you truly don’t want to be with me, your wish will be granted. You will go to a place where I will never bother you again.”
God has no desire that anyone should perish. He wants all people to be saved. He did everything He could to warn mankind and to show how much He loves us. He sent people to tell us. He wrote us a letter, so we’d know. He’s sent blessings to show how much we matter. And He sent His one and only Son to die for us, so we could spend eternity with Him.
If you’d like more information about how you can begin a relationship with Christ, contact us at info@davedeselmministries.org.
Text: Luke 16: 19-28
Originally recorded April 19, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
We begin at the end. You’re dead. Now what?
There are several popular beliefs about what happens when you die, such as reincarnation, universalism, annihilationism, purgatory, and soul sleep. But the Bible teaches that three things will happen when you die:
1. Your spirit will depart from your body.
2. You will immediately know your eternal destiny.
3. And you will follow one of two paths.
Jesus gives us a unique glimpse into the afterlife in his parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16. The diagram linked below explains a biblical perspective of what happens to us in the afterlife.
RESOURCES
Afterlife diagram
Text: Luke 16:19-26
Originally recorded April 12, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
This is a story of resurrection. But not the story you were expecting. It’s actually a prelude to that story. It’s the story of Jesus and His good friend, Lazarus.
Jesus proclaims these amazing words: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Then He asks this question. “Do you believe this?"
That’s a question we all must answer. Do YOU believe this?
The story is told of a chess master and his friend who were in an art museum when they came upon a painting of a divine chess match. A satanic figure has his human opponent cornered. The title of the piece is “Checkmate.”
Intrigued, the chess master began to study the painting. Something about it bothered him. Eventually, the man smiled and said, “The title of this painting is wrong. The king has one more move.”
Maybe there's something in your life that feels like that. Checkmate. Game over. It’s hopeless. You’re defeated.
But the empty tomb reminds us…the King has one more move!
Text: John 11
Originally Recorded April 16, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In the fog and darkness of that Friday afternoon, it looked like all was lost. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” Paid in full!
All the failure and foul-ups that defined you BEFORE you came to faith in Christ and those that have haunted you AFTER you came to faith in Christ were all dealt with on the cross. It really is PAID IN FULL!
Jesus defeated? No. Jesus defeated sin on the cross. And no fog can ever keep that glorious reality from ultimately shining through.
Text: Mark 15:22-37
Originally Recorded April 6, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Two people encountered Jesus at the same dinner party. One was a woman with a “bad reputation.” The local prostitute. The other was Simon. A Pharisee.
She washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, kissing his feet, and pouring precious perfume on them. Simon snubbed Jesus, denying him the customary courtesies of a host to his guest.
Their responses to Jesus couldn’t have been more different. Why?
Jesus gave the answer, “The one who has been forgiven much, loves much.”
Does that mean Simon was so “holy” he didn’t have much to be forgiven for? Or was it that he had no idea that he was every bit as guilty as the woman he despised?
What does your response to Jesus say about your heart? Is your worship “Simon-ized?” Or have you, like the woman, never gotten over amazing grace?
Text: Luke 7:36-50
Originally recorded July 29, 2018, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Zacchaeus, the “wee little man” of children’s Sunday School songs, was a small man in a big man’s world. He was despised and hated as a cheat and a traitor. He had learned to be a survivor. But then he met Jesus, and everything changed.
Maybe you know what it’s like to be bullied, abused, betrayed or abandoned. You had to grow up too fast, had to make your own way. Jesus sees you and if you’re willing to go out on a limb…like Zacchaeus…you too can find Jesus to be your Forgiver…and Friend.
Text: Luke 19:1-10
Originally recorded July 2, 2018, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
When hardships happen in our lives, when difficult circumstances knock us down, the natural response for most of us is to pray that God would take them away. That He would resolve the conflict and remove the pain.
But how do you bounce back when God answers that prayer with…NO? That “thorn” is going to be part of your life.
In this final episode of the series Resilience, Dave looks at the story of the Apostle Paul’s thorn in the flesh and the word of hope God gave to him…and all of us who suffer.
Text: 2 Corinthians 12
Originally recorded June 21, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
It does not surprise us that people suffer. It does not surprise us that people are gracious and generous. It does surprise us when people who are suffering are gracious and generous.
Yet that’s exactly what we see in the example Paul gives in 2 Corinthians 8. A group of people who in their “severe trial” experienced “overflowing joy,” in their “extreme poverty” displayed “rich generosity.”
As we seek to build resilience, we would do well to remember:
- Throwing a pity party for yourself, while understandable, is seldom helpful.
- Helping others might well get you on the road to your own healing.
- When you’re financially challenged, the biggest gifts you ever give might well be the small gifts you give.
- God isn’t as impressed by the amount written on the check so much as the amount of sacrifice offered.
Text: 2 Corinthians 8
Originally recorded June 14, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
RESOURCES
Stick Man’s Really Bad Day
Map
Sometimes when life knocks us down, it actually serves as a wake-up call: an opportunity to open our eyes, pay attention, and make a change. In 2 Corinthians 7, the Apostle Paul describes what happened when he gave a wake-up call to a group of young Christians. Would they respond with godly sorrow that leads to repentance or with worldly sorrow that leads to death?
In this message, Dave offers these suggestions for how to respond when someone gives us a wake-up call of hard truth:
- Listen without getting defensive.
- Ask God to show you the truth in it.
- Confess what you need to.
- Take the next necessary steps.
- Seek out someone to hold you accountable.
Text: 2 Corinthians 7
Originally recorded June 7, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
One of the qualities that demonstrate maturity is the ability to bounce back when life knocks you down. We call that ability...resilience, and we need resilience in pretty much every area of our lives, don't we?!
In this message, Dave talks about developing resilience in ministry - recovering from the disappointment and discouragement that so often comes when we pour ourselves into others. We'll look at the testimony of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 and the three expressions that enabled him to keep going when the cost of ministry threatened to take him out. He focused on:
- the treasure of God's grace contained in his fragile body,
- the power of God that gives the capacity to keep going,
- and death and life, the reality that when we pour out our lives in service to God and others, we die a little. But it's only through death that life can emerge.
Text: 2 Corinthians 4
Originally recorded May 24, 2015 at Fellowship Missionary Church in Fort Wayne, IN.
Every one of us has…or will…experience pain, loss, disappointment, or betrayal. Such crushing pressures are part of life in a broken world. But God promises to comfort us if we will turn to Him in our troubles. His comfort enables us to bounce back, to build resilience. And as we receive God’s comfort, we can, in turn, comfort others with the comfort we have received.
Text: 2 Corinthians 1:1-9
Originally recorded on May 17, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church in Fort Wayne, IN.
Let’s face it: life is hard.
And while most of the time you may be able to withstand its pressures, sooner or later every one of us will come close to a breaking point.
How do you survive those moments? How do you bend but not break? How can you get back up when life knocks you down? It takes something known as RESILIENCE.
In this message, Pastor Dave looks at the painful, traumatic experiences the Apostle Paul faced on his second missionary journey and the words of encouragement God gave him that helped him bounce back: Don't be afraid. Stay on task. You're not alone.
Text: Acts 18:1-10
Originally recorded on May 10, 2015, at Fellowship Missionary Church in Fort Wayne, IN.
In this message, Pastor Dave wraps up his series on Elijah by focusing on the final mission of the prophet’s life – discipling his successor.
There is a lot we can learn about being and making disciples from the relationship between Elijah and his protégé. Lessons that can help us as we seek to fulfiill Jesus’ Great Commission to go and make disciples…who make disciples…who make disciples.
Lessons for disciplers include ask God for a name, give high invitation along with high challenge, and monitor the enthusiasm of your disciple’s response.
If you’re in a position to be invested in by another, look for the opportunity to be discipled, determine to prioritize the privilege, and position yourself as a learner and servant.
Text: 1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:1-15
Originally recorded April 6, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Have you ever hit a point in your life where you’re so exhausted, so discouraged, so depressed you’re just ready to quit?
Maybe you’re there right now. If so, you’re not alone.
In this message, we’re going to explore the darkest season of Elijah’s life. We’ll take a look at the pitfalls we need to look out for, such as the low that follows a high, the peril of physical and emotional exhaustion, and the danger of separating ourselves from strengthening relationships.
We’ll also discover the ways God tenderly met Elijah in his weakness…and will meet you in yours.
Text: 1 Kings 19:1-21
Originally recorded March 30, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
In this teaching, Pastor Dave explores one of the most dramatic moments in Scripture. Right up there with the parting of the Red Sea, David and Goliath, and Daniel in the lion’s den is this story…the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
But this is more than simply an exciting story. It’s filled with challenges for each of us in the spiritual battles we face every day. We’ll discover that sincerity isn’t the measuring stick of truth; that every god you depend on other than the Lord of heaven will one day disappoint you; and that you should never underestimate the potential of one life dedicated to God.
Text: 1 Kings 18
Originally recorded March 23, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Resources:
- Map
When you hear the word “idolatry” – what comes to your mind? Likely you think of pagan rituals and statues of wood or stone. Something that happened back in Old Testament days or maybe in undeveloped parts of the world.
But surely idolatry is not something WE struggle with today. I don’t have any idols in my life!
…or do I?
In this episode of his series on the prophet Elijah, Pastor Dave takes us to the foot of Mount Carmel and exposes the American idols that threaten us today.
Text: 1 Kings 18
Originally recorded March 9, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Resources:
- Map
What do you do when the thing you’ve depended on to get you through a hard time dries up? Moreover, why would God allow that to happen to His child? In this teaching, we learn that sometimes God forces us to leave the comfort of the known in order to get us to the place He wants us to be. For Elijah, God took him down an illogical path to an illogical place where he encountered an illogical person.
In this episode, Pastor Dave will frequently be referring to a map. If you'd like to follow along, you can find a copy of that map at www.DaveDeSelmMinistries.org/podcast/003.
Text: 1 Kings 17
Originally recorded February 23, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
For all the courage and commitment Elijah showed in confronting the evil king and queen, he wasn’t ready yet for the battle that was still to come. God needed to do something deep in the man before He could do something great through the man. Elijah had to go through a time of focused solitude, experience total dependence, and be challenged to unconditional obedience.
Text: 1 Kings 17
Originally recorded February 16, 2014 at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
Pastor Dave sets the stage for the story of one of the most remarkable characters in the Bible. What enabled this “man just like us” to have the courage to stand up to the most powerful, evil couple of his day? He was convinced of the reality of Jehovah, that he was a representative of Jehovah, and had the resources of Jehovah.
1 Kings 16:29-17:1
Originally recorded February 9, 2014, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.