Posts
"And Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.' So the two of them walked on together" (Genesis 22:8)
Sunday is Father's Day, beloved, a day in which we honor all the dads who deserve recognition for standing strong in raising their kids to be all that they ought to be. But what is a real father? Magazine articles in doctors' offices will tell you all kinds of things that dads ought to be. Can we trust such man-made "tests" for determining what a real dad should be?
Abraham stands as a wonderful example for us of what a godly father will be in any generation, beloved. If you've ever read this passage of Scripture through, you know that what God asked of him was that he sacrifice his son, Isaac, unto the Lord in faith. With wondering eyes and amazed hearts we read of how Abraham made ready for the journey to Mt. Moriah, how in obedience he took his beloved son, Isaac, to that place of sacrifice and tied him there upon the altar he had built. We read further how at the last moment God stopped his hand and provided instead a ram caught in the thicket by his horns.
So what made Abraham the father that he was? What was the secret of his utter trust in God? We find the answers to our questions in the New Testament account of Abraham as part of God's honor-roll of faith:
"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, 'In Isaac your descendants shall be called.' He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type" (Hebrews 11:17-19)
Note here first of all that Abraham trusted in God's plan. He did not insist upon having all his questions answered before he would obey God. He had learned that at times God's ways are beyond human understanding. It was enough for him to know that God knows what He is doing and that His way is always best.
But note also that Abraham trusted in God's promises. He recalled that God had promised him in Haran that in him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3). So Abraham chose to take God completely at His word! He knew that only through Isaac could God keep His word to Abraham. If God chose to have him sacrifice his son, then God would have to give him back to him so that God's own promise could be fulfilled.
Finally, note that Abraham trusted in God's power. Abraham had told his young servants who traveled with him to Moriah that both he and Isaac would worship on the mountain and would return to them (Genesis 22:5). He did not necessarily believe that Isaac would not die on the mountain, but rather that the power of God would restore him to his father so that the divine promise could be kept!
But why did God ask Abraham to make such a sacrifice in the first place, beloved? Could it be that what God asked Abraham to do on Mt. Moriah He Himself would later actually do on Mt. Golgotha? Could it be that in giving Isaac, Abraham's son that he loved, back to him God was foreshadowing the giving of His only begotten Son on Calvary's tree as well as His resurrection from the tomb? How can we read of Abraham's godly example and not think of those well-beloved words?
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16)
As dads today we need so much to set an example, not only for our children, but for our entire families and for all those who know us, of utter trust in God's plan, promises, and power. We need to lead the way in walking our families down the road of personal righteousness as we live by faith in Jesus Christ and seek in all that we do to glorify God. Now that is what a dad really is!
Happy Father's Day!
Ron
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Oh No! Not Another Stewardship Sermon!
"On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come...Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver" (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7)
How often this is the unspoken heart cry of many a church member upon learning that the pastor is about to begin his annual "stewardship" series of messages! How well I recall being part of a church in which at the same time each year the pastor would preach a series of messages on the importance of being faithful in the giving of our tithes and offerings. I did not appreciate then what he was trying to do, but I can certainly see today that we as Christians do not fully understand what Dr. Jack Taylor has called "God's plan of economy"!
Three vital truths come to mind regarding the importance of our giving, beloved, the first of which is that God has made it compulsory. In both Old and New Testaments the command is clearly and succinctly stated, revealing to us that obedient giving in all the commodities of life is no option:
How often this is the unspoken heart cry of many a church member upon learning that the pastor is about to begin his annual "stewardship" series of messages! How well I recall being part of a church in which at the same time each year the pastor would preach a series of messages on the importance of being faithful in the giving of our tithes and offerings. I did not appreciate then what he was trying to do, but I can certainly see today that we as Christians do not fully understand what Dr. Jack Taylor has called "God's plan of economy"!
Three vital truths come to mind regarding the importance of our giving, beloved, the first of which is that God has made it compulsory. In both Old and New Testaments the command is clearly and succinctly stated, revealing to us that obedient giving in all the commodities of life is no option:
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse..." (Malachi 3:10)
"Give..." (Luke 6:38)
"...let each one of you put aside..." (1 Corinthians 16:2)
"Give..." (Luke 6:38)
"...let each one of you put aside..." (1 Corinthians 16:2)
In fact, so compulsory is the act of faithful giving, beloved, that God said to His people through Malachi that not to be obedient in this area is actually to "rob God" (3:8)! Thus, for us ever to consider not giving according to the leading of God's Spirit is an act of rebellion against the God who has provided all of our needs.
A second vital truth regarding the importance of our giving is that we can expect it to be compensatory. In a day in which many Christians were raised to believe that in giving to the Lord we are never to expect something in return, to "give to get," so to speak, the Scriptures have a very different perspective for us. Let's return to those same verses above which we have only considered in part:
"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows'" (Malachi 3:10)
"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return" (Luke 6:38)
It is difficult to imagine God expecting us to expect Him to bless us, beloved, but that is precisely what the Scriptures reveal to us! We cannot imagine that God's command for us is that we "give to get," yet that is without a doubt what is woven into His eternal plan of economy for us. As surely as His requirement for us to give faithfully is compulsory in every sense of the word, it is also just that much compensatory in that we should expect Him to pour out His blessings upon us.
Finally, the word of God teaches us that the importance of our giving lies in the fact that ultimately it is to be contributory. And this element is what explains fully His promise to pour out upon us such blessings that we will not be able to take them in ourselves:
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed" (2 Corinthians 9:8)
As we have discovered, good stewardship as Christians involves a giving that is compulsory, as seen in the simple command of Jesus to "give." It is further compensatory in that God has promised to bless us beyond measure when we do give faithfully, causing us to focus in our giving upon "giving to get." Finally, we discover the reason for this "giving to get" when we realize that our giving is to be contributory in that we "give to get to give again." God promises to bless us beyond measure so that we may take that abundance and pour it into the lives of others in genuine need. He wants us to have "an abundance for every good deed" because that is how He wants to have those around us see His love in us and to come to the Savior in faith.
Another stewardship sermon, then? Absolutely! And another opportunity for us as believers to finally come to see how glorious is God's "plan of economy" and to bring our lives into line with the principles by which He governs this world. How faithful are you to God's plan of economy, beloved?
Just think! GIVE! GIVE TO GET! GIVE TO GET TO GIVE AGAIN! What a way to live!
Ron
A second vital truth regarding the importance of our giving is that we can expect it to be compensatory. In a day in which many Christians were raised to believe that in giving to the Lord we are never to expect something in return, to "give to get," so to speak, the Scriptures have a very different perspective for us. Let's return to those same verses above which we have only considered in part:
"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows'" (Malachi 3:10)
"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return" (Luke 6:38)
It is difficult to imagine God expecting us to expect Him to bless us, beloved, but that is precisely what the Scriptures reveal to us! We cannot imagine that God's command for us is that we "give to get," yet that is without a doubt what is woven into His eternal plan of economy for us. As surely as His requirement for us to give faithfully is compulsory in every sense of the word, it is also just that much compensatory in that we should expect Him to pour out His blessings upon us.
Finally, the word of God teaches us that the importance of our giving lies in the fact that ultimately it is to be contributory. And this element is what explains fully His promise to pour out upon us such blessings that we will not be able to take them in ourselves:
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed" (2 Corinthians 9:8)
As we have discovered, good stewardship as Christians involves a giving that is compulsory, as seen in the simple command of Jesus to "give." It is further compensatory in that God has promised to bless us beyond measure when we do give faithfully, causing us to focus in our giving upon "giving to get." Finally, we discover the reason for this "giving to get" when we realize that our giving is to be contributory in that we "give to get to give again." God promises to bless us beyond measure so that we may take that abundance and pour it into the lives of others in genuine need. He wants us to have "an abundance for every good deed" because that is how He wants to have those around us see His love in us and to come to the Savior in faith.
Another stewardship sermon, then? Absolutely! And another opportunity for us as believers to finally come to see how glorious is God's "plan of economy" and to bring our lives into line with the principles by which He governs this world. How faithful are you to God's plan of economy, beloved?
Just think! GIVE! GIVE TO GET! GIVE TO GET TO GIVE AGAIN! What a way to live!
Ron
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Look Out, World!
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2)
Anyone at all who knows me personally, beloved, knows that I love to play golf! And anyone who knows anything about the sport knows that it carries a special language all its own. For example, a "drive" is what you hit from a funny-looking hill called a "tee box." And a "chip" or perhaps a "pitch" is what you hit when you are close to the green. And a "putt" is what you hit when you are actually on the green. And you may have noticed that I have used the word "green" twice now without telling you what it is. Yes, golf certainly does have a language of its own!
One word that is so very important, however, and needs to be used far more than it seems to be today is the word "fore." Actually, "fore" is not so much just a spoken word as it is a shout of warning, as in "FORE!" It is the word that you should quite literally yell out as loudly as you can whenever you see that the ball which you have just hit is heading in the general direction of another person on the golf course. "Fore" is the golfer's way of shouting "Look out!" And any golfer who knows anything about the danger of being hit by a golf ball knows that the proper response to this word is to DUCK!
In the letter of the apostle Paul to the church in Rome, he urged believers to heed two specific commands, two shouts of "Look out!" if you will. The first of these we find in the word "conformed." The Greek verb suschematizo means literally "to fashion alike" in the sense of conforming oneself to a specific pattern of behavior. The word strongly describes seeking to be something on the outside that we are not really like on the inside! For us as Christians, Paul's caution is that we allow nothing to become part of our lifestyle that is like this present sinful age. The word also implies something that is transitional and unstable. Such behavior simply has no place in a Christian's life and so should be avoided at all costs.
The second command of the apostle Paul, another shout of "Look out!" if you will, is found in the word "transformed." The Greek word metamorphoo means literally what it says here and refers to our inner redeemed nature as Christians becoming visible in and through our attitudes and actions. In other words, instead of putting on a "mask" and acting like an unbeliever, something you are not, allow the real you, the one whom Christ made you by grace, to shine through!
Paul's dual command is his way of telling us as believers to allow your lives to shout to everyone around us - "Look out, world!" Just as a golfer yells "Fore!" whenever a ball he has just hit is sailing in the direction of another person, so we as Christians need to let our lives say, "Look out, world! Here I come!" That is what a truly "transformed" Christian will seek to do. If we want our world to see our Savior in us, then spiritual transformation is the only way. No amount of words spoken in evangelistic effort will mean anything until those who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord can see Him lived out through our words and deeds.
FORE!
Ron
Anyone at all who knows me personally, beloved, knows that I love to play golf! And anyone who knows anything about the sport knows that it carries a special language all its own. For example, a "drive" is what you hit from a funny-looking hill called a "tee box." And a "chip" or perhaps a "pitch" is what you hit when you are close to the green. And a "putt" is what you hit when you are actually on the green. And you may have noticed that I have used the word "green" twice now without telling you what it is. Yes, golf certainly does have a language of its own!
One word that is so very important, however, and needs to be used far more than it seems to be today is the word "fore." Actually, "fore" is not so much just a spoken word as it is a shout of warning, as in "FORE!" It is the word that you should quite literally yell out as loudly as you can whenever you see that the ball which you have just hit is heading in the general direction of another person on the golf course. "Fore" is the golfer's way of shouting "Look out!" And any golfer who knows anything about the danger of being hit by a golf ball knows that the proper response to this word is to DUCK!
In the letter of the apostle Paul to the church in Rome, he urged believers to heed two specific commands, two shouts of "Look out!" if you will. The first of these we find in the word "conformed." The Greek verb suschematizo means literally "to fashion alike" in the sense of conforming oneself to a specific pattern of behavior. The word strongly describes seeking to be something on the outside that we are not really like on the inside! For us as Christians, Paul's caution is that we allow nothing to become part of our lifestyle that is like this present sinful age. The word also implies something that is transitional and unstable. Such behavior simply has no place in a Christian's life and so should be avoided at all costs.
The second command of the apostle Paul, another shout of "Look out!" if you will, is found in the word "transformed." The Greek word metamorphoo means literally what it says here and refers to our inner redeemed nature as Christians becoming visible in and through our attitudes and actions. In other words, instead of putting on a "mask" and acting like an unbeliever, something you are not, allow the real you, the one whom Christ made you by grace, to shine through!
Paul's dual command is his way of telling us as believers to allow your lives to shout to everyone around us - "Look out, world!" Just as a golfer yells "Fore!" whenever a ball he has just hit is sailing in the direction of another person, so we as Christians need to let our lives say, "Look out, world! Here I come!" That is what a truly "transformed" Christian will seek to do. If we want our world to see our Savior in us, then spiritual transformation is the only way. No amount of words spoken in evangelistic effort will mean anything until those who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord can see Him lived out through our words and deeds.
FORE!
Ron
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Living as One Who Pleases God
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)
I really question seriously today how much the average person thinks about or even cares about what truly pleases God, beloved. In fact, I am convinced that most who do think about it at all feel confident that they not only know, but are already doing it! The prophet Micah reminded the people of Judah about the conversation out of their own history between Balak, king of Moab, and Balaam, a "mercenary" prophet from Mesopotamia hired by the king to pronounce a curse on the Hebrew people. Balak had his own idea of ways he could please God and in these words we hear Israel asking of God the same thing.
"With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself down before the Lord on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my first-born for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" (Micah 6:6-7)
It is just like man today to think that there is something that we can do to earn God's favor! Yet Micah has recorded for us what has come to be known as "the greatest saying of the Old Testament." It is the voice of God Himself reminding forgetful man that He wants from us what He has always wanted from us...nothing more, nothing less.
Note, then, in the prophet's words the first requirement for pleasing God, that we "do justice." The Hebrew word refers clearly to acting justly in every situation of life. I prefer what former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee calls "doing the right thing." And the "right" or just thing to do is always whatever the standard of God says is right or just! Think about what a tremendous impact could be made upon life in the U.S. if everyone started doing the right thing. Think about it in terms of protecting the unborn, of lowering the crime rate, of guarding the sanctity of marriage as defined by God, of educating children, of ministering to the poor and needy. I cannot think of a single area of human life that would not be affected if everyone would just determine to "do justice" and, thus, glorify God.
Next Micah mentioned the requirement from God that we "love kindness." The Hebrew word strongly implies the quality of mercy. Mercy is a difficult trait for us, even as Christians, to demonstrate, beloved. We are prone as human beings to look at the worst in others and then to quietly and piously thank God that we are not like that! If we would please God, we must not only love kindness or mercy in others, we must practice it ourselves...every day, all day long. Imagine the impact we would have upon society in our personal relationships alone were we to be merciful instead of judgmental, forgiving instead of going after our "pound of flesh," restorative instead of punitive.
Finally, Micah said that the third requirement of God is that we "walk humbly" with Him. The secret to true humility lies in seeing oneself as ever in need of God's grace. Clearly, then, the key to both "doing what is right" and "loving and practicing mercy" is to first see the need in our own lives! As long as I remain aware that I am but a sinner saved by God's grace, beloved, I will be able to do what is right and practice mercy toward others. These will only be possible because I have learned to walk humbly before God, aware of the work of His grace in my life.
Would you live a life that is truly pleasing to God, then? Here are the requirements: do what is right according to God's Word, love and practice mercy toward others, and walk in humility as you are aware of your need for God's grace. What a world this would be if we could only stop offering God substitutes for what He truly wants and just live as He here asks us to live!
Ron
I really question seriously today how much the average person thinks about or even cares about what truly pleases God, beloved. In fact, I am convinced that most who do think about it at all feel confident that they not only know, but are already doing it! The prophet Micah reminded the people of Judah about the conversation out of their own history between Balak, king of Moab, and Balaam, a "mercenary" prophet from Mesopotamia hired by the king to pronounce a curse on the Hebrew people. Balak had his own idea of ways he could please God and in these words we hear Israel asking of God the same thing.
"With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself down before the Lord on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my first-born for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" (Micah 6:6-7)
It is just like man today to think that there is something that we can do to earn God's favor! Yet Micah has recorded for us what has come to be known as "the greatest saying of the Old Testament." It is the voice of God Himself reminding forgetful man that He wants from us what He has always wanted from us...nothing more, nothing less.
Note, then, in the prophet's words the first requirement for pleasing God, that we "do justice." The Hebrew word refers clearly to acting justly in every situation of life. I prefer what former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee calls "doing the right thing." And the "right" or just thing to do is always whatever the standard of God says is right or just! Think about what a tremendous impact could be made upon life in the U.S. if everyone started doing the right thing. Think about it in terms of protecting the unborn, of lowering the crime rate, of guarding the sanctity of marriage as defined by God, of educating children, of ministering to the poor and needy. I cannot think of a single area of human life that would not be affected if everyone would just determine to "do justice" and, thus, glorify God.
Next Micah mentioned the requirement from God that we "love kindness." The Hebrew word strongly implies the quality of mercy. Mercy is a difficult trait for us, even as Christians, to demonstrate, beloved. We are prone as human beings to look at the worst in others and then to quietly and piously thank God that we are not like that! If we would please God, we must not only love kindness or mercy in others, we must practice it ourselves...every day, all day long. Imagine the impact we would have upon society in our personal relationships alone were we to be merciful instead of judgmental, forgiving instead of going after our "pound of flesh," restorative instead of punitive.
Finally, Micah said that the third requirement of God is that we "walk humbly" with Him. The secret to true humility lies in seeing oneself as ever in need of God's grace. Clearly, then, the key to both "doing what is right" and "loving and practicing mercy" is to first see the need in our own lives! As long as I remain aware that I am but a sinner saved by God's grace, beloved, I will be able to do what is right and practice mercy toward others. These will only be possible because I have learned to walk humbly before God, aware of the work of His grace in my life.
Would you live a life that is truly pleasing to God, then? Here are the requirements: do what is right according to God's Word, love and practice mercy toward others, and walk in humility as you are aware of your need for God's grace. What a world this would be if we could only stop offering God substitutes for what He truly wants and just live as He here asks us to live!
Ron
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Folks Who've Been with Jesus
"Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13)
Have you ever heard the old adage that "bad company corrupts good morals," beloved? How well I recall my parents' warning not to spend time with this person or that one simply because "they're a bad influence." Now as a teenager wanting desperately to be accepted and to have friends, the idea of "influence" was pretty well lost on me, even as a Christian.
It was not at all lost on Peter and John, however. As they stood before Israel's highest court, looking upward into those somber faces there in the "Hall of Hewn Stone," how they would present themselves as representatives of Jesus Christ was definitely on their minds! Prompted by the unleashed Holy Spirit within, they responded to the condescending attitude of those judges with unparalleled wisdom and tenacious honesty. Their response was, in fact, the last thing the Sanhedrin expected to hear from a couple of Galilean fishermen!
As they sat and listened to Peter and John respond to their question concerning by what authority they had healed the lame beggar lying at the "Beautiful" gate of the temple, an uneasy awareness crept over them. They had heard these words before! They had seen this boldness before! But precisely where they could not yet pinpoint. Then it dawned on them. These men spoke like that pesky Nazarene whom they had just summarily crucified! These men had been with Jesus! That was where they had heard these words and witnessed this boldness. Would they ever truly be rid of Him?
Influence is a powerful tool, beloved, and one that you and I use every day whether we realize it or not. Look back over your day today. With how many people were you physically and verbally in contact? How many phone conversations did you hold? Are you aware that in each of those lives you left indelibly stamped your own influence? You marked for eternity every person you encountered today and, surprise of surprises, you will do it again tomorrow! All that remains to be seen is whether your influence in their lives will be for the good or for something somewhat less noble.
If asked, how many of the people you encountered today could honestly conclude, as did the Sanhedrin judges who listened to Peter and John, that you have "been with Jesus"? What of the Master's character is visible in your words and deeds? What are you doing on earth for heaven's sake? Guard carefully your influence, beloved! It is a priceless gift that you are giving.
Ron
Have you ever heard the old adage that "bad company corrupts good morals," beloved? How well I recall my parents' warning not to spend time with this person or that one simply because "they're a bad influence." Now as a teenager wanting desperately to be accepted and to have friends, the idea of "influence" was pretty well lost on me, even as a Christian.
It was not at all lost on Peter and John, however. As they stood before Israel's highest court, looking upward into those somber faces there in the "Hall of Hewn Stone," how they would present themselves as representatives of Jesus Christ was definitely on their minds! Prompted by the unleashed Holy Spirit within, they responded to the condescending attitude of those judges with unparalleled wisdom and tenacious honesty. Their response was, in fact, the last thing the Sanhedrin expected to hear from a couple of Galilean fishermen!
As they sat and listened to Peter and John respond to their question concerning by what authority they had healed the lame beggar lying at the "Beautiful" gate of the temple, an uneasy awareness crept over them. They had heard these words before! They had seen this boldness before! But precisely where they could not yet pinpoint. Then it dawned on them. These men spoke like that pesky Nazarene whom they had just summarily crucified! These men had been with Jesus! That was where they had heard these words and witnessed this boldness. Would they ever truly be rid of Him?
Influence is a powerful tool, beloved, and one that you and I use every day whether we realize it or not. Look back over your day today. With how many people were you physically and verbally in contact? How many phone conversations did you hold? Are you aware that in each of those lives you left indelibly stamped your own influence? You marked for eternity every person you encountered today and, surprise of surprises, you will do it again tomorrow! All that remains to be seen is whether your influence in their lives will be for the good or for something somewhat less noble.
If asked, how many of the people you encountered today could honestly conclude, as did the Sanhedrin judges who listened to Peter and John, that you have "been with Jesus"? What of the Master's character is visible in your words and deeds? What are you doing on earth for heaven's sake? Guard carefully your influence, beloved! It is a priceless gift that you are giving.
Ron
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)