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"Again he prostrated himself and said, 'What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?'" (2 Samuel 9:8)
Now I'll be the first to admit that the image of a "dead dog" is not a very palatable picture to bring to your minds, beloved! But there really is nothing else that I can use to make the glorious point that we find here in the words of Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, to David, king of Israel. So why did this grown son of David's best friend refer to himself in such a manner? And what can we learn about the grace of God from what transpired between the king and the son of his dearest friend?
The reason why Mephibosheth called himself a "dead dog" when lying prostrate before King David we find in the closing words of this chapter - "Now he was lame in both feet." Mephibosheth had been dropped by his nurse when she had learned of the deaths of Jonathan and Saul and that fall had left him permanently crippled (4:4). To Mephibosheth, then, he was about as good as a "dead dog"!
In this chapter we discover a marvelous picture of God's love for us as sinners, of His unmerited favor shown to us in Jesus Christ. David owed the house of Saul absolutely nothing, yet he chose to show favor to the grandson of the former king because of his love for Jonathan. Did you know that what God has done for us He has done because of who Jesus Christ is and because of His love for Him?
And where was Mephibosheth finally located? He was found in a place called "Lo-debar" whose name loosely translated means "desert place" or "wasteland." Where did Jesus Christ find us but lost in the domain of darkness and of sin? And from that domain He called us in love, much like the way that David sent for Mephibosheth and had him ushered into his royal presence.
What did David do for this helpless cripple once he had him lying prostrate before him? He chose to restore to him all that his grandfather had possessed and to make it his own. Though it rightly belonged to David as king, he willingly chose to give it to Mephibosheth and his family. In the same way God has made us "heirs" of all that is His and "fellow heirs" with the Lord Jesus Christ. We are forever part of God's family and it is all because of His decision to extend that gracious invitation to each one of us.
Finally, David invited Mephibosheth to dine permanently at the king's table as one of his own sons. He was made to become a member of the royal family! He who had been eking out a living in Lo-debar with no future and no hope from that moment on sat at the king's table under the king's loving and watchful eye, belonging there as surely as if he had been David's own biological son. You and I do not deserve what God has done for us in Christ, beloved, but we most certainly do belong at God's table! One day we shall sit down with the Lord Jesus Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb. What a glorious day that will be!
This ninth chapter closes with the reminder concerning Mephibosheth that "he was lame in both feet." Perhaps those words bringing this paragraph to a close serve as a wonderful reminder for you and me that, in and of ourselves, we too are each a "dead dog" spiritually. We are all "lame in both feet"! And as we remember that fact as we live from day to day, perhaps we will better and more faithfully give God all the glory for His amazing grace so undeserved by us, yet so full and rich and free in our lives.
Ron
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Does God Want Me To Be Happy?
"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
We've all heard it before, haven't we? Someone somewhere will make the bold declarative statement that "God wants me to be happy." And it has become a very popular belief among even many Christians today that, indeed, making sure that I am happy is part of God's "job"!
But the question needs to be asked seriously, especially by those who make such a claim - "Is that really what God wants for me?" And if it is, then why does He allow so many trials into my life that rob me of my happiness? We have answered our own question, beloved! God wants more for us than mere happiness.
You see, the lesson that it seems we have yet to learn is that happiness depends on the circumstances of life. When things are good, we can be happy. But when tough times come, our happiness slips away. Scripture teaches us that God wants us to be "joyful," beloved. And not only joyful, but joyful in whatever we are facing! But how can we be joyful when sorrow and suffering surround us? We can because joy does not depend upon circumstances, but on the depth of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
We can rejoice, as Jesus directed His disciples to do, that our names are recorded in heaven (Luke 10:20). Because we are in Christ by faith, we live under the promise that "God causes all things to work together for good" in our lives as faithful followers (Romans 8:28).
But the imperative "rejoice always" lets us know that being joyful is something that we must actively choose to be. There simply is no such creature as a "passively joyful Christian"! So, does God want me to be happy? No, He wants you to be so much more. He wants you to live every moment of every day in the deep and abiding joy that is found only in Jesus Christ. And He wants that joy to so flow out of your attitudes, words, and deeds that the Spirit of God can use it to draw those who know you to the Savior!
Rejoice always, beloved!
Ron
We've all heard it before, haven't we? Someone somewhere will make the bold declarative statement that "God wants me to be happy." And it has become a very popular belief among even many Christians today that, indeed, making sure that I am happy is part of God's "job"!
But the question needs to be asked seriously, especially by those who make such a claim - "Is that really what God wants for me?" And if it is, then why does He allow so many trials into my life that rob me of my happiness? We have answered our own question, beloved! God wants more for us than mere happiness.
You see, the lesson that it seems we have yet to learn is that happiness depends on the circumstances of life. When things are good, we can be happy. But when tough times come, our happiness slips away. Scripture teaches us that God wants us to be "joyful," beloved. And not only joyful, but joyful in whatever we are facing! But how can we be joyful when sorrow and suffering surround us? We can because joy does not depend upon circumstances, but on the depth of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
We can rejoice, as Jesus directed His disciples to do, that our names are recorded in heaven (Luke 10:20). Because we are in Christ by faith, we live under the promise that "God causes all things to work together for good" in our lives as faithful followers (Romans 8:28).
But the imperative "rejoice always" lets us know that being joyful is something that we must actively choose to be. There simply is no such creature as a "passively joyful Christian"! So, does God want me to be happy? No, He wants you to be so much more. He wants you to live every moment of every day in the deep and abiding joy that is found only in Jesus Christ. And He wants that joy to so flow out of your attitudes, words, and deeds that the Spirit of God can use it to draw those who know you to the Savior!
Rejoice always, beloved!
Ron
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Divine Collision
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6)
Have you ever had occasion to make the statement concerning a particular event or set of circumstances that it was "inevitable," beloved? That it was "bound to happen"? It seems that there are many situations in life where we can see the inevitable coming, even if there is nothing that we can do to prevent it!
For us as Christians today there is definitely a "divine collision" within the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus made the very specific statement that "no one comes to the Father" except through Him. Have you ever thought about conflicting a statement that is? How it flies in the face of that kind of religious correctness that has become increasingly popular among church people today? Some years ago I had the opportunity to hear a very well-known and likable preacher being interviewed on a television talk show. He was asked directly by the program host if he believed that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. To my great dismay, the preacher made it clear that he was not ready to say that all the other religions of the world do not have their own value in bringing men into relationship with God. He believed it for himself, but not necessarily for those who hold to other religious beliefs. Very simply, he was being religiously correct!
This is the point at which the "divine collision" confronts head-on every true follower of Jesus Christ today, beloved! At some point, if we are going to reach our world with the gospel, we are going to have to proclaim undeniably that, yes, Jesus Christ is the only author of salvation, the only way to eternal life. And we must do so for the simple reason that Jesus made that very claim concerning Himself.
In a world that calls such a conviction "bigoted" and "narrow-minded" and refers to those who hold to it as part of the "radical right," the good news is that this same Jesus is available to every person on earth. The Apostle Paul reminded the saints in Rome that "whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). It is the "whoever" that we need to proclaim with great joy, beloved! Yes, Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. There is no other. But the good news is that this one way to eternal life is open to any and all who will turn to Him in faith and true repentance.
Don't be afraid of the "divine collision," beloved! Dare to take a stand in love and declare not only that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, but that He welcomes all who come to Him in faith. Religious correctness will never save one person, no matter how well-intentioned those who espouse it may be. Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin and satisfies the holiness of God. Lift high the name of Jesus! Let the "divine collision" happen!
Ron
Have you ever had occasion to make the statement concerning a particular event or set of circumstances that it was "inevitable," beloved? That it was "bound to happen"? It seems that there are many situations in life where we can see the inevitable coming, even if there is nothing that we can do to prevent it!
For us as Christians today there is definitely a "divine collision" within the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus made the very specific statement that "no one comes to the Father" except through Him. Have you ever thought about conflicting a statement that is? How it flies in the face of that kind of religious correctness that has become increasingly popular among church people today? Some years ago I had the opportunity to hear a very well-known and likable preacher being interviewed on a television talk show. He was asked directly by the program host if he believed that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. To my great dismay, the preacher made it clear that he was not ready to say that all the other religions of the world do not have their own value in bringing men into relationship with God. He believed it for himself, but not necessarily for those who hold to other religious beliefs. Very simply, he was being religiously correct!
This is the point at which the "divine collision" confronts head-on every true follower of Jesus Christ today, beloved! At some point, if we are going to reach our world with the gospel, we are going to have to proclaim undeniably that, yes, Jesus Christ is the only author of salvation, the only way to eternal life. And we must do so for the simple reason that Jesus made that very claim concerning Himself.
In a world that calls such a conviction "bigoted" and "narrow-minded" and refers to those who hold to it as part of the "radical right," the good news is that this same Jesus is available to every person on earth. The Apostle Paul reminded the saints in Rome that "whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). It is the "whoever" that we need to proclaim with great joy, beloved! Yes, Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. There is no other. But the good news is that this one way to eternal life is open to any and all who will turn to Him in faith and true repentance.
Don't be afraid of the "divine collision," beloved! Dare to take a stand in love and declare not only that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, but that He welcomes all who come to Him in faith. Religious correctness will never save one person, no matter how well-intentioned those who espouse it may be. Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin and satisfies the holiness of God. Lift high the name of Jesus! Let the "divine collision" happen!
Ron
Thursday, July 29, 2010
When Cain Went to Church!
"So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground" (Genesis 4:3)
The setting was somewhere outside the Garden of Eden. The issue was worship and the emotion was rage. Something was about to break wide open. God had accepted the younger brother's offering while rejecting that of the older. Note precisely what it had been that Abel had offered unto God:
"And Abel, on his part had brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard" (Genesis 4:4-5a)
The question that has long puzzled many, beloved, is why God accepted Abel's offering of worship while rejecting his brother's? Had it not been as sincerely given as that of the younger son? Did it not represent the fruit of his fields as Abel's had been the fruit of his flock? I believe that the key to understanding what took place on that occasion can be found in the term "in the course of time." The Hebrew phrase literally means "at the end of days" and suggests strongly that both men had been offering acceptable sacrifices unto God for some time. Cain had no doubt also brought the acceptable offering of the unblemished lamb which he had procured from Abel's flock. Remember that at this early point in man's history, beloved, meat was not yet eaten! The flock was kept for clothing and for sacrifice. Apparently Cain finally grew weary with the ordeal of preparing for worship - selection of a spotless animal, slaying and dressing it, building the altar fire - and had decided that the grains and produce from his own fields would make a worthy substitute. And it was at that particular point of departure from God's instructions to them that God rejected what Cain had so offhandedly offered to Him on that occasion.
What possible lesson could we as Christians today gain from this ancient story from Scripture, beloved? A very important one, I sincerely believe! You see, the offerings brought by Cain and Abel were acts of worship before God, their "going to church," if you will. You and I today bring unto God in worship a sacrifice of righteousness, or at least that is what we are supposed to do. The lesson that we gain from Cain's mistake is that he came to the point where he no longer felt that God needed or deserved his whole heart. He decided that he would "substitute" a lesser sacrifice, a more convenient offering unto the Lord. He would throw some grain into a bushel basket and shove it before God. Worship would be simpler and likely much shorter! Then Cain would be free to go about doing what it was that he wanted to do.
How often today do we sit in a service of worship with our bodies in the right place and our hearts somewhere else? How often do we endure the tedium of what comes between the prelude and the postlude and then scurry away from the altar of God back to those things which are to us more tantalizing? When and if we do so, we are demonstrating unto God "the heart of Cain" and He wants no more to do with such acts of worship than He did when it was offered to Him by Cain so long ago.
Ah, but what an example for us Abel is! Not only did he bring to God that day the prescribed sacrifice of blood that was shed and fat portions that were laid upon the altar of genuine worship, but he did so with a humble and obedient heart. For Abel, it was God who was worthy of worship and God who was the focus of his heart. When Cain when to church, it was all about Cain and what he wanted for himself. But when Abel went to church, it was all about God and the glory and praise he sought for his Creator. What sacrifices are you bringing to God today, beloved? What is worship like when you go to church? Let me leave you with a gentle reminder from God's Word about the offering with which He will always be pleased:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17)
Ron
The setting was somewhere outside the Garden of Eden. The issue was worship and the emotion was rage. Something was about to break wide open. God had accepted the younger brother's offering while rejecting that of the older. Note precisely what it had been that Abel had offered unto God:
"And Abel, on his part had brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard" (Genesis 4:4-5a)
The question that has long puzzled many, beloved, is why God accepted Abel's offering of worship while rejecting his brother's? Had it not been as sincerely given as that of the younger son? Did it not represent the fruit of his fields as Abel's had been the fruit of his flock? I believe that the key to understanding what took place on that occasion can be found in the term "in the course of time." The Hebrew phrase literally means "at the end of days" and suggests strongly that both men had been offering acceptable sacrifices unto God for some time. Cain had no doubt also brought the acceptable offering of the unblemished lamb which he had procured from Abel's flock. Remember that at this early point in man's history, beloved, meat was not yet eaten! The flock was kept for clothing and for sacrifice. Apparently Cain finally grew weary with the ordeal of preparing for worship - selection of a spotless animal, slaying and dressing it, building the altar fire - and had decided that the grains and produce from his own fields would make a worthy substitute. And it was at that particular point of departure from God's instructions to them that God rejected what Cain had so offhandedly offered to Him on that occasion.
What possible lesson could we as Christians today gain from this ancient story from Scripture, beloved? A very important one, I sincerely believe! You see, the offerings brought by Cain and Abel were acts of worship before God, their "going to church," if you will. You and I today bring unto God in worship a sacrifice of righteousness, or at least that is what we are supposed to do. The lesson that we gain from Cain's mistake is that he came to the point where he no longer felt that God needed or deserved his whole heart. He decided that he would "substitute" a lesser sacrifice, a more convenient offering unto the Lord. He would throw some grain into a bushel basket and shove it before God. Worship would be simpler and likely much shorter! Then Cain would be free to go about doing what it was that he wanted to do.
How often today do we sit in a service of worship with our bodies in the right place and our hearts somewhere else? How often do we endure the tedium of what comes between the prelude and the postlude and then scurry away from the altar of God back to those things which are to us more tantalizing? When and if we do so, we are demonstrating unto God "the heart of Cain" and He wants no more to do with such acts of worship than He did when it was offered to Him by Cain so long ago.
Ah, but what an example for us Abel is! Not only did he bring to God that day the prescribed sacrifice of blood that was shed and fat portions that were laid upon the altar of genuine worship, but he did so with a humble and obedient heart. For Abel, it was God who was worthy of worship and God who was the focus of his heart. When Cain when to church, it was all about Cain and what he wanted for himself. But when Abel went to church, it was all about God and the glory and praise he sought for his Creator. What sacrifices are you bringing to God today, beloved? What is worship like when you go to church? Let me leave you with a gentle reminder from God's Word about the offering with which He will always be pleased:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17)
Ron
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Listening to the Voice of the Shepherd
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28)
I love to listen to the preaching of Dr. Charles Stanley, beloved, just as many other believers do as well! Recently he was speaking on the subject of Jesus as our Shepherd and related his own personal experience of being in the Holy Land with a tour group and of stopping by a well to rest. As they sat there, says Dr. Stanley, two groups of sheep led by individual shepherds approached the well from opposite directions. Instantly the two flocks merged and were indistinguishable from each other. The two shepherds stood and chatted for a brief time while their sheep were watered. Finally, each of the shepherds spoke something to that mingled mass of sheep and each moved off in a different direction. Without any confusion at all, the sheep separated themselves and moved off in the direction their particular shepherd had taken. Just as easily as they had mingled themselves, they separated into the same two flocks and followed the voice of their shepherd. Simply, they did so because they had come over time to know that voice and to follow it.
Note here what Jesus said about you and me as Christians, beloved, about our relationship with Him as our Shepherd. He said first that we "hear" His voice. Every true believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God and one of His works within us is to make sure that we can "hear" the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ as He seeks to guide us daily as our Shepherd. But we have to first be listening, don't we? Are you listening for the voice of Jesus each day?
Then Jesus said that He "knows" us personally. That is the sole essence of the gospel, beloved! Jesus said that one day some will come to Him and claim to belong to Him, but He will reply by saying to them, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23). The essence of the gospel is a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ! We cannot be His "sheep" if we do not know Him and we cannot know Him if we have not put our trust in Him as Savior and Lord.
Jesus also said that we as His flock will "follow" Him. Did you know, beloved, that in the original language of the New Testament the word "follow" refers to walking in the same direction as? So it is not enough just to go to church and call yourself a Christian. We must actually be willing to let the Shepherd lead and follow Him wherever He may lead.
The final image that I want to share with you from these words of Jesus, beloved, is that of a shepherd's commitment to the sheep to the point of a willingness to sacrifice himself for them. It was said of the Palestinian shepherd that at night he would lay down across the only entrance to the sheepfold so that any predator wishing to get to the flock had to get through him first. Jesus as our Shepherd did that very thing when He went to the cross to bear our sins upon Himself! Consequently, He is able to say to us and of us that we shall "never perish."
How well can you hear the Shepherd's voice today, beloved? How closely are you listening? Are you willing to follow that wonderful voice and to walk where He leads? You will if you are truly of His flock!
Ron
I love to listen to the preaching of Dr. Charles Stanley, beloved, just as many other believers do as well! Recently he was speaking on the subject of Jesus as our Shepherd and related his own personal experience of being in the Holy Land with a tour group and of stopping by a well to rest. As they sat there, says Dr. Stanley, two groups of sheep led by individual shepherds approached the well from opposite directions. Instantly the two flocks merged and were indistinguishable from each other. The two shepherds stood and chatted for a brief time while their sheep were watered. Finally, each of the shepherds spoke something to that mingled mass of sheep and each moved off in a different direction. Without any confusion at all, the sheep separated themselves and moved off in the direction their particular shepherd had taken. Just as easily as they had mingled themselves, they separated into the same two flocks and followed the voice of their shepherd. Simply, they did so because they had come over time to know that voice and to follow it.
Note here what Jesus said about you and me as Christians, beloved, about our relationship with Him as our Shepherd. He said first that we "hear" His voice. Every true believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God and one of His works within us is to make sure that we can "hear" the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ as He seeks to guide us daily as our Shepherd. But we have to first be listening, don't we? Are you listening for the voice of Jesus each day?
Then Jesus said that He "knows" us personally. That is the sole essence of the gospel, beloved! Jesus said that one day some will come to Him and claim to belong to Him, but He will reply by saying to them, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23). The essence of the gospel is a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ! We cannot be His "sheep" if we do not know Him and we cannot know Him if we have not put our trust in Him as Savior and Lord.
Jesus also said that we as His flock will "follow" Him. Did you know, beloved, that in the original language of the New Testament the word "follow" refers to walking in the same direction as? So it is not enough just to go to church and call yourself a Christian. We must actually be willing to let the Shepherd lead and follow Him wherever He may lead.
The final image that I want to share with you from these words of Jesus, beloved, is that of a shepherd's commitment to the sheep to the point of a willingness to sacrifice himself for them. It was said of the Palestinian shepherd that at night he would lay down across the only entrance to the sheepfold so that any predator wishing to get to the flock had to get through him first. Jesus as our Shepherd did that very thing when He went to the cross to bear our sins upon Himself! Consequently, He is able to say to us and of us that we shall "never perish."
How well can you hear the Shepherd's voice today, beloved? How closely are you listening? Are you willing to follow that wonderful voice and to walk where He leads? You will if you are truly of His flock!
Ron
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