Our Declaration of Dependence

      Within our current world, we are hearing a lot of terms being thrown around right now.  Things like "critical race theory", "white privilege" and "social justice" are the latest buzz words to describe our problems.  However, as a person who likes simplicity, I have found a way in which we need to look at things from the big picture given to us in the Bible.  There are just two kingdoms:  the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven.  This world system in which we live is a fallen one that has rejected God and His commandments.  It is under the rule and dominion of Satan...the Father of lies who gained control by the fall of Adam.  Romans 5:12 says:  "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned..."  So in this world system, we are all sinners having received this nature from our ancestor Adam.  This is really a great equalizer in that none of us escape the condemnation of God.  We often wonder where all the hate, anger, murder, and lying comes from; yet, the Bible plainly tells us that we are slaves to sin.

     By contrast, the Kingdom of God offers forgiveness to the sinner through the righteous, perfect life of Jesus Christ who died on the cross to pay for all our sins, past, present and future.  We did nothing to deserve this, and there are no works that we could do to earn this.  It is a free gift offered to all that will repent of their sins (that is turn away from their sins) and believe in Jesus Christ.  The Bible refers to Jesus Christ as the second Adam because He came to do what Adam could not do and that is to keep the Law perfectly.  He offered Himself as a sacrifice in our place to take away the guilt, shame and horror of our sin.  Verse 1 of chapter 8 in Romans is what I call our Declaration of Dependence:  "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  We are dependent on the sacrifice of Christ, but we are free from sin and death.  Gone is the condemnation, guilt and shame we were under.  Now, the question is:  which kingdom do you want to live in?

     Our world system looks at how we interact with one another without considering God.  We try to fix things with laws and philosophies.  In fact, Karl Marx tried to fix society by creating a government that replaced God in meeting the needs of all the people.  All would be equal, and it would be a worker's paradise with no one more wealthy than another.  However, a government without God and without changed hearts freed from sin cannot produce a paradise only a tyranny.  For those of us who have lived a long life, we have seen the results of such oppressive rules leading to the deaths of all those who disagreed with this system.  Man without God cannot correct or address the issues that divide us.

     On the other hand, the Kingdom of God offers us freedom in Christ to be all that we were designed to be.  The first thing we all need is peace with God.  Romans 5:1 tells us:  "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."  This is the most important thing for us to have because then, we can be at peace with one another in the love of our Lord.  Paul's letter to the Church in Galatia says it well (chapter 3:26-28):  "..for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for y
ou are all one in Christ Jesus."  In Christ, we are united and able to love one another.

     This present world system, without God, is under the rule and dominion of Satan.  It tries to fix relationships and inequities with laws and regulations that weigh us down.  The Good News is that as believers in Christ we have been set free from condemnation.  This allows us, in turn, to tell others about the freedom we can experience in the Lord.  We are the salt and light in an otherwise darkened world.  Likewise, we are to live out our commitment to Christ by loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.  In Christ, there is no "white privilege", discrimination or hatred.  We were all created equal in the eyes of our Lord and He sent us the remedy for all the ills of society in the person of Jesus Christ.  This is the message we need to carry to others so they can be set free too.  The world system offers no answers because it is bound up in sin.  Only the Kingdom of God can change hearts and heal the brokenhearted by the blood of Christ.  We are not condemned in Him!  Hallelujah!  Selah!

When We Feel Like Things Are Going Sideways

     Life has a way of throwing us curve balls.  All we have to do is look back on the year 2020. Most of us had many plans as the year began, but an unknown virus struck with a vengeance canceling graduations, postponing weddings and making it impossible to gather for church.  Now, a year later, we are still dealing with this virus, but we have a vaccine, businesses are starting to function in greater numbers again and we know that God is at work.  In fact, even in the middle of the crisis last year, God was busy working for our good and His glory.  How do I know?  His Word proves it over and over. Consider the life of Joseph.

     Most of us know the story of  the favorite son of Jacob who wore the coat of many colors given to him by his father.  His older brothers could tell that Joseph was their father's favorite, and it bred jealousy in their hearts.  On top of this, Jospeh had a way of telling his brothers about his dreams in which they all bowed down to him.  Certainly, that was not a way to win them over.  So they devised a plan to be rid of their brother and his bragging once and for all.  At first, they thought of killing him but the oldest, Reuben, put a stop to that and instead, they sold him to traders going to Egypt where he would become a slave.  His brothers told their father a wild animal had torn him to pieces to cover what they had done.

     Once in Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar as a slave.  However, God was with Joseph and prospered all he did so that Potiphar came to entrust him with all his property.  Unfortunately, Potiphar's wife had designs on Joseph and tried to entice him into sin.  When he fled her attempt, she grabbed his garment and lied to her husband about Joseph implying that he had attempted to assault her.  With this, Joseph ended up in prison.  Yet even in prison, he seemed to do well and was given a lot of responsibility.

     While there, he met two of Pharaoh's servants who were imprisoned.  Both had dreams and by God's plan, Joseph was able to interpret the dreams for them.  One would be set free and had promised to remember Joseph to Pharaoh.  It was not until Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret that the servant remembered Joseph.  Not only was he able to tell Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams, but he was made second to him over all the land of Egypt to manage the affairs in the land during the famine.  What a fantastic story of survival in the midst of hard times! (Read the full story from Genesis 37 to the end of the book).

     There comes a point where Joseph (now a ruler) meets his brothers again who have come to Egypt for food.  After several such meetings, Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers who thought he was dead.  What he says should encourage us all.  Genesis 45:4-8:  "So Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come near to me please.' And they came near.  And he said, 'I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.  And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.  For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.  And God sent me before you to preserve for you a
remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.  So it was not you who sent me here, but God.  He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt."  Did you catch that?  All that happened to Joseph was allowed by God so that he could be raised to a position of authority where he could help God's chosen people.

     Certainly, the hardships and privations that Joseph suffered were not easy for him, but God had a plan all along.  If this is true for Joseph, it is also true for us.  Through all the turmoil of COVID and the national upheaval over the election, God is at work.  What's more, we have the assurance that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  This is a promise we can claim if we trust in Him.  So if life seems to be going sideways for us right now, let us remember Joseph.  We must walk by faith and not by sight trusting in a Sovereign God who rules and reigns over all the universe.  This is exactly what Joseph did.  May we be found as faithful!  Selah!

     

     

"Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See"

      Remember the song that children learn in Sunday School?  It goes:  "Oh be careful little eyes what you see.  Oh be careful little eyes what you see.  There's a Father up above And He's looking down in love, So be careful little eyes what you see."  Then it proceeds to remind children to be careful what they hear, what their hands do, where their feet go and what their mouth says.  This isn't just for children though.  We, as adults, need this reminder, too, every day.  

 

   Throughout God's Word, we are admonished to be cautious how we use our senses.  Psalm 101:3 tells us:  "I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me."  When we allow our eyes or ears to guide us, we can get into a lot of trouble.  Just remember what happened to Adam and Eve.  She was beguiled by the Serpent as he told her how beautiful the fruit of the tree was and how good it would be to eat.  What her eyes saw and what her ears heard seemed good to her so she ate of the fruit that was forbidden by God.  How easy it is for us to get sidetracked in this world.  There are so many interesting things for us to explore, but are all of them good for us?  Do they bring us closer to God or create anxiety within our heart? 

     Our Savior warned His disciples to be careful as the last days approach and since He has not yet returned for His church, we need to pay attention to these instructions:  “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:4-14).  Think about what the Lord is saying to us.  Are there not rumors in abundance today?  What about false prophets and others who proclaim to be Messiah?  We must be on guard in order to be fully ready for the onslaught of Satan.

     There has never been such a time that I can recall so much hatred and animosity in abundance in our once civil society.  The Apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, wrote these words in 2 Timothy 3:1-7:  "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."  This is a clear warning isn't it?  These are all symptoms of a society without God.

     Therefore, it is imperative for those of us who believe to be careful what we read and take to heart.  Does it line up with God's Word which is our foundation for truth?  Likewise, who are we listening to?  Is what this person saying really true and factual?  We must remember that Satan is a deceiver and the Father of lies, and God is truth.  This is why it is critical to dig and research before believing something we have read or heard.  God leads us; Satan pushes us.  God gives us peace; Satan gives us anxiety.  God has given us a spirit of love and power and a sound mind while Satan gives us a spirit of fear.

     As we see events unfold in our country or around the world, let us be certain to look to God who is sovereign over the affairs of men.  His Word will not pass away, and it offers us truth in a world that is fallen.  Our answers do not come from our senses but from God.  I close with this:  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:5-6)  Let this be our verse as we walk in this uncertain world.  Selah!

     

     

Guarding Our Faith

     In high school, I had a wonderful teacher who told us to approach news shows, magazines and newspapers with caution.  He said we needed to read more than one source in order to get a balanced view because everyone writes or speaks with a worldview that influences their words.  I have never forgotten that advice.  From writing term papers to giving presentations, I always made certain I had several sources.  In reality, there is only one source that holds truth and that is the Bible.  For the Christian, this is not only the foundation for our faith but also, the guide for our lives.  What God loves, we are to love and what God hates (sin), we are to hate this as well.  

     With that said, we need to look at current events today (which are tumultuous) through the eyes of the Bible.  There are tons of conspiracy theories floating around and rumors after a contested election.  Some people are panicked, others are upset, and with the pandemic, a lot of fear abounds.  However, Jesus Christ spoke words of comfort to His disciples not only as He discussed His imminent death but also for His future return.  He knew the disciples would suddenly have their world rocked as He went to the cross.  They would be confused, fearful and uncertain in the aftermath, and He wanted to offer them assurance that all would be well if they trusted in Him.  John 14:1 says:  "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me."  Then, again, in verse 27, He says:  "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

     What Jesus told the disciples then is the same advice for us today.  His Word will never pass away though everything else will some day.  We can take this to the bank as my father used to say.  We must not let the circumstances of this world determine or shape our outlook.  Jesus says we can trust Him and the plan God has for each of our lives.  We are not here in this time in history by chance.  We are here by design and for a purpose which can get lost if we give in to lies, rumors and fear.

     In his letter to a young pastor Timothy, whom the Apostle Paul had trained, He advises Timothy not to give in to fear.  2 Timothy 1:7 tells us:  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  These words apply to us all as believers.  God is more than able to carry us through the changes and uncertainties.  So who is it that is spreading the rumors or theories that confuse us?  The answer is very clear.

     Speaking to the Pharisees and religious leaders who challenged Jesus, He spoke very directly to them because they could not accept the truth.  In John 8:44, He said to them:  "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."  Of course, the Lord was speaking of Satan who brings confusion, condemnation, fear, murder, lies and misunderstanding to all those who do not believe in Jesus Christ.  The Enemy of our Souls also wants to stir up believers so they will question God. We become ineffective when we fall into fear.  This is why it is so important in our present day and age not to believe any story that comes along.  Instead, check it out and see if it is so...remembering that the Bible is the foundation for our truth.

     Of all people, Christians need to trust the Lord to see us through the hard places of life.  He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.  We aren't guaranteed we will know what is going to happen, but we know He holds the future.  Therefore, let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.  The Bible tells us that if we stand our ground the devil will flee from us.  The key for us to remember is not to believe everything you see or hear.  We need to research something before we accept it as truth and compare it to the Word of God which guides us daily.  Selah!

     

     

Quit Your Grumbling

     I can hear my mother now, "Barbara Ann quit your grumbling.  Things are not going to change when you complain all the time."  She was right, too.  Dwelling on negative circumstances of life only steals your joy and darkens your outlook.  After all, we are called to be a light in this world.  I would liken this to putting a 15 watt light bulb into a lamp that previously had a sixty watt bulb in it.  There is a big difference in the amount of light it gives off.  When we grumble, the light of the Gospel within us dims in this world of unbelief in which we walk.

     In Paul's letter to the Church at Philippi, he wrote these words (Chap. 2:14-16):  "Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in that day of Christ, I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain."

     Certainly, we do live in a crooked and twisted generation just now where people call evil good and good evil.  Justice seems to elude us and the wicked seemingly get away with anything.  Living in a fallen world is not easy, but God has given us the light of His Holy Spirit to comfort, guide and nurture us so we may shine in the darkness around us.  

     Reading Psalm 37 is great comfort for all believers because God speaks to us through these words and points to what will transpire in the end.  When it comes to the crooked and twisted generation, verse 1-2 tells us:  "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb."  Then the Psalmist tells us this:  "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness....(vs. 3) Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. (vs. 5)"  These are just a few of the verses that speak to us about those who seem to get away with everything.  They do not honor God and yet they prosper.  This is when we are tempted to grumble.

     David, the writer of this Psalm, knew all about evildoers.  For years, his own father-in-law King Saul hunted him like an animal.  The circumstances of his life were not easy, but David found that he needed to trust God with his life.  I love what vs. 5 says to us.  If we are committed to the Lord and trusting in  Him, we can be assured He will act.  It is not up to us to take matters into our own hands or to grumble and complain.  God has a plan that we cannot see and He promises to work all things together for good to those who love Him.

     Reading further in this Psalm, we see in verses 28-29 a precious promise:  "For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake His saints.  They are preserved forever; but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.  The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever."  The beginning of the verse is what grabs me:  "For the Lord loves justice..."  Isn't it good to know that the Lord loves the very thing that believers desire to see?  We want to see justice and good triumph over evil, and if we wait upon the Lord, He will act.  His actions are far more effective than ours could ever be.  So then, what should we do to keep from that grumbling spirit?

     Let us put on the garment of praise each day focusing on God's ability to do what we cannot.  We are to be the light in this dark world sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Keeping our eyes on the prize of the high calling we have in Christ, studying His Word and faithfully praying each day.  In other words, we need to "trust the Plan" that God has for each of us and for this world.  Be a sixty watt bulb today....not the 15 watt bulb!  Selah!

P.S.  Please read all of Psalm 37.  It will encourage your soul.