Tag Archives: god

Do You Know Him? – YAHWEH-Shammah

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God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1, NKJV

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Hebrews 13:5, NKJV

Another of those amazing names of God is found in the verses above, and in so many other places in the Bible. God is known as YAHWEH-Shammah, “The LORD who is present.” We oftentimes hear someone speak of the omnipresence of God – a statement which means that God is literally everywhere, all the time. You cannot go anywhere that God isn’t. That is one of His astounding attributes.

But here, we are speaking of a self-designation of God Himself. He is not only everywhere, all the time, but He is also with us, personally, all the time. We can never be separated from the presence of God. As we give thought to this amazing truth it causes us to experience certain feelings, certain emotions, that can be of great encouragement while at the same time being of great admonition. Let’s think about some of those feelings as we consider His eternal presence with us.

First of all, this name of God presents us with a challenge. To know that He is always with us – every moment of our lives – should be a huge challenge to live in accord with His teachings. It should be a source of motivation to strive to live lives of righteousness. We are commanded to put off the old habits of our pre-converted state of being, and put on the new habits, behaviors, actions, attitudes, etc. of the imputed and imparted righteousness of our Lord. His continual presence with us should be a constant source of encouragement when we are successfully striving to live that kind of life, and a constant source of challenge when we aren’t. Remember, it was the Lord Himself who instructed us to be holy, even as our Father is holy. The recognition of His presence should help us to maintain that level of commitment.

A second truth is that this name presents comfort to the child of God in times of pain and struggle. The presence of a friend in times of crisis can be so comforting, uplifting, and strengthening. They may not be able to alleviate the discomfort, but their presence means so much. It is the act of being there that helps so much. God is always there. His presence is a constant, comforting reality. We are never alone in facing the difficulties of life. The psalmist states that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” No matter how terrible the trauma, how difficult the situation, how unbearable the circumstances, He is there to help in the midst of the distress. Call out to Him, and He will manifest Himself by giving that peace of God that surpasses all knowledge.

This name is also a source of conviction for the child of God. Let’s be honest with ourselves: there are times in which we are not walking as closely with God as we know we should. There are times when we willfully, knowingly, choose to disobey God and engage in activities that are clearly denounced in the Bible. We choose to commit sin, to enjoy the fleeting pleasure that sinful behavior brings. For the child of God, this brings about an immediate quickening of our human spirit as the Holy Spirit drives a spiritual dagger into our heart. We are made aware of the fact that we have committed an action that clearly grieves the Holy Spirit. This aspect of the awareness of His presence is crucial for us, because the Bible teaches that if we are living in open rebellion to the teachings of God’s Word and don’t experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then we are not His children. This is truly an acid test of true Christianity. If we can live in sin, and enjoy it, with no sense of conviction, then we do not belong to His family. The presence of God in the life of the believer is one source of knowing beyond doubt that I belong to Him.

A fourth truth about this name is that it presents courage. A powerful example of this is found in the Book of Joshua. After the death of Moses, Joshua is appointed to lead the people of Israel as they enter the promised land. Listen to these encouraging words God spoke to Joshua as he is given this mantle of responsibility.

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage…

Joshua 1:5-6a, NKJV

What a daunting task Joshua had ahead of him. But God encourages him with these beautiful words of reminder that God would be present with him as he had been with Moses. God is our ever-present help. He never leaves nor forsakes us. He is always by our side to lend assistance, to give us strength, to see us through.

Let’s not neglect to thank God for this amazing aspect of His relationship with us. Let us strive to live daily in the awareness of His constant and consistent presence. And let us share the love and light of His presence with us with others who are still living in the darkness of this world.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Do You Know Him? – YAHWEH-Rohi

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The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23, NKJV

It’s one of the most well-known and probably the most beloved of all the psalms. We have heard it countless times, and many of us have committed it to memory. It is used quite regularly in memorial services for those who have passed from this earthly life.

But there is so much in this psalm that we need to know if we would grow in our relationship with the Lord. And notice carefully that the word LORD at the beginning of the psalm is in all caps, showing that it is the name of God, YAHWEH. So, David is speaking of the relational aspect of his intimate knowledge of God. He is not just talking about God, but rather he is sharing his intimate relationship with God. Let’s take a few minutes to delve into understanding the many ramifications of this beautiful psalm.

First, think about the personal aspect of David’s words. He states in the most intimate of ways, “The LORD is my shepherd.” David can use this personal pronoun about himself because he knows God. He doesn’t only know about God, but he knows Him in the most personal way. He doesn’t have to speak of God in abstract, non-relational ways, speaking of His attributes out of his having learned those attributes, but out of his own personal experience with God. He can say “My Shepherd” because of his own personal experiences with God.

Second, David speaks of his confidence in his Shepherd. We see this clearly in the words, “I shall not want.” David has learned that no matter what his circumstances may be, or how serious his situation may seem, he can have confidence in God to care for him and to supply him with whatever is necessary to meet the demands of the moment. We are not to understand from this that God will always supply a super-abundance of the things we want, but He will always provide what we need. David had already learned this from the experiences through his many hardships in life, and now he trusts that God will continue to be with him.

A third thing we can learn from this beautiful psalm is that David believed God would protect him. He mentions two things that clearly illustrate this point: safety as he walks through the valley of the shadow of death, and having a table prepared for him in the presence of his enemies. The Shepherd always looks after his sheep! Philip Keller, in his book “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm”, goes into great detail explaining how the good shepherd would put his own life in danger for the well-being of his sheep. Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd, did just that: He laid down His life for His sheep. Knowing Him gives us confidence and assurance as we walk through those dark valleys of life.

David closes this psalm by speaking of the permanence of his relationship with the Shepherd. He speaks of the fact that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Believers in Jesus Christ have the assurance that we will live forever in that wonderful place the Lord has prepared for us. He will come again and receive us to Himself so that we might enjoy His presence and provision forever. Hallelujah! What a Savior! What a great Shepherd of His sheep.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then take heart knowing that He is your Shepherd. He is providing for you, protecting you, and guiding you in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Rejoice today in knowing Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Do You Know Him? – Adonai

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In the first post of this series I focused on the question, “Do you know Him?”, and gave attention to the name by which God identified Himself in establishing relationships with certain individuals in the Bible. God is the great I AM, and there is so much significance in that name.

The designation of God that we will focus on in this post is actually not a name at all, but rather it is best understood as a title. Let’s begin by doing a comparison of the way YAHWEH and Adonai are seen in Scripture. They are both commonly translated with the word, Lord. However, there is a clear distinction of these two Hebrew terms that can be clearly and easily identified as one reads through the Bible. When you see the word Lord in translation of the name YAHWEH, all four letters will be capitalized: LORD. If it is a translation of the word Adonai, the only letter capitalized is the L: Lord. LORD is His name, Lord is one of His many titles.

Another distinction of these two terms is that YAHWEH is only used in reference to God, whereas Adonai is used in reference to God and to man. David calls Saul “Lord”, which shows that David recognized Saul’s authority over him as king of Israel.

In our relationship with God, we recognize Him as YAHWEH, the great I AM, and we also recognize Him as Adonai, Lord over all. It is a title that shows our submission to Him, and our recognition that He is the sovereign ruler of the universe. Rightly understood, if we call Him Lord – Adonai – we are saying to Him that we willingly submit to His rule over our lives.

Paul shows us how Jesus is the fulfillment of both of these names in his letter to the Romans. Read carefully the following words:

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.

Romans 10:9, 13, NKJV

Please note the words Paul uses: Lord, and LORD. He holds the title of Lord – sovereign ruler of all things – and He holds the name LORD, I AM. Individuals have a personal relationship with the eternal God of the universe who is always and forever present, and also submit to His Lordship by submitting to His authority. And from what Paul says in these two verses, the two go hand-in-hand. We know about Him as we enter into relationship with Him as the majestic I AM, and we grow in our relationship with Him as we consistently and progressively submit to His Lordship over us.

We learn facts about Him as we study His Word, but we grow in relationship with Him as we submit to His teachings, striving to live our lives in such a way that brings Him glory in all we do. So, our desire to know about Him is so that we can know Him more. And as we know Him more we love Him more. And as we love Him more we have more of a desire to please Him. And as we have a desire to please Him we systematically discard those things that He reveals to us that are displeasing to Him while at the same time putting into practice the things that He reveals bring glory to Him.

So, let’s ask ourselves, “Do I just know about Him? Or do I really know Him? And if I profess to really know Him, does it show in the person I am becoming?”

Until next time:

Blessings!

Do You Know Him? – Yahweh

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This week we are beginning a study of the names of God which, when understood in their proper context, reveal to us much needed information about who He is and how He relates to us. Today, we will give consideration to the self-revelation of God to Moses when Moses asked a most probing question when instructed by God to go to Egypt and deliver the people from their state of bondage.

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.

Exodus 3:13-14

One of the most common questions asked by children (and adults!) concerns the origin of God. “Where did God come from,” or something similar to those words, is quite often asked by probing minds. It is indeed a good question. I suppose we have all pondered this perplexing topic at times and are usually (ALWAYS) left with the question unanswered. Just where did He come from?

Another question on the same subject, but worded a little differently, is, “Who made God?” Answers have been suggested as theologians and philosophers have struggled to come up with a reasonable response. But, as yet no one has been able to give an answer that satisfies the inquisitive mind.

I am not going to put my ignorance on display in this post by striving to come up with some cutesy explanation that might wow some with my creative ingenuity. As a matter of fact, I know quite well my serious limitations when it comes to these deep, provocative questions that even the best of minds struggles with.

What I am going to do is to take this self-revelatory designation of God to Moses in its context and strive to learn some much needed applicatory lessons that will facilitate a deeper understanding of who God is, and how this particular name of God gives us great confidence as we face life’s struggles.

The context of this conversation between Moses and God is crucial for us to understand if we are to come to a reason God revealed Himself on this occasion in this manner. The designation, “I AM”, is present tense, which signifies an extremely significant reality about God. He is always in the present tense. He, in HIs very existence, does not have a past tense, nor does He have a future tense. He is always, eternally, in the present tense.

God could say to Moses over 3000 years ago, and He can say to you today, “I AM.” He is the eternal One, with no beginning and no end. He is, as Jesus says of Himself, “The alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.” This does not present the idea that He had a beginning, but that He is the eternal Son of God. The Father is the eternal Father; the Son is the eternal Son; the Holy Spirit is the eternal Holy Spirit. There has never been a time when the Triune God did not exist, and there will never be a time when He ceases to exist.

God is the uncaused Cause; He is the un-created Creator; He is the self-sufficient One and the self-existent One. God has no need of anything or anyone. And yet, this is the name by which He shows His relationship with His people. He revealed Himself in this relational way with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and here, Moses. Jesus, in the New Testament, identifies Himself with His own self-designation as “I AM.”

There is so much we can learn from this name of God, but I would like to focus on this relational aspect of that name to give encouragement to us today. God takes the initiative in seeking relationship with His people. It was God who sought out Abram, and made of him the nation Israel. It was God who sought out Moses, and used him to liberate Israel from Egyptian bondage. It was God who sought out David, and set him on the throne of Israel. It was Jesus who came into the world to seek and to save the lost. God is always taking the initiative in establishing relationships with His chosen ones. And then, He gives us the privilege and blessing of being called the children of God. Amazing!

If you are a child of God, praise Him for seeking you out when you were dead in trespasses and sins. Thank Him for providing His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for your sin, and to give forgiveness of that sin through His death burial and resurrection. Praise Him for the relationship you now have with Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!

How Much Can We Take?

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There is a verse of Scripture that is quite often taken out of context and given an interpretation that is far removed from the intent of the writer, the Apostle Paul. It has caused much heartache and anxiety by many who have misunderstood the meaning of the verse. Read these words of Paul found in his correspondence with the Corinthians:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV

Somehow, the entire meaning of this verse has been altered. The emphasis of the verse is on how we can victoriously face the temptation to commit sin. Paul says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. In other words, those temptations that are most persuasive, most powerful, most enticing to me – no matter how overwhelming they may seem to be at the moment of temptation – can be defeated if I act out of God’s strength and grace. I can say no to temptation!

Sadly, however, many change the emphasis of this verse away from the temptation to sin and place it on the belief that God will never allow His children to suffer more than we are able to withstand. Have you ever felt as if you had too much to bear? All sorts of things come our way in life: things that we feel will destroy us, that we cannot possibly overcome. And this verse is often used as an encouraging word from God that He will never give us more than we can bear.

But that is NOT what this verse is about. As a matter of fact, there are other verses of Scripture that make it clear that this verse cannot possibly have that meaning. For a clear example from the life of the man who wrote this verse, read the following excerpt from his second letter to the Corinthians.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Paul asserts that he “despaired even of life” due to the extreme nature of his suffering. I would also encourage you to read his word of personal testimony found in Second Corinthians 11:22-33, in which he gives a list of his personal bouts with extreme suffering. It is obvious that God did indeed deliver him through all of these experiences, but please note that he was not delivered from them.

If we buy into the belief that Paul’s statement in the verse quoted at the beginning of this post means that God will protect His children from suffering, then we are opening ourselves up to question the goodness of God when He allows us to suffer. The Bible’s perspective on this is in stark contrast to that commonly held belief. We are taught in Scripture that we are to give God glory in the midst of our suffering. There are examples which teach this truth clearly.

Just a couple of examples will suffice to illustrate this point. First, in John 9 we have the story of a man who was born blind. The disciples ask Jesus whose sin caused this blindness – the man’s, or his parents. Jesus responded that the blindness was not the result of personal sin, but rather it was for the purpose of glorifying God. If we believe that God always provides an escape from suffering, then we have a huge problem with this story.

Another example is the Apostle Paul. In the passage I mentioned above – 2 Corinthians 11:22ff – Paul gives his readers insight into some of his struggles and suffering as he served the Lord. He, along with most of the other apostles, suffered greatly, and ultimately died as martyrs for their faith in Jesus Christ. Suffering was part of their experiences as Jesus’ servants.

Sometimes they were provided a means of escape, but ultimately, in the end, it resulted in their being executed for their faith in and faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus told His followers plainly that in this world we would have tribulation. There would be suffering in a plethora of ways. Disease and pestilence would be the common lot of humanity. The righteous suffer right along the unrighteous. And we are not promised that there will always be a way of escaping those episodes of suffering.

So how are we to respond when suffering becomes a personal experience? Simple: we are to glorify God in the midst of the suffering. We are to live our lives in such a way as to present the genuineness of our relationship with God. We are to let our lights shine before men so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. We are to allow God to use us in our suffering to bring glory to the Father.

That is no easy task, to be sure. But by His grace, and in His strength, we can continue to shine for Him even in the darkest hours of suffering, trouble, and tribulation. And back to the question posed in the title of this post, we can take as much as He allows us to bear. Not by our own strength, as Paul himself testifies that he despaired even of life itself. But he learned that by the grace of God he could bear up under whatever came his way in life.

Let’s make it our personal commitment to allow the circumstances of life, no matter how painful, to be avenues of ministry to others as they see the grace of God being worked out in our experiences. We will then learn, as did the Apostle Paul, that God’s grace is indeed sufficient in all things.

Until next time:

Blessings!

The Main Character

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If a biography was written about your life, who would be the main character in the story? The most logical answer to that question would be YOU, right? After all, a biography is the story of someone’s life. So, the main character would be the one who the story is about.

But for the believer in Jesus Christ, a biography of the individual’s life should be the story of His life lived through us. So just how would that look? What would it look like if your story was His story? Let’s think about that for a few minutes.

His life being lived through us would bear a resemblance to the portrait we have of Him in the Bible. Jesus was always obedient to His Father’s will, carrying out the purpose and plan that had been established from eternity past. The Bible states clearly that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would give His life for His sheep. He carried out that plan of His Father at great cost to Himself. It literally cost His life. He laid down His life for us.

Our lives should be lived in total surrender to Him, and with the desire to glorify Him in all we do. We should follow the pattern of the prayer He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane as He faced the ordeal of the cross. He prayed to His Father, “Not My will but Yours be done.” For our story to be His story we must have the same desire, that His will be done in and through us, so that others see Him in us.

Our choices should be based on what Jesus would choose. Sometimes that is extremely easy, as we turn to the Bible for guidance. For example, if we are ever tempted to take something that belongs to someone else, we should remember the Bible’s prohibition against stealing. If we are tempted to tell a lie, we should remember that we are to speak the truth in love. If we are tempted to commit adultery we should remember that we are to live in complete fidelity and faithfulness to our spouse. If we are tempted to dishonor our parents we are to remember that we are to always honor and respect them. If we are tempted to choose a lifestyle that is contrary to the Bible’s parameters for lifestyle choices then we are to submit to His teachings rather than our desires.

My life should be His life lived through me. This sounds easy, and in some respects it is, but in many ways it is extremely difficult. When the Bible’s teachings run counter to my personal preferences and desires, then it becomes more difficult to go the way God would have me go. We see this struggle in Jesus’ life as we once again give attention to that prayer He prayed in the garden: “Not my will but Yours be done.” In His humanity Jesus, realizing the awful pain He was about to experience, and, worst of all, the separation from the Father when the sin of the world came crashing down on Him, Jesus prayed for the cup to pass from Him. But His prayer concluded with His utmost desire: to fulfill the will of the Father.

For our story to be His story, we must make some hard, and sometimes even painful choices. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s kingdom would come, and His will would be done, on earth as it is in heaven. This can be personalized as we pray for His will to be done in MY life as it is in heaven.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, gives us some much-needed insight into the matter. In chapters 6-8, he talks about the individual believer’s struggle with his old nature. It is like a spiritual tug-of-war that Paul describes as an intense battle between what I know what to do and what I want to do. The desires of the old nature sometimes overwhelm us, and it is in those times of struggle that Paul encourages us to “walk in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh.”

I will close by simply encouraging you to let your story be His story. Let His life shine through you. Let others see your good works so that glory will be brought to our Father in heaven.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Standing Alone

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Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.Ephesians 6:11-13

Perhaps you have been there – in that place where you felt as if you were all alone. There was no one by your side, no one giving support, no one offering words of encouragement, no one there to lend a supportive hand, a strong shoulder, or even a listening ear. It is a terribly lonely place to be. Not only lonely, but scary, intimidating, discouraging and stressful.

It’s that place where you are standing alone. It seems that you have been abandoned by everyone. Even those whom you thought of as being your very closest friends are nowhere to be found. In those moments when you needed them most, they had left you to fend for yourself.

It may have been in the workplace, when you were being tempted to do something that was a little less than ethical. Perhaps your employer was asking you to make some promises that you knew could not be kept, but the sale depended on promising a delivery date that you knew was impossible to meet. Perhaps it was in the classroom, during that exam that you were not prepared to take, and the A student sitting next to you had their answer sheet in clear view. It would be so easy to look, and copy, their answers. Or maybe it was at that social gathering at which everyone else was doing “it”, whatever the “it” happened to be. Even though you knew that to engage in such behavior would compromise your Biblical convictions, you also knew that to fit in with the crowd you would have to make some concessions. Or perhaps it was during that conversation you were engaged in at which some extremely controversial social issues were raised. You had strong convictions on the issues being discussed, but you felt the pressure to go along with the general consensus. even though it compromised your Biblical beliefs.

The pressure we face in certain situations can seem overwhelming at times. How are we to handle this type of pressure? What are we to do in these stressful situations? Are we to give in and go along, or are we to stand our ground?

The answer, according to the Bible, is straightforward – stand up for your convictions. Even if it means that we must stand alone. Granted, this can be a very uncomfortable place to be. What if our employer is placing a great deal of pressure on us to make that promise? What if my passing that exam is going to determine whether I am able to move to the next phase of my long-term educational goals? What if my standing for my Biblical convictions on those controversial issues cause me to lose some friends?

We can glean insight and instruction from the words of the Apostle Paul quoted at the beginning of this post. Note particularly the last words of the quote:

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.Ephesians 6:13. emphasis added

Stand! Stand strong; stand in the armor of God; stand on the clear teachings of Scripture; stand regardless of the cost. Stand! Always remember that the armor of God is available for your protection. It will enable you to engage in the battle – that spiritual warfare that rages all around us continuously. Our enemy, the devil, and his emissaries, are always at work, striving to tear down what God has built up. We must stand strong in the strength of the Lord in order to make an impact for Godliness in the midst of such godless activities as are so prevalent in our present cultural and societal state.

Let us stand boldly, fight courageously, use the armor of God wisely, as we contend for the faith that has been delivered to us through the Word of God.

Until next time:

Blessings!

He Gets Us – All of Us?

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Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

1 John 4:1-3, NKJV

They paid an estimated $20,000,000 to air two commercials during the Super Bowl. Their ads are professionally done, with an emphasis on appealing to our human emotions. Who doesn’t long to know that someone understands them? Who doesn’t relish a relationship with someone who genuinely cares about them? We all want to be loved, to be understood, to be accepted. We all want to have someone in our lives who gets us, who understands our struggles, and who loves us unconditionally.

But let’s not rush headlong to accept the appeal of the message. We applaud those who are striving to make much of Jesus, but we need to make certain that the Jesus being made much of is the Biblical Jesus. So, the question we need to ask concerns the identity of the Jesus being presented by the He Gets Us organization.

One of the most alarming things I have read concerning this organization is the emphasis they place on coming to Jesus on their own terms. I don’t want to read more into this statement than that which was intended, but this is a clear contradiction to the emphasis of Scripture which shows clearly that we must come to Jesus on His terms. Read carefully these words spoken by Jesus:

You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Luke 16:14, NKJV

The Biblical Jesus spoke truth into the lives of the people of His day. He cast a huge net, inviting those who would accept Him and submit to His Lordship to become His disciples. This concept of “Lordship” is even seen clearly in what has come to be known as the Roman Road of Salvation. In Romans 10:9, Paul asserts, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Lordship is a vital, indispensable element in God’s plan of salvation. We are not invited to come to Jesus on our own terms, but rather on His.

Was the Biblical Jesus inclusive in His actions? One incident clearly teaches that He invited people to come to Him within the parameters of His established terms. A rich young ruler approached Jesus with a question about how to attain salvation. The story, found in Mark 10:17-27, tells of this young man coming to Jesus seeking information on how to have eternal life. Jesus first tells him to obey the laws of God, and He specifically mentioned those commandments that have to do with our relationship with others: do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and your mother. The young ruler then responded with the assertion that he had kept all these commandments from his youth.

So, Jesus then went straight to the heart of the matter. He knew that the young man’s riches had become his god, so Jesus instructs him to sell all that he has, give the money to the poor, and then follow Jesus. The young man turned and walked away. Why? Because He refused to meet Jesus on His terms. He wanted to continue to enjoy life on his terms while, at the same time, enjoying the benefits of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Jesus was showing the young ruler that he could not have it both ways. He must choose one or the other. It was not a both/and proposition, but rather an either/or decision.

One of the arguments of the “He Gets Us” organization is that they are concerned about the decline of the Christian church in America. They are striving to stop this decline by being more inclusive (even though there is really no emphasis on joining a local church!). Their belief is that the church is in a state of decline mainly because of its emphasis on exclusion rather than inclusion. But their idea of inclusion is that all should be accepted into the family of God regardless of the terms clearly delineated in Scripture.

Does Jesus love? He IS love! Does Jesus care? Deeply! Was Jesus willing to die for the ungodly? That was HIs purpose. Does Jesus offer eternal life? Yes – to any and all who will come to Him on His terms. Does Jesus include those who would come to Him on their own terms, desiring to have the assurance of eternal life, while still living for themselves in this present life? The story of the rich young ruler shows that is not an option. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters. We must choose.

And when we choose Jesus, it means that we are willing to repent of any sinful behaviors we have been practicing. Thieves – steal no more. Liars – quit lying and speak the truth. Adulterers – live a life of sexual purity, being committed to your spouse. Those who have embraced lifestyles contrary to the BIble’s clear teachings on marriage – turn from those sinful behaviors and live lives of purity and integrity based on God’s word.

Yes, Jesus gets us. He knows that we are all in the same spiritual boat. As Paul says, we are dead in trespasses and sins. But the Spirit of God quickens us [brings us to life], and instills in us the faith to believe, and extends to us the grace of salvation. Then, and only then, can we sincerely say that He gets me, because He has me. My total surrender to Him is the clear indication of being His child.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Are You Ready?

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For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21, NKJV

If I were to ask you, “Are you ready?”, what would be the first thing to come to mind? Am I ready for what? you might think. If I did not specifically state exactly what it is I am asking about you perhaps would stand there in a bit of bewilderment, waiting for me to finish the question. Are you ready to go? Are you ready to eat? Are you ready for bed? Are you ready for work? Are you ready for class? I guess it would be a little difficult to answer the question without further information.

In the short verse quoted above, the apostle Paul speaks of two extremely important subjects for the disciple of Jesus Christ: life, and death. So, let’s take this statement and fill in the blank left at the end of my question. For Christians, we sometimes engage in conversation with others and assure them that we are ready to die. Death is not a dreaded enemy, but a welcomed guest. I don’t mean to suggest by this that we relish the idea of dying any time soon, but that we are ready to die and know what awaits us when we do pass through that valley of the shadow of death. We know to whom we belong, and we are assured of the fact that when we close our eyes in death, we will open them in the presence of the living God.

How do we have this assurance? What do we base our confidence in that gives us this settled state of confidence that we will end up in His presence when we die? It can’t be based on my own personal performance as a human being, can it? Certainly not! The Bible states categorically that there are none who are righteous. It further states that even our very best – our personal righteousness – is as filthy rags before holy God. We cannot justify ourselves with good works, or charitable deeds, or gifts to good causes, or church attendance, or service in the church. Jesus said that many would claim those as proof of their relationship with God, but they would hear the words, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”

No, nothing we could ever do would earn our entrance into the presence of God. Only what He has done for us in giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the propitiation for our sin. It is through His sacrificial death, by which He bore the penalty for our sin, that we are given entrance into the presence of God.

So, first and foremost, the question, “Are you ready?” has to do with your eternal well-being. Are you ready to die? Are you ready to meet the Lord on the basis of what He has done for you? If not, then please, do so before it is eternally too late.

But let’s give attention to the second topic broached in Paul’s statement: “For to me, to live is Christ.” From this statement, we might ask, “Are you ready to live?” You say you are ready to die, to meet the Lord, to stand before Him at the judgment seat of Christ. You testify that you have a relationship with Him and have an eternal home awaiting you. But are you ready to live for Him in the present? If so, what evidence is there in your life right now that would validate that claim? What are you doing that shows you are living for Him?

We’ve all probably heard someone say, “If you were arrested and accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to prove that you are?” What do you have as supporting evidence for your claim to be a disciple of Jesus?

Each of us were born with certain natural abilities. Some are able to do amazing things in the field of athletics, others are naturally prone to working with numbers, still others are predisposed to in-depth study and research. Some are creative writers, others are artists of different kinds, and others are musically inclined. What are your natural abilities and talents? Are you using them to point people to Jesus? Or would you have to admit you use them in a self-serving way?

If you are indeed a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been given at least one spiritual gift that motivates you to act in certain ways. Some are gifted teachers, others are gifted to preach. There are those who have the gift of administration, and others who have the gift of hospitality. Some are motivated by their gift of mercy, and then others have the special gift of faith. Do you know what your gift is, and are you using it for the glory of the Lord?

You might profess to be ready to die and meet the Lord, but are you ready to live here, now, for His glory? Are you using your talents and your gifts in ways that honor Him, and that point other people to Him? Can you honestly say that, for you, to live is Christ and to die is gain?

Let’s make an all-out commitment to live, and ultimately die, for Him.

Until next time:

Blessings!

Who Are You Following? Part Two

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Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

1 John 2:18-19, NKJV

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:11-12, NKJV

In my last post, I wrote about the importance of having wise discernment in choosing the Bible teachers and preachers we will listen to and follow. There are many who would lead us astray through their erroneous interpretation of Scripture. The question is, why would they choose to deceive others? What is their motivation? What do they hope to see accomplished through their false handling of the Word of God?

I am not suggesting that what I am about to say is an all-inclusive, comprehensive answer to those questions. This is, indeed, a topic of enormous proportions and concern. But, for the sake of being as concise as possible, I would like to suggest two possible reasons why we see this happening at such an alarming rate.

First, consider with me the fact that some deceive because they are deceived. In my previous blog I focused my thoughts on the statement of Jesus that if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch. These are the ones that are blinded to the truth of Scripture. They are spiritually blind, so they cannot grasp the true meaning of the Bible’s teachings. The Apostle Paul tells us that the carnal mind cannot grasp the true meaning of Scripture because of the individual’s spiritual condition: they are spiritually dead.

Many, if not most, of those in Jesus’ day who were assigned the task of interpreting the Bible for the people were of this type: spiritually dead. Their interpretation of Scripture was based solely on the traditions of man, and not on the sincere truths propounded in the Bible. They may have been sincere in their desire to teach the people, but they were sincerely wrong in their teachings. They were deceiving others out of their own state of deceit.

Today, it seems that the words of Jesus quoted above (Matthew 24:11-12) are being fulfilled. Many false prophets are on the scene, deceiving many. Some of these we come across in our daily walk of life. They are common, ordinary people, just like us. We work with them, go to school with them, live next door to them. They are good people. They are the kind of people who would literally give you the shirt off their backs. But they have a faulty understanding of Scripture, and they embrace the spirit of lawlessness which is prevalent in the world today. Instead of standing on the sound doctrines as taught in the Bible they have chosen rather to base their understanding of Scripture on the shifting sands of cultural relativism. Social concerns such as abortion, human sexuality, biological necessity, basic human rights, political disparities, religious disparities, etc. etc. are interpreted by cultural beliefs and practices.

Most horrific and dangerous of all are their teachings on the basic tenets of the Bible. Take just one as an example: salvation. If we take the words of Jesus seriously, then we must understand that there is only one means of salvation: no one goes to heaven by any means other than Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other means of salvation, and no other way to gain entrance into heaven. So, again, it is imperative to choose with spiritual discernment who we will follow.

However, it is not only those that are deceived who deceive others, but there are those who deceive because of a desire to deceive others. Some of these may do what they do out of selfish ambition. Others may be motivated by a desire for personal recognition and respect. Still others may do it because of a sinister desire to lead others astray. But regardless of their motivation, they do what they do with their eyes wide open.

Years ago I read a description of a preacher that has haunted me my entire Christian life. This is not a direct, word-for-word quote, but the gist of the description was as follows:

When he is in the pulpit, he preaches with such eloquence, I think that he should never come down. But when he is down from the pulpit, he lives with such carelessness and sinfulness that he should never go up.

Perhaps you know of someone who fits this description. Are you willingly, knowingly, submitting yourself to their teachings? Are you, by your acceptance of their teachings, giving your consent to what they are propounding? If you should, for example, hear your preacher say that Jesus is not the only means of salvation, but that there are many roads that lead to heaven, would you still follow them? If you heard a preacher say that abortion is a viable option for birth control, would you continue to listen to them?

There are many who know what the Bible teaches, but still choose to embrace their interpretations of Scripture by the traditions of man, and the ever-changing climate of cultural relativism.

Many false prophets and teachers are in the world today. Let’s be very careful as we choose those to whom we will give our attention.

Until next time:

Blessings!