Living Wholeheartedly Today

A friend of mine sent me this quote by Charles Spurgeon yesterday, "We have no other time in which to live.  The past is gone; the future has not arrived; we never shall have any time but time present. Endeavour now to bring forth fruit. Serve God now. Do not fritter away your life in thinking of what you intend to do tomorrow as if that could recompense for the idleness of today. No man ever served God by doing things tomorrow. If we honour Christ and are blessed, it is by the thing which we do today. Do not give Christ a little slurred labour; but when you do serve Him, do it with heart, and soul, and strength."

It's so easy for me to think of the future, to think of what I want to do down the road. I so often desire to be in the future rather then in the present, but then I remember I'm exactly where I wished I was 2 years ago. I'm in the future of my past and now I'm wishing for something else.

I don't want this to be true of me anymore. I want to live today serving God wholeheartedly where I am. I don't want to look back in a year or two and be thinking of time that I wasted. Time that I frittered away thinking of the future. Let us us honor Christ in all that we do today and at this very moment. Let us serve God today with our whole heart, our whole soul and all the strength we can muster! Let's go to bed tonight tired from serving God wholeheartedly today.

Tempted to Complain? (Two truths to remember)

This morning, I awoke to a calm after a storm. Hurricane Sandy came through Maryland last night and did some damage. Not as much as expected, but still caused some inconveniences such as roads being closed, basements being flooded, power outages, lack of sleep.

After about 5 hours of sleep and a shower, I headed out to the local Starbucks to start prepping for two bible studies I will be leading in the next two days. So after I got my cup of coffee, I opened up my bible to Philippians 2. 

Verse 14, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning,”

It was like a slap to my face, like a bucket of ice cold water being dumped on my head. I have constantly been tempted the last few months to grumble/complain about or question my circumstances. And not only have I been tempted, but I have been complaining and questioning my circumstances. Then last night happened, and I got minimal sleep and spent hours making making sure two basements didn’t flood. I complained this morning in my heart and started complaining even more this afternoon as I sat down in Starbucks trying to work and study without my eyes shutting. But then I read this verse and took a punch to the gut. I have no place to complain or grumble at all. Ever.

I have every reason to be happy, content and satisfied in my dear Lord this morning. And even though there are some inconveniences here and there. I’d still have every reason to be happy, content and satisfied in the Lord this morning.  There is a single truth that cannot change about me: I am a Son of God and this does not change based on how I feel or change because of circumstances. I am a Son of God because my faith is in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

Philippians 2:5-8, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

This is the reason we are to do everything without grumbling or complaining. . If Jesus didn’t grumble and complain about becoming a man and dying a death he didn’t deserve. Then I have no right to question or complain about anything.

Although this is the primary reason, Paul also gives us another reason to do everything without grumbling or questioning. Verses 14-15 together say, “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.”

We live in a crooked and twisted generation. And when we grumble or complain, we are just going with the flow of this world. Let us shine as lights in the world.

So, today, tomorrow and the every day to follow let us remember these two truths no matter your circumstance and no matter how you feel:

Remember the truth of the gospel.  

Remember we are representing Jesus Christ. 

Let us fight to live in a way that we can say what Paul did in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."

Can Someone Be a Believer and Not Read God's Word?

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A few years ago, I went through a period of really doubting God and my faith. I had a lot of questions about what I believed. One of the biggest ones was: How do I know the Bible is reliable and real?

I’ve included a few resources on the bottom of this post that were very helpful to me in helping me gain a understanding and trust in God’s Word. But to be honest, the biggest way I’ve gained faith in God’s Word is by diving into it and studying it for myself! I remember two years ago, I hardly had any desire or hunger for God’s Word. I’d grown up reading it, but I did this more out of duty and because my parents told me too.

Two years ago, when I started walking in the light (See my last post), I was a part of a small group led by a man with a passion and knowledge of God’s Word that I so desperately wanted. Tonight as I write this, I can say with 100% honesty that God has been faithful in giving me that passion for His Word.

The other night in a small group I was leading, one of the guys in my group asked the following question, “Can a person be a believer and not read God’s Word?”  

This of course started a pretty long conversation with a lot of thoughts that were thrown out. But I truly believe this question can be answered by realizing who we have become when we place our faith in Christ's death and resurrection. If God has cleansed us with Jesus’ blood, if we are living in the good of what He has done for us, we are going to have some type of desire for God’s Word. Even when I didn’t have a complete hunger, desire and awe for God’s Word, I knew that God’s Word was written for my good and I recognized that I needed it more.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 says, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”(ESV)

When this was written, it was a promise of what was to come. It was a foreshadowing of when Jesus was going to die on the cross and atone for our sins. It's saying when we put our faith in the blood of Jesus, we are then cleansed. Then look at what it says God will do, “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” You literally are getting a new heart at conversion. This new heart knows what is from God and has discernment as to what is from the world. Not only do we receive a new heart, we now have a new spirit that causes us to walk in God’s ways. So to answer the question, “Can we a believer and not read God’s Word?”

Yes and no. Yes, if you have no access to it. A lot of believers don’t have God’s Word in their languages, but they would give a lot to get it. But no, if you do have access to it. Because you are going to have some sort of desire for it. You may not have a deep burning passion to study it for hours each day, but you’ve been given a new heart.  Therefore you know that the Word of God is one of the biggest means for you as a believer to know Him.

I want to challenge you. Don’t take God’s Word for granted. Most of us have 5 copies in 5 different translations on our shelves and read it because it’s what a believer is suppose to do. That's what I did for a long time. When I saw my small group leader’s passion and desire for God’s Word and was jealous of it. I started praying every morning for that same kind of passion and desire. I cried out to Him every morning to give me a hunger, to show me new things, to make me fall in love with His Word. And after about two weeks of doing this every morning, God answered that prayer. The last two years, God has taught me so much through His Word and I can’t go a day without opening it and God revealing Himself to me.

If you currently have no desire or hunger for God’s Word, if you currently look at it as a check box on your daily list of things to do. Stop for a second and consider what you are holding in your hands. It is the Word of God. God has revealed himself to us and we now have access to growing in our understanding and knowledge of Him.

I think the most important thing we need to understand is that the Word of God is one of the most vital ways for us as believers to deepen our relationship with God. It is the key for us as believers to be able to understand how God has called us to live in this life. It is the way we as believers can understand and gain a greater image of just how great the God we really are serving. Dive into God’s Word and find satisfaction that is not found in this world.

A couple resources that have served me immensely in doubting God's Word a couple years ago:

1) “The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?” by F.F. Bruce.

http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Testament-Documents-Reliable/dp/0802822193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348004806&sr=8-1&keywords=are+the+new+testament+documents+reliable

2) MP3 “Can We Trust Our Bibles?” by Peter Williams

http://sgm.edgeboss.net/download/sgm/next/2011/next2011.s3-williams.mp3

Pornography: Addiction? (My Testimony of God's Power)

Note: I talk about how God  helped me overcome an addiction to pornography. But the reality is, you can substitute any sin you struggle with into this story. Pornography is something that affects so many in my generation, but if it's another sin for you, I just want you to see the power of Christ. Any battle with sin is able to be won through Jesus' death and resurrection. It’s not a lost battle, don’t give up, press on!

I grew up in church. My dad became a pastor the year I was born and I was homeschooled through my sophomore year in high school. In my junior year I started going to a private school in the basement of my church.

I always put on a good front and looked like I was doing well. But inside, there was always a deep shame. I went through all the hand motions, raised my hands in worship, read my bible for 5-10 minutes in the morning, went to church every Sunday. But never really had a deep passion or love for God.

During my 10^th grade year of high school, I broke my femur bone into 3 pieces. During that crisis I learned what it truly meant to cry out to God in a time of need. But once I recovered and got back to hanging with my friends, God once again fell to the background and I was back to the hand motions.

During my junior year I started deceiving my parents on a consistent basis. I was constantly lying to them. Not only that, in the middle of that year I got addicted to pornography. I was entrenched, I couldn’t get out and it became a habit for the next 2-3 years. I didn’t let anyone know, I constantly was living in a deep inward shame, and I was believing two lies:

1) “I’m the only guy around here that struggles with this sin.”

2) “My parents, pastors and friends are all going to look down on me for this sin.”

Let me just say, those are both the complete opposite of the truth and pretty stupid looking back. First, no matter what sin you are currently fighting; you are not the only one struggling with it. This is very clear in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.”(ESV)

Secondly if your parents, pastors and friends are disciples of Christ, they will respect you for confessing. Because you are following God’s commands to walk in the light. 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”(ESV)

About 2 years ago after my freshman year in college, I confessed all my sins to my dad and good friend. The inward shame that I had been experiencing for so long was immediately lifted. I was now obeying what God has called me to as a disciple of Christ. It definitely wasn't easy to confess and wasn't an easy path to overcome. But there was freedom in confessing and having other people know your darkness. It hasn’t been a perfect road since I confessed  2 years ago. The temptation doesn’t immediately stop. (If it does for you, teach me your ways!) But God’s grace is there. If I'm struggling with lust in any way I now have my go to friends that I can call up. They point me back to the truth about God and His Word.

The same month of my confession, I asked the Lord to give me a hunger and thirst for His Word and help me to understand what He is calling me to as His disciple. God has been so faithful to answer that prayer! Each day, His Word becomes sweeter and sweeter and he shows me new things about himself and about myself. It takes a constant feeding of God’s Word and prayer to be able to fight sin.

I want to share with you just a few verses that God has used to help me fight this sin of lust.

1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit.”

What hit me here were these three words, “Christ also suffered.” What? Why would Christ suffer for me? Didn’t he create me? Why would he want to bring this filthy sinner to Him? And this is when I really wanted to know who Jesus really was. I wanted to find scriptures that told me about Him. So I opened up to another passage and it was Colossians 1. Read this,

Colossians 1:15-20, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (ESV)

So Jesus is the creator of this world. And he came down here to die for my sins. I had always known that, but Colossians hit me in a fresh way. I wanted to understand even more, and that’s when God took me to Revelations 4 and 5. We get a glimpse of the type of worship that Jesus was encountering on a eternal basis from the angels and seraphim.

-“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (4:8)

-“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (4:11)

-“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (5:9)

Jesus was being worshiped 24/7 by the angels, seraphims and heavenly beings and he left that worship to come down amongst sinful man. This also hit me in a new way, why would he do that? It's simple yet not humanly comprehensible, it's because of his grace and love. 

I went back to 1 Peter and read the verse again and now the last sentence hit me when I read we are not only put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit. What? So I how could I stop looking at these pornographic images? How could I fight my lustful desires. Because I am a new creation through faith in the death and Resurrection of Jesus and now am able to fight sin with the Power of the Holy Spirit..

Romans 8:11, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

The same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same Spirit that helped me overcome this addiction and sin. And is the same Spirit that wants to help you overcome the sin that you are currently fighting on a daily basis.

The last passage of scripture that hit me hard was Colossians 3. Because it’s not only clear that we are new creations and therefore must put off the old self and put on the new self. It tells us why. The last 3 words of verse 15 says, “And be thankful.” This is why we seek to kill our sin and fight it. Not because it earns our salvation, but because we realize just how much Jesus went through to die on that cross for our sins. It’s out of gratefulness in my heart for what Jesus went through for me that I’m seeking to kill this lustful sin on a daily basis. It’s out of gratefulness in my heart for what Jesus did on the cross for me that I’m seeking to live a life of speech and conduct in a way that honors God. 

When we are constantly giving into sin of any kind and not trying to fight it. We are making a statement that we are not grateful for what Jesus did on the cross. We'd rather have this momentary pleasure then having eternal pleasure in Jesus.

I have a lot more I could say and share, but right now have the absolute privilege to work in the public schools. One of the highlights for me is getting to lead a weekly bible study where we just study the truth of scripture and come together. Not only have multiple guys come to me struggling with pornography. I’ve had multiple girls struggling with the same thing. God wants to give freedom to you today if you are battling any hidden sin. He wants you to experience the grace that he offers. I want each person who daily bears the burden of hidden sin to experience the joy and hope I’ve experienced from opening up my life to others. God will bless you immensely with a new hope and joy that you have not experienced in a while. Earlier I shared 1 John 1:7. Two verses later in verse 9 it says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  (ESV)

Come find forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus!

It's a Command, Not a Calling

What am I suppose to do? Where am I to go next in life? What’s the next step?

These types of questions have often dominated my thinking and thoughts over the last few years and I know it is common to most human beings. I believe though that most of the times, we are not thinking the right way, these types of questions often turn in to self-centeredness. It makes life about ourselves and what we can get next. It turns into questions such as, “What am I suppose to do next so that I can get more money, so that I can buy a house, and get the next awesome Apple product?”

I’ve caught myself thinking in this fashion on multiple occasions.  I’ve often had to re-direct my thoughts back to the truth of scripture and what God has called me to as a believer. Over the past month, I’ve read “Kisses From Katie” by missionary Katie Davis. I participated in Local Missions for a week. I’ve lead around 10 bible studies with hundreds of unbelievers. I’ve had multiple teens come to me confessing that they are addicted to pornography, drugs, or alcohol. All of this leading me to once again be awakened to the utter destitution and lostness that surrounds me in this world.

It reminded me of not my calling as a disciple of Christ, but of my command as a disciple of Christ. Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” There is no calling involved here. If you are a disciple of Christ, you are commanded by our heavenly Father to “go and make disciples” not only of your county, but of “all nations.”  People can often say, “There is plenty of work to be done here where I live in the United States.” But isn’t that often used as an excuse. What are you actually doing to share the gospel and help those in need around you? Would you be willing to go spend the rest of your life somewhere in a third world country for the sake of the gospel?

I am commanded as a believer. I am commanded because I am a recipient of God’s saving grace. And because I'm grateful in my heart that Jesus would leave his throne on high and die for me sins on that cross. I want to strive to be faithful to obey the command of my Lord. I know that I am going to fail to live according to what God has commanded me too at times. But we have the promise that, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful.” (2 Timothy 1:13 ESV)

Shouldn’t we strive to be like the early disciples in Acts 2:45, “And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” I want my faith to be so bold that I will give my meager amount of money and possessions to those in need. I want my faith to be so bold, that I will show love to the sickest people and have faith God will keep me healthy. I truly want this desolate and dying world to experience the hope and love I’ve experienced from my Lord and Savior.

I want to start small and pray God uses my deeds to glorify His name in huge ways. I want to love one needy or sick person at a time and pour out love on them in my county. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but showing love to those in need and praying God works in mightier ways.

Luke 14:33, “So therefore, any of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Have I renounced all that I have? Seven verse before in Luke 14:26, it says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple."

God is after a heart that recognizes everything comes from the Lord and therefore is willing to give everything up for the Lord. God wants us to be so confident in His love and control over our lives that we would be willing to forsake everyone and everything dear to us if that’s what it takes to bring Him glory. So are you willing to obey God's command to "go and make disciples of all nations?" Even if this messes up what you want in life. Think about it. Pray about it. And ask God to help you obey Him, not your fleshly desires.

Local Missions: Is there something wrong with the way we are living?

I want to say my experience this past week at doing “local missions” was exactly what I expected. But honestly, what I experienced was not what I imagined in the least bit.  I need to start this post off by saying; I was completely oblivious to what was 5 minutes from my house. I knew there was poverty in my county. I knew that people were in bad circumstances. But, I had no idea that there were whole communities like the one we served. I had the privilege of leading a team of 20 youth to serve the kids of the Washington Square HOC community.  HOC stands for “Housing Opportunity Commission.” After a little research, there are 26 different HOC communities throughout Montgomery County.

So for one week, we had the privilege of serving this one HOC site.  The atmosphere felt so similar to an atmosphere I’ve experienced before. It felt exactly like the orphanage I’ve been privileged to serve on multiple occasions in Mexico. Most of these kids are just as neglected as the orphans in Mexico and need just as much love poured out on them. Yet, as I’ve thought about it for the past few days, most of these kids are in even greater need then the Orphans in Mexico.

While these kids have a house to live in, they are often without food, often surrounded by parents that are either drug addicts, alcoholics, or abusive, and they are not shown love at all.  What’s different in the orphanage in Mexico is the fact that a staff that loves the Lord surround the orphans on a daily basis. Most of these kids in these HOC communities have never experienced the love of Jesus.

So for a whole week, we had the privilege of pouring out the love of Jesus on 38 kids at Washington Square. We hung out with them for hours each day, playing kickball, four square, basketball, football, going on nature hikes, going to see a concert. And then each afternoon we headed over to the park to do “joy camp.” Because a storm destroyed the park that the Emory Grove HOC community would typically use, the team of youth would bring their 25 kids over to our park and we would do camp together.

Joy Camp consisted of crafts, games, skits, teaching a lesson and memorizing Hebrews 12:1-2 together. For two hours each afternoon for five straight days, we taught around 60-65 kids about Jesus. We taught them how we are sinful and need a Savior and that Jesus has authority over everything and therefore can help us in any situation of life. One of the highlights for me was having the kids memorize Hebrews 12:1-2 together with hand motions. We practiced it over and over again, making sure we had it down.

On Friday night, we threw a cookout for the community. The kids brought a lot of their parents and other people showed up for hot dogs and some games. An awesome moment happened when the kids performed/shared the verse for all the people who came that night. They not only memorized the verse, but they shared the gospel with a hundred or so people that came to the cookout that evening.  

Now, while one week of constant camp is an awesome experience for those kids. I have a concern that we would hurt them more then help them if we were not to follow up with ongoing ministry. I’m excited about leading a team over there each week for the rest of this year to show them Jesus’ love, but I think there is even more that we can do. We have 26 communities like these in Montgomery County, with multiple other poor communities that aren’t even classified as HOC. God calls us to serve the poor and bless them. We have been blessed immensely, shouldn’t we be seeking to serve those in need around us? A few scriptures that came to my mind are below:

Matthew 19:21, “Jesus said to him, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’” (Mark 10:21 and Luke 18:22 say the same thing)

Matthew 16:25, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this; to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

            These children and these communities need Jesus love poured out on them. They need grandparents, men, women, boys and girls that have experienced the grace of God to come and bless them. It could be in small ways such as hanging out with them once a week, or in bigger ways like spending Christmas morning with them. I don’t know, God will make it clear in which ways we can continue to bless and show the love of Jesus to them. But, I think we all need to re-evaluate the way we are living our lives day to day. We need to seek God and see if He is calling us to something more. He not only is calling you as his son and daughter, he is commanding you as his son and daughter to go and make disciples.

 There is something terribly wrong with the picture of us living five minutes from these communities in the comfort of our homes and 3 cooked meals a day and not doing anything about helping those in need.

 I want to end this with the familiar verses of Philippians 2. I think it will serve as a good reminder that we are followin in Jesus’ footsteps. It’s his example and it’s his death that even enables us to serve those in need.

Philippians 2:4-8, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Let us stop living for ourselves and look for ways to be servants and serve those in need. Starting with our communities and then overflowing into the world. For Jesus last command to us was “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Let’s continue to seek hard after the Lord and ask Him what He wants us to do to spread his kingdom where we live.

Colossians 1:1-14 (Prayer)

So I’ve really missed writing things for this blog. As much as I have been enjoying putting 2-3 bible studies together a week, there’s nothing like sitting down, opening the Bible and having a blank document open to write your thoughts out on.  Now, I truly believe Colossians has been the most instrumental book in shaping my Christian walk over the last 2 years. God has really spoken to me through it. As I’ve talked to numerous people on different occasions about this, they always ask the question, “why?” I’ll try to give them a brief 60-second recap of the book, but I just can’t give it justice. So my desire is to slowly make my way through the book of Colossians and write out why it’s been so crucial to my walk with Christ. The goal is to try and flesh out my thoughts on why Colossians has been key to my walk in Christ. The key word here is “try.” I’m no scholar, just a 20-year-old guy trying to live a life that brings honor to my Lord and Savior.

Colossians 1:1-14

Take some time to read it before diving into what I have to say.

A quick background of the Colossians church: The book of Colossians was written around 60-61 A.D. by Paul; and was written to the church of Colossae. The church was dealing with a lot of false worship (Colossians 2:18, and 2:20).  Paul is trying to draw their attention back to the truth of the gospel through this letter. He wants them to understand they cannot add to their salvation by worshipping anything else.

So how does the book of Colossians really apply to our Christian walk? In this first chapter, Paul draws the attention to prayer and who Jesus really is. He starts out by calling the members of the church “saints and faithful brothers” (vs 2). He wants to encourage them in the beginning even though he is writing to correct them. He knows they still love the Lord, they just need to be challenged in their thinking. That’s when we get to verse 3 and we find now Paul’s train of thought.

1) Paul is thankful (Verse 3-8)

In verse 3, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.” So we see here again that Paul is starting off his letter not with correction or a to-do list, but by telling them “we always thank God” for you! This has challenged me in the way I pray. I can so easily drift straight into praying for myself or things I want. Even when I pray for other people, I don’t usually start by thanking the Lord for them! But yet, all of us have friends that are blessings! Let us follow Paul’s example of always thanking God first and foremost when we pray for each other.

The thing here though, is why does Paul always thank God for them always first and foremost? We find the answer in verses 4-7, “we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus” (Vs 4). “Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven” (Vs 4) “You have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing” (Vs5-6).  We clearly see through these verses that Paul has heard of their faith in the gospel and the gospel advancement work they are doing. Even though Paul knows they are struggling with false worship in ways, He doesn’t want to start off by correcting them. But rather through encouraging them by bringing to the forefront of their minds the good fruit that is coming from their ministry.

2) Paul prays for their lives (Verse 9-11)

In Verse 9 Paul writes, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you…” So just like Paul tells the church they are always thanking God for them, he also wants to let the church know he is also praying for them in 4 different ways.

Before I dive into what the 4 different ways are though, we have to understand here that Paul knows the Colossian church had a solid and firm grasp of the gospel.  That this was their motivation in all that they did. They had received a “hope laid up for you in heaven” (Vs. 5) And because they had received this, Paul is laying out for them what it means to live their lives in a way that glorifies the Lord.

First, Paul prays, “that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Vs 9). This is the first thing Paul prays for because it is crucial that that believers understand what the Lord’s desires are for us. We must understand what God is teaching us through His Word to have “spiritual wisdom and understanding.” There is no excuse for being ignorant as to what God is calling us Christians too. For it is all laid out clearly in His Word.

Secondly, He prays, “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him” (Vs. 10). Paul understands if the Colossians have an understanding of what the Lord’s will is for them, they will understand what it means to live a life “fully pleasing to him.” We must first understand God’s will through His Word to understand the way God is calling us to walk.

He then prays, “bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Vs 10) Paul wants them to understand that they will be living a life that is “fully pleasing” to God if they are bearing fruit in their actions and gaining knowledge of God. So as we seek God’s Word to find his will for our lives and we put this into practice, we will be “bearing fruit” and “increasing in knowledge.”

Lastly, Paul prays, “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might” (Vs 11). Paul is reminding them through this prayer that they are strengthened through the Holy Spirit. He wants them to be constantly remembering they do not have to do any of this on their own. God is going to help them with “endurance and patience with joy” (Vs 11).

So it is key to see how these four things work together. They first must understand God’s will in order to live a life that honors the Lord. And as they seek to honor the Lord and live a life that pleases Him, they are going to bear fruit and increase in knowledge. But, Paul wants them to remember it is not always going to be easy, so he is reminding them that it is through God’s power and strength that they will be able to endure!

3) Paul points their attention to the Father (Vs 12-14)

So Paul follows up praying they may be strengthened with God’s power by saying, “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

So Paul starts with thanking the Lord and ends with thanking the Lord. This is crucial to see. Paul realizes the only reason any of the life he is living in verses 9-11 is possible because of Jesus death on the Cross. He starts by thanking the Lord for the Colossian church and ends by thanking the Lord for his glorious gospel that allows not only Him, but the entire Colossian church to have eternal life. It is the “Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints.” Praise God that this can still be true of us today. For it clearly says in John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on Him.”

The Yoke of Jesus

Matthew 11:25-27, “At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him.”

In David Guzik’s commentary on this passage he says, “There is an important difference in the way that the Son knows the Father, and the way we may know Him. We know God the Father because He stoops low to us to make Himself known. God the Son knows God the Father because they are equal in nature, completely compatible with one another.” (Enduringword.com)

What I really want to hit on are the verses that follow. Right after Jesus declares these things to the Father in heaven, he says in verse 28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus is displaying the fact that He has all authority when he says to the crowds, “come unto me.” Jesus is not telling the crowds to go to the law, or to go find hope or rest in their friends or circumstances. But He wants us to come to Him and Him alone; we will find ultimate rest and joy in Jesus and His Word not in people and the world. Jesus promises at the end of verse 28, “I will give you rest.” 

In verses 29-30 it says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

What does it look like to take Jesus’ yoke upon yourself? We are always tying ourselves with some sort of opinion or belief. We are always trying to find peace and contentment in something. In this verse, Jesus is inviting us to put on His yoke and learn from him. He promises us again if we do this, “you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus also tells us, “my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Through these words, Jesus is promising that if we take his yoke, it will be easy for he will be right next to us upholding us. We aren’t going to be walking alone anymore.  What a great promise that came from the very mouth of Jesus!

If you feel like life or a situation is too much to handle, remember this promise from Jesus. That if you have put your faith in the death and resurrection of Christ. You have the “yoke of Jesus” on, He is with you at all times. He already bore the cross for your and my sin. Even if every thing on this earth went wrong, would you still remember that the only thing that matters has already been taken care of for you? Would you still have faith that Jesus is in the yoke with you helping your persevere to the end? Dive into the Word for yourself and find hope in Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2)

A Lack of Laborers for the Harvest

Matthew 9:37-38, “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”

These two verses really stuck out to me today as I was studying and digging into the Word. I know I can often skim over the gospels and teachings of Christ, because I’ve heard them all so much growing up. But, as I’ve been slowing studying each chapter and section of Matthew, little words and phrases that Jesus said have really been challenging my thinking. They are challenging me not only in my personal life. But also making me think hard about the direction our world and more specifically, my generation is headed.

In verse 35 of chapter 9 it says, “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.”

Wherever Jesus went, what was he doing? He was “teaching” and “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.” He was proclaiming the hope that can only be found in Him. He was teaching the crowds what this meant; it says in next verse, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus had compassion on the crowds and people that did not know and understand God. He compared them to a sheep without a shepherd, for just like a sheep is in great danger and does not understand how to live unless guided by a shepherd. We cannot understand life, unless the Lord and His Word guide us.  Just like Jesus had compassion for the crowds, we are called to follow His example and have compassion on those we meet who are in a worse state then us. This means we are to have compassion on every person who does not understand and believe the truth of the gospel.

Compassion is defined as, “A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.” Do you have a strong desire to see others receive the same grace God has given you? Do you believe the same grace that has saved you is strong enough to bring hope to a lost and dying world? This brings me back to the first two verses that I first mentioned above when Jesus tell his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Jesus reminds his disciples that there are plenty of men and women dying in their sin that are ready to hear the hope of the gospel.  But, the fact is they are on their way to eternal damnation because there are not enough laborers going out to bring them the hope of the gospel. Jesus says, “pray earnestly to the Lord to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The same words that Jesus said to his disciples, I believe we need to follow completely. We need to be praying earnestly for more laborers willing to give up this life on the earth to see God’s kingdom advanced. I love how Jesus say’s there is a harvest, not only “a” harvest. But “his” harvest, and it is ready for laborers to go.

So will you all join me in praying for more and more laborers? Not only full time missionary laborers, but also that there will be a revival amongst Christians who are pursuing careers in the workplace; that we all will not forsake our call to proclaim the name of Christ to a dead and dying world.

“O You of Little Faith”

Matthew 8:23, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Jesus spoke these words to his disciples after they woke him up with saying in verse 25, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” Now I think all of us would freak out if a great storm broke forth and we were in the middle of the sea on a boat. But then I started thinking more about the situation. For the previous 3 chapters in Matthew, the disciples had been taught by Jesus and had been watching him heal people and perform miracles. Wouldn’t that be enough to allow them to just calmly wake up Jesus and ask Him to save them?

They seemed to realize that Jesus might be able to save them because they did wake him up. But when they said, “we are perishing,” it seemed to indicate that they didn’t completely trust that Jesus was able to save them.  And that’s when Jesus says, “Why are you afraid, O you of little of faith?” Jesus knows their hearts. He knows they are afraid and scared for their lives.

Then it struck me, we are in the same place that the disciples were that day. When something goes wrong or we’re caught in a trial, we start to freak out and look for ways to save ourselves.  We remember that we God is there and we sometimes pray to Him and ask for help. But, just like the disciples, we tend to not put our complete faith in the fact that He will help us. Instead of fearing the future and what is going to happen in the midst of this hardship, God wants us to cry out to Him. He wants our complete faith to be in Him and not any circumstance or thing of this world.  Let it not be said of us, “O you of little faith!”

Are Our Hearts in the Right Place?

Matthew 6:19, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.”

As I read this probably for the 1,000^th time in my life today. Something stuck out to me that I never really took the time to think about before. It was the fact that the first two words of this verse are a pretty clear command. Jesus is not just recommending something to the crowds and disciples; He gives them a clear command “Do not!” What crosses your mind when someone starts a sentence off with those two words? For me, I know if my parents or coach, or anyone talking to me says, ‘Do not do this or that,’ I’m not going to do that thing.  If I disagree, I’m going to ask them a question, but I don’t think the crowds or disciples needed to ask Jesus any questions because it seems to me that he answers why he gives this command in the following verses.

Jesus continues on into verse 20 and 21 where they say, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The last part of the verse really struck me. I think a lot of times we can ask questions like: How many possessions can I have and still be able to serve God? Is it fine to have this nice car and house? I’m going to quote my good friend and pastor Dave Brewer from a recent message that he shared with the youth, “If we have a greater picture of Christ and a greater image of His beauty, we will stop asking the wrong questions.” I think this sums up what I started to realize when I was reading this passage. If we really understand what Christ did on the cross for our sins. If we truly understand the significance of what God did for us in order to welcome us into His family as his children. If we have a greater picture of how big He is through His Word. We will stop asking the wrong questions.

Are you able to say, “If I lose everything in life, my family, my house, my friends, my job, I will still be content for I have the Lord and that’s all I truly need.”

Instead of asking how much can I have and still serve the Lord, let us pray to the Lord, “I am yours and my possessions are yours. Please use me and all I have in anyway you choose to advance your kingdom and gospel across this earth!”

Strength from the LORD

(Sorry for the lack of posts. I started a new job at my church a week and a half ago doing outreach to the public high schools in the area and have been super busy. Although its busy and tiring, God is doing amazing things, I already have some awesome stories to share of how God is opening door after door to share the gospel and show the love of Christ with those who haven't heard it. I look forward to sharing some of these down the road!)

Today, God really spoke to me through 1 Samuel 30:4-6.

Leading up to these three verses, David comes home from battle to find his hometown burned to the ground. He finds his two wives to be taken captive as well as the rest of the women and children.

Verse 4 says, "Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep." David's response was that of a typical human being. He lost the two people he loved the most as well as hundreds of others, so he wept. But he not only wept, he wept so hard that he finally didn't have any strength whatsoever to weep anymore.

Then we get down to verse 5 and part of verse 6 where it says, "David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jesreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters." Not only was David distressed because both of his wives were gone, but because his very men were talking about stoning him to death because they were bitter about losing their own families. How often can we relate to the response of these men? When something isn't going our way, we are tempted to take our anger out on someone or something instead of trusting the Lord.

David's response to all of this at the end of verse 6 is what stood out to me the most. It's the example we need to seek to follow as children of God. "But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."
David didn't run to one of his friends for help. David didn't try to run away from the people trying to stone him. He ran straight to the only thing that could really help him: The Lord. Let us follow this example, in the good times and the bad. Let us continually be looking to the Lord and his Word for our strength.

David: The Fugitive

1 Samuel 22:1-2, “David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.  And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. “

Saul was seeking to kill David. Even after David had saved Israel from Goliath and repeated attacks by the Philistines. Saul grew envious of all the fame and glory that David was receiving. Instead of Saul praising the Lord for sending him David, he continually tried to kill David. So David had gone from hero to fugitive in a matter of years. David found himself in a cave and many historians believe this is where Psalm 142 was composed.

Psalm 142:3-5 say, “When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.  Look to the right and see; there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. I cry to you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’”

As David was in trouble, he cried out to the Lord. And the Lord brought him his family, the same family that barely recognized him as a family member back when Samuel came searching in 1 Samuel 16.  How precious this must have had to be for David. God also brought to him those in trouble under King Saul, that they might all be dependent on the Lord together rather then man!

1 Samuel 22:5, “’Do not remain in the strong-hold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.’ So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.”

The prophet Gad spoke to David and told him to get up from the comfort in the stronghold and go back to Judah where Saul was reigning.  I’m sure it was David’s last desire to go back to where Saul was reigning. Yet, David had seen the Lord be faithful in the past with Goliath and the Philistines on multiple occasions and knew the Lord’s faithfulness would be with them again!

Are you trusting in the faithfulness of God in the midst of all your circumstances? Are you seeking hard after the Lord to know His will for your life? Or are you just relaxing in the comfort of your life  waiting for something to happen? God wants us to be actively pursuing Him and actively pursuing what He has for our life. Seek the Lord in the Word and cry out to Him in prayer and He is going to make clear your paths.

Obeying the Lord...Completely: Saul

1 Samuel 15:2, “Thus says, the Lord of host, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have.  Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

These orders were given to Saul. They seem like pretty clear right? Do not leave anyone alive, no men, no children, no women, and no animals! God wants the Amalek people to be completely wiped off the face of the earth! So Saul gathers 210,000 men to accomplish this.

But, what we see Saul and the Israelites do next in verse 9 doesn’t match up with the command that the Lord has given Him, “But Saul and the people spared Agag (the king) and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.”

Saul decided there that he wasn’t going to completely obey the Lord. He was only going to destroy the worthless thing but keep the good things for himself. It says right there in the verse he, “he would not utterly destroy them.” But wait God had told him too utterly destroy them. Yes he did, but let’s not be self-righteous. God gives us pretty clear instructions too in His Word.

Ephesians 5:3-4, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among the saints.  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Well, I think we’ve all directly disobeyed this command today. We’ve all had lustful thoughts, or said/laughed at crude or foolish jokes in the last 24 hours. How about this next verse?

Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning.” Have you complained about your life recently? Wondering why this or that has happened to you? Well God’s word tells us we are not suppose to grumble, yet we all are guilty of this. Oh that we will not take God’s word and twist it to fit what we want.  Paul continues in verses 15 and 16 saying why we are to not grumble or complain, “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 the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Hold fast to the word of life, and be a light to this crooked and twisted generation we are living amongst. We do this by obeying God’s word!

Back to 1 Samuel 15, in verses 17-19 it says, “And Samuel said, ‘Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission…Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?” Samuel point blank asks the question all of us reading want to ask Saul. Pretty much, “what were you thinking???” God had taken Saul from herding sheep to becoming the king over Israel.

Saul responds in verse 20-21, “And Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction.  But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” Oh, its pretty funny reading Saul’s words, because anyone who can read can see he did not obey the voice of the Lord. Saul is a biblical example to us, showing how human hearts are deceiving him and he tries to make himself feel alright by saying the animals he did not destroy were meant to be offerings!

Samuel in verse 22, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” God wants our complete obedience to him. Yes he loves us even though we are sinful creatures. Once you place your faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, you’re saved. Yet, God is most glorified when we seek to obey His word all the way! The more we press into the Word and the more we press into the Lord, trying to obey Him completely and trying to glorify Him in all your actions brings more joy then we can even imagine!

In verses 27 and 28 it says, “As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.” Sometimes, the only way for the Lord to get our attention is to tear away from us what we love most in this world! When we disobey the Lord’s commands to us, there are going to be consequences. Yet, these consequences are given to us for our good and growth.

After his kingship has been torn away from him, Saul responds in Verse 30, “Then he said, ‘I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.’ So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.” Saul realizes all he can do is get down on his face and bow before the Lord to repent. When we sin and fall short and experience the discipline of the Lord. I pray it brings us to an awareness of how Great our God is and how sinful we are. We don’t deserve salvation. We don’t deserve the cross. Let us be able to say to the Lord, “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6)

Grace: Don’t Take It For Granted

Oh, my heart is heavy for our generation. Why does it seem as time continues to go on, the children of God are becoming more and more content with the bare minimum? Why does it seem like, we talk more about the latest movie or last night’s basketball game, more then we talk about the Lord with each other? And even more then we talk to the Lord in prayer? Why do we study harder our textbooks, then we study the Word of God? Everything we have comes from the Lord. So why do we so often place them above the Word of God and our relationship with the Lord? Why do they so often become idols and draw our affections away from the Lord?

As I studied the Word today, this verse hit me hard. 1 Corinthians 6:1, “Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” Why is Paul appealing to the Corinthian church not to receive the grace of God in vain? Remember in my first post on this blog, we defined Grace as, “unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification.“ The Corinthians, just like us have been saved all because of God’s grace. It is completely unmerited, there is absolutely no reason besides the love of the Lord that we are even saved. Therefore, Paul wants to remind the church of Corinth, don’t take this for granted. He wants the church to stop placing things of this world above the Lord. The end of chapter 5, clearly lays out what we are called to as children of God.

1 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The moment we place our faith in Christ Jesus’ death on the cross we become a new creation. Then in verse 20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” Because we have become a new creation and a child of God, we are also a ambassador for the Lord.  God wants the same grace that He has poured out on us, to be poured out on many through us. He wants the Corinthians to stop looking to their own wants and desires and to start seeing the bigger picture of God. That God wants to work with and through each of us. He has called each of us, and therefore wants to use each of us to bring attention and glory to Him rather then to ourselves.

My heart aches for my generation to learn from Paul’s letter to Corinth.  As Paul continues his letter, he says in 6:2, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” We all know this world is not going to be here forever. We also know for a fact, we will not be here forever. Let us not waste the short life that the Lord has give each of us. The same urgency that Paul shared with the Corinthian church can be applied to us! As David Guzik says in his commentary on this verse, “This is no time for Christian lives (to be) all about ease and comfort and self-focus.  It is time to get busy for the Lord, and to be workers together with Him!” (1)

Paul closes out this section in verse 12-13, “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.” Paul wants to get across that it is nothing he has spoken to them that is hindering them from living their lives completely for the Lord. He wants them to stop looking to things of the world but widen their hearts and seek full heartedly after the Lord!

My biggest burden is that we as a people of God not seek after things of this world or our careers more then we seek after the Lord and his Word.  Don’t forget that the Lord has given you your job, school, sports, entertainment, etc. Let us not live our short lives content doing the bare minimum. But let us seek after God more and more each day through the study of His Word.  Let us seek the Lord through prayer more each day. Let us seek to obey God’s command to us to be ambassadors for Him. God’s desire is to see our generation serve Him more then we serve ourselves and wants to use us in great and mighty ways to spread his Grace to those around us!

Pour Out Your Soul to the Lord: Hannah

My study of 1 Samuel started today and I love seeing God continue to work through the weaknesses of humans.  God loves his children when they are faithful to pour out their heart and cry out to Him. For most of us, we have times in our lives where we just don’t understand what is going on. How could my friend be diagnosed with cancer? Why does God have me moving away from all my friends? Why did I just lose my job? We’re tempted to lack trust in our Savior during times like these. Hannah was one of two wives to Elkanah, and was the wife that could not conceive any children for her husband.

In 1:6-7 it says, “And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb…Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.” Doesn’t it seems that at times of weakness, more obstacles are placed in your path to test your trust? I think we have an answer on how to overcome these obstacles.

In 1 Peter 5:8-9, it says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” Remember, you are not alone in what you experience. We have examples in the bible to look too; we have brothers and sisters around the world who have experienced what we are going through. The devil is going to do everything he can to pounce on us when we are down to keep us down. We must do three things according to this passage, be sober-minded, watchful and firm in our faith!

Continuing on in 1 Samuel, Hannah speaks to the Lord through prayer in verse 11, ‘Oh Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” Later on in verse 15, Hannah explains to Eli the priest what she has been doing, “I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.” Instead of taking her anger, frustration and anxieties to things of this world, she takes it to the Lord! She knows He is listening. She is being sober minded and standing firm in her faith.

God blesses her faithfulness to him in verse 20, “And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord.’”

Remember back in verse 11 when Hannah says, “I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” She is faithful to follow up her words with action in verses 27-28, “”For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.  Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.’ And he worshiped the Lord there.”

The next verse we get into chapter 2. The first thing Hannah does is lift up a prayer to the Lord, “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” She continues to praise the Lord for his goodness through thick and thin! When she experiences trials, she goes to the Lord in prayer. When she experiences blessings, she goes to the Lord in prayer. Let’s follow in her example!

Complete Faith: Naomi and Ruth

I found myself today studying the book of Ruth. If you’ve grown up going to church, you know the basic story of Ruth. She is faithful to her mother-in-law Naomi and eventually meets Boaz and marries him. Yes, but no, it’s a story filled with examples of what living a life full of faith truly looks like. Naomi, a woman of God lost her husband due to a famine being in the land. Not only that, ten years later her only two sons who had married Moabite women, they too died.

But this trial, it didn’t waver Naomi’s faith. She decided that they now because had no men to lead them, that she was going to go back to the land of Judah where she had come from. Instead of running away from the Lord, she wanted to put herself amongst the people of God that would lift her up and remind her of the promises of the Lord. But, she also wanted to be faithful to her two daughter in laws, Orpah and Ruth. She told them to return to their people, for they no longer had any reason to be with her. But what we see in Ruth’s response to this statement is incredible.

In 1:14, “Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.” Both Orpah and Ruth obviously loved their mother-in-law, for they both wept. But Ruth not only showed her love to Naomi through tears but through her faithfulness to her in taking action.

In verse 16 it says, “But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.  Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.’” Right there, is the first time that scriptures show Ruth to be a child of God. She forsakes the gods of the Moabites and tells Naomi that she is going to live for her God, the God of Israel! Naomi’s life of faith obviously had an impact on Ruth. Are you living a life full of faith that your actions are inspiring other to want to forsake this world and live a life for the Lord?

I’m not going to go into to too much more detail, for Ruth is a very short book and I’d encourage you to pick up your bible and study it on your own. But as Ruth and Naomi are faithful in little, the Lord blesses them in rich ways!

Boaz says to Ruth in 2:11-12, “’All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wing you have come to take refuge!’”

Is that your response after a trial, one of complete faith, knowing that the Lord knows best? Are you willing to forsake your family for the Lord? Let us follow in Naomi and Ruth’s examples, no matter what comes our way. We are called to live a life completely trusting in the sovereignty of the Lord, taking refuge under his wing! There is no better place to be then knowing and trusting in the Word of God.

Psalm 36:7, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”

Psalm 63:7-8, “For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”

Study THE Word

Today as I opened my bible to study God’s word, the section I opened to was 2 Corinthians 2, “Triumph in Christ.” Triumph is defined as a “A great victory or achievement.”

Christ was triumphant, but we still have a mission to fulfill. Verse 14, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” What an honor and privilege to be able to be used by our king in this way. God has conquered death for us, and now we get to serve him by letting the whole world know!

Jesus’ last words to his disciples in Matthew 28:18-20, “’All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

Paul reiterates the very words of Jesus when he talks about us, “through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” Jesus was very clear we are to, “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”  I love how Paul is careful in his letters to encourage the churches to follow after God in the same way Jesus had commanded his disciples. We all are disciples of the Lord and all need to be seeking to live our lives in a way that obeys his words.

But, this is only possible through the reading and study of scriptures. Which Paul hits on in verse 17,  “For we are not like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

David Guzik in his commentary of 2 Corinthians 2 says, “The word peddling has the idea of “adulterating” or “watering down” for gain, and was especially used of a wine seller who would water down the wine for more profit.”

Let’s not be a generation that water’s down God’s Word, for our own gain. But let’s be, “men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” Let us follow in Paul’s example and study God’s word and understand them so that we can encourage one another in the ways of God. Let us be a people of God that seek hard after the Lord and His Word!

Complete Surrender

So as I’ve been making my way through the Old Testament over the last month. I can find myself aggravated and irritated so often at the people of Israel. They so often turn their face away from God and seek hard after the idols and gods of the people surround them.

Judges 10:6, “The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” I believe I’ve read these words or similar words the last 6 days as I’ve opened the word of God.  Now, as I said in my first post, God is faithful even when we are faithless. But, after so many times, the Lord is going to challenge the nation of Israel a little harder.

In verses 10-13 it says, “And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, ‘We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.’ And the Lord said to the people of Israel, ‘Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand.  Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more.”

Now, God was being harsh with the people of Israel here. I believe he wanted them to genuinely turn away from their foreign gods and completely surrender their lives to Him before He was going to save them again. He wanted them to stop giving into worshipping false idols and put their faith in Him 100% of the time.

The people of Israel respond to the Lord in verse 15-16, “And the people of Israel said to the Lord, ‘We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.’ So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord.”

The nation of Israel did respond in complete surrender, realizing that even a little bit of God’s help was better then what they were getting from serving the foreign idols and gods which was nothing but oppression from surrounding nations. But it wasn’t just their prayers to the Lord that changed. They took action in physical ways too, “they put away the foreign gods from among them.” They cut off and completely got rid of the evils that were distracting them from complete dependence on the Lord. And after they did that they, “served the Lord.”

A couple questions I have been asking myself since studying this passage is, “Are there any idols or things of this world that are distracting me from serving the Lord with everything I have? Have I completely surrendered all parts of my life?”

We need to as a people of God seek to live every part of our lives glorifying the Lord. When we are amongst people who do not know the Lord, when we are hanging out as friends and when we are on our own. Don’t let sin and things of this world distract you from pursuing the Lord. Take means to cut off and do away with things that distract you. I know for me I’ve had to cut off listening to the radio or pop songs, because they draw my affections away from the Lord and towards things of this world. Friends, take action and fight the temptations of this world with the Word of God.

Let us seek to learn from the example of the Israelites and live by the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” You may right now be thinking of sins or things in your life that are hindering you from completely surrendering your life. Start taking action like the Israelites did. You may not have anything off the top of your head. But take a minute to pray and ask the Lord if there is. If you completely surrender to the Lord, you are going to blessed by him. Let us be a generation that flees from sin and worldly distractions and a generation that “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)