Trust in God

 

The prophet Habakkuk lived in days when horrible atrocities were happening in his nation. The evil he had previously witnessed would be mild compared to the horror the Babylonian forces would bring. Habakkuk couldn’t understand how a pure God could allow such wrongs to occur. God reminded Habakkuk He was in control; certainly His ways are beyond our understanding. His response, whatever happens in the world around him, was “the just shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4). When Habakkuk considers what could be the worst-case scenario he or his people would have to face (Hab. 3:16-17), his response would be one of joy in the Lord. “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  The LORD God is my strength” (3:18-19).

 

Christians in the first century lived in days when horrible atrocities were happening in the world in which they lived. Paul referred to this when he reminded Timothy, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Peter would say, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Pet. 4:15-16). In the book of Revelation, during the time of Domitian as Emperor of Rome, where many suffered intense persecutions, even death. The Lord said of those who remained faithful to Him, even under such conditions, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Rev. 12:11).

 

We understand, then we have never been promised our lives would be trouble free.  We are blessed to live in this country, but we aren’t immune to the evil, pain, and devastation that permeate our lives, our nation, the world. The effects such things have on people’s morale has been dramatic.  How can we deal with suffering, the potential of suffering, in one form or another? Trust in the Lord, find your strength in Him, and live faithfully to His will each day (Rom. 1:17). 

 

Perhaps all we are facing in society today is our wakeup call spiritually, as well.  May there be a spiritual renewal in each of us that will transcend our temporal surroundings and circumstances, which will offer hope no matter what we face in life, which assures us we can endure anything, if we face it in the strength God supplies. Our call is that which the Lord offered to the church in Smyrna. Whether family trials, disease, opposition in society, whatever, trust in God, for He is greater than any of our troubles. He is in control (Rom. 8:38-39). “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).

 

μαράνα θᾶ (1 Cor. 16:22)

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/30/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Luke 4:8. “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

 

In this passage, Jesus refutes the temptation of Satan to bow down before him with this quote from Deut. 6:13, which affirms two truths to us. God alone is worthy of worship, and God should be worshipped. It is similar to what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

 

As deity, God alone knows how reverence and devotion in worship should be expressed to Him. It is both interesting and sad how humanity wants to define worship in how we desire to express it, rather than how God has prescribed it. Under the new covenant era, the gospel age, worship on the Lord’s Day involves, singing, prayer, the proclamation of the word, the Lord’s Supper, and giving as we have been prospered. There are those who have said they don’t like to sing, and thus avoid it. God, however, says worship is based on what honors and glorifies Him, not what pleases us. Others say they don’t need to hear the word proclaimed, yet it is through such we learn of God and how to live for Him. All of these elements are to be engaged in for our worship to honor God and bless us.

 

As a congregation, we are to assemble on the first day of the week, the day our Lord rose from the dead. The early church understood the value of assembling together, and did so daily (Acts 2:42, 46). It is of such significance to God the Hebrew writer, by inspiration, tells us not to forsake coming together to worship (Heb. 10:25). What a blessing it offers us, and what a testimony we offer to society when we continue to do so, unlike many groups and individuals who have abandoned it, for whatever reason.

 

In accordance with God’s will, with the right attitude of heart, may we determine in the New Year to come together to please God and find strength for daily living. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/29/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is 1 Cor. 10:31. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.”

 

What Paul expressed to the church in Corinth he expressed to other congregations as well. It’s an important theme we should remember. To the church in Colossae he said, “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).  To those in Philippi, he exhorted, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 3:10-11).  This Scripture from Philippians reveals that, everything we do, can be to God’s glory because of the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

 

From beginning to end, the resurrection of Christ defines our lives, giving it meaning today and forever, for the glory of God. By the resurrection of Christ, we have confidence when we obey the gospel, that our sins are truly forgiven. By the resurrection of Christ, we have confidence that we can live by the gospel and glorify God in doing so. By the resurrection of Christ, we have a hope that is real and offers us eternal life.

 

To be able to say that we lived, in everything we say and do, to the glory of God, should be our goal in living. This should be true of all Christians, as we both live and leave this life. As Paul said, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). Today, let’s rejoice that Christ came to live and die for us, and by His resurrection everything God promises for us is true. May we live for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that in everything, God is glorified. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/27/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is 1 Cor. 3:18-19. “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God.”

 

We live in a world where the subjective takes precedence over the objective, where feelings guide people more than truth. Statements such as “well I feel,” or “I believe” are often heard, which are more of a desire of how we would like things to be, but often times are not. This is especially true in matters of faith, in how people want God to be, how He should respond. It is what we personally want, rather than what God has revealed in Scripture.

 

Certainly, God has given us our emotions, but our emotions must be governed by the will of God, as the only other option is for them to be governed by sin. The preeminence of God is revealed to us in His word. Scripture is to be the arbiter of how we feel, of what we believe, of how we live. As Paul told the church in Colossae, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority” (Col. 2:8-10).

 

As Jesus faced His greatest hour of trial, He was determined to seek God’s will, not His own feelings or desires. In the garden He prayed, “Yet not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). We are not greater than our Lord. His will must be our will for life. We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds to that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:2). May we rely on His revealed will to guide us, and not the desires of the flesh. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/24/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Luke 6:35. “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”

 

During this time of year, many people’s thoughts go to Christ and His coming into the world. Jesus didn’t come in the world because of how good people are, but because of how much we all need a Savior. Our Scripture reading today reminds us what sin does to one’s life, making one ungrateful and evil. It also tells us what we can be even in a world filled with sin, because of the transformation He brings to our lives.

 

Jesus was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:34-35). He lived as any human would, with the feelings any human had, but His life was different in two important ways. First, though tempted as we are, He did not yield to sin. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life (Heb. 4:15). Secondly, living a sinless life, He was able to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, that we might have forgiveness of sins, a right relationship with God, and the hope of eternal life. Instead of just knowing how to be evil, we know what it means to be kind, and how, in Him, we should and can be kind, caring, and loving, being children of God in Christ.

 

All of this is possible because Christ was willing to come into the world and live for us, so He could die for us. He set an example for us on what life can be in Him. May we never forget His life and death, His incarnation and resurrection, and the hope we have in Him. Today, and every day, let’s serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, living for His will, finding life in Him, and showing others what life is meant to be. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 4/23/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Matt. 24:42. “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

 

It is an interesting term Jesus uses when He tells His disciples to be alert. It literally means to be awake, not to sleep. He used the same term when He went to the garden to pray, but found them asleep, and urged them to wake up, as He desperately needed their encouragement as the hour approached for His crucifixion.

 

Beyond being physically asleep, it means to be awake spiritually, to give one’s full attention to the will of God and the life it calls us to live. We should give full attention to the spiritual, to overcome fleshly desires, as we do not know when our Lord will return, or when we will pass from this life either. We want to be found ready at these times, and have confidence in how the Lord will find us spiritually, pleasing and acceptable to Him.

 

Peter encourages us, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). To be watchful is to be spiritually awake, aware of what is going on around us, of what God has called us to be, and practicing His precepts to live faithfully for Him. We must constantly be watching our Christian walk so that we don’t fall into one of Satan’s snares.

 

One way to do this is commended to us by Paul in Col. 4:2. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Paul also reminds us that Christ died, “So that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thess. 5:10-11). Being thankful and encouraging helps us be awake and alert in Christ.

 

Today, let’s be spiritually aware, awake, that we might serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with gladness. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/22/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Jude 1:3: “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

 

In recent years, the concept of doctrine has been rejected for the feeling of acceptance. It is seen in how many believe if we have love, meaning an emotional response to God and others, this is sufficient. Accepting God as Father, and Jesus as the Son of God, is viewed as being all that matters; everything else is simply extraneous and optional.

 

If we acknowledge the authority of Scripture, however, we recognize the importance God places on doctrine.  Our Scripture today tells us we must “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints,” meaning we must struggle, to strive, to take our stand in the truth from which faith is based. There is only one faith God has given that leads to salvation (Eph. 4:5), and not many variations of it.  To abandon it is to pervert the gospel of Christ and subvert the work God accomplishes through it (Gal. 1:6-9).  Obedience through faith to the revealed will of God is what He desires of us. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). The terms “faith” in Jude, and “will” in Matthew, are singular. As God is one, so also is His message of salvation. There is only one way to live for Him, and Christ is that way, in what He has revealed to us in His word (John 12:48).

 

May we always seek God’s authority in His word for our practices, that our doctrine is what is found in the pages of Scripture. Today, let’s confidently serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to His revealed will to us. It is life for today, and life eternal. God bless.

 

Robert