Fearfully & Wonderfully Made

You are fearfully & wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14 I will praise You because I have been fearfully and wonderfully made”.

Fearfully when translated from the Hebrew means with great reverence, heart-felt interest, and with respect.

The word “wonderfully” is the Hebrew word “pala”, which means to be separate, distinguished, or unique. Basically it means that God made you to be special.

So rewriting the verse: I will praise You (God) because I have been uniquely & distinctly made with great reverence and deep caring.

In other words, no matter what you have been told, you’re no accident.

There’s only one of you and you are very near and dear to God.

You were known before creation. The hairs on your head are numbered.  God is saying that you are known by Him. Nothing you do, nothing you say, nothing you think, anything that happened/happens to you is a surprise to God. He knew your parents, the day you were born and the day you will die.

Ephesians 1:4 …Long ago, even before He made the world, God chose us to be His very own through what Christ would do for us; He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault—we who stand before Him covered with his love.

We are covered in God’s Love.  And what is that love? It is the Gospel.

Sometime we make the Gospel (the Good News) just way to complicated. In reality the Good News that the angles sang about (Hosanna in the Highest) is simply this. God became man (Immanuel), lived a sinless life, died taking the just punishment for our sins upon His sinless self, so we could have the opportunity to reconcile our broken relationship with God which was broken because we have sinned. Jesus rose from His death, returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to make us aware of our estrangement from God and encourages us to choose to reconcile with God.  We are offered and encouraged, not coerced.

According to the world love is sensual, it is accepting of all, it is inclusive, but what if a behavior is harmful, what if an idea is wrong? Is it kind and loving to accept it and not try to enlighten and possibly correct it?

True love cares/knows your deepest needs.

Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV) – Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…(NIV) 

Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you…(AMP)

NOTICE HOW INTIMATE GOD IS WITH EACH OF US.

According to Dictionary.com Intimate:

Adjective:  associated in close personal relations: an intimate friend.

characterized by or involving warm friendship or a personally close or familiar association or feeling: (of an association, knowledge, understanding, etc.) arising from close personal connection or familiar experience.

Noun: an intimate friend or associate, especially a confidant.

Now you know why the Gospel mentions reconciliation so often. God had a relationship with you before creation and well, you’re sinning messed it up.  Remember, you have to have had a relationship to reconcile a relationship and “guess what”, each of us according to these verses at one time had a pretty tight relationship with our Creator.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:7).

Created in God’s image. What does that look like?

There are many artist depictions of what they perceived Jesus to look like. White Europeans who painted a white European Jesus, Greek Orthodox artists painted icons depicting Jesus that looked like Greek Orthodox Jesus’ and other cultures did the same and what else would we expect? Instead of us being created in God’s image, we want to create God in our image. Now from an artistic point of view, not that big of a deal, but from who God is essentially, a huge mistake.

Imago Dei ("image of God")

("image of God"): A theological term, applied uniquely to humans, which denotes the symbolical relation between God and humanity. The term has its roots in Genesis 1:27, wherein "God created man in his own image. . ." This scriptural passage does not mean that God is in human form, but rather, that humans are in the image of God in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature. Thus, humans mirror God's divinity in their ability to actualize the unique qualities with which they have been endowed, and which make them different than all other creatures: rational structure (see logos), complete centeredness, creative freedom, a possibility for self-actualization, and the ability for self-transcendence (divine existence). https://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/theogloss/imago-body.html

Simply put: in our essence, our souls we were created in God’s image. We are not of the nature of God but we are like the nature of God.

Thus we have the ability to realize we exist, we can choose to love, be kind or forgive. But along with being able to choose those things we can also choose not to love, not to be kind and not to forgive. And because of the ability to self-actualize and to choose we have the opportunity to love God or not love God.

Jesus emphasizes through the whole New Testament what God desires of us. He wants us to love Him with our whole heart, with all our strength and with all our might, and then to love others as we love ourselves Matt. 22: 34-36. Can we do that without God’s help? Not hardly, that’s why He sent the Holy Spirit that we might be able to love a little like God loves us.

Our essence is renewed, how we think (renewed mind), our attitudes (mercy and grace) and our desire for Holiness (both in us and in the world around us).  This is the essence of God in us.

I will praise You (God) because I have been uniquely & distinctly made with great reverence and deep caring.

Is everyone uniquely made? Yes, there is no other person exactly like you and there never will be. Are you distinctly made. Synonyms for distinctly: obvious, apparent, plain, visible, distinct, noticeable, identifiable, perceptible, clarity, clearly, conspicuous, distinguishable, evident . . .  Distinctly reflects the idea that your uniqueness is clear to the senses. It can be seen and recognized. God made you distinct and that distinction can and should be noticed.  

You have great value not because of anything you have done or accomplished but because your creator/savior deeply cares for you and passionately loves, respects, admires, and is devoted to you and your eternal wellbeing.

1 John 4:10

And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Blessings

Colossians 1:15-17

Whenever I am stressed by what I see going on in the world around me, I remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians Chapter 1. I think in verses 15 – 17 is the definitive description of just who Jesus Christ is and it is truly glorious.

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

When we read this statement by Paul, I think too often we gloss over what it means when it says, “The Son is the image of the invisible God.” First off, who or what is the “invisible God”?

The invisible God is the Glorified, 3 distinct persons in one, God. The God that if looked upon by human eyes would be more than our mortality could endure. The God who when He passed by, Moses who had to hide in the cleft of a rock and turn his back and yet from this encounter Moses still reflected God’s glory to such an extent that he had to cover his face so that others would be protected from the reflection of that glory on Moses’ face.

Yet this God in Christ, humbled himself and was made a little lower than angels. Hebrews 2 & Psalm 8:5.

Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

I think because we read these verses and others, where it speaks of Christ humbling himself and setting aside His glory, we tend to think that this somehow subordinates Christ’s position; it does not.

Hebrews 1:3 tells us that:

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…

Notice He is the exact imprint; He is not a copy, He is the radiance, the shekinah glory, the radiant light of God, Creator, all Powerful, Omnipotent (all powerful Supreme God), Sovereign; anything you can say about God applies to Jesus Christ because, He is God. He became a man, but while a man, and setting aside His glory was still in essence, God.

You might say, Al, how is it possible that a glorified, all-powerful God can become like us? The short answer is, I do not know and neither does anyone else. All I can say is, “He’s God”.

The scripture teaches that Christ was fully man while also being fully God. The entirety of Christianity rests upon this foundational fact.  Christ being fully human while maintaining his deity is why certain groups, who claim to be Christian, are not. 

He is the first born of all creation. So is this teaching that he was created, not at all. When Christ became man, Scripture teaches that He set aside His glory and humbled Himself. When He ascended to the Father’s bosom, (John 1:18) as the only Begotten of God (or as some early manuscripts, God Begotten) this refers to Him as first in prominence. Notice He returned, He returned to where He once was.

Christ retuning to the Father’s bosom is a picture of the parent/child relationship. When scripture says that we are created in the image of God, the parent/child relationship that we experience in the flesh has existed in the Godhead eternally before creation and will continue eternally as it always has.

I believe that for some reason we want to believe that at creation God came up with all these new ideas, which He tried out in creation. God is eternal, His ideas are eternal, His actions are eternal, and His relationships are eternal. The only thing not eternal is creation. It had a beginning and it will have an end.

God is not created, and Christ is not created.  If Christ were created, He would not be eternal and would not be God.

16 for in him (Jesus Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him (Jesus Christ) and for him (Jesus Christ).

The “in him” referenced here refers to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ created, notice, “All things”.

(panta) Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole. Strong’s Concordance.

All things references “all things” Physical, Spiritual, Intellect, Thoughts, Freedoms . . . You name it and it was created by Christ. Even all thoughts, all words and languages, Christ created everything. It is as vast as we can possibly imagine. By the way, He also created our imaginations and our ability to imagine.

You cannot escape the creation of Christ and it was all created by Him and for Him. We are created for God. Everything is created for God and then sin entered in and tainted everything. That’s why God became man. To defeat sin.

The creative unity of the Godhead is nowhere better revealed than in 1 Corinthians 8:6.

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

Christ was in the bosom of the Father before, during and after creation. He left the bosom and became a servant, a man. But He returned to the bosom of the Father upon His ascension to glory, the glory he previously had with the Father. John 17:5

17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 

His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe. Amplified Bible. Do you realize what this says?

· The same God who promises to keep us – John 17,

· to work all things for our good – Romans 8:28,

· who continuously intercedes for us – Hebrews 7:25,

· whose love we cannot be separated from – Romans 8:38,

· who’s hand our name is written on – Isaiah 49:16a,

· who knows us personally – John 10:14,

This God, Jesus Christ, is the glue that holds every created thing together. When lightning strikes, He directs it. When a child is born, He approves, when we sin, He mourns. Do you not know that God knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb?

Psalms 139:13-16 NIV

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Now if you truly believe this, what can life do to you? If this man/God, Jesus Christ is your Lord, Savior and Judge, what do you have to fear?

To look into your judges eyes and see your savior there. Michael Card.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) He is before all things.--The words "He is" are both emphatic. He, and He only, is; all else is created. It is impossible not to refer to the "I am" of Eternal existence, as claimed by our Lord for Himself. "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58; comp. also John 1:15). Hence the word "before" should be taken, not of supreme dignity, but of pre-existence.

By him all things consist.--That is, hold together in unity, obeying the primeval law of their being. In this clause is attributed to our Lord, not only the creative act, but also the constant sustaining power, "in which all lives and moves has its being”.

These verses claim the deity of the Christ. They claim the eternity of the Christ. They claim the sovereign authority of the creation by the Christ, they claim the relationship of the Father and the Christ, they claim the relationship of the created and the Christ, they claim the oversight of all things by the Christ. . .

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

mystery

 

As the pressures of his public career mounted Stuart Hamblen began gambling and became increasingly addicted to alcohol. His drinking binges occasionally landed him in jail for brawling and shooting out streetlights. He later confessed that he was the "original juvenile delinquent."

Hamblen's wild, boozing lifestyle might have gone indefinitely had his wife not introduced him to the young evangelist Billy Graham. She persuaded him to attend Graham's path-breaking tent revival campaign, which was being held at Washington and Hill streets in Los Angeles. The next day Hamblen gave his testimony over the radio and declared that he was "hitting the sawdust trail."

True to his word, Hamblen swore off alcohol and tobacco, sold his racehorses, and dedicated his life to Christ. Many of his later songs, such as "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)," "His Hands," "Until Then," "This Ship of Mine," and "Open Up Your Heart (And Let the Sunshine In)," reflected his new-found faith.

In 1954, while on a hunting trip in the Sierras, Hamblen and his party came upon the body of an old, dead prospector in his remote tumbledown shack. That experience resulted in Hamblen's most famous gospel music tune, "This Ole House," which was subsequently popularized by Rosemary Clooney and named the 1954 Song of the Year.

A secret only remains a secret until it is told. Stuart Hamblin knew the secret, (he went to the crusade and was told & believed)

DO YOU KNOW THE SECRET?

It might surprise you but the New Testament is sprinkled with Secrets and Mysteries. Jesus talked about things hidden.

Have you ever planned a surprise party. It's really difficult to keep it a surprise. My granddaughter turned 20 years old and I make it a habit to call instead of text and so I did. We had a great conversation and she mentioned that she and the family were going out for dinner to celebrate. Connie and I live 2 hours away so I mentioned to Connie that I wanted to drive up and surprise her. We called our daughter Becky and had her add 2 extra to the reservations. Our Granddaughter was very surprised, and very happy. 

The mystery and secrets the Lord was referencing are the mysteries and secrets, when known, will make those who experience them eternally surprised and eternally ecstatic.

Colossians 1:25–27 (ESV)

25 of which I became a minister (Paul talking about himself) according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery (secret) hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

What's the secret, what's the mystery?  

CHRIST IN YOU. 

Emmanuel (God is with us).

HOW DID GOD DEAL WITH MAN IN THE OLD VRS THE NEW TESTAMENT?

OLD TESTAMENT                                       NEW TESTAMENT                                    

JEWS – GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE              JEWS & GENTILES WHO RECEIVE THE SPIRIT

TEMPLE                                                          GOD DWELLS WITHIN US

ANIMAL SACRIFICES                                    JESUS CHRIST THE ONE & FOREVER SACRIFICE

TEN COMMANDMENTS (THE LAW)              SAVED BY GRACE (FAITH)

PROPHETS                                                      HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN REVEALS GOD

Colossians 2:2–3 (ESV)

2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

THE MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST CHANGED EVERYTHING.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

OUR NATURE IS TO WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO EARN ANYTHING. 

THAT IS ALSO TRUE ABOUT SALVATION & THAT’S THE GREAT MYSTERY, THAT’S WHAT STUART HAMLIN WAS TELLING US IN HIS SONG, "IT IS NO SECRET", THAT’S WHAT MADE STUART HAMLIN A NEW MAN, 

A COMPLETELY CHANGED MAN. IT’S WHAT 2 COR 5:17 CALLS A NEW CREATURE (A NEW CREATION).

2 Corinthians 5:17    Amplified Bible

Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

• He was manifested in the flesh,
• vindicated by the Spirit,
• seen by angels,
• proclaimed among the nations,
• believed on in the world,
• taken up in glory.

Ephesians 3:5 (ESV)

5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:9–10 (ESV)

9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

1 Corinthians 2:7 (ESV)

7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

THIS VERSE TELLS US THAT THIS WAS ALWAYS GOD’S PLAN. GOD HASN’T CHANGED. HE IS IMMUTABLE (UNCHANGING). HE WAS LOVE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, HE IS LOVE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. HE DESIRED THAT WE FOLLOW HIM IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, HE DESIRES THAT WE FOLLOW HIM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

READ HEBREWS CHAPTER 11, IT WAS ALWAYS BY FAITH.

ROMANS 6:29 English Standard Version

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Let Go, Let God ??????

 

Let Go, Let God

This was my original thought for my devotional but as I read some commentaries and some Bible verses I have come to the conclusion that this statement may not be correct.

I remember when working in jail ministry whenever we would hear how someone was going to do this, or they were going to pray more, read the bible more they were going to quit swearing, drinking drugs or make some other change in their lives, red flags would always go up. The thought was good and I did believe in many cases that they were sincere, but the instances where a person by their own fortitude were able to make a major change in their behavior was very rare.

Philippians 1:6  Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

6 And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that HE Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

He (God) Begins the work, He (God) Completes the work.

So Al what are we supposed to do, kick back and enjoy the ride.

The story is told of a man who came eagerly but very late to a revival meeting and found the workmen tearing down the tent in which the meetings had been held. Frantic at missing the evangelist, he decided to ask one of the workers what he could do to be saved. The workman, who was a Christian, replied, “You can’t do anything. It’s too late.” Horrified, the man said, “What do you mean? How can it be too late?” “The work has already been accomplished,” he was told. “There is nothing you need to do but believe it.” Grace to you, Is Faith a Gift, gty.org

John 6:29  Amplified Bible

Jesus answered, “This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent.”

OUR WORK IS TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST.

Abraham was “Fully Persuaded”, Paul was “Fully Persuaded” that God could keep what Paul had entrusted to Him & Paul was “Fully Persuaded” that nothing can separate us from God’s love.

"being fully persuaded." The Greek root for this phrase is one word that means: to carry out fully with evidence, completely assured or convinced, entirely accomplish, to make full proof of, most surely believe, and to fully or completely know. Fully Persuaded Contributed by Toby Powers on Dec 31, 2007, sermoncentral.com

THINK OF THOSE WHO ARE SO COMPLETELY CONVINCED, WHETHER THEY BE RIGHT OR WRONG, THAT EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY WILL NOT GET THEM TO RELENT.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

What does submission look like?  You cannot fully submit to anything unless you are fully persuaded.

SUBMIT: Voluntarily putting ourselves under the authority of someone or something else.

Our pastor used a good analogy during last Sundays sermon. He talked about a car that is out of alignment. When you have both hands on the wheel it is difficult to tell if the car is in alignment. The only to tell is to take your hands off the steering wheel and then determine if the car pulls to the left or the right. Now you can, through your efforts keep the car going fairly straight down the hi-way, but the vehicle is still out of alignment.  This is where the “Let Go, Let God” statement kind of fell apart.

Without me getting the car aligned (getting my life in line with God’s will for me) if I Let Go of the steering wheel, the car will eventually drift into the ditch (which is true of many who choose not to realign their lives to God’s will for them; they slowly drift into the ditch). Submitting to God’s Spirit is how we bring our lives back into alignment with God’s plan for our lives. Although God is intimately involved with our spiritual realignment, we need to participate.

James 4

Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Once we begin our journey with Christ He reveals what we are to do.

Luke 13:24 (ESV)

24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

The entrance through the gate is by believing and trusting in what God has done. We work out our salvation by reflecting Christ in our lives.

Paul, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me.  Put on Jesus Christ. Ensconce yourself in Christ.

Romans 13:14 Amplified Bible

But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for [nor even think about gratifying] the flesh in regard to its improper desires.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 ESV

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 

Galatians 6:14
But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Does letting go mean we do nothing or do we let go by denying ourselves (dying to self) and living in Christ. Putting on Christ.

Romans 5

¹ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The story of the man who was late to the evangelistic meeting thought that salvation was through the tent or the evangelist. He thought he had missed his opportunity only to find that he could only miss it by not believing.

Chastened

Jesus chastised His disciples for having little faith.

For a long time I asked the question, is faith quantitative? My thought was you either believe or you don’t believe. An either or proposition. Yet Jesus chastised the disciple for having little faith.

Matt. 8: 25 The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”…

The disciples perceived that Jesus was asleep, unaware of their predicament. GOD NEVER SLEEPS

Matthew 6:30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 

Where is our next meal coming from, what about our clothes, our homes, doesn’t God care?

Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. "You of little faith," He said, "why did you doubt?"

God call me to come to you but the world is rough, you don’t understand, I’m sinking.

Matthew 16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

We shall all starve, you have led us to a place of destruction. (Don’t you remember the manna?)

When life makes no sense that is when faith or the lack of faith shows up.

O ye of little faith: In Luke, the phrase is, "where is your faith?" what has become of it? You professed to believe in me, is your faith gone already? In Mark it is, "how is it that ye have no faith?"

That is, in exercise, their faith was very small, it could hardly be discerned: some faith they had, as appears by their application to him, but it was very little. They had no faith in him that he could deliver them while sleeping; but had some little faith in him that he might, could he be awaked out of sleep; and for this Christ blames them; for he, as the eternal God, was as able to save them sleeping as waking. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

So what are some examples of having a little faith in something and having a lot of faith in something?

What about flying on an airplane.

Hopefully if you are a pilot you have a lot of faith that the plane can and will fly. You have studied aviation, you have spent a lot of time experiencing flight, you know there are dangers but you mitigate the dangers as much as possible and weigh the risks and determined that flying is safe.

The passengers in first class are usually experienced flyers and have more faith in the planes ability to get them from point “A” to point “B” than maybe a first time flyer in coach.

The pilot lots of faith, those in first class confident faith, the first time flyer in coach hopeful faith.

All three have faith, just differing quantities. Notice also those with more faith have more experience. The more time you spend with something the more you know about it and the more trust & confidence you have in it.

The word used for faith in Scripture = “trust,” “confidence.”

If you find you think you can trust God but you’re not completely sold, you need to spend more time with Him. You’ve got to get to know Him better.

Hebrews 13 teaches us that He can be trusted completely. How’s your faith?

 

Peter was chastised when he thought he had a better plan than Gods (Peter – they will never execute you)

Matt. 16 …²² Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Far be it from You, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to You!” ²³ But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.

Peter wanted to protect the Lord from the world. God wanted to protect the world by offering his son as a sacrifice. Both were sincere and wanted to do the right thing. Peter saw with temporal eyes, God looks with eternal eyes.

How often I hear, “but they’re sincere” as a sort of explanation when someone does, or says something that is, or turns out to be wrong. If sincerity is the barometer for determining if something is right or wrong, Hitler would have been a saint but as we all know he was quite the opposite, he was evil personified. His sincerity turned out to be sincerely wrong. Satan is very sincere about being God.

Peter sincerely believed he was doing the right thing yet Jesus called him “Satan”. Pretty harsh according to our perspective. Yet Jesus was trying to get Peter to have an eternal vision, to see the big picture. 

Those who were looking for a conquering messiah verses the suffering servant messiah, Christ, were looking for an earthly kingdom. Sorry to say, many Christians today are still doing the same thing. They want to sell eternal blessings for money, prosperity, health and the temporal blessings of this fallen world. No matter how much you obtain in this world it is tainted by sin and is a sorry replacement for what Christ has for you in eternity. Build up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6)

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE HEAVEN

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Anything we think would be better, any plans we think superior are not even a shadow of what God has for us.

Relax, Trust, Wait, and then Act.             He’s got this.

The disciples thought the childishness of the children was interfering with Christ’s message.

Luke 18 ¹⁵Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁶But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”…

Sit still and be quite, you’re in church, grow up. Do we really want our children to act like little adults? Have you ever met a child who acts like a little adult? My first thought is, something’s wrong; they’re kind of creepy.

I’m an old guy and find I’m a lot more easily annoyed by kids acting like kids than I used to be. Yet, when I take a minute to think about it, I wish I could be less encumbered, not worrying about what others think or say, more honest and less guarded, you know, like a child. I remember sharing with the guys in jail ministry, If you can’t be honest when you pray to an all knowing, all powerful God, when will you be honest? It can be very emotionally releasing to have a place to go where you can share you’re deepest, darkest secrets.

Children trust and wear it all on their sleeves. What you see is what you get. The Scriptures mention that as an adult we are to act as an adult but I don’t think it’s referencing the trust of a child, it’s referencing the lack of a maturity of a child.

1 Cor. 13: ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹²For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God].

Notice this text is not talking about children’s trust but about the maturity we have available from God. It recognizes that we obtain knowledge/maturity in Christ as we grow from a child (baby) in the faith into a mature (adult) in the faith. The context reflects back to our inability to conceive what eternity will be (we see in a mirror dimly) and how we are to know Christ in a mature manner.

Our relationship to God is exemplified by a trusting and transparent relationship similar to that of a loving child’s relationship to a loving father.  

We have been treated unfairly. Call down fire from heaven

Luke 9: ⁵¹ When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ And they went on to another village.

We have our rights. In the Western World we have this idea of inalienable rights.

Miriam Webster: INALIENABLE = incapable of being alienated (transferred to another’s ownership, removed), surrendered, or transferred.

The idea of each person having value given them by God and that no one can devalue or diminish that God given value is legitimate. But to equate that God given value to a set of individual rights that take precedence over loving God and your neighbor is not Scriptural or how followers of Christ are called to live their lives. We surrender ourselves (our rights – the things that we would prefer or are endowed with by the Government) to serve God and others.

Insisting on our personal rights is exactly the opposite of what takes place when we are called to become Christ’s disciples? We surrender all to come follow Christ. I think we have heard so long about “Personal” rights that somehow we feel these rights have been bestowed on us because we are Americans or whatever. What about our brothers and sisters in countries where they are oppressed. Do they have less value than those of us who have all these personal rights?  Hardly as we shall soon see.

Value is given by God, Rights are given by the government.

Let’s examine the “Personal Rights” bestowed on some of the heroes of the faith. We’ll use the list from Hebrews Chapter 11.

Abel – Killed by Cain

Enoch – not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Noah – Laughed at, scoffed at and built the biggest animal shipping transport of all time.

Abraham – was called by a God he did not know, to go to a land he could not see, based on promises that seemed impossible.Sarah – laughed at God’s foolishness.

Isaac – sons and wife deceived him.

Jacob – sons tried to kill their brother, lied to their father so he thought him dead.

Joseph – brothers tried to kill him, sold him as a slave, thrown in jail, raised up to deliver his people.

Moses – Pharaohs son, accused and questioned by the people God told him to lead, kept from the Promised Land for striking a rock with a stick

Rahab the prostitute – helped the Jewish spies. She and her family were spared.

Gideon – didn’t want to lead an army. He laid multiple fleeces to get out of it.

Barak – unwilling general who delivered the Jews from the Canaanites.

Samson – lost his faith, lost his wife, found his faith, lost his life.

Hebrews 11: ³⁶ others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

But what about their rights. God valued them above all Governments, persons, wealth and every nation of this world. None of them were worthy of them. They had great value, just not many rights.

How did the disciples view their rights?

Luke 5:11          When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

 Paul says,        “It’s no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.” Gal. 2:20     

But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself. . . Acts 20:24

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

The disciples wanted to call down fire on the Samaritans because they felt they and Christ had not been treated fairly their personal rights had not been honored. Little did they know how unfairly their master would ultimately be treated.

Agendas

Mark 10: ³⁵ James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³⁷ They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”

³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹ They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. ⁴⁰ But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Agendas are tricky things. My wife always says, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”, but what if our plans are not God’s plans. There are plenty of examples in Scripture of those who made plans that were not destined to come to fruition because God had another idea.

James 4:13-15  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

Luke 12: ¹⁶ And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. ¹⁷ And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ ²¹ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

So what am I saying, is making plans a bad thing? Not at all and I included Luke 12:21 to demonstrate that point. We need to “Store Up Treasure” for God and His Kingdom. Will we always make the right decisions; NO. But if our motivation is to serve God and try to help build His kingdom we can be sure that, even if we are unsuccessful according to the world’s standards, according to God’s standard we are very successful.

Connie and I attempted to plant a church in Denmark, WI. We spent over 2 years, a lot of effort and money to try and pull it off. I was sure it was God’s plan. I put other ministry offers aside because I was convinced this was God’s plan for me. It never took off. Now we can try to figure out why it never happened, we can say it still might, but what if it never does. Were we wrong to try? Even though those involved may think it a failure, will it be a failure in God’s eyes. We can beat ourselves up with coulda/shouldas but how does God perceive it, that’s of eternal value.

 As followers of Christ we experience God’s Grace in so many areas of our lives: In our salvation and forgiveness of our sins, in the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and recreating us, in God’s faithfulness, in God’s patience with us and so many more examples of God’s Grace that we experience daily. We rely on God’s grace to overcome our shortcomings. When our motivation is pure, God is pleased. We’re not in charge of the results Gods in charge of the results.

The Apostles asked Jesus for positions of authority for what purpose; to serve or be served.  I think in the verses that follow where Jesus talked about those who follow Him are to be servants of all and that even Jesus came to serve is evidence of where they were coming from.

Psalm 100: ²Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! ³Know that the Lord, he is God!    It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

John 17:4  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

If we, in our human weakness have as our purpose to serve our LORD, then how can what we do be a failure? It can’t, we must stop procrastinating, God has chosen us to serve Him.  He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion.

(TAKE NOTE: He starts the work, He completes the work) 

Your Christian ID Card.

 Take out your wallet and look at all the different IDs.

There are drivers licenses, passports, Social Security cards, credit cards, library cards, grocery store cards, business cards, frequent buyer cards and now vaccine cards (nothing political, just saying),

Why do we have soooo mannnnny cards?  All them are used to identify who we are and information about us. In and of themselves, pretty innocuous but for those of us who have read the Bible, a bit alarming.

What would you put under position on your "Christian Business Card"?

Position: Sunday church goer.

Position: Worker

Position: Maintenance

Position: Pastor, Elder, Deacon, Bible Teacher, Gideon, etc.. 

When we say we are a Christian, what are we really saying? Are we not saying that we are followers (Disciples) of Jesus Christ?

The Apostles were called and left everything to follow Jesus. Abraham was called by a God he didn't know, to go to a land that he had no address for, to believe a promise he would never see. All the Prophets were called and went, not all enthusiastically but they went.

It's like you working at a "Big Box" store and Jesus walks up to you while your working and tells you to follow Him. You take off your blue smock, set down your pricing gun and follow Him out the door. Later that day you call your wife or whomever and tell them you won't be home, you've found the Messiah and you'll be following Him from now on. Don't wait up.

Did the Apostles know who he was when they made the decision to follow him? NO THEY DID NOT.

Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Matt. 19:27

What possessed them to do that?

Matthew 13:11

He replied. "The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

John 3:27

John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven".

John 6:37

Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who come to Me I will never drive away

John 6:44

No one can com to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

Are we really called to follow Him 24/7?

John 6 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit [it is of no account]. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life]. ⁶⁴ But [still] there are some of you who do not believe and have faith.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe, and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵ And He was saying, “This is the reason why I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him [that is, unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father.”

FOR SOME THE PRICE WAS TOO GREAT. THEY WERE NOT CALLED, THEY WERE NOT DRAWN.

I quit using the word Christian to describe myself. There are too many who use that term who are not followers of Jesus Christ.

I guess when push comes to shove, how we describe a follower of Christ is not that critical, How Jesus describes a true follower is. To truly follow Christ, He must have first place in everything in our lives. Our relationships, (Luke 14:26), Our stuff (Matt. 6), This world (James 4:4) and finally Ourselves (Philippians 2:20).

This is not an easy teaching and those of us in the West who worship at the :"altar of comfort" will find it especially difficult. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." There is no such thing as a "part time follower". Jesus said, He who is not with Me is against Me and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

HAPPY PLACE

 

I read in an article that the Sustainable Development Solutions Network produces the World Happiness Report. They take a survey ranking the happiest places to live based on over 150 countries. They factor in 6 key factors contributing to a persons wellbeing: 1) income, 2) freedom, 3) trust, 4) generosity, 5) healthy life, 6) support from communities. A team of secular experts (economists, psychologists, statisticians & others) create the list. A noticeable absence are anyone with a spiritual or religious affiliation.

Another list of Happiest cities in America:

1. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California

2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia

4. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts and New Hampshire

"Now, I live in a rural county , I couldn't see myself living in any of the top 4 happiest places. I guess I'll just stay unhappy where I'm at."

Isaiah 32:18 Amplified Bible

Then my people will live in a peaceful surrounding, And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places. (this references when the Lord rules)

I want you all to close your eyes and think of a place that is very special to you. Maybe a secret place or maybe a place shared with family and friends, a place where you feel 100% comfortable, a place where you can be you, a place where you don't have to play games and pretend you are something you aren’t.

Can you see yourself there? Just relax and enjoy it for the next couple of moments.

How many of you pictured a place that was peaceful?

        How many of you pictured an urban place?

How many of you pictured a place outdoors?

How many of you pictured a place from your youth?

Peaceful Places usually come with Contentment & Familiarity. 

Galatians 4

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice.

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious (worried, to be anxious about) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding (peace the world does not – can not understand), will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

How do you combat anxiousness, worry, by praying, by supplicating (the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. Oxford Languages and Google) and being thankful.

You cannot ask, beg earnestly and humbly without being convinced that you are asking and thanking something or someone who exists and who can actually help you. Someone you know, who you are familiar with.

What do you mean the world 

DOES NOT & CAN NOT UNDERSTAND 

this kind of peace?

What do we worry about? Mostly, things we can't do anything about. Things that occur or we imagine can occur that we can do nothing about. The world (by world I mean those who have no faith in God) trusts in humankind to take care of the stuff they can't do anything about. 

That's why our culture obsesses about determining blame for everything that happens. There is nothing outside of what we can empirically experience and therefore, human ingenuity, science or some other human or natural solution must exist. We just haven't found it yet.

But what about the diagnosis that has no treatment. The unexpected or sudden loss of a loved one. How does science answer those questions. It can't, it's outside of their element.  

As followers of Christ we believe in Colossians 1, that Christ holds all things in His hands and will work all things for our good if we love Him and are led by the Holy Spirit Romans 8:28. Therefore we have someone we can ask, beg earnestly and humbly when things are out of control. We have peace because we have faith. The world cannot experience the peace, because they have no faith.

 Meditate on These Things 

(FILL YOUR MIND WITH THIS, TURN OFF THE TV)

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true (NOT TV), whatever things are noble (KIND, CONSIDERATE, CARING), whatever things are just (FAIR) , whatever things are pure (HOLY, CHASTE, WHOLESOME), whatever things are lovely (BEAUTIFUL, UNDEFILED), whatever things are of good report (GRACEFUL, THINKING THE BEST, EMPATHETIC) , if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Fill you mind with these things. Leave no room for filth and garbage. Guard your heart and mind. The word for guard is a military word, it means to stand sentry. This is an active thing. 

You must be diligent and do it.

9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:

12 I know how to be abased (really, really poor downtrodden), and I know how to abound (having abundance). Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

It makes no difference where we are or what we have or don’t have. Contentment is based on what we expect. Paul wrote this letter from a prison, yet he was free’r than most who read his words.

We quote Phil. 4:13 in reference to things we can accomplish with God. Paul wrote Phil. 4:13 claiming peace and contentment in spite of his wealth or want, in spite of his success or failures, in spite of living in a castle of in a tenement on the south side of Chicago.

Our safe place is in an unchanging, never leaving, always available God, who loves us and knows us better that anyone loves or knows us and that includes ourselves.

Recline as the beloved apostle did (John) upon our Lord’s chest.