This time I decided to compose a heartfelt podcast.
You can listen to it by copying this link into your browser.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2241585529208321&id=100000706886157
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Three Perspectives for the Week
1. My 1st Perspective concerns 1 Peter 1:3 which says "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!"
Through a Youversion bible study I was directed to use this verse as a starting point for prayer. So often we begin our prayers with all our requests for ourselves and others. Instead, why don't we begin with praising God, righting acknowledging his great mercy? This will give us a better mindset as we present our needs, desires and requests to God.
2. The most meaningful verse for me lately, also in 1 Peter, is chapter 5: 6-7. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
As we live out God's will in our lives we are going to have to go through some uncomfortable things. We have to humble ourselves and trust God's plan for our lives is better than our own. And whenever we feel weighed down by our daily burdens, we should always remember that we can cast them on Jesus whenever we choose to.
3. Finally, make sure you are getting into God's Word on a daily basis. I gained the knowledge for the 1st 2 Perspectives from material I read completing Youversion devotionals on their Bible app. I work on 2 simultaneously because most take only 5 minutes a day. I owe more time to God than that! For more serious study, check out the Blue Letter Bible, which is loaded with commentaries from many different Christian authors and theologians, along with a helpful concordance. And of course, there's are the good classic printed Bible along with a devotional book. Whatever you choose I greatly encourage to discover the wealth of wisdom, encouragement, and comfort found within God's Word. How else will you find out, as Paul says in Ephesians 3:14-15, "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God?"
I hope these Perspectives were beneficial to you and I pray you would put them into practice.
Through a Youversion bible study I was directed to use this verse as a starting point for prayer. So often we begin our prayers with all our requests for ourselves and others. Instead, why don't we begin with praising God, righting acknowledging his great mercy? This will give us a better mindset as we present our needs, desires and requests to God.
2. The most meaningful verse for me lately, also in 1 Peter, is chapter 5: 6-7. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
As we live out God's will in our lives we are going to have to go through some uncomfortable things. We have to humble ourselves and trust God's plan for our lives is better than our own. And whenever we feel weighed down by our daily burdens, we should always remember that we can cast them on Jesus whenever we choose to.
3. Finally, make sure you are getting into God's Word on a daily basis. I gained the knowledge for the 1st 2 Perspectives from material I read completing Youversion devotionals on their Bible app. I work on 2 simultaneously because most take only 5 minutes a day. I owe more time to God than that! For more serious study, check out the Blue Letter Bible, which is loaded with commentaries from many different Christian authors and theologians, along with a helpful concordance. And of course, there's are the good classic printed Bible along with a devotional book. Whatever you choose I greatly encourage to discover the wealth of wisdom, encouragement, and comfort found within God's Word. How else will you find out, as Paul says in Ephesians 3:14-15, "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God?"
I hope these Perspectives were beneficial to you and I pray you would put them into practice.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on The Rock
Are you feeling happy today? Whether you answered yes or no, think about the top reasons in your mind as to why you feel that way. Your first response to that consideration tells a lot about what you base your happiness on.
Every one of us, whether young or old, trust in something to make us happy. For some it could be about money, relying on the assurance that they have a stable bank account to fall back on. For others it could be their health, throwing themselves into exercise programs to get their bodies into a reliable condition that they can depend on. I'm sure many would say they place their trust in people who love them, having confidence that they will be there for them when times get tough.
However, every single one of those foundations are fragile, crumbling swiftly and without warning. Your source of employment can vanish, or unexpected, sizable expenses can drain your bank account. An illness or injury can rob you of the energy and vitality that was once coursing through your body. And we all know our loved ones aren't perfect. They can annoy us, disappoint us, or even wrong us. What can we do in such a transient world in which everything material that we tend to put our trust in vanishes so quickly?
The best place to turn when you realize that, is to the arms of God, who the Bible sometimes refers to as The Rock. "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal" (Isaiah 26:4). A rock is a strong, firm foundation upon which you can plant your foot confidently. Even more than that, God, loving and eternal, will never change. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). That reassuring fact means that when we remember the love God and His Son Jesus Christ have shown us in the past, we can be sure that He will continue to love us.
I have received a deep and steadfast love from Him, especially when I trust in Him. He has shown his grace and mercy to me, revealing his true nature. "Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken" (Psalm 62:2). As long as I don't fail to remember who I know Him to be, I can call out to him confidently whenever I am in need. "From the ends of the earth I call to you; I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2).
When we are led to the Rock, we ought to build our lives on the eternal, immovable foundation we find there. It is a secure, trustworthy place that can support us through the fiercest storms of life.
Recall the famous parable told by Jesus about building a house on a stable foundation. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27).
Jesus Christ, God in human likeness, said this at the end of a series of teachings on what the behavior of true believers should look like. At the end of the 7th chapter of Matthew, it says the crowd who heard this message was amazed at the authority and power of his preaching. In the light of that, we should indeed put His words into practice, knowing we can trust in the truth of Jesus' words.
Furthermore, let us not only build our house on the Rock, but let's make sure we don't move our house back onto the shifting sands of what this world has to offer. "Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life" (Jude 1:21).
To paraphrase Hebrews 6:11, let us remain diligent for however long God permits us to live on the Earth, in order for us to receive all the good things He has promised us in the life to come.
Every one of us, whether young or old, trust in something to make us happy. For some it could be about money, relying on the assurance that they have a stable bank account to fall back on. For others it could be their health, throwing themselves into exercise programs to get their bodies into a reliable condition that they can depend on. I'm sure many would say they place their trust in people who love them, having confidence that they will be there for them when times get tough.
However, every single one of those foundations are fragile, crumbling swiftly and without warning. Your source of employment can vanish, or unexpected, sizable expenses can drain your bank account. An illness or injury can rob you of the energy and vitality that was once coursing through your body. And we all know our loved ones aren't perfect. They can annoy us, disappoint us, or even wrong us. What can we do in such a transient world in which everything material that we tend to put our trust in vanishes so quickly?
The best place to turn when you realize that, is to the arms of God, who the Bible sometimes refers to as The Rock. "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal" (Isaiah 26:4). A rock is a strong, firm foundation upon which you can plant your foot confidently. Even more than that, God, loving and eternal, will never change. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). That reassuring fact means that when we remember the love God and His Son Jesus Christ have shown us in the past, we can be sure that He will continue to love us.
I have received a deep and steadfast love from Him, especially when I trust in Him. He has shown his grace and mercy to me, revealing his true nature. "Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken" (Psalm 62:2). As long as I don't fail to remember who I know Him to be, I can call out to him confidently whenever I am in need. "From the ends of the earth I call to you; I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2).
When we are led to the Rock, we ought to build our lives on the eternal, immovable foundation we find there. It is a secure, trustworthy place that can support us through the fiercest storms of life.
Recall the famous parable told by Jesus about building a house on a stable foundation. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27).
Jesus Christ, God in human likeness, said this at the end of a series of teachings on what the behavior of true believers should look like. At the end of the 7th chapter of Matthew, it says the crowd who heard this message was amazed at the authority and power of his preaching. In the light of that, we should indeed put His words into practice, knowing we can trust in the truth of Jesus' words.
Furthermore, let us not only build our house on the Rock, but let's make sure we don't move our house back onto the shifting sands of what this world has to offer. "Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life" (Jude 1:21).
To paraphrase Hebrews 6:11, let us remain diligent for however long God permits us to live on the Earth, in order for us to receive all the good things He has promised us in the life to come.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on the Answer to Anxiety
Many people deal with anxiety on a daily basis and I am certainly not immune to worries that can weigh me down. Speaking from recent experience, holding onto my worries has led me to moments of despair. Those are not fun places to be and should be avoided at all costs to protect the mental health of both yourself and those around you. The only lasting solution is found in the conscious act of placing your worries on the shoulders of the God who made you.
A passage that has given me clear insight into this issue was 1 Peter 5:6-7. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." I came across this passage in the Answering Anxiety devotional on the Youversion Bible app and I will be using some of the material from that study to "unpack", as my Pastor would say, the truths within.
God's mighty hand is His sovereign will over all of creation. I am grateful His will is decidedly benevolent toward me as a follower of Christ. That incredible blessing assures me that He will indeed "lift me up in due time." When I hear that phrase, in view of my declining health, I instantly think of God's promise to take me to Heaven one day. Oh, the joy I feel when I imagine that arrival. I will be able to walk again, unencumbered by any impairment. I will lift my hands in praise and shout for joy to my God and Savior, Jesus Christ! Enjoying all the beauty of Heaven will be wonderful as well.
The latter verse contains an instruction that is relevant every day. The following explanation was contained in the Answering Anxiety devotional on the Youversion Bible app.
"What does it mean to cast our cares upon God? The same word translated “casting” is used in Luke 19:35, when Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem, and the disciples had obtained a colt. They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their cloaks on it. This is a transfer, just like throwing a blanket onto something.
You gather up all the things that are troubling you right now – you bag them up, you throw them onto the Lord." (1)
This process is not easy and involves daily action on our part to purposefully surrender our cares and worries to God. I say it isn't easy because of our all too human tendency to temporarily throw our burndens onto the Lord only to take them back again. We must battle against this temptation with steadfast effort and why wouldn't we? When we choose to take our worries and place them back on our shoulders, we are basically saying, "God, I can handle these better than you can." Really? Can we honestly think our limited power and short-sighted view on the future gives us better ability to handle these things than our Sovereign God who holds the future in the palm of His Hand? Once we humble ourselves by acknowledging the obvious answer to that question we gain fuel for a daily effort to let our God and Savior handle our worries. You will find that your anxiety will dissipate quickly when those things aren't weighing heavily upon you.
Through it all, remember that God is good and is our loving and faithful Shepherd. "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:4, 6)
God will surely lead us to the Promised Land where we won't have ANYTHING to worry about. All we have to do is to choose not to give up, not to despair, and not to worry. Let us cast all our anxieties on the Lord today!
(1) Taken from Day 5 of the Answering Anxiety devotional on the Youversion Bible app. Originally appeared on the Straight Truth Podcast with Pastor Richard Caldwell and his guest Pastor Ken Ramey.
A passage that has given me clear insight into this issue was 1 Peter 5:6-7. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." I came across this passage in the Answering Anxiety devotional on the Youversion Bible app and I will be using some of the material from that study to "unpack", as my Pastor would say, the truths within.
God's mighty hand is His sovereign will over all of creation. I am grateful His will is decidedly benevolent toward me as a follower of Christ. That incredible blessing assures me that He will indeed "lift me up in due time." When I hear that phrase, in view of my declining health, I instantly think of God's promise to take me to Heaven one day. Oh, the joy I feel when I imagine that arrival. I will be able to walk again, unencumbered by any impairment. I will lift my hands in praise and shout for joy to my God and Savior, Jesus Christ! Enjoying all the beauty of Heaven will be wonderful as well.
The latter verse contains an instruction that is relevant every day. The following explanation was contained in the Answering Anxiety devotional on the Youversion Bible app.
"What does it mean to cast our cares upon God? The same word translated “casting” is used in Luke 19:35, when Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem, and the disciples had obtained a colt. They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their cloaks on it. This is a transfer, just like throwing a blanket onto something.
You gather up all the things that are troubling you right now – you bag them up, you throw them onto the Lord." (1)
This process is not easy and involves daily action on our part to purposefully surrender our cares and worries to God. I say it isn't easy because of our all too human tendency to temporarily throw our burndens onto the Lord only to take them back again. We must battle against this temptation with steadfast effort and why wouldn't we? When we choose to take our worries and place them back on our shoulders, we are basically saying, "God, I can handle these better than you can." Really? Can we honestly think our limited power and short-sighted view on the future gives us better ability to handle these things than our Sovereign God who holds the future in the palm of His Hand? Once we humble ourselves by acknowledging the obvious answer to that question we gain fuel for a daily effort to let our God and Savior handle our worries. You will find that your anxiety will dissipate quickly when those things aren't weighing heavily upon you.
Through it all, remember that God is good and is our loving and faithful Shepherd. "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:4, 6)
God will surely lead us to the Promised Land where we won't have ANYTHING to worry about. All we have to do is to choose not to give up, not to despair, and not to worry. Let us cast all our anxieties on the Lord today!
(1) Taken from Day 5 of the Answering Anxiety devotional on the Youversion Bible app. Originally appeared on the Straight Truth Podcast with Pastor Richard Caldwell and his guest Pastor Ken Ramey.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Heaven
I have to be honest about why I chose this topic. As my disability robs me of more and more of my strength, my thoughts have often turned to what life after death looks like. I am eternally grateful that because of the incredible gift of mercy that I have been given through receiving Christ into my heart, Heaven is now my eternal home, and my physical challenges make me long for it.
I do not fear death or what comes after it. Much of my confidence comes from Jesus' promise of one day taking his followers to the place where He lives. "My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:2-3). Discovering what it feels like to see Jesus face-to-face and to have close fellowship with Him will certainly be too wonderful to put into words. I have often imagined what that moment will feel like, and it always brings a smile to my face.
Additionally, I am very much looking forward to enjoying a perfect heavenly body, when "the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality," as 1 Corinthians 15:54 says. The ability that I will have to walk again is thrilling to say the least! I will be able to dance and lift my hands in praise to the One who gave me back what Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy took from me.
But that's not all! Unlike some inaccurate pictures people have of Heaven, it is not all clouds and singing angels. Rather, it will be filled with the vibrant beauty of much of what is beautiful on the Earth. There will be trees, wonderful vistas, and peaceful places that we will be able to lie down in. There will be no more danger or hardships, no more sadness or despair, no more fighting or war. God always meant for the world to be this way, but sin has corrupted everything. However, by the grace of God, He will redeem what was lost.
Randy Alcorn, in his book titled Heaven, dispels myths about that wonderful place and provides an in-depth look at how glorious the Lord's plans are for those who love Him.
Here is a small section from the book that spoke to me:
"Jesus came not only to rescue people from ultimate destruction. He came also to rescue the entire universe from ultimate destruction. He will transform our dying Earth into a vital New Earth, fresh and uncontaminated, no longer subject to death and destruction.
“The Curse is real, but it is temporary. Jesus is the cure for the Curse. He came to set derailed human history back on its tracks. Earth won't be put out of its misery; it will be infused with a greater life than it has ever known, at last becoming all that God meant for it to be.
“We have never seen the earth as God made it. Our planet as we know it is a shadowy, half-tone image of the original. But it does whet our appetites for the New Earth, doesn't it? If the present Earth, so diminished by the Curse, is at times so beautiful and wonderful; if our bodies, so diminished by the Curse, are at times overcome with a sense of earth's beauty and wonder; then how magnificent will the New Earth be? And what will it be like to experience a new Earth in something else we've never known; perfect bodies?
...
“Without Christ, both the earth and mankind would be doomed. But Christ came, died, and rose from the grave. He brought deliverance, not destruction. Because of Christ, we are not doomed, and neither is the earth. Earth cannot be delivered from the Curse by being destroyed. It can only be delivered by being resurrected." (1)
Combine this more accurate glimpse of Heaven with a firm promise from God and you begin to understand how amazingly glorious the eternal dwelling place of believers will be. "He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 25:8). I love how the verse ends: "The Lord has spoken!" Although God hasn't yet established his perfect Kingdom on Earth, you can be certain He WILL one day.
Our response to this should not only involve heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness but also include a change in our behavior. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:2-4). For believers, Christ is indeed our life. So, how could we think anything less than living a life FOR Christ would be a proper response? Let us then pursue Jesus in our daily lives in such a way that the world can see how thankful we are to our Lord for preparing such a wonderful future for us. Use your conversations to point people to God. Praise Him verbally when things go well for you. And of course, don't neglect daily Bible reading and study which is necessary to become more like Christ.
It is easy to think, "Won't we have all eternity to become more like Jesus?” I believe a good biblical response to that can be found in 1 Timothy 4:8: "Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." A belief that has stuck with me lately is that the depth at which we can know Christ in Heaven is proportional to how well we get to know Him on Earth.
The key is to remember all the joy and peace that awaits us in the new Heaven and new Earth. "Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 7:16-17). I will remain devoted to knowing God more and more every day because of how devoted He is to ensuring my eternal future is filled to overflowing with good things.
In the last chapter of Revelation, Jesus Himself says, “Look, I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22:7a). So, I hope and pray everyone who reads this has their faith built on the rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ. He alone is the one who can grant entrance to the place we all long for.
Bibliography
1. Alcorn, Randy C. Heaven. Tyndale House Publishers, 2008.
I do not fear death or what comes after it. Much of my confidence comes from Jesus' promise of one day taking his followers to the place where He lives. "My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:2-3). Discovering what it feels like to see Jesus face-to-face and to have close fellowship with Him will certainly be too wonderful to put into words. I have often imagined what that moment will feel like, and it always brings a smile to my face.
Additionally, I am very much looking forward to enjoying a perfect heavenly body, when "the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality," as 1 Corinthians 15:54 says. The ability that I will have to walk again is thrilling to say the least! I will be able to dance and lift my hands in praise to the One who gave me back what Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy took from me.
But that's not all! Unlike some inaccurate pictures people have of Heaven, it is not all clouds and singing angels. Rather, it will be filled with the vibrant beauty of much of what is beautiful on the Earth. There will be trees, wonderful vistas, and peaceful places that we will be able to lie down in. There will be no more danger or hardships, no more sadness or despair, no more fighting or war. God always meant for the world to be this way, but sin has corrupted everything. However, by the grace of God, He will redeem what was lost.
Randy Alcorn, in his book titled Heaven, dispels myths about that wonderful place and provides an in-depth look at how glorious the Lord's plans are for those who love Him.
Here is a small section from the book that spoke to me:
"Jesus came not only to rescue people from ultimate destruction. He came also to rescue the entire universe from ultimate destruction. He will transform our dying Earth into a vital New Earth, fresh and uncontaminated, no longer subject to death and destruction.
“The Curse is real, but it is temporary. Jesus is the cure for the Curse. He came to set derailed human history back on its tracks. Earth won't be put out of its misery; it will be infused with a greater life than it has ever known, at last becoming all that God meant for it to be.
“We have never seen the earth as God made it. Our planet as we know it is a shadowy, half-tone image of the original. But it does whet our appetites for the New Earth, doesn't it? If the present Earth, so diminished by the Curse, is at times so beautiful and wonderful; if our bodies, so diminished by the Curse, are at times overcome with a sense of earth's beauty and wonder; then how magnificent will the New Earth be? And what will it be like to experience a new Earth in something else we've never known; perfect bodies?
...
“Without Christ, both the earth and mankind would be doomed. But Christ came, died, and rose from the grave. He brought deliverance, not destruction. Because of Christ, we are not doomed, and neither is the earth. Earth cannot be delivered from the Curse by being destroyed. It can only be delivered by being resurrected." (1)
Combine this more accurate glimpse of Heaven with a firm promise from God and you begin to understand how amazingly glorious the eternal dwelling place of believers will be. "He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 25:8). I love how the verse ends: "The Lord has spoken!" Although God hasn't yet established his perfect Kingdom on Earth, you can be certain He WILL one day.
Our response to this should not only involve heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness but also include a change in our behavior. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:2-4). For believers, Christ is indeed our life. So, how could we think anything less than living a life FOR Christ would be a proper response? Let us then pursue Jesus in our daily lives in such a way that the world can see how thankful we are to our Lord for preparing such a wonderful future for us. Use your conversations to point people to God. Praise Him verbally when things go well for you. And of course, don't neglect daily Bible reading and study which is necessary to become more like Christ.
It is easy to think, "Won't we have all eternity to become more like Jesus?” I believe a good biblical response to that can be found in 1 Timothy 4:8: "Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." A belief that has stuck with me lately is that the depth at which we can know Christ in Heaven is proportional to how well we get to know Him on Earth.
The key is to remember all the joy and peace that awaits us in the new Heaven and new Earth. "Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 7:16-17). I will remain devoted to knowing God more and more every day because of how devoted He is to ensuring my eternal future is filled to overflowing with good things.
In the last chapter of Revelation, Jesus Himself says, “Look, I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22:7a). So, I hope and pray everyone who reads this has their faith built on the rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ. He alone is the one who can grant entrance to the place we all long for.
Bibliography
1. Alcorn, Randy C. Heaven. Tyndale House Publishers, 2008.
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Having a Sense of Humor
It's time to switch gears and lighten things up a bit. As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:4, "there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh." I believe strongly that God desires our lives to be filled with joy and laughter. In Psalms, when describing what it will look like when God ushers in His eternal kingdom, says "Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."(Psalm 126:2-3).
This wonderful feeling can be experienced in some small way when we laugh.
To be able to do that enough to get through the difficulties of life all begins with the lens through which we look at the world. Are you only able to complain about your circumstances or can you laugh about them? Better yet, can you laugh at yourself? I think we've all had those moments when we walk into a room and think: "What did I come in here for?" When that happens, I think the healthy response is to laugh at yourself and continue on with your day with a smile.
And now I'd like to share some things that I find especially funny. I will begin with some puns that hopefully will elicit more of a laugh than a groan.
1. Coffee has a rough time in this house. It gets mugged every single morning!
2. I asked a Frenchman if he played video games. He said Wii!
3. My girlfriend told me she was leaving me because I keep pretending to be a Transformer. I said, "No, wait! I can change."
4. Three conspiracy theorists walk into a bar... You can't tell me that's just a coincidence.
5. A man just assaulted me with milk, cream and butter. How dairy!
Another thing that makes me laugh is a limerick. A limerick is a humorous 5 line poem with a very specific rhyming sequence. The 1st, 2nd, and 5th lines all rhyme and the 3rd and 4th rhyme with each other. On a summer road trip back in 2006, my family and I came up with limericks to help pass the time during long hours on the freeways up to Illinois. We used names of cities we passed as inspiration. My favorite was inspired by the city of Paducah, KY.
There once was a woman in Puducah
Whose name was Commander Pestrucah
Who just for fun
Invented a gun
To shoot chickens out a Bazooka
Now, tell me that isn't funny!
Another series of jokes I revisit every few years are funny phrases or typos found on church bulletins. Here are a few of the best.
1. Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
2. Helpers are needed! Please sign up on the information sheep.
3. Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30p.m. Please use the back door.
4. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
And I can't fail to mention the hilarious Tim Hawkins, whose zany humor can easily be found on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/ndeZ2rJk1Lw
Part 2: https://youtu.be/CBhyskisVNM
I will conclude by saying I think it is very important to surround yourself with people that make you laugh. I firmly believe that a large portion of the joy believers will feel in heaven, second to experiencing the glorious presence of our loving Savior Jesus, will be the laughter and pleasure of fellowship with fellow believers.
So, have a laugh, get a smile on your face, and enjoy life today!
This wonderful feeling can be experienced in some small way when we laugh.
To be able to do that enough to get through the difficulties of life all begins with the lens through which we look at the world. Are you only able to complain about your circumstances or can you laugh about them? Better yet, can you laugh at yourself? I think we've all had those moments when we walk into a room and think: "What did I come in here for?" When that happens, I think the healthy response is to laugh at yourself and continue on with your day with a smile.
And now I'd like to share some things that I find especially funny. I will begin with some puns that hopefully will elicit more of a laugh than a groan.
1. Coffee has a rough time in this house. It gets mugged every single morning!
2. I asked a Frenchman if he played video games. He said Wii!
3. My girlfriend told me she was leaving me because I keep pretending to be a Transformer. I said, "No, wait! I can change."
4. Three conspiracy theorists walk into a bar... You can't tell me that's just a coincidence.
5. A man just assaulted me with milk, cream and butter. How dairy!
Another thing that makes me laugh is a limerick. A limerick is a humorous 5 line poem with a very specific rhyming sequence. The 1st, 2nd, and 5th lines all rhyme and the 3rd and 4th rhyme with each other. On a summer road trip back in 2006, my family and I came up with limericks to help pass the time during long hours on the freeways up to Illinois. We used names of cities we passed as inspiration. My favorite was inspired by the city of Paducah, KY.
There once was a woman in Puducah
Whose name was Commander Pestrucah
Who just for fun
Invented a gun
To shoot chickens out a Bazooka
Now, tell me that isn't funny!
Another series of jokes I revisit every few years are funny phrases or typos found on church bulletins. Here are a few of the best.
1. Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
2. Helpers are needed! Please sign up on the information sheep.
3. Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30p.m. Please use the back door.
4. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
And I can't fail to mention the hilarious Tim Hawkins, whose zany humor can easily be found on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/ndeZ2rJk1Lw
Part 2: https://youtu.be/CBhyskisVNM
I will conclude by saying I think it is very important to surround yourself with people that make you laugh. I firmly believe that a large portion of the joy believers will feel in heaven, second to experiencing the glorious presence of our loving Savior Jesus, will be the laughter and pleasure of fellowship with fellow believers.
So, have a laugh, get a smile on your face, and enjoy life today!
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Encouragement
Have you ever been having a bad day when someone cheers you up with some encouraging words? It could be as simple as a compliment or as profound as a call to persevere. Whatever it is, a comment as short as a couple of sentences can completely change how you progress through your day.
Since our words have such power, we should all take advantage of opportunities to encourage those around us. It takes no weighty theology to understand the wisdom of the idea that we should treat others how we want to be treated. We certainly like to be encouraged so we should do the same for others. Going deeper, the Bible says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up."
(1 Thessalonians 5:11a) Earlier in the Bible Solomon described just how beneficial a kind word can be. "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
(Proverbs 16:24)
However, I think we all know how easy it is to remain too focused on ourselves to remember to encourage others. But instead of trying to fix that that in our power I think it is far better to seek help from God to become more attentive towards those around us. The Apostle Paul, led by the Spirit of God, wrote in Romans 15:5: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had." So if we find in ourselves a tendency to neglect the all too important act of encouraging others, we should ask God to cultivate this attitude in us. I certainly believe God will answer this prayer with a definitive "Yes!" Then, it is our job to remember that prayer everyday and move out in faith believing that God will bring to our attention opportunities to encourage.
Knowing the wisdom and truth packed into the Scriptures will be a big help in this area. "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." (Romans 15:4) Daily reading of the many uplifting passages in the Bible will allow encouragement flow more easily out of us.
Why don't you read some of those now! Here is one of my favorites.
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
(Isaiah 40:31)
Don't you feel more encouraged now? I do. So, like I've mentioned in previous posts, this is a great reason to make sure to do daily Bible readings, hopefully more than one per day. In my case, I like to read a topical devotional and Bible reading in the morning and a chronological reading in the evening.
Additionally, another important thing regarding Godly encouragement was written in the book of Hebrews. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25) God never wanted for there to be loner Christians separate from the larger body of Christ. Without consistent fellowship with believers, it is impossible to receive biblical encouragement or give it out. In other words, find a church that fits you, regardless of any bad experiences in the past. Neglecting this can produce Christians with skewed theology who do little to advance God's Kingdom on Earth. Trust me, I know a few.
In conclusion, I highly recommend you read a encouraging Bible passage every morning and pray that God would help you be aware of opportunities to encourage those around you. Step out in faith and the right words will come.
I will end with a prayer.
Dear Lord, please help me and all those who will read this post to start or continue the meaningful habit of receiving encouragement from Your Word every morning. Give us awareness to see when others need an encouraging word spoken to them and provide us with the right words to say. In Jesus' name, Amen.
(All passages are from the New International Version of the Bible)
Since our words have such power, we should all take advantage of opportunities to encourage those around us. It takes no weighty theology to understand the wisdom of the idea that we should treat others how we want to be treated. We certainly like to be encouraged so we should do the same for others. Going deeper, the Bible says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up."
(1 Thessalonians 5:11a) Earlier in the Bible Solomon described just how beneficial a kind word can be. "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
(Proverbs 16:24)
However, I think we all know how easy it is to remain too focused on ourselves to remember to encourage others. But instead of trying to fix that that in our power I think it is far better to seek help from God to become more attentive towards those around us. The Apostle Paul, led by the Spirit of God, wrote in Romans 15:5: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had." So if we find in ourselves a tendency to neglect the all too important act of encouraging others, we should ask God to cultivate this attitude in us. I certainly believe God will answer this prayer with a definitive "Yes!" Then, it is our job to remember that prayer everyday and move out in faith believing that God will bring to our attention opportunities to encourage.
Knowing the wisdom and truth packed into the Scriptures will be a big help in this area. "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." (Romans 15:4) Daily reading of the many uplifting passages in the Bible will allow encouragement flow more easily out of us.
Why don't you read some of those now! Here is one of my favorites.
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
(Isaiah 40:31)
Don't you feel more encouraged now? I do. So, like I've mentioned in previous posts, this is a great reason to make sure to do daily Bible readings, hopefully more than one per day. In my case, I like to read a topical devotional and Bible reading in the morning and a chronological reading in the evening.
Additionally, another important thing regarding Godly encouragement was written in the book of Hebrews. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25) God never wanted for there to be loner Christians separate from the larger body of Christ. Without consistent fellowship with believers, it is impossible to receive biblical encouragement or give it out. In other words, find a church that fits you, regardless of any bad experiences in the past. Neglecting this can produce Christians with skewed theology who do little to advance God's Kingdom on Earth. Trust me, I know a few.
In conclusion, I highly recommend you read a encouraging Bible passage every morning and pray that God would help you be aware of opportunities to encourage those around you. Step out in faith and the right words will come.
I will end with a prayer.
Dear Lord, please help me and all those who will read this post to start or continue the meaningful habit of receiving encouragement from Your Word every morning. Give us awareness to see when others need an encouraging word spoken to them and provide us with the right words to say. In Jesus' name, Amen.
(All passages are from the New International Version of the Bible)
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Idolatry
The topic for this post is idolatry. At the root of this word is the word idols. Upon hearing this word, the first thought some of you might have had was of a carving of a man or an animal. It seems to be something out of a bygone era, when worship of carved images was prevalent across the world. Idols are mentioned many times in the Old Testament, like this in Psalm 135:15-17.
"The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths."
It doesn't seem relevant to us in modern society, does it? But in reality, an idol is anything that has the top priority in our lives, other than love for God.
In 2 Corinthians 12:2 of the Message Bible it says
"Remember how you were when you didn’t know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did it?"
In today's world there are plenty of phony gods: the pursuit of money, popularity, or anything that feels good. If a person pursues these things, it is obvious they consider them to be the most important thing in life. And the sad part is, gaining those things will no more satisfy them than the pointless worship of lifeless idols.
Instead we must heed the words of Samuel in 1 Samuel 12:21. "Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless."
Chasing after empty passions and pursuits only keep us from experiencing the depth of kindness and care God offers to all of humanity.
In the belly of a whale, Jonah learned a very important reality. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them."
(Jonah 2:8)
God truly loves us and wants to give us salvation and endless blessings through Jesus. The pursuit of something other than God will only leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled with nothing of lasting value to show for it. So, instead surrender to the love of God in the center of which is peace, fulfillment, and rest.
For Christians, the biblical call to abandon idols is even stronger. The apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:16, asks: "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'"
The Creator of the Universe Himself has agreed to live with and be present with those who receive Him as their Lord and Savior. This amazing opportunity should not be spoiled by letting our former priorities creep back into the picture. It is all too easy to let this happen so to combat it will take vigilance on our part. We must keep our focus on Jesus, who Paul referred to as the "Author and Perfecter of our faith." In practical terms this means starting each day by entering into His presence through prayer and Bible study. Commit your day to Him, and then read God's Word. The aid of a daily devotional or Bible reading plan can be a big help.
Once this becomes an established part of your morning routine, you can more effectively turn away from any potential idols you may encounter during your day. Keep your eyes on God and remember His love for you is of greater value than anything this world can offer.
I will leave you with this call to action found in 1 Corinthians 10:14. "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry."
"The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths."
It doesn't seem relevant to us in modern society, does it? But in reality, an idol is anything that has the top priority in our lives, other than love for God.
In 2 Corinthians 12:2 of the Message Bible it says
"Remember how you were when you didn’t know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did it?"
In today's world there are plenty of phony gods: the pursuit of money, popularity, or anything that feels good. If a person pursues these things, it is obvious they consider them to be the most important thing in life. And the sad part is, gaining those things will no more satisfy them than the pointless worship of lifeless idols.
Instead we must heed the words of Samuel in 1 Samuel 12:21. "Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless."
Chasing after empty passions and pursuits only keep us from experiencing the depth of kindness and care God offers to all of humanity.
In the belly of a whale, Jonah learned a very important reality. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them."
(Jonah 2:8)
God truly loves us and wants to give us salvation and endless blessings through Jesus. The pursuit of something other than God will only leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled with nothing of lasting value to show for it. So, instead surrender to the love of God in the center of which is peace, fulfillment, and rest.
For Christians, the biblical call to abandon idols is even stronger. The apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:16, asks: "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'"
The Creator of the Universe Himself has agreed to live with and be present with those who receive Him as their Lord and Savior. This amazing opportunity should not be spoiled by letting our former priorities creep back into the picture. It is all too easy to let this happen so to combat it will take vigilance on our part. We must keep our focus on Jesus, who Paul referred to as the "Author and Perfecter of our faith." In practical terms this means starting each day by entering into His presence through prayer and Bible study. Commit your day to Him, and then read God's Word. The aid of a daily devotional or Bible reading plan can be a big help.
Once this becomes an established part of your morning routine, you can more effectively turn away from any potential idols you may encounter during your day. Keep your eyes on God and remember His love for you is of greater value than anything this world can offer.
I will leave you with this call to action found in 1 Corinthians 10:14. "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry."
Monday, July 16, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Thankfulness
Even though in my own life, there are plenty of reasons to get discouraged or irritated with my situation, maintaining an attitude of thankfulness prevents me from becoming bitter.
The Bible wisely instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Now why would someone have any reason to be thankful no matter what situation they're in?
Well, a believer can maintain this positive outlook because they know what God has already done for them. God has shown true believers their original nature of sinfulness and graciously provided a way, through Jesus, to be cleansed from that sin. Romans 3:25 says: "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith." That means that when someone chooses to have faith in Jesus, their sins are paid for by His death on the Cross. The consequence of their sin of disobedience towards God has been paid for in full through Christ's sacrifice; their sins are now forgiven.
Through the toughest circumstances, Jesus' followers know that Heaven is now their eternal home and are filled with joyful anticipation of one day arriving there. Even death itself is not to be feared, for it is simply the abandonment of a flawed body for a perfect one.
But for many of us, that day is a long way off. We, in our limited, human view need something more immediate. Fortunately, because of God's grace, there are many blessings we can be thankful for in both our past and present.
For me, I look at all the great things I've been able to do in my life. I was able to walk until I was 12 and had the opportunity to do many cool things. I played soccer, went on boat rides in Rockford, Ill. with my Uncle Bob, and even joined a jazz dance class when I was 7. That was especially interesting because I was the only boy in a group of 15 girls! 😂
But the experience that was the most awesome was my trip, at age 9, to Wisconsin to see a Green Bay Packers game. The wonderful organization Make-A-Wish gave me an amazing all-expense paid trip to Green Bay to see a game. First came a limo ride to Tampa Int'l Airport, a nice hotel room in Green Bay, and another limo ride to the game. We got to go onto the field to watch the players warm up before heading up to our seats at about the 50 yard line. The game was certainly not an exciting high scoring affair, but the Packers did win 6-3.
After the game I got to meet a bunch of Packers players, most notably eventual Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre! To say I was starstruck at 9 years old is an understatement. But most memorable of all was an incredible opportunity to go to the home of cornerback Tyrone Williams to have dinner with him and his family. I had received Tyrone's jersey at the beginning of my experience, so he was very much involved in Make-A-Wish. After dinner we went outside to his front yard and played a game of touch football with some neighborhood kids. That was the highlight of the trip for me.
More recently, I became a writer and have published 2 books. Not everyone can say that! I also love sports and wrote a college football blog for 4 years. But I am most thankful for my mom, my dad, and my best friend Erik. Their love and friendship are the fuel for my daily struggle against Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. And I can't forget to mention all my other good friends from First Baptist Church of Port Charlotte.
So, what blessings can you be thankful for? Are there fun experiences you can look back on with fondness? Is there someone whose friendship is special to you? And most important of all, do you know Jesus whose very presence can bring you joy and salvation? I pray you will pursue Jesus and remember to be thankful today.
The Bible wisely instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Now why would someone have any reason to be thankful no matter what situation they're in?
Well, a believer can maintain this positive outlook because they know what God has already done for them. God has shown true believers their original nature of sinfulness and graciously provided a way, through Jesus, to be cleansed from that sin. Romans 3:25 says: "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith." That means that when someone chooses to have faith in Jesus, their sins are paid for by His death on the Cross. The consequence of their sin of disobedience towards God has been paid for in full through Christ's sacrifice; their sins are now forgiven.
Through the toughest circumstances, Jesus' followers know that Heaven is now their eternal home and are filled with joyful anticipation of one day arriving there. Even death itself is not to be feared, for it is simply the abandonment of a flawed body for a perfect one.
But for many of us, that day is a long way off. We, in our limited, human view need something more immediate. Fortunately, because of God's grace, there are many blessings we can be thankful for in both our past and present.
For me, I look at all the great things I've been able to do in my life. I was able to walk until I was 12 and had the opportunity to do many cool things. I played soccer, went on boat rides in Rockford, Ill. with my Uncle Bob, and even joined a jazz dance class when I was 7. That was especially interesting because I was the only boy in a group of 15 girls! 😂
But the experience that was the most awesome was my trip, at age 9, to Wisconsin to see a Green Bay Packers game. The wonderful organization Make-A-Wish gave me an amazing all-expense paid trip to Green Bay to see a game. First came a limo ride to Tampa Int'l Airport, a nice hotel room in Green Bay, and another limo ride to the game. We got to go onto the field to watch the players warm up before heading up to our seats at about the 50 yard line. The game was certainly not an exciting high scoring affair, but the Packers did win 6-3.
After the game I got to meet a bunch of Packers players, most notably eventual Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre! To say I was starstruck at 9 years old is an understatement. But most memorable of all was an incredible opportunity to go to the home of cornerback Tyrone Williams to have dinner with him and his family. I had received Tyrone's jersey at the beginning of my experience, so he was very much involved in Make-A-Wish. After dinner we went outside to his front yard and played a game of touch football with some neighborhood kids. That was the highlight of the trip for me.
More recently, I became a writer and have published 2 books. Not everyone can say that! I also love sports and wrote a college football blog for 4 years. But I am most thankful for my mom, my dad, and my best friend Erik. Their love and friendship are the fuel for my daily struggle against Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. And I can't forget to mention all my other good friends from First Baptist Church of Port Charlotte.
So, what blessings can you be thankful for? Are there fun experiences you can look back on with fondness? Is there someone whose friendship is special to you? And most important of all, do you know Jesus whose very presence can bring you joy and salvation? I pray you will pursue Jesus and remember to be thankful today.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Forgiveness
The definition of forgiveness could be: A glorious thing that has been given to us through Jesus that cannot stop with us.
I'm going to get straight to the point. It is very natural to want to hold onto a grudge. From personal experience I know it is all too easy to stay mad at a person, rehearsing what they did to you over and over again in your mind. We somehow think that we are getting back at them by doing this, but we are only hurting ourselves.
Along with this practical reason to forgive, a parable told by Jesus gives a v powerful message regarding the vital importance of forgiveness at it relates to out relationship with God .
Pay attention to the character who we can compare to God and the one we can compare to ourselves.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’" (Matthew 18:23-33)
Let's break the parable down. The master is God and the ungrateful servant is someone walking in unforgiveness. The tragedy of the story is that this servant was so filled with pride that he failed to realize the need for him to show mercy as his master had. The sum of ten thousand bags of gold is representative of the overwhelming weight of our sin that we could never hope to compensate for. The far lesser amount of the silver coins is indicative of a slight or wrongdoing committed against someone.
The main point of the parable is that we, as Christians cannot in our right minds go around holding grudges against people in view of how completely God has forgiven us. Our Father in heaven detests sin, and yet has chosen to lavish undeserved grace on us.
Furthermore, God expects us to show the same kind of mercy he has shown us, even when something far greater than a slight or betrayal has been committed against us. How might we do this? In our power? No. Only with God's help.
I know of no better example of what God can help us to forgive than the story behind Matthew West's song titled Forgiveness. It was part of an album where every song was based on true stories submitted to Matthew by listeners. The story behind each song was powerful and covered with God's fingerprints, but the one that really blew me away was the inspiration behind Forgiveness.
It is the story of a woman named Renee and a young man called Eric. Renee had four children, two of them twins. One of the twins named Rachael was driving home from the beach with her best friend one day when her car was struck by a drunk driver. That drunk driver was Eric, only 24 years old at the time. Rachael and her friend did not survive and Renee's life was never the same.
After coping with this horrific loss through her Christian faith and church family, Renee felt strongly led to go around to churches to speak about the dangers of drunk driving. She did this for 8 years or so before the Lord put something else on her heart. God told her, "You still have not forgiven Eric." It would be very easy to say, "Why would God ever expect her to do that?" When you read the incredible end of the story, you will know exactly why.
After wrestling with this for a time, Renee decided to let go of her bitterness and allow God to help her forgive Eric. So, in an amazing act of trust in God she reached out to Eric in prison. Then, in a meeting that could only have been God-ordained, Renee visited Eric in prison and said, "I forgive you." This short sentence had a profound impact on Eric. He would later say, "I couldn't even forgive myself, and she forgave me." In experiencing Renee's astounding act of forgiveness, Eric could see the kind of love Jesus offered him. He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, forever transforming his eternal destiny.
Eventually all of Renee's family members would express their own forgiveness. Tears would stream down Eric's face every time. But the story does not stop there. Renee approached a judge to have Eric's sentence of 22 years in prison reduced! Yes, you read that right. Stunned by the request, the Judge nonetheless agreed and Eric's sentence was cut in half. He was released in November of 2012. Soon after, he appeared at a series of Matthew West concerts alongside Renee, one of which I had the privilege to attend. I wil never forget that night.
Since then, Eric has joined Renee many times in her presentations about drunk driving, adding the beauty of an incredible story of forgiveness to an already moving call to avoid driving under the influence. All of this made possible by an act of forgiveness.
Now, not all of us will be called to forgive something so substantial, but this true story should remind us that God offers forgiveness to everyone, no matter how sinful they are. I am thankful for this fact.
Let us remember that before we knew Christ we were all in the same position: in danger of judgment from God. In reality, no sinner is really that different in the eyes of God. In view of that, we should all be able to say, as Paul did, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them all."
(1 Timothy 1:15 NLT)
We as Christians are all called to be like Christ. With His help, each and every one of us have the power to display a depth of forgiveness that Jesus himself demonstrated on the Cross. Even when he was being executed unjustly by evil men, he said, "Forgive them, Father. They do not know what they are doing."
So let us run unhindered by any grudges or bitterness in our hearts, ready to vibrantly display the love that God through Jesus has shown us!
I'm going to get straight to the point. It is very natural to want to hold onto a grudge. From personal experience I know it is all too easy to stay mad at a person, rehearsing what they did to you over and over again in your mind. We somehow think that we are getting back at them by doing this, but we are only hurting ourselves.
Along with this practical reason to forgive, a parable told by Jesus gives a v powerful message regarding the vital importance of forgiveness at it relates to out relationship with God .
Pay attention to the character who we can compare to God and the one we can compare to ourselves.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’" (Matthew 18:23-33)
Let's break the parable down. The master is God and the ungrateful servant is someone walking in unforgiveness. The tragedy of the story is that this servant was so filled with pride that he failed to realize the need for him to show mercy as his master had. The sum of ten thousand bags of gold is representative of the overwhelming weight of our sin that we could never hope to compensate for. The far lesser amount of the silver coins is indicative of a slight or wrongdoing committed against someone.
The main point of the parable is that we, as Christians cannot in our right minds go around holding grudges against people in view of how completely God has forgiven us. Our Father in heaven detests sin, and yet has chosen to lavish undeserved grace on us.
Furthermore, God expects us to show the same kind of mercy he has shown us, even when something far greater than a slight or betrayal has been committed against us. How might we do this? In our power? No. Only with God's help.
I know of no better example of what God can help us to forgive than the story behind Matthew West's song titled Forgiveness. It was part of an album where every song was based on true stories submitted to Matthew by listeners. The story behind each song was powerful and covered with God's fingerprints, but the one that really blew me away was the inspiration behind Forgiveness.
It is the story of a woman named Renee and a young man called Eric. Renee had four children, two of them twins. One of the twins named Rachael was driving home from the beach with her best friend one day when her car was struck by a drunk driver. That drunk driver was Eric, only 24 years old at the time. Rachael and her friend did not survive and Renee's life was never the same.
After coping with this horrific loss through her Christian faith and church family, Renee felt strongly led to go around to churches to speak about the dangers of drunk driving. She did this for 8 years or so before the Lord put something else on her heart. God told her, "You still have not forgiven Eric." It would be very easy to say, "Why would God ever expect her to do that?" When you read the incredible end of the story, you will know exactly why.
After wrestling with this for a time, Renee decided to let go of her bitterness and allow God to help her forgive Eric. So, in an amazing act of trust in God she reached out to Eric in prison. Then, in a meeting that could only have been God-ordained, Renee visited Eric in prison and said, "I forgive you." This short sentence had a profound impact on Eric. He would later say, "I couldn't even forgive myself, and she forgave me." In experiencing Renee's astounding act of forgiveness, Eric could see the kind of love Jesus offered him. He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, forever transforming his eternal destiny.
Eventually all of Renee's family members would express their own forgiveness. Tears would stream down Eric's face every time. But the story does not stop there. Renee approached a judge to have Eric's sentence of 22 years in prison reduced! Yes, you read that right. Stunned by the request, the Judge nonetheless agreed and Eric's sentence was cut in half. He was released in November of 2012. Soon after, he appeared at a series of Matthew West concerts alongside Renee, one of which I had the privilege to attend. I wil never forget that night.
Since then, Eric has joined Renee many times in her presentations about drunk driving, adding the beauty of an incredible story of forgiveness to an already moving call to avoid driving under the influence. All of this made possible by an act of forgiveness.
Now, not all of us will be called to forgive something so substantial, but this true story should remind us that God offers forgiveness to everyone, no matter how sinful they are. I am thankful for this fact.
Let us remember that before we knew Christ we were all in the same position: in danger of judgment from God. In reality, no sinner is really that different in the eyes of God. In view of that, we should all be able to say, as Paul did, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them all."
(1 Timothy 1:15 NLT)
We as Christians are all called to be like Christ. With His help, each and every one of us have the power to display a depth of forgiveness that Jesus himself demonstrated on the Cross. Even when he was being executed unjustly by evil men, he said, "Forgive them, Father. They do not know what they are doing."
So let us run unhindered by any grudges or bitterness in our hearts, ready to vibrantly display the love that God through Jesus has shown us!
Friday, April 27, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Perseverance
Perseverance is one of those words that can be framed. You know, beneath a picture of a climber ascending a mountain along with an inspiring quote. But, at least for me, seeing that has served to remind me how difficult it is to persevere. Living with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy is no walk in the park and lately it has felt like an endurance race up the side of a mountain.
I need more than an inspiring quote to keep on living and not give up. I need the strength and comfort found in the verses of the Bible. Thanks to a reading plan on the YouVersion Bible App, which I highly recommend, I read Hebrews chapter 10, and boy is that chock full of encouragement to persevere! It's not often I'll spend a post solely in one chaper, but this time it's a must.
The first part of the chapter concerns the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for us and provides the foundation for the encouraging words of this chapter.
Let's begin with verses 11-14. "Day after day every [Hebrew] priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
Let us remember that before Christ came, the priest would have to kill a healthy, unblemished animal and shed it's blood to atone for a person's sins. This was always going to be a temporary fix and it's greatest value was that it gave a preview to what Jesus would do for us on the Cross. The amazing thing about His perfect sacrifice was that once was enough! The meaning of Him being seated next to God is that his task of providing a means of atonement for the sins of mankind is complete. And someday soon He will completely destroy sin and death, perfecting the bodies and souls of believers before ushering them into his glorious, eternal Kingdom.
However, believers will receive that amazingly awesome reward only IF they persevere. Yes, you heard me right. "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36) Only runners that finish a race receive a prize, right? What you find two verses later presents an even more striking edict to persevere. "My righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” I certainly want to be pleasing to God, don't you?!
Earlier in the chapter, God provides us with the fuel to power us through any weighty challenge that tempts us to abandon our faith. This is a great danger and the Bible gives us just what we need to avoid it.
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus ... and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."
(Hebrews 10:19, 21-23)
There's quite of lot of encouragement there! Let's unpack the rich spiritual truths within.
First, this passage is saying that we can have confidence to be able to enter into the very presence of God because of one thing and one thing only. Is it our own good works? Certainly not! The blood of Jesus, which he shed willingly, purifies us from all sin so that we can have a loving
relationship with a God who detests sin. This is amazing to me no matter how many times I think about it. Such undeserved grace!
Not only that, but we have a Jesus acting as our High Priest, interceding for us before the throne of God the Father. Knowing this, we should let God's love wash away our guilty conscience. If the Word of God says we shouldn't hold onto shame over our past sins, then let's abandon it! But remember the end goal of God is to completely purify our hearts, so we should focus on living a holy life and not falling back into sin.
So, as the passage says, let us charge ahead, knowing that God will be faithful to fulfill every promise He has ever made. And He has made some awesome promises, like giving us an opportunity to one day live a joyful and eternal life with Him in a place more beautiful than anyone can imagine! Anything this corrupted world offers looks utterly worthless in the light of this future.
Although challenges and trials may come, nothing should deter us from walking the path of this life with boldness, knowing our Lord and Savior is behind us every step of the way. I know Jesus will help me climb every mountain and pass through every valley that stands between me and Heaven.
"Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57) What could ever stop us now?
I need more than an inspiring quote to keep on living and not give up. I need the strength and comfort found in the verses of the Bible. Thanks to a reading plan on the YouVersion Bible App, which I highly recommend, I read Hebrews chapter 10, and boy is that chock full of encouragement to persevere! It's not often I'll spend a post solely in one chaper, but this time it's a must.
The first part of the chapter concerns the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for us and provides the foundation for the encouraging words of this chapter.
Let's begin with verses 11-14. "Day after day every [Hebrew] priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
Let us remember that before Christ came, the priest would have to kill a healthy, unblemished animal and shed it's blood to atone for a person's sins. This was always going to be a temporary fix and it's greatest value was that it gave a preview to what Jesus would do for us on the Cross. The amazing thing about His perfect sacrifice was that once was enough! The meaning of Him being seated next to God is that his task of providing a means of atonement for the sins of mankind is complete. And someday soon He will completely destroy sin and death, perfecting the bodies and souls of believers before ushering them into his glorious, eternal Kingdom.
However, believers will receive that amazingly awesome reward only IF they persevere. Yes, you heard me right. "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36) Only runners that finish a race receive a prize, right? What you find two verses later presents an even more striking edict to persevere. "My righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” I certainly want to be pleasing to God, don't you?!
Earlier in the chapter, God provides us with the fuel to power us through any weighty challenge that tempts us to abandon our faith. This is a great danger and the Bible gives us just what we need to avoid it.
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus ... and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."
(Hebrews 10:19, 21-23)
There's quite of lot of encouragement there! Let's unpack the rich spiritual truths within.
First, this passage is saying that we can have confidence to be able to enter into the very presence of God because of one thing and one thing only. Is it our own good works? Certainly not! The blood of Jesus, which he shed willingly, purifies us from all sin so that we can have a loving
relationship with a God who detests sin. This is amazing to me no matter how many times I think about it. Such undeserved grace!
Not only that, but we have a Jesus acting as our High Priest, interceding for us before the throne of God the Father. Knowing this, we should let God's love wash away our guilty conscience. If the Word of God says we shouldn't hold onto shame over our past sins, then let's abandon it! But remember the end goal of God is to completely purify our hearts, so we should focus on living a holy life and not falling back into sin.
So, as the passage says, let us charge ahead, knowing that God will be faithful to fulfill every promise He has ever made. And He has made some awesome promises, like giving us an opportunity to one day live a joyful and eternal life with Him in a place more beautiful than anyone can imagine! Anything this corrupted world offers looks utterly worthless in the light of this future.
Although challenges and trials may come, nothing should deter us from walking the path of this life with boldness, knowing our Lord and Savior is behind us every step of the way. I know Jesus will help me climb every mountain and pass through every valley that stands between me and Heaven.
"Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57) What could ever stop us now?
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Worship
Worship is something that should be integral in the life of a believer. It is a gift and a privilege to be able to worship God, to have discovered how wonderful He truly is. So many people are blind to the reality of God and the love He has shown to all of mankind through sending Jesus to bear the penalty for our sins. But through the grace of God we have been brought into the fold and can worship God in the “splendor of His Holiness” as Psalms 96:9 describes.
I think it is important to know the meaning of that phrase. I believe it has a lot to do with the condition of our souls. Before our souls have been cleansed through the blood of Jesus we are unable to enter His presence. God detests sin and those whose hearts are infected by it and so cannot abide us in His presence. And being separated from God is a terrible place to be because He is the source of all light and goodness in the universe.
But praise be to the Lord for His grace, for He has called us to Himself through the passionate pursuit of our souls. He has revealed to us the power of His Son Jesus to grant us a type of relationship with Him we have always needed: an intimate, loving one. Now, we can enter into the very presence of God and discover all His wonders. We can now sing that “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalms 28:7).
This joy will never fade away. It is based in our salvation which is eternally secure in Christ Jesus. With that knowledge we too can agree with what is written in Psalms 13:5: “I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.”
There are so many great Christian worship songs that beautifully express the boundless joy we can experience when we remind ourselves how great our God is. We should worship not only on Sundays but throughout the week. If you have not made a habit of it yet, put forth effort to listen to Christian music everyday, whether its through an iPod, the CD player in your car, or even on the radio. We deny ourselves much if we neglect this wellspring of joy that God has provided us to help us through the rigors of this life.
David sums it up best:
“I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High … LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation” (Psalms 9:1-2, 13-14). We have been rescued from the gates of spiritual death and given eternal life! Praise be to God!
However, true worship goes much further than singing. It involves not only words but action. As the Apostle Paul so eloquently stated, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). Later in the New Testament, James reiterates that point when he writes “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Worship should lead us to give concerted effort to ensure we are not being polluted by all the worldly passions and pursuits that can so easily steer us in the wrong direction. The only way to effectively keep ourselves on the straight and narrow is to make a decision at the start of every day to surrender ourselves fully to God.
When we do this, we open ourselves up to be used by God to accomplish great things in this world. In Titus 3:14 it says that “people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.” There is a no more wasteful life than one spent occupied only with selfish desires. When we look to the needs of others, we can be productive in our service to God and have a meaningful impact on those around us. It can all start from a simple place of being kind and hospitable to others. Learning to do this with a friendly attitude is of the utmost importance. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9).
One verse later, Peter adds to this by saying that “each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.” We all have talents and abilities we have being blessed with by God and He expects us to use them to benefit those we come into contact with. Being generous with our time is a fantastic place to begin. Maybe someone you know needs help with a particular task you are skilled in doing. Don't hesitate to offer your help. Additionally, be on the lookout for worthy causes that you can donate to, showing God that you are a good steward of the monetary resources He has blessed you with.
Through every sacrifice you make, remember that “God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so” (Hebrews 6:10 HCSB). Along with assisting fellow Christians, it is absolutely imperative that we share the love of Christ while we provide for the needs of unbelievers. Souls in danger of being eternally separated from God are all around us! Our Lord showers us with an abundance of blessings with the express purpose that we use it in the pursuit of a harvest of souls. Let us not be found wanting when it comes to using what we have to bring others to Christ.
So remember that true heartfelt worship will inevitably cause us to move our hands and feet and improve the lives of people God has placed in our paths. I leave you with this instruction: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” (Isaiah 1:17).
(All verses are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise specified.)
I think it is important to know the meaning of that phrase. I believe it has a lot to do with the condition of our souls. Before our souls have been cleansed through the blood of Jesus we are unable to enter His presence. God detests sin and those whose hearts are infected by it and so cannot abide us in His presence. And being separated from God is a terrible place to be because He is the source of all light and goodness in the universe.
But praise be to the Lord for His grace, for He has called us to Himself through the passionate pursuit of our souls. He has revealed to us the power of His Son Jesus to grant us a type of relationship with Him we have always needed: an intimate, loving one. Now, we can enter into the very presence of God and discover all His wonders. We can now sing that “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalms 28:7).
This joy will never fade away. It is based in our salvation which is eternally secure in Christ Jesus. With that knowledge we too can agree with what is written in Psalms 13:5: “I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.”
There are so many great Christian worship songs that beautifully express the boundless joy we can experience when we remind ourselves how great our God is. We should worship not only on Sundays but throughout the week. If you have not made a habit of it yet, put forth effort to listen to Christian music everyday, whether its through an iPod, the CD player in your car, or even on the radio. We deny ourselves much if we neglect this wellspring of joy that God has provided us to help us through the rigors of this life.
David sums it up best:
“I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High … LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation” (Psalms 9:1-2, 13-14). We have been rescued from the gates of spiritual death and given eternal life! Praise be to God!
However, true worship goes much further than singing. It involves not only words but action. As the Apostle Paul so eloquently stated, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). Later in the New Testament, James reiterates that point when he writes “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Worship should lead us to give concerted effort to ensure we are not being polluted by all the worldly passions and pursuits that can so easily steer us in the wrong direction. The only way to effectively keep ourselves on the straight and narrow is to make a decision at the start of every day to surrender ourselves fully to God.
When we do this, we open ourselves up to be used by God to accomplish great things in this world. In Titus 3:14 it says that “people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.” There is a no more wasteful life than one spent occupied only with selfish desires. When we look to the needs of others, we can be productive in our service to God and have a meaningful impact on those around us. It can all start from a simple place of being kind and hospitable to others. Learning to do this with a friendly attitude is of the utmost importance. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9).
One verse later, Peter adds to this by saying that “each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.” We all have talents and abilities we have being blessed with by God and He expects us to use them to benefit those we come into contact with. Being generous with our time is a fantastic place to begin. Maybe someone you know needs help with a particular task you are skilled in doing. Don't hesitate to offer your help. Additionally, be on the lookout for worthy causes that you can donate to, showing God that you are a good steward of the monetary resources He has blessed you with.
Through every sacrifice you make, remember that “God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so” (Hebrews 6:10 HCSB). Along with assisting fellow Christians, it is absolutely imperative that we share the love of Christ while we provide for the needs of unbelievers. Souls in danger of being eternally separated from God are all around us! Our Lord showers us with an abundance of blessings with the express purpose that we use it in the pursuit of a harvest of souls. Let us not be found wanting when it comes to using what we have to bring others to Christ.
So remember that true heartfelt worship will inevitably cause us to move our hands and feet and improve the lives of people God has placed in our paths. I leave you with this instruction: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” (Isaiah 1:17).
(All verses are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise specified.)
Monday, March 12, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on Patience
Patience: “A virtue sorely lacking in our world today” would be a fitting definition in the dictionary. The very nature of our society today makes it very difficult to be patient. We have appointments and places to get to everyday and traffic to deal with in between. The speed of the internet and the design of social media create a desire in us to get what we want and fast! The dark side to all of this is a tendency for impatience to rear its ugly head at a moment's notice, only serving to stress us out and causing our behavior to be a nuisance to others. There are too many other negative things happening in our world today for us to ignore this detrimental sin.
But for us to truly want to tackle the challenge of becoming more patient, we must understand how important patience really is. I believe that patience is one the most important fruits of the Spirit, second only to love. The reason: Life itself contains many periods of waiting. When a child goes through the lengthy process of education, they must wait as they are taught necessary rules and knowledge before they can venture out into the big, wide world. Workers in all fields must labor at their jobs until they gain the experience and expertise to be promoted. And I must wait as the Lord accomplishes my physical healing in His timing.
As much as we want to wish it away, we must wait for good things to happen. I know that as a Christian, God uses this difficult process of waiting to sanctify us. Sanctification is the sometimes uncomfortable way in which God endeavors to remove imperfections in our behavior. From past experience, I know that God is good and has our best interests at heart. And since that is true, I know the end result of sanctification will be a great blessing to us. Furthermore, this process will be a lot easier if we are patient.
But what is the biblical basis for all of this? Well, it begins in the book of Psalms, a large book of Hebrew poetry written mainly by King David. Psalms 33:4-5 says, “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”
God is the Righteous One, full of truth and justice. He will never treat the human race unfairly. Plus, the fact that He came to the Earth in lowly, human form to die on a cross for our sins proves that He is not only just but also more than willing to extend undeserved grace to us all. This gives us hope in all circumstances that God will work things out in the end, just as Jeremiah did even as Israel was being destroyed. “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:21-26).
And during every step of our journey through life as Christians, God guides us, strengthens us, and blesses us. Psalms 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” This oft-quoted verse reminds us that God’s Word, the Bible, contains all the knowledge and wisdom we need to live a holy life. Twenty chapters later, we find an even greater promise. “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” (Psalms 139:5-6 NLT).
You might say, “That's all well and good, but if God is so trustworthy, why wouldn't he choose an easier road by which to sanctify us.” That thought, which I've had many times myself, brings up a necessary point that God described to the prophet Isaiah long ago. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). Hard to swallow, isn't it? We can never truly know why God has led us down the bumpy road we're on, but the fact is that this is the only path there is. The sooner we come to grips with that fact, the better.
It is vital to remember the words Jesus Himself once said. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). Jesus never said he wouldn't lead us through hard times; in fact, at another time, He said that we would have troubles in world. But in pursuit of the ETERNAL life He wants to give us, temporary problems pale in comparison.
All the while, Jesus instructs us to not worry, a skill that is necessary to learn if we are to be patient. “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?’” (Luke 12:22-25). Worry and impatience are inextricably linked together. If we worry, we can easily become impatient. If one becomes impatient, worry is not far behind. We must combat our tendency to worry if we want to become patient people.
The answer as to how to do that is simple. It all starts with prayer. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). If we remember to present our requests to God in prayer right when we are tempted to worry, we give ourselves a mighty advantage in our daily battle against impatience. God is on our side and is always ready to give us just what we need to weather the storms of this life, whether large or small.
Whenever a challenge presents itself in our lives and we are tempted to think, “How am I ever going to get through this?” we can look to Jesus for the right response. “‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered" (Mark 11:22). God will make everything right in the end, and we will be a lot less stressed if we are patient while He accomplishes his perfect and pleasing will. Knowing this, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1b-2). Jesus overcame the pain of the cross and is ready to give us the power to overcome the difficulties in our lives if we will just trust Him. So, as much as possible, let us learn to relinquish our desire to control every single area of our lives and let God handle things. Although no easy task, this choice to give God control will develop in us the deep-rooted ability to be patient.
Every time we learn to trust God in a new area of our lives, we take one more step toward being able to make a declaration that all true believers long to make. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
So the next time you are stuck in traffic, turn on some Christian music and remember God is in control. When you get sick or face health issues, rest in the knowledge that God is with you. And the next time a major challenge confronts you, hold fast to the assurance that God is working everything for your good.
All verses are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise specified.
But for us to truly want to tackle the challenge of becoming more patient, we must understand how important patience really is. I believe that patience is one the most important fruits of the Spirit, second only to love. The reason: Life itself contains many periods of waiting. When a child goes through the lengthy process of education, they must wait as they are taught necessary rules and knowledge before they can venture out into the big, wide world. Workers in all fields must labor at their jobs until they gain the experience and expertise to be promoted. And I must wait as the Lord accomplishes my physical healing in His timing.
As much as we want to wish it away, we must wait for good things to happen. I know that as a Christian, God uses this difficult process of waiting to sanctify us. Sanctification is the sometimes uncomfortable way in which God endeavors to remove imperfections in our behavior. From past experience, I know that God is good and has our best interests at heart. And since that is true, I know the end result of sanctification will be a great blessing to us. Furthermore, this process will be a lot easier if we are patient.
But what is the biblical basis for all of this? Well, it begins in the book of Psalms, a large book of Hebrew poetry written mainly by King David. Psalms 33:4-5 says, “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”
God is the Righteous One, full of truth and justice. He will never treat the human race unfairly. Plus, the fact that He came to the Earth in lowly, human form to die on a cross for our sins proves that He is not only just but also more than willing to extend undeserved grace to us all. This gives us hope in all circumstances that God will work things out in the end, just as Jeremiah did even as Israel was being destroyed. “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:21-26).
And during every step of our journey through life as Christians, God guides us, strengthens us, and blesses us. Psalms 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” This oft-quoted verse reminds us that God’s Word, the Bible, contains all the knowledge and wisdom we need to live a holy life. Twenty chapters later, we find an even greater promise. “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” (Psalms 139:5-6 NLT).
You might say, “That's all well and good, but if God is so trustworthy, why wouldn't he choose an easier road by which to sanctify us.” That thought, which I've had many times myself, brings up a necessary point that God described to the prophet Isaiah long ago. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). Hard to swallow, isn't it? We can never truly know why God has led us down the bumpy road we're on, but the fact is that this is the only path there is. The sooner we come to grips with that fact, the better.
It is vital to remember the words Jesus Himself once said. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). Jesus never said he wouldn't lead us through hard times; in fact, at another time, He said that we would have troubles in world. But in pursuit of the ETERNAL life He wants to give us, temporary problems pale in comparison.
All the while, Jesus instructs us to not worry, a skill that is necessary to learn if we are to be patient. “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?’” (Luke 12:22-25). Worry and impatience are inextricably linked together. If we worry, we can easily become impatient. If one becomes impatient, worry is not far behind. We must combat our tendency to worry if we want to become patient people.
The answer as to how to do that is simple. It all starts with prayer. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). If we remember to present our requests to God in prayer right when we are tempted to worry, we give ourselves a mighty advantage in our daily battle against impatience. God is on our side and is always ready to give us just what we need to weather the storms of this life, whether large or small.
Whenever a challenge presents itself in our lives and we are tempted to think, “How am I ever going to get through this?” we can look to Jesus for the right response. “‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered" (Mark 11:22). God will make everything right in the end, and we will be a lot less stressed if we are patient while He accomplishes his perfect and pleasing will. Knowing this, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1b-2). Jesus overcame the pain of the cross and is ready to give us the power to overcome the difficulties in our lives if we will just trust Him. So, as much as possible, let us learn to relinquish our desire to control every single area of our lives and let God handle things. Although no easy task, this choice to give God control will develop in us the deep-rooted ability to be patient.
Every time we learn to trust God in a new area of our lives, we take one more step toward being able to make a declaration that all true believers long to make. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
So the next time you are stuck in traffic, turn on some Christian music and remember God is in control. When you get sick or face health issues, rest in the knowledge that God is with you. And the next time a major challenge confronts you, hold fast to the assurance that God is working everything for your good.
All verses are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise specified.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Jonathan's Perspective on the Reality of God
Recently, I've been going through a lot of health challenges that really tested my faith in God. But God is helping me through by staying with me through my doubts and also by providing some wise counsel from one of the pastors at my church, Sammie Brooks. He encouraged me to write out the reasons for my faith and I am endeavoring to do just that.
If I were to talk with anyone about why I believe in God, I would have to start with the evidence in nature. The Earth is wonderfully made, situated the perfect distance from the sun traveling at thousands of miles per hour in a precise orbit. All the animals on the Earth are complex creations, designed with specialized body structure and organs that could not have evolved slowly over millions of years. On the underside of a tiny insect called the leafhopper nymph are microscopic structures that look very much like gears, containing “teeth” that range in height from just 15 to 30 millionths of a meter.
These gears mesh together to keep the nymph’s rear legs synchronized for an impressively powerful leap. For something so complex to be found in a living creature disproves evolutionary theory that suggests that slow change over time accounts for the huge amount of diversity in the animal kingdom. The legs and the gears that connect them would have had to evolve at exactly the same time, a possibility that is simply too far-fetched to believe.
Even more complex is the nervous system of the human body. "The individual neuron is only a small component in the interconnected circuitry of the nervous system. Information scientist Dr. Werner Gitt said, ‘If it were possible to describe [the nervous system] as a circuit diagram, [with each neuron] represented by a single pinhead, such a circuit diagram would require an area of several square kilometers … [it would be] several hundred times more complex than the entire global telephone network.’” (1)
And even the daily occurrence of a sunset reveals a beauty that could only have come from a loving God.
The reason I say this with such confidence is that there are the powerful examples of how God has proved his existence and love for humanity in the past. He inspired faithful men in Israel to write books of prophecies, which archaeology has proven were written long before the time of Christ.
So, let us explore just a few of the wealth of Messianic prophecies. The details of what the Messiah would be called is a good place to start.
Psalm 2:7: “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: ‘He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.’”
Psalm 2:11-12: “Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”
Gabriel's announcement to Mary in Luke 1 makes it abundantly clear that Jesus would be the “Son” that David wrote about in Psalm 2 and many others. “‘You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end’” (Luke 1:31-33).
More significantly, two seemingly conflicting prophecies about Jesus' birth both come to pass.
Hosea 11:1 says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2).
I'm sure Jewish people who lived before the birth of Jesus thought: “How can the Messiah be born in Bethlehem, come out of Egypt and somehow be called a Nazarene?”
From our knowledge now, we know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem before Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Egypt to flee the wrath of King Herod, events described in Matthew 2. In the final section of that chapter, an angel of the Lord told Joseph that was now safe to return to Israel. Joseph returned to Israel and settled in the town of Nazareth, which was why Jesus was called a Nazarene. God definitely brought all the details together in an exciting and complex way.
Even more eye-catching prophecies and their fulfillment surround Jesus' death and resurrection from the dead. For me, the wondrous nature of these prophecies begins in the facts of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples.
Zechariah 11:12-13 contains a prophecy that seems ambiguous at first: “I told them, ‘If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.’ So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.”
This was amazingly fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and the following details in Matthew 27 provide an obvious connection to the passage in Zechariah. "When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’ ‘What is that to us?’ they replied. ‘That’s your responsibility.’ So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and said, ‘It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.’ So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners” (Matthew 27:3-7).
The chief priests ended up purchasing a potter's field! What are the odds of that?! This was obviously no coincidence; God was orchestrating things to prove his reality.
The most important prophecy, however, has to be the one found in Isaiah 53:10-11: “Yet it was the Lord ’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”
These two verses provide hope for all of mankind. If we are honest with ourselves, we all can admit that we have sinned against God. Even a cursory reading of the Ten Commandments makes it obvious that we have broken God's Law and fall far short of his glory. We need our sins to be forgiven and cleansed to have a relationship with God and to experience his blessings rather than his wrath. And we have evidence that Jesus indeed rose from the dead, a glorious event that gives witness to the fact that he accomplished the mission God sent Him to do, redeeming everyone who trusts in Him.
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20: 19-20).
Can you imagine the depth of joy the disciples felt?! I can certainly relate. The hope I have in this life emanates from the fact that Jesus is alive!
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
Jesus then charged his disciples and those who came after them with the task of spreading the message around the world that all those who trust in Him would be saved.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).
If you look at the past 2,000 years of history you will find many examples that Jesus had indeed been with his followers, inspiring acts of astounding faith displayed by brave men and women alike. Although some claiming to be Christians have let their sinful nature get in the way of the spread of the Gospel, countless true believers have braved danger, torture, and even death to remain faithful to God and their mission to bear witness for Christ across the world. Even today, as persecution of Christians has risen dramatically over the last 100 years, stories of amazing bravery and commitment to the Gospel are becoming as plentiful as wildflowers in a meadow.
Richard Wurmbrand endured years of torture in a Communist prison for his Christian faith, yet never abandoned his faith in Jesus. After his release, he went on to found an organization that would eventually be called Voice of the Martyrs, a truly incredible organizations that comes to the aid of persecuted Christians all over the world. God used something that would destroy most men to shape Richard into a man who could change the world.
Even more counter-intuitive is the growth of the number of Christians in countries where governments try to violently suppress Christianity. In Nigeria, China, and even the hellish land of North Korea, the Christian church continues to survive and, in some cases, even thrive. Something so miraculous could only happen if Someone supernatural was at work. Isn't this proof enough that Jesus is who He said He is: the Savior of the World?
And so recounting all of these things has reinvigorated my faith. If you are a believer then I hope reading this has strengthened your faith, but if not, I pray my words would awake a desire in you to discover the amazingly loving God that I know.
References
1. www.answersingenesis.org
All verses are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise specified.