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HOLD ON TO JESUS

(Hebrews 13:5) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  These are words that God spoke to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:6) when he was about to lead the Israelites into the promised land.  Here the writer of Hebrews shares these words with people who have received Jesus as their Savior, people like us.  For Joshua and for us, these words are a promise from our God.  Since God is holding on to us, all that this connection requires is that we hold on to him.

I’m picturing a scene where a child has fallen over the edge of cliff and just managed to grab hold of a root sticking out of the ground. She is holding on for dear life, and her hand is beginning to slip.  Then, the hero appears just in time, and he reaches out and says, take my hand.  The frightened victim then needs to decide whether to put her trust in this perfect stranger or not.  Desperately, she reaches out and grabs the offered hand.  She is pulled to safety, and all is well.  Having a hero like Jesus who will never leave us or forsake us presents a great reassurance.

Jesus has promised to always be with us.  Somehow, in the most difficult times, it seems harder to recognize his presence.  We want him to rescue us right away, and we wonder where is he?  That’s when we need to hold on to him and trust in his words.

I have recently suffered through some difficult times, and I found myself feeling more distant from Jesus. I now realize that I was learning to grow in patience, through suffering.  As I look back, I can see that Jesus was right there through it all.  It was time for me to hold on to him, and learn to trust in the fact that, “he will never leave me or forsake me.”

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JESUS DOES NOT CHANGE

(Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

I own a cell phone that is frequently updated.  Every time an update occurs, I must learn new stuff.  This usually includes finding a new way to operate existing apps.  I was content with the previous way they operated.  Constantly changing the cell phone, which I use for so many things every day, is annoying.  I’m very glad that my Lord and Savior doesn’t change.

The Apostle John tells us in the first chapter of his gospel that Jesus is the Word of God, and that through him all of creation was spoken into existence. Jesus has been unchanging from the very beginning. 

 John also tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  While Jesus was here in the flesh, he taught us how to live godly lives.  Those teachings are as relevant two thousand years later, as they were when he spoke them.  They have not changed. 

The truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the salvation that he paid so dearly for, are the eternal good news that will never change.  The fact that Jesus never changes is a great comfort for those of us who love him.

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REMEMBERING THAT GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS

(Psalm 114:1-7) When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.  The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.  Why was it, sea, that you fled?  Why, Jordan, did you turn back?  Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs?  Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

Here in Psalm 114, the psalmist is recounting the miraculous deeds God performed as he brought the Israelites out of Egypt and from slavery.  As I read, I became aware that these reminders were as relevant for me as they were for the ancient Israelites.  The God who did these miracles is the same God I serve today.  I was in need of remembering that I serve an all-powerful God who has promised to take care of me.  Even when I face difficult times, he is right there to prepare the way and lead me through.  No obstacle stands a chance against my God.

In my human frailty, when faced with seemingly insurmountable difficulties, I can become fearful and discouraged.  I can even get to the point of surrendering to defeat.  This is when I need to remember who it is that I serve.

 I look back and remember that God has taken care of me throughout my life with unexpected funds when I needed them. I remember a quarter tank of gas that took me back and forth to work for a whole week and remained until payday.  A cloud cover comes to mind; We were about to take a trip to the east one summer in my unairconditioned Pinto station wagon. I was concerned about how our three young children would do as we crossed the southwestern states known for their hot summer sun, so I prayed.  As we left the California desert and entered Arizona, a cloud cover appeared above us.  That cloud cover followed us all the way to Oklahoma.  Some might say it was a coincidence, but I knew it was an answer to prayer.

I could fill numerous pages with the things God has done for our family.  The miracles mentioned above are some of my favorites because they happened in our early day when God was teaching us to trust him.  What wonderful treasure are memories to help us through difficult times.  They remind us that God can do all things.

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SEEK THE LORD ALWAYS

(1Chronicals 16:9-11) Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.  Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

  I last wrote about seeking God initially, to find him, and discover that he rewards those who genuinely seek him, but that is just the beginning.  When we find God, he leads us to his Son, and there we find the salvation he has provided through Jesus. As soon as we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are ushered into the eternal family of God, and we are sealed with his Holy Spirit. Through Bible study and fellowship with other believers we grow in our relationship with our new family, and the most important relationship is now the growing interaction with our Heavenly Father.

Seeking God is a continual activity.  Once we find him, we discover that he is always with us.  We no longer live our lives alone.  He is the ultimate source of love, wisdom and peace. The more we seek him the closer we become to being like him, He is the one who created us in his likeness, and we find the deep riches of his love for us.

Life doesn’t become perfect as we walk with the Lord here on earth, because we live in a fallen, imperfect world.  The real comfort is knowing we are not alone.  We have the promise of a great never-ending life ahead of us, and that is our hope; We look forward to an eternal future never again to be tainted by sin. 

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

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THE BEST POSSIBLE ROAD TO TAKE

(John 3:16&17) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We have just celebrated the birth of Jesus. This is the beginning of the greatest event that has ever occurred on the earth.  John clarifies for us just what happened on that night when Mary gave birth to a son in the town of Bethlehem.  God gave his one and only Son to save the world.  Why would God do this?  Because he so loved the world.  And who can receive this saving grace?  Whoever believes in Jesus the Son. 

Our creator has offered us an open invitation to reconcile with him and spend eternity with him in a perfectly sin free new world.  What can possibly stand in the way of us jumping at this invitation?  I like to be reminded of these words from Proverbs 3:5&6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your way submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  A relationship with God doesn’t depend on our ability to figure out God; it depends on our ability to believe that he exists.  We call this faith. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  The writer of Hebrews continues in verse 6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  God is inviting us to receive the greatest gift ever offered, eternal life. We waste our time seeking everything that in the long run has no eternal significance. In Matthew 6:31-33 Jesus said, So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

The promise found in God’s Son is not only for eternity.  It is even for right now.  When we put our faith in God our Father and believe in Jesus as our savior, we begin a new life.  Considering what is offered and how much can be lost; Think about it, seeking God seems to be the best possible road to take.

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THE MYSTERY REVEALED

(1 Corinthians 2:9&10) However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him – these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

In these verses, the Apostle Paul refers to the great mystery that had been hidden from the beginning of time and now revealed by his Spirit.  The advent of Jesus the Christ is the beginning of this great reveal.  God in his wisdom, that is far beyond what we can conceive, has always had a plan for our redemption. A baby, born to a common family, lying in a manger made for feeding animals, is the beginning of this astonishing miracle.  Jesus came that we might have new life, eternal life.

The great love of our Creator did not allow him to abandon us.  He would give his one and only son unto a torturous death, allowing him to take on the sins of the whole world.  But Jesus did not Just come and go; he grew up like a regular human child, and he spent his adult years teaching us a new way to live. For those of us who have received him, we have been given new life guided by the infilling of his Holy Spirit.

Christmas is a celebration of the reveal. A mystery that was long hidden until the time was ready for its release.  We are all given invitations to what God’s love accomplished for us in his redemption plan.  Don’t miss out! Receive this great gift that our creator has offered us and join in on the everlasting celebration!

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WHEN TROUBLE COMES

(John 16:33) I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.

(James 1:2-4) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

A young man, taking in the wonders of nature, runs along a secluded path through a beautiful forest.  The early morning sun shoots rays of light through the budding new leaves of spring. Ahead there is a bend in the path, and he wonders what delights he will find there.  As he approaches the bend, a stirring in the brush draws his attention to the right just as he starts his turn to the left.  His distraction causes him to miss the large branch across the path, and down he goes.  He reaches out to catch himself with his left arm, and he hears the snap of his bone breaking.  Then his head hits a rock, and it all goes black.  Now imagine as he begins to regain consciousness, feeling the throbbing of his head and the excruciating pain from his left arm, his first thought is “Why did God let this happen to me?”

Jesus tells us, “In this world you will have trouble.”  It is part of living in this world.  This world is what we humans have caused by our sinfulness.  Death and decay are a part of our life.  Decay probably caused the fallen branch that tripped our young man.

Now James reminds us that the troubles we face test our faith and help us mature in faith.  This leads me to believe that there is genuine value in our struggles.  The counting it all joy probably comes toward the end of trouble, for then is when we can see the value more clearly.

I am saying these things to myself because I am facing trouble.  I have had cancer in the past, and I was about to celebrate seven years of being cancer free when a new type of cancer invaded my body.  It is curable, but a series of what has turned out to be rather torturous chemotherapy is required.

 Facing this again has caused me to be on my knees and in the Bible looking for strength to endure the process.  Looking for answers has led me to this conclusion.  God has not forsaken me.  He is right here with me.  I have been reminded to take it one day at a time and to not fret about the future.  I am very grateful for all my family, friends, and prayer warriors supporting me through this.  I am very blessed.  Gratitude goes a long way in enduring the struggles.  I spend a lot of time remembering God’s continual blessings throughout my life.  Troubles come, but we never have to face them alone.  I feel encouraged to carry on.

I will close with Jesus’ enduring reminder, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

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LIVING IN THE PEACE OF GOD

(Philippians 4:4-7) Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  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.

I love the challenge of these words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians.  Over the years, I have found an ever-increasing understanding of what he was saying.

Paul starts with the word rejoice; then he emphatically repeats the word, rejoice!  Our rejoicing is in the Lord, how often, always.  Our Lord has forgiven our sins and provided us with eternal life.  This is worth always rejoicing in the Lord.  As we walk with the Lord, he continually blesses us with reasons for rejoicing.

Paul next tells us, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”  What I gain from these words is that we don’t have to get riled up when circumstances aren’t going our way.  Why, because: “The Lord is near.”  Now this could mean because God is watching our every move, and we don’t want to mess up, but what I think it means, is knowing The Lord is near provides us with comfort and peace in all situations.  We never have to face difficult times alone.

Paul adds the instruction, “Don’t be anxious about anything.”  Well, being anxious and worried seems to be inherent to us humans.  How can we learn to be calm in the storm?  Paul tells us, “but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  We mature in Christ Jesus as we surrender ourselves to him.  Walking with him opens the door for God to increase our faith.  As our faith increases, our trust in God grows.  The more we put out trust in him, Our peace increases, and our hearts and minds are content, guarded in Christ Jesus.

 Eventually, we find ourselves at peace during a time when we could have been scared, worried or deeply distressed.  Ah, that’s when we are experiencing the peace that goes beyond understanding.  Within God’s peace, we don’t respond to situations as those who don’t know Jesus might respond.  That makes us a light shining brightly to those around us.  Being content, especially in times of trouble, is quite appealing.

When we rejoice in what God has given us, give thanks to him, and call out to him in all circumstances, that is when we find the peace of God that transcends all understanding.

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JESUS IS GOD

One of the main premises of Christianity is that Jesus is fully man and fully God. People seldom deny that Jesus was a man, yet his deity is often the point of controversy.  Jesus was born to a woman, but he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and his father is God.  In his time among us, he did much to demonstrate that he is God the Son.

The first supernatural event that Jesus presented, when he was about to begin his ministry here on earth, was to turn water into wine (see John 2:1-11).  He was at a wedding banquet, and the wine was running out.  He ordered servants to fill 6 stone jars with water.  Each jar held twenty to thirty gallons.  When they were full, he instructed them to take some to the master of the banquet. The water had become fine wine.

Water is as you know H2O.  Its elemental make up is two hydrogen and one oxygen atom.  Wine is about 84% water, and 13% ethanol.  The other 3% is a complex combination of glycerol, organic acids, amino acids, sugars, other alcohols, phenols, minerals, aromatics, and sulfur.  Not only did Jesus turn water into wine, but he made the best wine. 

Other supernatural events occurred frequently during his ministry proving that he is not just a man, but also God.  The gospels are full of miraculous stories of Jesus’ miracles.

For example:

He fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

He walked on the water of a stormy lake.

He commanded the waves and wind to be still and they obeyed.

He healed multitudes of people with various infirmities.

He raised people who had died back to life.

He commanded demons to leave inflicted people, and they had to obey.

Jesus demonstrated his supernatural authority over the basic elements and over all other aspects of creation. Only God has this kind of authority over creation.  And then came the final demonstration. His Godly love for us.  Jesus did not use his power to protect himself but humbled himself and allowed men to take his life so that he could pay for our sins.  Then his Father raised him from the dead and gave him all authority over heaven and earth.

The evidence is clear.  Jesus is God!  No other can claim this truth.

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TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND

(Romans 12:2) Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I’ve always loved this scripture from Romans talking about transforming and renewing the mind.  However, I’ve recently come to a different understanding of its meaning.  I used to think of being transformed by the renewing of your mind as some miraculous change brought about by the Holy Spirit.  Then there would come this amazing new level of understanding and a greater connection to God.  It turns out, I was over spiritualizing. 

Yes, the results will be the same, a new level of understanding and a greater connection to our God, but this is simply the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.  He guides us through our day by day walk from the moment of salvation.  We are continually renewed until we are called home.

(John 14:25&26) All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the advocate, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Before we gave our lives to Jesus, we conformed to the patterns of this world.  Hatred, bigotry, self-indulgence, greed, sexual impurity, etc. are the patterns of this world.  When we became disciples of Jesus, The Father gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us into an understanding of the righteous words of Jesus, which are the opposite of the patterns of this world.  The transformation by the renewing of our minds then began, and it is still proceeding.  With this transformation comes an ever-increasing understanding of God’s will for our lives, his good, pleasing and perfect will for each of us.