Author: albertvredenburg

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WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD

(1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

In Old Testament times, the temple of God was the place where God’s Spirit dwelt.  His people went to the temple to be in his presence.  When Jesus finished his work of redemption, he returned to the Father.  A new era then began.  God’s Spirit now dwells in all believers.

These words of Scripture that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians caused me to think about what they could mean for us today.  For instance, when we go out to coffee with a few of our Christian friends, isn’t it true that right there in that coffee shop we represent a temple of God?  Someone could find the presence of God because we are there.

Scripture provides an unending source of inspiration.  New thoughts and challenges have flooded my mind since I revisited this familiar scripture.  What does it mean to be the temple of God, and how should it alter my perception of my daily walk as a Christian?

I would love to hear from you on this subject.  Please take time to share your thoughts.

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FOLLOW THE LORD OR GO YOUR OWN WAY

(Proverbs 3:5&6) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Learning from our mistakes is sometimes quite painful.  Years ago, I had the opportunity to learn to wait on the Lord’s directions, rather than choosing my own way.

This opportunity began when out of anger and frustration, I quit my job at a Christian school where I worked as a high school teacher and administrator. God had placed me in this Christian school right out of college, but I always had this thought that I would be more useful in the public-school setting. Quitting, however, was not the Lord’s direction for me; but in my pride, I chose to go my own way. For the next three years, I taught in public schools at the elementary level.

The result of going my own way was that I learned just how it feels to be inadequate. I was a fish out of water at the elementary level, and public school was a whole new experience of frustration.  I still have nightmares about those three years.  God allowed me to find out what happens when one of his children goes their own way.

When my time of discipline was over and I reached a humble place of repentance before my Father, I was allowed to return to a Christian school, and to again teach high school students.  I returned to the place where I was gifted; I was grateful to be back where I belonged.

This three-year diversion was a great and terrible time. It was difficult to walk through, but it proved to be a valuable lesson that I will never forget.  I am now a child who waits upon the Lord and more carefully follows his directions. 

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OTHER AWARENESS

(Philippians 2:3-5) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

In my last post, I talked about knowing God through exploring what Jesus said and did while he was here among us in the flesh.  I also mentioned that drawing close to God requires a humble position to truly comprehend what Jesus taught us about God.  Today let’s talk about self-awareness compared with other awareness.

Adam and Eve, after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, were both shocked to find themselves naked.  The shock came from self-awareness.  Until that moment they were obviously not aware of their nakedness. Their disobedience to God brought about the sinful nature that we all have inherited.  Part of this sinful nature has caused us to become self-aware as opposed the other awareness God intended for us.  When the Apostle Paul tells us to value others above ourselves, he is asking us to counter the effects of our sinful nature.

Paul continues in this passage of Scripture to point out that Jesus, being equal with God, gave up his position in heaven to come as a servant.  (Philippians 2:8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!  Jesus provided us with the ultimate example of other awareness.

Since it is part of our sinful nature, it seems natural for us to focus life on ourselves.  The idea of putting others ahead of ourselves might seem next to impossible, but Jesus has led the way.  He set the example.

Valuing others ahead of myself has always been a struggle.  I don’t expect it to suddenly become easy. My desire is there, but the flesh is weak.  I’m glad that I never have to struggle alone.  Jesus is always with me.

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UNDERSTANDING GOD

(John 14:6&7) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Throughout my studies in the book of Genesis I have been looking to understand God and how he relates to his creation. I have gained some insight and improved my understanding of God.  I have come to the realization that Jesus clearly made God known to us when he walked among us.  He displayed the Father’s love and compassion toward us and his desire to redeem us.  He didn’t come to judge us but to teach us how we should live.

I don’t believe it is possible to come to a complete understanding of God, but the one truth I have come to be sure of is that he draws close to the humble and resists the proud.  This is an attribute of God that Jesus clearly demonstrated.  He spent most of his time with the common people, and he chastised the proud rulers of his day. 

To know God distinctly requires a humble place before him.  This demonstrates our understanding that he is God, and we are not.  These words from the prophet Micah seem to provide a clear statement for our understanding of God, (Micah 6:8) “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 

Reading the Gospels to see what Jesus did while he was here among us provides insightful understanding of God.  The key to grasping these insights is, “to walk humble with your God.”

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THE LAST DAY

(Psalm 139:15&16) My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Isn’t it interesting to think of the fact that the Lord has numbered our days.  That’s an indication of an intimate relationship.  God knows, for each of us, the last day of our earthly life.  He knows when we will come home to him. God knows when our last day will come, but we don’t.   Not knowing when the last day will come helps us to put our concern about that day in the hands of the one who does. I don’t want to leave my mortal body until that last day comes, but I don’t want to stay one moment longer. I trust God to have perfectly planned out my days.

When I was young, I remember wanting to die at a ripe old age, in my own bed, and with my family and friends gathered around.  Considering my current age, I’m pretty sure the ripe old age part will come true.  However, we don’t have to worry about what it will be like on our last day.  God has got it already planned out.

There are aspects of the last day that are exciting. It is the last day of our earthly striving. As the Apostle Paul says, “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race.”   It is also the day we enter our eternal rest in heaven, and we get to meet face to face with our Lord and Savior.  Laying down our earthly body will bring some sadness, and probably some pain, but there is eternal life and a new body waiting for us on the other side.

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THE LOVE OF GOD OR THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD? PART 2

(Genesis 18:20&21) Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me.  If not, I will know.”  

In the time of Abraham, the Lord and two angels stopped by his dwelling to deliver the news that his wife Sarah would bear a son within the year.  The Lord and the two angels were on their way to Sodom and Gomorrah to see if the time of judgement had come for the two cities.  Abraham pleaded with the Lord that if ten righteous were found there he would not destroy the cities.

When the Lord and his angels got to the cities, they entered the home of Lot who was Abraham’s nephew.  The men from every part of the city found out that strangers were visiting Lot.  they gathered, surrounded Lot’s home, and said, “Where are the men who came to you tonight?  Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” (Genesis 19:5)

You can read the rest of this event in Genesis chapter 19, but needless to say, judgement came upon the two cities.  They were completely destroyed along with the surrounding area. There were apparently not ten righteous found in the two cities, but the Lord spared Lot and his family.

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is another example of God’s sovereign right to judge his creation. It is important to note that God takes no pleasure in destroying his creation, but he is a holy and a righteous judge.

(John 3:16) 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.

 All through the Old Testament God was working out his plan to redeem the world.  In the New Testament, he sent his Son that we might avoid his judgement and instead have eternal life.  The Bible makes it clear that judgement will come, but God has given us the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness.

The choice is clear, eternal life in loving relationship with our creator, or suffer his final judgement. The advent of Jesus’ coming to save us makes it clear that God would rather have a loving relationship with us then to pass judgement on us.

(John 3:17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

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THE LOVE OF GOD OR THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD?

I’ve been teaching from the book of Genesis for the last 6 months, and I’ve had some interesting insights into the way God interacts with his created beings.  His interactions seem to be based on a choice he has given us.  That choice is to live in his love and enjoy the delight of a relationship with him or go our own way and eventually encounter his judgement.  This is the ultimate decision for all of mankind, the love of God or the judgement of God.  Let’s look at how that played out in the beginning.

Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s warning about the tree of good and evil and ate from its fruit.  The result was that death and evil entered creation.  Because evil and death cannot exist in the presence of God, Adam and Eve wound up separated from God and suffered the consequence of his judgement.

Most of the rest of humankind also chose not to follow in obedience to God, but they went their own way.  Evil and death reined unchecked for a thousand years or more.

Genesis 6:5-8 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.  The lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.  So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created – and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground – for I regret that I have made them.”  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

God’s judgement came upon his creation, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  Noah sought relationship with God and saved himself and his family.  Noah made the right choice; apparently no one else did.  All of mankind perished except Noah and his family. 

These are the first two stories of God’s judgement on his created ones. I will continue this topic next week.  I would like to share a few more stories of God’s judgement.

Because making the right choice is ultimately important, we can choose the Love of God or the Judgement of God.  No other choice we make in this life bears the weight of this decision.

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PATIENCE

(Isaiah 40:31) But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.

The key word in this very familiar verse is “wait”.  When we cross a busy street, we wait.  What are we waiting for?  We are waiting for it to be safe to cross.  When we wait on the Lord, we are waiting for his timing.  We are not going to rush out into traffic, and we should not rush ahead of God’s timing.  There are signs that tell us when it’s time to cross the street, and God lets us know when it’s time to proceed with his plan for us.  Patience is required in our walk with God.

Waiting takes patience.  Here is an interesting thought, Jesus tells us to love one another.  Paul lists patience as the first word to define love.  “Love is patient,” (1Corinthians 13:4). Loving each other requires patience.  We can show our love to others by being patient with them. Patience is also part of loving God.   We show our love for God by waiting on him.

From the book of Genesis, we find Abraham and Sarah waiting twenty-five years for the son God had promised them.  Sarah was ninety years old when she delivered Isaac, and Abraham was one hundred. They waited on the Lord. Waiting for the Lord is always best in the long run.  Trying to make things happen on our schedule usually ends badly.

 Isaiah wrote the words of our scripture some twenty-five hundred years ago.  It is still wisdom to wait on the Lord.  Being patient is often a struggle, but in the end, it is worth the wait.

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JESUS’ INVITATION

(Matthew 11:28-30) Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

 This is one of my favorite scriptures, but like all the sayings of Jesus, I find that fully understanding and experiencing what he says can take a lifetime.  I’ve learned that his invitation, “come to me,” doesn’t mean drop by when you’re not busy.  It means come and stay forever.  When I take his yoke upon me, it is a permanent fitting.  I find that learning from Jesus is indeed a lifetime pursuit.  The very words that impact me today, may have a whole new meaning at a later time.  There is always something deeper for the Holy Spirit to reveal.

When Jesus says he is “gentle and humble in heart”, he is telling me that his teachings are not meant to place a heavy burden on me.  They are leading me to a place of rest for my soul.  He assures me by saying his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.

I say that this is one of my favorite scriptures, yet be assured, I have wrestled with it throughout my walk with Jesus. At one point, I remember saying to Jesus that his yoke was not easy, and his burden was not light.  I’m very grateful that he is always patient with me.  I now find his words consoling.  It’s not that I’m required to do something on my own; I’m supposed to relax and receive from him direction, encouragement, and help.  Jesus loves me, and he desires to lead me toward a full and peaceful life.

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THE ROCK

(Matthew 7:24-27) “Therefore who ever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall.”

On the central coast of California, there is a place where large outcroppings of rock face off against the mighty waves of the Pacific Ocean. I have a favorite place there where one of these outcroppings is accessible from the beach.  To reach this rock formation, I climb down to the beach from a small parking lot, jump across a small inlet stream, and then ascend to the top.  As I move around to face the waves, there is a perfect seat etched into the rock.  There I sit, surrounded by awesome power, completely protected by my rock fortress.   This provides space for a spiritual experience every time I visit there.

Only a rock can afford this kind of experience.  Sand is easily washed away providing no protection from the waves.  Jesus’ analogy comparing the rock and sand is quite succinct.  Listening to Jesus’ words and doing them provides us with a firm foundation upon which we can build our lives.  Choosing to not live according to Jesus’ words leaves us with no solid foundation.

Our scripture from Matthew chapter 7 comes from the end of Jesus’ “sermon on the mount”.  So, Jesus is saying that all the words he spoke, as recorded in Matthew chapters five through seven, are given to us that we might have a firm foundation on which to build our lives.  If we read the words and do them, we’re on solid ground – built on the Rock.