words of wisdom

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FEARING GOD

(Proverbs 9:10) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

In the last 60-70 years, our society has worked to limit the reality of punishment.  What was at one time considered good parenting by correcting our children with a spanking, is today called child abuse.  Criminals often get away with minimal consequences for their crimes. The obvious outcome has been that there is a greatly diminished fear of those in authority.  Though we are sinners in need of a savior, It would seem that we are trying to avoid the reality of eventual punishment for our sins. 

(Psalm 33:18) But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.

Recognizing the unlimited power and authority of the God of creation is wisdom.  Fearing him leads us to a desire for the knowledge of him and his righteousness.  That desire causes us to avoid those things that anger him.  When we surrender ourselves to his will, we arrive at the humble place where a loving relationship with him can begin.  We can then confidently put our hope in his unfailing love.

Those of us who learn to fear God begin a father-child relationship with him that involves discipline.  His discipline is always for our good (see Hebrews chapter 12). God is molding us into the beings he created us to be.  His discipline is always purposed for bringing us closer to the righteousness he desires for us. 

God built fear into our psychic; fear can be a healthy way of protecting us. Fearing God is a healthy fear, for it leads to an eternal relationship with him.

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JESUS’ UNLIMITED POWER AND FULL AUTHORITY

(Colossians 1:17) The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

I used to read the above scripture to my high school students, and then I’d share, “You know scientists are still not sure what keeps an atom together.  What if Jesus holds all the atoms together?  As you know, atoms are the building blocks of all material things, including us. If Jesus holds all things together, what will happen if he lets go?”  The purpose of this questioning was to start a discussion on the unlimited power of God.

In these words from Colossians, The Apostle Paul tells us that the Son, Jesus, has all authority over creation. Everything that we know was created through him and for him.  The Bible gives us many stories of how Jesus intervened in creation.  He wasn’t just showing off his powers.  He was demonstrating his supernatural powers for the ultimate goal of redeeming us.

I just finished reading the story of Ananias and Sapphira at the beginning of Acts chapter five.  At a critical time in the birthing of the church, Jesus demonstrated his power by striking them dead for lying to the Holy Spirit.  As we read in verse eleven, the results were to cause great fear in the whole church. Jesus obviously deemed this necessary.  He has full authority to give life and to take life. His decisions are perfect; We can’t explain everything Jesus does, but we can trust him in all things.

  We talk about Jesus’ kindness, love and care for us but often forget his sovereignty. Creation is his, and he can do with it whatever he deems necessary. Who can know the mind of the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 2:16)?  He is patient, but we should never take him for granted.  He has unlimited power and full authority over creation.  A little healthy fear seems warranted. 

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JESUS GIVES US PEACE

(John 14:27) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

In the early days of walking with the Lord, I believed what Jesus was saying in this scripture, but I didn’t understand how to walk in his peace.  As time went on, and I had to deal with troubles and fear, I discovered that Jesus was always there with me.  I began to trust him with the challenges of life.  I began to experience his peace, and with his help, I was able to put aside fear.

Recently, I had to deal with cancer.  After two months of chemotherapy the cancer is basically gone, but I am now receiving radiation therapy to prevent the cancer from returning.  The cancer was in my head and neck, so the radiation is centered there.  To keep my head still during treatment the technicians make a mask out of a mesh material which is placed over my face and neck and fastened to the table. It is unsettling to have your head fastened tightly to a table.  Fortunately, the sessions only last about fifteen minutes.  

While facing the idea of this preparation, Jesus spoke to me that he would be right there laying beside me.  These words are with me each time they fasten me down for a session.  I am able to put aside the panic that fear might bring, and experience peace because he is with me.

The words, in John 14:7, that Jesus spoke to his disciples two thousand years ago are as alive today as they were then.  He is always with us, granting his supernatural and eternal peace.

(Philippians 4:7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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CONSIDER THE KINDNESS AND STERNNESS OF GOD

(Psalm 91:14-16) “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

(Romans 11:22) Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God…

The Apostle Paul challenges us with these words,“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God…” the verses from Psalm 91 show us that for those who love the Lord and acknowledge his name there is kindness.  The opposite is therefore true that for those who reject the Lord and deny his existence there is sternness.  

Why do Christians talk about a new life in Christ Jesus?  The answer is because we have entered God’s kindness.  God has rescued us, protected us, answered our prayers, been with us in times of trouble, and shown us his salvation.  The writer of Psalm 91 received God’s kindness because he had acknowledged the name of the Lord and had come to love the Lord his God.

The sternness of God is reserved for those who reject God.  His sternness has been demonstrated from the beginning.  The flood is a good example.  In response to rampant evil, God wiped out all but eight of mankind. As we contemplate this, it is good to remember that Creation belongs to God, and he will deal with it according to what is necessary to bring about his final plan for his creation.   

We have each been given the opportunity to receive God’s kindness. First, we come to believe that God exists, and, as we seek him, he builds a relationship with us.  Jesus made the way for all to enter this glorious relationship with our creator.  God’s desire is that we would all come to him.  He would much rather show us his kindness than his sternness.

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WHAT HAS GOD DONE ABOUT MANKIND’S REBELLION? 

(Romans 1:18-21) The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

The Apostle Paul gives a clear description of what has brought about the fallen state of God’s creation.  It is quite simple; mankind has turned their backs to their creator.  We were created to be with God.  God created us to share with him and to live in his righteousness. Without God we now live in a world full of evil. Not only did mankind turn their backs to God, but they created false god substitutes.  And in our current depravity, we have created vast theories to deny God’s existence.

What has God done about mankind’s rebellion?  Well, since the beginning he has called for us to return to him, and out of his great love for us, when the time was right, he sent his Son to show us how to live a righteous life.  As a clear demonstration of his love for us, Jesus, God the Son, having no sin, took upon himself all the sins that mankind has committed throughout the ages, and suffered death on the cross to pay the price for all those sins.  Jesus covered our unrighteous acts so that we could be free to return to a right relationship with our God. 

The rampant evil acts that daily occur here on planet earth are the result of mankind’s rebellion against our creator. Paul explains the results of this rebellion, “but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

To the very end, many of mankind will continue to defy God.  I have been studying the book of Revelation; it is amazing the terrible destruction that God’s judgement will bring upon the earth, yet, in the midst of this destruction, many will refuse to repent.

 God, with great sacrifice, has prepared a way that we can enter the love and wonders that he has always wanted for his created ones.  If we let his light shine in our hearts, the darkness will flee, and our thinking will become clear.  This has always been God’s desire.

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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.