Category: Published

James 2: 18b-22 PHILLIPS To the man who thinks that faith by itself is enough I feel inclined to say, “So you believe that there is one God? That’s fine. So do all the devils in hell and shudder in terror!” For, my dear short-sighted man, can’t you see far enough to realise that faith without the right actions is dead and useless? Think of Abraham, our ancestor. Wasn’t it his action which really justified him in God’s sight when his faith led him to offer his son Isaac on the altar? Can’t you see that his faith and his actions were, so to speak, partners—that his faith was implemented by his deed? 

Matthew 25:31-43 MSG “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

^34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

^37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

^41-43 “Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’

Observation

This “faith without works” passage has been a source of controversy when it is not set up next to Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 (and others).  Our relationship with Jesus is supposed to be based on love, gratitude, trust and absolute faith in Who He is and what He will be to and for us.  The problems arise when we begin to spiritualize this relationship.  In the Message, faith and works are seen as parts of one body.  If we cut off the body (works) from the head (faith), we end up with a corpse.  That’s a picture that I can’t get out of my head!

If Jesus is our model for how humans should walk this life in relationship with God, then we can take our lead from how He lived His.  He spoke the truth, shared the Gospel, taught the Scriptures AND healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the multitudes, and met the other needs that arose.  In Matthew 25, Jesus is making it clear that we gain the blessing of God and entry into the Kingdom by being engaged in the comfort and care of others. “Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.”  These are the works that demonstrate the authenticity of our faith.

Impact on Me

This week in Home Group we discussed “Church in the Wild”, our current sermon series.  Many in our group shared how they share the Gospel and it became evident that how we share depends upon our personalities, our training, our resources, the method that brought us to the knowledge of Christ, the circumstances of our lives, our location, and so much more.  I came away encouraged because so many embraced that God made them who they are specifically to be His instrument where they are, using their experiences, culture, humanity, in reaching people who would not otherwise be reached.

So, as I examine myself and how I respond to the love and grace given to me by this relationship with God, I am sure that I miss opportunities to respond in kind.  How can I do more?  This sermon series is leading to a call to activate faith, volunteer in whatever ministry fires the heart/soul and watch for and take advantage of those opportunities God sets up for us in our neighborhoods, workplaces and everywhere else we go.  If we just sit and take in all the teaching without putting it in action, we will be those goats (NOT the greatest of all time, but rather a disappointment to God!).  I think about my neighbors who are two men married to each other. They are so kind, generous and thoughtful but living a lifestyle that is considered sin. They were in Morocco during the earthquake and rented camels to take water to the devastated areas.  Will they be among the sheep or the goats?  Where will I be?  Only Jesus knows.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Savior, Redeemer, Ultimate Judge of all men, I worship and adore You.  Lead me in trusting You to speak when I am led into uncomfortable or difficult situations.  I know that You died so that none should have to perish.  I know that You ate and associated with sinners so that Your presence and Your works would draw them to salvation.  Give me that same heart to reach out to those You bring my way, especially those who seem out of reach, those whom society considers valueless, those who are considered too young or too old to hear, receive, and embrace You.  Stir up the fire in me that You set as my calling, my best way to return to You the love, grace and sacrifice that You gave to me.  Make it so, in Jesus’ name.

Zechariah 9:9-10 MSG“Shout and cheer, Daughter Zion!  Raise your voice, Daughter Jerusalem!  Your king is coming!  a good king who makes all things right, a humble king riding a donkey, a mere colt of a donkey.  I’ve had it with war—no more chariots in Ephraim, no more war horses in Jerusalem, no more swords and spears, bows and arrows.  He will offer peace to the nations, a peaceful rule worldwide, from the four winds to the seven seas.

Psalm 118:25-26a AMP  O Lord, save now, we beseech You; O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success!  ²⁶ Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;

John 12:12-15 MSGThe next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered:

Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!  Yes! The King of Israel!

Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it: “No fear, Daughter Zion:  See how your king comes, riding a donkey’s colt.

Observation

Why were they waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna (God save us now)”?  This event happened when the city was overflowing with those who had come to celebrate Passover.  We are reminded that Passover is a celebration of the God’s mighty power in bringing release from captivity in Egypt.  On this particular day, it would not be surprising for the people to be reflecting on the Maccabean revolt (which overcame the Seleucid rule to cleanse the Temple and restore Jewish religious practices) and the current suppression by the puppet king Herod and their Roman conquerors.  The Maccabees put palm branches, a symbol of victory, on one side of their coins.  Be aware that Herod and the Romans had only come to power in 37BC by conquering the last Maccabean ruler.

And so, here comes Jesus, the miracle working rabbi, “a good king who makes all things right, a humble king riding a donkey, a mere colt of a donkey” in the midst of this festival.   He seems to be fulfilling a prophecy of Messiah, the One Who will bring “a peaceful rule worldwide…send now prosperity and give us success…King of Israel”.  Their expectations of Messiah were for an immediate salvation from their physical oppressors, their immediate unpleasant circumstances, their physical poverty.  Perhaps that is why He wept over the city.  Their perspective and understanding were so small, so limited, so human.  He was Messiah Who would overcome the spiritual forces of evil and darkness forever – a victory that each person would have to choose to embrace by setting aside all the physical that was a barrier to allow the spiritual to do its work.

Impact on Me

I am sorry to admit that I have times when I am those palm-waving people.  I pray for relief from immediate circumstances, challenges, and battles from a purely human standpoint.  I find myself praying against symptoms rather than being willing to endure whatever it takes to get the cure. 

Hosanna means “save us now”.  I need to remember that the saving is already accomplished by Jesus on the Cross.   The palm branches are to remind us that Jesus’ triumphal entrance on Palm Sunday was fulfilling the prophecy with a much greater victory than the crowd supposed.  I need to remember to rely on that eternal victory regardless of my perception of how the battles of my life seem to be going day-by-day, not being driven by urgencies but rather by faith and the assurance that You are working always to bring about Your will and purpose.  I want to always remember that You are much more interested in my character than my comfort.  Character is built under pressure and Godly character is refined by faithful obedience which endures under whatever pressure the Enemy will exert and whether or not I understand the reason.

Prayer

Lord God, King Jesus, my Advocate with the Father, I celebrate Your victory on the Cross.  I will joyfully sing Hosanna during this Easter season as I remember that You endured the Cross for me to have the right and privilege to embrace salvation and share in Your suffering in order to fulfill Your will and purpose in my life for Your plan.  Forgive me for the times when I get distracted by symptoms rather than focusing on the cure, something only the Holy Spirit can effect.  I pray for wisdom, knowledge, understanding and Your perspective so I might be effective in Your service.  On that day when I stand before You, I want to hear You say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  Make it so, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Amos 5:13-15 (MSG)  Justice is a lost cause. Evil is epidemic.  Decent people throw up their hands.  Protest and rebuke are useless, a waste of breath.  14   Seek good and not evil—and live!  You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend.  Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen.  15  Hate evil and love good, then work it out in the public square.  Maybe God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, will notice your remnant and be gracious.

This caused me to revisit an entry in my journal from a few years ago on another prophecy regarding injustice (see below). Even when we feel like the decent people above – overwhelmed by the evil and injustice that surrounds us – we must always remember that we serve the Living God, the God Who answers, the God for Whom nothing is impossible, this God-of-Angel-Armies Who cannot be defeated.

Isaiah 30:12-14 (MSG)  Therefore, The Holy of Israel says this: “Because you scorn this Message, preferring to live by injustice and shape your lives on lies, this perverse way of life will be like a towering, badly built wall that slowly, slowly tilts and shifts, and then one day, without warning, collapses — smashed to bits like a piece of pottery, smashed beyond recognition or repair, useless, a pile of debris to be swept up and thrown in the trash.”

Observation

People make up every society. We forget that people are people, whether in 1000 BC or 2000 AD.  There are always people who live in a way that pleases God and others who seek only to please themselves and the culture in which they live.  Because we only have a perspective limited by our mere decades of life, we often wonder why God does not move more quickly.  Sometimes it seems that the wall is not tilting and shifting because the movement is imperceptible in our short lifespan. 

We also are limited in experiencing the collapses that have come over the millennia, such as the revivals that completely turned a society right side up, the revolutions that have overthrown unjust rulers, and the social reforms that have succeeded against entrenched power and traditions. There is no way to explain with words the history leading up to those powerful events; you had to be there. 

Impact on Me

I have experienced miracles that cannot be explained with words – miracles of provision, healing and restoration.  There is nothing that compares to being in the midst of the power of God working, impacting your situation, making possible what is impossible, demonstrating that His eyes and attention are on you, filling you with a joy and peace that is immeasurable. 

These kinds of experiences fill me with hope for the next impossible challenge.  They also cause me to recognize that it is not what talents, abilities, resources experience or seniority I bring to the table that matter. He has gifted me on purpose for His purposes BUT it is only the submission that comes with faith, my willingness to be used and full obedience to His instructions that make my giftings matter and effective in His service.  His success does not depend on me, but mine entirely depends on Him.

Prayer

Lord, Father God, Almighty, Redeemer, Faithful forever, I praise and thank You for all You have done for us all.  May I never lose hope that You are faithful forever and will fulfill Your Word when the time is right and most profitable to Your Kingdom purposes.  Romans 15:13 (JBP) “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant with hope.”  Let me know that the wall will fall when You are ready.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.

1 Samuel 17:45-50, 52-54 MSG. David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day GOD is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that GOD doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to GOD —he’s handing you to us on a platter!”  That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt.  That’s how David beat the Philistine—with a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. No sword for David! …

The men of Israel and Judah were up on their feet, shouting! They chased the Philistines all the way to the outskirts of Gath and the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road all the way to Gath and Ekron. After chasing the Philistines, the Israelites came back and looted their camp. David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem. But the giant’s weapons he placed in his own tent.

Observation

“…he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.”  I work in Children’s Ministry, so I know this story well.  It is taught frequently and to all age groups.  No wonder as this is the story of a teenager defeating a giant, saving his countrymen (adults), and becoming the (super)hero of the day (The only thing David is missing is the cape and the “S” on his chest.)!  I am always struck by the fact that when “he (Goliath) started toward David. David took off from the front line running toward the Philistine.”  David was so sure of God and His command of this battle that he rushed toward the fight – without armor, regardless of the odds, the size of the Enemy and the imbalance in weaponry.

David became a national hero in the moment Goliath was defeated.  His victory erased the fear of the Israelites who took up the chase of the terrified and fleeing Philistines. David’s trophies for this amazing accomplishment were the head of Goliath and his huge-in-scale weapons. David gave the head to the king but kept the weapons for himself. Did he choose to keep the weapons as a reminder that it was God Who fought the battle and took the giant down?  Were these weapons a defense against being deceived by men’s praise into thinking his prowess/skill alone would win future victories? Were the weapons there as a physical reminder to remember the Lord your God and to keep him humble and submitted to the Lord in all his future battles?

Impact on Me

The Bible is God’s story, written to reveal His nature, character, intentions, commitment to and heart for us; it is the story of how He wants this relationship between us to be, what He will do on His part and how we can engage and embrace Him on ours. This story of David and Goliath talks to me about how God will show Himself strong on my behalf when I face my giants with absolute faith in His victory, running at my giant in His strength, with His plan, using His weapons to fight the battle. However, it also speaks to me of remembering always, in all things, that it was not my prowess or skill or special gifting that won the victory; it was my submission and obedience to His plan and setting my confidence in His power and might that won the battle. 

My own version of Goliath’s weapons (those answers to prayer and victories in my life) are in my tent to remind me of the giants that my God has defeated. I do this so that my hope and faith do not fail when the next giant challenges.  I confess that there are times I try on Saul’s armor (come up with my own plans that I think God should bless OR try to use someone else’s solution rather than seeking God for His OR figure that something that worked before should work now) or find tempting accepting praise for a victory, but, when I am reminded of the defeated giant’s weapons, I relinquish the battle, plan and execution to Him. He has never failed me.

Prayer

Lord, Almighty God, I give You the praise and glory for all the victories.  May I never go to battle in my own strength, using my own plan. If necessary, have me trip over the defeated giant’s weapons to bring me to my senses!  Teach me to be like David, full of confidence in You, so I will run at the giants that face me knowing that they are really only defeated by Your Word, Your power, Your might, Your promises before my first step.  I want our relationship to be so deep, wide, full, enduring, transparent that my moment-by-moment life will reveal You to others, that my answer to You will always be an unconditional YES, and that Your will and purpose will be fulfilled in my life. Make it so in the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:6-9  (MSG)  Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.  8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Colossians 3:12-14 (Phillips)  As, therefore, God’s picked representatives of the new humanity, purified and beloved of God himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone. Forgive as freely as the Lord has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving, for love is the golden chain of all the virtues.

Observation

We may think we have these scriptures down, that we have experienced the truth in them enough times to embrace it all fully, that we have overcome in this area.  More fools we!!  I am amazed at how quickly I can tumble down from a place of loving patience, tolerance and forgiveness where I thought was securely anchored into a heap of mully-grubby discontent just because circumstances were not optimal or convenient or suited what I thought I “deserved.”  We often underestimated the power of the Enemy and the sway of our flesh, and how we can be so smoothly and expertly manipulated using our human nature so we find ourselves making decisions and choices based on selfish motives rather than on the Word and Love (“the golden chain of all the virtues”). 

I know that our enemy doesn’t care whether we sin overtly or covertly – whether I sin through an action which can be seen by others or through self-righteous judgment, criticism or condemnation of another’s choices or actions that I have seen.  Both are sin and indications that we have wandered from the footsteps of Christ placed before us, the pathway of commitment, sacrifice and obedience we as followers of Christ desire to follow.  They are indications of how we have wandered from “meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly.”  We are not to condone sin but we are to remember to confront it with love, grace and redemption. I am always shocked and ashamed to recognize how quickly I can let it become all about me rather than what the Lord would have me be about, about correcting others rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to work correction in me. 

Impact on Me

So, I am committed to relearn the lesson about self-sacrifice, obedience, contentment and not letting my light be darkness.  I am ashamed to say this is not the first time I have done this.  I fully understand Paul’s description in Romans of his internal war between his sin nature and his redeemed nature.  He knows what is best to do but ends up letting his human nature make the choice anyway – whether it’s for a pity party, or taking control out of God’s hands, or setting aside gratitude for the sacrifice made for us and forgetting whose we are and whom we serve, or any other foolish choice we allow our flesh to make because it seems good, selfishly profitable or okay at the time. 

So often the choice to sin is rationalized by our pride, questioning God’s wisdom on how or where He has assigned us – I don’t deserve this or I deserve more or why me or why not me or who do they think they are to treat me like this.  While Jesus did ask in the Garden if the sacrifice of the Cross could be bypassed, He was willingly, completely, gladly submitted to do as the Father requested because He could see past the sacrifice to the glorious redeeming result – the cost was worth the benefit. I want this same perspective – willingly obedient because my trust in my Father is absolute, content in faithfulness regardless of my circumstances or current assignment, trusting that He who “makes everything work together, will work (me) into his most excellent harmonies.”

Prayer

Lord God, Father of Mercy, Teacher, Healer and Faithful Life Companion, I praise and thank You for caring for me.  When I begin to wander, pull me back on track.  Soak my perspective in “things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly.”  May my all of my life “be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind… most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive.”  Lord, I want to be worked into Your most excellent harmonies.  Make it so, in Jesus’ name.