Acts 17:11 Now these Jews (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Paul came to Berea preaching a new word, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not like the Thessalonica Jews, these were eager to hear this word which at first appeared to contradict their understanding and dogma. But most importantly, they did not quickly embrace this new teaching without examination. Instead, they searched the Scriptures diligently to prove or disprove these teachings of Paul.
Most have never placed their current religious dogma under the scrutiny of the word of God and therefore have been led astray by the teachings of men rather than obediently following the teaching of God. Others run after every “new word” hoping they have finally found the answers to life without ever testing the “new” teachings by the Word of God. They find themselves following slick talking men rather than God. Both are led astray, whether they be closed minded to revealed truth or “open-minded” to anything new. Only those, as the Bereans, who are willing to listen and test what they hear by the Scriptures can truly walk in the light of God’s truth.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
How Long, O Lord?
Ps 13:1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all this day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love (chesed);
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation
6 I will sing to the Lord, because he
has dealt bountifully with me. ESV
David had found himself in a season of life that he felt forsaken by the Lord whom he so dearly loved. Day by day passed by and prayer after prayer had seemed to go unanswered. David began to wobble in his faith and in the midst of his pain cried out time and again. “How long, O Lord?” Life’s circumstances began to overwhelm and he could not help to think, “Where is my God?” Yet, in the midst of the pain and the questions David chose to look beyond his circumstances and to look unto God. He focused on God’s chesed, His steadfast love. Although he at times “felt” forsaken he was assured that the Lord would never forsake him. He found hope and joy in God’s eternal salvation, because when you have Christ you have everything. Whatever circumstances may bring trouble, these will one day pass away. The Lord’s salvation will never fail. As David remembered the countless blessings the Lord had bestowed on him his heart broke out in song and no longer did he question, “How long?” David was honest in his struggle, but found peace in the steadfast love of God. O what a difference our focus makes. Who has not found himself in the same place of struggles as David and asked the same question, “How long?” Life is tough and there will be times that God does not respond to our cries in our time table. Just as David we must look past the struggle and look to Jesus.
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all this day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love (chesed);
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation
6 I will sing to the Lord, because he
has dealt bountifully with me. ESV
David had found himself in a season of life that he felt forsaken by the Lord whom he so dearly loved. Day by day passed by and prayer after prayer had seemed to go unanswered. David began to wobble in his faith and in the midst of his pain cried out time and again. “How long, O Lord?” Life’s circumstances began to overwhelm and he could not help to think, “Where is my God?” Yet, in the midst of the pain and the questions David chose to look beyond his circumstances and to look unto God. He focused on God’s chesed, His steadfast love. Although he at times “felt” forsaken he was assured that the Lord would never forsake him. He found hope and joy in God’s eternal salvation, because when you have Christ you have everything. Whatever circumstances may bring trouble, these will one day pass away. The Lord’s salvation will never fail. As David remembered the countless blessings the Lord had bestowed on him his heart broke out in song and no longer did he question, “How long?” David was honest in his struggle, but found peace in the steadfast love of God. O what a difference our focus makes. Who has not found himself in the same place of struggles as David and asked the same question, “How long?” Life is tough and there will be times that God does not respond to our cries in our time table. Just as David we must look past the struggle and look to Jesus.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Secret Sins
Psalm 90:8 You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
How foolish are we to try to hide our sins from God. We are quite good at hiding sins from man. We become masters of deception. We have some sins that will inevitably come out, but there are always those few, those secret sins we guard almost as precious treasures. No one else knows about them. Even our most intimate acquaintances are not invited into this private part of our lives. These secret sins are brought out and petted during our times of aloneness. We justify ourselves by thinking “No one else knows, therefore this sin cannot be so bad.” But God knows. When we stand in the light of His presence out secret sins will be revealed. There will be no place to hide them. There, in the presence of God, they will be exposed. Oh that we might confess those sins to God. Then and only then will they be covered by the blood of Christ. Then they will be forgiven and washed away.
How foolish are we to try to hide our sins from God. We are quite good at hiding sins from man. We become masters of deception. We have some sins that will inevitably come out, but there are always those few, those secret sins we guard almost as precious treasures. No one else knows about them. Even our most intimate acquaintances are not invited into this private part of our lives. These secret sins are brought out and petted during our times of aloneness. We justify ourselves by thinking “No one else knows, therefore this sin cannot be so bad.” But God knows. When we stand in the light of His presence out secret sins will be revealed. There will be no place to hide them. There, in the presence of God, they will be exposed. Oh that we might confess those sins to God. Then and only then will they be covered by the blood of Christ. Then they will be forgiven and washed away.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Persistence in Prayer
Luke 18:7-8 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on earth?
Persistence in prayer. Is this a virtue or a sign of lack of faith? Some have taught that to ask God over and over for the same thing signifies a lack of faith as one feels he must continually remind God of his desire. Jesus teaches the opposite. He explains that the Father honors persistence. Persistence does not reveal faithlessness but the depth of the desire. When one prays for a want, soon he/she will cease when the prayer is not answered because another want will replace it. But when one prays for a real need, the prayer will not cease because the need remains. Instead of ceasing, the prayers will become more intense as the one seeking the Father has no where else to turn. This is when God blesses His children: when they humbly come to Him due to their helplessness. No, God doesn’t frown upon persistence in prayer. He blesses it.
Persistence in prayer. Is this a virtue or a sign of lack of faith? Some have taught that to ask God over and over for the same thing signifies a lack of faith as one feels he must continually remind God of his desire. Jesus teaches the opposite. He explains that the Father honors persistence. Persistence does not reveal faithlessness but the depth of the desire. When one prays for a want, soon he/she will cease when the prayer is not answered because another want will replace it. But when one prays for a real need, the prayer will not cease because the need remains. Instead of ceasing, the prayers will become more intense as the one seeking the Father has no where else to turn. This is when God blesses His children: when they humbly come to Him due to their helplessness. No, God doesn’t frown upon persistence in prayer. He blesses it.
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