Tag Archives: God

Fearful, Foolish and Flawed

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“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets” (Hebrews 11:32)

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is often referred to as the “Hall of Fame of Faith”. It is the account of some of the Old Testament saints who demonstrated great faith, “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). They are the “cloud of witnesses” meant to inspire us as we live out our own faith. In this chapter, with varying degrees of detail, you will find the stories of people who were commended for their faith. In verse 32 you will find several people who are mentioned only by name ─ Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel. Naturally, we know more about some of them than we do others. I suspect most of us would be more familiar with Samuel and David as their stories are told more broadly in Scripture. Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah are perhaps a little less familiar. Their stories can be found in the book of Judges. If you were to study the text in which these people’s stories are told you would find that each of these men had their own shortcomings. In a general sense, you would find that they largely fall into one of three categories: Some of them were fearful (Gideon, Barak). Some were foolish (Samson, Jephthah). And some were flawed (David, Samuel). The most likely case is that, at least at some point in their lives, they were each all three.

In God’s Word we find clear examples of people whose stories warn us about the dangers and consequences of sin. Yet at the same time we find teaching that encourages us as to how God uses imperfect people to bring about His will. All these men were sinners. They all had their own “issues”. But in a moment, they exhibited faith that God used to achieve His purpose. Their stories aren’t an endorsement of a sinful lifestyle. Nowhere does Scripture endorse that. Their stories instead teach us that there is no amount of evil that can thwart God’s will, that in the end, all power belongs to Him. The encouragement for us is that as we trust Him, no matter how far short we may fall, no matter what our “issues” may be, as we step forward in faith, there is a sovereign God to guide us. Be encouraged by that. God is the faithful one.

We can all be fearful, foolish and flawed at times, even at the same time, but God can still use you. Let His love, His grace and His mercy be motivation for your faithfulness. We will always be a work in progress. Fortunately for us, our God is, has always been, and will always be, both powerful and perfect. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).  

Resolved

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“Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank…” (Daniel 1:8)

The word “resolve” is a strong word. It means to be firmly determined to do or not to do something. It’s a word that suggests an attitude that says, “This is where I stand” or “I have decided”. More than any other verse, Daniel 1:8 symbolizes Daniel’s attitude and actions throughout his life.

            Daniel prophesied to the people of Israel who were exiled in Babylon. The book spans the entire seventy-year period of the Babylonian captivity (605-535 B.C.). Taken into captivity when he was fifteen, Daniel remained in Babylon for the rest of his life. The book of Daniel has several themes. The primary theme is God’s sovereignty, not only over the present circumstances for Israel in that day, but also for future events in history, some of which have come to pass, others which are still yet to come.

            Daniel was a model of character and faithfulness. God honored his faithfulness, giving him wisdom and insight which enabled him to become a trusted advisor to both the Babylonian and Persian Empires. So, what made Daniel different? What helped him to not only avoid the influence of a godless culture around him, but even thrive in it? And how can we thrive in a world progressively influenced by a culture opposed to the things of God?  

            Daniel proved to be a powerful influence in his day, but he knew the source of all power was God. Daniel had been transformed, both in his heart and in his mind. In everything, he sought to be obedient to God’s will. We would do well to follow his lead. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Daniel was practicing the principles of this verse even before the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to write it.

            If we are going to live lives that are pleasing to God, we must cultivate our relationship with Him. We must seek Him in His Word and through prayer. If we want to make a difference, we must be different. We must think differently and we must live differently. Daniel was prepared to be used by God. His faithfulness in the midst of great challenge was a result of God’s work in Him. Daniel knew God. Do you know Him? Has He transformed your heart and mind? Are you seeking Him each day? Are you “resolved” to do His will?

More Than A Baby

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“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11)

The prophets predicted it: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14); “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus fulfilled it: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11); “She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

On Christmas we celebrate the deity of Jesus. We celebrate that “He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3). We celebrate that what God promised, He fulfilled in Jesus Christ—the incarnate Word, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:1, 14). Jesus never ceased to be God, but rather, He took on humanity. He is fully God and fully man.

As Christians, we not only celebrate that Jesus came, but also that He lived a perfect life, died for our sin, was raised for our justification and is coming again. On Christmas and every day, we celebrate Immanuel, “God with us”.

Cornerstone

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“therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: Whoever believes will not be in haste’” (Isaiah 28:16)

The New Year always seems to be an appropriate time to reassess the past and perhaps reorder our priorities. It just seems the right time to consider necessary changes as we move forward into the future. The first Sunday of the New Year, our pastor taught from the beginning verses of Isaiah 41. I’m not sure whether the passage was chosen specifically for the first Sunday, but it was certainly an appropriate one. In his sermon, he encouraged us to know and experience both the greatness of God and His presence in our lives. One of the primary passages in the text was Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”. In this same service we sang several songs whose themes aligned with what was taught. One of the songs was Cornerstone, a remake of an old hymn written in 1834, known today as “The Solid Rock”. The song has an updated chorus that was written and recorded by several members of the worship group Hillsong, and was born out of a mass shooting that took place in Norway in 2011. In an interview about what inspired the song, one of the co-writers indicated that circumstances such as this shooting are reminders that when everything appears to be shaken and nothing seems to make sense, we really need to put our faith in Jesus, the Cornerstone.

In ancient building practices, a cornerstone was the large stone that served as the foundation for the entire structure. It was a special piece that needed to be perfectly set. In a figurative sense, a cornerstone is the thing we build our life around. It is what we value the most. It is what we prioritize. It is what we say “no” to other things for because we have said “yes” to it, and of course, it is what we stand on in times of uncertainty. When speaking about the Lord, we find the image of a stone or rock used in both the Old and New Testaments. The point of Isaiah 28:16 is that God has established a sure foundation for His people, a sure foundation that the Old Testament points to and the New Testament reveals. This sure foundation is Jesus Christ. Peter referred to Christ as a “living stone” as He is both the source and giver of eternal life. Those who trusted in Him he called “living stones” (1 Peter 2:4-5). For those who rejected His Word, Jesus became a stone of stumbling (1 Peter 2:8). He is a stone of stumbling for those who reject Him today.

As years pass, the pace at which they go seems only to increase. That begs the question, not because it’s the New Year, but because the answer has eternal consequences. Is Christ your cornerstone? Have you put your trust in Him? Is He your priority? Is He the “rock” upon which you stand? Maybe this is the year to make some changes and put Jesus in His rightful place. In this New Year, why not try standing on the solid rock of Christ, because the truth is, all other ground really is just sinking sand.

The Will of the Lord

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“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17)

No one sought to do the will of God the Father more than Jesus, God the Son. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my will but the will of Him who sent me” (John 6:38). Even as He met the moment of the cross, the purpose for which He came and agonized over separation from His heavenly Father, Jesus submitted to the Father’s will. “Not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Romans 12:2 says we are not to be conformed to this world, but instead transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we may “discern the will of God”. Though the Bible tells of people who patterned obedience to God’s will, only one did it perfectly, Jesus Christ. He was obedient all the way to the cross.

God’s “hidden will” are those things He has chosen not to reveal. His “revealed will” are those things He has chosen to reveal in order to provide us a roadmap for our lives. If as Scripture says we were predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son, why should we think our wills are not to be conformed to God’s. We shouldn’t. Paul teaches that we are to walk as children of the light…and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:9-10). Jesus’ perfect obedience to the will of the Father doesn’t make our submission to God’s will unimportant. It’s the only proper response to His grace. And because God’s will is found in His Word, we are to search for it there. And as best we can, enabled by the Holy Spirit, we should seek to understand it because to do otherwise would be foolish.

A Mighty Fortress

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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1)

Most know Martin Luther as the leader of the Protestant Reformation. If you were to associate Luther with only one book of the Bible, it would probably be Romans. His conversion resulted from its study. But Martin Luther also loved the psalms and Psalm 46 was one of his favorites, serving as inspiration for his writing the hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. Continue reading →