Waiting for the promise

I have a confession to make. I don’t like to wait, but waiting is such a part of life. As a child, waiting for Christmas seemed like it took forever to arrive. As time progressed, I couldn’t wait to become a teen, and then an adult, but still I had to wait. 

Whenever I checkout at the grocery store, I have a tendency to pick the slowest moving line, and so I wait. When I go to Starbucks, all I want is a plain old cup of black coffee, but I have to wait for the person who wants a sugar-free, skinny vanilla soy, double shot breve latte, no foam, extra hot, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with light whip, double cupped. And so I’m learning to wait.

Back in the Garden of Eden, God made a promise to Adam and Eve after they sinned against Him. He promised to send a Redeemer who would crush Satan, but the world had to wait thousands of years for the promise to come to fruition.

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15

Two thousand years later, there lived a man named Abraham. God asked him to leave his country and his kinfolk and go to a foreign land that God would show him. He obeyed and God made a promise to Abraham.

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-3

All the people on earth would be blessed through the coming Messiah who would descend from Abraham. But it all began with one child of promise. God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but they waited twenty five years for Isaac to be born. 

The nation of Israel began with Abraham and one of his best known descendants was King David. When the prophet Samuel anointed David to be the next king, David still had to wait. He waited over 15 years before he would take the throne of Judah and he waited another 7 years before he ruled over the united kingdom of Israel and Judah. And several years later God makes this promise to David.

The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 2 Samuel 7:11-13

That last phrase refers to the promised Messiah, but Israel waited another thousand years before He came. Three hundred years after King David, God raised up the prophet Isaiah. This promise came through the prophet.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

The virgin birth is important. We’re all born with a sin nature because we are descendants of Adam and Eve. In order for God to take on flesh and blood without the sin nature, he bypassed the earthly father. The child in Mary’s womb was miraculously conceived by Holy Spirit. Therefore, Jesus was able to live a sinless life and was qualified to be the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God.

After the prophecy of Isaiah, Israel still had to wait seven hundred more years for the coming of Messiah. And many didn’t even recognize Him when He came. They didn’t realize that He would first come to suffer and die and at His second coming He would establish His earthly kingdom. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  Many failed to recognize that the promised one is Jesus.

In his gospel record, Matthew traces the genealogy of Jesus all the way back to Abraham.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1

And so after the world waited over four thousand years, the promised Messiah came to earth to save His people from their sins. That's what Christmas is all about.

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 

Jesus lived a perfect sinless life, was crucified, died and was buried, and on the third day He rose again victorious over the grave, death and hell. He is alive forevermore. Those who receive Jesus as Lord are given the right to become children of God and citizens of His kingdom. Jesus promised to return and yet we wait. For over two thousand years we’ve been waiting for His promised return.  

God’s timetable is not the same as ours. One day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day to the Lord. So from His perspective, Jesus has only been gone for a couple of days! Peter encourages our hearts and reminds us why Jesus has not returned yet.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient and merciful toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 

And so as we celebrate His first advent this Christmas, we anxiously await His second coming. And everyone who has this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

Complete in Christ

You are complete in Jesus Christ. 

(Colossians 2:11-15)

The domination of your flesh is broken. (2:11)

Your former manner of life has ended. (2:12a)

You have been raised from spiritual death. (2:12b)

You have been given new life. (2:13a)

Your sins have been forgiven. (2:13b)

Your debt to God has been paid. (2:14)

Jesus defeated your spiritual enemy. (2:15)

 

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:19

Conduit of Love

God is the creator of heaven and earth. Everything He created is good. God is love. He demonstrated His love by sending His Son to earth to save the world. He so loved the world that He gave. True love is about giving.

Most people have a distorted view of love. What’s in it for me? What have you done for me lately? It’s more about getting than giving.

God commands His people to love one another, even our enemies. So, true love is more just a feeling, it’s a supernatural fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-5

The cultivation of vineyards was important to the life of Israel. Jesus used something very familiar to illustrate this union that we have with Him.

Jesus is the true vine. We are the branches. The Father is the vinedresser. He said, “Abide in me and I in you.” Abiding in Jesus means developing your relationship through time spent with Him. It also involves obedience. Apply what you read in your Bible. You obey not out of compulsion but simply out of love and gratitude for what Jesus has done for you.

To abide is to remain in fellowship with Jesus so that His life, love and joy can flow into you and through you like a conduit or channel. This occurs as you allow the Holy Spirit, to do His transforming work.

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:8

Fruit is the proof of a true disciple and fruit brings glory to God.

A branch is useless by itself. It can’t produce fruit on its own because it gets life from the vine. Being united with Jesus through the Spirit makes fruit bearing possible. Since you are just the branches, you need to abide in Jesus because without Him you can do nothing.

Jesus said, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:9–11

God does not merely love. He is love. That is His nature. The Father loves the Son with perfect, everlasting love. Jesus loves you the same way. His command is that you abide in His love.

Jesus proved His love for the Father because He was willing to humble Himself, submit to the Father and obey His commandments. Likewise, the proof that you abide in Jesus’ love is your willingness to humble yourself, submit to Jesus, obey His commandments.

The result of abiding in His love is that you will have the joy of the Lord in you and your joy tank will be all filled up.

Joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness is fleeting and superficial. Joy springs from within. Jesus doesn’t promise you will live happily ever after. He promises you His joy. No matter what happens in this life, you can still have the joy of the Lord.

Jesus says, abide in His love by keeping His commandments. What is His command?  Love one another the same way that He loves you.

God’s love is more about giving than getting. It’s about how can I best serve you rather than “what’s in it for me?” It’s a love that seeks the very best for others. It’s an unconditional, sacrificial, selfless love that puts other’s needs ahead of your own. It’s an active choice - not a feeling or emotion.

That kind of love is not natural. It’s not something you can just muster up on your own. It is a supernatural fruit of the Spirit.

Be selfless and humble, consider others more significant than yourself, look out not just for your own interests, but also the interests of others. That’s the mind of Christ. 

That’s exactly how Jesus displayed His love. Jesus put our needs ahead of His rights. He was willing to sacrifice His life for us. There is no greater love than to lay down your life for others.

The proof that Jesus loved the Father was His willingness to submit and obey His commands. Even though He had equal status with God, He willingly submitted to the Father in order to carry out the salvation plan.

Jesus put our needs ahead of His divine rights, He came to serve. He sacrificed His life. It’s easy to serve when it doesn’t cost you anything. But if there is a price to pay then people quickly lose interest. The test of a truly submissive mind is how much you are willing to sacrifice.

But here is the paradox… the more you give, the more you receive, the more you sacrifice, the more God blesses. That’s why obedience leads to joy; you bear much fruit, become more like Jesus and it glorifies God.

God wants you to be a conduit of His love. Allow God’s love to flow through you. Love others the same way Jesus loves you. Because God is love and all the other fruit of the Spirit grow out of love.

Be willing to put others first. This involves selflessness, serving and sacrifice. Jesus’ life and love flow to you because you are connected to Him. He is the vine and you are the branches. God’s love has been poured into your hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to you. Now He wants you to unleash that love and let it flow to others. Love them in the same way that He loves you. No matter whether it’s your brothers and sisters in Christ, your family, your friends, or your enemies. Be a conduit of God’s love.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Lord, give me patience!

 

"Lord give me patience, and I want it now!" Experience has taught me that patience is a great virtue, but it's probably not a good idea to pray for it. God develops our patience through our troubles. 

"...when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your patience is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4

Turning your life over to Jesus doesn't make you immune to difficulties, hardships and troubles. Bad things do happen to all of us! However you can have a positive reaction when troubles come your way, knowing that God can use the circumstances for maturity and spiritual growth.

Your problems are not your punishment, God allows these things because He is passionate about your spiritual development. God is not mad at you, He is mad about you! Somehow God weaves everything together, the good and the bad, to develop beauty, growth and character in your life. 

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28

God is teaching you to trust Him in the midst of life's troubles, because He sees the big picture and ultimately knows what is best! 

"We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next." Romans 5:3-5

Resurrection Sunday

One of the things I love about this time of year is how various colors emerge as nature resurrects from its winter death sentence. This is also the time of year when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With remarkable accuracy, Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies concerning his life, death, burial and resurrection.

Here's the account from the Gospel of John...

Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. John 20 11-20


Not only did Jesus appear to his immediate disciples after His resurrection but He also appeared to over 500 of his followers at once! At the time the apostle Paul wrote about this fact many of the witnesses were still alive who would corroborate his story. Paul himself persecuted Christians until Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, years after His ascension to heaven. Here is how Paul describes the good news about Jesus death, burial and resurrection...

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. 1 Corinthians 15:3-9

I believe these things by faith, but still there are many skeptics today. However many agnostics and atheists like Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ) and Josh McDowell (Evidence Demands a Verdict) took the initiative to actually study the claims of Christ. The overwhelming evidence lead them to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Even Josephus, the secular 1st century historian attests to evidence of Jesus' resurrection...

" ...About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats and as a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing amongst us, had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had prophesied these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared." Josephus' Testimonium Flavianum, from Antiquities of the Jews 18:63-64

The Gospel of John closes with the reason for his writing. His purpose in writing his gospel is that you will be presented with the factual truth about Jesus and hopefully come to believe his claims. We who believe in Him have hope beyond the grave... because He rose from the dead, so shall we!

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31

What's "good" about Good Friday?

 

God loves us because we are His creation. I am amazed at the lengths that He went through to provide salvation. You might ask, "Why do I need to be saved? What am I being saved from?"

It all goes back to the Garden of Eden. The story is found in the Book of Genesis. God created Adam and Eve and gave them simple instructions which ultimately they disobeyed. God had warned them that their disobedience would result in death. They chose to listen to the lies of Satan rather than the clear, single command of God. The result was their banishment from the Garden, eventual physical death, and separation from God. However, God promised that He would provide a way of reconciliation for them.

Since all of us descend from Adam and Eve, the same curse is upon us. We are born, we live for a certain number of years, and then we die. And without God's intervention we would be eternally separated from him in a place of torment, suffering, outer darkness, fire and brimstone.

Only God is perfectly good. We are all born as sinners. Some people will readily admit to being sinners but others believe we are basically good. The problem is that we have the wrong standard. We think we're good because we're not as bad as others who may be drunks, murderers, rapists or thieves. But God is the one who sets the standard and His standard is nothing short of perfect righteousness. 

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." Romans 3:23-25

I don't understand why God loves us so much, but I'm just glad that He does. Because of His great love for us, He provided a way to be reconciled to Him and escape eternal punishment. If you will accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and allow Him to have control of your life, you will become righteous in the eyes of God and receive His free gift of eternal life. No strings attached.

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:6-8

I'm reading through the gospels as we approach Resurrection Day. It's good to be reminded of the price that Jesus paid to redeem us from the penalty of our sin. Today the cross is glamorized as jewelry or clothing adornments but crucifixion was the most brutal form of execution ever devised by man. But God decided that this would be the method by which Jesus would willingly give up His life.
  
"Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face." "...So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull. There they nailed him to the cross." John 19:1-3, 17

So, what is "good" about Good Friday? Jesus was beaten, bruised and bloodied beyond recognition and He suffered the ignominious death on the cross, but it was "good" for us because He became the sinless substitute on our behalf. God poured out His just and holy wrath on His own Son, whom He had made to become the very embodiment of sin. Jesus paid the penalty of sin for us. All you need to do is believe it and receive Jesus Christ by faith as your Lord and Savior. Turn from the way you now live, and give Jesus control of your life. Good Friday can be "good" for you when you choose to become a follower of Jesus Christ.  

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:21

A Word from the real St. Patrick

I am Patrick, yes a sinner and indeed untaught; yet I am established here in Ireland where I profess myself bishop. I am certain in my heart that "all that I am," I have received from God. So I live among barbarous tribes, a stranger and exile for the love of God. He himself testifies that this is so. I never would have wanted these harsh words to spill from my mouth; I am not in the habit of speaking so sharply. Yet now I am driven by the zeal of God, Christ's truth has aroused me. I speak out too for love of my neighbors who are my only sons; for them I gave up my home country, my parents and even pushing my own life to the brink of death. If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God so as to teach these peoples; even though some of them still look down on me. 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 2:30

Could I have come to Ireland without thought of God, merely in my own interest? Who was it made me come? For here "I am a prisoner of the Spirit" so that I may not see any of my family. Can it be out of the kindness of my heart that I carry out such a labor of mercy on a people who once captured me when they wrecked my father's house and carried off his servants? For by descent I was a freeman, born of a decurion father; yet I have sold this nobility of mine. I am not ashamed, nor do I regret that it might have meant some advantage to others. In short, I am a slave in Christ to this faraway people for the indescribable glory of "everlasting life which is in Jesus Christ our Lord." Acts 20:22; Romans 6:23

Excerpt from "A Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus"

Groundhog Day

 

In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray plays meteorologist Phil Connors. He travels to Punxsutawney, PA with his producer and cameraman to cover the annual festivities where Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog is the star.

A blizzard develops and forces them to stay in Punxsutawney. Connors awakens the next morning to find it is February 2 again, and his day unfolds in exactly the same way. However, he is the only one aware of the repetition. Everyone else seems to be living February 2 exactly the same way and for the first time. This pattern continues for many days, maybe even weeks.

I love the fact that many great Bible teachers seem to find analogies in every day things. Rarely does this happen to me. But this movie seems analogous to trials in the Christian life. It may not be the best analogy but it works for me.

When Phil Connors realized that the same things were happening everyday, he began to memorize events, so he could manipulate people and take advantage of his situation. Later when he begins to get tired of being stuck in Groundhog Day, he tries to fight against it but the repetition continues nonetheless. Finally when he examines his life and priorities and makes the necessary changes, Groundhog Day stops and he wakes up on February 3rd a better man. Lesson learned.

The analogy may be loose but it just reminded me of the trials we go through as Christians. Whether it’s a “blizzard” in your life or just a minor testing of your faith, trials are inevitable. God is doing a work in the life of the believer and He allows things to happen along the way to develop our character. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

God allows trials in our lives because there is obviously something He wants us to learn from that particular situation. When we don’t pass the test it seems that God continues to bring that particular trial back into our life until we do pass the test...kinda like in the Groundhog Day movie.

Like Phil Connors, sometimes we try to manipulate or take advantage of the situation we’re going through, other times we try to fight against it. But when we finally stop and examine our lives and priorities, then we pass the test and move forward. We learn and grow spiritually from the situation.

Many of us complain when we are tested. We pray for patience, and God allows us to be tested so we can develop our patience, and then we complain more. Our character is both developed and revealed by the testing of our faith. “When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your patience has a chance to grow.” James 1:2-3

It's not a matter of "if" the storm is going to come, it's just a question of "when". People have this idea that when you turn your life over to Jesus you won't have any more difficulties. Christians are not immune to difficulties and hardships but we are responsible for our reactions to the trials we encounter. The Apostle Paul probably suffered more hardship than any other Christian and yet he learned to welcome the trials. He said “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” Romans 5:3-4

The Mind of Christ

A poem I wrote based on Philippians 2 
 
In Christ do you have any encouragement?
Any comfort from his love?
Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
Any fellowship from the Spirit above?

Then make me truly happy
loving one another, be kind
agree with each other wholeheartedly,
work together, one purpose, one mind.

Life is too short to be selfish
there’s no need to try to impress.
With humility put others first.
Don’t look out for your own interests.

Have the same attitude as Christ Jesus
who took the humble position of a slave
and was born in human flesh
to offer the way to be saved.

When he appeared in human form,
in humility He obeyed God’s plan
died a criminal’s death on the cross
provided redemption for every man.

God granted Him the highest honor
His name is above all other names
every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
Jesus Christ is Lord, heaven and earth proclaims.