Category: Faith

The Sign of Jonah

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“Jesus replied, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.'” – Matthew 12:39

Sign of Jonah

The sign of Jonah?  Why Jonah?  If my name were to be forever connected with a prophet, numerous would come to mind before Jonah.  How about Moses?  Ten plagues in “rapid fire” succession until the Israelites were freed.  Parting the Red Sea and crossing over on dry ground.  How about Elijah?  Called down fire from Heaven on Mount Carmel in the “battle” with Baals’ prophets.  Rode a chariot of fire by a whirlwind up to Heaven.  Elisha?  Restored a dead boy back to life.  Restored Naaman from his leprosy.  Daniel? Bravely prayed to the True God despite the edict not to, and then survived the lion’s den.  Isaiah was a prophet of great vision(s) who even saw the Lord seated on His throne.   While many proclaimed God’s Truths with great boldness, Jeremiah did it with great compassion.  But Jonah?  Let’s quickly survey what is recorded about him and compare to Christ.

Reaction to Word

The word of the Lord came to Jonah and told him to go to Ninevah and preach.  Jonah disobeyed and fled toward Tarshish, taking the first boat out.

Jesus is the Living Word.  Although He was God in the flesh, He always did the will of His Father.  Despite His impending death, He set His face towards Jerusalem and the cross.

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” -Philippians 2:4-8

Relation to Storm

On the way to Tarshish, there was a great storm.  While the crew panicked, Jonah slept.  To appease God, Jonah was thrown overboard.

Crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and His disciples were caught in a storm.  While His disciple’s panicked, Jesus slept.  When the disciples woke Jesus, He stopped the storm with a word, proving His deity.

“And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’  And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace!  Be still!’  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’  And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'” – Mark 4:38b-41

Three Days

Once thrown overboard, God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah.  Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. From the depth of Sheol, Jonah prayed to God, and the fish vomited Jonah out.

While Jesus was “hidden” for three days in the grave, He went to Hades and ripped off the gates, setting the captives free.  When the three days were over, the stone was rolled away so the world could see Jesus was raised.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison..” – 1 Peter 3:18-19

“When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.  (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?  He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)” – Ephesians 4:8-10

After being spit out of the great fish, Jonah went to Ninevah and preached.  Ninevah repented and temporarily turned to God.

After Jesus rose from the dead, He empowered the church with the Holy spirit and forever changed the world and Heaven.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'”. – Revelation 7:9-10

God’s Response

Finally, God responded to each of them.  Jonah was rebuked for his selfishness.  Jesus was exalted for His selflessness.

“And what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might, that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” – Ephesians 1:19-23

The sign of Jonah?  For three days Jonah was in the belly of a fish, helplessly praying for liberation.  For three days Jesus was in the “belly” of the earth, liberating the helpless.  An evil generation asks for a sign.  A desperate people need a Savior.  Thank God Jesus is both.

“But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me.” – Psalm 49:15

“For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” – Psalm 86:13

“What man can live and never see death?  Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?” – Psalm 89:48

A New Commandment

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“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” – John 13:34

A New Mandate

Maundy Thursday.  When we celebrate Holy Week this day is often overshadowed by Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.  Yet on this day, when Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples and institutes the Lord’s Supper, He also gives us a mandate.  Maundy is from the Latin word mandatum from which we get our English word mandate.  To give a mandate implies authority and power.  To submit to one can seem condescending or restricting.  In the realm of religion, we tend to associate commandments with the Law and not grace.  So why now?  Why does Jesus give us a new mandate between the cup and the cross?

Out with the old, in with the new?  In Leviticus 19:18, the Israelites were given the command, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  The Jews wanted to limit this to loving their fellow countryman, but in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus “shamed” this interpretation.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus would often say “you have heard that it was said…., but I say to you.”  After quoting a commandment, Jesus would put it in a new light. Murder isn’t just an action, it is anger in the heart.  Likewise, an action isn’t necessary for adultery, all it takes is a lustful look.  Bottom line, God is concerned not just with our doing, but more importantly with our being.  What we do is dictated by who we are.  What we can become, is dictated by what Christ has done.  Jesus does nothing apart from the Father.

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord but only what He sees the Father doing.  For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.'” – John 5:19

A Humbling Lesson

On a prior Passover, Jesus taught a lesson on authority by cleansing the Temple courts.  For His “final” Passover, Jesus taught a lesson on servanthood by cleansing the Disciple’s feet.  The whip of cords gave way to a towel.  The old temple was about to become obsolete,  the eternal Temple was about to be destroyed so it could raise again.  The Jews asked Jesus for a sign, Jesus left the Church a new Commandment.  The commandment was preceded by an example.

Despite the reluctance of Peter, Jesus washed the feet of all of the Disciples, including Judas.  The humility Jesus demonstrated is visible to all men.  It is an example all can appreciate.  The New Commandment is another story.  Jesus did not give the disciples the Commandment until after Judas left.  John records that after taking the bread from Jesus, Judas “immediately went out.  And it was night.”  Judas belonged to darkness and not light.  The commandment to love one another as Jesus loves is only for True Disciples.  In a sense, it is our sign to the world. “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Another Helper

How can we love like Jesus loved?  We can’t, apart from the Father.  After leaving an example of love and humility, Jesus gave the New Commandment.  The commandment was followed by a promise of empowerment.  “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.  You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17).

Maundy Thursday.  Jesus washes feet.  Jesus shares a feast.  He gives a New Commandment.  He promises the power to fulfill it.  Before the Spirit is sent, however, Jesus must go back to the Father.  The cross must precede Pentecost.  “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.  But if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).

A Love Lesson

For the disciples, separation, and sorrow must precede the Spirit.  But their sorrow would turn to joy.  A joy, “no one can take from them” (John 16:22).  They were promised a joy like they had never experienced because they would be empowered to love like they never had before.  First, they had to witness the greatest act of love possible. The cross was on the horizon.  Love was carrying Jesus to it.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  – John 15:12-13

May we love one another as Jesus loved us.  May we abide in Him and submit to the power of the Spirit in us. May we learn from the lessons Jesus taught us on Maundy Thursday.  No time like the present to humble ourselves and pick up a towel.  As you come to the foot of the cross, look at the feet of your Savior.  He who humbled Himself and washed the feet of His disciples humbly died on the cross and had His feet pierced for you.  May we follow His mandate of Grace.

“Whoever says, ‘I know Him’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.  By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.” – 1 John 2:4-6.

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18

Fruit Flies and Eternity

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A Fruit Fly

Out of the mouth of Babes…And granddaughters.  A couple of nights ago my wife and I were sitting at the dinner table with our eldest granddaughter Adellae, a 40-year-old  helplessly trapped in a 4-year-old body.  Adellae mentioned something to my wife (grandma) about our three daughters.  My wife corrected her, stating that in actuality we have four daughters.  Adellae’s face screwed up as she looked at grandma in confusion.  Certainly, at her age, she knows the difference between 3 and 4, but before she could point out grandma’s flaw in arithmetic, my wife told Adellae about the aunt she never met.  Our fourth daughter, Brooke never made it home from the hospital.  She bypassed our home for her Eternal home.  As Adellae looked at Brooke’s picture on the wall over my wife’s shoulder, she began to comprehend (At least her face became unscrewed).  I could feel my heart aching as my wife explained to her that Brooke was born prematurely and only lived for five weeks.  My heart quickly buoyed as Adellae responded with a stroke of unexpected genius (a biased papa’s opinion),  “Five weeks is a long time for a fruit fly!”  Never thought about it from that angle. But the point is well taken.  Time and therefore life spans are relative.

Time

Historically man has looked to the skies to measure time.  Time is based on the movement of the sun, moon, earth and the “apparent” movement of the stars and constellations.  Unfortunately, we (making the assumption my readers belong to mankind and not fruit flies) then turn around and use time as a means of measuring the fairness of God.  When a young person dies God is not fair we say.  When we hear that someone has a life threatening disease the first question we usually ask is how old the person is and how much longer they have to live.  Strange that finite men should question the fairness of an infinite God who transcends time, considering He created us and every breath we take is because of His grace.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”  “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” – Psalm 139:13,16

Whether you have the lifespan of a fruit fly or the lifespan of a tortoise, your life is but a mist.  Don’t take my word for it.  Listen to what James the brother of Christ said.

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'” – James 4:13-15

Ever try to hold on tightly to a mist?  We do it every day don’t we?  Why?  Squeeze it all you want it is going to vanish all too soon.  James tells us that even making simple plans for tomorrow without recognizing our dependency upon God is presumptuous.  Want to put time in perspective?  God doesn’t promise us tomorrow, but He offers us eternal life!!

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” – 1 John 5:13

Seize the Day

Carpe Diem.  Seize the day.  Life is short.  We need to invest the short time we have wisely.  We need to secure our eternity.  Jesus entered into time so that we could.  Quite an exchange don’t you think?  I’m glad God is not “fair”.  I’ll take Mercy over fair any day.  If only we have the faith to accept it.  Perhaps we can learn from the children.

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'” – Matthew 19:14

God grant us the wisdom to be wise stewards of the short time we have.  May each moment be a teachable one.  Try to see things from an eternal perspective. Seek the face of God every day.  Who knows, you could be in His presence tomorrow!!

“O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!  Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before You.  Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!” – Psalm 39:4-5

“‘All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass.  The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’  And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” – 1Peter 1:24-25

Keep Yourselves From Idols

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“Little Children, keep yourselves from idols.” – 1 John 5:21

Idol Minds

The Apostle John concludes what we refer to as his first letter, with this concise statement.  This warning has confused many people who claim that it doesn’t fit what John has been talking about.  John has not once in this letter broached the topic of the dangers of worshiping the material images and false gods of the cults of his day.  While this may be true, I believe John recognized a much more dangerous and “sophisticated” type of idolatry than that of the worship of material images.  While it is true that idols come in many shapes and forms, it is equally true that many come with no shape or form.  An idol formed in our minds is no less of an idol than one shaped by our hands.  We are to keep ourselves from each.

Idol Hands

In Jeremiah chapter 10, verses 2b-5, the Lord says to the house of Israel, “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity.  A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of the craftsman.  They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.  Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk.  Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

Vain Customs

A rather comical picture, but a good description of an idol.  Man makes it.  Man decorates it.  Man props it up.  Mute.  Immobile.  Impotent.  But with creation comes control.  The customs of the peoples are vanity.

Isaiah Chapter 44 also exposes the foolishness of idolatry.  Isaiah tells of a carpenter who cuts down a cedar tree.  With part of the tree he starts a fire to warm himself and bake his bread over.  With the other half he makes an idol and worships it.  How does he determine which half is deity and which is fuel?  Valid question for today.

How many times have you heard someone say, “My god would never… or my god would do…”  I cringe when someone starts a sentence with “my god” because I know they are probably going to introduce me to their idol.  A god of their imagination instead of the God of the Bible.  Like the carpenter in Isaiah, they take the God of the Bible and whittle away the attributes they do not like.  Instead of worshiping their Creator, they worship their creation.  With the shavings they fuel the fire of their vanity.

How man still likes a god he can control instead of being accountable.  Not only is their idol as worthless as a scarecrow in a cucumber field, it is an abomination to God.

Divine Revelation

God created man for fellowship with Him.  From Genesis to Revelation we see God revealing Himself to mankind.  Hebrews Chapter one points out that God has spoken to humanity over a long period of time and in various ways.  Ultimately He revealed Himself in Christ.  Verse 3 says of Christ, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature..”  Colossians 1:15 says of Christ, “He is the image of the invisible God..” and verse 19 of the same chapter says, “In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”

I believe this is what John was trying to communicate with his warning.  Look at verse 20, which immediately precedes the text we are looking at.  “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.  He is the true God and eternal life.”

John’s warning is timely and timeless.  In verse 19 he tells us “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”  The world is desperate to hear the Truth.  Only the Truth will set them free from the power of the evil one. They need to be pointed to Jesus.  They don’t need a scarecrow in a cucumber patch, they need a Savior on a cross.   Some Carpenters are better with wood than others.  Cling to the cross, and keep yourselves from idols.

“Is there a God besides me?  There is no Rock; I know not any.” – Isaiah 44:8b

“But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.” – Jeremiah 10:10a

“No one who denies the Son has the Father.  Whoever confesses the Son has The Father also.” – 1 John 1:23

Open Eyes

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“Then Elisha prayed, and said, ‘O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see'”.  – 2 Kings 6:17

Seeing is Believing

Seeing is believing, or so we are told.  But can we always believe what we see?  How much of what we see is dictated by bias?  In other words, is what we see partially influenced by what we are looking for?  Have you ever wondered how two or more people can “see” the same thing yet describe it so differently?  Whom do we believe?  My vote is the one who is looking with open eyes.

Strong Enemy

In 2 Kings chapter 6, we find the prophet Elisha in the town of Dothan.  At this time the King of Aram was at war with Israel.  God would make the plans of the King of Aram known to Elisha, and he would then warn the King of Israel.  This made Elisha public enemy number one to the King of Aram.  When he heard that Elisha was in Dothan, he decided is was prime time to eliminate him.  Therefore, the King of Aram sent a strong force with horses and chariots, and they surrounded Dothan during the night.  The next morning Elisha’s servant got up and saw the enemy army with their horses and chariots surrounding the city and he panicked.  When the servant told Elisha what he saw, Elisha didn’t panic.  Why?  Elisha didn’t see what the servant saw.  He saw more.

Stronger Ally

The servant said to Elisha, “Oh no my lord, what shall we do?”  What did Elisha do?  He put things in perspective.  Listen to his response in verse 16.  “‘Don’t be afraid” the prophet answered.  ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'”  And then, as if to say, “Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself”, he prayed that God would open the servant’s eyes so he could see things as they really are.  He was able to see beyond the realm of the empirical and into the spiritual realm.  And what did he see?  See for yourself.

“So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”  Same man.  Same mountain.  Different army.  Where the servant had originally seen the enemy arming waiting in ambush, he now saw God’s army as a hedge of protection.  Amazing what one can see with his eyes open.  But in order to see we have to believe.

Open Eyes

Just as Elisha prayed for his servant, Paul prayed for the Ephesian church.  “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened..”  Eph. 1:16-18a

When Paul was converted he was commissioned to minister to the Gentiles.  Jesus told him, “I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:17b-18).

How is your eyesight?  When you look around you do you see the enemy waiting in ambush?  Are you overwhelmed?  Want to see God’s chariots of fire?  Want to see things as they really are?  God wants you to.  Why?  The more clearly we can see, the more clearly we can see Him.  That’s why you were created.  That’s why He sent His Son.  May you see with a Godly “bias”.  May you see with open eyes!!

“And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him.” – Luke 24:31a

Walking Beds

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Get Up

“Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”  These words of Jesus are recorded in John chapter 5 verse 8.  As Jesus was walking by the pool of Bethesda he encountered a man who had been an invalid for thirty eight years.  The text tells us that a multitude of invalids – blind, lame, and paralyzed were laying by the pool because of it’s “healing” powers.  Apparently, when the pool waters were stirred (presumably by an angel), the first invalid into the stirred waters would be healed of their infirmities.  After thirty eight years this invalid was probably losing hope.  When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed he gives a most interesting if not revealing response.

No Help

Instead of answering Jesus in the affirmative, the man simply says, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” (Verse 6).  At first glance it appears that Jesus is testing the faith and resolve of this invalid.  After all, why wouldn’t he want to be healed.  The fact that he was by the pool seems to indicate he had not lost faith in it’s healing power.  At the command of Jesus he picked up his bed and walked with it.  Sounds like he had faith in Jesus.  Who did he lose faith in?  Apparently his fellow man.  Our intentional Savior was about to test and teach them.

The text points out that the day Jesus healed this man was the Sabbath.  When the Jews saw this miraculously healed man carrying his bed they rebuked him and told him he was violating the law by carrying his bed on the Sabbath.  Seriously?  Seriously!  No cheers.  No hugs.  No prayers of Thanksgiving.  Rather he is scolded by his religious leaders and their followers.  In their self righteousness they only saw the bed.  In their humanity they should have seen the man.  Some things never change.

Where is our compassion for our fellow man?

Sabbath Lesson

I am not sure how long this invalid was lying by the pool, but I would venture to guess that these “bed seers” had walked by him numerous times never offering to assist him.  Hence his answer to Jesus, “I have no one.”  If they didn’t want to see him healed on the Sabbath, where were they the other six days of the week?  The fact that Jesus healed him on the Sabbath was no coincidence, nor His command to have the former invalid pick up his bed and carry it.  On another occasion, when Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath He said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28).  The Sabbath was made to bless and edify man.  How we have lost our priorities.

The same sins of selfishness and self righteousness that Jesus confronted are still prevalent today.  When the waters stir, we want to be the first in.  Every man for himself.  It’s a dog eat dog world.  Instead of helping our fellow man, we would rather point fingers.  Hard to lend a helping hand when we are busy patting ourselves on the back.  If only we could be as intentional with our lives as Jesus was.  If only we could see the “invalids” all around us.  They are longing for a reason to have faith in their fellow man.  The best way for us to restore that faith is to imitate Jesus and do the work of our Heavenly Father.  “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17b).

First we have to “see the man”.  There are no walking beds.

A Firm Heart and Bad News

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Bad News

Bad News; it is all around us.  So much so that often we feel like we are drowning in it.  In fact, I grew so tired of “treading water” that I quit watching news years ago.  When it comes on the radio I switch stations.  I am also very selective in regards to what I read.  Not that I like being ignorant, but I don’t see the need to be stressed by all of the worlds problems.  I have enough of my own thank you.  Experience has taught me that ignorance doesn’t make me immune, I’m not that naïve.  But why would I seek out bad news when I know it will eventually find me?  Instead of being inundated and overwhelmed by bad news, I find that it is better to saturate my mind with Truth and Good news (Philippians 4:8).  Since I can’t stop bad news from coming, I should at least be prepared to respond to it properly.

Troubling Headlines

What is the first bad news recorded?  Adam and Eve disobeying God.  The scoop?  Satan enticed Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.  Where?  The Garden of Eden.  How?  By claiming that once she did she would be like God, knowing good and evil. Why?  Before Adam and Eve ate the fruit they knew only God and good (man is never content).  The consequence?   Instead of fellowship with God in the Garden, their lives were now marked by banishment, toil & pain.  But this was not the end of the story.  God had warned Adam that if he ate the forbidden fruit, the result would be death.  How must they have felt when their firstborn son killed his brother Abel.  The dam was broken, and the world has been flooded with bad news ever since.

Firm Hearts

How do we brace ourselves when the waves come?  We fix our hearts on God.  Psalm 112:6-7 says, “For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.”  Peace with God goes a long ways when bad news comes.  This Peace only comes when we embrace the Good News of the Gospel.

Because of the disobedience of the first couple, Adam and Eve, the second couple, sin and death, entered this world.  The consequence is that every person since then has been born in sin and separated from God.  Since we are incapable of being righteous through our own efforts, Jesus had to come and fulfill the Law by living a perfect life and die on the cross on our behalf, bearing the punishment for our sins.  Our sins can only be forgiven because of His blood sacrifice on our behalf.  Our responsibility is to repent of our sins and place our Faith in the work of Christ.

Good News

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved from the wrath of God.” – Romans 5:8-9

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

These are just a few of the many passages containing the Good News of the Gospel.  Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.”  Our fear (respect & reverence) for God is foundational for a proper perspective.  As Christians we recognize that “our citizenship is in Heaven” (Philippians 3:20) and so is our Treasure (Matthew 6:19).  We also recognize that our lives are but a mist (James 4:14) but death ushers us into eternity (1 Peter 1:23).  When bad news comes, a proper perspective requires an eternal outlook and Faith in a Sovereign all powerful God.

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.” – Psalm 62:5-7.

Proper Perspective

Want a proper perspective on bad news?  Get right with God and place your trust in Him.  Job lost his property and his children but not his faith.  What was his response to bad news?  “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return.  The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” -Psalm 27:4

The bad news will keep coming in waves.  Are you standing on the Rock?

The Lamp of the Body

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“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” – Matthew 6:22-24.

“Your eye is the lamp of your body.  When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.  Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” – Luke 11:34-36

Double Vision

It is very common for the Gospel writers to “repeat” each other, recording the same sayings or perhaps miracles of Jesus.  It is therefore no surprise how similar the two quotes above from Matthew and Luke are to one another.  What I do find interesting however, is how different are the contexts in which they are found.  Matthew’s verses are sandwiched between verses warning about where we are to store our treasures, and our inability to serve two masters, God and money.  Appropriate enough for a former tax collector.  Contrary, Luke’s verses are preceded by a rebuke to the crowds who were seeking after signs, and followed by Jesus’ very strong words about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and lawyers.  What are Matthew and Luke teaching us in these passages, and what if any is the significance of the contexts in each passage?

The Eyes Have It

We know from experience, that our world is illuminated through our eyes.  The more healthy the condition of our eyes, the more light they allow in and the better we can respond to our surroundings as we clearly see them.  Contrarily, unhealthy eyes leave one groping in darkness.  The importance of these simple truths is the correlation they have to the spiritual realm.

If a physically blind man tried to deceive himself regarding his ability to see, he would place himself in great peril.  Yet it happens all the time with the spiritually blind.  Matthew warns, “If the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness.”  How easy it is for man to claim he is spiritually enlightened when he is really in darkness.  Let’s now look at the context of these verses.

Eyes and Materials

Matthew tells us not to store up treasures on earth because earthly treasures are temporal.  Rather he encourages us to store up treasures in heaven where they will last forever.  And then he gives this spiritual barometer in verse 21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  And then, as stated above, Matthew follows his teaching about the eye being the lamp of the body with his claims that no one can serve two masters.  Instead, he says we will hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other.  There is no middle ground.

Eyes and Miracles

In Luke’s Gospel, Luke records the fact that the growing crowds were seeking signs from Jesus.  Jesus called them an evil generation and said they would be condemned by the queen of the South (who had the wisdom to seek out Solomon’s wisdom) and the men of Nineveh (who were wise enough to repent).  Luke’s teaching about the eye being the lamp of the body, again, as mentioned above, is followed by numerous scathing remarks about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day.  What’s the connection?

All Eyes on Jesus

“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” – Luke 11:33

“I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:4-5

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” – John 1:9

“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.  By its light will the nations walk..”. – Revelation 23:2-4a

Jesus Christ came to earth as the true light, the light of the world.  He was not put “under a basket” but was hung on a cross for all to see.  As Jesus encouraged us, may we follow the lead of the Queen of the South and treasure the His teaching, and like the Ninevites, may we repent at His preaching.  Those who do are spiritually illuminated and “full of light”.  When we give our hearts to Jesus, the lamp of our body will be healthy. 

If your spiritual eye is healthy, you will store treasures in heaven and not earth and your only master will be God.

If your spiritual eye is healthy you will embrace Jesus instead of asking Him for a sign, and you certainly won’t be blind to Him like the Pharisees and Lawyers.

A Healthy Discontentment

Posted on by scott

To Be Content

In Philippians 4:11b Paul made the famous statement, “…for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

Like Paul, we strive to be content with whatever God gives us, whether we are “brought low” or “abound”. In verse 12 Paul states that he is talking about finding contentment in whatever circumstances he finds himself.  Paul’s ability to find contentment in the midst of all circumstances came from his relationship with Christ, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8).

Not to be Content

While Paul encourages us to be content in our circumstances, he would also be the first to keep us from becoming complacent in our relationships.  In other words, in order to grow and develop our relationships, we need to have a healthy discontentment for the status quo. This discontentment is the seed of growth.

God has created us as relational beings. As a matter of fact, Jesus Himself defined eternal life as a relationship, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). To Paul, and to every child of God, this relationship is and should be priority number one. God forbid that we ever become complacent in it.

My Utmost

I believe we can learn a lesson from Oswald Chambers. Despite the fact that he was a gifted teacher whom God was mightily using to advance His kingdom, Oswald Chambers wasn’t complacent. As a matter of fact he came to a crisis and wrote these words “If this is all there is to Christianity, if I have got all there is, then the thing’s a fraud.” Strong words, but Mr. Chambers was a man who passionately pursued God. During this crisis, he literally set aside everything else in his life and saturated himself with the Word of God.  Eventually, God used the Bible teacher F.B. Meyer and his teaching on Luke 11:13 to radically change Oswald Chambers. God lifted him to higher ground.  Today we know him for his great work My Utmost for His Highest.   I am thankful that Oswald Chambers had a healthy discontentment.

What God did for the Apostle Paul and Oswald Chambers and numerous saints throughout history, He also wants to do for us.  The same God that has lifted us from the miry bog (Psalm 40) wants to make us walk on high places (Hab. 3:19).  Let’s not become too content with the current view, or worse yet begin to descend back towards the miry bog.  Rather, let us pray to God and thank Him for where we are, but ask Him to help us continue climbing the mountain because we won’t be content until we are in His presence.

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before God.” – Psalm 42:1-2.