The Cost of Faithfulness4/23/2024 1 Chronicles 21:24 ~ "But King David said to Ornan, 'No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.'" How do you count the cost of faithfulness to the LORD? Incited by the enemy of God, David sent Joab to survey the nation of Israel and count the people (see 1 Chronicles 21:1-2). The intent of such a survey would more than probably be to underscore the strength of the nation, noting how many fighting men there were in both the northern and southern portions of the kingdom. This, however, angered the LORD for it looked to the strength of men rather than the power of God to secure the land. David, in repentance, cried out to the LORD and was given the opportunity to worship God at the threshing floor where the destroying angel was commanded to halt the judgment of the LORD. And I want to highlight this truth: we have opportunity to worship the LORD at His willingness not at ours. If God will not receive your service, if He rejects your worship, then, beloved, you are out of fellowship with Him and must repent of any known sins and seek the mercy of the LORD. Consider what the LORD said in Malachi 1:10, "Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand." So, you might ask--what is acceptable? David tells us in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." It is humility that God receives, a heart that is broken and contrite before Him. Arrogance and pride must be cast off as we come to offer our sacrifices to the LORD. So, in our text today, David had humbled himself before God (see 1 Chronicles 21:17). And now the king of Israel is commanded to come before the LORD and offer to God a sacrifice of worship, an burnt offering and a peace offering. But Ornan wanted to give to David all that which was required to make the acceptable sacrifice--and David refused on two grounds. First, David said, "I will not take for the LORD what is yours." David was no robber-king, and he would not take from another and present it as if it were his. As king of Israel, it may seem as if David would have the authority to take it--and it was freely offered. But to offer such a sacrifice before the LORD would, in truth, be an offering of Ornan's and not David's. Second, and this is to our main view today, David would offer no sacrifice before the LORD that cost him nothing. What a tremendous truth this is! There is a cost to our faithfulness to the LORD. David knew this, for he wanted to make sure he paid full price for all the required necessities of the offering. In truth, a sacrifice that comes without a cost is not really a sacrifice at all. If I wanted to give to you a gift, but then go and get that gift for free, given to me by another, and then pass it off to you, the value of such a gift is emptied--for it cost me nothing. Do you have this mindset? Are you of the frame of thinking that you will only give to God what is convenient without a cost? Let us all embrace the wonderful opportunity to give to God what He deserves: our very lives. Jesus told us to "count the cost" in Luke 14:28, "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" But, be of good cheer my friends, God will not impose on you a demand beyond your ability. 2 Corinthians 8:12 states, "For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have." It is often, however, not our abilities that hinder us but our unwillingness that gets in our way. So let me encourage you, beloved, to consider this text and remember what David the king said. There is a cost to faithfulness--let your willingness cause you to rise up and offer to God what He requires. In His Grace, Pastor Michael
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The Blessing of Affliction4/22/2024 Psalm 119:71 ~ "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." It is not an easy thing for people to embrace their afflictions as if they are a blessing. But, my dear friends, it is a good thing that we undergo the affliction of the LORD. In a culture rich with the pleasantries of life and the ability to receive almost immediate satisfaction with the various needs and wants that fill the human experience, it is a difficult thing to imagine that there are benefits to the sufferings we endure. But, in truth, there are ample blessings received along the rough road, benefits that would otherwise be missed if our way was filled only with comfort. So, as we look upon our text today, the Psalmist described his affliction as something "good." The term means beneficial, and can even be translated "beautiful" on some occasions. Imagine that--something beautiful born out of suffering. Ask any woman who has gone through the travail of labor and she will describe the end result of her pain as a tremendous blessing. Hear the words of Solomon from Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." What was the king of Israel concerned with in that chapter--that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity, both the good and the bad, and the Almighty God can make even the hard realities of life a thing of beauty when we look to Him. And consider the end result of the affliction. The Psalmist says, "...that I may learn your statutes." Did you know that there are lessons of truth that can be earned only through the crucible of affliction. Our Lord Jesus endured suffering. Read it in Hebrews 5:8, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered." Did you think that you could possibly learn obedience to the will of God in any other way than how our Lord, Himself, learned obedience? I do believe that we forget at times that we are sinners and we must learn the precious truths of God Almighty in order to walk in His holiness. Intellectual awareness of truth is good, but experiential knowledge is transforming. And we need to be transformed. Hebrews 12:10-11 states, "For they [earthly fathers] disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he [Almighty God] disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Hear what the Psalmist said in a verse preceding our text for today, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word" (Psalm 119:67). We easily divert from the "straight and narrow" without the disciplining hand of the Almighty God. And, dear Christian, we ought to love such discipline. In fact, if we do not undergo God's discipline, it tells us that we are considered "illegitimate children" (see Hebrews 12:8). Consider a man who has never undergone discipline. They go through life with the foolish expectation that it all should be measured out for his benefit. And then the harsh reality comes crashing down around him and he rails against all those who would not embrace his folly--especially the LORD. Proverbs 19:3 tells us, "When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD." Dear ones, children that never undergo needed discipline will find that the folly of their youth is never transformed into the wisdom of maturity. Beloved, take a moment and think back to the times of trial that you went through. Could it be that you learned more about Christ, about true faith and real love during those times than during times of ease? Comfort is no sign of God's providential blessing and suffering is no indication of His anger. Let us close out with a word from the Apostle Peter, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6-7). Perhaps, when we see the difficulty for what it is, we can say with the Psalmist that it was good for us, also, to be afflicted. In His Grace, Pastor Michael A Greater Joy Awaiting4/21/2024 John 14:28 ~ "You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." Dear Christian, do not tremble too much at death. For those who belong to Christ have a greater joy awaiting than any transient delights on earth. Consider our LORD as He quickly came upon the final days of His life. As He gazed forward toward the suffering that would bring us peace with God, and the horrific experience of what was going to be His greatest triumph for the salvation of those who believe, He rejoiced. Hebrews 12:2 says, "...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." In our text today, the LORD reminded His disciples that He was going away. Jesus had told them on many occasions that there was coming a cross for Him, a suffering at the hands of sinful men and, ultimately, His death. But the LORD continued to remind them that His resurrection would follow. We see this in texts such as Matthew 16:21, "From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." But now Jesus also tells them that there is going to be a departure of His physical presence from them for a period of time--that He was "going away." When the payment for sins was complete and His final instructions spoken, the LORD would depart from this world and return to His Father. And, for that, He looked forward with joy. He even told the disciples that it was to their advantage that He depart. Jesus said in John 16:7, "Nevertheless, 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." Consider this from our text today, Jesus said that if they loved Him, they would rejoice at His departure, for He was going to again be with the Father. Oh how difficult it is for us to grasp this! To love Jesus, and all those who belong to Jesus, is to rejoice at their departure to glory. Please don't mistake me, I do not set aside the grief of loss or the pain of the vacancy of a loved one who departed. But, can we not also rejoice because they departed--and because we love them are we not blessed to know that they entered into that greater joy that awaits all who belong to the LORD? As the Apostle Paul considered the matter between remaining here to serve the LORD or departing to be with the LORD he said this in Philippians 1:23, "I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." Dear ones, don't hold so tightly to the temporary joys of this transient life. There are blessed moments and great opportunities to serve the LORD and find joy in the journey, but there is a greater joy awaiting. There is a heavenly joy--an eternal glory. It is a blessed thing to have a long and fruitful life in serving the LORD while we are here. And even the Scripture teaches of the blessing of years in this life (see Psalm 91:6). But let us hold fast to the truth that the presence of our LORD is far greater, and to depart to be with Christ is a glorious reason to rejoice. And, my friends, I know this: the day when God has determined it is my time to depart and be with Christ, I will exceedingly rejoice. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Hated Messenger4/20/2024 1 Kings 22:8 ~ "And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.' And Jehoshaphat said, 'Let not the king say so.'" The most hated messenger is the one who will speak a difficult truth when the listener would prefer a comfortable lie. This type of lie started in the garden when the enemy of God closed ranks upon the pinnacle of God's creation and deceived them into believing that God's judgment for eating the forbidden fruit was merely a myth. We read it in Genesis 3:4-5, "But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'" We are sorely misinformed when we believe that the deceiver will always come with blatant and outright slanderous and vile temptations. No, beloved. The enemy of God slithers near with the promise of good tidings, fair weather and certain victories. He comes disguised as an "angel of light" and the servants of the enemy pose as servants of righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). You will always hear from the enemy exactly what you want to hear, unless you actually want to hear the truth. In our text today, we find a man who I've always admired--the prophet Micaiah. King Ahab of Israel brought Jehoshaphat the king of Judah to his city in order to partner with him in a war. He wanted to join forces with the kingdom of Judah and strengthen his hand against Ramoth-gilead. Jehoshaphat was very willing to join his forces to those of Ahab, but first he wanted to inquire of the LORD. Enter the false prophets. As one voice they all declared with unwavering certainty that there was no doubt about the victory that stood before them. In 1 Kings 22:6 we read, "Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, 'Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?' And they said, 'Go up, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.'" But the king of Judah would not be so easily persuaded. Unlike Ahab, Jehoshaphat wanted to hear the truth from God and not just the pandering niceties of the false prophets. Micaiah was urged to agree with the false prophets, but would not say anything beyond what the LORD God would say (see 1 Kings 22:13-14). And, thus, Ahab hated the prophet for, as he said, "he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." And, today, we are inundated with false prophets who always seem to proclaim certain political victories, financial blessings, supernatural encounters and a host of other, positive and affirming words. No matter the actual word of God, written for the believer's instruction, these proclaimers will pander to the moment and deliver a message that would make the enemy proud. Be careful, my friends, when you start to listen to the words of those who call themselves the voice of the Almighty God. When phrases like "I have a word from the LORD" are hanging in the air, make sure that what is said next comes from the actual word of God. It is a great risk to listen to the comfortable lie. The false prophets of Ahab testified to his victory, and the king was struck down in battle. And, one thing more. Micaiah's prophecy agreed with the already revealed word of God, written down by Moses and the prophets. The false prophets only agreed with Ahab and each other. When you listen to those who proclaim a message from the LORD, make sure it agrees with the Scriptures. You and I have no other source by which we can make an accurate assessment. Paul warned Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:3, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions." Beloved, God will comfort you with His word. It is not always a difficult truth that we hear. But He also chastises His people and corrects them. So let us do as Jehoshaphat, and listen to the true word of the LORD. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Vain Wisdom of Man4/19/2024 Job 38:1-3 ~ "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 'Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.'" Job suffered. There is no doubt that the patriarch went through a time of testing that was unexpected and severe. He was a righteous man, devout in his duty to the LORD, who feared God and turned from evil (see Job 1:8). His character was, in comparison to the world at large, impeccable and unsullied. God allowed the test, and opened the door for the enemy to take from Job his children, his industry and, ultimately, his health. At that point, the suffering man succumbed to his grief and lamented the condition he experienced. He could not reason why his suffering was so profound--for he saw in himself no sense of any real guilt. His friends accused him of hidden sins though they could not point to one. The final statement that described the patriarch is found in Job 32:1, "So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes." After Job's three friends ceased their constant attacks against him, a young man named Elihu stepped in to offer his observations. He chastised the three for not finding any fault though continually making accusations (see Job 32:3). And the young man burned against Job for having justified himself rather than God. Job 32:2 states, "Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God." In all of this, God heard every complaint of Job. And, at the end of the time of trial, the Almighty speaks to the patriarch words that will shatter the pride of every human on the earth. Basically, the LORD asks Job, "Who do you think you are?" Do you feel the weight of God's rebuke? My own soul is crushed under the weight of such a stern reprimand from God. And any who want to claim a superior wisdom or better knowledge than God Almighty had better take a seat and humble yourself before the LORD. It begins with a question: "who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" Dear ones, we hold no glimmer of wisdom in comparison to the full light of the counsel of God. Bring our intellect into some debate with the LORD and all we do is cast shadows and offer no light. We have "words without knowledge." Our understanding is so limited that when we draw near to God, we had better silence ourselves and listen. Ecclesiastes 5:1 tells us, "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil." Let me ask a simple question: how much of your counsel is drawn from the pages of God's Word compared to your own intuitions and insights? You and I, beloved, have no special insights or greater intuitive wisdom that is superior to the written word of the LORD. Let the Scriptures be the lamp and the light that guides your every step. Seek no other wisdom lest you darken God's counsel by words without knowledge. It ends in a challenge. "I will question you, and you make it known to me." Job had spent his lamentable experience questioning the LORD about his dire circumstances. He never charged God with wrongdoing. Yet Job did what many of us do--we ask the age-old question: why me? God is now going to reverse this interrogation and begin to question Job. Let me encourage you to read chapters 38 to 42 of the book of Job. For God's response is the word He gives to all who will question His activities. Consider Romans 9:20, "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?'" As God is sovereign, every circumstance and condition is under His control. We can petition our LORD, seek Him in prayer and ask for His gracious hand to deliver us from whatever sorrows we may face. But God has the final say. He alone is the Author of life and the One who bestows blessing or brings calamity. Isaiah 45:7 states it clearly, "I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things." Hear Job's final statement to the LORD, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6). As Job did in the final confrontation with the LORD, let us repent of all our ego and pride. Recognize that the wisdom we possess is mere vanity, and cling to the wisdom that comes from God. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Going on Ahead4/18/2024 2 John 1:9 ~ "Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." As John opens this brief letter to the "elect lady" there is a tremendous sense of delight and joy as he writes. Who is this "elect lady?" Some understand it to be a believing woman who has opened her home to the church. Others believe it is a cryptic reference to the church itself, the elect of God--the Bride of the Lord Jesus. Either understanding does not negate the letter's joyful expression toward what John saw as a blessing of faith and love being lived out. With great approval, John writes about how he is overjoyed to learn about the faithful lives of the children mentioned. 2 John 1:4 states, "I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father." And, like a parent to the church, the apostle finds great satisfaction that the next generation has embraced the gospel of Christ and are walking in the truth of Jesus as commanded by the Father (see Matthew 17:5). How much more joyful is it to know that even today, after hundreds of generations have come and gone, the truth of Christ is known and the church continues to walk in it. But John warns, also, of those who are deceivers--antichrists--who proclaim a message that is filled with lies and deny the Living Lord Jesus as come in the flesh (see 2 John 1:7). And in our text today, we read the apostle's admonition to those who are going on ahead. John was a living eyewitness to the resurrected Savior and could destroy the arguments of those who denied the Lord. Today, we have the teachings given by God through His apostles so that we have a true road to walk as well. The first part of his admonition is a warning. For those who go on ahead, that is, those who are going forward into life with the idea that they are somehow united with God, they had better be abiding in the teaching of Christ. Again, read what he said, "Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God." Is this even possible? How can one go ahead, believing that they are at peace with God, without abiding in the word of Christ? Simple--they trust their own intellect, intuitions and impressions rather than the Scriptures. I heard one man testify that he was a Christian, yet his very next statement was to deny the resurrection of the LORD. He is self-condemned because he does not abide in the teaching of Christ. Dear friends, do not go beyond what is written (see 1 Corinthians 4:6). The Scriptures point us to the Lord Jesus, they teach us how to be saved, how to know we are saved, how to walk in that salvation to glorify the Savior. Anything beyond the written testimony of the Word of God will never truly give you fellowship with the Lord. Which brings us to the second part of John's statement, and it is a blessed encouragement. Pause a moment to consider these words again, "Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." What does it mean to "abide in the teaching?" Simply put, you hold fast to the doctrines of Christ. I know that there are some who believe that "doctrine" is a lifeless intellectual approach to gain knowledge of the Word but empty of the Holy Spirit's power. But, beloved, it is the Holy Spirit who brings us into those doctrines, who guides us into all truth and reminds us of all that Jesus our Lord taught us (see John 16:12-15). And look at the tremendous promise! If we abide in the teaching of Christ, we have both the Father and the Son. We have confidence to go ahead into life within the full fellowship of God Almighty. Understand that this "abiding" is not merely mental awareness of the truth from Christ, but a loving obedience to that which He has commanded. Let us do as the Father commands in Mark 9:7, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." In His Grace, Pastor Michael A Friend Loves at All Times4/17/2024 Proverbs 17:17 ~ "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." We walk alone in this world when we journey through life without a friend. More than an acquaintance, more than a common fellowship, friendships hold the heart and carry the burden of the soul far greater than all other relationships. Families are set upon the relationship of blood--friendships upon that of mutual love. And though we hope that the blood relations hold fast in friendship as well, we know that the inner core of the human need is to have that one person who is woven within the fabric of our heart. An illuminating example of this depth of friendship is seen in David and Jonathan. 1 Samuel 18:1 says, "As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." The tenderness and confidence of this simple statement of our text today clarifies for us so readily the reality of true friendship. This friend, a close companion of another, is the very one who will love at all times. The affection of friendship is experienced and the duration of friendship is timeless. The phrase "at all times" is singular in its construction--it might very well read, "A friend will love in each moment." For, in truth, there are friendships that find a separation of distance and so the opportunity to love is not close at hand. But when that reunion happens or the need surmounts the chasm of miles, the same love is rekindled again into flame and burns brightly, as if no separation occurred. And now, beloved, consider the statement from our Lord Jesus. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." This is the highest peak, the greatest zenith of friendship--the willing sacrifice for the other. And then, consider what Jesus said next in John 15:14, "You are my friends if you do what I command you." Are you His friend? He has certainly been yours. He has laid His life down for your salvation and He invites you into the friendship of God. Psalm 25:14 states, "The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant." This is the friendship that everyone desires to have, but let me ask you this: is this the friend that you are? Because, my friends, if we go forward in life always looking for the other person to satisfy our hearts with their friendship, we also must be willing to set ourselves aside for the sake of another. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" Be the one who is willing to help the other up. And, finally, a brief warning for your soul. James tells us quite clearly that Christians must guard themselves against a friendship with the wrong crowd. We find this in James 4:4, "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." You are yoked together with Christ, do not be yoked again with the world. Paul warns the church in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" This is not to mean that you have no commonalities with the world, or that you completely abandon your relations in the world. For you have a task of sharing the gospel with those who are in the world. But, you must find that your deepest friendships, your closest companions on this journey are those who are following Christ with you. It is in those friendships that you will find that brother who is born for adversity. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Judgment of God4/16/2024 Nahum 2:13 ~ "Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard." In today's text, we step ahead one hundred years from the days of Jonah and we find ourselves back in Nineveh. Two generations has passed between the time when the former prophet proclaimed God's judgment. At that time the city repented and God spared them from His wrath. It only takes a moment to remember what the king of Nineveh proclaimed to the entire city during the days of Jonah, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish" (Jonah 3:7-9). However, things have changed. The city went forward without remembering the warning from the LORD. There is no indication that the repentant generation spoke to the next concerning the mercy of God and their deliverance from His wrath. And in two generations, the city had returned to their wickedness. If they had told the next generation of the proclamation of Jonah, it was certain that the subsequent generations did not listen to or believe the warnings. The city turned back to their evil as if they decided that God was unaware of their sin. They are as the psalmist described in Psalm 94:7, "And they say, 'The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.'" How often is it that, after the warning from the LORD, a people return to their sins? There is a tendency to think that because immediate judgment does not fall upon this sinful world that God does not actually care much about sin. But the truth is, God is patient with this fallen world, but the day of wrath will come. And Nineveh learned this the hard way. Could there be any graver statement than the LORD proclaiming, "I am against you?" That is the most dreadful, horrifying message a people could hear. We love the statement of Romans 8:31, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" But who can be for us if God is against us? If the LORD has determined judgment against a people, there is none who can rescue out of the hand of God. Hebrews 2:2-3 testifies, "For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?" Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, but there is no promised blessing for a nation that forsakes Him. Though our land may be as in the days of Nahum, yet let us hear the warning of our Lord Jesus Christ and do as He commands, repenting of our sins and turning to Him for salvation. He is a tender and merciful Savior who will not forsake any who come to Him in humble surrender. For even in the midst of a wicked and fallen land God speaks to His people words of hope, "Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off" (Nahum 1:15). Let us go to Him who is the Prince of Peace and the One who, by His sacrifice, gives good news to all who believe. And, while we have time, let us make sure the generations to come hear the warning of God to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Pity of God4/15/2024 Jonah 4:11 ~ "And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" Do you think that God has no pity upon those who dwell on the earth? The Almighty God holds back wrath and restricts His judgment in order to bring His mercy to light upon a people living in sinful darkness. If you are reading this and you have come to know the salvation mercy of Christ, then you are a living testimony of the pity of God. This idea of God's pity is akin to His compassionate heart to redeem those who will believe. It does not rest upon the worthiness of the individual, but it is squarely set upon the heart of God to make His salvation available to all who believe. As we consider our text for today, we must reconcile in our hearts who are the inhabitants of Nineveh. The city was known for its wanton wickedness. It was the enemy of Israel and feared or hated by most. It was a lawless place--a seedbed of hostility to the surrounding nations. And these, my friends, are the people that God will pity. How often do we come against those who are rancid in their lives--wicked, rebellious men or women that live licentiously, without any sense of honor before the LORD? We, much like Jonah, would prefer to not deliver any message to those who we deem too far gone from God for any hope of restoration. How could God, who is holy and righteous take pity on such a human infestation as Nineveh? But He does. Yet God's pity begins with His warning. God had a message He wanted delivered by Jonah, and it was not a message of hope or a greeting with a promise of a better tomorrow. He did not send Jonah into the city to speak of how much Divine love would change them--He sent Jonah to tell them that they were to be destroyed. In Jonah 1:1-2 we read, "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.'" God sent Jonah to call out AGAINST the city. The evil of Nineveh had become so vile that it reached, as it were, to heaven. God, as Judge, set the charge against them--they were guilty. Next God tells Jonah to speak to the city the words He commands. It will be words of judgment, a sentence to be carried out against them for their wickedness. Jonah proclaims those words in Jonah 3:4, "Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, 'Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!'" It was a three-day journey across the city and Jonah stopped each day to tell them they were doomed. Have you ever noticed that God's grace for you began with His sentence against you? No one ever seeks the grace of God or His pity or mercy without first coming to understand that there is a great judgment waiting for them--one that will not be missed unless God relents from His sending calamity. Do not reject the sense of guilt that is found when sins are rampant in your life. God will first convict before He offers mercy. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit that when He comes, His first encounter will be to convict the world of sin (see John 16:8). And the pity of God is experienced by the repentant of heart. Consider what it says in Jonah 3:5, "And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them." They believed God and that belief moved them to respond in repentance as seen in their fasting and wearing sackcloth. And that is where the pity of God is received, for God saw their response to His warning and did not send the disaster. Dear ones, our God is a merciful God, sending His Son to be the means by which He can fully and freely pardon your sins. For the King of kings took upon Himself your guilt and bore your punishment on the cross. He will have pity on any who truly repent and desire to be redeemed. Hear His warning, and be moved to call out to Him. Our Savior awaits all who seek Him. In His Grace, Pastor Michael There is a Redeemer4/14/2024 Ruth 3:12 ~ " And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I." It has been said that the story of Ruth and Boaz is one of the greatest love stories told. And what a grand reflection it is of the Great Redeemer, the LORD Jesus. When we consider where we come from, how foreign we are to the LORD in our sinful state, from the land that is at enmity with God, it is a wonder that He would consider us at all. Even David asked the question in Psalm 144:3, "O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?" In the saga of Boaz and Ruth, the necessity of redeeming the house of Elimelech fell upon the closest relative--the kinsman redeemer. This was set as a statute in the law of Moses as the way to perpetuate the name of the deceased. We find this in Deuteronomy 25:5-6, "If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel." Boaz, a close relative of the deceased, had in his heart the desire to redeem the house and marry the woman, Ruth. However, a difficulty arose when there was a closer relative, one who had the first right of redemption for the house of Elimelech. This other kinsman refused to redeem saying, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it" (Ruth 4:6). It may be hard to understand, but there is a closer kinship that you and I possess, but one that cannot redeem. That closer kinship is the world. Our sinful state makes us more akin to this world than we were to the LORD. Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in John 8:23 and said this, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." He is not of this world at all. He has no sin, is perfect in all His ways, there is no impurity with the LORD. Even as Ruth, being a Moabite, had no direct kinship to Boaz, so we, being sinners born, had no direct kinship to Christ. But as the risk was too great for the nearer relation in order to redeem Ruth, so the cost is too high for the world to offer any possibility of redemption. Jesus asked in Matthew 16:26, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" The whole world in exchange for your soul is still too small a price, it does not cover the cost of what it takes to redeem even one sinner. But, dear friends, there IS a Redeemer! Jesus Christ, God's own Son, the blessed Lamb of God and the One who took upon Himself the requirement of redemption. He is our Kinsman Redeemer. He is the Boaz to our being Ruth. He is the strength and love of God for His bride, the church. And He has took upon Himself the cost of our salvation. When we were enemies of God Almighty, He became for us our Kinsman so that He could have the right to redeem us. Will you come? Will you come and lay at the feet of the One who will receive you and redeem you from all your sin? Will you come and see that the Lord Jesus Christ went to the uttermost limit of love by laying down His own life that He should bear away your transgressions and make you holy? Let us, though we are rebellious sinners and born of the enemies of God, come to our Kinsman Redeemer and receive His grace and mercy that we should be His very own. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Opportunity to Trust the LORD4/13/2024 Ezra 8:22 ~ "For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, 'The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.'" There may come that time when your testimony of faith will be put to the test. You, then, will have the opportunity to trust the LORD. During the time of rebuilding the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, Ezra knew that enemies surrounded him. Opposition forces stood against the project and often threatened the work or tried to coerce the king to put a stop to the effort (see Ezra 4:11-13). Yet, under the leadership of Ezra, the Temple was rebuilt and the worship of the LORD resumed in Jerusalem--just as God had commanded. When all that had been accomplished, it was time for Ezra and the Levites to travel. Ezra had seen the mighty hand of the LORD work on behalf of the project, but now that it was done, would God continue to deliver Ezra? With confidence in the LORD, Ezra conveyed his faith to the king. But confidence in God is not proved merely with words, but with action. Take, as an example, the three men who were sent to the fires of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 3:16-18 says, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'" Their faith was not merely in their words, but in their actions as well. Even if they did not survive the fire, they would remain true to the LORD. And such was Ezra's dilemma. He had spoken to the king and told the king that God would do good for those who seek Him. But that brings the test to its reality: would Ezra trust the LORD or ask for guards to take them through the gauntlet of haters. Ezra certainly would have had the right to such protections. As the leader of rebuilding the Temple, Ezra had made several powerful enemies. But he had told Artaxerxes about his faith in God. It would have been of no great concern when Peter saw the LORD Jesus and asked Him to command that the fisherman step out of the boat if the boat was in drydock. But Peter's opportunity to trust the LORD Jesus was out upon the waves of the sea (see Matthew 14:29). Let us gaze upon a few examples. Do you believe that it is only through Jesus Christ that a person can be saved from the wrath of God, and in that belief do you share the gospel? Do you believe that the prayer of the righteous is of great effect (see James 5:16) and then do you fervently pray? You see, at every moment of our testimony of believing God, there will be a corresponding opportunity to trust the LORD. James tells us, in James 2:17-18 that a faith apart from action is dead. "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." Real faith is to take God at His word and DO, not merely listen to, what He says. And that is the case for Ezra. He testified to his faith in God, and now it will be tested. Beloved, when you have an opportunity to obey God by faith, make sure you take it. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Requirement of God4/12/2024 Deuteronomy 10:12-13 ~ "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?" How often does this question rise up in your heart, dear one: "What does God require?" Often, the consideration and concerns of our hearts are concentrated on the things that we desire, things that we need or want. Our prayers might sound like a listing of temporary necessities or, worse, demands. But do you pray--"Lord, what do you want of me?" For in truth, the Lord of glory is the King of our lives and the absolute ruler over all that we are and do. It should be the desire of every believer to know the requirements of the Savior. This rhetorical question asked by Moses gives us pause to consider our own hearts before the Lord. What does the Lord require of His people? God had powerfully delivered the nation of Israel out of the captivity in Egypt, and He established them as a people for His very own. And now having rescued with a mighty hand those who believe on the Lord Jesus, these requirements still ring true in our hearts as well. There are five answers given to the question. First, to fear the LORD your God. Christian, what god is there like unto the LORD our God? There is no other Savior, no other Sovereign, He alone reigns in unapproachable light and has descended from heaven to bear away the sins of His people. Does not your heart tremble before the Mighty God? Jeremiah 5:22 asks, "Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it." Second, to walk in all His ways. The world is filled with paths of intrigue and interest, but who is reading this that longs for the highway of the LORD? There are all manner of diversions along the broad road that leads to destruction, but only a narrow way that leads to life (see Matthew 7:13-14). The way of God is the way of holiness. Isaiah 35:8 states, "And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray." Third, to love Him. To love the Lord is to set Him above all other interests or relations and desire His satisfaction as of greatest importance. Love is the most compelling of conditions in the heart--it will move a person to lay all aside and give up all for the sake of the one who is loved (see John 15:13). Jesus responds to the question concerning the greatest commandment, and the answer He gave in Mark 12:30 is this, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Fourth, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. As a court gathers to serve a king, so Christians are to serve the LORD. He needs nothing from our hands as if He were a weak or frail monarch. But His service is required for the purpose of bringing forth glory for His holy name and benefit to those around us. Jesus, our King, said in Matthew 25:37-40, "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’" Fifth, to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD. To keep the commandments of the LORD is not merely to have a passive observation of them or an half-hearted obedience to them. To "keep" them is to make them a treasured possession of your heart--to keep them as if they are of greater worth than all the gold that could be collected from every mountain in the world. Psalm 19:10-11 states, "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." These, beloved, are the requirements of the LORD. And those whom He has rescued from the dominion of this world will discover their hearts delighting in them. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Draw Near to God4/11/2024 James 4:8 ~ "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." Oh how the Christian heart longs to draw near to the Savior! But how can we draw near? For the promise is clear, that if we draw near to Him, he will draw near to us. Yet what engineering feat must happen in order to find our way to the presence of the Almighty God? The descendants of Noah thought that they could accomplish this task. Genesis 11:4 reveals, "Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.'" They wanted to build a tower that would reach the heavens. They were unwilling to do what God required, which was "fill the whole earth" so they determined the best course of action would be to build a structure that kept everyone together and one that would seat them with the Almighty--in the heavens. But disobedience to the LORD does not bring a people closer to Him. In fact, you will never disobey your way to a closer fellowship with God. Thus, with their languages confused, God forced them to scatter across the earth (see Genesis 11:8). Perhaps we can find our way into the presence of the Almighty with great, personal sacrifice? The prophet, Micah, asked a similar question in Micah 6:6, "With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?" God is pleased with the loving sacrifices of His people, but just making grand sacrifices does not guarantee a place in the presence of the Almighty. The indomitable presence of God is not for sale or rent. You cannot buy your way to the LORD. How, then? When the Christian longs for Christ and the desire to be near to the Almighty rises in the heart, what must a believer do? Simple--you must humble yourself before the LORD. The next part of the text for today reads as such: "Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you" (James 4:8-10). Dear Christian, these words are not evangelistic in their instruction, but they are given so that we might know the means by which every born-again child of God can draw near to Him. It begins with a cleansing and purifying confession and repentance. "Cleanse your hands... purify your hearts..." Let us take to heart 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." We must be cleansed and purified, for no unholy or unclean thing can enter into the presence of the Almighty God. It continues with an abhorrence of sin. "Be wretched--mourn--weep." When our laughter is turned to mourning and our joy to gloom then we discover that our hearts are right before God. This is not telling us that the morose and joyless believer is the only one allowed near. This instructs us to quit laughing at wickedness and mourn in grief that we still have sin. God, through the prophet Jeremiah, chastised His people with these words from Jeremiah 6:15, "Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush." Do you boast of sins, or do you blush in shame and repentance that you have sins yet lingering? All of this leads to the final approach of drawing near--and that is humility. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (see 1 Peter 5:5). If you are to draw near to God, you will never do so with arrogance or pride. You must recognize His sovereignty and His dominion over all things--for He created all things, including you. So, beloved, humble yourselves before Him. Isaiah 66:2 states, "All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word." Let us enter this day with the promise fresh in our thinking, that if we draw near to God (according to His truth and not our imagination) then we can place our absolute trust in this--God will also draw near to us. And that, dear ones, is a tremendous promise! In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Imminent Return of Christ4/10/2024 Mark 8:38 ~ "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Jesus will return, He will come in the glory of His Father, accompanied by His holy angels. Are you ready for the imminent return of Christ? So very few look upon the return of Jesus the King as a soon-coming event. It is, however, set to happen at a day and hour unknown to anyone. Many have undertaken to try and predict His return, failing at every point and proving themselves to be at the very least foolish, and at worse, false prophets. However, our Lord said in Matthew 24:36, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." Others foolishly think that they can get in at the last moment and enjoy the pleasures of the sinful nature until just before the gates are shut. They see the opportunity for salvation as something they can hold off on, waiting until there is not much life left or breath in their lungs, and then lay hold of the salvation of Jesus. For those who are in such a state of mind, hear the warning of Luke 12:46, "The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful." The coming of the Lord Jesus is as the lightning that flashes in the sky. Our Lord said in Matthew 24:27, "For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." Two things about lightning are quite remarkable in their comparison of the return of Jesus. First, it is unmistakable. A brilliant flash of light that illuminates the sky is seen by all who are in the storm. Second, it is powerful. The forces of nature that God has created displays the immensity of His power as a massive electrical pulse flashes across the heavens. Christ's return will be unmistakable... and, dear ones, it will be powerful. Jesus will return, but will He be ashamed of you? There are those who say they hold to Jesus Christ, and yet their lives display a rebellion similar to those who are of the world (see Titus 1:16). Let's take note of the condition of the world described by our Lord at His return. He called it adulterous and sinful. We look around and see an adulterous people seeking to satisfy their own desires and pleasures. We also see a sinful people, departing from the ways of God and pursuing their rebellions with a resolute determination. We wonder how anyone could be ashamed of our Lord and His words. How could someone be ashamed of the Savior who gave His life as a ransom for many? How could anyone hold in contempt the very utterance of God in the Holy Scriptures? But when Jesus returns, those who held to such a despicable view of Christ and His words will discover that they will receive back what they have given--Christ will be ashamed of them and cast them out of His presence for eternity. So, dear ones, look to the coming of the Son of God. His return is imminent. He is coming again and will judge all mankind. For those who are not ashamed of Him, those who are born-again, who love the Lord and His words, they will be ushered in to the welcoming joy of the Father and of Christ the Son. They will gather in the assembly of the righteous and will partake of the greatest blessing of all: the everlasting presence of Almighty God. In His Grace, Pastor Michael He Is Risen!4/9/2024 Luke 24:5-7 ~ "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise." The angelic testimony to the women who came to the tomb gave the ultimate proclamation that would change the world. There is much that can be drawn from their joyous declaration of the risen Lord, far more than we can capture in this moment. But let us look upon it and find some treasured truth for the day. First, do not look for Jesus where He will not be found. The women went to the tomb, fully anticipating that the body of their Lord and ours would be laying in rest. Though the Lord Jesus had told them on multiple occasions that He would rise from the grave, they had not grasped the truth of His words. Thus, we hear the angel's question: "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" Truly because they had fully believed that His body would have remained where it was placed. And, to bring this text to an illustrative view, why do we, today, seek for Jesus among those who are dead in this world? I do not mean that we go looking for Jesus among the tombs, or seek for the Lord in the burial sites in the nation of Israel. But there are those who look to the world and expect to find the Lord. You will not be able to find Him with any worldly wisdom. The Apostle Paul even said of himself that he once regarded Christ according to the flesh, that is, according to mere human understanding, "From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer" (2 Corinthians 5:16). The wisdom of the world will never be able to give any person the opportunity to find the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 1:21). It is merely seeking the living among the dead. Second, you will not find the risen Lord apart from His revealed truth. The angel told the women who came to the tomb, "Remember how He told you." And Jesus had told them, over and over again, exactly what was going to happen to Him. Consider Mark 8:31, "And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again." In the Gospel of Luke 24:25, The Lord reminded the two on the road to Emmaus of this very thing: "And he said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!'" Your own personal inspirations are no measure of knowing the risen Lord. Imaginations and ideologies are no means a person has for coming to walk with and worship the Living God. Everyone looking for Christ will find Him in the testimony of Scripture and nowhere else. John told us this very thing, "But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31). We also find in Luke 24:44, "Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Beloved, everything written of Jesus Christ proved true. He was delivered into the hands of sinners. He was cruelly and brutally crucified. And, my friends, He has risen! Open your heart to the message of the angels. Look for Jesus where He is found--in the testimony of His word, delivered to us through those who bore witness of His resurrection. And know that, as Jesus fulfilled everything written about Him, He will fulfill every promise made to all who have faith in Him. Let this promise rise in your heart with the joyful hope of everlasting life: "Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him" (Romans 6:8). In His Grace, Pastor Michael A Sabbath without Rest4/8/2024 Matthew 27:66 ~ "So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard." How do you seal up the King of kings? Apparently by violating the Sabbath and posting guards at the tomb where He lay. After the death of the Lord Jesus, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate, the governor, and sought to have the tomb sealed and guards posted. However, one of the great complaints that the Pharisees had against the Lord was His apparent continual violation of the Sabbath. John 5:16 states, "And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath." Consider also Mark 3:2, "And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him." Now, however, they violated their own rules for the Sabbath by going to Pilate and then posting guards at the tomb. In contrast to the Pharisees, the women who followed Jesus observed the Sabbath requirement, "The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment" (Luke 23:55-56). Why is this of such importance? Because those who oppose Christ will do anything, even violating their own made-up rules, to keep Jesus from rising. Even today, there are those who are so adamant against Jesus, that though He is already risen from the grave, they hope to somehow wall Him off and keep Him sealed against all who might discover that He is alive and able to redeem. We see this in 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16, "For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved." And now, consider something else. The Pharisees and chief priests knew--they absolutely knew--that Jesus said He would rise three days after His death. He died on Friday (Passover), rested on Saturday (Sabbath), and rose from the grave on Sunday (forever known, now, as the Lord's Day). Even the Lord's own disciples struggled with the notion that Jesus could return from death. Somehow, though, the Lord's enemies feared it. At every turn, Jesus proved Himself to be always true. Everything He said He would do, He did. And now, though they had killed the Lord of Glory, they actually did all they could to make sure He stayed put--that Jesus remained in the grave. They told Pilate that they feared the disciples to come and steal the body (see Matthew 27:64). They called Jesus an impostor (see Matthew 27:63). But they were eyewitnesses to His miracles. Consider Matthew 21:14-15, "And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' they were indignant." So what do the Pharisees do with the Man they hate and fear all at the same time? They have Him executed and then seal His tomb and guard it lest He prove that He is truly the Lord of life. Even now, the enemies of God want to keep Jesus in the grave, to keep Him from rising in the hearts and lives of those who have yet to believe. They do all they can to seal Him away, hide Him from the world and guard against His resurrection proving true to those who are longing for redemption. But, dear Christian, the sealed tomb did not hold Jesus. The guards did not prevent His resurrection. And the enemy still fears the truth--that Jesus is the Lord of life and has the power to do all that He has promised. Stand confident, beloved, for Jesus rested on the Sabbath and He has risen from the grave. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Numbered Among the Transgressors4/7/2024 Luke 23:33 ~ "And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left." Be thankful, dear Christian, that Jesus was numbered among the transgressors. For being counted there, He took your place and suffered your punishment upon Himself. Upon His arrest in the garden, Jesus endured a sham trial at the hands of the chief priests. His sentence was already determined before He ever stood in front of the court. They took Jesus to Pilate, the governor, and listen to their accusation against the Savior, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king" (Luke 23:2). Their great accusation was founded upon the requirement to give tribute to Caesar. They would prefer to give tribute to a worldly king than to the Son of God, the King of kings? John 19:15 illuminates the priests disowning God, "They cried out, 'Away with him, away with him, crucify him!' Pilate said to them, 'Shall I crucify your King?' The chief priests answered, 'We have no king but Caesar.'" No king but... Caesar. Their rejection was complete. Three crosses waited upon the hill called The Skull. Insurrectionists and murderers were to hang there. But in what must have seemed an unlikely turn of events, when Pilate offered to free one prisoner in view of the Passover, the crowd cried out for Barabbas to be released and Jesus crucified (see Matthew 27:15-23). Jesus would now be crucified upon the cross meant for Barabbas. In fulfillment of God's word, the King of kings would be numbered among sinners. Isaiah 53:12 says, "Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors." Why be thankful? Because my friends, we are also transgressors. You and I are sinners by birth and sinners by behavior. We are Barabbas--each of us are already found guilty before God Almighty and condemned to receive a just and eternal punishment for our sins. John 3:18 states, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." We stand condemned already and if we persist in unbelief, we will be condemned eternally. But through faith in Jesus Christ, we can find ourselves released from our just condemnation because Jesus took our place. God intervened. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, took upon Himself the singular task of bearing our guilt and being numbered amongst the transgressors so that He could be the one to take our place. And by His death He tasted death for everyone so that all who believe on Him can be released from sin's punishment and pronounced righteous because of what Jesus did. Hebrews 2:9 says, "But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." Go to the cross and look upon the One pierced for our transgressions. He went there for you. He endured your pain and carried your cross and, by His great love, suffered your death so that you could have eternal life. Look to Jesus who was numbered among the transgressors and if you know yourself to be a transgressor, then take heart for He was numbered there for you. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Betrayed with a Kiss4/6/2024 Mark 14:45 ~ "And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, 'Rabbi!' And he kissed him." Judas... the name has become synonymous with betrayal and often the worst betrayal of all--the betrayal of one who was in close friendship. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus faced the turmoil of His coming suffering. He was to be the propitiation of all who would believe, satisfying the wrath of God by taking upon Himself the punishment for sins, the innocent for the guilty. The agony He faced was more than any man ever experienced. In the time of His travail, Jesus needed the kisses of friendship and support. And when He went back to His close companions what did Jesus find? Mark 14:37 tells us, "And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, 'Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?'" Soon, however, Jesus would receive a kiss from one who was a close companion of His. But it would not be a kiss of friendship, nor a kiss of loyalty and trust. It was a kiss, and it carried with it a bitter betrayal. David knew a taste of this anguish as expressed in Psalm 55:12-14, "For it is not an enemy who taunts me—then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng." What a tender thing is a kiss. It conveys affection and warmth toward another. It is the mother's remedy for small wounds that life inflicts upon her children. It is the sweet connection of husbands and wives as they share their deep affection with each other. It is the means of communicating love. Even Paul entreats the church to, "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (2 Corinthians 13:12). And what a terrible tragedy it becomes when it is used to mark an innocent man--the only Innocent Man--for betrayal. And, perhaps worse yet, it was given by one who was a close companion. It is a devilish thing to have the kisses of loyalty and friendship used in such a way as to bring about betrayal and treachery. But, beloved, examine your own kisses of loyalty upon the Savior. Do they come in the full affection of your heart toward Christ, or do they mask a hidden deception that cloaks your real motives in drawing close to Jesus? What a fitting statement of our Lord in Matthew 15:8, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." And that might best describe Judas--with his lips he honored the LORD, but his heart was far away. Many have looked to the thief on the cross as the testimony of God's sovereign grace bringing a vile offender to saving faith. And I agree with that. The thief knew Christ for only hours and was transported to glory that same day because of his faith in Jesus. In contrast to that, Judas shows the reality of a man who can be near to Christ, hear all of His words and, in the end, despise the LORD. Proximity to Christ (and now, today, to His people), does not always display affection for Christ or devotion to Him. Dear ones, do you draw near with the kisses of church attendance and the observance of the ordinances? Do you show the affectionate kiss of fiscal fidelity and give your portion to the LORD? Have you kissed Jesus with the words out of your mouth as you speak to others? If all this is done out of loyalty and devotion to the LORD, then rejoice. But if you harbor bitterness, envy and strife within, then I would plead with you to repent and offer up not one more Judas-kiss, but only those affections that are from the heart and pleasing to God. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Believe... or Believe In?4/5/2024 Romans 4:3 ~ "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.'" There are two types of belief that occur in the arena of those who call themselves by the name of Christ. There are those who believe, and those who say they "believe in" God. Is there a difference? There is, and it is of such critical importance that a person's salvation rests upon it. Let's begin by asking the question--do you believe in God? It is a good starting point, and must be understood that way. There is a definitive need to believe in the Lord, for in such belief there is the possibility that the individual will move beyond it and put their trust in Christ. What is belief "in" God? It is the mental awareness of the existence of and substantive truth in the LORD. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." There is no "drawing near" to any individual if you don't even believe in their existence. This must be where it begins for all who come to Christ must believe that He is. Those who say they are Christian and only hold some philosophical view of the faith have never come to Christ at all--and may not even believe He exists. The problem is this: many stop right at this point and think they are saved. I've heard many a testimony of those who do not show the slightest interest in following the LORD while continuing their testimony of having "believed in" Jesus. But, dear ones, even the devils believe that God exists. James 2:19 states, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!" Imagine a demon, an enemy of Christ, fears God more than some of those who profess to belong to Him. Titus 1:16 says, "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work." But as our text today clearly states, it is not "believing in" God that is counted as righteousness, but "believing" God. To believe God is to take the Almighty at His word and then go forward in life under the direct influence of His truth. Do you believe that Jesus was speaking the truth when He said that all who come to Him, He will never cast aside (see John 6:37)? And have you come to Him? Can you take God at His word and live in obedience to what He has commanded, knowing that He will fulfill all His promises? That is what Abraham did. The LORD promised Abraham offspring so numerous so vast that it would outdo the stars of the heavens (see Genesis 15:5-6). Abraham believed God's promise, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Let me explain by way of illustration. A young boy is lost at the market. His father told him that if he ever became lost to remain where he was and the father would always find him. So, despite all the encouragements from others to leave that spot, the boy believed his father and remained steadfast in the place where he was. Eventually the boy's faith was proved and his father did come and find him. Do you have that kind of faith? Many say they believe in Jesus. But we are not commanded to simply "believe in" Him, we are commanded to "believe" the Lord Jesus. Take God at His word and remain steadfast upon it. Believing "in" something is only the starting point of true faith. It is looking at the objective reality of something and then going no further. My friends, go further! Take God at His word and put it to practice. Believe Him. And know that He will count your faith in the Lord Jesus as righteousness upon you. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Avoiding Idolatry4/4/2024 Leviticus 26:1 ~ "You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God." The worship of an idol is an abomination to the LORD. And the history of the world is replete with mankind setting up false gods all around. But how easily does idolatry creep into the activities of God's people today? Let's think about the nation of Israel for just a moment. With a mighty hand, God delivered a nation from captivity in Egypt and called them to be His very own. The Almighty exacted judgment upon every idol set in Egypt, from the Nile River which was worshiped by the Egyptians, to Pharoah who was considered a deity. The LORD proved that there is no other God but Him, and then led them away from their enslavement into the land He promised to Abraham. Not long after, the Divine hand carved His laws into the stone tablets, and established for the people the governing truths that would mark them as His own people. Of those commands, the command to not worship an idol, or set up an image to portray the LORD was near the top. However, it did not take long before the people violated that very command and set a golden calf to be the image the wanted to worship (see Exodus 32:1-6). Now, let us journey to the end of the book and discover that the world will engage in the idolatrous worship of the evil one. In the midst of judgment from the Almighty, the enemy of God will have men set up an image, an idol, and all who do not belong to Christ will worship the image. Revelation 13:8 says, "And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain." This great abomination of idolatry will ultimately bring the full retribution of the LORD. So we see what was then... we gaze upon what will come... but what about now? Are there idols among the people of God? Do you have any "household gods" (see Zechariah 10:2)? Let's set the parameters of an idol. There are two: First, it is an image or creation of man-made origins that holds a valued place of equal or greater worth than the LORD God Almighty. Second, it is anything made by man or of creation that is meant to portray the Living God. Both are a wicked attempt to either worship a false god or worship the true God in a false way. And both, my friends, must be avoided. The first is to proclaim that there are more gods than the One True God. And if you do that, then there are sets of standards that are not from the LORD whereby a man may live in the observance of them. And though we may not see many carved images today, there are false religions that set standards contrary to the revealed will of God. The second is to say that man can determine for himself the means by which God will be honored and glorified. It makes God less than absolutely authoritative and sovereign. Worshiping the LORD in a way that is false is to diminish God and elevate man to a position superior to the One who created him. The list of idolatrous activities is too long to pursue in this brief reading. But I want to provide you two questions to use as the means to evaluate your own worship of the LORD. First, is your worship of God informed by His word or by your imagination or opinion? Only God's word can give you clarity on how you are to worship the LORD. Second, does your worship of God look to the Almighty as of greater worth than all other considerations or does God sit in your heart as one of many considerations and all of them of equal worth to you as Christ? How you answer these two questions, I pray, will help you better understand if you have any idols still remaining. If so, surrender them all to Christ. In order to worship the LORD with reverence and awe (see Hebrews 12:28), let us avoid all idolatry. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Fight or Flight4/3/2024 1 Timothy 6:11-12 ~ "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." It has been said that there are two general responses that people will experience in a dangerous situation: fight or flight. That is, the basic reaction will be to either rise up to face the danger, fighting to overcome the particular peril, or to run from the danger and flee as far away in order to rescue yourself. First responders such as the police, fire departments and military are trained to overcome the flight response, for their work will invariably put their lives in jeopardy. Often citizens are encouraged to not engage in dangerous situations for fear that, without the necessary training, they will be overwhelmed and suffer great harm. Very rarely will a sane person put themselves in danger except that the danger is their only or best option. So, what about the greatest threat that endangers the soul? What about sin? First, it has to be seen as a danger. For most people in the world, sin is a mild irritation of the conscience that can be overlooked. But believers in Christ know that it is the greatest danger that will ultimately destroy the soul if not confronted and abandoned. James 1:15 warns about the danger of sin, "Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." Even at the beginning, when God spoke to Cain, He gave warning about sin--a warning that all people ought to heed: "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it" (Genesis 4:7). In our text today, Paul gives both responses as an appropriate action for the Christian. The first is the "flight" response. In the first part of our text today we read is this: "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things." What are "these things?" In the context of today's verse, it is the love of money. Paul writes in the verse just before our text, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Corinthians 6:10). In essence, it is the greed of a man's heart that corrupts the pursuits of his life. In whatever way that greed takes form, it will leave a trail of compromise indicative of a person wandering from the faith. And here we are, commanded to flee these things. In the latter part of 2 Timothy 2:19 we read, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." Then there is the "fight" response. In the second portion of our text today we are commanded, "Fight the good fight of the faith." The dangers are real, and it requires the Christian to stand and fight for that which is of the faith. When compromise comes into view and the question is raised whether to walk in faith or to stray into sin, let the believer in Christ fight against the draw to sin and engage in the battle for righteousness. We must "fight the good fight." It is not a battle against a person, but against the flood of wickedness that surrounds us and the fleshly desires that war against our own soul (see 1 Peter 2:11). So, dear ones, what is your response when the dangers of sin rise up and come against you? Do you see sin as a danger? If so, then your response is both "flight" and "fight" as you contend to walk in righteousness. You flee the temptation and you fight to walk in obedient faith. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Great Romance4/2/2024 Song of Solomon 6:3 ~ "I am my beloved's and my beloved's is mine." Do not forget the great romance between Christ and His church. The "Beloved" is Christ and His love for the church springs forth so mighty that He gave His life to redeem her. He loves the church with such unwavering desire that there was no expense spared in the reclamation of His bride. Consider what Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." And did not our Lord display that "greater love" far more abundantly than we could possibly imagine? Let us look at the relationship posed in our text for today. "I am my beloved's." What a tremendous statement of identity. There is, in that simple phrase, the full connection of those who have been redeemed in the blood of the Lamb. It's not mere ownership that Jesus has over us. It is not mere servitude that we offer to the Lord of glory. In truth, both those would be far more than any sinner deserves at the hands of the King of kings. But what Jesus does is embrace us as a husband would embrace His wife. The union of love and fellowship of joy is profoundly ours--for we, if we have been born-again, are His. And consider that once you are in Christ, you are His. All that you are is His. Dear ones, even your failures, struggles and hardships are HIS! He does not fail, nor is He weak as we are, but He is in such union with you that there is no separation from your travails and His love. And then the second part of that statement is rich with promise: "and my beloved is mine." How is it that this is missed so often in the life of a Christian? Hear what the Apostle Paul said concerning the promises of Christ. "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Oh, Christian, look up to Christ and know that He is yours! He is your Savior, your Friend, your Brother, and for the church, He is the Husband. All that He has promised is gifted to the church. He opens up the vast storehouse of His love to His bride and will withhold nothing good. Truly, it may seem that for the brief moment of time upon this earth we go through the tempests and storms of life. But He allows that only because He knows it is best for those He loves. But soon He will wipe every tear, calm every sorrow, and fill every heart with an everlasting joy. Oh that Christian husbands and wives would see each other with such wondrous delight and say of each other: "I am my beloved and my beloved is mine." What an image it would bear to the world of the reality of the love from Christ for His bride and from the bride to her Husband. Soon the Son of God will come to claim His betrothed--the church. But even now, my friends, look upon the Lord with the loving eyes of a bride to her husband, and know that the Lord of Glory looks down upon His church as a Husband to His bride. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Fools for Christ4/1/2024 1 Corinthians 3:18 ~ "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise." Around the world people will be celebrating the day known as: April Fool's Day. This iconic non-holiday began in the 16th century as France was changing their calendar to follow the more accepted Gregorian calendar, changing the beginning of the year from Spring (April) to Winter (January). For those who did not want the change and continued to observe the old date were known as "April Fools." Soon the term was spread across the globe and many countries adopted the first day of April as the day where harmless pranks and jests were set upon the unwary. Even to this day, the idea of an "April Fool's joke" is meant to convey humorous antics to disrupt the drudgery of life. Dear Christian, let us step into this day with the pursuit of becoming "fools for Christ." The world looks upon the church as an archaic, dusty old religion that is long past its date of expiration. We hold to the old truths, seek the ancient paths and want to walk according to the ways of Christ as the Scripture teaches. The LORD says in Jeremiah 6:16, "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’" Who are "they" that refuse to walk in the ways of God? It is those who believe that their own worldly understanding holds greater wisdom than God. There are some in the church that have taken such a stance. In our text today, Paul identifies them as those who think they are "wise in this age." They believe that they hold a better understanding than the Word of God and so they dismiss the Scriptures as unfit for a modern society. You see them as those who call themselves by the name of Christ yet hold to all manner of worldly notions. They will twist the Scriptures to suit their own desires (see 2 Peter 3:15-17). But, in the end, they only deceive themselves. But let us become fools for Christ's sake. Paul tells the Corinthians church, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1 Corinthians 1:25). Are you concerned that holding to the ancient ways of God, the ways of holiness and truth, of righteousness and faithfulness to His word, will cause you to seem foolish to those around you? So be it. Be a fool for Christ. Hold very little concern that the world might mock and ridicule you for your faithfulness. In the end, they will acknowledge that their ways led them to destruction and the ways of God are the ways of life. Calendars notwithstanding, the world is changing all the time. They call it progress and social advancement. Some improvements are good: medicines, technologies, advancement is architecture, etc. But for the most part, the world is accommodating sin and rebellion against the Lord. And that, beloved, is what they call wisdom. So as you enter this April Fool's Day, let it illuminate your determination to be a fool for the sake of Jesus. In the end, it will prove to be the wisest move of all. In His Grace, Pastor Michael My Redeemer Lives3/31/2024 Job 19:25 ~ "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth." What do you know? In the continual strife that Job faced, and the onslaught of accusations from his three friends, under the perpetual suffering of his lamentable condition, Job said "I know that my Redeemer lives." There must come that moment when all those who hold to faith in Christ will have to know. Much of modern Christianity is mere speculation upon the summary facts of the case concerning the Lord Jesus. Those who have such an abstract faith whittle away at life, with a fairly passive desire for Christ while offering Him some modicum of praise that is more perfunctory than the full force of the expression of who they are. But that moment will come when what they know of the LORD will be evidenced. In Job 19 we read the lamenting of a man whose life is filled with suffering. And, in the midst of that suffering the ancient patriarch offers this grand assessment of God Almighty--He is "Redeemer." If you were to sit with Job for a moment, without knowing the remaining part of his story, you might want to ask him about this. How can Job say with confidence that God is his redeemer? Simple--Job's confidence in God was not based upon his circumstances, but upon God's character. Let's start with the right focus--the LORD Jesus is the living Redeemer. Job, in all his travails and the malicious attacks of friends, saw God correctly. He was confident that God's hands were upon all things and the LORD does nothing that is not right. Consider the words of Job in Job 1:21-22, "And he said, '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.' In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong." Job did not understand the reasons behind what was happening, but he never once considered that God was in the wrong. Not only did Job see the LORD as Redeemer, but he saw the Almighty God as "my" Redeemer. I know that my Redeemer lives. Though God had allowed this testing of Job's faith to take place, and though Job had no comprehension as to when or if it would ever end, he looked upon God and embraced with his whole life that God was his Redeemer. Never once in the testimony of Job did he cry out for another to come and rescue him from his troubles. There is no place where Job sought the foreign gods of the pagan world. Not once did he inquire of his three friends if they might offer him a way out of his plight. Job looked to the LORD alone--and no one else. So I ask again--what do you know? Do you know Christ Jesus as Redeemer? Do you know that your sins are forgiven in His name and that all the trouble of this world will be overrun in the redemption promised to all who look to Christ? When it seems as if God has abandoned you, beloved, can you say with confidence, "I know my Redeemer lives?" This is the tested faith of Job. James 5:11 illuminates this, "Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful." When you, my friends, can say with Job--in the midst of your tests and trials--"I know my Redeemer lives," then you stand upon the solid foundation of the Savior. Look to Jesus, beloved, even when the way is hard and it seems that there is no relief in sight. He is Redeemer--and He will stand upon the earth. And all who trust in Him will stand with Him in full redemption. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Look and Live3/30/2024 Numbers 21:8 ~ "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.'" How despicable it was for the people of Israel to grumble against God and Moses as they were led from captivity to freedom. Numbers 21:4 tells us why they grumbled: they became impatient on the way. In response to their grumbling discontent with God and Moses, the LORD sent a judgment among them--fiery serpents to bite them. There are some who might think that the people of Israel had every right to be discontent with the LORD, but they are far from the truth. The fact is, the LORD Almighty has done nothing for which we have a right to grumble. The hardships of our life are given by God as well as the easy roads. And they both serve a purpose--and we are to glorify God through them all. But the people of Israel during the days of Moses, and at times the people of Christ in this day, look only to their circumstances and demand that God should cater to their whims and desires. Such is the nature of our fallenness. From the Garden of Eden until now, we have reached out our hands for that which is forbidden, seeking to satisfy the cravings of our sinfulness. Consider James 1:14-15, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." The people of Israel wanted an easy road, a more convenient way, and their selfish desires tempted them to sin by grumbling against the LORD. And so the LORD judged them with the serpents. In despair, the people of Israel confessed their sin and cried out to Moses that he should pray to the LORD and seek their deliverance from those dreadful serpents. God did not provide immediate relief, but gave them the opportunity to respond to Him by faith. He commanded Moses for make a bronze, fiery serpent and fasten to a pole. Then those who were bitten by a serpent could simply look to the bronze serpent that Moses had made and they would live. God would see their faith and He would deliver them from the venom. There was no other bronze serpent permitted. God did not command the people to make their own bronze serpent. No one could copy the serpent Moses made in the hopes that it would be effective against the poison of the serpents. It had to be the one Moses fashioned and fastened to a pole. All of us, my dear friends, have been bitten by the serpent of rebellion against God and have within us the venom of sin. The soul that sins shall die (see Ezekiel 18:4). And as we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory there is no escaping the death that is coming (see Hebrews 9:27). Unless, of course, God intervenes. And the LORD has intervened. He has, in Christ, come to be for us the means by which we can escape the venom of sin. Jesus used the serpent on the pole to illustrate what He would do to deliver us from God's wrath. In John 3:14-15, Jesus said, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." Jesus was lifted up on the cross, taking upon Himself the wrath of God, and He offers to any who believe in Him escape from the judgment of sin and to receive everlasting life. In essence, we must simply look to Jesus and live. You cannot look to an invented Jesus of the world. You cannot fashion a Jesus of your own design. You must trust the LORD Jesus Christ who, revealed in Scriptures, has given Himself to be for us the source of salvation. The grumbling discontent of a sinful world would have God make their way more convenient, and are impatient with the LORD for He does not fulfill their demands. But you, dear reader, be one who will give up your grumbling and, if you are still facing the judgment of God because of your sins, look to Jesus and live. In His Grace, Pastor Michael From the Mountains to the SeaEvery step we take on this journey called life ought to be used for greater understanding. I've lived from the mountains to the sea, and this blog is my personal thoughts and observations with a desire for Biblical understanding. Welcome. Archives
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