A Thirst for God2/29/2024 Psalm 42:1 ~ "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God." My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do you long for God? Here, on this most rare of days--February 29th--a day that only comes through the calendar once every four years, let this be the day that you, again, rekindle a desire for the LORD. The very next verse rings out with the longing of the Christian heart, "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" And yet, very much like a rare day on the calendar, I fear that it is the rare heart that has such an unquenchable thirst for God that nothing can ever satisfy except the Lord, Himself. We walk through this world like we walk through an arid and parched land, thirsting for the Living Water--the Lord Jesus. The world has nothing to offer. The best of mankind in its futile ability to strive for goodness falls far short of satiating the thirst of the Believer. It is the cry of the psalmist in Psalm 63:1, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." We live in days where there is a dearth of the flowing streams of God. The Almighty warned us of this in Amos 8:11, "'Behold, the days are coming,' declares the LORD God, 'when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.'" And if we were to listen to the modern voices that fill the air, very rarely is the truth of God honored or spoken. We are in a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. But there are streams in this desert. Like an oasis in the Sahara, there are outposts of truth and streams of life flowing from Christ through His servants who faithfully proclaim the word of God. It may be rare, but they are like an overflowing stream. Jesus said this in John 7:38, "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" And, my friends, if you are in such a place where the truth of Christ is faithfully proclaimed, rejoice that you can drink freely of the living word. But there are many who have no thirst for God. They gather around a myriad of other fountains that deliver only a false satisfaction, one that is agreeable to their earthly desires. Paul warned Timothy of this 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." They have no appetite for truth, but only those things that are comfortable and convenient. But I trust that it is not so with you, dear reader. If you are born again, then you are like that deer which pants for the streams of water--you have a thirst for the Living God. Your heart longs to be with Him, to drink deeply of the water of life flowing from the throne of God (see Revelation 22:1). And though you are still wandering in this arid promontory of earth, there are streams in this desert where you can find your thirst for God quenched. They may be rare, but in Christ they will never run dry. In His Grace, Pastor Michael
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The Great Pardon of God2/28/2024 Isaiah 43:25 ~ "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins." I've heard it said that the presentation of the Almighty in the Old Testament is one of a harsh and heavy-handed God who, with wrath and anger, deals judgment and punishment upon the earth. And yet, in our text today, we read the most profoundly gracious words that the LORD offers to a sinful people. Dear ones, do not gloss over this promise of the LORD and then simply move on, concerned more about practical instructions for your daily life. Pause a moment; consider the implications of our text today. For unless you come to understand what this means: that our sins are blotted out, all other practical Christian activities will have little value. As transgressional sinners, we do not have any standing before God. Our inner nature and outward behaviors are of such wretched conditions that the only expectation we could have is judgment. And that is what we were. Both inward as a sinner and outward in transgressing His law leaves us with no hope of securing His good favor. But God says, "I... even I..." There is such an emphasis on this, that we must not miss it. It can also read: "I and only I." It is God, and God alone who can offer pardon for sin. We must remember that every one of our sins are against the Almighty. David expressed this in Psalm 51:4, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment." And it is God alone who can pardon our transgressions and cleanse us from our sins. The first thing that the Sovereign LORD tells us is that it is He alone who "blots out our transgressions." In the books of remembrance, where every thought, word and action of your life is recorded, your sins are set down in absolute truth. On the day of judgment, we see those books opened and mankind is judged by what is written in the books (see Revelation 20:12). But for those who have their sins forgiven in the Lord, every transgression is "blotted out." The record is covered and the judgment removed. The second thing is that your sins are no longer remembered. More than just bad behavior (transgressions), every person is, by nature, a sinner born. The elemental condition of all mankind is sinful. Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." And yet, God says to those who are His that He, though being the Righteous Judge, will "not remember your sins." What a promise--the very wickedness of our inner nature will be remembered no more and God will only know us in His righteousness. Why does God do this? What moves Him to consider pardoning such sinners as we? He does so for His own Name's sake. Beloved, there is a Name above every name. There is One who has done for us what no one else had the power or righteousness to do. There is One who has taken away our sins through His death and has given us life through His resurrection. It is the Lord Jesus. God the Father has exalted God the Son and has given Him a name above every name. And when we, by faith, run to the Lord in repentance of our sins and are pardoned and cleansed, it is His name alone that is exalted. There is no righteous man on earth. There is not one drop of self-righteousness in you or I that is pleasing to the LORD. And thus there is not one person who will boast before God on the day of salvation, but that all who are saved will boast on and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. His name will be joyfully lifted up in praise and honor for He has done what none of us could do for ourselves--He has redeemed us. And how did He redeem? He received from God the Father the full punishment for our sins and transgressions. He was counted as a sinner on our behalf--the innocent for the guilty--so that we can be counted righteous on His behalf. So let this be the reminder you need. For all the pressures and busyness of life, for all the chaos that fills our daily experience, stop for a moment and remember that Jesus Christ died and rose again. He received God's wrath on your behalf. If you have not yet run to the Lord Jesus for His mercy, to be forgiven of all your sins, do so this very moment. If you have come to know that your sins are forgiven in Christ, then rejoice--for your transgressions are blotted out, and your sins are no longer remembered. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Rest for the Weary2/27/2024 Mark 6:31 ~ "And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." In obedience to the Lord, the Apostles went out and preached the message of repentance and did the work according to the instructions of Jesus (see Mark 6:7-13). It was long, laborious work bringing the gospel to the villages in the surrounding countryside. Some villages would receive them--others would reject them. They had no resources to sustain them and had to rely on the provision God would supply as they went. Weary from their travels and their labors, the Apostles returned and reported to Jesus all that they had done and taught (see Mark 6:30). But the work still surrounded them. People continued to press their way to Jesus and the Apostles without end. Despite this, Jesus pulled away His men and isolated them away from the work. And this is the first thing I want you to see today--the work will never end. It can be an exhausting experience to continually press into the work. There are labors and strivings that all of God's people are commissioned to step into, and faithfulness requires that we are willing to spend ourselves for Christ. It is always a labor of love. The Apostles loved the Lord Jesus and in obedience to His command, they went into the surrounding land and preach the gospel. They were willing to lay their lives down for Him, as testified by Thomas in John 11:16, "So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him.'" My friends, you will be provided opportunities to labor for the Lord. Ephesians 2:10 clearly teaches this, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." We are to walk in the good works that the Lord has placed before us. And, hard work is a testimony of the heart--for the Scriptures condemn the lazy, "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied" (Proverbs 13:4). And we know that there is an eternal rest for those who labor unto Christ. Revelation 14:13 illuminates this for us, "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Blessed indeed,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!'" But in the endless stream of effort, the Lord Jesus pulled away His disciples to find a time to rest. And this is the second thing I want you to see today--there is a need to rest from the exertion, to find a time of peace to recover from the exhaustion of work. The work hadn't ended. The people were still gathering around as the Apostles returned to the Lord to report all that happened. But Jesus left the crowd behind and isolated His disciples away from them so that they could find a time of recovery. And in that desolate place, the Apostles could find time to relax and shed the stress and pressures of their experiences. Are you overburdened with the exhaustion of effort in serving the Lord? You see the work around you and think that unless you continue to strive it will remain undone. So, with a tenacity of determination, you tap every ounce of strength until you suffer total, mental, physical and spiritual collapse. Jesus saw that His disciples had no leisure to even eat a meal and led them away from the crowd. Your desire to press beyond your strength in your service of the Lord may seem noble, but Jesus would lead you away for a moment to find time to rest. Fear not, the Lord will bring you back into the work. The Apostles' task had not ended. They would go and preach even more, work even harder and strive in the Lord's service until their dying day. And when you have taken the necessary rest from your weariness, then step back into the work and strive again. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Consider Christ2/26/2024 Hebrews 12:3 ~ "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." There is a need for every believer to spend time and interest in the consideration of Christ. To "consider" is to have a deep, internal, abiding contemplation of the person and work of the Lord Jesus. It takes the investment of time in order to ruminate on all those things that are concerning Him. Today we are inundated with quick fixes and psychological slogans and the desire to dive deep into the text of Scripture and learn of the Lord is almost lost. Jesus, Himself, said this in Matthew 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." We are to learn from Him, and will discover His gentle and humble heart, finding rest for our souls. In a world filled with the restlessness of sin, finding that inner peace from Christ is a treasure beyond comprehension. So, are you willing to "learn of Him?" It takes time and will require your attention. More than just a Scripture soundbite or a quick read, you will need to immerse yourself in His book. Our text for today commands us to consider the Lord so that we will not grow weary or fainthearted. In the constant battle we have with sin, and the continual pressure from the world to relax our faith and give in to temptation and conform ourselves to their standards, we might very well grow weary and fainthearted. There is a weariness that comes from the continual battle against sin. Soldiers were often diagnosed with a condition called "battle fatigue," now known as "PTSD" (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). But whatever its name, the symptoms are such that it causes a weary, faintheartedness that attempts to collapse the courage and endurance of the warrior. But why are we to "consider Jesus" when we face the shattered reality of spiritual and emotional exhaustion? Should we not first look to "coping methods" and "therapy strategies" that will give us a better handle on our situation? The reason is simple--because He also "endured such hostility from sinners against Himself." The Lord Jesus was not only tempted as we are and without sin (see Hebrews 4:15), but He also suffered as we do--He endured hostility far greater than we have ever experienced and He was victorious. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:21, "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps." The victory of Christ was not to escape the hostility of sinners. He endured the cross (see Hebrews 12:2) He was hounded, persecuted, tried and executed by the world of sinners. The victory of Christ was to endure such hatred and remain faithful to the very point of His own death. He never once wavered in His determination to be true to His Father and the reason He came. Then He warned His disciples that we would endure the same. "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19). If you are a faithful Christian, and desire to live a godly life, you will be persecuted (see 2 Timothy 3:12). As the world grows more hostile to the Christian faith, and the persecutions rise against those who follow Christ, it is even more important to embrace this day the command to "consider Jesus." The more you learn of Him, the more you take the time to meditate and ruminate on His word, the more you will discover that He does give "rest for your souls" and you will not grow weary and fainthearted. Why? Because you will discover that through it all, Jesus is with you and, no matter what might happen, you will be with Him forever. As we close today, beloved, consider the words of James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." In His Grace, Pastor Michael Wicked Worship2/25/2024 Judges 17:3 ~ "And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, 'I dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.'" There is a horrifying situation that takes place in this text of Scripture. This mother, an Ephraimite, a woman of Israel, was restored money that her son had stolen. In her gratitude, she wanted to dedicate it to the LORD. But look how she tells him to prepare it--she tells him to "make a carved image." I trust that even in the reading of our text today you have already surmised the problem with this woman's statement. She determined to worship God, dedicating the 1,100 pieces of silver to the LORD. But how she worshiped the LORD was an absolute affront to the Almighty. Remember the commandments... the second commandment to be precise: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." ~ Exodus 20:4-6 Her desire to honor the LORD might be commendable, but her approach to it was wicked. There is no way her worship of the LORD could ever be acceptable when it violates the very commandments that enshrine the means by which we are to honor the LORD. Jesus rebukes the practice of worship that is human in its origin. Consider Matthew 15:8-9, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." And this is the point I want you to see, beloved, you cannot honor God apart from fidelity to His word. In fact, to go against God's word is wicked worship. God alone establishes the means and practice of worship. He is the LORD and there is no other, and it must be the believer's great delight and desire to honor Him according to His prescribed method. There are other activities this woman might have considered. She could have taken the silver and brought it to the Tabernacle and offered it as a freewill offering to the LORD (see Exodus 35:29). She might have contributed it to the poor and provide for them some benefit with it (see Deuteronomy 15:7). It would have been better had she merely kept it for her own needs rather than use it to make an abomination that was meant to be a dedication to the LORD. Let this story bring up the question in your own heart. How do you worship the LORD? What gives you the instruction you follow in your worship of God? Let me caution you away from doing as many do today. They follow their own hearts instead of God's word. Let your heart be so dedicated to the LORD that His word informs all that you do. Here are some acts of worship from God's word: We gather according to His word and offer the sacrifice of praise (see Hebrews 13:15). We hear and are taught the word of God--even the hard truths that convict our hearts (see 1 Timothy 4:11). Outside of the gathered fellowship, there is still the required worship of God in the surrendering of our lives (see Romans 12:1). The Scriptures will teach us to worship God--we just have to obey. And yet, there are those who participate in wicked worship still. They do as 2 Timothy 4:3-4 reveals, "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, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." My friends, God is still seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and truth (see John 4:23-24). He is seeking YOU to worship HIM. He is worthy of worship, for He has given us everything--including our very life. We are created by Him and for Him. Let your heart be so delighted in the LORD that your entire life becomes a tribute of worship to the Savior. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Think on These Things2/24/2024 Philippians 4:8 ~ "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." There is a myriad of ideas that roam around our minds. Stray thoughts become contemplations and then turn into considerations and eventually might even grow up into an obsession. The question is: what do you put into your mind? News feeds, social media, gossip, and a host of other voices will try to worm their way into your minds. In a world flooded with a continuous stream of information, it is a battle to keep your mind fixed on that which is of real value. For some, there is a tremendous danger of falling into a pattern of thought that is highly destructive. Obsessions, mental addictions, and the victimhood mentality are just a few of the damaging considerations that drag us into darker holes of our imagination and render us insecure and unstable in our mind. Consider what is says in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." There becomes a telling reality for those who do not keep their hearts with all vigilance, for they become challenged by many conflicts in their thinking and their lives begin to reflect their hearts. Let me ask, do you struggle with the anxiety that ensnares your mind and yet see others that navigate through life within a state of joyful communion with the Lord? Maybe you've decided that they have never struggled, or were never burdened with the considerations that drag you down. But, beloved, could it be that those who walk in the joy of the Lord have found what it means to "think on these things?" Consider our text today and look at the focus that the Apostle Paul has instructed for all believers. If your mind was set upon that which is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise, how much of that which causes the darkness of our thinking would be dispelled by the True Light--our Savior? For in each one of those considerations is the Lord. Jesus is all of these things! He is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise. You may wonder how the Light can penetrate your darkness. For you cannot see the Lord in the circumstances wherein you live. If you will, let me reveal a few rays of sunshine from God's word. Are you born again? Have you been redeemed by the Savior? Then you have your sins forgiven on account of His name (see 1 John 2:12). This is the brightest light to shine upon your soul, for if your sins are forgiven in Christ, then you will be forever with the Lord. Do you think you're alone and the darkness of isolation causes anxious thoughts? Then hear our Lord tell you, believer, that He has never forsaken you. John 14:23 reveals, "Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'" Again, Jesus says in Matthew 28:20, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Are your circumstances sorely troubling? Have you not read in Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Let that light shine down on you when you're tested and tried in the struggles of life. Do you doubt your salvation? You believe, but there are times of uncertainty that creep into your mind? Hear what John says in 1 John 5:13, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." In the pages of God's word is the constant reminder to those who believe that the Lord has secured them for eternity. Do you feel powerless? He has promised His power. Do you need wisdom? He has offered it freely. Are you needing grace? He supplies it in abundance. Is there a sin? Confess and find His cleansing. My friends, do you see how much God has given you? So, dear ones, think on these things. In every place where there is darkness in your life, Jesus is the Light. You will find Him to be the most excellent contemplation of your mind. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Giving All to Christ2/23/2024 1 Samuel 18:4 ~ "And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt." Jonathan was the crown prince of Israel. His father, Saul, sat upon the throne as the reigning monarch over the nation and there was every expectation in the mind of Saul that his son would someday sit upon the throne. But Saul also knew that God had rejected him as king and would seat David there instead (see 1 Samuel 20:31). David was the chosen king, anointed by Samuel to be the next ruler of the nation of Israel. He was blessed of God, protected and given great victories over the enemies of God's people. Where Jonathan loved David, Saul hated him, was jealous of him, and tried to kill him on several occasions. We see here the struggle between two rulers. The first king, Saul, represents the entirety of human dominion on this earth. The second ruler, David, is the representation of the Divine dominion of Christ. And Jonathan was caught between the two. Would Jonathan sacrifice his greatest opportunity, would he lay down his own glory for the glory of another? The answer is--yes. In doing what he did, putting the robe, his armor and weapons upon David, Jonathan in truth, recognized David as the next ruler of Israel. He offered his princely robe to him--a recognition of David's authority. He offered his armor--a sign of trust. He offered his weapons--indicating his belief in David to lead the nation to victories. Jonathan, in essence, parted with his own glory and surrendered it to David. And now, here we stand, caught between two kingdoms still. The kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of Christ. The world cringes against the Divine authority and will attempt, time and again, to strike against Christ and His anointed position. The question is, what will you do? You're now in the position of Jonathan. You have a decision to make. You know that Jesus is Lord, that He is the anointed of God, that He is given all authority in heaven and on earth. And the enemy tempts us with the same ruse: That you can cast off the Lord's authority and claim it for yourself. The enemy will tell you much of what Saul told his son, Jonathan--as long as He lives, you will never have your own rule. To which kingdom will you belong--the world's or the Lord's? As Jonathan did, let me encourage you, take off your own robes of self-authority and yield yourself to Christ. Trust that God has anointed Jesus to be the One true King of kings. Take off your worldly armor and trust the Lord to be your shield. All your earthly means of trying to guard yourself are no longer needed. You need not protect yourself from Christ, for He will not strike against those who love Him. And take off your weapons and leave them in the hands of Christ. He will lead you in victory, and conquer even your own sin that stands as an enemy against your soul. Beloved, part with your own glory and give it all to Christ. He has made an everlasting covenant with all who trust in Him. And He will bring you into His kingdom--He has promised to do so, sealing the promise with His own blood. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Our Sympathetic Savior2/22/2024 Hebrews 4:15 ~ "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." What a grace it is to know that our faithful High Priest knows every temptation that we face daily and has overcome every one. There is no place where Christ cannot be sympathetic to you for He was exposed to all the trials of humanity and came away victorious. He now offers you the victory He won over sin. Beloved, we have a High Priest. In the days of Israel, the high priest was from the line of Aaron and appointed to offer the sacrifice before God on behalf of the nation. Year after year, he would bring the correct offering before God on the day of atonement (as well as other feast days) and God would accept the sacrifice of the innocent, spotless lamb to cover the sins of the people. But a lamb could not identify with the people--it was only a sign to show what God would do later. Jesus did not offer a lamb--He was the Lamb. He offered Himself as the perfect Lamb of God, taking away our sins and, as High Priest, presenting Himself as the final sacrifice before God the Father. And more than being an innocent sacrifice, Jesus was the sympathetic sacrifice. He identified with mankind--becoming Himself a man--and endured all the temptations of humanity so that He could truly present Himself as the righteous and faithful offering before God. But, just as the high priest of Israel represented man before God, he also represented God before man. And our faithful High Priest, the Lord Jesus, will forever be to us the exact representation of God (see Hebrews 1:3). He speaks to us, intercedes for us, and leads us to follow faithfully the Word of God. He has given us of His Spirit, adopted us into His family and created us to be a holy nation and royal priesthood to offer our praise to the Lord (see 1 Peter 2:9). But Jesus, our High Priest, is not removed from us so far that He cannot understand the pressures of temptation. He is without sin--in every thought, word and action, the Lord Jesus did not even once succumb to the sins of this world. But He is not without suffering the daggers of temptation. The righteousness He offers to all who believe is purchased in His sinless life. His atoning sacrifice would be of no value if Jesus ever failed even once in any aspect of human living. He was and remains forever the victorious Savior who can sympathize with us in our weaknesses. And what a blessing to know that Jesus was tempted as you and I are tempted. We can run to Him, seek Him for strength to overcome, and find in Him mercy and grace in our time of need (see Hebrews 4:16). My friends, are you struggling against temptation? Have you fallen into sin? Run to Jesus. Confess your sins and your struggles and find in Him the grace to overcome. He will bring you into His victory over sin. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Forgotten Sin2/21/2024 Jeremiah 31:34 ~ "And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Sin lingers long in the memory of man. For some, their mind is occupied with a constant reminder of their own wickedness of the past, and they cannot escape the ever-present drumbeat of guilt that lies heavy upon their heart. They have sought the Lord and trust His promise to cleanse them of all transgression--but they cannot find relief from their own memory. There are others who, because of sin, are hounded by the Holy Spirit with such conviction that they can do nothing else but remember their sins. Repentance is their need, and the desire of God is that they will come to repentance--casting off their sins and forsaking them. And then there are those who, having had sins inflicted against them, are the never-ending reminder to the one who has wronged them that the wrong inflicted is a stain upon their soul that will never be forgotten. Wrath, not mercy, becomes their expression to the one who sinned against them. And, thus, it is true: sin lingers long in the memory of man. But what about the mind of God? As the Lord Almighty reveals through the prophet Jeremiah the promised New Covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31), He brings forth a monumental promise: He will forgive and forget the sins of His people. It is interesting that many will be able to, with humility and great thankfulness, receive the forgiveness of God. They understand that Lord Jesus is the bearer of the New Covenant, He purchased it with His own blood. Paul reminds us of this in 1 Corinthians 11:25, "In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'" Again, in the book of Hebrews we find that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant, "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant" (Hebrews 9:15). The forgiveness of God is offered because the Lord Jesus paid the price for our transgressions on the cross. He took our guilt upon Himself and bore it away so that our sins could be pardoned and our lives released from eternal judgment. The Almighty God, Creator and Sovereign, is also the Omniscient One--the All-Knowing God. So can God forget... anything? The text tells us that He will remember our sins no more. Can God really forget our sins when it seems as if they have a life-time purchase in our own thoughts and memories? If we cannot forget... then how can God? The simple answer is this: because the Lord God said He does. There is nothing that God has ever spoken which is not also true. Yet, let these texts of Scripture help you understand. From Psalm 103:12, "As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." Again, we read in Micah 7:19, "He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." Why then can we not forget? Why do the transgressions of our past seem to hold purchase on our memories? Two reasons--to lead you to repent or to lead you to remember the mercy of God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring the conviction of sin which leads to real repentance. John 16:8 says, "And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment." If you are convicted of sin then give thanks to the Lord for His mercy upon you and repent. Paul tells us this in 2 Corinthians 7:10, "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." But, when you know that God has led you to repentance and confession of sin, finding His great cleansing of your heart (see 1 John 1:9), then let these memories bring you before the Lord with thankfulness in your heart as you remember His mercy and love. Consider what we find in Isaiah 63:7, "I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love." When those times come, my friends, and the memories of past sins long forgiven hound your thinking, let them be used of God to humble you with deep gratitude and remind you of His great grace that cleansed you of your transgression and delivered you from your sins. Let all who are in Christ remember that God has forgotten our sin. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Children of Promise2/20/2024 Romans 9:8 ~ "This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring." The generations of Israel longed for the promised Messiah. And when the Lord Jesus came and revealed Himself as the promised Savior, the leaders of Israel rejected Him and embraced their heritage instead. In John 8:39-40 this conversation took place: "They answered him, 'Abraham is our father.' Jesus said to them, 'If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.'" Clinging to their Jewish roots, the Pharisees and other religious leaders denied the very One who had come and rejected the work of Abraham, the one to whom they claimed to belong. What was the work of Abraham? Simple, Abraham believed God. "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'" (Romans 4:3). Merely claiming their history did not make them acceptable before the Lord God. Even John the Baptist spoke out against their claims of heritage, "And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham" (Matthew 3:9). So, let me ask: are you holding out hope for everlasting life based upon the flesh, or based upon God's promise? Let me explain. There are those today that cling to a false hope of everlasting life. A hope that they have built for themselves based upon some form of earthly effort or religious heritage. Some have claimed they belong to God because their parents are saved. It is a familial hope, but one that will fail before God. Consider Ezekiel 18:20, "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself." There are those who cling to their religious duty, believing that their efforts will warrant them some acceptability before God. They perform rites and rituals, offer prayers and chants, sing songs and follow liturgies. All of this is done in some form of belief that their good activities will outweigh the bad and they will be ushered in to the eternal presence with the blessing of the Almighty. They will be sadly mistaken, for they will hear those dreadful words of our Lord in Matthew 7:22-23, "On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" I have known those who claim their religious heritage--I'm a Baptist, I'm a Presbyterian, I'm a Methodist, etc.--with the thought that their association with a religious order will somehow usher them in to the greater fellowship of the saints and stand in good stead before the Lord. It is a fool's hope. Only those who are "children of promise" will be grafted in to the Lord Jesus. It is through faith in Christ that we are saved--not by works so there can be no boasting before God (see Ephesians 2:8-9). So, I ask you--are you a child of promise? Human effort can reform even some of the worst of men, but there will be no human effort that will redeem even one. We are commanded to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation--and in nothing and no one else. Our only hope is found in Christ alone. What is the promise? What is it that the Pharisees missed? They believed that the righteousness required by God could be attained through their effort--by works. But the righteousness God demands is impossible for us to achieve. It will only come through faith in the Lord Jesus. Consider Romans 9:32-33, "Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, 'Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.'" If you are not a child of promise, you are not saved. If you want to be saved, you must believe in the Lord Jesus. What does it mean to believe? That you believe that you are justly condemned by God for your sins against Him and that Jesus took upon Himself your deserved punishment--paying the price for your sins. And, in believing, you do as Romans 10:9-10 says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." What do you cling to? Is it your heritage or good works that give you hope of everlasting life? Or have you run to the Lord Jesus and know that He alone is the Savior of the world? Remember this promise--and believe it--"Everyone who call on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). In His Grace, Pastor Michael Heaven's Great Praise2/19/2024 Revelation 19:6 ~ "Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.'" The gathered hosts of all of heaven, in resounding chorus of adoration and praise, cries out a word of exaltation that has found its way into every major language of human speech: "Hallelujah!" The word means "Praise the Lord" and it is the heart-cry of every believer who understands the grandeur of God's greatness and the glory of His goodness. It is the "great multitude" that are shouting God's praise. It is the angels of heaven who know God in His glory and serve Him day and night before the throne. It is the angels who are ministering spirits sent to serve the redeemed of the Lord (see Hebrews 1:14). It was angels who attended to the Lord after His temptation (see Matthew 4:11). It was angels who comforted Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Luke 22:33). And the host of angels will be gathered in praise. It is the redeemed in Christ who will also be there in that great multitude. Who else can shout the praises of God for the forgiveness of their sins? Consider what 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." And there, in the presence of the King of kings, all those who know the salvation of Christ will proclaim His praise. In Revelation 19 there are four different cries of "Hallelujah!" In verse one, the Hallelujah is proclaimed for the Salvation of God. In verse three it is shouted for God's righteous judgement against the world. In verse four, it is the twenty-four elders falling down in honor and praise. And in our text, verse six, it is the pinnacle, the peak of the Hallelujahs--"For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!" Many have tried to unseat the Lord God, the Almighty. The enemy of the Lord rose up against Him in prideful expectation of elevating himself above God--and the enemy failed (see Isaiah 14:12-15). Mankind, throughout the ages, have rejected the authority of God and attempted to cast off His rule. Psalm 2:1-3 reveals this, "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." And yet, God still sits upon His throne and reigns forever. Philippians 2:9-11 illuminates the sovereignty of Jesus, "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." My friends, shout the hallelujah! Our Lord God will reign forever--His kingdom will never end! So, beloved, Has God been good to you? Have you found Christ as Savior and your sins forgiven? Then, let your voice join the chorus of heaven and cry out with humility and gratitude that great word--hallelujah! Though the full judgement of God has not yet been fulfilled, do you believe that God will justly judge? Then even now you can rejoice with the Hallelujah. And, knowing the sovereignty of the Almighty, that His kingdom knows no end (see Luke 1:33), if you belong to His kingdom--then let your heart and your voice shout with the great expression of praise--Hallelujah! In His Grace, Pastor Michael Making a Diamond2/18/2024 Ephesians 2:10 ~ "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Beloved, all believers go through times that leave them befuddled and wondering if they had done some mischief to bring such terrible circumstances. Even I have often wondered why things tend to be so difficult. Challenges, pressures and strife surround us until our souls are vexed beyond rational thought. Perhaps you have found yourself in this same position: hunkered down with only one word of prayer on your lips: “Why?” And though no audible voice from heaven rumbled into my ears, I believe from the Scriptures that God’s answer is this: “I’m making a diamond.” Let me explain. There are several circumstances, real and painful, that go into making a diamond. To take a lump of coal and transform it into the hardest, most precious and lustrous gem in the entire world, to go from fodder for the fire to a scintillating stone takes work. Four elements are needed to transform a piece of coal into a precious diamond: time, pressure, heat and the unwavering hand of the master cutter. Time: You might have learned by now that God is not in a hurry. He is patient and faithful and will walk His children through their lives at His own pace in order to transform a life into something precious. You cannot cut the process short. The transformation cannot be quickened like some microwave method of dinner preparation. God will take His time with you as He transforms your life into the precious gem He desires. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Pressure: Without pressure, coal will remain as it is. The crushing weight of the world is required to press the carbon into crystalline form. The external experiences of life are set to press us into the mold that God has created. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:7-9). Heat: The only thing that burns away dross is fire. I asked a metalsmith when he knew it was the right time to begin forging a sword. He told me, "When steel has fire on the inside, it is ready to be made into a tempered sword." The refining fire of God, that burns so fiercely, is ignited in our hearts and purges our lives from the impurities of sin. "And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’" (Zechariah 13:9). The Master Cutter: With an eye to what can be made, and what must be cut away, the master cutter will strike against the stone until the precious gem is finally ready. With even greater love and determination, God will carve and shape us by the sharp knife of His word. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." (John 15:1-3) The forging process that God takes you through is hard, sometimes harsh, but God has one goal in mind—to refine your life. If you ever find yourself asking God “why,” pay close attention to His word. You might just discover that God is making a diamond. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Sharpen that Axe2/17/2024 Ecclesiastes 10:10 ~ "If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed." There is an old parable that talks of two wood-cutters, each of them working hard throughout the day. One would work right through lunch and the other disappeared at lunch and then returned a half-hour later. The second man, having lost time to the first, still out cut his friend and delivered more wood to the market. One afternoon, when they had finished for the day, the first man finally asked the second, "How is it that you take a lunch and I cut through the day and you still outdo me?" The second man glanced at the first, "It's simple," he said. "At lunch time, I sharpen my axe." How many of God's people, today, are working hard but with a dull edge? There is a maximum effort being offered but minimal results are found. Today, my friends, I want to encourage you to sharpen that axe. It begins by recognizing that the iron is dull. The edge of a blade is removed from two things--overuse or neglect. Many an axe, hanging neglected in a barn will no longer have an edge that is honed to the purpose for which it was created. Others, having seen much activity, will dull and become of little use even in the mightiest of hands. Either is detrimental and both must be avoided. Neglect of your spiritual life can become a disastrous calamity when the time to work is at hand. Hebrews 5:11 states, "About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing." How difficult it must have been to try an instruct the church when they had become dull of hearing. He would go on to say that they needed milk, not solid food, for they had not trained themselves through constant use (see Hebrews 5:12-14). Paul warned Timothy against this type of neglect in 1 Timothy 4:14, "Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you." Overwork can also become the means by which you will blunt your edge. Hard work is commended in Scriptures, and it is a noble quality of life to pursue it with a diligent determination that you should glorify God. It is mentioned even from the beginning that mankind was created to work (see Genesis 2:15) Yet, in the hard-pressed ministry of the Lord Jesus, he cared for His disciples that that take time to recover themselves from their labors. Mark 6:31 says, "And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." The Lord worked into His commandments a day of rest (see Exodus 20:8-11). So... have you blunted the edge of your axe? Has the honed edge of your life become dull so that you do not function to the capacity that God is glorified and you find delight in the work? If either from neglect of your spiritual life or overwork, the answer is the same--you need to sharpen your edge. So, for some wisdom to help you succeed, I want to give you three things you can do to hone your edge. 1. Connect with the fellowship of believers. Proverbs 27:17 says, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." The first neglect that often occurs is the neglect of fellowship. We are here to help each other grow and strengthen each other in the faith (see Ephesians 4:16). 2. Repent of all known sins. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:21, "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work." You will never be ready for the work of God while you delight in sin. 3. Prepare your life to follow Christ. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:5-8 to make every effort to add to your faith the various virtues of Christ. He concluded with this, "For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." May this help you to sharpen your spiritual axe. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Christ, who is Your Life2/16/2024 Colossians 3:4 ~ "When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Christ is more than the first priority of your life, as if He is at the top of a long list of other priorities, some of which might actually find their way to the top of the pile. For Jesus is more than just "in" your life, He "is" your life. If you are a believer, a born-again Christian who has received from the Lord the cleansing grace of His atoning sacrifice on the cross, and has believed in His resurrection and the promise of your resurrection as well, then you have moved from being dead to being alive. Romans 10:9 testifies, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." But for most, Jesus is merely an attachment upon their current condition--not the fullness of life--just another appendage. And if that is Christ to you, just another priority in a list of other priorities, it might be that you have not been truly made alive. Paul addressed His new life in this way: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Consider a modern rendition of a testimony of salvation: "I have asked Jesus into my heart." I understand the sentiment of the statement, and am sympathetic to the desire of those who use such terms to describe their salvation. But how about we change that to something more akin to what our text says--that Christ IS our life. For when we ask Jesus into our hearts, it remains OUR hearts. But the Christian knows that their heart is dead before Christ saves and alive after He saves. So, instead of asking Jesus into my heart, I have surrendered my heart to Him--it is all His now, not mine at all. And, I am His now and not my own. There is more Biblical truth to it, for in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 it states, "You are not your own, for you were bought with a price." Just before our text, verse three states, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." The Apostle Paul gives us a great illustration in 1 Timothy 5:6 with this statement: "...but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives." There are those who are "dead even while they live." Their hearts are self-indulgent, they desire only that which is satisfying to themselves, and they possess no real life for they do not have Christ in them. But when we die to self, having surrendered our lives to Christ, we are given real life and, as Paul states, though dead--we live, for our lives are alive in Christ (see Romans 6:11). Beloved, it is a simple question but one that must be answered: is Christ your life? More than an attachment, more than a priority--Jesus is the very essence now of all that you are. Many people have their lives wrapped up in other things--family, career, hobbies, etc. And often those things are good things. But none of those things can deliver your soul from a state of death unto a condition of life. Only Jesus can save. But, my friends, what a wonder it is when we are alive in Christ! Then we find that in our hobbies, families, careers and all other aspects of life we can live as Jesus would have us live and bring Him glory through all of those attachments. It all comes down to who is your life. In His Grace, Pastor Michael What are You Seeking?2/15/2024 Isaiah 55:6 ~ "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near." Jesus came to seek and save the lost (see Luke 19:10) and how thankful we are that He did so. His purpose of coming was to bring truth to light and the revelation of the Almighty to our hearts and minds. With a call to repentance and faith in Him, He will deliver all who believe in Him, and rescue them from their sin and the wrath of God. There was never a moment that Jesus missed in His ministry and pursuit. Even now, the Lord continues to call the wicked to repentance and faith. And His work of seeking the lost will continue until the end. But what about you? What are you seeking? This question is often drawn upon the minds of those who have some industry of life they are wanting to pursue. They seek fame, treasure, honor, or power. Others seek romance and affection. Some seek a quiet, reclusive corner of life where they can disappear from the view of the crowds. There are as many avenues of pursuit in the minds of men across the world as there are men across the world. But consider our text today. Do you "seek the LORD?" For some, it is not the Lord that they seek but the provision of the Lord, His power and His gifts. They want to use the Lord for their own gain, have access to the Lord so that He will do what they demand. But to seek the Lord is to desire Him, not just His gifts. The Lord wants us to know Him. And in this text God has opened the door for mankind to find Him... but you must do so "while He may be found." There will come a time when the way to God will be shut. Remember the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. In that parable, there were five unprepared to receive the bridegroom when He arrived. So, they departed to find what they lacked but when they returned they discovered that the way was closed to them, "And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut" (verse 10). We are living in a time of grace, with a promise of redemption offered to mankind, a window of hope that we can be saved and live in fellowship with the Almighty. But someday that window will close, the door will shut and the way will no longer be available to any who reject Christ. There is a "while He may be found" timeframe and it ought to put an urgency into your heart to seek the Lord immediately. How, then, are we to seek Him? We are to "call upon Him while He is near." God is ever listening to His children who call upon Him. God is hearkening to the cry of the repentant sinner who longs for salvation. The Lord bends His ear to listen. Consider David's plea in Psalm 86:6, "Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace." The Lord God Almighty will listen to such a plea, for He delights in those who have humbled themselves and drawn near to Him. Later in Isaiah we hear God speak, "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" (Isaiah 66:2). Beloved, there is no greater pursuit than to seek the Lord while He may be found. There is no blessing so profound as the blessing of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. There is no gift so precious as the gift of His mercy. But, how do we know that we will find Him? Because He, Himself, promised that you will. Consider Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." So, where do we look? The answer to that is this: look in His word. Jesus said in John 5:39, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me." In the rebuke to the Pharisees, Jesus tells us exactly where to find Him--in His word, for they are what bear witness of Him. So, on this day, let us conclude where we started--seek the Lord. He is there to be found and He will be found by those who desire to know Him. In His Grace, Pastor Michael This is Love2/14/2024 1 John 4:10 ~ "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." In dozens of countries around the world, people will rise to celebrate a tradition called Valentine's Day. Love and affection will be the theme, and many will express their love with the purchase of any variety of gifts. Chocolates will be enjoyed, cards exchanged and for the most part it is a gentle holiday that lends itself to the warmth of human affection. But what, in truth, is "love?" For many, love is experienced only when agreement can be reached and acceptance or affirmations offered. That is to say, many people don't believe that they are loved unless the person offering love is also offering unlimited affirmations. No matter the condition of life, whether noble or wicked, if they don't get affirmed in their life (or lifestyle) then they reject the idea of being loved. For others, love is merely an emotional connection to the object of their affection. They feel some form of desire for the other and thus they believe they are, according to our modern expression, "in love." Without that continual presence of emotional desire, their love is assumed to have waned and vacated the heart. None of what is described above is actually what the Bible considers real love. To understand love, we must look to the One who is love. 1 John 4:8 states quite clearly, "God is love." 1 John 4:19 includes this: "We love because he first loved us." Many have seen the John 3:16 banners waved at sporting events which declares with absolute truth, "For God so loved the world." But how is that love expressed? How is it revealed? It is revealed in a gift--His Son. In our text today, we see that Jesus is given as the "propitiation for our sins." Beloved, you must understand this. God does not love us with affirming expressions that uplift our lives in their state of sin. God's love makes the case against us that we are absolute sinners and desperately need a propitiation (an atoning sacrifice). And with the case being made against us we discover with real clarity that there is no means by which we can make payment of our own. God Himself must pay the price for our rebellion against Him. We discover, also, that we DID NOT love God first--but that He loved us first. He is the one who sought us and sent His Son. It is God who has been offended by man. We became His enemy and He had every right to justly condemn us as a rebellious and wicked people. But consider this statement from Romans 5:10, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." Imagine... the sinner becomes a saint, and the enemy of God becomes a beloved son or daughter of the Most High! God cannot merely overlook our sins, lest He be unjust. Nor does God desire that any should perish--though all deserve to do so. How does God's justice and mercy find the means of being expressed? Both are found in the death and resurrection of Christ. In the sacrifice of Christ, the justice of God is satisfied and the mercy of God is offered to sinners. So, my friends, on this day when love is celebrated, will you look to the love of God in Christ and receive His mercy and forgiveness of your sins? If you've done so already, then use this day to celebrate the real love that was given to you--and share that love with anyone you can. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Beating Distractions2/13/2024 Luke 10:40 ~ "But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.'" There are a wealth of distractions that fill our lives. What do you do to beat them? Jesus had come to the home of his friend, Lazarus. Mary and Martha, the sisters of the man, welcomed the Lord with great delight. Mary saw the opportunity to enjoy the presence of Jesus and sat at His feet in order to receive His words. I could imagine that every one of us might be of the same mindset, delighting ourselves in His presence and catching every word like a treasure. Martha, however, had other obligations on her mind. They were not bad, nor was she trying to avoid her Lord. She saw the need of the moment and sought to serve Jesus with a well-prepared meal. She was "distracted with much serving." And it is the idea of being distracted that we bring our thoughts today. Understand, Martha was distracted with something that most, if not all, would consider a good deed. She wanted to serve the Lord and provide a meal for the King. Surely this was a noble task that needed to be accomplished. And, looking at Mary, she wanted the Lord to command her sister to get up and help. Let's understand what it means to be "distracted." Literally in our text the term means to "drag all around." That is, you're always searching this way and that, looking around at other things rather than looking at what is necessary. And isn't that what happens when we get distracted? Jesus spoke to Martha and answered her cry of distress in verses 41-42. "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Martha was "anxious and troubled" and lost sight of the fact that the Lord of Heaven, the Master and Teacher, sat in her living room and was talking. The time for a meal would come, now was the time to sit and listen to Jesus. So, what are the things that distract you? in our modern era we have more things demanding our attentions than ever. Social media, cell phones, television, video games, and a host of other distractions come through our lives that we "drag all around" trying to touch on each one. Other things are there, things that are potentially good but not the better. How many are distracted during the time of God's word in Sunday services, or the time of praise and adoration through music and though their bodies are there, the mind is upon all other considerations? Hebrews tells us this: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Consider 2 Timothy 2:4, "No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him." There are weights that must be laid aside, and there are pursuits that have nothing to do with our pleasing the Lord. We must be willing to acknowledge that we are, as Martha, anxious and troubled by many things. So how do you beat the distractions? Simple... by remembering what is, in that moment, the better thing to do, and concentrating on that instead. Jesus told Martha that only one thing was necessary--and Mary had chosen that. It is a choice for you as well. What, in the moment that you're living, is the "one thing necessary?" It might be a service to perform, a prayer to pray, a lesson to heed, a call to make. Each moment contains its own priorities from the Lord. The only question, my friend, is whether you're willing to do what is necessary in the moment. But when you do know what it is, you then have a great opportunity to let the distractions go--and pick them up when they become the necessity of the moment. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Rise to the Occasion2/12/2024 1 Samuel 14:6 ~ Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” When does God act on behalf of His people? The nation of Israel faced a war against the Philistines. Saul was king and Jonathan, his son, served the army of the people of God. To remain with the army of Israel was safer than launching a one-man attack against a garrison of entrenched Philistine soldiers. However, Jonathan was also a man of tremendous faith in God. And, knowing that God could save by many or few, he ventured out to find the enemy camp. Heart and soul, the armor bearer went with him across the rocky terrain to find the enemy (see verse 7). Before you think, however, that this is a call to foolhardy adventures for the Lord, that we rush out headlong into the unknown in order to tackle overwhelming odds, there is more to the story. Jonathan did not just jump out with blind faith and hoped that God would rescue him if he'd gotten it wrong. He did not venture against the enemy without knowing that God had orchestrated the moment. He did not rise to his own occasion, Jonathan sought for God's. Consider what it says in 1 Samuel 14:8-10, "Then Jonathan said, 'Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say to us, "Wait until we come to you," then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, "Come up to us," then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.'" Just as we all do, Jonathan needed to know that God had ordained the moment. Presumptuous faith is not what God has called His redeemed to express. True faith is a willingness to follow God as He has revealed, not as we have presumed. If the Lord had not given to Jonathan and his armor bearer this moment, then their effort to venture across the pass to the garrison might have ended quite differently. Consider what happened when the Israelites tried to go into the promised land apart from God's leading. Deuteronomy 1:43-44 describes it, "So I spoke to you, and you would not listen; but you rebelled against the command of the Lord and presumptuously went up into the hill country. Then the Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do and beat you down in Seir as far as Hormah." Even our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, refused to be tempted into a presumption against His Father (see Matthew 4:7). Consider what it says in James 4:15-16, "Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil." Arrogant and evil boasting in this matter is to say you have such great faith that everything you determine is God's will, must be God's will. So, how do we know when to rise to the occasion and step out boldly by faith? How do we know it is God who has called us so that we know that He will act on behalf of His people? First, is it clearly defined in His word? There are those who presume upon God's word, but they don't actually strive to serve the Lord but their own endeavors. They see a story in Scripture and assume that they can act in such a manner as the one who is in the story. For example, there are no walking-on-water moments happening today. God has not called the faithful to step out and walk on water, it was a moment for the Lord and Peter. Many have used the story metaphorically, but I have known some to try it, presuming they had the same faith as Peter and could do what he did. To be clearly defined in God's word is to have the understanding that it is directly commanded to the people of God. Has God commanded His church to evangelize? To love as Christ loved us? To pray? To gather in worship? All these, and many more are direct commands in the Scripture for His people that must be faithfully obeyed. You can in each one of those, rise to the occasion and obey the Word of God. Second, will it bring glory to God or glory to self? God will not share His glory with another (see Isaiah 48:11). Tremble if God has called you to an elevated position, where men will give you praise and honor. For in such a time of testing, your heart may be puffed up with the notion that you have some superior quality. Let all the glory go to God. Third, does it fit the occasion? Jonathan and the army of Israel were at war--truly it fit the occasion for him to venture across the pass to the garrison of the enemy. The parting of the Red Sea, the crossing of the Jordan river, the healings and miracles of the Old and New Testaments all fit the occasion. I recall one effort I was making to do what I thought was a "great work for God." However, it didn't fit the occasion and it failed miserably. Beloved, let us rise to occasion when it is of the Lord. Otherwise, we will find ourselves basking in our presumptuous faith and finding that God does not work on behalf of a presumptuous people. In His Grace, Pastor Michael With All Your Might2/11/2024 Ecclesiastes 9:10 ~ "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going." Oh, my friends, let this be a day of service for you. There are labors that must be accomplished, and tasks that must be done. For time is a swift companion on this journey in life. In this land of mortal flesh, before we enter into the realm of eternity, we have tasks set before us that must be done. From the beginning, work was a required expression of man. God created man and placed him in the garden with the direct command to work it. Genesis 2:15 says, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it." Even after the fall, when mankind was thrust out of the paradise garden of God and back upon the dust, the Divine command to work still remained, "Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken" (Genesis 3:23). A current dilemma in our modern age is the notion that work is a burden to be borne and not the noble expression of the life. Many cringe at the notion of having to do hard work, fearing that somehow it is a punishment inflicted. We hear of those who are sentenced to "hard labor" as a deterrent against pursuing further crimes. Retirement, for some, is the grand hope of being able to enjoy the lackadaisical life of rest and ease. Our text today instructs us to work at "whatever your hand finds to do." That is, whatever is set before you and you can reach out and accomplish--that which is for the glory of God, the benefit of others and industrious in life--let that be your task. It does not indicate a specific industry, as if we all had the same task. It is whatever YOUR hand finds to do. My hands will find other labors than yours, and so striving to live out a comparison against another is faulty at best. Yet, let those three qualifications guide you into the work set before you: God's glory, man's benefit and personal industry. Remember, also, that we are to live out our life as an imitator of God (see Ephesians 5:1). God is always at work, as we discover in John 5:17, "But Jesus answered them, 'My Father is working until now, and I am working.'" Now, we understand that we cannot do what God can do. But to bear His reflection, let us do what we can do. And this brings us to the measure by which you put your hands to the work: "with all your might." Half-hearted effort does not bring forth the quality of work that should be acceptable to your own heart, let alone acceptable to God. Saying "it's good enough" is a poor expression for the believing soul. Paul told the Colossian church, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:23). This does not preclude those times of rest, reflection or retreat in order to revitalize your life and enter back into the work. But once you have laid your hand to the plow, then press on until you can say about your own labor: it is finished. And, finally, there is a reason for such determination in the work--for the time will come when your days will be ended on this earth and the opportunity to do the work laid before you must come to a close. The close of business happens for everyone, and all must come to the day of reckoning before God. All our works will be tested. 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 states, "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done." Let us be as the Thessalonians, for whom the Apostle Paul gave such thanks, "We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). In His Grace, Pastor Michael Knowing the Voice of God2/10/2024 John 10:27 ~ "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." How many of you who read this are struggling to understand the voice of Christ? Many have thought they were listening to the voice of God when, in fact, it was their own hearts speaking to them--for that is the voice they are familiar with. A great danger occurs when we think we are listening to God and do not actually know how to discern the difference between our own hearts and His voice. Listen to what it says in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" And so, people are often deceived in their belief that God has spoken to them, when their own emotions and dispositions are the only voice they know. Consider an illustration: A child is born, and there he grows up in the midst of the family of his origin. Surrounded by the speech of his parents, and the language of his nation, the young child learns to converse with his family. Through proximity and familiarity, there is no question--all things being equal--that a newborn will eventually adopt and understand the language of his culture. A baby born in Holland will invariably learn Dutch, and one born in Kenya probably will understand Swahili. And, once that individual is full grown, the challenge for learning a new language becomes increasingly difficult. Why? Because it is during the young stages of life that a person becomes familiar with language. And now, reflect upon the beginning stages of your life in Christ. Jesus said that we must be "born again" (see John 3:7). A new life must be formed and a new nature given. Thus, like a newborn in a home, a new Christian begins to learn the language of the Lord. In 1 Peter 2:2 we read, "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation." That "pure spiritual milk" is the milk of the Word of God. And the longer we linger in the Scriptures and the more we hold proximity to the teaching of God's word, the more familiar we become with the voice of the One who gave it. When I was a young man, I could be in a crowded room full of dads and sons, and, though separated from my own father, the moment I heard his voice I had no doubt that it was him. All the other voices in the room had no influence on me, for I was very familiar with my dad's voice. Jesus said in John 10:5, "A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." And yet, there are many who hearken to the strange voices around them and do not know how to discern between that and the voice of Christ. But, as a Father with his children, the Lord God wants His people to learn how to hear His word. Stop and think for a moment at what God did to bring us His word. Through kings, priests, prophets, apostles and, ultimately, His Son, the Father in Heaven made sure that His Scripture was provided to His people. He did not leave us without the means of learning from Him, soaking in the richness of the Bible, so that we can grow more familiar with Him and His voice. Yet there are those who, in their Christian infancy, listened to various teachings and ideas that were not entrenched in the Scriptures and thus learned to hear other voices, even the foolish voices of their own heart, and assumed it was God. And now, having grown familiar with those voices, find it difficult to come back to the very basic language of Christ in the Scriptures and relearn all over again. It's not impossible, but it requires greater effort. Hebrews 5:11-14 speaks powerfully to this, "About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." For those willing to listen to all manner of other voices rather than the word of God, their powers of discernment have never been trained and thus they struggle to understand the voice of Christ. So, beloved, linger long in the Scriptures. Become familiar with the Bible through constant use. Proximity to the voice of God is always going to be nearness to the Word of God. If you want to know that you are listening to the Great Shepherd, it will always be in His word. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Who's to Blame?2/9/2024 Genesis 3:12 ~ The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” From the outset, mankind has been putting the blame for sin on everything else but self. Let us draw ourselves within earshot of the conversation between God and Adam. Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating of the forbidden fruit (see Genesis 3:6). Then, in the cool of the day, Adam and Eve heard God coming. In desperation, they hid themselves from the eyes of the Righteous Judge, for they had rebelled against Him. Calling out, God sought them and Adam responded, telling God that he was afraid because he was naked (exposed). Think of this for just a moment. Man was naked, exposed before God, and there was no actual hiding from the eyes of the Holy One. Fig leaves could not disguise them. The flora could not shield them. Adam and Eve were not going to escape the Lord. Then God, in His rich mercy, gives Adam an opportunity to come clean--to confess his transgression. God asks a simple question: Did you eat of the forbidden tree (see Genesis 3:11). And, with this open opportunity for Adam to seek the mercy of God, he instead, looks to put the blame on another. It seems at first that he would blame the woman. After all, she was tempted by that serpent and then handed him the fruit. And Adam's first blast of blame is just that: "the woman." But it didn't end there. Adam, ultimately, blamed God. It was not just the woman, but, "the woman whom you gave to be with me." Adam, in the very presence of his Maker, in the overwhelming glory of the Almighty, looked to God and said, in essence, "You're the one to blame. For surely this would never had happened if she weren't around--and she'd have never been around if you didn't give her to me." And from that moment on, our disposition has been to cast blame as far and as high as possible, thinking that none of it will ever stick to us. For surely God must know it's not our fault that we sin. Consider King Saul of Israel. In 1 Samuel 15, The LORD had commanded Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites. Yet, Saul and the people kept the spoils--the best of the plunder of the Amalekites. When confronted by Samuel, Saul did what came naturally to all of us--he made excuses and cast blame. "And Saul said to Samuel, 'I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal'" (1 Samuel 15:20-21). Basically, Saul said: "It's not my fault... the people did it." How many times do we know of when children (ourselves included when we were young) always sought a way out by casting the blame on another? But, even as God called to Adam, so God calls to us all, to confess and repent of the sins we commit against Him. Without excuse and without self-justification, we are to come clean with our sins. 1 John 1:8-10 lays it out clearly for us, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." What a promise is nestled in the midst of those verses. God, who is righteous and holy, will cleanse us from our sins if we would but confess them to Him. But if we say we have not sinned, then we make God out to be a liar for He has said that we did sin. To confess is to agree with the Lord and His word concerning them. In truth, you cannot confess nor repent of a sin you did not commit. But, when God has revealed your sin as He did to Adam in the garden (did you eat?), then do not cast the blame, and look to no one else to hold your guilt. Confess, agree with God, and repent of that sin and find the everlasting Lord and Judge to be your righteous Redeemer and Savior. To answer the question, who's to blame, is simple. You are... and so am I. We have no one to blame but ourselves for the sins of our life. But we also have a merciful and faithful Lord who will pardon our transgression and cleanse us from every sin. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Contend for the Faith2/8/2024 Jude 1:3 ~ "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered [entrusted] to the saints." Three reasons to contend for the faith: The Urgency of the Hour You cannot read this text of Scripture in Jude without first recognizing there is urgency to Jude’s letter. What had happened to cause Jude to change directions from writing about the common salvation to writing about contending for the faith? There began an attack on the very foundation of the church, the person of Jesus Christ. It became an absolute imperative that Jude needed to warn the people of God that heresy and false teaching was “secretly” slipping into the church. False teachers were turning the grace of God into a license for immorality, denying Jesus Christ as the only Sovereign and Lord. The hour was urgent and there was no time to delay. The church needed to contend for that which the false teachers were trying to destroy. The Priority of the Faith Another reason that we must contend for the faith is the issue of faith itself. In this text, Jude is not speaking of some form of religious dogma or practice. Jude is clearly speaking to the very core issue of the Christian life. Friends, this life we call Christianity is a faith life. That is to say, we are to do everything in association with the life that we have in Christ Jesus. In the text, Jude uses the direct article in connection with the word “faith.” Literally, it is the faith, not a faith, or some faith. The issue of our faith in the Living God is the very core priority of all our existence. We are to contend for the faith for it is the faith that has brought us into the life we have in Christ. There is a specific reality that is unique to the Christian life and that is our complete identification with Jesus Christ and our complete confidence expressed in loving obedience. The Duty of the Saints The last reason we contend for the faith is that it is our duty to do so. If there were no other reason to contend for the faith, this would be reason enough. We read in the text that this faith has been “once for all entrusted to the saints.” We have been given a trust, and we must prove faithful. Let’s break this down a little. First of all, it is “to the saints.” That is, it is given over to those who have personally come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Jesus never entrusted His word to the unbeliever, only to those who have come to know Him by faith. So, if you’re a believer, this is you. Second, it is “entrusted.” Literally, this means that it has been delivered to you as a sacred trust. You have been given God’s greatest gift, the life of His Son in you. Finally, this is “once for all.” Now this can mean “once for all time” signifying the saints’ duty to pass this faith on through generations, or it can mean “once for all people” signifying the saints’ duty to pass this faith on to all people. Either way is agreeable to the text and the significance is clear. Let me ask you: Do you see the urgency of the hour? Do you see that the time we live in is given over to casual faith and a sense of self-satisfying Christianity? Do you understand that there is no other “faith” except the faith of Jesus Christ? Do you understand that people are still lost if they don’t believe the truth? Do you know that this faith is a sacred trust? Do you know that you are obligated to prove faithful to the trust given you? It is the urgent call of God to every believer that we must contend for the faith, entrusted to us once and for all. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Come to the Teaching of Jesus2/7/2024 Matthew 5:1 ~ "Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him." Jesus was pressed by large crowds during the length of His ministry. They often sought to see another miracle from Him, and in the midst of those works, He faithfully spoke God's word to them. There were times the massive crowds of people loved what the Lord spoke--other times they wanted to throw Him off a cliff (see Luke 4:29). But Jesus didn't perform His miracles and do His work in order to amaze the crowds. His entire work was to bring glory to the Father and give evidence to who He is. And it is His teaching that must drive our feet to follow Him. The Lord said this, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24). The works of miracles were there to confirm His word. In John 10:38 Jesus said, "But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." As the crowds grew, the Lord climbed up a mountain and sat down. The time had come for the work of healing and miracles to stop and the work of teaching to begin. In the day, a rabbi would have his disciples gathered around him to teach them, and he would signal that time when he sat down. Jesus does this very thing, and what a message He presented--the Sermon on the Mount. But why did Jesus climb a mountain? With such a crowd around Him, it would make it very difficult for all of them to gather around. He would have greater access to the crowd if He remained in their midst. But Jesus didn't sit down to teach the crowds. In truth, the crowds did hear Him as seen in Matthew 7:28-29, "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." But Jesus didn't sit down for the crowds--He sat down to gather His disciples. The time of teaching had come, and His disciples came to Him. What a wonderful statement of the desire that His true followers have for the very word of God. When the time of the teaching of the Word of God comes, do you gather to listen? Peter recognized the extreme value of the words of Christ in John 6:68, "Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'" In a society driven toward entertaining attractions, the preaching and teaching of the Word of God is often forsaken for something more exciting. And there are those who see this trend and try to compensate their work to accommodate the desires of the crowds. Jesus did not do that. He never stooped to the demands of those who sought Him out only for another sign. Even at the moment when they wanted to make Him King through force, Jesus withdrew Himself from them (see John 6:15). But when the Scriptures are opened and the opportunity arrives to come to the feet of Jesus' words, His disciples will gather around to listen. May it be said of the church today that the longing of our hearts is still for Christ and His word. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Keeping Watch2/6/2024 Proverbs 15:3 ~ "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." There is no escaping God's careful gaze upon your life. He knows all things, sees all things and even your very thoughts are known to Him. Psalm 94:11 states, "The Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath." Evil and good are both in His watchful perception, and He is not confused as to what is evil and good. Mankind is often confused, uncertain as to whether or not something is objectively evil or good. We tend to speculate about things, trying to make determinations about what we might consider as evil--compromising here and there and allowing ourselves to justify our attitudes and actions based upon our own subjective understanding. Yet Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us away from our own understanding of things. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Knowing that God sees all things, what do you have put in place that will give you what is needed to keep watch over your own life? Are there safeguards established, or do you constantly need lifeguards to rescue you from various potential disasters? Let me encourage you--there are safeguards available. Like lighthouses that warn against trouble and instructors that give you needed wisdom, God has provided what you need to keep watch. Before we look at the tools given by God, you might be asking why you need to take such care over your soul? First, because Jesus commanded it. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus commands, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Another reason flows from the fact that our hearts need guarding. Proverbs 4:23 states, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." What has God given to put a watch upon our lives? First, He's given the Word of God. Consider what Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." There is no subjective quality to the Word of God. It is not speculative, but objectively true and absolutely right. The moment the question of what is evil or good is in play, the Word of God will give clarity. Moreover, it is a warning against that which would lead us into evil. Psalm 19:11 says, "Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." Next, He's given us leadership in the church. Hebrews 13:17 tells us, "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." Godly men in the church who serve as elders are there to provide the guidance and instruction needed for every believer to avoid evil and pursue good. These are men who will stand before God and give an account of their service to the fellowship. They hold the work of the gospel in the lives of every believer as a precious thing, striving to guide the church to holiness before God. It is to your advantage to heed their guidance (see also Hebrews 13:7). Finally, God has given the church for the purpose of keeping our lives away from sin and pursuing righteousness. Galatians 6:1 tells us, "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." The fellowship of the family of Christ is a strong support in living for Christ. There are those who see the church as a casual affair, passively engaged in the life of other believers. But it is in the fellowship that we grow in Christ. Ephesians 4:15-16 instructs us in this, "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." As God is keeping watch over us, so He has given us the tools we need to keep ourselves away from evil and pursuing good. Let us live with these safeguards firmly placed in our lives and, perhaps, we will need fewer lifeguards to rescue us from the calamity of sin. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Runaway and Redeemed2/5/2024 Philemon 1:15 ~ "For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever." The story of Onesimus, the runaway slave, speaks to our redemption with some clarity. Take a moment and read the book of Philemon--there are but 25 verses, and they are rich with grace. To understand what is happening, the slave, Onesimus, had run away from his master, Philemon. Not only did he run away but he potentially robbed Philemon of precious resources as well. The law was set against Onesimus--and Philemon had every right according to the law of the day to have him punished. Yet, somewhere along the way--and probably in prison--Onesimus met the Apostle Paul and heard the message of the gospel. And, in the glorious grace of God, the slave became a believer and a brother in Christ. And, in faithfulness to the Lord, Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon to be received with love and mercy, and welcomed back as more than a bondservant--as a brother. Now... let us take a look at our redemption as we see it illustrated in the story of Onesimus. First, we all start off as runaway slaves. We were created by God, for God and to love and serve Him with our whole heart. He created us to love us as well, to be God over us and provide all things necessary for life and joy. And in rebellion against Him, mankind has rejected God's right to rule us--though we are His creatures, created by Him and for Him. All we have to do is look back to mankind's rebellion in the Garden of Eden. "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate" (Genesis 3:6). In our sin we are wildly independent of God, and we want it that way. In Psalm 2:3 we read, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." This is our disposition toward God before we are redeemed--we want to be free of Him. But we cannot be, for we must still use His creation to sustain our lives. We breathe His air, eat His food, use His lands, drink His water--and so on. There is not one thing we can do independent of God, but we reject His authority and steal from Him. But then, in His providential grace, we are encountered by the gospel of Christ. As Onesimus met Paul who shared the gospel with the runaway, so we encounter someone who tells us of Jesus Christ. We have tried to run as far as we could from the Lord and, no matter where we go, His gospel will find us. 2 Timothy 1:9 states, "...who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began." And now, beloved, we are restored to our Master! His love and grace have paid for our rebellion. And in our restoration to the Lord, we are no longer just His creation--bondservants and nothing else--we are given the identity of brother. Hebrews 2:11 reveals this, "For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers." The runaway slave is now redeemed, the lost has been found and is restored to the Lord. Is this your testimony? Jesus Christ will receive all who come to Him, all those who believe the gospel and yield themselves to Him. We see in the story of Onesimus the illustration of all who have rebelled against and rejected God--and have been saved by His grace and returned to the Master who made them, forgiven them and welcomed them back in love. 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. Featured BookArchives
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