Fellowship With God

The joy of the Apostle John is made complete, as he opens 1 John with a discourse on the fellowship that exists between the believer and God the Father, and his Son, Jesus. John wants readers of this letter to be diligent and continue in the faith because the gospel message they have learned is real and true. 

John asks the question in chapter 2 that has become a question multitudes have asked, "How can we be sure we belong to Jesus?"  Do we wrestle with that?  Do we have any assurance that we really belong to him?  John answered his own question by letting us know the only real answer is this, "By obeying his commandments."  John continues to elaborate, "Those who say they live in God, should live their lives as Christ did."

Now look in the following verses, 1 John 2:7-8

 ^"Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.  Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.  Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.  Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.

In the writings of Paul to the Colossians, he says that God has rescued us from darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.  That is an amazing way to describe the accomplishment of Jesus on the cross.  We have such a blessing in escaping the darkness of sin and instead, living with Jesus. 

But note, in the quoted passage above, we are commanded to love our brother. John says even those who claim to be in the light while hating their brother, are in reality still in darkness.  Of special note is his comment about the process of the darkness passing and the true light is already shining. There may be times when we are attempting to walk in the light, and a wrong decision or a sinful habit pulls us back toward the darkness.  John is showing us it is futile for us to attempt to be light, when the darkness of hatred toward each other shows its ugly head. 

The theme of the letter is to remain faithful, and that theme is echoed in the life of every Christian in today's world.  John wants us to know that we belong in the light, and tells us that assurance can be ours if we are obedient to God, and loving toward each other. 

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Out of Control?

We've had some difficult and disappointing days in the past weeks.  Our country continues to be on alert for the terroristic threats which have become common.   Racial unrest is on the increase.  Let me mention just one more thing, and that is the decision of the highest court in our land to allow same-sex marriage, as outright hatred toward other people is becoming the norm.

I really appreciated the words of the preacher this past Sunday who pointed out to us that courts can rule on just about anything and often it decides things which are contrary to the traditional Christian values we have held all our lives. Those values have been threatened and from some viewpoints, have dealt morality a death blow.  None of that changes God's truth on the subject of marriage.

But all the bad things happening open many doors for Christians to make their stand on the Biblical truths which we hold dear.  My reading and research into the news accounts cause me to shake my head in disbelief, but let's look at some opportunities, too.

First of all, we have the chance to demonstrate  our love for others, even those with whom we disagree, to an ever growing extent.  While Bible truth has been trampled by those who would like nothing more than the elimination of Christian values, it's time for us to look beyond the words and actions which go against Christianity, and find that love Jesus called us to have in loving others as ourselves.

That can be so difficult for me sometimes, to actually love the sinner while hating his sin, but I am sure glad Jesus was willing to do that for me, and in so doing, continues to show me I should be as loving as he is.  In showing this kind of love toward my neighbors I continue to learn how much our Lord has loved us, even though we sin and disappoint him frequently.  The Bible still says, "while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us."

My other observation during these troubling times, carries my thoughts to the safety of my family and friends, and the safety of our country.  Things around the world seem to be going downhill in a hurry and I would be untruthful if I said those things didn't have me concerned.  As I think about the threats and how things seemingly change for the worse, I try to think of ways we can avoid being causalities to all the unrest.   

It's then I remember my vows of committing my life to God, and the lives of my children and grandchildren, and my closest friends and acquaintances.  In times like these, we all need a good dose of renewed commitment to the Lord.  We must never forget, as committed people, we are believing God loves us, cares for our well-being, and more than ever, we need to place our trust in Him.  HE is in control.  

Talk to God in prayer today about our country, asking him to be our strength and our hope.  He loves you and has promised to be with you always.  

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Come to the fountain...

We can learn a lot about God by the way he dealt with his chosen people in Old Testament times. The children of Israel had many of the same problems we have, in remaining faithful to the Heavenly Father. Most of the prophetic writings of the Old Testament not only give us glimpses of the coming Jesus, Messiah, but also let us see some very specific qualities of God that we might otherwise miss.

Jeremiah was the prophet chosen by God to proclaim messages which contained doom and destruction to the unfaithful, and messages which portrayed God as one who longed for his people to return to him, and seek his forgiveness for their disobedience.

We've looked at some of this before and noted Jeremiah's message from God to the people included the mentioning of the Israelites defiling the land, they followed after worthless idols, they did not seek God, and even their leaders, the teachers of the law, were in rebellion. 

Jeremiah 2 gives the message and the picture for Israel looks bleak. The people who had known of God's deliverance and his provision, were now turning their backs on God and practicing idolatry. God is so displeased with them he and lets them know about it.  He asks this question, "Has a nation ever changed its gods?" (Yet the gods they turn to are not really gods at all.)  We can sense the sorrow and sadness from the throne of God to the entirety of Israel.  And yet, through God's displeasure, he still wants to show his love and forgiveness to  every one of them. 

Through the sins of the people itemized to this point, we can understand why God expresses his displeasure. Further down in Jeremiah 2, God sums up the root of their problem.  Verse 13:

“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me, the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." Jeremiah 2:13

There are the two sins. They have forsaken God, the spring of living water, and they dug their own cisterns, that cannot hold water.  Both the Old and New Testaments have examples of the life giving source of spirituality illustrated by the provision of water. These people could have turned to God at any time and enjoyed an  awakening to the spiritual blessings from above.  Instead, he said they built their own cisterns that cannot hold water, a demonstration of their lack of trust and faith in God. 

Mankind still refuses to drink the water of life from God, the only sustaining source. We still like to call all the shots and make all the decisions.  We, like Israel in Jeremiah's day, need to learn the calamity that awaits when we choose our own way, our own abilities, our own strength.  The grace of God gives us the better perspective of knowing him, loving him, and following his direction. 

Come to the fountain, the source of the water of life, and drink from the spring of living water. 

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The Struggler

A man named Saul from the city of Tarsus had an extraordinary reputation for persecuting Christians and doing everything within his power to stop the spread of the early church. The very mention of his name would bring fear in the hearts of those who were followers of Jesus. In that day, if you were a believer which encountered Saul, you could count on being dragged off to prison or possibly face execution. 

Saul was traveling to Damascus with the intent of extending his work of doing away with Christians and had a very personal encounter with Jesus himself.  He was blinded and had to be helped into the city but while there was taught more about Jesus and was baptized.  From that day forward he was actively becoming a friend of Christians and preaching about Jesus. His name was now Paul, and he spent the rest of his life devoted to the Lord through missionary journeys, written instructions to churches, and even imprisonment for his faith. 

Think for a moment about Paul's conversion experience and the complete turn-around of his life. Think also about the difficulty other Christians might have had in accepting Paul into the community of the faithful. After all, these Christians had suffered at the hands of Paul, and we can understand their reluctance in accepting him. He had a reputation. He had been an enemy of the cross. He had been the author of chaos for many Christians and their families. 

Acts 9:27    But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

Even the Jerusalem Christians were in no hurry to accept Paul. Opposition against him was so great he retreated back home to Tarsus for a time.  Then Barnabas took action again. 

Acts 11:25-26  Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,  and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Paul went on to be very instrumental in the development and growth of individual Christian lives and the spread of the church.  Thanks to Barnabas, who provided the encouragement and love toward a struggling brother, Paul got the nudge he needed to keep pressing forward. 

Do you know someone today that is struggling with acceptance in the church, perhaps due to a  bad reputation or a sinful lifestyle.  Is there a ministry for us, the imperfect yet forgiven, to share the example of God's love and grace toward those who are in such a struggle? It could be the very person you encourage and help that becomes a church planter, a leader, a ministry student, or a missionary.  I think every church has some of these "strugglers" which are searching for acceptance, encouragement, and love. 

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Worship Today

Focus on Jesus

I am often motivated to write in these blogs about the words we sing together as a church on Sunday mornings. There are countless beautiful melodies which seem to match so well with the words of some writer, and together blend into an inspiring message to the body of Christ.

Such is the case of a song I have selected for us to look at today. Read these words from the first verse and see if it hits close to home for you. 

1.  O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free! 

I do not have the ability to know life's situations and circumstances for those who read the blog on a daily basis. No doubt there are some that are weary and troubled, perhaps some who are not able to see the light because of all the spiritual darkness which surrounds them. The poet says, "There's light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free!"

2. Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

That second verse describes how Jesus passed through death into everlasting life, and how we follow him in those steps. We are blessed to taste that life he gives because sin has no more dominion over us. Romans 8 promises we are "more than conquerors in Christ Jesus."

3. His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

The Word of God will never fail us. We have his promise. Use your faith to know that all is well when you are in Him, then go spread the message of salvation to all. 

The part of the song known as the refrain summarizes the entire point of the message and encourages us to stay focused on Jesus. The message is biblical. Its truth is powerful. Its application is universal. Memorize the refrain and if you know the tune, hum or sing it daily. Keep your eyes upon Jesus.

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

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When God Wasn't Pleased

It's been around 50 years since John E. Hunter wrote a book called LIMITING GOD.  After its release, Moody Monthly wrote about the book in their monthly magazine, "Moody Monthly."  Here is the quote:"

"A probing discussion of problems in Christian living which can become spiritual nooses choking a vital Christian life.  Some of these are unbelief, fear, disobedience, selfishness, pride and ignorance.  Read it for a revealing X-ray of your impotent Christian life. Along with spiritual diagnosis, a scriptural remedy is prescribed."

There is one chapter in Hunter's book which I have gone back to read several times.  If there is an act we do, or neglect to do, that actually limits God, the chapter about disobedience sends us clear evidence.  He begins with quoting the scriptures found in 1 Corinthians 10 where Paul is reminding his readers about the children of Israel in the wilderness.  "For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. ² They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."  1 Corinthians 10:1-4

We talk about unity in our churches, and do everything we can to practice unity, however the people Paul is describing are the picture of unity.  Read the verses again with special notation to Paul's use of the word "all."  Church leaders today would love to have such unity as described in those four verses.  

Then we come to verse 5....." ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them."

God was not pleased in spite of their unity and correctness of their spiritual experience.  Let's pay attention to this united band of followers of God, and see how the problems which plagued them are the problems which plague us today.  Problem number 1...Although united in spiritual things, they were guilty of wandering and complaining.  Sound familiar?   Problem number 2....The situation which caused God to be displeased with their lives was their personal disobedience.

Like us, the people Paul was describing from the wilderness days, spoke of how much they loved God and wanted to serve him, however they were guilty of idolatry.  What they needed more than anything else was repentance.  Joshua's pleadings with them were simple.  "Put away the strange gods which are among you and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel."

The message for us is to learn the same thing they were taught by Joshua.  If we are really inclined to be the children of God, we must come to him with the penitent heart, determined to be obedient his will.  This is why Paul, in writing to these Corinthians stated, "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new."

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