Kouts Christian Church

“When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel.  With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise,” [Ezra 3:10-13]

“Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God,” [Luke 9:68]

Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy, [Psalm 33:2-3].

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.  Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day, [Psalm 96:1-2].

“Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.                 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations,” [Psalm 98:1-2]

“I will sing a new song to you, O God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,” [Psalm 144:9]

“Praise the LORD.  Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.  Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds,” [Psalm 149:1-5]

“Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth,” [Isaiah 42:10]

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more,”
[Isaiah 65:17-19]

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.",” [Revelation 21:1-5]
                           
Twenty years ago, shortly after I had rededicated my life to Jesus, some truly wondrous and supernatural things occurred in my life.  At that time, I was tempted to look back at all the mistakes I had made and all the time I had lost.  I’ll never forget what Mark Wilkinson told me at the time:  “You can’t look back, you can only look forward now.  And the most difficult and necessary thing that you need to do right now… is to forgive yourself.”  I am still learning the lesson that the past needs to be the past.  We need to heal from the past and forgive and be forgiven –we have to allow God’s grace to work powerfully in us and through us.  And as the old hymn, Just as I Am, states, there’s “no turning back, no turning back.” 

God makes all things new.  In fact, the Word of God repeatedly reminds us to look ahead to what God is going to do and forget about this world that is passing away, as a shadow disappears when light appears and radiates through everything.  We do not forget the good that God has done, but we allow God to cast our sins as far as the east is from the west, we allow Him to throw our sins into the Sea of Unknowing.  He is making us new.  I think this is why the Scriptures tell us so many times to “sing a new song,” because God really does make things new, and as He is the Awesome Creator, our rebirth in Christ inspires us to create because we have been recreated in His image.  We sing new songs to Him because there really aren’t enough songs in the world to praise Him enough!  Worship begins in the heart as the desire of the worshipper, and the grateful and joyous heart says, “Let’s sing more!  Let’s sing every way that we can!  Let’s sing a new song!”  I find it interesting (as a lover of the ancient Hebrew language) that the words “Sing to LORD a new song” are actually stated in the form of a command (the word “sing” is in the form of an intensive imperative).  It is imperative that the church of Jesus Christ focuses on the Lord God who makes all things new.  Our Message is new.  The former things are passing away, the reality that we are becoming is found in Christ.  And this is where the church needs to be very careful. 

I read the words found in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah when the Israelites had finally emerged from a curse that expelled them from the land of Israel for being stubborn and rebellious for many centuries.  The Babylonians had completely destroyed Jerusalem, including the Temple of God that Solomon had built.  But now the time had finally come; they were about to receive God’s blessing again and had been allowed to return to their land.  Jerusalem was being rebuilt. In Nehemiah 8:9 we read these words: “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep."  But when the work on the new temple had begun, there were some still alive who remembered the glory of the temple that Solomon had built.  The greatest rejoicing began when the new foundation for the new temple was being put in place, but some in the crowd didn’t rejoice; they were looking back rather than forward [Ezra 3:10-13].  They were more focused on what they had lost rather than what God was doing at the moment.  They missed the point; they were looking back rather than forward.  However, the rejoicing was so great that mourning and weeping was drowned out by the joy and praise being sent up to God.  God was creating things new but some were so focused on themselves and their past that they couldn’t participate in the joy of what God was truly doing.  Being a Christian is truly about becoming the new creation, not being held prisoner by the past.  I’m sure this is why Jesus sternly warns Christians to look forward, not back [Luke 9:68].     

            Through the years, I was often tempted to look back at the wondrous things God did in my life twenty years ago.  I used to think, “I wish I could recapture how I felt back then.”  I found myself being quite nostalgic about what was rather than what is happening now.  It’s easy to do.  But following Jesus isn’t about nostalgia, and I can’t allow the past to become an idol.  We are challenged by the Spirit and the Word to ever look forward –the past is gone.  And rather than try to go back, we now push forward.  Life and grace are here now, and if we’re not careful, we could completely miss what God is trying to do now by mourning over the past.  God makes all things new, and we should have an “all things new” perspective of life. 

            Sing to the LORD a new song, Sing to the LORD, all the earth. 

               

Love in Jesus,

George    

“Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?  For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,  saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'  "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?  If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.  In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.,”  [Luke 14:27-33]

Some of Jesus’ toughest teaching concerns carrying a cross.  This is the cost of being His disciple.  All too often, we would like to make Christianity easy.  We would like to say, “I’ll be a Christian, but make it easier for me –make it easier to swallow.  But the cost of discipleship is high.  Jesus tells us we must give us everything or we cannot be His disciple.  The interesting things about being Jesus’ disciple is that He isn’t asking us to go anywhere where He hasn’t already gone.  So Jesus asks us, “Have you considered how much this is going to cost you?  Have you really considered this?” 

I know a lady who had virtually nothing.  She is Ukrainian by birth but now she belongs to Jesus.  She came to church skeptically, but eventually she gave Jesus everything.  She had an apartment in Yalta that she was able to sell and she came to church one day and said, “I need to give my tithe.  This money came down from heaven.”  She sold her apartment for $10,000, which doesn’t look like much money by our standards, but for a typical Ukrainian family, that’s a lot of money.  But she gave to God.  She wasn’t really giving to the church, she wasn’t giving to make herself feel better about herself.  She was giving because she felt an obligation, a commitment; she knew the cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  What’s even more interesting was that she was preparing to emigrate.  She could have reasoned that she could have waited until she reached her new destination and then give if she was able.  No, she didn’t do that.  She gave first, trusting that God would take care of the rest.  She told me, “If money is all I care about, then I will never care about anything worth caring about.”  She counted the cost.

I know a young man who made some bad decisions and, though he was a Christian, be began stealing hundreds of dollars by using the credit of another Christian.  When the second Christian became aware of the situation (years later when contacted by a debt collection agency), he closed the accounts (that he hadn’t used for years) and paid the debt off by taking on additional odd jobs.  He then went to the thief and told him, “You have stolen from me.  You have sinned against God and me.  But I have paid the debt.  Jesus paid my debt.  I have paid yours.  Go and sin no more or you sin will destroy you.”  The sinner is now in the ministry, changed forever because of the tough love shown by a brother in Christ.  Someone counted the cost.

I also know of a minister who was deep in debt because of a series of unexpected events that left he and his family destitute.  The bank was about to take everything when another minister went to the bank, took out a loan for the entire amount of the other minister’s debt and paid off all the debt.  The only requirement the second minister had for the first was this, “Now go and serve faithfully, your debt has been paid.”  This is the cost of being a disciple of Jesus.

I also have heard the testimony of Africans, Indians and Chinese who have testified to the fact that their loved ones were killed by aggressive people who were under the influence of Satan and hated Christians, but instead of revenge, these disciples of Jesus responded in love, saying, “You have killed the ones we love, but they are with Jesus now.  We do not hate you; we love you.  And if you do not change your wicked ways, you will be eternally lost.  We will see our loved ones again in glory.  But you will see eternal punishment unless you change your ways.  Will you accept the love and grace of Jesus?  We forgive you.  God can forgive you.  Will you let Him forgive you?”  The disciples of Jesus, all around the globe, are counting the cost. 

What then shall we do?  We heard last week at the North American Christian Convention that the greatest enemy that we have in the West is affluence.  We think that we have everything that we need… so why do we need God?  We are often guilty of being like the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3).  We call ourselves Christian, but have we considered the cost?  Being Jesus’ disciple means we sell out for Jesus.  And yet, we expect Him to show up when times get tough, but give Him fourth or fifth seat after all our other activities –we leave Him outside, standing at the door and knocking.  But if we dare to call Him “Teacher” and ourselves “disciples,” then He takes first seat and everything else going on in our lives takes second seat. 

Please, church, do not focus all of your attention on finances.  The last church I served at didn’t even keep money in the bank.  A wise old elder told me, “It won’t do any good just sitting in the bank.”  If we have what we need and are content, then why do we need God?  After all, the reason we exist is not to maintain property and facilities, but rather to be Jesus’ disciples.  Our focus cannot be on what we don’t have, it must be on what we must do.  We must walk by faith, not by sight.  Jesus told us that we would do greater things than the things He has done (John 14:12).  Our focus now more than ever must be on what God can do, not what we can do.  If all of our focus is on what we can do on our own without God, then we have not counted the cost.  Let’s take Jesus at His Word and believe that we will do great things –even greater than the things that He has done.  But let’s believe.  God will provide if we don’t put the cart before the horse.  But before we take one more step, let’s consider the cost of being His disciples.            

Love in Jesus,
George    

07/03/2011

“"I immerse you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and in fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be immersed by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be immersed by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was immersed, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased,”  [Matthew 3:11-17]

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession -- to the praise of his glory,” [Ephesians 1:13-14]

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person -- such a man is an idolater -- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord,”  [Ephesians 4:29-5:10]

“But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit,”  [Jude 20]

When Jesus came to John at the Jordan River, John was surprised that Jesus wanted to be immersed.  Jesus is the Son of God… the Holy Lamb of God!  If Jesus is without blemish or defect, why in the world would He need to be immersed?  Immersion was an expression of repentance, a need for cleansing, a commitment to die to the old life and seek holiness.  So why would Jesus be asking for this?  John was confused and probably wondered if this could be the right Messiah.  After all, how could his cousin take away the sins of the world if Jesus thinks he needs to be immersed also?  But Jesus convinced John to do this when He said that it was proper, “to fulfill all righteousness.”  Jesus is also the Son of Man, and as the forerunner of all Christians, Jesus was immersed.  The Holy Spirit was given to Jesus when He was immersed.  Jesus’ ministry began at this moment.  And God’s approval came, for the first time, to Jesus when He did this.  We could argue that Jesus didn’t need to be immersed in water, so why bother?  But Jesus was not concerned with what “wasn’t necessary” by human understanding.  His primary mission as the Son of Man was, and continues to be, to please His Father.  By doing this, Jesus set the example for all of His disciples.  Are we really arrogant enough to say that we don’t need to be immersed, when Jesus Himself has done it to show us how we should act as His disciples?

Jesus was also declared God’s Son by God the Father when He received immersion.  He was sealed with the Holy Spirit and given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  He was declared righteous by the Father.  Jesus submitted Himself to this moment for all of His disciples to observe and follow throughout all future generations.  Jesus was already Holy and without sin.  But God had still not commissioned Jesus and proclaimed Him to be His Son to inaugurate Him as Messiah to begin His ministry.  In order for Jesus to make us holy, He also had to be set apart to God and be declared Holy.  If Jesus had not done this, He could not have saved any of us!  And now Jesus calls us to follow His example and do as He does (Philippians 2:1-13). 

Our ministry for God begins when we accept Jesus by faith and receive immersion.  It is at that moment that God seals us for the Day of Redemption.  We are given the Holy Spirit as a “deposit” of our full redemption at the resurrection.  We are commissioned from that moment to serve God and to draw new disciples into the Kingdom of God.  We are empowered to pray in the Holy Spirit of God.  We are set apart from the world as holy and given the ability to “work out our salvation.”  We seek good and commit ourselves to purge ourselves of all ungodliness and all things that are unholy to the praise and honor of God.  We surrender our hearts, souls and minds to our Holy God that we might shine as His children, reflecting His Image.  If we love God, as we claim to do, then we cannot love evil at the same time –we must grow to hate all evil, yet loving sinners as God loved us.

However, Christian can fall into the trap of believing the lie that it is perfectly normal to embrace some things of God and some things of the world.  The argument goes, “nobody’s perfect” (so why even try?); “being a Christian sounds great, but we live in a ‘real world’.”  God knows that this world is evil, but don’t think that God can be mocked.  He is Holy.  And everything will soon be holy.  There is only God and His Holy Nature, or there is the alternative –THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.  As unpopular and politically incorrect as this may sound, it is still the truth.  John told us who the Messiah is and what the result of His Good Work will be:  One of two immersions. 

The Bible speaks of two “global immersions.”  The first one is the flood of Noah.  This flood completely submerged the entire world and destroyed everything, except for those who were in the Ark.  As ridiculous as it sounded, Noah built an ark in a time when the world had probably never experienced a drop of rain.  But Noah believed God and was saved by His faith when he built the Ark that God instructed him to build.  The flood waters that destroyed the world symbolize Christian immersion!  [1 Peter 3:21].  Water is always used as a symbol of life, death and cleansing throughout the Bible.  We often think that God saved Noah and his family from the flood.  But this isn’t what God is trying to teach us.  Noah wasn’t saved from the flood, he was saved from the ancient world that was completely IMMERSED in sin.  God preserved Noah and his family from eternal death by destroying a world that approved of a lifestyle that resulted in eternal death.  The world was buried in water, but the new world that arose after the flood was given new life, a new chance to thrive in God’s Nature and holiness: The world was reborn.  And that whole event is also symbolic of what happens when a sinner, by faith, is immersed in water:  The old life of death that was killing us and made us enemies of God has been washed away, and a new birth that brings new life by means of the Ark (Jesus’ Body) has emerged.  But there is another global immersion that is yet to come.  John spoke of it when he preached repentance.

John said that Jesus would “immerse you in the Holy Spirit and in fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  Jesus will immerse all of mankind by means of the Holy Spirit or by fire.  For the church, we escape the “immersion” to come.  We are tested by God’s Holy Fire [1 Corinthians 3:10-15] but we are not destroyed by it because we have been incorporated into Jesus’ Body and will escape God’s judgment.  But the next “global immersion” will not be by water, but by fire [2 Peter 3].  The entire world we be “laid bare” by an immersion of fire.  And those who reject God’s Holiness and reject His righteousness will be cast into the fire of His wrath [Revelation 20:11-15].  But because of this, new heavens and a new earth will emerge.  All will be made new when the creation enters its last and final phase of existence –the eternal state when God and man will be together and heaven and earth will be the same place. 

As Peter says, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness,”  [2 Peter 3:11-13].                                    

Let none of us be found ashamed on that Day, thinking, “I wish I would have taken God more seriously when I had the chance –when I had all that time to believe Him!”  Rather, let us live holy and godly lives, encouraging one another to purify ourselves from all ungodliness and seeking the Spirit’s power to make us holy, as God is Holy.  Let’s pray in the Spirit, unhindered by all manner of sin that so easily entangles us, and live as God’s people, the holy and unblemished Bride of Christ.

Love in Jesus,
George    

06/26/2011

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith -- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire -- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.,” [1 Peter 1:3-9]

Goal.  Aim.  Purpose.  End result.  Fulfillment.  All for which we have been striving.  Eternity.  Satisfaction.  Perfection.  Life.  Peace.  Joy.  Gratitude.  Awe.  Surpassing knowledge.  Love.  Salvation.  Jesus.                      

Our faith has a goal.  We do not simply believe so that we can make it through another day, as though our faith were some kind of crutch or shallow philosophy to help us deal with life situations that are beyond our control.  No, we have a goal.  And our goal is certain.  It is attainable.  It is real.  Though we have never seen Jesus face to face, we believe in Him –and that belief, when full and real, will fill us with an inexpressible and glorious joy because there is a goal to our faith –the salvation of our souls.    Our faith is real.  Our faith is more valuable than gold.  Our faith is being refined by fire and being proved genuine.  And the result will be praise, glory and honor when Jesus is revealed:  Praise of Jesus and God the Father because we will finally see them as they are and will be filled with awe and an inescapable attraction to them.  We will feel and know at that moment why we were created.  All doubt, all shadow and every nuance of death will be gone –because death and life cannot coexist in the realm of inexpressible LIFE.  We will be all that we were intended to become.  As the intended purpose of the creation of a wrench is to fit around a bolt so that it can be turned, our own intended purpose, the goal of our faith, will have been achieved.  We will have salvation –the COMPLETE salvation that the Bible speaks of:  We will finally be complete physically, spiritually and emotionally.  Our minds, hearts and breath of life will be so fully alive through the power of resurrection.  We will be indestructible.  We will be material, supernatural and eternal.  We will be made like Jesus:  “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure,” [1 John 3:2-3].  Do you continuously remind yourself of this hope?  This is important.  It changes your entire outlook on life.  It determines whether you live in eternal life or focus on shadows of death every day.  This is our hope, and we can’t think about it enough:  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,” [Hebrews 11:1].

Our hope is living.  Our hope is not the feeling of “wouldn’t it be nice if it all really worked out that way?”  Our hope is a LIVING HOPE.  It is alive.  It is growing and reaching maturity.  The resurrection has certified the fact that there is a goal to be reached.  In Hebrews 11:1, we read that faith is “being sure” of what we hope for.”  The words “being sure” are translated as “substance” in the King James Version of the Bible.  The word that we translate as “being sure” is hypostasis.  This word literally means “to place under.”  The meaning is to “make something foundational,” to “understand that something has actual existence,” to be “confident or resolute because of a foundational truth and fact.”  I have sometimes heard skeptics say, “The Bible is not a book of science…”  How foolish!  Who created the universe?  Whose Word is true, no matter what realm of life or existence we discuss?  Who created science and enabled man to pursue it?  Our faith is not some temporal or transient philosophy.  It has a very real conclusion.  The word translated as “certain” in Hebrews 11:1 means “an evidence, a proof or a certainty.”  We are certain of what we have not yet received.  Why? because of the One who made the promise!  “And now these three remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love,” [1 Corinthians 13:13]. 

Until that glorious Day when Jesus is revealed and we experience all that we have hoped for and all that we have believed and known to be true, we must love one another and love God with all that we are.  We have this triad, this “trinity” of faith, hope and love until that time when both faith and hope are no longer needed.  Faith will be fulfilled and hope will be realized, but love endures forever.  Love isn’t always easy, but it is always right.  Love does not mean empowering evil but rather defeating it.  It was God’s love for us that found a solution to our dilemma.  God loved us first, even when we were still sinners.  And our love for others must be equally powerful:  We must love sinners even before they behave like children of God, even when they behave like the enemy!  We do not love evil behavior, neither should we ignore it or hide from it or fail to deal with it.  But in all things, remember love.  Remember the attitude that Jesus had the entire time He was here on earth.  Remember the love of God in all of life’s circumstances.  Resist murdering anyone (if you have killed them in your heart, then you have killed them nonetheless).  Look beyond self to the needs of others.  Love across boundaries, over walls and despite threats.  Love the way God does, because love is perfect FOR EVERY SITUATION IN LIFE.  On that note, let me leave you with one final thought from the Word:

            “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him,” [1 John 4:7-17]

Love in Jesus,
George    

06/19/2011

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies,” [Romans 8:22-23]

 

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,”              [Ephesians 4:30-32]

 

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near,” [Luke 21:25-28]

The world is reeling.  We can see that things are changing.  And yet people everywhere, even Christians, seem to yawn and go about their daily business.  The “groaning” of the creation is intensifying, and while this is tragic and devastating and creates both feelings of sorrow and awe, it is also a positive sign for the redeemed.  Christians who have been united with Christ are called “the redeemed.”  We have been adopted into the family of God.  We were once enemies of God and slaves to sin, but God has purchased us with the blood of His son, and we have been adopted by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  We have been redeemed.  Our redeemer is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our Redeemer lives. 

The idea of redemption carries deep meaning.  It speaks of the love of the One who was willing to redeem us.  It speaks of the high price that was paid to set us free.  And it speaks of the serious condition we were in before our Redeemer saved us.   

The word redemption is a compound word composed of two words that mean “from” and “the price for redeeming.”  The word carries the idea of releasing the victim from the consequences of being held ransom, usually slavery… or death.  The term was usually applied to kidnapped victims held for ransom, prisoners of war who were offered freedom for a price or slaves who could have their freedom purchased.  But when speaking of the children of God, we know from Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  For the Christian, redemption is deliverance from the penalty of the payment of our sins.  The payment for our sins is death, but through Jesus we have redemption.  And this redemption is a holistic redemption, meaning it is not merely spiritual, but a COMPLETE redemption.  There is now a complete reversing of all that sin has done to us.  At the time of our conversion into Christ, we are redeemed spiritually; our spirits are made alive and given eternal life.  But the completion of our redemption will be effected when the Son of Man comes to also redeem our bodies from death.  What a powerful Redeemer we have!  But as the time of the Redeemer’s return draws closer to us, Jesus’ promise that things will get worse before they get better is being fulfilled before our very eyes.  This Message is bitter-sweet.  God is allowing the curse of sin to tighten its grip on the world in the powerful hope that some stubborn hearts may repent and find life.  And as the world continues to resist the Lord’s redemption in greater measure, the Lord’s resolve to get the attention of stubborn hearts increases; God loves people too much to simply let them go without a more intense “wake up call.”  And this is all necessary because blindness is also increasing. 

Be alert, church.  Lift your heads.  Your redemption is drawing near.  If ever there was a time to witness despite the world’s resistance to Jesus, that time is now.  Let’s not grow weary in doing good.  Let’s not grow weary meeting together.  But rather, let’s gather together and strategize how we can get the Message across to a world that doesn’t seem interested in listening; God WILL save some.  Look up! Our redemption is drawing near!                      

Love in Jesus,
George

06/12/2011

“And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love,”            [1 Corinthians 13:1-13]

            The “most excellent way” really is love -but not as the world loves.  Love, real love, is the very nature of God.  God Himself is love.  How He acts, what He does, why He created us, why the world exists –these are all an expression of His love.  Everything that is wrong, corrupt and sinful in this world is the antithesis of God’s nature and does not reflect His love.  The world’s definition of love is usually an expression of self-gratification or selfishness.  But this is not at all love.  As a Ukrainian friend once told me, “I have never, ever seen a better definition of love anywhere than the one found in 1 Corinthians 13.  As we read these words, we truly begin to understand that the nature of God is so completely foreign to us unless we allow God’s nature by the power of His Spirit to recreate us in His image.  To become loving creatures again, to reflect the nature and image of God in ourselves, we need God’s love.  His love must supercede and swallow up every nuance of our former perceptions of love.  We must allow God’s love to retrain how we think, what we pursue and how we live each day.  And this nature, this new nature that reforms us into new creations in Christ, learns to put self second and everyone else, especially God, higher than ourselves.  The nature of God within us calls us to love others more than ourselves.  Your needs become more important than my needs.  And when God reigns in our hearts, it doesn’t become taxing or burdensome to help others because our perspective is God’s perspective.  It’s O.K. to be insulted.  We don’t have to always get what we want.  We don’t need to be recognized or rewarded by people for every good deed that we do.  There is something greater than us.  There is a purpose, ideal and reason for living that supercedes us.  And everything that we do becomes a service to God.  And then the world can also see God.

            The time may be very short before Christ returns for the Church.  The wise can see it.  The world is reeling as if in labor pains, awaiting the delivery of the children of God.  Perfection is coming.  We are not perfect yet but we are holy.  We do not always reflect God’s nature as we should but His Spirit lives in us as a guarantee of what is to come.  And when the Day finally comes, we will see everything clearly.  Hang in there.  Things are about to get very severe.  As the moral landscape around us continues to plunge into darkness, the geophysical landscape will also change drastically.  And as hearts grow increasingly harder, God will remind the world more frequently and in greater measures of severity that He is God.  He loves us, and He certainly loves us enough to remind us of His holiness because the eternal state of many is at stake.  Many in the world today do not fear God.  But the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.  So as children who are dearly loved by an amazing Father, love.  Love as He does.  Perfect love casts out fear.  We fear God because His is Almighty.  We certainly know that His wrath can flare up in an instant.  But we are not destined for His wrath.  But remain faithful to the end.  Stand for the Savior who loved us so much that He laid down His live to save us.  Love God and people with the full measure of God.  And beware of the devil’s clever schemes to interrupt expressions of God’s love.  As 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world -- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does -- comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”  Remain faithful to the very end.  Love the way God does, the “most excellent way.”  This world will pass away –and death is never a pretty picture.  And as disasters in the world increase, we have an obligation to show the world the most excellent way.  God loves people and He loves them enough to try and get their attention before it is too late.  Eternity is at stake.  So hang on and remember that the promises of God are certain.  Get ready to love people a lot because God’s people need to be ready when disaster strikes.  Sometimes it takes a tragedy before people will begin to listen to the Living God, but tragedy opens the door to love as God does.  Love is the Most Excellent Way.        

Love in Jesus,
George    

06/05/2011

“Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."  "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour,”  [Matthew 15:21-28]

When we read the story of how Jesus healed the daughter of the Canaanite woman’s daughter, we are immediately struck with how politically incorrect Jesus seems to be.  At the time, women were certainly treated like second-rate citizens.  To make things more complicated, she was a “Canaanite,” meaning that she was a gentile, a non-Israelite.  She was desperate, and knowing the Jews’ disdain for gentiles, her desperation drove her to Jesus.  Her need and her faith in Jesus’ ability to heal her daughter was far greater than her pride.  Jesus’ disciples certainly didn’t see her need.  They were not feeling compassionate nor could they see her desperation.  She was an embarrassment, and they were probably a little irritated that Jesus had said nothing to address the situation:  ‘Jesus, get rid of this pest!’ 

Jesus then makes an unusual move.  As if to confirm what the disciples were feeling, Jesus tells the woman that He’s not here to help her.  Imagine the disciples nodding in approval:  “That’s right!  She’s a Canaanite!  Send her away, Jesus!”  Why would Jesus make such a claim:  That He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel?  After all, He had spoken to and even healed non-Israelites on other occasions.  But Jesus, as always, takes this opportunity to teach His disciples, and all of us, something very vital. 

Jesus’ mission was to the Israelites first.  He came to Israel primarily because God intended for Israel to tell the whole world about salvation in Jesus Christ.  And He still has this intention.  But Jesus was softening the hearts of those in Israel who would listen that they might understand that salvation is meant for the whole world.  And yet, Jesus seems to be very harsh to this woman, first by telling her that He was sent only to the Israelites.  The woman then threw herself down at Jesus’ feet, kneeling before Him –an act of submission.  She admitted willingly that He was greater and she was lesser.  In her desperation, she pleads for her daughter.  She has seen what evil can do, and now, she appeals to the only Good she can see.  Her heart cries out, “Lord, help me.”  She has subjected herself to humility and persistently asks and asks and asks again, not letting go of the hope that this man can help her daughter.  At this moment when her desperation is obvious, Jesus makes a startling remark:  He seems to call her a “dog.”  To call someone a “dog” in that part of the world, even to this day, is a very insulting comment.  Jesus is implying heavily the idea of master and slave:  God is the Master, the faithful Israelites are the children of the Master, and the dogs… the dogs are those who are even more subservient.  Jesus does soften the word that He uses for “dog.”  The word He uses means “little dog,” which can be interpreted to mean a small dog or a puppy.  Now imaging the disciples thinking, “Jesus, where are you going with this?”  In regard to the master-slave relationship, it certainly invokes the prophetic history that Noah revealed to future generations in Genesis 9:25:  “Cursed be Canaan!  The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”  In Jesus’ time, those people who remained of the original seven tribes of the Canaanites, that Israel had been commanded to destroy or drive out of the land, had mostly settled in the region known as the Decapolis (the Ten Cities).  But one son of Canaan, Sidon, settled in an area outside of the promised land.  This region came to be known as Phoenicia and this woman was apparently a descendent of Canaan through Sidon.  As a descendant of Canaan, she fell under the prophetic utterance that Noah spoke some 2300 years earlier –that all of Canaan’s descendants would be slaves of Israel.  The reasoning for this prophecy is found in the story of Genesis 9.  The descendants of Ham, specifically through the line of his son, Canaan, would become some of the most wicked people on earth.  And if you recall the story of the Northern Tribes of Israel in the days of King Ahab (1 Kings 16ff) you learn that he married a Sidonian princess named Jezebel, one of the most spiritually wicked people mentioned in all of history; it was through her reign that Israel was introduced to a radical and very perverse form of Baal worship.  This is some of the history of the region where Jesus had now brought His disciples, but Jesus often seemed to take His disciples on “retreats” to regions where most Jews would never dare to venture.  So what did Jesus mean when He said that it wasn’t right to take the children’s bread and give it to their dogs?                                           

First, Jesus is making a general but valid point:  Canaanites have generally been far from God, but Jesus uses a term that would sound more like “beloved pet” than mangy cur.  He seems to be saying, “The blessings and the inheritance of God are intended for God’s children, those who please Him –not to those who have been subjugated to the children because of their wickedness.  Notice that the woman doesn’t become offended.  She doesn’t deny that her people have classically been spiritually evil rather than part of the Covenant of Israel.  She takes ownership of that fact by not denying it.  But we also need to remember that even among the Canaanites there were those who believed the Word of God and were saved by faith, and grafted into the blessings and family of Israel.  In fact, the lineage of Jesus contains a very significant Canaanite woman from the city of Jericho who turned from paganism and prostitution and was saved by faith and the grace of God.  While Jesus’ disciple would have shooed the Canaanite woman away, Jesus seized this opportunity to make a powerful point:  Even the Canaanites can be blessed through Israel and by God’s grace.  And this is exactly the point she made by saying that even the “dogs” can benefit from the “crumbs” that fall from the Master’s table.  Indeed.  Again, notice that she didn’t take offense.  Had she been offended, she would have missed out on the blessing.  And she quickly came to a conclusion that many struggle with:  We are not as great or strong as we think we are.  She didn’t care if she needed to fall at Jesus’ feet in reverent submission.  She didn’t care if she had been labeled a “slave” to the house of Israel.  She didn’t think herself superior enough to walk away when Jesus used such derogatory language.  She made the point that Jesus wanted His own disciples to hear:  When there is a need for faith, when there is a need far greater than ourselves, pride cannot dictate our actions.  These are the kind of people Jesus is truly looking for.  He needs people whose faith is greater than their capacity to be offended.  How greatly the world needs a witness that grasps deeply God’s greatness in reverent humility.  This is bigger than me.  It’s bigger than you.  How we desperately need a Savior to remind us of the state in which we are trapped without Him!  But this humble woman from Canaan sets a great example for all of us:  She didn’t need to be reminded.  She had already made up her own mind and had prepared her heart to acknowledge that Jesus was greater and she is not.  And she knew that Jesus could help her.  And Jesus commended her for her great faith and healed her daughter that very moment.  Imagine the power that God’s people have access to when we focus on Jesus’ greatness rather than our own.

Love in Jesus,
George

05/29/2011

“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it,” [1 Thessalonians 5:21-24]

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things,” [Philippians 4:8]

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will,” [Romans 12:1-2]

The world needs peace but peace is not as easy to obtain as we might think.  In fact, there is only one lasting peace in this world –but it’s not of this world.  The only truly lasting peace is the peace that is offered to us from God.  He is called the “God of peace” because peace itself is an extension of God’s Nature.  Peace is established forever only where perfection and goodness exist. Every form of man-made peace will never truly last, but peace established by God cannot fail. 

When we accept God’s “peace treaty,” we invite the God of peace to sanctify us.  The word “sanctify” means to ‘set aside’ or ‘make more fully devoted.’  And if God’s peace is the only lasting peace, then it makes sense to let God have more control of every corner of our spirits, souls and bodies that still wage war.  God really is faithful in establishing peace within us if we invite Him to do so.  It begins when we accept the peace that can only be offered through His Son.  This is vital because He is the only one who can penetrate our hearts –the place where all war really begins.  We were once enemies of God, but we have been guaranteed peace through Jesus Christ.  If I’m not careful, I can easily allow my flesh (body) to control my spirit (mind) and soul (emotions) and reject God’s peace.  This is why it is important for all of us as children of God to pray for God’s peace to reign in our hearts, to renew our minds and cause our bodies to submit to Him.

This is the Message that the world does not want to hear:  Peace begins within us when God sends His Son to reign in our hearts.  Peace does not begin outside of us; peace begins within us.  No policy, legislation, organization or committee can establish a lasting peace.  World peace will never prevail on this earth until the Prince of peace returns in glory and power.  Peace is not something we can create independent of God.  Peace, real and lasting peace, is only found in the nature and character of God.  If you are in great difficulty crushed by life’s circumstances, then ask God to bring peace and He will always be faithful to bring peace to those who seek it.  But never forget that peace begins in us, not with someone else.  Hold on to peace and allow the God of peace to establish you in peace:  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” [John 14:27].                          

Love in Jesus,
George

5/22/2011

“Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.  For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.  Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.  Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.,” [1 Peter 2:13-17]

It is interesting to think that Peter was talking about the Roman Empire (and all government) when he wrote his first letter to the Church.  The Roman Empire was one of the most tyrannical, corrupt and evil empires to ever inhabit the earth.  And yet, Peter says to submit for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men.  Peter is calling our attention to the fact that God is in control of our situation.  Even though human government is far from perfect, God blesses the earth with order through the agencies of authority that exist on this earth.  God has vested authority in family, in society and in government.  He puts people in authority and He takes them out of those positions.  He guides history despite the sinfulness of people.  His Way always succeeds, even when men resist.  God is the ultimate Authority above all authority and His ways are perfect.  And our fear of God is directly related to our respect for all authority.  We are told to submit to every authority and remember, Peter is talking about authority created by people.  How much more so the authority specifically established by God!  We are to respect the various positions of authority around us, and by so doing we silence the foolishness of men when they mock God or authority. 

For nearly 2000 years the Church of Jesus Christ has existed in the world.  The Church always shined the brightest when she obeyed the Lord’s teaching despite the difficult and deadly circumstances going on in the world.  Christians are always free in Christ.  It does not matter how wicked this world becomes, in fact, the more wicked the world becomes, the more opportunity the Church has to shine the light of Jesus.  But our obedience and our ability to respect and submit to authority are directly related to our fear of God. 

We are commanded to “love the brotherhood of believers.”  Unfortunately, even Christians seem to see more that is wrong with the Church than what is right these days –because Christians are losing their ability to fear God.  The world certainly won’t fear God if Christians don’t.  So now, more than ever, it is crucial that we focus on God and our holy fear for Him rather than ourselves. 

Sociology has often used the phrase “hyper-individualism” when describing our contemporary American culture.  This individualism tends to see self before it sees the greater needs of all in society around us.  In short, my needs are more important than your needs.  There is nothing wrong with independence –to a point.  But freedom does not mean selfishness.  It’s no wonder that Jesus commanded us to “love our neighbors as ourselves.”  What a wise and profound thought.  Jesus knows that we are so good and demanding what we want for ourselves that He tells us to loves others with that kind of passion.  Imagine what life would be like if we really loved others like we love ourselves.  Paul says in Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  Paul summed up the same command that Jesus gave us, but he goes on to explain how we can achieve this sort of love for others:  We have to consider others better than ourselves.  In other words, you are better than me.  You are worthy of more respect than I give to myself, because I fear and love God.  But have we lost our fear of God?  If we have, we’re in big trouble.  Our identity is found in Christ, not hyper-individualism.  I shouldn’t pursue having everything I possibly can for myself (which will never bring happiness anyway), but I must pursue serving you if I call myself Christian.  But what if the Church has forgotten the fear and respect for God, positions in society, government and Church?  What must God do to get our attention so that we fear Him again?  And how will we be able to save the world unless we fear God and respect what He has said?  Maybe we have been deceived by an enemy who tells us we can have whatever we want whenever we want it.  Maybe we have bought into a lie that we are God and we can do whatever we want. 

The Church must be right even when the world is wrong.  God help us if our pride, materialism and consumerism has lead us to believe that we do not need to be concerned for our neighbors’ needs anymore.  God help us if we have lost all respect for authority.  And God help us if the world cannot be silenced when it mocks God because the Church has lost her fear of God.  The “fool says in His heart that there is no God,” and the “fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”  I have often heard that Christians need not fear God, we only need to respect Him.  But I believe that fear and respect are not nearly as far apart from one another as we have tried to make them.  If the people of God lose their ability to be salt and light in this world, then how will the world know that God should be feared and respond to His invitation to eternal life?  How can they escape eternal death if we become so wrapped up in ourselves that the enemy succeeds in distracting us from our mission?  Maybe we should all repent and ask God to forgive us.  Maybe we need to learn all over again what it means to have holy and reverent fear for the Lord God Almighty… before He decides to shake the whole earth to get our attention.  We still need a Savior, and He is able to heal us, but we need to really believe that to the very core of our being while we still have time.  Let us be found faithful.                                

Love in Jesus,
George