Not by Your Own Strength

Not by Your Own Strength

The beginning of the book of Exodus set the stage of an Egypt who does not remember Joseph and the hand of God which delivered them from times of famine.  Jacob’s (Israel’s) children had grown into a numerous people from the 70 who settled in the region of Goshen.  Rather than a people welcomed by Egypt, they became a people viewed in a suspicious manner.  The pharaoh was openly concerned about their strength so he enslaved them.  Enter Moses, who by the hand of God was chosen as a prophet (mouth piece) of the Almighty to deliver the people Israel out of captivity.  This knowledge set in the mind, consider the following verse:

Exodus 4:10 – “And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither, heretofore, nor since thou has spoken unto thy servant; but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

Moses was concerned about his ability to deliver the people.  His immediate view was upon himself, his abilities, and his own strength.  Therefore, God declares the following in the next two verses:

Exodus 4:11-12 – “And the Lord said unto him, Who had made man’s mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind?  Have not I the Lord?  Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”

This promise is parallel to the one the apostles received in the first century when addressed by Jesus in regard to how they would deliver the Gospel to mankind, freeing those held under the captivity of sin.  Jesus made it clear that the Holy Spirit would provide the power, knowledge and words (from Christ, from God) that the apostles would share (John 14:25-26, 16:7-16, Acts 1:8).  As with Moses, God made the apostles His mouthpiece.  His Will would be accomplished with His Words.

strength

The strength of God does not rely upon men or their ability.

Today, many Christians draw back in fear when faced with the thought of sharing God’s Will for mankind.  As Moses, their perspective is drawn inward upon their own abilities rather than what God provides.  God will not provide the miraculous knowledge and abilities He provided Moses and the apostles.  Those days are gone.  At that point in History, the gospel was but a mystery.  It had not been revealed as it would be in the first century (Ephesians 1:9, 3:3-4).  Because the Word of God has now been revealed, Christians have His Word in complete (Jude 3).  Rather than rely upon self, Christians simply need to study (2 Timothy 2:15) and read “Book, Chapter, Verse” to reach the hearts and minds of the world.  As with Moses this doesn’t have to be done in eloquence.  As with the apostles, Christians don’t need a perfect memory to share all Christ had said.  Christians have the Bible in their hands.  They have the God breathed truth which completely enables man to provide the doctrine of Christ, the evidence to show its truth, the information to correct behavior, and the guidance to train a man or woman to do what is right in God’s eyes (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  Who is that shall be saved?  Salvation is for the one that does the right things which God has commanded (Matthew 7:21) written in the Holy Scripture.  Fear be put aside when one equips himself with the Word of God (Ephesians 6).

God’s Will cannot be destroyed (Isaiah 40:8).  His Will can reach the heart (Hebrews 4:12).  His Will can save man’s soul (James 1:21).  Keep your eyes upon His might, His power, His ability, His Truth, His Word, and do not focus or rely upon your own.

 

 

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A New and Precious Life Revealed

A New and Precious Life Revealed

To imagine what it would have been like for those who, in the first century, received the books of the New Testament which had just been written and sent to them is beyond comprehension. Before the books were written, there were apostles and prophets who could tell them about Jesus, about His life and the new way of living He revealed. However, they were not always present. Then, for the first time, the churches had a handwritten copy of the Bible, and they could assemble and study together.

Bible Revealed

We have in our hands the revealed Word of God.

Not every person was able to read, so there were those who read these words given by God while others listened, trying to remember every word God had given to them. The Bible describes this. “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy…” (Rev. 1:3). Now, for the first time they held in their own hands the message from heaven. That verse adds one other vital truth about the one who is blessed because he has a Bible. It adds, “and keep those things which are written in it.” The real blessing is not found in just reading or hearing God’s words. That blessing comes when the words are taken and written in our hearts and manifested in our lives.

What a contrast between the church as it began and that which is part of our world! We no longer have heaven’s message in heavy scrolls but in beautiful, leather-bound books. The widespread use of cell phones allows many of us to carry the entire Bible in a compact device we keep in our pockets and purses. How blessed we are!

Yet what has happened? Across our lands believers assemble, yet Bibles are often not present. We have decided that study in Bible classes is more focused on what some modern man has written about the will of God instead of going to the original truths. Sometimes those studies become a discussion about what each person thinks about a matter instead of searching the words of the Bible to see what God has said about these same issues.

Pulpits are filled with gifted speakers, or those who have read their messages, and for the moment we are fascinated by their ideas, but it is far removed from what happened in the early church. They read the very words given by God, they heard the words given by God and they left worship determined to remember these words to change their lives.

Think about this contrast and then when you open your Bible realize you have the message from heaven. Read the Bible with the joy of those early Christians. Their lives were changed because they realized the treasures which were theirs because finally they held the words from heaven. Have that same joy because you have your own copy of these words!

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He Wasn’t Smart Enough

He Wasn’t Smart Enough

Our cat Bosco was killed by an automobile on highway 8 in front of our house. We had Bosco for 4 ½ years, and are thankful for the time we had him. He enriched our lives and was a wonderful companion. Living on a busy road, I expected that one of our cats would end up being killed, but I didn’t think it would be Bosco. Just a few days before he died, I was bragging on what a smart cat he was, because he looked both ways before he crossed the street. (I saw him do this one time.) In the end, Bosco was not smart enough to avoid death.

smart cat

Smart won’t save you. Humble and obedient will.

The culture in which we live prides itself on intelligence. This manifests itself in an almost god-like status we assign to higher education, government, and post-secondary education. We live in a meritocracy where those who can achieve through their intelligence are rewarded whereas those who cannot scrape by. We’ve forgotten the biblical admonition, “Knowledge puffs up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Knowledge makes us proud; intelligence breeds arrogance; being smart creates haughtiness. Death, however, is the great humiliator; all are equal in the casket. Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:25-26).Human intelligence cannot prevent death; we’re not smart enough, and never will be (Hebrews 9:27). The imperative, then, is to live for Jesus hoping in Him to save us.

 

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In All Things Charity

In All Things Charity

A Latin quote: “unitatem in necessariis, in non necessariis libertatem, in omnibus caritatem.” Attributed to Marco Antonio de Dominis in his work De Repubblica Ecclesiastica, published in 1617, it is translated into English as “Unity in necessary things, in non-necessary – liberty, in all things charity.”

Charity Love

Marco Antonio de Dominis

The idea, and variations of the quote, have worked their way around theological circles for four-hundred years. Thomas Campbell, in his Declaration and Address before the Christian Association of Washington in 1809, worded it thusly: “In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion liberty; in all things, charity.”

Though the quote can be traced back to 1617, the ideas therein are all quite biblical in nature.

In those necessary matters of faith: unity.

We read in the Bible, this plea, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. (1 Corinthians 1:10; ESV)” And then again, we are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:3-6; ESV)”

In things that are merely matters of opinion: liberty.

Concerning this, God tells us, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. (Romans 14:1; ESV)” The same chapter goes on to explain that we should be convinced of our own opinions, but not try to force them on others. In other words, we have liberty concerning those things God has not commanded.

The main difficulty is in determining what are truly matters of opinion, and what are matters of faith. In the end though, if God has spoken on it, giving us guidance, a thing ceases to be opinion and becomes a part of the faith, because we believe the word of God is true (cf. Romans 10:17). However, even in such disputes, or especially in such disputes, it is necessary to remember the last admonition…

In all things: charity and love.

Our world has an absence of charity in regards to both matters of opinion and matters of truth. We see this lack of charity in our manifold political debates, with each side assuming the worst of the other. We see this in personal interactions as people scream and yell at one another, cursing and swearing. And, sadly, we even see this in religious discussions, where, much like politics, we are quick to assume the worst of those who disagree with us, and much like both political and personal arguments, we are quick to resort to name calling and the like.

The Bible tells us: “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth. (2 Timothy 2:24-25; ESV)” Likewise, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:17-18; ESV)” And, lest we forget, let us remind ourselves of the command of Christ, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44; ESV)”

There is a place in religion for absolutes and for standing on those absolutes; and the Christian faith definitely has some absolutes that we should hold fast (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:2, Ephesians 4:4-6, 2 Timothy 1:13). Likewise, there are matters of opinion in this world, and so long as these things don’t touch on the actual practice of our faith, we should be willing to let people do their own things (cf. Romans 14). But no matter the circumstances, no matter the disagreement, no matter what someone else has said or done, and no matter what we are afraid they are going to do, we must remember that it is in love and charity towards the other that we are most like Christ (cf. John 13:34-35). In all things, at all times, charity is always appropriate.

 

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Entering and Leaving Our Gethsemane

Entering and Leaving Our Gethsemane

Perhaps as we meditate, we should spend more time with Jesus in Gethsemane. On the night of His betrayal, that garden was filled with intense emotions. Do not just read what happened there but take time to feel the emotions: the emotions of the sleeping disciples whom Jesus rebuked; the emotions of Judas as he betrayed the Lord; the emotions of the mob; the emotions of the disciples as they fled. Above all, share in the emotions of Jesus.

gethsemane garden

Try to imagine what Jesus went through.

They entered Gethsemane, and He left eight apostles and took Peter, James and John with Him to another place. These three men then saw something they had never seen. Their Lord had always seemed so strong and powerful, but now in their presence, “He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed” (Matt. 26:37). They saw Him in a way they had never seen Him before. They heard Him say, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

He prayed, then He came and found them asleep. He had asked them to watch with Him, but they failed. His soul was even more burdened, and the Bible described how great this burden was. “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the earth” (Luke 22:44). He returned to the three disciples and found them asleep. This time he did not wake them to share His grief and agony with them. He simply returned for the third time and prayed, “Not My will but Your will be done.”

There are at least two ways to look at this simple prayer. One could look at it as though the burden was so great, He was just ready to quit—the fight was not worth it. He was like a frustrated wife or teen who looks at the “master” and throws up their hands and says, “Whatever, I quit. You win.”

However, this is not where Jesus was when He prayed. It is not the prayer of one who had hopelessly fought a losing fight, nor one who had no hope and was driven by circumstances into surrender. It was a prayer of perfect trust. He was talking to His Father He had known eternally. It was a prayer from the heart of One who was loved to a God who is love. He trusted in God and this changed Him.

Notice how He then changed. The mob arrived; the arrest; the mockery of several trials. He entered Gethsemane in gloom and left this garden with calm assurance. He was a victim, but He understood He was a victorious victim. What made that difference? What changed a troubled soul in great agony to one of calm assurance? It is simple. He talked to the Father. When you are in despair and you are almost ready to quit, talk to the Father, and His peace will change you and give you the victory.

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