The Hope of Spring

It’s winter. The wind is blowing, the roads are covered in ice, and the temperature hasn’t been above freezing in a month. Forecast: More snow, more wind, more cold for weeks. The days are dark; there many clouds, little sun, and many suffer from ice scraper’s elbow. Yet, despite how bleak the situation appears to be, hope is alive. Winter will make room for spring at some time – God said so!

Genesis 8:22 – “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

God has created an amazing world for man. Not only is there beauty and recreation in God’s creation, but there is the provision of clothing, shelter, and food. Though God has provided all of the above, He provided the most important thing of all, His Son, for the salvation of mankind.

Unfortunately, some men struggle with the hope of Christ’s salvation. They close their eyes to the leadings of His creation:

Romans 1:18-21 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness;  because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them.  For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.

They close their ears to the pleadings of the Word:

Acts 7:57 – But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord;

For them, the world seems to be a dark winter of a place with no hope of spring. They see only eternal winter where man relies upon himself alone. The world gives pain, struggle, sadness, persecution, frustration, and when a man is down he cannot rejoice. He does not see the hope of the coming of the Son, because he doesn’t know God and His promises. Pray such a man will seek Christ. The Christian is encouraged to have hope of Christ’s coming:

I Peter 1:13 – Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

 I Thessalonians 2:19 – For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

Hebrews 10:19-25 – Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water,  let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:  and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.

 He knows the son will break through the clouds and will take him to a new season.

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Snowflakes

Snow is fascinating! With snow you can build snow men, make snow angels, and have snow ball fights. The addage “no two snowflakes are alike” is a fact. Snowflakes can be slotted into a number of categorical shapes, but all the way down to the atomic level they are one of a kind. The same is true of of man. We are made in His image (Genesis 1:26), but we are unique.

It is another interesting fact that the sun gives the snow its pure white color when the snowflake reflects the light of the sun. Is it not the reflection of the light of the Son in the Christian that colors the Christian in pure white? Our joy is He has made us white as snow!

Psalms 51:7 – Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Though the individuality and purity of a single snowflake is amazing, a snowman, snow angel, or snowball fight cannot be made from one snowflake. A minimum of joy results. An individual Christian is truly wonderful, but how much greater the joy which comes from a body of believers united together? Christ called for us to:

 “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).

We long for the day when He will gather all his “snowflakes” together:

“And then shall he send forth the angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” (Mark 13:27)

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Rattlesnakes

I hate snakes. A simple garden snake will make me jump out of my boots. When I was a boy, I had a bucket of snakes dumped on me, and any tolerance I had for them died then. I have had folks tell me about how good they can be, but the only good snake I ever saw was a dead snake. They always seem to be where I am, which is often outdoors, in the sticks, and around rocks.

In the US, rattlesnakes bite more humans than any other snake. Not so surprising considering Genesis 3, there are some attributes that rattlesnakes share with Satan.

First, unless you enter its space, a rattler cannot harm you. So stay away! My wife suggests screaming and running.

Proverbs 4:14-15 –  Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.

Second, a rattler is camouflaged so you cannot easily see him.

2 Corinthians 11:4 –  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Third, once you discover the snake, if you stay away, it will go away.

James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Fourth, a rattler will hunt down its prey. If it thinks it has you, it doesn’t give up easily.

I Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Fifth, if a rattler bites you, you need help.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 – And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Six, the bite of a rattler can lead to death.

Hebrews 2:14 – Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Finally, if you know you are going to be somewhere that has the danger of rattlers, wear the proper clothes (thick high boots and jeans!)

Ephesians 6:11– Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

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Western Justice

One of my favorite classes at PTP (Polishing the Pulpit) examines case studies for elderships. The format involves groups of men examining real dilemmas faced at unnamed congregations. The exercise is used to prepare men to serve as elders and make Godly decisions.

In one case study, a gentleman had been guilty of cleaning out a congregation’s bank account, then continuing on as if nothing had happened. The dilemma was what to do about such a gentleman. In jest, I made the comment that out in Wyoming we would introduce the man to Western Justice. Could something be so simple?

Romans 13:1 – “Let every person be in subjection to the governing
authorities…”

Different times and different lands have had varying systems of justice. Some may be harsh or lenient, quick or slow, even just or corrupt.

“We must obey God rather than men” – Acts 5:29.

Though we may have the desire to take justice in our own hands, there are authorities who enact justice. A rash decision by a mob of angry individuals would not be lawful or Godly. Remember Revelation 6:9-11:

“And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course.“

God will judge all men someday, with righteous judgment, none will be missed. We must trust His time frame and His good Will toward man.

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Acceptable Faith

Acceptable Faith

The Bible defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Simply stated this means that faith is the foundation of our hope and a conviction in our hearts of things we cannot see. In fact, the words “faith” and “belief” are from the same original root word in the Greek New Testament–pistis, a noun that has to do with being convinced of something.

Hebrews 11:6 teaches that it is impossible to please God without faith, of which there are two types recognized in Scripture: (1) there is intellectual faith (“the devils also believe and tremble,” James 2:19), and then (2) there is functional faith (“Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works,” James 2:18). In other words, acceptable faith is not simply one’s assent to revealed truth, but his absolute submission to the guidance and control of that truth, something that starts and ends with bringing “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (Second Corinthians 10:5).

An active (functional) faith attitude is that which generates unconditional obedience to the higher authority of the Godhead. Anything less puts one’s faith in the category described by James as “dead” (James 2:20). The believing devils spoken of by James did not have an obedient faith, rendering it unacceptable, and Jude 6 teaches that they, through their disobedience to God, “kept not [deserted] their first estate [proper dwelling place],” resulting in their placement “in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” James used those insubordinate devils as an example of what lies in store for those who have faith but have not added works (obedience) to their lives.

The concept of an obedient, working faith is soundly supported by Scripture. Paul began and ended the book of Romans with the idea of “the obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5 & 16:26). The same apostle once spoke of the Thessalonians’ great “work of faith” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 and 2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Jesus Himself stated that belief (faith) itself is a work: “This is the work of God, that ye believe.” (John 6:29).”

The whole purpose of James chapter two is that “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17); “and by works was faith made perfect” (2:22); and “as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (2:26). Incidentally, all that is meant by “works” is obedience, so one can easily understand this principle by simply substituting the word “works” with the word “obedience.”

Hebrews chapter eleven, sometimes called God’s Hall of Faith, lists a number of individuals who perfected their faith through the works of obedience. Moved by conviction in their hearts, each and every one of them worked God’s will towards a faith that was validated by their efforts, leaving examples for God’s people of all time to follow.

Faith is absolutely necessary for our salvation, (Hebrews 11:6). But, it is a comprehensive term which includes many things. Belief is faith assenting; repentance is faith turning; Confession is faith speaking; baptism is faith submitting; the Christian life is faith rejoicing. Therefore faith is inextricably linked to obedience. One cannot have either belief or obedience alone and live a pleasing life before God. Acceptable Faith is the product of belief AND obedience.

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