More Noble Character

Acts 17:11: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

The Apostle Paul had much resistance to His presentation of the gospel in his first and second missionary journeys. In Acts 17, Paul and Silas had just left the large Greek city of Thessalonica, where certain Jewish people "rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city" (17:5). After they had travelled 50 miles to Berea, Paul and Silas went to the Jewish synagogue where they spoke of the Messiah who had come, died on a cross, and was resurrected to pay the penalty for the sins of those who would surrender to Him as Lord.

Paul was impressed with the Bereans for they were eager to hear this message of hope from the apostle, and they poured over the Scriptures to verify what Paul was telling them. The Scripture continues by saying that "many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men" (17:12). What is fascinating is the description that is given to these hearers of the Word . . . they were considered of "more noble character." Notice that God proclaims in His Word that noble character is recognized in those who earnestly seek the Truth by pouring over the Scriptures and responding with surrender to that Truth.

We know that the proclamation of the Word of Truth leads to the hearing of the Word which for some leads to the belief in the Word and ultimately the "calling on" the One that brings salvation, namely Jesus Christ (see Romans 10:14f). May we all be considered of "more noble character" because we search out the Truth of God by saturating our souls with His Word, the Bible; and may we have pliable hearts that receive the truths that the Holy Spirit imparts to us through our pursuit of Him.

Your Life Is the Greatest Witness to Others

Acts 16:25,29: "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying an singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them . . . . (After the earthquake) the jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'"



No matter in what circumstance we as followers of Christ find ourselves, we can know that we always have opportunity to be a witness for Our Lord. Certainly Paul and Silas knew this fact all too well. After arriving in the well-renown city of Philippi on the Macedonian province, the two missionaries from Antioch began teaching certain worshippers of God about Jesus Christ's death and resurrection as the offering of God for the salvation of mankind. Many responded to the gospel with repentance and submission to Jesus as their Lord and were baptized; among those who responded were Lydia, a dealer of purple cloth.


After a few days, when the two missionaries were on their way to the designated place of prayer, they were approached by a slave girl who was possessed by an evil spirit. This spirit gave the slave girl the ability to predict the future, which gave her owners the opportunity to exploit her abilities for profit.



The possessed girl was relentless in bothering Paul and Silas, for she followed them persistently, shouting out to the crowds her vociferous remarks about the followers of the "Most High God." Day after day passed as the girl continued to trouble the efforts of the missionaries. Eventually, an exasperated Paul turned around to the girl and commanded that the spirit within her leave immediately. Miraculously, the girl was freed from the bondage of the evil spirit; however, her profit-minded owners seized Paul and Silas and took them before the magistrates to have them punished for sabotaging their profitable business.



After some false accusations were presented to the governing officials, they in turn had Paul and Silas stripped of their clothing and severely beaten for causing such an uproar among the community; many in the city were stirred with resentment toward these missionaries for they wrongly believed that these men were "advocating customs unlawful for (the) Romans to accept" (16:21).



Paul and Silas then were imprisoned within the local jail, being taken to the innermost cell, which would have been the place of maximum security for inmates. As their feet were placed in stocks in the dark, dank cell, the two missionaries were now at a pivotal point in their lives and ministry. Paul and Silas easily could have viewed their dismal circumstances with vitriolic criticism against God. They could have verbally expressed their dismay at God for His leading them to this end; after all, they had been trying to follow His wishes to propagate His gospel to the Gentile communities of Macedonia (see Acts 16:9-10).

Instead, we find the two imprisoned missionaries praying and singing hymns to God . . . even in the midnight hour. The other prisoners (and I'm sure the prison guards as well) listened to these two men, who seemed to glow with the radiance of their Lord. Whereas these fellow prisoners and guards might have expected to hear caustic criticism from Paul and Silas, they instead heard praises to God.



It was not long before a divinely orchestrated earthquake occurred, which caused the chains of the prisoners to loosen and the doors to open. The jailer feared that the prisoners would escape, and so he drew his sword to kill himself. Paul observed the jailer's intentions and stopped him, assuring this official that all the prisoners were accounted for. The jailer was overwhelmed with the miraculous events and rushed to Paul and Silas, falling before their feet and in a trembling voice cried out to them, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"



Notice that the jailer knew that these two men had something supernatural that he did not have. This jailer knew this, for he had had opportunity to observe these inmate's inner peace (sustained by their faith in God) before the earthquake occurred. This jailer also knew about his need for salvation, for Paul and Silas likely referred to God's wonderful grace in their hymns of praise and in their prayers of thanksgiving to their merciful Lord.



One's true character is revealed both in times of tribulation and temptation. By responding to their hostile circumstances with praise and worship of the One True God, these two missionaries communicated to their observers that they had something very special. Their behavior as well as their words of praise primed the pump of opportunity to share the gospel with the jailer at God's perfectly orchestrated timing. Whereas God got the attention of the jailer through the earthquake, Paul and Silas gave witness to the truth of God and His grace through their attitude before the event. The jailer knew exactly where to go when he needed God's grace, for he had already seen it manifest in these two men.



Once Paul and Silas saw that they had the focused attention of the jailer, they told him to "believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." The story ends beautifully with the jailer taking Paul and Silas to his home, and at that late hour of the night both the jailer and his entire household surrendered their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. One of the first evidences of spiritual transformation found in the jailer was his ministry to the missionaries through his washing of their wounds. No longer was the jailer filled with rage or hostility toward these foreigners (like so many of his cohorts within the city [16:22]). Now, he was loving these men by attending to their needs. I'm certain that few in that house got much sleep that evening . . . it was a time of praise to the Lord for His mercy and grace. The once beaten and imprisoned men were now dining at the table of the very man in charge of their arrest and imprisonment.



One of the best verses in the entire chapter is found in 16:34: "he (the jailer) was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God." God had called Paul and Silas to Philippi (16:9-10) . . . they responded in obedience (16:10) . . . they experienced much persecution there (e.g. stripped, beaten, imprisonment [16:23-24]) . . . yet their lives were filled with joy, peace, fulfillment of purpose, and thanksgiving toward their Lord. This powerful presentation of spiritual transformation was the ingredient God used when he got the attention of the jailer; and the jailer (and his entire household) responded to the faith.



This is a tremendous word to us today. We must remember that the way that one lives his life through adversity will say much about his faith in God. May each of us who are surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ rise above the tribulations of life and remain focused upon our Supreme King and Savior. Others are watching us to see if we really believe what we profess. Let us be the resource that God uses to draw unbelievers into the richness of the faith, as He works supernaturally to bring them to the point of salvation.

Unity Beautifully Modeled

Acts 15:30-32: "The men were sent off (by the elders of the Church of Jerusalem to the Church at Antioch), where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas (not to be confused with Judas Ischariot)and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers."

All too often today, we see disunity and abuse of power within the walls of churches; it seems as if many modern congregations in America are stirred more by confrontational issues than passion for Our Lord. Whereas we seldom see people getting excited about their relationship with Christ, we too often see people in the church becoming enraged at carpet color selections, music styles, and other insignificant matters.

What we have wonderfully modeled for us in Acts 15 is the proper disposition that we are to have as the unified body of Christ. In this chapter in Acts, an issue of disagreement arose in the Church at Antioch between certain Judaizers (who believed that new converts had to observe certain Jewish rites [like circumcision] to be redeemed by Christ) and Paul and Barnabas (who preached that salvation was not contingent upon certain ritual observances but was initiated by God's grace alone [See Ephesians 2:8-9]).

The Church at Antioch decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some other believers to the elders and apostles in Jerusalem to seek guidance as to what should be done to resolve this dispute. What is wonderful is the way in which the elders and apostles responded to the Church at Antioch; they did not treat the visiting guests with disdain, but loved them as they shared words of instruction with them.

As the elders and apostles drafted a letter to the Church at Antioch, they began the document with the words, "The apostles and elders, your brothers" (15:23). Notice that these spiritual leaders referred to themselves as "brothers" to the congregants in Antioch. "Brothers" is a term of endearment to suggest that they all were collectively unified in purpose and position to serve the Lord and accomplish His will. These leaders did not attempt to lord over the Church at Antioch in order to manipulate them or exploit them for their self-adulation; rather, these leaders in Jerusalem had a genuine concern for their brothers 300 miles away in Antioch and wanted them to gain victory over this issue that had caused a stir within the church there.

The elders and apostles at Jerusalem sent delegates back with the visiting guests to Antioch to give the instructional word that everyone was anticipating, and when they arrived and shared the letter from the elders and apostles, the people were "glad for its encouraging message" (15:31). The word for "encouraging" (paraklesis) is a word that suggests "walking alongside another." It is a word that is used of the Holy Spirit in His loving support and strength for us as He walks alongside us in our life journey. Thus, the Church at Jerusalem did not treat the believers at Antioch with scorn or disdain; rather, they communicated their support of their brothers as they gave counsel to them concerning this issue.

This is such a tremendous message for the modern church today. We need to remember that every word that we share with fellow believers is to be seasoned with love. As we worship and serve the Lord together, we should let our brothers and sisters in Christ know that we are "walking alongside" them, supporting them in their journey with us. This is the love that is the evidential proof of our true commitment to our Lord (see I John 4:7-8).

God Glorified in Judgment?

Isaiah 5:16,24b: "But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness . . . . for they (the Israelites) have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel."

In the early chapters of the book of Isaiah, the proclamation of God is a curse against the Israelites for their defiant rebellion against His Holiness. It is amazing to see the multi-faceted nature of Israel's debauchery and waywardness which would bring the coming judgment:

1. Insatiable desire for material wealth accumulation with no regard for the poor: "Woe to you who add house to house and field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land" (5:8).

2. Drunkenness and other licentious behavior: "Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD" (5:11-12).

3. Accumulated sin and deceit that is kept closely tethered to the wicked: "Woe to those who draw sin alone with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes" (5:18).

4. Contempt and mockery towards God: "(Woe to ) those who say, 'Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it.'"

5. Self-justification of sinful behavior: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil" (5:20).

6. Prideful Arrogance: "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight" (5:21).

7. Injustice: "Woe (to those) . . . who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent" (5:23).

With Israel's compilation of evil and rebellion against the LORD, God in turn announced that He would be exalted in His justice against their wickedness. This is an important truth to remember: God will be glorified both in His redemption of the righteous as well as in His wrath toward the wicked. Although God does not delight in the death of the wicked (see Ezekiel 18:23), He will be glorified in His righteous wrath against them, just as He will be glorified in the grace bestowed to those surrendered to His Lordship (Ephesians 1).

What is noteworthy is the contrast that one sees in the disposition of the heavenly hosts towards God in chapter 6. As the seraphs, each with six wings, fly before the throne of God, they cover their eyes and feet in an act of humility and unworthiness to look upon the Greatness of the One True God. As they thrice cry out the awesome Holiness of God, they do so with a reflective amazement.

The prophet Isaiah too was overwhelmed with the majesty of the Lord, and he cried out a curse upon himself for his utter uncleanness as He stood before the Lord of Hosts; the prophet confessed that the Lord was "King . . . the Lord Almighty" in an act of submission and humility. Isaiah's guilt was taken away, for he surrendered himself to God and confessed his utterly detestable sins before the Lord, seeking His grace.

We must remember that the Lord will not be treated with contempt by the wicked forever. God desires all men to come to repentance (see 2 Peter 3:9); nonetheless, He will enact His righteous wrath against the reprobate for all eternity. This is sobering reality that should bring each of us to our knees with contrite hearts, seeking the mercy of God. The beauty of our merciful Lord is that He is faithful and just to "forgive our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness" when we surrender to Him as our Lord and Savior (I John 1:9).

Learn From History; Don't Repeat It

Isaiah 2:7-9b: "Their land (i.e. Israel) is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. So man will be brought low and mankind humbled . . . "



The prophet Isaiah was commissioned by the Lord to proclaim the coming judgment of God upon the covenant people for their rebellious disposition towards the Lord. In chapter one of the book of Isaiah, one finds that the prophet declares that the people had become a "sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption" (1:4). So debased had the people become that they were brazenly committing detestable acts of idolatry, immorality, and injustice. Isaiah refers to these people as those who have "spurned the Holy One (God) of Israel . . . turning their backs on Him."



The explanation for this sacrilege is found in our focal passage cited above. For years, the Lord had blessed the Israelites materially for their faithfulness to Him as their Lord; but after time, these blessings caused the people to swell up with their own pride, thinking that they had amassed their wealth through their own accomplishments. Their eyes turned away from dependence on and surrender to the Lord; now, they believed that they were privileged for what they had achieved. These people were consumed with their own accolades, accumulated wealth, and self-elevating achievements, and they turned their backs on the very Lord who had blessed them in the first place. No longer was there a reverential respect for the One True God. No longer was there a desire to follow the Lord with uncompromising obedience.



In response to this treason that the people perpetrated against God, the Lord sent Isaiah to warn the people to repent of their sins and seek the Lord as they had before. The Lord assured His people that they would experience the blessedness of His presence in perpetual peace if they would walk in His light (Isaiah 2:1-5); thus, the people were presented with a choice. They could surrender to the Lord in a spirit of penitence and humility, or they could continue down the path of defiance and self-aggrandizement. Tragically, these people would choose the latter, and God responded by sending powerful, foreign invaders to sack the land, taking from the Israelites their treasures, their freedom, their land, and their pride.



There is a good lesson to be learned from the sinful ways of the Israelites of ages past, for God is a God of constancy (see James 1:17). As He did not tolerate the sinful rebellion of the Israelites 2700 years ago, so too God will not allow our continued disobedience towards Him today. Let's forsake our pride and sinful behavior and turn to the Lord. He is the Faithful One who will forgive our sins and restore unto us the blessing of His Divine favor.

Eat Or Be Eaten

Isaiah 1:19-20: "'If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.' For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

When reading through the book of Isaiah, one quickly finds that the prophet penned its words to call the Israelites to account for their chronic sinful behavior against the Lord. Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah cited God's words of anger at the grossly evil ways of the covenant community. God said that His people were "rebelling against me . . . (a) sinful nation . . . a brood of evildoers" (1:2b,4). As a result, God had begun enacting judgment against these people for their waywardness. God told them that their nation was being destroyed by foreign nations because they were not surrendered to Him as their Lord (see 1:7).

God also addressed the nation's worthless practices of worship. Now, these Israelites were great at participating in the pomp of ceremonial worship. They could offer impressive sacrifices and prayers; yet their hearts were far from the Lord. In response, God told the people to "stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me . . . I cannot bear your evil assemblies . . . My soul hates your festivals and appointed feasts . . . . When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen" (1:13-15). All that their perfunctory worship observances did was heighten God's frustration with them; worship was exacerbating their relations with God, not improving them.

God then laid before them the ultimatum: "If you are obedient to me, you will feast on my blessings; otherwise my judgment will devour you!" (1:19). Only through surrender of their lives and their wills to the One True God could the covenant community be expected to be delivered from the judgment that otherwise would befall them. Later in chapter 1, God refers to the "weeding out" process that He would enact toward the people. God exclaims that He would "redeem with justice the penitent ones (Hebrew: sabim='those who return') with righteousness" (1:27); but He would also "break the rebels and sinners" leading to their destruction.

In our application of this passage for our lives today, we must remember that perfunctory worship practices are not enough. God is less interested in our actions and more interested in our heart's disposition towards Him (which will necessarily lead to actions that please the Lord). We must be submitted to the Lord as our Savior and King; only then will we enjoy the choice morsels of His righteousness and His eternal blessing. To kick against His Sovereignty through our wanton rebellion is to invite His righteous wrath against us.

In the end, we will either eat the fruit of our surrender or we will be eaten by the judgment of God for our disobedience. The choice is ours.

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Luke 19:37-38; 23:1,23: "When he (Jesus) came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest . . . . [Several days later] the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.' . . . . With loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed."


It is rather fascinating to see the change in disposition of the crowds toward Jesus in Jerusalem just before His crucifixion. As he entered the Holy City riding on a colt, the people spread their cloaks on the ground before Him, waved palm branches, and cried out "Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest" (Matthew 21:9). All of the city was stirred with the arrival of the Nazarene prophet. But within a few days, the people's enthusiasm would change dramatically. No longer were they praising Jesus, but they were accusing him of treason and demanding that He be executed.


This transformation can be explained through the reasons why the people celebrated Jesus' arrival in the first place, namely for "all the miracles they had seen." When Jesus was fulfilling the needs of the people, they were praising Him as the Son of David; but, when Jesus began to teach the people about the cost of discipleship (i.e. that surrender to God would cost them everything [John 12:25-26]), the people began to turn on the Savior. Scripture records that "even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they (the people) would not believe in him (as Lord)" [John 12:37].



To be sure, the religious leaders, who hated Jesus, looked for an opportunity to turn the hearts of the people away from Him. They despised the thought of losing their social influence to the Nazarene who had just arrived in the city (Matthew 21:15). But the foundational problem leading to such a shift in the disposition of the crowd toward Jesus was their lack of surrender. These people were engrossed in their own lordship; thus, they loved Jesus when He was offering them something of personal benefit. His miracles and His potential of being a political insurrectionist against the Romans was quite appealing to the crowds. Yet, when Jesus entered the city, driving out those who were using the temple as a place of financial profit, the people lost confidence in Jesus as an asset for their selfish causes. To be sure, many still believed Jesus to be a prophet (Matthew 22:46), but the leaders and chief priests began to plot his execution (Matthew 26:3-4). Their envy of Jesus' influence with the people stirred within their hearts the desire to destroy the Savior (Mark 15:10). Quickly, they were able to sway the crowds to cry for the death of the Messiah (Matthew 27:20). Three times the Roman Procurator, Pilate, petitioned the crowds for the reasoning why they wanted the death of the innocent man, but the crowds "with loud shouts insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed" (Luke 23:23).


As I have reiterated ad nauseam in my previous blogs, the systemic problem with humanity is one of surrender and lordship. The prevailing problem in our culture, just like in the day of Christ, is people seeking their own lordship over the One True God. People are willing to acknowledge Jesus only if they are able to manipulate His identity for their own selfish causes. We see this made manifest through people's labeling themselves "Christian," yet see their religious association as something to meet their personal needs (religious/familial identity; eternal protection; financial opportunity; psychological comfort, ethic manipulation, etc.). These people would not be unlike the Jewish and Roman attendees at the prosecution of Jesus in Jerusalem; once surrender to the Savior was introduced into one's life equation, the tables would turn against Jesus as Lord. We see this today in the abject defiance of self-proclaimed "Christians" who egregiously choose to disobey the commands of the Lord as prescribed in the Scriptures. The lack of the evidential fruit of a truly transformed life is the telling sign of a lack of relationship with Jesus as personal Lord and Savior.


Love for and submission to Jesus as Lord are noticeably absent in the reprobate; in its place is found the never-ending love of "self." For these people, the "end" of personal fulfillment justifies all behavior, including the renouncing of God as the Lord of one's life, evidenced through disobedience to His commands.

Not Recognizing

John 14:8-10; 17 "Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.' Jesus answered: 'Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work . . . . the Spirit of truth-the world can not accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.'"



After three years of association with Jesus, the disciples were still not 100% certain of Jesus' relationship with God the Father. Before, they had proclaimed Jesus as the "Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matthew 16:16); but the John 14 dialogue between Philip and Jesus tells us that the disciples wanted to see God in His glory and were thus oblivious to the fact that they were seeing God incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ. It was not enough to see God in His humble state as a man, serving the purpose of being the eventual atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world; it's as if the disciples would be convinced of the claims of Jesus as Messiah only if they could experience God in His magnificent splendor. The disciple's doubt was evidenced in Philip's skeptical response to Jesus, "show us the Father and that will be enough for us."



Jesus reproves the disciples for their lack of faith. He in effect tells the disciples that they were seeing God in Him; then, Jesus tells the disciples to believe His words as the illuminating Words of God, proclaiming the evidential truth that God was working through Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that the world would not believe in God as Spirit for they could not experience Him through sight nor intimate association. But to the disciples Jesus proclaimed that they knew and would better know the Holy Spirit, for He was with them and would indwell them in the future.



We see this skeptical disposition paralleled in our culture today. People are unwilling to believe in the Triune God, for they are not able to experience Him through their senses. Many assert that they will only believe if they are able to see God; they in effect are saying "God show yourself to us and that will be enough." The Words that Jesus shared to His disciples are the Words that we all have available to us today through the Holy Scriptures. These Scriptures are "living and active . . . judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12); they are a gift from the Lord to increase our faith in Him, though we cannot physically see His glory in our temporal state.

God has also gifted us with the presence of the Holy Spirit that lives within the believer, giving to him the assurance that God exists as Sovereign Lord and is working all things according to His eternal purposes . . . . namely the redemption of the redeemed as eternal, evidential proof and testament to His glorious grace (see Ephesians 1).



Failing to see God in His Glory is not an excuse that can be used to deny the reality of God. God already has given to us the above mentioned gifts of the Word and the Spirit. The question that we should be asking is, "Are we tapping into the blessedness of an intimate relationship with God through the Word and the Holy Spirit?"

No Marriage in Heaven?

Luke 20:33-34: "(The Sadducees who say there is no resurrection asked) 'At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?' (To this question) Jesus replied, 'The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.'"



This passage above has been quite disturbing for many married adults who dread the thought of entering eternity without being married to the love of their earthly life; this passage has been equally disturbing to many single adults who are anxious that they may never have the blessing of being married at all. Some would conclude that heaven will not be as glorious as it's marketed to be, for we'll be denied the opportunity of experiencing heaven as "married." They see heaven as an eternal stag party where everyone wants to be paired up with that special person, but are denied such a privilege. As the heavenly dance music is being played, everyone is standing around without a partner, wondering when the fun will begin.



It must be remembered that the institution of earthly marriage was designed primarily to encourage us and teach us of God's eternal marital relationship with all believers. What an ingenious Lord that we have . . . He knew that we would better understand His unfailing love for us by experiencing a parallel (albeit inferior) covenant relationship with a spouse. Because we are not physically present with our True Husband (the Lord) in heaven, God determined that we would better appreciate what is to come by experiencing earthly marriage. Thus, our experience of marriage here should be quickening our hearts in anticipation of the glorious wedding banquet, when we are finally joined with the Ultimate Spouse . . . Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul speaks of this analogy between earthly marriage and THE heavenly marriage in Ephesians 5, where husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loves the Church and the Church is to submit to Christ as a wife "submits to her husband in everything" (Eph. 5:24). What is especially beautiful in the Ephesians 5 passage is the proclamation that Christ has offered His very life for us (His bride), thus giving us the opportunity to be purified of our sin and granting us the ability to shine as a radiant bride before Him (our bridegroom). Now that is true love!



All of our needs for intimacy and love that exist in this life will be completely fulfilled in the blessedness of heaven as we experience the ultimate love relationship with our Lord. No longer will we long for unconditional love, for God will satisfy that foundational longing in our hearts.

And for those of us who have had the earthly blessing of a spouse surrendered to the Lord, we will share with them the blessedness of God's eternal, unfathomable, radiant love. And in our perfected condition, we will be able to love our former spouses MORE than we ever were able to express in this earthly experience. Yes, let me re-emphasize this truth. One will never be able to experience the depths of heavenly love in this life, no matter what one's relational status is here. Although we will not be formally married to another person in heaven, we will love and be loved at levels we could never fathom nor experience here. Our love experience will be heightened exponentially, and we will not be standing around wondering why things can not be like they were on earth relationally.


I think that we must also remember that we WILL in fact be married. God is drawing us as His bride into His glorious abode; and He will transform us as we cross the Heavenly threshhold, so that we are perfected in "holiness . . . without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:26-27).

How Can People Know You Are a Follower of Christ?

John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."


The story of John 13 is not far removed from the events that would demonstrate the ultimate reason why Jesus Christ came into the world. Jesus' death and resurrection proclaimed to the world that He loved His creation so much that He would offer His very life as the only sufficient ransom for its sins. Jesus' advent was to show humanity "the full extent of his love" through His death and His resurrection (see John 12:27; 13:1); and truly, this was the greatest love ever given (John 15:13).


As Jesus and the disciples celebrated the Passover meal and the Lord's Supper, the disciples were bickering amongst themselves as to whom was the greatest (Luke 22:24). Jesus knew that the time had come to teach His disciples a most important truth of faith: the importance of loving others even before one's self. While the disciples were arguing, Jesus took off His outer garment and knelt down to wash His disciples' feet. Think about it . . . the Sovereign Lord and King of all eternity took a humble position before His disciples to minister to them and to teach them that they should do likewise to others (John 13:15).


Jesus then interjected a new command to His disciples . . . that they should love one another as He had loved them. I'm sure that these power hungry disciples knew that this type of love would necessitate sacrifice on their part to minister to the needs of others. Jesus was sharing with them by his demonstrative act that their purpose in life was not centered on self-actualization and fulfillment but on loving others and being a blessing to them.


Jesus then said to His disciples that the way in which ALL men would know that they were true disciples was by their love for one another. Notice that Jesus said "all" men, not just believers. Thus, unbelievers and believers alike would see the evidential fruit of a transformed life by the manifestation of love that true disciples have for others. Notice too that Jesus did not say that mankind would be able to tell a true disciple by his great oratory skills or mastery of the Scriptures or participation in church activities; rather, it would be by his love for others that all men would know that he was in fact a true disciple.

Whereas we are called to be purveyors of God's truth to a world in need of God's grace, we must examine ourselves to see if we have hearts of love and compassion for others. Are we more consumed with our own needs and desires that we are indifferent to those around us? We must remember that our Lord commands us to love others with a selfless, self-sacrificing love. This love will proclaim to believers and unbelievers alike that we are true followers of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Everyone is Important

I Corinthians 12:18,22-23, 25: "God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be . . . . those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor . . . . There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other."

From chapters 1-4, 9, 14 of I Corinthians, it seems that the Church at Corinth had become enamored with what one might call the "divine sophia" (wisdom). Certain members had become influenced by the secular philosophies of that day which emphasized that one could attain higher levels of wisdom through spiritual gift manifestation. These believers felt that they had reached a “spiritualized eschatology.” That is, they believed they had already experienced the fullness of the divine sophia from the Spirit and were speaking with tongues similar to the angels. They were now experiencing a kind of ultimate spirituality by which they lived above the merely material existence of the present age, and this superior wisdom made them of higher importance in the church and the kingdom of God.

Of course, those in the church that believed that they had mastered the mysteries of spirituality believed that others had not attained such levels of enlightenment and were thus inferior. This arrogant disposition led to numerous quarrels within the church (see I Corinthians 3:3).

Paul instructed the Corinthian church that each member of the body of Christ is gifted and called to specific responsibilities by the Lord, "just as He wants them to be." Therefore, no person within the church has less value than anyone else . . . all are equally important for the purposes of God. Paul commands that the church recognize the "less honorable" in the congregation with special honor . . . as ones indispensible to the kingdom of God. Paul uses the analogy of the physical body to illustrate that each part, no matter its function, is of utmost importance to the optimal functioning of the body as a whole. And he reiterates that God Himself will esteem the parts of the body that may lack respect due to their position and function within the church.

This is a good word for us in the Church of Jesus Christ. We must remember that all members are invaluable for the purposes of the kingdom, and we should never assume ourselves more important due to our positions of perceived prominence within the church. None of us deserve to even be in the family of God, for we have all sinned against the Lord; thus, the grafting in of ourselves into the tree of life is solely accomplished by the grace and mercy of God. No one has the right to boast in his spirituality, as though he has mastered his redemption through his own efforts.

At the same time, each believer CAN boast in the goodness of the Lord to grant him such a privilege. Not only have we been made in God's image (Genesis 1:27), but we have been redeemed by the greatest price possible . . . the death of Christ on a cross (Romans 5:8). For those of us who have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, we have received the blessedness of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21-22); and through this impartation, the Lord has set His seal of ownership upon us. Therefore, we ALL can say that God has adopted us into His royal family, and this adoption gives each of us immeasurable intrinsic value (see Ephesians 1:5; John 1:12).

Sickness for God's Glory?

John 11:4: "When He (Jesus) heard this, Jesus said, 'This sickness will not end in death, No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."



Chapter 11 of the Book of John is the story of the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. This was an incredible act of Jesus as Lord to demonstrate His Sovereign power to bring physical life again to a man who had been dead for four days. This specific miracle was a demonstrative act of power by Jesus to display that He is the Resurrection and the Life for all who would believe in Him as Lord (11:25).



With the magnificence of the miraculous act, one can miss a rather subtle truth that lay within the text, namely that sickness can be used by God to bring glory to Himself. Now, let me be quick to interject that God is not a misanthropic deity that enjoys the pain and misery of His creation. As one can even see from Jesus' weeping at the sight of Mary's grief over the loss of her brother (11:35), that God is genuinely concerned with our losses. Even so, God also knows that He can use the unfortunate experiences of our lives to bring about greater good for the furtherance of His glorious kingdom. Jesus' delay in responding to the news of Lazarus' illness and Lazarus' subsequent death from that illness, would be used by Jesus to demonstrate His power, thus drawing the crowds into a personal relationship with Him as Lord. As Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the people knew that Jesus was no ordinary prophet, for only God could bring life back to the dead. John 11:45 tells us that many people "put their faith in Jesus." The religious leaders were so alarmed at the popular response to Jesus that they believed that Jesus needed to be killed; otherwise, they felt that "everyone would (eventually) believe in Him (Jesus)" (11:48).


We find a similar response from Jesus in the story of the man born blind in John 9. When the disciples asked Jesus whose sin was the result of this man being born without sight, Jesus said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned . . . but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life" (9:3). Ultimately, the blindness was used by Jesus to demonstrate His power to heal this infirmity; and as with the raising of Lazarus, the healing of the blind man brought many to trust in Jesus as Lord. (See my June 25, 2008, blog "Causes of Pain and Tragedy" for more information on the topic).

As we read the story of Lazarus' victory over death, we celebrate the power of God over our most formidable foe; still, we better understand that God uses our misfortunes (e.g. sicknesses, tragedies, accidents, etc.) to bring glory to Himself and draw people into an intimate fellowship with Him. We are never promised immunity from life's painful experiences; what we are assured of is that God can use these tribulations to further His kingdom. Let us remember this truth as we traverse the painful paths that life often presents to us.

Repentance Involves Action!

Luke 19:8-9: Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.' Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house . . . '"

The story of Zacchaeus is noticeably distinct from the story of the rich young ruler in the previous chapter. Zacchaeus was one of the CHIEF tax collectors, which means that after he collected what the Romans expected in revenue, he was able to extort a lot more money from the people of Palestine for himself (with the backing of the Roman government). Scripture tells us that Zacchaeus was quite wealthy, but the people hated him for his abuses of power. In fact, the community was quite astonished that Jesus would choose to stay at the house of such a "sinner." No good Jew would think of associating with such a debased person as a tax collector, and Zacchaeus would have been seen as the chief of the reprobate for his position and abuses. Of course, many of us know the story of the short-statured Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore tree to get a glimpse of the Savior. What is fascinating with his encounter with Jesus was in the way that Jesus responded to him. When Jesus looked at Zacchaeus in the tree, he said that he MUST say at his house. The Greek word for "must" is a strongly emphatic word, suggesting utter necessity. Thus, Jesus was quite intentional at communicating that his staying with Zacchaeus was of utmost importance, and I believe that Jesus knew that salvation was soon to come to this man of such poor reputation.

Zacchaeus was so overwhelmed at this initiatory prompting by the Lord, that he immediately recognized his sins of abuse toward the people and responded to his guilt with corrective action. The chief tax collector gave half of his possessions to the poor and indemnified those whom he had extorted money four times over. Even the law of Moses only required that a person who had stolen money from another give the amount back plus 20% (Numbers 5:7). Zacchaeus was willing to give the stolen money plus 300% extra!

Jesus' reply was declarative . . . He exclaimed that Zacchaeus had received salvation from his sin. Now, this passage does not suggest that Zacchaeus' deeds of restitution saved him, for we know that salvation is solely the work of Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9); still, we see from this passage that a truly transformed person cannot help but produce the fruit of repentance through his deeds/works. In other words, though works are not necessary for one's salvation, they are the necessary product of salvation (see Matthew 7:18-20 for further support of this truth).

If one contrasts the response of Zacchaeus with the rich young ruler of Luke 18, one will see a telling difference. The rich young ruler refused the invitation of the Lord for eternal life, for he craved the benefits and privileges of his wealth; in effect, the rich young ruler worshipped his earthly treasures above the Lord. As he turned away from the Savior (most likely for the last time before his judgment), Jesus said that it is quite difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus was keenly aware that people of wealth can fall prey to the personal adulation that affluence affords to the rich, and are therefore unwilling to surrender that "god" to the One True God. Zacchaeus however was different. He knew that wealth had a stranglehold on him, and thus he renounced his allegiance to it by giving much of it away. Zacchaeus was saying to the Lord, "nothing I am or have shall take priority over you as my Lord . . . I surrender it all to you."

May we all reflect upon our lives, and like Zacchaeus rid ourselves of anything that we are apt to worship as our god over Jesus Christ. He alone is to be worshipped. When we renounce our allegiance to the feigned substitutes that have taken priority over God in our lives, we demonstrate by our actions that we have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, bringing salvation to our souls.

Effective Praying

Luke 18:1: "Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."


A lot of Christians talk about the importance of prayer, but few are diligent enough to experience it regularly. Oh, of course there are the trite, perfunctory repetitions that we say before a meal or during a church service, but the powerful prayers that usher us before the throne of God are noticeably absent in our lives.


One main reason for this dearth of an effective prayer life is our lack of faith that prayer really accomplishes anything. When we are faced with an issue of which we are not able to control ourselves, we rush to our knees to offer the petition to the Lord. As soon as the words have flowed from our mouths, we look up waiting for the portals of heaven to open and the very glory of God to appear with the heavenly hosts praising the Lord's immediate intervention for our supplications.

Then, when we see that nothing happens, we quickly lose hope in God answering our pleas. Many of us give up on praying, thinking that God has already made up His mind as to how our life events will unfold, and we then seem to float through life not tasting the fullness of God's provision, simply because we get to the point that we don't even ask Him.

In the passage above, Jesus used a parable to teach His disciples that they should never stop giving up on prayer. The story is of a widow who sought justice for a wrongdoing against her. As she approached the judge, who wasn't righteous and did not care about his subjects, she was relentless in her petitions to him for his intervention. And the more she returned to the judge, the more he became overwhelmed with her persistence. This unrighteous judge got to the point that her presence was wearing him out; therefore, he relented and granted her request although he did not care about the deplorable circumstances that she was facing.

Jesus used this imagery to communicate to His disciples that if an indifferent, pagan judge was willing to change his response, given the persistence of the widow, how much more would the Righteous Judge (the Lord) answer those who "cry out to him day and night" (18:7).

At the end of the chapter, Jesus had an encounter with a blind beggar who heard that Jesus was passing by and knew that He had the power to heal him. As the blind man cried out to Jesus for His mercy, the followers of Jesus rebuked the man for his vociferous comments. They told the man to keep quiet, but their warnings caused the man to be even more determined to get the Lord's attention. Jesus noticed the man's resolve, and He asked the disciples to bring the man to Him. Jesus then asked the man directly what he wanted. Jesus knew the answer already, but he wanted to see if the man was willing to petition Him for such a miracle . . . He wanted to see if the man had the faith to ask the Lord for His divine intervention.

When the man asked for his sight, Jesus honored his request and healed the man, saying "Your faith has healed you." The people were amazed as such a supernatural work and praised God for the miracle.

Now, wedged between these two accounts in Luke 18 of the need for persistent prayer are four essential ingredients to an effective prayer life:

1. Humility: In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, one finds that the tax collector was justified and exalted before the Lord for His spirit of humility. This man felt himself unworthy to even look toward heaven, and cried that the Lord would simply have mercy on him for his sinfulness. This man HAD his prayer answered.

2. Faith: In the next story, Jesus is approached by several little children. The disciples rebuked these children for bothering the Savior, but Jesus reprimanded His disciples, saying that true believers must "receive the kingdom of God like a little child." We know that children will readily put their trust in someone or something quickly. They don't sit back and process through the information wandering if something is in fact worthy of their faith. When children pray, they believe that God hears them and that God will answer them. They don't have a fatalistic perspective, thinking that their prayers are worthless.

3. Surrender: The next ingredient introduced for an effective prayer life is surrender. In this story, Jesus is approached by a rich ruler who wants eternal life. Jesus, knowing that the man loved his wealth so much that he idolized it, instructed the man to sell everything that he had and follow Him. The man needed to remove everything in his life that had a higher priority than the One True God . . . tragically he refused to surrender.

4. Power of God in Salvation: Lastly and most importantly, the essential ingredient for an effective prayer life is the power of God working redemptively for our salvation. This work is accomplished solely through the love and power of God through His death and resurrection. As Jesus was raised on the third day from the grave, He demonstrated that He has power over sin and death, and is able to now open the channels of communication between His once estranged people and Himself. This is why the writer of Hebrews can write in 4:14-16: "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Jesus' victory over sin gives us the privilege of approaching His throne with our requests, knowing that we will not be repelled by His Holiness. As we seek His mercy with a humble, trusting spirit, He promises to "cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). What a tremendous blessing it is to even have the opportunity to talk with the Lord.

What a tremendous word we have on prayer. To recap, let's be reminded of what we must do:

1. We need to be persistent in our prayers. God will hear us and answer us. To give up on prayer is to close the blessings that God desires to pour out upon us (see James 4:2).

2. We need to demonstrate humility, trust, and surrender to the Lord as we pray. God will not answer us if our prayers are intended to bolster the idol of "self" within us. This is clearly addressed in James 4:3: "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

3. We need to remember that prayer is an awesome privilege, afforded to us through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection. To stop praying is to say that Jesus is not able or willing to intervene . . . we in effect say of God, "God you are not powerful enough to do that which we ask or you are too aloof to care about what we're going through." Neither conclusion is true, and in reality is a brazen criticism of His sovereignty and love for us.

Let's be a people of prayer . . . knowing that effective prayer is possible through obedience to His Word.

What Is Faith After All?

Luke 17:5, 10: "The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' (Jesus later replied) So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"



Having attended church my entire life, I have heard some interesting explanations of "faith" by teachers and preachers. Many have cited Hebrews 11 as the "faith chapter," and they specifically focus upon Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Whereas I believe that Hebrews 11 is a wonderful passage that can be used to better understand the concept of faith, I believe that people have erroneously misinterpreted what faith is from this chapter. For example, I've heard people say, "You just got to believe in God and that is faith" or "You just have to trust God as much as you trust the chair in which you are seated." It seems that people have relegated "faith" to a cognitive assent to the existence of God without any responsive action on their part. Many believe that we just need to know the tenets of the faith without truly practicing them; James 2:17 speaks to this kind of faith as being a "dead faith" (which in reality is no faith at all).



For me, the "faith chapter" of the Bible is Luke 17, for it is here that our Savior defines for the apostles what faith actually is. As the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith, the Lord replied with a story of a servant who had been working for his master, plowing the fields and tending the sheep. When the servant arrived at the master's home after a long day of working in the master's fields, Jesus said that the master would not ask the servant to sit at the table to eat; rather, the master would tell the servant to prepare the master's meal and serve it. Only after that could the servant attend to his own personal needs. Jesus concluded the story by saying that the attitude of the servant should be one of unworthiness at being given the privilege of serving such a great master. Thus, the servant would not begrudge the numerous responsibilities that the master expected of him; rather, he would be honored to do what was considered to be his duty for his lord. This servant was humble, grateful, and surrendered to his master.



Soon after this word of instruction, Jesus encountered 10 lepers who wanted to be healed from their infirmity. Jesus healed them and instructed them to see the priests . . . an instruction that they quickly obeyed. However, only one returned to the Savior shouting praise to Him and falling at His feet in worship and thanksgiving. Jesus noted that this response of surrender and humble praise was the "faith" that saved the one leper who returned.



Afterward, Jesus began a discussion of the coming of the kingdom of God. As He warned His disciples not to worry about when the Son of Man would return in His glory, He mentioned that the world would be quite "faithless" when He returned. Jesus specifically referenced the days of Noah and Lot as the parallel disposition of the people at his second advent. The people of Noah and Lot's era were self-consumed with "eating and drinking, marrying, buying and selling, (etc.)". They were more consumed with their own personal wants than surrendering their wills to the will of God. Jesus warned His disciples to "Remember Lot's wife!" He did so to remind them that this woman was so longing of her selfish appetites that she was willing to defy the commands of the Lord in order that she might reclaim her right to her sensual desires. Jesus continued this warning by telling the disciples, "Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Jesus was reminding His disciples that being a disciple of the Lord necessitated sacrificing "self" on the throne of surrender to the One True God!



So what can we learn from this faith chapter? If we are desirous of an increased faith in our lives, we must be willing to see that we are unworthy servants before the Lord, and that it is a privilege to serve Him in obedience. We must be willing to fall at the feet of the Lord like the cured leper and worship Him above all other persons and things (including ourselves). We must not fall prey to the philosophy of this world that pursues the vanity of self-indulgence; rather, we must "lose our lives" in submission to the Lord as our Master and Savior.



This is faith at its core. It is so much more than mere intellectual awareness to the existence of God; it is capitulation, humility, obedience, and surrender all wrapped up into one. The way that we are able to increase our faith is by examining our heart's disposition to these truths and see if we are following them as an expression of worship to the Lord. If we need to increase our faith, we will start by seeking forgiveness for our not living lives of submission to the Lord. What we are assured is that the Lord is "Faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). This is when our faith begins to grow . . . and this faith pleases the Lord (Hebrews 11:6).