Looking to the Reward - James 1:12

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.  ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him--James 1:1-12 


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

We have reached the last verse of this section.


Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

This last verse is not about an attitude that is necessary for us to persevere through a trial...we have discussed each of those.  This is about the reward.  I love looking to the reward!  During Jesus' time crowns were given for victorious athletic achievements.  When we stay close to Jesus during our times of trials and temptations and we persevere through it says here that we will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.  This is the believer's ultimate reward...eternal life. We are not saved by enduring trials but we are rewarded for enduring them...both temporally and eternally.  Trials work for us here on earth in many ways. (See Count it all Joy ) Believers are also promised crowns of glory, righteousness and rejoicing and all of them are imperishable...incorruptible...they will not fade away!  Each one describes certain aspects of eternal life and are earned at the judgment seat of Christ.  If we are a believer, the suffering we face here is the worst things are ever going to be for us and our trials will benefit us.  If we are not a believer, this life is the best we will ever have and our trials will serve to make us increasingly bitter and weary.

The last part of verse 12 really touched my heart...Who is promised the crown of life?  Believers,  those who love Him.  First Corinthians 13:4-8 is the best description of love in the bible.  Agape, self-sacrificing love is the basis for all that we do when we are in Christ.  Why...because it was the basis for all He did for us.  We love Him because He first loved us.  Here are the verses from Corinthians: 


Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
 
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;  does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails..... 

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 



And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.--1 Cor 13:1-8, 12-13

Unless we have Love (God is love - 1 John 4:16) we are nothing...  The only way to profit from a trial here on this earth IS as a believer who loves God and has His love shed abroad in his heart.  Otherwise our suffering does not profit us here nor does it profit us in the life to come.  As we cling to Him through our trials we grow in faith, hope and love and begin to resemble the essence of Christ more and more.  

So...in reviewing.....We can count it all joy in times of trial because we know that  trials come from His heart of love for us.  We can know and consider the difficulties we face as opportunities for great joy because of what God will accomplish in us and through us for His glory and our good. We can surrender our will to Him because He loves us with a perfect love and perfect love casts out fear.  We can ask for wisdom and have a believing heart to receive because we love Him...loving Him means trusting Him. We can have a humble spirit because as believers, going through trials, we begin to look up to Him more and more and realize who we are and WHO HE IS.  The closer we draw to Him the more we see not only our own unworthiness but also our inadequacy to the task.   

2 Corinthians 12:9 says: "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Secure in the love of God we can persevere through trials and grow up and mature and bear fruit here for Him.  I will end with a quote from Charles B. Williams via Warren Wiersbe.

"God’s purpose in trials is maturity. “Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” The Charles B. Williams translation says it graphically: “But you must let your endurance come to its perfect product so that you may be fully developed and perfectly equipped.”

If that is what you want, then in love to Christ and with all humility, count, know, let, and ask.


Love
Mom

I heard this song and it reminded me of these studies in James especially this last one.

Who am I by Casting Crowns

Trials the Great Equalizers

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.  ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him--James 1:1-12 

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,


We are still talking about trials and the attitudes that are necessary to persevere and have victory in our difficulties.  We have already looked at 4.  A joyful attitude, an understanding mind, a surrendered will and a believing heart.  The last one is a humble spirit.

Here are the verses we will be looking at today:  

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.--James 1:9-11

God is no respecter of persons.  Trials come to everyone. They level the playing field and make believers, rich or poor, increasingly dependent on God.  They, by design, wean us off of earthly things and teach us to set our minds on things above.

The poor or lowly brother can glory in his exaltation.  The word glory there means to take legitimate pride or boast.  When the humble of circumstances become discouraged they can dwell on riches they have in Christ. The lowly person can boast or rejoice in his spiritual heritage. Romans 8:17 says this:  "and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." WOW!  Imagine if that were always our focus. He can also rejoice in God's sovereignty knowing God does all things perfectly, and that where he finds himself is exactly where he needs to be in order to fulfill God's perfect plan for Him.  

The rich man can boast in his humiliation knowing that as he is brought low he comes to understand more and more that joy and contentment come from Christ alone...earthly riches do not satisfy. Hebrews 10:34 says: "for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven." Flowers of the field will fade away and be no more as will the rich man...but when we set our minds on things above and store up our treasures in heaven where nothing can destroy or take away; we become spiritually more stable less focused on the passing riches of this world and more on the eternal.. Earthly riches are fleeting and limited only to this world.

I love it...if we are poor or if we are rich we can still see beyond this world and be free of its chains to see the troubles we experience here with a heavenly perspective.   This is so needed as we go through trials.  It is so easy to see only what is right in front of us and lose sight of what is really important.

We can extrapolate this to other things also...whatever condition, circumstances or station we find ourselves in, in this life, we can accept them as being exactly where God wants us to be.  He is sovereign after all. We are what we are by the grace of God.  To argue and complain against God about it is foolish.  Aside from putting ourselves in a position to judge what God has so graciously blessed us with, we are focusing on ourselves.  Focusing on ourselves is NEVER productive and ALWAYS leads to unhappiness.  I think as women many of us spend so much time thinking about our size, shape, looks, talents, etc. that there really is no time left to think on the Lord, no less anyone else!  Lose your life here and gain it in the life to come...He must increase, I must decrease...It is not only the way of the cross, it is by definition the road to joy and abundant life.

As believers, going through trials, we begin to look up to Him more and more and realize who we are and WHO HE IS.  The closer we draw to Him the more we see our own unworthiness.  A humble spirit will COUNT it all joy and rejoice in times of trial.  A humble spirit will LET the Lord work in Him because he KNOWS that the Lord 's plan for him is perfect.  He will ASK for help in times of trial because he sees his own inadequacy to the task.  I will close with Jeremiah 9:23-24:

Thus says the LORD:  “ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might,  Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these I delight,” says the LORD--Jeremiah 9:23-24

Love
Mom 

Ask with a Believing Heart....

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.  ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. ⁹ Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.--James 1:12

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

Continuing in the first chapter of the book of James we are looking at  today at the fourth attitude necessary to help us triumph in trials, asking for wisdom with a "believing heart."  Here are verses 5-8.
 
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."--James 1:5-8


I am laughing at the first part of that verse....which one of us does NOT lack wisdom.  I am always asking for it and am grateful that it is divine wisdom that I receive.  The wisdom from the world is constantly changing and is filled with "agendas".  The wisdom from above and the wisdom from this world are contrasted in James chapter 3. These verses are good ones to hide in your heart.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Wisdom is the practical aspect of intelligence.  It is the understanding and skill needed to live this life for His glory.  It is the practical application of the Word of God in our lives.  By design, God uses trials to wean us away from dependence on the things of the world to total dependence on Him.  He wants us to cry out to Him in prayer for wisdom. Jesus Christ contains all the wisdom and knowledge of God.   He wants to pour it on us abundantly.

Look at the next verse, however.  It tells us to ask in faith with no doubting.  I have said it before and I will say it again: the book of James is where the rubber meets the road.  Where do you really and truly place your faith or your trust--In the wisdom of man or in the wisdom of God?  Are you only hedging your bets when you ask God for help or are you truly and willingly putting all your eggs in His basket and waiting on Him for your answer?  If your loyalty is divided...if you are double minded...maybe not completely convinced that God's way is best or even of His loving care -- than James tells you will receive nothing from the Lord.

According to John MacArthur, the definition of double-minded in the Greek is literally  having one's mind divided between the world and God.  Girls, we are not to go back and forth like the tides between the world and God.  Truly that is the picture of spiritual immaturity and instability.  God does not want equivocators....He does not want lukewarm...He does not want our occasional belief.  He does not want us to go to Him for wisdom if we are reserving the right to disobey if we don't like His answer.  He wants a heart united for Him.   A believing heart that knows that He is sovereign and does all He does for our good and His glory. He wants our wholehearted devotion, trust and commitment. This is the man that God will give to liberally and without reproach.

How does God answer when we ask with a believing heart?  He responds through His people, through His word and through what I call heart direction.

Proverbs tells us that there is much wisdom in many counselors and where there are no counselors the people fall.  As we discuss issues on our hearts with the people of God, His light will shine through and perhaps give us some guidance.

The second way God answer's is through His word. God's will is revealed to us in His word. Christ is wisdom incarnate...He is the Word. In Him lay all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Psalm 119:105 says "Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path."  Psalm 119:130 says "the entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple."  How perfect is that.  The heart David had for God's word is the heart we are to have.  Search His word daily and allow Him to light and guide your path...His word is His gift to us.

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.--Psalm 119:97-104

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ¹³ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. ¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.--Hebrews 4:12-16

The third way God answers us is by heart direction. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path."  Basically, I pray and acknowledge His sovereignty and  my own inadequacy in knowing what to do or what path to take.  I then ask the Lord to direct my steps even if and when I misstep! I ask Him to guide me through His word and His people...to open and shut doors as I walk.  In another words, He walks the path with me. The key is to acknowledge that He knows better than me the direction I need to take and that MY DESIRE IS TO FOLLOW HIM!

So let's once again put it all together to see the big picture that James is painting. We can COUNT it all joy and make a conscious effort to face our trials with joy because we KNOW it is HE working in us and through us and HE loves us and has our best interests at heart.  Therefore, we can LET HIM work knowing we have nothing to fear.  When we do that we become perfect and complete and lack nothing.  Mature.  If we do not know how to respond in a trial God tells us to ASK Him for wisdom with a believing united heart and He will give to us liberally and without reproach.

Love
Mom


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Fearing the Edomites, Moabites and Fleabites...

 Written by my daughter Rebecca....

“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” ~ 2 Chronicles 20:3

 Jehoshaphat had just received news that the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites had all joined forces and were coming against Judah. The tiny nation did not have a chance. In Jehoshaphat's words, “For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (vs. 12)

By the next day there was not an Ammonite, Moabite, or Edomite soldier left alive. They had turned on one another - “No one had escaped” (vs. 24) - and left no work for the army of Judah except carrying away a tremendous amount of valuable spoil.

How foolish our fears must be to the Lord! “Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s...You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.” (vs. 15, 17) The entire nation of Judah was terrified. If only they could have looked a mere day into the future, they would have laughed!

The thing is, though, if we just listened to the Lord ALL the time, we would never be afraid. Even Jehoshaphat wouldn't have been worried when he received the news of the approaching army. We know the Lord's promises and His character. We know His love and unfathomable grace toward us. The Lord did not even spare His own beloved Son for our sake, and that was while we were yet sinners! How can we rationally doubt Him at any point in our lives, no matter what the circumstances might be? Even His CHASTENING is loving and only for our good! And when, in years to come, Judah was judged by the Lord and carried away captive to Babylon, it was still utterly merciful. They had fallen so far that judgment was the only way they could be saved.

Will I wake up tomorrow morning and find all the Edomites and Moabites and Ammonites defeated? No, probably not. But the LORD is still my Shepherd. He's proven Himself again and again. Whatever happens, it is well with my soul.

Psalm 23:1, 6, “The LORD is my shepherd;



I shall not want...
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me



All the days of my life;



And I will dwell in the house of the LORD



Forever.”

Surrendered Mind - James 1:4

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.  ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. ⁹ Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.--James 1:12


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

We are moving right along in the book of James and have reached verse 4 after only three posts! (I am holding up a sarcasm sign)  Verse 4  reads like this:  "But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing." The third attitude necessary to have victory through a trial James says is a surrendered or submissive mind.  (Let) I know you hate the sound of it...I did too, until I realized that the alternative (rebelling) hurt way worse and caused the trial at times to go on endlessly and become unproductive.  It truly is better to LET God work in us than to get in the way in an attempt to make the situation less painful.  We are after all dirt and He after all is the Potter.  He truly does know best. His plan for us is from His heart of love.  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.--Jeremiah 29:11
 
We resist the Lord's will and the clay or vessel is marred in the hand of the Great Potter, and He has to begin all over again.  We submit and He works us into a thing of beauty.  The most beautiful thing about submitting is that it is an act of faith and whenever we walk in faith we access His grace.  Walking along the path then that God has laid out for us, however, painful, is actually the easiest because His God's grace or unmerited favor is poured out.  I LIKE THAT! WHAT AN INCENTIVE!! I mean how can unmerited favor be bad??    On the other hand, when we do what it is right in our own eyes and jump off the Romans 12:1 altar, we resist Him.  We resist God.  How silly ..how far can you get resisting God?  God does not pour out His grace on the proud but on the humble. In fact,  "God resists the proud (those of us who think we know better) but gives grace to the humble. (those of us who know we are dust)

Do you see how these three attitudes are coming together girls...We can COUNT it all joy and make a conscious effort to face our trials with joy because we KNOW it is HE working in us and through us and HE loves us and has our best interests at heart.  Therefore, we can LET HIM work knowing we have nothing to fear.  When we do that we become perfect and complete and lack nothing.  It is important to note that the word perfect there does NOT mean sinless perfection.  It means mature...and remember that is the goal of the book of James...to increase our spiritual maturity.  Our trials drive us into a deeper relationship with our Lord in which we trust Him more and more.  A deeper relationship with God and a immersion in His word enables us to be like that tree planted by the rivers of water.  Spiritually stable and mature.  Not much can throw us and when it does we look up and into His word and are once again on a Rock.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Jehovah God is the Becoming One...He becomes for us whatever our need may be.  As we surrender our hearts to Him and by the power of His Spirit inside walk in obedience allowing Him to have His way, we are perfect and have need of nothing because in Him every need is fulfilled.

BEAUTIFUL...


Love
Mom

Understanding Mind - James 1:3

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.  ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. ⁹ Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.--James 1:12


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

As discussed in my previous letter, the first 12 verses in Chapter 1 of James give us 5 key attitudes to cultivate in a trial. The first we have already discussed:  a joyful attitude.  The last four are an understanding mind, a submissive will, a believing heart and a humble spirit. Today we are going to look at how having an understanding mind can help.  Look at what verse 3 says:  "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

The word testing means proof or proving.  Patience here means the perseverance or endurance that is produced in a believer's life as he is tested by trials which enables him to endure and even thank God for the benefits that the trial produced.   As a believer  we can consider difficulties as an opportunity for great joy because of what God will accomplish in us and through us for His glory and our good.  It is not that we pretend to be happy about facing the pain, but underlying it all is the rock solid knowledge that our God is in control....that the Lord omnipotent reigns in the affairs of men. We can be sure that as we wait on Him, obey Him and trust Him, He will produce in us through purifying trials, those things necessary to make us more like Him. Those things necessary to help us endure through and receive the crown of life.


The most amazing thing for me as a believer is that when I look back on any trial I have gone through my mind does not go to the "I am so glad it is over page."  My "mind" immediately falls down on its knees in utter gratitude for those trials.   WHY??   Because through them I got to see,  know and love Jesus.  It was through difficulties that I began to give HIM preeminence in my life. I began to look up before I looked anywhere else. Through the trials I see God's grace and love for me.  I see how He had carefully prepared me years before for the trials that I am experiencing even today.   He CARES about my every step.  He IS with me in every way.  He hedges me behind and before. He KNOWS the way I take.  We as believers learn to withstand the trial because we have learned to cherish the benefits! 

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal--2 Cor 4:17-19


"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."--Romans 5:3-5

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."--2nd Corinthians 12:7-10


Love
Mom

 

SOLACE IN SOVEREIGNTY...John 19:7-11

The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid,  and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.
Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.--John 19:7-11 

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

 I am looking at John 19 in preparation for a bible study Mary will be giving on Thursday at church.  Verses 9-11 really jumped out at me and gave me pause to think.  I included 7-8 as background. 

Pilate was becoming fearful in regard to who Jesus really was.  The Jews in verse 7 said that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God.  According to John MacArthur the Jew would interpret Jesus' claim as messianic but the Roman would put Him in the category of a divine being.  Pilot was afraid he had just whipped and beaten someone who could call vengeance down on him, and, you know, He could.  His wife had also warned him  to have nothing to do with this Man.  In verse 8 Pilate perhaps in fear and superstition asks "Where do you come from?" Jesus gave him no answer.  Why?  Well, in fulfillment of Scripture is the first answer, but it was because Pilate had already spurned the truth when he asked Jesus earlier, "what is truth?" Jesus had  told him who He was and where He was from. See Chapter 18.

Fear and anger many times go hand in hand.  Pilate boasts about His power in verse 10 probably because he feels weak and scared inside.  In trying to appear strong, however, he only demonstrated his weakness. Pilate had made it clear he WANTED to release Jesus.  If he truly did have the power, why didn't he just release Him?  Pilate feared man more than he feared God and his cowardice was evident to whomever cared to look.

John 19:11 is filled with both application and irony.   "Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." These words of Jesus stopped me short.  First, they obviously reveal His love and faith in His Father in heaven.  Perfect love casts out all fear.  He knew where all authority came from.  He knew He was in His Father's hands.  Perfect love for His Father enabled Him to surrender to mere men...because He was not doing their will, He was submitting to His Father's will. The most important application here for me...the application that my heart rejoiced over was that Jesus took comfort in this.  He took solace in the sovereignty of God. Who better to demonstrate it to us than Jesus because He knew the Father...He revealed who the Father was to us.   Now I don't know why I have never thought of  Jesus' submission to His Father in quite this way but it is so reassuring to me to know that Jesus was comforted by the knowledge of His Father's character.

Okay...I am starting to understand why I am so excited about this.

Jesus, knowing all things that would come upon Him, takes comfort in being totally in His Father's care.  What a beautiful picture of Isaiah 26:3  You will keep Him in perfect peace whose mind is set on you, because He trusts in You. 

Even amidst all this evil the Lord omnipotent reigns!  What an example for us...Jesus, deity laid aside, yielded himself to men who would crucify Him because He was submitted to His Father and knew He was in control. He was sovereign.

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”--John 10:17-18

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and My Father are one.”--John 10:28-30

 If only, I could have that kind of faith and know that whatever I face here on this earth I face it knowing that nothing happens outside of God's sovereign control.  Any authority or position we have is given to us by God.  Any situation or trial we find ourselves in is ordained by God.  Our very breath, the number of our days is in His hands.  We, like Pilate, FOOLISHLY think that we are in charge...that we are the masters of our fate. HA! Pilate thought he was the judge.  The irony was that He was in fact being judged on his response to Jesus.  We all will be judged on how we responded to Jesus.  It is not going to matter what you thought or decided about Jesus...maybe that He was a great teacher, or maybe a prophet or just some warm and fuzzy idea to get some of us through life.  Jesus is still going to be God no matter who YOU decide He is.

...Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.

Now at first I thought Jesus was talking about Judas here...my mind did not go to Caiaphas until I read one or two commentaries...I can't really come down on either side...Caiaphas was the head of the Sanhedrin...He did know all of Jesus said and did and yet coldly and calculatingly took an active part in the plot to turn him over to the Romans for crucifixion as well as presiding over the unfair trial.  Judas had a more personal day to day knowledge of Jesus which makes his sin of delivering Jesus up perhaps even more reprehensible.  Caiaphas and Judas hardened their own hearts and were willful in their unbelief.  Unlike Pilate, both Judas and Caiaphas saw and heard overwhelming evidence that Jesus was in fact God's Son.  Ironically,  however, Pilate, the pagan,  was the one who showed fear and trepidation  in handing Jesus over to be crucified, as opposed to Judas and Caiaphas, who seemed to revel in their sin.  To much is given, much is required. Uh oh...


Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” John 18:35

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. John 18:38


Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. John 9:41


If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. John 15:22-24

Truly the Lord God does rule and reign in the kingdom of men!  Jesus took comfort and solace in this...we should too!

Love
Mom

James 1:2 - Count it all JOY

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:  Greetings. ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.  ⁹ Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. --James 1:1-12

 Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

James major emphasis in this section as well as in the entire book of James is that genuine faith when tested comes forth as gold.  It endures the test...it survives. It is easy to be kind, gentle and sweet when things are going our way but what happens when our comfort is disrupted?  Trials always remind me of an Amy Carmichael quote that basically says a cup filled to the brim with sweet water cannot spill a drop of bitter.  How do you react to trials?  Does your normally sweet water spill bitter?  If your faith is genuine, it will not disappear during the hard times.  In fact, the hard times will strengthen it!


Think of the trials in your life as tools in God's hand.  They have many purposes...I have memorized this list (that is paraphrased from one developed by John MacArthur)  because it is helpful for me to review when I am discouraged in the midst of a trial and "forget" God's ways and purposes.  Here is the list: Trials conform us to the image of His Son,  trials strengthen us,  trials humble us, trials draw us away from the things of the world, trials make us look up to Him, trials reveal those things that we really love, trials make us thankful, trials make us a better tool,  and trials enable us to comfort others.  Memorizing this list also helps me to remember how important it is to respond in the right way to a trial.  Why?? Look how much good they can produce in me!

The first 12 verses of James Chapter 1 give us 5 key attitudes that are needed to experience victory in trials.
John MacArthur breaks them down this way and then includes the reward in verse 12.  This list has been so helpful for me in examining my heart throughout a trial.  Truly, I have grown to love the author of James and thank God for him.  His advice is so direct and practical!  As you read the book you can almost feel his passionate desire that we would walk in "radical" obedience to the word of God.  He NEVER equivocates.

The five attitudes to cultivate mentioned in verses 1-12 are a joyful attitude, an understanding mind, a submissive will, a believing heart and a humble spirit.  Okay...that is a tall order but we need to remember that our job is to just abide and obey and leave the methods and results to Him.   "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"--Philippians 1:6


Let's take it verse by verse. We have already looked at the first verse, save the greeting, in the introduction.   So let's  look at verse 2 today which says we are suppose to count it all joy when we fall into various trials. Now why would James say that?  I thought about...I memorized the book of James in May of this year and decided then that he was perhaps speaking as a father here and exhorting us to have the right attitude from the start in a trial.  A joyful one.  I don't know about you but my response to a trial in my flesh is never joyful.  My response is the opposite and so James is reminding us to make a conscious commitment to face them with joy.   "Count" means to evaluate...it is a financial term.  So we "count" them as joy.  Unlike unbelievers, believers can profit both temporally and eternally from a trial.  When we evaluate our life as a Christian our goals and priorities will be different than those prior to our salvation.  We are now living for the things that matter.  Not the temporal but the eternal. We set our mind on things above and not on the things of the earth.  We store up treasure in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy.

God tells us to expect trials...trials are very varied and individual.  Saved or unsaved we all experience them.  The difference is whether we experience them with Him or without Him.  As a believer God works all in our lives including our trials together for good.  The bible tells us that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Before we go any further let's define trial.  From John MacArthur...I loved this definition. "God brings such trials to prove---and increase-- the strength and quality of one's faith and to demonstrate its validity.  The word trial in Greek connotes something that connotes trouble or breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy and happiness in someone's life. The verb form means to put something to the test with the purpose of discovering that person's nature or the thing's quality. Every trial becomes a test of faith designed to strengthen; if the believer fails the test by responding wrongly, that test then becomes a temptation or a solicitation to evil." 


When we face trials we must look at them in the light of what God is doing in us.  He promises to change us from the inside out and uses trials to make us more like Him when we surrender to the work of His Spirit through our obedience to His word.  When we find our strength in Him in our trials and trust Him to work in our hearts, our trials are still difficult and still hurt, but we can have joy because we are now living for the things that matter.  It is  a matter of what we value.  What we love.  Where we are placing our hope. Trials by design pull the rug out on us and reveal our hearts.  WHICH IS NEVER PRETTY! They show us what we really value.  When I face a trial I remember that I died and my life is hidden with Christ in God. I live to magnify Him here on this earth.  If I can live for Him in a trial and not give in to temptation, then my life can glorify Him.  Isn't that what each one of us truly wants.  Purpose in your heart at the very onset of a trial to make it "count" for God. Look up and know that He is going to work it for His glory and your good.  Keep your eyes on Him.  Not on your circumstances.  Making the decision ahead of time really helps us to act rightly when the time comes.

Job 23:10  But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. 


Love
Mom

Addendum from a previous study on John 18:  After writing this post, I reread my post from John 18 and then copied and pasted the relevant parts below.


It is helpful for me when facing anything to always look to Christ's example.  Let's look at His greatest trial...the cross....and see how He reacted.
 
John 18:4 says this:  "Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.”" 

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him"....Wow...knowing all that would come upon Him...He went forward and handed Himself over to sinners...the very same ones He knew had rejected Him  and would crucify Him.  What grace! What love!

Jesus focused on the goal...our salvation...not on Himself or on His circumstances. He surrendered completely to His Father's will and laid down His life so that we who believe could live forever with Him.  He showed all around Him in His every word and action the essence of His Father. In doing this He showed us the way to glorify our Father in heaven because He did all He did by depending totally on His Father. Make no mistake...Christ was both God and man and yet whatever He did here on earth He did by faith just as we must do.  He did not use His divine powers.  He did all He did as a MAN.  We cannot take refuge in Him being God as the reason why He was able to do it. This fact is amazing to me...each time Jesus healed or spoke it was not Him it was the Spirit of God working through Him. He faced the cross and surrendered His life for us as a Man...depending entirely on His Father in heaven.  WOW!

Girls...whenever we look at Christ's life...really look at it...conviction will follow.  What an example He gave us for handling trials, offenses, rejection and grief.  He kept His eyes on the goal and focused on the joy (us) that was set before Him and despite the provocation he reacted graciously to all that were around Him.  Our goal here on earth is to glorify Him, to bring Christ close to those who do not know Him and to encourage those who do...to magnify Him.  To glorify Him. How do we do this...by living our lives for Him.  By remembering in offenses and sorrow that they are never about us...they are to be used to make us more like He is in order that others would see Jesus. Girls, don't get in the way by reacting to others in offense and unforgiveness or by retaliating in like manner. Remember grace...remember what we truly deserve and pray for those who may not have treated you like you think you deserved.  Christ reached out in love at the hour He faced the greatest of offenses and rejection - for you - and in so doing, He reflected the glory of God.

Love
Mom

The Book of James...Spiritual Maturity

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,


The Book of James - Introduction

James is such a practical book! It is where the rubber meets the road. Are we a hearer of the Word only? Do we really live what we profess to believe? What our hearts believe, will be reflected in our lives...our actions will follow the beliefs of our hearts. Our faith is something to be believed and acted upon. If it doesn't result in works and a changed life then our faith is dead. If we love God, we will obey His commandments.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.


 James introduced Himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.   He was also the Lord's half- brother and a pillar of the early church in Jerusalem, but he thought of himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is  how we should see ourselves. We are here as God's servant by His grace to do His will.  We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

James was not a believer until after the death and resurrection of Christ.  (Mark 3:31-35 and John 7:1-5).What convinced James...the resurrection. (See 1 Cor 15:3-7)


James wrote to the 12 tribes scattered abroad ...the Christian Jews who were scattered in the dispersion during the first round of persecution.  Persecution that came from their own countrymen.  Interestingly, the Greek word scattered means "in the dispersion" and carries the meaning of scattering seed which is what happened when these Jewish believers were scattered abroad. Seed was sown in many places and much of it bore fruit. The gospel went to the Jew first.  It was rejected by the nation of Israel but many individual Jews did accept Jesus as their Messiah. The early church was comprised of mostly Jewish believers. Acceptance or rejection of Christ is a personal decision that each and every one of us makes.

Let's pause for a minute to remember that as a Jew they were rejected by Gentiles and as a Christian Jew they were not only rejected by their own countrymen but persecuted as well.  They were expelled from the temple which meant that they probably would have much trouble earning a living because a good Jew would no longer have any dealings with them.

We have looked at who James was and to whom he wrote to.  Now let's look at why he wrote. James purpose in writing this letter was to address spiritual immaturity, and he talks about several qualities that should mark the spiritually mature believer. Here they are, using Warren Wiersbe's words:  A spiritually mature believer is patient in testing, practices the truth, has power over the tongue, is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker, and is prayerful in troubles.  I absolutely love how (he) Warren Wiersbe, characterizes the problems that James dealt with.  He saw them as characteristics we see in little children.  Thinking of it like that makes it so easy for me to remember.  James looks at  impatience, talking but not living the truth, no control over the tongue, fighting and coveting, and collecting material things.

Okay...I just don't see these characteristics in little children.   I see each of them to some extent in me. Imagine, however, if these qualities were still as much a part of our character now as they were when we were young.  Suppose chastening had never occurred, or we never had to face the consequences of our actions and we always got what we wanted.  Without the trials, chastisements and consequences I received as a child I would be impossible to live with....selfish, unhappy, discontented, obnoxious and probably dangerous.  Without the Lord in my life, without Him in my heart I would be a slave to sin.  My life would bear fruit unto death not holiness. 

Hebrews 12:9-10 says: "Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?  For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. (emphasis mine) Looking at it from this point of view we can see how helpful trials can be.  As a child of God they reveal to us what we are trusting in, they lead us to our Savior and His word, they make us look up, help us to bear fruit.  In short, they mature us.  Our job is to surrender and let Him do the work in our hearts.

God wants to produce His likeness in each of us. This necessarily involves suffering, frustration, heartache and confusion. Fruit needs rain as well as sunshine to grow.  God wants to make us mature and complete, not to keep us from all pain. Try to remember, however, that afterward trials will produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness if we allow ourselves to be trained by them. Keep your eyes on the goal....Christ-likeness.

Love
Mom

Addendum from 9/3/2013:  a bondservant (doulos) in its Hebrew sense it  is defined as a slave....one who gives himself up voluntarily to another's will.  It describes a servant who willingly commits himself to serve a master he loves and respects. (Exodus 21:5-6. Gal 1:10, Titus 1:1, A doulos is devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interest.  I. Love. That.

AND IF GOD IS AGAINST YOU....UH OH...

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

We are looking at Jeremiah Chapter 21. I never want to find myself in the position King Zedekiah found himself in when he finally inquired of the Lord after the King of Babylon  had laid siege on Jerusalem.   He was hoping that God would perform a miracle and the enemy would turn away as they did during Hezekiah's reign.  Look what God says to the King of Judah in verses 3 through 7.

But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah,  ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city. ⁵ I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in furious anger and in great wrath. ⁶ I will strike down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague. ⁷ After that, declares the LORD, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.--Jeremiah 21:3-7

Not only would the Lord not deliver the city from the enemy but He would fight on their side! The Lord's arm would not be outstretched this time to help and to show mercy but in wrath against His people.  It says in Romans 8 if God is for us who can be against us.  The converse of that verse is very frightening indeed!  This is where King Zedekiah and the people of Judah found themselves. As always though the Lord's wrath is tempered with His mercy. See what God tells the people of Jerusalem in verses 8-10.

“Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives. ¹⁰ I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the LORD. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire."--Jeremiah 21:8-10

God gave them a choice...surrender to the enemy and live or die in the city by the sword, famine or plague.  You decide.  Don't miss the picture here.  In surrendering...in submitting to the enemy...they were actually confessing their guilt and submitting to the will of God because Nebuchadnezzar was God's instrument in judgment. Those who submitted  lived.  Those who did not surrender to the Babylonians and remained in the city perished. I am pretty sure there is a lesson in there for us...I will get back to you. : D

Girls, the only sane response to God's chastening hand is submission.  Hebrews 12:9  says this: "Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?  It is important also to remember here that the leaders of Jerusalem had been given better choices earlier...unfortunately they waited until the enemy had surrounded them before asking the Lord for help.  If you are practicing sin, the time to turn and repent is now...don't wait for disaster and judgment to be upon you.

The last several verses pronounce doom on the kings of Judah...the House of David.  Here are the verses from Jeremiah 21:11-14

“Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the LORD.  This is what the LORD says  to you, house of David:


   “‘Administer justice every morning;
   rescue from the hand of the oppressor
   the one who has been robbed,
or my wrath will break out and burn like fire
   because of the evil you have done—
   burn with no one to quench it.
¹³ I am against you, Jerusalem,
   you who live above this valley
   on the rocky plateau, declares the LORD—
you who say, “Who can come against us?
   Who can enter our refuge?”
¹⁴ I will punish you as your deeds deserve,
   declares the LORD.
I will kindle a fire in your forests
   that will consume everything around you.’”

God is simply reminding them  of His covenant with them and urging them to obey.  The words to the covenant can be found in 2nd Samuel Chapter 7.

As I end girls, remember that God is for us.  If we have His Son we have life in His name. God, the creator of the universe, who conquered Satan, the ruler of this world, at the cross is FOR US! He who is in me, is greater than he who is in the world. Girls, there are many times during the day when my eyes just fill with tears and I am overwhelmed by His goodness and kindness toward me.  If God did not spare His own Son when I was still His enemy, I can be sure that He will not withhold His gift of salvation from me...I can be sure that He will not condemn me...I can be sure that He will give me everything I need to live for Him..after all He gave His life for me when I hated Him. How much more will He freely give to me those things that are for my best as His daughter.

Love
Mom

The Same Lord is Rich to all who Call on Him...

But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”from above)  or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For “whoever calls (that is, to bring Christ down on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”--Romans 10:6-13

 Below are the verses from Deuteronomy 30:10-14 that Paul was quoting. I have included verse 10 for clarity. 

 ¹⁰ if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
“For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹⁴ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

These verses in Deuteronomy emphasis heart belief and not just outward compliance.  Paul changes the quote from Deuteronomy to refer to the gospel in Romans... "He saw “the commandment” or “the Word” as meaning “Christ, God’s Word.” So, he substituted “Christ” for “the commandment.”  I really love this!  Paul is saying here that the gospel is not hard...it does not tell us to do what is humanly impossible. Christ has already descended from heaven in the Incarnation. He has already risen from the abyss in the resurrection! He has already done it all. The work is finished and He is near! The gospel is easily attained, easily understood and and can be expressed in conversation!  Jesus is known not through the philosophies of men but through a childlike faith.

What do you have to do obtain salvation.  It's so simple.  Confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and Savior and believe in your heart that He died for your sins at Calvary and that God raised Him from the dead in order that those who believe could live with Him forever.  That's it.  When a person does this, he is instantly justified.  He now has Christ's righteousness imputed to him...he is saved.  So simple...believe and confess.

Contrast that to what the Jew had to do and you can understand why they stumbled.  They were so used to doing and obeying the law to obtain righteousness that this seemed ludicrous.  There was nothing they could do to be justified before God except believe. Many rejected it out of hand.  Their pride could not take the blow. Others, however, saw their own inability to keep the law and through that saw God's grace, surrendered and accepted His free gift.

Next, Paul quoting Isaiah 28:16, reminds us that when you do confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth, God's word guarantees you will not be put to shame. Matthew 10:32 says,  "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  Our confession of Him here on earth, leads to His confession of us in heaven. He goes on to say that there is no difference between Jew and Greek and I love what He says next...the same Lord is rich to all who call on Him.  How beautiful is that.! "They looked to Him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed."

Joel 2:32 is the last verse Paul quotes from in this section acknowledging that WHOEVER calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  There is no difference in salvation...the Jew and the Gentile all need to call on the name of the Lord to be saved!

Romans 10:6-13 present a real challenge to the Jew both now and then.  In order to accept the gospel, they needed to believe that God became a man and then rose from the dead. (Incarnation and the Resurrection) They also need to believe that they were just as guilty before God as the Gentiles they condemned.  So many of us stumble here   The gospel is so simple but it is in direct opposition to our pride and our desire be righteous in our own selves.  We look at others through the eyes of our own pride and accomplishment and think that we will be acceptable to God in and of ourselves. We think that because of our good works God has to accept us...that He owes us some how.  We forget that God is a debtor to no  man...He cannot be controlled.  He lays before us two paths...the path of righteousness by acceptance of His Son and His finished work on the cross or the path of destruction...the path we choose when we go our own way. 

Warren Wiersbe presents a chart to his readers comparing faith righteousness to works righteousness...It is worth copying here.
 
Law Righteousness    Faith Righteousness      
Only for the Jew            For “whosoever”      
Based on works            Comes by faith alone      
Self-righteousness          God’s righteousness      
Cannot save                   Brings salvation      
Obey the Lord               Call on the Lord      
Leads to pride                Glorifies God

Law righteousness was only for the Jew, based on works and led to self-righteousness.  It could not save.  The Lord needed to be obeyed...instead of glorifying God it led to pride...

Faith righteousness was for whosoever and comes by faith alone.  It is God's righteousness imputed to us that brings salvation when we call on Him.  This kind of righteousness does not lead to pride because we can do nothing to earn it...we can only accept it as a gift.  It glorifies our Father in heaven.

Love
Mom

Christophobia: Weightlessness

Christophobia: Weightlessness: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensn..."

Looking at a Bad Example is at times Helpful...Judges 9

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

If you don't remember the story of Judges 9, here is a synopsis.  Abimelech, the son of one of Gideon's concubines whose name means literally "My father is king" wanted recognition and desired to rule and reign over Israel.  This was in direct disobedience to his father's command in Judges 8:23.   "But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.”  His brethren and the people of Shechem gave him some silver with which he hired hit men to kill all of his brothers....all 70 of them...on a single stone by decapitating them.  His youngest brother Jotham escaped the carnage by hiding.  So Abimelech became King not over all of Israel but over Shechem.  Jotham then goes up to the top of Mount Gerizim and tells the first parable in the bible.  The bottom line is that he compared Abimelech to a useless bramble...which produced no fruit and barely any shade. Its' wood could not even be used for construction...it was only good for burning. Fruitful trees would not do this, Jotham says...only worthless brambles. Why...because fruitful trees understood the sacrifice that leadership would require and they were not interested...the bramble had nothing to lose. Here are Jotham's words  from Judges 9:16-21: (Jerubbaal is another name for Gideon)

“Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as he deserves— ¹⁷ for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; ¹⁸ but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother— ¹⁹ if then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. ²⁰ But if not, let fire come from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and Beth Millo; and let fire come from the men of Shechem and from Beth Millo and devour Abimelech!” ²¹ And Jotham ran away and fled; and he went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother."

I love that last line...Jotham ran away and fled...smart man.  Notice that Jotham said that if they had not acted in sincerity and truth to Gideon (and they had not) then let Abimelech devour them with fire.  Three years pass,  God sends an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem.   The men of Shechem decide to rebel against Abimelech...it did not work...Abimelech had a double agent working for him.  After a day of fighting the city was demolished and sowed with salt. Abimelech then sets fire to the tower of Shechem where about a thousand men and women had taken refuge.  (just as Jotham had predicted fire came from Abimelech and burned the people of Shechem) 

Abimelech then goes to a nearby town and attempts the same thing.  This time, however, a woman drops a millstone on his head. Not wanting to die by the hand of a woman, he asks his armor bearer to put the sword through him. Death comes...

There is the sad sad story...So many lessons for us.

The first one that jumps out was Gideon had done so much good in leading the nation but missed the mark in regard to family.  His sin in taking multiple wives and a concubine(s)  may have helped cause the death of his sons.  It also obviously affected the people of the city of Shechem. You will reap what you sow.  Look at what Abimelech reaped for his misplaced ambition.   He had his head crushed by a millstone dropped by a woman and then was thrust through with a sword by his own armor bearer. Girls...our own sin has the same effect and will come back on our own heads and hurt or destroy not only us but those around us. 

The next lesson for us would be humility and not putting ourselves forward for leadership.  Allow God to do that work.  Abimelech's problem was unbridled ambition, and he stopped at nothing to get what he wanted.  James 4:6 says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.  It also says in 1 Peter 5:6 that we are to humble ourselves in His sight in order that He might exalt us in due time.

Girls...do not strive.  Abimelech used physical force to get what he wanted not considering what the Lord might have for him or even where the Lord might have wanted him.  We do the same thing but with more subtly.  We manipulate people and circumstances...not caring who gets hurt in the process or what the Lord's will for us might be. We just want what we want and tear down our own houses in the process.  Be careful to go in the strength, will and power of the Lord and not in your own.  Disaster inevitably will result when you attempt to get what you want outside of the will of God.

Love
Mom

The Law Kills....but the Spirit Gives Life...

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
 
For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”--Romans 10:1-5


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

Chapter 9 dealt with God's sovereignty and Israel's past.(see previous posts)  Chapter 10 with  human responsibility and Israel's present rejection of their Messiah.  Both deal with righteousness. The righteousness that  comes from the law and cannot save versus the righteousness that comes from faith in Christ and results in the salvation of our souls.

Chapter 10 begins with Paul laying it all on the line saying that it is his heart's desire and prayer for Israel to be saved.  Then he says that the Jews have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge.  No one could understand this better than Paul since prior to his Damascus Road conversion he was a pharisee of pharisees and led in the persecution of believers.   The Jewish people ever since the Babylonian exile had been zealous for the law and God. They even added their own laws and traditions.  Babylon cured them of idol worship but our (their)  good deeds and outward religious ceremonies will not get us (them)  into heaven....even if we believe sincerely and are zealous for them.  In fact, these very practices will keep us from heaven if we are trusting them to get us there. The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight. So as it says in verse 3 by seeking to establish their own righteousness they had not submitted to the righteousness of God.  The only way to earn salvation is to live a perfect, sinless life which none of us can do.  (See Romans 7) Again, no one understood any of this better than Paul, the author of Romans.   Here is what he says in Philippians Chapter 3: 1-11:

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, ^] rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,  though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;  concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ  and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,  if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.


Verse 4 tells us that Christ is the end of the law for everyone who believes.  Jesus speaking in Matthew 5:18 says this, "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Every jot and tittle was fulfilled in Christ.

Romans 8:4  that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

Colossians 2:14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.


The law cannot make us righteous it can only lead us to the One who can save us through His righteousness imputed to us at salvation.  

Verse 5 says that if we want to keep the law we must keep every part.  We must do it and not stop doing it. Girls...even if this were possible it would mean that we could never ever let down our guard.  Are you seeing God's grace, mercy and compassion here.  The work of God for those who are not under the law but grace is to just simply believe!  I love the example that Jon Courson uses to contrast the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law.

On the day the law came down from Mount Sinai three thousand people died...

Exodus 32:28:  So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.

On the day the Spirit descended, three thousand were saved.

Acts 2:41:  Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.


The law kills, the Spirit gives life.

Romans 7:4-6  Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.  But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Love
Mom

Irony of Ironies...Romans 9:30-33

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written:

      “ Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
      And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,


I absolutely love verse 30....irony of ironies...That is just so God.  The ones who did not pursue righteousness attained the righteousness of faith and the ones who pursued the law of righteousness did not get there.  Why?  They did not seek it by faith but by works...they tried to do it themselves.  They stumbled at that stumbling stone (Jesus) and were offended instead of being thankful for the free gift of salvation we have in God's Son.

The Gentile understood that the way into God's kingdom was to realize their own inability to keep the law and their need for a Savior and enter His kingdom by faith.  The Jews rejected grace righteousness and tried to please God through law righteousness spurning the gift of His Son. God's plan is not for us to try to obtain His favor by being good and doing good things.  It is to obtain His favor by realizing that we can never be good enough and must depend on His Son for entrance into heaven. The Jews thought the Gentiles needed to climb to their level to be saved but in reality they needed to get down in the mud with the Gentiles to find salvation. “For there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”  The gospel was taken to the Jew first and upon their rejection to the Gentiles.  The nation of Israel rejected the Messiah but there were many Jews that accepted Him,  In fact, the early church was made up of mostly Jewish believers. Are you seeing God's mercy here and feeling His love...the nation may have rejected Him but acceptance or rejection of Christ, is a personal decision that each one of us must make. 

Okay...here comes more of God's grace and His unsearchable ways.  The Jewish rejection of their Messiah meant the Gentiles salvation. Romans 11:11 says this:  "I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles." So today the saved Gentiles provoke Israel “to jealousy” because of the spiritual riches they have in Christ. Read Romans 10: 19-21 and see God's grace to the entire world.

¹⁹ But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:

      “ I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,
      I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”
²⁰ But Isaiah is very bold and says:

      “ I was found by those who did not seek Me;
      I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
²¹ But to Israel he says:

      “ All day long I have stretched out My hands
       To a disobedient and contrary people.”


I do not understand predestination and free will.  It is a mystery.  I do know, however, that the Bible teaches both.   I also see God's love evidenced in these passages and if studied closely in every chapter in the Bible.  I see His free offer of salvation to all of us.  All He does, He does for our good and His glory.  His ways are unfathomable.  2nd Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." God says salvation  is by grace through faith and not of works.  God says whosoever will come.  It has been said that divine sovereignty and human responsibility do not compete they cooperate.  We are not asked to choose between them.  We are asked to choose between life eternally with Christ by believing by faith in His Son or life eternally in a place of torment separated forever from God. 

After going through this chapter verse by verse, I am now more convinced than ever that our God can be trusted...He is faithful to keep His word and to accomplish its purpose both in Israel and the whole world.  In fact, in Israel's rejection, He kept His word to the Gentiles and will use the Gentiles to keep His word to Israel. Truly we serve an amazing God!!

Love
Mom who is really looking forward to studying Chapter 10 of Romans...