Re-Post Friday

A lesson from Psalms. Read it HERE!

What Connects Us

Have you ever been reading through the Old Testament and wondered if there is anything that connects the born-again believers of today to those of great faith as mentioned in the Old Testament? There are actually two characteristics that connects us. Hebrews 11, offers us the glue that connects the believers described all throughout the Bible to the believers of today.

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.”

Hebrews 11:13-14

  The first thing that connects us is our faith. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” For the believers that are mentioned in the Old Testament, they had faith that there would one day be a Messiah who would come and save them all. They died before the birth of Jesus Christ. Today, we are in the same boat. We have not seen Jesus Christ, and yet we have the faith that He will fulfill the promises made in the Bible.

  The believers in the Old and New Testament as well as believers today, received the promises of God. Imagine the faith of Abraham when he offered Isaac his promised son. Imagine the faith of Daniel in the lions den. Imagine the faith of Rahab who only had a soldiers promise that her family would be spared. Imagine the faith of Mary that she would not be rejected by her fiancé. At the time, all of those mentioned were facing situations that seemed unbelievable to those around them. And yet, through their faith that God would fulfill His promises they faced the situations head on. Today we also have the faith that God will hold to His promises. “and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:28 is one such promise. Once we accept God’s free gift of salvation, nothing can separate us from Him.

  11`So it is our faith in the promises of God that is one way we are connected to the believers in the Bible. However, Hebrews 11 also shows another way that we are connected. Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we no longer are at home on earth. We are strangers and exiles here. Since we are not at home, we are seeking a place of our own. This is why believers find peace when they meet together. The good news is that there is another promise from God that we can hold to. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.” John 14:3. God is preparing a place for all of His children, those who have accepted His free gift of salvation. It is there that we will truly call home and will not longer be considered strangers and in exile.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Don’t be afraid

Have you ever asked for a better walk with Him? Afraid of what might happen? That you might lose who you are as a person?

If this is a fear that you have, examine this scripture and see how God wants to help in your life in ways you didn’t even know were possible. The following section of Psalm 119 will help bring to light this challenge Christians face.

Psalms 119:33-40 "33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it [to] the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with [my] whole heart. 35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. 36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness. 37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, [And] revive me in Your way. 38 Establish Your word to Your servant, Who [is devoted] to fearing You. 39 Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgments [are] good. 40 Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness."

The Psalmist immediately identifies God as the origin of all knowledge. "Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes" this is humility in action, without such we will naturally neglect His guidance. This humility creates a bond between the Lord and ourselves based on recognizing His perfection and our lack of. This is why the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord Proverbs 9:10, and that the poor in spirit will inherit the Kingdom of God, Matthew 5. The believer recognizes the need and knows they are destitute without Christ. 

However, we are not left there. The Psalmist then reveals the following, "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with [my] whole heart." It is only in the Lord we find understanding, and in His Word that we find truth. When we are focused on Him, our focus will transform our lives to seeing through the eyes of the creator instead of through the eyes of creation. 

This next section is one of the most difficult ideas for Christians to understand. Now you might realize I say Christian, and not the world. This next concept is hard enough for the believer in Jesus Christ to fathom, let alone those who deny Jesus. 

This section is all about asking God to take control. 

"Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. 36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness. 37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, [And] revive me in Your way. 38 Establish Your word to Your servant, Who [is devoted] to fearing You. 39 Turn away my reproach which I dread"

Here we see statements such as "Make me walk" or "Incline my heart" and "Turn away my eyes." This is difficult because it sounds like we are giving away our free will. At first glance, it appears we are becoming mindless robots void of our own personality and action. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth. 

Have you ever heard the story about man breaking the sound barrier and what we learned after?

"For years, many aviators believed that man was not meant to fly faster than the speed of sound, theorizing that transonic drag rise would tear any aircraft apart. All that changed on October 14, 1947, when Yeager flew the X-1 over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California. The X-1History was lifted to an altitude of 25,000 feet by a B-29 aircraft and then released through the bomb bay, rocketing to 40,000 feet and exceeding 662 miles per hour (the sound barrier at that altitude)." History. Yeager was quoted later on as saying that the vibration of the transonic drag ceased to be an issue the second the sound barrier was broken. It was smoother at those speeds than he ever thought imaginable. 

How does this relate? In our walk with the Lord, people say you will lose your personality, your free will. In essence, man is not made to navigate at that level and yet, God says otherwise. Our best life is when the supersonic boom is allowed to happen and we take off allowing the Lord to lead. It is only here that we can finally say in our walk, "For Your judgments [are] good. 40 Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness."

I hope you see that your life is more than just a day going by, but an adventure with Christ. He is more than just our God, He is the supersonic propolson we need in our life. He is the adventure and the guidance that will take us to new heights and areas we cannot even fathom. But it all starts with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You must have this saving faith if you are ever to get off the ground and fly, let alone reach supersonic speeds. 

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

How do we continue in our faith during difficult times? Find out HERE!

Growing in Faith

If you are like me, when you think of the disciples you think of men called by God to follow Him. It almost seems as if these men had some sort of superior knowledge of the scriptures simply because they were in such close contact with Jesus Christ at all points in His ministry. However, when you read through the gospels you see that simply isn’t true. Consider last week where we saw Peter asking God what would happen to John. Peter was comparing his own walk with Christ and the path that was laid out before him to those around Peter. Just as we discovered that the disciples compared their walk with others, today I want to point out another trait that we see in today’s Christians. 

“23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Matthew 8:23-27

Often times when this passage is discussed, it is to show that Christ has the power to calm even unruly nature. This passage truly shows that God is in control of all aspects of the earth, however, that is not all that it shows. This passage also shows that even the disciples, who at this point had already seen Jesus perform miracles, still did not fully understand that He was the Messiah, the Son of God.

Look again at verse 27, 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” The disciples just saw Jesus calm the seas, and yet, the disciples still questioned how this could be. They knew that the Messiah was coming, they saw Jesus perform miracles, and yet there was still some doubt into how this all could be. Their faith in Jesus had to grow. They did not automatically have a full grasp of all the intricacies that the prophecies of the Messiah held. They had to be taught and grow in their faith.

So today, if you find yourself wondering how others have a greater knowledge of Scripture, remember that we all start with the basics. We all have to grow in our faith and the way to do that is to spend time with the Lord. The disciples did not get to where they were on their own, they had a teacher, Jesus Christ. Today we have a teacher as well, and that is the Holy Spirit. Come to your Bible study excited to learn! And I do mean a personal Bible study, do not rely on your growth solely at the hands of a church sermon. Dig deep into the word of God and see how He will cause your faith to grow!

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Proverbs 31 Man?

Many talk of Proverbs 31 as being the Proverb directed to women. However, have you ever examined the Proverbs 31 man? While undoubtedly the chapter is directed more towards women, there is application for men here as well. Many men looking for wives state they want a Proverbs 31 women. As if one will just appear with a sign stating they are such. What they fail to realize is the man is what helps build the environment, support, and structure as a team for the Proverbs 31 women to come about. Today, we will examine the first seven verses while next week we will continue. Let us examine and see how the man’s actions, while subtle, speak volumes.

Proverbs 31:1-7 “1 The words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him: 2 What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? 3 Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, 5 For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more.”

Right from the beginning, we realize that the audience is actually to a man. We see that he is listening to his mother who is a righteous women and is listening to what a virtuous woman should be. This is a wonderful promise to single mothers out there that they can help their sons become the men they need to be when they use the Bible. The same can be said of a single father with a daughter, just look at Ester. However, here we see their relationship is both focused on God. The son wants to learn what the Lord is teaching, and the mother is wanting to show what the Lord has instructed her to teach. “1 The words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him: 2 What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows?”

Undoubtedly the very first thing she points to her son is what so many men have struggle with today. Sexual purity. Pornography is a systemic plague that is all throughout the church. Mission Frontiers state that, “57% of pastors say porn addiction is the most damaging issue in their congregation. 69% say porn has adversely impacted the church.” I personally believe this number is incorrect, and closer to 80%. How can a man expect a wife to be pure and focused if a man cannot be himself? The very first characteristic that man is identified with in Proverbs 31 is sexual purity. “3 Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.” How can a wife be the partner and help mate they were designed to be if the man is not even faithful to her?

However, the next characteristic is found in verses 4-5, “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, 5 For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted.” Alcohol is not a sin, this is not a post arguing for or against having a responsible drink. What this is saying, is in regards to those who drink too much. Those who it becomes a focus or something needed to calm down. I once had a pastor tell me that he longed for the night where he could tell his kids to go to bed and he could enjoy a cold one on the back porch. I was even further shocked that the pastor then told me that his wife would leave him alone while he had his cold one. This was the highlight of his day. Instead of the Lord, instead of being with his wife and/or helping his children’ his desire was a “cold one” without them around. As time continued other issues with the pastor soon materialized, his wife having to be corrected by non-believers for abusive language to her children and her husband’s strange focus on material beauty and social media. Whether we like it or not, as husbands we are under a microscope with our wives and children watching us. We are to be the example of Christ to them. And when we mess up, we are to reveal more of God’s character and reveal how much God loves us by forgiving us. When our lives are focused on drinking we lose focus on God.

Ironically, we are given an example of what the characteristics are of those who take to alcohol easily. What are the results? This can be seen in verses 6-7. “6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more.” Our first one is “Give strong drink to him who is perishing” this means a person who is literally dying, to help them ease the pain of death. Do we need this as living breathing believers? I hope not. This can also mean to those whose life is already perishing, or those who are not saved. Next characterstic is “and wine to him whose life is bitter.” The world loves to make alcohol seem as a great time, a time of fun and enjoyment. When in fact virtually all places that focus on alcohol as a main theme, is most likely not a place for a Christian man to be.

“Let him drink and forget his poverty” Drinking is one of the fastest ways to have financial problems. The world decrees that it will help you not be as stressed, it is why the mother states in a mocking fashion, “and remember his trouble no more.” She is declaring that the ones who are in the bar day in/day out complaining about the world or their life sorrows, have no real desire to find a solution. No man should be in such a state who is following the Lord. Now I know there might be a reader who might be saying, “I am sexually pure and I don’t have an alcohol issue so that puts me in the clear.” I would encourage you to come back next week as we continue to see what a Proverbs 31 man is characterized as. If this sounds like I am being too harsh, please forgive me, I am passionate and recognize the stakes that are set before us. We need Proverbs 31 women in our lives, but how can we as men expect that when we fail to recognize the Proverbs 31 man. I believe it is missed for two reasons. A good leader is someone who is able to help and pick up those around him. She cannot do what she needs to do without him. Second, God reveals that our reward is clearly stated as what she is called to be. I hope you continue with me in this study as we reflect on the not so subtle Proverbs 31 man.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

What is one of the hardest lessons for a believer to learn? Read it HERE!

A Modeling Faith

While last week we discussed how we should not compare our personal walk with Jesus Christ to those around us, I do feel that it is important to mention one thing. We should not look at those around a compare where we are and what God has taught us, however, that does not mean that we should not seek to model our faith to others.

  Hebrews eleven is the chapter of the great in the faith. It provides the examples such as Abraham, Rahab, Enoch, and Sarah. All of these are mentioned as having great faith that God will complete the word that He had told them. For some it was to bring a child, for others it was the promise of safety, and for some their faith allowed them to walk with God. Still others are mentioned such as Gideon, Samson, David and Samuel; and while anyone who actively studies the Word of God would know of their faith, there deeds are not specifically mentioned.

  You may be wondering why I am bringing up the chapter of the great in faith now. I am doing so because while we should not compare our faith to others, we should seek to model our faith to those who would be described as having great faith. Even in today’s world there are men and women of great faith. Billy Graham and Joni Eareckson Tada are the first two that come to mind. Even in your own church there might be those whose walk points back to Christ working in their life. Comparing is different from modeling. When we compare we do so with a selfish intention, when we model we seek to find our own path to the great faith that God wants each and everyone of us to have. We go from having a dull faith, to one full of excitement. It becomes a sanctified faith; which no matter the circumstances that we face we know that God is working through us and we hold to His promises. Today the world is getting darker, we need men and women to step up so when new believers are wanting an example of a modern day Hebrews eleven, they can be pointed towards these men and women and be told “Look at what God has done by their faith”

Seek the truth and encourage on another,

Alex

After “I Do”

Almost a week has passed since Valentine's Day and I thought it would be appropriate to discuss the subject. Now, this isn't a discussion on the roots of the holiday nor on if Christians should even celebrate the holiday. Today, this is a discussion on husbands taking the time to love their wives.

Christ said, John 15:13-13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." Virtually anyone will tell you this is regarding sacrificing your own life for someone else. While this is true, Christ gives us an additional application as well. This can also be applied in our marriage. Today, divorce rates are the highest they have ever been and are only expected to increase. My question is, how much of this is because this verse from Christ was not followed? As the old saying goes, "It takes two to tango," but today, I am focusing on the husband's responsibility.

We need to recognize that when we get married, it is not game over but rather game updated. We are now living for others not ourselves. Our love needs to reflect the love of Christ. We can do three observable characteristics of Christ as husbands right now to help our marriages and enrich our love with our spouses. All of these are based on observations of Christ.

First, Christ spoke the truth. In each of His interactions with people, He always told them the truth. Too many men today lie to their spouses or mislead them in some superficial way, the root of many arguments are based on poor communication skills. When Jesus talked, He spoke accordingly. Look at His exchange with the teacher in John chapter 3:1-21 and His discussion with the disciples in John 14. Both are truthful, but both articulated in the manner of the situation. Now there might be those who say, "My wife doesn’t want to hear the truth" or "The truth will hurt her feelings," it is better to tell the truth now then later and she realizes you had been lying for days and/or years. This will cause her to wonder what else you might be lying about. Instead, study how Jesus uses tone of voice, choice words, and interacts always from a level of love and see how His actions are what we need to be aiming for.

The second action is found in Jesus interaction with the disciples. He wants to spend time with them, He wants to do things with them.

This might mean we are doing things that we do not want to do. But we do it because we want to be in their life. Genesis 2:24-24 states, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." Your life is now her life, and her life is now your life. The faster this happens the richer your life will be. An old mentor once told me that each time a chemical is added to another and synthesized, it becomes something entirely new. This is why I said earlier it is not game over, but rather game update. We are getting an update, better graphics, better plot, better characters, better everything. when two lives are joined together it becomes something greater.

Finally, the biggest action a man can take to love his wife is following Jesus's example of being focused on God. Jesus put His time with the Father first, then others. If we aim to follow the Lord and keep God first, we will naturally love our wives as Christ loves us. This means to be sacrificial in our wants and desires for theirs. This means we re-examine every argument as it starts and identify if it is because it is an "I want this" or "me" centered idea. If so, first apologize to God and then ask for forgiveness from your wife.

These actions will help pursue our wives as commanded in Ephesians 5:25-25 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her."

What has been a glaring omission is our wife’s actions towards us. This is on purpose, because we are to love them even if they do not love us; we are to serve them, even if they do not serve us. We are to help them and dote after them, even if they do not with us. We are to be the shining example of Christ they should have in a marriage. When we do this, God has our back and will help us.

I want to give three applicable things you can do right now after Valentine's Day to start this. Don't worry these are cheap and easy to do even if you have kids.

First, go out to the fields or any place with cheap flowers. Get some, then go and write a letter telling them three things that you love about them.

Second, think of a something you can do together, and simply ask if you can plan on doing that and make it happen.

Finally, do the "tell and listen" rule at least twice a day. The rule is simple, tell them "I love you" twice a day and then ask, "How is your day going" or "How was your day?" And then actively listen. You might not understand what she is saying, but it will show that you care and that will speak volumes.

Marriages are constantly under assault and this post has not even looked into the rest of the attacks, but brings to light actions that men need to be taking right now.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

An often overlooked aspect of the armor of God. Read it HERE!

A Quick Comparison

Have you ever noticed in the Gospels that when Jesus tells someone to follow Him, the command is simple, as if the rest of the conversation was designed to bring the individual to this basic command? As everything Jesus did, it had a purpose. He is signifying that no matter our past, our present and future need to be focused on Him. Each individual's walk with God is a personal journey, and we should not compare ourselves to others, no matter how tempting it is. In the Old Testament, we don't measure Moses to Jesse, the father of King David, or Zerububaul, the Governor of Jerusalem, during the return from exile? Of course not, yet each man was following the Lord and doing the part Christ had them do. 

When we are tempted to compare our walk with those around us, I have noticed two things. First, we look at others who are farther along in their walk with God and feel as if something is wrong with us and that we haven't figured out the same information as those around us. This often leads the believer to feel as if they are stagnant in their faith. The second is that we look at those around us and see that we are farther along in our walk with God. If the individual who notices this does so and wishes to teach those around them, that is great. However, the issue arises when the individual takes their knowledge and remains spiritually obese and prideful.

  This issue occurred even among the disciples, as the end of the book of John details.

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?" 22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." 

John 21:20-22

Occurring immediately after Jesus prophecies the manner of death that Peter will face, Peter turns to the next disciple and says, "Well, what about him?" Here we see Peter looking at the walk of another brother in Christ and wondering what their walk has in store for them. Peter is losing sight of what he should focus on, which is Christ.

Quick to action, Jesus immediately corrects Peter. Peter does not need to know what will happen to the disciple or anyone else because he needs to focus on Jesus. This is the danger of comparing our walk with others. When we do so, we focus on the individual and forget to keep Christ in the center. We try to mimic those who are at a different place in their walk and forget that Christ has a plan for each of us individually. This means that we may learn things at a different time or will read a passage and see it in a different light. As long as the Holy Spirit guides us and not our own biases, it does not matter if we are all at different stages in our walk. If our focus is on Christ, He will teach us what we need to know. It is why Christ so emphatically tells Peter, "You follow Me."

If you find yourself struggling in your walk with God and feel that you are comparing yourself to others, I have one simple suggestion. Don't look around; come before God and ask Him to show you what you need to learn. God actively wants us to pursue Him and wants to teach us. Ask Him to teach you something new in your Bible study; it doesn't matter how small it seems. Ask Him to guide you and see how much more His word comes alive. Ask Him to teach you, and soon you will find yourself not looking around at those walking their own path with God because you will be too focused on what God has to teach you.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Scientific Declaration

One argument that many claim about the Bible being inaccurate is based on the assumption the Bible is void of scientific facts. This is unfortunate, since the Bible is not only a spiritual book but is equally a scientific book. Unlike man’s research, the Bible is written by the ultimate scientist thus, man is still attempting to learn what God declares. Today I wanted to point you to a scientific discovery that the Bible declared thousands of years ago.

Psalms 135:7-7 (NASB95) “He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.”

Let’s examine specifically “who makes lightnings for the rain.” When I first read the verse, I thought it sounded strange as if the lightning was made for the rain. I first went to check three different English translations wanting to make sure I had an understanding which all three give the same “for the rain” statement.

Psalms 135:7-7 (NKJV) “He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”

Psalms 135:7-7 (DBY) “Who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; who maketh lightnings for the rain; who bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.”

My next step was to look up what lightning does for rain, and to my astonishment lightning plays a vital role in rain helping plants grow. Nitrogen in the air is 78% while 21% is oxygen. Plants cannot get the needed nitrogen in the air but needs assistance. In a brief and basic description, lightning helps break down the two so rain can carry both to the plants. Lightning helps rain bring the nutrients. This is why certain regions of the world that have massive thunderstorms have some of the riches soils and vibrant growth. There is a clear connection between the two.

“A nitrogen molecule in the air consists of two atoms which are held together very tightly. In order for plants to absorb nitrogen, the two atoms must be separated. But, it takes an enormous blast of energy to break apart those nitrogen molecules and convert them to a compound that plants can use.That’s where lightning comes into play. As lightning blasts through the atmosphere, it breaks apart nitrogen molecules. This allows them to combine with oxygen in the air to form nitrogen oxides. The rain dissolves these into nitrates, then carries them to Earth and into the soil. Nitrates are considered a “super fertilizer.” So, in addition to providing a spectacular light show, lightning also helps fertilize the soil and plants green up faster.” Erin Thomas

Keep in mind that the significance of lightning only became clear in recent years. So while previously in history many thought that the gods were angry and fighting during a thunderstorm; the only true and living God had already declared in His scientific book that lightning is the key to help bring the needed nutrients for plants. This is why we must take our Bible studies seriously and realize that Proverbs 25:2 is still applicable, Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”

So if you ever think that the Bible is scientifically inaccurate, I encourage you to go and do the research yourself with the knowledge that current science is still growing. All of what the Bible states may not be understood by today’s scientific understanding. However, as we grow closer to Jesus Christ’s return, we will see that every part of God’s Word is trustworthy and perfect.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A look back at Psalm 84. Read it HERE!

A Greater Love Story

Have you ever noticed that the most popular love stories often end in tragedy? Romeo and Juliet and Withering Heights come to mind when I think of tragic love stories. However, when we look at the love stories found in the Bible we see that they often begin with tragedy but end with hope. Look at the story of David and Bathsheba as one example. On a basic level, we can see that the love stories found in the Bible can be used to show that God will provide for us even when we are at our darkest point. However, just like most of the stories found in the Bible; there is a greater meaning. Today I want to take a look at a love story found in the Bible that ranks up there as the greatest love story of all time, not just for the people involved but for the deeper meaning that it possesses. This is the story of Ruth and Boaz.

  Ruth’s story begins in tragedy, her husband has passed away leaving her a widow. In order to provide for herself and her mother-in-law Naomi, Ruth worked in the field which the reader finds out later is a relative of Naomi named Boaz. Ruth won the heart of Boaz through her loyalty to Naomi, after all Ruth was a foreigner to the land and yet she worked steadily to provide. Ruth could just have easily left Naomi as her sister-in-law did and gone back to her family. Recognizing this, Boaz told her to work in his field where he could offer her protection. Not only that, but Boaz told the other workers to leave her some grain as was commanded in Deuteronomy 24:19, “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” He did this to ensure that they would be fed and did it in such a way that Ruth would not be embarrassed about her situation.

  In time, we find out that Boaz is a kinsmen redeemer. What this means is that if a man dies without an heir, his land and property would be available for his closest relative to claim. In the case of Boaz and Ruth, there was another man who could have claimed the land belonging to Naomi’s husband and sons, however, he was not willing because that would also mean that he would marry Ruth and raise children in her husband’s stead. This relative did not want to do this because he did not want to cause issues within his own inheritance with the children he already had. And so the relative declined being the redeemer, allowing Boaz to take his place.

  Now you may be wondering why I am bringing up Boaz and Ruth. In the eyes of the world, their story doesn’t rank up with some of the others. However, their story is of great importance. You see, as I had already mentioned Ruth and Boaz’s story has a deeper meaning for there is One who is a redeemer to the whole world. That is Jesus Christ. His love for mankind and to do the Father’s will allowed for Him to be born of a virgin and live a perfect life. All so that He would be able to lay down that life and redeem anyone who is willing to follow Him. Jesus Christ is the redeemer of this world and He loves everyone. If you ever look at the genealogy of Christ, you will see another important aspect to Ruth and Boaz’s story. They are in the bloodline of Jesus Christ. Boaz, a Jew, married a foreigner who willingly came to a land that was not hers but still honored those around her. Jesus Christ came to earth and with His death and resurrection those who are born again realize that they are foreigners in this land. We are simply waiting for our Redeemer to return for us.

 Seek the truth and encourage one another,

 Alex

New Gospel?

Today there is a massive movement to twist the gospel into something that it is not. In fact, the world is attempting to replace the gospel with a “new” gospel. There are many groups but all are striving to pollute and draw believers and those coming closer to salvation away. However, this isn’t the first occurrence of this danger, but rather something believers have had to deal with for centuries. Paul had to deal with the Galatians who were fumbling around with a new gospel.

Galatians 1:6-10 “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”

The Galatians were turning to a new gospel instead of staying true to the Word of God, an issue Paul was going to address immediately, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” What Paul is saying is that he is shocked that the Galatians are turning to a fake gospel which is no gospel at all. They were listening to something that was not even considered good news. This is important, and might sound difficult, so please bear with me. The gospel which means “good news” is only good news because we are in a terrible place and the good news is Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died for you and I and is resurrected. This is good news, if something isn’t good news, than we can conclude the “new gospel” didn’t even identify sin and that man was evil. Furthermore, we can summarize that this “new gospel” was stating that man was not sinful and we can find our own way to Heaven. Jesus wasn’t needed. This brings us to understand that the new gospel was a message of “feel good” to tickle the ears and make someone leave church with a smile of self righteousness.

Yet, Paul isn’t done there. He continues to explain that the Galatians are in need of a reality check and change of strategy immediately. “8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Paul states it twice, any time something or someone’s name is mentioned twice in quick sequence it should be taken very seriously. If only man would have listened to Paul there wouldn’t be the cults and false religions of the world. But “angelic” and man have gone out of their way to persuade many who have not taken the Word of God seriously. Examine the Seventh Day Adventist, they follow the identified plagiarist and cult leader, false prophet Ellen G. White. Just like what Paul is warning in Galatians, Ellen G. White brought a “new gospel” she directly contradicts Jesus Christ and thought salvation came through works and cherry picked laws of the Old Testemant. But what Ellen G. White did do, was provide a feel good gospel. Man always wants to feel self righteous, that we are doing it ourselves and are working hard to be better. This is contrary to what the Bible says through Genesis to Revelation. We need Jesus Christ to be our intercessor, our redeemer. For the Seventh Day Adventist, they follow strict guidelines that provide the new gospel sensation. The Galatians were in danger of this as well. However, Paul isn’t doing this to please the Galatians but to love on them enough to warn them of the danger, “10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” I know that calling out a specific cult is not popular and might even cause some readers to turn away, nevertheless, we need to be careful that we are not turning to a new gospel. There are many many others outside of the Seventh Day Adventist who we as born again believers should stay clear from.

So as you go through your day and are enjoying 2023, be on guard that you do not get persuaded by a new gospel. They are terrible and dangerous. When in doubt, take everything back to the Word of God and only His word. If someone claims something, examine what God’s word says. In the end, follow what the Word of God has to offer on a subject and know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has not changed and will not change.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A Special On the Radar update. Read it HERE!

Not Alone (II)

Last week we were reminded that we are not meant to walk the Christian life by ourselves. We saw through 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 that we should speak to others when we are struggling. This is so that we can receive encouragement and prayer from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as to show others how God carries us through our struggles. While last week we focused on the importance of the body of Christ when we are struggling, this week I want to point out something that is just as important but often seems to be overlooked.

  Just as there is an oxymoron that we need to be the “perfect” Christian who never has any struggles, there is another misconception that we cannot turn to God when we are struggling. And just as we have seen that we should share with others our struggles; this week we will see that God is with us not just during the times when life is easy, but also when it is difficult.

  In 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, Paul discussed how he and Timothy were so disheartened by their situation that they could find no joy. In the scripture that we will discuss today, we will see three men who were physically in a situation that would be impossible to walk out of if it wasn’t for Christ.

“And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.”

Daniel 3:20-23

  In this passage, we find three men who refused to worship a false god but only the one true God that they were tossed into a furnace so hot that it burned the men who opened the furnace. Personally, I could not think of a worse place to be. However, as we will see in verse 25, these men were unharmed.

“He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

Daniel 3:25

  Three men went into the furnace, and yet King Nebuchadnezzar saw four. While this event actually happened there is serious symbolism that we can apply to it today. While we may not physically be inside of a furnace, that does not mean that we are not facing situations that seem impossible for us to handle. While many would have been frightened at the possibility of being burned alive, these three men faced it. And that is because of the knowledge that they had, that God would see them through it. Even if it meant death, these three men would not submit to the king’s order to worship anyone but God.

Today we are all facing some type of challenge that may seem as if we are inside a furnace. Instead of fear or doubt, I ask that you remember how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego handled their situation. They knew that God would see them through this challenge, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18. Just as God saw these men through their situation, He will see you through it as well.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Trust Level

There is a simple trust that many believers forget about, the simplicity of trusting the Lord can easily be over complicated by the daily grind of life. This is unfortunate, but nothing that cannot be fixed. Psalm 131 is a simple reminder of the support in life that comes with simple trust in the Lord.

Psalm 131:1-3 “1 A Song of Ascents, of David. O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. 2 Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. 3 O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever.”

No trust can start with pride in our life. If we believe we can can do it ourselves, then trust can never grow. Pride stifles spiritual growth. It starts in the heart and quickly resorts itself to the eyes. It is why Jesus explains in Matthew 6:22-23 “22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”

Through His Word, God has revealed to us His love and desire to show us His master plan. However, there are times that we try to make big things out of things outside of our control, “Will the stock market hold?” Or “Will I find a spouse?” Or “Will we have children?” Great matters that God has given principes and guidance for us already. We should not worry about these great matters outside of what God has given us to work through those challenges. This is why the psalmist states, “Nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.” God cares to give us revelation, but there comes a point that trust must be practiced. Without such we can never quite our souls to properly reflect on His good nature and why trust is so important. The psalmist then gives us an example of a baby and the trust a child has with the mother, “Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me.” The trust is pure and innocent, the child’s sense of security firmly established in the grasp of the mother. We as believers need to be the same way, it is why Jesus declares

Mark 10:14-14 “But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

Luke 18:17-17 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

Matthew 18:3-3 “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Through both the old and new testament’s there is real significance placed on trusting the Lord as a child.

Yet, the psalmist does leave the reader with the idea that Child like faith should not grow. In fact, we are given homework as a believer. For the final statement in the psalm gives a pattern that if we are to properly understand we need to read the entire Bible and come to realize the pattern of Israel with God, “3 O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever.”

Israel, is the best example of God’s amazing qualities with the individual on a national level. Without this example, salvation would be futile for us. This trust needs to be examined through the eyes of Israel and God’s relationship. Without such, we will never learn why we need to trust God.

Psalm 131 is a great stepping stone for any new believer to realize that trusting the Lord is as simplistic as the statement goes but incredibly detailed as well.

No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, take some time to examine your trust with Him and see if you need to focus on what God’s Word says about trusting Him.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming

JL

Re-Post Friday

Did you know the Sword of the Spirit is both an offensive and a defensive weapon? Read it HERE!

Not Alone

There is a common oxymoron inside churches today that we need to be the “perfect” Christians. Ones who never have struggles and have their act entirely together. If we ignore the fact that there has only ever been one Person who has been perfect, Jesus Christ, then I’m sure based on our outside appearances many may look like the “perfect” Christian mold. However, trying to appear this way is not only exhausting but it is a idea that is pushed on us from society.

You see, throughout the Bible we see examples of individuals leaning on each other. Look at any one of Paul’s letters and you will see him continually ask for prayers for strength in body and spirit. One such example can be found in 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” 

Paul and Timothy are writing the the church in Corinth another letter to encourage their faith. But in doing so, these two men are not painting the picture that everything is roses where they are. In fact, they were so burdened that they were unable to find joy in life itself. Paul was traveling through Macedonia during this time and while his troubles are not specifically mentioned, it is clear that they were significant and Paul wished the church to know that they were struggling.

This is a fact that needs to be seen more in the church today. We need to be able to come to our brothers and sisters in Christ when we are struggling. We are not meant to walk the Christian life alone, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25. We need to share with others our struggles so that we can not only be encouraged to stay the course but so that we can allow others to grow in their faith by assisting other believers.

This is what Paul and Timothy are describing in second Corinthians, but it does not end with sharing with others. When they became so distressed with their situation, Paul and Timothy shared their struggles with brothers and sisters in Christ but they also leaned on God Himself. They remembered that God delivered them from the other challenges they faced and would help them with their current situation as well. Today we can apply this by realizing that when we share our struggles and others can see how God has delivered us from them, we encourage others during their own struggles. Seeing how active our God truly is, allows for believers young and old to join together in prayer for those who are struggling.

So today if you are facing a situation that is leaving you with a lack of joy, remember to lean on the Father who cares for you. But also share the situation with others so you may join in prayer and see how God will work in you life.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex