Well, Christmas is over and the New Year is here (or will be tomorrow, Lord willing). It seems so strange to think 2014 will be a reality in the morning! The time really does fly right on by us, doesn't it? James refers to our lives as a vapor. It is true - no matter how long any of us live here on earth it is nothing compared to eternity. We would do well to remember this. It is so important to make the most of our life -- to take every opportunity to serve God by serving others.
Like a lot of folks, I had big plans for 2013. I wanted to accomplish many things; and like many folks I didn't reach all of my goals. I'm not complaining. God is so good and I was abundantly blessed in 2013. I praise the Father for my blessings.
Our life circumstances may change through the years; but our Lord goes with us through all of these changes. The Hebrew writer assures that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) What a comfort it is to know that He is always with us and that His promises will always stand true.
Christ never changes. God never changes. The Word never changes.
Psalm 33:11 - "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations."
Isaiah 40:8 -- "The grass withers, the flower fades; but the Word of our God shall stand forever."
These are just two passages showing that God is always the same. His word will always be just as it is now. His counsel stands forever.
This knowledge creates a certain sense of security and stability in my life. How scary would it be to have a God who changed His mind about things every couple of years? Pretty soon you wouldn't be able to remember which admonition was still in and what may have been cast by the wayside. It would be more difficult to know how to live and what to do to please God! The Holy Spirit has given us assurance that this will never happen.
On the other hand, we must take heed that we handle the Word of God appropriately. We have the responsibility to learn what the Bible teaches and to rightly divide the scriptures. It is difficult to abide by something that we do not know. Ah, but God has given us the Bible so that we can know. The Bible tells us what to do to be saved and how to live our lives for God and Christ. It really is all right there in His Word. All we have to do is seek it out and then live it out.
As the writer to the Hebrews says, God is true and faithful and just to reward those who diligently seek Him. Jesus told us "If you love me, keep my commandments." Those of you who read my posts frequently may get tired of seeing me refer to this scripture so often. But it just seems to me it is about as clear as you can get. In order to keep the commandments of Christ we must know what they are. We can't look at just one verse or one chapter - or even just one book and think we know everything there is to know about the commandments we are supposed to keep.
During the Christmas season, my husband and I enjoy watching Christmas movies. He has a couple of favorites and so do I. We both enjoy A Christmas Carol. There are several different film versions of this famous story written by Charles Dickens. I have watched many of them -- including the "Muppets" version. Usually though, Robert and I enjoy two of the older versions - both in black and white. They seem to keep the essence of the book.
Why do I bring up A Christmas Carol in the middle of a discussion regarding God's word? It is pertinent, I assure you. The reason I bring this up is because all of the movies are based on one book. This wonderful story - told and re-told many times through the years has its origins in one book written by one man. And yet, each movie is different from the other in some way.
Some of the differences in the various movies are very small -- and some of them aren't. Some versions of this film choose to leave out scenes from the book. Others have changed scenes to suit their needs in some way. I haven't read Dickens' work in a long time; but I don't think any of the movies are exactly like the book. Still, there is only one book called A Christmas Carol.
Does this sound similar to how some of us treat the Bible? Do we pick and choose what we want to teach and live by? Do we forget that God said His Word would last forever? Do we choose to think that Christ didn't really mean it when He said "Keep my commandments?"
Sometimes we might forget that the Bible teaches against gossip and lying; but it does. God's word teaches we must work to support our families. It is difficult to love and pray for our enemies. Wouldn't it be so much easier to hold onto to that grudge until we can find a way to "get them back?"
Maybe we have trouble controlling our tempers or our tongues. Maybe we feel like we are too proud or too busy to actually serve others - to help someone out who might truly need our help. And sometimes our service to others might not be so pleasant; but remember Christ washed the apostles' dirty, road-weary feet.
Robin, are you saying we really have to talk to God every day? The Bible says we are to pray without ceasing. What about studying His Word? It really is difficult to find time in my day to do that. The scriptures say "study to show thyself approved." Are we really supposed to change our lives for him? Read Acts 2:38; or Romans 12:1-2 or Romans 6:4.
Well, I suppose I've rambled on long enough. Sometimes I get carried away. Occasionally, I start out on a post and my thoughts take me in a different direction by the end of it. Once in a while as my thoughts bounce around in my head, so do the ideas I write about.
I know that tonight is a time of celebration for many. We look forward to better times - to new adventures and new opportunities. We know that changes come with each new year. And we pray these transitions will all be good. Just remember that God's Holy Word never changes. God loves you and me. He loved us before we were ever born.
"From the foundation of the world" He and His Son, our Savior planned to save us from our sins so that we could be in Heaven with Him. All God has ever really wanted is for us to love and obey Him so that we could be with Him. He wants to be with His children. God, our wonderful Father, our perfect parent will always be there for You. You can count on Him.
Show your love for Christ. Keep His commandments. Study to know what they are. They will always be the same. God's word will stand forever. And in God's word He promises to reward those who diligently seek Him. You can count on that. Isn't that a wonderful thought to hold on to for 2014?
Happy New Year.
And remember....
Keep Christ above all things,
Robin
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
By His Stripes We are Healed
You
know how sometimes certain songs get stuck in your head and you can’t seem to
get them out of your mind no matter what you do? The song just keeps
playing in your mind over and over again. One of my nieces told me once
that singing "Old MacDonald" would get the other song out of your
head. Ha! Actually, I had forgotten about that piece of advice until just
now. I can’t remember whether or not it
works. I will have to try it again.
I haven't had a
song stuck in my head; but a certain scripture has occupied my thoughts quite
frequently lately. The scripture is Isaiah 53:5. It is beautiful
and heartbreaking at the same time. "But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon Him
and with His stripes we are healed."
It is truly heartbreaking to think of the sacrifice of our Savior. He gave it freely and out of a complete and un-conditional love. He truly was not willing that any should perish, so He offered Himself up for our sins. The fact that He left heaven to live on earth at all was a sacrifice. We can’t begin to imagine what this sacrifice was because we have not yet seen heaven. But Christ, whose abode had been with God, came from heaven where this is no pain and no sorrow to live on earth and experienced both.
The earthly life
is just the beginning of what Jesus endured for us. Think of
the shame and humiliation He suffered during His mock trial. He was
wounded and bruised for us before they nailed Him to the cross. He shed blood when He was scourged. As Isaiah stated so long ago, “with His
stripes we are healed.” I don't think we
can begin to imagine the pain He went through for us on the
cross. I
can't help but be saddened when I read of His mock trial, His cruel scourging,
the outcries of the people as they shouted “Crucify Him,” and finally His being
nailed to the cross.
Yet, it is
wonderful to know of the magnitude of the love He has for us. Think
of what His death and resurrection means for me and for you! To
understand the last phrase of this verse is to know the beautiful part of
it. "With His stripes we are healed." Wow! He did
that for you and me so that our sin-sick soul could be healed. His sacrifice was for the purpose of cleansing
us from our iniquities. He took on all our sins so that we could be freed
from the death sentence they bring!The entire chapter of Isaiah 53 is worth reading and letting it sink into your heart. It is a beautiful chapter. Isaiah lived some 700 years before Christ and his account of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus is amazingly accurate. Studying these verses and comparing them to gospel accounts of the events will build your faith and increase your love for the Messiah.
Still, my favorite verse in this chapter is verse 5. I find Isaiah’s use of the tenses very interesting. Think about it. Here the prophet is, 700 years before Christ, predicting a future event. Yet, he is telling it as a story that has already happened.
He speaks as if the event is in the past. “He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.” One might think Isaiah is recounting the past rather than giving a prophecy of a future event.
Now look at the last section of this verse – suddenly Isaiah switches from past to present tense! Did you ever think about that? He was … he was … the chastisement of our peace was upon him … Then suddenly – “and with His stripes we are healed!” Who is healed, Isaiah? Who are you talking about? How can you and your people be healed by the stripes of someone from the future?
I love this
verse. To me, it is one of the most
clearly defined scriptures teaching that the forgiving power of Christ’s blood
flows both forward and backward in time.
His sacrifice was, and is, and will be, the one sacrifice for all
men. One death – one time –to God’s one
and only Son has the power to save man from all sins – once and for all! And I
think that is very cool!!
Isaiah’s
prophecy give his own people hope. God
has not forgotten His people. He still
loves them. Through the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, he tells his fellow Israelites –“we will be healed, our
iniquities will be forgiven.”
Isaiah tells the story of the
crucifixion as a story that come from the past.
That is somewhat of a puzzle to me.
He lived so many years before the time of Christ. The crucifixion takes place so far into the
future there is absolutely no way that the prophet could have known anything
about what was going to happen. Yet, he
speaks of it so boldly and confidently. Biblical
scholars probably have ideas about this.
For me, it simply emphasizes the assurance of the prophecy. It is told as an event that has already
happened because there is no doubt that it will happen.
The important message is that Isaiah was healed by the death of
Christ. Peter and Paul were healed by
the death of Christ. You and I are
healed by the death of Christ. And it
will be the death of Christ that will heal your children and grand-children. Even so we must remember that this wonderful
gift of salvation is not just given to one and all simply because Jesus
died. Scriptures clearly tell us that we
must follow and obey the Messiah.
All we have to
do is read the gospel of John from chapter 12 beginning at approximately verse
23 all the way through to the end of chapter 17 to understand this point. In chapter 12 Jesus begins to talk about his
impending death. Throughout these
chapters He comforts, encourages, and instructs his disciples. They are told to love one another, to follow
Him, and to keep His commandments. In
other words, Jesus doesn’t just say “OK, in a few hours I am going to die for
your sins; see you in heaven.”
It doesn’t work
that way. Before He died Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15) And after He died, He said “Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Christ suffered and gave His life for us. It is perfectly reasonable that we keep His commandments, be baptized, teach others and observe (obey) all things He has commanded us. We are healed by His stripes. He is with us always – IF we obey Him. And Isaiah told us about 700 years before it happened.
Isn’t that cool?
Christ above all things,
Robin
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
A Church Building Full of the Future
One Sunday morning a while back, several visitors came to worship with us. As a result there were more babies and very young children than usual in attendance that day. I must admit that I never saw some of them. I sit fairly close to the front of the auditorium, and usually by the time I reach the foyer many of our visitors are gone.
Yet I didn't have to see them to know they were in our midst that day. I could hear them. It is totally natural that little children
speak out from time to time - or cry -- or laugh. Babies just make noises; that is part of being a baby. Teaching young children how to behave during worship takes time. When that particular service was over, I turned to the lady who sits beside me and said, "The church building was full of the future this morning, wasn't it?" She smiled and said, "Well that is a unique way of putting it."
That is exactly how I felt, though. I was happy to know that so many parents brought their children to worship. The more often children are brought to the assemblies of the church from the very beginning, the more often these children grow up loving God. And isn't that wonderful?!! It is so important to train our children in the way of the Lord. If they grow up understanding how important worship is to us; then worship will become important to them.
As parents, we must remember that God is the giver of life. He is the one who has made us. As our creator, He is also our Heavenly Father -- He is our perfect parent. Therefore it shouldn't be too difficult for us to understand that children are a gift from God given to us to love and care for. But we should also understand that as the Giver of Life - as the Heavenly Father - these precious babies He puts in our life are not really ours. That is because we are all His. Does that make sense?
What I am trying to say is that if you are a parent, then your children are a gift from your Heavenly Father. But He is also your child's Heavenly Father because all children- all life -- belongs to Him. Once we understand that the precious ones we care about so much are really the Father's, we also begin to understand how important it is to teach those little ones about Him.
Many scriptures tell us to teach our little ones the way of the Lord. We are to talk about God, teach about God, sing about God and pray to God -- all in the presence of our children. It is necessary that we don't just "talk the talk." We must also "walk the walk." I keep going back to this verse, but in John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me, keep my commandments." Well, that means all of His commandments. One of those commandments is to teach our children about God and Christ. We are also to teach them that His commandments are found in the Bible which was given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Do you remember Hannah? She couldn't have children. She wanted a child so badly that when she prayed she made a promise to give her child back to God. What a strong woman Hannah was to have been able to keep her promise! She did something that very few of us could bring ourselves to do. Aren't we glad we don't have to make a promise like that? Well, we may not be required to take our child to live with Samuel; but we are required to teach that child to live for God!
All that being said, many parents do a wonderful job of this. I love seeing little ones come into the church building and run to the door of their classroom. They are so happy and excited to be there! Can you imagine how much joy that brings to God is when He sees that?
The love a child has for class goes back to the parents. They are the ones who have "talked up" Bible class time to their children. The parents are the ones who read Bible stories to the kids at home. It is Mom and Dad who take the child's picture or workbook page home and proudly display it on the bulletin board or refrigerator door. A young child learns to love being in class because their parents have encouraged them every step of the way.
It gives me great joy to watch a child's excitement as they go into the classroom. I love teaching my 2's and 3's. The children become very precious to me. It is so much fun to watch them learn and grow through the years. I know I have said it before, but they really do teach me so much more than I ever could teach them.
For the past several weeks, the little girl in my class has been so excited to be there. She was promoted from Cradle Roll class just a few months ago, so she loves the idea of being a "big girl." She is usually very cheerful. She also loves to sing and do the motions to the songs. Her enthusiasm is contagious! She helps me remember how wonderful it is to have the opportunity to learn from God's word.
Last week, she also reminded of the importance of encouragement. After the Bible story, we worked on learning the names of the first 12 apostles. I frequently use flip charts as a teaching aid and I have one with "Jesus' special helpers" on it. Each page is a colored drawing of one apostle with his name under it.
I went through the chart once with her and then she wanted to do it on her own. I let her hold the chart, flipping the pages from one picture to another and helped her with the names. Then she gave it back to me, and I went through it one more time. When I got to the end, she looked up with a big smile on her face and said , "You did it!"
When she congratulated me like that, I could not help but smile. I could almost hear her mother's voice telling her "you did it!" over some accomplishment she had achieved. Children mirror what they see and hear. She was cheering me on, because she had some cheerleaders of her own. How else would she know to do that?
I am so thankful for parents who bring their children to Bible class and who encourage their children to learn! I am thankful for parents who are "cheerleaders" for the their children -- who instill in them the joy of learning God's Word. How wonderful it is to have an auditorium "full of the future" of the church!!
As a congregation, we should encourage and help these parents. We should support them in their faithfulness. We should extend our love and understanding to them and to the children. In doing so, we reinforce what the parents are trying to teach their little ones. We can help teach them that being with an assembly of the Lord's body is a wonderful, warm and loving place to be!
Remember the words of our Savior in Matthew 18:5 --
"Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me." (ESV)
Christ above all things,
Robin
Yet I didn't have to see them to know they were in our midst that day. I could hear them. It is totally natural that little children
speak out from time to time - or cry -- or laugh. Babies just make noises; that is part of being a baby. Teaching young children how to behave during worship takes time. When that particular service was over, I turned to the lady who sits beside me and said, "The church building was full of the future this morning, wasn't it?" She smiled and said, "Well that is a unique way of putting it."
That is exactly how I felt, though. I was happy to know that so many parents brought their children to worship. The more often children are brought to the assemblies of the church from the very beginning, the more often these children grow up loving God. And isn't that wonderful?!! It is so important to train our children in the way of the Lord. If they grow up understanding how important worship is to us; then worship will become important to them.
As parents, we must remember that God is the giver of life. He is the one who has made us. As our creator, He is also our Heavenly Father -- He is our perfect parent. Therefore it shouldn't be too difficult for us to understand that children are a gift from God given to us to love and care for. But we should also understand that as the Giver of Life - as the Heavenly Father - these precious babies He puts in our life are not really ours. That is because we are all His. Does that make sense?
What I am trying to say is that if you are a parent, then your children are a gift from your Heavenly Father. But He is also your child's Heavenly Father because all children- all life -- belongs to Him. Once we understand that the precious ones we care about so much are really the Father's, we also begin to understand how important it is to teach those little ones about Him.
Many scriptures tell us to teach our little ones the way of the Lord. We are to talk about God, teach about God, sing about God and pray to God -- all in the presence of our children. It is necessary that we don't just "talk the talk." We must also "walk the walk." I keep going back to this verse, but in John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me, keep my commandments." Well, that means all of His commandments. One of those commandments is to teach our children about God and Christ. We are also to teach them that His commandments are found in the Bible which was given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Do you remember Hannah? She couldn't have children. She wanted a child so badly that when she prayed she made a promise to give her child back to God. What a strong woman Hannah was to have been able to keep her promise! She did something that very few of us could bring ourselves to do. Aren't we glad we don't have to make a promise like that? Well, we may not be required to take our child to live with Samuel; but we are required to teach that child to live for God!
All that being said, many parents do a wonderful job of this. I love seeing little ones come into the church building and run to the door of their classroom. They are so happy and excited to be there! Can you imagine how much joy that brings to God is when He sees that?
The love a child has for class goes back to the parents. They are the ones who have "talked up" Bible class time to their children. The parents are the ones who read Bible stories to the kids at home. It is Mom and Dad who take the child's picture or workbook page home and proudly display it on the bulletin board or refrigerator door. A young child learns to love being in class because their parents have encouraged them every step of the way.
It gives me great joy to watch a child's excitement as they go into the classroom. I love teaching my 2's and 3's. The children become very precious to me. It is so much fun to watch them learn and grow through the years. I know I have said it before, but they really do teach me so much more than I ever could teach them.
For the past several weeks, the little girl in my class has been so excited to be there. She was promoted from Cradle Roll class just a few months ago, so she loves the idea of being a "big girl." She is usually very cheerful. She also loves to sing and do the motions to the songs. Her enthusiasm is contagious! She helps me remember how wonderful it is to have the opportunity to learn from God's word.
Last week, she also reminded of the importance of encouragement. After the Bible story, we worked on learning the names of the first 12 apostles. I frequently use flip charts as a teaching aid and I have one with "Jesus' special helpers" on it. Each page is a colored drawing of one apostle with his name under it.
I went through the chart once with her and then she wanted to do it on her own. I let her hold the chart, flipping the pages from one picture to another and helped her with the names. Then she gave it back to me, and I went through it one more time. When I got to the end, she looked up with a big smile on her face and said , "You did it!"
When she congratulated me like that, I could not help but smile. I could almost hear her mother's voice telling her "you did it!" over some accomplishment she had achieved. Children mirror what they see and hear. She was cheering me on, because she had some cheerleaders of her own. How else would she know to do that?
I am so thankful for parents who bring their children to Bible class and who encourage their children to learn! I am thankful for parents who are "cheerleaders" for the their children -- who instill in them the joy of learning God's Word. How wonderful it is to have an auditorium "full of the future" of the church!!
As a congregation, we should encourage and help these parents. We should support them in their faithfulness. We should extend our love and understanding to them and to the children. In doing so, we reinforce what the parents are trying to teach their little ones. We can help teach them that being with an assembly of the Lord's body is a wonderful, warm and loving place to be!
Remember the words of our Savior in Matthew 18:5 --
"Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me." (ESV)
Christ above all things,
Robin
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
A New Baby
Yesterday afternoon at 1:22 a sweet little baby boy was born into a Christian family. He is a first child and a first grandchild. His grandmother is one of my dearest friends. This little life will forever change the world of his parents, grandparents and the entire family. Countless prayers were answered when he arrived safely "on planet earth" (as his father posted on face book).
Many friends rejoiced with the family. I must say the event put a smile on my face all afternoon. There is just something very special about the birth of a child! It is indeed a joyous occasion. Our Father in heaven knows about the arrival of each new life on earth. We know He is happy because we know how much He loves us. God is so very good. He is the giver of life and I praise Him for that!
Wow - so many thoughts are spinning around in my head right now! Most people love being around a baby. They are so sweet and so innocent. The presence of a baby can soften even the gruffest, grumpiest of hearts. They are so dependent on others for their care. A baby's pleasure is derived from the simplest of things -- being fed and cleaned and loved.
If only the world were as easily pleased as a young baby! The simple pleasures really are still the best ones. What a joy and blessing it is just to have your belly filled and to be able to take a bath or shower when you are dirty! How wonderful it is to enjoy the love of a family! We are so rich here in this country and we take our blessings for granted. We know there are many who do not have the chance to be cleaned and filled on a daily basis.
We forget about these very simple pleasures way too often. If only somehow we could keep the "I want its" out of our hearts! If we could learn to be thankful for and make good use of what we have we would realize how much God really loves us and we would be so much happier.
Watching others around a baby makes me aware of the impact even one small precious life has on others. Have you ever sat in a room full of adults with only one baby in their midst? Everyone focuses on the baby. The conversation centers around him. If he (or she) smiles, everyone oohs and ahhs over him/her. If the child cries someone goes into action to soothe him.
Remember what I said about the world being forever changed for the parents and grandparents? Well, they continue to love and re-act to that baby as it grows from infancy to childhood, on through adolescence and into adulthood. In other words, the child will impact them for the rest of their lives. He will become part of who they are. He will always be in their minds and hearts; and he will have a direct effect on their behavior. They will seek to teach, to guide, to influence his behavior as they pray he will grow up to be a Christian and learn to follow God.
As a child grows and his horizons broaden, he (or she) will begin to influence not just family, but teachers and friends. The child born today will have an impact on others all his life. Seeing a little baby makes me realize the importance of influence. Each one of us carries within us a great power. That power is the effect we have on one another. It can be used for good or bad. That is our choice. We must be ever mindful that every deed done and every word said has some kind of impact on someone else.
Hearing about the arrival of a new baby also reminds me that it is God who made families. God's plan for a family was one father, one mother and children. From the very beginning He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. In His infinite wisdom, He always knows what is best for His children.
Even Eve understood that it was God who gave her children. When Cain was born, she said "I have gotten a man from the Lord." (Genesis 4:1) If the world could only realize and remember where life comes from perhaps they wouldn't be so willing to allow babies to be killed before they are ever born!
We should never take families for granted. So many in the world today look on the traditional family with contempt. Many do not realize the importance and benefits of a stable family life for a child; even when study after study has shown this to be true. Families give children security and a certain sense of identity. It is a lot easier to be happy if one knows who they are and where they belong. Think about it.
I know that sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. Sometimes a parent dies very young and the remaining spouse is left to raise the children alone. Sometimes sin enters into a relationship and a marriage union is dissolved. Sometimes an unwed mother will make the bravest of decisions and keep her baby, raising the child on her own.
However, it is vital that family life be as safe and secure as possible for the child. Other family members and even church family should rally around and help in any way that they can. Positive role models for our children may not always be found within the core family unit; hopefully others will be willing to step in and support the child and the remaining parent.
Oh, I suppose I could go on and on about why babies are good for us and what a blessing they are. A baby teaches us the importance of love. Infants do not thrive when they are not loved, held, cuddled and talked to. All of us do better when we know we are loved. It is so important to be kind and loving to others. .
Because of their sweetness and innocence it is easy to care for and about a baby. They are easy to love. Learning to love a small child helps us to learn to keep that love in our hearts and share it with others. Oh how the church would also thrive and grow if we showed as much love and concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ as we all show for a newborn baby!
A baby can even help us remember the love our God has for us. The verse from John 3:16 takes on a whole new meaning after one becomes a parent. The thought of losing someone we love so much horrifies us. Honestly, most of us could not do for others what God did for us. Could you do what He did when He gave "His only begotten Son?" Having a child helps us realize the true depth of God's love.
Babies teach us about responsibility. When we have a child, we begin to realize the decisions we make effect more than just us and our spouses. Another person is in the picture now. That baby is much more vulnerable than you are. Choices are made with these thoughts in mind (hopefully). Babies teach us about sharing. We learn we cannot be selfish with our time or money, or even with our feelings. We now share our lives with another soul.
Finally, babies give us hope for the future. Our children have a chance to let their lights shine for God and make the world a better place. If we teach them properly about loving God and obeying His commandments -- then our children will be the ones who help Christ keep His promise.
Remember Matthew 16:18? Christ said He will build His church. He made us a promise back then. He said "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Hopefully, our Christian children will teach their children and on and on down the line.
Our babies today really can change the world. They will keep the church alive tomorrow and Christ will help them -- for the gates of hell will not prevail. Throughout the ages, the Church will always stand. The world will never be without hope. Thank you, God!
Christ above all things,
Robin
Many friends rejoiced with the family. I must say the event put a smile on my face all afternoon. There is just something very special about the birth of a child! It is indeed a joyous occasion. Our Father in heaven knows about the arrival of each new life on earth. We know He is happy because we know how much He loves us. God is so very good. He is the giver of life and I praise Him for that!
Wow - so many thoughts are spinning around in my head right now! Most people love being around a baby. They are so sweet and so innocent. The presence of a baby can soften even the gruffest, grumpiest of hearts. They are so dependent on others for their care. A baby's pleasure is derived from the simplest of things -- being fed and cleaned and loved.
If only the world were as easily pleased as a young baby! The simple pleasures really are still the best ones. What a joy and blessing it is just to have your belly filled and to be able to take a bath or shower when you are dirty! How wonderful it is to enjoy the love of a family! We are so rich here in this country and we take our blessings for granted. We know there are many who do not have the chance to be cleaned and filled on a daily basis.
We forget about these very simple pleasures way too often. If only somehow we could keep the "I want its" out of our hearts! If we could learn to be thankful for and make good use of what we have we would realize how much God really loves us and we would be so much happier.
Watching others around a baby makes me aware of the impact even one small precious life has on others. Have you ever sat in a room full of adults with only one baby in their midst? Everyone focuses on the baby. The conversation centers around him. If he (or she) smiles, everyone oohs and ahhs over him/her. If the child cries someone goes into action to soothe him.
Remember what I said about the world being forever changed for the parents and grandparents? Well, they continue to love and re-act to that baby as it grows from infancy to childhood, on through adolescence and into adulthood. In other words, the child will impact them for the rest of their lives. He will become part of who they are. He will always be in their minds and hearts; and he will have a direct effect on their behavior. They will seek to teach, to guide, to influence his behavior as they pray he will grow up to be a Christian and learn to follow God.
As a child grows and his horizons broaden, he (or she) will begin to influence not just family, but teachers and friends. The child born today will have an impact on others all his life. Seeing a little baby makes me realize the importance of influence. Each one of us carries within us a great power. That power is the effect we have on one another. It can be used for good or bad. That is our choice. We must be ever mindful that every deed done and every word said has some kind of impact on someone else.
Hearing about the arrival of a new baby also reminds me that it is God who made families. God's plan for a family was one father, one mother and children. From the very beginning He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. In His infinite wisdom, He always knows what is best for His children.
Even Eve understood that it was God who gave her children. When Cain was born, she said "I have gotten a man from the Lord." (Genesis 4:1) If the world could only realize and remember where life comes from perhaps they wouldn't be so willing to allow babies to be killed before they are ever born!
We should never take families for granted. So many in the world today look on the traditional family with contempt. Many do not realize the importance and benefits of a stable family life for a child; even when study after study has shown this to be true. Families give children security and a certain sense of identity. It is a lot easier to be happy if one knows who they are and where they belong. Think about it.
I know that sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. Sometimes a parent dies very young and the remaining spouse is left to raise the children alone. Sometimes sin enters into a relationship and a marriage union is dissolved. Sometimes an unwed mother will make the bravest of decisions and keep her baby, raising the child on her own.
However, it is vital that family life be as safe and secure as possible for the child. Other family members and even church family should rally around and help in any way that they can. Positive role models for our children may not always be found within the core family unit; hopefully others will be willing to step in and support the child and the remaining parent.
Oh, I suppose I could go on and on about why babies are good for us and what a blessing they are. A baby teaches us the importance of love. Infants do not thrive when they are not loved, held, cuddled and talked to. All of us do better when we know we are loved. It is so important to be kind and loving to others. .
Because of their sweetness and innocence it is easy to care for and about a baby. They are easy to love. Learning to love a small child helps us to learn to keep that love in our hearts and share it with others. Oh how the church would also thrive and grow if we showed as much love and concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ as we all show for a newborn baby!
A baby can even help us remember the love our God has for us. The verse from John 3:16 takes on a whole new meaning after one becomes a parent. The thought of losing someone we love so much horrifies us. Honestly, most of us could not do for others what God did for us. Could you do what He did when He gave "His only begotten Son?" Having a child helps us realize the true depth of God's love.
Babies teach us about responsibility. When we have a child, we begin to realize the decisions we make effect more than just us and our spouses. Another person is in the picture now. That baby is much more vulnerable than you are. Choices are made with these thoughts in mind (hopefully). Babies teach us about sharing. We learn we cannot be selfish with our time or money, or even with our feelings. We now share our lives with another soul.
Finally, babies give us hope for the future. Our children have a chance to let their lights shine for God and make the world a better place. If we teach them properly about loving God and obeying His commandments -- then our children will be the ones who help Christ keep His promise.
Remember Matthew 16:18? Christ said He will build His church. He made us a promise back then. He said "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Hopefully, our Christian children will teach their children and on and on down the line.
Our babies today really can change the world. They will keep the church alive tomorrow and Christ will help them -- for the gates of hell will not prevail. Throughout the ages, the Church will always stand. The world will never be without hope. Thank you, God!
Christ above all things,
Robin
Monday, December 2, 2013
Lessons from a Roman Centurion
The last time I posted (which seems like forever ago) I wrote about the
authority of Jesus. He has been given “all
authority in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18 NKJV) Jesus Himself also told
us in John 16:33 that “I have overcome the world.” And in John 5:27 we can see that Christ was
given “authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man.”
It is so sad that
most of the Jews did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Many of them never believed He was the
Christ, the Son of God. He was right
there with them performing miracles among them and they could not see it. That is why the end of Matthew 7 tells us
they were so astonished at His teaching.
In Matthew 8:5-13 we are
told of a different kind of man. He was
not Jewish. He may or may not have known
about the prophecies of a Savior to come.
He may or not have understood about the Law of Moses and the Jewish
belief in one God.
He was a Roman centurion, but he did recognize the
power and authority of Jesus. Did he
know that this authority came from God?
Did he have any idea that Jesus was God’s son? We will probably never know just exactly what
the centurion knew and believed.
There are, however, a few things we do know about him. We know the Jewish people lived under
subjection to the Roman government. The
soldiers enforced Roman law. Centurions
were given the command of 100 other Roman soldiers. They probably wielded a great deal of power
within the small Jewish villages.
Although he was in a position of power himself, we
can see the humility in this man. Though
it seemed Christ was quite willing to do so, he did not feel worthy enough for Jesus
to come to his home. This Roman
recognized the power that Jesus had was given to Him by a much higher power
than the Roman government. He had an
awareness and understanding that Jesus was truly special. He understood that
Christ’s power was more far reaching than anything he had ever seen. That is why he felt unworthy that Jesus should
come to his home.
Another thing we know about the centurion is that
he cared for his servant. He did not
consider him to be something expendable, easily replaced by yet another
slave. He saw his servant as a fellow
man and cared for him. He cared about
his health and wanted him to be well again.
So much so, that he sought out Jesus and begged for His help.
Do we do that?
Do we care about our fellow Christians?
Are we close enough to them to know when they are struggling and in
pain? If we do know this, do we love
them enough to seek out Jesus on their behalf?
Do we pray for them and ask God to help them, to heal them, to let them
know they are not alone?
That is what the centurion did. He recognized that he didn’t have the power
to help his servant. But he knew someone
who did. So he went to Jesus and begged Him
to help. His servant was so sick he was
tormented by his illness and the centurion did not want him to suffer.
Do we beg
and plead to the Great Physician when we know our brothers and sisters might
need some spiritual healing? Oh how much
stronger the church would be if we could remember to do even this one thing! Often we go to Jesus and God when we have
troubles of our own; yet how often do we seek help on behalf of another
Christian? Oh, I know many of us
sincerely pray for others on a regular basis.
I also know that sometimes when I pray, I am in so much need of some
comfort myself that I forget to think of others. It is not something I do intentionally. But it is something I must work on. Sometimes after I pray, I feel so
selfish.
When we rush through our prayers and say “be with
the sick and afflicted,” do we even take the time to think specifically of
those on the prayer list in the bulletin?
When we ask “please be with those who have lost loved ones;” do the
faces of the widows in our congregation pop into our mind? Most of us know someone who is or was in the
military. So when we pray “please be with all our military who are serving in
foreign fields,” do we think of someone in particular? Perhaps we do. I hope we do. Back to the centurion –being a man in authority himself, he had a great respect for the authority of Jesus. He knew it came from a much higher power. Perhaps it was his military background – but he understood authority and power. He knew what it meant to give a command and to have it obeyed at that very moment. And he had heard or seen enough about Jesus to know that His commands were obeyed. He respected the authority of Christ.
Jesus was amazed at this man’s faith. The
centurion understood that Jesus had power over sickness. He knew Christ could make the blind to see, the
deaf to hear and the lame to walk with just one simple command. Because he understood authority and power,
the Roman believed in Him enough to know that all Jesus had to do was say the
word and the servant would be healed.
He never
doubted the power of Jesus to save his servant.
He had so much faith that he knew Jesus didn’t have to be actually at
the servant’s bedside to heal him. He
truly believed Christ’s power could go the distance.
Please don’t doubt the power and authority of Jesus. That is what the Pharisees did over and over
again. He was asked, “By what authority
do you do these things?” No man had ever
done the things Jesus was doing – at least not to the extent he was doing
them. Yet, the outsider – the Gentile –
a Roman soldier never once asked Him where His power came from or who gave Him
the authority to do the good He was doing.
The Pharisees didn’t have the courage to
understand this Jesus was God in the flesh. To
give Him that power meant they would lose their own power over the people. They could not see their way clear to do
that. They never understood the blessing
of a sweet surrender to Jesus. How very
sad that is!
We could learn a few lessons from the Roman
soldier in charge of 100 other men. We
could learn compassion – as he had for his servant. We could learn responsibility. If we are in a position of authority, we should
learn to care deeply for those who work under that authority – even caring
enough to go to Jesus for them. It is
our responsibility to see to the needs of those left in our care.
We could learn humility from the centurion. We should realize that none of us are worthy
of the company of Jesus. Yet through His
great love, He is quite willing to keep company with us. We should ever be thankful for that.
We could learn from the great faith the centurion
had in Christ. He had faith in not only His
power and authority, but also His mercy and compassion. He knew Christ was kind, compassionate and
merciful. He knew Christ not only had
the power to heal his servant; but would also have the love in His heart to do
it.
Finally, this story could teach us that faith is
rewarded. Jesus commended the centurion
for His faith. He knew the centurion
trusted Him completely to heal his servant, even from a distance. Christ rewarded the centurion for his great
faith and healed the servant, “that very same hour.”
Jesus loves us.
He died for us and because of that, God has given Him all authority in
heaven and earth. It is imperative that
we recognize His great power. He can
heal all our soul’s afflictions, if we are but willing to love and obey
Him. Even from His home in heaven, He
seeks to help and to heal. He will have
compassion on us if we have faith in Him.
Christ above all things,
Robin Whitley
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Christ Has All Authority
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about the Sermon on the Mount. I titled it "It's All in the Details." In that essay, I mentioned Matthew 5:1 and said that I always thought the multitudes were there listening to Jesus as He taught from the mountain. I also said perhaps the multitudes were not there after all. I thought that because verse 1 says that "His disciples came to Him," and because I heard a sermon that said verses 2 through 16 was specifically spoken to them (the disciples).
Since that post, I read through the Chapters 5 through 7 several times. After discussing the idea with two men whose Bible knowledge I respect, I now realize I was probably wrong. The multitude was probably still there. It makes sense. Jesus went to the mountain to be able to teach all the people from there. Just because His disciples came to Him does not mean the multitudes went away.
So I apologize if I misled anyone at all with my previous post. It is extremely important to remember as we study the Bible that we "rightly divide the Word of Truth," especially when we discuss it with others. We all know how true this is. We will be held responsible for what we teach. I should have read and studied more carefully.
Whether or not there were many people present doesn't take away from the primary point of that earlier post. The detail regarding the disciples coming to Him is still very important. They were His followers. They wanted to be close to Him. The most important detail in our relationship with Jesus is still our obedience to Him. The disciples knew that. If we want to be one of his disciples, we must be ready to follow Him in every sense of the word.
Those who followed Jesus were just beginning to learn about Him. They did not yet understand His mission. The Jews had long awaited their Messiah. They had lived under submission to other governments now for hundreds of years. They were God's chosen people. Abraham had been promised long ago that through his descendants all the nations would be blessed. They were looking for an earthly kingdom.
Yet we know that many did not believe in Jesus. Maybe some of the multitude just didn't realize that He was indeed the Son of God. Matthew tells us in Chapter 7:28 - 29:
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine. For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
They were astonished? Of course, they were! He was quoting the law to them ... telling them what they had heard all their lives. He said, "Ye have heard it hath been said" and followed that with, "But I say unto you." Christ was teaching them something new.
The teaching of our Lord was definitely not the same old thing they had always heard from the scribes. The scribes only taught from what was already written. Jesus told them to go the extra mile, to love their enemies and pray for them. He taught that it was not only their acts that could endanger their souls; but their evil thoughts could also condemn them. He told them not to do things for show as the Pharisees did. I don't know for sure, but I don't think the scribes would have gone against the Pharisees.
Did Jesus have the authority to teach these new things? Did He have the power to give them teachings altogether different from anything they had ever heard? Of course He did! It is sad that so many of them could not or would not recognize His authority. They simply would not accept Him for who He was, is and always will be. He is the author of our eternal salvation. He is "the Christ the Son of the living God" as Peter confessed so long ago. Like the disciples who were with Him while He was alive, we are to follow His commandments today.
They were astonished. They did not understand His authority or where it came from. We were not there to hear this life changing sermon. We did not get to hear Jesus tell His disciples they were the salt of the earth and the light of the world. But we have a witness who told us that it happened. Matthew gave us his wonderful gospel that explains Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophets. He tells us that Jesus was the one who had been promised. He was the Christ.
Through the gospel of Matthew, we can understand just who Christ was. We realize He did have that authority to preach the Sermon on the Mount. He was not a mere scribe! He was the Word. He IS the Word. Do you want to know Jesus today? Read the Word. It's right there in the pages of the Bible. Christ is right there. You will find Him, if you only choose to see. Jesus is the Son of God. And all authority has been given to Him.
Christ above all things,
Robin
Since that post, I read through the Chapters 5 through 7 several times. After discussing the idea with two men whose Bible knowledge I respect, I now realize I was probably wrong. The multitude was probably still there. It makes sense. Jesus went to the mountain to be able to teach all the people from there. Just because His disciples came to Him does not mean the multitudes went away.
So I apologize if I misled anyone at all with my previous post. It is extremely important to remember as we study the Bible that we "rightly divide the Word of Truth," especially when we discuss it with others. We all know how true this is. We will be held responsible for what we teach. I should have read and studied more carefully.
Whether or not there were many people present doesn't take away from the primary point of that earlier post. The detail regarding the disciples coming to Him is still very important. They were His followers. They wanted to be close to Him. The most important detail in our relationship with Jesus is still our obedience to Him. The disciples knew that. If we want to be one of his disciples, we must be ready to follow Him in every sense of the word.
Those who followed Jesus were just beginning to learn about Him. They did not yet understand His mission. The Jews had long awaited their Messiah. They had lived under submission to other governments now for hundreds of years. They were God's chosen people. Abraham had been promised long ago that through his descendants all the nations would be blessed. They were looking for an earthly kingdom.
Yet we know that many did not believe in Jesus. Maybe some of the multitude just didn't realize that He was indeed the Son of God. Matthew tells us in Chapter 7:28 - 29:
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine. For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
They were astonished? Of course, they were! He was quoting the law to them ... telling them what they had heard all their lives. He said, "Ye have heard it hath been said" and followed that with, "But I say unto you." Christ was teaching them something new.
The teaching of our Lord was definitely not the same old thing they had always heard from the scribes. The scribes only taught from what was already written. Jesus told them to go the extra mile, to love their enemies and pray for them. He taught that it was not only their acts that could endanger their souls; but their evil thoughts could also condemn them. He told them not to do things for show as the Pharisees did. I don't know for sure, but I don't think the scribes would have gone against the Pharisees.
Did Jesus have the authority to teach these new things? Did He have the power to give them teachings altogether different from anything they had ever heard? Of course He did! It is sad that so many of them could not or would not recognize His authority. They simply would not accept Him for who He was, is and always will be. He is the author of our eternal salvation. He is "the Christ the Son of the living God" as Peter confessed so long ago. Like the disciples who were with Him while He was alive, we are to follow His commandments today.
They were astonished. They did not understand His authority or where it came from. We were not there to hear this life changing sermon. We did not get to hear Jesus tell His disciples they were the salt of the earth and the light of the world. But we have a witness who told us that it happened. Matthew gave us his wonderful gospel that explains Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophets. He tells us that Jesus was the one who had been promised. He was the Christ.
Through the gospel of Matthew, we can understand just who Christ was. We realize He did have that authority to preach the Sermon on the Mount. He was not a mere scribe! He was the Word. He IS the Word. Do you want to know Jesus today? Read the Word. It's right there in the pages of the Bible. Christ is right there. You will find Him, if you only choose to see. Jesus is the Son of God. And all authority has been given to Him.
Christ above all things,
Robin
Sunday, November 17, 2013
No Not One!
I usually regret it when so many days have gone by between posts. Tonight is no different. It really is so easy to let time slip by. Daily life is full of distractions and before I realize it a week has passed. But enough of that. I know we are all busy. Life has a way of doing that to a person.
Yet I am thankful for the life which God has given me. I am truly blessed and realize it is good that I should remember this every day. No matter how quickly our days go by, we must remember to be grateful to our Lord and to praise Him every day. Life is short and we really do need to make each day count.
Christ lived a short life here on earth. Think about it. Do you know anyone who is 33 or so? I do. My oldest son is 33. I only make this comparison in relation to the amount of time our Lord lived as a man. It seems like such a short time -- 33 1/2 years. What is the first thing many of us when we hear of someone around this age passing on? We say, "Oh my he (or she) was so young." It is true 33 years does seem like a very short time to live.
On the other hand, think about how much life can be packed into those 33 years. Well before that time, we experience life in many different ways and circumstances. Most of us experience the love and joy of family. We have had our share of injury and sickness. We learn from our families and from our schools. We develop an independence from our parents and make our own way in life - whether we have a family of our own or not. So by 33 we have learned how to work and earn an income for ourselves. By 33 we have been tempted and tried. We have learned to be in submission to authorities and we have learned to make decisions on our own. We have experienced every emotion any human is capable of -- love, joy, peace, victory, and happiness. On the side of the coin we have felt pain, betrayal, anger, loneliness, defeat and sadness.
You get what I am trying to say, right? Christ may have only lived as a man for a little over 33 years, but that was enough for Him to experience and understand everything we will ever go through. It was long enough for Him not only to become the sacrifice for our sins because He lived a sinless perfect life; but it was also long enough so that when we go to God in prayer Christ can speak to the Father for us. He lived long enough not only to be our Redeemer, but also to be our Best Friend. Some of you will say, He is our best friend because He died for us. I don't argue that point one bit. BUT in my mind He is also our best friend because He lived for us.
There was a two fold purpose -- or perhaps even a threefold purpose in Christ living an earthly life. One of His purposes was to die for our sins. We are so thankful every day for the sacrifice He made for us on that cruel cross! The second purpose for which Jesus came to earth was for Him in person to seek and save the lost. It was important that He teach others of His Father. He was to be "about His father's business." He preached and taught about the kingdom of God. And He prepared others to carry on His work.
However, it is the third purpose that I need to remember more often. In living in the flesh and experiencing all the things He experienced -- He knows what we go through. He understands our temptations and heartaches. He understands our relationships with one another. He understands submission. He understands authority. He understands the love we share between family and friends. And he understands betrayal and pain and weariness. You see when we go to God in prayer - Christ is right there too. As we pray, Jesus tells the Father - "I know what that feels like. People hurt me too." or "I understand how she felt when she wanted to strike back at that person." He might even say, "I was hungry too, Father. So I know why he is so concerned that he lost his job."
See Jesus knows. Whatever you are going through, whatever you are feeling right now - whether it is good or bad, He knows. And here is the most wonderful part of it all -- He cares!!!! So many folks around you might have an idea of what you are going through, but this is a cold dark world we live in they may not care. At work - or out in the world, they don't care what they are going through. Everyone has problems of their own. Not so with our Christ - He cares!!! He will stand by you as you go to Father. He is our Mediator and will speak to God on your behalf .... and help will come!!! It is when we can truly understand and believe this - when we let it sink deep down into our soul that we experience that peace that passes understanding. That, my friends is a "Woo Hoo" moment!!
You all probably know the song, "There's Not a Friend Like the Lowly Jesus." We sang it during our worship this morning. Sometimes, I sing it at home or in the car too. Now that I think of it, it is probably one of my favorites. Think about the words...
There's not a Friend like the lowly Jesus -- No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our souls’ diseases: No, not one! no, not one!
He lived a lowly earthly life -- for us. Yet, He is the only one that could heal our souls.
No friend like Him is so high and holy, No, not one! no, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly,No, not one! no, not one!
He is the Son of God. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Yet again, He is meek and full of loving kindness. He lived as a man - in the flesh.
There's not an hour that He is not near us, No, not one! no, not one!
No night so dark, but His love can cheer us, No, not one! no, not one!
He really is always there. Even in the darkest of nights, knowing His love gives us hope.
And finally, there is the chorus which is so beautiful and so true and so full of comfort.
Jesus knows all about our struggles; He will guide 'til the day is done.
There's not a Friend like the lowly Jesus: No, not one! no, not one!
Again, Jesus knows about every doubt, every concern, every fear and every tear, every struggle with temptation. He knows and he cares!!! He will guide us through.
Jesus really IS our BEST FRIEND. And there is not one like him.
Christ above all things,
Robin
Yet I am thankful for the life which God has given me. I am truly blessed and realize it is good that I should remember this every day. No matter how quickly our days go by, we must remember to be grateful to our Lord and to praise Him every day. Life is short and we really do need to make each day count.
Christ lived a short life here on earth. Think about it. Do you know anyone who is 33 or so? I do. My oldest son is 33. I only make this comparison in relation to the amount of time our Lord lived as a man. It seems like such a short time -- 33 1/2 years. What is the first thing many of us when we hear of someone around this age passing on? We say, "Oh my he (or she) was so young." It is true 33 years does seem like a very short time to live.
On the other hand, think about how much life can be packed into those 33 years. Well before that time, we experience life in many different ways and circumstances. Most of us experience the love and joy of family. We have had our share of injury and sickness. We learn from our families and from our schools. We develop an independence from our parents and make our own way in life - whether we have a family of our own or not. So by 33 we have learned how to work and earn an income for ourselves. By 33 we have been tempted and tried. We have learned to be in submission to authorities and we have learned to make decisions on our own. We have experienced every emotion any human is capable of -- love, joy, peace, victory, and happiness. On the side of the coin we have felt pain, betrayal, anger, loneliness, defeat and sadness.
You get what I am trying to say, right? Christ may have only lived as a man for a little over 33 years, but that was enough for Him to experience and understand everything we will ever go through. It was long enough for Him not only to become the sacrifice for our sins because He lived a sinless perfect life; but it was also long enough so that when we go to God in prayer Christ can speak to the Father for us. He lived long enough not only to be our Redeemer, but also to be our Best Friend. Some of you will say, He is our best friend because He died for us. I don't argue that point one bit. BUT in my mind He is also our best friend because He lived for us.
There was a two fold purpose -- or perhaps even a threefold purpose in Christ living an earthly life. One of His purposes was to die for our sins. We are so thankful every day for the sacrifice He made for us on that cruel cross! The second purpose for which Jesus came to earth was for Him in person to seek and save the lost. It was important that He teach others of His Father. He was to be "about His father's business." He preached and taught about the kingdom of God. And He prepared others to carry on His work.
However, it is the third purpose that I need to remember more often. In living in the flesh and experiencing all the things He experienced -- He knows what we go through. He understands our temptations and heartaches. He understands our relationships with one another. He understands submission. He understands authority. He understands the love we share between family and friends. And he understands betrayal and pain and weariness. You see when we go to God in prayer - Christ is right there too. As we pray, Jesus tells the Father - "I know what that feels like. People hurt me too." or "I understand how she felt when she wanted to strike back at that person." He might even say, "I was hungry too, Father. So I know why he is so concerned that he lost his job."
See Jesus knows. Whatever you are going through, whatever you are feeling right now - whether it is good or bad, He knows. And here is the most wonderful part of it all -- He cares!!!! So many folks around you might have an idea of what you are going through, but this is a cold dark world we live in they may not care. At work - or out in the world, they don't care what they are going through. Everyone has problems of their own. Not so with our Christ - He cares!!! He will stand by you as you go to Father. He is our Mediator and will speak to God on your behalf .... and help will come!!! It is when we can truly understand and believe this - when we let it sink deep down into our soul that we experience that peace that passes understanding. That, my friends is a "Woo Hoo" moment!!
You all probably know the song, "There's Not a Friend Like the Lowly Jesus." We sang it during our worship this morning. Sometimes, I sing it at home or in the car too. Now that I think of it, it is probably one of my favorites. Think about the words...
There's not a Friend like the lowly Jesus -- No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our souls’ diseases: No, not one! no, not one!
He lived a lowly earthly life -- for us. Yet, He is the only one that could heal our souls.
No friend like Him is so high and holy, No, not one! no, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly,No, not one! no, not one!
He is the Son of God. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Yet again, He is meek and full of loving kindness. He lived as a man - in the flesh.
There's not an hour that He is not near us, No, not one! no, not one!
No night so dark, but His love can cheer us, No, not one! no, not one!
He really is always there. Even in the darkest of nights, knowing His love gives us hope.
And finally, there is the chorus which is so beautiful and so true and so full of comfort.
Jesus knows all about our struggles; He will guide 'til the day is done.
There's not a Friend like the lowly Jesus: No, not one! no, not one!
Again, Jesus knows about every doubt, every concern, every fear and every tear, every struggle with temptation. He knows and he cares!!! He will guide us through.
Jesus really IS our BEST FRIEND. And there is not one like him.
Christ above all things,
Robin
Saturday, November 9, 2013
It is All in the Details
I have been reading through the gospel of Matthew lately. From what I have studied, Matthew's account of the Christ is the gospel that was written with the Jewish person in mind. This apostle documents the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies through the life of Christ. I have only gotten through the first few chapters, but already I noticed several references to Old Testament prophecies.
I love reading through God's word! I learn something new or look at some passage with a different perspective every time I read from its pages. The story of Jesus is a beautiful story indeed. It's all in the details, or so I've heard. The Bible is full of specific details that enrich the beauty of the scriptures and enliven its stories.
One detail I re-discovered while reading through Matthew concerns the Sermon on the Mount given in chapters 5 through 7. Chapter 4 ends by telling the reader:
"And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan."
Then chapter 5 begins by saying, "And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him:" When I remember the beautiful words from the Sermon on the Mount, I often make the mistake of envisioning the multitudes that have followed Jesus. But that is not what verse 1 of chapter 5 tells us. It was the disciples who came to Jesus on the mountain. This great sermon was for those who were loyal believers and followers.
This detail is important to remember. It gives a whole new outlook to the bulk of the Sermon. It makes more sense when Jesus says "You are the salt of the earth" and "You are the light of the world." Maybe I am the only one that forgets the point that Christ is speaking only to those who are following Him. However, it is easy to understand why Jesus tells His followers they are lights. They will be the ones to share His teachings after He is gone. While He is still with them, they will learn to practice these principles just as Christ does.
Looking at the sermon from this standpoint, we can understand Jesus wanted His followers to stand out -- to be different. They would not be able to spread the news of the gospel by being the same as the world around them. Even from the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus is preparing His disciples. He wants them to be ready when the time comes - after His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension -- after the church is established. He wants them to be ready to teach the whole world about Him. He begins by telling them what kind of life He wants them to life and how different He wants them to be.
Taking all this into consideration gives me a new appreciation for the Sermon on the Mount. I understand the deep love Christ had for His disciples. It was important to Him that they stand out from the world. He wanted them to be lights. In a world of darkness lights will draw attention. As workers of light, the disciples will be able to bring others to Jesus and God will be glorified.
We see from reading any of the gospels that was all Jesus ever wanted. He wanted to do the will of the Father so that the Father would be glorified. He came to die for the sins of the world because He loved us all and wanted us all to be able to glorify God on earth so that we would be glorified with Him in heaven. It was the business of Christ to be glorify the Father. He knew He would not always be here to do that. So He tried from the very beginning of His ministry to teach His followers to glorify the Father too.
The Sermon on the Mount has been recorded in God's word so that anyone who chooses to can read it. But even today, when we read the words of our Lord, He is not speaking to the multitudes of the world. That sermon is not for all of them. Even now, it is for His followers. Be different -- follow Me -- do good works -- glorify my Father. Be those lights in the world.
Here is another detail to think about -- the disciples came to Jesus. Today even though these words are there for anyone to read, it will not be read by the multitudes. It will be read, remembered and practiced only by those who come to Him. Get it? Any of us can read it; but not many will. Just like that great sermon was only heard by those who came to Jesus on the mountain, it will only be heard today by those who choose to come to Christ .. and truly follow and obey.
It really is all in the details. The detail that cannot be left out is our obedience. Only through that obedience can we really say we are different. Only then can we really glorify the Father in heaven.
Christ above all things,
Robin
I love reading through God's word! I learn something new or look at some passage with a different perspective every time I read from its pages. The story of Jesus is a beautiful story indeed. It's all in the details, or so I've heard. The Bible is full of specific details that enrich the beauty of the scriptures and enliven its stories.
One detail I re-discovered while reading through Matthew concerns the Sermon on the Mount given in chapters 5 through 7. Chapter 4 ends by telling the reader:
"And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan."
Then chapter 5 begins by saying, "And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him:" When I remember the beautiful words from the Sermon on the Mount, I often make the mistake of envisioning the multitudes that have followed Jesus. But that is not what verse 1 of chapter 5 tells us. It was the disciples who came to Jesus on the mountain. This great sermon was for those who were loyal believers and followers.
This detail is important to remember. It gives a whole new outlook to the bulk of the Sermon. It makes more sense when Jesus says "You are the salt of the earth" and "You are the light of the world." Maybe I am the only one that forgets the point that Christ is speaking only to those who are following Him. However, it is easy to understand why Jesus tells His followers they are lights. They will be the ones to share His teachings after He is gone. While He is still with them, they will learn to practice these principles just as Christ does.
Looking at the sermon from this standpoint, we can understand Jesus wanted His followers to stand out -- to be different. They would not be able to spread the news of the gospel by being the same as the world around them. Even from the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus is preparing His disciples. He wants them to be ready when the time comes - after His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension -- after the church is established. He wants them to be ready to teach the whole world about Him. He begins by telling them what kind of life He wants them to life and how different He wants them to be.
Taking all this into consideration gives me a new appreciation for the Sermon on the Mount. I understand the deep love Christ had for His disciples. It was important to Him that they stand out from the world. He wanted them to be lights. In a world of darkness lights will draw attention. As workers of light, the disciples will be able to bring others to Jesus and God will be glorified.
We see from reading any of the gospels that was all Jesus ever wanted. He wanted to do the will of the Father so that the Father would be glorified. He came to die for the sins of the world because He loved us all and wanted us all to be able to glorify God on earth so that we would be glorified with Him in heaven. It was the business of Christ to be glorify the Father. He knew He would not always be here to do that. So He tried from the very beginning of His ministry to teach His followers to glorify the Father too.
The Sermon on the Mount has been recorded in God's word so that anyone who chooses to can read it. But even today, when we read the words of our Lord, He is not speaking to the multitudes of the world. That sermon is not for all of them. Even now, it is for His followers. Be different -- follow Me -- do good works -- glorify my Father. Be those lights in the world.
Here is another detail to think about -- the disciples came to Jesus. Today even though these words are there for anyone to read, it will not be read by the multitudes. It will be read, remembered and practiced only by those who come to Him. Get it? Any of us can read it; but not many will. Just like that great sermon was only heard by those who came to Jesus on the mountain, it will only be heard today by those who choose to come to Christ .. and truly follow and obey.
It really is all in the details. The detail that cannot be left out is our obedience. Only through that obedience can we really say we are different. Only then can we really glorify the Father in heaven.
Christ above all things,
Robin
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
A Lion in the Back Yard
A couple of weeks ago during Bible study on
Wednesday night; I had another wonderful discussion with the little three year
old boy in my class. He is a very smart and imaginative young fellow. He really keeps me on my toes. I probably learn more from him than he does
from me!
I was going through a flip chart with the class and
singing the song along with it. The
chart and song were both about all the things that God made. One chart (or page) has a picture of all
sorts of animals on it. Among these
animals is a lion.
As we finished the song, he asked me if I had ever
seen a lion. I said, “Yes, I have seen lions before – at zoos
and circuses.”
“Well I have seen one too. A lion came up in our back yard,” he replied.
“Really? In your back yard? Are you sure?”
“He sure did!
And Daddy got his gun and shot it.
Then he took it to the dumpster.”
My little student always tells me these fantastic
stories with the straightest of faces.
He never cracks a smile. Except
for the fact that they are so outlandish, one can never tell from his behavior
that he is making his stories up. He can
be so earnest and convincing in his story telling! I don’t call him out on it though. I treat his conversation as literally as he
treats it. Oh, I do question him, such
as I did above; but I go along with the story as if it were for real.
“So a lion came up in your yard and your Daddy shot
it?”
“Yes,” he said.
“He sure did.”
“Well, what color was this lion?”
“It was yellow and pink. And it was very big.”
“Oh, my!”
Then he said, “But you don’t have to talk to Daddy
about it though cause he doesn't know it happened.”
“Wait a minute, sweetie. I thought you said your Dad was the one that
shot the lion.”
Without skipping a beat he said, “Oh he is; but he
won’t remember so just don’t talk to him about it.”
Well, I didn't talk to his dad about it, but I
could not resist telling his aunt the story.
She laughed and said that he keeps them all entertained. She was quite amused by her nephew’s tales. He
is definitely a smart young man!
As I have said many times before, I do love my 2
and 3 year old students! They challenge me and
uplift me at the same time. We never have a dull class.
Something new happens every week.
Their little minds are like sponges.
They can learn just about anything at this age. We have to be so very careful in what we say
and what we do around young children. Influence
is powerful. We must make sure we are a
good influence, because believe me, these little ones don’t miss a thing!
Let’s go back though, to the
lion in the back yard. We can make
several spiritual applications to my student’s wild story. The Bible refers to the devil as our
enemy. Peter compares him to a roaring
lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter 5:8) The devil may be closer than you think. He could be in your very own back yard! He probably sneaked in when you weren't watching too closely. He lurks there in
your back yard – waiting and hoping for you to fall, so he can pounce on you
right then and there.
Please be careful!
Remember that when the devil has tempted you with one little thing and
you yield; it won’t be very long until he completely overtakes you. That is why
we must always be alert and diligent. We
must pray for protection from the enemy and thank God when He gives us the
victory!
Think about this, too. Who was my little friend’s protector in this
story? Who shot the lion down? His daddy did! Our Heavenly Father stands on call 24 hours a
day every day. He is always with us and
He also waits in the backyard. He waits
for you to call for Him. Our God is more
powerful than the devil ever thought about being! Trust Him to shoot the devil down and take
him to the dumpster for you. He can help
you with whatever the devil has placed in your yard.
My little student did not want me to talk to his
daddy about the lion. I suppose he
thought he would have been in trouble. Maybe he just didn't want me to find out
he had made it all up. I am not sure
what his motives were; but our Heavenly Father knows anyway.
God already knows what is on your mind. He knows what you need before you even
ask. You can talk to Him before, during, and after your backyard encounter with the destroyer. God will never
forget! Through Christ, God understands
what we go through. We can always talk
to Him about it. And we can definitely
count on Him being there for us. Our God
is faithful to those who are faithful to Him.
So the next time that old roaring lion sneaks up on
you remember your Heavenly Father can and will shoot him down. God has the power to help us defeat our
adversary the devil. One day He will
cast him into the dumpster once and for all!
The Bible teaches that he will be cast into outer darkness. However, we must go to our Father and ask for
help. He waits for us to ask. We can go to Him anytime we need Him. He will remember us. God will send His Spirit to work within us
and give us enough power to overcome the temptations. Just like my student’s
dad was his protector; so our Father will be our protector. What a mighty and awesome one He is!
Christ above all things,
Robin
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