Am I A Christian?

 

It was an unusually cold Thanksgiving, one in which we got an early snow fall. My cousins from the south were visiting for the holidays and were excited (perhaps overly so) to see snow for the first time. They woke up the morning after it snowed, ready to head outside with all of them yelling, “Snow! Snow! Snow!” Before anyone could stop them, they ran outside and dove in, without any coats or gloves or anything else that should have been part of the routine. And just as quickly as they had run out, they came running back in yelling, “Cold! Cold! Cold!” It was then that the decision was made that we needed to take them to buy some winter gear.

Later that day, during our shopping trip, I found myself sitting in the back of my grandmother's Grand Torino station wagon with my cousins. There were so many of us that we had to pull up the third-row seat, which in a station wagon faced backwards leaving some of us looking out of the back window. I’m not sure why but as we watched the traffic behind us, one of my cousins asked if I was a Christian. I told them all that I did not know. I was then asked if I went to church. In fact, I had three churches on rotation depending on whom I was with. My dad was Lutheran, my mom was Missionary Baptist, and my grandmother occasionally went to a church that I think may have been nondenominational. I visited at least one of those churches each week, although very rarely did I go to the same one two weeks in a row. So, my answer to my cousins’ question was, “Yes, I do go to church,” which I said with pride without telling them that my attendance was not voluntary. In response I was told that by going to church I was in fact a Christian.

For several different reasons, I was never comfortable with the idea that going to church made me a Christian. The idea that simply walking into a building made me a Christian seemed…well…empty. In fact, it seemed as empty as everything else in my life at the time as I lived…correction…survived the day to day of being a codependent teenager. God was the furthest thing from my mind, even during those two or three hours every Sunday morning and so I just could not see how going to church made me a Christian. It wasn’t until I was in college that I learned that it didn’t.

It was at that time that a friend gave me a book that took everything that I learned in Sunday School, and in confirmation class, and explained how it all pointed to one man: Jesus. In response, I looked at Jesus for the first time and really started learning what He taught. From these studies I learned about God’s gift of salvation through which He offers life and freedom from the burden of sin. I also learned that how I respond to His offer determines whether I am a Christian or not. I accepted His offer and am blessed to be able to say that I am a Christian.

So, what exactly was His offer and what is it that makes a person a Christian? Keep an eye out for a future post where I will explain.

Struggling With God’s Identity

 

That’s a weird title for a blog post, isn’t it? But I find myself thinking that a lot of the things I struggle with as a Christian, really come down to not accepting that God is Whom He says He is. For example, I sometimes worry about money, which seems like something Christians just shouldn’t worry about. After all, the Bible promises that God will provide for all my needs (Philippians 4:19), which means my worries (my lack of faith) is unwarranted. So why, in the face of this promise, do I worry?

Thinking about it, I do not doubt God’s ability to provide, He is after all the Almighty and everything belongs to Him. I can’t begin to fathom what the Bible means by “His riches in glory” but it seems to indicate that He has the resources needed to take care of me and my family. In fact, there have been many times when I have reminded others of Philippians 4:19, so why would I struggle to apply it to my own life? After pondering this contradiction, I’ve concluded that my problem is not with the idea of God providing. Instead, my problem is with God’s identity as my Father.

The Bible promises that those who receive Jesus and believe in His name have been given the right to become children of God (John 1:12). That sounds good but what kind of relationship is the Bible talking about? My earthly father and my mother were not perfect nor were they all powerful. They did their best (and I love them both) but they were limited, not having riches in glory like God. They both had their own laundry list of problems (just like everyone else’s parents) and some of these became the wedge which eventually led to their divorce and to my not seeing my dad very often. In short, my view of the father-son relationship was tainted by problems in my family: problems that go back all the way to Adam.

My dad was less than perfect, and he got stuck with a less than perfect son. Together we forged a less than perfect father-son relationship. So, how do I go from that to the relationship offered in the Bible: A relationship where I am still less than perfect, trying to relate to a perfect Heavenly Father? I find that it’s His identity as Heavenly Father that I struggle with as I wonder what the Creator of the Universe means when He says that He is my Father.

The offer is clear: Believe in the name of Jesus and you receive the right to become a child of God. It’s the relationship itself that is less clear and any attempt on my end to define it falls way short of what God desires. Instead of struggling we need to accept God at His word, letting Him describe the relationship. Only then will you and I learn that we need not struggle with God’s identity and with what it means for Him to be our Father.

How Does God Do That?

 

It never ceases to amaze me how God can show up at exactly the right time with exactly what I need. I’ve honestly lost count of the number of times when I had no answers, just to have God step in and take care of everything. It’s already happened several times this year and I still don’t know how He got me through each situation.

We tend to keep cars for a very long time. In fact, our minivan is approaching 13 years on the road. And while this saves money overall, it sometimes means dealing with major repairs when one part or another simply wears out. This year both cars needed almost identical front end suspension work. On top of that, the minivan needed tires. Then, just for added measure, my wife ran over something and punctured one of the back tires on her car. Whatever it was damaged the tire so badly that it had to be replaced, which also meant replacing the other back tire at the same time. Throw in new back brakes on the van and we were looking at a mountain of repair bills.

Funny thing about mountains, they look tiny in comparison to God and He had no problem leveling and getting rid of the mountain I was facing. Somehow, we had enough cash to cover every one of those repairs, with a large chunk of the money literally coming out of the blue. My wife was given an unexpected bonus for a job well done and it arrived in her paycheck the day before her car was scheduled to go into the shop. God provided once again and we are praising Him for taking care of us.

I still don’t know how God pulls this off time and time again, but I am sure glad that He does. I wonder what the next mountain will look like. No matter how tall, I look forward to seeing God deal with it according to His will. And just like every time before, I know I will find myself asking, “How Does God Do That?”

What You Ought to Say

 

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Luke 12:12

In Exodus 3:13, Moses asks God to tell him what he should say to the children of Israel upon his return to Egypt. In essence, Moses was asking God to tell him what he should do. God responds by telling Moses exactly what to say (Exodus 3:14-17). I suspect that Moses may have been afraid that the leaders of Israel would not believe him and he needed to know what to say and what to do to convince both them and the leaders of Egypt. God responded by teaching Moses what he should say.

This reminds me of what Jesus taught His disciples in Luke 12:8-12, as He prepared them to face leaders who would not quickly buy into His message of salvation. Jesus understood that anyone who was bold enough to preach His Gospel would be opening themselves up to the possibility of being attacked for their beliefs. These attacks would come from regular everyday people, and from religious leaders and government authorities. When (not if) this happened, Jesus wanted to reassure His followers that the Holy Spirit would teach them exactly what they should say, exactly when they needed to say it. This was His promise to stand with His followers in these situations.

We live in a fallen world in which people are persecuted for being followers of Christ. Here in the United States, we do not see this as much as people in other countries but eventually that kind of persecution will come to our shores, or should I say, it shall increase in occurrence. When we face questions or even persecution, be it from our neighbors or from the government, God will respond just as He did with Moses. Trust that the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should say. Then, in full obedience, speak and let God’s words change hearts around you.

Fully Surrendered

 

Mark 10:13

How did the disciples get this so wrong? How could they have not known that Jesus welcomed the opportunity to bless these children? Assuming the book of Mark is somewhat in chronological order, this would have happened after the event described in Mark 9:36 where Jesus demonstrated his love for a child. How then did they not think He would make time for these children? And why didn’t they ask Him before dealing with the children according to their own understanding? This is what they thought was right and what they wanted but it was not what Jesus wanted. In fact, “He was greatly displeased…” (Mark 10:14)

I’ve read this verse many times before but reading it this time brought conviction. How many times have I done something that I thought was right and that I even thought was God’s will, only to find out it wasn’t? Those were times when I should have checked with God first before moving forward and doing what I thought was right. Those are also the times when I have found that even the “right thing” can be wrong, if I don’t get His opinion before lifting a finger.

As followers of Jesus, we must be careful not to make this mistake. We do not want to do something that we think is right only to find out it displeases God. To avoid this, we must get to know Him and be willing to ask Him what He wants done. We must ask how He wants to handle each situation in my life. We must then be fully surrendered.

The Greatest Bible Teacher

Admit it. Sometimes the Bible is hard to understand and it’s sometimes difficult to trust in God’s viewpoint. The same was true about the parables that Jesus taught. Back then, those who were around Him had to ask about the parables and those whom He described as outside the Kingdom were lost, both literally and figuratively. But while Jesus knew that the lost would struggle with the mysteries of His teaching, He wanted His disciples, and I suspect anyone who sought His wisdom, to know the meaning of His parables. As such He sat and taught them, opening their understanding so that they might be encouraged to live out their lives as God’s children.

Mark 4:33-34 paints a beautiful picture of Jesus taking the time to teach His followers. Today His followers can have a similar experience with the Spirit of God taking the time to teach us. But are we willing to ask and to seek and to admit that we don’t always understand just as His followers asked back then? If we are, then we have the Comforter and He is tasked with teaching us all things.

When you find yourself struggling to understand, and even when you think that you fully understand, stop and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. We are blessed to have the world’s greatest Bible Teacher, the One who inspired all scripture, always with us and ready to help us understand. Are you ready to learn?

The Servant-God

{The following is an entry from my personal journal dated January 9, 2020, and is sort of a free flow of thought that came to me after reading Matthew 20:28.}

Matthew 20:28

Jesus was all powerful before the incarnation. Even in the flesh He was powerful. He could have used His power for His own gain. He could have demonstrated His power in order to make people bow before Him. Instead, He used His power to serve, coming as a servant by His own declaration. This has implications for how I understand fear as it is used in verses like Psalm 145:19. It has implications for how I should see my relationship with Him. It also has implications for how I see my own relationship with others.

Is the fear spoken of in Psalm 145:19 really the trembling kind? I think of the pillar that led Israel through the wilderness. To the Egyptians it was something to be feared to the point where they stopped in God’s presence and did not advance upon the people. To Israel it was something that brought comfort and leadership, though they feared it when they rebelled. Salvation makes a big difference in how I stand before God. I can stand in reverence and need not shake from fear. This seems like what the servant Jesus wanted.

I revere God but do I see that He wants to use His power for my good? This is where things get tough. A servant-God sounds like an oxymoron. Yet, that is the picture painted of Christ by His words and deeds. He could call down a legion of angels to destroy all mankind, yet He came to serve mankind. I only exist at His pleasure, yet He wants to work all things for my good. I understand Peter’s hesitation when Jesus wanted to wash his feet. God is awesome and wonderful and powerful, and it would freak me out to no end if He suddenly wanted to wash my feet. This is the best description of my daily faith struggle. God could crush me in a blink of an eye. He deserves my praise and worship. He wants that but He also wants to serve me.

Because God wants to serve, I likewise should want to serve others. Any power God gives me is intended for this very cause. Any gift He gives me is so that I can serve those around me. Even His love is intended for service in the lives of others. I need to follow my Lord and serve those whom He brings into my life.

I pray the Holy Spirit helps me come to terms with the oxymoron: the servant-God. I pray the Holy Spirit helps me follow in His shoes.

Which One Do You Follow?

The Bible says one thing. Your heart says something completely different. The people around you give yet another suggestion. Which one do you believe? Two of the suggestions are misguided and one involves believing the truth but at times making the right choice is difficult. That’s when our real beliefs are exposed and we either pass or fail the test of our faith. This is a test that comes with one major question: A question that is both simple and at the same time very difficult. What is this pass or fail question? When confronted with a choice between the words of the Bible, the voice in your own head and the voices of those around us, which one do you follow?

In chapter 27 Matthew describes Jesus’ crucifixion. While He was on the cross, the people around him taunted Him and challenged Him to come down from the cross. In their eyes Jesus was a fraud, someone to be ridiculed for finding Himself in the position He was in. I suspect that in their taunts we see their belief of what should have happened if Jesus were really the Son of God. In their minds, the Son would be able to come down or would be saved from the cross by His Father. This was their view of God and anything other than what they chose to believe had to be fake.

Human wisdom says that God would never let His Son die on a cross and that anyone with the power of Christ would come off the cross. The world around Jesus believed that anyone with the power of the Savior would fight before suffering, hence why one of His disciples initially chose the sword over standing by while Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26:51). In the eyes of those around Jesus, the cross could never be the will of the Father and using Christ’s power to work a miracle escape sounded like a good idea.

Christ heard their taunts, and I wonder if they sounded like a good idea. In a way the suggestions/taunts must have sounded a lot like Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39). While praying, Jesus revealed a desire that He knew conflicted with the will of His Father. He asked if there was a way that this cup, this plan for His death, could pass from Him. Like us, Jesus would have chosen an easier path, even mentioning this to His Father. But He was more interested in doing His Father’s will than He was in giving into temptation.

As I read Matthew 26 and 27, I find myself wondering what it was like to be bombarded with so many ideas that, for a normal human, would have seemed more palatable than the path ahead. How many times have I called out to God asking Him to do something different: asking Him to help me avoid the trial that He wants me to go through. How many times have I (though I hate to admit it) entertained suggestions that if God were loving He would help me avoid the trials or He would keep those around me from suffering. It’s easy to believe that the easy road is the best choice and that I know better than God. It’s also foolish to believe that and Jesus understood this as He obeyed His Father’s will over the other choices (be they serious or choices delivered as a part of taunting).

When confronted with multiple choices on what we should do, there is a right answer: Follow God’s will. Doing so comes because of our faith in God. Any other choice is us saying we know better than God and that is a form of idolatry. So, in difficult times, where do you put your trust? Which path do you follow?

Like Christ, Go and Change Lives

Matthew 8:3 tells us that Jesus touched a leper and completely changed the man’s life. He could have simply given a command and the man would have been healed. Instead, Jesus touched one who was an outcast and I believe this is still how God responds to broken people. He touches them and He invests Himself in each individual person, no matter what situation they are in.

According to the law, a leper was to be declared unclean by the priest who examined him/her (Leviticus 13:3, 8). Jesus, by touching the leper, should also have been declared unclean but instead the leper was healed. Jesus then sends the former leper away to follow the law as prescribed for the day of cleansing healed lepers in Leviticus 14.

By touching the leper Jesus proved that He is not bound by the law in the same way that a mere human would have been. If He were a pagan we could accept this as Him simply being someone who was not born under the covenant between God and Israel, although we would still expect Him to contract leprosy. As Mary’s child, Jesus was Jewish and thus born under the covenant. As such the law should have applied and He should have been unclean immediately after touching the leper. The fact that the leper was immediately healed shows that this is not the case.

Assuming the law to be true, there is only one other explanation. Jesus was something or someone Who by nature was not governed by the same weaknesses that other people experienced. His lineage was also the Holy Spirit, making Him the Son of God. By His very nature He was on the other side of the Old Covenant: The side held, not by a human but by God Himself. The rules on that side of the agreement were different as they called for God to be Lord and to deliver. Jesus was God and Lord and He routinely delivered people. The healing of the leper was the evidence of this delivery and of the fact that Jesus is God.

It was Jesus’ nature as God incarnate that not only kept Him from becoming unclean but also gave Him the power to cleanse that which was by nature unclean. That same nature dwells in all of God’s children in the form of the Holy Spirit of God. By nature, He cleanses us and by nature keeps us clean with His word. Thus, by nature we are to touch broken people like Jesus did, even when we are afraid of being made unclean. We are to let Jesus touch them through us so that instead of us becoming unclean, they are cleansed by the power of the Spirit of God. And we are to know by His power that Jesus is God and LORD of all.

Like Christ, His followers should be ready to touch those who are less fortunate, sharing the Gospel that sets people free. Are you ready to be like Christ? Are you ready to answer the call to change lives?

 

(Note: This is based on an entry I wrote in my journal back in 2019. While researching more recently I came across a webpage on evidenceunseen.com where James Rochford makes a similar argument about Matthew 8:3)

What’s Better Than A Mountain Top Experience?

In both Exodus 24:9-18 and 34, God invites Moses to come up on Mt. Sinai to meet with Him which must have been one of the most awesome experiences anyone could have. I used to get really jealous when I read these passages. I mean, this would be a dream come true to hear the voice of God and to be able to stand in His cloud as He reveals His glory. Such an experience would truly be life altering as it was for Moses and it would be one of the greatest opportunities on earth. Imagine getting the chance to have a one on one with the Creator of the universe. I used to cry out for a mountain top experience like this one…that is until God showed me what I have every day and right at this moment.

Jesus ended the Great Commission with:

“...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)

Hebrews 13:5 says:

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

If you are a Christian then God is with you! In fact, He lives in us through His Spirit:

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)

God is with us and He lives in us. This is the blessing that comes with receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. And because He is with me, mountain top experiences come more often than I could have ever imagined.

Why Bethlehem?

Matthew 2:1a

It has become an important part of the Christmas story: That Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem, in the southern part of Israel which was called Judea. We learn about it in Christmas church plays and quite often during one of the Advent sermons during the season. We are told about how Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary had to travel from their home in Galilee because Caesar Augustus ordered a census of all the world, forcing everyone to go to the city of their family lineage. (Luke 2:1-5) But why Bethlehem, a city of little significance? What made this area so special that it was chosen by God to be the scene for the birth of His only begotten Son?

We know that God chose Bethlehem based on the words of the prophet Micah spoken around 700 years before Jesus’ birth:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me

The One to be Ruler in Israel,

Whose goings forth are from of old,

From everlasting.”

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)

As a prophet, Micah was delivering a message that came directly from God, with the early chapters of the Book of Micah speaking of God’s judgment on Israel and Judah. By chapter 5, Micah describes the coming restoration of the people which includes the birth of, “The One to be Ruler in Israel,...”: One ordained to be the savior of us all. As a representative of God, Micah is letting us know that God chose Bethlehem long before Jesus’ birth, shining a spotlight of importance on the City of David.

Before moving on, let me acknowledge that in the Old Testament the City of David was Jerusalem, whereas in the New Testament it is Bethlehem. Jerusalem became the City of David after King David conquered it, taking it from the Jebusites as described in 2 Samuel 5:6-9. According to verse 5 of the same chapter, King David ruled over Israel and Judah with Jerusalem as his capital city for 33 of his 40 years as king. Bethlehem, located just south of Jerusalem (according to Britannica.com), was near the area where David was born and grew up. It was also near where David was anointed king (1 Samuel 16). As the city of his birth it is easy to see why Bethlehem might be called the City of David just like its cousin to the north.

According to a number of sources the word Bethlehem comes from Bet Lehem in the Hebrew language, which means “House of Bread.” The writers at Biblestudytools.com believe this is due to the climate of the area which helped it constantly have bountiful harvests. For Christians the name is an instant reminder of Jesus describing Himself as the bread of life in John 6:35. The “House of Bread” was also an area where the sacrificial lambs were raised for use in the temple in Jerusalem according to a number of sources. And here we are reminded that Jesus was the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29), set apart to be sacrificed for all of our sins. So there was quite a bit of significance to Bethlehem being the city of Jesus’ birth.

Why Bethlehem? By God’s divine authority and perfect will, the insignificant farming community became one of the most significant towns on earth. Its name and history would foreshadow the One who  came to save us all from our sins. Bethlehem: the City of David, the House of Bread and most important, the birthplace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that is why we talk about Bethlehem every year at Christmas.

Can They See the City on the Hill?

It was really kind of strange looking, sitting there in the midst of the other train cars. I noticed it as we passed through the railyard early one morning. It was dark outside and all of the other train cars had their lights on both inside and out. But then there was this one, sitting there waiting to go in for repairs. I’m not sure what was wrong with it but it was the only one with all of its lights turned off. The passenger lights on the inside? They were turned off. The lights on the outside that let other trains see it? They were turned off too. Even the signs that normally light up to tell waiting passengers where this train was going were turned off. It was just there among its siblings, completely dark and it really looked very strange.

If that one train car looked so strange sitting among the others with its lights off, how odd would a city look if it were completely dark when it was supposed to be all lit up? Imagine, we would likely be able to see that something was there: perhaps a building or two or three. But without light would that city be the least bit inviting? Would it hint at the existence of life or just leave us wondering what happened? I suspect it would look very strange, not unlike that train car sitting there dead in the rail yard. It definitely wouldn’t resemble anything that Jesus talked about.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14

This is how Jesus describes His followers. We are the light of the world: a brightly lit city on a hill where all can see. That light, shining brightly through those who love the Lord, is the light of God Himself. Its impact is a result of His presence, changing the believer from the inside and then drawing others who are in turn changed by His love. We should stand out but not because of our own efforts. In fact, I fear that many who call themselves “Christians” simply look weird because they are like that dark train car, not relying on the true light of Christ. They should be the city on a hill but instead they are hidden behind a blanket of self-effort and erroneous teaching.

I confess that there have been many times in my Christian walk where I think the lights were all turned out…by me. I’d much rather be that city that cannot be hidden and to do so I know I must be fully surrendered and reliant upon my Lord Jesus Christ. How about you? Can those around you see the city on the hill?

What Did Matthew Believe About Baby Jesus?

Matthew 1:22-25

After describing what the angel said about baby Jesus, Matthew explains how he believed that the birth of Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the promise given in Isaiah 7:14:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (NKJV)

Matthew also believed Joseph’s reasons for not putting his wife away and how Joseph obeyed the command that was given to him by the angel. Both Joseph and Matthew knew that this was an angel (a messenger) of the Lord and I suspect they both saw the angel’s words as having the same effect as if God had said them directly Himself. I suspect Mary had the same understanding.

Because Matthew believed this to be the fulfillment of the promise, he also believed that the child born to Mary and Joseph was Immanuel (God with us) whom Matthew would meet in person almost thirty years later. Matthew believed that Jesus was God and that He is our Savior. His description of the early relationship between Mary and Joseph along with the words of the angel serve to reveal these aspects of Jesus’ true nature. Here in a few short verses we have the angel’s point of view, Joseph’s point of view and Matthew’s, with all of them pointing to one conclusion. Jesus is God and He is our savior.

What Did The Angel Say About Baby Jesus?

In Matthew 1:18-21 an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, giving him guidance on how to handle what must have been shocking (and somewhat hard to believe) news. His betrothed was pregnant and it wasn’t his. Not only that but she claimed that she had done nothing wrong. In fact, she said that she was serving the Lord. It would have been a difficult situation for any couple but to truly understand Joseph’s predicament, we must look at the difference between what we call today a period of engagement versus the step of betrothal and what that meant for any couple back then.

A quick glance at a number of different sources reveals that back then being betrothed was the first of two steps in a Jewish marriage. This step involved an official and very public commitment to each other, marking the moment at which the couple became husband and wife. The agreement was binding and the only way out of it was either to get a divorce or to die. And so I suspect that from Joseph’s point of view, Mary had to have committed adultery and it was his right to make a public example of Mary. Under the Law he could have had her stoned to death but that’s not what Joseph wanted.

As he struggles with what he should do, looking for a way to break things off with his wife without dragging her through the mud, Joseph falls asleep and has a dream in which an angel appears before him. The angel tells him to stop worrying about it and to take his wife. In other words the angel was telling Joseph to complete the second step of a Jewish wedding as was custom at the time. Normally, after the betrothal, the husband would prepare a home to which he would bring his wife. I’m guessing the home was ready (or nearly ready) and the angel tells Joseph to take his wife home. In doing so the angel explains that the child was of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). He also tells Joseph that Mary would have a son: so much for waiting to be surprised.

Finally the angel tells Joseph that he should name the child Jesus and that this son,”...will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NKJV) By declaring this, the angel gives Joseph a quick glimpse into Jesus’ true nature. This Jesus was declared to be the Savior, a declaration made by an angel who was serving as God’s messenger. In fact that is the meaning of the word angel: God’s messenger. What a message this particular angel delivered to a simple Jewish man and as God’s messenger, this angel’s words carried the same force as if they were spoken by God Himself

This Jesus is Savior and I believe Matthew was called by God to describe this scene for us so that we, like Joseph, can catch a glimpse of Jesus’ true nature and of how He is seen from a heavenly perspective. Today what we as followers of Christ declare is the message of the angel, that Jesus saves His people: the people of God and God’s children. Do you take this angel at his word? Do you truly understand that Jesus is the Savior of His people and of the world?

Saved By One

It’s a well known Old Testament story. In Genesis 19 two angels show up at the gate of Sodom where they find Lot sitting there doing…well…the Bible doesn’t tell us but he is there. He immediately stands up and invites these angels to spend the night at his house. Eventually the angels agree to do so but their evening is interrupted when the men of Sodom surround the house looking for trouble. In the end, the Angels escape, dragging Lot and his family behind them, and God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Before this all happened, these same angels visited Abraham (Genesis 18). This time the LORD was with them and Abraham saw three men approaching. During their visit with Abraham, God tells him what He has in store for Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham intercedes on behalf of the cities, with God eventually promising that if He finds ten righteous people in Sodom He will spare the city. Imagine, had there been ten people who feared God, God would have spared the city. But there were not ten and Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.

The Gospel tells us that salvation is available to all because of ONE righteous man. The Bible tells us that as God surveys the earth, He finds zero righteous people. In fact, all of our good deeds and good living are but filthy rags before the Lord (Isaiah 64:6). All have sinned (Romans 3:23) and none of us can pay the price needed to avoid the punishment we deserve because of our sin. Like the men of Sodom we all should face destruction and there are not ten righteous for whom God would spare us. But there is one: Jesus Christ whose death on the cross paid for all of our sins.

The presence of ten righteous people would have protected Sodom. Today, there is one righteous man through whom salvation is available. In Christ Jesus we are saved by One.

Another Helper

In Exodus 23:20-24, God promises that an Angel would help the people of Israel. By this time God had already moved the people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. They were now at the foot of Mount Sinai, receiving instructions from God through Moses in preparation for advancing towards the Promised Land. These instructions gave insight on how they were supposed to live once they reached the Promised Land. In Exodus 23:20-24 God speaks of an Angel who would go before Israel, clearing the path for them to move into the Promised Land. Who is this Angel and does this promise foreshadow a similar one in the New Testament? Let’s find out.

In order to get a better understanding of this passage I think we must look at the definition of an angel. Simply put, an angel is a messenger from God. Quoting the Bible Project:

The word “angel” in the Bible is translated from the Hebrew word malach and the Greek word angelos, both meaning “messenger.” God sends angels to warn, comfort, and guide people by communicating his messages to them.

I checked a number of different sources and all agree that an angel is a messenger sent by God. Some sources seem to limit the use of angel to what we usually think of: a powerful creature that looks like a man with wings. But there are also a number of sources that apply the use of “angel” to any messenger, including people, like pastors. The Angel in Exodus 23 is clearly a powerful being, sent to “cut off” the nations that the people of Israel would find already dwelling in the Promised Land, meaning He most likely is not human. (By the way, the people of Israel seemed to have forgotten about this promise when they heard about the “giants” that lived in the Promised Land.)

God says that His name will be in this Angel and this Angel will have the power to choose not to pardon their transgressions. I find that aspect of this Angel to be very interesting as, according to Jewish tradition, only God has the power to forgive or to not forgive sins (see Luke 5:17-26, specifically verse 21). This makes me wonder if this Angel is actually The Son of God, going before the people in order to deliver them into the land. Looking at a handful of Bible Commentaries reveals an agreement that this is likely the Angel of the Covenant with many of them also seeing this as being the second Person of the Trinity.

So we have here God’s promise that He will send an Angel (possibly His Son) to guide the people. This Angel was sent to help them reach and take the Promised Land if they trusted in God and followed His teachings. He was to be their helper as they followed God’s calling, doing whatever was needed to help them succeed. As such this promise sounds a lot like the promise Jesus makes to us in John 14:15-17 where He promises to send another comforter.

Jesus was/is the first comforter, sent to deliver us from sin and death and into the promised rest given by God. He promised to send another comforter, the Spirit of Truth (The Holy Spirit) who lives with and in those who follow Jesus. I think that the similarities between these two promises shows that God never intended for us to live this life without His help but if we do not accept His help then that is on us.

God wants to help us follow His will. He wants to walk with us and work in us in order to help us receive His ultimate promise: the Kingdom of God which is our true home. Remember that if you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior, He has sent another Helper to you. Believe in God and let Him lead you forward.

“as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,”

2 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

Which is More Important? God’s Love or God’s Glory?

I wrote the following in my personal journal about six years ago. Let me know what you think? Do you agree? Contact me on Twitter  (@denniswcoleman) or via email (dcwriter1@hotmail.com) and yes I know it’s no longer called Twitter.

Which is More Important? God’s Love or God’s Glory?

God spoke to my heart this morning, correcting an error I have long carried. I have always seen Him as about His glory first, me second. God challenged me to reconcile this with Christ. Christ gave up what He had in Heaven, taking on human flesh which clothed His glory. The creator made himself like the created. He endured humiliation and pain even though He could call an army of angels to His side for battle. He died on the cross that I might live. These are not the actions of someone Who puts His own glory first. My erroneous view cannot be reconciled with Christ.

God is love. This is what was demonstrated in Christ, especially at the cross. This is the truth. This is God, who loves me. Yes He is to be glorified but somehow He can do so while putting His children (including me) first. He loved me first, making it easy to set aside His glory for the cross. That love is still strong. I must learn to live as if God loves me, not as if He puts His glory first.

Like Christ, Waiting for the Answer

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

Hebrews 10:12-13

Sometimes waiting is hard. As a Christian it’s sometimes hard to maintain my faith as I wait for God to answer a prayer and/or to fulfill one of His promises. Yet, it is important that we all remain patient and wait on God, trusting in His perfect timing. And we’re not the only ones waiting for the Father to do His thing.

Hebrews 10:12-13 tells us that Christ, after offering Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, sat down at the right hand of God. There He waits for the Father to fulfill a promise that is first written in Psalm 110:1.

The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

Hebrews 10:13 seems to imply that this promise was not yet fulfilled when the verse was written and I believe that it is not yet fulfilled today, at least not here on earth. So Jesus is waiting patiently for the Father to complete the work of making His enemies His footstool and He has been waiting at least since His resurrection. Now that's what I call being patient. Is it possible that we, as His children, can show that same kind of patience?

Who Do You Love More?

In the first 6 verses of Zechariah 7 God asks the people if their fasts were about Him or about them. He then describes what should have been the results of fasts and prayers and of lives lived in a way that is God centered. What should have happened if they were about God? They should have obeyed what God told them to do when they were still on their land and still blessed with all God had given them. In essence, God is saying here, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

Israel was blessed because God loved them. He asked them to return that love and described what this should look like. Jesus has given the gift of salvation because God loves us (John 3:16). All He asks is that we love Him in return. This means believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, which is how we get saved. It also means keeping His commandments which is the outflowing of a heart that loves the Lord.

So, who do you love more? How you live reveals the answer.

“Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?

Zechariah 7:5

God Delights In Mercy, Even in the Old Testament

It’s a conversation I’ve had many times and it usually starts with the statement, “The God of the Old Testament seems so different from the God of the New Testament.” The person making this statement usually goes on to talk about how God seems so judgmental and harsh in the Old Testament and so forgiving in the New Testament. They point to times when people died for sinning against God, like in 2 Samuel 6:6-8 when Uzzah touched the ark and was immediately struck down. Even David was a little ticked off about that one. While it’s a little confusing to say that the God who forgives would do such a thing, the fact is that it is the same God. Therefore, we must reconcile these acts of judgment with the forgiveness that is found throughout the New Testament, lest we misunderstand the true nature of our God.

Who is a God like You,

Pardoning iniquity

And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,

Because He delights in mercy.

Micah 7:18 (NKJV)

Micah believed that the God of his time (in the Old Testament) was a God who forgave sins. Micah describes God as one who “delights in mercy.” Other translations use the words “Grace,” “steadfast love” and “loving-kindness,” Some even use both “mercy” and “loving-kindness” together. In Micah’s eyes the God of the Old Testament was more like what we think of about the God of the New Testament.

Keep in mind that Micah wrote this after prophesying of the judgment which was to fall upon Judah and Israel (Micah chapters 1-3), so the prophet was not overlooking the fact that God at times will unleash His anger upon those who sin against Him. But Micah also understood the fact that God is a just God and that the people of his nation had earned their sentence of death because of their iniquities. That being said, Micah trusted that God would have compassion and would cast their sins into the sea (verse 19).

Micah’s God was the God of the Old Testament. His God was also a God of mercy and compassion who loves His people and forgives them of their sins. This same Old Testament God gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins because He loved the world (John 3:16) and while at times it may be difficult to accept, God has not changed. He is Lord in every book of the Bible. He was a God of mercy in the Old Testament and He is a God of mercy in the New Testament. And right now He wants to show you how much He loves and cares about you.