90 Days: Numbers: 21:8-32:19

·      Sometimes God want us to wander this is not bad. Learn. (Numbers 22)

·      Remember this is not home. (Numbers 22)

·      God protects those He blesses (Numbers 22)

·      You cannot control God. His will be done. (Numbers 23)

·      God likes to bless His people in difficult moments to reveal His strength. (Numbers 23)

·      Don’t use your spirituality for earthly profit. (Numbers 24)

·      Do not compromise your faith because of lure of pleasure. (Numbers 25)

·      God is jealous.  He will not be mocked. (Numbers 25)

·      Character matters more than talent. (Numbers 25)

·      The heart matters more than strength. (Numbers 25)

·      The Lord disciplines those He loves. (Numbers 25)

·      Sometimes it is healthy to know how little you really are. (Numbers 26)

·      Be fair and just with others. (Numbers 27)

·      At times our failures will only allow us to see what could have been. (Numbers 27)

·      The people need a shepherd. (Numbers 27)

·      Pass on leadership well. (Numbers 27)

·      God is not concerned with what is most efficient but obedience (Numbers 29)

·      Remember what He has done. (Numbers 29)

·      Keep your word.  Be honest even when it costs you something. (Numbers 30)

·      Follow God even when a easier option presents itself (Numbers 32)

Choices

Have you ever had a moment in your life when you look back over a

section of time and think about how things could have been. . .if

‘If I would have only changed my approach things could have been

different.”

“If only I wouldn’t have said those words. “

It is when we look back over our lives that we can often see the axis points of life, those moments or decisions that actually determine the reality that we live in today.

Maybe today and you are able look back over your life and see with absolute clarity the moments and the words you said that damaged a relationship with your family or friends.

Maybe you can look back at an investment and say. “If I only bought that stock then it would have changed the reality I live in today.”

Maybe you are like me and you are thinking why did I pick Brett Favre on my fantasy football team?

Well for many of us, it is easy to look back over seasons of our lives and recognize those moments, those axis points where our past choices have directed our lives one way or another. 

But it is far more difficult to recognize and choose wisely when you are living in these moments right now today.

           

What choices are you making today?  Even the little choices can effect our lives in ways we may never know.  Read the book of Jonah this week and think about how his choices effected the direction of his life.  Ask this question: “What could have been if Jonah chose differently?  Choose wisely today.  Your choices today matter more than you may realize.

90 Days: Numbers 8:15-21:7

·      The Lord will take us when He wants us.  Sometimes this appears like a tragedy from our perspective (Numbers 8)

·      When in question our first instinct should be to ask the Lord for answer (Numbers 9)

·      God is full of grace for the challenges that come in the circumstances of life.  But He is less gracious with disobedience. (Numbers 9)

·      Live in a way that follows the leadings of God.  Don’t ask Him to come along on your journey. (Numbers 9)

·      The Lord your God is your rescuer (Numbers 10)

·      The Lord wants us to remember the great things He has done (Numbers 10)

·      Sometimes the Lord will break up our comfort to see if we will follow Him (Numbers 10)

·      “If you come with us we will share whatever good things the Lord gives us.” Numbers 10:32 This would be a good church mission statement.

·      Be careful when complaining to God (Numbers 11)

·      Do not remember the past as better that it really was.  You were a slave but now you are free. (Numbers 11)

·      Leadership is hard (Numbers 11)

·      The Spirit of God brings unity (Numbers 11)

·      If you lead people will take shots at you and your family.  How you handle this says a lot about your leadership and who you follow. (Numbers 12)

·      Pray for those who persecute you. (Numbers 12)

·      If you focus on the challenges of a new opportunity you will never seize what “should have been.” (Numbers 13)

·      Live by faith not by fear.  Fear focus on what I cannot do.  Faith focuses on what God can do. (Numbers 13)

·      Do not rebel against the Lord or be afraid of the challenges that lie ahead (Numbers 14)

·      A great leader stands strong in the weak moments of the people he is leading. (Numbers 14)

·      The Glory of all we accomplish is not ours.  It is God’s (Numbers 14)

·      “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.  Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.” (Numbers 14:18)

·      The Lord judges us on the position of our heart, our spirit, and our decision to follow Him wholeheartedly. (Numbers 14)

·      Do not fight solely on your own strength.  Make sure God is with you.  Do not react out of guilt (Numbers 14)

·      Wear physical items that remind you of spiritual truths and keep you from following the lusts of this earth. (Numbers 15)

·      Do not steal the Glory of God to look better to others. (Numbers 20).

The Lost Art of Blessing Others

One lesson that emerged to me as I have been reading through Scripture over the past weeks is the importance of blessing others that are coming behind us.

Every human being needs blessing. 

This is most clearly seen in the life of Jacob.  In Genesis 27 Jacob longed for the blessing of Isaac (his father) so much that he stole it from his brother Esau.    In Genesis 29 Jacob searched for blessing in the beauty of his wife Rachel.  Finally in Genesis 32 Jacob wrestled with God.  During that event, Jacob refused to let go until God gave him a blessing.  It is in that moment that Jacob’s life changed.  The search for his blessing was over. 

As I read through those pages, it reminded me of the importance of passing on blessing to others. 

If you are a parent and you do not pass on blessing to your children they will search for it in many other places. 

If you are an employer and you do not bless your employees they will leave you and search for blessing in other places of work. 

If you have friends that you never bless they will never be truly close.

Every human being needs blessing.

Jacob understood.  That is why at the end of his life he passed his blessing on to his sons.  In Genesis 49 we read about the blessings he gives to each of his 12 sons. 

This week I encourage you to bless those who are coming behind you. 

Take your daughter out on a date this weekend and tell her how beautiful she really is.   When I do this with my daughters I can visibly see their cup being filled. 

Take and employee out for lunch and tell them what they do well.  God has blessed them. Remind them of the talents that He has given them. 

Finally, thank the Lord for the blessing of today.  I am aware that I am so blessed that my problems would be considered a blessing to many others.  Thank Him for what he has given you today.

90 Days: Leviticus 26:27-Numbers 8:14

· Sometimes the Lord wants us to eat but not be satisfied (Leviticus 26)

· God will punish us for disobedience (Leviticus 26)

· The Lord will remember his promises if we repent and humble ourselves (Leviticus 26)

· A tithe of everything we own belongs to the Lord (Leviticus 27)

· We all have a role in the kingdom of God (Numbers 1)

· Be faithful even in the details (Numbers 2)

· Priests are set apart. They are not businessmen or entertainers (Numbers 3)

· Remove impurity from your life (Numbers 5)

· Confess your sin when you wrong others and seek restitution. (Numbers 5)

· Be faithful to your husband/wife. If you are not it will bring pain and shame on both of you. (Numbers 5).

· Be careful to act wisely when feelings of jealousy come over you (Numbers 5)

· “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6)

The Lost Art of Honoring Others

Recently, I have been engaged in a 90-day reading plan of the entire Bible.   (It is going to take me longer than 90-days but that is life.)  One big lesson that has emerged to me as I read through Genesis and Exodus is the idea of honoring others. 

Throughout these books there are incredible stories of individuals who choose to honor those around them; even people who seemingly do not deserve to be honored because of their actions. 

As I thought about this, it seems very counter-cultural to honor others in the world we live in.  Last week I had a conversation with a business leader who described the competitiveness of his current work culture.  Over breakfast he said to me:  “It is either up or out.  There is no in-between. “

I have been reflecting on that and wondering how many times I have acted in a dishonoring fashion because of my own ambition.  “Up or out” leaves very little room for honor.

As you think about this today take a few minutes to think about the people in your life that deserve to be honored.  It may be your parents, your boss, your wife or your pastor.  Take a moment and honor these people in your life. 

Write a note, send an email or simply pull them aside and tell them what they mean to you.  Let them know how much you appreciate them and lift them up.  Also, take a moment to honor the Lord in your heart.  Leviticus 10 says that the Lord will be honored.  He is not just friend; the Lord is your King.  Give him Honor today.

90 Days: Leviticus 14:33-26:26

·      There are a lot of things that make us unclean (Leviticus 15)

·      Uncleanness pushes us away from God presence (Leviticus 15)

·      Do not sacrifice to any other Gods (Leviticus 17)

·      Do not adjust your morals to fit the culture you live in (Leviticus 18)

·      Do not let sex bring you or others dishonor or pain (Leviticus 18)

·      “Be Holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19)

·      Respect your father and mother (Leviticus 19)

·      Make the time to rest.  Trust that God will provide (Leviticus 19)

·      Give some of your profits to poor (Leviticus 19)

·      God has a heart for the poor and alien.  Take care of these (Leviticus 19)

·      Be honest and true in the way your treat others. (Leviticus 19)

·      Do not seek revenge; love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19)

·      “The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born, Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt.” (Leviticus 19)

·      Remember and celebrate what God has done in your life (Leviticus 23)

·      Do not take advantage of each other. (Leviticus 25)

·      Treat others well because of the respect you have for God (Leviticus 25)

·      Blessing follow obedience (Leviticus 26)

·      Pride =your strength will be spent in vain. (Leviticus 26)

Theology Club: Future Things

The return of Christ is a definite future event during which the glorified Jesus will come to take His bride home and finally judge the people of the earth according to their sins.  Jesus himself said, “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mt 24:30).  From Scripture it is clear that the return of Christ will be a complete surprise (Mt 24&25).  Jesus Christ the Savior and the Son of God will come like a thief in the night and no one will know the day or the hour (1 Thess 5:2). 

I believe that because of this surprising return of Christ and the promises given to the church in Thessalonica by Paul, the church will be delivered or raptured prior to the great tribulation (1 Thess 1:10).  In an almost simultaneous event, the dead in Christ will be raised first and then the living followers of Christ will follow to meet Jesus in the air  (1 Thess 4-5). 

After the rapture, there will be a 7-year period of tribulation during which Israel will be given one last chance to finally accept Jesus Christ as Lord.  At the end of the tribulation, Christ will return to imprison Satan and begin the thousand-year millennium (Rev. 19-20).  After a thousand years of peace, Satan will be released, defeated, and cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:7-10).  Following that, every unbeliever will be judged and cast into the lake of fire as well. 

Finally, believers will be freed of evil and will be able to enjoy their Creator for eternity.  Heaven and earth will be destroyed and a new heaven and earth will be created for man and God to enjoy forever (Rev 21-22, 2 Pt 3:14).

90 Days: Leviticus 1:1-14:32

·      Bring your best to God. (Leviticus 1)

·      He does not care about how much you have. (Leviticus 1)

·      Make your life an aroma pleasing to the Lord (Leviticus 2)

·      Our sin can effect others (Leviticus 4)

·      We are guilty of sin even if sin unintentionally (Leviticus 4)

·      Sin is messy. (Leviticus 4)

·      It is a sin to not speak up and share the truth (Leviticus 5)

·      It is freeing to confess your sins. (Leviticus 5)

·      Ignorance is not an excuse for sin.  We cannot say I did not know and expect grace. (Leviticus 5)

·      Return anything that you steal. (Leviticus 6)

·      Do not let the fire burn out. (Leviticus 6)

·      The Lord will be honored. (Leviticus 10)

·      You must distinguish between the holy and the common. (Leviticus 10)

·      I am the Lord your God.  Be holy because I am holy. (Leviticus 11)

Theology Club: Church

The church is the gathering of believers into one body under the headship of Christ.  The church did not exist until after the resurrection of Christ. Believers from every race and country are united in Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:12-20).  This “body” of believers originated at Pentecost and is under the headship of Christ (Acts 2:1-4; Eph. 1:22).

The church universal is the unified sum of every believer throughout time, distance, and knowledge.  This group of people are described as the bride of Christ and are anxiously awaiting the return of their bridegroom, Christ (Eph. 5, 1 Thess 4:13-18). 

The local church is the visible manifestation of the church universal.  Local churches have been recorded since the New Testament and have gathered in various buildings for the purpose worshipping God, studying His word, and encouraging each other (Rom 16:5, Gal 1:2, 2 Cor 2:1).  Local churches are part of the church universal and carry out the mission of the universal church (Acts 20: 28).

One of the most important works of the Holy Spirit is the dispensing of spiritual gifts.  Every true believer in Christ is given spiritual gifts in order to help “prepare the people for works of service, so that the body of Christ will be built up”  (Eph. 4:12).  The spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit and cannot be earned or developed by man alone.  Each believer has an important role in the body of Christ and is given a gift or gifts accordingly (Rom 12:3-26).  The purpose of spiritual gifts are to glorify Christ and to promote growth in the body of Christ  (Eph. 4:8; 4:12).

The topic of the miraculous sign gifts is very controversial and greatly debated among theological circles today.  Some support the present use of the miraculous gifts while others hold that such gifts ceased with the end of the early church period.  Personally, I feel that there is not enough evidence to support the claim that the gifts ceased during the early church period.  I feel that the evidence some use to support this view is not fully conclusive (2 Cor. 2:20, 1 Cor. 12-14, 2 Cor. 12:12, Eph. 2:20). 

Even though I am not convinced that the miraculous gifts ceased, I do not believe that every such experience is valid.  I have observed many so called “miraculous experiences” which cause confusion, disorder, and fear.  In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul gives instruction for orderly worship.  I believe that if the gifts are used publicly, they should be presented in the orderly way described by Paul.  If the gifts are still available today, it is clear that they are not something to be achieved or earned.  Instead, they must be presented in an orderly fashion, and they must bring glory to our Savior Christ.

The ordinances of the Church are outward rituals which symbolize inward changes in the believer’s life.  The two ordinances of the church are baptism and communion.  Baptism is a believer’s symbolic witness of his acceptance of Christ as his personal Savior.  Baptism was commanded by Christ but is not a requirement for salvation (Mt 28:19-20, Acts 3:17-26).  The method of baptism recorded in the New Testament Scriptures was immersion, which signifies the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ  (Rom 6:3-4, Acts 18:8).

Communion is the celebration of Christ’s redemptive work.  The bread and wine are symbols of Christ’s body and blood; the sacrifice for man’s sin.  The practice of communion gives the church time to remember the work of Christ, provides unity in the body, and provides hope as we wait to have supper once again with our Lord Jesus Christ (Mt 26:26-30, 1 Cor. 11:23-30).

The mission of the church is two-fold.  The first purpose of the church is to bring glory to God (Eph. 1:5-14).  This is done through worship, prayer, and study of the Scriptures.  The church is called to worship the Creator boldly, honestly, and with pure hearts. 

The second purpose of the church is to love people.  We are called to love both those far from God and our fellow believers.  Evangelism, or love for those far from God, must be present in the modern church.  The Church is called to be the salt and light of the earth and we are commanded to go and make disciples of every nation (Mt 28:19-20, 5:13-16, 28:19).  Discipleship must also be present in a healthy church.  As a result, the church must create a biblical community of faith which helps nurture pure and mature followers of Jesus Christ  (Jude 20, Eph 4:2-24).

90 Days: Exodus 29:1-40:38

·      Ministers are set apart.  This is not just another job. (Exodus 29)

·      The penalty of sin is death. (Exodus 29)

·      God is very specific at times. Exodus 29)

·      We are very dirty compared to God. (Exodus 30)

·      Give your best to the Lord (Exodus 31)

·      God is the giver of gifts.  He chooses. (Exodus 31)

·      Remember that God has done.  Honor the Sabbath.  This has not been done by your strength. (Exodus 31)

·      We often make bad mistakes when we are impatient.  (Exodus 32)

·      Be faithful.  Don’t forget what God has done. (Exodus 32)

·      Sometimes people are impossible to lead.  Keep doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord. (Exodus 32)

·      Ask God for grace on those who sin around and you. (Exodus 32)

·      Be for the Lord. (Exodus 32)

·      God punishes sin regardless of who you are.  (Exodus 32)

·      Humble yourself before God. (Exodus 33)

·      Holiness can be dangerous (Exodus 33)

·      At times blessing is conditional.  Be obedient. (Exodus 34)

·      “The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in Love and faithfulness maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness rebellion and sin.” (Exodus 34)

·      The presence of God will change you.  This may frighten others.  (Exodus 34)

·      Bless people when they obey God (Exodus 39)

·      Honor the Lord.  His presence is a blessing not a right.  Treat Him with the respect and honor He deserves.  (Exodus 40)

·      Follow the Lord wherever he takes you. (Exodus 40)

Theology Club: Can I lose Salvation?

To answer the question regarding a Christian’s assurance of salvation, one must ask himself, “Can God change His mind?”  The act of salvation is the work of God.  Man cannot choose salvation, but is rather called by God (Eph. 1:11-14).  As a result, we must ask if God can change His mind and call someone “out” of eternity with Him.  Furthermore, throughout all of Paul’s writings, he argues that salvation is not an act of man but an act of God.  Man cannot resist the call of God or earn salvation by himself.  God will have mercy on those He chooses and will harden those He chooses to harden (Rom 9:14-21).   As a result, I believe that when a person truly enters into a saving relationship with Christ, they are eternally secure because the decision is made by the unchanging, all-powerful, and secure Creator of the universe.

I do believe that a Christian can have assurance of salvation based on three evidences.  First, Scripture is clear that the work of the Holy Spirit is a testimony of one’s salvation.  For the believer, the Holy Spirit testifies, intercedes, and convicts (Rom 8:16-27).  The Spirit writes the law of God on the heart of man and serves as the strongest evidence of salvation.  Second, I believe that assurance of salvation grows in correspondence with an individual’s personal walk with Christ.  The more time one spends in any relationship, the more secure they become.  This is also true in one’s relationship with the creator. (1Jn 5:1-4).  Finally, I believe that when one has the spirit indwelling in their hearts and they are continually growing in their relationship with Christ, fruit will be evident in their life.  Such fruit will provide evidence that one has remained in Christ and should give the Christian assurance that their salvation is secure (Jn 15:1-17).