Category: Shadows (Page 20 of 25)

All but one of the messages to the churches of Asia, mentioned in Revelations, are practical. The exception is the church of Laodicea, known as the “lukewarm church.” Laodicea, now called Pankkale, was located on the south bank of the River Lycus. It was approximately 100 feet above the valley floor on a flat plateau. Today it is located in Turkey. Laodicea was in a triangle of cities along with Colossae (southeast) and Hierapolis (northeast). It was founded by the Greek king Antiochus II (261-246 BC) of Syria, who named it for his wife, Laodike. Antiochus II populated Laodicea with Syrians and Jews from Babylonia. Laodicea suffered repeated earthquakes. In 60 AD, the city was completely destroyed. Because of the wealth of the city, it was rebuilt without any relief aid. The city was able to recover by its own resources.

Laodicea was a wealthy city during the Roman period. It was known for banking, a medical school, textile industry (black wool), and famous eye and ear salve. Laodicea had been built for its defensive position overlooking the road system. It was located where three highways came together. This trade route connected important cities like Ephesus, Smyrna and Sardis. Laodicea even minted its own coinage. Its only major weakness was lack of an adequate water supply. Citizens were prideful of their wealth.

The Laodicean church was in danger of losing its impact on the world. It had become occupied with the world by leaving God outside of its culture. Laodicea was ineffective. The issue pointed out in Revelations is that if a church is not changing the culture around it, the culture will change the church. In contrast , the cities of Hierapolis offered its medicinal hot springs. Colossae offered a refreshing supply of cold water. Laodicea, had to bring its water through high-pressure stone pipes from hot springs five miles away. By the time it reached Laodicea the water was lukewarm and had a nauseating smell of minerals.

(Revelations 3:14-22)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The Book of Revelation was written during the Roman emperor Domitian’s reign (r. 81–96 AD). Domitian was notorious for being the first Roman emperor to declare himself a god while still alive. This troubled Christians, Jews and even the Roman Senate. Other emperors were made gods only after their death. Domitian persecuted anyone who would not take part in the worship of emperors and their families. Although Jews were exempt from participating, Christians were not. At first, Christianity was considered a sect within Judaism. This gave Christians a temporary exemption from emperor worship. As more Gentiles (non-Jews) converted to Christianity, the percentage of Jewish people in the Christian Church decreased. This resulted in the removal of any exemptions or special status about emperor worship. The church had to comply or face the loss of its followers.

The Christians at Laodicea were affected by Domitian’s decrees. This harmed their ability to buy and sell products and services in their city. The image of the beast mentioned in Revelation refers to the emperor. He was the beast! Christians in Laodicea could no longer buy or sell unless they had taken the mark of the beast. In other words, “accepted the godly status of Domitian.“

(Revelation 13:15-17) – “The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. “

The pressure on the rich Christians to maintain their wealth was intense. Since a great deal of Laodicea’s wealth depended upon trade, the Christian merchants were in a quandary. Would they cooperate with the imperial cult and maintain their trade associations? Would they renounce Domitian and reaffirm their faith in Christ? Many of the Laodicean Christians chose to compromise their faith. The writer of the apocalypse could say, “I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). The New King James Version translations uses the word “vomit.”  Under pressure from society and their Roman king, they changed their beliefs. It is no different than today’s churches accommodating worldly pressures against their traditional doctrine.

Today, we live in a time blessed by prosperity and freedom. Yet, the Church seems almost dead. The Church has ceased to have any major impact on large segments of society. Atheism and humanism have taken over. Government and public policy are being governed by philosophies that are antibiblical. At times, they even seem intolerant of the Truths within Scripture. Pulpits remain silent with respect to politics and trending morality so as not to alienate members. Pulpits are “lukewarm.” When was the last sermon you heard that addressed the 2,362+ abortions that occur daily in the United States?²https://www.all.org/learn/abortion/abortion-statistics/

What is the problem? Is it that people cannot deal with prosperity? With freedom and prosperity come the temptation to trust in our worldly blessings rather than to trust in the One who has provided them. When people have plenty, they need nothing. The problem is that a prosperous humanity is putting their faith in the wrong things. Christ told us to do the opposite, to lay up treasures in heaven.

(1 Tim 6:17-19) – “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

The mission of Christ’s Church is to teach those who are “rich in this present world” not to be comfortable or to fix their hope on the pleasures of this world. It will be God who provides us with all things to enjoy both now and in eternal life. To be lukewarm is to adapt to the world rather than become an agent who transforms the world. We are the wealthiest nation in the world with more churches, more Bibles, Christian literature, and Christian schools than any other nation in the world. Yet, we are losing the battle.

Why isn’t the church more effective in the world today? Is the problem with the world? Is the world to too stubborn and too blind to listen? Or could part of the problem be with us? Have we, because of materialism, political correctness, excluded the Savior from our lives? Can we no longer see that our vision must be His vision, His character our character? The Lord Himself comments within Revelation: Christ is warning the church at Laodicea, not condemning it. Christ is  giving us instructions. Christ says that trusting material wealth, worldly opinion, rather than pursuing a personal relationship with Christ is dangerous.

Other churches throughout the Roman Empire responded differently. For example, the Christians at Smyrna are applauded in the Book of Revelation for maintaining their faith despite extreme difficulty. They refused to take part in the imperial cult even though this meant affliction and poverty for them.

(Revelation 2:9) – “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.”

Our government, the media, and even our educational system impact the thinking of so much of America. They are, for the most part, intolerant of Christianity’s point of view. Leadership in both Europe and the U.S. are working for a single world government. All this is being done while the people of the world are preoccupied with comfort and pleasure, the good life. The moral climate or condition of both Europe and the U.S. is no better than the smelly water of Laodicea. According to recent polls, the values, priorities, practices, and pursuits of professing Christians and non-Christians alike, are similar. We have become lukewarm.

The Laodicean church’s “lukewarm” legacy was not its final legacy. The church survived Domitian’s reign. The city became the seat of a Christian bishop. Later in the 4th century, a Christian council was held there. Archaeologists have discovered about 20 ancient Christian chapels and churches at the site. Christ loves His Church. Our lesson is to stick to the original mission!

(Matthew 28:18-19) – “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,’”

Contemplations

• When was the last time that you heard a pulpit message about how your choices for political leadership could impact your freedom of religion? Could save your country?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is a safe message always the best message? Are there political choices that enhance or inhibit religious freedom? What about abortion as population control? Are our children being given anti-Christian messaging through our educational system?
• Are you concerned over controversy?
  • Ideas to Explore: Christ was “controversy.” Do controversies like political discourse, LGBTQIA, illegal immigrations, voting laws all upset you?  Christ upset everyone. He gave a message of “right and wrong.” There was not a middle ground, a “lukewarm” response that ever made Christ happy.  Where do you struggle with your choices and feelings?
• When was the last time that you heard a pastoral message that offended someone? 
  • Ideas to Explore: Does pointing out sin offend? Can we be “lukewarm” and still serve Christ?
• Why do we put our pastors under such pressure as to force decisions on messaging that does not offend?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is the pastor’s role to expose, to save or to include, to just minister? Does ministering to the “flock” mean always be kind and gentle? Does being “kind” mean avoiding instructions on God’s Truth?
• How do we keep a church from becoming Lukewarm?
  • Ideas to Explore: What is it within a church that inhibits honesty? Can a church serve both the world and God? 

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  https://www.all.org/learn/abortion/abortion-statistics/

There may be times when, in solemn supplication (prayer), we call out to our Creator and there is “Silence” in return. The proverbial question in life is why? To begin with, we know that God cares about His creation. God cares about you! In Isaiah 55:6, God’s Word tells us to “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” God is near, always near to us and ready to hear us.

(Psalm 34:18)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

God not only hears our prayers but is happy to respond. Listen to Isaiah 65:24, “Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.” The verse is referring to the promise of the relationship we have with God. God has extended His saving Grace to all humanity.

Matthew Henry, the theologian, says, “These are high expressions of God’s readiness to hear prayer; and this appears much more in the grace of the gospel than it did under the law; we owe the comfort of it to the mediation of Christ as our advocate with the Father and are obliged in gratitude to give a ready ear to God’s calls.”

We should never make the mistake of feeling that God is not listening. He is, and He is always guiding us, whether we can feel it or not.

(Psalm 44:21) – “would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?”

Psalm 44, composed by sons of Korah, is a lament of the people. When one of God’s people suffers, all suffer together.²The Sons of Korah were the sons of Moses’ cousin Korah. The story of Korah is found in Numbers 16. Korah led a revolt against Moses; he died, along with all his co-conspirators. God caused “the earth to open her mouth and swallow him and all that appertained to them” (Numbers 16:31-33). However, “the children of Korah died not” (Numbers 26:11). Several psalms are described in their opening verses as being by the Sons of Korah: numbers 42, 44–49, 84, 85, 87 and 88.” God knows the heart. He knows of our suffering even without our prayer.

Time

The first area to consider is the difference between our world and God’s Realm. We live in a physical world. Our world has four known space-time dimensions of length, width, height (or depth) and time. God’s Realm is not limited by the physical laws and dimensions like that of our world.

(Isaiah 57:15) – “For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’”

In Psalm 90:4, Moses gets right to the point. He describes the timelessness of God: “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” The eternity of God is beyond the comprehension of humankind. Our lives are short. We grow weaker as we age. God never weakens with the passage of time. The differences between our world and God’s Realm means:

(Proverbs 3:5) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;”

It is easy to think that the only answer that God can give to prayers is “yes.” God is not an ATM. Making a list of things we desire and expecting God to fulfill that list is like online shopping with free delivery. That is not the way it works. A prayer is not like a token to be used in the Almighty’s vending machine. Prayer starts with having a real, deep relationship with God. As we come to know God on a much deeper level, God can reveal all the reasons why He may be silent.

The Free Will Problem

Most people are quite familiar with the story of earth’s first people, Adam and Eve. Created in God’s image, they were both given “Free Will.” Free Will is the idea that humans can make their own choices in life. They can determine their own fate, and carry the responsibility for their own actions. In the case of our “first couple,” God was quite clear to them. He established boundaries and was explicit about consequences. If God knows the “secrets of the heart,” why then did He let Adam and Eve make such a poor choice? Our answer lies with the very nature of who God is! Free Will is the ability to live free not as a puppet under the control of the “Master Puppeteer.” It is the foundation of the human experience. God created us to be free! Consequences exist for every action in life. That is why understanding God’s Laws and living with Common Sense are important to the quality of life.

The thief prays not to get caught. Once caught prays not to go to jail. Once released, prays to find another victim. The gambler prays for good luck. The parent prays their sick child is healed. The widow weeps for the loss. The jobless pray for work. We have a God that can sort all this out. The amazing part about prayer is that every prayer is heard by God without bias. God’s answer is based on His Love for us. Our expectation should be that God does not answer our prayers if we ask for things He does not want us to do or to have. One important consideration is that requests should be in harmony with His Law and Word.

(Proverbs 28:9) – “If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.”

(James 4:3) – “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. “

“No” is also an answer. While we may not like the answer, “No” is an answer of love on the part of God. Especially when we ask Him for things which are not for our good or for His glory. God does not always give us what we want. He gives us what we need!

(Romans 6:28) – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

God’s answers may not be immediate. Sometimes our prayers are answered in a way that we fail to recognize. We pray for prosperity, and sometimes financial stress is given. But one day, looking back we are stronger for the test. We pray for health, and affliction is given, and we are better able to sympathize with those in need. God never makes mistakes.

When We See Suffering

Job never asked why those bad things were happening to him. The closest he ever came was when he said, “I say to God: Do not declare me guilty but tell me what charges you have against me.” (Job 10:2). Job was sharing his agony with the very God he could not understand. Suffering is a mystery. There are things we do not know the answer to and may never know until God explains all to us. In all suffering, there still is a message of compassion.

(Matthew 25:35-36) – “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me.”

As the sons of Korah in Psalm 44 so lamented, when one of us is hurting, all are hurting. We are called to notice the pain of others. The real question then becomes “How we can minister to those who are suffering?” To respond to someone’s pain, prayers give hope and glorify God. People watch Christians. They need to see a difference for the Gospel’s message to be meaningful. They will ask, “How is it that Christ is so in control of a person’s life that are able to help others?” People can become the answer to the prayers of others.

Conclusion

When we see how Jesus prayed, we find that it is not complex. We are seeking how we can please God and follow His commandments. We are asking for knowledge of His will for us.  We are asking for forgiveness. The closer we get to God, the more we can avoid sin. This helps us to see things more clearly.

(Deuteronomy 31:8) – “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Avoiding God, being angry with God, leaving God is not a good response to His silence. To hear from God, we need to be close. The right response to silence is to “lean in,” and listen for His whispers!

Contemplations

• Are you ever angry with God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Unanswered prayers. Do you see a futility in the world’s suffering? What about the state of evil in our world?
• How do you “lean in” on God?
  • Ideas to Explore: What do you do to improve your relationship with God? Read God’s Word? Study God’s Word? Fellowship with other believers?
• Do you notice the unanswered prayers of others around you?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are there people in your life that just could use a hug, your help, your own prayers?
• What are the ways we can become the “answered prayers” of others?
  • Ideas to Explore: Volunteerism, tutoring, mission work, supporting youth missions are all ways to answer someone else’s prayers. Are these part of your life?
• Jesus askes that you “trust Him into death?”
  • Ideas to Explore: How do we build that kind of trust? Does it take “Yes” only or is a “No” to a prayer or silence on a prayer strengthening your faith in Jesus? It is the only thing standing in the way of you and eternal life!
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  The Sons of Korah were the sons of Moses’ cousin Korah. The story of Korah is found in Numbers 16. Korah led a revolt against Moses; he died, along with all his co-conspirators. God caused “the earth to open her mouth and swallow him and all that appertained to them” (Numbers 16:31-33). However, “the children of Korah died not” (Numbers 26:11). Several psalms are described in their opening verses as being by the Sons of Korah: numbers 42, 44–49, 84, 85, 87 and 88.”

God’s Truth often offends people. The gospel’s message is one that asks people to change, and that can be hard to do. Others might take offense at their need for a “Savior,” someone to be subservient to bow to. In fact, Jesus pretty much promises that people will be angry at His message:

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A key component of the mission of the Church is equipping members for discipleship. What exactly does that mean? Is today’s Church focused on the right priorities? With so many people leaving the Church, it is worth our time to take a deeper look.

(Matthew 28:19-20) ¹NIV New International Version Translations– “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

From the directive in Matthew, there are good clues to help with a definition of “equipping.” The word “go” indicates that the product of the Church’s efforts is to send people out into the world around us. There is also an outward component, baptizing. Baptism is for those who have either acquired or have a knowledge of God’s Truth (Romans 10:17; 1 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 11:6). To gain such knowledge requires equipping teachers who know God’s Word. Then passing it on. That sounds simple enough but there are complications. There is always a danger that the message is being tailored for acceptance rather than to God’s Truth.

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) – “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

The pressure to sustain or grow congregations is real. Technology and music needs to wow worshipers and bring them back each week. Christian education can resemble fellowship rather than learning. Sermons must engage but not be divisive.  All this while our world is busy teaching counter messages. Many denominations are responding by adopting worldly opinions so as not to offend. Christ’s church was not meant to be a place that accepted everyone’s opinions. God’s Kingdom is NOT a democracy where everyone gets to vote on policy. Repentance is disruptive. God’s Word is disruptive.

What might be good clues to make sure God’s Truth is being taught?

(Romans 1:19) – “since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. “

Clue One: The basic reality of God is plain enough. Paul says, “Open your eyes and there it is.” God is well organized, loves diversity, is powerful and real. To deny God is to deny Truth!

(Romans 2:13-16) – “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.”

Clue Two: Some things are hard wired in us by God. Most people know there is a right and wrong. Our conscience tells us this. The conscience is like a law written in the human heart. Our world tries to tell us to ignore God, think only of yourself. What Truth will you chose to believe? It starts with us!

(John 1:!4) – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The ultimate Truth is Christ. He must be forefront in all we do. Christ didn’t come to make people happy, He came to give people life, everlasting life. Discipleship, equipping people is all about moving Christ to the front of your life!

Clue Three: God gave each of us reasoning and the Holy Spirit (revelation). Truth is knowable. Truth is not a mystery.

(Proverbs 4:26) – ” Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.”

God expects us to think, to use common sense, to be discerning. The world is not a reliable teacher. It will take observation, prayer, and knowledge of God’s Word to become an effective disciple. Hard work for the Church and for the future disciples of the Church.

Clue Four: God provided us a complete text book. It is the best “user manual” for life ever written.

(2 Timothy 3:26) – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”

Successful completion of the church’s mission requires all disciples to:

• Know and believe that All Scriptures are from God. No selective cutting and pasting allowed.
• Believe and rely on the Scriptures for their decisions. Disciples may offend some people. Remember, it is not about pleasing our world, it is all about pleasing our God!

As the most widely published book ever, external evidence supports the Bible as a book that you can rely on. The Bible’s has the benefit of about 40 main contributors. Thirty were in the Old Testament and ten in the New Testament. Within a few generations from its first writings, there were thousands of copies made. External evidence also includes many archeological discoveries. The final evidence of Scripture’s authenticity is that, although written over 1,500 years, it tells one consistent story. No human being could account for that. It’s an amazing example of the power of God.

Clue Five: It takes Jesus, front and center to equip disciples. One of the clearest and the most well know verses in the Bible is “Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.” Notice Jesus says, “I.” Jesus Christ is not a religion. He is not a ritual. Jesus did not come to give us rules and regulations. It turns out that God’s Truth is a person! Jesus came to forgive and “equip!“

Other religious leaders all say they are looking for the truth. Some say they are teaching the truth. A handful say they point to the truth or are a prophet of truth. Jesus says “I am the truth.”

What do you do with the truth once you have discovered it?

(2 Timothy 2:15) – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Consider that the average person spends 2 hours a day on social media. They spend 3.5 hours watching television, and 8 to 9 hours sleeping. Add in working, transportation time, meal prep and leisure time. Soon you begin to see one of the problems. One to two hours in church once a week can be overcome by life itself. Can you become equipped in an hour or two once a week? Jesus even tried to simplify the message:

(John 13:34-35) – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Is Jesus’ simple message enough? The world’s message is counter that of love. It is divisive, always separating people into groups. Whether by political, color, domination, economic, or heritage, love is never the goal. Winners and losers, hatred are the goals for the world. Power and corruption rein supreme. In Scriptures, a disciple is to be a learner who endeavors to obey what they have learned. To be a disciple of Christ, to become “equipped,” one must:

• Love God with all their whole being (Matthew 22:37)
• Love their families and neighbors as they love themselves (Matthew 22:39)
• Keep themselves holy and pure (Ephesians 1:4)
• Be unified with each other (1 Corinthians1:10)
• Be wise and understanding about God’s Word (Ephesians 5:17)
• Set themselves apart from the world (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
• Be prepared for the spiritual battle ahead because they must live in the world (Ephesians 6:10-20)

How would you answer the question, why are people leaving the church? Is the mission of Christ’s Church too hard? Has the world moved on? Should we no longer worry about God’s Truth? Is the Church focused on the wrong things? What about those who cannot afford to be financially generous, living on fixed income, hear the pressure to give, but are too  embarrassed to come, and my very favorite, those who do not want to be confronted with their “sin?” Are the demands just too much today? Our generation and the next generations have a few big decisions to make!

Contemplations:

• Do you believe that you are called to be a disciple for Christ?
  • Items to Explore: This is a hard question. Where does your inner faith point you? Paul says there are different gifts and do you know your gifts?  Do you believe that all people are called to be disciples? Are you comfortable with sharing your faith and teaching others about the God’s Word?
• Discipleship seems to be dependent upon a knowledge of Scripture. What do you do to learn as much as you can?
  • Items to Explore: We learn God’s Word many ways. Do you attend worship or watch online regularly? What about supplemental Bible Study? Are you an avid reader of inspirational material? Do you allocate personal time to reading God’s Word?
• Can you tell someone how your life was before Christ, how you grew to know Him and turn your life over to Him, and what life is like now?
  • Ideas to Explore: Testimonies do not have to be dramatic. Everyone has a story that relates to someone else. Being a disciple is about a willingness to share your experiences. It is also about living for Jesus. Do you really know what that entails and means?
• If someone asked you to define “God’s Truth,” what would you tell them?
  • Items to Explore: Can you be honest about sinful behavior and tell a family member or close friend how God may not approve of what they are doing? Without being judgmental, how would you point out “sin?” Are you apt to avoid controversy so not to offend someone? Can you draw a clean line between sinful behavior and Godly behavior?
• What keeps you from expanding your commitment to discipleship?
  • Items to Explore: Time, beliefs, fear?

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There is a lot of imagery in the Scriptures and there is always a danger of taking  the literal view of the message and missing the “real message.” This study looks at one example of why we should take time to reflect on what we read and to look for what is hidden between the lines.

(Luke 5:1-11)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “‘One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

The first four apostles were fishermen. They owned their own boats. As fishermen, they were like middle-class business owners of today. They had no specific religious credentials to qualify them to join Jesus. The four fishermen were living in the age of Roman oppression. Their lives included high taxes and military enforcement of Roman law. There were other forms of social conflict and economic distress in their land. The world that these fishermen lived in was a mess. Many of us today can identify with the world that the apostles lived in. It was like our own world is today, a mess.

Jesus directed Simon (soon to be Peter) to put down their nets in the “deep water.” Simon’s response begins with an age-old point of view. The men had fished all night and had nothing to show for their efforts. Their response was first to say, why bother? Why should they expect a different outcome? Yet they do what Jesus says to do. This specific response is what we all will model in the future Christian Church, to do what Jesus says to do. During an unpromising situation, the future apostles let down their nets again. When they do so, they catch a super-abundance of fish. Their old nets cannot handle the catch and begin to break.

Many people read and take a visual view of these verses. Jesus, Son of God Himself, knows all things. He even knows where the fish are. From this story, we are told that the future apostles fill their boat. They are amazed at how much Jesus knows about fishing, He must have special powers, calling Him Master and Lord.  He must be God! However, is there another message between the lines?

There is a more subtle message in this Scripture that we should not miss, its connection to the “deep water” (Greek: bathos). This idea of “deep water” occurs several other times in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings) in connection with the primordial sea, the sea that was created by God Himself that had existed from the very beginnings of time. The sea is a powerful Jewish symbol of chaos. Luke, the Gospel writer, sees his world as a chaotic and hostile place, stuck between traditional Judaism and the followers of Jesus, the repressive behavior of the Roman Empire, and conflicts within the church itself. The apostle Paul says it best when speaking of Jesus using the same Greek word, bathos. He says that nothing, not the deepest ocean, not all the world’s chaos can separate us from Christ! In other words, not even the chaotic world, Satan’s world can keep us from Christ!

(Romans 8:39) – “neither height nor depth [bathos], nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our LORD.”

Luke also uses the fishing imagery to spell out the mission for the apostles in a way well-known to them: “from now on you will be catching people.” They were familiar with “catching.” “Catching” is a very different word today. It is typically associated with disease (Webster – communicable, contagious, pestilent, transmissible, transmittable). Luke’s imagery is better because as fishermen, the future disciples could relate to the work they were being asked to do. They could understand the risks involved and the satisfaction involved in catching fish. Jesus thinks the same will be true of the mission of His Church. “Catching people from the depths of chaos within our world” will be a good thing. A lot of work, yes. Risks, yes. But the satisfaction of serving Jesus cannot be compared to any worldly pleasure. From this fishing trip, the ministry of the apostles becomes the model for the disciples and the Church itself. As the apostles pulled their nets from the sea teeming with fish in Luke 5:1-11, so the Church spreads its nets to create a new community for God.

It becomes clearer to us that Jesus is not trying to trick the fisherman into just working for Him. In this early encounter with Jesus, He is visually sharing with them the mission that they will be asked to undertake. Luke is saying that Jesus’ command to change the side of the boat that the nets were on was nothing more than a command to change His Church from an internal focus on itself (shallow water) to an external focus on the chaos within our world (deep water). Jesus is encouraging His Church to drop its nets into the chaos of life, not just fish in the shallow waters. Jesus is asking us to be witnesses to the impact that God can have on lives. He is asking His disciples take on the job of inviting people into the movement towards God’s Kingdom. We see the threat of chaos in our world today in national politics, relationships among races and ethnic communities, international relationships, and many other places. According to Luke, the Church is to continue it’s focus on the same mission established by Jesus Himself . We are share the Gospel to individuals, households, and communities as an alternative way of living.

(Revelation 2:24) – “Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,”

Here, the apostle John is praising the ministry and people of Thyatira²Thyatira – A city in the north of Lydia, on the river Lycus. The Bible mentions Thyatira and also that the Church at Thyatira is one of the seven Churches of the Book of Revelation and is also mentioned in Acts 16:14 because they have been living and acting by principles established by Christ. Because of their living by Christ’s principles, they grew wiser and better. The same should be the goal of all Christians, to desire to grow in faith and that our last works of life should be our best works. Yet Thyatira was also being impacted by wicked people. John warns those who are trying to snuff out the good living and good works of Christ’s Church. John reminds us that God knows the hearts of men, their principles, designs, frame, and temperament. He will take care of those who are interfering. The apostle encourages the church in Thyatira to keep themselves pure and undefiled and not give up on the mission. Why, because to let your guard down, is dangerous. God’s mysteries are as dangerous as the mysteries of Satan and Satan will go to unfathomable depths of deceit to disrupt the mission of the Church. When you are living (catching or fishing) in the “bathos,” the deep water, it is easy to get tired and give up.

To encourage Christ’s believers, we are reminded of how tender Christ is to His faithful servants! He lays nothing on his servants accept what is good for them. Remember, Christ loves us! There is Christ’s personal promise that an ample reward awaits those who persevere, who are victorious in the end. There is even the promise of the gift of knowledge and wisdom that can be used to survive in this chaotic world today.

Contemplations

• How do you read the Word of God?
  • Items to Explore: Do you just read the Bible? How regularly? Do you use a study guide? Is there a difference between reading God’s Word and knowing God’s Word?
• Do you ever seek the Hebrew and Greek words and their definitions to help you with clarity?
  • Items to Explore: Language in itself is dynamic. Words are added, and meaning changes. Going back to the original source has value. How would you apply this logic to everyday life? Do you think the changing definitions of familiar words are part of the Generation Gap?
• Do you participate in discussion groups?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you being taught the meaning of Scripture? How do you validate what you hear? Do you discuss, internalize, and compare Scripture’s messages to your life today?
• In what ways have you found the Bible to still be relevant in society today?
  • Ideas to Explore: When you read passages in the Bible, do you try to find comparisons in our world today? Do you use discussion groups to expand your interpretations and ideas? What are your concerns with discussion groups?
• What discourages you from the mission of the Church?
  • Ideas to Explore: Where is the Church winning? Losing? Do you have ideas on how to improve the Church, so it is successfully completing Christ’s mission?
• Where does the discouragement come from, the discouragement that would cause you to lose hope?
  • Ideas to Explore: What parts of society support Christ’s mission for His Church? What parts discourage His mission? How do you keep yourself positive on track in support of Christ’s Church?

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  NIV New International Version Translations
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  Thyatira – A city in the north of Lydia, on the river Lycus. The Bible mentions Thyatira and also that the Church at Thyatira is one of the seven Churches of the Book of Revelation and is also mentioned in Acts 16:14

The purpose of gaining knowledge and discerning the truth is so we are equipped to make good “decisions,” and take worthy and fruitful actions. Life’s decisions have eternal significance. If knowledge is critical to our salvation, who is responsible for determining the truth in knowledge, the “lips” or the “ears?” This is quite a provocative question. In decomposition, it is asking and age-old question, whether the responsibility for understanding and truth is that of the teacher, the lips, or the student, the ears? To answer that question, one must look first at the process of finding Truth.

“Reason” is the natural ability of the human mind to discover and process truth. “Revelation” is the supernatural disclosure of truth, by God through the Holy Spirit, which could not otherwise be discovered by the unaided powers of human reason. Both work together and are necessary for humanity to become knowledgeable about our world. This is important because our world is sinful and truth, whether spoken (taught)  or heard (learned), is often distorted by Satan’s bias. If we allow ourselves to simply let politicians, media or even the Internet become our source for knowledge and wisdom, we are doomed! If we accept the teachings of our institutions of higher education without challenge and if we fail to determine what is true for ourselves, our world finds itself where it is today. We are divided, believing absurd things, and sitting on the verge of societal collapse. The answer to our lead in question is both the lips and the ears are responsible!

Our Bible clearly demonstrates that God can reason, and because we are made in His image, God intends for us to use our reasoning ability to discover and contemplate what is true. Many truths, however, can only come via revelation. Revelation and reason cannot be separated from the life of the Christian. The world calls upon our reasoning abilities to prove that their view is correct, justification by reason. The Holy Spirit teaches us to depend on God’s Word for guidance. This should not surprise us, since we know that the Holy Spirit is the divine author of the Scriptures themselves.

(1 Corinthians 2:6-16)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ — the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ”

Reason and revelation form the doorway and the gate to truth when they rest on the foundation of God’s Word. Our educational systems have stripped God from the classroom and our society is effectively stripping God from the family. Satan must be pleased. That leaves our world with little hope. Truth, God’s truth, is the only path to eternal life. Part of that truth is that God Himself, incarnate as Jesus Christ, came to remove all encumbrances from our relationship with Him. We have been granted the grace to seek a full pardon and enter an eternal relationship of love and peace with God. That is the perfection of the Trinity at work—God in three persons, working together to teach us what is True.

Human reason connected to revelation is evidenced by the fact that we are frequently called upon to decide between true revelation and false revelation. How can we be discerning, apart from using reason? Blind belief is unworthy unless it is consistent with God’s reasoning. It would be foolish to believe everything without applying reason to test its believability or truthfulness. Likewise, it is arrogant to assume that everything must be accepted by human reason before it can be accepted as God’s Word, or Truth. It is important for us to have a biblical perspective on life because the Scriptures answer the important questions of life. A biblical perspective will cause us to love God more and help us handle life’s trials:

(James 1:2-3, 12) – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

The Holy Spirit teaches us dependence on God’s Word for guidance which will protect us from errors in judgment. A biblical perspective is not about being right but about knowing how to live right (truthfully). Not every problem in life is clearly addressed in the Scriptures. Sometimes there is no answer. There, we must rely on common sense in discerning what to do.

An example might be the world’s approach to abortion. It is hard to conclude any other position from the Scriptures other than that abortion must be opposed. Yet, we live in a world of free will and democracy. All have the right to their own opinion. Reason and revelation should lead Christians to seek God’s Truth in determining their opinion and not fall victim to the world’s claim of personal choice.

How do we know when reason and revelation are present, working together as God has intended?

• When the Holy Spirit is present, there is confidence and courage, even in the face of opposition. The presence of the Holy Spirit encourages Christians to stand up to those who would disparage God’s Truth and to stand up for Christ and the gospel. This is especially true for our leaders.
• When the Holy Spirit is present, there is a dependence on Scripture. The Holy Spirit and Scripture always go together and become the foundation of God’s Truth.
• When the Holy Spirit is present, past failures will be forgotten, forgiveness will be present, and we move on. Our world needs Christ’s witnesses focused on God’s future, not dwelling on the past.
• When the Holy Spirit is present, there is a focus on Christ and the gospel. This is done by repenting and committing ourselves to Christ’s mission for His Church. The mission is simply to equip disciples and share Christ. It will be the Holy Spirit who turns a simple conversation into an opportunity to share the gospel. Remember, only when necessary, use words! And yes, there is one more component to the mission. Christ came to help the widows, orphans, and poor, also adding this to the mission of His Church.
• When the Holy Spirit is present, God’s Kingdom wins. All gain the wisdom and understanding of God’s revelation of Himself in His Word. God’s Truth becomes known, and there is a noticeable lack of divisiveness because we are all One with Christ!

Contemplations

• Do you agree with our answer to our introductory question: The responsibility for knowledge belong to both the lips and the ear?
  • Items to Explore: How should we question what we hear in and around us? What are our sources, lips, that influence our knowledge base, our beliefs? Are the sources, lips, reliable? What responsibilities do we have to demand that institutions of learning put God back into our children’s teaching? How do we fix the “family?”
• How do you use reason and revelation to sort out what you hear?
  • Items to Explore: Are you generally questioning? Do you look for opposing opinions? How do you tell an opinion from a fact? Do you ever revisit your opinions, beliefs?
• How can someone use Scriptures to help their reasoning capabilities?
  • Items to Explore: Do you ever take worldly opinions and check them against God’s Truth? Do you know how to seek God’s Truth for yourself?
• Have you ever given your beliefs an audit, of sorts, and compared them against God’s Truth?
  • Items to Explore: Do you tend to form and opinion and stick to it for life? Have you ever been wrong about something that you initially believed in? (be truthful here) How did you deal with knowing you were wrong in the past?
• What does it take for you to change an opinion?
  • Items to Explore: Beliefs are often deeply rooted, formed from events even back to our childhood. Changing them to be consistent with God’s Truth  requires honesty, hard work and practice. Think about the process that you might try to validate your concerns and then change them to be consistent with Scripture.

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  NIV New International Version Translations

The United States is a country who puts on its currency, “In God We Trust.” Yet, the US is heavily in debt.  Is debt bad?  Do we really trust God? This study will look at what our Bible says about debt.

Where did it all start?

In September 1789, Alexander Hamilton, then-Secretary of the Treasury, negotiated terms with the Bank of New York and the Bank of North America to borrow $19,608.81 (about $600,000 in today’s dollars) to address shortfalls within the U.S. budget. This was the first time that the United States spent more than it took in and created a National Debt. If the federal government spends more than it receives as tax revenue in any given fiscal year, it adds to the National Debt¹https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/national-debt. If revenues are greater than spending, the government can use the surplus to pay down some of the existing national debt. The two ways to reduce debt are to increase taxes or reduce spending, both of which impact economic growth. How have we done? There is the National Debt Clock. Since it changes minute by minute, there is no way to publish an amount. Trust me here, it does not go down, only up!

Who does the US owe money to?

Two groups hold US debt,  the government itself and the public² https://www.thebalance.com/who-owns-the-u-s-national-debt-3306124.

U.S. national debt is the sum of these two federal debt categories:

• Public debt, held by other countries (Japan and China are the largest holders), the Federal Reserve, mutual funds, and other entities and individuals. Those who have loaned the US government this money expect to be paid back “with interest.”
• Intragovernmental holdings, held by Social Security, Military Retirement Fund, Medicare, and other retirement funds. This is money the citizenry has given to the US government to use for specific purposes but our leaders have “dipped in,” and loaned itself funds with the “promise of repayment” back to the citizenry for the original purposes that it was intended. If the payments are not made to those funds, there are only two options: tax the citizenry and make them pay again; or break the original commitments and cut the promised benefits.

God, Himself, has an opinion on debt. Since you are both a lender to the US government and a debtor of the obligations made by the US government, you should take the time to be familiar with God’s views. The impact of the national debt can only be fully understood by comparing the current debt against the federal government’s ability to pay it this off. The debt-to-GDP (Gross National Product) ratio does this by dividing a nation’s debt by its gross domestic product. GDP is sort of our country’s income. It is no different that your income when considering your credit score and ability to repay what you may borrow. The current US debt to GDP ratio is over 100%³ https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=wi0o%5b/. That means the US owes more than it takes in, and it is never a good position to be in. The U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio has been above 100 percent since 2013. Most investors get worried when it approaches 80%.

The question Is whether debt this really a bad thing?

Clearly when we mortals purchase things like a personal home, it is sometimes necessary to carry debt over and above our annual income, many times carrying a debt for a lifetime.  In those cases, we never really own our home, the lender retains title. However, there are some historical and biblical lessons that are important. Not all debt is bad, especially when there is a plan to pay it off and the purpose of the debt is consistent with Godly values. There is an expectation that income and debt will be managed and controlled.

History gives us our starting point

By the end of the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years War), the interest payments on Britain’s national debt exceeded half of the British Government’s annual budget. To pay the debt, King George III imposed heavy taxes and suffocating regulations burdening its 13 colonies to repay Britain’s debt. What followed was our American Revolution.

(Proverbs 22:7)⁴NIV New International Version Translations – “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”

The first point of Biblical knowledge concerning debt is that it must be paid back and that until it is, the lenders have power over the borrowers. This is especially true when the lenders have armies. No where in our world’s recorded history has this claim ever been disputed. Debt must always be paid back and until it is, the debtor is a slave to the lender. It took war to remove Great Britain’s rule over America to stop the burdensome taxation and break King George’s chains of bondage. What happens, however, if a government defaults on its own promises. Lenders will stop lending and can you imagine  if the US defaults on its own citizenry. For example, if all of the retirement savings were consumed and not given back to the people? Armageddon!

(Proverbs 23:7) – “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;”

You will find nothing in Scripture that says defaulting on a commitment is OK with God. It is plain, God expects everyone to uphold their oath and God expects our leaders to repay all debts. Because we are all part of this country, we all carry both the oath and obligations of US debt and carry those obligations both as lenders and borrowers.  These are called risks. However, the national debt remains our debt, our children’s debt, and our grandchildren’s debt. Currently, your debt (risk) is approximately $84,000 per citizen or $159,000 per working taxpayer (In 1790, Hamilton’s debt in today’s dollars was 17 cents per citizen). In essence, that is the sum of what we have loaned our government as well as what our government has borrowed from foreign powers as obligations. Remember God’s rule, ALL DEBT MUST BE REPAID!

(Ecclesiastes 5:5) – “It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.”

Through the democratic process of elections, we appoint representatives. God does not accept our “washing of hands,” on the issue of debt. God holds each citizen accountable to the “oath” that those representatives place us under. Regardless of labels of conservative or liberal or party affiliations of democratic or republican, each citizen is obligated to the debts occurred by those representatives. God expects us to manage our lives and choices accordingly. God expects us to choose our representatives wisely. Remember, our God does not take default of an oath to repay a loan lightly.

(Proverbs 22:26-27) – “Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.”

God also loves a generous heart. Everyone is expected to be generous, not by obligating others to debt but being charitable by way of their own “Heart,” by way of personal choice and responsibility. In the Bible, we find the story of a woman named Dorcas, or Tabitha, introduced as one known for her care of widows and her provisions of clothing for the poor. As a widow herself, she lived in the town of Joppa, a city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Dorcas was well-off and was loved by the townspeople. When she became ill and died, they called for the Apostle Peter. Peter took Dorcas by the hand and brought her back from the dead.

(Acts 9:36-42) – In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them, and when he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

That is how our God can use a simple act of charity to build His kingdom. Dorcas is just one example in our Bible of how we are to meet the needs of those around us. Christians are to “continue to remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10). James, Jesus’ half-brother, is quoted in (James 1:27) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” This was the type of religion Dorcas practiced. It is how the Body of Christ functions. Charity is not to be subcontracted to a government but owned by each of us. The question each must ask is whether the national debt is for God’s work or building worldly kingdoms? Is concern for each other really driving our debt?

(1 Corinthians 12:25–26) – “so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

(Roman 13:8) – “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

So what is God’s opinion of our national debt?

(Isaiah 10:1-4) – “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.”

Contemplations

• The role of government as defined in our Constitution is to “promote the general welfare.” What does that mean to you?
  • Ideas to Explore: Does this mean that government is to create and protect our citizenry so that a free people can create their own opportunity for success themselves? If so, how, if not, why not? Think about what monies are spent for support of foreign enemies, waste, and corruption, and think about what is spent for the “widows, orphans, and people in distress.” Are the priorities set correctly? Who sets our government spending priorities?
• Do you consider your fair share of the national debt something you are willing to sacrifice for and pay off?
  • Ideas to Explore: Some of the debt is for helping others, much of the debt is for things most people do not care about. Is the debt being used to keep people in power or help people?
• What were you taught about debt?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do you believe that the National Debt is your responsibility to solve? Are we passing financial knowledge on to our children or just the debt?
• Does the National Debt risk the welfare and freedoms of our country?
  • Ideas to Explore: As government removes rights and privileges, how sure are you that religion, your right to worship, for example, is not in jeopardy? Is government spending for national security a reasonable priority?  What other areas of government should be funded even if the US needs to borrow money?
• What should citizens of the US do about the National Debt?
  • Ideas to Explore: The options are to ignore it, pay it off, put the country on a balanced budget to retire the debt. How would you implement your plan? What needs to change? How will you change?
• What do you think Jesus’ brother James meant when he said: “to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
  • Ideas to Explore: Are we to be happy with less so that we can be more generous? Do people have “too much stuff?” Is media creating a consumer driven economy that goes against the teachings of God?

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  https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/national-debt
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  https://www.thebalance.com/who-owns-the-u-s-national-debt-3306124
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  https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=wi0o%5b/
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  NIV New International Version Translations

A single mustard seed

Faith is the cornerstone of the Christian religion. If we ask our secular world what faith is, you might hear that faith is any firm belief based upon confidence in the authority and veracity of another, rather than upon one’s own knowledge, reason, or judgment; earnest and trustful confidence: as, to have faith in the testimony of a witness; to have faith in a friend. Biblically, we can look in Hebrews:

(Hebrews 11:1)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

In Christianity, faith is hoping that the message of the Gospel is true. The message? “That the good news is that Jesus died for our sins and bridged the gap between us and God. Because of His sacrifice on the Cross, there is a way for us to be right with God and spend eternity in heaven. The reality of the Gospel’s message can affect every part of our lives, change the way we think which, in turn, will change how we behave.” Simply stated, that is the Gospel’s message of hope.

Does this faith in the Gospel’s message have any real power? Can this faith cause us to act on what we have not experienced yet, to believe the promises in the Bible even if they have not been fulfilled yet? Is it this faith that allows us to trust our Creator in the most dire and hopeless situations?

While most would agree that the big hope all people carry is for an eternal existence without the pain and disappointment of this world. A joyful, thankful, and peaceful eternity! That is the Gospel’s message but that is not the only message. The Gospel also tells us how to enjoy life now, in our lifetime. Faith proves to our own minds, the reality of things that we cannot see by our human eye. Because of all that God revealed, we can see God as holy, just, and good, now. This Christian view of faith is be explained by the many examples of persons in former times. It is the reason why the retention of history is critical to our hope and joy in our world. It has been through faith and an obedience to God that remarkable accomplishments have been achieved despite human failings and sufferings. It is the Bible that gives the most true and exact account of the origin of all these things, and we are expected to believe them, and not rewrite them to fit a human narrative. All humanity has already been given sufficient evidence to see the works of creation that were brought about simply by the command of God. Hence, God holds all power and, therefore, it will be faith in Christ that provides access to God’s power; Christ is God.

Without faith in Christ, there is no substance, no purpose, or strength in a person’s life. People may have faith in other worldly gods, themselves, or even material things, but this type of faith is temporal. For the faith we are talking about needs to rely on an eternal source of energy. We witness this faith with power in God’s servants, from the very beginning of the world. Wherever the principles of the Gospel’s message have been planted, there is always a regenerating Spirit of God present. With the planting of the Gospel comes Truth and Hope. Our hope in the Gospel is that God will perform all He has promised us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Our joy will come from knowing that our hope is built on Truth. Scriptures are filled with examples of faith, hope and joy. Let us look at a few of the examples of the “power of faith.”

(Luke 5:17-29) – “One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, ‘Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Place yourself into the above verses of Luke. Ask yourself this question, do you have friends with a love for you and a faith in Jesus that they would do the same for you? Would your friends bring you to Jesus no matter what the circumstances are? In Luke, the paralyzed man is not only brought to Jesus, but they also had to remove roof tiles and lower their friend into a room in a home where Jesus was teaching. Despite being paralyzed, the man, soon to be healed, is assumed to have made sufficient impact on other people’s lives. His friends had gone far beyond the norm to get their friend to Jesus. Do you have friends that would do the extraordinary to expose you to Jesus? Even Jesus was impressed by their faith, that was what Jesus noticed first. It was not their knowledge of Scriptures, their testimonies,  wealth or position in society that drew Jesus’ attention. It was their unselfish act of faith for a friend. Jesus’ response was a double bonus. The sins of the paralyzed man were forgiven and he was healed. Faith and hope brought joy to both the paralyzed man and his friends that day.

(Matthew 17:20) – He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Whether you take the power to move a mountain literally or not, is up to you. However, Jesus is stated here that real faith, faith in the Gospel’s message, faith in Him does not have to be large to have power. A mustard seed worth of faith can do many great things, save lives, change lives, improve lives virtually anywhere. A mustard seed is no bigger than the head of a pin.

(Matthew 14:29-30) – “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Matthew also recalls the time Peter walked on water. We are given this story to show what doubt does to the power of faith. The world is busy planting doubt, doubts about God’s existence, creation, even whether eternal life exists. Doubts about virtually anything you can think of, including race, religion, sex, your job, you name it! The world is Satan’s turf, doubt is Satan’s specialty. The fastest way to lose all hope is to have doubts about the Gospel’s message.

While this study may be about theological views on faith and power, it is not simply an academic exercise. The reality is that it will be through faith that you influence the way you live your life each day. Your faith has a profound impact on how you treat others. Seeing Christ as the sole source of your redemption will prevent you from becoming spiritually prideful, considering yourself as more deserving of His grace than another. When pride is replaced by love, a multitude of sins are covered and prevents a great deal of disunity.

(1 Peter 4:8) – ”Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Paul says to “serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:13-14). The appropriate response to God’s graciousness and grace is love, and this love should be seen in our care and concern for those around us, including unbelievers. Though we are by no means to dismiss sinful behavior, we are called to imitate Christ in all our interactions. The power of faith found in the Gospel’s message of hope can make our world more joyful. Christ is calling all of us to trust His Truth, to give it a try.

Contemplations

• Do you have friends that would go to extra ordinary efforts to bring you to Christ?
  • Ideas to Explore: The witness of one’s testimony is a sign of their love and concern for others. Are you open and encouraging to those who share their joy of Christ? Is your faith in Christ visible so that your friends would know you would want to go and see Jesus? 
• To what extent would you go through to bring a friend of yours to Jesus?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you inviting, do you try to include others in your faith walk? Are holidays an expression of joy for God? 
• Do people see joy in your life or unhappiness? 
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you someone who needs to be lowered through the roof to Jesus or are you someone who has already been lowered? Is your faith externally visible in a way that draws others to Christ?
• What are the areas of doubt that still linger in your thoughts?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you spending time with those doubts in an attempt to remove them? Doubts are normal so what life habits do you have that work to strengthen your faith?
• Jesus says you can walk on water and move mountains – Do you think you can?
  • Ideas to Explore: What keeps you from believing what Jesus tells you?

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Doors and gates have always had two purposes: to let people IN and to keep people OUT. Certainly the very first purpose was to let people IN once you possessed a dwelling. But humanity is “fallen from grace through sin,” so as we progressed, it was imperative to keep criminals OUT. Doors are a well-represented biblical image. There is a lot about doors and gates in the Bible. In fact, there are 273 mentions of doors in Scripture. This makes it one of the key symbols in the Bible. Maybe the most important mention of door/gate in Scripture is used by Jesus Christ Himself about Himself. In the Gospel of John 10:7, He says, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.¹New International Version Translations”

(John 10:7-10) – “Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

In the above verses we can see that there is a relationship between the sheep and their Shepherd. One of the hallmarks of the Good Shepherd, as well as those who are shepherds under Him, is that they are there to help the sheep. And the sheep know them. The sheep hear the shepherd’s voice and recognize it. Since there is a relationship between the two sides, the sheep and the Shepherd, there is a peaceful co-existence, and a balance of authority between the sheep and Shepherd. In other words, each one knows their place within the organization and the sheep willingly follow the Shepherd. There is contentment and peace in the flock. But when a thief, a robber comes, and they will come, they are kept away by the Shepherd because their motives are destructive to the sheep under His protection.

This study could really end here. This is not a difficult concept to embrace. It is through Christ, our Shepherd, that we find our hope. He is the entry point, the gate (door) offering us eternal protection and inviting us to come into permanent fellowship with Him. However, for some reason, the door to find Him is hard to find, narrow, and some will not enter. They may be our friends, our family members, part of our communities, even our neighbors. So the question shifts to whether you and I have any responsibility to help people “find the Door, the Gate?”

(Matthew 7:13-14) – “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Furthermore, Jesus may even knock on the door of human hearts and minds, personally extending invitations to enter through Him. However, people may fear entry and not answer the invitation. Frightening thought!

(Revelation 3:20) – “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

There is a poem on Lostpine.com called “I Stand by the Door.” I hope you take a moment and click this link and read it. In all the twenty plus years of maintaining Lostpine.com, this poem does the best job in summarizing our purpose. The poem by Samuel Moor Shoemaker states the simple tasks of a “doorkeeper,” someone who has decided that since they know where the Door is located, they would spend the remainder of their life helping others recognize that Christ is THAT door. Here are the ending verses to this poem:

As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God and hear Him, and know He is there,
But not so far from men as to not hear them,
And remember they are there too.
Where? Outside the door-
Thousands of them, millions of them.
But-more important for me–
One of them, two of them, ten of them,
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.
So I shall stand by the door and wait,
For those who seek it.
“I had rather be a doorkeeper…”
So I stand by the door.

While each human is called to listen to God’s callings, to find Christ for ourselves, once we have found Him, please, please take the time to share Him with those closest to you. Especially share with those who need Him the most, those who do not know Him.

Why? The Calling for Sharing

(1 John 1:5) – “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:11) – “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

(Colossians 1:28) – “He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.”

(Ephesians 2:10) – “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

(Exodus 9:16) – “But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

(Hebrews 2:12) – “He says, ‘I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.’”

(Hebrews 4:12) – “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

(Luke 9:2) – “and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

(Mark 16:15) – “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

(Matthew 24:14) – “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony”

(Matthew 5:13-16) – “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

(Matthew 10:26-27) – “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.”

(Psalm 9:11) – “Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.”

(Psalm 71:17) – “Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.”

There can be no greater duty for a Christian than to help those who are searching for Christ to find Him. Worse yet, many may have found the Him (the Door) but are frightened by what they do not know about Him. Your testimony to them can make all the difference. You may be the only Gospel they ever see! With gentleness, hold their hand, point them to the Door through your words and actions. Guide them to Heaven’s gate and show them the way. Place their hand upon the latch. Then step back, stand near, for it is Christ who saves. Salvation does not come through our “Good Works,” but from our love for God. The people we encounter are the beneficiaries of that love.

(Ephesians 2:8-10) – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Contemplations

• Have you found the “Door?”
  • Ideas to Explore: Have you accepted Christ as your savior? Are you willing to share that experience with others? Do you believe that your testimony is of value to people around you?
• What are your concerns about sharing your faith in Christ?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you worried about what your “friends will think of you?” Are you concerned that the world will no longer like you? Are there physical threats and risks that you are concerned about?
• Are you concerned that people you love will not be included in the “Kingdom of God?”
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you too shy to share with friends and family. Is sharing personal experiences embarrassing for you?  Do you accept that it is your responsibility to share your faith with others?
• Can you give a testimony of faith in Christ?
  • Ideas to Explore: No matter how simple or complex you believe your faith walk has been, there is someone who can benefit from hearing it. Do you think you must have to experience a “knock off your horse” experience like the Apostle Paul had on the road to Damascus in order for your testimony to be impactful? 
• Where do you want to spend the rest of your life?
  • Ideas to Explore: Living in a safe Christian environment where you are insulated from the world? In the world, among sinners where temptations attack you every moment? Where does God want you to live?
• Everyone needs three people in their life: A Barnabas, someone to hold you accountable; a Paul, someone to mentor you in your faith; and a Timothy, someone who you will mentor in their faith.
  • Ideas to Explore: Who is your Barnabas, Paul and Timothy?

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  New International Version Translations

Why should we pray? Besides several obvious answers like God tells us to pray and prayers matter to God and prayer glorifies God, we should pray so that we can participate in our world’s spiritual battle, be humbled, and finally, because it will change us for the better. Christ prayed and offered us a great template to use for prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is a common name for the Our Father, the prayer that Christ taught to His disciples when they asked Him how to pray (Luke 11:1-4). It is an outline, not a special incantation. The Our Father is meant to help guide us during our communications with God.

(Luke 11:1-4)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

The outline intended for our use is this:

1. First, to understand who we are praying to, God our Father who is in Heaven.

2. Hallowed means “to make holy.” Prayer is personal and recognizes our Father’s holiness when we pray. He is close and caring, but not our equal. Awe and humility are the correct emotional responses.

3. What do you want? God is not an ATM machine. Christ tells us the focus our requests for God’s Kingdom to come to our world, His Will to be done in our world now as it is in His world, Heaven.

4. We pray for God to meet our needs, to take care of us. There should be a sense of trust here that God knows are real needs.

(Psalm 38:9) – “All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.”

5. We ask God to forgive our sins, search our hearts, recognize that we need His forgiveness. Just as our Father graciously forgives us, we to must also forgive one another’s shortcomings.

6. Resisting temptation takes strength. Our world is full of temptation. It is through the Holy Spirit’s guidance that we can overcome sin. Our supplication is for the Holy Spirit to be part of our prayer life. It is in prayer that we ask for guidance.

(Romans 8:26-27) – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”

7. Finally, Satan is real, he is the master of Spin. We end our prayers with a request that God deliver us from Satan’s cunning traps.

With Christ’s own words as a guide, there is also a concept of prayer called Contemplation. Ignatius of Loyola²https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Loyola, born Iñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola, lived between 1491 and July 31, 1556. He was a Spanish Basque Catholic priest and theologian, who together with Peter Faber and Francis Xavier founded the religious order called the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). The Jesuit order dedicated itself to teaching and missionary work. Ignatius recorded his methods of prayer in a celebrated treatise called the Spiritual Exercises, a simple set of meditations, prayers, and other mental exercises, first published in 1548. It is known as “Ignatian spirituality“.

Ignatius was convinced that God can speak to us as surely through our imagination as through our thoughts and memories. In the Ignatian tradition, praying with the imagination is, therefore, called contemplation. In the Spiritual Exercises, contemplation is an active way of praying that engages the mind and heart and stirs up thoughts and emotions. Through Contemplations, we enter a life event or story, a passage of Scripture by way of the imagination. By this method, we can recall and be present at the mysteries of Jesus’ life, or the lives and events of other Biblical characters and their stories. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit is active in prayer. As Jesus’ own prayer outline, and the “Our Father” teaches us, we can become part of God’s Word through our own imagination.

Let us look at praying again, using Contemplation as an additional guide:

• In contemplation, enter a story, the Word of God, as if you were present.
• Place yourself in the same location, observing what is happening, listening to what is being said.
  • Was it outside, a simple room?
  • A warm or cold day, can you smell fresh grass or the sea breeze.
  • How do you feel? Fearful, happy, confused, in awe?
• Your role is to become part of God’s mystery, to assume the role of one of the people if possible. Become part of the Scripture story, part of your prayer.
• Next, look at each of the individuals who are present.
  • What are they experiencing? Who is speaking? What are their emotions?
• Enter into a dialogue with those who are present.
  • Because you are there, you can listen to those who are speaking God’s own Words, listening, learning.
• Then respond to them. Become part of the conversation. God knows your heart; share your feelings.

If you ask God His name and the answer is “Abba (Father)”, you will soon find the God of the prodigal son, the God who will forgive you and love you no matter what you may have done in your life.

If you come to know Jesus through the Bread and Wine of Communion, you will know that God sent His one only Son into the world to save you (John 3:16-19).

It can be through Contemplation that you can see God’s invitation:

(Ephesians 3:17-20) – “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”

It will be through God’s Word and prayer that we can feel God’s unconditional love for us. When praying, we often find ourselves searching for something. It may be healing, justice, refuge, peace, mercy, love, or simply good old fashion guidance. To help, click on Lost Pine’s list of God’s characteristics. Here you will find an excellent place to find your journey to contemplation and God Himself. Scriptures, the Word of God, provide an excellent place to begin your prayer journey. Give it a try, see where God leads you. It is not your carefully chosen words in prayer that God seeks. He is after your heart, “Imagine That!”

Contemplations

• What is easy and what is hard about prayer?
  • Items to Explore: Time, interruptions, family, work all make it hard to carve out time to pray. Yet, faith, the Word of God, can often provide a beginning point for one’s imagination and journey with God. Do you have a set time? Do you use Scripture as a guide?
• Is it wrong to ask God for worldly things?
  • Items to Explore: What are the differences between needs and wants? How does trusting God as the ultimate provider help us sort out our priorities?
• When would a request for God become problematic?
  • Items to Explore: Is a request based on our perception of need? Where did the perception come from? Is hatred or anger involved in our prayer?
• Do you have a favorite Psalm?
  • Items to Explore: Psalms are prayers, many set to music. They can provide comfort, reinforcing the true characteristics of God. If you do not have any one Psalm in mind, try reading Psalm 119. Place yourself with King David. Try Contemplation.
• How do you feel about listening to others pray?
  • Items to Explore: Do you lose your concentration during long and complex prayers? Are you worried that you will not sound eloquent or have the right words? What do you think God expects from you?

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