I Samuel 4:1-11 - The Ark of the Covenant Captured

I Samuel 4:1-11

When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies." (verse 3)

Message: The Ark of the Covenant Captured

Time: This book is a biography of Samuel's life and career up to his death. It took place over a period of about 110 years, stretching from the closing days of the judges, when Samuel was born (ca. 1120 BC) through the death of Saul (1011 BC).

What the Lord is Saying: The Philistines and Israel are in battle at Aphek. 4,000 Israelites lost their lives on the battlefield (v. 2). The elders of Israel wonder why the Lord has allowed Israel to be defeated by the Philistines (v. 3). The respond by taking the ark of the covenant from Shiloh thinking it will help them defeat their enemies (v. 3). Hophni and Phinehas were there with the ark and the people went there to get it and bring it back (v. 4). 

Arriving back at the camp, all the people shouted when the ark arrived (v. 5). The Philistines wondered what the noise meant, but then they realized the ark had arrived (v. 6). Now the Philistines were afraid thinking God had arrived in the camp (v. 7). They spoke "Woe to us!" And they spoke as if this represented gods because multiple gods is all they knew and guessed the ark represented multiple gods (v. 8). And then the Philistines encourage one another to defeat the Hebrews lest they become slaves to them (v. 9). Interesting how the writer of this book extolls the behavior somewhat of these Philistines, helping the reader understand the victory or mindset of the Philistines. It says 30,000 foot soldiers of Israel now perished and the ark of the covenant was taken and Hophni and Phinehas died (v. 10-11).  

This is an interesting passage that does not record victory by the Israel but instead successive defeats, even after the people bring the ark into their midst. 

In verse 3, the Israelites believe that God has allowed Philistines to defeat Israel. God is sovereign meaning to me that he works all things out according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11). But in response to this, the people believe they can take the ark, bring it to them and they will be safe. In Joshua 6, the ark is used in leading up to the battle at Jericho, but at the direction of the Lord. Here, Israel simply thinks they can grab the ark, bring it to them and they will be safe. But it doesn't work out like that. 

Life is not as easy as 1-2-3 and going with the formula and all works out. And yet we try. We hate to suffer and hate when bad things happen. I was speaking to a friend who is having trouble meeting his living expenses and made the comment - "I want to know how to pray to break the hindrance to receive money." He is looking for the formula with God. He sees that God is the way but he is discouraged because he thinks he needs to simply find the way to make things work out the way he needs them to work out. Tabletalk remarks today that Israel did not have the right heart. I wonder. Could it be that no matter what we do we can't force God's hand? Could it be that we can try to do the right things but ultimately we must trust God. All I know is it is hard. We hate to struggle. My friend seems like he is on the brink of homelessness if he doesn't start making money. 

In this lesson, I learn that God is sovereign, but that sovereignty does not always mean our lives are without complication. In this passage, it mentions 34,000 Israelites that died. That's an easy number to write, but a hard idea to accept. Any loss of life is difficult to understand. 

Summary: Israelites and Philistines are in battle with the Philistines as the aggressor. The Philistines win, twice, with Israel false believing that securing the ark of the covenant will make them victorious. 

Promise: God's ways are not our ways. We cannot simply do things to earn his favor, we surrender to Him and learn to accept what He provides. 

Prayer: Father God, this passage is difficult. It is hard I suppose to see the outcome of this war and the loss of life, though the losing army are the only numbers mentioned. Lord, we are a people that hates hard times and we obviously only want good things to occur. When they don't, we think we can come up with possibly the right formula to make things work out right. Sometimes I think we do this, simply to make things work out the way we want. I suppose it is normal. This passage of scripture is interesting, for I am not sure there is a big application other than you have purposes we do not see or understand. All I can continue to do is trust in You. And thank you for the eternal home I have with You. Teach me this. I keep trusting. I keep believing. I keep praying. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Philippians 1:28-30 - Living for Jesus

Philippians 1:28-30

Message: Living for Jesus, Living Like Jesus Part 2

Time: AD 62. One of the 4 prison epistles. 

What the Lord is Saying: This was the sermon yesterday. We showed up late for church, went in and sat against the back wall in 2 seats by ourselves. He was doing the message, making his points. His points were from 28 about the opposition that we face in the world and that it is not a reason for fear, is evidence of an approaching judgment, and is proof someone is a genuine disciple. All good thoughts. And then with 29-30 the idea of Salvation is a gift, Suffering is a privilege and Trials are to be expected. All good thoughts, but to get into it I took the verse and wrote them out myself. 

28 

in no way alarmed by [your] opponents 

    opponents are present and that is a reality, but we are not alarmed by their opposition as it is expected; makes me think that the evil and this world is contrary to the gospel and it is so; we are to keep being    a people of integrity

which is a sign of destruction for them

    their persecution is the sign of their response to the gospel; in the KJV it speaks of leading to their  perdition or their loss or separation from God for all eternity

but of salvation for you, and that, from God 

    let their alarm be to me confirmation of the truth I have and being saved and this salvation is from God; their hostility is a confirmation to me of the gospel  

29

For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake 

    Salvation is for me and persecution; the gospel is for me, on behalf of Christ and what he has done. And it has been granted so it is a privilege; Acts 5:41, Peter and John "So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name." 

not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. 

    I am not merely a believer. There are many that think the Christian life is about believing, but rather it is about suffering. I suffer for Christ, on behalf of Christ, and with Christ. 

30

experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me

    There is a conflict between believing and suffering; Paul experienced this

and now hear in me.

Summary: It is a privilege to suffer, to join with Christ in His suffering and this clearly shows the separation between those called and those not called. 

Prayer: O God, thank you for your great words of truth and they beauty of these words. And how I am to submit to You and your ways. I see Lord that what I want in faith is sometimes contrary to this. I want everyone to end up in heaven and for there to be just different levels. But help me to not make your truth simply something that I want it to be, but help me to surrender to You and submit to You. I want to glorify You, not me. 

 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Various Scriptures - The Significance of Peter

Matthew 16:13-20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Message: The Significance of Peter

What the Lord is Saying: The rock that is mentioned is most likely Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. Catholicism believes this to be the justification of the institution of the papacy and the pope as lead bishop in the Roman church. But Peter did play a great role as being the first Apostle to confess the faith of Jesus as the Christ, the first Apostle to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and the first Apostle to preach to the Jews on Pentecost. And he gave us part of God's word with 1 and 2 Peter, and this is the basis of Mark's gospel. 

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I Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Message: The Apostle of Hope

What the Lord is Saying: Peter is said to be the Apostle of Hope. Hope is the confidence we have in the fulfillment of God's promises. It reminds us that God is incapable of breaking His pledges to us. This reality in our lives sustains faith in our hearts. What God says is true. 

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I Peter 1:4-5

4 to [obtain] an inheritance [which] is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Message: A Hope Kept in Heaven

What the Lord is Saying: I Peter mostly written in AD 60 address Christian suffering. In suffering, we focus on what will be birthed at the end of suffering and in this suffering the time frame of it will be limited. Some suffering on this earth is short, like pain in childbirth and after it comes a baby. As bad as things are they will not be forever. I think of this often in people like Joni or even my dad now who is suffering with such back pain and sorrow, not able to get himself out of it. Not allowing himself to get himself out of it. Almost content with it I feel at times. He wouldn't say so, and yet he isn't doing anything to change. The mind is so powerful. To hear of people like Rob's wife who is always happy and smiling. Give me hope God, not only when things are easy, but when they are hard. 

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I Peter 2:4-8

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone." 

8 and,

“A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE;"

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

Message: Living Stones in A Spiritual House

What the Lord is Saying: Christ is the foundation upon which the church is built. We are the church. As in today's passage and elsewhere physical objects are used to describe something non-physical or give us a picture of what God is in our life. "I am the living water." "I am the bread of life." These are metaphors used constantly in scripture. Jesus is our corner stone and so he stands out from others. 

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I Peter 2:13-14

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

Message: Submission to Authority

What the Lord is Saying: We live in a culture that often does not like authority and yet we are called as Christians to submit ourselves to authority. Women are called to submit to their husbands, something else which is often misunderstood and often under attack. We are under authority those who punish evildoers and praise those who do right. I am not sure if that refers to all of our authorities. I think we need to be careful of simply saying if there is any injustice that we don't have to submit. I struggled through this with COVID, not so much what we were being told but the way the church we were attending was responding to it, but maybe they were taking a harder stance than I cared for. Is this black and white? I just wonder if we sometimes look for ways to be disobedient and maybe we need to default to obedience rather than disobedience. 

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I Peter 5:1-5

1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Message: Shepherding the Flock of God

What the Lord is Saying: Christians need to submit to authorities, but also those with authority need to exercise rule and authority over the church. It is our elders, as this passage notes that is exercising this authority over people and we as Christians need to look to them. Elders need to be called to their role (verse 2) and not be serving because they are under compulsion. Also in their roles they are not to be domineering or doing their job just to get some sort of profit from it. We need to have humble men in service and not those that are using their roles to have some sort of power over others. 

Summary: Peter reminds us that our hope is Christ, our hope through suffering and difficulties, and we are like stones, firm in our role in Christ and we need to submit to authorities as we trust God to establish authorities to glorify Him. 

John 19:1-5 - Pilate Presents Jesus to the Crowd

John 19:1-5 

1 Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; 3 and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face. 4 Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” 5 Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!”

Message: Pilate Presents Jesus to the Crowd

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus' fate is clear now - he will be crucified. In this passage Jesus is scourged, a crown of thorns placed on his head, a purple robe over him, and people can now slap him on the face as well and poke fun of him - Jesus, King of the Jews - with Pilate presenting Jesus to the crowd. 

Matthew and Mark provide similar accounts of the scourging of Jesus or the process leading up to His crucifixion. I find this interesting that the level of detail is not great. Luke really doesn't have any detail of His scourging but more detail given once he arrives at the crucifixion.  

Matthew 27 marks the account starting in verse 26, "Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified." And then further detail, "27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. 28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. 31 After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. 32 As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross."

Mark provides a similar, though not as much detail account in chapter 15 again with a statement of summary, "Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. 16 The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. 17 They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. 21 They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross."

I am reminded of the movie, the Ox-Bow Incident, a 1943 western with Henry Fonda. At a saloon, ranchers get news that one of their own has been murdered. A posse is put together and based upon some circumstantial evidence, a man is in the process of being hanged for a crime, though he is innocent. This is actually a fairly consistent theme or plot that shows up in movies. The Wrong Man, also with Henry Fonda from 1957 chronicles a man being accused of robbery only to later discover he was mistaken for looking like the real thief.  And then Henry Fonda once again stars in 12 Angry Men (1957), my favorite movie, about a jury debating the fate of a young man accused of a crime. 11 believe him guilty while 1 has questions and the movie is about all 12 men deliberating in a room the fate of this young man, only to see him exonerated. In all of these movies, the innocent man is exonerated. But with Jesus, though seemingly innocent of political insurrection, his fate to the cross and bearing the sin of humanity continues as part of God's sovereign plan to save people from their sin. 

I also think about the movie Passion of the Christ from 2004 co-written, co-produced and directed by Mel Gibson that chronicles the last week of Jesus and in stark detail gives a picture of the scourging of Jesus. It is the most graphic representation I have seen and whether it exaggerates or takes artistic license of the scourging is unknown. 

Some have thought there is a difference between John's account to Mark and Matthew's with Pilate flogging Jesus prior to him given over to be crucified. I don't see this discrepancy. I think what is interesting is how Pilate tries at times to separate Himself from declaring Jesus' sentence, and yet is involved in keeping Him as a potential criminal. By involving Pilate in the process, it appears those that found Him guilty (the Jewish officials) used this involvement to continue his fate to be crucified.

Other scriptures:

Romans 15:1-3 - Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME." - This is great. Jesus bore the punishment of sins committed between people with this reminder that it is important to please our neighbor, taking up the cross for our brother as Jesus did for all of us. 

I Peter 2:21 - For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. - Christ suffered for me and I may need to also suffer even when good is done. Suffering is so counter-cultural, especially as Americans it would seem as we work so hard to safeguard ourselves from any sort of unwelcome situations. 

Summary: Jesus is scourged, receives the crown of thorns on his head, with many mocking and slapping him, but Pilate also presenting him as having no guilt, a man. 

Promise: I am to emulate Christ in all His ways, most notably realizing I may need to suffer even for doing good. 

Prayer: Lord, I love a good story of a guilty person being exonerated or found not guilty. That sense of justice being served is a good feeling. and yet knowing that You Jesus, though pronounced not guilty still received the penalty of guilt makes me desire to follow You. You took on my sin, being the sacrifice that was needed for me to fulfill the wrath and justice of God. You are way different than all I know and I know in my life I steer so much away from any semblance of suffering. I thank you for the movie Passion of the Christ and it impressing in me that picture of your suffering. I need to be reminded of this always. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Genesis 22:1-14 - Living According to Faith

Genesis 22:1-14

Message: Living According to Faith

Time: Genesis is the first book and Moses is credited as authoring. The book spans 2400 years of time. It was originally written in Hebrew.

What the Lord is Saying:

Today I looked at Matthew 5:11 and it speaks of the promise that we will be reviled for our faith. It is not the sort of promise that we are looking for in our life. The promises we gravitate towards are those in which we are going to receive a blessing and yet persecution and being reviled for my faith is a blessing. It joins me with Christ's sufferings and the sufferings of saints in the past and looks me forward to a future reward. But often we present the gospel with this idea that it will make life easier in some way. We try to sell it before people like we would a new cell phone plan or a new TV or air conditioner, to make life more comfortable. But the reality is the Christian life is about suffering. There is obviously great peace in knowing we are saved for eternity and God has looked down on us and chosen us and we will continue to rejoice and sing those praises, but we must look at our faith as work, hard work to be Christ in me, God with us, and live and work and die for His glory. 

Jesus promises that trials will come. What makes life different with Jesus is how he works through us to stand up under those trials. We have a hope that never blemishes. Our hope is sure. 

In this lesson today is Genesis 22 and test put forth to Abraham to offer up his long awaited son Isaac. He had had a son, Ishmael, but that was through his wife pushing the maid on him in an impatient manner, rather than waiting for God. God kept his promise though. Even though they sought out other avenues for children, God still kept his promise to provide them a son. It was in old age. And now in Genesis 22 the unthinkable is thrown at Abraham. Take your son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice. Here is the son he had waited for and God calls him to make a sacrifice. Abraham delayed in his departure to do this (Gen 22:2 says "Go now" and in verse 3 he waits till morning.) 

But then, upon seeing Abraham's faith, God does what He will always do, offering a substitute. God wants our faith in him. Faith is the calling card in our life to renewal. We must live this sort of life continually with God. We live in faith, trusting in Him, that He will come through. With Abraham, the substitute was told to him in advance. He was told to do something - sacrifice - and yet God interceded. God will intercede in our life. What is important is living daily by this faith. This is the faith that marks my salvation and this is the faith that needs to chronicle my life. Abraham was not a superhuman. He struggled. I struggle. But Abraham did trust. And I can trust. 

Promise: From Tabletalk -- Authentic faith does not trust God when times are good. It also believes God and acts upon His Word when difficulties come. Life will be hard. But the Lord will be with me, with us, even if the cost is high. A reward is waiting. 

Prayer: Lord God, thank you so much for this morning of being in Your word and the last year of the lesson in BSF in Genesis and spending that time going through Genesis with other men, learning from them and from you. Thank you for faith and that in you I have all I need. Life is hard. It has been and will be and I don't chagrin this because you told me it would be. But you are near. You are with me. And you will take me through all difficulties. Just help me to not guard myself from difficulty and acquiesce into the mold of this world that seeks freedom from trials, safety at all costs, and entertainment. I want to only be about faith. Thank you for providing the substitute of Jesus that changes my life always. I do praise You.  

My Utmost for His Highest - May 7th - Building for Eternity

For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? - Luke 14:28

    Our Lord refers not to a cost we have to count, but to a cost which He has counted. The cost was those thirty years at Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal and hatred, the deep unfathomable agony in Gethsemane, and the onslaught at Calvary--the pivot upon which the whole of Time and Eternity turns. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. Men are not going to laugh at Him at last and say--"This man began to build, and was not able to finish. (Luke 14:30)"

    The conditions of discipleship laid down by Our Lord in vv. 26, 27, and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. "If any man come to Me, and hate not . . . , he cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26)" Our Lord implies that the only men and women He will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately and devotedly beyond any of the closest ties on earth. The conditions are stern, but they are glorious.

    All that we build is going to be inspected by God. Is God going to detect in His searching fire that we have built on the foundation of Jesus some enterprise of our own (see I Corinthians 3:10-15)? These are the days of tremendous enterprises, days when we are trying to work for God, and therein is the snare. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus takes us over for His enterprises, His building schemes entirely, and no soul has any right to claim where he shall be put.

- From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition.

My thoughts

We don't work for God, but rather Jesus takes us over for His work. But I do love Him with all of me and am willing to give up all for Him. I count the cost. The cost isn't mine, but it is all that He has done for me. That's the cost. My cost is simply seeing this and knowing this and therefore trusting in Him. The effort in me is simply surrender. 

Hebrews 5:8-10 - Obedience in Suffering

Hebrews 5:8-10

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. 

Message: Obedience in Suffering

Time: Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who had suffered in the past and were now threatened with even more suffering. They'd done well years ago, but the author of Hebrews feared that they might now turn away from Christ to avoid further persecution.The opinions on the author of Hebrews has varied. The strongly Jewish character of the letter to the Hebrews helps to narrow down its date of composition, most likely AD 64–69.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Again, as a review, this study I have been working on is on Christ Alone, solus Christus. Christ Alone saves and during this study I have looked at Christ's Divine nature, as God's incarnate Son (God became Man), the Human Nature of Christ in which I saw Jesus being hungry, needing rest, is tempted, and was ignorant at times of events; Jesus the Last Adam in that like Adam he shared the federal head whereby all humanity is sinners because of Adam's sin, and Jesus is the federal head to all the redeemed, for all in Christ are made alive; and just as in the Old Testament, Israel is called by God and chosen to be His representative and to make the truth of Him known to everyone, but Israel failed, while Jesus fulfilled this; Jesus is Messiah, as the office of messiah includes delivering and rescuing people; the root of our Salvation is in Christ's active and passive obedience - his active obedience is living a perfect life and being obedient to the Law of God and his passive obedience is dying on the cross for our sins, paying the penalty for our sins, from childhood on, he showed his obedience, and this obedience includes being baptized, even though he did not need to be made clean, obedience in temptation as he was tempted in the same way we are and he shows us to always respond to temptation with God's truth, and then Jesus also was obedient to the Law, fulfilling every commandment. 

Christ's active obedience means his active obedience to the commands of God so that Christ could be our righteousness. But we also need his passive obedience, His suffering God's curse in order for us to be cleansed of the mark of sin on our lives. 

Jesus suffered - other men beat Him and crucified Him. He was actively involved in this. Today's text, Hebrews 5:8 says - He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. Jesus, in His divine nature had no need to learn anything, but as man he can grow in knowledge. In this passage the idea of learned obedience means that Jesus came to understand suffering by experiencing it Himself. 

I wonder if my life is obedient in suffering. Do I complain, question, and grow impatient through suffering, wanting it to be over as quick as possible? Yes, I think that is normal, but as I go through it, I need to be dependent on God and His word, His promises that He has made to me. These kidney stones I have had have been marks of suffering, as well as the back pain I now have. Do I grow impatient with others? Probably. I need to rest in the confidence of God and let him use the suffering to grow me more dependent on Him. 

In Christ's suffering, He learned what it was for a sinless man to suffer for sinners. I find in life that I had to suffer when I feel like I have done nothing wrong. I am quick to question these and throw temper tantrums almost. Often I want vengeance. 

Jesus was made perfect, offering Himself as our atonement and became the source of eternal salvation. 

Promise: Christ endured unjust suffering. There are times when I need to endure this type of suffering. 

Prayer: Lord, give me discernment in knowing when I am to fight back and when I am to endure suffering. Thank you Jesus always for suffering for me and my sin so that I can live with God for eternity and have the peace of God in my life. Remove pride from me and give me a thankful heart always. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood, Obedience in Baptism, Obedience in Temptation, Obedience under the Law, Obedience in Suffering

My Utmost for His Highest - November 15 - What Is That to Thee?

Lord, what shall this man do?…What is that to thee? Follow thou Me. — John 21:21,22

One of our severest lessons comes from the stubborn refusal to see that we must not interfere in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s order for others. You see a certain person suffering, and you say — “He shall not suffer, and I will see that he does not.” You put your hand straight in front of God’s permissive will to prevent it, and God says — “What is that to thee?” If there is stagnation spiritually, never allow it to go on, but get into God’s presence and find out the reason for it. Possibly you will find it is because you have been interfering in the life of another; proposing things you had no right to propose; advising when you had no right to advise. When you do have to give advice to another, God will advise through you with the direct understanding of His Spirit; your part is to be so rightly related to God that His discernment comes through you all the time for the blessing of another soul.

Most of us live on the borders of consciousness — consciously serving, consciously devoted to God. All this is immature, it is not the real life yet. The mature stage is the life of a child which is never conscious; we become so abandoned to God that the consciousness of being used never enters in. When we are consciously being used as broken bread and poured-out wine, there is another stage to be reached, where all consciousness of ourselves and of what God is doing through us is eliminated. A saint is never consciously a saint; a saint is consciously dependent on God.

My Utmost for His Highest - November 5 - Partakers of His Sufferings

Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings. —1 Peter 4:13

If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all; they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across. “Oh, I can’t deal with that person.” Why not? God gave you ample opportunity to soak before Him on that line, and you “barged off” because it seemed stupid to spend time in that way.

The sufferings of Christ are not those of ordinary men. He suffered “according to the will of God,” not from the point of view we suffer from as individuals. It is only when we are related to Jesus Christ that we can understand what God is after in His dealings with us. It is part of Christian culture to know what God’s aim is. In the history of the Christian Church the tendency has been to evade being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ; men have sought to procure the carrying out of God’s order by a short cut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering, the way of the “long, long trail.”

Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp our personal ambitions right out? Are we prepared for God to destroy by transfiguration our individual determinations? It will not mean that we know exactly why God is taking us that way; that would make us spiritual prigs. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through; we go through it more or less misunderstandingly; then we come to a luminous place, and say — “Why, God has girded me, though I did not know it!”

My Thoughts

• God's way is always the way of suffering. I should not be aghast at suffering, but not simply physical suffering - as in a medical condition - but obedience to Christ suffering. Isn't this why I am not often obedient? Because I don't want to suffer. Because I am scared of looking foolish or speaking in a manner that is seen as odd. 
• My Personal ambitions are often what is keeping me from obedience to God; I have let myself be defined by the world and its way and in this process my obedience to God is only on what is convenient for me, what is safe. I play it safe.  

Mark 10:35-40 - The Cup that Jesus Drinks

Mark 10:35-40
³⁵ James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³⁷ They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” ³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹ They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. ⁴⁰ But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Message: The Cup that Jesus Drinks

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface - Jesus once again predicts his death and resurrection, but this time provides more details that include being delivered over to the scribes and chief priests and then to the Gentiles. Thus, all those that up to this point Jesus has to deal with, but also he has had an answer for, but now he would be mocked, spit on, scourged prior to his death. For the disciples to hear this must have been hard to accept.

After hearing this, two of his disciples have a request. Naturally. They want something for themselves. When they die, in glory, they want to be near Jesus in a preferred status and rank in heaven - that is, they want to sit on their right and left. But, Jesus remarks that they don't realize what they are asking. They can receive the cup and the baptism, but that place of honor is not his to give but only for those whom it has been prepared.

Overall, as in earlier passages, the disciples fail to understand what Jesus has said to them. The problem is that what James and John are looking for is their own advancement in the kingdom. The request seems very selfish. Jesus is on the way to his death and a very painful death. They hear what they want to hear, or rather what is a benefit to themselves. Matthew records that their mother is with them. Mark doesn't record this. He obviously thinks it is unnecessary. The male is the head and the responsible one so perhaps only mentioning them is to him important. Thus, they come to Jesus asking Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory. They did understand him rising again, so they understand that heaven was an outcome. In that vein, and possibly even encouraged by their mother is then the request - Lord, can we have the chief posts in your kingdom? They might have thought they had a special calling because they were his disciples.

Jesus responds with the words - You do not know what you are asking. They have come to him expecting a special place of honor, but Jesus states that to share in that glory you also must share in the suffering. 

What is meant by Jesus saying to them - Are you able to drink the cup that I drink? 1. In the Old Testament, the cup can symbolize God's blessing. 2. It can represent the Lord's judgment and wrath on wickedness. 3. Here it probably represents the cup of divine wrath that Jesus will drink on behalf of his people - to save them from his sin. Thus, their request - Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory - is something they don't completely understand.

Jesus is saying to them, to drink the cup is to bear the inward sufferings which he must undergo; to bear the wrath that is coming. When Jesus spoke they heard the good outcome, but they didn't hear also the words that he would be scourged, spit on, and mocked. And also Jesus says Are you able...to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? To be covered with sufferings. Baptism represents a burying of a person's old life and here Jesus is saying you will be buried in the sufferings of mankind. 

And again, these two disciples respond - They said to Him, “We are able.” What they are thinking about is the reward and once again they don't seem to understand completely what Jesus is saying. But Jesus obliges them. He remarks - "okay." The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. In other words, you will experience the sufferings as well, not that this is what they wanted. And then Jesus says, but the posts of being on my right and left is something that is decided or handed out because of your labor on earth. Jesus doesn't say they will not receive these posts. He leaves it open that they may. But, he remarks that this reward is a principle laid down by His Father. But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. This means that there is plan or an expectation. This is not simply a one-time gift that Jesus gives to two men but it is based upon a standard. That standard is not clearly stated, though. Thus, the aim of the disciples should be to live in the best manner that they can. 

Summary: After Jesus has communicated that he is headed to die, be mocked, spit on, and scourged, two of his disciples come to him and hearing that he will rise again, perhaps pressured as well by their mother, ask if they can sit at his right and left in glory. Jesus immediately shows them that they have no idea what they are asking. 

Promise: Each day, we are to surrender to the Lord and accept what He provides. It may not be what we want or desire. But we can trust the outcome he has for us, the eternal outcome.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that I am a worthy vessel of yours. Forgive my selfishness and for wanting things that will make me stand out and be looked upon by others. Lord, I must realize that often I am called to suffer and though hard, I can accept this lot for my life.  

Mark 9:9-13 - The Coming of Elijah

Mark 9:9-13
⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead. ¹⁰ They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant. ¹¹ They asked Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹² And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? ¹³ But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.”

Message: The Coming of Elijah

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface- Jesus goes to the mountaintop and brings Peter, James, and John. He was transfigured. They see Moses (Law) and Elijah (Prophets) and Jesus shining as pure white. Something is happening, but they are not sure. Is this the fulfillment now of the final salvation, deliverance, complete exodus from exile? On that note, Peter builds a tabernacle - the place where God speaks. But, still he is unsure and terrified. God steps in and declares to them, what Jesus has already been saying to them, This is My beloved Son, listen to Him. 

This is the scene: the transfiguration is over and now Peter, James and John wonder: what next?  As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead. So while the incident was significant it should not be told to anyone. This can only mean that what just occurred is something Jesus knew would create a lot of talk and conversation and perhaps consternation. That God had spoken to them "This is my beloved Son." Was it that for a moment the humanity of Jesus was set aside and they saw Jesus in all of his heavenly glory? Perhaps because what had just happened was not clear. God had even said, "Just listen to Jesus." Jesus had a purpose. Peter and the disciples did not understand that purpose for when Jesus said he would do something, the disciples often thought he should do something else. This had to have been hard, to have just had an incredible experience and for the other disciples to come up to them after this mountaintop experience and for them to just say, "Later, I'll tell you later." 

I mean, what happened? (1) Jesus is transfigured, (2) Elijah and Moses were present, (3) God the Father was there, (4) the Son of Man would rise again. See, what is happening? Jesus mentions again now that he would obviously die and then rise again. This is what had already disturbed them previously in chapter 8:31 when he said the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. It is as if it will all make sense after the resurrection, when I appear again, but right now it won't. The idea here was simple: trust me; listen to me. 

While they didn't talk to others They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant. But this did make them wonder. 

As they wonder, they remember from the scriptures something - "Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” The last 2 verses of the Old Testament in Malachi 4:5-6 records Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse. This great and terrible day of the Lord seems to refer to the Second Coming of the Christ when he establishes his kingdom. But, Jesus is also here so is it correct to say that Elijah should have already come.

And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? The Son of Man suffering was a fulfillment of Isaiah 53. No prophecy was ever more strikingly fulfilled.

But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him. John was not Elijah reincarnated. Hebrews 9:27 states and inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this judgment. John himself denied that he was Elijah in John 1:21 - They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” John comes in the spirit and power of Elijah, preceding the first coming of Jesus. Elijah is to precede the second coming of Jesus. 

Summary - This is a difficult passage. It is mostly about revealed prophecy, of John coming in the spirit of Elijah and as Jesus suffering.

Promise: Suffering is a part of the way to glory.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the cross. Thank you for the eternal message of You seeking and saving the Lost, for saving me.   

Mark 8:34-35 - Cruciform Discipleship

Mark 8:34-35
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Message: Cruciform Discipleship

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface - After Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ - the Jewish Messiah - Jesus states his mission of suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter rebukes Jesus over this, wanting to correct him. But Jesus sees that Peter misunderstands and exhibits tough love in rebuking Peter, calling him out as Satan because his words are motivated by man's interests instead of God's.  


It seems that Jesus has arrived in Caesarea Philippi and he proclaims a direct message to the people, something I haven't seen him do much in this gospel. If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. This three-fold commandment has always seemed a little outrageous or extreme to me, to the point that I do not know at times how I can in fact live this way day in and day out.

This is not a popular message, I feel, in today's times, especially in America where we are commissioned it seems to "Be all you can be." In life, the focus so often is on me. But, Jesus specifically states that a person must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. I still find it interesting that in a way this is Jesus' second message to us. He started out in chapter 1 with, "Repent and believe." And now here is the message, "Deny and Follow." In some ways there is similarity. The desire is to turn from yourself.

Come after me
First, is the desire to come after Jesus or follow Jesus. So there is a redundant message here. If we are to follow Jesus we need to deny one self, take up my cross, and follow. So, twice he says follow. Therefore, we need to clarify what is between the follows. 

Deny Oneself
To deny oneself is to relinquish your personal will and surrender that will--always to the Lord. I've been reading about this recently in the book Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. The first Respectable Sin he addresses is ungodliness - or having an attitude daily that is not towards God. Conversely, to have an attitude toward God is to think of God throughout the day and to seek His will in all things. Yes, that is the goal. I will fall short. But, I can still press on. I can still try to live this way.

So how? I'm a step-by-step person I suppose. I watched the movie War Room last night and it spoke to me on the subject of fighting our battles with prayer. In essence, as we navigate difficult people and circumstances in life, I first must think about how I am to treat them - with love, compassion, and if I have a problem with them - the problem should be something I am taking to the Lord. I need to be praying for God to fix that problem. For me, this is about denying myself, or denying my will or as it says in Proverbs 3:5, "Do not lean on my own understanding." That is the antithesis it seems of denying oneself.

Take up his cross
So Jesus makes this command prior to going to the cross. The cross is a horrible instrument of execution. Get ready to be treated like a criminal. It is to experience shame. Tabletalk devotional defines this as "the shame and persecution this world heaps upon believers." So, would that be take up the shame and persecution or rather, don't go along with the worlds definitions of life. Take up those things that are contrary to God. Deny yourself and deny the world's ideals. It just doesn't seem like a coincidence that he would say, "take up your cross" when he is going soon to die on a cross.

To experience self-denial is to loses his life. When I deny my self, it implies to self's. I am denying myself. The old self that wants to live opposition free, shame-free, suffering-free, death-free. The new self says, "I want Jesus more than I want to be free from opposition. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from shame. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from suffering. I want Jesus more than I want to be free from death."

There is nothing wrong with me denying myself or losing myself.

Save leads to Lose
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it - I don't want to lose my life, so don't save it. Save means I will pursue acceptance. I will pursue comfort. I will pursue my own glory. I will pursue safety. This is what it means to save my own life. John 12:25 - Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. So, whoever will save his life in this world, he will lose it forever. Whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. So I will embrace not being accepted, not being comfortable, not coming out on top, not being safe.

This doesn't mean I look for suffering or I look to be uncomfortable or I look to be unsafe. But, when these situations arise in my life, I bear my cross. I seek you to see what you would have me learn in those situations.

So, if the focus on my world is being free from opposition, getting my glory, not ever experiencing suffering, always being comfortable, then I will not experience eternal life. Those are tough words, but truth.

Summary - Jesus has just rebuked Peter asserting that he knows the way that is before him. And here he further clarifies that contrary to what Peter thinks, he has a mission and Peter will need to deny himself and what he desires to experience that mission. Jesus very clearly tells us that to follow Him is to deny oneself and take up our cross.

Promise: Following Jesus is the opposite of the old world thinking or my old self thinking to gratify myself and achieve my way in all things. Life is not about my pleasure. It is about seeking the Lord and then seeing what He provides, realizing that sometimes opposition, unsafe, suffering, and uncomfortable are things I need to experience.


Prayer: Lord, I often am living my life in opposition to your calling on my life. Rather then denying myself, I spend my day pleasing myself. I fill my appetite as I wish. Whenever suffering or heartache comes my way, I very quickly ask it to be removed from my life. Rather than waiting to see how you will rescue me, I want the problem to be gone immediately.There are things in my life that I know I need to do. You are always teaching me and reminding me Holy Spirit to do things. Too often, I ignore you and take the easy road. Too often, I ignore you and take the selfish road. I do not want to live like this anymore. Holy Spirit, as you speak to me, I want to listen and obey, even if it means experiencing shame, opposition, suffering, death. Lord, too quickly I choose a life that is all about being accepted, having comfort, getting my own glory, being safe. Lord change me. Change my thinking. Re-write the thinking in my life. Re-write this in me so that I am pursuing that which is hard. When I do hard things, I save my life. O Lord, I hate how selfish my life has become. As circumstances happen in my life, help me to accept what you are teaching me.

https://www.desiringgod.org/labs/what-does-it-mean-to-take-up-our-cross

Mark 4:26-29 - Slow and Steady Growth

Mark 4:26-29
26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. 28 The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Message: Slow and Steady Growth

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Most of chapter 4 has been dealing with the good soil, the falling of the seed and the Word of God into people's lives -- people that are called by God and then their responsibility to that calling. The Parable of the Sower showed all different kinds of surfaces the seed falls on, but upon it falling on the good soil was the remark that it was accepted and the fruit produced a large crop. And then that good soil (His called ones) have a responsibility to let their light shine and to live according to their calling. After the seed falls, the soil has the task of yielding fruit. Thus, I am a vessel or an instrument of the Lord. And I have a great responsibility as His Child.

I see a lot of part-time believers of God in life. That is not my calling. I am not to only go to church weekly and then behave as I want during the week -- seeking entertainment of every sort, working my trade or my job, raising my family, maintaining my belongings, and buying more -- those are parts of everyone's life and showing partial devotion is not my calling. I am to be equipped and run to the glory of God in all of my activities. Am I really praying, confessing my sin in detail and then offering prayers for others? Am I serving the body of Christ, serving those in need? Is my fellowship with other Christians purposeful, for His glory? My life has been bought at a cost (the Cross) and I have a responsibility to live in a different manner than all of my peers.

This new parable begins with this phrase - The kingdom of God is like. As I recall, in verse 11, in response to the disciples and followers asking Jesus for the meaning of the parables he says - To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, The disciples possess the kingdom of God. I really just stop to mention this subject of the kingdom of God and its importance. I admit, my understanding of these verses is still a work in process. I don't understand completely. But here in these verses, there is something similar here. Could these parables be more for the disciples and followers and less for the great multitude for it is talking specifically about the kingdom of God or rather the good soil? Yet, it is a parable and the parable is given earlier to those on the outside. So, not understand that completely yet.

Here is the parable: a man casts seed upon the soil and he goes to bed at night and gets up the next day and the seed sprouts and grows, yet he himself does not know how or why even as the growth has occurred while he was sleeping. This parable is given without explanation. Immediately Jesus, I believe, is calling to their attention that as he just told them that they need to be obedient to their calling to be good soil and multiply, the multiplication or fruit is something he does. We cannot force this to happen in people's lives.

It reminds me of a visitation I did one time with a leader in the church and we went to the house of woman that lived nearby that had visited the church. I was in my 20s and so the church leader led the discussion. He shared the gospel and then rather forcibly led her to a decision. He persisted and pushed and pushed her until she sort of made a decision and then he walked out of there in celebration of what God had done. I saw the reverse. I didn't see that this was led by the Spirit, but maybe he saw something I didn't. For this message, I see Jesus saying that we are to water and we can give the plants food and care for it, but ultimate God will take charge of the growing.

Each person grows to a certain height, but no parent can determine how tall a person will be. God takes care of this and in the same way we must trust the process. This means that there are no formula's in life. This can be hard at times because this happens often in our non-spiritual life as we work hard and yield results. But, God doesn't work like this and we should not question outcomes.

The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. This could eventually be talking abut suffering (puts in the sickle) or the point in a person's life that leads them close to death for the harvest has come points possible to the end or the culmination of a person's life where the fruit is seen. Often at deaths of Christians we have a celebration of life service that helps us to stop and take a moment and look at the fruit that has come from this person's life. We are to be faithful in our work but we are also to trust God for the outcome. God will decided when the crop permits for it is different for each person.

Promise: Preach the gospel faithfully and trust God for the harvest. This will yield lasting fruit.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the way in which you work. Thank you for not putting outcomes on me. Help me to not focus on results, but focus on the presentation and depend on you for the results and trust you as well. I need this reminder continually in my life that you are always working, always growing and I can trust you for this. Thank you Lord for the way in which you want me to be involved.

James 5:13-18 - Persevere through Prayer

James 5:13-18
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Message: Persevere through Prayer

Time: James is thought to be the brother of Jesus. It is written about AD 45.

What the Lord is Saying: 

1. The Call to Prayer

There are 3 anyone statements: Is anyone suffering? Is anyone cheerful? Is anyone sick? I recalled that James 1 started with the idea that we have trials and the first action to the trial is asking God for wisdom. When we are going through a difficulty, the first response is to talk to God and ask him for help. In this scenario the response to each statement is prayer. Our focus remains on the Lord and looking to Him for help. This idea is central to our faith - we depend on God. We trust in Him. We rely on Him. 

2. The Character of Prayer

The final statement is in response to sickness and calling on the elders of the church to come and pray over the person. He calls on leaders of the church and they anoint him with oil. Oil in Bible times was medicinal and was used to treat lacerations, like the parable of the Samaritan in Luke 10:34. It is used to express concern and it strengthens. Symbolically it is the filling of the Holy Spirit. Is this a practice still today, that is, to anoint people with oil? According to our church, it is still a practice. James is encouraging us in the practie of church leaders interceding for one another. 

We are to have faith, a fervent energetic spirit, and righteousness.

a. Faith is the means of the power of prayer (v. 15 - prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick). Faith is conviction, it is trust, full confidence, and no doubting. Personally, I think it is very hard to pray without any doubt. 

b. Fervent energetic spirit (vs. pray for one another as effective prayer (v. 15-16) we are passionate about what God wants. 

c. A righteous individual (vs. the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much v. 16)

3. The Consequence of Prayer

v. 15 - faith will restore the one who is sick
v. 15 - they will be forgiven him if he committed sins
v. 16 - mutual confession provides healing - confess to one another
v. 16 - prayer can accomplish much 

example is Joni and we are not to put faith in faith; result is a transformed life.


Promise: Prayer can accomplish much, in my life, in other lives.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to learn how to continually pray. Thank you for Hope Church and their pastors and bringing the Word through them. Thank you for Pastor Roy and this message he gave this morning. Teach me now to continue to depend on You and trust you throughout all of life's circumstances. Help me to pray more for in doing this I trust you for the outcomes of life and acknowledge that I am not in control.

Hebrews 11:13-16 - Suffering and Death

Hebrews 11:13-16
¹³ All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.


Message: Suffering and Death

Time: Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who had suffered in the past and were now threatened with even more suffering. They'd done well years ago, but the author of Hebrews feared that they might now turn away from Christ to avoid further persecution.The opinions on the author of Hebrews has varied.

What the Lord is Saying: Suffering and death, it seems, remains a mystery in my life. Sickness, suffering and death continually assault people at different stages of life. The reality is the odds are the same for everyone: 1 out of 1 person will die.  As followers of Jesus, it is told to us that we will have eternal life (I John 5:11-12). Even Jesus died at an early age in an unfair manner (though he rose again). Jesus, however, conquered death. He rose again. We will rise, but non on this earth.

Something I've been realizing more and more is that sicknesses in the present are evidence of the fallenness of creation. I am not simply to think that my illness is the result of my sin, but rather it is the result of humanities sin. To me, that is one key principle. The other major thing I've learned over the years is we are not to come to God with the "why me" or "why them" question, but instead we come to God requesting healing and for prayer. What is most important is the condition of my soul when I die. But, I think it is hard because us American are so focused on comfort and safety and ease the sickness and suffering assault this and therefore there seems to be a tendency in thinking that it is always unjustified. My conclusion is "don't go there."

Instead, my focus in life is more on the condition of my soul when I die and encouraging people to think about this in general. For Jesus, what he mentioned was the key to this can be found in being born again in this life. This is the way we see the kingdom of God (John 3) or the kingdom of heaven. There is peace then in this life, no matter what may occur. This I believe is our focus.

This is the key of these verses in Hebrews. To begin with, I look first at the preceding verses in chapter 11 of Hebrews as their is a common idea expressed and this is "by faith." By Faith is the common theme thus far in this chapter and while that phrase isn't used, I think i need to remember it in as I read these verses. The people that were mentioned in the preceding verses were Old Testament saints, like Abraham and Sarah.

To me, what is spoken here in verse 13 is these people, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah -- they all lived there lives by faith. Faith was their calling card. They had the promise of the Messiah and removing the sin of the world, but they had not yet see it. God requested they believe in Him. This is the key of the entire Bible: Believe; having faith. Our faith in God supersedes everything else, so I can navigate life because of this faith. I can have peace about anything and everything because of this faith. In verse 14 is the what those by faith are seeking: a country of their own. This is a country that is beyond the constraints of this present life. Again, we have faith in this life and the life to come. And then in verse 15 and 16 it is mentioned that these people were not caught up in living simply in this present life, but they were more focused on the future and the heavenly home in which God has set up for them. If I know that I will live for eternity with God in heaven, then it should make living on earth easier. Yes, suffering will continue to occur, but I can walk through those times because I know God cares for me and I know he cares for me because he has provided what I need to spend eternity with him in heaven: thus I can have faith in this life because my eternal home is set in stone.  

Promise: Continue to hold onto the promises of God and continue to take my needs to him, trusting that He is walking with us always.

Prayer: Thank you God for providing salvation to me and that my future is in your hands. Help me to live each day by faith. Yes, there are trying times, uncomfortable ones, and times that lack security for through it all I can trust You because you are a God that can be trusted because the future, my future home is in place and is waiting for me.