The Gospel is centered on. . . .

While he (the man who had just been healed) clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (Acts 3:11–21)

This week, Lord reminded me that the gospel needs to be centered on Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Peter did this, as well as speaking of OT prophecies that were familiar to his audience. 

Another reminder is to do both these days. We often speak of God yet our listeners could have a far different idea of a god than we do or that the “men of Israel” had when Peter spoke. When we talk about Jesus, His identity is more specific than whatever may come to mind for our listeners. When we talk about the resurrection we tell people the event that is unique to our faith. Others pray to a god, and claim faith in that god, but their spiritual leader did not die and rise from the grave.

The testimony of a former atheist also illustrates this truth. He decided the only way to make a loved one give up her new faith was to prove that the Bible is wrong. He focused on the resurrection and after studying historical records realized that Jesus was a real person, is who He claimed to be, and actually died and rose from the dead. This atheist became a Christian also.

Again, I can talk about God but may not connect with others for there are many gods. Also, it is important to know the background of people and, if they are asking questions, to determine their motivations. Some just want to argue. Some are seeking proof. The Holy Spirit helps His people to meet others and talk to them in the most helpful way.

Jesus, I am on the prayer team today. People come to the front with requests or questions and I have no idea what to expect. May You guide me to glorify You as I pray for others. Amen.
Later: two important prayer requests and two people who came just to encourage me. Lord, what a wonder You are, a surprise and a blessing.

 

David knew before what we know now. . . .

For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 
Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:25–38)

If anyone doubts the power of God to reveal truth and the future, this is one fine example that He knew then and that He gave David that certainty — hundreds of years before Jesus came, was crucified, and rose again.

Yesterday I read the story of a woman recently widowed. She had three children. Her only inheritance was $20,000 and all she had. However, hearing of God's promises to take care of those who trust Him, particularly with their care when in need, she gave the entire sum to Him. Her pastor, although he told her to trust God, was a bit horrified. Yet within a few months, the woman received a call about a relative she didn’t know she had. He died and left her enough to take care of her and family for the rest of their lives.

I have a similar story about not having any money. An annual rental was due and I could not pay it. God surprised me with an order for a pet portrait from a person I’d never met and she sent the money with her order — just a few dollars more than the rental bill! I painted the portrait of her dog, mailed it to her, and have never worried about money since then. God has taken care of me.

This is the power of God. He meets our needs even before we experience them. And it also builds faith in Him. As the words above say, my sin is the reason He died and yet His love makes me safe from all threats and the recipient of His greatest gift — Himself and the incredible care of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, You are always with me, assuring me and putting my needs on Your calendar so that they are met when they come up. Forgive me for ever worrying or fretting about anything. You already know what the future holds and You have already provided whatever I will need. You are amazing!

Knowing truth…

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:12–15)

Two young fellows came to the door to sell me their belief system. I shared my faith in Jesus Christ and how His death and resurrection changed my life. They asked me where I learned this, who taught it to me. When I told them “no one” and that I learned it from the Holy Spirit while reading the Bible, they shook their heads and told me no one learns about God like that. I had to be taught.

Thinking about it, it does seem like someone who hears voices has a mental problem. But Jesus says we can know truth by His Spirit without it being explained by another person. As my pastor often says, “Only God.”

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:9–15)

The power and activity of the Holy Spirit is ridiculed as nonsense by those who are without faith in Jesus Christ. For them, His work is unknown or unnamed or called anything else, from hunches to guesses, premonitions to a gut feeling. Even to Christians, this might be how it feels at times, yet Jesus said to those who questioned Him, 

“I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:25–27)

When a friend or family member calls, they often identify themselves by “It’s me” because the person on the other end knows their voice. This is what hearing the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ is like. Because His sheep know His voice, we recognize Him when He tells us the truth or gives us a command. And because we know and trust Him, we follow what He says.

Those two men at my door did not know what I was talking about because they were not His sheep. They didn’t know or follow Him, only their human teachers who didn’t tell them the truth because they didn’t know His voice either.

Being in the Bible helps. Listening to sound biblical teaching helps. Yet most of all, being His child (sheep) in a personal relationship makes the difference. 

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

Most of the time I feel clueless about what is going on, what I should do, etc. but by knowing Jesus, I can rely on Him to tell me all that I need to know, what to do next, how to think and pray, and what is true vs. what is false. Spiritual maturity is a progress totally depending on what Jesus reveals to me.

Jesus, the Holy Spirit speaks of You, glorifies You, gives me what You want me to know and do, and assures me of Your love and mercy, Your righteousness and faithfulness. Without You, I am at sea, but You are my guiding lighthouse and help — in all of life.

Hating Perfection?

 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ (John 15:18–25)

Hate is a strong dislike or aversion toward someone or something. But there is a vast difference between hating broccoli, pink shirts, doing the dusting, or rock bands than hating a person, especially the person of Jesus Christ. 

The Bible clarifies that people hate Jesus for various reasons. He didn’t do what they expected. He called them on their sin. He told them their lives must drastically change. He knew what they would say and do before they did it. Yet He was without sin Himself.

This week I listened to a discussion between two godly men. One of them is either popular or criticized depending on who you ask. Then I listened to an evaluation of the discussion. That person had good things to say about both men, but wound up with strong criticism of one, words that said more about himself than he likely realized. He was obviously jealous of this man’s successful ministry as a pastor of a large church, a writer of an extremely popular book, and a person who lived with integrity. Unlike Jesus, the disliked person is not perfect (even the critic must admit that no person is), but nit-picking flaws didn’t make good points for himself either.

In thinking about my own life and the people I have disliked, I can see that everyone that I’ve not liked or had a strong aversion to was more about me than them. I was either disagreed with, ignored, or treated in ways that I thought I didn’t deserve. They injured my pride. This is not the same as being ‘hated for Jesus’ sake’ that He was talking about.

He was hated for saying the truth about sin and for His drastic actions to show love toward those who sinned against Him. Like He said, if He had not spoken to them about it, they could excuse it. If He had not loved and healed and been with sinners, they could justify their intolerance and lack of love. And Jesus showed up their selfish pride by not having any.

No one is displaying hatred toward me. Sometimes I feel ignored, but that is not a big deal. Recently I was criticized for humility because that person wanted to praise me and I wanted her to glorify Jesus instead. I don’t know how that fits in with this declaration Jesus made, but I know that when others praise God, I am glad and apt to do the same. Maybe part of hating is wanting someone else to get the credit instead of giving it to the Creator, Sustainer, and the only righteousness that I have? 

The pastor who was criticized did that. He repeated several times that the only reason God made him was to glorify Him. If others hate me for doing that, it says far more about them than it does about me. 

Jesus, hating You is a foreign concept. Only those who want to run their own lives, and who define goodness their way. If they do not get all the credit they want, they resent You. You, who even asked for forgiveness for those who crucified You. Hate cannot overcome that kind of love. I’m not there yet, but I know that I cannot be like that without the the fullness of Your Spirit. Only You can fill me with the ability to not hate anyone, but to love all as You have loved me.  

Speak up or shut up?

And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” (John 12:44–50)

Watchman Nee wrote that God had to teach him to shut up, and then teach him to speak up. I relate. This verse explains the shut up part: 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

In some ways and for some people, saying nothing is easier than saying the right thing. However, when I think that way, it is about avoiding what might happen to me rather than what my self-centered words might do to those who hear them. Not like Jesus. 

Speaking up is from a different source and for the opposite reasons. It is about saying what God wants people to hear. Doing this might take time and discernment, but if filled with the Holy Spirit, the words come out — and sometimes make me shake my head and wonder “where did that come from?”

For example, a young man asked how he could sleep well. I blurted, “The Bible says there is no rest for the wicked, so you have to first get rid of the wicked.” While I felt like an idiot for saying it, he responded so well that I realized that was a Holy Spirit word he needed to hear.

Other times the speaking up part takes thoughtful prayer and not saying anything until certain that my words are from Him and not my own. Sometimes the easiest way to tell is by knowing they are biblical and recognizing that my old nature does not want to say them.

Jesus, You didn’t have that old nature giving You ‘corrupting talk’ or confusing talk. Yet Your example has great value. By my words, I can edify others — if they are words given to me by Your Spirit and not from me. Help me always to know the difference.

My to-do list vs. God’s purposes?

While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. (John 12:36–43)

They heard but did not believe. A common response to what God says. So God did not reveal Himself to them because if He did, He would have to open their eyes and understand and be healed — but without really believing, without faith. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

This is why the truth of who God is and who Jesus Christ is has been hidden from those who are without faith and from those who try to earn their salvation by doing whatever they think God wants them to do.

Faith is a gift. Gifts are undeserved, given unconditionally, not earned or paid for. Human pride doesn’t like even a hint of being unworthy. Human greed does not want something that demands their total surrender. The question is often why then do some get the gift and others don’t. Wrong question. Why does anyone get the gift? No one deserves it or earns it. Could it be for the glory of God?

He created humans in His image that we might display His glory. Sin messed up that desire and ability. Whether we realize the impossibility of glorifying God or not, sin wants glory for me. I feel bad that I cannot do it, but realize also that if I am going to fulfill that purpose, I need Him to live in me — because there is nothing much left in me that looks like God. 

Being selected to live in His kingdom is an utter marvel. Why me? Being chosen to be like Jesus is the most humbling realization of my life. Recognizing that I am here to reflect His glory could easily drive me into a dark cave so no one could see my failures. But God will not allow that. 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

In the past two weeks, two friends told me they lived to glorify God. That is rare. I’ve read “The Purpose Driven Life” and am only just getting it. The NT says:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

How much of life is so ordinary, yet in these ordinary things, I am to glorify God, to be like Jesus, to show the world what He is like and how different He is from humans with all our selfishness and pointless activities.

 The writer of that book says that we live here on earth to learn how to live and be like Christ in eternity, and for that reason, I need a greater focus on that purpose than my to-do list, goals and plans. I feel like the OT prophet who said, “Woe is me, I am undone.”

Jesus, You know my to-do lists and plans. What does a ‘keep my house clean’ got to do with eternity except to remind me to keep my life clean? What do the names on my prayer list have to do with heaven except that I might support them in the same purpose of being like You today? And this may take more than the words I send upwards. Guide me today. The to-do list is on my desk. Does it match the one You have written for me, prepared beforehand that I should walk in it? 

What about “God told me” claims?

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. 
Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. (John 11:45–54)

We went for a drive yesterday with no particular destination in mind, but after a short time, my hubby said, “It just came to me that we should stop at …” So we did and it turned out to be a good idea. 

Where do such ideas come from? I’ve been in book stores with no plans and a book almost speaks “Buy me” and it was an important read at the time. Or someone comes to mind that I should phone them, and they answered, “I’m so glad you called. I need to talk to you.”

The above text does not say anyone told Jesus that plans were being made to kill Him. However He knew it was not the right time and went into hiding in a place where they would not find Him. How did He know?

For Him and for all, God knows. King David understood this:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. (Psalm 139:1–4)

God told David that He would inform him what he should do: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8) so why not Jesus? And why not me? 

But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! (Psalm 81:11–13)

A Christian woman told me of planning to mail something and driving a certain route to the post office. She heard an inner voice telling her to go another way. She argued and then went the way she planned. On that road she was hit by a semi and nearly died. After years of recovery, she knows how challenging it can be to listen.

The voice is not our ‘better half’ or ‘subconscious’ but the Holy Spirit. He knows what I think and how I plan. He knows the will of God for me. He also knows how stubborn I can be, or how proud, or whatever my reasoning is for not listening. This is Greek “rhema” not the term “logos” usually used for the word of God. 

Last night I came up with a plan for a quilt, then spent half the night dreaming of doing it. But I was doing it wrong. All night. It was not God's instruction but a warning? Or a reminder? I make plans for the day, or for a project, and God knows that I need His guidance for every step of it. He also knows what He wants for my day. Will I listen and submit? Or do my own thing and wake up too late? Or like my friend who never made it to the post office? Rhema is a personal word for a need of the moment, not to be added to Scripture or applied to other people, but must fit with Scripture and the revealed will of God. 

Jesus, listening to Your voice all the time and for every detail can be as important as personal safety or less vital as doing a task well (or even doing it at all). Keep me tuned it. The day has only a few hours. What I do with that time could make a difference in my life or the life of others. Help me to listen, pay attention, and do what You say. It may not make sense at the time, but listening and submitting can make a huge difference compared to the vanity of thinking I know better.