Knowing is more than being introduced...

Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” (John 7:25–31)

In the past few days I’ve heard some unusual statements about the identity of Jesus. In a European country, a Christian told a resident about Him and heard this: “Who is Jesus? Is he a friend of yours?” This person had no knowledge of Him at all.

Another person on a social media site said Jesus is the true God that everyone should worship Him and not Jehovah. He had no idea of the deity of Christ and that He is Jehovah who came in human flesh to save us from our sin.

Many think that this name is just a swear word. They also do not realize the truth of His claim: 

“I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (John 8:18–19). . . .  But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:55–58). . . .  I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)

He told them if they did not believe His words, then believe His deeds, but that didn’t convince them either. This is one reason that I believe the identity of Jesus must be revealed by God to the human heart and mind. Otherwise, we don’t get it, at least not in a way that changes our destiny. This is why God says:

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)

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Luke 10:22)

These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10)

The Holy Spirit searches me too. Many times I’ve not realized reasons for my problems, or the puzzles of life, but in seeking Christ, the answers are revealed, mostly in the Bible, sometimes through others, even the odd time in dreams. Key is to keep looking and being open to what God says.

Jesus, You know everything. You are God in human flesh, God who can answer all my problems and meet all my needs. You know what it is like to be human, but without sin. I marvel that Your goal is to transform me to be like You. This can mean being misunderstood, even rejected, yet what a glorious hope. You revealed who You are to me, and that means no turning back or forgetting who You are. Praise Your holy Name! Amen!

 

The source of discernment…

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. (John 7:14–18)

This passage tells me that the Lord gives discernment to those who trust Him. With the amount of knowledge and so-called knowledge flying at me, this is an anchor. It fits with this OT wisdom:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5–8)

My daughter just sent me a link that says science is now discovering that cutting back on salt actually increases the problem less salt is supposed to solve. Of course the companies that make pills for the related problems want people to buy their ‘solutions’ yet these so-called cures are not fixing the real problem but making it worse.

The Word of God says that discernment is given to those who do not trust anything or anyone unless He says it is true. Since there are no chapters and verses on what medications to take, or not take, that means having an intimacy with Him that hears His take on all issues.

I know — there are many people who justify even evil deeds with “God told me” and that is not from an intimate relationship. Wanting to do the will of God means knowing as much about Him as possible. Can anyone read and understand the Bible and think that it is okay to do what God calls sin? 

I’m reading the Psalms again and those writers knew that others will twist what God says to justify their sin. These people will either be judged or shown mercy and be changed by grace. No one can escape the knowledge and discernment of God.

That said, He is quite willing to guide those who trust Him. Only by doing it do I discover His power to lead me concerning every detail of life. I know what to buy or not, what to ignore or heed. 

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; (Psalm 31:3)
With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. (Psalm 78:72)

This week I had a few days of negative thoughts about growing old and unable and He gave me this verse — without me even looking for it:

Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. (Isaiah 46:4)

The key to discernment is not being smarter but being humble, needy, relying on the One who knows rather on my own understanding. It is in admitting how I need Him and His wisdom, turning from my own ideas and from evil rather that trusting whatever sounds good or appeals to me. 

Jesus, I am so grateful that You make Your will known and that I can trust You with all my heart and with every question and issue of life. Thank You and may I praise Your name forever!

 

Serving God is not a competition

Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:25–30)

John was truly humble. He could have envied what Jesus was doing. He could have taken credit for pointing others to Him. He could have boasted that God had sent him to do this important task. Yet he did not have “I” problems that reveal self-centered pride. He knew that the root of pride is saying that we can do without God. He also knew that pride is sin.

C. S. Lewis said: “The most obvious fact about praise escaped me for the longest…” pointing to the fact that we are created in His image and made to reflect that image to the world. It is why we exist, and this is not just about Christian service:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:31–33)

Pride thinks I know best, that I can do it myself, that I am adequate. This is not a description of Abraham who is the father of faith:

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:20–25)

How to do it? First trust Him for everything and give Him glory by recognizing and publicly acknowledging His supreme worth and significance. Ascribe weight to Him, calling accurate public attention to His importance and proclaiming what He is and does. This is my fundamental purpose — to please, honor, and bring glory to my Creator and in every dimension of life, even eating and drinking.

It also means honoring Him above myself, and putting Him on display in both small and significant matters far deeper than religious expression, but in how I speak, work, what I wear and eat, how I care for myself and others, how I use the skills He gave me, and tell others how He cares for me.
All creation exists “from Him and through Him and to Him,” so I exist for His glory and through Christ’s life and death, with ultimate aim toward God’s glory. His grace is not meant to honor me nor is His glory is some sort of cosmic egotism. Instead it reveals Him with the goal to magnify human desire to know Him and be saved, like John said. He must increase, but I must decrease.

Jesus, I understand this by the difference I see in others when I tell of my achievements or when I point to You as the reason for anything good in my life. No one wants to be like me, but when I glorify You they seem drawn to You — with the hope that they can trust You and know Your grace and blessings. If I can be an expert in anything, it is the willingness and ability to decrease while You increase in all that I think, say, and do.

 

The power of memory

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:13–22)

A few weeks ago I told someone that if they had any unsolvable problems to call to Jesus; He would always be there for her. Later, I told a prayer warrior what I’d said but doubted that other person would remember. She encouraged me with, “God will bring it to her mind when she needs to hear it again.”

Memory is a problem for me. I have enough ADHD that if something isn’t written down, I usually forget it. One college professor told me lack of a good memory skill was my biggest flaw. Yet the praying friend has it right; if I really need to remember, God brings it to mind, at least He has. However, the older I get, the more I need it written down.

God isn’t stumped by my inabilities. In this case, He put me in the habit of daily Bible reading long before He redeemed me. I didn’t understand His Word then, but the habit was important. Now, I daily refresh my memory and have done so for more than fifty years. The fight against forgetting has not changed and may increase with age, but the Lord is faithful. He will help me remember what He says and use it to pick me up when I falter, just as He has always done.

I’ve sometimes worried about memory loss. My father had dementia. My mother had Alzheimer’s, yet they were happy and contented as their memories faded. My mother once said, “I’ve been through a lot. Worse things could happen to me.” I can say the same thing — and trust the Lord to remind me of that decision.

Lord, I’ve been purging my home and my computer and laugh at some of the stuff I’ve saved, never used, and wondered why I saved it. I also know that none of it will enter eternity with me. Such folly, yet there are some good things, and I’m so thankful that You have allowed and helped me remember many blessings of Your goodness to me. Thank You dear Lord.

 

God writes the endings…

Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. (Luke 23:20–25)

While no one is innocent except Jesus, Pilate was willing to put Him to death for his own selfish gain. He didn’t want to lose his position. Such is the power of sin.

We watched a television series about a very popular police woman who rose to a top position because she was good at her job. But she was also willing to kill anyone who stood in her way. She did it in such a way that others took the blame until finally she was discovered, arrested, and charged for her evil ways.

This fiction story makes me wonder what happened to Pilate. History gives no definite story. He did govern Judea for a few more years, but used violence against Samaritans and was charged then exiled. After that, various groups created legends from regret, to suicide, to an eventual conversion with honor. Only God knows his final destiny.

The TV story ended with the police woman in a jail cell and with me relieved at justice accomplished. I could not imagine this fictional woman becoming a Christian. What does that say about loving my enemies? If this story had been real, I may have wanted her crucified, maybe forgetting or ignoring the fact that Jesus had already taken that punishment in her place. 

As hubby and I discussed it, and the sermon from Sunday about Jonah’s hate for the Ninevites, we agreed how challenging it is to pray for the Pilates of this world. At least Pilate realized that Jesus was not worthy of death. Today’s truants seem to have no idea about fair play, justice, or the daily stresses of life for ordinary people. Like the police woman in the fiction story, whoever gets in their way or opposes what they are doing is in grave danger. Some lose their jobs. Some mysteriously die or simply disappear.

When it comes down to innocence, we cannot say that any person is without guilt, at least before God. If He gave me what I deserve, I would not be here. But His love and mercy is why Jesus didn’t try to fool Pilate or the Pharisees; He spoke truth and died for the whole world, including me.  

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)

Pilate did wrong to crucify the innocent Son of God, but “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:23–24)

God used this sinful decision of Pilate just as God knew He would, then raised Him from the dead — eternal life cannot die — so I (and Pilate) could be forgiven and receive that forever life.

Jesus, as Your redeemed child, being put to death by Your enemies could be the way You take me home. Fearing death is not the end, only a doorway. The Pilates of this world may win for a while in life or in fiction, but their story also has an ending. All of us, saints or stubborn rejectors, will wind up where You want us to be.

 

Is the end close?

And they asked (Jesus), “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives. (Luke 21:7–19)

I know a person that seldom listens well. It seems she is busy planning her response and when it comes, the evidence of not listening is sometimes annoying, or at best, humorous. Really listening is an art. 

That said, I’ve written about the folly of trying to predict the day Jesus will come back. He said that even He does not know when His orders will send Him. We are just supposed to be ready. Is it possible that this description is telling Christians what to be ready for? And saying how important to listen rather than try to plan what will happen.

As I look at the list, the first item says many will come in His name claiming to be Him. Has that happened yet? Being ready means knowing Him so well that I’m not fooled by imposters. Listen.

Then it says there will be many wars with nations rising against nations and this must happen. He does not say why this is necessary, but I think it is one way people will realize their need of God, and Christians will see Him using the tumult of war to draw people to Himself. This tells me how to pray and not be terrified. Listen.

He also says there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. While minor quakes happen frequently, it seems major quakes are increasing. Statistically, this is debatable, but it also tells me not to be anxious about things that only God can control. I cannot understand how He can use horrible events to draw others to Himself, but I can listen.

That most dreaded threat of severe persecution, even from family members, has been happening for centuries. Is it increasing? Reports say that approximately 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution, representing an increase of 8 million people compared to prior counts. Being ready involves being so certain that the worst others can do results in the best that can happen to me!

As for the actual return of Jesus, all these events signal it will happen, particularly the fear, but this is not to be feared because: 

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25–28)

Jesus, the daily news is often shocking, but it should not be fearful. As it unfolds, it verifies what You predicted and tells me to be ready, even excited. I will see You face to face and everything that causes fear will no longer exist. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

 

I can’t do this but I will say YES …

But he (Jesus) said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ” (Luke 14:16–24)

My dad gave a title to those who made excuses for not doing much. He called them “Can’t men” as he urged us to not be like that. If asked to do a new thing, or a chore that we didn’t like, we were told to give it our best effort without making excuses.

Jesus did the same with this illustration of what some will do when invited by the Holy Spirit to feast with Jesus in the kingdom of God. This is the same invitation as being invited to trust Him for eternal life, the same invitation to trust Him to forgive their sin and make them His own. They didn’t want to do it and all their excuses were related to running their own lives. As the OT says, this is His definition of sin:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

The first part is like Sinatra’s song: “I will do it my way.” The second part gives the cure for sin; God put all of it on Jesus and He got what our sin deserves — death. This is why Jesus can make this startling statement: 

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33)

Becoming a Christian is entrance into living another way, feasting on what God provides rather than relying on our own desires, wants, or even our abilities. This transformation is both instant and a process. We are made into a child of God and adopted into His family, but it takes time to learn how to live like what we already are.

It is something like being drafted into the army; instantly a soldier, but boot camp and the front lines bring out the skills and teach us how to rely on the Lord instead of trying to do it my way. This involves falling in the mud and picking myself up — over and over again. It also works backwards. Instead of getting easier, the training never lets up and in some ways gets more difficult.

Someone once gave the excuse that he “could become a Christian any time I want” but I told him the more he said NO the less he would be invited. He was one of those “Can’t Man” types that made excuses to have his own way the rest of his life.

Jesus, all of this humbles me. Salvation is an amazing miracle of grace, an invitation to join You in an eternal family and an eternal feast. You worked in me such a hunger that when the invite came, saying YES seemed like the only decision. Amen.