Tag Archives: Christ

Why the Generous Gain More

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Gift

Generosity. (Photo Credit: earl53)

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. (Proverbs 11:24)

One would think that a person who ‘gives freely‘ may eventually come to poverty. However, we often see the exact opposite happening. Why do the generous gain more?  I think the answer lies in this verse below. It is in response to generosity that God gives the following promise:

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. (2 Corinthians 9:8) NLT

This does not mean we give because God will now ‘owe’ us something. We give freely because we love Him and love for God inevitably evokes love for people. There is no man more generous than a man in love. So it is for us spiritually as well. Because of our overwhelming love for Him, we are inspired to generosity. Not because we expect anything in return, but because we want to do it.

We must understand that ‘giving freely‘ does not mean giving irresponsibly. It is a well thought-through and prayed-over decision for the believer. Paul wrote that a man who does not care for his own family is worse than an unbeliever. This means, of course, that we have to ensure we have our priorities straight before we give freely. We cannot give while our own families are suffering want.

For a believer, then, giving is not a mindless and reckless exercise. As we are led by the Spirit in everything else, we are also blessed to be led by the Spirit in our giving. Praying that God will guide our steps in this regard, will bring rewards for us and our children and happiness and gratitude in the hearts of those who receive.

God knows who needs what and He knows exactly when they need it. By trusting Him to show us where and how we may give, we can be assured that our giving will never lead us to poverty. As freely as Jesus moved through His days, tending to needs as He met them on His way, so we may move freely and trust the Lord will guide us those who need our help. We cannot help everyone, but God will show us the ones He decided we could help.  Remember also that giving must never be a religious exercise. Scripture teaches that God loves  a cheerful giver, not someone giving out of compulsion.

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT

To ‘withhold unduly‘ refers to failure to pay debts. When we owe someone, even if the money is still in our hands, it is strictly speaking not our money. It belongs to another and if we use it for any other purpose than to pay the person, we are actually stealing that money. We have gone back on our word. Jesus taught us that our ‘yes’ must be yes and our ‘no’ remain no. Anything other than this, He says, comes from the evil one. In other words, if we owe a person money and we have that money, anything that suggests we should put it to other use, is not from God, but from His enemy. The enemy knows that we will forfeit blessings, not for ourselves alone but also for our children, if we fail to pay our debts. We will ruin our reputation, our credibility, our integrity and above all our witness for Christ. By submitting to his suggestions we may find short term pleasure in that money, but it will have lasting consequences. It is no wonder then, that the proverb says the one who withholds unduly will come to poverty.

The Bible calls the act of giving a ‘grace’. Grace is God’s power to do the right thing. May we be given more and more grace to excel in giving.

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

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Mercy is Not for the Innocent

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Photo Credit: Scarab

Photo Credit: Scarab

I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” (Psalm 41:4)

Jesus placed His followers under no delusion when He said, “In this world you will have trouble…” But, as was His habit, He followed up truth with comfort and added, “But take heart. I have overcome the world.“

As followers of Christ, we are not guaranteed freedom from the ills that fill this world we live in. We are not exempt from illness, financial distress, grief and family issues. However, Jesus promised that for every problem that can arise, He already has the solution. He has overcome the world and all its troubles.

Going through tough times allows us to become tender towards the struggles of others. No one can empathize with your troubling situation more than someone who has been through similar circumstances. As believers we are empowered, through grace, to be tenderhearted towards one another. Our own troubles often contribute greatly to this ability.

It must be added that troubles don’t work tenderness towards others in everyone. Some are hardened and become cynical because of their problems. It is only by grace that our troubles tenderize us and not harden us.

We can’t help all the troubles that come our way, but, we have to acknowledge, that many of our troubles are a result of our sin. For those who love the Lord, there is nothing so distressing as the possibility of sinning against such a loving and gracious God. Habitual sin results in a myriad of other troubles and often escalates into more sin to try and defend and cover the original sin. And sin also affects our physical well-being. “Sin and suffering are inevitable companions,” writes Charles Spurgeon.

But, there is power in the blood of Christ. His blood has the power to cleanse our guilty consciences. There is forgiveness for repentant sinners through the power of His Name. True repentance acknowledges that sin is firstly committed against God. This is how David understood his sin. He also knew though, that His grace is enough to cover his iniquities.

Notice how David prays for healing not because he is innocent, but because he has sinned. Mercy is not for the innocent. This is quite a contrast compared to the prayer of the self-righteous who believe God ‘owes’ them something because they had been oh-so-good; they had been doing this, that and the other thing for God and now they are entitled to His help.

As David prays for mercy because of his sin, he is not applying to justice for if he had to pray for justice, how could he stand before a holy God? He appeals to God’s mercy. He acknowledges that he sinned against his God. He does not try to hide it, cover it, downplay it, or excuse his sin. He is honest in his appeal for mercy. This is the kind of prayer that will guarantee an answer from God. He gives grace to the humble.

Finally, may we always remember that Jesus has been tempted in every way just as we have, but without sinning. In other words, He can perfectly relate to our humanity –to our weaknesses and our temptations and our troubles. It is for this reason that we are invited to come boldly to the throne to find grace in our time of need. We do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. We may pray for mercy, not because we are innocent, but for the very reason of our guilt.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

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In Meekness, Not Majesty

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Photo Credit: Cary Grant

Photo Credit: Cary Grant

Matthew 21:1-11

Here we have the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. It appeared, however, that those most acquainted with Scripture at that time, had forgotten all about this prophecy. They disdained His humble ways. Jesus appears in meekness, not majesty. But they loved ostentatious displays of  importance. Jesus, however, didn’t do thing their way.

It is said that there were three paths over the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem. These were the hollow between two crests of the hill on the northern side, over the summit of the Mount and finally  between the Mount of Olives and the Hill of Offence. This route was shorter but more difficult.

It is believed that it is between the Mount and the Hill of Offence that Jesus advanced towards Jerusalem. He chose the difficult way (and in my opinion symbolic of the offence of mankind He will bear on the Cross) to reach His destination. By now they had passed Jericho, the distance between the two towns being about 31 km (19 miles).

The crowds celebrate Him here as the Messiah. They sing from Psalm 118 –a psalm which marks the celebration of the the reign of the Messiah. On the tenth day of the Passover the Passover lamb should be set aside for the special Passover meal. It is on this tenth day of the fourteen day Passover period  that Jesus was publicly set aside for the special purpose as being God’s very own Passover lamb who will be sacrificed for the sins of the whole world.

Normally, during that time, the arrival of royalty into a town was marked by heralds, the sounding of trumpets and stately chariots, but none of these things accompanied the entrance of our Lord into the city He loved so much. We know, however, that God promised that all the things lacking at this entrance will abundantly be made up  when He returns in all His glory with all His holy angels. Then His entrance will be magnificent. Then He will come in Majesty!

However, for this entrance, there were no drawn-out preparations. It appeared to be rather impulsive as He asked His disciples to secure the use of a donkey and her colt for the event. Great men used horses, but our Lord, the greatest of all men, merely asked His disciples to fetch a donkey and her colt. Donkeys are slow and not elegant as horses are. He could have summoned even an angel to carry Him through the gates of Jerusalem, but in meekness, He asked for a colt –He who rides upon the clouds of heaven! It was not even His own colt. He borrowed it.

Jesus was famous that day. The crowds spread their clothes before Him on the ground as He entered (remember that all clothes were handmade and expensive then and considered very valuable). They cut down palm branches and laid it before Him, lifting Him up as a conqueror. He knew that this same crowd shouting Hosannas today will cry, ‘Crucify him!’  not long after. Yet, He graciously accepted their adoration. And just as graciously did He accept their rejection.

When we look for material majesty by which to judge a person, we are in danger of missing Christ operating through the meek and lowly. May we keep our eyes on the right things; focused on His return when there will be, on that Day, the kind of majesty we cannot begin to imagine.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2)

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Those Who Wait Patiently On God Do Not Wait in Vain

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Photo Credit: Anita Peppers (The Morgue File Free Photos)

Photo Credit: Anita Peppers (The Morgue File Free Photos)

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. (Psalm 40:1)

God has enough power to help the weakest among us. He has enough grace the help the unworthiest human being if he trusts in Him. Psalm 40 is also a remarkable prophecy about the Savior and His sacrifice. The author of Hebrews quoted from this psalm as if it were the words of Christ Himself, when he wrote about Christ offering Himself as the better sacrifice (Hebrew 10:5)

Here David was going through a dark time riddled with doubts, but he continued waiting, hoping and praying. In the Hebrew, the sense here is not of an isolated incidence of waiting, but of a continuous waiting in which he persevered. He stuck to waiting for a long time. He kept on praying even when it appeared his prayers were not being answered. He was not disappointed. He expected his help from no other source, and he was indeed rewarded.

He turned to me and heard my cry.

This is confirmation that those who wait patiently on God do not wait in vain. Looking at Jesus, our ultimate example, we will notice that impatience didn’t linger in His heart nor flow over His lips, even as He endured the agonies of the Cross and the period of time which lead up to that event. He displayed patience perfected. In this, He was giving us an example of how our conduct should be when we go through the trials of life.

The hope that God gives us allows us to keep steady in our walk and conduct. David soon found his darkness give way to the light of God’s joy and peace. Daily we experience the provision and grace of God. His mercies are new every morning. Let us patiently wait on Him even if it appears He is not listening to our prayers right now. Like David, we will certainly be rewarded.

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Greatness is Measured by Serving, not by Being Served

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Photo Credit: kumarnm

Photo Credit: kumarnm

Scripture Reference: Matthew 20:20-28

Prior to this incident, Jesus shared with His disciples the trials awaiting Him in Jerusalem. He told them how He will be killed by the church leaders and comforted them by sharing also His ultimate victory over death.

Recognizing that Jesus will be lifted up to a high position following these events, it appears that the mother of the sons of Zebedee saw in these words an opportunity to promote her sons to a level above the rest of the disciples. A desire to be better and higher than others is a sin rooted in pride.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

Jesus put the truth to her plainly saying she has no idea what she is asking for. There can be no glory without pain. As humans we want all the glory but none of the pain required to achieve it. He refers to it as drinking a cup. It reminds me of drinking bad tasting medicine. It’s terrible, but the only way to achieve your goal of getting better.

The most arrogant among men have had no experience of this cup. They never knew the Cross and what a price He paid to achieve what we now enjoy under His grace. If they did know the Cross, there would be no room for pride and arrogance in their hearts as the closer we come to Christ, the more we are humbled by what He endured on our behalf.

There are few things that cause as much trouble between brothers and sisters than grandiose ideas of personal greatness. The rest of the disciples were indignant when they heard this request. James summed it up perfectly when put his finger on what causes quarrels between believers. He speaks also of selfish ambition and calls it the ‘wisdom’ of the world, which really is no wisdom at all, but folly.

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. (James 4:1-3 NLT)

But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.  For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. (James 3:14-16 NLT)

The world teaches us that greatness is measured by the number of people serving us. Jesus teaches us that greatness is measured by the number of people we serve. It is humility, not pride, that makes us great in the sight of God. Jesus was our perfect example in humility, as He was in everything else required of us.

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

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Never Look Down on Children

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Daisy GirlScripture Reference: Matthew 19:13-15

Jesus teaches us by example that we should never look down on children or prevent them from coming freely to Him. In this interaction it is clear that it angers Him when people reject children and keep them from Him.

The fact that the parents brought their children to Jesus is a sign that they esteemed Him highly. The disciples, however, considered the children a nuisance and an interruption in the already busy schedule of Jesus. But He did not look at children that way. His response to the actions of His disciples makes that very clear. He is never too busy for the little ones.

Perhaps they thought it was beneath the dignity of their Master to make time for little children. They probably thought they were doing Jesus a favor by keeping the children away from Him, but Jesus changed their thinking. Their response reflects how little they knew of Jesus at this stage in their journey with Him. He says children are examples worth following, not interruptions to be sidelined. Children are trusting; they are willing to learn; they gladly accept a gift without questions asked and they don’t complicate life unnecessarily.

There are many churches today who preach these words of Jesus, “Let the children come to me,” and yet frown upon children as nuisances in their gatherings. A preacher with the heart of Christ will not disdain children, but welcome them. It is tragic that in many churches children are made to feel like they are in the way. This teaching of Christ is of course something that needs to be adhered to in all facets of life, at home, at school, wherever we find the lively voices of children.

I read the following quote this past week:

Children are not things to be molded, but persons to be unfolded.

Sometimes parents want to force children to be people whom they want them to be, instead of assisting in the unfolding of the person God created their children to be. As parents it is very tempting to want to see our unfulfilled dreams realized in the lives of our children, but this is wrong as those may not be the dreams of the child and we will stifle the unfolding of the beautiful, uniquely talented person God created that child to be.

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By Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone

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English: Which Way Now? The public footpath cu...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 34

This chapter consists of two parts. The first part covers the divine vengeance against the enemies of God. The second part describes how the church of Christ will flourish especially after His judgments are executed.

We would be wise to pay attention to these prophecies as the events predicted here are of universal concern. All nations are called to listen to the declaration. Judgement is announced against all who have mocked and rejected the Messiah. Although specific places may be mentioned, these names are symbolically representative of all those who are enemies of the Lord.

The reality of this prophecy is so certain that the prophet represents it as if it has already happened. The time of judgment will be the time when God sets right all injustices, but we must patiently wait until that appointed time and judge nothing before then. Until that day, mercy is extended to every person through Christ and His Name will ultimately be glorified. Listen to His voice while it is still called “today.” The invitation still stands. His mercy is still new every morning.

Step by step, Isaiah carves away at any false requirements for salvation. He hurls them to the ground one by one until he shows that none of the things people think can save them will withstand the justice of God. Only through faith, by grace in Christ are we saved. He shows:

  1. Affiliation to institutions and your ancestry cannot save you. Many assumed they were children of God because they were born into a certain group. How wrong they were! We are not saved because of affiliation to a group or because our parents were of a certain group. Edom refers to the descendants of Esau. Although also children of Isaac and Abraham, they were not saved by their ancestry but by their faith. This judgment is therefore for anyone who assume they are saved by affiliation and not by faith in Christ. John the Baptist sent out the same warning saying that being children of Abraham does not mean automatic salvation.
  2. Social standing cannot save you. Lambs, goats and rams are symbols of social standing and show that no matter how high up you are on the social ladder and no matter what religious or secular title you have, these things cannot assure salvation.
  3. Sacrifices cannot save you. They do not cover up a crooked heart in the sight of God and God looks at the heart, not sacrifices. He rejects the sacrifices of hypocrites who pretend to know God but deny Him by their everyday actions.
  4. Strength 0r the lack of it cannot save you. This prophecy shows how the mighty and the weak will be destroyed together.

 

The core message of Scripture is that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus is the only name given under heaven by which men can be saved. All other man-imposed salvation measures are worthless.

 

 

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The Straight Path of the Righteous

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The Straight Path

Photo Credit: Agatha Brown

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. (Proverbs 11:5)
When we receive the righteousness of Christ we receive new hearts with new desires. Now we find that we desire to do the right thing. We don’t do the right thing for public acknowledgement or for personal gain or because we feel compelled to or we are afraid of being caught out. We do the right thing because we want to; because we want to please the One who has showered His kindness upon us.

So, a righteous person walks a straight path in life –an honest path; a path that loves the truth; a path that leaves him with a clear conscience. This means he is not plagued by fears of being caught out and living his life forever looking behind his back. A righteous person wants to do the right thing; he doesn’t do it because he has to. He is free to obey the commands of God because he desires to obey them.

The wicked, on the other hand, has no such desires. He delights in his sinful lifestyle and he loves it too much to give it up. He may even boast about it. Instead of desiring to do the right thing, he makes a mockery of those who love living right. It will be his own love for wickedness that will ultimately bring him down.

The wicked are brought down by their own wickedness…

To keep us free from any conceit, we must also remember that the right desires we have are gifts from God because He has given us the righteousness of Christ by faith in Him. We could never work for it. It is by grace through faith that we receive these new and wholesome desires and therefore, the fact that we can keep to a straight path is a gift from God also. All glory to Him always.

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The Righteous Stand Firm Forever

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Lush Grass Ahead Coming down from the wilderne...

Lush Grass Ahead Coming down from the wilderness near the stream in the lee of Bryn Du, and the grass is much greener from now on. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Psalm 23:1-3 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. (Proverbs 10:25)

Throughout the Bible, there are many promises for the righteous. One that stands out for me is the promise in Psalm 1:

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. (Psalm 1:3-4)

In Jeremiah 17 there is a similar promise:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

The righteous are not uprooted by their circumstances. They are standing on an everlasting foundation. The righteous will stand firm forever.  Jesus sums up all these promises when He explains:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

When we receive the righteousness of Christ by faith in Him, we are standing on this Rock. With this righteousness comes a desire to please God in all that we do, think or say. We desire to walk as Jesus did. We desire to practice daily what He taught us. “Everyone who  hears these words of mine and puts them into practice…” Jesus is referring to His teachings before then, which includes His instructions for life in His Sermon on the Mount. The difference comes not only in the hearing, but in the “putting into practice.”

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom [the Law of Love and Grace], and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:22-25)

Jesus said He is the Way to the Father. The way Jesus lived is the way that will take us to the Father. Therefore, if we desire to be with the Father, it makes sense to closely study the way Jesus lived and to take His teachings seriously and practice living them out in everyday living. Jesus lived a selfless life and He promised those who are prepared to live His way that they will find their life –not lose it.

Once we let go of our own way and our own ideas and our selfish desires to get on top at all costs, we are on the Way and we can be assured that our circumstances will not uproot us. On the contrary, having received the righteousness of Christ, we will stand firm forever –in this life and the next.

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