Humble Yourselves5/6/2024 ![]() 1 Peter 5:6-7 ~ "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." If ever there was a condition that magnifies the sin of man it is pride. And yet, this clear command is given that we must humble ourselves. But what does it mean to be humble? In truth, it is a disposition of low consideration of self. Not in the modern view of "low self-esteem," meaning a morose view of one's life, but a recognition of who we are in comparison to the Almighty God. We are the creature, He is Creator. We are exceptionally limited, He is all-powerful. We are ignorant, He is wisdom itself. In all ways, we look to the LORD Jesus and see in Him absolute perfection in all His being and we see in ourselves the frailty of our limitations. Jesus expressed our limitations when He said that we could not even make one hair white or black (see Matthew 5:36). Let us first look at the location of our humility. We are to humble ourselves "under the mighty hand of God." It will not take long, dear ones, to recognize the limits of our own superiority. We tend toward pride and arrogance in our thinking, believing that we can find our own way, trust our own instincts, believe our own truths and exalt our own selves. But, believer, you are not under the authority of your own will, you do not submit to your own notions. We are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and trust that He will govern our way. It did not take Job long to learn this lesson. When God confronted Job during the patriarch's great trial, the Almighty does not come to the man with tender terms but with the absolute declaration that the LORD is God (see Job, chapters 38-41). And it is under that mighty hand that we must humble ourselves. We cannot change the course of the weather, make the rains come or go, set the stars in the heavens or even bring about the growth of one single leaf on a tree. Yet the arrogance of mankind is so vast that they will dismiss the Almighty in favor of their own notions. Let it be not so with us, dear ones. Let us humble ourselves under God's mighty hand. But for how long? What is the limit of our humility? Peter tells us to humble ourselves continually, until that proper time: "so that at the proper time he may exalt you." We humble ourselves until Christ deems to exalt us. The LORD Jesus has purposed to set on high, to seat with Himself those who have surrendered to His salvation and have yielded to His rule. Even as a king enthrones his bride as queen, so the LORD Jesus, the King of kings, will set on high His bride, the church. The proper time is coming, but it is not up to you or I to determine the timing of it. Our humility may last a lifetime, but let it be so, knowing full well that Jesus will do exactly what He promised and exalt His people. James 4:10 tells us, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." It is a promise handed to those who belong to Christ--those who have humbled themselves before the LORD and with one another (see 1 Peter 5:5). How many of the arrogant souls who stand before God, boasting of their own greatness will be cast down and removed from His presence forever. The words of Matthew 7:21-23 speak of those who will brag to the LORD about all they did in His name, yet the King will cast them away as strangers to Him. Why? Because God's salvation only comes to the humble of heart, to those who truly fear the LORD and tremble at His greatness, those who run to His love and receive His mercy. Never will those who stand before God in boastful declaration of self-worth find any footing before the LORD. So, then, what do we do in the meantime? How do we live this humility? Simple: by "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." Did you know that holding onto anxiety is a sign of not trusting in the sovereignty of God? We cast all our anxieties on Him because we cannot carry them ourselves. We hold onto our anxieties because we believe that we can find our own solution. But look at the tender mercy and loving grace of our LORD Jesus--He cares for you! He knows the hardships faced, He understands the fear, and He calls upon you to trust Him in the face of it all. Knowing the trials faced by the recipients of Peter's letter, this encouragement would be tremendous. And it is for us today as well. Persecutions, hardships, hatred and sufferings are part of the experience that Christians face. And, in all those things that bring you to an anxious disposition, cast it upon the LORD and trust His care. Humble yourselves and wait, beloved. If you belong to Jesus, your exaltation is in His hand. He will lift you up in due time. And though that time might not be on this earth, it will then be all the more glorious when you and I find ourselves in His presence. Until then, cast upon Him your anxieties and trust His care for you. In His Grace, Pastor Michael
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The Glory of the House of God5/5/2024 ![]() Haggai 2:9 ~ "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts." In the early days of Israel, when they had departed Egypt and sojourned through the wilderness, God commanded them to build the Tabernacle, a gathering place for the people of God to draw near to Him. Time progressed, and generations passed, and David became king in Israel. Anointed by the LORD through the prophet, David was a valiant man of faith and through him the LORD brought Israel deliverance from their enemies. David had a palace built for himself, a grand abode fit for the king of Israel. In his heart, he wanted to build a place for God, a temple that would honor the LORD and gather the people to worship. And though David was not the man to construct the Temple, his son, Solomon, was (see 2 Samuel 7:4-17). And Solomon's Temple for the LORD was a grand edifice--a magnificent house to bring glory to God Almighty. And God was pleased with Solomon and the house built for the Name of the LORD. 2 Chronicles 7:16 says, "For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time." It was not long after that the rebellion of Israel took them away from the LORD and the LORD sent them away from their land. They were captive, enslaved by the nations around them, and the city and the Temple fell into ruins. In time, according to God's word, the people returned and began rebuilding the Temple (see Ezra 3:8-13). But, in response to the rebuilding, some of those who were old enough to remember the former glory of the Temple wept. Why? Because the Temple under new construction was not as glorious as Temple built in the days of Solomon. The LORD, Himself, spoke of this in Haggai 2:3, "Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?" And, now, as we come to our text for today, what does it mean: "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former?" Oh, beloved believers in Christ, we are looking for a city who's architect and builder is God. Consider what it says of Abraham in Hebrews 11:10, "For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." Dear Christian, the latter glory will be so much greater than the former, even as the day is so much brighter than the night. There may be dim illumination from stars, even a full moon might cast its illumination upon the earth, but the daylight is gloriously bright. And so it will be for all who are in the home where Christ dwells. Here on this earth we only see a dim view of what will be. The current glory is shaded and we can only see as through darkened glass (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). Here on earth, we enjoy the fellowship of the saints. Yet for all the joys and delights of such fellowship, it is only a dim reflection of what will be in heaven. Here we experience but moments of worship, filtered through our own sin-wrecked hearts. And though we desire to worship in a way that is more honoring to Christ, we struggle here on earth. But our worship of Christ there will be unencumbered by any limitations of our life here. My friends, the eternal house of the LORD, the heavenly dwelling of all who believe, will be far more glorious than anything we could experience here. Revelation 21:23 speaks to the glory of the house of God, "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." Unlike in the days of Haggai, where enemies harassed and threatened the people of God as they rebuilt the Temple, unlike the days wherein we live as the world strives against the faithful redeemed of the LORD, the place of the presence of God Almighty, where His glory fills all things, is also a place of peace. Wickedness will not strive within the Christian, nor will there be enemies who terrorize the church. Even as it says in the final part of our text today, "And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts." Let this, beloved, be your daily hope until it becomes your eternal home. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Value of Sound Doctrine5/4/2024 ![]() 2 Timothy 4:3 ~ "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions." Which would you rather hear: solid truth, though it may challenge your view or simple teachings that confirm your own opinions? This is always the dilemma that people face when it comes to solid, biblical doctrine. Most people in the world would rather have their opinions confirmed by the words of another, even if their opinion is wrong. They gather into clusters that is akin to an echo chamber of like-minded voices and then, as they hear their own ideas expressed through others they hold ever tighter to them. But "group-think" does not mean accurate understanding. There has to be a basis for what is understood, a foundation of information that people stand upon. And if that foundation is not the solid rock of truth, it will eventually prove to be fatally flawed. When that happens, my friends, the truth of Christ and His Word will be the truth that survives. Jesus said in Luke 21:33, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." But you may wonder, as even I've been asked: do you think the Bible is true because you believe it, or, do you believe the Bible because it is true? In absolute candor, I believe the Bible, God's Word, because it is true. There are many reasons I could give for the accuracy and historic relevancy of the Scriptures. The Bible has stood the test of time and the overwhelming scrutiny of its detractors. Its primary character, the LORD Jesus, is the focus of the Old Testament and the fulfillment in the New Testament. The authors who wrote the letters were eyewitnesses to the veracity of His claims. And, in truth, I am one of many for whom the LORD Jesus prayed, "“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word" (John 17:20). It was through the Scriptures, and the willing testimony of those who already believed, that I came to know and believe on the LORD Jesus. And I will lay this before you: if you believe on Jesus outside of the Word of God, you are in grave danger. And this brings us to our text for today. There are many--multitudes even--who do not hold to the sound doctrine of the Scriptures, but flock to those teachers that will tickle their ears with what they want to hear. Paul says it this way: "to suit their own passions." And, so, in our world there will be teachers who seize the opportunity tell the crowd whatever they want to hear in order to gather great hordes of people around them. And they will gather--they will flock to the voices that agree with them and forsake the truth. Yet the charge to Timothy is to "preach the word" (see 2 Timothy 4:2). It may not be the popular message of the time, nor will it be agreeable to those who prefer their sins, who desire a soft, pliable message that will conform to the standards of the current trends. But there must be sound doctrine for the believer to have a strong place to stand. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matthew 7:24). There is great value in sound doctrine. It is the foundation of our stability. It is the focus of our direction. It is the means by which the LORD will correct us and sanctify us (see John 17:17). Concerning the Scriptures, Psalm 19:11 says, "Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." Let me ask you a hard question. Do you have "itching ears" and look for those who will teach you want you want to hear? There is a wealth of people who will gather around those who will merely tickle their ears. I would urge you, do not be one of them. Seek out those places and those teachers who stand upon the Scriptures as the source of truth and who proclaim Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Live by the Spirit5/3/2024 ![]() Galatians 5:25 ~ "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." Do you live by the Spirit? Does the Holy Spirit govern your life? Many people have a notion of what that is supposed to look like, bringing out the ideas that there are meant to be the continual supernatural expressions of Divine power manifesting through those who truly live by the Spirit. A constant desire for signs and wonders displayed, however, is not a mark of the desire to live by the Spirit. There is a danger, however, to the constant drive to see signs and wonders. First, it is condemned in the Scriptures. Jesus said in Matthew 12:39, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." It is an evil and adulterous generation seeking such things. Yet, the demand for signs from God continue with the saints still today. Look to the resurrection of Jesus, my friends. That is the ultimate sign. Why demand lesser ones? Second, there is a warning attached for those who seek after signs. Mark 13:22 states, "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect." Do not be easily persuaded by signs and wonders for they can come as evidence not of the Spirit but of the enemy. So, with false signs being performed, how then can a Christian learn to live by the Holy Spirit? Well... not by signs and wonders. And this brings us to our text for today. To live by the Spirit, beloved, is keep in step with the Spirit. In other words, it is to walk in a way that shows a willing obedience to Christ. You do not need to see a sign in order to know what the Holy Spirit would have you do. What you need is the Word of God and a desire to glorify Christ. Put those two in your heart and step out by faith. In context of our discussion today, we need to look to Galatians 5:16-26. If you read the context, it will be like the sun coming forth from a cloud--very illuminating. We see in verse 16 that to walk in the Spirit is to not gratify the desires of the flesh. The passion-driven flesh desires that which is contrary to Christ. And the Holy Spirit enters our lives for the express purpose of bringing glory to Christ (see John 16:14). Then, my friends, to live by the Spirit is to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). Many seek after the gifts of the Spirit, and, truly, God Almighty does bring forth His gifts through the church by the working of the Holy Spirit within each believer. But what we must seek is to bear much fruit (see John 15:8). The fruit of the Spirit is in contrast to the workings of the flesh. In Galatians 5:19-21, the evidences of "fleshly" living, that is, living only for self, are made clear. And yet, those who are born-again, who have the Spirit of Christ within them, will bear forth fruit that is contrary to worldliness. I would urge you, don't go seeking after some manifestation of power to prove the working of the Holy Spirit. God does work, He is absolute in His power. He still works miracles according to His own will and purpose. But those are not the things to strive after in order to prove the working of the Spirit in your life. Look to see if Christ Jesus is glorified. Look to see if the flesh is crucified and the desire for righteous living is present. If there is a hunger and thirst for righteousness, if there are evident spiritual fruit that is born of your faithfulness, if there is true humility and a love for Christ, then, dear ones, you are living by the Spirit. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Effective Christian Life5/2/2024 ![]() 2 Peter 1:8 ~ "For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." When you consider the means of being effective as a believer in Christ, what are the elements you look for in yourself? Before we get to that, ask yourself a question: what does an effective Christian look like? For in our text today, Peter tells us that we are to be kept from being ineffective and unfruitful. These two conditions are the result of a passive Christian life. For, to be "ineffective" is, in essence, to be lazy, unproductive and without effort. And to be "unfruitful" is to be barren or profitless. And, if there is anything about following Christ that is needed, it is the desire and the drive. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:13, "...for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." We are to "will" and to "work." And that willingness to strive in obedience to Christ is the work of the Father through the Spirit who empowers us to a life of faithfulness. To avoid the unfruitful and ineffective Christian life, there are qualities that must be present and they are to be growing. We plant an apple tree and rejoice when, in its infancy, it produces fruit that are small and few. However, in the years to come the expectation is that the tree has grown and increased its harvest of fruit, becoming strong and stable so that much fruit can be upon it. So it is with the Christian life. In our infancy with Christ there is little expectation for much fruit. But let the believer grow and mature and there should be, even in our own hearts, the expectation that much fruit will be produced to the glory of God (see John 15:8). What qualities does the Apostle Peter refer to? They are found in 2 Peter 1:5-7. "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." It starts with faith. And then added to that faith are the various qualities of Christlikeness. And these are the qualities that, as we add them, keep us from becoming ineffective and unfruitful. And, these qualities are added to each one, stacked upon each other to grow a towering structure of Christian living that reaches its greatest expression when true, sacrificial love is added. However, there are those who seek to add to their Christian faith elements of a more worldly design. Instead of virtue, it is willfulness. Instead of knowledge, it is philosophies. Instead of self-control, it is self-indulgence. Instead of steadfastness, it is vacillation. Instead of godliness it is tolerance. Instead of brotherly affection it is isolation. Instead of love it is bitterness. Let it not be said of us who love the LORD. Rather, let it be seen in our lives that those qualities of Christlikeness are not only being added, but increasing in potency as we walk in faithfulness to Him. As we consider what it takes to be both effective and fruitful, let us also understand that our effective fruitfulness must be founded upon the knowledge of Christ. These qualities are of greatest worth when grown on the vine of Jesus. In fact, our LORD told us that apart from Him we can do nothing (see John 15:5). Our Christian lives should be so set to make Christ known, that these qualities, growing in our lives, give increasing evidence of our LORD. So, beloved, if you have faith in the LORD Jesus, then let your pursuit lead you to adding these qualities in increasing measure--growing in the grace and the knowledge of our Savior--becoming effective and fruitful for Him. In His Grace, Pastor Michael What do You Imitate?5/1/2024 ![]() 3 John 1:11 ~ " Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God." It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. There is a sense in which, in the Christian life, this holds true. For there are those who, looking to others, will want to emulate their walk of faith. And though every Christian walks by their own faith as they follow Christ, it is important to note that the LORD has established godly examples for all who are striving to live for Jesus. This is not an unheard-of experience in the Scriptures. We are told by Peter that our LORD Jesus has left us an example, that we should follow Him (see 1 Peter 2:21). God has given leaders to the church to set the example of faith, as Hebrews 13:7 states, "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." The Apostle Paul recognized the importance of his own walk by faith as a means by which others could find their steps as well. He says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." In our text for today, we are commanded not to imitate evil, but good. The word, "imitate," means to mimic or to emulate that which you consider to be a preferred method of life. And there are only two views to consider: good or evil. The Apostle John gives two direct examples to his friend Gaius: the evil example of Diotrephes (verse 9) and the good example of Demetrius (verse 12). Even today there are those in the church who will either be one or the other. When it comes to the two expressions of life, either good or evil, the standard of evaluating those two conditions is God Himself. We know that there is no one good but God alone (see Mark 10:18). We are told to be imitators of God in Ephesians 5:1, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children." With this, the Apostle John tells us that "Whoever does good is from God." This does not mean that someone who simply does a good deed, as in some humanitarian cause or altruistic endeavor, is from God. There are many in this world who do good deeds. This "does good" statement means a continual condition of the heart that expresses outward goodness. Before God, the sinner unsaved cannot do good. Romans 3:12 says, "All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." We are reminded in Isaiah that, outside of God's redemption, our righteous deeds are but filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6). But those who are from God will have a disposition of doing good. Why is this? Because faith and good works go hand-in-hand. James tells us that faith without such works is dead, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead" (James 2:26). And then, those who do evil have, as our text indicates, "not seen God." Some might argue that no one today has seen God. In fact, the Almighty told Moses that no one could look upon Him and live (see Exodus 33:20). But to "see" God in this context is not to visibly behold His glorious presence, but to discern His ways or to perceive with the understanding who God is and how He would have us live. Even as Hebrews 12:2 says, "...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Though we cannot fix our eyes directly upon Him, we can, with our comprehension, look to the Word of God and understand His ways. Thus, those who do evil--that is, to have a disposition that desires evil--are those who have never come to understand or comprehend the ways of the LORD. Psalm 36:1 states, "Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes." So... who do you imitate? And, perhaps a greater question--is your walk with Christ something that others can imitate to God's glory? If you are born-again, beloved, you probably already have those around you that are watching to see the goodness of the LORD in you. It is good if they do. Don't shy away from striving to be an example for other believers. In so doing, you may just grow in the goodness of God as well. In His Grace, Pastor Michael From the Mountains to the SeaEvery step we take on this journey called life ought to be used for greater understanding. I've lived from the mountains to the sea, and this blog is my personal thoughts and observations with a desire for Biblical understanding. Welcome. Featured BookArchives
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