Mercy Over Judgment6/20/2024 ![]() James 2:13 ~ "For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." If you are in Christ, you have experienced the greatest expression of mercy over judgment. All who are in this world stand condemned by God. John 3:18 says, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." There is not one person who will be able to excuse their rebellion and unbelief. But God, who is rich in mercy (see Ephesians 2:4), made the way for all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, to find forgiveness. And now, for those who are in Christ, God has given you a full pardon through the suffering, sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mercy, dear ones, is the highest expression of the divine love of God. For it is in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our LORD that we find His mercy. Romans 5:8 says, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." And, as we consider our text for today, we begin at the point that it makes: mercy triumphs over judgment. Perhaps you ask, "how can that be?" Let us consider a few things. First, judgment is the payment made from a righteous authority for a rebellious act. A turncoat in the military will receive a court martial, a criminal in society will receive prison time and even children who are disobedient to parents should receive some form of punishment. At every level of our social structure in life, there is to be a just and fitting punishment for the crimes committed. When that does not happen, we wonder why justice has failed, and without justice, we see the decaying of a people into anarchial rebellion. Then there is mercy. The expression of mercy is not just an empty platitude or the acceptance of a rebellious act. It is not the purpose of mercy to placate the commission of a sin, but to cover it. For mercy has at its heart a compassion that does more than merely overlook a sin, it forgives the sinner. And in the case concerning a sinner before God, mercy is the payment made by God in order to satisfy the just and righteous judgment against man. It is the means by which the LORD can forgive our sins. And it is this mercy that triumphs over judgment. For judgment, which will send a person to hell is overcome by mercy which provides the grace necessary for a person to arrive in heaven. The first question on the table for everyone reading this today is: have you received the mercy of God in Christ? The second question then is this: do you offer toward others the mercy that you have received? For along with this wonderful, triumphant expression of mercy in our text today is a very grave warning against those who do not show the same mercy toward others. And that warning is the first part of our text: judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Dear Christian, you have received the abundant mercy of God! Is it now so vitally important that you withhold such mercy from any other person in this world? Can you truly say that the sins against you are far greater than your sins against the Living God? Of course you cannot--no one can. We have so wronged God in every thought, word and deed throughout our lives that we deserve a thousand eternities in everlasting judgment. And God is overwhelmingly rich in mercy toward us who believe. Let that mercy of God transform your heart toward others that you can offer mercy to them as well. Consider carefully the story given in Matthew 18:21-35. Verse 35 sums it up: "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." We can echo back to the two great commandments--love God and love your neighbor as yourself (see Luke 10:27). To love God is to put your full faith in Him, trusting in His salvation through Jesus Christ and living to glorify His holy name. And then, to love your neighbor is to do for them what you would have done for yourself. Have you sought mercy? Then show mercy. Have you needed forgiveness? Then also be forgiving. Beloved, if the mercy of God has triumphed over His judgment in your life, then do likewise for others. Again, mercy is not the excusing of sin nor is it the placating of the sinner. It is the genuine compassion of Christ shown to others, the same compassion that you also have received. May this be the shining testimony of all those who are in Christ. In His Grace, Pastor Michael
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Knowing God6/19/2024 ![]() Hosea 6:3 ~ "Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." Knowing God is far more critical to your life and mine than many are aware of. The knowledge of God, in the sense that we know of Him, have heard of Him and even believe that He is all that the Bible has revealed is not quite the same as knowing Him. James warns us in James 2:19, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!" It is good to know that God is, but there must be more than mere mental understanding. If that is all we have, we are in no better situation than the demons. And, perhaps, many are worse off--for even the demons shudder, whereas many live in this world with no fear of God at all. In our text today it would seem that there is a great desire to know the LORD. The nation of Israel seemed to have the desire to truly know God. But the verse that follows is a telling statement from the LORD concerning the heart of the people. "What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away" (Hosea 6:4). The same vaporous love of the descendants of Abraham is often expressed by the hearts of many who claim to desire Christ. The nation of Israel remained self-focused and not God focused. They looked to God for deliverance, for relief from sufferings, and for the betterment of their own lives. And so it is with many today, looking to know Christ, not for who He is but for what He can bring into their lives. Let me illustrate this with a view to marriage. Let us say that a man and woman marry, overwhelmingly delighted to have the other as part of their life. The man rejoices that the woman can cook, clean, and handle the ever-increasing challenge of raising the children. The woman celebrates that the man can work hard, bring in resources and is industrious around the home. They look toward each other, not for who the person is but for what they bring to the table. Rather than learning of each other in order to sacrificially love their spouse, they only learn what the other can do for them. Many will behave in the same way with the LORD. They consider the LORD Jesus as a means of some form of betterment for their own life. They read the Scriptures not to learn of the LORD but to learn what value-added information can be gleaned for themselves. They will come away from a time of reading the Bible with little comprehension--for they read it to find something for themselves rather than read it to learn of the Author. Their actual desire is self and they don't desire to know the LORD. But the great condemnation of our LORD Jesus is found in Matthew 7:23, "And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" Four words of judgment--"I never knew you"--might be the most terrifying words ever spoken. In our text for today, the principle does still apply--but it requires a heart that desires God and not just His gifts and power. So, let me ask you: do you desire to know the LORD? You may look at your circumstances and want God to clear them up for you. You may struggle in your earthly condition and desire Christ to fix your situation. So you seek God, but your desire is for yourself. Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." It is the desire to know God that must press our efforts into study of His word and prayer. He has revealed Himself to us in the pages of His Scriptures and there we will discover a rich storehouse, filled to the rafters with who He is. We read in John 20:31, "But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." Jesus, in His great call to unbelievers, says this in Matthew 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Beloved, let us run to the Bible and fill our minds and hearts with God's word, that we should learn of Him. It will be there that we discover more and more the wonder and majesty of our Savior. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Strength Restored6/18/2024 ![]() Judges 16:22 ~ "But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved." Have you come to the end of your vitality of spirit because you have surrendered to some wicked sin and rebellion? Have you stumbled in the way of righteousness and your strength has failed in your walk with Christ? I have often said of our text today that it is one of the most encouraging passages of Scripture found in the whole of God's word. If you need it, let it encourage you today. To understand fully the story of Samson, you will need to read Judges chapters 13 through 16. We won't cover the entirety of his life in this brief moment, but let us come to understand some valuable moments that led up to our text for today. First, Samson was set apart by God to be a Nazarite from birth. Judges 13:5 says, "For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines." In this Nazarite condition, it was required that he never cut his hair as an outward sign of his inward devotion to the LORD. That devotion began with Samson's parents, as his mother did not eat or drink anything that would defile the child, and then it continued into his adulthood as he never let a razor touch his head. Until, that is, when Delilah entered the scene. Up to this encounter, though Samson had sinned against the LORD in other areas, yet his strength had not failed. The LORD was faithful to Samson despite the man's insolent ways, for as yet, Samson had not shaved his head. Was there still a shred of devotion for the LORD in his heart? There is a telling statement which arises concerning the man's affections: "After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah" (Judges 16:4). He loved Delilah; now his heart was divided. And, after many efforts on her part to wheedle out of the young man the secret of his great strength, Samson gave in to his affection for Delilah and failed in his devotion to the LORD. And how many have found that they have given in to some affection they have in this world, but in so doing you have left off your devotion to Christ? Our devotion to Christ is often tested in the affections we have in our lives. Jesus our LORD warned us in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Temptations come to us, and are found not in the things we despise but in those things in which we took delight. As Samson had loved Delilah, so it was through Delilah that he eventually succumbed to the pressure to give in to her demands. Three times already she had questioned him and proved to be a trickster. However, her demand that he prove his love for her overrode his devotion to the LORD. His hair was shaved... his strength was gone... he was now a prisoner to the enemy. And yet... look back to the text for today. Samson had failed in his devotion to the LORD, but the LORD had not forgotten him. In such a simple statement, we read a powerful promise of restoration. And so I ask a simple question: can one be restored who has given in to the temptations of the world and failed in their devotion to Christ? Will God restore such a one as Samson? And have you been--or are you even now--one who has failed like him? My dear friends, our God in Heaven is rich with mercy. And though our sins deserve the greatest of punishments, and we find ourselves taken captive by the very enemy we fought against, yet our Savior can cause our hair to grow again. He is the one who can restore the fallen and give them again the spiritual strength needed to rise up and do what God requires. Look through the history of even the greatest men in the Bible you will discover that many of them suffered a failure of devotion to the LORD. And though their failure cost them, even as it cost Samson his eyes, yet in their repentance, they discovered the tremendous grace of our Loving LORD to restore them that they might serve God once again. Consider Jeremiah 15:19, "If you return [repent], I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them." Let us, beloved, look to the LORD. If you have given in to any affections contrary to your devotion to Christ, look to Him and humble yourself. Seek His mercy and grace, and repent. He will restore your strength that you might walk again in the power of His Spirit and faithfulness to His word. In His Grace, Pastor Michael A Faithful Companion6/17/2024 ![]() Numbers 22:23 ~ "And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road." The story of Balaam and his donkey is one that is often told to children. Yet the overwhelming faithfulness of the prophet's beast of burden must teach us all a lesson today. Balaam rode upon a true and faithful servant, and he knew nothing of it until this epic moment occurred in his journey. Danger stood before the prophet and he was completely oblivious to it. It is my prayer for all who read this, that you will understand your part to play when it comes to the work of being faithful to those who are with you. The story of Balaam is one of a prophet who saw opportunities for himself. Though a messenger of God Almighty, Balaam had designs of his own in order to gain wealth and influence--and all this apart from being fully and truly faithful to the LORD. 2 Peter 2:15 states, "Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing." As a prophet, he was required to only and fully proclaim God's word. So when he went with the princes of Moab he was instructed by the LORD in exactly what work was required. Numbers 22:20 says, "And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, 'If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.'" So, why would God be angry at Balaam and send the Angel of the LORD against the prophet? It appeared that he was obeying the LORD. But God who knows the hearts and the thoughts of everyone, knew the intrigue that filled the prophet's mind. The first thing I want to point out in our text today is this: the donkey saw the danger when the prophet could not. With a mind filled with his own notions, Balaam was blind to the danger before him. The Angel stood there with a sword drawn, clearly the next moment would be the death of Balaam. But the donkey saw the danger and did the one thing it could, it turned aside and protected its master. Do you, beloved, when you are walking with your brothers and sisters in Christ, pay attention to the dangers ahead? If your friend is clearly headed toward the judgment of God, will you even risk harm to yourself in order to warn them away from God's wrath? Consider how Balaam responded to the beast: "And Balaam said to the donkey, 'Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you'" (Numbers 22:29). Notwithstanding the fact that the donkey spoke, Balaam actually answered with the threat of a sword. However, there was another sword drawn on the road that day, and it was aimed right at him. Which brings me to the second thing we need to see: sometimes when you give warning against the dangerous road that another is on, they will grow hostile to you. Many people despise those who see danger and warn others. The thief has no interest in hearing how his behavior is hateful toward God and hurtful to others. The violent man would rather believe that he is justified in his indignation than be told that the way he's choosing is fraught with deadly peril. The arrogant man prefers not to challenge his own suppositions about himself rather than hear that pride goes before destruction. But the faithful companion of Balaam, a donkey with no natural voice to speak, did the only thing available to it. And because it turned away from the danger waiting for Balaam, the prophet struck the donkey, threatened the animal and beat it. It could see what the prophet could not, and dear ones there may be times when you can see what your friend cannot. Do you have a natural voice to speak warning? Is there something you can do--perhaps you might be the only one who can. Consider what God told Ezekiel, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me" (Ezekiel 3:17). 2 Thessalonians 3:15 teaches, "Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." If you are to be a faithful servant of the LORD and a faithful companion to your brothers and sisters in Christ, then it is upon you to care enough about their ways to warn them if you understand that they are going astray. It could be that you will rescue them from a greater rebuke from God. In His Grace, Pastor Michael A Father of Orphans6/16/2024 ![]() Psalm 68:5 ~ "Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation." In over one hundred nations around the world there is a celebration. It goes by varied names and traditions, but the foundational element is the celebration of fathers. The grand distinction of fatherhood compared to other masculine endeavors is found not in the propagation of offspring, but in their care and development. Many men are hard at work, industrious, and disciplined. There are many men who are highly intellectual and can fathom great depths of knowledge. There are warriors, men who show themselves valiant against an opposing force. But fewer seem to stand with the courage needed to be a true father, one who cares for, instructs and disciplines his children. The father who embraces with godly love the child in their care has come to understand, in some small way, the magnitude of the Fatherhood of God. And it is this Fatherhood that we will strive to understand. For God is revealed to those who have come to faith in Christ as--Father. Jesus our LORD has instructed us in this. In teaching His disciples to pray, the LORD instructs them in this way, "Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name'" (Matthew 6:9). And in our text today, we discover a grand love and tender care that truly exceeds all others and stands as the magnitude of what fatherhood should be. Let us first consider the relational expression of God. He is known by many titles and wears many crowns of exaltation. He is LORD and He is King. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the Provider and Protector of His people. He is God, the true and only Deity. Navigate your way through the Scriptures and you will encounter the Almighty page after page. But you will not find Him more intimately connected to His people as when He is known as "Father." In John 20:17 we read, "Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Jesus did not say that He was departing to His Father and our Creator. He brings us into close and loving fellowship when He says to His disciples that God Almighty is also their Father too. But how can God be also our Father? He is Creator of all things, and He will be Judge of all mankind. God can be our Father because He has determined to be so, as He is the Father of the fatherless. He has purposed to adopt all who come through Jesus Christ for the pardoning and cleansing of their sin. Ephesians 1:5 tells us, "He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." He is not everyone's Father, but only the Father of those who believe on the LORD Jesus Christ for salvation. The Almighty is Father to those who belong to Him by faith. Beloved, before you came to Jesus Christ by faith you were an orphan. Bereft of hope and outside of the family of God, you wandered in this wicked world along with the rest of those who have no fellowship with God. But the LORD God, the Almighty, invited you in and placed you in His family, not as a servant but as a child of adoption. And as His child, He has fully vested His interest in you, for in Christ, He is now your Father. No wonder John proclaimed these tremendous words in 1 John 3:1, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." Finally, God is in His holy habitation. And, dear ones, He will bring you to that habitation as well. You will not long walk this world, though it may seem like you still have many steps to go. Soon the LORD will take you to His palatial estates in glory and you will be enriched in all the wonder of His eternal and ever-present love. Jesus said that though He depart this world, He left for a purpose--to prepare a place for all who will believe (see John 14:1-3). He also said in John 14:18, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." We are not abandoned to this world. Jesus did not depart that He should leave us orphaned once again. We are adopted, and we have now an inheritance with all the saints. So, dear Christian, look to God Almighty and know Him in His most intimate revelation of Himself--know the LORD as Father. He brings with that title all the love and interest that it implies. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Avoiding Spiritual Captivity6/15/2024 ![]() Colossians 2:8 ~ "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." Guard your steps, dear Christian, for there are snares abounding to take you captive. We have it as a command from God's word that we must take very good care not to be ensnared by those things that would lead us away from Christ. The very opening statement of our text today, a seemingly simple phrase, "see to it," is an imperative command that we must be openly discerning in order that we won't be tricked into believing something that is not of Christ. There are many who walk through this world with their eyes half-closed against the lies of the enemy and the wicked practices of this world. Shrouded in terminology that seems to be from Scripture, they twist the truth in order to facilitate their deception. But the discerning believer will turn to the truth of God's word in order to avoid such pitfalls. What does it mean to be taken captive? It is to be plundered by an outside agency. There are those in this world that want to plunder you, to take you captive through spiritual fraud and deception and lead you away from the truth in order to carry you off into all manner of lies. Galatians 4:17 says, "They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them." Understand, they will praise you for your sin, encourage your self-indulgent desires, and tell you that it is in your best interest to follow your own path. All the while, they will twist the Scriptures to try and justify themselves and convince you. Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees for making proselytes under their deceptive practices, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves" (Matthew 23:15). Two cunning tricks are mentioned here: philosophy and empty deceit. And in these two we find a tremendous draw for those who are not discerning. Regarding philosophy, many might think that this is such an innocuous consideration, for philosophical discussions can be relatively harmless. But this is the love of wisdom, and not necessarily godly wisdom but more inclined to human wisdom. And then we find empty deceit to be the close companion to philosophy. It is the pandering lies that are hollow and void of truth. You find that these will appeal to emotions rather than truth and bring a person into captivity through the sinful self-interests that all mankind experiences. These philosophical and deceptive efforts are founded upon two very strong attractions--human tradition and worldly principles. Mankind is riddled with traditions that saddle people of all cultures with varied beliefs and practices that do not lead a person to the truth. And people cling to these traditions with firm resolve that they will not be moved from their lives. But what a rich warehouse of deceitful treasures the enemy has when a person is more inclined to cling to their traditions. And then there are the "elemental spirits of this world," otherwise known as "worldly principles." Epicurean or stoic, religious or atheistic, the governing principle is not the issue, so long as it keeps you away from Christ. That is the enemy's goal. Personal pleasures often govern the worldly heart, as 1 John 2:16 says, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." And the enemy makes use of such personal pleasures in order to take captive those who are so inclined. The problem with human traditions and philosophies is that people will cling to them as if they are treasures, but in truth they are chains. They bind people like shackles that must be severed. What a blessed truth that Jesus has come to set the captives free (see Luke 4:18). Beloved, do you measure everything according to Christ? Does the Word of God get opened by you when other teachings and traditions find their way to your interest? Let us strive with diligent discernment to understand everything according to Christ. Any other so-called wisdom must be measured, not by how it affects us or makes us feel, but whether or not it is of the truth--whether or not it is of Christ. In His Grace, Pastor Michael To Whom will You Listen?6/14/2024 ![]() 2 Chronicles 10:8 ~ "But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him." Rehoboam took counsel when he was elevated to be king in Israel. Solomon, the man of wisdom and son of David, surrounded himself with those who would give him honest and godly counsel. Those same counselors stood before Rehoboam and offered sage and trustworthy advice as the young man stood to receive the throne and shepherd the people of God. Yet the young king also had advisers, those of his own age and deportment who forsook the aged counselors and offered their inexperienced opinions to the fledgling king. If you are to read 2 Chronicles, chapter ten, you will see that there was no moving Rehoboam to listen to the wise and experienced men who helped Solomon. He hearkened to the counsel of those his own age, he listened to his friends who had grown up with him and enjoyed the luxury of youthful self-indulgence. And, because the young king listened to the words of his friends and not those who would guide the monarch with wisdom, he ended up dividing the nation of Israel--with ten tribes defecting and forming their own kingdom. A nation formed by the LORD to be His people united was now a nation of brothers divided. All because of who Rehoboam heeded. Let this text today bring a question to the surface of your thinking. To whom will you listen? What counsel do you heed when you have real decisions to make? It is true that many will want to listen to their friends, or find people who will always agree and offer their affirmations of anything that you might want to think. Their wisdom is of such little value, you'd be better off not heeding any advice at all. Proverbs 22:15 states, "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him." Others seek the wisdom of the world, hoping to gain some new insights or acquire a grand philosophy that satisfies their self-interests. But the Scripture describes the wisdom of the world, "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice" (James 3:14-16). And though it is true that not all gray-haired saints are rich with wisdom, yet there is a strong axiom that proves out: experience is a great teacher for those who are willing to learn from it. Consider the words of Elihu from Job 32:7, "I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.’" And though he later rebuked the three friends for failing in their refutation against Job, the principle does still apply. There is wisdom with those who have walked by faith, and especially those who have long journeyed with the LORD. Paul would say in 1 Corinthians 13:11, "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." If you hold yourself to be one who goes forward with wisdom, it will be necessary to put those childish ways aside. So, we go back to the question at hand--from where do you seek wisdom? To whom will you listen? Proverbs 15:14, "The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly." Let us not be like Rehoboam and abandon the wisdom of those who have walked many years with the LORD. If you are a young in the faith, newly striding through life in following Christ, then it will be to your blessing and benefit to find those who have long obeyed the word of God and heed their counsel as you go. Remember the words of Proverbs 11:14, "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Majesty of God6/13/2024 ![]() 1 Chronicles 29:11 ~ "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all." Let us exalt the LORD. Many church structures are built with the concept of pleasing the people who would draw in for worship. The seating, the lights, sound acoustics and all manner of other considerations are applied when addressing the idea of building an edifice for the church. Questions like: "What are the sight lines" or "how many can it comfortably seat" come into the conversation. But when was the last time a structure was built not with the crowd in mind, but with the LORD in mind? When was the majesty of the LORD the first consideration? As we consider our text today, we come face-to-face with David collecting the materials for the construction of the Temple for the LORD. Solomon, David's son, would be the one to build the Temple, but it was David who began the project by gathering the resources that would eventually be needed. And those resources were given with joy. The people gladly, even joyfully gave to the project. We see this in 1 Chronicles 29:9, "Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly." The first thing, the highest consideration of the people and of David, was the exaltation of God. And that, dear ones, must be the first and highest consideration of our lives as well. As we look to the text, we discover a wide swath of glorious truths concerning our LORD and Savior. For today, let us break them down into three categories. We first come face-to-face with the very exaltation of God. There are five words of acclamation listed here: greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty. Each of these deserves its own thought, but we will for today consider them all at once. These words describe not a weak and feeble God, nor a God who is distant and aloof. We do not see the LORD except that we find Him in all His splendor. He is power itself. There is none equal to the LORD. Though David might have slain his ten-thousands, the LORD rules them all. His is the victory--for the LORD in undefeatable. Is this how you draw near to the LORD in worship? Is this how you know the Savior who is God and King over all? Yes, He will receive the humble and contrite, for it is the humble who will lift up their praise in honor of the One who is the true and only God. Second, we discover God through His creation. As our text reveals, God alone has true ownership of all that is, for He is the Creator of it all. All that is in the heavens is His. The stars, sun, moon and all that drifts through this universe was formed at the command of the LORD and is sustained by His power. But for a moment let the LORD lapse in consideration of all He has created and the creation itself will cease to be. And, the earth is His as well--and all that have or had or will ever dwell upon this globe belongs to the One who made all things. Psalm 95:6 proclaims, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!" He is the Maker of the atheist as well as the Christian. And eventually all will bow before the One who established the heavens and the earth. And third, we see the LORD Almighty in His coronation. Here is David, king of Israel. It was through David that the borders of the people of God were expanded, that the surrounding enemies were subdued and that peace had been hard-fought and won through the king's many victories. And yet, here we see David the king recognizes and worships the Sovereign King of kings. David took no ownership of the nation, but declared, "Yours is the kingdom." Not only does the kingdom--even all kingdoms--belong to Christ, but He is ruler and head over them all. Consider Colossians 1:18, "And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent." This, beloved, is the Majesty of God. He is worthy of all worship. As David collected the needed items and treasure to build the temple, and all the people gave with great joy, let us do the same with the life God has granted unto us. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Set the Example6/12/2024 ![]() 1 Timothy 4:12 ~ "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." As Paul set Timothy to serve as the pastor in the church of Ephesus, it was a challenging place, for Timothy was still a relatively young man. But one of the great truths of the Christian life is that the age of God's adult children is not as much a matter of consequence as maturity in Christ. David, king of Israel, said in Psalm 119:100, "I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts." Before we go further, it is important to note that this example being set is done by one who is already a grown man. Do not mistake the youthfulness of Timothy as being one who is not actually fully grown into manhood. However, the young pastor was in a fellowship whose makeup was such that many were well advanced in years. So, let us apply this text appropriately, not to the children of the church but to the adults--even the young adults--who have an obligation to set the example. So, dear Christian, do you have the same responsibility to set an example for others? Not all who read these words today are pastors or leaders of a church. Does this negate the command to set the example? Not at all. Every believer is to be a light in this world to display the transformed life. It is true that those who teach are held to a different standard. James 3:1 says, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." The judgment described does not merely come at the end of all things when we will all stand before the LORD, but it happens even in the time that we live, for a teacher has put themselves into a position to say to others that they know by experience what they are teaching. For an example, if a teacher of advanced mathematics could not perform basic calculations, it would not go well for that person. Though all Christians have the requirement to set an example, no one can set an example beyond what they have grown into. As we get ready to dive into the five qualities that are found in our text, take note that it says to "set the believers an example." It is important to realize that you and I have a blessed opportunity to help our brothers and sisters in Christ by setting an example of the qualities of Christian virtue. Ephesians tells us that when each part of the body is working properly, then the whole body will grow and build itself up in love (see Ephesians 4:15-16). Let it be noted, one of the greatest evidences of your Christian walk is the way you conduct yourself with your brothers and sisters in Christ. In our text today, there are five qualities listed that are both practical and profound. They are like a road into the very core of a believer's heart, inviting those around you to navigate down until they experience the very depths of your love for and faith in Christ. Each virtue brings them closer. We won't tarry on each one too long, for they all deserve a rendering unto themselves. But I want you to consider something that is very illustrative. The first is the most distant a person can experience your life--your speech, the last is the most intimate a person can know you--your purity. In each step along the path, they draw in closer until your Christianity is transparent to them. Let's consider briefly these five qualities: Speech: How do you use your words? What comes forth from your tongue that begins the process of another person knowing your love for Christ? Let your words invite people around you to draw nearer for you speak with the grace of the LORD. Conduct: How do you live the external part of your life? Do your visual actions reflect the testimony of your lips? It is important that what is seen in your functional living is able to verify your testimony of faith. Love: How do you treat others? Not merely having moral actions and kindness toward your fellow man, do you love the brotherhood of believers? It is an expression of sacrifice toward those who are with you in the LORD. Faith: Closer now to your heart, do those around you know the depths of your faith in Christ? More than just the testimony of your words, and the behavior of your actions, there is the evidence of a true and unbreakable confidence in Christ. Purity: This is the closest of all, for now those around you see the transparent you, the inner you. We understand that there is still the struggle against sin, are there those around you in Christ who see the purifying work of His Spirit within you? Let us, dear ones, in love for our Savior, strive to set this example for one another, seeking to help each other grow in our walk with the LORD. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Above All... Love6/11/2024 ![]() 1 Peter 4:8 ~ "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." The majestic height of the Christian life is the Christ-like virtue of sacrificial love. Many strive to climb the mountain and find that the summit is of such difficulty that they settle for the lower plateaus of spiritual fulfillment and acceptable moral standards. Neither of those are bad, and yet there is a pinnacle of virtue that exceeds them all--that is "above all." Are you willing to navigate the heights with the LORD Jesus, to love others as He loved you, or will you remain content upon the plains, fearful that to love as Jesus did means to leave all the world behind, deny yourself, and risk a real experience with Christ? At this point, many Christians feel a strong sense of vertigo. They are dizzy just thinking about how life is meant to be a willful sacrifice, as Christ did for us. Jesus tells us this very thing in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." Let me ask you this question: do you look to be loved, or do you look to love? A great many believers frown at others because they sense some calamity of love happening to them. The accusation, "they didn't love me like Jesus did" must be replaced by the urgent desire to respond with, "how can I love them like Jesus did." Paul puts it this way in Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." So, in climbing this height of Christ-like love, we look to our text today and see that it is a perpetual love. We are to "keep loving one another." Let me ask you this: is there some measure or barrier wherein you will reject the opportunity to love another as Christ loved you? Is there some elevation too high--"this far and no farther" will you declare in your unwillingness to climb another step? But our text does not say to "stop" loving one another, but to "keep" loving one another. It literally means to "have a continual disposition of love" among yourselves. Consider what Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." In light of that, is there anything that can separate your love from your brothers and sisters in Christ? If there is, then you will not venture upon the heights with Christ. With every step upon the narrow way to reach the summit, we find that we must have a passionate love. We are to "keep loving one another earnestly." This earnest love is more than just the lip-service kindness that is often found in the conversations of many Christian acquaintances. It is a love that is filled with a zealous fervency, a passionate desire for the betterment of the object of love. It is the love that should exist between a husband and a wife, or the love of a parent and child. It is truly the love that is found between our Savior and His redeemed. The barrier of our own sin was no match for the boundless love that He displayed when He gave up His life to save us. Romans 5:8 declares, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Shall you see the fervent passion of the love of Christ? Then look no further than the mountain of suffering that Jesus climbed and the cross upon which He died. Finally, if we are to find our way to the very peak, the height above all others, then we will see that this love is a pardoning love. Our text concludes with this: "since love covers a multitude of sins." Too many unforgiven transgressions course through the hearts of God's people. Bitterness ensues and a growing animosity toward other believers begins to poison the well of love that is meant to flow out of every born-again life. Jesus declared that out of those who believe on Him, rivers of living water will flow (see John 7:38). But what flows out of your heart? Is it a life-giving stream of His truth and love? Is it the polluted waters of a poisoned well? Do you want to see the greatest example of this love that covers a multitude of sins? Then look again to the cross and hear the words of Jesus as they drove the nails into His hands and feet, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). True forgiveness puts you upon the heights with the LORD. Leave this off your walk with Christ and you will never make the ascent to the top of the mountain. Beloved, let us walk with Jesus "above all." Not better than all or faster than all, but upon the heights with the LORD in the same love wherein He loved us. In His Grace, Pastor Michael God Fulfills His Word6/10/2024 ![]() Ezra 1:1 ~ "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing." It is God who is in charge of fulfilling His word. The Divine Hand of providence works to do that which He has proclaimed. Nothing can stop Him and no one can thwart His purposes. Despite their aggressive attempts to intervene to stop the LORD, He will have His word fulfilled. The Word of the LORD by the prophet Jeremiah says, "For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place" (Jeremiah 29:10). There are some who believe that God is rather arbitrary, doing what He wants without any plan or purpose in place. That the Almighty will do His work, but without a timeline. And, in truth, God dwells beyond time--He is eternal and is not governed by the constraints of our progression of time. But God does not merely randomly work in this world, but has given direct revelation through the prophets and apostles in order to show His might and mercy. And now we come to our text this morning and we see the LORD working to make sure His word is fulfilled that He spoke through Jeremiah. And this is what I want you to see--there is nothing that God has said that He won't fulfill. Every word, every proclamation of the LORD will be accomplished. The LORD Jesus spoke to the two men on the road to Emmaus and told them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44). Jesus said in Matthew 5:18, "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." There is no reason at all for you to doubt or disregard God's word, for He will accomplish all that He has declared. The next thing to show you today from our text is that there is not one person who will stand in God's way when it comes to the fulfillment of His promises. Cyrus, the king of Persia, had no direct faith in the God of Israel. He was a foreign monarch who stood upon his own might and power. And yet, the LORD stirred the king's heart to do exactly what was prophesied by Jeremiah. Consider what is revealed in 2 Chronicles 36:23, "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.’" Somehow, under the influence of God, Cyrus came to understand the will of God and opened up the way for the captives to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Consider Proverbs 21:1, "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will." God is never thwarted by any who might oppose Him--in fact the Almighty God will even use those who stand against Him for His own purposes. Revelation 17:17 states, "...for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled." Let this reminder today draw you into a strong confidence in our Savior. He is the Mighty God and not even His enemies can hinder what He has purposed. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." If you are finding your heart flooded with doubts because you see the downturn of our current society, or that persecutions and hardships have begun to rise up in their attacks upon God's people, take heart. God is not outside of what is happening. He is in full control and we must trust Him to do what He has purposed. So, beloved, hold onto this promise from Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." For as God has promised, He will also see to its fulfillment. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Four Devotions6/9/2024 ![]() Acts 2:42 ~ “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” There was something different about the early church. Their leaders were “uneducated, common men” (see Acts 4:13). They had no marque members, no organized social events, no Sunday school, no eight-week study course on spiritual formation and no building to meet in that could be cleverly decorated. The early church didn’t stage protests – they prayed. They didn’t organize marches – they ministered. And they didn’t call people to self-imposed religion – they called people to self-denying repentance. And they changed the world. What was it about the early church? They were devoted, not to a cause but to Christ, and that devotion was played out in every aspect of their lives. So let me encourage you: take these four devotions as a challenge for your own life. You may be surprised at how God will use you when you follow them.
This is how discipleship is built: “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). Love is seen in obedience: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23).
Through fellowship we become mature: “…from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16). It provides the means of mutual encouragement: “…not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).
It is a call to self-examination: “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28). Christ is honored in this: “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’” (Matthew 25:40).
Prayer is personal communion with God: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). Prayer is essential for spiritual readiness: “…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18). People are devoted to many things. People are devoted to causes, political endeavors, altruistic philanthropy, medical research – and all these can be good. But the Christian must be devoted, first and always, to Christ Jesus our LORD. This devotion is experienced through the Word of God, the people of God, the worship of God and prayers to God. This is how the early church anchored their faith and grew in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Love the LORD6/8/2024 ![]() Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ~ "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." The great declaration of the people of God is love for the Almighty. And that love is more than a sentimental desire or a sympathetic connection, it is an all-consuming affection for the LORD. Set up your life to this plumb line of detection (see Amos 7:7) from God's word and see where you might be off the mark. But before we go into this text for today, I want to assure you that no one has ever loved God to the level that He deserves or to the fullness of perfection. We must begin with what we desire--for the LORD judges the heart. Do you want to love the LORD? Is there something within you that has a longing for His Name to be held in honor, to be glorified and exalted through your life? Is it within you to pursue Him with all that you can? And though you might not be able to run with the swiftest, will you crawl if that is all you can do? Your "all" is not the same as anyone else's "all." Do not sit in comparison against another, it is your heart, soul and strength--unmeasured against anyone else. We begin with your heart. At the point of salvation, the LORD has taken from you a heart that is dead and replaced it with one that is alive. God says in Ezekiel 36:26, "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." The heart, in our text today, is the seat of our mind, will and emotions. And, so, do you love the LORD your God with how you think, and what you think? Do you love Him with the driving determinations that you hold? And, do you love Him with total and dominating affections, with passion? Many see the "heart" only as the place of emotion. But there is far more involved when you love the LORD with all your heart. And the delightful thing of the heart, is that it will expand with exercise. Your mind will grow as you study and consider the things of Christ. Your driving determination will strengthen as you walk with Christ. And your affections will increase the more you know of Christ. We continue with your soul. What does it mean that we must love the LORD our God with all our soul? The soul is the very core element of who you are. The soul is your very self--your character and nature. And we are to love God with our character. The problem before we know Jesus as LORD is to have our souls darkened with death. But, just as God gives us a new heart at salvation, so the LORD breathes life into our dead soul. We see in the book of Acts that upon belief, there was added to the kingdom 3000 souls. "So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41). And, can your "soul" increase? Unlike a muscle, it does not grow larger, but it will improve in character. Consider a mirror as an example. Unpolished, it is challenged to reflect any visage. But continually polish it, improve its nature, and it will begin to reflect with clarity. So God is "polishing" your soul, improving your character and changing your nature so that you will bear a right reflection of Him. We conclude with your might. How do we love the LORD our God with all our might (or strength)? The term "might" means force or "muchness" of our ability. As you consider what it means to love with "all" of something, this would mean that we will love the LORD unto physical exhaustion. There are levels of weariness that prevents us from going forward with projects and tasks. And times of rest are precious, for Ecclesiastes 5:12, "Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep." But that blessed sleep goes to the laborer, not to the lazy. In fact, the sluggard is condemned in Proverbs (see Proverbs 21:25). Dear ones, not everyone has the same level of strength to offer the LORD. But to love the LORD with all our might is to give all that we can. So, let us declare our love for the LORD in every aspect of our lives, growing and strengthening and improving along the way that we should love Him even more. In His Grace, Pastor Michael On Whom They Have Pierced6/7/2024 ![]() Zechariah 12:10 ~ "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn." Look, dear Christian, upon whom you have pierced. He is the LORD of glory, the Son of God and the Righteous One. He bore such love for His people that He would come and pay the ultimate price to redeem us. Are you an inhabitant of the heavenly Jerusalem? Then you must have looked upon Him whom they pierced. There is a direct correlation between Divine grace and a disposition in the heart that mourns, even weeps over the LORD who shed His blood. God Almighty has poured out on the house of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy. It is in that grace of God that the heart is overwhelmed by its own sinful guilt, so much so that there is a desperate desire to find mercy. But where should we look when our guilt rises up in our hearts and we are inwardly condemned by our own sinfulness? Let us look to the LORD. Let us plead with Him for mercy. Cast your eyes upon Him who was pierced. Consider the words of Isaiah 53:5, "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." Perhaps the better question will be: what is your response when you understand the sacrifice of Christ? Does your heart grieve over the cost of your own sin? Do you look at the cross and the Savior who died and do you mourn and weep with a bitterness of soul that the punishment for your sin was upon Him? Oh, let us hear the words of James as he writes, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you" (James 4:8-10). When you consider the LORD upon the cross do you know your own wretched state and then mourn and weep, knowing that your King did all that to redeem you? Gather around the cross and hear the mocking voices of the passers-by. Listen to the ridicule of the watching crowd and the vile hatred of those who despised the LORD. They witnessed His suffering. They beheld His wounds. Yet they had no desire to see Him wept over or to mourn for their sins that hung Him there. The chief priest tormented the LORD with their derisive words, "So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 'He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him'" (Matthew 27:41-42). And, today, there are so many who look to Jesus and see in the LORD of Glory an opportunity to better themselves. They consider the cross a mere tool used of God to bring a better life, a fuller purpose, a more uplifted state of being to the wicked souls that meander this earth. Even Paul warned Timothy (and us) that there are those who consider godliness as a means of personal gain (see 1 Timothy 6:3-5). How dreadful it is to think that Jesus Christ died and rose again merely to pave the way to a more profitable future for an unrepentant sinner. You must look at the One who died on the cross and know that He died there in your place. If you can look to the cross and not weep and mourn, you have not looked at the cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." There is enough folly in this world to pollute the universe. Let us not be as those who look to the LORD and miss the cross, turning the sacrifice of Christ into a means of personal self-indulgence. Look and see the Savior bleed. Look and see the Son of God pierced and crushed. Look and mourn and weep in bitterness over your own sin that cost Jesus His life. Let the spirit of grace fill your heart and let the plea for mercy be heard from you. And then, beloved, hear the LORD Jesus say, "Your sins are forgiven." In His Grace, Pastor Michael Grace, Mercy and Peace6/6/2024 ![]() 2 John 1:3 ~ "Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love." There is a trifecta of Divine promise that fills this opening statement of the aged apostle. John writes to the "elect lady" the warmth of the love of God, much like the Apostle Paul opened his letters to Timothy (see 1 Timothy 1:2 & 2 Timothy 1:2). And these three blessings of God are what every Christian needs. It's like the sweet fruit of a tree, hanging down to refresh all who pass beneath the shadow of its boughs. Will you, beloved, pick the fruit of grace, mercy and peace this day? How much Divine grace are you in need of today? Could it be that you hear the word "grace" and think of the undeserved favor of the Almighty? It is that and so much more. The grace of God is the effectual working of His salvation upon the sinner. Jesus offers grace to all who come to Him by faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "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." Grace is also the power of God working through the redeemed. The LORD tells the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." The grace of God that has saved you will be the same grace that is all-sufficient to sustain you. Perhaps, today, you find yourself in the dire condition of another sinful fall. There is the offer of mercy from the LORD to those who will come to Him for cleansing. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." But God's mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:22-23). Surely we should strive against sin, watch and pray to fight temptation, and flee those moments when the desire to sin is upon us. But what happens if we fail? God does not spare His rod of discipline (see Proverbs 13:24), but He also does not withhold His generous mercy. Consider your Advocate, the Son of God Himself. 1 John 2:1 says, "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Jesus will plead on your behalf before the Father, for in Him we find mercy. And, in this troubling world, you might need God's everlasting peace. Reach up and pluck this ripe fruit, dear ones, for there is more peace with God Almighty than there is trouble in this world of sin. The unsettling condition of our world often leads to a troubled mind for those who have forgotten the LORD is Sovereign. We lose sight of Christ and we discover that the howling storms of life fill our hearts with anxiety. Yet, consider the LORD's word to us in Isaiah 26:3, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." But, like Peter walking on the water (see Matthew 14:28-30), we look away from our LORD and begin to sink in dismay. The LORD has provided the means of receiving His peace within your heart--it is through prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 states, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Divine peace is promised to those who join their lives to Christ and stay connected through prayer. And, dear reader, all of this is done in truth and love. God does not make promises of grace, mercy and peace and then not be able to provide those blessings. He, the LORD, speaks the truth. And, the Divine Sovereign does not offer this trifecta of compassion grudgingly, but He opens His hand before you and draws you to receive His gifts with love. He has placed His affection upon His children--all those who belong to Christ. And in love and with truth, the LORD's grace, mercy and peace will be with us. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Evident Repentance and Grace6/5/2024 ![]() 2 Samuel 12:13 ~ "David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' And Nathan said to David, 'The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.'" What does true repentance look like? Is there a formula for bringing yourself into God's presence and receiving His mercy and grace? I think that there are many who believe that in order to be repentant, there must be some process of spiritual engagement that moves a sinner step-by-step into a position where they can then receive the grace of God. A good example of this is seen in some spiritual traditions where the penitent is given various tasks or recitations to perform in order to regain a devout heart. Today, as we consider our text, we will look into the wanton behavior of king David, and discover a pardoning grace from God that is offered to all who come to Him in real repentance. Many know the story of David and Bathsheba. If you are not familiar with it, let me encourage you to go and read it from 2 Samuel, chapters 11 and 12. If you have now familiarized yourself with the story, let us look at circumstances the prophet Nathan is leading David to understand. David was king of Israel. He was blessed of the LORD and given great authority. He was loved of God, and called "a man after God's own heart" (see 1 Samuel 13:14 & Acts 13:22). But David had now committed adultery with Bathsheba, tried to trick Uriah to cover up the sin and then, when the ruse did not work, had Uriah murdered by the sword of the enemy of Israel. There are a number of other sins, but these will be enough for us to understand David's repentance and God's grace. Nathan the prophet confronts David, shows David his sin through the telling of a story and then points the word of God right at the heart of the king and declares, "You are the man!" (see 2 Samuel 12:7). The charges laid against David were severe--and all of them deserving of capital punishment from the LORD. In our text today, we discover, perhaps, the most telling statement ever spoken by a repentant heart. David simply says, "I have sinned against the LORD." I want to show you three things from this confession of David. First, there was personal ownership. David did not even once attempt to deflect the blame upon another. We see this happen with Adam as he pointed the finger at Eve and then Eve blaming the serpent (see Genesis 3:12-13). How many times has "the devil made me do it" been the excuse for a person's sin? But David did no such thing. He merely said: "I have sinned against the LORD." Second, there was proper confession. David did not say "I have erred" or "I have made a mistake." Errors and mistakes can be corrected through effort. Sin must be dealt with through repentance. David said, "I have sinned against the LORD." The full measure of David's confession can be found in Psalm 51. To minimize the reality of sin is to make a mockery of the redemption that paid for it. Jesus didn't go through the cross to fix your mistakes; He died to pay for your sins. And, third, there was a preeminent recognition. David had sinned against many--but there was One higher than all that he recognized, the LORD God Almighty. David confessed, "I have sinned against the LORD." David might have held tremendous human authority, but he had no clout before God. And now he had just heard from God through Nathan and there was nothing else to be done but bow before the Divine Judge in humble recognition. Beloved, all sins are an affront to the Holy One, and all sins must be brought before the Divine Judge who will either condemn or pardon us. Psalm 38:18 gives us a clear statement of repentance, "I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin." Take time to read Psalm 38 today and hear the groaning anguish of a heart under the conviction of God. Consider Proverbs 28:13, "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." There is Divine grace enough for all who will forsake their sin. As David in his transgression before God found mercy, so all who do as he did will find the same grace. Many fear being "found out" in their sins. But realize that Nathan did not publish this report to the nation of Israel. He brought God's word to David and confronted the king with his wickedness. Dear ones, has God's word been brought to you and your own heart has been confronted? Then make no excuses before the LORD. Confess and forsake your sins and hear the promise of God through Nathan the prophet: "The LORD has also put away your sin." In His Grace, Pastor Michael Worth the Wait6/4/2024 ![]() Jude 1:21 ~ "Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life." There is coming a time when all things will be reconciled before God. Justice will be meted out to those who remain in rebellion and full and ultimate mercy given to those who are redeemed in Christ. How impatient we grow when the circumstances of our environment do not change for the better. How quickly we become anxious when plagued by trouble, as if God is not the One who holds all the stars in His hands and numbers every hair on our heads. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:10, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." Hold steady, dear Christian, for the hour will come when you will rise to stand with the LORD. It is worth the wait. As we consider our text for today, we are encouraged in the waiting. Though surrounded by a world that has purposed to scoff and ridicule those in Christ, striving to disrupt the faith of all who follow Jesus, we can hold on victoriously if we consider the three things we will learn from this passage today. First, there is a place of waiting. We are encouraged, beloved, to keep ourselves in the love of God. Does God love you? He loves all who are in Christ Jesus. Our LORD told us that very thing in John 16:27, "For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God." If you love the Son of God, you are loved by God the Father. There is no escaping that truth, and God does not lie about His love given to those who belong to His Son. He does not love as we do--fractured and weak, seeking that which is satisfying to ourselves more often than not. He loves in perfection, without reservation and without end. You may experience trials and sufferings in this present life, but God's love has not failed you. And even if you do not currently experience the bliss of His love, trust the promise of it and keep yourself there. Reject any internal doubts you may have of His love for you. If you are in Christ, the Father would have to stop loving the Son to stop loving you. And if you are in difficult circumstances as a child of God, remember Hebrews 12:6 states, "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." Don't let your present experience dictate to your heart the condition of God's love for you. Second, there is a person to wait for. We are waiting for the mercy of our LORD Jesus. He will come again and dispense His eternal mercy upon those who belong to Him. Yes, if you believe on the LORD for the salvation of your soul, then you have received mercy even now. But have you noticed that you still linger in this wicked world and still walk about it with a constant struggle against sin? The full measure of God's mercy awaits us when we are taken into glory and the body of sin is done away. Paul lamented his still lingering wicked condition when he cried out in Romans 7:24, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" As Jesus has set His guarantee upon all who believe (see 2 Corinthians 5:5), so He will come again and receive all who are His. His own promise concerning this is found in John 14:3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." Third, there is a place after the wait. In His mercy, Christ will take us to our eternal home with Him. We are marked for eternal life, and that will be more wonderful than any words can convey. This is the place we are waiting for, our home in heaven, not built by any human hands, who's architect and builder is God (see Hebrews 11:10). It is not an earthly disposition that the saved are waiting for. We are not looking for a home here in this world that will be ours for eternity. We look toward that which Christ has promised, eternal life. Soon, beloved, our wait will be over. We will step across the threshold from here to there, from the cloudy and dismal twilight of this world of sin, to the full and bright morning of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13 illuminates this, "But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." While we linger here in this world, let us take to heart 1 Corinthians 2:9, "But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." Eternity, dear ones, will be worth the wait. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Wisdom from the Only God6/3/2024 ![]() Daniel 2:10 ~ "The Chaldeans answered the king and said, 'There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.'" This rant, by the “wise” men of Babylon, conveys the thought that many today embrace: that if man cannot comprehend it, it cannot be done or if man cannot comprehend it, it cannot be true. This situation is found in various forms throughout the Bible. Consider the encounter that Jesus had with Nicodemus in John 3:3-4, "Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?'" After the resurrection of Jesus, Thomas declares his great uncertainty in John 20:24-25, "Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, 'Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.'" How many times have you determined that it cannot be done or that it cannot be true simply because you did not understand or could not comprehend the situation? Let’s consider our text for today as we return to the “wise” men of Babylon. These men were faced with a terrible conundrum. The king had a dream and he demanded that his wise men interpret the dream. To make matters worse, the king would not divulge any information. No hint, no clue was forthcoming from the king’s lips. The wise men were under the gun to try and interpret a dream that they did not know. You must understand that these men had made a career out of convincing the king that they understood great riddles and mysteries. Now Nebuchadnezzar was testing them to see if they truly had any great insights or revelations that he could trust. In Daniel 2:11 we read their response, "The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." But there was one truly wise man in Babylon—a man who believed in the Living God—that man was Daniel. Daniel called upon his friends to pray, and he also prayed, that God would reveal the dream and give an interpretation to answer the king. The next day he asked the guard to take him to see the king. Daniel spoke to Nebuchadnezzar and said, "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days." (Daniel 2:27-28). Suffice it to say, Daniel interpreted the dream, saved the lives of all the “wise” men of Babylon and was elevated to a position of authority. So, who are you like? Are you like the king, plagued by mysteries and seeking answers through worldly wisdom? Do you look to the "wise men" of our age to gain insight into the mysteries that surround your life? Or, are you like the “wise” men of Babylon, when confronted by a mystery, determined that there was no hope of discovering an answer? Do you look at the mysteries around you and decide that your own wisdom is the only source for understanding, and that if you cannot comprehend and unravel the conundrum, it cannot be understood? Or are you like Daniel, when confronted by this mystery he turned to the only One who could give understanding? When you face such mysteries, do you turn to the Living God and His Word and seek understanding from Him? I want to close with a final thought. 1 Corinthians 1:20 states, "Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" All of the wisdom of worldly thinking cannot comprehend the magnitude of God. No matter how intelligent humanity becomes, there are mysteries that only God can answer. Without Him, there is no hope of finding the answer to life’s riddles. You will face mysteries. I implore you to go to the giver of wisdom—the Living God. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." When you face these mysteries, trust God to give you understanding—in His time and according to His Word. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself in the same boat as the “wise” men of Babylon: persistently confused. In His Grace, Pastor Michael The House of God6/2/2024 ![]() Haggai 1:4 ~ "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?" The people had returned to the promised land. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and Joshua the high priest, the people began to work on the development of their own homes. Much was needed to be done, for the people had come back from captivity to a land that was decimated through war and neglect. Perhaps the families found their ancestral homes; perhaps some who had been taken early in their lives now returned to the very dwelling where they lived as children. As they worked on their houses, the only house that remained neglected, that remained scarred with the conflicts of war, was the Temple--the house of God. In Haggai 1:2, the LORD confronts the very sentiment of the people. "Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD." Certainly the people had their own priorities, their own needs. Truly there could be nothing gained from rebuilding the Temple of God before they worked on their own dwellings. The people had to set priorities, to make determinations and establish the important things first. As far as the people were concerned, it just wasn't the right time to be concerned about the house of the LORD. Let us, for a moment, consider what the Temple was meant to be for the people. God does not dwell in paneled houses--no human could construct an edifice that would contain the Eternal LORD of Glory. Consider Acts 7:48-49, "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?'" So the Temple had another purpose. The House of God was the place of prayer, the place of sacrifice, the place where the people could go and worship the LORD (see Isaiah 56:7). The Temple was not built to satisfy some need of God (For God Almighty has no needs), but to bring His people together and meet with Him. In essence, then, to neglect the house of God was the neglect of their own fellowship with Him, their own relationship to Him and their own worship of Him. In light of this, as we consider our text for today, does God's house still lay in ruins? I am not referring to the structures of our gathering places (though that may be a telling sign of a greater neglect), but of the inner dwelling of our hearts--the passions and priorities that we set in order to navigate our lives. The church is the place where God has placed His Holy Spirit--within each believer He resides. The whole body is the structure being built by the LORD. Ephesians 2:19-21 states, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." In a culture driven by personal gain, many have considered their spiritual lives a time-wasting experience. They will get around to it when they have the time. They consider their "paneled houses" of a greater priority than fellowship with the LORD and His people. I knew a man who told me he would get back to the church when he made enough money for himself. I can tell you, he never made enough. The greater his pocketbook grew, the more his soul shriveled. Do your own soul a great service this day. Examine yourself with the question God asked in our text. If there is spiritual neglect happening in your life, beloved, then take this moment to repent and determine to set Christ as your greatest priority. His glory and honor, fellowship with His saints in worship and prayer. Making His house--your own heart--a dwelling wherein He is exalted. When this is the case, there is a promise given. "Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, 'I am with you, declares the LORD'" (Haggai 1:13). And, if the LORD is with us--who can be against us? In His Grace, Pastor Michael Wake Up6/1/2024 ![]() Romans 13:11 ~ "Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed." Do you know the hour wherein we live, dear reader? It is nearing unto daylight, for soon the Son of God will illuminate the sky in His preeminent glory and dispel the night of sin. It is time for all of God's people to wake up. The world is unaware that the return of Jesus Christ is nearer now, and they carry on as if the only matter that concerns them is the continued satisfaction of their own life. Jesus told the disciples, "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 24:38-39). They have no fear or dread of the day that will bring the final judgment of the LORD upon this earth, there is no consternation in their hearts for they cannot imagine anything different than what they currently see. Peter addresses this in 2 Peter 3:4, "They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.'" And though it should not be, there are some who hold themselves as believers in Christ and yet have a dismissive consideration of our soon returning King. We are, however, encouraged to maintain a vigilant stand, an awakened awareness of the coming of the LORD Jesus. Our LORD says in Matthew 24:44, "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." We are commanded to "stay awake" (see Matthew 24:42). Yet, how many Christians have grown drowsy as they wait for the Master to return? Our text for today tells us that we already know the time. And, as we consider when the book of Romans was written, imagine now how much nearer is the coming of the Son of God? Now is not the time for any Christian to grow sleepy in their salvation, but to awaken their hearts to the great promise of Christ, that He will come again and it could be now. Romans 13:12 tells us how to live with such an awakened awareness, "The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Beloved, you are, today, one day closer to the final day you spend on this earth. Paul tells us in our text, "For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed." The return of Jesus is imminent. Yet, what if it does not happen in our time? It does not change the truth of this text. Salvation is nearer--and growing nearer every day. You may have only just woken up to the salvation of Jesus and have only spent one hour walking with Him. You are one hour closer to the day you will stand in His presence. Jesus will either return in our lifetime or we will depart to be with Him when our journey on earth is done. Either way, it is drawing near. Spiritual drowsiness does not become a child of God. Do not hit the "snooze button" on your Christian life, believing that you can linger a bit longer in the slumber of your former life. Paul says in Ephesians 5:14, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Jesus our LORD chastised the church in Sardis for their spiritual stagnation, "Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God" (Revelation 3:2). Rise up, believer, out of the death-bed of this world, for you are actually alive. There is no need for you to linger any longer in a condition like those who will perish in their sins. We can walk in the light as Jesus is in the light (see 1 John 1:7). You can, in Christ Jesus, cast off the works of darkness. You can and must put on Christ. On this first day of June, as the summer draws near and the world is awake with growth and life, let it be said of us that we also have awakened to the life of Christ and will no longer slumber in sin, for the dawn of salvation has broken and the final Day is at hand. In His Grace, Pastor Michael Praying for Daylight5/31/2024 ![]() Acts 27:29 ~ “And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come.” (Let me encourage you to read Acts 27 as we go through this dramatic story to learn a valued lesson for us today.) The day had dawned with pleasant winds and a hopeful outlook. Despite the warnings of the Apostle Paul, the centurion determined to take the advice of the pilot of the ship and put out to sea. Circumstances quickly changed. What had started as a day of hope became a day of horror as the great Northeaster swept down upon the water. Panic struck the ship as the crew furiously struggled against the power of the storm, all in vain. The storm was relentless, unforgiving and unwilling to release the captive vessel from its grip. Two weeks passed without relief. Desperate men cried out. Hope slipped away as they were powerless to change the circumstances. They never should have experienced the relentless torrent, if only they had listened to the Apostle rather than the pilot. They prayed for daylight… have you ever been there? Have you ever been in a place of such despair that it seemed even the sun might fail? You listened to the wrong advice—though it might have seemed like the most knowledgeable person to give it. And now you are in a world of trouble for failing to heed the Word of God. That is a difficult thing, though. We want to get the advice of the most experienced, the most strategic minds, the best thinkers of the moment—and many of us would have turned to the pilot for answers. What could Paul know about sailing? He was at best a mere passenger. How many of us turn to the world to get our directions? Rather than heeding the Word of God, many will turn to the advice of the world to find their directions. Let me pose a couple of examples for you. There are Christians who will listen to the own heart. But consider what it says in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Rather than turn to the Word of God, they will ponder their own understanding and believe that if they feel it is a good idea, though the Scriptures says otherwise, they will pursue it. Yet Proverbs 3:5 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Others will seek out the advice of friends—even if those friends are of the world. Good advice is a treasure, beloved, but the only advice that is good will hearken to the truth. The story of Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 10 is a great example of listening to bad advice. The king listened to the young and foolish men rather than the wise and older men. And, in an instant, fractured the nation of Israel into two different kingdoms. My friends, when we set our course according to the wisdom of the world rather than the Word of God, we will plunge ourselves into a storm. And then, rather than repenting and turning back to where we ought to be, we make frantic attempts to keep our course, to make for the shores of our own desires and are swept away, lost in the maelstrom of circumstances… praying for daylight. A worldly decision in the past cannot be cured by another worldly decision in the present. Maybe you listened to the pilot instead of the prophet – to the counsel of the world rather than the Word of God. Pray for daylight. Pray that God will again shine upon you His wisdom and truth so that you can survive the storm. And once God does give you the understanding you need, have the courage to take it. The pilot and crew of that ill-fated vessel lost their cargo. They lost the ship’s tackle, the anchors, even the ship itself yet found that when they listened to Paul, God saved them. It was worth the loss of all things that they might live. Consider Paul’s words to the Philippians, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). So, what would you give in exchange for your soul? Are you currently reaping the havoc of listening to the counsel of the world? When you pray for daylight, when you ask the Savior to deliver you from the storm, will you cling to foolishness of the world or will you determine to do what God has said? In the end, for Paul and the rest of those on board the ship: “And so it was that all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:44). In His Grace, Pastor Michael Waiting for the Day5/30/2024 ![]() 2 Peter 3:14 ~ "Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace." Waiting is an integral part of the human experience. We wait in lines at the store, we wait for a call from a friend. We wait to take vacations or to advance in our careers. We wait for doctor appointments or for our meal to be delivered at a cafe. Everyone waits for something, and there is no way to avoid it. But, how do you wait? Do you wait anxiously or patiently? Do you wait with each nerve getting more frazzled as the seconds tick by or with a calm demeanor that brings stability to the waiting? The one common factor in all of this: you will have to wait. But, dear Christian, we have something else to wait for. We are "waiting for the Day." Our text tells us that we are waiting for "these." And the question is: what are "these?" The text before it tells us, "But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13). There is a day coming that will bring to an end all sin and rebellion. That Day of the LORD, which will consume the earth in a final conflagration will also be the Day that all believers wait upon, for it will be the day of the fulfillment of all promises and the establishment of the eternal kingdom of Christ. Let's start with a question: are you waiting for that day? Our text today says, "since you are waiting for these." There is an assumption made that all Christians have set their hope on the new heavens and new earth--the home of righteousness. Of all the tragedies and triumphs that occur, of all the victories we've won, there is a simple truth--this is NOT the home of righteousness. This fractured world is rife with sin and the rebellion against God of billions. And, in true confession of my own heart, the longer I walk in this valley of the shadow of death, I long for the glorious and everlasting city of life. But what do we do as we wait? Our text today tells us to be diligent. Waiting for some means a lounging or a leisurely approach to activity. They embrace the delay as some form of personal opportunity to bask in the slothful mindset. But that is not the Christian. We are given a great destination, a home of righteousness, and as we wait for that day we are to make haste or be earnest to be without spot or blemish. Do you long for Christ and love the LORD, then you see upon yourself the spots of sin that linger. Then, beloved, make haste to repent. Jesus commands the church in Revelation 3:19, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent." If you see that spot, or if there is still a blemish that is discovered, then quickly seek the LORD in prayer and confess your sin. He will cleanse and remove those spots and blemishes. And the other diligent exercise of your faithful walk with the LORD is to be at peace--and that means at peace with God. It is more than a settled calmness in your heart or a circumstantial "cease-fire" that you negotiated with the world that is the peace of which our text today instructs. In truth, if you have no expectation of the coming judgment of God or the soon arriving King of kings to rule and reign over all, then you also have no diligent desire to be at peace with the LORD. There are those who believe that "one day" they will come to that place where they take God seriously, but there is no urgency in their thinking. Dear ones, do not lounge away the moment. If you've not yet made peace with God, do not delay! Run to Jesus by faith and seek His mercy and grace. He will receive all who come to Him by faith, trusting in Him for the forgiveness of their sins. And for all who believe already, let us strive to keep ourselves in faithful fellowship with our Savior. Keep waiting, dear ones. Soon our LORD will return and then all that you have ever hoped for in Christ will be astonishingly glorious, far more than you have ever imagined. There's coming a day when all days will be done When the journey is over and the race has been run Through Jesus our LORD we'll be delivered from strife As we step through the portal of death into life In His Grace, Pastor Michael The Book of Remembrance5/29/2024 ![]() Malachi 3:16 ~ "Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name." Comfort yourself, dear Christian, God has never forgotten anything that you did in honor of His name. There is written a book of remembrance that contains all that you did as you walked in the fear of the LORD. You have not been missed in the constant gaze of the LORD upon the earth, for His eye sees all--and especially those who love and serve Him. Consider the words of 2 Chronicles 16:9, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him." In the context of this verse, Asa the king had relied on Syria, and not on the LORD to deliver the nation of Judah. So God Almighty reminded the king, and us as well, that His eye is always upon those who serve Him that He will strongly support those with a heart that fears Him. So we learn from our text today that it is first those who "feared the LORD." What is this holy fear? What does it mean to fear the LORD? It is to reverence Him and hold the LORD Jesus above all others. To recognize His sovereignty and majesty and worship Him as Savior and King. Proverbs 8:13 says, "The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate." If one is to fear the LORD, then it will lead them to turn aside from evil ways--to seek to do that which is right and good. For their lack of godly fear, the LORD chastised the people through the prophet Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 2:19, "Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the LORD God of hosts." But, included in their fear of the LORD was a desire to converse about the LORD. They, "spoke to one another." The implication is that their conversations were governed by their fear of God. One of the great realities of the Christian life is that our conversations convey our fear of God. Let me ask this: what do you talk about on the way? What is the conversation taking place in your home? Do you seek out those who fear the LORD and, with open dialogue, embark on conversations filled with your love for and life in Christ? The world is filled with enough inane babble. Let it not be so with the Christian. Paul tell us in Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." And, what a wonderful promise is made in our text today: "The LORD paid attention and heard." How many times do you speak of the LORD, how often do you study His word in close fellowship with others? Beloved, know this wonderful truth: the LORD God Almighty is there paying attention to all that you have said--and He has heard every word. Your love for Him is not overlooked, for He is listening. There are places in our world where conversations of Christ must be done in whispers--and yet the LORD hears every word as if it was boldly proclaimed in heaven. Do not dread that you may be forgotten by God Almighty. He has not lost one single word that fell from your lips. They all have been written down in His book of remembrance, and He will take up this book with joy and declare that all who fear the LORD and esteemed His name in their hearts and with their voice, will be His forever. Consider the words of Malachi 3:17, "They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him." You who fear the LORD and faithfully stand with Christ will be taken up by Him as His treasured possession. He will lose not one. Dear friends, others may not want to hear your conversations about Jesus. But God does, and so do all who fear the LORD. Christ listens and pays attention to every word. Let us then seek the fellowship of the redeemed and open up with delight in conversation about the LORD. In His Grace, Pastor Michael When the Sky is Made of Iron5/28/2024 ![]() 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ~ “…pray without ceasing” Step into your prayer closet for just a moment. Do you hear it? It’s that dull, hollow sound which reverberates across the heavens as if your prayers are banging against an iron sky. Do you ever feel that way? I know I do. You offer prayers and petitions to heaven, spend hours upon your knees in humble submission and lift your requests up to God. Then, in one great resonance of silence, you hear… nothing. There are times when it seems the greatest pain of my life is that I am listening for a returning voice that cannot, or will not, be heard. All I hear is the echoed words of my own heart as my prayers beat against the iron sky. Impenetrable, unbreakable, there are times when it seems that no matter how I pray, I cannot breech the wall. So if silence is deafening, the silence of God is thunderous. David understood this. In Psalm 22:2 he cries out, “O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.” Again, in Psalm 28:1, “To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.” Day or night David listened, cried out, did not remain silent – only to languish in the silence of God. His distress was such that he likened it to being as one who had “gone down to the pit.” I am certain that all Christians know the great heartache when God remains silent. Imagine wanting to talk with the one you love only to receive the quiet turn of the head with no return conversation. It’s called the “silent treatment” for a reason. That’s because it hurts. So… where did the iron-forged sky come from? Here are some possibilities.
Though this is not a complete manifest of the iron sky that all of us experience from time to time, I hope you understand that God does hear your cry. If you’ve constructed the barrier, simply remove it through humble repentance. If time is the barrier, trust God and be patient. He does know your need and will answer in His time. So even when the sky is made of iron, I leave you with the simple statement of Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” In His Grace, Pastor Michael Do What You Can5/27/2024 ![]() Mark 14:8 ~ "She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial." Not everybody can do what they want to do, but everyone in Christ is required to do what they can. This becomes a struggle for many, for they long to be able to do more with their lives than they are capable. They dream big, have grandiose ideas and desires for great accomplishments. In truth, however, if we fail to do what we can, we will never do anything. On the other side of this dilemma, there are some who will not imagine themselves to be so low on the rung of spiritual importance that they should be called upon to do anything that might be considered menial. To function merely as an unrecognized servant is a reach that their own mentality cannot stoop to achieve. They will refuse to do anything because they cannot imagine themselves to do something so beneath them. In our text today, we encounter a woman who came to Jesus and anointed the Savior with a jar of expensive perfume. We learn from the gospel of John that this is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (see John 12:3). This flask was worth a year's wages and it is quite possible that she had saved up in order to own such a treasure for herself. Now, however, the LORD was present and her heart to worship the King of kings was overwhelmed with the desire to bless Him. So, she did what she could. She broke the jar open and emptied the entirety of the contents upon the LORD. Let us first consider the idea that she "did" what she could. There is a dreadful condition of selfishness in the heart when we are unwilling to serve the LORD in the moment that is presented. We won't "do" what we can because it brings no recognition. Consider the words of James 4:17, "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." Is there a "right thing" to do standing before you but you refuse to do it? Is there a moment of service offered to you that will honor and bless the LORD, but you dismiss it because you don't want to lower yourself to accomplish it? Have you looked at the task and determined not to give it a go because no one else will? There are many excuses people will give to avoid doing a task, and that avoidance might be a sin. Then, another consideration, is that she did what she "could." I want to encourage you, today, to realize that you cannot do it all. God does not hold your feet to the fire of some expectation that is not given you to accomplish. A man on his sickbed cannot get up to minister to the world, but he can offer prayers and petitions on behalf of those who are upon his heart. He can do something--not everything. And that is what we are commanded to do. Do not think it is a tragedy of faithlessness when you cannot do even what your own heart desires. We are to walk in the good works that stand before us, for it is those which God has prepared (see Ephesians 2:10). But we are not at liberty to determine what those good works will be. Jesus reminds us that when we serve one another in love, it is as if we are serving Him. He illustrates this in Matthew 25:31-46. When we have opportunity to do good to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are taking that moment and serving the LORD as well. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’" Paul instructs the church with this same idea. In Galatians 6:10 we read, "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Take to heart the understanding that it is "as we have opportunity." The occasion may not always come, though our desires are there. But when the opportunity arrives, let us take hold of it as if we are pouring the anointing oil upon the LORD Himself. Jesus received this beautiful blessing, and responded with a promise in return--that her sacrificial service and love toward Him would never be forgotten. In fact, it would go forward as a testimony for all time. Even now, eons later, we are still reading of her love and service to Jesus. And so it will be with you as you serve the LORD. Our Savior remembers and it will be the testimony of your everlasting life that you did what you could to love the LORD as you served Him. 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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