The Staff Of God

Using the analogy of the shepherd, the staff has a different purpose than the rod. The staff has a crook that is helpful in drawing the sheep close to the shepherd and to help keep them in an intimate relationship with one another. It is also used to guide the sheep, especially those who tend to go astray.

The staff reminds me of the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. The Spirit convicts me when I am in sin, exhorts me toward carrying out the Father’s will for my life and encourages me when I am discouraged. He is there to comfort me in times of distress. As I am obedient to His will the fruit of the Spirit is evident in my life. That fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Gal. 5:22-23).

Several times in the Bible we see the quote “staff of bread” which implies sustenance. The staff of the shepherd was used to help sustain the sheep in many ways. It was not a defensive weapon like the rod, but was used as an aid in caring for and managing the sheep.

Consider how the Lord draws you close to Himself. The primary way is through the study of the Bible and through prayer. He also brings people into your life to help you draw close to Him. Worship, either public or private, also brings one into a closer relationship with God. He may use the beautiful voice of a soloist or sound of an instrument to draw you to Himself. One of my favorite ways to worship is to listen to a talented pianist play meaningful hymns.

I pray that you will continually draw closer to the Lord in an increasingly intimate way.

The Rod Of God

The psalmist now mentions two assets of God that are comforting to him. The first is the rod. The rod represents the word of God and its ability to work in our lives. It conveys authority, power, discipline and protection. Lets think for a moment of how the Word of God impacts our lives.

First of all, it cannot impact us unless we study it and become more knowledgeable of it. The Bible is an interesting book in that it seems one cannot ever completely comprehend all it teaches. No matter how many times, I delve into a passage I learn new things. That is because as I grow and mature in the faith, God uses His Spirit through the Word in teaching me more and allowing me to make new application to my life.

As we grow knowledgeable of the Word it becomes the authority for living our lives. We learn how to please God through the study of His Word. He also creates in us a joy that the world does not understand as we live in harmony with His teaching. We dont follow His teachings to earn our way to heaven, but because we love Him and want to please Him.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us "The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of the soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." This verse describes the power of Gods Word. It pierces the heart of even the non-Christian. Ive found in witnessing to others quoting the Bible is much more convicting than anything I can say. The Spirit uses the Bible in many ways to encourage us, exhort us, convict us, as well as teaching us Gods will for our lives.

Gods Word also provides discipline for us as we learn it and obey it. Discipline can be considered from two different perspectives. The more disciplined and purposeful we become in our lives, the more we please God. God also uses His Word., through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to discipline us when we are disobedient.

Finally, it is a defense or protection for us. We discussed earlier how Jesus used the Word of God to defeat Satan. We can do the same thing if we know it.

I pray that you will continually grow more in love with Gods Word. The rod of God

I Will Fear No Evil

The Psalmist now makes a bold statement that he will fear no evil. He also gives the reason why; "for You are with me." He may well have had in mind Deuteronomy 31:6 which says "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." Verse 8 continues that thought "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."

These verses do not say that we should be cavalier about evil. We must constantly be on guard for it. I Peter 5:8 tell us "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith…" Satan works very hard trying to sidetrack the Christian and make us ineffective in our Christian lives so we must stay alert to his activity in our lives. We resist him by being firm in our faith.

Ephesians 6:11 instructs us to put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil." The following verses describe that armor;

"girded your loins with truth" - integrity and faithfulness

"breastplate of righteousness" - righteous living

"Gospel of peace" - thorough knowledge of the Bible

"shield of faith" - resolute faith in the Lord

"helmet of salvation" - the eternal hope of salvation

"sword of the Spirit" - the Spirit’s recall of the Word in our heart.

Remember when Jesus faced the devil in the wilderness after being there for 40 days without food. The devil tempted Him in three different ways and each time He resisted him by quoting Scripture.

The Lord as our Shepherd alerts us to and protects us from the advances of the evil one. He does this by giving us the tools to resist. Our responsibility is to develop the skill to use those tools and apply them in our lives. When we do that we need fear no evil.

The Shadow Of Death

Perhaps the darkest valley people think of is the end of life here on earth. We see death as separation from our loved ones and that makes us sad. That is an appropriate emotion and we shouldnt be ashamed of it. Jesus wept when he heard His friend Lazarus had died (John 11:35). But the Christian doesnt grieve like the non-Christian because of our hope for eternity.

We can take comfort from this verse for a couple of reasons. One, we know that death is an experience the Christian walks through. It is not a permanent condition. In fact, God looks at death from a completely different perspective. Psalm 116:15 says "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." I believe that when the Christian dies, he/she enters into an even more enhanced relationship with God than we have ever known when we were alive. We begin enjoying a relationship with Him we have longed for while we were alive. We are no longer subjected to the ravishes of sin.

The second word that gives me comfort is "shadow". A shadow cannot hurt you and because of what we have mentioned above, we know that death, for the Christian, is not harmful, but something we pass through as we enter another phase of eternity. We are eternal beings and the "shadow of death" is one of the experiences we pass through.

One of the passages I always turn to as I face the death of a friend or loved one is I Thessalonians 4:13-18. That passage refers to death as falling asleep. It tells us that one day "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord." The Christian can take great comfort in those words. It is a promise we can hang onto and to which we can look forward. It is our hope.

In the normal course of life you will see those you love walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I encourage you to remember these verses, share them with others and to be comforted with them.

Walking Through The Dark Valleys

The first three verses of this Psalm describe the Lordship of Christ. The last three reveal the results of submitting to the Lordship of Christ. Today we will meditate on the dark valleys of our lives. The first word that catches my attention is "through". That is an encouraging word because it tells us those valleys are temporary; we will get through them.

Once when my wife and I were on vacation in Israel we were sitting on top of a mountain at the edge of the Sea of Galilee observing a beautiful valley below. Betty made the comment that, although valley experiences of our lives are the most difficult ones, they are of great benefit to us. They are the experiences that cause us to grow the most; that cause us to mature in our relationship with Jesus Christ because we really understand our dependence on Him. We see that more clearly after we come through those experiences.

The next time you travel through a mountainous area observe the valleys. They have the gentlest grades. Notice how roads are built through the valleys whenever possible, because travel is easier. The valleys are also where the streams of refreshing water flow. The grass is also most lush in the fertile valleys. That is often where you see orchards and crops, because that is where the soil is rich and fertile. Our spiritual thirst and hunger are often satisfied through valley experiences.

We also must be careful about the dangers in those valleys. In a physical valley you must watch for predators, flash floods, and rock slides. We must be aware that Satan loves to attack us when we are walking through spiritual valleys, because that is when we are most vulnerable.

There are things it is good to remember as we walk through dark valleys in our life. One is that the valleys lead to mountaintops. Mountaintop experiences are those we enjoy the most. Another is we will get through the valley. Weve been promised that. Thirdly, Jesus tells us in Matt. 28:20 "I am with you always". We can take great comfort in that. Finally, our valley experiences prepare us to help others as they go through valleys.

I dont know what valley experiences lay ahead for you, but I do know you have a Lord who loves you and will guide you through them and cause you to grow in your relationship with Him.

For His Name Sake

For His names sake"

Psalm 23:3

I awakened this morning thinking about this phrase "for His names sake". The descriptive phrase that came to my mind was "it is all about Him". The purpose of our lives is to glorify Him. The main message of these first three verses has been the Lordship of Christ. In order to glorify God we must allow Him to be intimately involved with our lives.

The Christian life is so much more than going to church on Sunday, and perhaps serving there in some capacity. It is a moment by moment experience of trusting Him. It is studying and memorizing His Word daily so that we might grow in our relationship with Him. It is praying without ceasing, a lifestyle of constant communication with Him about every decision we make and every situation we face. It is recognizing the needs of others and ministering to those needs.

We dont live that way out of necessity but because that is the way we are happiest and find true satisfaction. John Piper makes a statement in his book Let the Nations by Glad "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. And the supremacy of that glory shines most brightly when the satisfaction that we have in him endures in spite of suffering and pain in the mission of love."
We experience Gods love for us by allowing Him to be our Shepherd, by being willing to "lie down in the green pastures" and to be led "beside quiet waters", by letting Him restore our soul and guide us in paths of righteousness. Psalm 63:3 says that Gods "lovingkindness is better than life" itself. Psalm 16:11 says "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forever."
I pray that you will realize that your moment by moment relationship with the Lord Jesus is the single most important aspect of your life because I know that as you truly comprehend that you will experience real joy and satisfaction.

Paths Of Righteousness

The first thing I notice about this phrase is that the word "paths" is plural. While there is one way to salvation, there are many paths of righteousness. In fact, as we live our lives we traverse down many paths or tracks. For instance Psalm 1:1 exhorts us not even to stand in the "path of sinners". The Psalmist acknowledges in 17:4 that "by the word of Thy lips I have kept from the paths of the violent."

On a positive note the Psalmist says in 119:35 "make me walk in the path of Thy commandments, for I delight in it" and in 105 he recognizes that "Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." Proverbs continues this thought (10:17) "He is on the path of life who heeds instruction. But he who forsakes reproof goes astray." The Bible continually confirms that the way of righteousness can be found by studying Gods word and heeding its teaching. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to teach us and He does that through the Word of God.

In Psalm 139:3 David acknowledges that "Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art intimately acquainted with all my ways". There is no question that God knows us intimately and therefore knows what is best for us. If we follow his guidance in our lives, we will be successful in the Christian life. Many are afraid to do that because they are fearful of what Gods will may be for them. That really says that they are not convinced Gods will is best for them.

I have learned from experience that because God loves me He will lead me in the path of life that is best for me. He will never do less than that and although there may be some hardships along that path they are for my benefit. Those hardships draw me closer to Him and teach me to completely depend on Him. Sometimes they come because I am disobedient. In that case, they draw me back to Him.

I pray that you will allow God to lead you in paths of righteousness. He wants to do that but will not force His will on you. You can be assured He knows what is best for you and will accomplish that if you let Him.

He Guides Me

We have discussed the word "lead" before and now we come to a similar one (guide), but there must be some difference. Psalm 31:3 uses both words "For Thy names sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me". I think that "guidance" is a little more specific than "leading". For instance we may hire a guide to take us fishing because he has intimate knowledge of the lake and the characteristics of the fish in that lake. He will take us to the right spot at the right time to catch fish.

Im reminded of the story of Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip came up to this man and heard him reading Scripture. He asked him if he understood what he was reading. The man said "how could I unless someone guides me" and invited Phillip to come join up. Philip guided the eunuch into a personal relationship with Jesus by explaining the meaning of what he was reading. He guided him through the Scripture so that he understood it.

John 16:13 tells us that "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." Jesus has given us, His children, the Holy Spirit to be our guide to life. He knows the Scriptures intimately and also knows the Fathers will for our lives. He will guide us down the paths of life if we allow Him to do that.

Those are the paths that well discuss next.

He Restores My Soul

We have noted earlier that David is writing this psalm as one who trusts in the Lord. This phrase brings to mind that Christians need restoration. The primary meaning of the word "restore" is to return.

The sheep presents an interesting image in this situation. Sheep are known for becoming "cast". They lie down, roll onto their back and are unable to get back up because they are too round. Gases build up in their stomach and blood circulation is cut off to their legs. They cant get their feet underneath them. In hot weather they can die in a few hours; in cool weather they may survive for several days. Predators look for cast sheep for they are easy prey.

How do sheep become cast? They find a soft spot on the ground where they lay down. Perhaps they have too much wool which weighs them down as dirt, etc. accumulates in the wool. Sometimes they become too fat. A shepherd must constantly be looking for cast sheep and help them back up on their feet.

How does this picture apply to us. We, too, as Christians can become "cast". We find comfortable situations and are hesitant to move out of them. Sometimes we become burdened down with selfish desires, possessions, etc. and they prevent us from growing in Christ. Frequently, we let the worlds desire for wealth consume us and we become enslaved to our financial situation.

We can be thankful that we have a God who loves us and is patient with us. He is willing to restore us. He promises us in I John 1:9 that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." We should be grateful that when we sin our Father is willing to restore us.

Quiet Waters

What are the quiet (or still) waters of our lives? Two images come to my mind when I hear this phrase. One is that quiet waters produce beautiful reflections. I recall often when coming across a still lake surrounded by beautiful woods or snow capped mountains, the reflection seems almost more beautiful than the actual view. How refreshing it is to pause and consider the beauty God has produced on earth and contemplate how that must pale in comparison to the beauty we will experience in heaven in eternity. If God can produce such beauty in a sin sick world, what must heaven be like?

The fast flowing, noisy streams have their beauty, but the still mirror-like bodies of water remind us of complete peace. It is interesting that sheep wont drink from a noisy stream because the noise and the rushing water frighten them. The shepherd must find still, quiet ponds for them to drink from. Weve all heard the phrase "still waters run deep" and I think there is an application here. It is during those quiet times in our lives when we can grow the deepest in our relationship with the Lord. It is a wonderful experience to quietly and unhurriedly spend time plumbing deeply into Gods Word.

Just as sleep refreshes us physically, our quiet times in the Bible refreshes us spiritually. As we allow Him, the Lord graciously enables us to perceive the preciousness of His truth and to feed upon it. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit we have the power to appropriate the promises He has given us. Uninterrupted seasons of meditation and prayer allow us to share with Him our deepest needs and concerns as well as to praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

We live in a culture and society that is marked by busyness and activity. One of my most consistent prayers for my family is that they will look diligently for the "green pastures" and "quiet waters" as they mature in their Christian life. I can assure you from personal experience that the deeper you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ, the more satisfied you will be with your life.

He Leads Me...

He leads me...

Psalms 23

The next phrase that attracts our attention in this Psalm is "He leads me". To lead means to go before, to direct, or to show the way. Exodus 13:21, speaking of God physically leading His people says "And the Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way and a pillar of fire by night to give the light."

In Psalm 25:4 David asks for spiritual direction when he requests "lead me in Thy truth and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation." In Psalm 139:24 he requests "lead me in the everlasting way." David recognized he was an eternal being and there were choices to be made about eternal destiny.

In Isaiah 48:17 we read "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go." It is Gods desire to lead us in every aspect of our life, but He doesnt force His way on us. We can choose not to follow Him, but the consequences are always bad. We see the results of that choice in Romans 2:4-5 "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."

Speaking to the Christian, Paul says in II Corinthians 2:14 "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ…" This verse gives me great confidence for I know that if I am living my life in His will and allowing Him to lead me I will always be triumphant. It keeps pride from setting when I am successful for I know it is Him and not me. It encourages me during the difficult days of trial and testing, because I know as He leads I will walk through it triumphant at the end.

God deeply desires to lead us in every aspect of our lives but He will not force you to be obedient. I pray that you will be sensitive and yielding to His leading as you walk through your life. That will allow Him to lead you beside the "quiet waters" we will discuss next.

Green Pastures

"He makes me lie down in green pastures"

Psalm 23:2a

What are the green pastures in your life? I can think of several in mine. The phrase green pastures makes one think of peace and rest, doesnt it. There are two types of rest we should consider; spiritual rest and physical rest.

Becoming a Christian does not automatically give one spiritual rest, but it does give us the ability to attain it. Certainly, there is a peace we can not experience until we ask the Lord Jesus to be our Savior. Rest comes from allowing Him to be our Lord. Spiritual rest comes from the joy of prayer, reading Gods Word, and fellowship with other believers.

God also knows we need physical rest and relaxation. God instituted rest on the seventh day of creation, when after finishing His work, He rested. One of my "green pastures" is a good book. I enjoy relaxing with a good book after a days work. What are you reading today? Another of my "green pastures" is good music. The combination of a good book and good music is extremely soothing to me.

Another "green pasture" is the cabin God has allowed us to have in East Texas. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of life and spending time in Gods natural creation is very calming to me. Although I may get physically exhausted some days I mentally and emotionally relax.

Our grandchildren are another "green pasture" for Betty and I. We truly enjoy their company. It is such a pleasure to see them developing as a young man and woman who love the Lord. We cherish the moments we get to spend with them and our children. Raising children is an awesome responsibility, but the joy of grand-parenting more than makes up for the trials of parenthood.

Betty and I also enjoy traveling throughout the beautiful world God has given us to enjoy. Although man has polluted much of it we still can enjoy the grandeur of the mountains, the beauty of the lush green valleys, and the peace of the streams and rivers flowing through them. If God has provided this kind of beauty for us to enjoy now, think of what heaven must be like.

Look for the "green pastures" of your life and enjoy them. God has blessed you with them.

He Makes Me Lie Down

"He makes me lie down..."
Psalm 23

Another characteristic of sheep is that in order for them to lie down they must be completely at peace and free from any unrest. I’m told there are four specific things they must be free from before they can rest.

First, they must be free from all fear. Sheep are defenseless characters and become fearful very easily. They must have complete confidence that their shepherd is among them and that he will protect them from any harm. As Christians we, too, must have complete confidence in the protecting hand of our Lord. I, personally, have felt this most acutely on a missions trip to Colombia. The local people told us we were ministering in a very dangerous area. One lady told me her husband’s occupation was to rob and kill. Yet, the Lord gave me complete peace that week that He was guarding me continually. Someone has said "there is nothing like Christ’s presence to dispel the fear, the panic, the terror of the unknown".

Secondly, sheep must be free from friction with other sheep before they will lie down. Have you noticed how difficult it is to rest, or sleep, when you are upset or mad at someone? Your mind is full of thoughts and will not rest. The Bible encourages us to be at peace with each other and to be quick to apologize if we have offended someone. Ephesians 4:26 says "do not let the sun go down on your anger". We need to resolve our anger in order to rest. Another sign of discontentment is covetousness. Paul told us in Philippians 4:11 "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am."

Thirdly, sheep must be free from being tormented by flies or parasites before they will lie down. There are many outside influences that can bother us as humans also. The Lord has provided the Holy Spirit to bring quietness, serenity, strength and calmness into our lives to counter those influences. As we maintain the fullness of the Spirit in our lives we experience those qualities that allow us to rest in Him.

Finally, the sheep must be free of hunger before they will down. To satisfy our hunger the Lord provides green pastures. We will discuss those green pastures in our lives next.

Notice the word "makes" in this phrase. Are you getting the spiritual, mental and physical rest you need? I’m convinced that at times God sets us aside for a time if we abuse ourselves so that we will get the rest we need. I encourage you to be sensitive to God’s work in your lives to free you from the four fears we have discussed so that you might truly rest in Him.

I Shall Not Want

"I shall not want..."

Psalms 23

Some have translated this phrase "I shall not lack anything. There are at least two potential applications to this phrase. First, Gods children (sheep) can be assured that all our spiritual needs will be met. Secondly, God also provides our material or physical needs. Paul says in Philippians 4:19 "my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus". When we consider that God is the owner of everything and His riches are limitless, we can be confident that He will provide what He knows is best for us.

To a large extent we in America have lost all concept of needs contrasted with wants. My visits to third world countries, Guatemala, Colombia, and Africa really awakened my senses to that fact. They have so much less, materially, than we do yet seem completely satisfied. I think our culture strongly encourages us to think of many unnecessary things as needs. The other thing I noticed is that those whose perceived needs have not grown out of balance seem to appreciate more the spiritual side of life.

Often, I think, we feel our spiritual needs are not being met but we are simply not appropriating Gods blessings in our lives. Ephesians 1:3 says "Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Notice that this passage tells us He lavishes the riches of His grace on us (v. 7-8). The blessings are there for us to accept.

I think another problem we have is we take Gods blessings in our lives for granted. Remember the story of the ten lepers that were healed (Luke 17:11-19). Only one said thanks. We should recognize Gods provision in our lives and be specifically thankful for all He supplies, whether spiritual or material. Ive noticed it is much easier for those who have little to be thankful, than for those who have much.

God has given you much. May I suggest you take the time to consider all He has given you. Consider the freedoms we have including reading and studying the Bible and all the resources He has given you to help you understand it. Do we appreciate the freedom of worshipping publicly? Spend some time thanking God for His provision in your life.

The Lord Is My Sherherd Part 2

Notice how David personalizes this Psalm. He does not tell us that the Lord is a shepherd, but that he is my shepherd. David recognizes the relationship of himself as a sheep and the Lord as his shepherd. As a shepherd himself, David clearly understands the relationship between the two.

Consider now the responsibilities of the shepherd. Scripture gives us much information about the shepherd because it was a common occupation in those days. The intelligent shepherd knows that sheep are creatures of habit. If left to themselves they will follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same hills until they turn to desert wastes; and pollute their own ground until it is corrupt with disease and parasites. The shepherd must also care for his land so it remains good for grazing. That is why the shepherd moves the sheep so often while grazing.

The shepherd is also responsible for the safe-keeping of the sheep day and night. Jesus says in John 10:7 "I am the door of the sheep". That is a phrase of protection. At night sheep are herded into a safe place which can be guarded at a single opening. The shepherd lays in that opening to protect His sheep.

The shepherd is responsible for disciplining his sheep. At times sheep like to wander away from the flock. The shepherd may break the leg of a sheep that consistently does this to keep him from going astray.

The shepherd cares for his sheep when they are hurting or in danger. In Matt. 12:11 Jesus says "What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not hake hold of it, and lift it out?" Matt. 18:12 talks about leaving the 99 sheep to find the one that has gone astray.

The shepherd and the sheep know each other. The shepherd has a peculiar call to which his sheep responds. John 10:27 tells us "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." He also places an identifying mark on each of his sheep so that no one can steal them.

Spend some time today considering the ramifications of the Lord being your shepherd.

The Lord Is My Shepherd Part 1

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

Psalm 23

As I read the twenty-third Psalm the first word that catches my attention is "Lord". I think it is important that we contemplate the meaning of that word. There is a difference between the Lordship of Christ and His Saviorhood.

Many today, and in history, have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, but really don’t understand how to allow Him to be the Lord of their life. Others understand but aren’t willing to allow Him to be Lord.

One way to look at the difference is that when we trust the Lord Jesus as our Savior we trust Him for our eternal destination. When we accept Him as our Savior we can have assurance that we will spend eternity with Him. When we allow Him to become the Lord of our lives He assumes control of our moment by moment lives here on earth. We consistently seek His counsel and follow His will in all we do.

He does this through the ministry of the Holy Spirit who indwells us at the moment of salvation. His desire is that we remain full of the Holy Spirit. That, however, is our responsibility. Ephesians 5:18 exhorts Christians to "be filled with the Spirit". We do not receive more of the Spirit, but the Spirit has more of us. The phrase means that we are to continue being filled. The Holy Spirit desires a moment by moment relationship with us, but that relationship may be hindered by sin in our lives. Filling is that ministry which is accomplished in the believer when he is fully yielded to the indwelling Holy Spirit.

As we are filled with the Spirit we will carry out the exhortation of Paul in Galatians 5:16 which says "walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh". Here we have a command "walk by the Spirit" and a promise "you will not carry out the desire of the flesh".

I pray that you will allow Jesus to be the Lord of your life. In doing so, you will carry out His will and will be richly blessed.

The Ascension

"And He led them out as far as Bethany,

and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

And it came about that while He was blessing them,

He parted from them. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

and were continually in the temple, praising God."

Luke 24:50-53

Luke ends this book with the dramatic account of Jesus return to His Father in heaven. Now that we have gone through the book of Luke I suggest you begin a careful study of his next book, Acts. Acts 1:9 picks up where Luke 24:53 ends: "And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also said "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

Can you imagine the thoughts and feelings of these men as they watched their Savior return to His Father as He had told them He would do? It must have been an amazing sight and one that was indelibly imprinted on their minds as they walked through the rest of their lives and faced the trials and hardships He had told them about.

The next time Christians will physically see the Lord Jesus is when He returns to rapture us into heaven. I Thes. 4:16-18 says "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord." That imminent return is the Christians great hope.

Jesus told the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to indwell them as the Father had promised and they were obedient. When that happened they would receive power and become witnesses for Him throughout the world. That is our mission today as we wait for His return. We know that those disciples were faithful in carrying out the mission they had been given. I pray that same faithfulness will be true of you.

Clothed With Power From On High

"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you;

but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed

with power from on high."

Luke 24:49

Jesus continues in His final address to the disciples by reminding them that they will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. That is what He means by the phrase "clothed with power from on high." Notice He told them to stay in the city until that happens. There are a couple of points we should notice from this comment. First, in order for them to be effective in their ministry it was critical that the Spirit minister in and through them. He did not want them to go out on their own. He wanted them to recognize their need for the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Secondly, all they were to do was wait. There was nothing they could or needed to do to earn the presence of the Spirit. Jesus had told His disciples earlier (John 15:7) "it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." He also told them that the Spirit would "teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you (John 14:26). In (John 16:13) He further explained "He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."

I like what Bruce said the apostles would gain from the presence of the Holy Spirit "enlightenment of mind, enlargement of heart, sanctification of their faculties, and transformation of their characters." The Holy Spirit is active in the heart of every Christian today accomplishing those same things. He is severely limited in some of our lives because the presence of sin and our refusal to yield to God’s will for our lives. Others have not been properly taught about His present ministry and because of that His effectiveness is limited.

I pray that you will realize the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life as a child of God and will allow Him the full orbed ministry He desires.

Proclaim Repentance

"Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

and He said to them, ‘thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer

and rise again from the deadthe third day;

and that repentance for forgiveness of sins

should be proclaimed to all the nations beginning from Jerusalem.’"

Luke 24:45-47

As we near our Lord’s ascension He is now sharing most important information with His disciples. The message is as important for us as it was for them. The responsibility and privilege of sharing the message of salvation to others applies to all Christians. It is interesting that Luke shares this charge with us here and begins with the same challenge in the book of acts. Acts 1:8 says "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Paul says in Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every one who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Paul was bold in sharing his faith and we can have that same boldness through the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our lives. We should also be patient, loving and kind as we tell others of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Some say they don’t know how to share the gospel. Try writing out your testimony of how you came to know the Lord Jesus as your Savior. You will find four basic elements of sharing your faith. First, we must recognize that we are sinners, separated from a relationship with God (Rom. 3:23). Then we learn that because of our sin we face eternal separation from God (Rom 6:23), but He gave His Son as a free gift to pay the price for our sins that we might have eternal live (Rom. 5:8). Finally there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. We simply must "confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead...for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (Rom.10:9-10).

Our realization of the eternal hope we have should cause us to have a great desire to share that hope with those whom God places in our path.

A Personal Explanation

"And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in the Scriptures."

Luke 24:27

Two of Jesus’ disciples were walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus grieving that the One who they thought would be their Savior had been killed. They had heard reliable reports that He had risen but really didn’t know what to believe. Jesus, in one of His appearances after His resurrection, approached them. But note that their eyes were supernaturally blinded so that they did not recognize Him. After allowing them to explain their current mindset, He began to explain the Scriptures to them. We should be reminded that, in this situation, the Scriptures just included the Old Testament because the New Testament had not been written yet.

A couple of thoughts come to my mind as I read this story. First, the Old Testament is an important and vital part of God’s Word. We should study it as diligently as we do the New Testament. It is important that we understand the Bible as a whole as God unfolds His plan for mankind.

The other is what a privilege these two disciples had as Jesus explained the Scriptures to them. Notice their later reaction "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us? (v. 32). It causes me to give God thanks that we have the entirety of Scripture preserved for us and we also have the Holy Spirit residing within us to give us understanding.

We must guard against allowing the Bible to become a dry textbook that we are required to study because we are Christians. We should approach it seeking to understand God’s will for our lives. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that "the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and intentions of the heart."

I pray that you will value God’s Word and love to spend time in it, because through the study of it you will learn God’s will for your life and the practical day to day guidance you need to fulfill His plan for you.

In The Presence Of Jesus

"And He said to him, "Truly I say to you,

today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

Luke 23:43

What a beautiful verse this is for the Christian. Just as Jesus assured the thief who expressed faith in Him that after their physical death they would be united in Paradise, we can be assured of the same thing. We know, as Christians that we have an eternal relationship with Jesus. Although our bodies may wear out physically, spiritually we are eternally secure in Him. That allows us to face death completely different than those who are not Christians.

I’m reminded of Psalm 116:15 which says "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." God has a completely different view of physical death than we; an eternal perspective. Physical death brings us into an even closer relationship with Him. Recently when I reflected on the death of someone close to me I thought of what a wondrous day that must have been for the one that passed on into eternity. They began the development of a relationship with Jesus Christ that was much greater than they had ever experienced in their physical life. They must have reveled in the presence of their Savior in a way we cannot imagine.

It is natural for us to mourn the loss of a loved one when they die because there is a physical separation and we miss them greatly. Jesus realized how Mary and Martha mourned when their brother Lazarus died and He wept with them .(Luke 11:1-36)

The Christian, however, mourns differently than the non-Christian because we know our separation is temporary. We have a confidence and a tremendous peace that our loved ones have entered into an enhanced relationship with our Savior and one day we will join them for eternity. We will worship God in a way we have never experienced before because the presence of the old nature is no longer a part of us. We are in a completed relationship with Jesus Christ.

I’m sure you have or will experience the death of someone you love. Be assured that it is ok to mourn, but be comforted by the fact that those who know the Lord Jesus are with your Savior and one day you will be united with them.

Father Forgive Them

"Father forgive them"

Luke 23:33-34

"And when they came to the place called The Skull there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.""

As I reflect on the crucifixion as recorded in the Gospels I’m amazed at Jesus attitude revealed in the statement "Father forgive them". Jesus said this in His humanity as He had laid aside His eternal powers to become a man. Although He had the resources to completely change the course of history by escaping death, He refused to do so. Matthew 26:53 records Jesus at the time of His betrayal telling His disciples "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions (72,000) of angels." Jesus chose to be obedient to the point of death.

This statement also shows that there was no resentment, no anger, no lurking desire for punishment on those who were mistreating Him; only forgiveness. His only thought was to do what was best for our eternal good in a way that gave glory to the Father. Because of Jesus actions, the Father sees us completely and unquestionably forgiven through His blood.

That does not mean, however, that forgiveness is appropriated to every man or woman. This fact is revealed to us by the actions of the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus. Verse 39 tells us that one of the criminals hurled abuse at Him and demanded that Jesus physically rescue them. The other obviously had a change of heart as he observed Jesus in this crisis of the crucifixion and rebuked the first criminal. Jesus recognized this change of heart and assured him "today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (v. 43).

People are the same today. Some recognize Jesus as their Savior and some don’t. Those that do are instructed and exhorted in the Bible to tell others of their relationship in Christ and to live in a way that evidences that. I pray that your life will reveal the Savior to others.

Follow Your Convictions

Luke 23:13-25

During Jesus trials before His death Herod sent Him back to Pilate. It is apparent that Pilate found no reason to pronounce a death sentence for Jesus. His wife had warned him not to do that and it appears he also had personal convictions that he should not grant the wishes of the Jewish community.

At first he tried to convince the crowd they were wrong. They argued with him and he gave in to them. He went along with the crowd. From extra Biblical history we learn that because Pilate sacrificed his conscience for the will of the people he was recalled from his position and disgraced.

The primary lesson we should learn from this passage is that as we study God’s Word and allow the Spirit to develop convictions in our hearts and minds we should be careful to be faithful to those convictions. It is much easier to go along with the crowd as Pilate did but the consequences are often similar to Pilate’s fate. We lose our testimony and are ineffective in our lives.

There is tremendous pressure in the world to "go along to get along". The culture around us presses hard for us to live like everyone else. But as Christians we are called to be different. Jesus said in John 17:16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Paul exhorts Christians in Romans 12:2 "do not be conformed to this world…" One of the ways we share the testimony of our relationship with Jesus Christ is by being different than the world. People see that difference; the peace and contentment we have and desire that for themselves. Often because we are different we are given the opportunity to verbally share our faith. We should be bold in doing that.

I’m sure you feel much pressure to conform to the world and to go along with the world. I encourage you to stay true to your convictions.

Jesus Defense – Silence

Luke 23:8-12

Reading this passage we step into the midst of Jesus trial before His crucifixion. He had been before Pilate who found no guilt in Him. Pilate recognized Jesus was not guilty of the charges the Chief Priests and scribes were bringing against Him and we know from other passages had been warned by his wife to be cautious in his judgment. When he learned that Jesus was a Galilean and under the jurisdiction of Herod he sent Him to Herod (v.7).

Herod was glad that Pilate did this because he had heard about Jesus and the miracles He performed. He was anxious to be entertained by Jesus’ performance of other miracles. It is interesting to me that when Jesus faced Herod He remained silent. This is the only occurrence I know of when Jesus had nothing to say; he remained completely silent. As He faced detractors in the past, He responded to their questions and allowed them and others around them to see their error. Herod apparently questioned Jesus intently (v. 9) but Jesus would not even dignify His questions with an answer. He just stood there.

As I read this verse I’m reminded of Isaiah 53:7 "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before His shearers, so He did not open His mouth."

It is evident that as the passage in Luke says Herod and his soldiers were treating Him with contempt and mocking Him. As Jesus stood there He was literally fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah 53.

It is very difficult when we are ridiculed for our faith to remain silent. However in that situation it is often best to do that. I don’t think that we gain anything by arguing about our faith. We should share the gospel but when it is clear that someone just wants to argue with us the best course of action is to walk away and pray for that individual. Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare that person to hear what you have to say. We also should keep in mind when we face persecution for our faith, the individual is really persecuting our Savior more than us.

Silence is difficult, but at times it is best.

The Lord’s Supper

Luke 22:14-20

This passage reveals the institution of the Lord’s supper or communion which we, as Christians, are instructed to practice regularly. I fear many Christians don’t understand the significance of communion, but participate as a habit.

Christ says in v. 15 “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer”. He had participated in the Passover all of His physical life. Why was this one more important than others? Because He knows it is to be followed with the fulfillment of His mission on earth, giving His life and shedding His blood for the remission of our sins. Then He will be raised and join His Father in heaven.

As He was sharing this time with the disciples He instructed them “do this in remembrance of Me.” Paul tells us in I Cor. 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” These two statements form the basis of our regular participation in the ordinance of communion.

It is not to be a rote process for us. We are to be reminded afresh each time we take the communion of the fact that Jesus body was broken for us as He paid the price for our sins. I’m often reminded of Isaiah 53 as I participate in this part of the communion service and would encourage you to reflect on the suffering Jesus encountered on the cross. As I reflect on Christ’s shed blood I think of passages such as Luke 22:39-44 (the Garden of Gethsemane), Rom. 3:23-26 (Christ’s blood a propitiation for our sins), Rom. 5:19-21 (“as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”) and Hebrews 9:11-12, 22 (Christ as our high priest shed His own blood because “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness”).

Communion is a time for us to reflect on the tremendous sacrifice Jesus willingly made so that we might enter into a new eternal relationship with Him and to give Him praise and thanks to God for loving us so much He was willing to send His on Son to shed His blood for you and I.

Testimony Under Pressure

Luke 22:54-62

Earlier in this chapter (v.31-34) there is a conversation between Peter and Jesus when Jesus told Peter that Satan was going to "sift you like wheat". Peter responded "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!" The Lord then told Peter he would deny Him three times. We don’t hear Peter’s response but from our knowledge of his personality I can imagine he thought "no way Lord, you are wrong."

In the verses mentioned above we see Peter doing just what Jesus said he would do, but I think we also see a tender man who is teachable. Peter did deny knowing the Lord, but we also see in v. 61 and 62 that he looked at the Lord, remembered what He had said and went outside and wept bitterly. There are a couple of lessons we can glean from Peter’s actions and response.

First, notice the passage says "the Lord turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord". Had Peter not been looking at the Lord, he wouldn’t have known that the Lord looked at him. Regardless of what is going on in our lives we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. If things are going very well He can help us get through them with the right attitude and not be prideful. If things are not going well, He can and will help us through those situations and be better for them. I’m sure that Peter learned a valuable lesson from this situation that helped him tremendously in the future.

Remember when the apostles were arrested for sharing their faith (Acts 5) and were forbidden to continue teaching, Peter led the apostles in responding "We must obey God rather than men" and then shared His faith in Christ. The apostles were beaten and ordered to "speak no more in the name of Jesus" but they "rejoiced that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name and every day, in the temple and from house to house they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

We are humans and as such will fail at times. We can’t let that destroy us but we must grow from our mistakes and failures. We must also realize the tremendous asset we have with the Holy Spirit residing within us. There are times in all of our lives when we have not been faithful in sharing our testimony, especially in adverse situations, but we can confess that and move on.

Pray That You May Not Enter Temptation

"Pray that you may not enter temptation"
Luke 22:40, 46

The account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is familiar to most Christians and we often hear messages from the passage. As I read these verses I’m impressed that the book of Luke begins and ends this story with the phrase "Pray that you may not enter temptation." When something is repeated it is an indication of its importance

Reading the passage in Luke it is easy to interpret that as indicating that we should pray for protection against temptation, or that we would not be tempted. I don’t disagree that it is appropriate for us to ask for protection against temptation but Matthew and Mark quote this passage slightly differently. Matthew 26:41 says "Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Notice there is a comma after the word "praying". G. Campbell Morgan takes that comma as being very significant and explains that what is really meant is that the activity of prayer and worship will keep us from temptation.

We can interpret that statement in a couple of ways. One way is that an active and vibrant prayer life will greatly help us avoid temptation because that lifestyle is an indication that we are walking in a close relationship with the Lord. Another interpretation is that if we are engaged in prayer (or worship) we are less likely to sin. The Luke passage could indicate that if we are exposed to sin we should immediately ask God to keep us from entering it.

Jesus knew that the disciples, and all Christians, are going to face temptation. He wanted us to expect it and be prepared for it. Satan knows that if he can get us to yield to temptation our relationship with our Savior will be negatively impacted and our witness to the world will be less effective. It is critical that we also recognize that and be prepared to deal with it. Temptation itself is not sin; yielding to it is. The best way we can face temptation is to turn toward Christ.

Christ As God - Christ As Man

Luke 22:8-13, 21-22, 34 - Christ

Luke 22:32, 41-44 - Man

Reading chapter 22 of Luke I was stuck by the fact that within these few verses we have a good picture of Christ both as God and as man. First let’s look at three instances where we see His characteristics as God.

Verses 8-13 relate Jesus sending Peter and John to prepare for the Passover. Notice He told them they would meet a man carrying a pitcher of water and they were to follow him and ask him if they could use his guest room. They did what he asked and " www.bible.org http:>

In verses 21-22 He began to single out the one who was going to betray Him. Judas had put up a good front but Jesus knew his heart. In verse 34 Jesus tells Peter that he (Peter) will betray Him (Christ) and even revealed the timing. He knew the future not only generally, but specifically.

There are also verses that depict the manhood of Christ. In verse 32 we see Him praying for Peter "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Notice that He did not pray that Peter would be spared from the test but that his faith would not fail. Often, we ask for the easy road as we pray rather than for God’s will in our lives.

Verses 41-44 tells us of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane, once again revealing his manhood. We also see His agony: "in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground." As God He certainly could have spared Himself of this great mental anguish and as man I think He desired that. Notice He prayed "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup for Me, yet not My will, but Thine be done." However, He chose to be obedient to God’s will and suffer that anguish for you and me.

Truly, Jesus was fully God and fully man.

God’s Word Lasts Forever

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."

Luke 21:33

This is a very simple, yet profound, verse of Scripture. It is not difficult to understand but I think it is important for us to meditate on its significance. There are not many things that are eternal. I can think of only our God, His Word and our souls. Everything else will pass away. That helps us gain a perspective of what is really important.

First, God is eternal. Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning God…" He chose to create everything else.

We know from Genesis 1 and 2 that God created us. He desires fellowship with us. In Genesis 3 we learn that man broke that fellowship by sinning. By disobeying God’s Word we were separated from Him. Our souls are still eternal, but because of sin there is the potential that we will be eternally separated from Him. Since we made the choice to sin, we also must make the choice of our eternal destination.

God also has shared with us His will for our lives. Although we have a sin nature, He has placed within each of us a conscious that convicts us of wrong thoughts or actions. We can sear that conscious through disobedience. He has also provided His Word in various forms so that we can know His will and be obedient to it. God never changes, He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and so is His Word.

We cannot completely comprehend eternity with our finite minds but God has given us enough information through His Word and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives that we can understand His will. God also has the characteristic of being eternally consistent so we can be confident not only that His words will not pass away, but also that they will not change. Our relationship with Him since the time of creation has been based on faith.

What a privilege and comfort it is to know that we can have an eternal relationship with Him.

The Return of Christ

Luke 21:25-28

The rapture of Christians from the earth begins the tribulation period which lasts for seven years and closes with the return of Christ to the earth called His second coming. The tribulation is called that because it is a period of wrath, judgment, indignation, trial, trouble, destruction, darkness, desolation, and punishment like the world has never seen before. There is not a passage to be found in the Bible to reduce to any degree the severity of this time that shall come upon the earth. This period will witness the wrath of Satan in his animosity against Israel (Rev. 12:12-17) and of his puppet, the Beast against the saints (Rev. 13:7). Rev. 14:7, 19; 15:7 tell us it is not the wrath of Satan but the wrath of God.

God’s purpose for the tribulation is to bring about the conversion of a multitude of Jews (Matt. 24:14, Malachi 4:5-6). Multitudes of Jews and Gentiles will be brought into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ during the tribulation (Rev. 7:1-9). The second purpose of the tribulation is to pour out judgment on unbelieving man because of his godlessness (Jer. 25:32-33, Isa. 26:21, II Thes. 2:12).

We believe that the period of Tribulation lasts for seven years and ends with the second coming of Christ to set up His millennial kingdom. That will have to be the topic of another discussion.

I have shared this brief explanation with you because I believe it is important that we are aware of what God has revealed to us about the future. It is worthy of further study, but not something that should consume us. We can be thankful that we will not have to live through this tribulation period because Christians will have been called home to heaven by Christ at the time of the rapture. We should be motivated to share our faith with others by realizing that those who do not know the Lord and are living at the time of the rapture will go through this dramatic time of wrath and destruction. We believe that the rapture of Christians is imminent; that is, there is no other prophetic event that needs to take place before it occurs.

The future

Luke 21:8-24

Our next two devotionals will look at the future. The disciples had been admiring the temple and Jesus told them that it was going to be destroyed completely (v. 6). The natural question from them was when? The parallel passage in Matthew (24) tells us they also asked about the end of the age. Jesus responded by telling them about three things that would start to occur before the destruction of the temple (AD 70) and one which would take place later.

First He said that many would come claiming to be Christ (v. 8). He wanted the disciples and us not to be deceived. Secondly, He said that wars would occur (9 & 10) and when that happened the disciples were not to be terrified because “the end does not follow immediately.” Thirdly, He mentioned that tremendous earthquakes would occur, causing great famine and pestilence (v. 11). Here he is speaking of the great tribulation that will occur after the rapture of Christians. Finally, He said that before all these things happened they would be persecuted. We know that all of the disciples were persecuted greatly. The next several verses (12-17) describe not only what the disciples encountered but also what future disciples would encounter. People will trust Christ during the tribulation and will undergo great persecution.

Jesus next (v. 20-24) noted that Gentile domination, which began in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar (Babylonians) took Jerusalem and the nation of Israel into captivity, would continue “until the times of the Gentiles would be fulfilled”. We are living in that age right now. This age will be culminated by Christians being raptured (1 Thes. 4:13-17), the Great Tribulation and the second return of Christ.

Everything we know from prophesy that needs to occur before the rapture has taken place. For that reason Christians believe that the return of Christ is imminent. That is the next event on God’s prophetic calendar and it could happen at any moment. We should live our lives in expectation of that event.

The Widows Mite

“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a certain poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4

The story of the widow’s mite is one of my favorites because it teaches us much about our relationship with God. Jesus was observing people giving in the temple and noticed a destitute widow drop two “mites” into the basket. The monetary value of these two mites was less than ¼ cent. Yet Jesus commented that the value of the widow’s gift exceeded all the others because she gave all she had to exist on. Jesus saw this as a beautiful demonstration of faith. She completely trusted her Savior to provide her needs and because of that she could give out of her poverty. From a monetary perspective the others gave significantly more, but from a spiritual perspective they gave significantly less.

Mark 12:41-44 adds another element to the story. Jesus was so impressed by the attitude of the widow that He called the disciples together immediately to share with them what she had done. It was an excellent teaching moment to point out a tremendous demonstration of faith and He didn’t let it pass by. We, too, should learn from this lesson.

The lesson isn’t that we should necessarily give everything we have, but that we should hold everything we have with an open hand. If God wants anything He has provided to us back, we should be willing to give it to Him. It also teaches we should be completely dependent on Him for our needs. Paul said in Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” The widow by giving “all she had to live on” clearly demonstrated her faith in God to provide her needs. That is the type of faith He desires from us. She was one of whom God will surely say “Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.”

I pray that you might have the faith of this widow and that you might also hold all that God gives you with an open hand.

GOD OF THE LIVING

Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to Him.”
Luke 20:38

This statement wraps up Jesus’ response to an earlier question from the Sadducees. This group of supposedly intellectuals did not believe in the resurrection and asked Jesus a question in an attempt to trick Him. His closing comment in this verse speaks not of physical life and death but of spiritual life.

He explains in the previous verse “But the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” That statement implies that although these three men were physically dead when Moses spoke, they were still spiritually alive. Physical death does not mark the end of our existence, but it does mark the ending point of our ability to decide whether we will spend eternity in heaven with God or in the torment of hell without Him.

I’m reminded of the statement in Psalm 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.” Our physical death is viewed completely different from God’s eternal perspective than it is from our earthly point of view. When the Christian dies physically, he/she enters into an even more enhanced relationship with God. That is why Christians don’t mourn the way non-Christians do. We have a hope that the non-Christian world cannot comprehend. We are saddened because our loved ones die, but are comforted with the fact that they remain spiritually alive and if we have trusted Jesus as our Savior we will one day join them in heaven.

It appears to me that passing into eternity frees one from all the physical and mental problems of life here on earth. We shed the ravages of sin. I believe our knowledge of and relationship with God increases dramatically at that point. I believe that is why Paul said in Philippians 1:21 “for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

As we face the physical death of those we love who are Christians we can be comforted and assured by the fact that our separation is only temporary because one day we will all be united in heaven since we each have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior.