[Devotional] Ready for Christmas

Here's another great devotional whose message, if taken to heart, should help us keep Christmas in proper perspective.

Ready for Christmas
by Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 3:2 NIV)

Friend to Friend

It seems like everywhere you go during the month of December people ask the same question. At the grocery checkout counter--"Are you ready for Christmas?" At the bank drive through window--"Are you ready for Christmas?" At the doctor's office--"Are you ready for Christmas?"

I think the answer to that question depends on how you define "ready." Let me ask you this question: "Are you ready for Jesus?" Now that puts the idea of being ready in a whole different Christmas light, doesn't it?

John the Baptist was sent by God to get the people ready to meet Jesus. Here's what Matthew had to say about him:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for him.'"...

"People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." (Matthew 3:1-3, 5-6).

We don't like the words "repent" or "repentance" very much. They mean "to make a radical change in one's life, to turn and go in the opposite direction from sin (another word we're not too fond of today) to God." Repentance involves an element of grief over the way we have lived apart from God and a decision to run toward the Father. That was God's idea of the way to prepare for Christ's arrival in the book of Matthew, and it is still God's idea of preparing to worship Him today.

Let's reflect for a moment on the words to this poem and then answer the question, "Are you ready for Christmas?"

"Ready for Christmas," she said with a sigh
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high...
Then wearily sat for a moment and read
Til soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,
"Ready for Christmas, what do you mean?"
She woke with a start and a cry of despair.
"There's so little time and I've still to prepare.
Oh, Father! Forgive me, I see what You mean!
Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree.
It's the heart swept clean that He wanted to see,
A heart that is free from bitterness and sin.
So be ready for Christmas - and ready for Him.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, I want to be ready for Jesus today and everyday. I come to You now in repentance for my sins: my sin of selfishness, stubbornness, and rebellion. I turn from my self-centeredness today and commit to keep my focus on You. God, I cannot do this on my own. I am not able. So I ask that you fill me with the power of Your Holy Spirit Who empowers me to obey. Thank You that You have given me every thing I need for a life of godliness and truth. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. In Jesus' name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

What do you think it means to be "ready for Christmas?"

What do you think it means to be ready for Jesus?

Go back and read the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. Notice the difference between the five who were ready and the five who were not. Which group more resembles your readiness for Christ?

[Devotional] Prepare the Way

Here's another Christmas devotional from Bible Gateway.  Enjoy.

Prepare the Way
by Nancy Guthrie

What happens at your house when guests are coming? Do you clean up things that are messy, fix things that are broken, make plans for how you will welcome your visitors? As God prepared to send his Son into the world, he sent someone to get things ready. He had promised to do that, so some people were watching for this special individual.

Two Old Testament prophets (Malachi and Isaiah) had prophesied that before the Messiah would come, God would send a messenger to prepare the people. Malachi wrote, "Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.... Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah" (Malachi 3:1, 4:5). Isaiah had written, "Listen! It's the voice of someone shouting, 'Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!'" (Isaiah 40:3). Mark recorded, "This messenger was John the Baptist" (Mark 1:4). Luke wrote, "He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly" (Luke 1:17).

John the Baptist was the person God sent to prepare his people for Jesus. It wasn't food or beds that needed to be prepared; it was hearts. It was John's mission to call people to repent--to leave behind their sin and turn back to God. John prepared the people for Jesus by helping them get their hearts ready to receive him.

God knows our hearts need to be prepared to receive Jesus. During December we tend to get very busy preparing for Christmas with parties and programs and presents. But the most important preparation we need to make is to prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus in a fresh, new way. We do this by cleaning out the clutter of sinful attitudes and selfishness so that we look expectantly for Jesus to make himself known to us.

Prayer

Right now, Lord Jesus, our hearts are being prepared to receive you. Show us what must be removed, the sin that must be repented of, so that our hearts can fully receive you.

[SAHD] Parenting Lessons From Eden

Courtesy fanpop.com

Who better to learn parenting lessons from than humanity's Ultimate Parent?

As a new parent I have discovered that people often give you tips, books, etc. on how to be a better parent.  Naturally some advice is better than others, but the best guidance I have found comes from our Ultimate Parent, God Himself.  Here are some lessons I discovered from where it all began, the Garden of Eden.

Create the Best Possible Environment

This one falls in the "too obvious to be seen" category.  I didn't see it at first either, but it makes a lot of sense.  God wanted the best for His kids so he made them the best home possible.  Now many of us may not have a lot of options regarding where we live, but that doesn't mean we can't be creative in our current situation.  A great way to get creative is to get your kids involved in the process.  You may not get a lot of feasible ideas, but at least you're spending time with them.  While you're spending time with them, be sure to . . .

Maintain Their Innocence

This point may be a bit controversial for some.  So much is said how we should not shelter our children and how we should prepare them for the the "real world".  However, look at what God did with His kids.  God purposely told Adam and Eve to avoid the tree that would give them the knowledge of evil, which brings us to our next point.

Give Simple Rules to Follow

God gave three basic commands to His kids: Be fruitful and increase in number, Fill and subdue the earth, and especially Don't eat from this one tree.  A possible application of this principle is instead of getting our kids to follow a litany of rules, get them to follow one simple rule, Do what your parents tell you to do (I know, I know, easier said than done, but one dream, can't he?).  Ultimately God's kids didn't listen to Him, but there is a silver lining for us even in that situation.

Don't Treat Yourself Too Harshly

Hey, if even God's kids didn't listen to Him, if for some strange reason our kids don't listen to us, we shouldn't take that as an indictment against our parenting skills. Children ultimately make their own choices that are beyond their parents control.  However, there is one part where parents have a lot of control.

Don't Avoid Punishment

Now no good parent wants their children to suffer, but when God's kids disobeyed Him, He simply had no other choice. He could have simply excused them because He is God, and can do whatever He wants, but that didn't happen.  Without some punishment, from that point forward, nobody (esp. Satan) would have taken God seriously.  When for whatever reasons parents avoid punishment that only erodes their authority and emboldens their children to try something worse.  Notice also that the punishment was simply allowing them to experience the consequences of their actions.  Something to think about, and while you're thinking . . .

Think More About God
 
While you may not agree with all of my applications, I hope that I have gotten you to think more about what lessons we can learn from the Bible, and I also hope that you take more time to read it for yourself.

What lessons regarding parenting (or anything else for that matter) have you learned from the Bible?  Share your discoveries in the comments section below.

[Book Review] Watching the War

Sometimes the importance of a situation prevents us from taking a big picture look at it.  In his book Watching the War, David B. Smith takes a big picture look the most important situation in the universe.

David B. Smith follows in the footsteps of  C.S. Lewis in this unorthodox view of what many call "the great controversy" or "the story of redemption", which begins with the origin of sin, and ends with its ultimate destruction.  Watching the War portrays this saga primarily from the perspective of Malachon and Pershia, rulers of the fictional planet Senteria.  Aside from giving the author a base from which to tell a story, what purpose does this change in view serve?

Perspective Increases Awareness

While Smith reveals that his personal intention for this perspective is an attempt to get answers for his many questions, another benefit comes as the result of this change; awareness.  Changing our perspective often makes us aware of aspects that we had previously overlooked.  An example from the book comes from the story the fall of Adam and Eve.  In this book Malachon and Pershia travel with God to talk with Adam and Eve, and Pershia gives an impassioned plea that whatever they do, they should not eat the fruit.

More Than Simply a Story

In addition to creative storytelling, Smith takes frequent breaks from the narrative to further unpack some of the concepts that occur in the story.  He draws from a variety of sources (including C.S. Lewis)  to help the reader understand these complex concepts, but he readily admits that he doesn't have all the answers.  At one point, in an attempt to explain how one Man's death on a cross can save an entire planet, Smith states that one doesn't have to know how it works, one simply has to know that it does work.

Conclusion

Many Christians may not learn anything new from this book, but you will be reminded of many important concepts including the most important concept of all, that God loves you.  This book can be purchased for a very reasonable price, and along with the limited amounts of paper copies available (see link above), you can also purchase a Kindle edition.  So what are you waiting for?  Pick your copy today.

What to do you think about this approach to explaining complex subjects?  Tell us your view in the comment section.

Looking for You

"Seeking the Lost Sheep in the Mountains"
courtesy La Vista Church of Christ

God is looking for you, even if we don't think we are worth the effort.

There is one fact that I want you to be perfectly clear about, and that is that God loves you.  We have heard people say a lot about God loving the world (if we hear even that much), and often lose sight of the fact that He loves us as  individuals.  It doesn't matter what we have done, or even what we are doing right now, He still loves us; loves me; loves you.

Many stories exist that, in one way or another, try to illustrate that love.  The one I read most recently involves a man who owned some sheep, a hundred of them to be exact.  Now at the end of the day when he brought all the sheep in from grazing, it seems as though one was missing.  He counts again, and sure enough, only ninety-nine sheep.  He could have thought that it was too much trouble to go out into the darkness to find this one sheep.  He could have thought that the lost sheep will get what it deserves for wandering away.  He could have thought up so many excuses not to go out, but instead he chose to look for that one lost sheep.

A storm started to brew, but that did not deter him.  It only served to increase the earnestness of his search.  Despite the darkness of the night and the danger of the path, he searches until at long last he hears the faint sound of his lost sheep.  He can tell that if he doesn't get to it soon it will be too late, and with great joy he at last finds it.  He doesn't scold or punish the sheep, but rather takes it in his arms and brings it to the place of safety.  It didn't matter what the sheep had done, he was simply glad to bring it home.

One writer put it this way

"Desponding soul, take courage, even though you have done wickedly. Do not think that perhaps God will pardon your transgressions and permit you to come into His presence. God has made the first advance. While you were in rebellion against Him, He went forth to seek you. With the tender heart of the shepherd He left the ninety and nine and went out into the wilderness to find that which was lost."  Christ's Object Lessons pgs. 188-189

One of the greatest lies going around is the one that states that we have gone too far, committed too many sins to be loved by a holy God, but that could not be further from the truth.  However far we have gone, He will go even farther to bring us to Him.  Don't worry about trying to fix yourself ahead of time, simply allow yourself to be found, and He will find you because He is looking for you.

Spiritual Hotspotting

Can an innovative approach to dealing with people's physical health translate into the spiritual realm?

I recently watched a relatively short (13 min) video about a doctor named Jeffrey Brenner in New Jersey who has taken upon himself the task of dealing with the sickest people in his city of Camden.  He found these people through analyzing medical billing data and by doing so mapped out "hot spots" where people incurring the highest medical costs lived.  He developed the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers as a means of helping improve these people's lives.  While innovation is definitely needed in the healthcare system, should we implement such innovation in our dealings with people's spiritual lives?

First off, how would we determine people's level of spirituality?  Dr. Brenner found his high cost patients through analyzing medical billing records.  Similar records showing spirituality simply do not exist.  Sure, we could go such organizations such as The Association of Religion Data Archives and find all sorts of data on religious attendance and adherence, but as we probably all know, a high level of spiritual health and regular church attendance do not always go together.  We could go to the impoverished, high-crime areas in hope of finding those with the greatest spiritual need, but as I mentioned in a previous post, Jesus did not have many positives to say about the spiritual health of rich people.  Simply put, it is virtually impossible to get an accurate picture of someone's spiritual health by focusing on the externals.  Sure, a man who systematically abuses his wife is definitely not one who has a high level of spirituality, but Jesus made it quite clear in His famous Sermon on the Mount that it is what is on the inside that matters most to God.  So, since our lack of the ability to accurately determine spiritual health (even, oftentimes our own) prevents us from spiritual hotspotting, what about the One Who is able to accurately determine spiritual health, does He target only high-need individuals?

No, and Yes.  Jesus was the best representation of how God deals with people, and we read about Him dealing with everyone from the profligate Samaritan woman to the well-behaved Nicodemus.  God does not demonstrate a favoritism in regards to how He deals with people.  So, then where does the "Yes" come from?  The "Yes" comes from the fact that "all have sinned" and therefore all need to be saved.  "All" means "all", from the person who systematically commits open sins, to the person whose sinning resides only between their ears, nobody can save themselves, and therefore everybody need a Savior.

So if the temptation comes to deal with the spiritual needs of only a specific group, remember "hotspotting" may work for the physical life but does not work for the spiritual life.

Red Monkeys

As in many things in life, some keys to dealing with temptation are so obvious we tend to overlook them.

I have been reading through the book Faith that Works by Morris Venden (a full review will come sometime next month), and it has gotten me think about many topics.  Recently, the book has been talking about temptation, and it has reminded me of aspects related to temptation and sin that have been logged in my memory and were gathering dust on the shelves of my mind.

I remember back in high school, a teacher of mine was trying to convey to the class the perils of over-thinking about a task.  The teacher told the class a story about red monkeys, and said whatever we do, do not think about the red monkeys.  The concept was that the more you try and not think about something, the more you actually think about it.  I remember one of my classmates saying that she wouldn't think about the monkeys, and she didn't regardless of how many times they were mentioned throughout the class period.  Now what do red monkeys have to do with temptation?

Simple, she couldn't care less about the red monkeys.  They were of no interest to her, and hence she was not tempted to think about them.  Now if the teacher had told the class not to think about what we were going to have for lunch, and it was the last period before noon, then it might have had some effect especially if the aforementioned student had skipped breakfast. Temptation works in much the same way.

For example, I am not tempted to get involved in insider trading, especially the illegal variety (it wasn't until today that I realized that there was a legal way to do insider trading, shows how much I know on the subject) because I am not even close to being in a position to even consider it.  However, I may be tempted to eat that second piece of cake even though I could easily do without it.  The point being that the strength of a given temptation is directly related to our exposure to, and choices regarding, whatever object, action, or way of thinking is tempting us.  So then, how can we be free from the temptation, and, more importantly, the sin that can result?  The answer is quite simple, yet often difficult to implement.

We need to come to the point where we couldn't care less about whatever is tempting us.  How does that happen?  Do we simply grit our teeth and make the right moral choice when confronted by something tempting?  For many people that answer to that question would be a simple "Yes", but by doing so they would be walking into a very dangerous trap.  The trap of doing things with our own power.

Now if even Jesus, the Son of God, did not do things on His own, what hope do we have of succeeding on our own?  The only way to ward off temptation's power is to be so closely connected with God, so intensely focused on what He focuses on, that we couldn't care less about those temptations.  If we do that, we will even go beyond not caring and get to the point where those temptations are repulsive.  The words to an old hymn say it well.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

So when we find ourselves confronted by temptations, think more about Jesus, less about ourselves, and by all means, do not think about the red monkeys.

The Honest Thief

We have much to learn from one of the most famous death-row inmates in history.

As I am reading the account of the events leading up to the death of Jesus, I have found myself drawn to what some may call the supporting players.  In my last post, I focused on Judas and Pilate and how their selfish choices ultimately led to their own demise.  In this post, I will focus on a person whose choices resulted in a much more positive outcome, the thief on the cross.  Now as you may know, there were actually two thieves on crosses in this story.  However one of them has gained the title of the thief on the cross because of his brief, yet all-important conversation he had with Jesus.

White gives a brief character sketch of him in this chapter.  Turns out he wasn't as bad as some may think.

"This man was not a hardened criminal; he had been led astray by evil associations, but he was less guilty than many of those who stood beside the cross reviling the Saviour. He had seen and heard Jesus, and had been convicted by His teaching, but he had been turned away from Him by the priests and rulers. Seeking to stifle conviction, he had plunged deeper and deeper into sin, until he was arrested, tried as a criminal, and condemned to die on the cross."  pg. 749

Before reading this passage, I had no idea that this man had had any prior contact with Jesus.  This brings to mind an important point, the concept of a spontaneous turning to Christ is somewhat of a myth.  The Holy Spirit works on people's hearts long before many people (even, in some cases, the person themselves) realizes it.  God is constantly drawing people to Him.  It is simply our part not to resist Him.

It is amazing the clarity of thought many people have when they think or know that their death is imminent.  This clarity of thought is in many cases a last-ditch effort by the Holy Spirit to get the person to make that all-important choice.

"The Holy Spirit illuminates his mind, and little by little the chain of evidence is joined together. In Jesus, bruised, mocked, and hanging upon the cross, he sees the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. Hope is mingled with anguish in his voice as the helpless, dying soul casts himself upon a dying Saviour. 'Lord, remember me,' he cries, 'when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.'"  pg. 750

A key thought to bring out at this point in the story is that this thief was the only one to acknowledge Jesus as Lord while He is hanging on the cross.

"Many were ready to call Him Lord when He wrought miracles, and after He had risen from the grave; but none acknowledged Him as He hung dying upon the cross save the penitent thief who was saved at the eleventh hour." pg 751

Not the bystanders, not His disciples, not even His own mother acknowledged that fact.  They all had their doubts, save this condemned criminal.  Now a unusual hush came over the crowd.

"The bystanders caught the words as the thief called Jesus Lord. The tone of the repentant man arrested their attention. Those who at the foot of the cross had been quarreling over Christ's garments, and casting lots upon His vesture, stopped to listen. Their angry tones were hushed. With bated breath they looked upon Christ, and waited for the response from those dying lips."  Ibid

What follows is undoubtedly the most powerful paragraph in the chapter.

"As He spoke the words of promise, the dark cloud that seemed to enshroud the cross was pierced by a bright and living light. To the penitent thief came the perfect peace of acceptance with God. Christ in His humiliation was glorified. He who in all other eyes appeared to be conquered was a Conqueror. He was acknowledged as the Sin Bearer. Men may exercise power over His human body. They may pierce the holy temples with the crown of thorns. They may strip from Him His raiment, and quarrel over its division. But they cannot rob Him of His power to forgive sins. In dying He bears testimony to His own divinity and to the glory of the Father. His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, neither His arm shortened that it cannot save. It is His royal right to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him."  Ibid

That "all" includes you and me.

Written From Rome

We can learn a lot from Paul's prison letters.

This chapter deals with two letters written by Paul during his prison term in Rome. The letter to the Colossians and the letter to the Philippians. E.G. White goes into a fair amount of detail regarding the content of these letters, but I will just touch on certain points so as to not rewrite the chapter.

The Colossian believers had to deal with the entrance of those who were spreading false doctrines. Something that, sadly, is still prevalent in the church today.

The warnings of the word of God regarding the perils surrounding the Christian church belong to us today. As in the days of the apostles men tried by tradition and philosophy to destroy faith in the Scriptures, so today, by the pleasing sentiments of higher criticism, evolution, spiritualism, theosophy, and pantheism, the enemy of righteousness is seeking to lead souls into forbidden paths. To many the Bible is as a lamp without oil, because they have turned their minds into channels of speculative belief that bring misunderstanding and confusion. The work of higher criticism, in dissecting, conjecturing, reconstructing, is destroying faith in the Bible as a divine revelation. It is robbing God's word of power to control, uplift, and inspire human lives. By spiritualism, multitudes are taught to believe that desire is the highest law, that license is liberty, and that man is accountable only to himself. pg. 474

We may not always see blatant examples of such belief systems in or churches, but if we look with open eyes, we can see the fruits of such beliefs. We can see interpretations of the Bible that are based upon tradition and human philosophy that do nothing more than cause confusion. However, what strikes me most about the above statement is the phrase "that man is accountable only to himself". So many people live that way even if they profess an accountability to God. To live a double life is to have no life at all.

The work of gaining salvation is one of copartnership, a joint operation. There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness. pg. 482

Despite his most unfavorable circumstances, Paul was able to write some masterpieces regarding practical godliness, and we would do well to take the time to read and ponder these prison letters.

Delighting in the Law

Psalm 119:17-24 

Gimel

 ¹⁷ Do good to your servant, and I will live;
       I will obey your word.

 ¹⁸ Open my eyes that I may see
        wonderful things in your law.
 ¹⁹ I am a stranger on earth;
       do not hide your commands from me.
 ²⁰ My soul is consumed with longing
       for your laws at all times.
 ²¹ You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed
       and who stray from your commands.
 ²² Remove from me scorn and contempt,
       for I keep your statutes.
 ²³ Though rulers sit together and slander me,
       your servant will meditate on your decrees.
 ²⁴ Your statutes are my delight;
       they are my counselors.

To the converted heart, God's law is a delight, and not a burden.

We are now in the third stanza of Psalm 119 signified by the letter gimel. It's best to think of Psalm 119 as a song with multiple verses. They may say different things but they have a unifying theme; God's law. A key thought in this stanza is the psalmist's delight in God's law. He states that the law has "wonderful things" in it, and that God's statute are his delight. These are not thoughts one would have if they were not moving away from sin and towards God.

The unconverted heart, one that has not taken that first step, will seek to avoid the law both literally and/or figuratively:  literally through the avoidance of reading the Bible, figuratively through rationalizing it away. The unconverted  does not want to be convicted of sin. Using the metaphor of the law as a mirror, it would be like someone with dirt on their face avoiding looking a mirror, denying that the dirt exists, or simply stating that it isn't so bad to have a dirty face.

The converted heart, on the other hand, wants to see that mirror because they desire to be clean. It is a joy to be under God's guidance. The psalmist refers to God's statutes as counselors. Counselors are people who help us make decisions. In this case, they help us make good decisions. The law was not a burden to the psalmist. It was a delight.

Help me Lord to see Your law not as a burden to weigh me down, but as a delight to move me closer to You.

A Desire to Obey

Psalm 119:1-8 

Aleph

 ¹ Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
       who walk according to the law of the LORD.

 ² Blessed are they who keep his statutes
       and seek him with all their heart.
 ³ They do nothing wrong;
       they walk in his ways.
 ⁴ You have laid down precepts
       that are to be fully obeyed.
 ⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast
       in obeying your decrees!
 ⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
       when I consider all your commands.
 ⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
       as I learn your righteous laws.
 ⁸ I will obey your decrees;
       do not utterly forsake me.

A key element in obeying God is desire.

As I go through Psalm 119, I will be focusing on one section at a time because there is no way I can do it justice by trying to cover the entire psalm in one day. Thankfully, psalm is naturally divided in to sections based on the letters of the ancient Hebrew alphabet. Some Bibles, like the NIV, divide it into sections for you. This section is for aleph, the first letter of the alphabet, and if you were to see it in its original language every verse would start with that letter. The technical term for this type of writing is "acrostic".

This section deals with God's law, namely, the keeping of it. The key point I want to bring out is the psalmist's desire to keep the law. Some may think that it's a no-brainer to say that in order to keep the law you must first want to keep it, but if you look around at the world today it's easy to see that many people are not acting as though they want to obey any law, let alone God's law. This psalm doesn't go into how to keep the law, and on it's own it appears to promote a works-oriented religion which is why you shouldn't base your beliefs on just a few verses of the Bible.

There is an old saying that goes, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I would go beyond that to say that this journey begins not with the physical step, but by choosing to, wanting to, take that step.

In our battle with sin it may feel as if we are walking a thousand miles, but if we have the desire in our hearts we are headed in the right direction. Next time we'll deal with how to continue on this journey.

The Trial at Caesarea

We should never pass up opportunities to forsake our sin and turn to Christ.

In this chapter, we find out that after leaving Jerusalem, Paul was brought to Caesarea, and some days after his arrival there he was brought before the Roman governor Felix. Paul's accuser, Tertullus, not surprisingly stated that Paul was guilty of bogus charges, and after he had said his piece, Felix asked Paul to respond.

. . . Paul's plain statement of the facts in the case enabled Felix to understand still more clearly the motives by which the Jews were governed in attempting to convict the apostle of sedition and treasonable conduct. The governor would not gratify them by unjustly condemning a Roman citizen, neither would he give him up to them to be put to death without a fair trial. Yet Felix knew no higher motive than self-interest, and he was controlled by love of praise and a desire for promotion. Fear of offending the Jews held him back from doing full justice to a man whom he knew to be innocent. He therefore decided to suspend the trial until Lysias should be present, saying, "When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter." pg. 422

Not long after this Paul was summoned to a private interview with Felix and his wife Drusilla.

Paul regarded this as a God-given opportunity, and faithfully he improved it. He knew that he stood in the presence of one who had power to put him to death or to set him free; yet he did not address Felix and Drusilla with praise or flattery. He knew that his words would be to them a savor of life or of death, and, forgetting all selfish considerations, he sought to arouse them to a sense of their peril. pgs. 423, 424

 Felix and Drusilla were convicted of their wrongdoing, and although they had slightly different responses (Drusilla let her hatred of Jesus get in the way, while Felix listened more earnestly), the end result was still the same.

But instead of permitting his convictions to lead him to repentance, he sought to dismiss these unwelcome reflections. The interview with Paul was cut short. "Go thy way for this time," he said; "when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." pg. 426

After that, nothing consequential happened for two years. Paul remained under house arrest (he was given some freedom, but not too much). Felix unsuccessfully tried to secure a bribe from Paul to be released, but he didn't have the money and wouldn't have paid it if he did.

Felix was finally summoned to Rome because of gross wrongs committed against the Jews. Before leaving Caesarea in answer to this summons, he thought to "show the Jews a pleasure" by allowing Paul to remain in prison. But Felix was not successful in his attempt to regain the confidence of the Jews. He was removed from office in disgrace, and Porcius Festus was appointed to succeed him, with headquarters at Caesarea. pg. 427

Like the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, E.G. White had a sobering epitaph for Felix as well.

A ray of light from heaven had been permitted to shine upon Felix, when Paul reasoned with him concerning righteousness, temperance, and a judgment to come. That was his heaven-sent opportunity to see and to forsake his sins. But he said to the messenger of God, "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." He had slighted his last offer of mercy. Never was he to receive another call from God. Ibid

 May something like this be never written about us. Let us take hold of every opportunity to turn away from our sins and turn to Christ.

Paul's Last Journey to Jerusalem

Those who work for God should not have any fear.

The title of this chapter indicates that most likely it's story comes from near the end of Paul's life because of his willingness to travel it would take a lot for something to be his last journey anywhere.  He had high hopes for the work there.

Paul greatly desired to reach Jerusalem before the Passover as he would thus have an opportunity to meet those who should come from all parts of the world to attend the feast. Ever he cherished the hope that in some way he might be instrumental in removing the prejudice of his unbelieving countrymen, so that they might be led to accept the precious light of the gospel. He also desired to meet the church at Jerusalem and bear to them the gifts sent by the Gentile churches to the poor brethren in Judea. And by this visit he hoped to bring about a firmer union between the Jewish and the Gentile converts to the faith. pg. 389

However, he soon found out that such hopes would be quite difficult to achieve.

 Having completed his work at Corinth, he determined to sail directly for one of the ports on the coast of Palestine. All the arrangements had been made, and he was about to step on board the ship, when he was told of a plot laid by the Jews to take his life. Ibid

Therefore, he decided to take his time in getting to Jerusalem, and made what turned out to be a farewell tour.

Upon reaching the city of Miletus, he discovered that he had some time before the next ship, and took the time to speak to the believers there. His message there is one all workers of Christ can apply to their lives.

"Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." No fear of giving offense, no desire for friendship or applause, could lead Paul to withhold the words that God had given him for their instruction, warning, or correction. From His servants today God requires fearlessness in preaching the word and in carrying out its precepts. The minister of Christ is not to present to the people only those truths that are the most pleasing, while he withholds others that might cause them pain. He should watch with deep solicitude the development of character. If he sees that any of his flock are cherishing sin he must as a faithful shepherd give them from God's word the instruction that is applicable to their case. Should he permit them in their self-confidence to go on unwarned, he would be held responsible for their souls. The pastor who fulfills his high commission must give his people faithful instruction on every point of the Christian faith, showing them what they must be and do in order to stand perfect in the day of God. He only who is a faithful teacher of the truth will at the close of his work be able to say with Paul, "I am pure from the blood of all men." pgs. 393, 394

All those who work for God, not only just pastors, should seek to give a complete message. Too many times, I hear about ministers who only give messages that people like to hear. Messages that promise prosperity and peace without any real sacrifice on their part. I am reminded of an interview from some years ago between a prominent preacher of this kind of gospel and Larry King. Note the following exchange.

OSTEEN: I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don't think that a same-sex marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don't think abortion is the best. I think there are other, you know, a better way to live your life. But I'm not going to condemn those people. I tell them all the time our church is open for everybody.

KING: You don't call them sinners?

OSTEEN: I don't.

KING: Is that a word you don't use?

OSTEEN: I don't use it. I never thought about it. But I probably don't. But most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don't go down the road of condemning.

 Paul, in contrast, did not mince words in regards to sin as anyone who even just skims his writings can discover. He wasn't afraid to call sin by it's right name, but always did it with love and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Paul wasn't afraid to point out sin, and he definitely wasn't afraid to suffer for the sake of the gospel. His friends sought to prevent him from going to Jerusalem, but to no avail.

"When we heard these things," Luke continues, "both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem." But Paul would not swerve from the path of duty. He would follow Christ if need be to prison and to death. "What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?" he exclaimed; "for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Seeing that they caused him pain without changing his purpose, the brethren ceased their importunity, saying only, "The will of the Lord be done." pg. 397

Lord, help me to be as fearless in my Christian duty as Paul was.

Blameless

Psalm 101:6  My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

There is more to living a righteous life than simply not doing bad things.

The theme of Psalm 101 is living a righteous life, and in it David talks about all the things he will not do in order to be blameless. However, in the verse I'm focusing on today, he mentions things that he will do in order to accomplish that goal. That is a key point. So much of Christianity, esp. conservative Christianity, is focused on things that we should not do. Don't drink, don't smoke, don't go to wild parties, etc., etc. We should be focused as much, if not more, on the things that we should be doing. I read somewhere that actions and items are more enticing when they are forbidden. The more they are forbidden, the more enticing they become. I'm sure we all can think of something that was forbidden when we were growing up and how exciting it was to actually partake in that item or action.

My point here is not that we should say everything is allowable, and not condemn sin. My point is to say that sin should not be our focus. The more we focus on "the faithful in the land" the less power sin will have in our lives. As the song goes, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full into His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."

Hearing Our Prayers

Psalm 66:17-20  I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

We can have confidence that God hears our prayers.

The first part of this passage really intrigued me.  Here the author of the psalm states that if one cherishes sin in their heart, that God will not listen when they cry out to Him.  I did some further study into this text, and found something that seemed to clarify things in my mind.  The word that the NIV translated into "cherish" has the a lot to do with seeing.  In fact, the definition given is "to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider".  So a possible alternate translation could be "if I saw sin in my heart . . ." Now, don't think that I'm getting soft on sin or anything like that, but I think that there may be more to this, especially because of the "but" that follows that statement. It says that God did listen to their prayer, and there is no mention of the sin disappearing.

Many people, myself included, can fall into the trap of seeing themselves as so sinful that it is pointless even to pray.  We have heard many times on how much God hates sin, and think that because we are soaked in the stuff that God hates us as well. Now we may not explicitly say or think that, but the thought could definitely be lurking somewhere in the back of our minds.  We can lose sight of the fact that although God hates sin, He loves the sinner, and will not withhold His love from us regardless of how bad we think ourselves to be.  That, my friend, is definitely a reason to say "Praise be to God!"

The Stupidity of Sin

Psalm 53:4 Will the evildoers never learn—those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God?

The text for today reminds me of a simple fact, sin makes you stupid.

One of the definitions of the word stupid in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is:  

given to unintelligent decisions or acts : acting in an unintelligent or careless manner

I won't go into any details, but I can certainly think of times where sin has caused me to act in "an unintelligent or careless manner".  I think a basic reason for this is that sin, even so-called "little sins", dulls the voice of our conscience, i.e. the Holy Spirit.  Without His guidance, we are basically destined to act stupidly, and the longer we go without listening to His voice, the stupider we become.

Thank you Holy Spirit for helping us avoid the stupidity of sin.