Always Worthy

Job 1:1-22

I have been debating whether or not to go back to posting my thoughts from my personal bible study on here again for quite some time now. I have wrestled with my motives, my insecurities, and my inadequacies. However, after much prayer and consideration, I will humbly enter this arena again. Not in order that others might read what I have to write and direct praise toward me but in order that God might receive glory as people are allowed to see Him working in me. I am FAR from perfect but I am in relationship with a perfect God. I pray that this glimpse into my relationship with Him would lead any who read this closer to Him.

Those of you that know me well, know that I prefer to go through a book of the bible for my personal bible study. This morning I began studying the book of Job. I had been going back and forth over whether to study Ecclesiastes or Job. I have read both books and am familiar with their content. What ultimately led me to the book of Job this morning was the news I received yesterday of my grandmother’s death. My heart is hurting and I knew that I would find comfort within this particular book.

In Job 1 we are introduced to a man like no other! He is a man of integrity and a man of wealth. In fact, Scripture says that “Job was the greatest man among all the people of the east.” (Job 1:3) When you read the first five verses of this book it is quite clear that the most important thing to Job is not his possessions but being clean and pure before God. In a society that chases after “stuff,” the example of Job serves as a crystal clear reminder of what is really important!

In vs. 6 the scene shifts to heaven and we are given a glimpse into the activity there. We are told that one day as the sons of God presented themselves before the LORD, Satan came. Much debate has taken place over the years regarding the scene that unfolds in heaven in vs. 6-12 and I have no desire to enter into a debate over any disputable matters. I do believe, however, that there are a couple of truths that we can agree are communicated here. First, God is the ultimate authority. Satan has not done anything to Job up to this point because God has prevented it (see Job 1:10). Satan is not greater than God and he is limited in the scope of what he is allowed to do by God Himself. Second, Satan must operate within God’s boundaries. In vs. 11 God grants Satan permission to do what he wants with everything Job owns but he is restricted from doing anything to Job himself. In the following verses we see that that is exactly what Satan does–he removes Job’s possessions but does not touch Job himself.

In vs. 13 the scene shifts back to earth and we see how Job loses everything he had IN ONE DAY! I know there have been times in my life where I have come to the end of a day and thought, “This has been one of the WORST days of my life!” I can say with all honesty, however, that I don’t think that my WORST day compares with this day that Job had! He lost all of his oxen (500), donkeys (500), sheep (7,000), camels (3,000), and children (10)! He went from having it all to having nothing.

Job’s response is an example for every believer! What does he do? He worships! He tears his robe and shaves his head (the customs for expressing mourning in that time), falls on his face before God and WORSHIPS!!! The declaration he makes then still rings loud and clear and true today: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.” (Job 1:21). Job has lost everything, yet he chooses to worship. Why?

BECAUSE GOD IS WORTHY!

If our worship is contingent upon God’s blessings then we are not worshipping God, we are worshipping His blessings. It is not what God does for us that makes Him worthy of our worship! God is inherently worthy of worship because of who He is! He doesn’t have to do ANYTHING to make Himself worthy of worship. By nature, He is worthy of worship. Job understood that; which is why we find him responding to tragedy with worship.

This is a truth that I needed to be reminded of today. I loved my grandmother dearly. I have amazing memories of the time God allowed me to spend with her on this earth. As I type these words this morning, the pain of her death is still fresh and still brings tears to my eyes. Yet her physical absence from my life does not diminish God’s glory. He is ALWAYS WORTHY of worship! And so today, through the pain I feel, I too cry out: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.” He is worthy! Always! No exceptions!

I find comfort here this morning. God is still God. He is still on His throne. Always has been; always will be. And I find comfort in these verses as well:

“We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die–ever…” (John 11:25).

Because my grandmother knew Jesus as her Savior and because I do as well this is not “good bye” but merely “see you later.” There will come a day when we will be reunited. Until that day, I will cherish the time I was given with her as well as the memories that were made and I will continue to worship the God who is ALWAYS WORTHY!

Growing

Scripture: Titus 1:1-4

Titus is another one of Paul’s letters written to a pastor. However, even if you are not a pastor, there are PLENTY of truths in this short letter that are applicable to your life as well.

Paul begins this letter in a fairly typical fashion: introducing himself, the intended recipient, and the purpose of his writing. At first glance, it may be tempting to rush through these introductions to Paul’s letters so you can get to the heart of the letter; but let me challenge you to spend some time digging into what is being said here.

The truth that God reminded me of through these verses this morning is that we are to be GROWING in Christ. We can see that truth revealed in Paul’s expressed purpose in writing this letter: : “…to build up the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness…” There are 3 areas in which we are to be growing: FAITH, KNOWLEDGE, and GODLINESS.

FAITH: Hebrews 11:1 gives us the definition of faith: “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” The author of Hebrews goes on to say that “…without faith it is impossible to please God…”; so it is EXTREMELY important that our relationship with Christ be growing in this area. Here are a couple of questions to help evaluate yourself in this area:

* Am I expressing complete trust in God in every area of my life or are there things that I am worried about?
* Do I demonstrate absolute dependence upon God or am I trusting in my own knowledge, experience, or abilities?

KNOWLEDGE: This is not information merely for the sake of information. And it’s not merely factual information such as 1+1=2 either. It is the “knowledge of the truth;” referring to God’s truth. Today, we have this fully given to us through His Word. The problem is that many people who claim to love Jesus with all of their heart make MINIMAL effort to grow in their knowledge of Him on a daily basis! They do not make a practice of reading the Bible and growing in their knowledge of God and of who He wants them to be. Here are a couple of questions to help evaluate yourself in this area:

* Do you make daily Bible reading a priority in your life?
* Do you know more about God and who He wants you to be today than you did last week/month/year? (And not simply because a pastor or a small group Bible study teacher told you either!)

GODLINESS: Knowledge is not enough! It is not enough to KNOW truths about God and who He wants you to be if you never ACT on those truths! God is not interested in how much knowledge you can store in your head. He is more interested in that knowledge impacting the way you LIVE! We are to grow in the “knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.” If our knowledge of the truth simply remains information that we store in our head and doesn’t lead to godliness, we have missed the point! Here are a couple of questions to help evaluate yourself in this area:

* Do the truths that I have learned make a difference in how I live my life or are they merely information that is stored in my mind?
* Is there evidence of “growing in godliness” in my life? Can others see that I am becoming more like Christ?

Are you growing in faith, knowledge, and godliness?

Soli Deo gloria

Never Alone

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:9-22

Paul closes his second letter to Timothy with some instructions and personal remarks. He begins by listing several individuals who had “deserted” him. Some for really bad reasons (Demas–more interested in the pleasures of thus world); others for not so bad reasons (Tychicus–sent to Ephesus by Paul); others we’re not told why (Crescens and Titus). For whatever reason, the only one left with Paul is Luke….and, for whatever reason, Paul is looking for more company and more encouragement. So, he asks Timothy to come to see him soon and bring Mark along with him (the same John Mark that he had refused to let go on the second missionary trip with him and Barnabus! Apparently, reconciliation has taken place there!). Paul also reflects on his first trial and says, “At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them.” Paul certainly knew what it was like to stand alone.

There are times in our lives that we’re going to probably feel the same way. Maybe it’s at a school where you feel like you are the only one taking a stand for Christ. Maybe it’s at a job where even those coworkers who call themselves “Christian” do ungodly things. Maybe it’s a conviction you’ve taken a stand for and no one else has joined you in that stand. Maybe it’s even in your own home. For whatever reason, you find yourself standing alone.

If so, listen to the very next words from Paul’s pen: “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the proclamation might be fully made through me and all the Gentiles might hear. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”

BUT THE LORD STOOD WITH ME!!!! As a child of God we are NEVER alone! Throughout biblical history God’s children have discovered this truth over and over again. Noah did as he sat in an ark escaping a mighty flood. Daniel did as he sat all night in a den full of hungry lions. Hannaniah, Mishael, and Azariah (or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) did as they sat in a fiery furnace that had been heated to seven times hotter than usual. And the examples could go on and on and on.

Throughout history, God’s people have learned that they never stand alone because God never abandons His children. Don’t get me wrong; it is true that we receive encouragement from being around other believers. (There WAS good reason Paul was asking for Timothy and Mark to come visit!) However, all the encouragement in the world from other believers can’t compare to the encouragement found in Christ!

No matter where you are today, know that you are not alone!

Soli Deo gloria

Responding to Opponents

2 Timothy 2:14-26

Paul has a great word of instruction in these set of verses on (1) who we are to be; (2) who we are not to be; and (3) how we are to respond to those who ARE who we are not to be. (Was that confusing enough for you?)

First: who are we supposed to be? “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.” (vs. 15) In vs. 21 he also says this: “So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” We are to pursue that which would transform us into something which would be pleasing and useful to the Lord!

Second: who are we not to be? We are not to be someone who fights about words (vs. 14); someone who is guilty of irreverent, empty speech (vs. 16); nor someone who loves to quarrel (vs. 24). Those who just LOVE to debate about trivial matters are not people we are to pattern our lives after. In fact, we are to avoid the example of those people like the plague!

Third: how are we to respond to those who ARE who we are not to be? “The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness…” (vs. 24-25a) The way we respond to our opponents will speak VOLUMES about what we believe and what our purpose in interacting with them is. Paul told Timothy this: “…Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth. Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.” (vs. 25b-26) Our desire should be to bring our opponents into a right relationship with Jesus! If we are interacting with them for any other reason, we are engaging them for the wrong purpose! Connecting people (NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE) to Jesus should be the motivation behind anything and everything we do! Not everyone will respond favorably to Jesus. Nevertheless, our responsibility is to gently, patiently, and lovingly interact with them in the hopes of leading them into the truth!

As I write this blog today, I can’t help but think of how this applies to the current controversy surrounding the release of Rob Bell’s new book: Love Wins. While I would not say that the topic falls under the category of a “fight over words”–because the issue has TREMENDOUS significance–I do wonder if the Christian response to Bell has been “gentle, patient, and loving.” Some individuals whose responses I have read could be classified as such; others, however, could not. My prayer is that all of us would respond to everyone in such a way that “…they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.”

Soli Deo gloria

The Priority of the Gospel

2 Timothy 2:1-13

In these verses Paul stresses the importance of the gospel to Timothy.

First, the gospel is to be SHARED. “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (vs. 2) Entrusting others with the gospel message is of utmost importance! None of us are going to be around forever! If we live like we are we will end up being an obstacle to the spread of the gospel instead of a catalyst for it. Every single one of us who have embraced the gospel should be training others to share it.

Second, stay FOCUSED on the task of sharing the gospel. “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the recruiter.” (vs. 4) If we were to be honest, most of us would admit that we are easily distracted from the task of sharing the gospel. We are distracted by the cares and comforts of this world and we lose the sense of priority that we should have for sharing the gospel! There is NOTHING more important than sharing the gospel! NOTHING! Yet, the choices and decisions we make on a daily basis don’t always reflect that priority.

Third, ENDURE all things for the sake of the gospel. “I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God’s message is not bound. This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” (vs. 9-10) Paul endured many things for the sake of the gospel (see 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 for a list of examples). The word “uncomfortable” would be an understatement to describe what Paul endured! Yet, to him, there was nothing that was “too much” to bear for the sake of the gospel. There was no price that was “too high” to pay. There was no suffering that was “too great.” I’m afraid that attitude just isn’t reflected very much in our lives today. In fact, many of us “sell out” for FAR LESS than anything Paul endured! Suffering for the sake of the gospel is almost a foreign concept for many of us in Western Christianity. We’ll share the gospel only when it is comfortable and convenient; otherwise, forget about it! But the gospel is MUCH more important than our comfort!

I pray that these verses would awaken those of us who have embraced the gospel! I pray it would jolt us out of our apathy and shake us from our complacency! I pray that it would set a fire under us and help us see the futility of that which we have substituted for sharing the gospel in our lives. Let’s open our eyes to see those around us who need the gospel shared with them. Let’s open our ears to hear the cries of those searching for the truth we have embraced. Let’s open our mouths and proclaim the truth that has the power to set people free from the weight of sin and guilt. There is nothing more important nor more urgent than sharing the gospel! Let’s not forget that!

Not Ashamed

2 Timothy 1:8-12

Have you ever heard someone refer to another person as someone who “has no shame?” That statement is not intended to be a compliment! Saying someone has “no shame” means there isn’t anything that they won’t do regardless of how foolish it may make them appear to other people.

Paul’s message to Timothy in the text this morning is simple: when it comes to the gospel and proclaiming it for everyone to hear, have “no shame!”

I’m afraid that there are many believers today (myself included) that sometimes allow a desire for acceptance by others to prevent a bold sharing of a gospel witness. Now, by that, I do not mean that we are too ashamed to stand in a public area with a bullhorn and loudly proclaim the gospel. While there may be a time and a place for that, I do not believe it is the most effective way of sharing the gospel. I think the way this looks for most of us is simply keeping our mouth shut and not looking for opportunities to engage people in conversation with the hopes of moving the conversation in a direction where we will be able to share the gospel.

Paul told Timothy, “So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me His prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.” (vs. 8) The picture here is of standing with or being counted with someone else.

Have you ever had a family member or friend who did something so embarrassing that you physically tried to distance yourself from them so that people wouldn’t realize that you were with them? I’m afraid that there are some people who call themselves Christians who do that very thing with Jesus! They realize that the gospel is offensive and so, when someone they know brings up the gospel and challenges its claims or mocks its truth, they simply try to quietly slip away from being identified with it. Paul’s message to Timothy encouraged him to boldly stand and proudly proclaim the truth of the gospel and not be afraid to be identified with it or with those who proudly proclaim its truth!

Determine in your heart and mind this week that you will stand with the gospel and be identified with it! Determine that you will be actively on the lookout for ways that you could share the truth of the gospel with someone. Determine that you will be a person of “no shame” when it comes to the gospel! Who knows what just might happen if you do! It could just change a person’s eternal destination!

Soli Deo gloria

Identity

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Paul begins his second letter with a typical introduction of letters during this time period: identifying the writer and the recipient both at the beginning of the letter. In the introduction of this letter, Paul does two things: (1) he identifies himself and (2) he reminds Timothy of his identity also.

First, Paul identifies himself. In the very first verse he says this: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will…” Paul’s identity is wrapped up in the person of Jesus. He is an apostle of Jesus because that is who God has created him to be and it is who God desires for him to be.

How we choose to introduce ourselves to someone says a LOT about what we think is most important in our lives. For example, if I introduced myself to someone and said this: “Hi, my name is Joe and I’m the Minister to Students at First Baptist Church of Homestead”–I have let you know that the thing that is most important to me there is my occupation. However, if I introduced myself this way: “Hi, my name is Joe and I am a husband and father to 3 beautiful little girls”–I have indicated to you that my family is very important to me. When Paul introduces himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,” he is telling us that the most important thing to him is being who God had made him to be.

Do you know what God has created you for? First, He has created you first for relationship with Him. If you are separated from Him, then you are not living for what you were created for. Second, you were created to glorify Him with your life. God created you to display His glory to others around you–family, friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers. The job or assignment He calls you to is simply an avenue to display His glory to others. Are you fulfilling that purpose?

Second, Paul reminded Timothy of who he was. In vs. 5-6 Paul told Timothy this: “clearly recalling your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice, and that I am convinced is in you also. Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.” Paul reminded Timothy that he was (1) a child of God and (2) an empowered servant of God. From what we read in vs. 7 it appears that Timothy has been discouraged or threatened into a spirit of fear and defeat. Paul wants to destroy that and so he reminds Timothy that “…God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” Sometimes we need a “Paul” to come into our lives and remind us of our identity. Sometimes we get so beat down and discouraged by this world that we need to be reminded of WHOSE we are and what our identity is in Him.

If you are reading these words today and you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, remember this: (1) you are a child of the King and there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord; and (2) you have been given everything you need for life and godliness. God has given you the Holy Spirit to empower you to live a life that puts the glory of God on display for others to see and respond to!

As a believer, your identity is wrapped up in Christ. Don’t forget that because the moments we do are the moments we fall into pride and arrogance or fear and despair; neither of which God has called us to!

Soli Deo gloria

Mastering Money

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17-21

Paul concludes his first letter to young Timothy with instructions for the rich as well as a personal challenge to Timothy. Here are a couple of things worth noting.

First, wealth makes a bad confidant. In vs. 17 Paul told Timothy: “Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.” Wealth is uncertain and undependable; it is here one day and gone the next. It will often disappoint you and leave you dissatisfied. The testimony of numerous wealthy individuals repeatedly verifies those truths. If it is money or the things that money can buy that you have placed your hope for happiness in, you will be sorely disappointed because money makes a VERY BAD confidant. Instead, the only One who is completely trustworthy and dependable is God. He alone can supply your every need. He alone can provide the meaning for life. He alone can supply all of your needs for love, purpose, and significance. If you are reading this and have not surrendered your life to Him by confessing and repenting of your sin and inviting Him forgive you and be your Savior and Lord, my prayer is that you would realize your need for Him and stop right now and pray and invite Him to do just that today. If you have any questions about that or if you do pray to invite Jesus to be your Savior and Lord, please feel free to send me an email at 633students@bellsouth.net.

Second, wealth is to be utilized for God’s glory. In vs. 18, Paul told Timothy: “Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share” God gives wealth to be used to help others for His glory. It is not personal property to be spent fulfilling a person’s every whim; it is a resource to be utilized for God’s glory. We need to understand that everything we have been given doesn’t belong to us! We have been given the privilege and responsibility of being a steward–or manager–of all that God has given and we are to use it according to the principles and instructions He has given.

You may not have the wealth of Bill Gates but you HAVE been blessed with much more than approximately 80-90% of the rest of the world’s population! How are you managing the wealth God has given you? Are you managing it according to Biblical commands and principles? Is God the Lord over your finances or is that an area you have restricted Him access to?

Soli Deo gloria

Active Faith

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:11-16

I was struck today by all of the action verbs that Paul used in writing these instructions to Timothy. Take a look at these 3 with me:

RUN

In vs. 11, Paul tells Timothy to “…run from these things [evil]…“ (vs. 11a). This is a good word for us today! Evil is so prevalent among us that we don’t even have to go looking for it. You don’t hear about people who have had to really work to find evil things to do–they are numerous opportunities which are readily available! Instead, living purely in today’s world is going to require an intentional effort on our part to FLEE from evil. We should keep as much distance as we possibly can between us and evil.

Recently I saw an ad for a show on Animal Planet called Fatal Attractions. The show highlights people who keep wild, dangerous animals in their homes as “pets.” Some of those people have paid for that choice with their lives.

Many people don’t realize that evil is the same way. It may not kill you right away but it sure has the potential to! We need to heed Paul’s warning to Timothy: RUN FROM THESE THINGS! Run as far away as fast as you can!

PURSUE

It’s not enough to run away from evil; we need to run toward righteousness. Paul told Timothy to “…pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.” (vs. 11b) These verses remind me of the story Jesus told in Luke 11:24-26 of the man who had an evil spirit cast out of him only to find seven more join him when he neglected to fill the space they had occupied with something else.

As important as it is for us to flee evil (and it IS very important); it is equally important for us to pursue righteousness and purity. As hard as we run away from evil; we should be running equally (if not more so) as hard toward righteousness! Don’t just clean out the junk from your spiritual house; replace it with God’s stuff! Determine now that you will do whatever it takes to not only flee from evil; but also, pursue righteousness!

FIGHT

In vs 12, Paul tells Timothy to “fight the good fight for the faith…” We can expect that life is going to be a battle. We are in a war every day against the forces of evil. This same Paul would warn the believers in Ephesus that “…our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)  The apostle Peter said it this way in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”

Let’s face it, there aren’t very many people who enjoy fighting. They would rather simply sit back and take the path of least resistance. The problem with that is that our human flesh naturally is bent toward evil. You don’t have to TEACH someone how to be evil–they do that well enough on their own. Instead, you have to teach someone how to be RIGHTEOUS.

So, Paul’s instruction is to FIGHT! Give it all you’ve got!

Paul used very active; very descriptive words to drive home his point to Timothy: RUN, PURSUE, FIGHT. Do those words describe your spiritual life? Do you need to confess and run away from some sin? Do you need to make a commitment to pursue righteousness? Do you need to do battle with the forces of evil? How will you respond to this truth?

Soli Deo gloria

The Heart of the Matter

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:3-10

Paul warns Timothy of those who have an unhealthy enjoyment in arguments over semantics. These individuals teach doctrine that does not agree with the teachings of Christ and with teachings that promote godliness (vs. 3). They are envious; quarrelsome; and they believe that godliness is a path to financial gain (vs. 4-5).

This is simply one of NUMEROUS passages that refute the teachings of those who promote the prosperity gospel–that group of teachings that claim that God always wants you to prosper physically and financially on this earth. That isn’t to say that there aren’t those who will be blessed by God physically or financially. It simply means that Scripture DOES NOT teach that every believer will be the picture of physical health and wealth. Paul focuses Timothy’s (and our) attention on the right things: godliness and contentment. We are to pursue both passionately; seeking to grow more and more like Christ each day while being content with the physical conditions God has chosen for us.

The love of money is at the heart of all kinds of evil activity. It leads people to give into evil temptations and foolish and even harmful desires (vs. 9)! The end result of a life that pursues money is tragic: “which plunge people into ruin and destruction.” (vs. 9)

Passages like this should cause us to do a heart check. We should examine our thoughts and attitudes towards things–especially money–to see if we are guilty of pursuing those things over godliness and contentment.

Soli Deo gloria