This blog was written by my wife and ministry partner, Kelly. I am blessed by the Lord to have been given a wife who is a continual support to me and my family. She has a kind heart of empathy and service. She stands alongside of me as we strive to serve our Savior and King, Jesus. May He help us to humbly follow His lead in order to proclaim the mercy, grace and love of our Messiah. I am honored to be able to share the thoughts Kelly has written with you. I pray that you are blessed and encouraged in the reading.
We live in world full of confusion, chaos, opinions, and disagreements. No matter which way we turn, we cannot get away from conflict. We don’t have to look far to see that it is everywhere- throughout the world and within our own families.
I have recently been very encouraged by Isaiah 41. Verse 10 reads, “‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” This scripture paints a beautiful picture of God’s ever present help in unsure times. When we are feeling anxious we do not need to look around for help. Our heavenly Father promises to be there and uphold us with His righteous right hand.
This promise brings great comfort to me. It reminds me of when my children were small. When they felt unsure or afraid, they would stand at my knees and reach up asking to be held up in my arms for safety and protection. Once I lifted them up out of their situation, they immediately felt comforted and safe. Sometimes we as adults need that too. There are times that we feel overwhelmed by the situations we face. Jesus tells us we don’t have to fear because He will uphold us, take us out and above our current situation into the presence of His righteousness. These verses remind me of a very familiar hymn of praise. “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.”
The next time you feel afraid or hesitant, come into the presence of your loving Father. He longs to help and shield you. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Psalm 28:10
Painting by Gérard Douffet, Taking of Christ with the Malchus Episode, 1620
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15 ESV)
Following humility, the Apostle Paul encourages believers in Jesus to be meek. Depending on the particular translation of the Bible you are using, this word meek is sometimes translated as gentleness. Paul instructs the people of faith to be meek or gentle in conduct and attitude. At times we can diminish the fullness of what Paul is attempting to convey to us with our misunderstanding of what it means to be meek. Often this concept is associated with weakness in the sense that we are blown to and fro by anything and everything that comes against us. Modern applications of the characteristic meek can be thought of in such ways, but this is not what Paul is suggesting.
I have often heard the term meek compared to that of a Roman warhorse, if we are attempting to draw closer to a Biblical understanding of the characteristic such an application is appropriate. A Roman warhorse serves as a physical example of power under control. The warhorse is a formidable, capable and strong animal. It is adorned with all of the articles of war, an intimidating weapon imposing fear in the opposition. Though the horse is incredibly powerful, it has been trained. The horse responds to the commands of the rider. It could easily break free from the command of the soldier in charge of the animal, but because it has been trained to focus on the task at hand, the horse remains to be power under control.
We see the example of power under control in the conduct of our Savior, Jesus. The night prior to His crucifixion, He was in the garden praying. It was here that Judas betrayed our Lord. As the soldiers sought to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword cutting off the ear of the one taking hold of Jesus. Immediately Jesus rebukes Peter’s actions, and heals the soldier. Jesus demonstrates the concept of being meek in his rebuke to Peter. He says, “Do you not think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that it may be so (Matthew 26:53-54 ESV)?” Jesus retains the capacity to utterly level His enemies at the mere expression of a word, yet He chooses to remain focused on the purpose of His first Advent. In this first appearing of our Savior, He came to willingly go to the Cross to offer Redemption to all who believe (John 10:17-18). Jesus did not allow the trial of the situation to distract His focus from walking toward His purpose. Power directed to accomplish His promise.
Another example of meekness, power under control, given by Jesus is found in the book of Luke. In chapter four, Jesus is in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He picks up the scroll of Isaiah and reads the words declaring the promise of our God to bring good news to the poor, sight to the blind and freedom to those who are oppressed (Luke 4:16-30). Upon reading the words of the prophet, Jesus rolls up the scroll and declares that the promise in the Scripture has been fulfilled at the hearing. Jesus proclaims that He is the One who has come to be the fulfillment of the promise given. At these words of Jesus, the crowds listening became enraged with wrath. They drove Jesus out of the town to a cliff. They intended to throw Jesus off of the cliff as a result of the rage that filled their blood. Jesus, in response to the rage levied against Him, simply walks through the crowd. He did not threaten, argue or attempt to fight any of those who sought to bring harm. He simply walked through them. He did this because His focus was on the greater purpose of His coming. His focus was on accomplishing the will of the Father. Jesus did not allow Himself to be distracted by the conflict in front of His eyes, because He came to fulfill a greater purpose. That purpose being the Savior of His children. He could have called legions of angels from the father to come down to destroy the voices berating Him with hatred, but instead He chose to remain meek, power under control.
It would serve all of us well to take the example of meekness given by our Savior in earnest. Our flesh is weak (Matthew 27:41). Too often we are enticed to react to hardship, affliction, anxiety stress with anger or frustration. In our flesh we lash out due to the feeling that whatever we are going through is too great a challenge for us to experience. The difficulty of the trial causes us to lose focus on our Savior. Rather than determining to keep our focus on our Messiah, the One who can provide the Help we need, we allow our focus to be arrested by the struggle. We begin to pay attention to the hardship, looking at the faces in the crowd rather than upon the promises of our God (Luke 4:16-30). The conflict, confusion, chaos steals our focus away from our Hope, and this can lead to a deeper feeling of despair. Rather than walking through the crowd empowered with the Hope of Jesus, we allow ourselves to be swallowed up in the calamity. The voices of the crowd drawing us closer to destruction. In this circumstance, we can begin to feel hopeless, lost and overwhelmed. Just one of many in a crowd of calamity without any relief. It is this sense of despair the enemy of our souls desires for us to come to know. he wants us to feel as if we are without hope and then to give up and give in to the chaos of the crowd. he thirsts for us to give up and allow the mob to push us over the edge of the cliff of brokenness. he wants us to forget that we have a Savior who walked through the crowd demonstrating meekness, power under control.
In this life we will have tribulation (John 16:33). Jesus tells us very plainly as much. But He does not tell us this to bring fear into our heart. He tells us this to remind us to be meek in His strength. To remain in control, with His help, even in those moments that seem impossible. Jesus reminds us through His example to not allow the voices in the crowd to distract us from our purpose or from the Hope we can receive in our Messiah. It is only in Jesus that we can find peace amid chaos. In this life we will have trouble, but take heart because He has overcome. I know that in the midst of a trial it can be difficult to stay your focus on your Redeemer and Lord. Jesus knows this as well. And He promises to sustain us with His joy. He tells us in the book of John:
“But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth (John 17:13-19 NASB95).”
Jesus gives us His Word so that we may find His joy. This is a joy that is not conditional based upon situations or circumstances. This joy is transcendent because it comes from a Risen Savior who loves us and looks over us. It is a joy in knowing that He has covered us under His wings (Psalm 91) and He keeps us in the palm of His very hand (John 10:28). The prayer of Jesus is not that we completely avoid difficulty, but that His joy would sustain us even through difficulty. From our frail human perspective, this does not even make sense. Yet we can all remember times of trial in our testimony and recognize the presence of our Messiah in the midst of the crowd alongside of us. I pray, beloved, that you remember to stay your focus on the One who can reveal hope, joy and peace that is far beyond anything that this world can comprehend. I pray that you remain meek as in the examples given through the life our Savior. Remain focused, power under control, even in the middle of difficulty.
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.[1]
Our Savior has overcome! Allow His Light to be your guide in those times that seem impossibly dark. Know that He holds you in the palm of His mighty hand (Isaiah 41:10). To God be the glory! AMEN!
[1] Lemmel, Helen, H., “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”, 1922. Based on Hebrews 12:2
This blog entry was written by Mandie. I consider Mandie and her family as dear friends and fellow servants of the Lord. They are members of Mount Zion Road Church and most importantly, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. I am thankful and blessed that she was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. Mandie encourages all of us to recognize the covenant relationship we can have with our Savior, Jesus. This relationship is one that we must pursue intentionally and with purpose as we grow in faith. I pray that you find her words to be a blessing as you read. To God be the glory!
In the early hours of the morning I like to go outside and listen for the birds and the cows from the nearby farm. I will close my eyes and just take in the many sounds. I like to imagine that the animals are giving praises and thanks to God for another day, just as we do. “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!”[1] One morning as I was reading God’s Word I came across a verse that brought a big smile to my face, for it was as if God met me in the quiet of that morning and gave wisdom to me relating to something I do every morning- listen for His creatures to “speak”. From Revelation 5:13:
“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
The context of this verse is right after John is weeping that there was no one found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it and one of the elders said to him, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”[2]
Backing up in verse 11, first many voices of angels are proclaiming in a loud voice the worthiness of the Lamb. Then the animal kingdom joins in! It is breathtaking to me to think of all the creative animals that God has created on this earth and, as this verse points out, in heaven as well. To God be all honor and praise!!
I can remember a time, years ago, when I was not as eager to hear the birds singing their loud songs in the morning. I viewed it as more of a disruption to sleep but now they are welcome sounds that I cannot wait to hear. As you think back through the years of your life, can you think of an example of something that you used to not appreciate as much as you do now? When there are times that God gives a sight or a sound that is out of the ordinary, I am awe inspired and thankful! He just gave me an opportunity to give Him thanks for an unusual sight the other day- while driving, and just minutes from my house, we saw two small huddling and scared raccoon kits and then around the next curve, we saw a fox dash out from one field to the next. An instance of a sound is that last summer, as I was the last to remain around the burning embers of a campfire in the woods, I heard the faint but distinct call of a wild turkey. I remember it giving me much joy to hear that beautiful sound! Most of us do not know what the different sounds animals make mean but as the verse in Revelation 5 points out one day they will be understood to be giving honor and glory to our great God! I am thankful for His gift of creatures!
“Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For He commanded and they were created.
And He established them forever and ever; He gave a decree, and it shall not pass away!
Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling His word!
Mountains and hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for His people,
praise for all His saints, for the people of the Israel who are near to Him.
The photo was taken by my daughter Ali. She has recently completed a degree in media production and is currently working as a photographer. She is a visual story teller with the gift of creativity. Glory to our Lord, Jesus for allowing her to work in a field that encourages creativity. Glory to God for placing us in such a beautiful world, and yet we know that this life is but a shadow of the wonder of His Eternal Kingdom!
This blog was written by my wife, Kelly. I am humbly and inexpressibly thankful to our Lord for giving me such a caring, empathetic and loving wife. It is both a privilege and honor to be able to serve the Lord alongside of her. She truly is a ministry partner. She is a woman who is filled with wisdom and compassion. I praise the Lord for her love and care in both ministry and our family life. To God be the glory! I pray that her insight is a blessing to you as you read her words.
Just recently I read a very encouraging article based on Philippians 3:4-9. It speaks of Paul’s credentials and many achievements which would qualify him for the ministry. Paul writes, “For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Messiah.” He compares his life’s work to the privilege of knowing his Savior.
The article then brought into focus our own lives and the many things that we hold so dearly- our accomplishments and achievements asking the question: do “they draw us closer to Messiah or distract us from Him”? The article went on the point out, “When our worth is rooted in our achievements, we miss the liberating grace found in what Jesus has already done.”[1] What a powerful thing to consider. When we give ourselves too much credit, essentially we take away from the grace of Jesus.
After considering these things, I realized that we are not our achievements. Our successes should be the vessels that allow us to spread the gospel. They should be the very things in our lives that point others to Jesus. God gives us opportunities and achievements as a way to shine His light in different ways. These successes help point us to walk out His plan for our lives. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).
Some people may say I see the glass half empty, but I think there is value in thinking about things from different perspectives. While our achievements don’t define us, neither do our failures. Achievement and successes have importance in our lives, but I believe failure has purpose as well. Throughout our lives we will experience failure. We must remember that when those times come, we cannot allow failure to define us any more than we allow success to define us. Sometime through failure we come to realize that His Grace is sufficient for us. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
No matter what we face, whether it be success or failure, may it all point to the glory of Jesus in our lives. It is then that we will learn to be content in all situations. To God be the glory!
This is the latest episode of Kingdom War Room with Dr. Michael Lake, Dr. Mike Spaulding and myself. In this episode we talk with Dr. Igal German regarding the imperative to take our faith seriously. I encourage you to take the time to listen. To God be the glory!
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15 ESV)
Continuing in this exhortation by the Apostle Paul, we are encouraged to put on humility. As the people of God who are called loved, precious and chosen, we are to walk in humility. This is a vital aspect of our walk of faith. We are to humbly submit ourselves to the authority of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. We are to humble ourselves to His Lordship in our lives as an act of reciprocal love that was first demonstrated to us.
I have been reading through a short book titled, Humility: The Journey Toward Holiness by Andrew Murray. Actually this is the third time reading this book, I have found it to be encouraging. In the book Murray addresses humility as an aspect of our discipleship. He considers humble submission to the authority of Jesus as a “distinguishing feature of discipleship.”[1] I agree. As we choose to follow, we must seek the Lord to help us walk in humility. Our attitude of humility is not generated through efforts of the flesh to be humble. For Murray humility must become “a distinct object of continual”[2] prayer. Petitioning the Lord to help us humbly submit to His Lordship in our lives should be spoken daily from our lips. Humility is not an attitude acquired and then stored away for a rainy day. It is found only in the continual recognition of the authority of Jesus. It is only in recognition of the love lavished upon us in the redemption of our very souls bringing life to death. It is only when we truly attempt to grasp, admittedly in our human frailty, at the profound love of God given for those who choose to receive His gift of mercy. Humility then is not an act of the human will, but a recognition of grace. It is not necessarily hardship or the struggle with sin that truly brings us to a place of humility. It is love. As Murray wrote, “it is not sin that humbles but grace.”[3] This is profound. It is in the reception of grace that we can begin to grasp at humility. It is in the recognition that our Messiah first humbled Himself to the penalty of the Cross so that we might live. Therefore, humility is not something we bring to God, rather it is something He imparts upon us in our willingness to allow Him to speak into our hearts.
Humility comes from the recognition of our utter inability to save ourselves from the curse of sin. Humility comes when we begin to recognize our weakness and in turn seek His strength. Humility is realized at the reception of an unimaginable gift of grace given through His humility. Murray compares humility to that of water, “Just as water seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds the creature empty, His glory and power flow in to exalt and to bless.”[4] When we come to a place where we are empty of ourselves, the Lord rushes in to fill us with mercy and grace. It is in our lowest place where the Lord offers us hope because of His humility. When we are empty of pride, empty of self-centered desire, there our Messiah lifts us up. Seek humility. It is when we allow the Lord to help us walk in humility that we truly begin to follow.
Thank you to my daughter Ali for providing the photo for this blog.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15 ESV)
Put on then- kindness. The Apostle Paul encourages his readers to add kindness as a condition of being. Kindness should season how we walk out our faith in humble submission to the authority of our Messiah, Jesus. The children of God are to adorn themselves with kindness as an expression of faith. This done in response to the kindness of God extended to us as He came to this earth to rescue us from sin. While we were yet sinners, enemies of God, Jesus came to us to deliver us from the bondage of sin. It was Jesus who exhibited kindness to us that is beyond description. Therefore out of reverence for our King, we too should express kindness according to our faith.
But how is kindness expressed? If we attempt to define kindness according to human reason, we will yield diverse definitions based upon personal preferences. Kindness defined by the human will be stricken with uncertainty as all humans have slightly varying perspectives regarding what it is to be kind. It is therefore essential that we define the term kindness according to the Word of God. In the verses listed above, the Apostle Paul instructs us to adopt kindness as a characteristic of our faith. In the Greek the word kindness used in verse twelve is: χρηστότης (G5544- khray-stot’-ace, Kindness).[1] This word is defined as moral goodness, integrity. Already we can see parameters established within the definition to help us understand what type of kindness we are to adopt. We are, as defined by God, to put on kindness or in other words moral goodness. We are to walk with integrity as living witnesses of the authority of the Lord in our lives. To be kind does not simply suggest expressing a kind gesture to others, kindness should become a guiding principle informing our character. We are to be kind. We are to seek moral goodness as defined by the Word of God so that we can be people of integrity. We are to humble ourselves to the authority of the Lord and allow Him to direct our steps which are seasoned with kindness, integrity. We are to do our best to apply kindness to our lives as an expression of the kindness we were given by our Redeemer. This act is not done out of selfish ambition, rather it is done to honor our Savior.
As children of our God, we are to follow His lead and be informed by His Word. The Lord declares to us what is required of His children. His instruction to us is recorded by the prophet Micah. “He has told you, O man, what is good;And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”[2]Accurately the prophet Micah declares the instruction the Lord has given to us defining our walk. The Lord defines what is good in the context of our response to Him. One of the aspects of good as defined by God is to love kindness. This thought connects back to what the Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians. We are to put on kindness or as recorded by Micah, we are to love kindness. The term kindness in the Hebrew is the word חֶסֶד (H2617- kheh’-sed, Kindness).[3] This is a beautiful term. It is used throughout the Hebrew Scripture and it is most often used as an expression of mercy. The prophet Micah reminds us that the Lord requires of us to not only be merciful, but to love mercy. To love חֶסֶד- kheh’-sed. We are to love mercy because mercy was shown unto us. It was out of the love of our Savior that we were first shown mercy. It was His joy to go to the cross to win us back because of His love.[4] Our Savior went to the cross for joy. This is incomprehensible to us. While we were yet enemies of God as conformed to our sin nature, Jesus filled with חֶסֶד- kheh’-sed chose to endure the cross as an act of indescribable love for us. It was His joy to endure the suffering because He knew that His suffering would bring about the ultimate act of mercy leading to Salvation.
We are recipients of חֶסֶד- kheh’-sed, the lovingkindness of our Messiah poured out for the whosoever. The mercy of Jesus extended to those who would receive His mercy is a demonstration of His love for us, His children. Therefore, seek to walk in kindness, חֶסֶד- kheh’-sed. Seek to be a living expression of the kindness that was first given. Jesus gave us of His kindness. He gave us of His mercy in the suffering that He endured on our behalf. As His people it is only fitting that we act in reverence for our King showing kindness to others. This is an act that can bring those who need mercy to the One who has shown mercy, Jesus. This is an act that can comfort those who need to receive comfort as only the Lord can provide. Allow kindness as defined by the Lord to define you as His child. To God be the glory!
Thank you to my daughter Ali for providing the photo. This photo also serves as the cover image for a Bible study I recently completed writing titled: Appointed Times. In this study, the Appointed Times of the Lord are examined. The festivals described in the Hebrew texts are connected to the revelation of Jesus our Savior. Each set apart event serves as a picture of Jesus. The Hebrew Scripture reveals the promises fulfilled in our Messiah. Throughout the study the entirety of our Bible is examined to bring this truth to light.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15 ESV)
Put on then compassion. The Apostle Paul reminds us to choose compassion. But not only to make a choice to act compassionately, He encourages us to adorn ourselves with an attitude of compassion. This is an attribute that must be present in our character. Compassion is an expression of our faith demonstrated externally. In faith we are able to express compassion in an accurate manner as our faith is defined by our Messiah. This is something that we must always remember. Because Jesus extended to us compassion, so to must we allow compassion to direct our walk as defined by the Lord. As people of God we are to present ourselves as a living witness to the mercy, grace and transformation provided by our Savior.[1] It is then imperative that we remain tethered to the Word of God which offers correct definitions for our walk of faith. I use the word tethered intentionally. We must, this is not a choice, we must remain tethered to the Word of God as we endure the trials we face in this life. To be tethered to the Word is a fundamental condition of our being a child of our King! It is only by His Word that we can walk in the Light to find discernment.[2]Apart from His Light we walk in darkness. It is again vital that we remain tethered to the Word of God as a standard defining our faith so that we do not drift away from the Only source of true Light.[3]
As God’s chosen ones we are to put on compassion. Allow your heart to be conditioned with compassion. Not only will compassion condition how we interact with one another, compassion will equip us in humility. To be a person of compassion requires humility. Compassion is a product of humility. Out of the heart of the one who humbles themselves under the authority of Jesus, compassion will bloom. As we grow to recognize the depth of the love of our Savior, the length He went to redeem us His children, the utter frailty of our fallen human condition is clearly revealed. We come to know the absolute inability to overcome the afflictions of the sin nature. The absolute inability to save oneself aligns the heart toward humility because we can begin to rightly see the humility of our Messiah. Jesus humbled Himself to deliver us from the frailty of our fallen self. He did this while we were still enemies in bondage to the sin nature. Yet just at the right time our Savior extended His almighty love to us delivering from death to life.[4] To Him belongs all praise and glory!
Beloved, we endure a world that is rife with trial. We are afflicted by trial in many forms. Unfortunately, trial will be present until our Messiah returns or we are called to our eternal home where the trials of this life will cease to afflict the children of God. I remind the reader then to choose compassion. Allow compassion to condition your heart. Remember the compassion first demonstrated to us from Jesus. It was His compassion to save us that brought Him to walk among us. Humble yourselves under His authority. Trust in His mercy to save. Trust in His power to deliver. Trust in His peace to equip you with the strength to endure the trials of this life. Cry out to Him when in need of a voice to quiet the discontent of the human heart. It is only in Jesus where we can find hope to endure.
Lastly, recognize the limits of our human other. Adorn yourselves with compassion resulting from humility as we interact with loved ones, friends and even the stranger. Allow the love of Jesus to be an expression of your character. Know that our human other endures trials just as all of us endure. Choose then to act in compassion in effort to encourage those around you. Choose compassion defined by Jesus. Such compassion is not twisted to be in compliance with the whims of this world. Choose compassion modeled after our Savior, compassion emboldened with the truth to deliver and transform. It is this compassion that will provide answers to the trials of this life which hold eternal authority to save. It is this compassion that will equip us to interact with others in a manner that is exemplary of the One who has saved us. Make this the focus of your interactions. To demonstrate Jesus as best as we can in all circumstances. AMEN!
Photo taken from Fosters Poetical: A Cyclopedia of Poetry (New York, NY: W.C. Palmer, Jr., & Co. 1874) pg. 500. Specific poem cited was written by Bernard Rascas
This blog entry was written by Mandie. I consider Mandie and her family as dear friends and fellow servants of the Lord. They are members of Mount Zion Road Church and most importantly, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. I am thankful and blessed that she was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. Mandie encourages all of us to recognize the covenant relationship we can have with our Savior, Jesus. This relationship is one that we must pursue intentionally and with purpose as we grow in faith. I pray that you find her words to be a blessing as you read. To God be the glory!
“Now at that feast he released to them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.” (Mark 15:6) The crowd called for Barabbas (Luke 23:18, John 19:40). Barabbas over Jesus.
Recently I had the chance to look into the meaning of the word “Barabbas”. The Strong’s definition of Barabbas (G912) means “son of abba, an Israelite”. The Strong’s definition of Abba (G5) is the Aramaic word for “father”. Barabbas and Jesus- both sons of their fathers. One, we know, was the son of Father God. But what about Barabbas? Surely he was a good man to be chosen to be released from prison by a multitude? The Biblical text tells us a few things. In Matthew 27:16, we read that he was a notorious prisoner. In Mark 5:7, he was a rebel who had committed murder in the insurrection. In Luke 23:18, he was in prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. And in John 18:40, that he was a robber. At this point, I stop and think, who else does this sound like? May I suggest, the enemy of our souls? As John 10:10a says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy”. Could Barabbas have been symbolic of the son of the father of lies? In John 8 we see a conversation between Jesus and Pharisees. He told them that by trying to kill Him they were doing the works of their father (8:40-41). He went on to say “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (8:44).
The deeds of the flesh include such things as Barabbas committed (Galatians 5:19-21). Things we, too, are capable of committing. I see this Biblical account as highlighting the struggle between our flesh and the Spirit- at conflict and battle within us (Romans 7:18-21). Which do we walk in?
The choice of whom to allow to go free that Passover, years ago, was between a murderer, who took life, and the Author of life who gives life. They chose Barabbas over Jesus. From Judas to Barabbas, just two of the men who the enemy used to carry out his scheme. We, of course, know that God had His own plan running simultaneously. The Biblical text tells us that Pilate was aware that Jesus was delivered over out of envy or self-interest (Matthew 27:18) and that the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus (Matthew 27:20). We have the same choice every day. Do we also allow ourselves to be persuaded by those that have power or influence over us, over the culture at large? The choice is between our flesh or the Spirit. The choice between death or life. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Instead, live like the Lord Jesus Christ did, and forget about satisfying the desires of your sinful nature.” (Romans 8:6, 13 & 13:14).
Everyday may we break from the crowd, choose to be holy as He is holy (Leviticus 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16) and choose Jesus over Barabbas in our hearts and minds. Our new nature in Christ over our old sinful nature. Freedom in Christ over the bondage of sin. May you be blessed this season as we remember our Lord and Savior who died to take away the sins of the world, our sins. Alive and living today in us who believe! Hallelujah, He is risen!
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10b)
Mandie
The image associated with this blog is an etching by Rembrandt. It is referred to as the Hundred Guilder Print. The etching depicts Jesus teaching. It was inspired from Mathew chapter 19.
This blog entry was written by Brandon. I have known him for many years. I consider Brandon and his family as dear friends and fellow servants of the Lord. They are members of Mount Zion Road Church and most importantly, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. Brandon has served and continues to serve our church family in numerous ways. He serves as a member of the Elders team along with undertaking many other responsibilities of the church. He is a man of integrity and honesty. It is a blessing to call him both friend and brother. I am thankful that he was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. I pray that you find his words to be a blessing as you read. To God be the glory!
The topic of finance has been debated a lot in the church. Some Christians believe that it is holier to be poor. And of course, some believe in the prosperity gospel, which teaches that when you give, God will make you rich. Let’s dig into what the bible says.
Genesis 2:15, The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
God gave Adam a job & responsibility. So, it’s in our God given nature that man needs meaningful work.
Deuteronomy 8:18, But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
A great reminder that we should never be prideful of what we have, because that ability to work and generate wealth comes from God and should affect us in that we should not take it for granted. Though there are many warnings regarding money and possessions in the bible, it’s a warning to not put those things above God. So, make sure your heart is in the right place & remain humble in all things. That’s a good challenge for us.
Proverbs 22:29, Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.
The meaning of this proverb is that you should use your God given talent to strive for the best at what you do, so you can improve in your profession. God wants us to work hard and be successful in our everyday lives.
1 Timothy 5:8, Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Provide for your family, and extended family in times of need. This mindset should come natural to us. To me, whether you’re on the giving end or receiving end, it’s a reminder that family should be helping family and not solely relying on a third party or the government for unexpected financial needs. This can also apply to our church family too. So, if we are to be prepared to help our family in times of need, what does God say about saving?
Proverbs 21:20, The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
This proverb commends those who maintain provisions. We are to make wise decisions & save for a future time. The prodigal son story is a great example of not taking the advice of this proverb. Proverbs 13:11, Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. My take on this verse is to work hard, consistently, & honestly to build wealth gradually. So, if God wants us to build up our savings for future needs, how are we to handle that savings?
Matthew 25, Parable of the talents.(The master entrusted servants with talents)
Of course, the main lesson we can learn from this parable is that we should use the talents that God has given us, like skills, abilities, and also the holy spirit, to grow and produce spiritually. In other words, don’t waste your gifts, use them. Because God gives us each unique gifts and talents and he expects us to use them to do good.
I think we can also learn something from Jesus’ real-life example too, in financial terms. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of what God has blessed us with and entrusted us with. I think of it as, we are not the owners, but managers of God’s assets. We should not hide them out of fear of losing them, but strive to multiply them for reasons I’ll talk about soon.
Proverbs 14:15, The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.
This is great general advice for safety and success in our everyday lives. I think you can apply this to our finances as well. For example, don’t fall for a get-rich-quick scheme. Be responsible with your money and even do research before making decisions.
Proverbs 13:22, A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Wealth in this lifetime isn’t guaranteed, (I think of the passage, “in this world you will have trouble”). But, this proverb is a good general instruction because we also strive to pass down our values and beliefs so that the cycle can continue and so God continues to be glorified in many ways through the generations. I also like this verse too so I’ll share: Proverbs 19:14, Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
There are many bible verses on giving and being generous, I’ll share a couple. Malachi 3:10, Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. And Proverbs 19:17, Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.
Again, I think about our financial blessings come from God, so out of honor, we are to give back to Him in the way of a tithe and being generous with our money. Help those who are less fortunate, the poor, the widows, the orphans. Having the mindset of using our blessings for good can help to break the grip of materialism that so many people struggle with in our world today. God will bless us in many ways through these acts of giving. So, generous giving is intended for our own good, because it directs our focus back to God and what He has done for us.
Review:
Man is designed to work
Wealth comes from God
Strive to be the best at your skill/talent
Provide for your family
Plan & budget for the future
Practice good stewardship
Be wise and research
Leave a legacy behind
The ultimate goal – being able to give to others through a heart of gratitude and the desire to glorify God
Closing thoughts:
While this subject is traditionally focused on men, we also need to understand that some women are highly gifted at a skill, savings, and budgeting too. And no matter what our financial status is, we can all lay-up treasures in Heaven. That eternal reward will be the greatest investment of all.
Ephesians 4:28,Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Corby Shuey 