It’s interesting how clear God makes it to His people that He will do things in His way as opposed to their way. However, He often communicates His plan in ways to which we can relate. He makes promises. He creates covenants. He uses imagery and forms familiar to hose with whom He is communicating.

The events of Genesis 15 is a passage that is pretty familiar to most of us. Prior to this chapter, God has made promises to Abram regarding a land, a nation, and a blessing through his descendants. This promises is repeated, but, in chapter 15, Abram asks how these promises will be fulfilled. He doesn’t see how a great nation can come from an old man and a barren woman. In response, God instructs Abram to make a sacrifice, a very unique and strange sacrifice. He cuts several animals in half and creates a path between the separated halves. Abram goes into a deep sleep filled with horrors, and God speaks to him in this sleep. Smoke and a flaming torch cross the path between the hewn animals, and God reaffirms His covenant with Abram.

The Importance of His Covenant

What happens here? God cuts a covenant with Abram in a practice familiar to Chaldeans and the nomadic tribes of the region. Tow leaders would walk together along a path between hewn animals, inferring carnage will come to those who seek to break or interfere with the covenant formed. It is the forming of a very serious relationship. Jeremiah 34:18 refers to this practice, and God says He will make His transgressing people like the sacrificed animals. He warns them of the doom involved with their breaking of the covenant they had with God. They had been unfaithful, and they would be delivered to their enemies. This is the gravity with which God views our covenant-relationship with Him.

In Matthew 26, we read of the night Judas will betray Jesus, when Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, and when Jesus institutes a memorial of His impending death. In this, He references a new covenant sealed by the dividing of His body and the spilling of His blood. Jeremiah 31, after numerous promises in the previous chapters of a coming king like David, God describes a new covenant that He will make with His people. In that upper room, Jesus is telling His disciples He is bringing that new covenant, and the Hebrew writer, in chapter 8, expounds upon how this new covenant is different from and superior to the one it replaces.

I Corinthians 11:23 again refers to Jesus’ body being broken as the bread and the cup as His blood. The Greek word translated as broken in verse 24 is often used metaphorically as shattered. It is an image of being violently torn, as if by a great force. Each record of the crucifixion in the four gospels tells of the temple’s veil being torn in half, top to bottom, when Jesus cries His last. Hebrews 10:19 compares Jesus’ flesh to that veil that was torn in half. Symbolically, Jesus is cut as the sacrifice for our covenant between us and God.

Maintaining the Covenant

Jesus lives as a spotless lamb. His blood is shed and His body broken for the institution of our new covenant. Upon His crucifixion, God cut a covenant between Himself and man, a new testament rooted in the same tradition with which He formed a covenant with Abram before the nation of Israel had even been born. In Hebrews 10:28-29, God warns us against breaking that covenant, trivializing His blood, and trampling the body broken for us. Finally, Isaiah 53:5-6 describes the wounding of God’s Servant for the sake of our transgressions. We are like straying sheep, so one spotless lamb accepts the consequences we deserve.

The events in Genesis 15 may seem strange to us now, but they illustrate a serious and committed relationship between God and Abram. It was something holy and sacred. Likewise, we today have a sacred covenant with our God. May we never break that bond lest we treat our Lord’s sacrifice as inconsequential. Instead, we should daily be renewing our commitment and our service to Him.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: examples, abraham

To treat others how we want to be treated, to love one another – they are ideas that look easy on paper. If we take a hard look at ourselves, though, we may find we aren’t so good at these simple concepts. God sets out expectations of how we are supposed to live and treat each other. He sets an example of love, and our challenge is to follow that example, to demonstrate the love of God in our lives.

In our character, God is the pivot point. When we know how to interact and how to react to God, we learn to better interact with those around us. We learn from an early age that God made us and God loves us. We study His power, His mercy, and the many ways He loves us. We demonstrate our love for Him, in turn, when we love others. Without loving others, we do not love God.

Foundations of Love

According to Genesis 1, we are God’s Creation, and He made us in His spiritual image. We understand that authority is a part of Creation. We are His. However, man likes to live by his own authority. In Daniel, for example, both kings Nebuchadnezzar and his son Belshazzar need to be reminded of their places. In contrast, Psalm 19 describes the glory of God’s word as portrayed by nature. The psalm speaks of a power before which we must humble ourselves. It is the testimony of I AM as God calls Himself in Exodus 3:14. We are created for the purpose of good works under this authority according to Ephesians 2:10.

John 3:16 describes the love God has for us in the sacrifice He provided and made on our behalves. Paul elaborates on this point in Romans 5:6, describing how undeserving we are of such a sacrifice. He describes our relationship with God as adversarial, but the cleansing power of Christ’s blood bridges the gulf separating us from our Father. He loves us despite the fact that we are unlovable. This love is a model for the love we are to have for one another according to I John 4:19. It is unmeasurable by our standards, but it is also a love that is unconditional. THis is the foundation upon which our love is built.

God Doesn’t Want Us to Hit

Ephesians 5:1 encourages us to be imitators of God in all things, and I John 4:7 equates loving others with loving God. God is characterized by love, and demonstrating unloving qualities separates us from our God. Without love, according to John, it is impossible for us to even know Him. Verse 20 goes as far as to say that we are liars if we claim to love God while harboring animosity and resentment in our hearts. Just as we don’t want our children to hit their friends and classmates, God does not want us striking out at each other. Doing so is contrary to His nature.

God’s will is accomplished through love. Galatians 5:14 calls love the summation of God’s law. Loving one another takes care of the details. Once love is in place, all other aspects of obedience become easier to follow. Many of us are familiar with I Corinthians 13, describing the qualities of love. We often recite these verses at weddings, but Paul is describing more than the love between husband and wife with these words. He is expounding upon the type of love all Christians should have for their fellow man, and Paul even has the audacity to say that anything we achieve ultimately amounts to nothing if we do not have love.

Where then is our love for those around us? God created us. He loves us – completely and unconditionally. In turn, He wants us to demonstrate His love in our lives.

By Kevin Heaton

Tags: attitude, godly qualities, love, one another

It doesn’t catch any of us by surprise anymore to be confronted with dire circumstances. Over 250,000 Americans lost their jobs in October. Unemployment is at 6.5%, and this doesn’t count the number of people who have given up looking for work. Our politicians and media have gone from terming our economic situation as a recession to a depression. We might look around and ask ourselves, “Does God know? Does God care?”

Habakkuk was living in a period of terrible unrest for God’s people. In Habakkuk 1:2-4, the prophet asks, “How long shall I cry, oh Lord, and You do not hear?” He describes the terrible morality of the nation around him, the wicked prevailing at the cost of the righteous. Psalm 73:1-8 speaks of the goodness of God, but the psalmist acknowledges the challenges he himself has in keeping faith in that goodness. The psalmist sees righteousness suffering and wickedness prospering.

Changing Perspectives

This very problem afflicts Solomon in Ecclesiastes 8:9. He speaks of times when men have power over others to their hurt. He sees the wicked celebrated in their death, and justice remains undelivered. It does not add up in his or in our eyes. Returning to Habakkuk, God assures his prophet that He is in control. In Habakkuk 1:5-6, God tells Habakkuk he is rising up Babylon against Judah. In chapter 2:1, Habakkuk says he will wait for another answer.

Though it is hard, the righteous must accept God’s dealings. Returning to Psalm 73:11-14, the psalmist asks what good his godly behavior has done for him. Starting in verse 17, however, he takes a step back and looks at the bigger picture. He sees the end awaiting those wicked. Psalm 73:23 reassures his faith in God, his trust in Him despite those things he witnesses that tear at his faith. His conclusion, in verse 28, is to make God his refuge.

Stilling Our Souls

God has promised He will not forget the righteous. Psalm 94:12-14 states that God will not cast off His people. He is in control. While we may not necessarily understand or like all that is going on, we have to take comfort in the knowledge that God is still active. We have to still our souls in the knowledge of His presence. Psalm 37 calls on us to calm our souls and avoid fretting over others, to commit ourselves to Jehovah and wait patiently for Him.

Exodus 14:14, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 5:3, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 37:7, Psalm 119:166, Psalm 130:5, Lamentations 3:24, Isaiah 30:18 – these passages and more ask God’s followers to lay their concerns aside to wait on God. Perhaps this material world has come to mean to much. Hebrews 11:8-10 speaks of Abraham looking beyond this material world. He lived in hope of something better. I Peter 2:11 speaks of us as sojourners and pilgrims, not citizens of this world, but citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Habakkuk 3:16 closes with the prophet confessing his stress over the hopelessness of Judah’s situation. He goes on to say, however, that his strength and his hope is in the Lord. Regardless of the troubles of this world, our hope is in something higher. We may not know what our immediate future may hold, but we can have hope, for our God is as alive and as active as He was in the days of Habakkuk.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: contentment, priorities, examples

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus invites those who are heavy laden for rest. His invitation is a simple one. While we look at complex topics and lessons when the message can be broken down to this: we will find what we are looking for in Him. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus tells the the multitude to seek, ask, and knock to receive. We will find what we are seeking. The real question is what we individually seeking. Are we seeking forgiveness in Him? Do we seek rest? Do we seek a Christian family?

Sometimes we tend to skip parts of chapters in the New Testament when Paul or other authors enter into greeting specific Christians, but these individuals are people like you and me. They are seeking something, and they happen to have helped Paul or others in their service to God while seeking Him.

Improper Seekers

• In John 6:14, after Jesus has fed thousands miraculously, many acknowledge His identity as the prophet-to-come. Jesus withdraws from them, knowing they would make Him an earthly king, and He and the crowd encounter each other again on the other side. Jesus admonishes them for seeking Him based on material reasons. We may turn to God for financial reasons, for health reasons, or others. We seek a bailout in God.
  
  
• III John describes a glory-seeker by the name of Diotrephes. This is a man seeking preeminence among Christians. He is not interested in the message so much as the attention he can receive. This is his opportunity to be somebody, improperly seeking glory rather than God.
  
  
• In John 12:3 records Mary anointing Jesus feet with an expensive ointment. Judas objects, citing that the oil should have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor, but his heart is not in the right place. Judas is seeking fault in Jesus and others. He is looking for what is wrong in others.
  
  
• I Corinthians 1:21 tells of individuals who seek after worldly wisdom. The simple message does not make sense to these individuals. It is not something quantifiable by their standards, so they turn from God’s wisdom, seeking the wisdom of this world in His stead.
  
  
• In Matthew 26, we see Peter seeking Jesus from a distance. He stays back to see what would happen. He wants to be a seeker and a follower, but Peter also wants to blend in. He wants to be indistinguishable from the world while seeking after Christ.
  

Seeking Wisely

• In Acts 18:24, we are introduced to Apollos, who is teaching baptism improperly. However, when corrected, he received the word gladly. He is a truth seeker. He doesn’t argue based on interpretation or long-held misconceptions. Because he seeks truth, he corrects himself.
  
  
• Onesimus, in Philemon 12, is seeking to make peace with Philemon. Colossians 4:10 records Mark being with Paul while he is in prison. This is the same Mark who was once a source of contention, but now he is an encouragement (II Timothy 4:11). Paul and Mark had made peace. These are peace seekers rather than grudge bearers.
  
  
• I Corinthians 10:33 describes Paul as a soul seeker. He is looking out for those he can save through the word of God, those who are seeking His truth.
  
  
• In Acts 6 and Acts 15, we see examples of Christians being solution seekers. They look for peaceful ways to solve their differences – whether scriptural in nature or physical. Instead of allowing themselves to dwell on the problems they face, they work together to seek solutions.
  
  
• II Timothy 1:16 describes the kindness of Onesiphorus and the reputation he has for helpfulness. Onesiphorus is a service seeker. Like, Barnabas of Acts 4, he seeks opportunities to encourage others. These both seek what they can do for others more than what they can do for themselves.
  

What Am I Seeking?

We find what we are looking for. If we seek materialistic and carnal things, we receive our reward in these. If we see to find fault in others, our faults will be revealed by God. If we seek worldly wisdom, we might accomplish much in this life, and if we seek God from a distance, we will be kept distant in judgment. However, if we seek truth, we will grow to love truth. If we seek peace, we will live more peacefully. Soul seeking leads to encouragement. Seeking solutions brings about resolution, and seeking service and encouragement will build ourselves up as much as others. If we keep seeking, asking, and knocking for the correct things, we will find rest for our souls.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: examples

In Jude, the author compares false teaching to several Old Testament examples, and three of these in verse 11 are Cain, Korah, and Balaam. In this lesson we’re going to examine Cain’s falling into sin and the lessons we can take from his spiritual depression.

Cain’s Downward Spiral

In Genesis 4, we find the record of the sacrifices by Cain and Abel. Here we see Cain struggling with spiritual issues after his sacrifice is rejected by God. Genesis 4:5 records Cain becoming very angry, and his countenance falls. When asking Cain about his anger, God reminds him that sin is crouching at Cain’s door, but He encourages Cain that he can rule over this sin. However, Cain gives in to the sin and murders his brother Abel.

Cain enters a downward spiral from the moment of his sacrifice. When his inferior sacrifice is rejected, he is not angry at himself for not offering his best. Rather, he seeks an outward target for his aggression. Proverbs 15:13 tells us that a glad heart is reflected on our outward conduct, but a sorrowful heart breaks the spirit. Here, Cain has a sorrowful heart, and it begins to eat away at his character.

God looks to console and redirect Cain, rhetorically asking him why he is angry. He is trying to get Cain to think. This is similar to II Corinthians 13:5 when Paul asks the Christians in Corinth to examine themselves, testing their adherence to the true faith. God is telling Cain to see if these troubles are coming from within himself. He is giving Cain a chance to self-examine and avoid the sin lurking in his heart, waiting to consume him.

Cain Victimizes Himself

I Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a lion stalking his victims, but James 4:7-8 reminds us that we can resist the devil, who will flee as a result. John 13:12-17 records Jesus washing His apostles’ feet as an example of humility and servitude, and He calls them blessed if they follow this pattern. God can see Cain’s spiritual depression, and he reminds Cain that he is blessed if he does what he should. Cain can resist this sin. He can make the devil flee.

Genesis 4:8 records Cain telling something to Abel, and we don’t know the contents of this conversation. Regardless, what it comes down to is a struggle within Cain between God’s way and man’s way, and Cain chooses man’s way. His downward spiral leads him to murder his own brother. Likewise, we can wallow in spiritual depression, letting our anger fester, avoiding doing what is right. He even lashes out at God in verse 9, asking God if he is responsible for his brother. When punished for his action, Cain still blames God for his problems. His heart has hardened.

Avoiding a Hardened Heart

Hebrews 3:12 warns us to be careful of bearing an evil heart. Time and again, the Hebrew author warns of the dangers of hardening our hearts. When we go down this path, Hebrews 6:6 tells us that repentance becomes near impossible, and we continue to crucify our Savior. None of us want to go down this path, but when we put our way before God’s, we start down that path. I Peter 5:6 calls on us to humble ourselves under God’s hand, and He will lift us up.

Cain may have been hurt and frustrated, but he could have still chosen God’s way. He could have humbled himself before God and examined himself rather than blamed others. The story would have turned out differently. We have the same choice every day between our way or God’s way. Our goal should be to soften our hearts to God’s word and submit to His will, allowing Him to cleanse us and grant us His promises.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: examples, attitude, temptation

Confidence In the New Covenant

As the Hebrew author concludes his book, he calls upon his readers to “bear with the word,” that they will be prepared to accept what he has had to say and will be able to apply them. In the latter half of chapter 10, he speaks of the confidence they should have in Jesus, in His better hope, better priesthood, better sacrifice. He then calls them to action with three “let us” statements – let us draw near to God; let us hold fast to our faith; and let us consider one another and stir each other up to good works. Our Christianity is not an individual thing. It involves others and my involvement with others.

This brings us to verse 25, which we often remove from the context of the verses prior to it, he calls us to keep assembling together to build each other up in the Lord. The Hebrew author writes of those who have grown accustomed to forsaking the worship of the Lord and the encouragement of the brethren. He goes from verse 19, possessing joyful confidence, to warning us not to throw that away in verse 35. How do I throw away this earnest expectation? By sinning willfully.

Willful Sin and the Consequences

The idea of willful sin is one of deliberation, perhaps even repetition or habit. Beginning in Hebrews 10:26, the author begins listing consequences of this willful sin – a removal of sacrifice for sin, fearful expectation of punishment, and vengeance. If I throw away my confident faith through habitual, deliberate sin, the author says I am wiping my feet on my Lord. It causes us to treat His blood as something unclean or common, profaning the blood of our covenant. We spite the Holy Spirit in these sins.

Verse 30 speaks of vengeance as a result of this sinning. The author speaks of how fearful it is to fall into God’s hands in this state. Backing up to verse 26, we turn our back on the price paid for our sins. God gives us nothing more to cleanse ourselves with, and there is nothing left to which we turn once we abandon this sacrifice. My deep obligation is to memorialize, honor, and remember Him.

Application to Our Worship

Even if I am the only one in the world, I had better be there to worship Him. If others are worshipping Him, it’s is my obligation to come together with them. Again, your and my Christianity is not a lone exercise. It involves others, and I have to involve myself with others to complete that worship. Where will you or I be when saints come together to approach God, to build one another up, to worship and honor our Lord? You and I have a choice when the time comes to worship. In a recent lesson, we explored how our choices can distance ourself from God and limit His influence in our lives.

If we don’t have time for God, why should we expect Him to make time for us. When we choose other activities over time with God and His children, we count Him as ordinary in our lives. Prioritizing things above our obligation to memorialize and honor Him causes us to wipe our feet on all He has done for us. It reveals our true relationship with God.

Hebrews 8 quotes Jeremiah 31 in describing this new covenant we have, one whose laws are in our hearts and minds, one that is open to all and is characterized by forgiveness and mercy. I can say I know Him, but do my priorities reflect that He is in my heart and mind, that He comes first and all else is subsequent. When I know my God, I don’t have to wonder about my standing with God, with my past sins, with His place in my life. Only then can I approach Him confidently, holding tightly to my faith, and bringing others with me. Our assembling together as a group of Christians is our chance to come to His alter and partake in the joys of the New Covenant. There can be nothing better. There can be nothing more important.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: worship, priorities

Returning to the book of Hebrews for this lesson, one of the themes of the book is the difference in how the old and new testaments make an impression on our consciences. Our conscience is the instrument given to by God to prove or disprove the actions we are about to take. It is that voice in our head that says, “you should” and “you shouldn’t.”

Qualities of Conscience

It’s Role. Romans 2:14-15 describes our consciences as the law we have even when we don’t know God’s law. Our thoughts accuse or affirm our actions separate from a written set of laws. Paul writes of it as the law being written in their hearts. Furthermore, in Romans 9:1, the conscience bears witness to your and my conduct. II Corinthians 1:12 reinforces this by speaking of the testimony of conscience regarding how we behave among the world and the brethren. Our conscience convicts us, either positively or negatively, regardless of what others may tell us about our behaviors. In Acts 23, Paul is telling the Sanhedrin that he lived in good conscience even when in enmity to God’s word. It is not a faultless guide. We should temper it with God’s word. Finally, Romans 14:23 warns us that violating our standards of conscience brings sin into our lives.

The Conscience We Want. I Timothy 1:5 tells us we should want a pure conscience in harmony with God’s law. In Acts 24:16, in another of Paul’s defenses, the apostle says he has always worked to maintain a clear conscience toward all men. I Timothy 3, among the qualities of elders and deacons, Paul again speaks of a clear conscience, and Hebrews 8-9 describes a perfect conscience that can only be obtained through Christ’s sacrifice. He provides us a clean, pure, and guiltless conscience in Hebrews 9:15, 10:2, and 10:22.

Damaging Our Conscience. I Timothy 4:1-2 describes individuals who have seared their consciences. They have trained that inner voice to silence itself or adjust its standards. Our consciences can become calloused and insensitive to right and wrong. We may know our error, but we cease to care because of the calloused burns containing our consciences. Titus 1:15 writes of defiled, or contaminated, consciences. They are corrupt and unclean. In I Corinthians 8:7 and 10, Paul speaks of sensitive consciences that can lead to moral contaminations, sin through violations of moral convictions.

Conclusion

Hebrews 10:22 tells us we must cleanse our consciences, drawing near to the throne of God. Peter, in I Peter 3:20-21, describes baptism as an appeal of a good conscience toward God. These examples harken back to Exodus 24 when Moses sprinkles blood on the temple implements as well as the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant.” Hebrews 9:14 calls upon us to cleanse our consciences in the blood of Christ. Then, as stated in I Peter 3:15-17, we must continue to educate our consciences properly and exemplify that standard in our lives.

If my conscience is not blameless, fault does not lie with my Savior – with His sacrifice or with His blood. The fault is mine for violating what I know is moral and true. Jesus’ blood washes us clean, and our responsibility is to keep our conscience clean from that point forward.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: morality, obedience, sin

There are times when you and I feel powerless to do anything to affect the world around us. We may feel powerless against the price of gas, tragic world events, family tragedies. Despite things like these, we have power over self due to our power of choice. We can choose our companions, our occupation, our residences, our lifestyles, but, ultimately, we can choose our eternal home.

Fatalism denies this choice. Calvinism denies this choice. However, God’s word has much to say about choice, and we should respect the power our choices have.

The Power In Our Choices

God will not overrule our choices. He may disapprove of our choices. God may even try to warn us about our choices, but He will allow us to make the choices ourselves. Hebrews 6:9 speaks of promises to persuade us. Hebrews 3:15 warns us against choosing to harden our hearts. Ephesians 4:30 pleads for us not to grieve God through the choices we make, and Genesis 6:6 illustrates a time when God is grieved by man’s choices. There are consequences, but He does not overrule our free choice. Ezekiel 6:9-10 records God describing Himself as broken by their choices.

Psalm 78:40-41 describes God being limited by the choices of Israel. Their actions demanded reaction from God. Think about Jesus in Matthew 23:37 when he expresses how often he would have comforted Jerusalem and gathered her as children. Unfortunately, He could not due to their separating themselves from Him.

Satan cannot overrule our choices. Satan may make us think he leaves us no choice, but he cannot veto the choices we make. He cannot force Jesus to sin in Matthew 4 nor could he drive Job away Job’s choice whether or not to sin. In Acts 5, Satan uses physical threats against the apostles to dissuade them. In all of these circumstances, these individuals defy Satan. He can be resisted (James 4:7), for he is powerless against our power to choose. Ephesians 6:11 calls us to put on our godly armor to withstand Satan’s efforts.

Our Responsibility

God gives us the opportunities and the power to choose, but accountability comes with these choices. I choose my priorities. I choose how I use my time. I choose where I am during worship. Our freedom comes with the weight of accountability for how we use that freedom. Moses, in Deuteronomy 30:15, tells the children of Israel that they have a choice between life and death, between good and evil. Their choice is to follow God and prosper or fall away and face God’s justice. Our choice is the same. Day to day, we can either choose to follow or deny God. We choose eternal life or death in the decisions we make.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: morality, obedience

In the gospel of John, Jesus makes several “I am” statements, and, in John 6:1-13, we read of Jesus miraculously feeding several thousand individuals five barley loves and two fish. The people respond to this miracle by concluding that Jesus is the fulfillment of Deuteronomy of 18:18, and they want to make him a political ruler. Jesus withdraws, and verse 22 records the crowds still looking for Him, even following Him to Capernaum.

When they find Jesus, He tells them that He rebukes them and makes one of His famous “I am” statements. He calls Himself the bread of life in verse 35 – redirecting their thoughts from focusing on the physical to focusing on the spiritual. He tells them that they must believe in verses 35, 40, and 47. They have to be able to receive Him, reflecting John 1:12. Additionally, He calls on them to obey Him. Unfortunately, they are more interested in remaining uninvolved and having another meal than changing their lives.

Responding to the Challenge

As Jesus tells them these things in John 6, they ask Him what sign He will give them in verse 29. This after the miraculous events of the day before. Likewise, in Matthew 12, right after curing a man’s withered hand, after casting a demon from a man, the scribes and Pharisees ask for a sign. Matthew 16 records another miraculous feeding, but the spiritual leaders still ask for a sign from Heaven.

When He demands them to examine themselves, they try to redirect His attention. They ask if He can do what Moses did in John 6:31, and, Jesus responds that it was not Moses who fed their forefathers but God. The Jewish crowd argues among themselves over the merits of Jesus’ words, and the culmination is in John 6:60 when many of the disciples leave Jesus because His teachings are too hard. He asks too much.

Contrast these attitudes with the Samaritan woman of John 4. She asks, in verse 12, if Jesus is greater than Jacob who gave her people this well. Instead of offering her bread of life, Jesus tells her of a fountain of life. She asks more of this water. As Jesus continues to talk to her, the woman believes Him, and she acts on that belief. She tells others of Christ, and her actions lead to many others believing.

Our Interest in Christ

Jesus offered the Jews bread of life, and they reject Him. He offers the Samaritan woman water of life, and she believes, acting on that belief. Who am I in these stories? Am I so wrapped up in this world and so content in my ways that I remain uncommitted and uninvolved? On the other hand, am I like the Samaritan woman who leaves her bucket behind to tell others of Christ? She understood that spiritual needs are greater than physical, and I should have that same commitment. When we seek God, when we worship Him, when we talk about Him, what is our purpose?

Jesus provides spiritual nourishment and spiritual healing. He does not restore our bodies, but He does restore our souls. Like the woman at the well, we should be putting our faith into action. We should be putting away the distractions of this world. Our priorities should no longer be on the physical and the temporary, and we need to replace those priorities with the spiritual and the eternal.

What will others see in you and me? What will they see as our greatest need? We have the bread of life and the water of life available to us. These should become the focus of our lives, and we should be sharing the source of those blessings with others.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: our example, jesus, faith

The Vineyard Song

The first few verses of Isaiah 5 are referred to as the Vineyard Song. The song describes a vineyard planted on a fertile hill. It is tended to and cared for, but this vineyard produces thorns and wild grapes instead of the harvest that was expected. Jesus, in Mark 12, recalls this passage as a backdrop for a parable about workers who mistreat their masters messengers and murder the master’s son. Both Isaiah and Jesus deal with how God’s people respond to His care and protection.

Notice the care put into this vineyard. The planter picks a fruitful hill. He tends to it and tills it, picks the choicest of vines. He builds a tower, a hedge, and a wall to protect the vineyard. The landowner goes above and beyond to protect and nurture the vineyard, but this vineyard ends up producing worthless fruit. Through Isaiah, God asks the people what they would do with such a vineyard. He asks what more He could have done. He tells them that He will remove His protection from the vineyard, and He will allow it to go dry. Then He explains that His people are reflected in this vineyard.

Wild Grapes In Judah

God promises destruction upon His vineyard of Israel for the wild grapes of sin that fill their land.

• In verses 8-10, Isaiah describes how landowners and homeowners continue to expand based on their greed. He says the harder they work, the less they will bring in. This same attitude is addressed in the minor prophets when they describe people who horde money in a bag only to discover the bag has a hole in it.
  
  
• Verses 9-12 describe individuals who live only for pleasure. They party from morning to night – reflecting carnal and sensuous minds.
  
  
• Verses 18-19 speak of people who pile sin upon sin and have no shame. Verse 20 is similar to this in the promotion of evil, putting down those who are trying to do right.
  
  
• Finally, verse 21 describes people who are proud of their own knowledge, thinking highly of themselves and disregarding the council of God.
  
  
  

Our Application

Hebrews 6:7 speaks of a land that drinks rain from God and tilled by God. The Hebrew author is speaking of us, drawing a direct parallel with the vineyard of Isaiah 5. God gives us His blessings, His promises. He watches over us. I Corinthians 10:13 describes God’s protection for us from temptation. He has placed a hedge around His people. We are that good ground in which He plants the seed of His word. He has cultivated us, but what grapes do we produce?

Do we produce wild grapes like His people in Isaiah 5? Do we make the things of this world main priorities in our lives? Are we motivated by greed and covetousness. II Timothy 2:22 warns us to flee worldly lusts that war with our souls. We can become so carnally minded, we don’t realize we are surrendering our souls. I John 2:16-17 makes a distinction between the corruptible things of this world and the incorruptible things of God.

We must be careful that we are not bearing worthless fruit. Hebrews 6:6 speaks of the danger of falling away, how easy it is to pile sin upon sin and how difficult it can be to turn back to God. We are surrounded by influences that calls good evil and evil good. Being over-tolerant can lead to embracing sin, trying to be like the world. Like the people in Isaiah 5, we can begin to think too highly of ourselves, and Romans 1:22 describes individuals who become foolish in their own perception of wisdom.

Isaiah’s vineyard song is not a happy song, and Jesus delivers some unhappy news in Matthew 7:15-23. He tells of people who claim to honor God but are rejected by Him. They claim to do His will, but their fruits reveal their hearts, their motivations, and their true priorities. We can call ourselves the vineyard of the Lord. We can recognize the Son He sends to us, but we must honor Him and produce for Him lest we wither in His sight.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: parallels, sin, our example, morality

Job’s Faith His Redeemer Lives

In II Timothy 1:12, Paul expresses confidence in God and His promises, despite being imprisoned in Rome. In Hebrews 5, Jesus is portrayed as our priest in that He mediates for us and He atones for us. The term “redeemer” is used over twenty times in scripture, and all but one instance of the word refers to God or the Messiah. We have access to God through Jesus.

Job 19:25 provides inspiration for the song I Know That My Redeemer Lives, and, in the subsequent verses, Job expresses hope that He will see God one day. Remember what Job had gone through at this point, having lost his health, his possessions, the support of his family and friends. In all of this, he is confident, for he knows his own heart. He knows God’s justice, and he knows God provides access to Himself.

Mediator, Advocate, and Redeemer

In Job 9, Job is giving answer to one of his friends’ accusations, and verses 32-33 express Job’s frustrations that he cannot converse with God as with a fellow man, that there is no individual who will mediate between God and man. Job recognizes the need for one who can understand both mortal and divine perspectives.

I Timothy 2:5 describes the one mediator between God and man as Christ – both man and king. Jesus can understand a human perspective and act with divine authority. Hebrews 2:9-18 describes Jesus’ role in being made lower than angels, to be like us and undergo the same trials we suffer. Philippians 2:6-9 describes how Jesus emptied Himself, obedient to death, and is exalted by God. These scriptures and more give us hope in Christ’s role as our mediator.

Job 16 records Job answering a second friend, and, in verse 19, Job speaks of a witness in Heaven who testifies on his behalf. He asks for an advocate before the Father. I John 2:1-2 reminds us that, when we fall into sin, Jesus acts as our advocate. He is our divine representation before our Creator.

Returning to Job 19:25, Job expresses confidence in a Redeemer who is alive and will be alive at the end, whom Job will see with his own eyes. Titus 2:11-14 calls upon us to watch for Christ’s appearing, having given Himself up to redeem us. We have a Redeemer we can hope to see when He comes for us. I Peter 1:13-19 describes our Savior whom we wait for, who paid for us with an incorruptible price.

Conclusion

Job 33:23-24 records Elihu expressing hope in a messenger from God who will give ransom for man, and Isaiah 61:1 refers to God’s messenger who will free man from captivity. Jesus applies this passage to Himself. Luke 8:32-33 records Jesus that He has come to set His followers free from sin.

Job looks beyond the things of this life – his reputation, his possessions, his friends and family – for purpose. He holds to the idea of his redemption. Likewise, our lives may be far from perfect, but Christ has come to sanctify us and redeem us. We have hope in Him, and like Job, we can cling to that hope regardless of worldly circumstances around us. We know in Whom we believe.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: jesus, godly qualities, salvation

The Oscillations of Israel

In a way, the book of Hebrews tells the entire Bible story throughout its text. In Hebrews 3 and 4, the author records the trials God’s people put Him through, and it is amazing to us how quickly these individuals were willing to turn away from God. Stephen notes this in Acts 7:51-53 as he delivers his final testimony to the Jewish leaders, condemning them of murdering God’s messengers before they kill him in turn.

In contrast, Exodus 14:30-31 records Israel fearing and believing in the Lord after He delivers them from the Egyptian pursuers. Exodus 15, then, contains a song of praise from the people to God, calling Him their strength, promising to lift Him up on high. However, two chapters later introduces a theme that will begin reoccurring – the people lose faith when the difficulties of their journey seem to be too much. Then, in Exodus 19:5-8, the people reconfirm their faith in God, and they repeat this confirmation in chapter 24:3-8. Unfortunately, the people return to their erroneous ways in Exodus 32 when they call upon Moses to make them an idol.

God gives them His plan for the law, for the tabernacle, for the priesthood. He fills them with fear and awe, but it never takes them long to grow unimpressed. They lack abiding conviction. In Exodus 32:7, God says that the people have corrupted themselves. He wants sin removed from the camp. He does not want to be in their presence. Their actions drive a wedge between themselves and their God.

Separating Ourselves from God

Does our conduct make God desire to separate Himself from us? In Galatians 1:6, Paul states that he is astonished by Christians who have so quickly turned from the gospel of Christ. He calls them foolish in 3:1, wondering who has misled them so easily. In Exodus 32, Aaron dedicates their idol to Jehovah, and we are in danger of doing the same. We may consider ourselves dedicated to the Lord, but if we are acting contrary to His word, we are putting a wedge between ourselves and God. We can start out full of enthusiasm and devotion, but other pressures and priorities can begin to distract us, encouraging us to rely on self rather than God.

How do we avoid this? II Timothy 3:16-17 encourages us to turn to God’s word as our sole source of spiritual instruction. II Peter 1:2-3 tells us God’s word completely provides for us, and 3:16-18 calls us to continue growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, guarding against twisting and error. Our place is not to attempt improving on God’s word. God’s word stands the test of time, and attempting to alter calls His power and divinity into question. Ephesians 4:11-16 encourages us to use the provisions God has given us to build ourselves up in faith and love. We all have to do our part in making the body increase and grow stronger. Finally, we have to keep pressing forward. Hebrews 6:1 calls us to grow out of spiritual childhood and into maturity.

Conclusion

The children of Israel demonstrated a lack of conviction and maturity in their unwillingness to go forward. They wanted to go backwards into Egyptian bondage. Today, we have to maintain our faith. We have to grow spiritually, pressing forward to our goal lest we slip back into the slavery of sin. God has given us all we need to follow Him. Ours is but to submit to Him and follow His word.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: sin, scripturality, examples

Numbers 32 records the children of Israel beginning to occupy Canaan, but the tribes of Reuben and Gad have found contentment in the land east of the Jordan River. Moses, though, rebukes them for thinking about abandoning their brethren in t heir efforts to move forward. Likewise, a lack of participation in God’s work can discourage or hold back our brothers and sisters. We convince ourselves that we are incapable of adding anything significant to God’s mission. However, in this lesson, we’re going to take a look at a relatively insignificant Bible figure who has a large impact.

From Joshua to Judges

Joshua 13:1 records that Joshua has grown old, and God acknowledges this while noting that much work remains to be done. From here, we read of the positive impact Joshua has on Israel, but, in Judges 1:21 begins recording how the people begin to fall short of God’s expectations for their conquest of the land, and some of them are even driven back by verse 34. Judges 2:1-3 then records a warning from God that these people whom they have not driven out will be problematic for Israel in the coming generations, and this begins to happen in verses 12-13 of that same chapter.

During these times, God raises up judges, and one of these is is Shamgar who is mentioned in Judges 3:31. This is one of only two verses he’s mentioned in, and the other is Judges 5:6, when Deborah sings of his time in which it wasn’t even safe to travel. He is not a judge under easy circumstances.

Lessons from Shamgar

There are some lessons we can take from these brief verses about this judge. Shamgar uses those tools available to him, and he accomplishes much with insufficient equipment. An oxgoad is basically a sharpened stick with which to poke a beast of labor to keep it working. It is not a weapon. It is an imperfect tool for the job. With this in mind, look at Exodus 4 while God is telling Moses of his mission. In this, Moses is citing his imperfections and faults that make him unsuitable, and God responds by using Moses’ staff as a demonstration of His power. In God’s hands, imperfect tools and imperfect people become mare than what they believe they are.

He rises to the challenge before him rather than passing responsibility to someone else. He does not neglect his responsibility, and he demonstrates that great good can result from a single act. The very last part of Judges 3:31 states that he delivers, or saves, Israel in this act. Little is recorded about this man, but he saves Israel in one verse. He could have hidden from this responsibility because of feeling inadequate to the task, and it would have been up to someone else to keep Israel on the right path. He could have delegated this task to others he felt are more qualified, but he does not. He demonstrates that a single act of determination can have great results.

Our Application

God simply asks us to use what we have available to accomplish His will. We may consider ourselves or the tools available imperfect to the task. However, how often in the Bible do we see God’s will accomplished through imperfect people? David, Rahab, Peter, Paul – none of these are people who we might consider suitable to do God’s will. God uses us if we but decide to face the challenges individually. We are responsible for doing God’s will ourselves, and a single act on our parts can produce much good.

Matthew 25:34 is in the midst of Jesus speaking about the Judgment, and what does He cite as the works of His disciples? He speaks of the small acts of kindness they had performed toward their fellow man. Single acts accomplish great good. Ephesians 4:16 speaks of Christians being knit together, being united, in individually working toward building each other up. “With God, all things are possible.” The very nature of faith says I can do what I would be otherwise unable to do. We can use what we already have to do God’s will as Shamgar and so many other heroes of the Bible have done.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: purpose, examples

In John 3, Nicodemus seeks out Jesus in the evening and begins speaking with Him about the teachings of God. The discussion turns toward the idea of being born again, a process Jesus says people must go through to be part of God’s kingdom – a process Jesus describes as involving water and the spirit. This concept of being born again is prevalent in Christianity, and, in this same chapter, we find John baptizing in Selim where there is much water.

Our Spiritual Rebirth

Being born again necessitates action on our parts. Jesus says it must happen to see God’s kingdom. There is no way to get around this fact. Staying in John 3:7-8, Jesus makes it clear that this rebirth is not a physical reformation of one’s body. It is a spiritual process. Like the wind, this rebirth cannot be seen itself, but its effects on the individual are observable. We physically remain the same person, but our character changes – again requiring effort on our own parts.

This regeneration, in II Corinthians 5:17, results in a new creature. The old melts away for the new. Ephesians 4:23-24 describes a new man that follows after God, created in holiness and truth. We take on family characteristics that reflect our heavenly Father. Again, this is not in physical traits but the behaviors and attitudes in which I engage. My actions reflect the qualities of our God. I am given a fresh start as a child of God.

Romans 3:23 describes the problem of sin that separates us from God, and Romans 6:23 describes sinful behavior as deserving death. Our actions cannot be justified before God. However, in that same verse, we receive free salvation through Christ Jesus. He can bring us out of the death of sin into the life of forgiveness. Titus 3:3-5 contrasts our former selves with our new identities in Christ. This is more than turning one’s physical life around. It is a submission to the washing of regeneration – the rebirth of water and the spirit.

Being born again does come with many benefits and privileges, but certain obligations go with these blessings, with this reformation in God’s likeness. We are sons and daughters of our King, and this relationship impacts the way we conduct ourselves. How we act, how we treat others, the way we think – all of these are impacted by our rebirth.

Colossians 3:1-3 calls upon us to change our focus, and John 13:34 calls upon us to demonstrate love as people who follow Him. Changing how we think affects how we behave. Galatians 5:16-26 describes the struggle between our bodily desires and the Spirit, and Paul calls upon us to change our conduct and turn away from those immoral actions we might have participated in before. He describes behaviors that might have been in our past and lists qualities we should now be focusing on instead.

Conclusion

One born into a family develops certain characteristics of that family. When we are baptized, we are born of God, and, from that point forward, our lives should begin reflecting those qualities we see in God and exemplified in our Savior. We are no longer of this world. We are of God.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: baptism, behaviors, godly qualities, salvation

Verses 3-12 of I Peter 1 consist of four large sentences that build up to his thoughts that will continue through the rest of the chapter and into the next. He begins by blessing God for the hope of the resurrection and the gift of salvation. He claims this hope is a motivation for rejoicing even when times are tough, and he continues to focus on salvation as we enter verse 10, recalling the prophets who foretold of this hope – claiming they did so by the spirit of Christ. He concludes this introduction, reminding his audience that this hope has been revealed and is available to them.

The Grace Prepared for Us

These points leads him to his lesson in verse 13. Because we have this hope that God prepared, Peter calls us to prepare our minds. He uses the expression to gird up one’s loins as Paul does in Ephesians 6:14, calling us to gird ourselves with truth. Likewise, in Exodus 12:11, as the people prepare for the Passover deliverance, the people of Israel are commanded to gird their loins as if ready to depart. There is a sense of preparedness and alertness in this expression.

Being a Christian is not a spectator sport. We have to be alert and prepared at all times based on the gospel and the hope and that Christ continually brings to us. This grace is the free gift of Romans 6:23 – the hope for eternal life in God’s presence. Ephesians 2:8 emphasizes the role of grace in our salvation, and that knowledge should put us at the ready, preparing ourselves in the truth of God’s word. We are separated from God, but God’s grace should give us hope – not in ourselves, but upon Him.

This leads us to change how we are molded. We are no longer in the image of this world and the corruption thereof. Instead, we become children of obedience, modeling ourselves after God. I Corinthians 6:11 reminds us that we are washed, sanctified, and justified in Christ, separated from the lives we once led. Peter, in I Peter 1:15-16, calls us to pattern ourselves after the One who gave us hope. Every aspect of our lives should attempt to reflect our Father who purchased us with the ultimate price. I Corinthians 6:19-20 reinforces this idea that we are no longer our own because God purchased us, body and soul. Peter says our purchase is not by monetary means but with the blood of Christ, the spotless lamb.

The Blood of the Lamb

Exodus 13:11 begins stipulations regarding the firstborn offerings to commence after the entrance into Canaan. When it comes to unclean beasts of labor, they could be redeemed by the offering on a clean lamb. The clean stood in substitute for those animals that are unclean and useless in God’s eyes. Likewise, we make ourselves unclean when we sin. We separate ourselves from God, and we deserve death. However, God in His grace and mercy sent a clean lamb without spot or blemish to redeem all who would come to Him, fashioning themselves after holiness in all facets of their lives.

I cannot come to God on my terms. I cannot make myself worthy of His salvation. I cannot pay off my debt of sin in ay way. All I can do is place my hope and trust in the Christ that came as a sacrifice for my sins. His sacrifice is our reason for obedience and worship, but this life of servitude takes preparation. Our hope in Christ should drive us to gird ourselves in His truth and pattern ourselves after Him.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: grace and mercy, parallels, hope

A Boy Without Legs

On January 2, 2008, one of my favorite bloggers posted this short anecdote to his weblog:

On the final day of a trip to Disney World with my family last month, I saw something remarkable: a boy, 4 or 5 years old, with two artificial legs, running around Mickey’s Toontown Fair in the Magic Kingdom. Running. If he had been wearing pants instead of shorts, you’d have simply thought he had a bit of a limp.

He was born without legs, but yet there he was, galloping across the playground on a warm, sunny December morning, every bit as happy, excited, and carefree as every little kid in the world ought to be.

His legs — sleek, lightweight, and impressively dextrous — were inspiring and beautiful. And they were made using technology that simply did not exist when I was his age, one generation ago. Focus solely on current events and it’s all too easy to despair at the state of the world. But science and progress march ever forward, and the world is a better place today than it used to be.

Happy New Year.

This post caught my attention for several reasons – not the least being a shaking of perspectives about this world we live in. On many levels, this world is not “getting worse by the day.” I really think that sometimes we have grown very fixated on the negative aspects of this physical life to the detriment of our spiritual life. In a sense, a hopeless and pessimistic attitude can impair our spiritual walking in a way this child’s disability fails to impede him.

Breaking Free of Obstacles

We often go to Ephesians 5 to discuss our Christian walk, and in verse 2, Paul instructs us to walk in love. If we skip to verse 8, he encourages us to walk as in the light, and the apostle concludes in verse 15 that we should walk with wisdom. Love, light, and wisdom should guide our lives. In other words, we should be able to clearly see what matters, should be able to make good choices based on what we see, and compassion for others and for God motivates every step we take.

Unfortunately, there is so much around us to tear us away from this walk. So much in the world could potentially cripple our Christian journey if we allow it to consume our energy and attention, leaving us sitting along the side rather than progressing toward our goal. We can grow discouraged at crime rate statistics, at political figures, at business decisions, at stock market trends, at individuals or groups who somehow offend our own special interests. We argue these issues over the dinner table. We complain about them around the water cooler. We blog about them. We yell at the TV about them, and, in so doing, we are sitting down and giving up. We are forgetting how to walk. We are failing Christ. We are failing our brothers and sisters. We are failing those toward whom we should be examples – over what? Over things that are temporary and insignificant in the bigger picture.

Matthew 6:19-21 reminds us that the things of this world are temporary and warns us about letting them take hold in our hearts. Also, I John 2:15-17 warns us against loving the things of this world, which are transient and will pass away. Often, we apply these passages to outward temptations and covetousness, but we fail to apply these at a deeper level. When I argue with and berate you because my politics don’t agree with yours, am I not putting worldly cares first? When I mope and complain about credit card bills (which I am good at doing), am I not allowing money to rule my life. Is not a thing of this world consuming me. In these cases, I have stopped walking that Christian walk of light, wisdom, and love, and I have allowed myself to become a helpless cripple along the side of the road. Back in Matthew 6:31-34, Jesus concludes that we should not be overly concerned with the petty details of this life, relying on God for what really matters, and Paul, in Philippians 4:8 reminds us to concentrate mainly on those things that are virtuous and encouraging.

Additionally, I can permit my own sense of helplessness disable my journey. After all, I am apparently powerless against sin (Romans 3:23). I cannot earn my salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). I deserve death (Romans 6:23), and every sin I commit reinforces the torture Christ went through millennia ago (Hebrews 6:6). I may feel myself a hopeless case. I am expected to walk the narrow path. I am expected to walk in light, love, and wisdom. I am expected to walk hand-in-hand with my Lord, yet I find I have no legs to stand on.

James 4:10 tells us that we should humble ourselves before God, and He will lift us up. I Peter 5:6 reiterates this sentiment, encouraging us to cast all worries and doubts upon Him who cares for us. In every passage that recounts our helplessness before God, his grace and mercy is described as negating those obstacles between us and Him. The imagery of God’s hand is replete throughout the Old Testament, and the prophet Isaiah encourages God’s people that His hand is able to save them from their helpless state in Isaiah 59:1 if they would but take it. We may be unable to walk on our own. We may be unable to make the Christian journey on our own legs, but remember Jesus in Mark 2 when He was helping a paralyzed man. He asks the scribes around Him which is more difficult, to make him walk or to forgive his sins. With this man, Jesus does both, and today He gives us the ability to walk with Him because of the forgiveness He offers.

Conclusion: Running Toward the Goal

The child at Disney World was not content to walk, though. Even on his artificial legs, he wanted to run, and he ran so well, he could have fooled those around him had it not been for the shorts he was wearing. Likewise, I Corinthians 9:24 encourages us to run to obtain the crown. Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to run with endurance toward Christ, but to do so we have to be willing to deal with and/or lay aside anything that burdens us or weighs us down. This does not imply carelessness in our journey. I’m sure the child who ran with artificial legs had a certain learned carefulness about him that was so automatic and natural it permitted him to run without fear.

I personally like the story in John 20, when Mary Magdalene tells Peter and John of the empty tomb, and both race to see it for themselves. John makes it first, but Peter runs right past him and into the tomb itself. For all intents and purposes, these two should have been strangers to each other by now – the disciple possibly closest to Christ and the one who verbally denied and denounced Him. Still, they had set aside their differences, and now, regardless of any other cares or concerns, they ran toward Christ. We can do likewise. Though we have no legs of our own, through Christ we can run.

By Robert Smelser

Tags: attitude, endurance, priorities, my thoughts

One of the essential steps in establishing the first century church is the preaching we read about to people of various cultures and nationalities. When speaking in the home of Cornelius, Peter comes to the realization that God does not discriminate, and in Romans 2:2 states that God’s judgment is based on truth. In verses 6-11 of that same chapter, Paul makes it clear that our actions will be what is brought under judgment and any superficial conditions. In Ephesians 6:9 again reinforces this nondiscriminatory characteristic of God, and I Peter 1:15-17 asks us to emulate God’s qualities without deference to our gender, race, socioeconomic status or anything else that might differentiate us in the world’s eyes.

Equality in Diversity

In our culture, various groups receive special consideration in specific settings. People may obtain preferential treatment due to things they have no control over, but we are the same in God’s eyes. We all have the same rights and responsibilities in His eyes. We have the same promises, and we have the same consequences for disobedience. Especially in the book of Acts, God’s word is shared with people of many different backgrounds, and the message and the results remain the same – whether Romans, Africans, Greeks, Jews, males, females, old, young, masters, slaves, rich, poor, upstanding citizens, or criminals. God’s message should not be discriminately delivered. It is for everyone.

Once we have received the gospel, we have certain rights regardless of our backgrounds. II Peter 3:9 states that God gives all the opportunity to repent and turn to Him. Romans 10:11-12 says that all who call upon the name of the Lord, and Paul is an illustration of this very fact in Acts 22:16 – one who overtly persecuted Christians but repented to follow God. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:21, Jesus makes it clear that along with our rights, we have the responsibility to obey His word, and Hebrews 5:9 calls Jesus the author of salvation to the obedient. Finally, Galatians 3:27-29 tells us that we all are one in Christ with equal opportunity for salvation.

Our Application

We need to see the world the same way God sees the world. We are all the same in our obstacle of sin, but God’s love is open to all of us. In this, we can all be saved regardless of our backgrounds that make us different. As we interact with each other, our focus should be on the commonalities we have in God, and we should be helping each other to that goal we all have.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: salvation, equality

In our last lesson, we looked at some individuals whose lives took some unexpected turns, and one of those individuals was Joseph. God’s dealing with Joseph and the experiences he had could have an impact on the way we live our lives. Joseph’s life is filled with events and themes that seem to repeat themselves, and we can take lessons out of those themes and events.

The Trials of Joseph

In Genesis 37, we meet Joseph as one of twelve sons of Jacob. He serves his father faithfully and prospers as a result – he becomes a favorite of his father’s. He is bestowed distinction in his many-colored coat, but verses 3-4 reveal envy in his brother’s minds. These hateful feelings lead them to conspire against Joseph, planing to kill him. However, Reuben talks them out of murder, and the brothers sell him as a slave instead, and the brothers deceive Jacob into believing Joseph is dead after stripping Joseph's coat from him..

In chapter 39, Jospeh serves Potiphar, and, again, Jospeh finds favor with this master. He serves his master well. He becomes a favorite, and he is granted honor by Potiphar. Joseph is put in a position of overseer within the household. However, Potiphar’s wife is angered when Joseph rejects her constant advances. Again, his coat is stripped from him when he flees from her, but she accuses him of being the aggressor and turned Potiphar against him. As a result, Joseph is imprisoned.

In Genesis 40:15, Joseph sees that he is thrown into a pit again for no good reason. Twice now he has been betrayed by those close to him after being honored and given distinction. His own garments have twice been used to deceive others, and twice he has been cast out from his household into captivity.

However, events begin to turn in Genesis 41:37, and Pharaoh honors Joseph, giving him a third coat of honor. He is brought into Pharaoh’s inner circle, and Joseph ends up where he needs to be to save his family and be a part of God’s plan for the lineage of the Messiah.

Lessons from Joseph

Joseph recognized God’s providence in his life. When his family comes to him for help – not initially knowing who he is – he sees God’s hand in the events of his life. It’s not easy to see God’s plan when we are in the middle of it, but Joseph could not have worn his third coat had he not worn and had been stripped of the first two. There are personal tragedies that we may wonder at the reason while we are going through them, but God might be preparing us to be in a better position to help others or further His cause later.

Humility also played a role in Joseph’s life. What would any of us do if Pharaoh had bestowed such honor on ourselves? Would we have wanted revenge on any of the individuals who we felt had wronged us prior this? Would we have gloated over those who had set us up for failure? We do not read about any of this with Joseph. Instead, he simply serves Pharaoh as he should have, and he helps those traitorous brothers when he has the opportunity.

Finally, we can learn trust through Joseph’s relationship with God. Again, in Genesis 45:5-8 acknowledges God’s role in his life. He realizes that God has delivered him and preserved him through those trials that could have consumed him. Things may not have gone how Joseph would have wanted at the time, but, at the end of the journey, he could look at how God brought him to this point. Likewise, we may not understand God’s plan for our own lives, but we can maintain that relationship and lean on Him through whatever troubles we encounter.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: examples, providence, purpose, attitude, joseph

Life very seldom turns out exactly as we plan. Think back twenty or thirty years. Back then, if someone had asked you where you would be in as many years, what would you have answered? Where did you picture yourself living? How many kids would you have expected? What kind of house or car would you have imagined? What jobs or achievements did you plan for yourself? It’s probably safe to assume that those ambitions of our past contain significant differences from the reality of today.

Take the same audit spiritually. Some here had no interest in the gospel a few years ago. Others would never have considered being part of a congregation that did not exist at the time! Most of us would have never envisioned seeing a congregation split. The roads we take are unexpected, with many unseen turns and surprise destinations. We may have plans for where we want to go in life, but the real test is what we do when we reach those unexpected destinations.

In the late Douglas Adams’ book, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, the author writes, “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” I know that I never envisioned myself as an elementary school music teacher while I was growing up, but I’m more and more convinced that I’m exactly where I should be – whether I really wanted to go there or not. We may not have planned to be where we are right now, but we might be exactly where God needs us.

Unexpected Outcomes

Abraham travels all over the map shortly after we are introduced to him in Genesis 12. The resources he has access to indicate that Abraham (know then as Abram) is a relatively wealthy individual. He lives comfortably with his family in Ur, an important Sumerian city. However, God comes to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-4 and tells him to uproot himself and go to an unknown land called Canaan. Even though he is seventy-five, Abraham leaves with his wife and his nephew, embarking on a journey that would contain many unexpected destinations and events.

Hebrews 11:8-12 commends Abraham’s faith in his decision to follow God. I don’t know what Abraham’s plans for his own life were, but chances are they did not involve a long pilgrimage, his barren wife giving birth, and his subsequent son being asked for as a sacrifice (whom God would spare). However, because Abraham allowed himself to be led by God, look at the results. The nation of Israel is born and all nations would be blessed through the arrival of Jesus – a direct descendant of Abraham.

Joseph has some more concrete and immediate benefits resulting from his misadventures, though his patience still was tested. In Genesis 37:6-7, Joseph certainly dreams of great things, and he’s happy to share those dreams with his twelve brothers. However, would Joseph had actually wanted his position if he knew what he would have to go through to get there?

In Genesis 37:12-36, Joseph’s brothers turn on him, and they plot to kill him. Reuben intercedes, though, and he is merely sold off as a slave instead. He is packed up and taken to Egypt where he becomes a respected servant in the house of Potiphar by Genesis 39, but more unexpected twists come when Potiphar’s wife accuses Joseph of attempted rape, resulting in an imprisonment that lasts at least two years, perhaps more.

Finally, though, due to his accurate dream interpretations, Joseph ends up in Pharaoh's court where he is in a perfect situation to save his family when a famine ravages the land. I doubt at any point in his life, Joseph anticipated the terrible events he would endure or his employment with a Pharaoh of Egypt, but those unexpected roads put Joseph exactly where he needed to be.

Peter was a simple fisherman with a family to support when Jesus came into his life. How could he know that he would one day walk on water in Matthew 14:28-29? He stands up for Jesus. He denies Jesus, and ultimately remains faithful – even knowing that Jesus reveals to him the death Peter’s faithfulness would bring in John 21:19. Peter’s steadfast loyalty to Christ would have broad implications.

We see Peter delivering the first gospel message in Acts 2, and compels thousands to convert to Christianity by his words. Moreover, Peter is the first minister to the Gentiles in Acts 10 when he preaches in Cornelius’ house – a person he had every right to hate by secular standards. Tradition holds that Peter was eventually crucified, but, prior to his death, he had a large impact on the beginnings and the spread of Christ’s church, achieving things he had probably never imagined himself doing before he met Christ.

Paul persecuted Christians and strove to be an upstanding member of the Jewish community. He describes his past in Philippians 3:3-6 – an upright observer of Jewish law, a Pharisee, a blameless individual by his prior standards. Do you think he ever imagined leaving all that behind? Could he have ever pictured himself converting to the faith he had dedicated himself to destroying? I’m sure Paul imagined a future for himself on the Sanhedrin as a member rather than before the Sanhedrin as a criminal.

Yet most of the New Testament is written by Paul. After his conversion in Acts 9, he throws himself into his new life. In Philippians 3:7, he says that he was willing to put his great career as a Jew and Pharisee behind for the cause of Christ. Like Peter, Paul dies in the service of Christ, and he endures to the end. How different might our Bibles look today if Paul remained on the course he had plotted for himself? His life took some unexpected turns, and Christianity benefited from them.

Conclusion

We could probably cite many additional examples like Mary and Joseph, Noah, Moses, Matthew, Rahab, Jeremiah, Esther, and more. God’s word is filled with people whose lives took unexpected left turns. His plan is not accomplished when we go where we intend for ourselves to go, but when we end up where He needs us. We may not live in our dream homes or have our dream jobs. Our life may be completely different from how we might ideally picture, but we might be right where we need to be.

Instead of worrying about what “might-have-been,” we should be making the most out of where we are right now. Who can I be an encouragement to? Who can I help? What lives and events am I in a unique position to influence? How do I fit into God’s will with where I am in life? I may not be where I ever intended to be, but God might need me right here. It’s up to me and it’s up to you to be the best Christians we can with the lives we have.

By Robert Smelser

Tags: attitude, examples, purpose, my thoughts

Who is ultimately responsible for Jesus’ death? Often, this question contains political and personal agendas. Some blame the Jews, citing the mob’s call for His death and their claim to bear the responsibility. Others blame Pilate because He was the one to declare the sentence. Many of us say we ourselves are to blame because of the sins in our lives, but one we often omit is God. Ultimately, God sent Christ to Earth, and it was His plan for Jesus to die on the cross to fulfill His plan of salvation.

Sin Entering the World

The first couple of chapters in Genesis really lay a foundation for the relationship God and man should have. Simply, God provided for man’s well-being and personal freedom’s on the sole condition of obedience. God places a single boundary for His creation to avoid crossing, but Adam and Eve transgressed that boundary, bringing sin to the human experience. This creates a condition where mankind is separated from God, and God put in motion a plan to give hope to humanity, bringing them back to His presence.

From this point, the focus of God’s words begins to deal with the problem of sin and initializes a plan to eliminate the power sin has over our lives. In Genesis 3:1-8, that first sin is recorded as the serpent convinces Eve (and Adam through her) to transgress God’s command. In this, Satan shifted their attention from God’s goodness – away from the many blessings they already have – to them to desiring what they don’t have. He attacked God’s word, and brought God’s character into question. God knows the pain sin can bring us, but Satan is good at making it look appealing and inviting.

Defeating Sin

In Romans 5:12, Paul states that death enters the world through sin. Adam and Eve did, in fact, suffer physical death, but there is also spiritual death. In Isaiah 59:1-2, the people of Israel are told that their sins separate them from God and His grace. Spiritually, they are dead to God at this point, and the same can happen t o us and did happen to Adam and Eve. However, in Romans 5:10-20, Paul speaks of a free gift available through Christ that results in life, salvation from the death brought by sin. God’s plan in His grace defeats sin.

When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree, they fulfilled a desire to forsake the many blessings God had already provided them to have something that was not rightfully theirs. We do the same when we sin. We are blessed in so many ways, but we always desire more and better, even when we have no right to claim those things as our own. Unfortunately, once we are captured by sin, we cannot formulate our own escape. We are problem-solvers, but sin has no solution that man can provide.

Jesus was the solution. Only His sacrifice could provide an escape from sin, but, even during His life, He met with obstacles on His path. In Matthew 16:21-23, one of the many opportunities Jesus would have to escape is presented. Many times throughout his ministry, Jesus is given the choice to disengage, but nothing would alter this plan. God chose to send His Son to ensure the fulfillment on His plan, and no one could derail that plan.

In Ephesians 1:7-8, we are told we have forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus. Even Jesus, during the last supper, says His blood is shed for the remission of sins, and Acts 3:18 reinforces that these things are all part of God’s plan. He lovingly laid out His plan to provide us an avenue of reconciliation with Him, to remove the death brought by sin.

Conclusion

It’s hard to understand why exactly God chose to create a world and populations to fill it, but He did so, and He loves His creation. He wants us to spend eternity with Him after our life here is complete, and all He asks of us is to reject that sin which separates us from Him and subject ourselves to His word. Isaiah 53:10-12 reinforces that God put Jesus here to bear our iniquities, He lived sinless, but He carried sin and its consequences as He hung on that cross for us. He has taken care of dealing with the spiritual consequences of sin. Now all that remains is for us to accept the gift He has provided.

By Ben Lanius

Tags: sin, jesus, forgiveness

Last week, we looked at a few events out of the first five books of the Bible as case studies we can learn by. As Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:1-12, this history of God’s people is recorded to provide a lesson to Christians, and, in this lesson, we are going to take a few more examples from the Old Testament to make application from.

Some Things Never Change

The problem of sin is still present. In the first couple chapters of Genesis, we have the first temptation, the first misrepresentation of God’s word, and the first sin. By Genesis 4, we have insincere worship leading to murder. Then, in chapter 6, wickedness has grown so prevalent among mankind that God decides to wipe the slate clean. Today, as then, the problem of sin is still the same. Isaiah 59:1 warns us that sin separates man from God.

The need to respect God is still the same. In Genesis 8:13, Noah sees the land drying, but Noah waits for God’s permission to leave the ark. He waited for a “Thus says the Lord.” In Numbers 9, Moses sought God’s advice in regards to unclean individuals keeping the Passover while David, in II Samuel 7, took the prerogative to build a house for God without His direction. God denies Him this wish.

I Samuel 13:8 records Saul offering without authority, and I Samuel 15 continues telling about Saul acting outside the authority he was given, even while he cited the good things he planned to do with those spoils he kept against God’s word. God’s authority is as binding today as it was then.

God’s expectations have remained the same. In Genesis 2:16-17, God makes His wishes clearly known to His creation. According to Hebrews 11, Abel offered his sacrifice by faith, and Genesis 22 records Abraham taking Isaac to be sacrificed. Again, Hebrews 11 appeals to faith in this action. God’s expectation was and is faithful obedience. Acts 10:34-35 records Peter stating that all who hear and obey will be received by God.

God’s love is still the same. In Genesis 12, 26, and 28 a promise repeated that God would bring salvation to mankind, and, in Isaiah 55:6-9, God invites His people to call upon Him and He will forgive. That love was personified in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. II Peter 3:9 clearly states that God’s desire for His creation is for all of us to turn back to Him, and He patiently endures – waiting for us to respond to His love.

Conclusion

God is the same today as He was yesterday, and His word still applies to us every bit as much as it applied to Moses, to David, to Paul, and to the other early Christians. We need to look at the mistakes and the triumphs of those individuals recorded in the Bible and learn from them. We should be cautious about dismissing this recorded history, and, as God’s people, we should be taking these lessons to heart. Our God is just, merciful, and loving, and He will remains so from the beginning until the end. He has given us His living word that provides to all things we need for godly living, and He is waiting for us to come to Him in faithful obedience.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: godly qualities, sin, examples, obedience

There is a certain familial resemblance between parents and their children. In I John 5:18 speaks of those who are born of God, and he encourages to follow a pattern of life that emulates His character. I John 2:1 opens with an encouragement to avoid sin. A parent wishes his or her child to follow the pattern set, and children inherit and learn certain behaviors and characteristics from that parent.

Being Children of God

The concept of being children of God is an important one in the scriptures. Back in II Samuel 7:12-16, Solomon is referred to in the immediate context, but this relationship is also placed between Christ and God. Psalms 2:7 continues this theme in a song of resurrections, and the Hebrew author quotes this psalm in Hebrews 1:5 in explaining Jesus’ role in God’s larger plan. The Son comes to fulfill the Father’s will.

In Galatians 3:24-28 explains our opportunity to be baptized into that relationship which overrides any other identity we might have. Then, in Galatians 4:6-7 calls us heirs of God in Christ as His children. (See also Romans 8:12-15.) He is now our Father – with the closeness and the privileges that are inherent in that relationship.

John 14:7 records Jesus saying that seeing Him is akin to seeing the Father. Our expression might be “like father like son.” When we become Christians – children of God – those around us should see His qualities in us. We now represent our family and our Father. Galatians 5:24-25 tells us to put away worldly conduct and walk in the spirit.

As a parent, God expects us to follow His expectations. Holiness and love are good starting points in following that pattern. I Peter 1 references the book of Leviticus in verse 16, telling us that we should emulate God’s holiness. In verses 13-15, Peter instructs us to mold ourselves into an image of God’s character. I John 2:29 instructs us that living righteously is a sign of being born of God. Furthermore, I John 4:7-10 tells us of God’s love and how He sacrificed for us despite our rejection of Him. The love we demonstrate toward others should replicate this. He did not wait for us to meet His expectations before He demonstrated His love.

Conclusion

God cares for us as a parent, and any parent wants the child to return that love. God’s capacity for love is great, and He desires to share that love in nurturing us and providing for our spiritual needs. He has invested in us and purchased in in adoption. It is our responsibility, then, to do our best to live up to the expectations of that Father who gave up so much for us.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: behaviors, identity, our example, godly qualities

In Genesis 32:24, we have one of the more perplexing stories of the Old Testament in which Jacob wrestles with a messenger of the Lord. Jacob has been living in Haran for the last fifteen years after cheating Esau out of his birthright. He will soon encounter his brother, and he is not sure what to expect, and he undertakes preparations to die at his brother’s hand. In this context, this strange turn of events takes place.

In this, the messenger comes to a draw with Jacob until he dislocates Jabob’s hip. The messenger changes Jacob’s name and declares him the victor of the struggle. In scripture, whenever God and man confront one another, there is a lesson for us to take.

Three Lessons from Jacob’s Stuggle

A relationship with God is challenging. We don’t often think of our relationship with God as being challenging, but that is the way Jesus portrayed this relationship. For example, see Matthew 19:16 where a young ruler comes to Jesus, and Jesus issues him a challenge: give up material possessions. Luke 9:57-62 records Jesus issuing challenging statements toward individuals hesitant to follow Him. Planning a relationship with God takes forethought and preparation, and, to maintain this relationship, I have to change some things about myself.

“How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” - Romans 6:2-4

What is the point of this challenge? We are reminded that we need God rather than our feeling that God needs us.

A relationship with God brings true blessings. How do we try to get ahead in life? By lying, cutting corners, stepping on others? How can we hope for anything but enmity and jealousy as a result? This is how Jacob initially gained Esau’s birthright. He manipulated.

However, by humbling ourselves, by asking of God, we receive more permanent and wholesome blessings. James 1:5-6 encourages us to ask God what we need in faith, and God will provide. We often try to do things our own way, and we use God as a last resort, but James says this method is faulty. Also, Matthew 7:7-11 explains and illustrates this point to His audience.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.” - Matthew 7:7-8

A relationship with God changes us. This event in Genesis 32 fundamentally changes Jacob. His faith becomes his own. As an illustration, Jacob’s name meant (in Hebrew) “cheater” or “scoundrel,” However, God changes that name to Israel, “one who contends with God” or “prince of God.” This leads to God finally blessing Jacob in Genesis 35: 9-12. Likewise, we fundamentally change when we choose to follow God. Our nature changes, and we create a new pattern of life in Him.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:10

Conclusion

Our relationship with God is not dependent on others, nor is it a passive experience. This relationship takes effort, and we will have to undergo change to remain in that relationship, but true blessings come with it. Matthew 11:28-30 serves as an invitation to that relationship – it may be a relationship that takes effort, but it offers more than anything this world has to offer.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: examples, godly qualities, jacob

In studying the Old Testament, one cannot ignore the role of and the importance of the temple. From David’s desire to build a temple, to the temple of Solomon, to its destruction, to the efforts to rebuild that temple. In I Corinthians, the temple is referred to but it is used two different ways: our body as God’s temple and the church as God’s temple of the New Testament.

The Temple of Our Bodies

In I Corinthians 6, Paul reminds those reading of the backgrounds the shared. In verse 12, he appeals to a mindset that anything sanctioned by government must be okay. However, Paul says that just because something is legal does not necessitate that it is spiritually beneficial. In verse 19, Paul refers to our bodies as temples that were purchased by God. This fact should affect how we behave while we live in these bodies.

What does this mean for us. Our bodies belong to God when we choose to serve Him, and “you are not your own.” Romans 6:2 says that those who have died to sin can no longer live in it. The former self has been crucified, and a new self lives – free from sin but belonging to Christ. God gave us our life back, and in this we are joined to the Lord.

Furthermore, this passage claims that my body is a dwelling place of the Spirit. Galatians 2:20 also states that Christ dwells in me, and we’ve read of God’s presence within us. We are not what we see in the mirror. These bodies are temporary shells that contain a soul that God sees. People see who I am externally, but God sees who I am internally because that is where He is present.

Our behavior, influenced by this view as our body as a temple, goes beyond the general view of exercise and eating well. Anything we put into ourselves, the media we consume, the jokes we tell, the people we associate with – these things are spiritually ingested by us and influences our spirituality, and this should have an impact on the choices we make and the way we live.

The Temple of the Church

In I Corinthians 3:16-17, Paul is speaking to the congregation, and he calls them God’s temple. Like our own bodies, this attitude should color how we view coming to worship and the role of our congregation in our lives. The church as an entity should be regarded as sacred and holy, and we should strive to keep it pure just as God wanted His temple pure and free of unclean influences.

Just as God dwells within us, so does God dwell among us as a congregation. In I Corinthians 3:4-5, Paul discourages aligning a congregation with a particular individual, and he goes on to say that the church’s foundation is Christ. Our efforts will determine what kind of congregation will be built on that foundation. In the Old Testament, people brought materials and offered services in the building of the temple. What do I bring to the work of the church?

As we are trying to build our temple, we have one another to build upon. Our strengths can overcome our deficiencies so long as we put God first and we work together. Everybody doing what they can produces a congregation that is strong and united. Do I view the church as something that serves me, or do I ask how I can serve God through it?

Conclusion

The temple is holy and set apart. Do we want to be a temple of wood and hay or a temple of gold and silver – whether we are speaking of ourselves or the church? What do I want my spiritual temple to be? This goal should affect the way we participate in the congregation we belong to and the way we live our lives.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: godly qualities, church, identity, david