Mark 1:16-20

Mark 1:16-20  As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.  When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.  Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. 

When Jesus called his first disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He had scripted a life for them that was beyond their wildest imagination.  He made a life for them that left this earthly domain and all its attractions, a life in the kingdom of God that could only be entered by faith in Jesus' works.  They worked their entire lives for a kingdom unseen, a home unavailable to the flesh.  When Jesus walked by and called them, they were men of this earth.  After his call, they became members of a heavenly body, bound for a heavenly city, neither made by human hands.  When Jesus called, they were merely the sons of their biological fathers, but after his call they became sons of God, joint-heirs with the begotten Son.  How could they have ever imagined something so great?  The best plans and the highest goals they could have set down for their lives as young men would never have surpassed what Jesus had planned for them, what the Holy Spirit had in store.  While they would not reap riches or live as kings, they would learn to be disciples from the Son of God, and be known throughout the ages as those who left their nets and followed him, as those who gave up everything to become fishers of men with the Master Fisherman.  They did not ask for time to settle their affairs; they did not ask to go out for another good catch to fund the journey: they simply followed Jesus.  They heard the voice of God in Christ's simple call: Come, follow me.  The Spirit penetrated their hearts and minds, and they began the journey of a lifetime. 

So it is with us, no matter the dreams of our youth, no matter the pinnacles of success we thought we would climb, God always has a better plan for our lives: more meaningful, more successful, more enduring.  He planned our lives to be eternally profitable, for his spirit to guide, comfort us and lead us to our heavenly home.  A Christian's life is never unsuccessful in the hands of God.  When we take control, we are in dangerous territory.  Many scriptures tell us the foolishness of going our own way.  We do not have the mind of God.  As He spoke through the prophet Isaiah: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  (Isaiah 55:8-9)  The devil is the great deceiver, and he tries to tell us we can manage our lives better on our own, that we are free to pick and choose what part of the gospel we accept and the parts we reject.  We read in Proverbs 16:25: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.  We think of this as speaking of eternal death, but we also reap havoc, darkness, and death to our spiritual walk in this life when we reject God's leading and refuse his perfect will.  So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.  That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’  So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”  (Hebrews 3:7-11)  Just as the children of Israel failed to enter into God's rest in the Promised Land because of unbelief, we can fail to enter into his rest each day because we do not trust him.  We do not believe He is a perfect Father who loves his children with a perfect never-ending love.  We are not willing to put Jesus in charge as Lord of our lives. 

When Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee calling first Simon and Andrew and then James and John, He was looking for disciples who would answer his call.  They did answer and we know them as part of the twelve apostles who helped spread the "Good News" to the known world.  We also know them as men who gave everything for the cross of Christ, not merely their livelihood, their families, and their reputations, but eventually their lives.  They faced sorrow, doubt, and confusion at the cross because they did not understand why their Lord had left them and was now buried in a grave.  But when Christ arose from the dead and when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, these men and the early church became a mighty force for God, spreading the gospel message that Christ had won the victory over sin and death.  They did not turn back to their former lives; they did not renounce their calling; they continued to follow Jesus.  They knew who they were in Christ and who Christ was in them.  They had surrendered their plans long ago on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and they were now love servants of the Most High, joint-heirs with Christ their Lord and Savior.  They did not go forth in their own strength but in the authority of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  They had also entered into the rest of God--Jesus Christ!  After describing the failure of the Israelites to enter into God's provision, the writer of Hebrews goes on to say: There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.  (Hebrews 4:9-11)  Today, the Lord Jesus calls his children to follow him.  He asks us to cease from our own labors and to do the work of the Father.  He says, "Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."  Yet, He also says, we need not worry, strive, and carry these heavy burdens.  He wants us to enter into his rest, to enter into the rest prepared for the sons and daughters of the Lord.  Listen, little children, and you will hear his voice.  He calls you by your name.  

Mark 1:14-15

Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.  “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!” 

Luke 2:8-14 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  

The kingdom of God has been near from the time Mary and Joseph obeyed the decree of Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  As they traveled from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem the town of David because Joseph belonged to the house and the line of David, they knew Mary was soon to give birth; but they did not know that the Son of God would be born in a stable in the most meager of circumstances.  They did not know an angel of the Lord would cry out to shepherds in the fields, watching over their sheep, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Perhaps they would have made other plans, preparations for the coming of the Christ Child.  But God knew, and God had prepared for the birth of his Son.  God had prepared the simple cloths, the lowly manger where the child would rest his head, the animals that would view the scene, and the shepherds who would come to give him praise.  God sent angels to announce the "Good News."  A great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel who announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds.  We cannot really picture what that scene must have been like for those lowly sheep herders: suddenly the field becomes an arena for the heavenlies, and glorious praises to God penetrated the air surrounding them with words that stirred their hearts and minds.  They must have asked, "What does this mean: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests?  Yes, God is deserving of glory, and He is high and mighty in the heavens, but what did the angel mean about a savior being born in a manger, and how can there be peace on earth when we are a captive people, certainly without favor?"  No wonder after pondering these events, they said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  (Luke 2:15)  

Today, December 22, 2012, our world is busy, more busy even than usual because as we all know, Christmas is upon us.  Many are out buying those last minute gifts or large supplies of food for the sumptuous meals we will consume to honor the birth of Christ.  While some Christians complain about those who substitute the phrase Happy Holidays for Merry Christmas because it leaves Christ out of the celebration, we have wondered if it would not be better to have a winter holiday celebration and to give Jesus another day altogether where we really do celebrate him and his birth.  Just as He said when He began his ministry: “The time has come.  The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!”  That was his gift to all mankind; that is the gift we have to share with everyone we meet.  Yet all over the world people are looking for just the right item or the most unusual event to capture the attention or regard of someone with an outstanding Christmas gift.  Mom opened at advertisement that has appeared at the beginning of Facebook recently for last minute gift buying.  You order the gift online, the recipient receives a confirmation of the gift by email or text, and it comes after Christmas.  Oh the tempting and exciting offers:  Gift cards for Bubb Gump Shrimp Company, the Rainforest Cafe, itunes, or the ever-popular Starbucks.  Give a donation to your favorite charity.  Buy an adult apron or a duvet cover you can decorate yourself with a permanent pen.  If your old measuring spoons are too blasé, purchase a ceramic set.  Everyone needs a wine aerator to bring out the flavor and aroma of the wine.  How about a year's supply of classic tooth brushes, some happy knee socks for creative calves, or some bottled water in an award winning design bottle.  One of our favorites was organic toys for your pets made from natural cotton and dyes, and for you musicians there is a lovely punch set to make your own custom made guitar picks.  There were many more choices for the "perfect gift" for that special someone.  We have lost our way in a sea of stuff.  

When Jesus when to the temple as was his custom, when the scroll was handed to him, He read: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  (Luke 4:18)  The kingdom of God is near, and this is the year of the Lord's favor.  God sent his son to be born in a manger, to live as a man, to die a cruel death on a cross, and to rise again in glorious victory over sin and death that we might live forever with him as sons and daughters of the most high.  This is the "Good News" dear friends: this is Christmas.  The best gifts do not come in beautiful packages with perfect ribbons.  They sometimes come in stables in imperfect conditions.  This Christmas take time to share the Christmas story with your loved ones and friends.  Rejoice in Christ your Savior.  We give gifts to our grandchildren--all 19.  We make gifts for our children and their spouses.  We enjoy giving those gifts.  But Christmas must be more than that if we want joy, real joy, wonderful joy.  We must make room for Jesus.  We must dial back a bit and turn away from the craziness of our world.  The Holy Spirit is always with us and wants to lead us.  But He is a gentleman and will not force us to listen to his still small voice.  Think of someone to bless today.  The Lord may point out someone He wants you to bless financially, maybe with a small gift of $20 or a larger one.  Be listening.  God's sheep hear his voice.  Jesus is always in the room.  And He still says,  “The time has come.  The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!”  Merry Christmas dear ones.  

Mark 1:11-13

Mark 1:11-13  And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan.  He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. 

Luke 4:1-2  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

We see as Jesus came up from the water of baptism, God affirmed him as his beloved Son, yet at once the Spirit sent him out into a desolate and lonely place to be tempted in body, mind, and spirit.  In the desert the Devil meets Jesus, promising him the ultimate aspirations of rulers and kings: to control all the earthly elements, to have power and authority, to be protected from harm.  As He struggles with the temptations of the Devil, Jesus is also exposed to the compelling needs of the body: food, shelter, and drink.  As Jesus struggles with the Devil and fleshly needs, He adamantly asserts his allegiance to God's authority in his life by using the Word of God against the Devil's claims and assertions: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’” “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”  “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”  (Luke 4:4,8, & 10-11)  Jesus did not resist the devil with his own words but with the written Word of God as an example to all that He came in the name of his Father, God.  Jesus' baptism at Jordan meant that He was all in for his Father's purposes.  His biological needs and personal success or failure would not hinder him from fulfilling his Father's will.  He put his trust in the knowledge that God had a purpose for him to fulfill.  He knew He could trust in the steadfast love of the Lord.  He knew God was pleased with him and would lead him through every desert and every valley.  Jesus could not be tempted by the false promises of Satan because He recognized him as an adversary.  The Holy Spirit within Jesus guided him at all times and gave him power to resist the devil and to trust his Father.  

As with his forty days and forty nights in the desert, Jesus would live every day regardless of his personal needs or desires as an uncompromising Light in a dark and dismal world of sin.  He would contest the Devil at every front.  Often, He would be tempted by the people around him to avoid his journey to the cross. As the Devil tried to do, people would try to persuade him to seek the fame and comforts of the world.  Many clamored for him to be the king of Israel, to help throw off the yoke of Roman oppression.  For a time his apostles probably thought they were on the fast track to fame as long as they stuck to this Jesus, this strong leader who could work miracles and attract large crowds.  But Jesus kept talking about servanthood, not fame, fortune, or ruling power.  Finally, Judas the deceiver realized his "leader" was not going to be the "lord" of the secular world.  Hence, thirty pieces of silver was a good pay off to betray this ambitionless leader.  As Jesus journeyed through this world, He could have easily fulfilled Satan's desires for him: winning the affection of the masses and ruling over the kingdoms of the world.  He was in position for rulership, for He had healed the people, delivered them from demons, raised them from the dead, fed them when they hungered.  For many, Jesus was the answer to their problems, especially the sick, maimed, poor, and powerless.  Satan's message in the desert was a reality every day for Jesus, always present with him.  All he had to do was compromise a little by feeding fleshly desires.  But He did not come to compromise with the flesh, with evil.   He did not come for self-adgrandizment.  Instead, He came to release people from bondage, to set captives free.  He came to suffer and to die on the cross.  He came to make men and women righteous before the Father as new creatures in Christ their Savior.  He came to bring adopted brothers and sisters into the family of God.  As Jesus proclaimed when He read from Isaiah in the Temple: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  (Luke 4:18-19)  Praise the precious and lovely name of Jesus!

Have you ever experienced a desert, a place of unyielding temptation?  Have you ever in the midst of a maelstrom found yourself so weak that you needed angels to minister to you?  Such times test your will, your baptism of repentance, your commitment to the family, your "all-in" attitude.  God asks you to make up your mind for him by stepping out in faith: He says, Will you trust me and believe me regardless of the circumstances?  Will you say, "I will rest in God's will and not my own.  I know the path I have marked for myself is easier and more rewarding, but  I will follow him."  If you have not committed fully to your Lord, you are still dealing with a double-minded personality as a child of God.  A double-minded person may appear very religious outwardly, but  when the pressures come or when the Lord asks for a full surrender, the cracks in the foundation of the house of faith are evident.  We read in James 1:8 that a double-minded person is unstable in all he does.  Such instability leads to doubt, anxiety, fear, and unbelief.  Remember, Jesus was tempted every day of his life not to follow his Father's will.  Even at the last we see him asking the Father if the cup of the crucifixion could be removed, but He did not flinch or waver.  His desire to please his Father was cemented in the desert experience.  He would follow God regardless of the situation.  As Job said, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.  (Job 13:15)   Dear friends, are you determined to do God's will regardless?  If today, you have been led to the desert by God, make up your mind to serve him regardless, to hear his voice, and to follow his plan for your life.  If you do so, eternal life and a fountain of God's blessing will be yours throughout eternity.  When Jesus told his disciples He had to go away, He said He would send the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to abide with them and to teach them all things.  Then He said, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  (John 14:27)  Fear not dear ones: we are not alone.      

Mark 1:9-11

Mark 1:9-11  At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17  Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”  Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”  Then John consented.  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Jesus of Nazareth, the sinless, perfect One, came to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  His baptism, as with all baptisms, symbolized putting off the old, and putting on the new: dying to this world with its all consuming needs and self-interests and rising alive to a new world under the auspices of the perfect will of God.  The Spirit of God descended on Jesus that day when He was baptized in water, revealing God's approval of his Son and the presence of the Holy Spirit.  The scriptures note that from the day of his baptism, Jesus was totally committed to bringing the Kingdom of God to the people.  The Bible says: From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”  (Matthew 4:17)  Christ's daily concerns would no longer revolve around food, drink, and shelter; for his Father had now made him the heavenly manna and living water for others to eat and drink to find eternal life.  He clearly stated, "I am the bread of life.  Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.  But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”  (John 4:48-51)  He proclaimed one must enter the kingdom of God by believing in him, by eating and drinking of him, by putting their trust in his deeds, not their own.  After Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness where He would lay down all his physical wants and needs, the interests of the flesh, to face the torments of his enemy, Satan.  There in the wilderness, Jesus became hungry, thirsty and weak.  Yet through the power of the Holy Spirit and the written Word, He resisted the temptations of the devil and defeated his adversary.  He dismissed the physical and psychological needs that every human being experiences.  He dismissed these needs of the flesh for the will of the Father.  After this difficult experience in the wilderness, He followed God wherever the Spirit led him, doing the works of his Father.  Eventually, we hear him pray in emotional and physical agony on the Mount of Olives,  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  (Luke 22:42)  As we know, the Father's will was the cross: his destination, the place where Jesus would shed his precious blood for the sins of all mankind. 

To do the will of the Father, Jesus had to hear the Father's voice.  As Jesus often said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  (Luke 14:35)  This is also a cry to each of us today who is sitting at this breakfast table.  Do we have ears attuned to the voice of the Father?  The Spirit says to each of us, "Those who hear my voice are mine."  Are you hearing his voice?  We read of our inheritance in the Word: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  (John 1:12-13)  Has the baptism in the Spirit caused you to be a sensitive son or daughter, desirous to fulfill God's plan in your life?  We who are born again are made alive to a set of senses that extends beyond this world of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching.  We are alive to a better set of spiritual senses, that does not falter or grow weak with age: love, joy, peace, kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Our newborn lives should no longer be consumed merely by seeking food, drink, shelter, and other worldly amenities.  Rather, our new lives should have new ears, attuned to the words of our dear Father.  How easy it is to write these words; how difficult it is to live them.  How easy it is for us around this table to discuss what we should do or what our nature should reflect, but how difficult it is when we are struggling on the Mount of Olives in our weak flesh, sweating blood, asking God to remove the task.  That is when we need the Holy Spirit not only in us but in those who surround us, who are literally part of the body of Christ.  At those times, we need to hear from within and from without those words that come from God.  My friends, are we willing to commit to God and to each other?  When we see Jesus on the Mount, He is really alone.  Yes, He brought three of his disciples with him to hold him up in prayer.  They did not hear the still, small voice of the Spirit that night.  Jesus was left alone to face the terror of that night.  They fell asleep, still under the control of their five senses and their own self-interests.  We need each other, just as Jesus needed the disciples when they slept instead of praying with him.    

Yes, John baptized the sinless Jesus.  Jesus' baptism was the cleansing of the worldly dust off of his body and soul.  However, Jesus knew, as Paul knew, as the disciples knew, that when they went under the water, they would come out "all in," as a sign to the world there are no lukewarm Christians in the Kingdom of God.  In Revelation 3:16 we read, So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  Christ was all in, totally surrendered, after receiving John's baptism of repentance.  He was no longer a carpenter: He was a servant of the Most High, on the road to Golgotha.  We who are alive IN CHRIST are servants of the Most High too, for we are members of the body of Christ, where every part works in unison for the effective functioning of the whole body.  The body is alive to spread the Good News, to serve God and a world in need of his love and mercy.  As Jesus was baptized so are we baptized in water and in the Spirit because of his work at the cross.  As He lives so do we live as newborn creatures made in his image with his life in us and his inexpressible joy strengthening us.  We are sojourners on a holy mission, just passing through.  Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  (Matthew 8:20)  He was just passing through, with his eyes fixed on his Father's face and his ears tuned to the Father's voice.  Paul wrote to the church:  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  (Philippians 2:5-8)  Let the mind of Christ be in us.  As we pass through, whatever work the Lord has for us to do today, let us do it.  May our ears be attuned to the Spirit as the Spirit abides richly in our lives.  And we pray the Lord will allow our lives to give off an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.  (Philippians 4:18)  God is pleased with obedience and faithfulness.  He will say, "Well done my good and faithful servant."  

Mark 1:4-8

Mark 1:4-8  And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him.  Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.  John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John displayed all the accoutrements and actions of a holy man, a prophet of God.  He lived alone in the wilderness, ate only locusts and wild honey, wore clothing made of camel's hair, girded himself with a leather belt, displayed long and uncut hair.  He set himself apart from the activities and culture of the secular world.  His secluded and self-sacrificing lifestyle made him the perfect man to pave the way for the Son of God because he was a messenger of God who was not distracted by the world.  He epitomized the holiness revealed in the law of God; therefore, he alone would be allowed to baptize Jesus, the only begotten Son of God.  Viewing John's holy demeanor, we easily understand why God chose him to introduce his Son to the world.  Who better to prepare the way for the Lord; who better to call people to a baptism of repentance?  Yet, Jesus said this John God trusted so much to do his work is the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.  We who sit around this breakfast table have attained a higher level of righteousness and acceptance with God than John the prophet of God.  He who sacrificed so much for God is lesser than we are in the Kingdom of Heaven.  John is a man of the Law, but we who are IN CHRIST because of enduring faith in his works are found with more righteous clothing than John, for we are clothed in Christ's righteous, holy robes bought by his precious blood.  We died with him and we are raised IN HIM to life eternal.  We are hidden WITH CHRIST IN GOD; therefore, we are totally acceptable to God.  (Colossians 3:3)  We received the privilege of entering into intimate relationship with God as his beloved children.  We do not seek acceptance into his family: we are in his family because of Christ's work on the cross.  We are now known as citizens in the Kingdom of God, joint heirs with Christ.  As we read in God's Word: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,  having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.  (Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV)  

Now, how should we live, knowing we are in a position with God that is greater than John the Baptist's position?  We should live as children of God, displaying  his likeness and character to the world.  His likeness is evident to us in the attributes of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter who dwells within us as a helper and a guide.  Rather than reacting negatively to people, we should be positive in our daily duties and relationships.  Rather than appearing sad and depressed, we should possess joy in our spirits that comes from a close walk with our Lord.  Rather than possessing hesitant and fearful personalities, we should be confident and bold in our interactions with others.  Knowing our lives are eternal, we want our hearts and minds to be continually caught up in the heavenlies, thinking God's thoughts.  We are not of this natural world, bound to this earth and time.  But these truths are hard for believers to grasp fully, including us.  When we face uncertainties and the frailities of the flesh, we all struggle with our fleshly weaknesses.  We have to ask ourselves hard questions sometimes:  Am I happier than the people of the world, more optimistic than they are?  Am I less fearful than my unsaved friends?  Do I display criticism and judgment more than encouragement and healing salve?  Jesus has told us we are the light of the world, the salt of the earth.  Are we serving in that capacity or are we hiding our lights under bushels and going along with the fault-finding crowd that specializes in negativity?  People are looking for lighthouses in the middle of storms.  We are called to serve and to save.  Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  (Philippians 2:1-8)  

Every believer will find himself or herself struggling with faithlessness.  We read in God's Word: Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.  (Nehemiah 8:10)  The joy of the Lord strengthens us, not our wisdom, not our insight into the world's problems, not our ability to argue theology.  When we face circumstances beyond our control, we must latch on by faith to the joy of the Lord, and we will find the strength of the Lord that sustains us and sees us through to the end.  As little babies receives comfort and peace when they nurse from their mothers' breasts, so must we relax in God's arms and receive the peace and joy He provides for his children.  The Bible tells us that we are in a much better place than John, the most holy man that walked this earth, the one chosen to prepare the way for the Son of God.  We have a position more secure than John, a position in the grace and mercy of a loving Father who gave everything to secure our eternal salvation.  We must enter into that place of rest provided for us every day, for God has given us that place in his loving arms.  The writer of Hebrews tells us, There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.  (Hebrews 4:9)  He goes on to say that we must not fail to enter into that rest as the children of Israel failed to enter the Promised Land because of unbelief.  Today, God is calling his children.  He is calling each of us to a closer walk with him.  He says, I am here for you.  I want to comfort you and give you my peace.  I want to fill you to overflowing with my Holy Spirit so you might bless others in my name and share my joy with them.  Come to me and I will bless you, heal you, and send you forth in the name of my Son.  

Mark 1:1-4

Mark 1:1-4  The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” — “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”  And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 3:4-6  As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’”   

God gave John the Baptist the special privilege of preparing the way for Jesus Christ.  Yet after speaking to John's messengers concerning his identity, Jesus told the crowd, I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.  (Luke 7:28)  John prepared the people for Jesus by preaching a baptism of repentance.  He asked them to repent of their sins, to turn from their carnal ways of living.  He was directing them to acknowledge God as Lord of their lives and commanding them to give their heavenly Father supreme authority in their lives.  By giving God absolute authority in their lives, they were giving him their lives for his purposes.  As was true for John, their eternal purpose was to become ambassadors for the Lord, bringing salvation to the people.  They were to make straight paths for the Lord Jesus that He might reach people's lives with God's mercy.  They were to fill in the valleys and take down the mountains the best they could in people lives so that they might find Christ.  As with John, the people who were listening to him were to prepare the way for the Lord.  All of this fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah: Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.  (Isaiah 40:1-5 KJV)

The Holy Spirit revealed to John what remains true today: To be useful instruments in God's hands, we must turn from our self-centered lives and repent of our sins.  The first step to salvation is relinquishing our old ways of living.  By repenting we give God a freehand to fulfill his will.  If we fail to yield completely, we are merely adding God to our lifestyles, to our broken cisterns; and we will find a constant feeling of emptiness, the need for more.  We must choose to die to our old lives by letting Christ grow in us, by recognizing we have been born again into the family of God.  Jesus said, Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  (Matthew 10:39)  And if we lose our lives for the sake of Christ and the gospel, we will gain a new life rich in mercy, grace, and peace.  We will find a new purpose and a family that loves us and prays for us and supports us in the body of Christ.  But we will also learn that the Christian walk is to live Christ's life not our own.  Jesus desires us to be one with him as He and the Father are one.  We are IN HIM and He is IN US.  When we realize our lives are to reflect him, then we begin to pray, read the Word, and spend time with the Lord.  When we learn of Jesus, we find we are to reflect his image to the world, for we are joint-heirs with him and members of HIS BODY.  If we hold onto our lives, the road of life will remain crooked, not straight.  We will be as the double-minded man we mentioned in an earlier breakfast, never knowing exactly what we should do, never able to accomplish what we want to do for God.  How can we please God or be one with him if we try to direct our lives instead of seeking first the kingdom of God?  How can we call him LORD under those circumstances?  Only one authority can sit on the throne of our lives: Jesus.  John asked the people to prepare the way for the Lord.  Our purpose in life is to prepare the way for the Lord, first for ourselves and then for others.  We have a wonderful message.  Christ has come to save sinners!  After Jesus taught his disciples to pray the Lord's Prayer, He told them to trust God for everything.  He said they could not serve two masters.  They had to be all in!  That's the gospel message too.  Jesus said that the pagans run after things, but we should trust God.  He said, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  (Matthew 6:33) 

The flesh wants everything and it wants to be in the driver's seat to maintain control, but our flesh, our carnal selves, will never produce anything that is spiritual, for the flesh cannot discern the things of the Spirit.  Our carnal person will always want himself or herself in the winning circle with others cheering for us.  Flesh wants recognition and promotion.  As the Bible says: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.  And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.  (Galatians 6:7-9 NKJV)  The Holy Spirit asks us to be willing, dedicated, and patient servants.  The Spirit asks us to take the backseat in a room unless someone else tells us to go forward to a more prominent place.  We do not seek praise or an elevated position, but we are to contend for Christ to be elevated because we seek his praise.  We are to make the path smooth for the advancement of his kingdom.  We must all ask ourselves if we have the same humility as John who said that he must decrease that Jesus might increase.  Are we willing to make the paths straight, the mountains low, and the valleys high for Christ's purposes?  If we are, we will reap great eternal rewards.  We will discover our lives filled with the Spirit; our ears will become sensitive to his voice.  Integrity and honesty will remain integral parts of our lives as well as an abundant harvest of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  (Galatians 5:22-23)  We will add to our lives the blessing of the family of God with the affection and concern of many fathers, mothers, children, grandchildren, and so on.  And of course the greatest reward is to see Jesus lifted up and given all praise and glory, for we know He will draw all people to him.  Truly, we will see God’s salvation! 

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18  Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The Lord be with all of you.   I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters.  This is how I write.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2  Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Paul begins and ends his second letter to the Thessalonians emphasizing grace and peace with loving words for his Christians brethren.  His salutations often include the words grace and peace.  He wanted Christians to understand their position IN CHRIST by acknowledging the works of Jesus at the cross when He ushered in a new birth, a new reality for every person who would claim Jesus as Savior, making us sons and daughters of the Most High.  After saying, Grace and peace to you, to the Ephesians, Paul goes on to explain what he means by that: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  (Ephesians 1:3-8)  With the knowledge of such a glorious grace and the price Christ paid to lavish this grace upon his beloved children, God's peace should abide continually in our hearts.  But as is often true, we sometimes find ourselves caught up with the cares of life, lacking peace and living beneath our privileges as  inheritors of God's gifts.  The Bible says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  (Philippians 4:6-8)  This peace comes because we have found favor with God; by faith we follow his ways and think on him.  We are no longer his enemies; we no longer want to replace him with our self-directed lives.  Instead, we place him on the throne, serve him and not ourselves.  By acknowledging him as our Lord, we pass from death to life, from uncertainty to clarity, from chaos to peace.  His grace places us in heavenly places, at rest with God our Father.  

The peace that Paul speaks of in his letters to the churches is the peace within the soul of the believer because of God's grace--his freely given unmerited favor.  But in one Bible passage, we also hear Jesus say, Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  In this instance Jesus is telling his followers He must be first.  They cannot put anything or anyone ahead of him.  This will cause turmoil when they face friends and family members who do not accept the Lord and reject the good news.  In this society, the faith of the head of the family was the faith of the household.  There were no exceptions.  Christ's message separated son from father, brother from brother, sister from sister, daughter from mother, and so on.  Jesus went on to say, Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  (Matthew 10:34 & 37-39  The Word of God is a sword of separation to the world.  Those who believe will be at odds with the unbelieving.  The word of God may cause upheaval even in the most intimate relationships.  You are either onboard as a believer on a daily basis or you will find yourself at odds with God and aligning yourself with his enemies.  Where does this lead you?  There is no compromise in the salvation message.  By faith we are saved, and we live by faith.  Understanding grace and peace leads to a sure faith.  Paul told the Galatians: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  (Galatians 2:20)  Saving faith is believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and then serving him in everything we do by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  Under no other name can we be saved.  Neither our good names or our good works will gain us spiritual authority or right standing with the Father.  Only Jesus is completely acceptable to God.  Outside of the shed blood of Jesus and his victory over sin, we are hopeless.  Therefore, we must hide ourselves in him.  He is acceptable, the Lamb for sinners slain, not us.  Through faith in Christ, we find favor with God.

Paul tells the Thessalonians, Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The Lord be with all of you.  This is grace; this is mercy and love from our Father God.  The Lord himself gives us his peace all the time in every situation if we look to him and seek him.  If we are experiencing anything other than inner peace in our lives because of the vicissitudes of life, we need to seek the face of the Lord by standing on his promises, praying, and placing our trust in him.  We are free from sin and death; we are his beloved sons and daughters; we have eternal life; we have an eternal home waiting for us; we have the Spirit of God resident in us; we are not alone without a Comforter or Advocate; we are the apple of God's eye; we have been chosen by the blood of Jesus Christ; we are made in HIS IMAGE.  Today, God will edify our souls if we speak faith instead of unbelief.  Grace and peace will once again be our inheritance if we turn from the thoughts that bring us into darkness and away from the light of his countenance.  When we speak doubt and unbelief, fear takes hold of our minds and we forget who we are in Christ.  We will receive nothing from the Lord because we are not listening for his voice or seeking his will or reading his Word.  A double minded man is unstable, lacking the precious peace of the Lord.  The peace that passes all understanding comes from believing the Word, knowing Christ will never leave you, and stepping forward with him.  Faith pleases God; faith brings God to our ears and at our mouths.  Then as Paul says, the Lord will be with us.  Trust in Jesus who said: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  (John 10:27-28) Amen.  Love, Dad and Mom

2 Thessalonian 3:11-15

2 Thessalonian 3:11-15  We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.  Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.  And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.  If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him.  Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed.  Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

As Paul continues his instructions on dealing with idleness in the church body, he restates his belief that those who lose focus and do not carry their part of the workload will head into troubles.  If they are not busy, he claims, they will be busybodies.  We read in the last breakfast how he told Timothy the same thing about the young widows.  He thought they should remarry so they would not get into the habit of going about from house to house.  He feared they would not merely become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.  This situation was grievous to Paul because it gave the enemy opportunity for slander.  (see 1 Timothy 5:13-14)  With our modern communications systems, we have developed the ability to send messages quickly and often.  We text and post hundreds of thoughts and ideas, often without giving much thought to what we say before we push the send button.  How often are we passing on gossip or unbelief or a half-truth or a discouraging word.  We know of people who try to post only positive messages on Facebook, but they find it hard not to react to the negativity of so many posts.  We sometimes wonder how folks have so much time to spend on the Internet, and why they would choose to spend that time posting angry even malicious information.  Paul tells the church: And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.  That should be our full-time occupation for our Lord.  Some of us need new eyes to take a look at ourselves and to see where we are and what we are doing and just how we are using our time.  Are we producing bread for the hungry and new wine for the thirsty?  

Paul emphatically sealed his words: If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him.  Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed.  As any good parent, Paul, the spiritual father to the Thessalonians, says, you have people who are disobeying and straying from the truth.  Just as a parent would ignore an unruly child, having a temper tantrum, I want you to ignore the non-workers.  Give them a time out--time to think about their actions, time to reconsider and change their behavior, time to repent.  Lest they misunderstand his attitude and treat the wayward brethren too harshly, Paul adds instructions that make it clear he is not permanently excluding these idlers or casting them from the body.  He is discipling them.  He expects them to see the errors of their way and return to the fold.  So he softens his words with, Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.  Without this statement, Paul could have caused real damage in the church.  Those who were working hard could have looked down on the non-workers and rejected them as fallen believers rather than brothers in need of warning and prayer.  Those who had lost their way could have felt permanently shunned and without hope of returning to the church and to fellowship with their Lord.  This scripture has been used by churches to hurt many people and to cause severe pain in the lives of people who needed grace and love rather than stern judgment.  We must be very sure when we look to the weaknesses in someone else, remembering the words of Jesus: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."  (Matthew 7:1-5)

In our day, criticism has become an art form.  The media thrives on the attack mode.  We love controversy and revelations of people's indiscretions.  We heard on the TV yesterday that recently 85 percent of President Obama's ads and 99 percent of Romney's ads have been negative.  They have learned what works.  Also this week the press learned that one of the leading ads of the campaign was a lie, a cut and paste where words were left out to make the President say something he never said.  Now the President knew he had not said what the ad implied; but finally at this late date, a credible person  admitted the fraud.  How different the elections would be if the candidates would mention only what they believe in and their strengths to govern.  Maybe we are sometimes too involved in helping to promote the wrong work, the work of the enemy, the work of the world, instead of the work of the kingdom.  Sometimes we would do well to stick to a higher calling, a superior purpose.  God's Word is our compass, our guide.  In our daily reading through the Bible, we are in Jeremiah and Ephesians right now--quite a combination.  Paul exhorted the church: Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.  (Ephesians 5:1-5 & 8-10)  How do we fulfill these words?  We sit at the feet of Jesus: praying, meditating, reading his Word, reaching out to others in the spirit of Christian love and kindness.  We rejoice in our salvation and reflect the inner peace of one who LIVES IN THE LIGHT!   

 

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10  In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.  For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,  nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it.  On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.  We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.  For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

As a spiritual father to the new churches he started or pastored, Paul expressed his desire to set an example or to serve as a model of appropriate Christian behavior.  To the Thessalonians he is concerned about idleness as he has been in other of his writings.  In his first letter to the believers in Thessalonica, he told the church to warn those who are idle.  (1 Thessalonians 5:14)  In writing to Timothy, Paul also counseled the young widows to remarry because they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house.  And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.  He believed if they were busy having children and managing their homes, they would give the enemy no opportunity for slander.  (1 Timothy 5:13-14)  Paul did not trust people to handle down time.  He expected them to be busy doing the work of the Lord and to earn their keep, not expecting others to take care of their needs.  To set an example for the church, even though Paul was a preaching and teaching apostle who could have expected the church to support him, he worked with his own hands whenever possible to earn his way and so he would not be a burden.  We see a glimpse of Paul's commitment to serving as an example in this account: After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.  There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.  Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.  (Acts 18:1-4)

Paul does not merely suggest to these new believers that they avoid idleness, he commands that they avoid every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.  Earlier in the letter, he wrote, We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.  (2 Thessalonians 3:4)  Paul writes to a church he believes in and knows they will read his words with spiritual ears in tune with the Holy Spirit's leading, looking to God to lead them to do what He desires.  Paul backs up his statement about idleness with his own life by reminding them of how he lived when he was with them.  He knows they will remember his works and his attitude, his desire to labor and toil to pay his own way, even though he would have had the right to cease from laboring and expect the people to minister to his needs.  He says, he wanted to be a model for the church.  Having said this, he is in a strong position to bring up a subject that he has obviously discussed previously.  He reminds them of a "rule" he gave to them when he was with them: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”  Reading between the lines, we can surmise that the problem of idleness is not something new to this church.  Apparently, they have dealt with individuals for a while who want to let others do the work, while they partake of the fruit of the labors of the workers.  Paul is saying the church is not meant to function this way.  Yes, the church is a family, a community of believers where each supports the others and where burdens are shared; but no one who is able to function in the body gets a free ride.  Everyone provides as he or she is able.  When Paul describes the body, he says we cannot remain infants in the church.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  (Ephesians 4:15-16)  Every part is necessary, every part is important.  Working as a whole, we glorify God and the gospel message goes forth.

We attend a small church of around a hundred members located in a poor area of town.  Oftentimes people come, seeking financial aid.  Our pastors listen to their stories, and often provide temporary assistance and direct folks to appropriate agencies.  If the needy come at the beginning or during the service, we invite them to worship with us and speak with them afterwards.  Although these folks occasionally come back for a week or two, when the money is no longer available and when we suggest ways of obtaining answers to the problems such as finding a job or working on dysfunctional behaviors, we do not see these people again.  We live in a society where many people are saying, "Help me.  Help me."  But they often do not want anyone to say,  "Let's try to find a way out of your situation, a way you can change your life with God's help."  It is so much easier for us to blame our problems on everyone else.  It is easier to say, I am this way because of my parents or my ex-husband or my boss who fired me or my many health problems.  The church let me down and I don't know why God has allowed so many bad things to happen to me.  Jesus is the answer.  He said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  He also told the disciples He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who would teach us all things.  (John 14:6 & 26)  So whatever we lack, we can ask the Holy Spirit and through the power of the cross, we can rise up in victory.  Paul knew this when he instructed the church not to tolerate those who would take advantage of the goodwill of others.  He said encourage them by asking for their best work, by telling them you expect their best work just as each person is giving his or her best to the gospel mission of spreading the Good News.  This remains the mission of the church today.  We no longer share all our money and our food with each other, but we do share our faith.  We must bring out the best in each other, the best worship and praise, the best Bible study and prayer.  May we not lose heart but rise up with hearts full of praise and hands raised to the One who gave his all!    

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5  Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.  And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.  But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.  We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.  May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Paul requests prayer from the Thessalonian believers for his protection from wicked and evil men who wish to hinder the spreading of the Good News.  Obviously, Paul believed in the power of prayer to bring down the strongholds of Satan.  He also knew his battle was not merely against the principalities and powers that were visible, but against the unseen principalities and powers in the satanic domain.  These evil powers held a stranglehold on the Gentile world and culture that kept people in darkness, serving the evil one.  The Holy Spirit was using the prayers of the newly birthed Christians to elevate Jesus in their cities and their culture as the Savior of the world.  When Jesus spoke of the kernel of wheat falling into the ground and dying and bringing forth much seed, He said, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”  (John 12:32)  Jesus, the light of the world, was dispelling the darkness in the Gentile world.  As an instrument of God to the Gentiles, Paul needed the constant prayers of his converts to keep at bay the works of Satan, for he knew not everyone has faith, not all in their communities would receive the message of God with open hearts.  As Jesus urged his disciples to stay awake in the Garden before his arrest, Paul urged his new converts not to become lethargic but to pray earnestly for the work of God to be done not only in their city but throughout the Gentile world as the message of God's salvation plan spread to all people.     

Prayer is act of faith, transmitting our thoughts and desires to God as we trust him.  Prayer is also listening to the voice of God and believing in his perfect will for us.  Prayer represents communication with the heart of God.  If we lack faith in God, our prayer life will be stilted and dry, a ritual, lacking depth and reality.  We will have only a one-way communication.  Our lips will move, but God's lips will be still.  We will hear our voice and not his still quiet voice.  In today's verses, Paul reminds the Thessalonians of a precious truth that as human we may sometimes forget.  We might waver, But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.  He accomplishes these wonderful deeds in our lives because God is a loving and attentive Father not a silent, distant, or disconnected Father as some of our natural fathers have been.  He knows us better than we know ourselves.  He speaks to our inner souls.  He tells us He is near to us and will never leave us.  God reveals his love by the way He speaks to us.  When we listen to the Holy Spirit, we hear words of love, kindness and comfort.  We read in the Old and the New Testaments that God is near to us through his presence and the Word written in our hearts.  I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. . .Then I said, “Here I am, I have come — it is written about me in the scroll.  I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”  (Psalm 40:1-3 & 7-8)  The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.  (Romans 10:8) The message of Christianity is that we are not alone here in this universe.  We are not self-created beings; neither did we evolve from inanimate material.  No, we were created in his image with the possibility to hold God's Spirit in our innermost being.  We have a transmitting system already hooked up into our brains.  All that we need to hear him is an open heart and a born-again spirit. When we say, "Come Lord Jesus, come," He is already there.

Paul asked for prayer many times in his letters.  Why pray if everything seems static.  Why pray if God's hands are not moved with compassion.  Paul believed in change: he knew God had delivered him many times and had transformed countless people's lives.  He wrote to the church at Colosse: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  (Colossians 3:12-14)  Prayer is an act of faith, putting to practice what we know, saying, "Father, Father, hear my request; answer my needs; give me your peace; lift up my head."  When we pray, we clear the lines of communication: we clear the plaque that is stopping the flow of the knowledge of God, his intentions.  We allow God to release the perfect flow between him and us.  We allow the oxygenated blood from his throne room to fill our deprived, anemic existence.  We start to realize HE IS REAL, TRULY LOVES US, and WE ARE HIS CHILDREN.  We start to please the Father because only faith pleases the Father, and prayer is the purest form of faith.  IF WE TRULY BELIEVE HE IS LORD, WE WILL BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH HIM CONSTANTLY.  There will be no down time, for we will drink the living water and feast on the bread of life, knowing without him we will not survive.  He is our portion, our life, our peace, our eternity--EVERYTHING.  Jesus prayed because He knew the Father heard him and He desired strength from him.  He also prayed because He came not to do his own will but the Father's will.  This is our example.  Paul tells the church to pray without ceasing: Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)  Paul says these words because if we are joyful and thankful and praying continually we will be in constant touch with the Creator, our loving Father.  We will be children of light and love, sharing the living water and the bread of life with thirsty and hungry people.  Pray today and hear his voice!  

 

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17  But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.  He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.  May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 

Paul tells the Thessalonians, we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.  Today, as with these new believers, we who are loved by the Lord represent the Holy Spirit calling us out of darkness into the light, using the voice of God through the Word, either written or by word of mouth.  The Holy Spirit's work in us sanctifies us continuously, perfecting us, and presenting us before the Father through Christ perfect sacrifice for our sinful lives.  We now stand completely holy because of Christ's finished work at the cross for us.  Paul wrote to the church at Colosse of the mystery of Christ, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.  (Colossians 1:27-28)  Paul knew Christ was our righteousness.  Jesus Christ alone is the door to eternal life; He alone pleases the Father; He alone makes all things new.  Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”  Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.'"  (John 3:3-7)  Jesus tells Nicodemus that whoever believes in him as the Christ will have eternal life.  This message was the truth Paul received from Christ himself on the way to Damascus, and it is the only message he preached to the world, for he was not ashamed of the power of God resident in the message that turned his life around.  He knew the truth that Jesus saves would transform lives from sinners to saints.  I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  (Romans 1:16)  

This message Paul preached often seems too simple for our complex world.  Man's basic sin nature, his self-will and need to excel and to conquer drive him to strive for more or everything with little thought or consideration for God's unmerited grace, given freely to all who would receive.  Man desires an important place in the salvation equation, a key role to play.  When human beings formulate religions, we see their religious fervor adding to God's plan: grace plus works; Christ plus self-made righteousness; salvation plus showy self-sacrifice.  If a person is not religious, he or she designs an attractive afterlife of eternal bliss.  Operating in the flesh without the pure truth of the Bible, each person will devise his or her own salvation plan made IN MAN'S OWN IMAGE.  Of course, with sinful humans in charge, providence will always bestow a glowing eternity--that great condo in the sky.  The person who creates his or her own reality always comes out all right for that is what he or she desires providence to create--perfection.  In reality, mankind creates a palatable god, a god people can easily understand and accept, and a god that does not demand anything in return that is not in the manmade plan.  The aspect of Christ doing the righteous work of redemption alone is mostly an anathema to the world.  The blood of Jesus as a cleansing agent and an acceptable propitiation for our sins does not square well with man's self-centeredness.  We do not want to admit we are sinners.  But if we are, we want to know how one man's sacrifice can cleanse all of us from sin: how could God be satisfied with just one man's sacrifice?  The answer is clear: If this "ONE MAN" is the Son of God, HE ALONE PLEASES THE FATHER.  Through him alone all things were created.  He is the light AND LIFE of all things.  When God allowed him to go to the cross, He literally allowed life as we know it go to the cross.  When death was written over life, the means of creation went to the grave.  But as the old died, a new life came forth when the Holy Spirit came and Christ rose from the dead.  The truth of Jesus' words rang around the world and reverberated to heaven's gates as, You must be born again emanated from the resurrection.  He paid the price for the old with his life, and He birthed the new through his resurrection.  Praise God, HE LIVES, WE LIVE! 

Because we live in Christ, we follow him, we serve him.  Paul speaks of God's work beyond the resurrection as the sanctifying work of the Spirit.  After the new birth, the Spirit of God takes this nascent life that is found in our carnal bodies and makes us continually clean by the Lamb's flowing blood.  Just as in a normally functioning body, the blood brings life--the body that was once dead, now finds life.  The blood of the Lamb cleanses our temple, and we who believe in Christ's work on the cross are forever cleansed vicariously by Christ's blood.  Jesus said, IT IS FINISHED.  Yes, the saving and cleansing work of Christ's sacrifice at the cross is finished.  New birth and holiness were made possible through Jesus' death and resurrection.  However, the work goes on in every believer through the mighty work of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus told his newborn followers to tarry in Jerusalem until the fulness of the Holy Spirit was revealed on this earth.  He said, For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 1:5)  All of God's children should tarry in his presence for the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to empower us with the love and mercy of God.  The Spirit changes us daily into God's glorious image, making us instruments of his divine power.  On the day of Pentecost, Peter said: Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.  These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!  No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.  (Acts 2:14-18)  Jesus told his disciples He had to go away so He could send the Holy Spirit to each believer to be our personal Comforter.  Dearly loved brothers and sisters, the Spirit will give you boldness, a power to live daily in God's image, to reflect his glory.  As Paul said, May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.