Good and Angry

Anger is like a river. A river controlled can generate enough electricity to power an entire city. But if allowed to overflow its banks, it can become a raging flood that destroys everything in its path. As surely as a river can be controlled, so can your temper. You can control your temper if you really want to, you just have to want too. Pastor James Merritt

Think of the last time you got angry. How did you respond to those around you? Did you say things you shouldn’t have or hurt your witness to another person? Sometimes we can really destroy our witness when we get angry. Is all anger sin? Is it possible to control my anger and express it? In the “church” (remember that the “church” is us not the building!) today we lose a lot of our credibility with those in our community, the unchurched and the unsaved because of our witness to them when we get angry.
A lady once came to Billy Sunday and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. “There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper,” She said, “I blow up, and then it’s all over.” So does a shotgun,” Sunday replied, “and look at the damage it leaves behind!”

Getting angry can sometimes be like leaping into a wonderfully responsive sports car, gunning the motor, taking off at high speed and then discovering the brakes are out of order. We need to learn to control our anger.

James, the brother of Jesus, writes, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:19-20)

Anger defined - a God given emotional response usually tied to a goal, value or expectation. It usually ignites when we feel invalidated or rejected. It can
be expressed by exploding anger and imploding. A God given emotion.

One pastor says this about anger:  “Anger is a divinely implanted emotion. Closely allied to our instinct for right, it is designed to be used for constructive spiritual purposes. The person who cannot feel anger at evil is a person who lacks enthusiasm for good. If you cannot hate wrong, it is very questionable whether you really love righteousness. To not express anger is to not be human."

The answer isn’t to repress it, but to express it assertively. Even God gets angry. When Christ was in the temple turning over tables, He didn’t do it with a smile on His face. When He called the Pharisees a bunch of white washed tombs and a pit of vipers--
He wasn’t just trying to be politically correct. He was mad. It says though that God is slow to anger (“But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry”. Psalm 86:15). God’s anger lasts a moment, while his favor lasts a lifetime. King Solomon said “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.” (Proverbs 29:11)

Expressing Anger in a Godly Life

1. Admit we have a problem. “… if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9). We

can’t receive what God wants to give us until we accept the fact that our holding on to some things God wants us to give up. Our problem is that we come to a point in our Christian life where we become comfortable and we stop surrendering all things to
Christ. Surrender means that we have given God permission to change, mold or to rid our life of anything that hinders us from becoming all that He wants us to be. We need to surrender our anger to God and allow Him to change us.

We have so many baby Christians in the church today because we came to a point of comfort and stopped allowing God to work in our lives. We are not totally surrendered to Him. “Of the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back -- in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.” Frederick Buechner.

2. Ask God to set a guard over our tongues. ” And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” (James 3:6) In our scripture it says that we should be "slow to speak", that means that we should be careful and thoughtful about what we say, especially when we are angry. Realize that the devil wants us to explode and lose our credibility. He wants us to lose our witness with the lost and Believers around us. We should mourn over the fact that we may have already lost our credibility with some people.

3. Anticipate problem areas. Consider how we can best prepare. What situations can we avoid? What people or situations do we struggle to control our temper in.

4. Commit any situation where we are beginning to feel anger to God. Paul writes to the church at Ephesus  “don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry..”  (Ephesians 4:26) Give God control.

5. Learn from past mistakes. Treasure hunt those bad experiences. Seek to learn what good things we can learn from the negative and then let it go. God wants us to learn from past mistakes. 

6. Learn to attack problems not people. We can deal assertively with others without disregard to others feelings. Christ got angry, but did so in a way that ultimately expressed value in others. Name calling doesn’t belong in a Believer’s household. Calling another person “stupid” or treating another person with disrespect shouldn’t even be a part of our lives.

There is a Chinese proverb that says “The fastest horse cannot catch a word spoken in anger.” Just like if we shook up a can of soda and then opened it. It would spray everywhere. It would be almost impossible to put the soda back in the can after it has sprayed all over the furniture and on my face. It’s also impossible to take back those angry words once they come out of our mouths. 

7. Practice the presence of Christ. Be aware that God is present and hears every word. Christ is not only present with us when we are in church building. He is present in our household and with us at work. He hears our every idle word and knows our every thought. If we realize this, we may choose our words differently and work to let the Holy Spirit control our thoughts.


What we need to do is to surrender our temper to God. Don’t believe the lie that we can’t change. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13) It’s a lie the devil would like us to believe that we can’t change and there’s no point in trying. Yes, we can change. God can change us from the inside out. We just have to give Him permission and surrender it to Him.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)

GOD’S SECRET SERVICE

As a child of God, we are being watched, and we are being guarded and protected, much more than we probably realize.

Have you ever noticed how much the candidates for president are being watched? It’s not always obvious when you see them on TV, but every where they go, they are guarded and protected by heavily armed men in suits and trench coats. Who are these armed men? They are the United States Secret Service, and their goal is to protect people who hold high offices in our country. Everywhere they  go, the Secret Service is there, watching them, guarding them, and protecting them. 

Would you like to be followed around like that – no privacy? As a Christian, you already are. We are being closely watched and guarded and protected, but not by heavily armed men in suits – that’s not good enough, in God’s eyes. We are being guarded and protected by something bigger and better – angels. They follow us everywhere we go. They watch us and protect us – there are probably some of them right here in this room right now, and we are not aware of it.

Do you know about these angels? Most people really don’t get the concept of angels. Lots of people believe that when we die, we go to heaven, we grow wings, and we’re given a harp, and then we become an angel. That’s not how it works. When we die, we’re not going to become an angel. People don’t turn into angels. In heaven, we’re going to continue to exist as a human being, but in a different way. Angels are a completely separate classification of living beings, according to the Bible, and we’ll see thousands of them in heaven.

So - do you believe in the existence of angels? We should because the Bible says that there ARE angels.  Did you know that angels are mentioned either directly or indirectly nearly 300 times in the Old and New Testaments? 

Angels appeared or spoke to Abraham many times in Genesis.  As Abraham was on the mountain about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, an Angel spoke to him twice: ¹¹ At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” …..  “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God.” (Genesis 22:11-12) And then still on the mountain, “Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven.  “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you.” (Genesis 22:15-17)

 And we all should remember that an Angel appeared to Joseph and Mary – after Joseph found out Mary was pregnant, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph….” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.” (Matthew 1:20) And in Matthew 2:13 an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said.”  And to Mary: “Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28) And Gabriel goes on to tell her about being chosen to be mother of Jesus in Luke 1:29-38)

And after Jesus prayed so hard on the Mount of Olives in the garden of Gethsemane “… an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.” (Luke 22:43) And on Easter Sunday “an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.”  (Matthew 28:2)

These are only a very few places Angels appear or are mentioned in the Bible.

There is a high probability that millions of angels are at God’s command and at our service. The hosts of Heaven stand at attention ready to do God’s will at any moment of any hour of any day. 

His angels are on call at all times. They don’t take vacation days. They don’t take sick days. They don’t take off for holidays. They never age and they are always ready and available to carry out God’s plans! 

These angels of God are here to help us and they are prepared for any emergency, and Satan has no firepower that can match the heavy artillery of God!

The Bible teaches us that God created angels. At one time no angels existed; there was nothing but the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:16  that “God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we can see Angels are indeed among the invisible things made by God, for “all things were created by Him, and for Him.”

The Bible tells us that angels have the ability to change their appearance and to travel instantly back and forth between the glory of Heaven above and the earth below. 

Hebrews 1:14 says “angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.” They do not possess physical bodies, although they may take on the form of physical bodies when God appoints them to special tasks. God has given them no ability to reproduce, and they neither marry nor are given in marriage. (see Mark 12:25)

And we don’t need to picture them as cute and harmless little creatures. Sometimes we see little angel dolls – they look like red-cheeked toddlers with wings and diapers – cupid or tinkerbell – lovable, cuddly creatures. The Bible pictures angels as quite the opposite. In our Old Testament, one of the angels named Michael is described – a chief prince among the angels, a powerful and intimidating warrior. In Revelation, the Apostle John was so overwhelmed by the angel that had been talking to him that he fell down to worship him. But notice what the angel said to John, in Revelation 22:9: “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”  Do you see how the angel describes himself? As a “servant.” Angels are powerful beings created by God, to serve God with us!

And angels serve God in different ways. Sometimes they are messengers – they conveyed the message that Jesus had risen. Sometimes they are protectors, God’s secret service for Christians. We see an example of that in Acts 12. King Herod was persecuting the Christians. He executed the Apostle James, and he was planning to execute the Apostle Peter too, but not for awhile. Peter was put into a high security prison, and notice what the Christians were doing in verse 5: “… while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.” God answered those prayers by sending an angel. The night before Peter’s trial, an angel appeared in Peter’s jail cell. He woke Peter up, caused Peter’s chains to fall off his wrists, and led Peter out of the jail. The whole thing seemed like a dream to Peter, as he walked with the angel right past the guards and out the front door. Verse 11 is a key verse: “ Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me…….” Later, an angel struck down King Herod while he was giving a speech. That’s God’s secret service. Angels are sent to protect God’s people.

This teaches us how God works. When we pray for something, when we are in trouble, when we need something, God often responds by sending angels. They are powerful beings whose purpose is to whatever God asks, and often that means helping us. Our best friends are not who we socialize with. Our best friends are actually angels. We’ve never met any of them before, but they are with us everywhere we go. They especially watch over us during our childhood. They stand guard over us every night at the foot of our bed. If it weren’t for God’s secret service watching over us, the Devil and his evil demons would cause so many bad things to happen to us that would make our life unlivable!

Our problem, as sinful human beings, is that we underestimate God this way. We underestimate God when we’re in trouble, and we pray. We underestimate how closely God is watching over our lives, and how much he cares about us and wants to help us. We forget that God has millions of angels at his disposal, to send to our aid the moment we come to him in prayer. We underestimate God. We think that we’re on our own down here. “I’m by myself. It’s up to me to figure things out. It’s up to me to be strong. I’m down here on this planet, and I’m on my own.”

But God reminds us today, through his Word, that we’re not on our own down here. There are such creatures as angels, and God sends them into our life for all kinds of reasons, to do all kinds of things for us. As the angel reminded the Apostle John, they are our “fellow servants.” And if you ever wonder to yourself, “Why would God do this all for me? I am just an ordinary human being, an ordinary sinner. Why would God go through all this, and set up a special, “secret service,” just for me?”

Do you know what makes us so valuable in the eyes of God? It’s the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for us. The moment Jesus died for our sins and paid for our soul, we became incredibly valuable in the eyes of God. This is why God goes through so much trouble for us. That’s why God sends angels into our life who watch us very closely, who protect us, who do whatever God says in answer to our prayers. That’s why God saved the Apostle Peter. And that’s why God has set up a special secret service for us.

In closing, remember that the Bible says in Hebrews 13:2: “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”  Hmmm!

Meet the Stranger on the Road

Do you sometimes fail to recognize Jesus?  Are you discouraged? Disappointed with God and life? Do you wonder if you are a fool for believing in Jesus? Are you disappointed by “prophets” who claim special knowledge in the name of Jesus—only to be exposed as frauds? Are you secretly panicked about all the earthquakes and disasters? Fearful of the future?

Let’s go back almost 2000 years ago and look at how followers of Jesus felt after his crucifixion.  The event we are looking at today is described in Luke 24.

The two men on the road to Emmaus would understand about all the emotions described above. Their whole world was threatened. They had been followers of Jesus.

They thought Jesus was to be the king who would overthrow Roman domination and restore Israel as a sovereign country. 

They thought Jesus would rule the world. 

Instead, Jesus was executed in the most humiliating way possible: crucifixion. 

Then the two disciples encountered a stranger who redefined their understanding of the purpose of God and their very lives. Come along and Meet the Stranger on the Road.

In the Middle of the Road

¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him. (Luke 24:13-16) I guess one could say Jesus was in disguise.

Let’s “listen in” to what they “might” have been saying.

“I feel like a fool,” Cleopas said to his fellow follower of Jesus trudging down the road with him. 

“I believed him. I truly believed in him. I sacrificed everything. Even now, even after seeing him dead, I still have a hard time believing He was not the redeemer of Israel.”

His companion sighed and nodded. “Me, too. He was so mighty with the power of God. I can’t help but wonder why God abandoned him.”

Therein lay the root of their many unspoken questions “If Jesus was not the Messiah, if God abandoned Jesus, what hope have we? Or future? Are we as good as dead?” 

A sudden prickle of paranoia ran up their spines. Fearfully, they glanced over their shoulders. A stranger only two paces behind them! From where did he appear so suddenly? What did he want?

The stranger seemed harmless as he matched his stride to theirs. “What are you discussing so intently? And why so sad?”

“You must be the only who doesn’t know what happened in Jerusalem this weekend,” Cleopas replied.

“Then tell me,” the stranger invited.

Cleopas took a deep breath. Where to begin? The earthquakes? The torn temple curtain? So much to tell but the epicenter of it all was Jesus. 

“Have you not heard of Jesus of Nazareth?” asked Cleopas. “He was a prophet, mighty in word and deed. We were certain he was the Messiah,” the men exchanged disappointed glances, “but the chief priests and our rulers plotted against him. In the end, crucified him. That was three days ago.” 

“This very morning, some women went to his tomb. His body was missing! What’s more, the women said angels told them he was alive. Alive! We do not know what to believe.”

The stranger almost laughed. “Don’t be silly. Can you honestly say you believe the prophets when they said the Messiah will come but not believe them when they also said the Messiah will suffer exactly those things you have described before he is revealed?”

The truth of the stranger’s words burned in their hearts. This was just the sort of thing Jesus would say. They wanted to hear more.

And the stranger had a lot to say. In the growing shadows, a flicker of hope sprang up in them as the stranger recalled prophecy after prophecy, beginning with Moses and branching through later prophets, concerning the life, death, resurrection, and revelation of the Messiah. It all began to make sense. Perhaps Jesus was—is—the Messiah after all, they thought.

“Shalom,” the stranger bade them as they came to their destination.  

“Wait!” said Cleopas. “Please stay with us. It’s nearly sunset.”   The stranger agreed. 

At the supper table, the bread was passed to the stranger as the honored guest. When he held up the bread to recite the traditional blessing—“Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, Who has brought forth bread from the earth”— all of a sudden there came a lightning bolt of instant recognition. His hands! His torn, nail-ravaged hands! This could only be Jesus!  Without another word, he vanished.

Stunned, they stared at the empty seat and the broken bread. Had Jesus really been here? Or had they only imagined they saw him? Was he a ghost? Would he restore the kingdom to Israel? Was this the end of the age?

Although it was after dark, they hurried back to Jerusalem. ³³ …… There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.” (Luke 24:33-34)

³⁵ Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. ³⁶ And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.³⁷ But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! (Luke 24:35-37)

There Jesus answered some of their questions: 

• Yes, he was alive. “….he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he ate it as they watched. (Luke 24:41b-43) 
• No, he was not a ghost.. “Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost.” (Luke 24:39b) 
• Yes, he had risen from the dead. “⁴⁰ As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.” (Luke 24:40) These marks were authentication of his identity, love, and power. 

Jesus informed them (as well as us) that the answers to some of their questions are none of their business just now: “⁷ He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.” (Acts 1:7)

Jesus told them if they were going to be his followers, this is what they should be doing:

• Pray for the Holy Spirit to empower you: “…stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (Luke 24:49b) 
• Become a witness of the truth about the death, resurrection, and purpose of Jesus’ appearing: “…you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)  ⁴⁶ And he (Jesus) said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. ⁴⁷ It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of all these things. …” (Luke 24:46-48) 

Narrow is the Path

Before their encounter on the road to Emmaus, the disciples picked and chose what they wanted to believe from the Bible but it was leading them the wrong way. They liked the idea of a Messiah who would give them and their nation power. They just didn’t like the rest of what God had in mind: for the Messiah to suffer, die, and be resurrected to bring the Gentile nations into his kingdom as well as Israel.

It’s true: We are often embarrassed by the antics and failures of people claiming to be followers of Christ. We have many questions about the future. But like the disciples, if we are going to be counted among Jesus’ followers, we cannot pick and choose which of his teachings we will follow. We must follow all his teachings!   

Jesus has given us a road map to follow as to what we are to be doing NOW: 

• Pray for the Holy Spirit to empower us. 
• Become witnesses of the truth about the death, resurrection, and purpose of Jesus’ appearing. 

Pursuing any other way will lead us toward the wrong destination.

There are two paths we can take in life. And we are free to make the choice. God gives us that freedom. But as we decide, there are a few things we should know about these two options. One of them works and the other one doesn’t. One of them feels right and the other one doesn’t. One of them is popular and the other one isn’t.

These two paths lead to two very different destinations. Our selection is a matter of life and death. One of these paths is most likely to succeed. We all have the choice between these two paths.

Although the choice is ours to make, Jesus gives us some wise advice:. 

¹³ “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. ¹⁴ But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Who Is This King of Glory?

Who Is This King of Glory?


Words from song by Third Day.

Who is this King of Glory that persues me with his love
And haunts me with each hearing of His softly spoken words
My conscience, a reminder of forgiveness that I need
Who is this King of Glory who offers it to me

Who is this King of angels, O blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of Heaven and all its mysteries
My spirit¹s ever longing for His grace in which to stand
Who's this King of glory, Son of God and son of man

His name is Jesus, precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, the King of my heart
The King of glory

Who is this King of Glory with strength and majesty
And wisdom beyond measure, the graceous King of kings
the Lord of Earth and Heaven, the Creator of all things
Who is this King of Glory, He's everything to me

The Lord of Earth and Heaven, the Creator of all things
He is the King of glory, He's everything to me

(Song by Third Day) Click link to hear song.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqo-adRyM_k


“Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.” (Psalm 24:9) So the psalmist writes, and then he adds this question, calling for our reflection: “Who is this King of glory?” (Psalm 24:10a) That is our question this morning. Today we look upon this man Jesus, riding into Jerusalem, and we ask, “Who Is This King of Glory?”

Well, on Palm Sunday, he certainly looks like a king of glory. Cheering crowds, palm branches, cloaks spread on the road--a triumphal entry into the royal city, Jerusalem. What a scene of joy and triumph it is, fulfilling the ancient prophecy: “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt..” (Zechariah 9:9)

But by the end of the week, that Holy Week, instead of a triumphal entry, there is a tearful exit. The daughters of Jerusalem who were rejoicing on Sunday are weeping on Friday, as the King of glory is led out of town in shame and sorrow. Who is this King of glory?

On Sunday Jesus is acclaimed as the messianic king: “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38) On Friday he is accused of claiming to be that king: “This man has been leading our people astray …. claiming he is the Messiah, a king.” (Luke 23:2)And Jesus doesn’t deny it: “So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.” (Luke 23:3) Who is this King of glory? Soldiers array him in splendid clothing, only to beat him up and mock him. Who is this King of glory?

Glory? Glory, you say? Where is the glory in being nailed to a cross, and having a sign placed over your head, “This is the King of the Jews”? (Luke 23:37b) No garments strewn before him, now his own garments are stripped from him.

Strange king, indeed. On Sunday he rides in triumph on the Way of Glory. On Friday he staggers, condemned, on the Way of Sorrows, the way of the cross and darkness and degradation. Who is this King of glory?

The world today would just as soon forget about this king, this puzzling man, Jesus. They want to put him on the shelf, push him out of sight, out of mind, and get on with their lives--their busy, distracted, no-need-for-God lives. Instead of cheering crowds--or hostile crowds, either, for that matter--now there are just busy crowds, bustling crowds, too-busy-to-be-bothered and too-bored-to-care crowds. What a vacuous lot we have become! Overloaded with information, but starved for wisdom. All too busy, and yet filling our lives with nothing. Junk food for the mind. Junk food for the soul. No time or need for this man Jesus. Who is this King of glory? “Don’t bother me, I don’t want to know.”

Ah, poor Jesus! Poor, neglected, forgotten, obsolete Jesus! Shed a tear of nostalgia for those days of yesteryear, when religion was important and people cared about Jesus. Shed a tear, and then let me get back to my I-Phone. I-Phone, I-Pod, I-Pad--I, I, I. Ay, ay, ay, what fools we have become!

No, do not shed a tear for Jesus. Jesus would tell our TMZ culture: Shed a tear for yourselves! Weep and mourn, and let your laughter turn to lament! Do you think you will escape judgment, you who have no need for God’s mercy and his Messiah? How will you escape? When death intrudes, when cancer comes calling, when judgment comes crashing down, how will you stand? What will be your support to lean on, to enable you to stand in the day of God’s judgment? Will it be your inherent goodness? Your pleasing personality? Don’t kid yourself. Those supports are all too flimsy. They will collapse and crumble. You need some stronger stuff than that. What we e all need to lean on in the Day of Judgment is the cross of Christ my Savior. He is our only hope. And that’s the only hope and support we need, is this one with which God supplies us.

So maybe we should take a second look at that man Jesus and ask again the question, “Who is this King of glory?” There’s something special about him, something unique that takes hold of us. The more we look, the closer we look, the more we realize we need him.

What is special about this man? We pick up some clues from the story. When Jesus is about to enter Jerusalem, he tells two of his disciples: “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.” (Luke 19:30-31) A colt no one has ever ridden. And the Lord has need of it. Hmm. . . .

Then on Friday, after the crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea takes down the body of Jesus and lays him in a tomb cut in stone, “a new tomb, never used before.” (John 19:41)Hmm. . . . A colt no one has ridden. And a tomb that has never been used. What’s going on here?

It appears there are some divine arrangements going on here. That’s what it is. God has set apart some divine preparations, some never-used vessels, a colt and a tomb, set apart and reserved for a most special purpose, a most special guest. These are vessels fit for a king, this colt and this tomb. Yes, both the colt and the tomb, set apart and planned by God. That’s the point: Both Sunday and Friday are part of God’s plan.

The plan all along was for this Jesus to ride in glory into Jerusalem, and his glory, God’s glory, would be seen and shown and brought to fulfillment precisely in Jesus going to the cross. The cross and tomb are part of the plan--indeed, the heart of God’s plan, his plan for us! Who is this King of glory? He is the King who suffers and dies for us.

Yes, us the sinner. Us the “die-ers,” the person who dies. We, who would come under God’s judgment ourselves--we need Jesus to bear our sins and die for us and suffer that judgment in our place. That’s why he rides into town. Only Jesus could do that job.

Who is this King of glory? Some more clues from our text: Pilate, the judge, says of Jesus, “I find nothing wrong with this man!” (Luke 23:4b) A second time Pilate tells the accusers, “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent.” (Luke 23:14) Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.” And then a third time Pilate said to them, “What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death.” (Luke 23:22)

Even the thief on the cross can see this truth about Jesus: “this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Luke 23:41b) And the Roman centurion likewise: “Certainly this man was innocent!” (Luke 23:47b) Now Pilate and the thief and the centurion all spoke truer than they realized. Not only was Jesus not guilty of any crime, not only was he innocent by the world’s standards, Jesus was even innocent and righteous by God’s standards. Truly righteous, totally innocent, no sin or guilt that he should die in any way, much less die the death of a criminal.

But you and I--we cannot manufacture a verdict like that for ourselves. You and I have done wrong, we have sinned, in a hundred ways, a hundred times a thousand. Maybe not capital crimes in the world’s eyes, but sins, grievous sins nonetheless, in God’s sight. In countless ways, we have sinned against God--in thought, in word, in deed, from as far back as we can remember, all the way to the grave--we have made false gods for ourselves, worshiping the idols of our own making, our own opinions and ideas of right and wrong. And the Lord God looks down on this folly and says of all those who would trust in themselves, “Where are their gods, the rocks they fled to for refuge?” (Deuteronomy 32:37)

No, only God, the true God, can deliver us. Who is this King of glory? The psalmist tells us: “The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!” (Psalm 24:8) “Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:10) Yes, only God can deliver us. And that is why he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to do the job we couldn’t do. The holy Son of God, true God from eternity, born of the virgin Mary--this Jesus, God in the flesh, Jesus, the God-man Savior--he is the King of glory who saves us from sin and death.

We need to cling to him in faith, lean upon his cross as our only support, and we will be strong to stand in the day of trouble. In Christ, for us the Day of Judgment becomes the day of our salvation.

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:15-17)

Who is the King of glory? He is Jesus Christ, our Savior and your King! (Luke 19:38)

Lay Aside the Weight of Sluggishness

Lay Aside the Weight of Sluggishness


And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:11–12)

Sluggishness in a runner signals danger to a coach. Something isn’t right. Something is causing uncertainty, draining confidence. The runner is losing heart. Half-hearted running leads to quitting.

That’s when a caring coach intervenes. Every athlete, even a super star, loses focus or desire and at times wants to give up in the stress and strain of training and competition. All successful athletes have a coach who pushed them when they got discouraged, lost confidence, wanted to quit — pushed them beyond what they thought possible.

The best coaches don’t just encourage; they also can come down hard on their athletes. Coaches sometimes come on strong. They get angry if they must. They warn against the dangers of foolishness, laziness, or losing sight of the goal. And that’s because they know that humans are not only motivated by reward, we are also motivated by fear. It’s how we are designed. God is the ultimate reward. The writer of Hebrews said this of Moses, ”It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter . ….. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.” (Hebrews 11:24,26) Then there is a “fear” factor. Jesus was speaking to thousands of people as recorded by Luke. Jesus told the people, “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.” (Luke 12:4–5) and we are equipped to understand, be awed by, and be motivated by both aspects of him. As a side note, a lot of people don’t want to teach anything about this “fear” but if we don’t we are not teaching the “full” gospel of Jesus Christ.

And Jesus is the best, most caring coach there is. When we are injured, helpless, legitimately tired, or ashamed, our Coach is almost always comforting and encouraging. “He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.” (Matthew 12:20). But he also loves us enough to get in our face when we need it. And that’s usually what we need when we feel sluggish.

Spiritual sluggishness is evidence of unbelief. It’s a sign that there’s something about God that we doubt and it’s draining our hope, which means it’s draining our energy and drive. We’re not giving it all we have because we doubt it’s worth the effort.

When we feel like this we typically want an arm around the shoulder and a gentle word of understanding and sympathy. What we typically need are loving rebukes, like these:

“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.” (Hebrews 3:12)

“God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.” (Hebrews 4:1)

“Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Spiritual sluggishness is not to be tolerated; it’s to be fought. It’s potentially a faith-race “stopper”. We see a very serious warning from this verse from Hebrews, “So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.” (Hebrews 3:19). It’s a weight that needs to be laid aside. And “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy[ awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:2).

So how what can we do?

1. Identify the doubt. Sluggishness has a cause. What is sapping our faith?

2. Repent. Unbelief is a sin. Seek to actively turn from it.

3. Target that unbelief with biblical truth. Stop whatever else we may be doing for some Bible reading and maybe get a good devotional book or an “ap” for your smart phone. (“Jesus Calling” is an excellent devotional that is available in book form or as an “ap”.) and focus on and pray through texts that deal directly with this issue. Lay aside your other book reading and read things that address this doubt.

Don’t go it alone. Humble yourself and share your struggle with trusted counselors God has given you. Our great Coach often speaks through assistant coaches. “You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” (Hebrews 3:13).

Spiritual sluggishness is common to man. The Apostle Paul writes, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). We all experience it. In the serious and sustained effort of our long faith-race and the adversity we encounter from the world, our flesh, and the devil there are times the reward gets obscured by confusion and discouragements. Paul reminds the church at Ephesus, “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.” (Ephesians 2:2–3),

Though we may not want them, there are times when we most need our Coach to get “in our face” or give us some honest tough “suggestions”. They may sting, they may humble us, but they are laced with mercy because they help clear our muddled minds, shake off the laziness, and run again with endurance.

“So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” (Hebrews 12:12–13)

In his letter to Timothy, Paul is nearing the end of his ministry and writes these words: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

The Demands of Being a Disciple of Jesus

In the Gospels our Savior reveals what it means to be His disciple. In spite of the clarity and force of His words; however, they are often ignored today. The demands of discipleship are tremendous. They are astronomical. Jesus doesn’t want some or most. He wants all. According to Jesus, anything less than all, than everything, is not worthy of Him and places one’s relationship with Him in question.

As I often say in class, I understand that what Jesus wants from us as his “follower” is a lot easy to talk about that do. Especially in today’s world! But is what He tells us and we should make ever attempt to do what He says. We are blessed that we have a forgiving Savior because we will all fall short.

If we have placed repentant faith in Jesus Christ we are His disciple. Understand a disciple not just the 12 apostles/disciples!. Disciple simply means “follower”. We gave ourselves to Him in order to be like Him and to please Him. As we go over these four passages and their ramifications for daily life, we need do so prayerfully. We need to compare our present commitment to Jesus with what He says it ought to be. We need to do everything possible to dedicate ourselves to truly and faithfully following the One who gave Himself for us.

Jesus’ Disciples Renounce Control Over Their Lives and Give Control to Jesus.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

• Since I am called turn from my “selfish” ways and follow Christ, I will no longer see my time, abilities, money and possessions as mine. I will understand all I have is God’s.

• Since I am called turn from my “selfish” ways and follow Christ, I will budget my time and energy in such a way that I can significantly serve the Lord in His church and invest myself in those who are in bondage to sin.

• Since I am called turn from my “selfish” ways and follow Christ, I will be careful not to waste my time on sinful or earthly things, or on things that have no eternal value.

• Since I am called turn from my “selfish” ways and follow Christ, I will live within my means and not live extravagantly.

• Since I am called turn from my “selfish” ways and follow Christ, I will give faithfully and sacrificially to the Lord’s work in our church and in mission works around the world.

• Since I am called turn from my “selfish” ways and follow Christ, I will teach my children, by example and careful instruction, to give their lives wholly to the Lord.

• Since I am called turn from my “selfish” ways and follow Christ, I recognize that my greatest joy on earth will be found in fulfilling that calling.

Jesus’ Disciples Love Him With Unmatched Affection and Passion.

“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27)

• I cannot be Jesus’ disciple unless pleasing Him is more important than pleasing others, including myself. That means I am constantly asking myself “Is Jesus pleased by this?” “Is Jesus honored by this?”

• I cannot be Jesus’ disciple if I am motivated by the fear of men and if the opinion of others matters more to me than the opinion of God.

• I cannot be Jesus’ disciple unless I relish and savor Him more than any earthly being; unless Jesus is the focal point of my spiritual eyes. Such a focus will enable me to love others as Christ loves them.

• I cannot be Jesus’ disciple unless Jesus means more to me than people; unless Jesus’ glory means more to me than anything.

Jesus’ Disciples Sit At His Feet to Learn and Obey His Wisdom.

“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.” (John 8:31)

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I set myself at His feet each day by prayerfully studying the Scriptures.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will seek to understand the beauty and wonder of God’s grace as revealed in Scripture; I will ask the Lord to “open my eyes that I may see wonderful truths” in His Word. (Psalm 119:18)

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will not only listen to Jesus speak through the Word, but will devote myself to heeding His Word and becoming like Him in every area of life. I will keep no part of my life from Him and will indulge in no secret sin.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I resolve to set my family at His feet by means of faithful and meaningful family worship and faithful church attendance and involvement.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will obey the biblical admonitions to be in the Lord’s House on the Lord’s Day in order to worship Him and be encouraged through the teaching of Scripture. I will devote Sunday to the Lord, to His Church, and to His Word because God established Sunday and local churches to aid in my Christian growth. God designs that my family and I be in His House 52 Sundays a year and apart from significant unforeseen hindrances we will be.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple and no longer a disciple of Satan and the world, I will no longer listen to the world’s voice, seek the world’s approval, or be driven by the world’s philosophies, priorities and passions.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I expect the world’s disapproval, rejection and mistreatment. As Jesus’ disciple I rejoice when I am treated as my Master was treated.

Jesus’ Disciples Love Each Other and “Advertise” Their Commitment to Jesus By Means of That Love.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will foster and express a love for fellow believers that imitates Jesus’ love for them.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will express my love for my brothers and sisters by faithfully praying for them and ministering to them. I will sacrifice my time and resources to care for them.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will give faithfully to the ministry of our church. By doing so I am expressing love to my Christian brothers and sisters by supporting ministry that is spiritually nourishing to them.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will reach out to other believers in our family in order to know them, understand them, and serve them.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, I will always seek unity, harmony and intimacy with fellow disciples. I will therefore forgive those who sin against me and have patience those with whom I disagree.

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, my communication with believers will always be uplifting/encouraging and spiritually helpful. I will not engage in gossip, slander or criticism that does not “encourage” .

• Because I am Jesus’ disciple, one of my greatest joys is found in ministry to those for whom He died.

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” (John 15:7-8)

May the Spirit of God use the words of Jesus to increase our love for Him and prod us to live lives of self-denial, submission and service. May Jesus’ name be exalted and fame be spread. May His followers follow Him and by so doing bring Him the glory He deserves.

The Peace of God

The Peace of God


The Peace that I give you transcends your intellect. When most of your mental energy goes into efforts to figure things out, you are unable to receive this glorious gift. I look into your mind and see thoughts spinning round and round: going nowhere, accomplishing nothing. All the while, My Peace hovers over you, searching for a place to land.

Be still in My Presence, inviting Me to control your thoughts. Let My Light soak into your mind and heart, until you are aglow with My very Being. This is the most effective way to receive My Peace.
May 31 Devotion from “Jesus Calling”.

Peace means, “Quietness or rest,” and it’s a word Jesus frequently used in His ministry. Peace is used over 100 times in the New Testament and practically every time it’s used it speaks of this “quietness or repose of the soul. That’s exactly how Jesus defined it in our text.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. (John 14:27)

In John 14 Jesus pulled aside His disciples and prepared them for His crucifixion. He told them that He would leave to prepare a place for them but assured them He would return. He told them that during His absence from them “the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit”. (John 14:26) John 14 is an example of the great love Jesus had for His disciples and all humanity.

Now, let’s talk about this peace Jesus intended for His disciples to secure. There are three points Jesus emphasizes here. Keep in mind this incident occurs immediately before His crucifixion. Jesus wanted His followers to know they could expect the Holy Spirit to appear shortly after His ascension. Jesus knew the trouble they would face after His resurrection, so He provided them with a promise to comfort them during times of turmoil and trouble. This promise was His peace:

1. This is a peace cannot be found in the world:

Look at the second part of His statement, “the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.” The world can’t give quietness or rest.

This kinda’ leads to the question, what kind of peace do we find in the world? Guess what, not much. In fact, most of the world is looking for peace in pills, beverages, medication, money, power and the list goes on and on..

It seems that every time we look at television we hear something about the quest for peace in the Middle East, in China, in South America or in other parts of the world. It is being sought everywhere and found nowhere. The world offers peace in terms of achievement, pleasure, possessions, prestige, position, power, or wealth. They call this the American Dream!

But Jesus disagreed with the world’s method of obtaining peace. He even says that the world cannot provide real peace! Nothing the world offers assures us of a lasting peace. Here is how the world thinks peace is achieved:

The world believes if it could eliminate war that peace would prevail.

The world thinks if it eliminated poverty and everyone had enough, peace would prevail.

The world thinks if it could eliminate suffering peace would prevail. Without suffering we could have peace.

The world thinks if it could eliminate strife and conflict between individuals and nations…. then peace would flourish.

But the fact is - peace isn’t found in absence of anything! It’s not found in Peace Treaties, or National Summits, or Arms Agreements between nations. It is only found in the presence of Someone! And that someone is the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

So in the midst of war, poverty, suffering, or conflict, Jesus, in the form of a Person, the Holy Spirit, is present with us and providing a sense of well being amidst every problem. Christ is with us through the wind, the flood, and the fire and He said “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5b)

Peace is exactly what the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, will promise to a strife-filled world. This will be his delusion, his lie, and his promise. And though millions will pursue this false peace, they will come to realize its phony boasts as the Antichrist leads them astray. His peace will be temporary, much less eternal!

But notice the peace that Christ offers:

“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7)

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.”, (2 Thess 3:16) and I might add, in the midst of every problem we will encounter.

The world cannot give this kind of peace!

2. In times of trouble His peace will overcome fear:

Fear is a natural result of trouble and strife. We can become fearful when unsettling events suddenly strike us. It’s only natural to be afraid.

It is very likely that Jesus, knowing what was soon coming, was trying to instill peace into His disciples. He knew they were about to face great turmoil and stress and the only way to overcome it was to partake of His peace.

The Apostle Paul writes to the church at Philippi, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6) and “Then you will experience God’s peace”. (Phil. 4:7a) The Prince of Peace will be with us. With Him is the only place to find true peace.

3. True peace comes only from God

Look again at our text: “the peace I give you”. Because Jesus could see the future as well as He could see the past, He knew that in a few days the disciples would be pressured from every side. The Pharisees would hunt them and they would seek refuge behind locked doors. He knew they would sleep when He asked them to pray in Gethsemane. He knew they would desert Him when the soldiers arrested Him and that He would stand alone at His Trial.

Their guilt and regret had to be almost unbearable! Can you imagine the emotions they must have been dealing with? Just a few days earlier they declared to Jesus that they would never desert him. Peter even said he would die rather than deny Him. He said in Mark 14:29, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will” and in verse 31, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” Then all the others jumped on the bandwagon in the last part of this verse: “And all the others vowed the same.”

But none of those bold and brave words came to pass. When Jesus was arrested, the disciples scattered like rat’s from a sinking ship. Each one wanting to save their own hides—fearful, uncertain, and wondering if it had all been a dream.

When Jesus was dragged before Pilate, Peter hid and peered from a distance. He took courage, inched closer, but when challenged by a servant girl Peter disavowed his Savior. “Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.” (Matthew 16:72)

Besides John, none of the apostles showed up until after Christ’s burial. He was at the cross when Jesus was crucified and when He died. Just a footnote to this, John is the only Apostle that died of old age, all the others died a martyr’s death.

In spite of all this, what did Jesus do? He appeared to them as they were hiding behind the locked door and simply said, “Peace be with you” (Luke 24:36). Needless to say, they were startled and frightened; thinking they had seen a ghost. No words of rebuke, no words of condemnation, no attitude of anger or resentment, only words of peace and love.

Then they had a meal together. Isn’t that what friends do?

Conclusion:

THERE ARE MANY VERSES IN THE BIBLE THAT TALK ABOUT THE PEACE OF GOD AND HOW THIS PEACE WILL PASS EVERY HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. IT IS A PROMISE AND GOD’S PROMISES ARE ALWAYS KEPT.

TRUE PEACE DOESN’T COME FROM THE WORLD; IT COMES AS A GIFT FROM GOD.

True peace will overcome fear. True peace will sustain you in all situations.

We will close with this scripture that Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)