The Sinner's Superheroes - It's All A Matter Of Faith

THE SINNER'S SUPERHEROES - IT'S ALL A MATTER OF FAITH

I would like in this issue to give hope and instill faith to those who are afraid to make the decision to accept Christ, to those who have recently done so, but think back on their past, and for those who, even having some maturity in their walk, may get a chink in their armor from he who plants seeds of doubt, knowing that as humans we have imperfections and are not always impervious to his (the devil's) darts. I would like to showcase some biblical figures, particularly a few with many sins on their record, but because of their faith, they are with Jesus and in heaven.

The first is one who knew Jesus only just before He died, and then he, too, died. The man called by many, "the good thief". Now this is quite the misnomer, because he was not a good thief at all, but rather he was the one of the two who asked Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom, and then was promised paradise. So really, he was "the thief made good", because he died with a promise from Christ to be with Him there in paradise. Now this was just a typical thief for the most part; his sins caught up with him, and there he was, up ther on the cross next to Jesus'. He initially wasn't any better than those who were there at the scene, because like many there, he was mocking Him, as is documented in Matt. 27:44, and Mark 15:32. Now in Luke 23:40 - 43 is where I point out that this thief, who obviously lived a life sinful enough to warrant death on a cross, suddenly came up with faith enough to not only rail the other thief and his taunting of Christ, but to ask Him to remember him when He came into His kingdom! For that, he was rewarded with verification from Jesus that he would be there that day with Him in paradise! Takes a lot of those "Yeah, but..." doubts out of your mind, doesn't it?

Let's go with another person with many sins, only this one is from the Old Testament; how about David? Have you not heard how he killed Goliath (1 Sam. 17:50), after the sixth commandment was given from Moses that "...Thou shalt not kill" (Exod. 20:13)? And not only did he kill Goliath, but tens of thousands (1 Sam. 18:7)? And he killed after that 200 more for a form of dowry (1 Sam. 18:27)? And he further killed more, as is recorded in 1 Sam. 27:8 - 11 and 30:16 - 17. Even in 2 Sam. 8:1 - 18, David killed thousands upon thousands from Philistia, Moab, Zobah, Syria, and Edom. Well over 40,000 he slaughtered in his defeat of Ammon in 2 Sam. 10. As if these many killings were not enough sin, David also sinned in adultery (2 Sam. 11:2 - 5), and to make it worse, after finding out she was pregnant with his child, David had her husband Uriah killed, and sent the letter of instructions how to have him killed in Uriah's own hand! While all these sins are documented in the books of Samuel, despite all these, God's salvation was his. Understand that David had great faith, even before he was king of Israel. He would not harm Saul, the Lord's anointed (1 Sam. 24:6, 10 -12). For all that he did, God promised David his house, kingdom, and throne established for ever (2 Sam. 7:16). This was because David's faith pleased God. As Heb. 11:6 has it, it is impossible to please God without faith. One must believe He is and that He rewards. David praised God much, as in 2 Sam. 7:18 - 29, and don't forget the 73 Psalms David wrote concerning so many aspects of God, and much of it was praise to Him! David's song of his faith in God can be found in 2 Sam. 22:1 - 51.

The last I want to cover is Paul, once Saul. Before his conversion, Saul was into persecution of Christians. Acts 26:9 - 12 has Saul, now Paul, confessing to king Agrippa that before his conversion, he did everything he could contrary to the name of Jesus, shutting up saints in prison, having them put to death, punishing them in synagogues, and compelling them to blaspheme, even persecuting Christians in strange cities. Acts 7:57 - 8:1, 3 has him approving of the stoning of Stephen, a Christian, and documents that he went after Christians with such hatred, he was like a rampaging beast. Acts 9:1-6, 10 - 18, 21, however, explains his wonderful metamorphosis caused by Jesus Himself! After his incredible transformation, Saul, now Paul, became a great champion for Christ, full of faith. He blinded Elymas the sorcerer by the power of God, and when he healed a cripple in Acts 14:8 -20, the people of Lystra called him and Barnabas gods, but after he corrected them, there were visiting Jews who persuaded the people to stone him (ironic that he should learn how Stephen felt!), but later, surrounded by disciples, he got up and went to Derbe. Acts 16:16 -39 has a story of Paul driving a spirit out of a damsel, and ended up being beaten and given stripes for his good deed. Acts 19:6, 11-12 has it that God wrought many miracles up until his death, but what faith he suddenly had after his conversion! He was the first major missionary for Christ, making 3 journeys as His missionary that were so remarkable for any man in that time in history. His final journey was to Rome, where he was martyred.

So when someone thinks they've committed too many sins, that there's no hope for someone who has done so much wrong for so long, or that you can't do much at your age for the Lord, consider one of these superheroes of a sinner like you and me, who, despite when they realized they displeased God in their lifetime, had faith that He is and He rewards, and that they should do and say the righteous things with whatever time they had left. Especially look at the "good thief"; the only thing he could do was to defend Christ in His last hours before He died, and Christ's answer to his request to remember him was an invaluable reward to any who should hear it; (Luke 23:43) "...Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with Me in paradise."!

R U Bulletproof?

R U BULLETPROOF?

Ever see someone do a lot of things that amazed you they could perform them, and you say to yourself, "How'd they get away with (all) that? Or, "How did they perform that great feat, or those great feats? One would think some people "bulletproof", and perhaps, Phil. 4:13 comes to mind for some Christians. If we have the faith, indeed, His assistance makes us able to do all things through His strength.

Consider Job in Job 1:9 - 11; the devil seemed to be complaining to God that he couldn't test Job because of the hedge God had around Job and all he had, suggesting Job had selfish motives in His blessings for serving Him. Do you feel a hedge around you and your things? And if perhaps a string of things go wrong for you, do you wonder if you're going through a "Job experience"?

Psa. 91:1 - 7 has the author proclaiming his trust in God, calling Him Refuge and Fortress. The author further trusts the Lord to remove him from the snare of the fowler, that is, the devil. Verses 5 - 7 proclaim our security in the Lord always, not necessarily in the physical sense, but definitely in the spiritual sense, which is vastly more important, even priceless. Matt. 16:26 provides insight from Jesus just how invaluable the soul is!

Imagine being king Hezekiah in the Old Testament in Isa. 38:1 - 6. Here you had a ruler sick and and near death, told by the prophet Isaiah he was going to die. This king, not wishing to be gone from the earth just yet, humbled himself before God, crying out his heart, and asked God to remember how he had lived prior to his sickness. The prophet returned with a guarantee from the Lord that he would live another 15 years! On top of this, the Lord said He would keep Hezekiah and his city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and the Assyrians never even got close enough for Israel to see their shields! While they didn't have bullets in those days, I'd say the king and his city were at least Assyrian-proof.

Peter had Jesus' word in John 21:18 that he would live long enough to be old, but not that he would die a natural death, but that of a martyr. True to His word (as we knew He would be!), when Peter was imprisoned by Herod, in Acts 12:6 - 11 he is unchained by an angel and led from prison and thought it was all a vision until the angel departed from him. Peter did not die until 34 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, martyred the same year as Paul.

In Luke 10:1 - 12, 17 - 20, Jesus sends 70 disciples to go do what is today called doorknocking, and gives them specific instructions, advising them that He sent them as lambs among wolves. They returned to Him with great joy that they had power over devils, and Jesus assured them that He gave them power over everything the enemy had, and that nothing would hurt them, but even more wonderful for them was His assurance that their names were written in heaven! These 70 were "bulletproof" not only in life, but in death, and it was sealed with the promise of Christ Jesus!

Remember that we have an Advocate (1 John 2:1); Christ Jesus, and He is our Rock, just as He was in Luke 22:31-32 for the disciples. Jesus told Peter the devil desired him that he might sift him as wheat, and Jesus gave him comfort by telling him that He had prayed for him, that his faith not fail. Of all you who read this and have ever had a time in your life when you had little or no faith, that has to be some anxiety attack! How wonderful it is for us who believe to know in the present that we are bulletproof from the devil and the gates of hell in the blood of Christ Jesus who died for all our sins.

Eph. 6:10 - 20 tells us that we have armor; yes, armor of God! We have the devil for an adversary, and he's not alone. He's got his demonic hosts, principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world. We have the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the sword of the Spirit, the sandals of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the belt of truth. This is not to say that an armored Christian is invulnerable to attack and difficulties. Psa. 44:22 and Rom. 8:36 tell of great difficulties, not meant to be obstacles for the people of God, but He allows us to be tested by them. Remember Job? Here's a man who loved the Lord, a practiced godly man, and he is greatly tested by the devil's work against him. Now he doesn't know what's going on, and some friends condemn him as having done something wrong. Eliphaz tells him he's obviously being disciplined by God, and needs to repent. Bildad tells him he's suffering because of his sins, and calls Job a hypocrite. Zophar tells him he's suffering from his sinfulness and deserves much worse, and that he needs to repent. Got friends like these? Job did nothing wrong, but he was attacked by the devil, and his friends made him out to being a sinner. Great to have these friends, who put down your counsel, and hurl stones at you from their own glass houses. The devil will use your friends to see if you're bulletproof, too, and even your wife, as Job found out (Job 2:9). Also understand that while Job's test was extrinsic, that is to say, an attack on his physical external self and possessions, do not underestimate that the devil will not launch an attack of intrinsic nature, that is to say, on your mind. Satan may attack you with doubts, misinterpretations, delusions, paranoia...and you must wear the belt of truth and hold up the shield of faith against Lucifer's lies and fiery darts. Knowing the bible well and edifying one another in the faith, even yourself with the promises of God, give great strength to this shield.

Paul asserts that those who are in Christ Jesus are inseparable from God in Rom. 8:38 - 39. As we know Christ's salvation for us with open eyes, those who are saved cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself promised in John 10:27 - 28, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand."

Mark 4:6, 17 describes people who fall away in a parable Jesus tells, and later, He explains to His disciples His parable. There are some who will be tested, and may even be being tested now, and, if they have no root, if they are not genuinely saved, it will be known, because they will fall away from the faith. These will stop obeying the commandments, stop proclaiming the gospel, and walk the path of the lost because of persecution or great affliction. Even some will need only little affliction, and they will buckle. For those who are saved, we have 1 Cor. 10:2, which tells us God is faithful and won't suffer us a temptation we cannot bear, but make a way we can escape our test. Now in this understand Paul doesn't mean we get out of the test, but rather that we will be able to bear it, because God will give us the power. Don't forget the martyrdom of the apostles. They did not give up their faith, and were able to bear the death they had at the hands of their persecutors.

So now we understand that while the saved are not necessarily physically bulletproof, they are indeed spiritually bulletproof. Friends and family may be used by the devil to test that, and no matter how severe the test, God will give us the power to withstand the test, we who are genuinely saved. Our assurance is spoken by Christ; "neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand."! Oh, what a reason to praise God!

Satan - Thief Extraordinaire!

SATAN – THIEF EXTRAORDINAIRE!

Satan, that evil angel with the corrupt mind - is a thief! But he is not just a thief of your material goods; he wants souls! And he wants to steal them from God. While it is the will of the Father that all would be saved, the devil would have it that not a one be saved; so he does what he can to steal souls! Matt. 13:4, 19, Mark 4:4, 15, Luke 8:5, 12 is where Jesus tells the parable of the sower to illustrate how many people don’t absorb the word of God to the point of becoming believers. The devil snatches away those who don’t understand the word of God.

Paul warned of departure and doubt in Heb. 3:12-15, using Israel’s experience. The devil wants you to lose your faith in God. He wants you to doubt, directly opposing Jesus’ instruction in the gospel not to doubt. The devil will use tricks on your mind to give you cause to doubt, and if he can blind you to the truth and lead you astray, then he has stolen your belief, giving you an evil heart of unbelief. If we have faith that He will help us in any needs we have, then our hope will not allow us to commit such an act of faithlessness. We are warned of this work of Satan for a reason in Mark 16:14-16, wherein it is written that Jesus Himself said, “…He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Satan can steal our friends by the power of sin, and this is why we need to edify one another. James 1:12-15 has it that we are blessed if we can endure temptation. James goes further to say not to say that you’re tempted of God, because God cannot be tempted with evil; we are tempted by our own lusts.

2 Tim. 4:10 has Paul commenting that one of his friends, Demas, has forsaken him, having loved this present world, and departed from him. The pleasures of the world are carnal, and at odds with God. 1 John 2:15 explains. It says that if any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Satan is in charge of the world, and if one loves what is of Satan, who is God’s enemy, then one is at enmity with God.

Worldliness causes the practice of sin. James 4:1-8 has something of an explanation of this. It starts about where wars come from, but not always meaning over land and property and one of the opposite sex, but also a war to be spiritual instead of carnal, as Paul also alludes to in Rom. 7:23, & Gal. 5:17. When we war with our carnal selves and lose, it is an act of unfaithfulness, and this is where Paul is coming from when James calls his readers adulterers and adulteresses. When he says a person makes themselves a friend of the world, he means that they have gone awhoring after a friendship with the world, thus they have in effect given themselves separation from God. Jesus also spoke of this to His apostles in John 15:19, wherein He said, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Because the apostles were joined to God in a relationship, they were hated by the world. So the consequences of being a friend of the world, being in practice of sinfulness, puts us at enmity with God. Now in order to repair our condition of enmity with God, we are advised to submit ourselves to God, obeying His commandments and statutes. We need resist the devil, and he will flee from us; for greater is He that is in us than is in the world! Amen! Make that decisive break with the old life! Be clothed with humility, and God will exalt you. Do not give place to the devil (Eph. 4:27); in other words, don’t give him an opportunity. And how are you to protect yourself from the devil? Eph. 6:11-18 has the answer, and verse 18 means that we should pray fervently and persistently for one another, because we are all prey of the devil. If he attacks you with a temptation in your mind, tell him to go away in Jesus’ name! Don’t take him on alone. Jesus told him to “…get behind Me, Satan…”

Satan also tries to steal you from God by devotional failure. Perhaps that was what David was concerned about when he wrote in Ps. 119:10-11, “With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” We seek the Lord by reading what He says in the bible. David seemed concerned in this passage that he might wander away from His commandments and into sin. He seems to be saying his acquiring of the Word in his memory will keep him clean from sin, because if David keeps the word of God, how can he sin? Don’t want to be stolen by devotional failure to God! Heb. 10:25-27 has it another way. The unforgivable sin is rejection of Christ’s death for sin, because how else do you get to the Father? Stopping going to church is devotional failure, in that we stop glorifying God in the assembly of the faithful, and being alone at home, or even with our family, how do we edify each other in the Word if we are not joined with other Christians in the study of the bible? And how do we pay God His rightful tithes, and avoid being God robbers, as is written in Mal. 3:8-10? And if we are on death’s door, and have failed in devotion to Him, does one not believe in the everlasting furious fire of hell? Let not Satan steal your salvation in this way, either!

Another failure is called domestic failure, by which I mean, not teaching your family to serve God the Almighty, and remember that you lead by example. If you don’t go to church, why should the rest of your family? And in doing so, you’re not teaching them respect for the Lord. Now in Josh. 24:15 it is written, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, In whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” By saying this, Joshua is asserting that he will cause his family to serve the Lord. Now he causes this to happen by going to the tabernacle (church) and worshipping God, and reading His word, which at that time was the Pentateuch. “On the other side of the flood” means all those who served not God save Noah and his family of seven. From father to son to grandson, none taught their descendants to fear and respect God, and they were washed away in the flood, save only Noah and his family. So we have a responsibility to teach our children and spouse to be devoted to God, lest Satan steal our family from their eternal life with Christ in heaven.

2 Tim. 3:1-5 tells of the peril of apostasy, or dedicational failure to God. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” “What last days is Paul talking about?” Man has been like this since Adam’s children, when Cain slew Abel; This should mean from since Paul wrote this letter to Timothy until Christ comes again, although thanks to multiple forms of media such as television and the internet and radio, we seem to feel this abounds now more than at any other time in history. There are more human beings in the world now than there ever were, and so all this evil seems greater because there are more men and women to perpetrate all the evil attributes Paul mentions. Some of these types of evil characteristics of people need better clarification. For lovers of their own selves, see Phil. 2:21, where it explains they love themselves more than Christ. Covetous means as in 2 Pet. 2:3, and Peter has a fearful condemnation of those who practice this personal trait. Boasters means those who speak great swelling words, such as in Jude 16. The proud can be found in 1 Tim. 6:4, including teachers of heresy. Blasphemers refers to those who make shipwreck of their faith, such as are in 1 Tim. 1:19-20, and Paul seems to be saying that he ostracized Hymenaeus and Alexander from help or fellowship from the church. Perhaps they were the first excommunicated, and what a dreadful condition it seems they had imparted on them, because Paul says that he delivered them unto Satan. In this instance, Satan has stolen two souls. Disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, means just how you read it. All these things come with divine abandonment, as is explained in Rom. 1:24-32. Heady refers to being reckless in what they’re doing. Lastly, we were all made in the image of God, but not behaving so are those who demonstrate these characteristics.

Lastly, look in Matt. 24:11-12 to find the other way Satan steals souls; when one is overcome with that “don’t care” attitude. “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Jesus warned of the false prophets, as ravening wolves, in Matt. 7:15 earlier, and as grievous wolves in Acts 20:29-30, to draw people away from the true word. Paul, too, warned of deception by these false teachers in 1 Tim. 4:1, those that would teach that Christ has already come, and Paul warned that these heresies were inspired by demons. Because so much deception and wickedness abounds in the church is not an excuse for not going anymore at all, but it is justification for not going to that church (2 Tim. 3:5)!

So indeed, the devil is as a roaring lion, devouring all whom he can. Thank God that Jesus said of His sheep, “…and no man can pluck them from My hand…”!

Psalms Of Trust

PSALMS OF TRUST

King David was one of a number of figures of the Old Testament who stands out unique from the others in his own way. He sinned much, read much, wrote much, and importantly, he trusted God much. He trusted the Lord in many ways. Consider Psalm 91. David finds security in God's care, His character, His protection, and His love. David finds security in His secret place, which is His tabernacle (Ps. 27:5), in His pavilion (Ps. 31:20), even God Himself is David's hiding place (Ps. 32:7). Ps. 119:114 also has it that God is his hiding place and shield. Under the Almighty's shadow and wings are often used terms to describe the gentle loving protection of God (Ps. 17:8). Consider a mother bird and her babies; they are quiet when the mother is settled over top of them, and they are safe under her wings, and so they make no fuss. When she is gone hunting food for them, then they make noise, because their mother's safety is absent as she herself is, and this is the character of the safety God's wing offered David, and us, too.

When David says He is a refuge and a fortress, you think of protection from enemies, right? When calling God "the Lord", it is His most noteworthy appellation, because it means He is the active, self-existent One, and Israel's Redeemer. If your protection never sleeps, isn't this a noteworthy character of that protection? So it is with the Lord, and David's trust is wisely placed.

Now in Psa. 91:2 - 3, understand that the fowler is the devil, and he has a number of snares. One of the worst is pride, and it is a popular snare in today's world. Nebuchadnezzar was proud up until the point he lost his mind for about 7 years. Then he acknowledged God as the Most High and Almighty, blessed Him, praised Him, acknowledged His everlasting dominion over all, and in this he humiliated himself under the Lord, and after this his sanity and his kingdom were restored to him, and you can read this in Dan. 4:28-37. We are further told to beware pride in 1 Tim. 3:6-7; even an experienced person can have an off moment and get caught in this snare, but much easier a person who doesn't read the bible, or believe the bible, or has not read it enough to be wise to the many avenues down the road of pride, and it indeed goeth before a fall, and great is that fall.

Psa. 91:5-7 are about His care for our security. remember when as a child you most likely had something you were afraid of in the dark? You are safe with the Lord. Job 5:19 shows that just like David, he, too, trusted in God to care for him and be secure in Him, even though he went through so much adversity. In Ps. 112:7, he believes a good man's heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Believe also that a good woman's heart is equally justified by trusting in God. God is your protection both day and night (Ps. 121:6)! When your mind is stayed on God, you should have a good night's sleep just as it is written in Prov. 23-24. Isa. 43:2 has it that He shall be our protection through all manners of water and fire, just as He did for Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-nego in Dan. 3:13-30.

Now one of the blessings of our safety in Him is His protection, which is given us in Psa. 91:9-13. Now remember earlier I submitted to you that "the Lord" meant Israel's Redeemer, but also realize He's our Redeemer, too. Our dwelling place is to be Him, our Habitation, as David also cries out for His help in Ps. 71:3. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. David knew what he was talking about here, possibly remembering the last plague on Egypt. Remember the last plague? Israel obeyed God's instruction through Moses and applied the blood of a lamb on their doorposts and all the firstborn of Egypt died, but not those of Israel, and it was the finishing touch to make pharaoh let Moses' people go. Exod. 11:1-12:33 recounts the story of this last plague. In the hands of His angels are the believers, to protect us in all our situations of all our lives. Heb. 1:14 fortifies this statement of David, doesn't it? David has also written of this in Ps. 34:7. Even the devil knew this to be true, as he tempted Jesus concerning it in Matt. 4:6, and in Luke 4:10-11! Job 5:23 has it also that God's protection is even from the stones of the field.

From the last three verses we learn of blessings of love in His protection. David loved the Lord, and knew His name, and therefore, God showed His love in David's deliverance, and we can expect the same. By loving God, knowing Him by name and for who He is, we can trust His protection, just as in Ps. 9:10. He will show us His salvation with love. When we call upon Him, He will answer us (Ps. 50:15), He will be with us in times of trouble, and in honoring Him, He will return honor with honor (1 Sam. 2:30).

Biblical Finance Tips

BIBLICAL FINANCE TIPS

When it comes to finances, the first thing most people don't even think of is the fact all we have, whether it's real estate wealth, currency wealth, liquid assets, stock wealth...we have what we have by God's grace. God owns everything. Refer to Gen. 1:1 if you need a reference. Col. 1:16, Ps. 24:1, 50:10-12 further substantiate this, although common sense to the believer would already make this concept a no-brainer. He made everything; the entire world. So all its assets are rightfully His! How easy it is to take this for granted, isn't it?

Okay, so now that we've established that He owns everything, and what we have is by His grace, we are therefore essentially using what He made, right? But it is also nice to know that in His great benevolence and by His great provision, He only wants a tithe, or a tenth, in return as you receive what you have from Him. One reference to this is found in Prov. 3:9-10 and 2 Cor. 9:6-7, and the latter reference promises scarcity to be met with scarcity, and generosity with generosity, for God loves a cheerful giver, to honor the Lord who gave us what we have by returning honor from what we have with the firstfruits of our increase. Mal. 3:10 promises us abundant blessing from God for tithing! On another note concerning giving, Phil. 4:19 points out those who give to missionaries will find their own needs met by our Lord God.

Matt. 6:33 has a promise from God to the believer that He will supply all our needs and more, after we seek the kingdom of God, which comes first! And what a relief to those who suffer anxiety over whether or not their needs will be met on a daily basis, is it not? And this is from Jesus Himself! Luke 12:31 echoes the same.

Now while we are stewards of the finances we have as gifts from God, we also are expected to work with what we have responsibly. Yes, we need to do and not do things in regard to what we have; for example, Prov. 6:1-5 advises not to be liable for others, such as a co-signer. Even family has defaulted on cosigning for generations on end, and so it is quite prudent not to trust your finances to even your own flesh and blood!

Deut. 24:10-13 has it written what are fair standards for usury, or borrowing, that the Israelites had in those days, but in this day, it is best to avoid usury, as so many are unscrupulous and it is so easy to get in over your head.

Prov. 24:27 and Luke 14:28-30 are ensamples of advice to develop and follow a budget, the latter Scripture advice from Christ, causing one to be mindful that one who allows themselves to become bankrupt will be probably mocked by people aware of the financial state. How true that is, isn't it?

There is wisdom in Prov. 21:20, 15:16, wherein is given that we should save wisely and honestly and regularly, and not squander what we have when it well with us, as foolish people do. When prosperity is over, the foolish will be in dire wanting, while the wise who save will reap their savings during the drought.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't point out our spiritual finances. In Matt. 6:19-20, we are told by Jesus not to lay up treasure on earth, because it is not permanent in that either moth or rust can ruin itand take it away from you, just as a thief can. Rather, we are to sow treasure up in God's system, lay treasures up in heaven. Luke 6:38 has it that we should give, and it shall be given to you, as a container of wheat or barley running over, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. Prov. 19:17 perhaps explains it more plainly, that he who lends to the poor the Lord will recompense. Also, 2 Cor. 9:6 has it that, "...he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."

So here we have learned we should be stewards with God's gifts of all we have, honor Him with His tithe, and be wise in dealing with our finances, saving, budgeting, and not borrowing or cosigning, looking to Him to supply all our needs as we so believe on Him. Don't forget your spiritual finances, those are safer than what you have on earth! Indeed, praise God from whom all blessings flow!

The Value Of You

THE VALUE OF YOU

Ever hear the cliché that someone’s life “isn’t worth a plugged nickel”? Ever feel worthless?  Sad, because nobody wants anything to do with you?  Useless because something went wrong, and you seem to be to blame? Well, stop blaming yourself for being worthless, because God values you! Yep, He sure does! What? You think I’m kidding? I’ll take you 10 places in the bible where it explains how He values you.

1. Luke 12:6-7; “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Hopefully you feel a little more valuable with that piece from Scripture; but there’s more…

2. Matt. 10:29-31; “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” If all the hairs of your head are numbered, surely you feel more value in that, unless maybe you’re bald. This appears to be a recount of Luke 12’s sparrows, but let’s look at another piece of Scripture to get you feeling of more value and pick you up…

3. Prov. 3:12; “For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” You might say, “Oh, great, since my Dad loved me, he took a switch to my behind when I did wrong.” But you have to understand that you grew up to be good because of his correcting you with that switch, and you admit he did it because he loved you, it just didn’t feel good. But you love your Dad, and you know he loves you, so understand that if our Father corrects you, it’s because He loves you, and you accept it because you love and respect Him too, and it is as the same as you loving and respecting your Dad. Your Dad valued you when correcting you, and so it is with the Father in heaven. You don’t know how different it may be to have God correct you; He may decide you need a “spanking” that last years! Ouch! Rev. 3:19 has similar wording from Jesus Himself! Job 5:17-18 has similar verbiage as well. Okay, next…

4. John 10:3; “To Him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” So here in this passage we know that He knows our names and calls us by them. Surely you feel more valuable that God would call you by name; after all, some people might not remember your name because you’re not so important to them, but look at how important God is to you, and He remembers your name…

5. Phil. 4:19; “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ.” Supply all my needs for giving to missionaries? This is what the passage means here for the church, but don’t forget; we the people make up the church. For the believer, truly we know when we make supplications to Him when we want something, if it is His will and we truly need it, we get it. Isn’t it comforting and nice to know that if we need something, and He knows it, we can have faith that He will supply it to us? How much value we must have that He pays that much attention to someone like you and me; sinners?

6. Job 31:4; “Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?” What? He bothers to count my steps? That’s very humbling! I have that much value to the Creator of everything that He would bother to count my steps? Now come on, you have to feel better that the Creator would bother to count your every step. He is always watching us, as is in 2 Chron. 16:9. But there’s even more…

7. Mal. 3:16-18; “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord harkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. ‘And they shall be Mine’, saith the Lord of hosts, ‘in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth not.’” Naturally I fear the Lord, who can destroy me, but I can’t imagine bothering to write down whatever we say; again, it’s humbling to have our Father and Creator make so much of us that He should value what we say enough to have it all written down. And to make jewels of those of us who fear Him and think of His name? As a special, valued treasure? Wow! What value we seem to have; and yet, there’s even more!

8. Ps. 56:8-9; “Thou tellest my wanderings; put Thou my tears into a bottle; are they not in Thy book? When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know, for God is with me.” Wow! He bottles our tears, and saves them in His book, too, as He did David’s? What love He has for us, that He saves our tears in a bottle in His book. And as God is for us, He is on our side, and as it says in Rom. 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” He values us a lot, huh?

9. Isa. 41:13; “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, ‘Fear not, for I will help thee.’” Just as Israel counted on God to help them in this passage, so we can count on Him to hold our hand and bring us through this life and all the troubles of each and every day, and sometimes our troubles last a year or more, but He brings us through it all until He calls us home.

10. John 3:16; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This is the greatest sign of love we have from God; because He values us so much, He spared not His Son that He sent Him to die on a cross for our redemption, that we may all have the opportunity to be in His eternal joy. See the value you have, that our Creator, yes, the Creator of all that is, our Father in heaven, will hold your hand, count the hairs on your head, and your steps, and even bottle your tears for safekeeping. And the greatest demonstration of our value to Him was that He sent His Son to cover our sins, and all we need do is believe on Him!  How wonderful it is to have so much value!

The 3 Rs (God Hates)

THE 3 RS (GOD HATES)

Our God is a loving Father, is He not? Let the reader keep in mind John 3:16. Did He not also provide for every thing He created food and drink, that all creation might have provision? For Gen. 1:31 says that He saw every thing that He had made, and behold, it was very good. Since He has created every thing that we possess, each of those things is a blessing from Him, is it not? Even every ability that we possess, did He not give these abilities to us as further blessings? And yet, when we realize this, there are many among us who have not given Him His due in return, have we? Just as we have the cliche about the school of the 3 Rs, there are 3 Rs that God hates. I would like to share them with you. Many of you who are reading this know of them, but have never seen them put together like this, but I think you will appreciate how I have laid them out. I pray it will help you with your relationship with Him during your daily activities, and it prevents you from being involved with one of them, peradventure.

The first "R" I want to introduce you to that God hates is "R"eplacement. He doesn't like the idea of being replaced, and mankind does it just as much if not more nowadays as in the days of the Old Testament. I bring up the Old Testament because my first example is from Exodus in the Old Testament. Exod. 32:1-4 has it that while Moses took so long up on the mount communing with God, that the people ganged up on Aaron and commanded him to make them a god of gold, and he made them a golden calf. While the Lord and Moses were communing, He told Moses that the people had corrupted themselves, having made and worshipped a golden calf, and claimed it to be their gods, which brought them up out of the land of Egypt. This is in Exod. 32:7-8. That's replacement! Think He reacted with gladness at being replaced? Would you? NO, He was HOT! Exod. 32:10 has it where God told Moses to let Him alone, so His wrath may wax hot against them, and He may consume them, and make of Moses a great nation. Fitting response, don't you think? The Israelites replaced Him with a golden calf, so God planned to replace them after consuming them from the earth with a great nation from Moses himself! If not for the appeal for mercy from Moses in the way that he did it in Exod. 32:11-35, the Almighty would have replaced them in return! I tell you, many of us have received this same mercy today from our God. We are all guilty at some time in our lives of having replaced Him, are we not? Have you ever gone on a long trip on the day of worship, instead of going to church? Ever miss church for a sporting event, whether in person or on television? How about the kids and their soccer game instead of church? Or how about replacing Him not just for one day, but permanently because of an issue at church that left one feeling unable to go back there any more? Who, upon reflecting on their past, is not guilty of it? Thanks to God for His forgiveness and mercy!

Now another "R" that God hates is "R"ebellion, and I will use another situation from the Old Testament as an ensample of God's response to it to illustrate how God views rebellion. Num. 16:1-50 covers the rebellion of Korah, who acted not alone, but with Dathan and Abiram, and other men of Israel, and among them were 250 princes of the assembly, renowned men of the congregation, and they rebelled against Moses and Aaron, God's appointed leaders, accusing them of lifting themselves over the congregation, which really amounts to jealousy. Moses said to them that they should realize they were not just rebelling against him and Aaron, but also against the Lord. In Num. 16:11, they were still stiffnecked against the Lord and His chosen ones, Moses and Aaron. So as Moses spoke of the action God was going to take against those in rebellion, it so took place, and the ground swallowed up Korah and all who followed him in Num. 16:31-32. In sheer foolishness still, on the very next day the congregation again came against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of killing the people of the Lord in reference to the extermination of Korah and his ilk, and the Almighty's response to Moses was to tell him to get away from the congregation that He might consume them in a moment, and Moses and Aaron fell on their faces, and Moses told Aaron to take a censer and make atonement, and Aaron did so, staying a plague where he stood between the living and the dead (from plague), and 14,700 died in that plague after those who died with Korah! Let us thank the Father for His grace upon man since of old, which Noah found in Gen. 6:8, His unspeakable gift in the form of His Son sacrificed for all of our sins on the cross, but how few among us can say they never rebelled against God for whatever reason? How wonderful the longsuffered patience of the Lord with all in this age who has at some time rebelled, perhaps blaming God for the loss of a loved one, or rebelled against one of God's undershepherds finding fault in them but being unrighteous in their indignation! And should the rebel have their eyes opened to their error while they still live, how blessed are they whom Jesus forgives at their confession and repentance!

The last "R" that God hates is "R"ejection. I will confess to foreshadowing John 3:16 being used here as I first used it at the beginning of this message. Peradventure someone reading this be unfamiliar with it, it is written, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Know also that Jesus, the Son of God said this, which is why it is redlettered. Our Father in heaven loves us so much, He did not spare His Son, sending Him to be the perfect sacrifice on the cross, that His shed blood be for the remission of sins for anyone who believes in Him, Jesus Christ. Throughout all four gospels, the scribes and Pharisees are famous for their rejection of Christ. Most famous is the rejection by the Pharisees in Matt. 12:22-37, Mark 3:22-30, & Luke 11:14-54, wherein Christ bid woe unto the scribes, Pharisees and lawyers who not only rejected Him, but accused Him of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Now this is listed as blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, the unforgivable sin, and Jesus teaches that it may also be calling the work of the Spirit that of Satan. While the circumstances for this type of sin cannot be duplicated today, one can still commit an unforgivable sin, and that is rejecting Jesus Christ as your Savior. I bring your attention to the redlettered quote above, and point out that there is work involved in being brought to eternal life and not damnation, and therein is written what must be done; (that you not reject Jesus, but believe in Him, so that you not commit the unforgivable sin.) Now belief in Him is a deep concept. By this I mean, you can't just say, "Okay, I believe in Jesus", and walk away doing whatever you please. Believing in Him means loving Him for what He did, accepting His ownership of you. He died for you, you were bought for a price, and God does not love as carnal man does, God equates love to obedience. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Also, in Matt. 7:21-27, Jesus explains that obedience to the will of God brings eternal life, and likens all who obey His words to being a wise man who built his house on a rock, as opposed to a foolish man who builds their house on sand.

So in summation let me say that we who believe do not want to replace, rebel, or reject Him, but rather give Him our heart, soul, and mind. When we surrender all to Him, and love our neighbor as we do our own selves, then we shall be found pleasing in His sight. He does not expect us to do this perfectly, we are human, but to do so as often as we realize opportunities how, then we may be found pleasing in His sight.