Monmouth Church Of Christ Sermons

First Fruits

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Proverbs 3:9, James 1:18, I Corinthians 15:20-28; Philippians 3:12-21

         “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.” (James 1:18, NIV)
         Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites were commanded to give their first-fruits to the Lord. The first-born or first-offspring of every womb was to be consecrated to the Lord (Exodus13:2 and 22:29). The first-fruits of the harvest were likewise to be brought to the Lord (Leviticus 2:12, Numbers 18:12, Nehemiah 10:35), and the priests (Deuteronomy 18:4). The first-fruits were dedicated to the Lord as a means of honoring him as well as reminding the Israelites that the Lord brought them up from Egypt with a mighty hand. God did not want to be an after-thought. Rather, through commanding them to give all of their first-fruits to him, they were being reminded that they were to have no other gods before them, and that God was their provider. Proverbs indicates that if the first-fruits were dedicated to the Lord then the Israelites would find that their barns would be filled and overflowing (Proverbs 3:9).
         So with the principle affirmed in the Old Testament that the best was to be offered to God, The New Testament speaks of Christ as being the first-fruits of all those who are raised from the dead. As Paul says in I Corinthians 15:22-23, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first-fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” Paul's emphasis here is on the certainty of the resurrection from the dead at the end of time when all is finished and the kingdom of God reigns supreme. Christ is the first of all who will be raised from the dead, and Christ is reigning now until all that is opposed to God is defeated. Paul says, “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all power and dominion, authority and power. He [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” (I Corinthians 15:24-25).
         As such, we have the return of Christ to anticipate. With Christ being raised first, we will follow when he returns. As James mentions, in Christ, we are even now, a kind of first-fruits since we have been given life in Christ and are awaiting his return. We live not for this world that is destined to decay (and in fact, is decaying), but we live for the return of Christ as first-fruits of all that God created. Paul would say in Philippians that our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who “by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21).
         As first fruits, the scriptures teach that we should live anticipating our inheritance to come. Our citizenship is in heaven, not on this earth. We eagerly anticipate a Savior from heaven, Jesus Christ, who will come to claim us as God's first-fruits in Christ. So, what does that mean for us? First, it means that we do not want to become so attached to things of this world and to the ways of this world that we lose focus on who we really are and what awaits us. The world is not destined to last for eternity, but is destined to be destroyed. It is not God's purpose to 'fix' the world so that the world becomes the place where we desire to live for ever. This world is badly broken. We have no further to look at the political and economic condition of our world today than to see that despite our best efforts, we still live in an imperfect “messed up” place. Praise be to God that our citizenship is not destined to be in this world forever, but is rather in heaven, a place that God is preparing for us and that awaits us.
         Knowing that we are God's first fruits also means that we live as representatives of Christ and the hope that he offers on this earth. As we have been 'raised with Christ' and 'seated with him' (Ephesians 2:4-6) we have a message to proclaim on this earth. It is a message of salvation from the damaging of effects of sin in this life, and a message of a life that awaits us with Christ after we pass from this life. As Christ has empowered us through his Spirit to be witnesses for him no matter what the world situation is like. Whether we live in prosperous times or hard times, we have the same message: a message of salvation and home. The message of the kingdom of God is not chained, nor is the message dependent upon the condition of the world. As Christians, we are empowered in each and every generation and in each and every age to speak the good news of Christ with our lives and with our words.
         No matter what kind of mess the world gets in, the kingdom of Heaven advances forcefully. We need have no fear of the turn of world events one way or the other. As first-fruits in Christ, God has promised us salvation from this world into an eternal inheritance that can never spoil or fade, one that is kept in heaven for us through faith (I Peter 1:3-9).
         So then, as a kind of first-fruits, let us demonstrate our hope in our words and actions towards our brothers and sisters and those to whom the Lord will call us to share the good news.

Charles

The Value Of Work

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Genesis 2:15, Proverbs 6:6-11; 2 Thessalonians 3;6-11

           “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Genesis 2:15, NIV)
          Work is good. According to Genesis, human beings were created to work. Before there was any sin or wrong doing, God created Adam and put him in the garden to work it and care for it. The blessing of God on human beings was not only to “be fruitful and multiply” but also to “subdue the earth,” to shape and to care for the earth. The curse which was later put upon Adam was not “work,” but the pain through which he would have to work to bring forth food (Genesis 3:17-19). Yet even with the curse, work never stopped being good and it never stopped being part of God's will for us.
          Not only is working part of God's plan for us, finding enjoyment in our work is a blessing from God. Ecclesiastes says, “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13, NIV)    To wake up in the morning and enjoy what we do is God's gift. Granted, there may be times when the circumstances of our work are difficult, or even disappointing. We may have to work hard and even be discouraged from time to time. But to enjoy the work itself is a gift from God.
         On the flip side, the book of Proverbs warns against the dangers of not working and being lazy. In Proverbs 6:6-11 we are encouraged to consider the “ant” and notice how it has the sense to work to provide for its own needs. Furthermore, the proverb warns against idleness and sleeping when we should be working. Many other proverbs warn against laziness (Proverbs 12:27), chasing after fantasies (Proverbs 12:11), and lack of diligence in one's work (Proverbs 12:24). Not working leads to poverty and life that lacks good judgment and wisdom.
         Jesus speaks about work and laziness in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-28). Those who were given a number of talents, turned them into more talents. The individual who had only one talent hid it. He was called wicked and lazy. This servant was considered worthless and thrown into the darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. A harsh judgment indeed. Yet, the parable underscores the premium God places on work and leading a productive life.
         The Apostle Paul continually stresses that even though he had the right to receive financial support from the churches he served, he still worked hard to earn his keep so that he would not be a burden to anyone. But as he says in 2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, he worked to be an example. In fact, Paul gave them this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” Apparently, there were those who were idle, not working, and going around as busybodies living off other people and not shouldering their own load. Paul insisted in his letter to the Thessalonians that each person was to work and earn their keep.
         Finally in Colossians 3:23-24, Paul says that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” So, not only is work God-ordained for us, we are to do it with our whole heart as if we are serving Christ. Whatever our work is, we aren't to do it shoddily or half-heartedly. We are to give our work our best effort and work as if we are serving Christ.
          What does this mean for us? First, it is God's will that we work and provide for our needs. This is not only right, but it is one of the purposes for which we were made. It means that we should have a good work ethic and do our best. But must also realize that work is not confined to our occupation. The concept of work extends also to serving in the church and developing our talents and abilities. In no place of life does God give us a reason to be just lazy or unproductive. Granted, there are times in our lives when other circumstances such as health and aging keep us from doing what we once did. And, we are to keep our lives in balance and not do more than we can do well.
          God gave us talents and abilities to be used in his service, and God wants us to be about developing those talents for his purposes. God doesn't want us wasting ourselves by not taking our abilities seriously. Just like the ten and five talent people in the parable, we are to be about developing and nurturing the talents God gave us so that they multiply and grow. It is not a matter of how many talents one has, but what one does with the abilities that one has. Each one of us will have to stand before the Lord and give an account of how we have used our lives for the Lord's kingdom, by his strength and power.
          So, let us work at what God has given us to do with all our heart, knowing that it is God who will bless the work of our hands.

Charles

On What Have You Set Your Heart?

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Luke 12:22-34

         “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” (Luke 12:29-30)
         In recent weeks, the world has been filled with anxiety about the economy. Stock markets around the world have been fluctuating wildly with investors and bankers hardly knowing what to do or how to respond. Many have lost large sums of money and may stand to lose even more. The world easily goes into a worrisome panic when waves of financial uncertainty begin to wash over not only our country but others around the world.
         However, in the kingdom of God, Jesus teaches us that we do not have to worry about our lives, what we will eat or drink, what we will wear, or about our bodies. God knows that we need to be clothed and fed and taken care of. As our heavenly Father, God will give us what we need. As we seek first his kingdom, all of our needs will be given to us. By contrast, pagans are described as “running after” the necessities of life.
         Jesus emphasizes the instruction, “not to worry” by appealing to nature. He speaks about the ravens who do not sow or reap. They don't work to produce the food that they eat but God feeds and provides for them. As we are much more valuable than the birds, how much more will God provide for us! There is simply no need to worry. Jesus appeals to the lilies of the field and their beauty and splendor just in 'being.' Yet the lilies along with the grass are so temporary, here today and gone tomorrow. And if God sees fit to make them radiant and beautiful, how much more will God clothe us. Again, there is just need to worry.
         Next, Jesus speaks about the utter non-productivity of worry. Worry does not produce anything useful. We can't add a single hour to our lives. While we might think of “adding a single hour to our lives” as impossible, we do try to cram more into our hours and days to get more done. For what purpose? To have more? To be more successful? To gain more status? To provide for ourselves as if God takes no notice of our needs? Since worry cannot produce even the smallest change in our lives, why do we engage in it?
         On what have we set our heart? To set the heart on something is to set our minds and our thinking on something. If our heart is set upon what we will eat, drink, and wear, or if our heart is set upon our bodies, we will worry about these things. Rather, if we set our heart upon the kingdom of God, we will be thinking about things of the kingdom. And Jesus says that God is pleased to give us the kingdom (Luke 12:32).
         So, if our heart is set on the kingdom of God, what will we be thinking about? Jesus says, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In other words, setting our heart on the kingdom is setting our minds on serving others and being an instrument of God's blessing for other people. No one can steal an act of kindness or a good deed done in service to others. No corruption can come to those things we do to sacrificially give to others when they are in need. If we treasure-truly value!-caring for other people, if the putting aside of self for the benefit of others is something that brings us true meaning in life, then we will not be in danger of losing anything valuable. In fact, we will have laid up treasure in heaven.
         These difficult financial times will not be solved in coming days by selecting the right political leader. The only way to deal with times of prosperity and times of greater need is to seek first God's kingdom and trust God to provide what he knows we need. Worry is a useless exercise and produces nothing but anxiety and stress. But trusting in what Jesus says about God's faithful provision brings us peace and the assurance that he will provide in all circumstances. Where our treasure is, there will our heart be also.

Charles

The Sanctity Of Life

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:00:00 GMT

         “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:27-28, NIV).
         Statistics show that about a third of all pregnancies in our country are unwanted and about half of those end in abortion. With debates raging around one's right to abort a pregnancy, it is imperative that we turn to the Bible and see what principles are laid out for us with respect to what we call “abortion” in our modern age-the voluntary termination of the pregnancy.
         First, in turning to the formation of human beings, the Bible clearly states that God created human beings in his image. After they were created, God blessed them. The blessing was to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth and subdue it. In other words, not only did God create human beings with the ability to reproduce, but God also endowed humanity with a blessing to do so.
         As we continue to read through the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, we see lists of genealogies that demonstrate God's blessing: one generation born to another and on to another. Generations continued through conceiving and giving birth. The first such birth that takes place is of Cain. Genesis 4:1 says that “Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain.” (The name Cain sounds like the Hebrew word for bringing forth acquiring.) Thus, the Bible understands that the first recorded birth began at conception.
         There are numerous other examples throughout the scripture of life starting at conception: Hagar conceived and bore Ishmael (Genesis 16:4), Leah conceived and gave birth to her children (Genesis 29:21-33). Also, Hannah conceived and gave birth to Samuel (I Samuel 1:19-20).
         The blessing of God upon human beings is the procreation of life, and as the Bible relates, the life of a new human being begins at conception.   Moreover, when we study the commands of the Old Testament, we find one of them being “Thou Shall not Murder.” The word that is translated as murder has to do with taking the life of one's own, or one's own fellow Israelite. (There is another word that is used for the more general term for killing as in a battle or a war.) Thus, the murder would also refer to killing of one's own unborn. Proverbs tells us that God hates the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:16-19), or the taking of a life that is free of any charges against it. In the New Testament, Jesus says that those who murder will be subject to judgment (Matthew 5:21), and the Apostle Paul says in the book of Romans that those with a depraved mind are given over to murder, inventing ways of doing evil, and are disobedient to parents, among other things. Moreover he says that “although these know God's righteous decrees that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:29-32).
         Thus abortion, or willingly terminating the life of an unborn child, violates God's laws on several levels. First it is a human act that negates the blessing of God upon all humanity to be fruitful and multiply. Secondly, the position that life begins at some point other than conception is counter to the Biblical witness that life begins when the child is conceived. Thirdly, to willingly abort an unborn child is murder and the shedding of innocent blood. Aborting an unborn child is denying both the blessing of God upon humanity and a denial of that child's God-given right to life.
        The world invents so many reasons why abortion is acceptable, but at the end of the day we have to reckon with the straight-forward way in which God blessed the creation. God is the author of life, he endowed humankind with the ability to continue life through conceiving and bearing children. We do not have the right to abort God's blessing. Instead, we have every responsibility to receive God's blessing of new life with respect and with care. As Psalm 100 says, “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his.”

Charles

The Spirit Vs. Our Sinful Nature

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:00:00 GMT

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

         The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
         But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:13-14 and 19-22)
         We live in a very morally confused age. If what we see on television, the movies, read about in the newspapers, or observe in our schools and neighborhoods is any indication, it would seem that our society has simply lost its moral compass on what is right and wrong. The sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman is now being challenged by those who want to include in the definition of marriage a union between two members of the same sex. Sexual immorality, including adultery and all forms of fornication not only between adults, but teens as well, is now commonplace on television. The internet is filled with portrayals of immoral acts and people are connecting with others in society in dangerous ways. The sanctity of an unborn life is being assaulted at every turn and put at the center of political debates (it has been estimated that about one-third of all pregnancies in the United States are unwanted and about half of those end in abortion). Greed and the lust for power, wealth and money is rampant and resulting in financial hardship for people in all economic classes. Wars abound around the world as people attempt to justify domination over others. In terms of spirituality, many people are turning to alternatives such as the occult and witchcraft to meet their needs.
         As people of God who have been redeemed and purchased by Christ, we must not let worldliness creep into our lives and erode the work that the Spirit is doing in us. In writing to a culture of new Christians (Galatians) who also lived in a decadent world, Paul reminds them that in Christ they were set free, but not to indulge the sinful nature. Rather their freedom was given to enable them to “love their neighbor” by the Spirit's power. In the same way, in Christ we have been saved by grace through faith, but not to continue to indulge the sinful nature.
         What is the sinful nature? It is our self-centeredness that seeks to gratify desires. These desires are centered on wants for the here and now, and are completely centered on the self, not others. These desires seek the promotion of self at the expense of the well being of others. The result of giving into these desires may be momentary gratification, but invariably accompanied by long term pain, damage, violence, and even death. Paul says that the acts of the sinful nature are obvious, and that those who indulge in them will not inherit the kingdom of God. It is impossible to gratify the passions of the self and at the same time walk in the kingdom of God which is characterized by sacrificially serving others-loving one's neighbor.
         How should we then live? By the Spirit. How does one live by the Spirit? First, our minds must be set on what the Spirit wants, which is to serve others. Our thoughts should not be focused on “what I want” but rather “what do others need.” Christ's crucifixion was the ultimate example of giving up one's self for the benefit of others. Christ died and paid the penalty for our sin so that we could go free-but free to do as he did-to live for the benefit of others and not the consuming passions of self.
         Again, if we live by the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. We must turn away from the world's broken moral compass and realize that continuing to gratify the sinful nature only brings about decay. Instead, let us set our minds on Christ and the will of the Spirit so that we will lead lives of blessing to others that in the end will reap eternal life.

Charles

Purposing In Your Heart To Give

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

         “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
          And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
         God is clear in his word: we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-10 and 2 Corinthians 9:6). If we “sow” to the kingdom by seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, God will amply provide all that we need in this life. God also wants us to give cheerfully, empowered by his grace. As such, we should not give to God in a way that is reluctant, or under compulsion, or begrudgingly, but rather cheerfully and from the heart. Our giving should be purposeful and thoughtful.
         In light of God's Word, let us consider principles of giving. As we have seen, our giving should be cheerful as a response to God's grace. Paul has told us that giving is a grace given by God (2 Corinthians 8:1-6). While there are some who are especially gifted by God to give (see Romans 12:8), all of us are to be involved in contributing to the needs of God's people as he directs. Certainly the church is to care financially for those whose work is preaching the gospel (I Corinthians 9:14, Galatians 6:6, and I Timothy 5:17-18). This would include those who teach and preach the gospel for a living whether it be at home or on the mission field. And, as we have seen from 2 Corinthians 8-9, the Word also encourages us to contribute to our brothers and sisters who are in need. Jesus emphasizes the principle of giving when he sends out the disciples, “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:1-15).
         How much should one give? In the Old Testament scripture, the law said that no individual was to appear before God empty handed at the prescribed time and place of offering (Deuteronomy 16:17). Each one was to come before the Lord with an offering in proportion to how he had been blessed. Similarly in the New Testament, Paul instructs that we should give according to our means (2 Corinthians 8:11) and as we have purposed in our heart (2 Corinthians 9:6). Following these instructions, each one should prayerfully consider how they have been financially and materially blessed and give to the Lord accordingly. If the Lord has seen fit to bless us very generously, should we then give back to the Lord with a generous heart? But whatever we give, it must be cheerfully and according to what we have purposed in our heart. In other words, each of us should come to a decision about how much we will give to the Lord. And once the decision is made, we need to keep our commitment.

        Giving to the Lord cannot be haphazard or random or in an undisciplined way. The Word says that we are to give in accordance with what we have purposed in our heart. To purpose in the heart means to evaluate our means, meditate on what God says in His Word about the attitude with which we are go give, and then decide in our heart what is the right amount to give. Once we purpose in our heart, we should honor God with that commitment.
         Paul advises in I Corinthians 16:1-4 that when it comes to collecting for the needs of God's work and God's people, giving should be on a regular basis. He writes, “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” While this was written to the Corinthian church regarding a specific need that had arisen in Jerusalem (see 16:3-4), the principle is valid for us today. To give in a purpose-filled way is to give in a regular way in keeping with our income. Whether we give weekly, monthly, or on some other basis, we need to be regularly setting aside funds to contribute to the needs of the kingdom.
         God is able to make all grace abound to us so that we can be generous on every occasion, and so that those gifts will result in thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11). May we so purpose to give to the Lord and in so doing, bring him glory!

                                                                                  Charles

See That You Excel In The Grace Of Giving

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

         “But just as you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see that you excel in this grace of giving.” (2 Corinthians 8:7)
         Giving generously is a matter of faith and also a matter of grace. We learn from Paul's letter to the Corinthian church that God gave the Macedonian church grace to be able to give to those who were in need. This grace of giving was manifested in the Macedonian church at a time when the church was suffering economically. Paul writes, “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” (2 Cor. 8:1-2).
         Paul challenged the Corinthian church to consider giving as a manifestation of grace. In other words, Paul wanted the Corinthians to consider the Macedonian Christians who were in the midst of a severe trial and in the midst of extreme poverty. One would not expect this kind of group to be ones to give generously.   One would expect this group to be holding on tightly to what little they had. But on the contrary, by grace, the Macedonian Christians their poverty welled up in rich generosity! How was such a thing possible? By grace. By God's love and enabling strength.
         Paul goes on to say that the way in which they were able to give by grace was to first give themselves to the Lord, and then to the needs of God's people according to God's will (2 Corinthians 8:5). In other words, they fixed their eyes on Jesus and God's great love expressed through Christ. They gave themselves completely to the Lord instead of being concerned about their low worldly state. In this way, they were able to excel in the grace of giving-of being generous to the needs of God's people, not by their own strength or their own power, but by God's strength and power.
         Furthermore, Paul encourages the Corinthian churches to complete their desire to give to the needs of God people according to their means (2 Corinthians 8:11-12). He says, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”   Paul's point is that he wants the Corinthians to see what they have as provided to them by God, and then be willing, by grace, to share with God's people. As he goes on to say, he does not want them to be hard pressed, but rather to recognize that God gives to us so that we can share with others. He says, “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be quality.”
         Paul teaches that there should be equality among Christians. For Paul, because Christ died for all, and because Christ became poor so that through his poverty we might become rich, Christians should take care to see that there are none in their midst that do not have enough of the basic necessities of life. It is the attitude of generosity motivated by God's grace that of importance to Paul (see 2 Corinthians 8:13-15).
         To recap Paul's instruction thus far to the Corinthian church, giving is a grace, it is something that God enables his people to do.   When giving to others by grace, it is a privilege, a strong desire to want to help others. Thus, giving is not a duty or a burden. To give by grace, we must first give ourselves to the Lord.   We need to put God first in our deliberations over how we are going to use the means he has given us. God has richly provided us with all things that we need. But the “plenty” that he has provided is not intended for us alone, but rather the needs of others. God desires that we excel in the grace of giving. Just as we excel in our prayer lives, increasing our knowledge of the Word, and in the sharing of our faith, we are to excel in the grace of giving.
         Let us take time to consider how richly God has blessed us even in these difficult financial times. As with the Macedonians, hard economic times provide an opportunity to experience the grace of giving. By God's grace it is in the hard times that we can experience the most generosity and the most blessing. So, let's turn to God and contemplate how richly he has blessed in Christ, and how he is able to supply us with all we need so that we can in turn bless others.

Charles

Will A Man Rob God?

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Malachi 3:6-12

         “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes an offerings. You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:8-10)
         The bottom line is that God desires to bless his people. From the very start of creation, God endowed the creation with the ability to “be fruitful and multiply.” God's desire was that his blessing extend to all of creation and that all people of the earth be blessed. God's chosen people were the bearers of that witness. The law given at Sinai contained the instructions for righteous and holy living. By following these commands and instructions, the people would receive God's favor and blessing which would include everything they needed for this life, both spiritually and materially.
         As part of the law, the people were to bring gifts before the Lord consisting of tithes and offerings in proportion to the ways in which the Lord had blessed them (Deut. 16:17). These tithes represented a tenth of what each person's fields had produced each year. They were to be brought to the place the Lord would choose. At the end of every three years, all of the tithes were to be brought in so that the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who lived in the town could come and eat and be satisfied. The end result? The scripture says that the Lord would bless all the work of their hands (Deut. 14:28-29).
         Yet, the history of Israel demonstrated that the people did not bring their tithes and offerings as the Lord had commanded. As a result, they were not being blessed as much as the Lord had in store for them. More importantly, the prophet Malachi said that because the Israelites had withheld the full amount of their tithes and offerings, the people were under a curse because they were “robbing God” (see Malachi 3:8-9).
         The prophet pleads for the people to return to the Lord so that the Lord will return to them (Malachi 3:6). Moreover through the prophet, the Lord asks the people to test him and see if he will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that the people would have room enough for it. The blessing of the Lord was just waiting to be lavished upon the people if they would return to the Lord and bring their full tithe to him.
         Similarly, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul writes that when we sow generously, we reap generously. In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul writes to the church that God is able to make all grace abound to us so that all things and at all times, we will be able to abound in every good work. God is the supplier of all of our needs, and he enables us to have an abundance and an increase so that we can be generous in our giving. As he says, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Corinthians 9:11).
         On the matter of giving, God says, “Test me in this” (Malachi 3:10). God invites us to give generously so that we can see his rich blessings pour out as a result. Ultimately, giving is a matter of faith. Do we believe that God will bless us generously? Do we believe that God will bless us abundantly when we give? It is in God's nature, will and plan to bless us. But in order to receive God's fullest blessings we must return to God and put him first in our giving.
         Have we robbed God? We can begin by identifying whether or not we have been withholding from the Lord what God has placed on our heart to give. Why would we withhold it? Perhaps we believe that God really won't bless us if we give. Perhaps we want to hold on to what we have for fear we might not have enough if we give. Perhaps we have just been selfish or not thought about the needs of those around us or our church family.   If we will open our heart to give generously to the Lord, to meet the financial needs of God's work in our local congregation and those serving the Lord in missions fields, God promises to pour out his blessings.
         We don't want to miss the blessing, and we cannot “out-give” God. Let us consider the Word of the Lord.

Charles

Have Salt In Yourselves

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Mark 9:38-50

         “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:38-50).
         The Gospel of Mark gives a little different insight into what it means to be salt in this world. Jesus says, “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Jesus makes this statement at the end of a discussion with his disciples. The discussion started (Mark 9:38) with the disciples being upset because someone who was not part of their group was driving out demons in Jesus' name. The disciples tried to stop him, but Jesus told them otherwise. “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:39-40). By saying this, Jesus was helping the disciples come to peace with all those who did work in his name. Jesus goes on to affirm that, “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41) Jesus continues to amplify his point by saying that it is even better to enter eternal life crippled than to be thrown into hell because of something that causes you to sin (Mark 9:45, and here he quotes from Isaiah 66:22-24).
         He finishes his admonition to the disciples by saying that all will be salted with fire and that the disciples were to have salt in themselves, meaning that they should be at peace with each other. What does Jesus mean by being “salted with fire,” and what does he mean by having “salt in one's self?” In the Gospels, fire is often associated with the work of the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16, Acts 2:3, and I Thessalonians 5:19), but also with destruction (Matthew 5:22, 18:8, 25:41, and Mark 9:48). God is also said to be a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).    So, to be 'salted with fire' would suggest the purifying work of God through the Spirit in the life of the believer. Certainly while a believer in Christ is alive, being salted with fire would have to do with experiencing the work and presence of God in one's life.
         Thus, Jesus' command to 'have salt in yourself' would mean that we need to yield to the work of God in our lives. Specifically, Jesus mentions that having salt in one's self would be manifest in being at peace with one another.   Being unified with those doing the work of Christ (as mentioned in Mark 9:38-41) is essential. Certainly, Jesus prays for the unity of his followers (John 17), and Paul admonishes everyone to make every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3).
         It is not coincidental that Jesus uses the concept of salt in this very important teaching. Salt is well known to be a preservative in certain foods. Also, salt is a healing agent in certain kinds of wounds and salt also can prevent decay.   Salt has been used throughout time as one of the earth's natural ingredients to keep food from spoiling and thus preserving food necessary for life. In the same way, we as Christians are to be that kind of salt. We are to have salt in ourselves so that we act as preserving agents not only for ourselves, but for the work of Christ in the world. Without Christian's being salt in the world, the world cannot come to fully know God as God intends.
         We are “salty,” as we go about the work of God in the name of Christ.   Jesus is clear, “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” To do service in the name of Christ lets the world know about God's work in the world. We do not want to be agents that cause others to sin, or we have lost our salt. We do not want to become immersed in sin ourselves or we are no good to anyone. Rather, we have received the salt we need through the Holy Spirit. We are “salty” because God has made us so by his energy and his power. In the name of Jesus, we are now to go out as a unified people to proclaim the gospel and be witnesses of God's healing, preserving, and redemptive work in the world.
         “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Charles

Biblical Reasons To Pray

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT

“Prayer is an essential practice of the Christian Life. It is the language spoken in the Kingdom of God.” - Praying4America

Why pray? Consider the following scriptures which outline the Biblical reasons supporting our need to continue to pray:

Christ abides with us when we pray (Matthew 18:19-20).

Christ intercedes for us and is an advocate for us when we pray (I John 2:1-2).

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us and presents our requests to God according to His will (Romans 8:26-27).

God will grant us wisdom if we ask, without finding fault (James 1:5).

God hears us when we pray, and will grant us justice (Luke 18:1-9).

The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective (James 5:16).

When we pray, it is evidence that we belong to God, our Father (Romans 8:15, and Galatians 4:6-7).

We have direct access to help from the throne of Grace, through Jesus our High Priest, who is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:14-16).

We can talk with God about anything in our lives, all of our anxieties, and all of our burdens. He cares for us (Philippians 4:6)

The end is near, we need to continually pray and stay alert (I Peter 4:7).

Prayer is a means of invoking God's power and authority over all of those who govern us on this earth, so that we may live quiet and peace-filled lives (I Timothy 2:1-6).

Prayer leads us to places where we can connect with those who do not yet know Christ or who need our ministry (Acts 16:13-15).

Prayer connects us with joy and thanksgiving (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Our eyes are opened to spiritual truths and power when we pray (Ephesians 1:18).

Praying is the Christian's response to life's circumstances, both good and bad (James :13).

We are built up in our faith when we pray (Jude 20).

We bring healing and comfort to those who are sick and afflicted when we pray (James 5:16).

Doors for ministry are opened through prayer. Boldness in preaching the gospel is also realized through prayer (Colossians 4:3-4).

We are strengthened in our “inner being” when we pray (Ephesians 3:16-21).

God will bring healing to our country and our lives when we humble ourselves and pray (2 Chronicles 7:14).

We show evidence of a changed Christian life when we pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:28).

Prayer is evidence of a Godly-focus for our lives (Psalm 32:6).

We receive counsel and instruction from the Lord when we pray (Psalm 32:8).

Prayer is key to living a peace-filled life, both internally, and in our physical world (Psalm 122:6, I Timothy 2:2)

There are undoubtedly many more reasons to pray that we could find in scripture. However, start by meditating on these encouragements to pray and watch how God moves in your life!

Charles