The Zeal of Jezebel

Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

1 Kings 18:19

Do you know what an influencer is? You know... those people who have millions of followers on social media. We call them influencers because they wield a LOT of influence over people. They have an outsized impact.

I think the villain Jezebel was kind of an Old Testament influencer. Like the influencers of today, Jezebel had an outsized impact. Where she led, people followed. And there can be little doubt that from the time she married King Ahab, and for many years afterward, Jezebel had an outsized influence on the kingdom of Israel. Sadly, her influence wasn't for the good. 

One example of Jezebel's influence is found in the verse above. It says that Jezebel had 450 prophets of Baal and 400 hundred prophets of Asherah who ate at her table. She personally fed 850 false prophets. Why? Because she was zealous to feed the growth of Baal worship in Israel.

And Jezebel didn’t just oppose worship of the One True God; Scripture tells us that she was so zealous about this that she tried to kill ALL the prophets of the Lord. And if it weren't for a faithful man named Obadiah who hid a hundred of God’s prophets in two caves, Jezebel probably would’ve very nearly succeeded. (1 Kings 18:4)

What I want you to take not of here is Jezebel's zeal. She was highly motivated to lead Israel into Baal worship and sin. She went to great lengths to feed the growth of her false religion all over Israel. 

Which raises an interesting question... Are you as zealous for the Lord as Jezebel was for Baal? Are you as zealous a supporter of the church and of Christianity as she was of Baal worship? Are you as motivated to see people come to Jesus as she was to see them come to Baal? Don’t let Jezebel outdo you for zeal!!! Why should she be more zealous for her false god than you are for the One True God?!

Taking the Credit

Twelve months later, as [King Nebuchadnezzar] was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

Daniel 4:29-30

Nebuchadnezzar took credit for what God had done. He was walking on the roof of his palace in Babylon looking out over the majesty of his kingdom and in his pride, he took credit for all of it.

From a human perspective we can understand how Nebuchadnezzar made this mistake. History tells us that Nebuchadnezzar was a great builder. He built temples and shrines to his gods. He built the very palace whose roof he was walking on when he made this statement. He built walls and moats and gates for his city. He dug deep canals and built impressive dams.* He rebuilt nearly every city and every temple in his kingdom. And we know that Nebuchadnezzar did all this because nearly all the ancient bricks archeologists have found in this region from that time are stamped with Nebuchadnezzar’s name! How’s that for humble?**

Most notably, Nebuchadnezzar is credited with creating the hanging gardens of Babylon which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.*** 

So, you can understand why Nebuchadnezzar took the credit. The problem was that he actually believed he had done all this by himself. In his arrogance, he believed he had done it by his own mighty power. And, of course, in his pride, Nebuchadnezzar undertook it all for his own glory.

Aren’t we sometimes guilty of the same? Don’t we sometimes look around at all that God has done through us and for us and think “I did this!”

Don’t take credit for what God has done. Even the things that God has done through you, were done in His power, not your own. And God deserves the credit for doing such mighty works through such a weak instrument. And don't forget how great a danger pride is. It’s easy for us to start living a life that is all about ourselves and start building monuments to our own glory. But ultimately, that way of life is empty. It is less than what we are called to as humans and as Christians. So, humble yourself before the Lord. Give him the glory. And spend your life building His kingdom, not your own.

* Wilson, Dick R. “Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar.” In The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, edited by James Orr, John L. Nuelsen, Edgar Y. Mullins, and Morris O. Evans. Vol. 1–5. Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915.

** Easton, M. G. Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893. 

*** Ritzema, Elliot. “Nebuchadnezzar.” In The Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.

**** Easton, M. G. Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893.

Look Up (W.o.W. Rewind)

 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

Daniel 4:34

The great King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon stood atop the world in the sixth century B.C. But when he became too full of thoughts of himself and his own glory, God disgraced him. He took his mind from him and He humbled him and caused Nebuchadnezzar to live like an animal in the field. How fitting it is that his sanity should return the moment he lifted his eyes up off the grass, beyond himself, and up toward heaven. 

There are many times in my life when casting my gaze on heaven seems like the only sane act in this crazy world. Like Nebuchadnezzar, I sometimes find myself with my head down eating the grass of daily existence. Caught up in the mundane and never-ending routines that take up so much of our time and that the great teacher of Ecclesiastes called "meaningless." It is only as I lift my eyes toward heaven that sanity and meaning are given to the things that drive me crazy. 

Sometimes I look up to laugh at the insanity of our world. Sometimes to cry. At other times I look up in worship and at others to plead for help. But always the Lord lifts my gaze up toward Himself. As long as my eyes rest on heaven, my troubles don't seem big enough to crush me, nor do my successes shine bright enough to distract me. 

So, cast your eyes on the Lord today! Look to Him and plead, pray, mourn, laugh, or worship. Look to Him in whatever way is fitting for you and your circumstances, only be careful to never lower your gaze. 

A Day of Division

“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

Malachi 4:1–3

These verses talk about the Day of the Lord. What is that? It’s the day of God’s judgment. Now, the Day of the Lord can refer to moments of judgment within human history, such as the Exodus or the Babylonian exile, but the ultimate fulfillment of the Day of the Lord will come on that great and final judgment day at the end of human history.

And I want to draw your attention to the great contrast that is presented in these verses between the expectation of the wicked and the righteous on that day. For the wicked, that day “will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire… Not a root or a branch will be left to them.”

Notice the dominant image here is a furnace or an oven. God’s judgment doesn’t burn out of control, but it does burn hot. And the wicked are ripe for His judgment. They are described as dry stubble or straw, which always lights easily and burns quickly. Though the wicked seem to have deep roots in our world, though they seem to branch out in every direction and prosper, God says that not a root or branch will be left to them. They will be utterly destroyed and removed from our world on that final day.

By contrast, for those who revere God’s name, that day will not burn like an oven but will soothe like the warmth of the rising sun that causes stiff limbs to loosen and work again. Whereas the wicked might run in terror on that day, the righteous are described as frolicking and celebrating. It says that they will go out skipping like calves that have been pent up in their stalls all winter now set free in a green meadow. And the wicked will be trampled under their feet on that day of victory.

What we dare not miss here is that there will be a great division. A distinction will be made between the wicked and the righteous when God’s judgment finally comes. Jesus affirms this. He says the wicked and the righteous will be separated one from the other like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And the experience of the two will differ greatly. For God’s sheep, the Day of the Lord will be a day of deliverance and celebration. But for the wicked, it will be their doom... a great and terrible day of judgment.

Which side will you be on, when God draws that final line of separation? Are you ready for that Day? Do you look forward to it? Or do you tremble at the thought of it? If you tremble, it isn’t too late to make ready. If you aren't sure how, then keep reading below. 

***

The Gospel in a nutshell: We are all sinners. Every one of us has rejected God's way and gone our own way. We have all rebelled against the one true King. Our sin deserves punishment. In fact, so great a sin against so great a God deserves Hell. But God, because of His great love for us, has offered us His forgiving grace. For God to be just, our sin had to be punished though. So, God, in His wisdom, took the punishment for our sin on Himself in Jesus. Jesus died to pay the price for your sins and then rose from the dead beating the power of sin over you. He ascended into heaven to prepare a place for those who believe in Him. So that now those who place their faith in Him can be forgiven and spend eternity in Heaven with their Savior. If you would like to do that today, here is what you need to do.

• A- Admit that you are a sinner and in need of God's grace (Romans 3:10 and 3:23).
• B- Believe that Jesus is God's Son, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin, and that He was raised from the dead (Romans 6:23 and 5:8).
• C- Confess Jesus as Lord of your life. Turn from sin (from living life your way) and commit to live your life for God (Romans 10:9).

It's as easy as ABC. Follow these steps and find a Bible preaching church to plug into and grow in your faith. 

Unchanging God

I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Malachi 3:6

Judah has been unfaithful to their covenant with God. And it is only because God doesn’t change... in His covenant faithfulness and in His longsuffering mercy for His people… that they have not been destroyed altogether.

Theologians call this the Immutability of God. And it can be defined in this way. God does not change in the essential attributes of His nature or in His eternal purposes. Take the essential attribute of God’s holiness for example. God is perfectly holy and good. He always does right and never does wrong. That cannot change. God cannot suddenly begin loving sin. He cannot embrace evil. That would be a fundamental change in who He is, and God does not change.

In fact, God can’t change. Think about it this way. God is perfect.… and perfection doesn’t change. Any change in the Lord would have to make Him either better or worse. If He were to change for the better, then that would mean He wasn’t perfect before and therefore wasn’t God before He changed. Alternatively, if He were to change for the worse, then that would mean that He is no longer perfect and therefore is no longer God. So, God cannot change.

Now, you may not realize it, but this aspect of God’s character is something you should be incredibly thankful for. Imagine if God was everchanging and unpredictable? Imagine the nightmare of an all-powerful God with the temperament of a toddler... a God who might strike you dead in the midst of a temper tantrum. 

I’m so thankful God is not like that. I’m thankful that I don’t have to worry about God changing His mind about my salvation or about how He feels about me. I’m so thankful that I don’t have to hope that God is “in a good mood” when I die. I’m so thankful that I can live my life according to His Word without having to worry about Him suddenly changing the rules of the game by changing what it is He wants from me.

So, take a moment and consider just how blessed you are by this attribute of the Lord... and praise God that He doesn't change.

Refined Like Silver

Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness...

Malachi 3:1-3

Do you remember what happened when Jesus came to the temple? He made a whip of cords, overturned the tables of the moneychangers, and ran all the livestock out of the temple courts. Essentially, Jesus entered into judgment not only against the temple but also against those in charge of worship there. In other words, Jesus restored right worship to the temple so men could bring offerings in righteousness again... just as Malachi says.

So, this passage is definitely talking about Jesus’ cleansing of the temple. But look at how it describes Jesus’ purifying work. It says, “he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” The passage clearly applies this purifying work of Christ to the Levites. But it also gives us a glimpse, I believe, into how Jesus continues to work in the lives of Christians today. Let me explain.

Do you know how the process of refining silver works? The refiner heats up his furnace and places silver in it to melt away the impurities, imperfections and ores. And do you know how the silversmith knows when the silver is pure? He knows it’s pure when it reflects his face... his likeness.*

It’s the same with Jesus, isn’t it? He takes a sinner and places them in the furnace of life. And what’s His goal? To purify us until we look like Him, until we reflect His likeness. That’s His goal and it should be our aim. Yes! Jesus is still purifying men and women today, removing sin from our lives so we can offer up worship that is pleasing to Him. 

That’s the only way you will be able to “endure the day of his coming” is for you to receive Jesus as Lord and let Him refine you until He can see His face in you… until you reflect His likeness. As Christians we need to participate in that process. We need to seek to be pure... to become more and more like Jesus so that we have nothing to be ashamed of on the day of His coming. 

* Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997. Note on Malachi 3:3

Careful Investigation

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Luke 1:1-3

The gospel is worthy of careful investigation. Far too often it is skimmed over or given only a cursory explanation, but it is worthy of so much more time and attention. 

Luke knew that many had already undertaken to write an account of Jesus' life. He knew that there were eyewitnesses and servants of the word (including the apostles themselves) who could testify to what had happened. Luke could have decided that these were sufficient to tell the world what Jesus had done and accomplished. But He didn't.

Even with all those testimonies already out there, Luke felt that it was still worth his while to carefully investigate all that Christ had fulfilled and write it down in an "orderly account." No doubt this was ordained by God, but it also sets an example for us to follow. 

Far too many of us fail to give the gospel (or God's Word as a whole) the time and careful attention it deserves. Far too of us many barely read our Bibles, let alone study them. There are precious treasures waiting to be discovered in the pages of God's Word. Yes, these pages are well trodden. Many have gone before you and written sermons and Bible studies and commentaries. And you may very well come across passages you have read countless times before. But they are still worthy of your time! They are still worthy of careful investigation and ordered explanation. These are the words of life and we dare not skim over them. 

Blind, Lame and Diseased Sacrifices

When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.

Malachi 1:8

There was a problem with Judah's worship. The law gave very specific instructions for not only what kinds of animals but also what quality of animals were to be offered up to the Lord. Only animals of the highest quality... without blemish or defect were to be sacrificed to God. But Judah had been offering blind, lame and diseased animals. They were supposed to be sacrificing their best and they had been sacrificing their worst animals to God... animals that even their Persian governor wouldn’t have accepted.

This kind of worship was unacceptable to the Lord. In fact, verse 10 tells us that God would rather they have locked the temple doors and not worshipped Him at all, than bring these offensive offerings to Him.

We don’t sacrifice animals to the Lord anymore. But we do bring offerings of our own: tithes and worship and service. Let’s look at each in turn?

First, tithes. Whatever amount you give, do you give sacrificially, generously and cheerfully? Or do you give begrudgingly... not out of gratitude or love but because you feel like you have to? That kind of giving shows contempt for God’s name. It isn’t about the amount, but about the sacrifice and the heart with which your gift is given. (Mark 12:41-44)

Next, what about your worship? Do you worship in such a way that exalts the Lord and brings glory to His name OR when you worship do you look bored, unengaged and unimpressed with the God you are singing about? When people see you worship, does it hurt or help God’s reputation?

Lastly, do you serve the Lord through church or parachurch ministries? When you serve, is your service well-prepared, focused on others and glorifying to God? Or is it lazy? Do you give minimal effort, show up late, and often even miss your commitments? Or perhaps its self-serving? You pretend to serve the Lord but in reality, your motive is to gain attention and feel important. 

Make sure that the offerings you bring to the Lord are worthy of His name. Make sure you bring your best, so that His name might be great among the nations (Malachi 1:11) and so He might be pleased to accept yoru offering. 

Oracle

The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.

Malachi 1:1

Do you know what the word 'oracle' means? It refers to a load, a burden, an utterance, or a message. This ought to remind us that God’s Word delivered to us through the prophet's is a weighty thing. A burden had to be borne for God's Word to get to you. Don’t take it for granted!

And who bore this burden? It says that this particular word of the Lord was delivered to us through Malachi. Interestingly, in Hebrew Malachi means “my messenger.” So, some question whether this is the prophet’s name or if it’s simply a title. It could be God’s way of saying that this prophet’s name isn’t important. What’s important is that he is God's messenger. While most think Malachi was this prophet's proper name, this ought to remind us that the prophets were God’s messengers. Their message, their books, matter because their source is found not in the prophets themselves but in the Lord.

As 2 Peter 1:20–21 says,

"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

That’s why the Bible matters. That's why the Old Testament matters. And that’s why even the minor prophets at the back of the Old Testament like Malachi matter. Because God wanted us... wanted you... to have this message. And He sent His prophets to bear this burden to get this message to you. 

What will you do with the oracle that has been delivered to you? Will you take it for granted? Will you neglect it or ignore it? Or will you take it to heart, read it and apply it to your life? I want to encourage you to treat all of God's Word as inspired and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) Read and treasure it... even the minor prophets.

Raging Against the Lord

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.

Proverbs 19:3

Is your life in ruins? Have your dreams been dashed? Your hopes come to naught? Are you inwardly (or outwardly) raging against the Lord and blaming Him for your current state of affairs? If so, you need to ask yourself this question... "Is it actually my fault?" 

I've seen it over and over again. As humans we are all too prone to give ourselves way too much credit for the good things that happen in our lives and to give the Lord way too much credit for the bad. We rage against the Lord and ask "How could God let this happen to me?!" When the truth is... we did it to ourselves. 

We chose sin over obedience, our way over God's way, selfishness over service, pride over humility, and the broad path over the narrow way. We sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7) And now... we want to blame God. Now, we look to Him and ask why. Now, we accuse Him with the question "How could You?"

The sad truth is that when we do this we are only falling for another one of the enemy's tricks. Blaming God and raging against Him won't make your life any better. When your life falls apart you don't need to rage against the Lord, you need to come to Him for help putting the pieces back together. He can do that you know. 

So, be careful not to blame God for the rotten fruit that comes as a direct result of the seeds you planted in your life. Actions have consequences. You sow what you reap. God tells us that in His Word. (Galatians 6:7) Don’t blame or slander Him for what you did. Instead take responsibility for what you caused and look to Him for help.

Dirty Mangers

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.

Proverbs 14:4

This proverb helps us see that we have to take the bad with the good. You can’t have an abundant harvest, without the strength of an ox. But there are certain inconveniences that go along with having oxen. Among them are a dirty barn. Oxen have to be fed and their stalls have to be cleaned. So, you have to choose. You can have an empty, clean manger or an abundant harvest. You can't have both.  

This applies to so many areas in our lives, but I have often quoted it about churches. Many say they want more young families. They want their pews to be filled with teens and young children, but they don’t want anyone to be loud in church. They don’t want anyone to dirty the floors or the walls. They don’t want invest money in the children’s ministry or youth ministry. And they don't want to sing any new songs in worship. In other words, they want a growing church without the inconvenience of having to accomodate any change. It just doesn’t work like that. Thankfully, I don't believe that's the attitude at my church.

But there may be some things in your own life that you need to recast in this way. Maybe your messy home is just the price you pay for having happy, healthy kids. Maybe your aching back is the unavoidable cost of still being physically able to do hard work at your age. Maybe your lack of "me time" is the natural outcome of being so indispensable in the lives of your loved ones. You can't have the good without the bad. 

If we can learn to begin thinking about the bad as the price we pay for the good things we want, then maybe we can accept these things with less bitterness and frustration. Maybe we can even begin to look at the dirty mangers in our lives with a small sense of gratitude.

Bothering God?

Each day we are tempted in a thousand different ways to live a life of wickedness. Each day we are told that wickedness brings pleasure. And from time to time, we are tempted... tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. How does the wise person think about this? Why should you live righteously? Is there any benefit to it? According to Proverbs 15:8, there is!

The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Proverbs 15:8

There is a minor distinction in this proverb that is easy to miss. It's found in the words sacrifice and prayer. Normally prayers imply that we are asking God for something, whereas sacrifices are about us giving God something. So, in this verse the wicked man is giving God a gift and (more than likely) the upright man is coming before the Lord with some request.

Now, you might be tempted to think that God loves rich people more than poor people because they can give Him big gifts and buy his love. And if the wicked are wealthy by means of unjust gain, then you might be tempted to think that maybe God favors the wicked because they bribe Him with their wealth. But this proverb says that God hates the sacrifices of the wicked. Their gifts are funded by wicked deeds. Their worship is mere lip-service. It is insincere and backed up by a life of sin. Not only does God not appreciate that kind of worship, He detests it!

But what of the upright man? The Bible often pictures upright and righteous people as being poor. And I think that may be what is in view here. Every day this upright man comes to the Lord in prayer to ask for his daily bread. He has nothing of earthly value to give to God. When he does offer a sacrifice, it’s probably the poor man's offering of a pair of doves rather than a lamb, ox, or bull. He can’t afford that! How does God feel about his prayers? How does God feel about this man constantly asking for His help? 

 

Sometimes people think that if they pray too much it will "bother" God. So, they pray less and ask God for His help less, thinking that somehow this is pleasing to Him. But this proverb contradicts that thinking. It says that God is pleased with the prayers of the upright man. God is pleased when His children bring their needs to Him, because this is a form of worship. God would rather have an upright man or woman cry out to Him for help, than have a wicked person give Him a million dollars.

So, understand that it is the condition of your life and your heart that makes your worship pleasing or detestable to God. It isn't how much money you give or what you have to offer. And understand that if you are truly seeking the Lord, then you should never feel like you are "bothering" Him when you come to Him with your needs in prayer. It is actually pleasing to the Lord, when the upright person prayer to Him.

Thinking About Truth

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

John 18:37-38

With his one rhetorical question, Pilate encapsulates the lie of relativism. This lie says that there is no absolute truth, there are only perceptions of the truth. Truth is relative. It varies from culture to culture and society to society. There is no fixed, certain, unmovable, absolute truth. There’s your truth, and there’s my truth. And what is true for you, may not be true for me. But who am I tell you that you’re wrong, because that’s your truth?

If believed, this lie leaves us with a world and a God that make no sense. If there is no absolute truth, then I cannot absolutely say that God exists, or that He has called you to repent of your sins. In fact, if there is no truth, then I can’t say for sure that anything is sinful. Maybe it’s a sin for me, but not for you. Or maybe it’s considered a sin in our culture, but is praiseworthy in another. If truth doesn’t exist, then nothing is certain and Christianity is just an opinion. If truth isn’t fixed, then reality as a whole begins to break down and it becomes hard to make sense of anything.

But what does the Bible say? Are we adrift at sea in a world without truth? No! 

If you were to flip the Bible open at random and pick any verse, chances are you would find a truth claim. Because literally, every page of the Bible assumes, implies, and makes clear that truth really does exist and that it doesn’t change over time. 

But instead of flipping the Bible open at random, let me share just a few verses with you. The first is Isaiah 65:16 which says “...he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth.” God identifies Himself as the “God of truth.” Why would He do that if truth doesn’t exist?

Or consider 1 Timothy 2:4 which says that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” How can people come to a knowledge of the truth if truth doesn’t exist?

So, make no mistake, truth does exist. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that truth is relative or that my truth is different from your truth. Truth exists and God is its source. He is the God of truth! This is why we find truth primarily revealed to us in God’s Word. The Bible, is our primary source of truth. It is the standard by which we determine what is true. Don’t allow anyone or anything else to be your final standard of truth but God’s Word. Cling to it!

Favorites in the Family (W.o.W. Rewind)

 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.

Genesis 29:30

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Genesis 37:3-4

Jacob had been his mother's favorite son. His brother, Esau, had been his dad's. Favoritism in the home was what he knew. It was what he was used to. And as we read the last half of Genesis, it becomes clearer and clearer that it is a toxic trait that Jacob's home life will be dominated by. 

Through a series of circumstances that weren't entirely Jacob's fault, he was tricked into marrying a pair of sisters. This is a bad idea which is why Scripture expressly forbids it in Leviticus 18:18. But Jacob made this bad idea worse by playing favorites. Scripture tells us right away that he loved one of his wives better than the other. Unsurprisingly, this created a rivalry between the two women. And for years they competed for their husband's affection by trying to outdo the other by having more children.

Sadly, this only made the situation worse because Jacob treated the children the same as he treated their mothers. He played favorites among his own kids. Showing preference to the one who was born of his favorite wife. Predictably, this led to rivalry among the kids. It got so bad that the brothers sold their rival into slavery and told their father he was dead. Deep down in their hearts, I believe they wished he really were dead. 

There are so many lessons we can learn from Jacob's life but one of them is undoubtedly the danger of playing favorites with our families. I know that most of us think we would never do that, but how many adults do you know who believe they weren't their parent's favorite child? Obviously, some parents still make this mistake. Be very careful that you aren't among them. Favoritism is toxic, and it will ruin your family.

Divinely Powered Weapons

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God...

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

What weapons do we wield as Christians against the Devil? In these verses, Paul speaks of weapons that have “divine power.” And he says that we use these divinely-powered weapons to “to demolish strongholds and arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.”

But what are these weapons? Paul doesn’t say in this passage. But as we look at his ministry, and at how Paul attacked false teaching, I think we can get a pretty good idea of what these divinely-powered weapons must be.

First, I think one of them must be the clear proclamation of the truth of the gospel. Clear explanation of gospel truth is a Spirit-powered weapon that God uses to tear down the lies of the enemy. Consider, for example, all the letters Paul wrote to address errors in the church. The New Testament is filled with these letters in which Paul is carefully explaining and teaching the gospel. Why? Because Paul understood that we can’t just win people’s hearts for Jesus… we must also win their minds.

I think the modern church has largely forgotten that! Too many of us think that if we can just make people feel good enough about church, if we can just make them feel good enough about Jesus, then we will win them for the Lord. But, that’s not how the New Testament church did it.

Have you ever read Romans? Have you ever read 1st or 2nd Corinthians. They aren’t exactly what I would call “feel-good” books. They aren’t primarily aimed at making people feel good. No! They are filled with sound doctrine, with logical arguments and detailed explanations that are primarily aimed at the mind.

We must learn to do the same. If we want to rescue people from the lies of the enemy, we must give them a clear dose of the truth. And if we want to safeguard our own minds from the enemy's attacks, then we must take in a steady diet of the truth presented in God’s Word ourselves.

Another divinely powered weapon that we see at work in Paul’s ministry is prayer. If you read Paul’s letters, you will see that he is constantly praying for his churches. Why? Because prayer unleashes the power of God in our lives. It's through prayer that the Spirit of God acts and convicts men and draws them to the truth. So, pray for yourself and for others to know the truth and think clearly. And pray for those who have been deceived by the enemy, who have been captured, to be set free from his strongholds and come back out into the light of day.

A third and final divinely-powered weapon that I see at work in the Apostle Paul’s ministry is the example and witness of his daily life. The Apostle Paul lived a divinely-powered life that confirmed his message, silenced his critics and gained a hearing for the gospel. He didn’t just preach the gospel, he lived it. You and I must do the same if we are going to unmask the lies of the enemy.

Follow the Spirit

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch... The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Acts 8:26-27, 29

Philip had just sparked a revival in Samaria that brought many Samaritans to Christ. In fact, verse 14 tells us that it was a significant enough revival for some of the apostles to come down from Jerusalem to check it out and take part in it. So, Philip has been doing a great work! And now, God tells him to take the road that leads to the desert?

Philip must have wondered why! Why would God ask him to do this? There were so many new converts in Samaria that needed to be discipled. Surely, Philip could be more useful there. This didn’t make any sense. Why would God send Philip away from the action to this deserted place?

We serve a God who works in mysterious and wonderful ways. What He leads you to do, won’t always make sense. Sometimes, obeying what you believe the Spirit is prompting you to do will make you feel downright foolish. Because it won’t make any sense to you. You won’t know why you are doing what you are doing. You will just know that you believe God wants you to do it.

Is that enough for you? Are you willing to take the next step that God is pointing out to you even if you can’t see where it leads or why God wants you to go that way? You’ll have to, if you are going to be used by God to go and tell others about Jesus.

You see God is at work in people’s hearts long before you ever get to have a conversation with them about Jesus. And only He knows who is ready to hear from you. Sometimes, you won’t understand why God is asking you to do something. But, if you are willing to obey Him— even when it doesn’t make sense—then God can do things through you that are bigger than you are. 

If you are going to be used to lead people to Jesus, then you will have to listen and be willing to follow the promptings of the Spirit. To be an effective soul winner, you must be willing to step out in faith and obey the promptings of the Spirit even when they don’t make sense to you, even when you don’t know where they lead. Will you follow the Spirit?

Live Such Holy Lives

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1 Peter 2:12

Do you meet that standard? Do you live such a good life that even though people want to slander and attack your faith, they can’t find anything bad to say about you? Do you live such a good life that even those people who do falsely accuse you, over time have to admit that they were wrong?

Let me put it a different way. Do you live your life in such a way that your testimony about Jesus is believable? You see, how you live your life often determines whether or not people are willing to listen to what you have to say at all.

There are few things in life more frustrating than having to listen to someone who is just as clueless as you are explain to you what you ought to be doing. Have you ever had that experience? Someone who doesn’t know a lick about cars trying to tell you what they think is wrong with your car. Or someone who doesn’t know a lick about farming trying to tell you how to run your farm. Or someone who has never had a kid trying to tell you how to raise yours. Have you experienced that? No one likes that.

In the same way, people don’t want to listen to somebody tell them about God unless they’re first convinced that you know what you are talking about. And the way you convince them of that is by living such a good, holy, hope-filled life day after day after day that when the time comes, they want your opinion.

I hate to say it, but I think there are many believers who could go share Jesus with a friend right now, and it wouldn’t much matter... because those friends have seen how they live. They’ve seen that these Christians don’t live holy or hope-filled lives. Why would they listen to someone who claims to have the answer, but lives the same way they do? Nine times out of ten… they won’t. Very often, living a holy life when you think no one is watching, is the unseen but necessary preparation to being able to share the gospel effectively and reach people for Jesus.

So, let me encourage you to live in such a way that people are inclined to believe you when you share the gospel with them. Adorn the gospel with your life! That is what we are called to do, to live such holy lives that they give us opportunities to share the gospel and that they render what we share believable. Do that!

Be Prepared

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

1 Peter 3:15–16

If someone were to notice your Christian character, if they were to sense the presence of God in your life… and they were to ask how they could become like you, how they could be saved… would you be ready to give an answer? Are you prepared (right now) to lead someone to Jesus?

You can’t wait until you get the opportunity to try to prepare. It’s too late to get ready then! You must prepare ahead of time. The Bible commands you to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” And the best way for you to be prepared to share your faith is for you to memorize a gospel presentation that you feel comfortable with.

So, I’m going to teach you the Romans Road Gospel Presentation with the ABC’s of becoming a Christian tacked on at the end. I want to encourage you to memorize this or some other gospel presentation and go over it again and again until you ar ready to lead someone to the Lord. 

“There is no one righteous, not even one..." (Romans 3:10)

 

"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:23)

The Bible teaches that we are all sinners. Every single one of us has rebelled against God and His commands. We have all gone our own way. This is called sin, and sin has consequences.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

The wages (or result) of sin is death… physical death in this life and spiritual death in the afterlife. The Bible clearly teaches that sin earns us eternal separation from God in a place called Hell.

But because of His great love, God made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins. Instead of death, He offers you life… eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Because God is just, our sin had to be punished. Because God is loving, He took the punishment for our sin on Himself. He sent His Son Jesus to take on flesh. He was fully God and fully man. He lived a perfect, sinless life. The only man to ever do that. And He became the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty and die the death that your sin required on the cross. Jesus did that… for you and for me so that anyone who repents of their sin and believes on Him will be saved.

But Jesus didn’t just die, the Bible tells us that on the third day after His death, Jesus was raised back to life. By His death and resurrection Jesus beat the power of sin and death for us so we can be set free from both. And Romans 10:9 tells us exactly how to receive this gift of eternal life that God offers us in Jesus.

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

That’s what it takes to be a Christian. It’s as easy as ABC.

A- Admit you’re a sinner. Repent of your sins. Ask God to forgive you and start obeying His commands.

B- Believe in Jesus. Believe that He really is God’s Son, that He took on flesh and lived a perfect sinless life and died on the cross to take your punishment. Believe that He was raised from the dead on the third day and ascended to Heaven where He’s preparing a place for us to spend eternity with Him.

C- Confess Jesus as Lord. Surrender control of your life to Him. Become His servant and make Him your Lord. 

That’s how you become a Christian. If you are a Christian already, then learn this. Memorize it. Go over and over it again and again until you’re comfortable with it and can share it easily.

And if you aren’t a Christian… if you have never made Jesus Lord of your life… or if you aren’t sure that you have, then make today the day you draw a line in the sand and pray a clear prayer of salvation admitting your sins, placing your faith in Jesus and making Him Lord of your life. 

Go & Tell What He Has Done

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

Psalm 96:3–5

We don’t often think of praise as a form of evangelism... but it is. You can tell others about the Lord simply by praising Him publicly. And there’s actually quite a lot about this in the Bible. 

As we read above, Psalm 96 commands us to glorify God among the nations and to tell all peoples of His wonderful deeds. And the reason for this command is given in verses four and five. It's because God deserves to be praised by all peoples everywhere, but they aren’t praising Him.

John Piper says that the reason missions exists is because worship does not.* That is the idea we get here. The nations ought to be worshiping God, but instead they’re worshiping false idols. And the answer to that problem is for you and I to declare God’s glory and His marvelous deeds among them.

Christians should praise God, not only in our worship services, but also amongst the lost, so that they might hear and learn about the One True God and perhaps come to worship Him themselves.

I’m convinced that one of the reasons many believers find it so difficult to tell others about Jesus is because they think that sharing their faith means telling people what to believe or what to do. But I want you to see that sharing Jesus doesn’t have to be about that. I’m not saying that Christianity doesn’t place commands on our lives. I’m not saying that there isn’t a time and a place to say, God has commanded you in His Word to do this or that. I AM saying that evangelism doesn’t ALWAYS have to be that. 

You can share Jesus with others simply by telling them what God has done for you (by sharing your testimony). You can share Jesus with others by telling them how great, kind, loving, gracious, powerful and good He is. That's declaring God's praise among all people. You can share Jesus with others simply by talking about Him in God-honoring ways in public. So, be sure to season your conversation with the salt of God's grace and praise. Go and tell what He has done!

*Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions. 3rd ed., Baker Academic, p. 35, 2010.

Telling Through Tears

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.

Philippians 1:12

What exactly has happened to Paul? As Paul writes these words, he sits in a Roman prison. In fact, by this time, we believe that Paul has been imprisoned for more than two years. Now, you would think that taking the missionary off the road and putting him in prison would hinder the spread of the gospel. But Paul says that God has actually used it to advance the gospel!

The word Paul uses here for ‘advance’ means to blaze a trail.* It pictures scouts going ahead and cutting a trail for the army that follows behind them.** That’s how Paul viewed his imprisonment. In Paul’s eyes, his suffering, his imprisonment blazed a new trail for the gospel. One that otherwise would have been shut off to him.

In other words, God didn’t put Paul in prison on accident. God had a purpose for Paul’s pain! He had a plan to use Paul’s suffering to break new ground and make new inroads for the gospel.

Would you be willing to suffer if it meant that more people would get saved? Would you be willing to suffer pain, hardship or difficulty for a limited amount of time here on earth so that others might hear the gospel and escape unlimited suffering in Hell? That’s what God did through the Apostle Paul, and He might just want to do the same through you. God might choose to use your suffering to bring others to salvation.

If you doubt that God works in this way, I would encourage you to consider the life and ministry of Corrie ten Boom who not only suffered but also ministered in a Nazi concentration camp for women and girls. I would encourage you to consider the life and ministry of Richard Wurmbrand who was imprisoned and tortured for Christ by Communist Russia for 14 years. I would encourage you to consider the life and ministry of Joni Erickson Tada who’s incredible suffering as a paraplegic gave her a voice for Christ. I would point you to Elizabeth Elliot whose ministry was, in many ways, founded upon the tragic death of her missionary husband Jim Eliot. And if you don’t know who these people are, then I encourage you to read their stories and learn about them and how God used their suffering to spread the gospel.

Will you use your suffering to tell others about Jesus?

* Melick, Richard R., Jr. “Philippians.” In CSB Study Bible: Notes, edited by Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax, 1881–89. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.

** Vincent, Marvin Richardson. Word Studies in the New Testament. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887.

(W.o.W. Rewind) An Old Testament Pattern of Evangelism

 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon...she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be!... Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king...”

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

2 Chronicles 9:3-8

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came up to Jerusalem, half incredulously, with a great caravan of gifts for the king and with just as many questions to test him. She couldn't believe the stories she had heard were true. She was overwhelmed to find out that she hadn't heard the half of it! After Solomon had answered all her questions and after she had praised God for giving His people such a wise king, Solomon generously gave her all she asked him for. In fact, he ended up giving her more than she had brought to him in the first place. He blessed her more than she blessed him. 

May this be the pattern of our witness as well! Unbelievers should hear stories about the love and generosity and joy and reconciliation and unity within our churches. They should come to church out of curiosity, half incredulously, to see if the stories they heard could possibly be true. And when an unbeliever does investigate our church or our lives, let us be very careful to exceed their expectations in every way. So that they can rejoice in saying that they hadn't even heard the half of the amazing work God was doing in us. 

And as they go out from us, curiosity satisfied, let us take great care and even pride in making sure that we are more a blessing to them than they are to us. Be a blessing to lost people every chance you get! This is a sign of God's goodness and blessing in your life that you have enough extra love and kindness and peace and time and even money to allow some to spill out onto them. This should be true of us individually and of our churches as a whole. We don't need to take anything from this old world. It all belongs to our God, so we ought to be generous and even extravagant in seeking to be a blessing to those who come to us seeking to know about Jesus.

Think on this today. When people hear stories about you, stories about your church, what kind of stories do they hear? When they come to see if the stories are true, does the reality of your everyday life outshine the stories? And when these lost people leave you to go out on their way, do you seek to bless them in the name of Jesus every chance you get? I know I still don't measure up, but I am going to strive to follow Solomon's pattern in my life and in my church. 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2

You make thousands of decisions every day. But according to the very first words of the very first psalm, your blessedness in life is largely determined by what you choose NOT to do. Psalm 1:1 says that you will be blessed if you choose to steer clear of wicked, sinful, mockers.

Think of this decision as a guardrail of sorts for you life. When you drive down a road with a steep dropoff to one side; a nice, sturdy guardrail can be a real blessing. It can help you avoid disaster. So too, can deciding not to go the way of sinners! 

Scripture tells us plainly that those who rebel against God's rule - the wicked, the sinful, the mocker -  are headed for destruction. Their path leads to ruin. So, it's a blessing for anyone to set up a guardrail in their life by making the decision not to go that way. 

Instead, Psalm 1 advises you to delight in God's Word and meditate on it. Biblical meditation is about going over God's Word again and again to help you digest it better... not unlike a cow chewing its cud. In fact, in the original language, this word for meditate means to mumble or mutter. It pictures the believer muttering the words of Scripture to himself night and day gaining a greater understanding of it as he does.

So, here's two more decisions you can make today. First, choose whether or not you are going to go the way of the wicked, the sinner, and the mocker? If you want to be blessed, you won't. Second, choose whether or not you will make the time to meditate on God's Word? If you want to be blessed, you will.

Victory through Suffering

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

Acts 8:1

The early church father Tertullian said, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” What he meant by this was that every time the enemies of the church tried to stamp Christianity out by persecuting and killing Christians… the church grew. It was almost as if the persecutors of Christianity were planting seeds by spilling the blood of the martyrs on the ground. Everywhere Christians were killed for their faith, new believers sprang up.

This is exactly what we see in Stephen’s case. His death was the catalyst for a great persecution that broke out against the church in Jerusalem. And it caused a great scattering of believers. Just as seed is scattered over barren ground to bring in the harvest, God used this persecution to scatter thousands of Christians throughout Judea and Samaria and eventually out even into farther regions. Acts 11:19-21 tells us that eventually those who were scattered by this persecution even went as far as Syrian Antioch 300 miles north of Jerusalem. 

And guess what they did? They took the gospel with them! Everywhere these Christians went, they preached the gospel. Thousands of believers were essentially sent out on mission by God through persecution because of Stephen’s death. And those thousands accomplished more for the kingdom than Stephen ever could have by himself even had he lived a full life.

So, yes, God allowed Stephen to suffer. But God used Stephen's suffering and his death to accomplish far more than Stephen ever could have by living a full life. Stephen’s suffering and death wasn’t his defeat. It was his greatest victory!

None of us want to suffer. But for believers. Sometimes suffering isn't defeat. Sometimes suffering is the beginning of our greatest victory. Because sometimes God uses suffering in our lives to do His greatest work through us. Who knows what victories God might bring about through your suffering, your hardship, your difficulty. If you will only faithfully bear witness to Him through it. So, let’s pray that, like Stephen, we will be faithful to the end and that God will give us great victories even through our suffering.

The Gift of Suffering

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

2 Corinthians 12:7

Paul was an apostle. He was planting churches and sharing the gospel. Why would God let this happen to him? Why allow this thorn in the flesh to come into his life?

Paul tells us exactly why. He says, “in order to keep me from becoming conceited.” This thorn was given to Paul to keep him from becoming conceited about the great vision of heaven that God had given him.

God saw that there was a danger of Paul becoming conceited. And even though we don’t think a lot about pride bring very dangerous, it is. It’s a deadly sin. In fact, God knew that pride posed a greater risk to Paul than suffering. So, "God lovingly, gently and sovereignly afflicted His apostle to protect him."*

The Enemy has destroyed many Christians by success and wealth and power and pride that he never could have destroyed by failure or pain or suffering. So, beware too much success. Beware pride. Great Christians, great pastors have been ruined by them.

We have a terrible tendency to think that any hardship, any suffering that God allows into our lives must mean that He has abandoned us. But the truth is that sometimes God sends suffering into our lives as a gift. Certainly, it’s a gift that no one wants to receive. But it is still one which God gives in love. Sometimes suffering is sent into your life to protect you… to protect you from a fate far worse. Sometimes hardship, suffering, and difficulty signs that God loves you and is working to protect you.

*Yarbrough, Robert W., Andrew David Naselli, Dane Ortlund, and Frank Thielman. Romans–Galatians. Edited by Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar. Vol. X. ESV Expository Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020.

The Impact of a Godly Mother

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

2 Timothy 1:5

In this verse, Paul reminds Timothy of the heritage of faith that had been passed down to him by two godly women: his mother and his grandmother. And Paul points out that these two women had a sincere faith. They weren’t fake Christians. They weren’t hypocrites or pretenders. They didn’t teach Timothy a false gospel. No! These two women were the real deal. By their words and by their life they passed down the genuine faith to young Timothy. They planted the seeds of the Christian faith deep in his heart, and those seeds grew Timothy into a mighty oak of a man of God.

And what I want you to see is that by doing this one simple thing, by raising Timothy up to be a man of God, Lois and Eunice made no small contribution to the early church. We don’t know much about Lois and Eunice. This is the only time their names are mentioned in Scripture. But they raised one of the men that the Apostle Paul relied on the most. When others were deserting Paul, Timothy stayed by his side. Why? At least in part, because of the influence of these two women of God.

Mothers and grandmothers, understand that you are raising future pastors, deacons, music ministers, youth pastors, children’s directors, missionaries, Sunday School teachers and lay leaders for the church. The future of the church nurses at your breast and plays at your feet. The future of the church looks to you to help them understand who God is. They look to you to teach them right from wrong. You are laying the foundation for the future success of the church right now. Lay it carefully and don’t underestimate the importance of the work you do.

Don’t let anyone tell you that being a mother isn’t important. Don’t let anyone tell you that your greatest achievements will come in the workplace. That shouldn’t be true of anyone… man or woman. No! The greatest achievement of your life may very well be raising your children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord to serve His church. Remember this... godly mothers and grandmothers can still raise up Timothy’s with help from the Lord.

Lord, give us more Timothy's, and give us more Loises and Eunices for the growth of your church. In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

Pursuing God at an Early Age

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.

2 Chronicles 34:1–3

Can you imagine becoming king at just 8 years old? I would imagine that Josiah was under the care of guardians until he was older, but still he had to wield a tremendous amount of influence. His every need and whim must have been catered to. It sounds like the perfect situation to produce an arrogant, spoiled brat. But, that isn’t what happened.

From an early age, Josiah apparently realized that he needed God’s help to be a good king. So, the Scripture says that “In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.” At just 16, Josiah purposed in his heart to seek the Lord. He began pursuing God of his own accord.

Oh, that more young people would do the same! You are never too young to start pursuing the Lord. You are never too young to start building a personal relationship with Him. You aren’t too young for prayer. You aren’t too young to read your Bible and take notes. You aren’t too young to be used by God. Don’t wait until you get older… begin seeking the Lord now!

It is a good thing to pursue the Lord when you are young, but Josiah sets an example even for those of us who are older. Far too many Christians choose to live for themselves… to live for fun, for pleasure, and for the things of the world. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking, “One day, I’ll get serious about my faith. One day, I’ll do what I know is right. One day, I’ll start seeking God.” No! Today is the day! You are never too young or too old to grow your relationship with the Lord. Begin seeking the Lord today.

The Light in the Dark

the people living in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of the shadow of death

a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:2 & Matthew 4:16

Two things stand out in this verse. First, it accurately describes the world we live in. Ours is a dark world filled with pain and difficulty and hardship. It's a world of confusion and deception. It's a world in which we all live constantly under the shadow of death. 

But if you keep reading, the second half of this verse tells us where to find comfort. When it's dark, you look to the light. Even in the midst of all the darkness of this world, there is a light. That light is Jesus! Jesus alone stands in stark contrast to the darkness of the world around us. He alone is truly different.

His life on earth sets an example for us and reveals how we ought to live. His death paid the penalty for our sins and shows that forgiveness is found only in Him. And His resurrection lights the way to eternal life. All of this taken together (His life, death and resurrection) lights the way to the great Christian hope of salvation. Jesus is that way. Anyone who repents of their sins, places their faith in Him as God's perfect sacrifice for their sins, and confesses Him as Lord of their life will be saved. 

And those who are saved no longer live in fear of the shadow of death. And we no longer stumble along in the darkness of this world. We have the Light. If you have the light, then the way you conduct yourself and walk through this world ought to reflect that. 

Mary Magdalene: First Witness to the Resurrection

Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

Mark 16:9

Why Mary Magdalene? Jesus could have chosen anyone to be the first witness to the resurrection. He could have chosen Peter, James, John, or His own mother... but He chose Mary Magdalene. Why? I think part of the reason is because Mary Magdalene was the perfect first witness to the resurrection for God’s purposes. 

Mary Magdalene had been possessed by seven demons. In biblical times, the number seven was often seen as symbolic of perfection or completeness. So, a person who was possessed by seven demons was perfectly, fully and completely under the control of the Evil One. Mary was under Satan’s hold. He had possessed her completely... and Jesus set her free.

Mary Magdalene is the message of Easter! Her life proves that it doesn’t matter how strong a hold Satan has on you... Jesus can set you free. It doesn’t matter how low you are or how bad your life is right now... Jesus can redeem you and give you new life.

You want proof that Jesus beat the power of sin and the Devil? Look at Mary Magdalene! You want proof that Jesus offers you new life, not only in eternity but even now? Look at Mary Magdalene! By choosing Mary to be the first witness to the resurrection, Jesus shows us that anyone can be saved. Anyone can be changed, made new, redeemed. No one is too far gone.

No matter how strong a hold the Enemy has over you… Jesus can break it.

No matter how sinful you are… Jesus offers you forgiveness.

No matter how lost you are… Jesus can save you.

No matter how bad your life is… Jesus offers you new life and a fresh start.

If there was hope for Mary Magdalene… then there’s hope for you.

Build Yourself Up

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Jude 20–21

In these two little verses at the end of Jude's book, he gives the believer four ways we can protect ourselves from false teaching. I want to focus on the first, which is building ourselves up in the Christian faith.

One of the very best ways for you to protect yourself from false teaching is for you to fill yourself up with good teaching. One of the best ways to ensure you don’t settle for a cheap knockoff is for you to increase in your knowledge of the real deal.

Are you growing in your Christian faith? Are you increasing in knowledge? Are you building yourself up?

Think about the kinds of buildings you would find at the heart of major city. Most of them would have many floors, many levels. The Christian life is like that. There are many levels to Christian maturity. But far too many Christians got saved and started to grow in their faith... then just quit building themselves up. Our churches are full of abandoned building projects. Christians that are no longer under construction in any real sense of the word. They aren’t growing in their faith. They aren’t increasing in their knowledge of God's Word. They are simply taking up space.

Jude speaks against that. He says you need to keep moving forward in your faith. You have to build yourself up. You need to keep growing, increasing in knowledge, and drawing nearer to the Lord. No matter how young or old you are, never stop building yourself up in your most holy faith.