NTDS (78): Trials, Perseverance, Wisdom and Faith

James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

James 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt…NIV

Have you been through any trials lately? Are you going through one currently? It often seems like life in this world can be just one trial after another. When life is like that, we often get very weary and discouraged. We begin asking God the two common questions, “Why am I going through this” and “when will this end?” Since we do not always get these questions answered, we can become even more despondent.

There may be a better question to ask. One that has a definite answer. “Does it always have to be this way?” James would say to us an emphatic NO! In this first chapter of his epistle, he gives us a radically different approach to facing the trials in our lives.

He starts by telling us that we should consider it joy when we face trials. “What, is he crazy? Why in the world would I be joyful to have a trial?” He explains why in verse 3. A trial is a testing of our faith. It will give us feedback on how much we really trust in God. He already knows our level of faith and trust, but we don’t. It is important for us to find out whether or not we are willing to trust God during the toughest times of our lives.

The good news is that James does not just give us an impossible command, and leave us with no help in how to follow it. In verse 5 he implies that we will need wisdom to endure a trial with joy. He then tells us that there is a simple solution to that. Ask God! James guarantees us that if we ask, we will receive God’s wisdom, on one condition. That condition is, that we trust God to deliver it. He also guarantees us, that if we doubt that God will give us what He promised, we will not receive it.

You may be thinking, “That’s not fair. Just because I doubt a little, God won’t give me wisdom?” Well, let me ask you a question, why would He? It would be a waste of time since you won’t believe it is from Him. It would be worthless to you, because you would not respond and act upon that wisdom. You would just go back and forth like a wave in the sea, trying to figure out if it was really God giving it to you. It shows a lack of faith in God and His written word when you do that. So, when you ask God for wisdom, expect to get it and be ready to act upon it! That is how faith works and that produces endurance in our lives.

A common question that comes up is, how goes God deliver that wisdom to us? I believe it generally comes in four different ways.

1.   Through His Word- The general wisdom given throughout God’s word will help us to discern His guidance in a particular situation. Often times we can even find a very specific answer to our need in a passage of scripture.

Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. NASU

2.   Through other believers- though we want to always seek God first, He may choose to bring you wisdom through another believer.

Prov 11:14 where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory. NASU

3.   Through The Holy Spirit, speaking to our heart- many examples of this are found in scripture

Acts 11:12 The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. (Peter speaking)

Acts 13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they (Paul and Barnabas) went down to Seleucia… NASU

4.   Through arranging of circumstances, sometimes leaving you with no other options. The story of Jonah is a good example. Also read about Paul’s experience of being shipwrecked in Acts 27

Finally, there is a great reward in going through a test of faith, trusting God, applying the wisdom He brings to you and not giving up. James 1:4 says, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. NIV

What a promise and what a reward to look forward to! I pray that the next time you face a trial, you will choose to find the joy of going through that trial, by trusting God, seeking and acting upon the wisdom He promises to give you and enduring to the end.

God bless you,

Coach

NTDS (77): Empathy

Heb 13:3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. NIV

In the 13^th chapter of Hebrews, the writer is summing up several areas of Christian behavior. He prefaces these with the general statement, “keep on loving each other as brothers.” He will then give many examples of what this love looks like.

The examples in verse three are particularly important, not because of the specific acts suggested, but because they delve into the attitude of our hearts when we attempt to be obedient to biblical instructions.

The writer shows us two areas of ministry that the church must be involved with. One is to remember (I believe he is speaking of remembering in prayer and in visitation), those who are in prison. In context, the prisoners spoken of here are most likely Christians that had been imprisoned for their faith.

That may not be on our heavy on our hearts, because we might not personally know anyone who has been incarcerated for their faith. Certainly though, we know that there are thousands of Christians around the world who face this kind of persecution.

We are also to include in our remembrance, those who are mistreated and suffering. This could be speaking specifically of the many Jewish believers who had been thrown out of their synagogues, excluded from doing business and ostracized from their communities for following Jesus, but I believe it also applies to all believers who are being mistreated. I am certain we can all think of people like that.

I think it is safe to say that when we hear of these situations, we might quickly offer up a prayer for them. That is good, but the author tells us that we need to do something more. In the first scenario, we are taught that as we remember those prisoners, we should picture ourselves in their place, as if we were in a cell with them. In the second, we should put ourselves in the position of one who is suffering. If it is one who has been shunned, think of yourself as being shunned. If it is physical suffering, think of yourself as one in physical pain.

What the writer is teaching us is that we need to  “empathize” with those who are suffering, especially those whose are suffering for their faith in Christ. Webster’s dictionary defines empathy as, “the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions : the ability to share someone else's feelings.”

Be honest, if you were in prison with another believer, do you think your prayer for comfort, peace and deliverance for them might be a little more fervent? If you were living on the streets, being ridiculed, going hungry, strictly because you confess Jesus Christ as Lord and another homeless believer came up to you and asked for prayer, do you think you might be a little more apt to entreat the Lord heartily for help, rather than just pass by? I know I would.

Empathy is one of the great qualities we seen in our Lord. Matt 9:36
says about Jesus, “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”
 Heb 4:15 tells us that, “we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

Because Jesus lived among men, He could look upon them and place Himself in their situation. He was filled with compassion for their sufferings and continues to see us in the same way. We are told to have no less empathy, no less compassion than He had towards those who were suffering.

I am sure that most of us could say that we fall short in our ability to empathize with other people’s situations. That is, until we find our self in the same or similar circumstance. Then, all of a sudden our ability to empathize becomes much greater!  But God, by means of the Holy Spirit, can give us the empathy we need at all times, so that we may truly minister to people. That ministry blesses God because it comes from the heart, rather than from obligation.

I pray that God would help all of us, by the power of His Spirit, to have a heart of empathy for those who are suffering, in Jesus name, Amen.

God bless you,

Coach

NTDS (76): Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus

 Heb 12:2  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,… NIV

At first glance (pun intended), the phrase “fixing our eyes” may seem strange. It is not a common phrase but it is a good translation from the Greek. It captures the intended thought well. Some other translations say, “looking to” or “unto.” I don’t believe that does the text complete justice.

It is one thing to look at something; it is another thing to continue looking at it. That is the thought that is presented here. Another word you might use, would be “staring.” Strong’s Greek concordance says that it means to “consider attentively.” “Why,” you might ask, “is it so important to dissect this word so closely?” Read on to find out.

In verse one of this chapter, we are given a directive. It is to, “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” This can certainly be difficult for us. Think of how many things in our life easily distract us from following the Lord with all of our hearts.

The author puts these things into two categories:

1.  Things that hinder – This does not necessarily mean that they are sinful things. They are just things in life, that if we allow them to, can really distract us from our “race.” Things that we put above our devotion to Christ.

2.   Sin that entangles – These are areas of our life where we “miss the mark.” We actually do things that are against God’s laws and commands, even though we do not intentionally want to disobey.

The point is, that if we are to run our Christian race as if to win (1 Cor 9:24), we need to “put aside” the things that are keeping us from going “full speed ahead.” We are told to do this with perseverance (also translated endurance), meaning to endure trials and persecution and yet continue on.

This seems like a very difficult directive, but the author encourages us with a helpful exhortation. Keep your eyes “focused” on Jesus. He is the author of our faith. Think of what that means. You could say that He is the one who is writing our story. Literally the word means to be “first in rank or power.” He began your story.

It also tells us in verse 2, that He is the perfecter of our faith. This means that He is the “completer” or “consummator.” He will complete the story He began. Php 1:6 explains it this way, … “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” So, we keep our eyes fixed on Him because He has promised to see us through to the very end of our race.

And we can have confidence that He is able to do that. The reason we can have such confidence is, that according to verse 2, He has already endured. He endured the suffering and shame of the cross! Verse 3 tells us to “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  Jesus, who was able to endure so much, in order to give sinful man the opportunity to come into relationship with God, can certainly bring us through whatever trials we may have. So, as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, we are encouraged to go on as well, knowing that He will provide all we need to continue running our marathon.

I want to encourage you to take a look at your own life and see what things may be hindering you in running your “race.” Are there obstacles in your way? Is there any sin in your life which has you entangled? It is hard to run a race if you are tied up. If so, it is time to throw it off, cast it aside. Then, when hardships come your way, “fix your eyes upon Jesus,” and be encouraged to continue in perseverance, the race set before you. It is a life that Jesus has called you personally to live and He will see you through to the very completion of it!

God bless you

Coach

NTDS (75): The Radiance of God’s Glory

Heb 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. NIV

There are few verses in the Bible that contain more theological depth than Hebrews 1:3. Countless hours could be spent on this one verse, but I want to look at four truths that are essential to understand who our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, really is.It is helpful in this case to use the KJV to really grab hold of the beauty of this verse. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,” KJV

The first wonderful truth in this verse is contained in the word being. It is the word oon in Greek. The Greek scholar, AT Robertson says this about the word, “ Absolute and timeless existence.”  When people try to convince you that the Bible does not teach that Jesus is God, this one word describing Jesus, destroys that notion. It is equivalent to the word Yahweh or I AM ( the always exis tent one)in Hebrew. It proves that Jesus was not created, He always existed, and therefore He is God!

The next truth we see is that Jesus is the radiance or brightness of God’s glory. The word used for brightness can either mean reflective or original light. In the case of Jesus, both are true! John 12:44-46,

 “Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

John 14:9, “Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

The brightness of His glory was revealed to Peter, James and John at the mount of transfiguration, recorded in Matt 17. Matt 17:2, “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”  This was physical evidence that what this verse tell us about Jesus is 100% true! These men were eyewitnesses to the “brightness of His glory.”

The third great truth listed here is, that Jesus was an exact representation of God the Father. When you look at Jesus, you see God. Everything recorded in the Scriptures about Jesus, gives you a picture of who God is. As we look closely, we can see all of God’s nature and characteristics in Jesus and we can be sure it is an accurate rendering.

The last truth to grasp in this verse, is that Jesus is the one who holds everything together. Verse two of this chapter tells us that Jesus was the one through whom the universe was made. He is also the one who sustains His creation. The word for “sustains” can be translated uphold, carry or bear. That means that His creation will stand for as long as He wills it to.

We are told that He sustains creation by the power of His word. Just as he began creation by His word, he keeps it going by His word. It is by His word that all the physical laws of the universe that we observe, continue to operate properly. A cursory look at our universe would tell us that it had to be uniquely designed. One degree difference of earth’s tilt and we would be out of existence. A few miles closer to the sun and we would be ashes, a few miles further and we would be frozen. But by the power of His word, His creation stands. If at any time He chose to end the existence of the universe, He could do it by speaking a word. His word is all-powerful!

Oh the majesty and glory of our Lord Jesus! This verse alone, revealing these four great truths, should be enough to bring us to our knees in worship to Him. Those who lived with Him two thousand years ago, saw the perfect light of God. We see that same light through His word. His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Ps 119:105). It leads us into relationship with Him. I pray you are fully surrendered Him!

God bless you

Coach

NTDS (74): Because of His Mercy

Titus 3:4-5  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  NIV

Because of His mercy. God saved us because of His mercy! These four words need to be repeated over and over again in our minds. He saved us because or as some versions translate, according to, His mercy.

Why is this so important to understand? It frees us from the bondage of works. It reminds us that there is no work we have ever done or could ever do that will save us from the judgment of God. Without God’s mercy, we would all remain in our sin.

It means that we do not get what we deserve. Rom 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…,” There is no doubt that because of our sin, our rebellion against God, we deserve to die. If we are depending on our works to save us, we are doomed to suffer God’s wrath. But, the second half of Rom 6:23 says, …”but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  The gift of life is given, because of His mercy.

The apostle Paul makes it clear in verse three of this chapter that we all lived in sin of one form or another. Titus 3:3, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.”  I am sure you can see yourself in at least one of these descriptions.

He saved us, it says in verse 5, not because of any righteous act of ours, but only because of His mercy. It is because of that mercy that we should desire our lives be a reflection of His. We should be merciful as well. Does that describe you?

It is interesting that we are so often eager to obtain mercy for ourselves, but find it hard to grant mercy to others. However, Jesus said this, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matt 5:7) 

James tells us that being merciful it is a critical piece of evidence proving our relationship with Christ. James 2:12-13 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”

Peter says, “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you…” (1 Peter 1:3-4)

How could we possibly be unmerciful people when we have been shown such great mercy? Because of His mercy, we should be quick to forgive and quick to show mercy to others. 

Jesus told a parable about a man who owed a king an enormous debt, one that he could never pay. The master showed mercy and canceled the debt completely. That man then went to another servant, who owed him a small debt and demanded immediate payment. Since the servant had no money, the man, showing no mercy, had the servant thrown into prison. Once the king found out what had happened, he called the man back. Lets pick up the story in Matt 18:32-35

 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

I think you can see the heart of God in this matter. We have been forgiven so much. God’s mercy on us is immeasurable. We are to called to be people of mercy as well. In our human nature, it would be impossible to show the kind of mercy that God does, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, dwelling in us, all things are possible.

I pray that we, who are believers in Jesus Christ only because of His mercy, will reflect His glorious mercy to the world.

God Bess you

Coach