Happy Mother’s Day
In Exodus 20:12, God commands His people to "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you."
With Mother's day just a few days away, let us remember to honor all the moms. I've heard it said that a godly father and godly mother together show a beautiful picture of the attributes of our Father in heaven. Although we could all go on and on about the attributes of our moms (spiritual and/or physical), the number one attribute that comes to my mind when I think of my spiritual and physical mom is LOVE. She is a woman that loves me unconditionally... just like our Father in heaven. My mother puts me first every time. This is exactly what Jesus did for each of us on the cross and this is a goal that all of us should have each and every day towards everyone God places in our lives.
Pastor Buck reminded us a couple of weeks ago that one of our goals as Christians is to become spiritual mothers and fathers. These are those that are so very seasoned that they truly know the Father and are able to disciple others. So let us be encouraged to esteem highly and respect those spiritual and physical moms that God has placed in our lives. Also, let us be reminded ourselves to strive to be a spiritual and/or physical mom (or dad) that LOVES as Jesus does.
As believers each of us have those people around us that we can think of as "mom" AND people who look to us as "mom" (or "dad"). Even Jesus said in Luke 8:21, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it."
For those of us hearing and doing God's Word, please remember that your call is important and can be accomplished by no one else. Remember that even those in the Bible were discipled by those that many times went "unnoticed" for the most part.
Timothy is a great example of a boy who became a very godly man because of the "genuine faith" of his mother and grandmother as stated in 2 Timothy 1:5. Paul states of Timothy, "when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also." Paul played an important role in the growth of young Timothy as seen throughout the New Testament, but ALL THREE: Paul, Lois
(grandma), and Eunice (mom) were key in developing Timothy into all that God wanted him to be. Let us not doubt the power of God in our lives. Let us disciple with joy knowing that God is accomplishing His perfect plan, whether we are a Paul (known by many) or a Lois/Eunice (known by few).
For those of us that might believe that we will never attain the "status" of becoming this spiritual mom/dad that we are called to be, please be reminded that you already are doing this every time you come to serve in the Children's Ministry. The spiritual impact that you are making in the lives of the children and/or parents on a weekly basis is more than you will ever know until you are rewarded in heaven. So... as Galatians 6:9-10 exhorts, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Let us all be encouraged that we are doing God's will and making disciples, but let us also be reminded that we need to continue to grow ever closer to our Lord until we see Him face to face.
Finally, Happy Mother's Day to each one of you women/young ladies that are "mothering" the children/parents at Calvary Chapel in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Your role is precious in God's view. It is ordained and has an eternal significance. May God continue to guide you, protect you, and be the reason for everything you do.
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Happy Resurrection Day
Let us remember the mercy granted to us because of our Savior whom died for us and has been RESURRECTED. As we do our best to die to self each and every day, be encouraged that God has promised a great reward for those that persevere to the end. These verses remind us that our possession in heaven never dies, never fades, and is pure. Praise God that Jesus lives. HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!!!!
1 Peter 1:3-7 states, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love."
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Helping God Out
Have you ever tried to "help God out" with anything in your life? I have on too many occasions.
One example is when I was single! Sad to say, I remember trying to help God bring me my perfect mate. "If I just do this Lord, he might notice me!" God is so patient and graceful with us! Praise God He didn't give me what I thought I wanted so many times.
How about when it comes to witnessing to someone we have been praying for a long time? I remember trying to find the "perfect verse" that I thought a family member needed to hear... then she would repent and give God her life... only to find that that was not why God had placed her in my life. He was going to change her life in His timing and in His way.
Have you ever started a project... and rather than FIRST asking God for his help, you try to fix something... only to find it becomes a bigger mess? My husband has!!! And yes, he said it was okay if I said that :) He's learned his lesson!!!
This week's encouragement comes to us from Psalm 124:8 which states, "Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth." It is really silly for us to try to help God out in ANY way when we begin to meditate on this verse. He is the maker of the universe! Remember also that He wants to bless us with more than we could ever ask, think, or imagine! Why wouldn't He help His own children? The answer is, He will! We just have to remember to ASK for His help and stop trying so hard to make things happen the way we think they should.
EXTRA CREDIT:)
Psalm 146:5 states, "Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God."
Isaiah 41:13 states, "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, "Fear not, I will help you."
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In the Wilderness
Deuteronomy 8:2-3 states, "And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord."
There are times in all of our lives that we experience a "wilderness" of our own. For some, it might be a dislike of our job...we have been wondering why God has not allowed another door to open so that we can feel like we are fulfilling His purpose. Others might be in a wilderness in the area of marriage or singleness. The married couple wonders why they aren't loving one another the way they used to. The single might be questioning if God will ever bring them the perfect helpmate. Still others might be in a wilderness in the area of their own spiritual growth. Maybe it feels as if you are on a roller coaster... some months you are into the Word and other months you are disconnected. For myself, I have been in a wilderness of a wait period. I received a promise from the Lord and it hasn't happened yet. Sometimes my attitude is full of faith and trust. Other times, I find myself in tears wondering if God remembers me.
So, why does God allow wilderness experiences in our lives? Deuteronomy 8:2-3 proclaims that God was leading the Israelites through the wilderness to HUMBLE THEM, TEST THEM, and to know what was IN THEIR HEART. Were they going to realize that their lives were in the hands of God and not their own [HUMILITY]? Were they going to pass the TEST by continuing to trust in God's promises and His provision in their lives? Finally, were they going to keep a good attitude and remain obedient or grumble and complain [ATTITUDE OF THE HEART]?
I believe that God does the same thing in our lives. I hope you can be reminded by these verses that just because you are having a wilderness experience doesn't mean God is far away from you. He is LEADING you through the wilderness. That means He is right there with you... even when it doesn't feel like it. Notice also in these verses that God ALLOWED the Israelites to HUNGER. That is exactly where the Lord wants us too!!! He desires for us to hunger for Him and realize that that is where we WILL find life. Jesus states in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." So during our wilderness experiences...instead of complaining and whining...let us remember that we are His and not our own, let us PASS the test, let us keep a good attitude, and let us know that God is with us every step of the way! Then soon and very soon, we shall be filled!!!!
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Increase Our Faith
Our challenge today is that each of us would pray and ask God to INCREASE OUR FAITH. Why would we suggest this simple prayer? Because the Word of God clearly states MANY benefits of having FAITH. Hebrews 10:38 states, "Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
In Hebrews 11, God teaches us what FAITH did for many men/women in the Bible. Let's take a look at some...
* FAITH causes us to offer acceptable sacrifices. (Abel)
* FAITH causes us to move with godly fear. (Noah)
* FAITH causes obedience. (Abraham)
* FAITH causes increased strength. (Sarah)
* FAITH helps us to be unafraid. (Moses' parents)
* FAITH gives us the ability to say no to the passing pleasures of sin. (Moses)
* FAITH gives us endurance. (Moses)
* FAITH causes miracles. (Moses)
* FAITH causes works of righteousness. (David and others)
* FAITH causes obtained promises. (David)
* FAITH gives us protection. (David)
* FAITH gives us a good testimony. (All of the above and MORE)
Remember also verse 6 in the same chapter which states, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
If all the above is what we get from having faith, then I believe we all should desire MORE faith. Ask the Lord now to increase your faith. Ask Him daily to increase your faith. For if we do, we will become holy and we will please our Father in heaven.
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Is God Fair?
I saw a little bit of a show on terrorism this past week. It angered and saddened my heart to see the 5 year-old children being taught through songs, cartoons, teachers, and parents that being a "martyr" was the highest honor. My parents were over for a family day on Sunday and I expressed some of my thoughts aloud saying things like, "How are these kids supposed to know the truth about
Jesus when they are taught such lies from such a young age?" My wise dad gently rebuked me and said to me, "What you are really asking is the question so many ask around the world... Is God fair?" Immediately I realized that I could not stay in that place of questioning God's goodness or fairness. I know full well what the Bible says. God is just. God is good. God is love.
Although most of us know these truths very well, do we believe them with all our heart? Do we live by them? Maybe you are questioning if God is being fair or good in your own life? You might not be questioning him out loud, but are you living each and every day without doubting God is good. If not, we need to seek forgiveness for believing the lies of Satan and begin to meditate on the truth of God's Holy Word.
Psalm 145:8-9 states, "The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all. And His tender mercies are over all His works."
Let us take this Word to heart and praise God for His goodness in each of our lives!
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It is Written
Luke 4:1-4 states, "Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.' But Jesus answered him, saying, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
In this first temptation that comes from Satan toward Jesus, Satan cunningly tries to get Jesus to act in pride to satisfy His desire. The devil questions His authority by saying, "If you are the Son of God…." Jesus does not sin in pride, but attacks Satan with the living Word of God. Although His flesh must have been very weak after not having any food for 40 days, He was filled with the Holy Spirit who gave Him the strength to say "no" to his desire for food. He knew that to satisfy His fleshly desire at that moment by proving to Satan that He was God would equal no hope for you and me.
So apart from another reason to be in love with our Savior, what do we learn from this? There are probably many lessons from this story, but let us just focus on one. We learn that Satan works hard at questioning who we are in Christ. He desires us to doubt the promises of God for our lives. Just as he said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God," he will whisper in our ears ... “If you are a child of God, then... (fill in the blank).” Maybe you don't have the marriage that you dreamed of, the job that you hoped for, the perfect child you prayed for, etc. There are so many issues in our lives that can tempt us to become prideful. Yes, if we begin to doubt God, this is a form of pride because we are saying that we can satisfy our lives better than God can. Just like Jesus, we need to be confident in who we are in Him and filled with the Spirit of God to attack these thoughts that Satan tries to place in our minds. Replace his lies with the truth of the Word of God. Find a verse to combat him so that your mind will be renewed. Then, we can continue to offer hope to the hurting and to those who haven't heard the truth!
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Joyful Worship
Psalm 100 states, "Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."
Most of this psalm encourages us to worship God in various ways. We are exhorted to shout to the Lord with joy, serve the Lord with gladness, sing in His presence, be thankful, and bless the Lord. As I think of each one of us, I realize that we are all at different stages in our lives. Some of us are on a high mountain right now and are feeling like it is very easy to rejoice and worship God. Others are in a deep valley wondering how we can worship with the kind of joy spoken of in this psalm. Some of us may be stagnant in our walk wondering where this joy we once had has gone for the last week, month, or year.
So, how can we all come to this place to be able to worship our God in the way He desires and deserves to be worshiped? The answer also lies in this psalm. It is my belief that each one of us CAN worship in this way if we can "Know that the Lord, He is God, It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture... For the Lord is good...." If we can be content to be HIS, then there is so much joy to be found...even in the midst of hard times. Remember that we are not in control of the way we look, the "what" we have, the talents we enjoy, or the trials we experience. He made us just the way we are!
When we embrace the way He made us and realize it is for His purposes, then the result that will bubble up in our hearts is JOYFUL WORSHIP! Think back on the past week. Have you worshiped the Lord with this kind of joy? If not, why not? Maybe you are doubting His goodness or His love for you. The Bible proclaims that the Lord is good! If we sincerely believe this, then how can we be anything BUT thankful? This day let us rejoice that we are His! "For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."
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Kissing the Feet of Jesus
In Luke 7, we see Jesus invited to the house of a Pharisee (Simon) to eat. As
He accepted the invitation and sat down to eat, a woman (who was a known sinner) came into the house. This woman treated Jesus as royalty by washing the feet of Jesus with her tears and drying His feet with her hair. She also kissed His feet and anointed them with expensive ointment. While this was happening, the Pharisee began doubting Jesus since Jesus was allowing this sinful woman to do all these things to Him. Let's read how Jesus handles this Pharisee and woman:
Luke 7:40-50 states, "And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Simon, I have something to say to you.' So he said, 'Teacher, say it.' 'There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more? ' Simon answered and said, 'I suppose the one whom he forgave more.' And He said to him, 'You have rightly judged.' Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.'
Then He said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.' And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?' Then He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.'"
I apologize for the lengthy reading this time, but I wanted us to concentrate on the part of this story where the Pharisee says, "Teacher, say it." In the original language this word for "teacher" means "an instructor or master." This man was calling Jesus his instructor, teacher, and master, but he was not heeding Jesus' instruction. The sinful woman on the other hand was obviously repentant and ready to obey. Because of her humility, Christ lovingly affirmed her and said to her, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."
I pray that we love as the sinful woman in this story and not like the ritualistic Pharisee. Are we DAILY kissing the feet of Jesus? Are we as determined to do the things He has asked us to do in our own lives each and every day? One way that we watch each of you kiss the feet of Jesus is through your dedication to the children's ministry week after week. May you be affirmed today that He is pleased with your heart to serve Him. He sees every kiss you send Him and He accepts it. He has affirmed you and you will be able to hear and see His affirmation soon and very soon! God bless!
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Knit Together in Love
Colossians 2:2-3 (NLT) state "My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
Our goal as a body of believers and servants should be the same as what Paul and Timothy wanted for the church in Colosse. In these 2 verses, we see that Paul and Timothy desired this group to be ENCOURAGED, to be KNIT TOGETHER by STRONG TIES OF LOVE, to have FULL CONFIDENCE, and to have COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING of CHRIST. In my experience, all 4 of these working together will only deepen our walks with the Lord while giving each of us joy in our purpose.
Some might say, "No one is encouraging me, no one is reaching out to me in love... so I don't have confidence or complete understanding of Christ." For those of us that think that way (which many times I have been guilty of), let us ask God to help us to change our perspective and do our best to consider someone else who might be thinking the same thoughts.
Each of us should examine our own lives and ask ourselves a couple of questions in order to see if we are being DOERS of these specific verses in the Word of God. The first question we could ask is, "Am I being an encouragement to anyone in the body of Christ?" The second question becomes, "Am I making an effort to be knit together by strong ties of love with one or more person(s) in the body of Christ?" If we can answer YES to the first 2 questions, then the last 2 goals should be happening... our CONFIDENCE will be being built as we see how God will use us to make a difference and our UNDERSTANDING OF CHRIST will be deepening as we fellowship with other parts of His body. May we always remember that in Christ lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.