Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Friday, November 21, 2014
Building Your House on the Rock
Building Your House on the Rock
“Therefore
everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a
wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose,
and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it
had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and
does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on
sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
“When Jesus
had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the
law.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
As we come to the conclusion of the Sermon on the
Mount, let’s remember how it all started: Blessed are the poor in spirit,
blessed are those who mourn, who are meek, who hunger and thirst after
righteousness, are merciful, are pure in heart, are peacemakers, and are
persecuted.
Blessed – happy – will you be when you follow me and live
this way, says Jesus. And it’s not happiness as the world gives – a fleeting
joy that comes for a moment and then is gone when the circumstances change –
but it is living in an ongoing state of happiness, contentment, and peace that
does not change regardless of circumstances. Jesus assures us, “Peace I leave
with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let
not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27-28 NKJV)
The storms of life
might seem strong from time to time – rain pouring down and the streams rising
and the wind blowing – but whatever you are going through you will stand strong
if your foundation is Jesus and his teachings.
Notice that Jesus didn’t say that if we followed him than
he would calm every storm and keep us from every hardship. He didn’t say that
at all. On the contrary, he said that when the stormy circumstances of life
come upon us, we would stand strong if we structure our life upon Him. He is
our strong foundation and His teachings are the cornerstones of our life.
As a pastor and an avid “people-watcher,” let me assure
you that this principle is being played out in the lives of people all around
you. Take a look around and you will see that it is true – when the storm hits,
when a loved one dies or a career comes crashing down or something terrible
happens – those who have centered their lives upon Christ and His teachings
seem to make it through it okay. Sure, they weep, they grieve, they get angry,
they might do some things that they shouldn’t. But in the end they hang on to
the Lord and come out on the other side, entering a new season of life with
happiness and anticipation and hope for the future.
However, and this breaks my heart, many who have not
structured their life on Jesus are completely destroyed when the storms of life
hit them. They have no foundation, and they are washed away into an ocean of
sorrow and regret and hopelessness that surrounds them and overwhelms them for
the rest of their life. They try to cope with many worldly methods – the
passage of time, finding someone new, easing the pain with alcohol, medications, drugs, sex,
overworking, or whatever they think will help. Ultimately, though, their only hope is to
find the Savior, for when the streams rose and the winds blew, their life came
crashing down and their only hope for restoration and new life is through
Jesus.
Wherever you are at in life, whether young or old, having
experienced tremendous loss or not, structure your life upon Jesus and you
won’t be sorry. He will help you to pick up the pieces and start over again,
and when the storm hits He will be your solid foundation. He will be with you
in the midst of the storm; he will be with you during the clean-up and the
rebuilding; he will be with you during the calm.
And when you finally make it through to the other side,
when you are finally able to once again simply relax and enjoy being in his
presence, you will be amazed at what Jesus did in your life. After all, he not
only taught as one with authority, he has all authority on heaven and earth and
he will be with us until the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20)
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Pray with me:
Lord, I want to structure my life upon you and your teachings.
Help me to do that. Help me to live in that place of blessing, of ongoing
happiness, contentment, and peace. Help me to be poor in spirit, meek, merciful,
and all the other Beatitudes. Help me to hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Give me a hunger and a thirst for you and you alone. I am turning away from
selfish living and I will seek after your kingdom, your reign, your lordship in
my life. Lead me now as I pray…continue praying as you are led…
For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:
Luke 6:46-49 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do
what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and
puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep
and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that
house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears
my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on
the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it
collapsed and its destruction was complete." NIV
1 Cor 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one
already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Eph 2:19-22 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens,
but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the
chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to
become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together
to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Please use this blog for
personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family.
However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of
this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy
Brockett of New Song
Foursquare Church
in Colorado Springs, Colorado. To contact Pastor Randy, email him
at randybrockett@yahoo.com.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Bearing Fruit
Bearing Fruit
“So in
everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up
the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter
through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads
to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the
road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
“Watch out
for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes
from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good
fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a
bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize
them.
“Not everyone
who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who
does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,
'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out
demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew
you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
As Jesus begins to conclude his sermon, he gives us three
points that are familiar to most of us and often quoted and talked about – The
Golden Rule, The Narrow Road, and The Fruit Principle. And to tell you the
truth, I wish he had left it at that. For his last point in this section is
downright scary, in fact I have a friend who calls them “The Scary Scriptures.”
For it is a frightening thought that some of us who are
doing ministry in Jesus’ name – preaching, teaching, praying, even prophesying,
casting out demons, and performing miracles – might one day see Jesus
face-to-face and be flat-out rejected by Him. “I never knew you…get away from
me…” he might say to some of us who minister in His name.
The question that immediately comes to mind is, “Could
this happen to me? Am I doing the work of the ministry for me, for my sake, or
for Jesus? Am I more interested in the accolades, the ego-strokes, and the offerings
than I am in blessing others and pleasing God? Have I been so busy doing the
work of the ministry that I haven’t taken the time to get to know Jesus?”
These are questions that we must all ask ourselves, and
the answer is not one that is found solely in our feelings about ourselves and
Jesus but in an honest assessment of our behavior and the corresponding
results. In other words, rather than simply relying on our emotions, let’s look
at our lives and see what kind of fruit we are bearing, what road we are on,
and how we are doing in living out The Golden Rule.
The Fruit
Principle – “By their fruit you will recognize them,” says Jesus. You will
know who is really living for God and who isn’t by the fruit of their lives. Is
their life – is your life – marked by an obvious harvest of the fruit of the
Holy Spirit? When people are around you, do they notice the love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that
are the fruit of a strong relationship with God? Or are the fruit of an
unbridled sin nature there instead, things like hatred, discord, jealousy, fits
of rage, selfish ambition, sexual immorality, dissensions, drunkenness, witchcraft,
and other things like this?
Don’t
be deceived, my friend. Don’t be deceived by others and especially don’t
deceive yourself. A good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit nor does a bad tree bear
good fruit. Watch out for those whose lives are full of bad fruit, for inwardly
they are ferocious wolves. And if your own life is bearing bad fruit, repent
and turn to the Savior. He will forgive you, and as you spend time with Him,
the Holy Spirit will help you to bear good fruit. (For more help along these
lines, read Galatians 5:16-26 and ask the Lord to help you apply it to your
life.)
The Narrow Road
And
when you are going along with everyone else, when there is no persecution, no
discomfort from the culture around you, when everyone is slapping your back and
agreeing with you, then maybe that is the time to do a double-check and see if
you are still on the narrow path. For broad is the road that leads to
destruction, and when you are on the same road as everyone else – living the
same way, having the same values, holding the same worldview – then look to see
whom you are following. Are you following the Savior through the narrow gate
that leads to life? Or are you just following everyone else as they go down the
broad road to destruction?
The Golden Rule – “Do onto others as you would have them do onto you,”
says Jesus, summing up the Law and the Prophets as well as the Sermon on the
Mount. Be merciful, just as you would like to receive mercy. Love those who are
hard to love, just as you would like to be loved. Give to the poor, just as you
would like to receive when you are in need. Mourn with the sinner, forgiving
their sin rather than condemning them, just as you would like to be forgiven
and restored rather than condemned to hopelessness. Go the extra mile, give to
him who asks, loan out your stuff, do good deeds so that others will be blessed
and your Heavenly Father glorified.
Like
so much of the Sermon, The Golden Rule of doing onto others is easy to preach
but hard to live out. If you don’t always do onto others as you would have them
do onto you, join the club. Most of us have been there, done that, succeeded
sometimes, failed at other times. It all goes to show you and me that we’re not
perfect and we need a Savior. We need Someone to atone for our sins; we need
Someone to keep us on the straight and narrow; we need Someone to come and live
inside us, giving us the ability to bear good fruit.
That Someone is Jesus, the Almighty God who took on flesh
and became a man who not only walked among us and taught us how to live but
also gave His life for ours, dying on the cross so that our sins might be
forgiven.
Turn to Him today; turn to Him again and again and again,
no matter how many times it takes to keep you on the narrow road and bearing
good fruit. Turn to Him today, before it is too late.
Pray with me:
Lord Jesus, I
am turning to you once again. I confess that as I look at my life there isn’t
as much fruit as I would like. And as I look at my life and the people around me,
I confess that my life isn’t that much different than those of people who are
living for the world and don’t even know you. Help me to live for you. Help me
to live according to The Golden Rule. Help me to bear good fruit. I love you,
Lord, and invite you to come and live inside of me and fill me once again with
your love, your mercy, your peace. I confess my sins to you now and ask for
your help in these areas of my life…continue praying as you are led…
For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:
Gal 5:16-26 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not
gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is
contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But
if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The
acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and
debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft;
hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions,
factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did
before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God
But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who
belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and
desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let
us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Luke 6:43-45 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad
tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not
pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good
things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil
things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his
heart his mouth speaks.
John 15:1-8 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the
gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every
branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You
are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I
will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the
vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I
am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will
bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in
me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are
picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my
Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my
disciples.”
Please use this blog for
personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family.
However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of
this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy
Brockett of New Song
Foursquare Church
in Colorado Springs , Colorado
Monday, November 17, 2014
God Gives Good Gifts
God Gives Good Gifts
“Which of
you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a
fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give
good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew
7:9-11
In the classic movie The
Christmas Story, there is a Christmas morning scene where all the presents
have been opened – wrapping paper is thrown everywhere, the room is littered
with toys and gifts, and mom and dad are reclining on the sofa while little
Randy and older brother Ralphie play with their new toys. Everything is bliss,
except for one nagging thought in Ralphie’s mind – he didn’t get the Daisy BB
gun he wanted so badly.
Ralphie had hinted about what he wanted on many
occasions, even blurting it out at the dinner table. He had told his friends
about it and even wrote an essay about it. And just to cover all his bases, he
even told Santa Clause. But none of them, not even Santa, gave him much hope.
They all told him the same thing: “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
But that didn’t deter little Ralphie. He still wanted
that BB gun more than anything. And sure enough, there was one present back
behind the tree that his father pointed out to him. It was the right size, the
right shape, and as he ripped the wrapping paper off, Ralphie’s dream gun was
finally in his hands. And his father was nearly as happy as he was, trying to
stop from smiling from ear to ear as Ralphie was beside himself with
excitement.
Those of us who are familiar with the movie know what
happens next – Ralphie goes outside to try out his new gun and a BB ricochets
off the target and hits him in the eyeglasses, shattering them. Poor Ralphie
had shot his eye out, just as everyone had predicted.
Which begs the point, didn’t his father know that might
happen? He must have, as his wife didn’t seem very approving of the gift, as if
they had discussed it. And yet he gave his son a BB gun anyway. Whether right
or wrong, good judgment or bad, the father wanted to make his child happy.
And that is our heavenly Father’s heart towards us. He wants
to make us happy.
Even better, our heavenly Father knows what is best for
us and has far better judgment than our earthly fathers. Our earthly fathers
did what they could to give us good gifts and make us happy, although many
times they likely fell short. And, unfortunately, some dads weren’t there at
all for their kids and the pain of that absence still lingers in the hearts of
their children today.
Whatever the case, whether our earthly fathers were good
gift-givers or not, let’s rest in the love and good judgment of our Heavenly
Father today. He knows not only what we need, but also what we want. He knows
what will give us great joy, and He knows what will leave us feeling empty and
let down when the glitter rubs off and the wrappings hit the floor. He knows
what bring lasting happiness and what gives pleasure only for a moment.
So go to your Heavenly Father and ask for your heart’s
desires, knowing that He loves you unconditionally and He will provide those
things that will bring you true joy and lasting happiness. Don’t worry if your
dream is too large or too small – his resources are limitless and yet he cares
about you and the smallest details of your life. Just go to Him and talk to
Him, much like Ralphie did when he wanted a BB gun. Your request doesn’t have
to be smooth, well-planned, or eloquent; it just has to be heart-felt.
And then be ready to receive more than you asked for
because our Father knows how to give good gifts to those who ask Him. In fact,
be ready to receive God Himself, as in Luke 11:11-13, Jesus says these same
words with a twist – He promises that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask Him!
So ask Him today,
right now. Ask for good gifts, for your heart’s desire, for the Holy Spirit to
come and live inside you. God Himself – in the form of the Holy Spirit, the
breath of God – will come and take up residence in your innermost being. He
will be a part of you in a way that He never has before, and He will lead you
into all truth, every good gift, and every desire of your heart that lines up
with His will for your life.
After all, not only does He love you with an undying
love, He also knows you better than you know yourself. So don’t hesitate, don’t
be afraid to ask for too much or too little or for the wrong thing. Just keep
asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, knowing that you can trust Him to give you
what is best for you. He knows how to give good gifts, and it is His delight to
give you the Holy Spirit – His presence living inside of you.
Pray with me: Heavenly
Father, thank you that you love me and that you know me better than I know
myself. You know my needs, my wants, my heart’s desires. And you not only know
what my future holds, you also hold my future in your hands. So I come to you
today asking you for good gifts, for good things large and small, and
especially for your Holy Spirit to come and live inside me. Come and live in me
even as I strive to live in You, and I know you will lead me into every good
thing that you have for me. Lead me even now, as I begin asking you to move in
my life circumstances…continue praying as you are led…
For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:
Luke 11:11-13 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a
fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a
scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask him!"
John 14:15-21 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you
forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither
sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in
you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the
world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also
will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in
me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who
loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him
and show myself to him."
John 14:25-27 "All this I have spoken while still with you. But
the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will
teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Rom 8:31-32 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God
is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave
him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all
things?
Eph 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that
you may know him better.
Please use this blog for
personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family.
However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of
this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy
Brockett of New Song
Foursquare Church
in Colorado Springs , Colorado
Friday, November 14, 2014
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Blessed are the Poor in
Spirit
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3
The verse above
is explained by Matthew 7:7-11 (below). For more on the outline of the Sermon on the
Mount, see the very first post of this blog, entitled The Key to the Sermon on the Mount and posted on
Sept. 26, 2014.
“Ask and it
will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened
to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who
knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of
you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a
fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give
good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew
7:7-11
In the verses above, we find a truth that we in the
American church fail to grasp over and over again: God likes to keep us asking,
seeking, and knocking. He likes us to be poor in spirit, and he doesn’t mind if
we have to be literally poor and without a penny to our name if that is what it
takes to make us poor in spirit. For being poor leads us into stronger
relationship with Him and even dependence upon Him. In fact, being poor keeps
us right where he wants us – close to Him!
And
yet, I can’t tell you the number of times (dozens? hundreds?) I have heard that
if things aren’t going well in your life or if you are not prospering
financially, then God is displeased with you somehow or you are lacking in
faith. Proponents of the so-called “prosperity gospel” completely ignore much
of what Jesus taught and modeled to us when he walked the earth in the flesh.
Please
don’t get me wrong or misunderstand me – I am not saying that we serve a
vindictive God who oppresses His people to keep them poor and impoverished.
What I am saying is that our financial prosperity is not nearly as important to
God as our relationship with Him. So yes, it is true in a sense that God wants
to prosper us, after all He does love us and wants what’s best for us. In fact,
He often does prosper us so that we can learn to bless others and give
generously and be good stewards over the resources He has given us.
But do
we really need to hear the “prosperity gospel” over and over again while hardly
ever mentioning that God calls us to forsake everything to follow him? Can we
really buy into a prosperity gospel when Jesus himself lived an impoverished
lifestyle and he very pointedly sent his disciples out without a moneybelt or
anything except the clothes on their backs? Can we really ignore what Jesus
said to the rich young ruler and what he said about rich people not entering
into the kingdom of heaven? When we stand before Him face-to-face will we have
the guts to tell him that he didn’t really mean it when he told us to give to
whoever asks and loan to whoever wants to borrow? We have ignored much of
Jesus’ teaching to our own detriment and even to our own peril if we’re not
careful.
Jesus
likes it when we ask, seek, and knock. He likes it when we give everything away
and are unencumbered by the cares of this world. He likes it when we come to an
end of ourselves, for that is when he shows himself strong. Have you ever
wondered why there are so many more miracles in impoverished nations than there
are in more wealthy nations? It is because they have no where else to turn
except to God! They are forced to keep asking, keep knocking, keep seeking
after God because they have no other options. And when they pursue relationship
with Him in this way, He comes through for them!
People
in wealthier circumstances, though, don’t even think to ask God about where
their next meal will come from. They don’t seek Him about shelter for the night
or healing for their bodies or clothes for their backs because they already
have it all covered with their bank accounts and health insurance. And they
don’t bother to knock on the door and ask the Lord about their future
opportunities as they already have it all mapped out without His help or input.
Besides, if they did ask Him about things like these He might challenge them to
give more money away or do more for the single mom next door or even go to
Africa or Asia or somewhere where they might not be able to live so
comfortably.
Many
of us are like the rich young ruler, whether we will admit it to ourselves or
not. Jesus is telling us to leave everything else behind and follow Him but we
love our stuff too much to do that. So we walk away, shaking our heads and
saying that He can’t be serious. We’ll just continue giving Him an hour or
maybe even two hours each Sunday morning so that we can alleviate our
consciences and dispel the fear of hellfire and brimstone. And by His grace He
will likely forgive us and we’ll make it into eternity with Him, but it will be
as one escaping through the flames. In terms of our earthly life we will have
traded in our abundant life in Him for an abundance of worldly riches and
creature comforts. We who live in prosperous nations have to be careful or we
will be like Esau, trading in our birthright as sons of daughters of God for a
bowl of soup.
So
whatever life circumstances you find yourself in, make sure you are pursuing
God – asking for His help, seeking after Him and His will in your life, and
knocking on the door of His heart so that you might be more like Him. If you
have a lot of worldly wealth, be open to giving to the poor and to worthy
churches and organizations so that you might be more dependent upon Him. If you
are currently without much worldly wealth, don’t despair or feel like God has
forgotten you. On the contrary, you are right where He wants you – dependent
upon Him and in a place where you will keep asking, seeking, and knocking. And
that will keep you closer to Him.
By
the way, the verb form that Jesus uses for “ask, seek, and knock” is one that
indicates ongoing action, not simply a one-time action that is done and over
with. It brings to mind the parable that Jesus taught about the widow that kept
coming before the judge day after day in hopes of getting a favorable outcome
(Luke 18:1-8). We are to be the same way – continually coming before God,
asking and seeking and knocking so that we stay close to Him.
I
know that this is a challenging message, and one that many of us, including me,
will wrestle with for days and months and even years to come. I wouldn’t even
write it, except I feel compelled to by the Spirit to do so and I know that
just as in many other areas of my life, the Lord will show Himself strong in my
weakness. Like the Apostle Paul, who had a thorn in his flesh that he had to
contend with (2 Cor. 12:7-10), many of the things I have written about in my
devotionals based on the Sermon on the Mount are like thorns in the flesh,
things I have to live with but cannot do so except by God’s grace and help.
So
please don’t ignore or reject outright what the Lord is speaking to you even
now. The teaching of Jesus is clear, even if it is challenging and sometimes
seemingly overwhelming or impossible. Rest assured that in your weakness He
will show Himself strong, moment by moment, decision by decision, day by day.
Just choose to follow Him and depend on Him again and again and again, even if
it costs you worldly wealth and creature comforts.
For
as you are in that position of asking over and over again, it will be given to
you. As you are seeking Him continually, you will find Him and His will for your
life. And as you knock, the door will be opened to you, and it will be more
glorious than you could possibly imagine.
So
go for it! Right now! Don’t waste another moment but begin talking to God about
how you are going to live the rest of your life. Consider living a simple
lifestyle so that you can give more away and be more in touch with the Lord.
Ask Him about it, and He will lead you, and you won’t be sorry.
Pray with me: Lord, you know
my heart, my personality, my strengths and weaknesses, my hidden fears. Help me
to lay those aside and courageously follow you into everything that you have
for me. Help me to give away what needs to be given, forsake those things I
need to leave behind, and put everything I have into following you. I know you
are worthy of it, and I will be better off, but I still have a hard time doing
it. Help me with these issues I bring before you now…continue praying as you
are led…
For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:
Luke
16:21 Jesus, looking at his disciples, said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God
Luke 12:15-21 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your
guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions."
And
he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a
good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my
crops.'
"Then
he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger
ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself,
"You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy;
eat, drink and be merry." '
"But
God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from
you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
"This
is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich
toward God."
Luke 12:32-34 “Do
not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the
kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for
yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be
exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
James 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the
eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised
those who love him?
Matt. 19:21 Jesus said to the rich
young ruler, "If you want to be
perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Rev. 3:17 You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.'
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Please use this blog for
personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family.
However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of
this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy Brockett
of New Song
Foursquare Church
in Colorado Springs , Colorado
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Mourning Instead of Judging
Mourning Instead of
Judging
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
The verse above
is explained by Matthew 7:1-6 (below). For more on the outline of the Sermon on the
Mount, see the very first post of this blog, entitled The Key to the Sermon on the Mount and posted on
Sept. 26, 2014.
“Do not
judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you
will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you
look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the
plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck
out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You
hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
“Do not give
dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may
trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:1-6)
At
first glance, it would seem that the verses above, about not judging people,
have nothing to do with mourning, which is the corresponding Beatitude
according to my outline (see the very first post of this blog, entitled The
Key to the Sermon on the Mount and posted on Sept. 26, 2014).
However, if you go
a little deeper and think about it, they have everything to do with one
another. They are opposite reactions to people with obvious sin in their lives.
On the one hand, we can wag our finger and shake our head, judging and even
condemning the person caught in sin. Or, on the other hand, we can come
alongside the sinner, mourning with them over their sin and the damage it has
inflicted on them and their loved ones.
Which
of the above do you think Jesus would do? Which approach should we take? Should
we judge the sinner with our harsh words, dragging them through the court of
public opinion with our gossip? Should we try to shame them into changing their
behavior? How about beating them over the head with our Bible, telling them how
good we are and how bad they are, would that help? If we do things like this,
we had better be careful or they might trample on our truth and then turn and
tear us to pieces.
No,
says Jesus, don’t judge people or they will judge you in the same way you judge
them. Instead of standing in judgment of them, mourn with them over the
condition of their soul and the circumstances of their life. For if you
approach them with judgment and condemnation, with the arrogant attitude of one
who is superior helping one who is inferior, then the help will not be received
as you both stand their arguing and judging one another. However, if you are
mourning over their sin rather than judging them, if you can come alongside of
them with a humble attitude – an attitude of “we are both sinners saved by
grace” – then you can put an arm around them and love them and lead them into
the forgiveness, grace, and restoration that Jesus offers.
So
don’t judge and condemn the sinner; instead mourn over their sin and help them
find forgiveness and restoration. That is all Jesus is saying here. He is not
saying we should never exercise moral judgment. He is not saying Christians
shouldn’t be judges or sit in a jury box. He’s not saying we shouldn’t use good
judgment nor is he saying we shouldn’t speak out in judgment of sinful behavior
patterns in our culture. He’s not saying any of those things, although most of
us have probably heard these verses used in some of these ways. All Jesus is
saying is that we ought to mourn over sinners rather than judging and
condemning them.
Jesus
gave us great examples of this when he walked the earth. You might remember the
woman caught in adultery, who was condemned by men but mourned over and
forgiven by Jesus. Or perhaps you might recall the crooked tax collector Zacchaeus
or the woman of ill repute whose tears wet the feet of Jesus. These are but a few of the
sinners with whom Jesus spent time – hanging out with them, mourning with them
over their sin, rejoicing with them when they found forgiveness and
restoration, loving them through whatever circumstances they found themselves.
Let’s
start being like Jesus – being authentic, being real, humbly mourning with
people who are sinners just as we once were. Let’s quit play-acting; let’s quit
being hypocrites who appear to have it all together while criticizing and
standing in judgment of everyone else. When we do, we can then be of real help
to someone. We will have removed the plank from our own eye so that we can
clearly see to help remove the little speck from our brother’s or sister’s eye.
As we do so, we will find
great joy. For as Jesus said, blessed are those who mourn, for they will be
comforted. Blessed
are you, happy are you when you are mourning over people’s sin rather than
judging them and condemning them for it, for you will be comforted by seeing
God working in their lives to bring them to salvation.
These
two approaches to sinners – mourning or judging – are complete opposites. One brings life and one
brings death! Let's mourn over sinners, even over our own sin, and let’s speak
words that bring life!
Pray with me:
Lord,
I confess that I have often judged people rather than mourning for them. I have
condemned them rather than grieved for them. Help me to have your attitude, an
attitude of mourning over their sin while offering the forgiveness and
restoration that comes through You. I also confess that I haven’t always
mourned over my own sin as I should. Sometimes I allow things in my life that
shouldn’t be there. At times I have even embraced sin or pursued it instead of
mourning over it and turning away from it. I confess these sins to you now and
repent and turn away from them in order to turn more fully towards you…continue
praying as you feel led…
For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:
John 8:1-11 But Jesus went to the Mount of
Olives . At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all
the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of
the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her
stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught
in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now
what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to
have a basis for accusing him.
But
Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they
kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one
of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the
ground.
At
this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first,
until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus
straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one
condemned you?"
"No
one, sir," she said.
"Then
neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your
life of sin." NIV
Luke 19:1-10 Jesus entered Jericho
When
Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come
down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him
gladly.
All
the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a
'sinner.'"
But
Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give
half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of
anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
Jesus
said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man,
too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was
lost." NIV
Luke 7:36-48 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner
with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a
woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at
the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood
behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then
she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When
the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this
man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman
she is-that she is a sinner."
Jesus
answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell
me, teacher," he said.
"Two
men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and
the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled
the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon
replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You
have judged correctly," Jesus said.
Then
he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I
came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my
feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss,
but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You
did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I
tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has
been forgiven little loves little."
Then
Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." NIV
Please use this blog for
personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family.
However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of
this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy
Brockett of New Song
Foursquare Church
in Colorado Springs , Colorado
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Blessed are Those Who Mourn
Blessed are Those Who
Mourn
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, says Jesus, and the image
that comes to mind for most of us is that of a funeral, of loved ones mourning
and grieving over the loss of their husband or wife, mother or father, son or
daughter. And if you are like me, you have to ask, how is that a blessing? Am I
missing something here?
As it turns out, we are missing something, and it got
lost in the translation. In New Testament Greek, there are at least nine
different words that are used to describe mourning or crying. Different words
were used to describe different types of mourning – mourning the loss of a
loved one was one word, crying with tears another, crying with wailing and
ritualized mourning was yet another. The word that Jesus used for mourning, pentheo, referred to a specific type of
mourning, which is to experience sadness or grief as a result of
depressing circumstances or the condition of persons.
So
then, Jesus is saying that we will be blessed – happy – when we mourn over and
are sad about the condition of a person’s soul or the circumstances of his or
her life. We will be blessed and happy when we care about them, grieving over
the sin in their lives and the damage that sin has brought into their
personalities and life circumstances.
Here
are a few examples of this type of mourning and grieving, of how pentheo is used:
2 Cor. 12:21 I am afraid that when I come
again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many
who have sinned earlier and have not repented...
1 Cor. 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is sexual
immorality among you… And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled
with grief…
James 4:8-10 Come near to God and he will
come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you
double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning
and your joy to gloom.
The picture painted in Scripture is quite clear – we are
to mourn over people’s sin, over the sin-scarred world that we live in, and even
over our own sin. The condition of a sinner’s soul and the behavior that goes
with it is not something to be proud of nor should it be tolerated or excused.
It is to be mourned and grieved over by those who are true Christ-followers.
And once again, Jesus is our example. As he approached Jerusalem Jerusalem ,
the City of Peace
Jesus wept over the sin of the world and so should we.
Our hearts should break when we see the broken lives scattered across the
landscape of promiscuity, easy divorce, and confused kids. We should cry over
much of what we see on TV and in the movies rather than just shrugging our
shoulders and saying, “Well, that’s the world we live in now.” We need to mourn
over our selfishness, our sinful desires, and every other thing that keeps us
apart from God.
For when we mourn over our sin and the sins of others and
even the sin of the whole world, we will be comforted. For Jesus died for that
very reason – that our sin and the sin of the whole world might be forgiven: “For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)
So don’t be afraid; don’t hold back; don’t harden your
heart towards this world in which we live. Open your heart to God; let the
things that break His heart break yours; allow yourself to feel the pain of
others and mourn for them just as Jesus does. It might be heart-breaking for a
moment, but in the end it is the path to blessing, to living in that place of
blessedness and happiness that Jesus promises those who mourn.
And the comfort that He promises us is not just in the
age to come, but also in this present age. For even right now, as we pray, the
Holy Spirit, the Comforter, will come and comfort us as we mourn over sin and
all the damage that sinful behavior has caused. Plus, as if that were not
enough, God is already moving in the hearts and lives of people to bring them
to salvation in Christ and to begin the restoration and healing that only He
can bring.
Pray with me: Lord, you know
me better than I know myself. And I know that you have cried over me and wept
over many of the bad choices I have made. Forgive me for the times I didn’t
mourn over my sin but instead continued to embrace it and even pursue it.
Forgive me also for not mourning over the sins of others. Give me your heart
for people and your attitude towards sin. Help me to grieve over their sin and
the circumstances of their lives, just as you do. I lift before you now these
people who are heavy on my heart today…continue praying as you are led…
For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:
1
Cor. 5:1-2 It
is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind
that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. And you are
proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of
your fellowship the man who did this? (NIV)
2 Cor. 7:8-11 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not
regret it. Though I did regret it -- I see that my letter hurt you, but only
for a little while -- yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but
because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God
intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings
repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow
brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness,
what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing,
what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have
proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. (NIV)
2
Cor. 12:21 I
am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will
be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented... (NIV)
James
4:8-10 Come
near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and
purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your
laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord,
and he will lift you up. (NIV)
John 14:25-27
These things have I spoken unto you,
while (yet) abiding with you. But the Comforter, (even) the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to
your remembrance all that I said unto you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be fearful. (ASV)
Please use this blog for
personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family.
However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of
this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy
Brockett of New Song
Foursquare Church
in Colorado Springs , Colorado
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