Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Just who is this mysterious person, Jesus Christ?

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 6:5,
 
"Then Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'"
 
Some folks are somewhat confused as to the nature of who Jesus Christ is. Early on in the church there were heresies introduced that misstated and misunderstood the person of Jesus Christ. Some false teachings and mis-perceptions persist even today. Jesus can't be any clearer about who he is when he says he is "Lord of the Sabbath." In John's gospel Jesus called himself the Son of God and the Jews attempted to kill him, "For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." There was no confusion among the Jews as to who Jesus Christ was claiming to be.
 
Paul calls Jesus Christ God. He says, "Theirs [the people of Israel] are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised Amen." Romans 9:5. John tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1. A few verses later he tells us about the "Word", that the "Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1: 14.
 
Isaiah called the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, Mighty God, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
 
We read in Hebrews 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." Here, of course, we find reference to Jesus Christ as a member of the triune God. In Colossians 2:9 Paul says, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form..." In his letter to Titus Paul says, "...while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..." Titus 2:13.
These references to Jesus Christ as God is hardly exhaustive but I have to think there is plenty here for anyone to recognize just who Jesus Christ is. Failure to see it is failure to read the Scriptures. Jesus Christ, the second member of the Trinity, the Son of God! Our wonderful God and Savior!
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Monday, September 26, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Jesus Christ came for folks like me!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 5:31-32,
 
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
 
For all groups that claim to base their theology on the teachings of Jesus Christ and yet discount the need for proper medical treatment, this comment of Jesus is problematic. Where some groups pretend not to get sick and others teach repentance and faith is all that is needed for recovery from an illness, Jesus says here the sick need a doctor.
 
Of course, it is not about doctors, patients and illness that Jesus is discussing here. The malady folks need treatment for and that he has come as a healer of, is not medical but spiritual in nature. Sinners need a Savior and he has come to call folks to repentance. Just as the sick need a doctor, so sinners need the Savior. I'm hard-pressed to accept that Jesus would resort to a falsehood as a comparison to proclaim his purpose here in this life. How about you? While we all need repentance and faith, Jesus simply draws an analogy: as the sick need a doctor, so the sinner needs a Savior. He has come to call them to repentance.
 
The beautiful message of this statement is not that I have a better theology than anyone else on the need for medical treatment. It is simply that Jesus Christ came, not for "good" folks, but for folks like me! No question about it - I'm a sinner. If the Lord had come to only find the good people who deserved a spot in the family of God I'd be in a real pickle! I could never make that list!
 
How wonderful the Lord came for folks just like me! People who have disappointed God, others, themselves with the things they have thought, said and done. How is it the Lord holds people like me in his heart is a great mystery to me. All I can do is accept it, celebrate it and worship him for it!
 
It is just the kind of Savior Jesus Christ is!
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Friday, September 23, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: The pursuit of grasping the love of God.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:18-19,
 
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
 
This is the passage Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1-2, when he announced his ministry to Israel in the synagogue in Nazareth. This passage in Isaiah depicts a day when the Lord will rescue and bless his people, blessings clearly prophetic of life in the resurrection. In a few verses earlier, Isaiah 60:16 the Lord says, "Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." Here is the message Jesus wanted to proclaim to Israel and the rest of the world on that Sabbath day in Nazareth so many years ago: the Lord our Savior, our Redeemer has arrived!
 
In his proclamation Jesus points to his presence on earth as the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah. In a gripping, dramatic fashion, after having read the scripture, Jesus looked at them and said, "Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." It is an account that moves me every time I read it. Here, the Son of God has manifested himself as Jesus Christ, our Lord, our God, our Savior, our Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob!
 
Embedded within the passage Jesus read is something that I find quite startling about God as I think it over. It is that, although we as people have gone our own way, turned our backs on God in our rebellion and resistance to him that started in Eden, God reaches out to us. Having enslaved ourselves, shackled ourselves with this horrible sinful nature that prompts us to think, do and say all kinds of things we ourselves find repulsive, God provides freedom. Having developed a spiritual blindness from the darkness we have place ourselves in, he brings recovery of sight!
 
Why would he do such things for us? What have we done to deserve this wonderful favor from him, given our sin and rebellion against him? We don't deserve it - it is God's kindness! Our God is a kind and merciful God. We read in Jeremiah 9:24, "'Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord."
 
Here is something about God that I know I will spend the remainder of my life struggling to understand: God's love, mercy and kindness. I know of it, I embrace it, I struggle to understand it. The breadth and depth of God's love for us is simply difficult for me to wrap my mind around. Paul's prayer for believers is just that, "I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19. Here Paul tells us that our ability to grasp the full dimension of God's love is life altering, "filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
 
The love of God, his kindness, compassion, mercy and forgiveness - mulling it over takes my breath away!
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Learning from the interaction of the Trinity.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 5:17,
 
"One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick."
 
I find this fascinating. Here we have the Son of God, in the midst of his public ministry here on earth, teaching the people and Luke makes this comment that "the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick." This very God/man, Jesus Christ, of whom I am entirely convinced was fully man and fully God in one person seems to need this "power of the Lord" present in order to heal the sick. Possibly this isn't the point Luke was making but it sure reads that way to me.
 
At first brush it doesn't seem to fit my theology. Certainly God has the power to heal anyone of anything. Certainly Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. In John 1:1-5, I read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." Later, in verse 14 we read, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." This makes clear to me that Jesus Christ is God. The one who sat and taught men was God - the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity.
 
Yet, the way the text reads in Luke 5:17 is that Jesus required "the power of the Lord" to be present in order for him to heal the sick. It certainly sounds as though Jesus Christ was dependant upon the Father in order to do some things. I also note that when he went into the desert for a forty day fast and be tempted by the devil, he did so as he was "led" by the Holy Spirit. We are told in Luke 4:1, "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert..." So Jesus was "filled with the Holy Spirit" and he was "led by the Spirit". He also required "the power of the Lord" to be present in order for him to heal people.
 
How do I understand this? As God the Son, Jesus Christ had all the attributes and fullness of the Godhead within him. I read in Hebrews 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." Also in Colossians 2:9, "In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form." Why did he need to be led by the Holy Spirit? Why did he need something present in order to heal?
 
I find the answer to this in Paul's wonderful explanation of Jesus Christ in Philippians 2:6-8, "[Christ Jesus] being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! " Here I learn that the Son of God set aside those things that attend his existence as God when he took on humanity to come to planet earth. He emptied himself, setting aside his divine power and made himself dependent upon the leading of the Holy Spirit and upon the power of God the Father in order to do those things that must have been a very part of his activity as the Son of God in heaven.
I find these things fascinating in that they help demonstrate something of the nature of the Trinity. This to me is vital to understand what I need to know of those things of Jesus Christ that make him so accessible to me. To know he has been tempted in every way I have (yet, unlike me, was without sin), provides me with understanding when I read things like, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16. To know he placed himself upon dependence of the Holy Spirit to be led helps me in the same endeavor. To know he placed himself dependent upon the power of the Father to heal and carry out other aspects of ministry helps me in the endeavor of whatever minsitry the Lord gives me. Jesus Christ, among so much else, has modeled for us what dependence upon God looks like. He didn't require that dependence except that he "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness... he humbled himself"
 
How astonishing! How fascinating! The wonders of the Trinity and the interaction within the Godhead is such a wonder to behold!
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Georgia's passing - Jesus' compassion.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:40,
 
"When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them."
 
The love of Jesus Christ is an amazing thing, even startling when given enough reflection. Paul speaks of the love of Jesus Christ in important ways. He points out that it is this love of his that brought him here to planet earth to die a miserable death to pay the penalty for our sins, "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." Titus 3:4-5a. Paul also points out that nothing can separate us from this love he has for us, "Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:34-35.
 
Here in our passage above we see Jesus Christ healing many. I believe there are a couple of things expressed by our Lord in his healing of folks. The first is, consistent with the context of this passage, the Lord is establishing his credentials and authority for the work he was sent by his Father to do. His ability to heal sickness and disease speaks of his authority over God's judgment of sin. Sickness, disease and death are all the judgment of God for mankind's fall in the garden. In that Jesus Christ has control over that judgment tells us he is God himself and can deliver on his promise in the gospel. To be sure, the healing Jesus Christ brought to these people was only temporary as his plan is that we will only find physical relief from God's judgment for sin in the resurrection. He wants us to take encouragement in the realization that if he has authority over judgment for sins, then what is promised us in the gospel message is certain.
 
The second thing Jesus' healing of folks expresses to me is it speaks of his compassion. In Matthew 14:14 we read, "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick." When approached by a man with leprosy we read of the Lord, "A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, 'If you are willing, you can make me clean.' Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured." Mark 1:40-41. Apart from establishing his credentials as Savior, in his healing of those he came into contact with, he expresses his kindness, mercy and compassion.
 
It is an important message for me today as I lost a good friend, Georgia, who passed away last night. Her hope in Jesus Christ is now a fulfillment the rest of us can look forward to, as she has transcended the bonds of God's judgment for sin in this lost and fallen world. This, to me, brings the greatest of any possible hope we can lay claim to.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Monday, September 19, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Mysteries of the Trinity

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:1,
 
"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert..."
 
I am a devoted believer in the reality that the one and only God exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. God has revealed himself as such in so many places in the Scriptures in this way. We see it at the baptism of Jesus Christ by John, Matthew 3:16 and Luke 3:21-22, where the Son of God comes up out of the water, the Spirit of God descending on him like a dove and a voice from heaven saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Jesus told his followers to baptize in the name of each member of the Trinity, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." Matthew 28:19. In John 14:25-26 Jesus told his followers that God the Father would send "the Counselor", God the Holy Spirit, to them in the name of God the Son, "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." There are many such passages as these throughout the Bible that speak to the reality that our one and only God exists in the three persons of the Trinity.
 
Where some have mistakenly thought the Holy Spirit was simply the emanation of God or some such thing, passages such as John 16:12-15 clearly present him as his own person acting in concert with the Father and the Son, "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." It seems as though it is the Holy Spirit that has been the target of much false teaching regarding the nature of God. Heresies from the past have also denied the deity of Jesus Christ or seen him as only a manifestation of God the Father in another form. Additionally, many attempts at explaining the nature of the Trinity have often been fraught with all kinds of problems and shortcomings. "The Trinity is like an egg. Three parts, shell, yoke and white, but one egg." This analogy falls apart rather quickly  "Modalism" is another bad teaching that pictures God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit as simply God wearing a different hat at different times. It fails to explain who Jesus is talking to in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion.
 
I don't begin to be able to wrap my mind around the concept of the Trinity. When it comes to God, I have to admit I feel I know so little and that there is so much more to learn and understand. I have this feeling that much of that will have to wait for my reflection in the resurrection. Today, I simply have to look at what is before me in the Scriptures and delight myself in what I find there of my fascinating and exciting God. My God of wonder and my God of joy. A God that has chosen to love me in spite of myself, my God who has expressed his profound mercy and kindness, who has invited me right into his family and promised me an eternal life of pleasures at his right hand (Psalm 16:11.)
 
I can't think of anything that can come close to the joy and satisfaction of musing and reflecting on our great God who exists in three persons.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Friday, September 16, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Jesus Christ, beyond expectation!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:38-40,
 
"Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them."
 
This short account falls into the category of "Jesus Christ goes well-beyond what anyone might expect" for me. Here, the mother of Peter's wife was suffering from a "high fever". It doesn't sound like a mild case of the "sniffles" to me as they were concerned enough for her they asked Jesus to intervene with her health.
 
Jesus "rebuked the fever"! An inanimate presence with no personality is subject to the command of Jesus! Germs, bodily healing, health, all subject to him. As we consider the ultimate cause of sickness, man's fall in the garden, I recognize that within Jesus Christ resides his authority as the Son of God to reverse the consequences of God's judgment at the fall of man, at his discretion. Communicating his compassion and kindness in such an act, and possibly to demonstrate his credentials to an unbelieving world, Jesus heals this woman.
 
Often, illness is followed with a period of recovery. Time is needed to regain strength. Responsibilities, chores and the like are put off till later until a period of recovery results in renewed strength, energy and vigor. Not in this case! When Jesus healed her, Peter's mothers-in-law got up "at once and began to wait on them." Following the touch of Jesus Christ in her life, she didn't need anything further and was as good, probably better, than before her plight began! Beyond expectation!
 
I am reminded of the water Jesus turned to wine. It wasn't just average wine he created but was the best as we are told by the master of the banquet. John 2:10. Beyond expectation!
 
I am also reminded of the challenge of Elijah to the prophets of Baal. "I am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God." 1 Kings 18:22-24. The result was simply astonishing, while nothing came from the false Baals of course, when the Lord answered Elijah, "The fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench." 1 Kings 18:38. And, this, after Elijah had them dump four large jars of water on his sacrifice three times! Beyond expectation!
 
So many examples of the things the Lord has done that fall into that category of "beyond expectation!"
 
As I consider the great hope we have in the resurrection, I suspect my vision of what is headed our way falls hopelessly short of the profound wonder, greatness and excitement that awaits us as the Lord prepares his place for each of us. Beyond expectation!
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Confronting the One with authority.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:32,
 
"They were amazed at his [Jesus'] teaching, because his message had authority."
 
If anything, Luke lays the groundwork in the first part of his gospel establishing the authority of Jesus Christ. That authority begins with the angel Gabriel bringing a message from God about the child the virgin Mary will give birth to. Mary was told by Gabriel, "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:31-33. Gabriel also visited a priest named Zechariah, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news." Luke 1:19. The news Zechariah heard was his wife was going to also bear a child in her old age who would be a great prophet that would prepare the way for the Son of God. As great a prophet as John the Baptist was, he said of Jesus, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Luke 3:16-17. It doesn't get more authoritative than that.
 
In the introduction of Jesus' public ministry in his gospel Luke establishes Jesus' authority in a variety of ways. At Jesus' baptism by John, a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3:22. His authority was established by the holy Scriptures (Isaiah 61:1-2), Luke 4:18-21. Jesus demonstrated his authority over demons and the spiritual world, Luke 4:31-37. His authority over infirmity, sickness and disease is documented in Luke 4:38-41; 5:12-15; and 5:17-26 where he also proved his authority to forgive sins. Jesus demonstrated his authority over the law - the Scriptures in Luke 6:1-11. Here he says, in speaking of himself, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus also demonstrated his authority against the religious leaders of the day, Luke 6:1-11.
 
In Luke's gospel we are introduced to someone who could hardly be thought of in terms of merely a great religious philosopher, a moral teacher or a prophet to bring sinners to repentance. Certainly he was all these things, but far beyond them, he is presented to us as God's one and only Son. When the Son of God came to planet earth, his credentials and authority were clearly presented.
 
The question we are faced with is how we each will respond to the One whose authority has been established. We all have that choice to make as none of us will be forced or manipulated into it. It must be an affirmative exercise of our own free will. Will we embrace him in faith? Regardless what choice we make in this life, there will come a day when the authority of Jesus Christ will be recognized by all people everywhere, including those who wish to remain in the darkness of spiritual blindness. "Therefore God exalted him [Christ Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: God makes his own choices, thank you.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:25-28,
 
"'I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.' All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this."
 
What were the folks so furious about when Jesus spoke of the widow in Zarephath and the leper, Naaman? Simply, that these two Gentiles were picked by God for the relief of their suffering through two of his prophets: Elijah and Elisha. Apart from these, the many people of Israel were left in their suffering by God. The Jews in Jesus day found this history lesson to be intolerable as they counted on their physical descent from Abraham to bring fulfillment to their own lives of the promises of God. In an exchange with the Jews Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Their response is instructive into the mindset of the Jews of the day, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" John 8:31-34. The Jews considered their pedigree as Abraham's offspring to be all they needed to hold God's favor.
 
It is against this backdrop that Jesus taught. Preparing the world for the message of faith, he necessarily brought conflict into the discussion as he pointed out that God will make his own choices, and the choice he has made is that only those who embrace him in faith will enter into the family of God in the resurrection. It will not be through pedigree and it will not be through law-keeping. As Paul puts it, "In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring." Romans 9:8.
 
Earlier in the book of Romans Paul explained, "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations.' He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." Romans 4:13-17.
 
God's purposes in election will stand. And his choice, his election, is that all who embrace him in faith will become his children. So much of theology still argues this point today. Somehow, someway, it seems, anything but a person embracing God in faith will save him. Salvation is not by appointment and it is not by being a do-gooder. God wants for his own all who want him, who embrace him in faith.
 
And, he doesn't need my thoughts on it. He has decided for himself.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Opposition to Satan's tenacity.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:13,
 
"When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him [Jesus] until an opportune time."
 
This observation made by Luke speaks of the tenacity of the devil. Although he found himself entirely unable to persuade Jesus Christ to turn from the purposes God the Father had for him, Satan nonetheless continued in his plotting and scheming to disrupt the work Jesus had set out to do.
 
Although the work Jesus Christ was focused to achieve, that which the devil intended to side-track him from, was nothing less than the lofty accomplishment of the redemption of all mankind, we all can be side-tracked by Satan from that which God intends us to accomplish in this life. We all tend to a level of self-absorption and when it comes to the subject of Satan we naturally think of our own safety. As I think of the account of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, it strikes me that what is in the balance isn't Jesus' personal safety but the safety of the mission, the fulfillment of the purpose the Father had set him about. Perhaps some weight needs to be placed on our concern for what it is we feel God has set us aside for and find our focus there as we think of Satan disrupting our lives.
 
In any event, it is apparently within the nature of Satan to be a tenacious enemy of the things of God, the people of God and the purpose God has for our lives. I am reminded, however, that his ultimate end will be in certain destruction at the hand of God. Here is his end: "And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time... When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10.
 
We know the end of the story when it comes to the devil. We also know how the story goes for those of us, the faithful, with a bright future to look forward to in the resurrection where we will live life eternal with all God intended for us out of his wonderful love. As David puts it in Psalm 16:11, "You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." As far as facing Satan as an adversary in this life, we might do well to think in terms outside our own personal safety, get on the offensive and think in terms of the devil as an adversary of the purposes God intends us to accomplish in our own lives.
 
Either way, I think of Peter's encouragement to us, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:8-11.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Monday, September 12, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Sympathizing with our weaknesses.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:12,
 
"Do not put the Lord your God to the test."
 
Here is the last statement we are provided that is spoken by Jesus to Satan relative to his temptation. As you recall, this temptation took place during a forty day fast of Jesus in the wilderness following his baptism.  The way Luke casts the account, it almost reads as though this statement is what brought Satan's attempts of tempting Jesus to an end. Although the reference by the devil to Psalm 91 is probably best understood as the action of God the Father in protection, at times I wonder if "the Lord your God" Jesus confronts the devil with here is a reference to himself.
 
The pericope displays a wonderful interaction of the Trinity, with Satan giving Jesus his best shot. Here we see the Son of God led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil to put God the Father to the test. The outcome, of course, is that because Jesus Christ is the Son of God, it is not in his nature to sin and the exercise becomes simply another means by which Jesus' divinity is authenticated, together with the accounts of his healings, miracles, fulfillment of Scripture and authority over the spiritual realm that populates Luke's accounts. The devil in all his deceitful scheming is reduced, yet again, by God as he becomes God's dupe to fulfill God's purposes.
 
I am reminded of the observation the writer of Hebrews provides us of Jesus Christ, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16.
 
It is wonderful to me to know that our sinless God can and does sympathize with our weaknesses. To think that God, through the Son placed himself in the unthinkable position of experiencing what we experience when we are tempted is astonishing. Although our sinless Savior was impervious to the draw of sin, he knows of the struggle we face first hand. And, unlike us, he demonstrated his divinity in the perfection of his character and nature: completely consistent with himself! Here is One we can approach! Here is where we can find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need!
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Beyond sin.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:1-2a,
 
"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil."
 
For forty days Jesus was tempted by the devil. We are told of three of the temptations: one based on hunger, one based on avarice and one based on testing God. In all the devil's temptations of Jesus not one was successful. Jesus Christ was found to be beyond sin, demonstrating that he was truly one with the Father.
 
John, in his gospel, says that Jesus Christ was with God the Father - as God the Son - before time began. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." John 1:1-2. The "Word" here is a reference to Jesus Christ, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14. As a member of the godhead, Jesus Christ, God the Son, would not be found to be sinful and no exposure to temptation could have an effect on him. As the writer of Hebrews tells us, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." Hebrews 4:14-15.
 
This is important to me because it speaks of the perfect sacrifice Jesus made of himself for my sin. Since Jesus Christ was God in the flesh and therefore not subject to sin, his death became a perfect and sinless sacrifice that could pay for my sin. Peter tells us, "You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God." 1 Peter 1:18-21.
 
This "lamb without blemish or defect" paid for my sins and yours. Peter points to the importance faith plays in this sacrifice being credited to our account with God. It frees us from God's judgment for the sins we have committed!
 
I don't know about you, but for me this is vital. In my life I have done all I need to earn God's judgment, a judgment that finds its fulfillment in a horrific fiery lake. That is why it is called "good news"! It certainly is good news for me!
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Light and darkness.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 1:76-79,
 
"You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
 
Here is Zechariah's song, his prophecy, concerning his son, John the Baptist. John will be a prophet of the "Most High" and prepare the way for him. In this prophecy Zechariah speaks of light and darkness.
 
The reference to darkness points to the need of the great work of his son, John, in preparing the way for the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ will be following on the heels of John proclaiming the coming kingdom of heaven. This proclamation will go out to people living in darkness. In a world of sin and rebellion that has turned its back on its Creator, the people of the world have collectively cultivated a sinful nature that exists in animosity toward God. This has resulted in a blindness, a darkness and the Lord, whose way John will be preparing, will be a light that will pierce it.
 
I am reminded of one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2. This darkness that people walk in is a spiritual darkness that prevents them from understanding spiritual things. When folks are offered eternal life, something it would seem only an insane person would turn his back on, Jesus explains to Nicodemus it is due to this darkness they live in that causes them to reject the offer of life. Often folks don't know what to believe or how to respond to it. In a horrific poor choice they opt to remain in the spiritual darkness they have been offered escape from, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." John 3:18-20.
 
Jesus Christ is the light that has penetrated the darkness of this world. He offers us life to free us from this spiritual darkness and the coming judgment of God's justice.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Friday, September 2, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: A clear understanding of Jesus Christ.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 3:16-17,
 
"One more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
 
Here is John the Baptist's confession of Jesus Christ. From the lips of the one of whom the Son of God himself said "Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist" Matthew 11:11, we learn important things of Jesus Christ.
 
John speaks of the power of Jesus Christ. This power is evidenced in his command over all of nature, Matthew 8:23-27, where we read of the winds and waves obeying him. This power is evidenced in his command over all of the spiritual domain, Mark 5:9-20, where we read of the spirits, the demons, cowering before him. This power is evidenced in his enemy's astonishment of him, with them being silenced, Luke 20:26, not even daring to ask him anything, Luke 20:40. This power is evidenced in his restoring of life to a dead man, John 11:43-44. This power is evidenced in his securing the forgiveness of the sins of all mankind by his own death on a cross, 1 John 4:10.
 
John speaks of the lofty position of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, of whom John was unworthy of - even to untie the thongs of his sandals! We read of the stature of Jesus Christ in Philippians 2:9-11, "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." In Hebrews 1:3-4 we read, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."
 
Perhaps Paul's comment about Jesus Christ to the Colossian church says it best, "He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant." Colossians 1:15-23.
 
John also speaks of the harvest Jesus Christ gathers into his barn, while burning the chaff with "unquenchable fire." We read of Jesus Christ coming to earth in the future to do just that. "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16.
 
In the following chapter in Revelation we read of this burning of chaff: "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
 
As we read John's words about Jesus Christ, we find he knows of what he speaks. Surely he provides us a clear understanding on someone so many seem to be confused about.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: How to be upright in the sight of God.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 1:5-6, 20,
 
"In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." ... "now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
 
Here is an observation by Luke of Zechariah, John the Baptist's father, and his mother, Elizabeth. They were both "upright in the sight of God". Quite a statement to be made on any one's behalf! I can't begin to fathom the notion of being considered "upright in the sight of God"! Can you? Think of it for a moment! Nonetheless, I certainly believe the Scriptures and so accept that this couple enjoyed a standing with God that is quite remarkable.
 
How did they get that way? Some might point to another observation of Luke, that they observed "all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." This conclusion might find conflict with Paul's observation, "no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." Romans 3:20. Additionally, we find Zechariah in trouble for doubting what the Lord had to say to him through Gabriel. How are we to understand these things taken as a whole?
 
In short, God's grace. God has decided, determined, that all who will embrace him in faith will have a good standing with him, an "upright" standing. We learn of this through the account of Abraham. In Genesis 15:6 we read, "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." Paul quotes this verse and informs us it was written for our benefit, that we will have a good standing before God if we believe in him, "The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." Romans 4:23-24.
 
It is through the grace of God in determining we will have a good standing with him based on embracing him in faith. Zechariah and Elizabeth observed all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly because they had embraced God in faith and held a good standing with God. Does it mean they were "perfect" in every way? Not at all. As noted above, although Zechariah was upright in the sight of God and observed God's commands and regulations, he had his moments of doubt. So did Abraham when he felt the need to lie about Sarah. So did David when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered. So did the apostle Peter when he denied the Lord three times and acted hypocritically around the Gentiles, etc.
 
We don't achieve an upright standing with God by "observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." We achieve an upright standing with God through faith. Does our faith transform us into perfect people? Only in God's eyes. It is before his sense of justice we are faultless. We still have our moments when we can disappoint God, ourselves and others, just as all who are acknowledged in the Scriptures because of their faith. Just like Zachariah and Elizabeth.
 
If we desire to be upright in the sight of God, all we need do is embrace him in faith. This will bring us the same standing with God as the great patriarch of faith, Abraham.
 
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com