Ruminating in the Word of God: “Who then can be saved?”

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 18:26,

"Who then can be saved?"

This question was asked of Jesus after he told a man how difficult it
was for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. His comment was,
"How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it
is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a
rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Luke provides this account in the story of a rich "ruler" asking Jesus
what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. We are told the rich
ruler became sad with Jesus' answer when he told him to sell
everything he had, give it to the poor and follow him. Jesus told him
if he were to do that he would have treasure in heaven.

Jesus' answer to the question, "Who then can be saved?", was "What is
impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 18:27. Eternal life
can only be had by God making it possible. Here is the wonderful
expression of God's love of mankind. He has made it possible for us to
spend eternity with him and through Luke's gospel we learn that
possibility is only available through faith in Jesus Christ.

This story of the rich ruler follows two others that tell us something
about God's provision of eternal life relative to our own possible
disposition. In the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector, Luke
18:9-14, we learn pride in one's own righteousness won't get us there.
In the account of Jesus with the little children, Luke 18:15-17 we
learn that unless we become as a child we will won't inherit eternal
life. In these three accounts we learn that lack of humility, not
recognizing our dependency upon him (becoming as a child) and not
being willing to give up what we have here are some issues that
prevent many from placing their faith in Jesus Christ.

God has done his part. He provided his only Son to die in our place
and made it possible for us to inherit eternal life simply by
embracing him in faith. May we all not allow anything to keep us from
what God has made possible!

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

Ruminating in the Word of God: Coming to God like a little child.

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 18:16-17,

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone
who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never
enter it."

In what way did Jesus mean, if anyone "will not receive the kingdom of
God like a little child"? Certainly he was not referring to many of
the characteristics of a little child such as impatience, self
absorption, and being demanding. These are the kinds of things we look
forward to our children "growing out of" as soon as possible. Of other
characteristics of a child he may have been referring to, dependence
comes to my mind. Children are utterly, completely dependent upon
others to have their most basic needs provided. A little child is
unable to provide a living for itself, to provide itself shelter, food
and warmth. A child instinctively knows to look to its parents for
these needs to be provided.

Jesus is called "Savior". It is within his role as savior that our
greatest need is met. Apart from him we are helplessly and hopelessly
caught in the jaws of God's justice. We have all sinned (in my case
"early and often"), which places us in God's courtroom as defendants.
Since we have no credible defense to offer, we are wholly subject to
the judgment of God. And, the judgment of God is horrific, "The
cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually
immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all
liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is
the second death." Revelation 21:8.

This is why Jesus placed such an emphasis on the law given Moses. It
instructs us we are sinners and helplessly in peril. When Jesus
taught, in his sermon on the mount, "You have heard that it was said
to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be
subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his
brother will be subject to judgment." and, "You have heard that it was
said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks
at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his
heart." he was letting us know of this very predicament. He
underscored this with his statement about the jurisdiction of the law
upon us, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell
you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest
letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear
from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one
of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices
and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of
heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not
enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:17-20.

It may be noted that the Pharisees and teachers of the law were
scrupulous in their efforts to keep the law. But, as Jesus taught,
even relative to adultery and murder, a man only needs to be guilty of
lust and anger. Given the heart of mankind, this places us all in that
"fiery lake of burning sulfur."

However, Jesus came as "Savior" to save us from this eternal death. By
paying our penalty for us in God's courtroom of justice, he has
secured the means for us to enter into heaven, eternal life. The only
requirement is that we place our faith, our trust in him. "To all who
received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to
become children of God…" John 1:12.

It is this recognition of our need that prompts us to reach out to
Jesus Christ in faith as our Savior. Here, at least in part, is what I
see in a child that Jesus pointed to. Unless we feel a need, and
unless we find ourselves helpless to meet that need on our own, our
dependence, we may never reach out to him.

"Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child
will never enter it."

Accomplishments in many aspects of life opens doors for us. As we
achieve certain things, we are given access, rank and privilege. Not
so with God. As much as I might like to think I am a good man, that I
might deserve things, the reality is I am just a sinner and subject to
an eternity in hell. What grips my heart this morning is the great
love of God that provided his Son as a sacrifice for me. Facing
eternity helplessly and hopelessly, Jesus Christ has become a savior
for so many! Only by becoming like a child, feeling that need and that
dependence do we turn to him.

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

Ruminating in the Word of God: God and Jerusalem - his love and judgment.

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 19:41-44,

"As he [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would
bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will
come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you
and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to
the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not
leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of
God's coming to you.'"

As Jesus approached Jerusalem at the end of his time here, he first
displayed great sorrow for the city and then pronounced horrific
judgment against it. This was literally fulfilled, just as he
prophesied, about 40 years later when Rome destroyed Jerusalem in
70AD. The historical accounts left us speak to the remarkable accuracy
of Jesus' prophecy here in exactly what took place when the city was
destroyed.

Jesus provides the cause of his great sorrow and the judgment of
Jerusalem in these verses, as the cause is one and the same for both.
Jesus had brought the good news of the kingdom of God to Israel, a
legitimate offer from God to Israel… and Israel refused it. Jesus lays
the blame for this at the Jews feet. They failed to "recognize the
time of God's coming" to them. In their rejection of God's Son they
insured their own destruction. Now they had placed themselves in a
position where the knowledge of what would bring them peace, that is
peace with God, was hidden from them and they would face their
indomitable adversaries, God being the chief.

We see Jesus actively focused on offering the kingdom to Israel. In
Luke 8:1 we read, "After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and
village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God."
In Luke 9:1-2 we see Jesus sending out the Twelve to participate in
the effort, "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them
power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and
he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."
Later he sends out the Seventy-two, "After this the Lord appointed
seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town
and place where he was about to go." Luke 10:1. Their mission was
"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.
Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near
you.'" The focus of Jesus ministry for three years was to make this
offer of the kingdom of God to Israel and to lay the groundwork for
"Plan B", the church that would be brought into the world following
his ascension into heaven and the arrival of the Holy Spirit on that
Pentecost, Acts 2.

What grips my heart in this passage is the sorrow expressed in Jesus'
tears for the city as he pronounced judgment on it. As I think of the
great White Throne judgment of sinners at the end of the age,
Revelation 20:11-15, I can't help but think of the great sorrow the
Lord will harbor in his heart as he carries out his horrific justice
on all who failed to avail themselves through faith of the forgiveness
provided by Jesus' sacrificial death.

Even with the destruction of Jerusalem, following the Jew's failure to
embrace God's Son, God is not done with Israel. There seems to be some
confusion about this. However, Paul provides us with insight into this
in Romans 11:25-32, "Israel has experienced a hardening in part until
the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be
saved, as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; he will
turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.' As far as the gospel is concerned, they
are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they
are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call
are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God
have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too
have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive
mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound all men
over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all."

In considering what he was saying, Paul burst into an outpouring of
praise for God in one of the many wonderful doxologies captured in the
Scriptures, Romans 11:33-36. As I consider God's dealings with Israel,
I both understand and share in Paul's wonder and fascination with God.
But, perhaps what grips my heart most is the picture of Jesus in tears
as he pronounces his judgment on Jerusalem. It tells me of his complex
and multifaceted heart. It is my perspective that as we read of the
great White Throne judgment where all who rejected God's offer are
cast into a fiery lake of burning sulfur, he will do so in tears and
with a heavy heart.

God's love of mankind is just as passionate and heart-felt as his
judgment is horrific.

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

Ruminating in the Word of God: Shortcomings of the "do-gooders."

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 18:14b,

"All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble
themselves will be exalted."

Luke tells us of a story Jesus provided for those who thought they
were doing pretty good before God and looked down on others. I refer
to this demographic as the "do-gooders". They set themselves to do all
the right things and maintain the expectation we all do likewise. In
the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector we read of a
religious man who did all the right things. He prayed, he gave, and he
participated in spiritual disciplines such as fasting. He was relieved
he had escaped the entrapment of sin in his life and spoke to God of
such.

In contrast there was a man, a tax collector, given to sin. He knew he
was a sinner and not having done all the good things the "do-gooder"
had done, as the two were at the temple to pray, this sinner just
called out to God for mercy, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Jesus
said he wouldn't even look up to heaven but beat his breast and
acknowledged his sinfulness.

As Jesus gave the account of these two, he pointed to the tax
collector as the only one of the two who left the temple justified
before God. Why?

The issue of humility is cited by Jesus as the reason. Jesus said the
"do-gooder" was of those who were confident in their own righteousness
and looked down on others. His summation of the parable is, "All those
who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves
will be exalted." How did this Pharisee find himself to be in this
position? I suspect the very nature of things regarding those who
engage in activities as "do-gooders" leads to this end.

Why is it "do-gooders" do what they do? In their religious efforts of
pursuing spiritual disciplines and conduct they deem as that which is
necessary for God's approval, they set themselves to earning God's
acceptance. Perhaps they feel if they can just succeed in this or
that, they will grow in their spiritual maturity and standing. Having
achieved what they have set themselves to do, they now find themselves
potentially predisposed to look upon others who have not made the
effort, who have not denied themselves, who have not achieved what
they have.

The reality is that we are all sinners and hopelessly mired in our own
shortcomings before God. No matter how "spiritual" we may think
ourselves, "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags", Isaiah 64:6.
It took nothing less than God's own Son to come and pay the penalty
for all the sins of everyone. We need to recognize our shortcomings,
as did the tax collector in Jesus parable. As we do so it enables us
to see our need and reach out to God to be delivered from his own
justice for our sinful condition. When we place our faith in him, we
gain a good standing with God. This is the only way. As we do so in
faith, we find we achieve everything all of our "do-gooder" deeds
could not, "Now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been
made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This
righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who
believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice
of atonement, through faith in his blood." Romans 3:21-25.

This is the most wonderful news of all, wouldn't you agree?

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

Ruminating in the Word of God: Justice, God's style.

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 18:7-8,

"Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to
him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will
see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man
comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

In this summation of the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus told
of the justice of God. Luke provides the purpose of the parable in
verse 1, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that
they should always pray and not give up."

When folks ask for justice, they are requesting what is coming as a
certainty. However, God's people need to be tenacious in their request
to God for justice. God exercises "kindness, justice and righteousness
on earth", Jeremiah 9:24, and so that justice will be coming. God will
be responding to the request of his "chosen ones" for justice. Their
persistence in prayer for justice will aid them in leaving retribution
in the hands of God. It will aid them in issues of anger, bitterness
and unforgiveness as they experience the intolerance and the harsh
treatment the world provides.

Jesus' closing remark at the end of the parable is a sobering one.
"Will he find faith on the earth?" That is the issue when considering
the justice of God. The "chosen ones" Jesus refers to are those who
are people of faith, those who have placed their trust in him. When
the Lord comes to bring justice to the earth, those who have embraced
Jesus Christ in faith will escape God's judgment and instead, find
their grievances addressed by God against those who have opposed them,
those who are not of faith.

There is no surprise that true believers find opposition from
unbelievers. John speaks to this as a natural outcome of the spiritual
forces at work in the world, "For this is the message you heard from
the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who
belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he
murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were
righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you."
1 John 3:11-13. This animosity expresses itself in the maltreatment of
believers by others and when it happens we are to be in prayer about
it.

As I read of the horrific nature of God's justice, I can't help but
feel a real concern for those who have not placed their faith in Jesus
Christ. The judgment scene depicted in Revelation 20:11-15 is a
frightful one!

"When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

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

Ruminating in the Word of God: Jesus made a sacrifice of himself!

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 18:31-33,

 

"We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again."

This is what Jesus told his twelve disciples prior to going up to Jerusalem. He told them of all he was going to suffer and of his resurrection from the dead. Three days after his death he would rise from the grave and visit them, demonstrating his Father's satisfaction with what he set himself to accomplish.

What happened to Jesus at his arrest and crucifixion was not something that overtook him, but something that he planned. His death on the cross, which paid the penalty for our sins, was why he came. I am reminded of the well-known prophecy of Isaiah 53:4-6, "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Jesus death on the cross was the literal fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.

This sacrifice Jesus made of himself had a consequence that would forever change the opportunities for all mankind. Through his death on that cross we all have a way to eternal life in God's family with all the many blessings it will bring. As John the Baptist saw Jesus he claimed, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29. Embracing Jesus in faith is all that is needed to bring the benefit of Jesus' sacrifice to us.

In Hebrews 10:17-22 we read, "'Their sins and lawless acts I [the Lord] will remember no more.' And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

How wonderful this sacrifice Jesus made of himself! Costing him dearly, he expressed an unfathomable love for people, a kindness this world had never seen before and a mercy beyond our wildest imaginations!

 

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

Ruminating in the Word of God: God draws us through suffering.

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 17:13,

 

"Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

This is the cry of the ten men who had leprosy. In their distress they called out to Jesus to be delivered from their pain and misery.

The gospels are filled with accounts of people in pain, misery, illness, bereavement and infirmity of one kind or another. In chapter 4 we read of Peter's mother-in-law suffering from a high fever. Later in that chapter we read of many who were brought to him who had "various kinds of sickness" and demons. In chapter 5 we read of another man with leprosy and a paralytic. A centurion had a sick servant about to die in chapter 7. In chapter 8 we read of Jairus, a ruler of a synagogue who had a twelve year old daughter dying. In that same chapter we read of a woman who had been "subject to bleeding for twelve years". In chapter 9 the account of a man who had a son with an "evil spirit". This is just a small sampling of the many accounts we read of.

What we find of these accounts is that life then is much like it is today. People suffer. They suffer in a myriad of ways. Why is it there is so much suffering that causes people to cry out for relief and deliverance? If Jesus loves us so, if God loves us so, why not just heal everyone of all their pain, misery, infirmities, sickness and suffering? While Jesus demonstrated his empathy, kindness and love for us by providing relief in these accounts, there must have been multitudes the world over that continued in their suffering.

I am certain part of the answer to that is revealed in all the accounts I cited above. In every case these folks sought out the Lord for deliverance from their misery and suffering. It is precisely that suffering that drove them to seek him. While possibly not everyone may need that urgency to seek the Lord apart from a felt need for deliverance, many, many do. I suspect if I never felt the need for help myself, the Lord might be far from mind.

Paul makes an interesting comment in Romans 8:20-21, "The creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." In God's great love for us, he has allowed things into our lives that drive us to him. His purpose is that we seek him, reach out for him and embrace him in faith. The felt need for deliverance of any kind often drives us right into his arms.

While so many measure the love of God by their many blessings in this life (and rightly so), it is not our happiness in a fulfilling life, absent challenges and hardships, and full of the pleasures and comfort we might seek for ourselves here that is God's agenda for us in this life. This life has one chief primary purpose - to populate God's kingdom. We might view this life as a "birthing room" where folks come into life and then are born again into God's kingdom. We are here to enter into his family and facilitate as many others as possible through the propagation of the gospel.

I do not believe life is all about a college education, a home in the suburbs filled with techie toys, happy children who all do well and a successful marriage. It is not about a prosperous career with advancement and a comfortable retirement. While there is nothing wrong with any of these, I believe these kinds of things are subordinated to an agenda of God that has a much higher - and loftier priority. It is pursuing that higher priority that God has allowed suffering in our lost and fallen world to continue. 

While mankind carries on in his sin and rebellion, estranged from God and facing a certain judgment of eternity in hell, one of the ways God draws us to him is by allowing suffering, illness and infirmity to get us off our duffs to seek deliverance from him.

 

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

Ruminating in the Word of God: Praising God and thanking Jesus.

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 17:17-18,

 

"Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

Jesus healed ten lepers. After calling out to Jesus, Jesus told them to go to the priests, per the instructions given in the Scriptures for such. As they went they were healed. One, a Samaritan, seeing he was healed, went right back to Jesus and praised God "in a loud voice", verse 15, and threw himself at Jesus' feet, thanking him. Noting only one of the ten came back to thank him and praise God for his deliverance from leprosy, Jesus made this remark.

I note that the ten had called out to Jesus "in a loud voice", verse 13. Likewise, I note that the Samaritan praised God for his deliverance "in a loud voice", verse 15. It causes me to think the urgency and importance placed on the request for deliverance was equalled by this Samaritan's praise for having received it. How often is that seen?

It was the man's faith that prompted God to heal the man of his leprosy, as Jesus noted in verse nineteen. Since all ten had been healed, all ten must have had that faith. Yet, only one returned to thank Jesus and express his praise of God. Only one felt compelled to return to Jesus to worship God with a genuine and sincere heart. Perhaps the nine were planning on doing so when they got to the temple. But not this man! This man must have felt an urgent compulsion to express something welling up in his heart that could not await his arrival at the temple. It needed to be expressed then and there, at the feet of the One who had brought the healing.

What of the other nine? And, where would I fit into this account? Would I be like the Samaritan or the other nine, whose preoccupation with their healing seemed to overshadow as urgent an impulse to express adoration, praise and thankfulness for what was done for them as the Samaritan? Of course, like most, I'm sure I would want to find myself beside the Samaritan, on my knees in thankfulness at Jesus feet for what was done for me.

To find myself there, I know my attention would have to shift from myself and my healed condition to the One who had done this wonderful thing for me. The appreciation for the deliverance, the heartfelt gratitude for the healing, an indebtedness that comes with the recognition for what was done on my behalf could only find its full expression as I focused my attention on him.

While I have never had leprosy and experienced a healing such as is described in this account, an even greater deliverance has been provided me. Having sinned in my life, having earned God's judgment of an eternity in hell, he sent his Son for me. God sent his Son to rescue me from his own wrath to make a way for me into his family! Instead of facing eternal death, I now look forward in anticipation to life eternal with all of its wonderful blessings!

As the Samaritan who returned, I have ample cause to worship my God, to praise my God, to express my thankfulness, my gratitude and my love of him!

 

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

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: "Increase our faith!" - forgiving others.

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 17:6,

 

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

The discussion at hand with Jesus and his disciples when he said this was forgiveness. After providing a warning against causing sin in someones life, he told his disciples to forgive if they had been sinned against. He told them if someone sinned against them, then rebuke them. If the one who sinned "repented", that is, had a change of heart, then forgive him. It is my understanding that when we are sinned against, we need to speak up. Following that confrontation, if the villain wants to get things restored, "if he repents", we are to forgive. How many times? Even if it happens seven times in a day, forgive him! In other words, never stop forgiving.

The fact that Jesus' disciples got the message clearly is indicated by their response, "Increase our faith!" They understood Jesus to say to really forgive! And, we don't see Jesus carving out territory here where we might feel free to withhold forgiveness. A business partner that cheats you, an errant spouse, inheritance that is unfairly distributed or whatever. Jesus simply says forgive and don't stop forgiving. As Jesus said in verse one, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come…". Being wronged is going to happen to us all at one time or another and we all have opportunity to follow our Lord in this issue of forgiving.

I think Jesus' disciples were quite honest in their response. Taking him literally and at his word, they said "Increase our faith!". Forgiveness is often not an easy business and following the Lord in forgiveness can be felt to require much. Jesus' response to the disciples reaction is quite revealing. It only takes mustard seed sized faith to forgive. Although I have never seen a mustard seed that I know of, my understanding is they are quite small.

Following his comment about the small amount of faith required for forgiveness, Jesus points to a very important perspective we all need to adopt if we equip ourselves to serve the Lord, as in forgiving others. That perspective is for us to recognize that when we do what we should, what we are told to do, as the command to forgive others, we should say "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." Recognizing all the Lord has done for us should bring some balance, some weight, in our perspective on what the Lord has asked of us. Particularly in the issue of forgiving others.

I am reminded of Colossians 3:12-13, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

 

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

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: On doing what is expected.

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 17:10,

 

"So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"

This is a point Jesus taught about completing what his disciples are asked to do. Just as a servant is not praised and honored for simply discharging his duties, so we should not adopt an attitude that we are worthy of special honor or treatment for discharging what God's has asked of us. I note he does not say we should not take satisfaction in our efforts, but that we should not feel we deserve special treatment for doing what we've been asked. "We have only done our duty."

What might be the basis for such an outlook as this? My thought is that it is found in what we have received from God. Just as a friend might help me all day long with a difficult project I needed help with and ask if I'd call his wife to let her know he is on the way home at the end of the day, how unfitting would it be for me to feel I had really gone out of my way and done something special for my friend, as if he owed me something for calling her? How unseemly would that be? It would certainly indicate I had little appreciation for all he had done for me!

Perhaps, when I feel I have done something for God, as in bringing an offering, or sharing the gospel, or helping a brother or sister in need, in order to bring some needed perspective on "what a wonderful person I am" for having done so, I might consider all God has done for me.

Without any compelling reason from my end, God has demonstrated his unfathomable love for me. Lost in my sins and facing his certain judgment I rightly deserve for things I have thought, said and done, he sent his Son to die a miserable death to take my punishment on my behalf! Without any compelling reason from my end, God has brought me into his family, endowing me with eternal life, a life with the promise of happiness and fulfillment. A life of joy, bliss, riches and pleasures this life cannot provide. Without any compelling reason from my end, God has blessed me with wonderful brothers and sisters in this life to bring me encouragement and fellowship. He has blessed me with the Holy Spirit who enables me to understand things about him and to equip me to be useful. Without any compelling reason from my end, he has given me access to his Word in the Scriptures that provides me with an understanding him and things I would never be able to fathom. God provides me encouragement, hope, joy and strength.

The list goes on and on. You get the point… if I have ever done anything God has asked of me, it could never match all he has done for me, not even in the smaller part of it! For this, when I do what is asked, I have to admit, "I am an unworthy servant; I have only done my duty."

 

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

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: "You cannot serve both God and money."

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 16:13,

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

Let's be honest here. With this one verse, many the churches and "ministries" in our land may as well just close the doors and go home. I don't know how many excuses I have heard over the years for justifying the avarice of so many congregations and pastors. "Its for the children", a new building, another staff position, adding "ministry" to the portfolio of services to the community, outreach, missions, etc.

The reality is that big egos take great effort to expand their personal empires, build stadium sized buildings and congregations and continue to appeal for more money. More money. It seems its all about the "more money", the building project, the "growth". Where many may not be able to amass personal fortunes for one reason or another, they find the expression of avarice through the corporate effort of a congregation.

Many churches and television "ministries" are predicated on the motivation of avarice. "Send in your faith promise pledge of $1,000 and God will bless you financially." All problems solved! Of course, ample video footage of the orphanages and food distribution to the impoverished locations of the planet are provided, showing how all of this avarice is really God ordained and God blessed. Meanwhile, the "ministry" grows in size and stature, providing ample salaries and comfortable positions for many.

On the other hand, there are some very good ministries that require funding that are engaged in the things of God - and we all want to participate in their success and help where we can. The great challenge is knowing who is who. Paul exhorts his readers in Corinth, "Just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us —see that you also excel in this grace of giving." 2 Corinthians 8:7. Selflessly giving to those in need is the premier act of love and a wonderful act of worship of our God who has blessed us with so much.

Notice what Paul says to the Corinthians about the believers in Macedonia, "And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will."

These Macedonians gave out of a heart for the Lord and his people. Their giving did not result in a bigger building for themselves to meet in. Their giving did not result in more paid staff. Their giving did not result in building someones personal empire. It didn't result in a greater impact in their own community, providing leverage for local politics. They gave out of a love for the Lord. It cost them something and what they received in return is not what the fulfillment of avarice provides.

We want to make sure we are not of those "… who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." 1 Timothy 6:5. We cannot serve both God and money. What is ours to come for an eternity far outweighs any temporal satisfaction we might seek in this life. The Lord loves us and intends to bless us beyond anything we can ask or imagine!

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

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: "Everything I have is yours."

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 15:31,

"My son,… you are always with me, and everything I have is yours."

Here is the comment made by the father of the prodigal son to his brother. You will recall the brother was disheartened to see his father celebrate the prodigal's return home, as he had been a faithful son to his father and felt he had never been recognized for it.

The father points to the joy he had from gaining his lost son back, but this did not diminish what he felt for his faithful son in the least. He says, "everything I have is yours." The analogy of this in what is ours in Jesus Christ is stunning.

We are told we have an inheritance in Jesus Christ that is simply glorious, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19. We are told we will enjoy divine pleasures eternally, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:11. We share in the inheritance of Jesus Christ as God's one and only Son, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Romans 8:17.

We will live eternally in the presence of our Creator in a new order of things that transcends anything we might desire here on earth, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:3-4.

What awaits us so far transcends anything we desire here that Paul says we cannot even imagine it, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him". 1 Corinthians 2:9, in his quote of Isaiah 64:4.

As the prodigal's father told his brother, "everything I have is yours", so I see our heavenly Father saying to each of us who have embraced him in faith the very same thing!

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

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Where does faith come from?

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 16:31,

"If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."

Here Jesus taught the horrific reality that there will be those who simply will not embrace him in faith. It is indeed horrific as the certain end of all who fail to do so will spend an eternity in a fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 20:15; 21:8. What makes this even doubly horrific is the opportunity missed: the reality that simply by exercising faith, anyone has an opportunity to be welcomed into God's family, entirely forgiven all sins and accepted as blameless with a full right-standing with God. God's promises of an eternity of bliss and happiness, fulfillment of all that life was originally designed to have, pleasures at his right hand, Psalm 16:11, are magnificent and ours to have freely… if we but embrace him in faith.

One reason Jesus gave as to why folks will not embrace him in faith is that they wish to cling to their sins rather than give their hearts to him. In his conversation with Nicodemus he said, "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. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:18-21.

Why faith? With so many religions that espouse good works, rehabilitation, a focus on spiritual disciplines, being connected to the right spiritual leader, etc., Jesus presented a far simpler gospel: trust in him, embrace him in faith. He said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:25. Faith requires us to give our hearts to him. Faith establishes God as the Lord in our lives, our priority and the target of our love and affections. Faith determines that we want him and is the proof we have given our hearts to him.

When God created us, he gave us the capacity for exercising faith. We all exercise faith everyday. This morning, as I came to work, I crossed the Mississippi River on a bridge. I exercised faith that the bridge would hold my weight and that of my car as well as all those who crossed with me. I trusted my car (certainly an ill-advised faith!) to get me here, I placed my faith in the elevator, it is impossible to function without faith. God simply asks us to place our faith in him.

This is too simple for many folks. It is too easy. It doesn't seem enough. Yet, what lies behind the gospel of faith is the miserable death Jesus Christ took upon himself to pay for our sins. He took our punishment due us, substituting himself that we might have an opportunity for eternal life. Many will not embrace him in faith. He said, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." Luke 13:24. And, often, those who do so engage in activities that do little more than attempt to make more perfect the already perfect sacrifice, by attempting to adorn the cross with spiritual disciplines and do-gooder activities that betray the presence of little faith. An insecurity, that somehow the suffering Jesus took upon himself, on our behalf, might not have been enough.

The gospel of faith is under assault in our day by contemporary theology that exchanges salvation by faith for salvation by appointment. Faith is impossible it is said, so rather than man being offered a choice, it is thought God does all the choosing himself and faith merely reflects salvation rather than bringing it. Faith is always under assault. "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the moral is found at the end. Folks have an opportunity to be "convinced", that is, embrace God in faith, and that comes through the message of God, "Moses and the Prophets". The gospel is the centerpiece of the Scriptures and it is the message Jesus proclaimed. Paul puts it this way in Romans 10:17, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Here is where faith comes from. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..." Romans 1:16. Jesus taught that if people will not listen to God's word, then they won't be convinced, have faith, even if he rose from the dead!

What grips my heart this morning is that all have an opportunity to embrace Jesus Christ in faith. It is a simple message that many complicate. Sometimes the things of God are difficult, not because they are so complex, but that they are so simple.

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

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: Something you rarely hear of about Jesus.

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 13:3,

"Unless you repent, you too will all perish."

Here is something that seems rarely spoken of about Jesus Christ - the sentence of eternal death he proclaimed. If we fail to make the choice to go a different direction with our lives, embrace him in faith, we will "perish." He is not speaking of physical death in this life, as all die, both the righteous and the wicked. The context clearly points to that particular judgment of God that is eternal in nature. What is clear is that life exists within the context of a judicial system. As we read the Scriptures and become familiar with them we discover this judicial system has its origin, design and function in God as the Creator of the cosmos.

This judicial system reflects the very nature and personality of God. In Jeremiah 9:24 we read, "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."

This system of justice is not seeking our input on its terms of fairness or severity. It isn't holding focus groups or conducting polls. I doesn't consult with me as to how I feel about it. I am simply subject to it. We all are.

This judicial system does not require our awareness or acceptance of it, as we are all subject to it - without exception. It cares not whether we accept or agree with its terms as it is simply a reflection of God carrying out his activities. Romans 3:12 says, "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law." Also, we read in Romans 14:10, "We will all stand before God's judgment seat."

We read of this judicial system carrying out its activities, which are the activities of God himself. "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." Revelation 20:11-12. The verdict of all is found in verse 15, "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." It is this very "book of life" Jesus called people to as he preached repentance.

Here is a frightful reality all mankind lives in. God will judge all who's name is not written in his book of life, and the sentence is to be cast into a fiery lake of burning sulfur for all eternity, Revelation 21:8. The wonderful news is that Jesus has made a way for us by taking our punishment on himself! Forgiveness becomes ours if we embrace him in faith! "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24.

What could possibly be better than this?!

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

Today's Ruminating in the Word of God: The rich man and Lazarus - what we have and what awaits us...

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 16:19-21,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores."

Here is an account of the earthly conditions of two men, one, a rich man, and the other, a poor beggar named "Lazarus". The rich man had all the best life had to offer. He wore the best in clothing and "lived in luxury every day." Lazarus, on the other hand, was a poor beggar, sickly with sores and starving. He longed "to eat what fell from the rich man's table."

What may come as a surprise is that the man with all the "blessings" life had to offer - good health, financial stability, living in luxury - was hell-bound. The poor beggarly Lazarus in his miserable condition of hunger and poor health was heaven-bound. Since Lazarus was heaven-bound, why did he have such a miserable existence in this life? Didn't God love Lazarus, since he was heaven-bound? Wasn't his destination following his departure from this life an indication that he had a favorable position with God? Why didn't God "bless" him with better health? Why didn't God heal him from his infirmities? Why was it that the rich man was so "blessed"? Why did God allow him to enjoy life here so much since he was apparently not in good standing with God given his destination following life here?

The story of the rich man and Lazarus is an actual account to two men provided us by Jesus. Given the particulars provided, the conversation quoted, Jesus clearly wanted us to understand this, not as a fable, but as an account of real events concerning real people. 

What Jesus teaches us in this account is that in spite of what our quality of life may be here, no matter what we have been blessed with or what has been withheld from us in this life, life after death awaits us all and what we experience here is no indication of what awaits us beyond the grave. What awaits us has everything to do with the point at the end of the story. In considering those who are hell-bound, "they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." Verse 31. Not being convinced is not having faith. Faith determines what awaits us following the grave.

Many, including those who use the Scriptures to further their own "personal empires" and build massive ministries and buildings, mislead so many with the false promise that they hold the key to God's blessings of health and wealth in this life. They teach that when God loves us and is happy with us he will heal us. When God loves us and is happy with us he will bless us financially. When God loves us and is happy with us he will remove the challenges and problems we face in this life. Apparently they never met the rich man or Lazarus.

Perhaps revisiting the account of the rich man and Lazarus might be helpful here.

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