A most important book - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 4:3,

"Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life."

There exists a book that is of greatest importance for those of us on planet earth. The book of life contains the names of all those who will enter in to the resurrection of life. Not all will.

Those whose names are not in that book have a different fate, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens 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 they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15.

Those who have their names written in the book of life look ahead to something entirely different, "Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth,' for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell 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 21:1-4.

Too much cannot be said about the outlook for those of us who have our names written in that book. We are told there will be great joy in heaven as we arrive in God's presence. We will be "without fault" as our faults have been paid for by Jesus Christ, Jude 24. In fact, Paul tells us God has decided that we would be "holy and blameless in his sight" in spite of anything we may have said or done in this life. Ephesians 1:4. There Paul goes on to say that God determined ahead of time that we would be adopted by him, such that we would enjoy a place in God's own family, a place at his table! Ephesians 1:5. As God's adopted sons and daughters we are co-heirs together with Jesus Christ to share in all that is his, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ..." Romans 8:17a.

Can you think of any more important book to have your name in? Here is the way to get into that book: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Wacky ideas about the things of God - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 2:27-30,

"Indeed he [Epaphroditus] was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me." 

The church in Philippi sent Paul aid in his imprisonment in Rome. Probably money for expenses he might have as well as other items that may have been helpful to him. They sent it with Epaphroditus, who was also sent to serve him in whatever it was he had need of. 

As it turned out, in his service to Paul, Epaphroditus got sick and almost died. What Paul says here is instructive for us as it seems many today have some pretty wacky ideas relative to illness, the gifting of the Holy Spirit, and apostolic empowerment.

I note that Epaphroditus was a godly man. The apostle Paul counted him a brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, verse 25. He was to be welcomed back to the church in Philippi with joy and was to be honored by the folks there, verse 29. He was held up as an example by Paul. It was while he was in the employ of Paul, contributing to his apostolic work when he got sick. Here is one wacky notion some folks have today: God loves us and doesn't want us sick or suffering. When we get sick it is an indication of a lack of faith on our part or some sinful condition we are not dealing with. After all, we are to have "authority" over illness as believers. And, certainly, when we are in the midst of doing God's will and serving him, we should not ever get sick. 

I have been in the position of having to comfort different ones at times who were ill or had a loved one that was ill and who were confronted by their "fellowship" for an assumed sinfulness or lack of faith. Just how does the account of Epaphroditus fit in with that assumption? And, where do I go in Scripture to read that illness is always due to a sinful condition or lack of faith? Sadly, I note that those who subscribe to this wacky notion get colds and the flu as much as anyone else. And, their graveyards are just as full as well.

I also note that the episode of the illness of Epaphroditus generated anxiety for Paul, verse 28. What was the source of his anxiety? Paul had no idea how Epaphroditus' illness would turn out. Paul could not bear the thought of the gift of Epaphroditus, as a servant of his needs, costing his life! Not at Paul's expense. Paul's anxiety was not only for Epaphroditus' sake, but also for the sake of the Philippians who had sent him. But Paul had apostolic authority. Paul had been given the gift of healing others, see Acts 28:7-10 as an example. A wacky notion some folks also have today is that those who have had authentic gifts of healing others were able to exercise them whenever and where ever they wanted. Where do we get that idea? Where do I look in my Bible to find that notion? The cause of Paul's anxiety lay in the reality that Paul had no idea how things would turn out for Epaphroditus, despite his apostolic authority and gifting from God.

Lots of wacky ideas abound today. What makes them wacky is that they lack grounding in the Scriptures and they spring from the imagination of folks who circulate them till they are accepted and assumed to be truth. I suspect most who hold to these ideas do so with sincerity and a devotion to the Lord. Certainly most would be horrified to think they harbor ideas that have no basis. This is why Paul told us, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. It is only through a commitment and an effort in the Scriptures we can avoid mistaken notions about the things of God.

I'm certainly not going to be too hard on folks who subscribe to wacky ideas. I've held plenty of my own and I am not so confident it won't be long before I stumble over another one I may have. Maybe you can help me... but it will require some time in the Scriptures...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Is Jesus Christ God? - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 2:5b-7,

"... have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."

In his reader's relationships with one another, Paul desired to see them take a cue from the humility of Jesus Christ in valuing others better than themselves that they would look to the interests of others. He pointed to the example of Jesus Christ. He says Jesus Christ, as God, did not cling to all that accompanied his deity, but set it aside, in a startling act of humility, he became a man and died a sacrificial death to pay the penalty for all mankind's sins. If our Lord was willing to do such a thing, certainly we could humble ourselves a bit to look out for the interests of others. Solid reasoning.

Paul claims here that Jesus Christ is God. John, likewise, makes an interesting observation about Jesus. As someone who spent several years with him and was in his inner circle, John knew a thing or two about Jesus. He says, "... he [Jesus Christ] was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." John 5:18. In John 10:30 Jesus told the Jews, "I and the Father are one." The Jews clearly understood what Jesus was saying as they threatened to stone Jesus. They told him, "'We are not stoning you for any good work,' they replied, 'but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.'" John 10:33.

In speaking of the Jewish patriarchs Paul says, "Theirs [the people of Israel] are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah [Jesus Christ], who is God over all, forever praised! Amen." Romans 9:5.

In the book of Hebrews the writer says, "In these last days he [God] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Hebrews 1:2-3. Jesus is the creative agent within the Trinity.

When Jesus met with his disciples following his resurrection, he reached out to Thomas, a doubter, by showing him his wounds. Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:28.

In his letter to the Philippian church Paul went on to observe, due to the humility and sacrifice Jesus made of himself, "Therefore 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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." This exalted position held by Jesus Christ is reminiscent of his exaltation as given in Isaiah 52:13 where the prophecy is given of the sacrifice Jesus Christ would make 700 years later, "See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted." At Isaiah's commissioning as a prophet he observed "the Lord" on his throne and described him in this same exact manner, "I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple." Isaiah 6:1. The "Lord Almighty" Isaiah saw was the Son of God, the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ on his throne in heaven!

Throughout the Scriptures Jesus Christ is presented to us as the second member of the Trinity, God the Son. He is fully God and when be became man he became fully God and fully man at the same time. This is a foundational tenant of orthodox Christianity taught us throughout the Scriptures. In order to inherit eternal life, this truth is a reality we must embrace in faith, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Jesus Christ, our "lifted up and highly exalted" Savior: God the Son!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

All bad or all good? - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 4:22,

"All God's people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household."

Paul, during his imprisonment in Rome, was busy evangelizing Caesar's household.

Paul was falsely accused of bringing Gentiles into the temple in Jerusalem and causing a riot, see Acts  21:27-36. After a plot of the Jews to murder Paul and various legal proceedings, Paul appealed his case to Caesar and to Rome he went as a prisoner.

One might think things had spun out of control for Paul as he was serving the Lord as his apostle to the Gentiles, that his circumstances had deteriorated to a place where one might ask "Why?" in the unfairness of it all. As the Lord's apostle to the Gentiles it might seem his imprisonment had put Paul out of business. Not Paul. Paul knew something many of us need to know ourselves.

In Romans 8:28 Paul says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." There he speaks specifically of how God uses the difficulties we experience in this life to conform us into the image of his Son. He builds character qualities within us that our old natures simply precluded. 

We can likewise clearly see from Paul's experience of being falsely accused and imprisoned, God worked that for good as well. Sent right into the "belly of the beast" Paul now had opportunity (and took it) to evangelize Caesar's own household! In what may have initially appeared as nothing but personal disaster, God used it to bring what might be considered the ultimate evangelistic accomplishment of the day.

It causes me to think that whatever I may encounter that might appear to me as all bad, might just be God's way of bringing my way what is all good! After all, "in all things God works for the good of those who love him..." God did this in Paul's life and I'm certain he does it in ours as well. I need to be mindful that when things look bad, they really may be looking very good.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Tapping into divine strength - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 4:13,

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

As Paul thanks his friends in Philippi for the help and support they sent, he assures them his focus is on the credit from the Lord they receive for their kind gift, their support to him. In that he had learned to be content in whatever situation, he was free to turn his attention to these more lofty concerns. He says his ability to be content, whatever his circumstances, was through "him who gives me strength."

So, who was this who gave him strength? Paul makes an interesting observation about himself in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "He [the Lord] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul boasted of his weaknesses so that "Christ's power" would "rest" on him!

I understand from this that when, in humility, Paul admitted to his weaknesses, the Lord would strengthen him as he had need. As Peter, in 1 Peter 5:5 quoted Proverbs 3:34, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.", we recognize that the Lord does special things when we humble ourselves. Paul had tapped into this reality. As he admitted or confessed his weaknesses to the Lord, the Lord would empower him with his own strength for the purposes he had for Paul.

The One who gave Paul strength as he had need of it was the Lord. We are told to likewise tap in to this strength. Paul tells his readers in Ephesians 6:10, "Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." I am a firm believer in that as we need strength, if we humble ourselves before the Lord, he will empower us with his own strength to accomplish those things he desires us to do.

Fascinating, isn't it?!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Taking on a new nature - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 1:9-11,

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."

Paul prayed for his readers in Philippi. He desired to see their spiritual growth, "the fruit of righteousness" as a result of their union with Jesus Christ. A little later in his letter, 2:12-13, he says, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." A part of this working out of their salvation would be the fulfillment of something he says in another letter, Romans 8:29, "Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." 

God decided ahead of time that those he knew that would embrace Jesus Christ in faith would go through a process of spiritual development in this life, the outcome of which would be the assimilation of the very character and nature of Jesus Christ! In this life we only move in this direction, in the resurrection we will experience it to its fullness. In yet another letter, Paul enumerates what this looks like in practical terms, Galatians 5:22-23, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Things like this. These are the kinds of things that are being developed in our lives. I don't take this to be an all-inclusive list, but Paul enumerates enough of these character qualities of Jesus Christ so that we get the picture. It was Paul's prayer for his Philippian readers that this fruit of righteousness might abound in love "in knowledge and depth of insight" in his readers.

I don't know about you, but I have had the pleasure of encountering folks who are on this path of development to one degree or another and they are wonderful to be around. How might you feel if all those around you manifested the things Paul lists in Galatians, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control"? To be around folks like this is truly a foretaste of heaven. In heaven we all will have shed that sinful nature once for all and Jesus Christ will be among brothers and sisters, us, who are now finally fully conformed to the image of his many-splendored perfections. Not that we evolve to anything beyond us being his creations, but that we now emulate our Creator without the hindrance of our sinful natures and reflect his magnificent nature.

As it is wonderful to muse upon these things, what captures my attention this morning is that this process of maturing spiritually, to whatever degree we may reflect these wonderful qualities of Jesus Christ, is not to our credit, it is not for any adulation due us. It is entirely something that is to be "to the glory and praise of God." I note that the wonderful qualities Paul lists as fruit of the Spirit are, in fact, "fruit of the Spirit"! It is only because of God and what he has done that any change comes to us, that any spiritual maturity comes to us. 

God is the One who equips us with all we need to live godly lives! He is the One who has freed us from our sinful natures! He is the One who has provided us his indwelling Holy Spirit to encourage us, to lead us, to guide us. He is the One who has provided us the Scriptures so that we have everything we need to be thoroughly equipped for every good work. He is the One who has provide us with wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord, gifted by him, to encourage us, to love us, to inspire us, to help us.

"To God be the glory, great things he has done!"

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The Lord is near - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 4:5b,

"The Lord is near."

Just how "near" is the Lord? How accessible? How far do we have to reach in order to have made contact?

Paul says the Lord is near. His comment prefaces a truth to underscore what he is going to say next. He tells his readers there is no need for anxiety about anything if we would but take our concerns to him in prayer. He encourages us with the words that if we present our requests to God, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. It is a peace that transcends all understanding. 

What is the cause for the peace we might find through prayer in the midst of concerns that might cause anxiety? He is near! He listens! He responds! The Lord is in heaven at the right hand of the Father and will remain there until he returns at his second coming to earth, Acts 3:21. What he does while in heaven is to speak to the Father on our behalf, "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." Romans 8:34b.

While Jesus is in heaven, the Holy Spirit is right here with us - within us. The Holy Spirit is sometimes called the Spirit of Christ. Paul tells us, "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9. Of the many things the Spirit - who dwells within us - does is to pray on our behalf as we struggle, "the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God." Romans 8:26-27.

How near is the Lord to believers? Very near! Right within us... he could not be any closer! Our access to the throne in heaven exists right within us. We could not have closer, more immediate access to the One in heaven who loves us so much he sent his Son to die for us!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Keeping accounts in the court of God - Ruminating in the Word 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 4:17,

"Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account."

As Paul thanked the folks in Philippi for sending him aid in his imprisonment in Rome, he tells them how good it was for them to share this help in his troubles, verse 14. However, he carefully points out that it was not primarily a desire for their gifts he had interest in, that in fact he had learned to be content in whatever his circumstances, but that out of his love for them he desired what might be "credited to your account."

That account is an account with God. This brings to mind we all have an account with God. Each and every one of us have an account with God. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13. We all will give an account to God and we all have an account with God. As their Creator, all people must give an account of their lives which he has given them and each have an account with him in his court. In a summary statement Paul says, "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." Romans 14:12.

It doesn't matter if someone believes in God or not, it matters not if someone is Catholic or Protestant, Christian or Jew. It doesn't matter if one is an Animist, Buddhist, Confucian or Zoroastrian. We all must give an account to God and we all have an account with him. Republican, Democrat, Progressive or Libertarian, we all have an account with God. Union or management, beer drinker, pot smoker or teetotaler, we all have an account with God.

Even in just the things we say we will give an account. Jesus said, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:35-37. 

In a very sobering statement about the law, Paul says, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God." Romans 3:19. The law of Moses will condemn all, save those who have taken refuge through faith in the Savior. Likewise Paul points out, "To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law." Romans 5:13. Nevertheless, we will all be condemned by God's law because when we break it, it is charged against our account with God.

In speaking of the pagans Peter says, "They will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead." 1 Peter 4:5. We all have an account with God and there is no escaping it. All people everywhere. The good news is good indeed because it declares that our account with God can be credited with an amazing deposit: the very righteousness of Jesus Christ! Whatever might be in our account with God, it will be entirely overwritten by this amazing standing we can have, a righteous standing. Of the gospel Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"

This good news is that we can have the right standing Jesus Christ has with God the Father! What an amazing thing! All by our embrace of Jesus Christ in faith! Do you know of any offer better than this?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The exalted One! - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 2:9-11,

"Therefore God exalted him [Jesus Christ] 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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Here is the place God the Father has set for his one and only Son. The "highest place", the most exalted position, the highest station in God's order of things. The name the Father has given Jesus Christ is a name that all will bow to, sinner and saint alike, angel or demon, a name that every knee should bow to and every tongue confess as Lord.

This is appropriate as Christ, the Son of God is the creative agent within the Trinity. In John 1:1-4 we read, "In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ - see verse 14], 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 all mankind." Anything, anyone that has life does so only because the Son of God made it so. Likewise, in Hebrews 1:1-2 we read, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe." Jesus Christ, as God's Son, is the member of the godhead we refer to as the "Creator". The writer of Hebrews goes on to make a very powerful statement about Jesus Christ in the following verse, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word."

However, in this passage in Philippians, the Son of God has been exalted by the Father to the highest place because he did not cling to all that attends his deity, but was willing to give it up in an astonishing humility to come to planet earth and do something unspeakably remarkable. He came into his own creation and willingly died on that miserable cross to make a way for us into his family, paying the penalty for all our sins. Sins of the whole world for all time! As Paul says in Philippians 2:7-8, "He [Jesus Christ] made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" The writer of Hebrews tells us he did this with joy! Hebrews 12:2.

Jesus Christ's humility and the sacrifice of himself on that cross made something entirely impossible, possible. Those of us who live in this lost and fallen world, sinful and rebellious, estranged from God, ripe and ready for his judgment in a lake of fire, now have available the very most important asset anyone could possibly have: righteousness! A right standing with God, a place in his family, a place at his table, eternal life free from the decay and misery that manifests God's judgment of this life. No more death, no more crying, no more pain! No more sickness, no more weakness, no more infirmity. A life of fullness, meaning and purpose that mankind was originally designed for prior to his fall in the garden. Because of Jesus Christ's humility and sacrifice we can have this righteousness credited to our account with God by simply embracing him in faith.

It is no wonder to me that God the Father has set Jesus Christ to this exalted position, where everyone, everywhere will bow to him and call him Lord. The wise do so in this life and receive for themselves all Jesus Christ has done for us and all that is represented in his inheritance. Fools will wait till later, when all things are revealed, at exactly the wrong time - when it is too late. They will bow to him and call him Lord as they are cast in to that fiery lake of burning sulfur, because they refused to acknowledge Jesus Christ at the appropriate time, when it could have been done so through faith.

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Purpose, filfullment, accomplishement - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 1:25-26,

"Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me."

"Your progress and joy in the faith" is a phrase that catches my eye this morning. Paul says that he would love to leave this world and join the Lord in heaven, but that it was more "necessary" for him to continue his life here for the purpose of building up believers in their progress and joy in the faith.

Here is an interesting question: Since our embrace of Jesus Christ in faith brings us immediately into his family and immediately changes our destination following this life, and since the Holy Spirit immediately comes to dwell within us when we are "born again" why does God not immediately make us spiritually complete at that time? Why the need for a maturing process? Could not God have made it that way?

When we are first born into God's family we find we are spiritual babies. The writer of Hebrews talks about a maturing process, of being spiritual infants and of becoming mature in Hebrews 5:11-14. As babies we are set on a path to maturity. This process is one of discovery and one of making choices. God, as our Creator, has chosen to provide us with a sense of purpose, with a sense of fulfillment and with a sense of accomplishment. I am quite certain that mental health professionals would tell us that those who lose a sense of purpose, who are unable to attain a sense of fulfillment or a sense of accomplishment find themselves in trouble. We are designed for growth, for a maturing process. I believe this is why we hear folks in their golden years talk of things they are just seeing, just learning. We also hear them say they wish they knew then what they know now.

Paul spoke of his own growth, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14. He likewise told his readers, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:12-14. All believers, regardless of what spiritual stage they may be, are engaged in a process of maturing spiritually.

Where some feel that God's children are going to arrive in heaven as fully matured individuals, I'm not so sure I do. I suspect the maturing process continues after our arrival in the resurrection. It appears to me that what God creates, he does so with the sense of purpose, fulfillment and accomplishment. It is one thing to be finally freed of our sinful nature in the resurrection, but it is something quite different to be an entirely matured being with no room for growth, for development, for further wisdom and insight.

I suspect I am persuaded this way due to what we see in God's creation today. I also note in the spiritual realm that discovery still takes place - not for God but for his creation. Consider his question to Satan in the book of Job, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." Job 1:8. Satan has his own idea on it but God allows Satan to test Job to prove his point to Satan. Satan is still learning: don't question or challenge God. He should have just slinked away with his tail between his legs. Also, in 1 Kings 22:19-20, "I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And the Lord said, 'Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' One suggested this, and another that." If nothing else, I see only one perfect person in God's court - God himself. All the others had room for discovery, for maturity, for growth. Whether they had or have the capacity for it is another matter, but it seems to me that the life God creates provides for purpose, fulfillment, accomplishment, growth and maturity. 

This may seem like a simple matter, a mundane matter to some, but I find it an important factor in my thinking about life in the family of God. If for no other reason, it will ever keep me from a sense that I have "arrived", something I am quite certain those around me will require little need of confirmation for.

Perhaps the most wonderful thought I have of all this is the provision the Lord has made for us for this process of maturing. "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3. 

We have everything we need!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The most valuable currency in the world: Righteousness! - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 3:8-9,

"I consider them [reasons for confidence in the flesh] garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith."

Righteousness is the quality of a good standing before God's court. Those who have a "right" standing with him, who are approved by God, who are embraced by God and gain entrance into his family are said to be "righteous". The unrighteous are those who do not have a good standing before God and face his judgment. 

I'm not sure everyone is on board with the critical importance of this issue. Facing God's wrath is horrific. I don't know how many times I have heard someone say they didn't believe that our God of love would be merciless in his judgment of those who don't have a good standing with him. This would be the same God who wiped all mankind from earth, save one family, in the days of Noah. This is the same God who had Jerusalem devastated by the Roman army in horrific fashion in 70 A.D. when they failed to acknowledge God's Son when he came. This is the same God who said in Psalm 50:22, "Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you..."

It is this right standing with God that is our only shelter from his wrath. When we speak of being "saved" as Christians, it is primarily from God's wrath we are being saved. Righteousness is the only "currency" that secures our safety and well-being. As we read in Proverbs, "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." Proverbs 11:4.

In a paradoxical way, righteousness can only be obtained from the One who requires it. From Biblical days mankind has always thought he could obtain a right standing with God if he were only "good enough". The do-gooders still abound today promoting a notion that Paul spent most of his apostolic writings refuting:  if we could just be good enough we could earn a good standing with God. "If I don't kill anyone, steal their money or their wife, then I am better than a lot of bad folks and I'll be 'in'". Nothing could be further from the truth. If that were so, Jesus would not have had to come and die a miserable death on that cross to pay for our sins. 

All mankind is headed toward God's judgment and the only ones who will escape his wrath will be those who embrace him in faith. As Paul says, "the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith". In another place he says, "For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." Romans 3:28. And, in Romans 1:16-17 we read, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"

How is it that our only escape from God's wrath is through a right standing only he provides us? He only wants those who want him. He has chosen those who will chose him. It is from the other major aspect of God's nature, his love, that he sent his Son to die a horrific death for us on that cross. Jesus Christ did it to satisfy the demands of his Father's justice for sins we have committed, and his payment of those sins are credited to us if we but embrace him in faith, "To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..." John 1:12.

I don't know about you, but I never cease to be amazed and impacted by this every time I mull it over. No wonder it is called the "Good News"!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Delight or disappoint the Lord? On complaining... - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 2:14-15,

"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.'"

The term grumble refers to griping, complaining and whining. I note in the New King James Version of the Bible, the term "complain" is used here. What Paul is telling us is: do whatever it is we do without complaining and arguing.

I suspect most of us subscribe to the understanding that a lifestyle of arguing is not what the Lord wants for us. It doesn't provide for an effective approach in sharing our faith and an argumentative person hardly looks like someone folks might want to follow if that is what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit. Is that the kind of spirit anyone might be interested in being filled with? 

However, what really catches my eye this morning is the grumbling part, the complaining part. I'm not sure we all are on board with this - I know I have not been. Is it really important? Where does not complaining fit in God's estimation of things he does not want his children to engage in? Most believers would agree that those who engage in sexual immorality or theft run against what God asks of us - but so too is complaining. 

This morning I heard a pastor, Will Bowen, interviewed on Fox News. He says ten million people in 106 countries have taken the challenge of not complaining for 21 days. At the end, most find they have lost the stomach for complaining and it has had an impact on the happiness they experience on a daily basis. At the end of the three weeks they don't feel like complaining.  I'm not sure we need to be looking for some personal enhancement before we agree to do what the Lord has asked of us, but it is interesting to see what happens to people when they follow proscriptions the Lord provides us.

It got me to thinking of fasting. Maybe I could refrain from complaining, like these other folks, just like I have fasted from food in the past? Forgoing something I usually engage in, as during the Lenten season? After thinking of these things this morning and then opening Philippians, I find myself face to face with the apostolic command: do what you do without grumbling, without complaining.

Paul tells us that if we do what we do without grumbling or arguing among those of the world, we will "shine among them like stars in the sky...", Philippians 2:15.

Again, how important is this? I suspect is boils down to whether we want to delight the heart of our Lord, or find ourselves disappointing him. In any event, I'm going to give it a whirl. After all, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I have been told to do so. How about you?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

God's good purpose for you and for me - Ruminating in the Word 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 Philippians 2:13,

"It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

What is this "good purpose" of God that he works in us? It certainly has something to do with choices we make and the things we do, "to will and to act".

In Romans 8:28-29 we read that God knew ahead of time there would be a remnant from among mankind he would choose as his own, to populate a family for himself of men and women. Following mankind's rejection of God and turn from him in the garden of Eden, he set in motion an agenda to reconcile to himself all those who would turn back to him, to embrace him in faith. That agenda includes an invitation, a "call" to all mankind, and for all who respond he brings into his family. "To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God". John 1:12. Of these, the ones he knew ahead of time that would respond to his invitation, he predestined something very unique: he would begin a process that would transform them from the "warts" and "blemishes" of their sinful natures into the very image of Jesus Christ! A transformation from a sinful condition to a life pleasing to him, that reflects his own Son's character and nature. "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." Romans 8:28-29.

What does this look like? Many refuse to acknowledge their personal shortcomings, possibly for some they are "blind spots", things we fail to see in ourselves yet those around us can see. Nevertheless, we all have these shortcomings, some expressed this way and some another way. Paul provides a sample listing: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." Galatians 5:19-21. Maybe you don't see yourself here, but as Paul points out, these and things like these are the acts of our sinful natures. We all have them in some form to one degree or another.

What God does in our lives, his good purpose, is to bring about change where these acts of our sinful natures become displaced by the "fruit of the Spirit". "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23. In doing this he prepares us to be productive and effective in bringing others into his family.

As I reflect on all this, I find it all just amazing...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com