How can I say I really love 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 Titus 1:16,

"They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him."

People can say whatever it is they want. Often, for whatever reason, what is being said is not so. It has always been that way in the church from apostolic times. Here Paul tells Titus that there are those who claim to know God, but what they do tells another story. What we do validates, authenticates what it is we have to say. The reality is that our actions prove our words.

The church, from its earliest times, has had those within its ranks (those who really are not believers) that deceive, that are dishonest, that tell lies and teach things that have no bearing in truth. Here we see them on the Island of Crete that Titus will have to deal with. John had to deal with these kind of folks within the church as well. "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." 1 John 2:18-19. John goes on to say in verses 26-27, "I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him." John tells his readers the same truth Paul did to Titus, that actions speak louder than words. He says, "If you know that he [Jesus Christ] is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." Verse 29. Look at what people do - it can verify their words.

This is pretty much the basis for what James has to say about the kind of faith that brings us into God's family. Faith that expresses itself in the things we do is the kind of faith that saves us. He says, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds." James 2:17-18.

The validation of God's expression of his wonderful love for us is found in the things he has done. In considering the death of the Son of God on that cross Paul says, "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8.

Our actions prove our words. If this be true, and if I say I love God, how did I demonstrate that this past week in the things I did? In the past 168 hours, how did my actions prove, validate, authenticate, the love I claim to have for God?

A sobering question, 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

Hope, the amazing daily vitamin! - 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 Titus 2:11-14,

"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

In Paul's admonition to live godly lives while we await the Lord's return, he tells us this is what is to be done "in this present age." This catches my eye as I am reminded that the present age we live in is transitional. While we are here we are to do these things. However, there is another age coming our way. We are only in this life for a time. A time is coming following this present age, a new age, the age of "eternal life."

The Scriptures call the next age that is coming our way as believers, our "hope." Not "hope" in the sense of "Gee, I sure hope it might happen." But, rather, in light of the struggles we encounter, our looming deaths, etc. we have a bright future - our hope, awaiting us. Something to get excited about in the here and now. Something to provide us with an edge to our faith, our sense of well-being, something that stands taller than any challenge we may face in this life.

It is this hope we have that generates joy in our lives, Romans 12:12. If I'm not experiencing much joy, I need to spend a little more time contemplating the Lord's return and what is coming our way. Hope, generated by the power of the Holy Spirit is something that should overflow in our lives, Romans 15:13. Likewise, it is from this hope that both faith and love spring - as we focus on what is stored up for us in heaven, Colossians 1:5. Endurance is also inspired by this hope we have, 1 Thessalonians 1:3. This hope is "an anchor for the soul, firm and secure", Hebrews 6:19. Hope provides us the spiritual energy to live our lives in a manner that delights the Lord, 1 John 3:3.

Like my daily vitamins, the hope I have is something I need to pursue daily. Meditate on it, read about it, think about it, share with others about it, ruminate in it. So much of our spiritual vitality is generated by the hope we have. I think it is something that should be in front of us, the focus of what we think, do and say, on a daily basis. If we don't, we just might dry up spiritually like an old prune! We don't want that!

Have you focused today on the hope you have?

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

What are you awaiting? How are you awaiting? - 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 Titus 2:11-14,

"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." 

Paul reminds Titus that God's grace offers salvation to all people. Yes, Paul really said all people! Bad ones, good ones, foolish ones, wise ones, sour ones, happy ones, skinny ones, fat ones, hairy ones, bald ones... well, you get the idea. Salvation is an offer and that offer is out there for absolutely all. Forget all the theology any of us think we know. This right here is all we need to know: God, in his wonderful grace, offers us, all of us, salvation! Since it is an offer, it is up to us to accept and our acceptance is made by what Paul starts this letter off with: faith. He tells Titus that the purpose of this letter is further this faith that must be expressed in order to accept God's offer. It is a faith that is common to all who have taken the offer. See Titus 1:1, 4. God has chosen for himself all who will embrace him in this faith. We have become his chosen ones, his elect, Titus 1:1.

Since there are those of us who have accepted God's offer of salvation, and since we await the appearing of Jesus Christ, Paul tells us what we need to be about while we await our Lord. He tells us to reject ungodliness, worldly passions, to control ourselves and live lives that are pleasing to God, that is, godly lives. Paul tells us this is fitting as the Lord has redeemed us from a sinful state to purify us for himself.

This causes me to think that we are all awaiting something. At my age, it has long become evident that the things of this world are simply too transitional, too temporary, not of an abiding nature such that we ought to consider any of them as that for which we live. That is, with the exception of those things that transcend our world: God (and what he has to say,) and people. These are the things in this life that will transcend this life and form what opportunities we have that are worthwhile to give ourselves to and form the basis for what we await following this life. All people will experience/endure one eternity or another: we can embrace God and await what that will assuredly bring or reject him and await what that will assuredly bring. 

For those of us who have elected to embrace God's offer in faith, we await what comes, and as we await, we need to be pursuing what is consistent with the choice we have made. Jesus came to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify us, which provides us direction for our lives while we await his arrival for us.

What are you awaiting? How are you awaiting?

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

Effort for God's agenda or my own interests (or both)? - 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 Titus 2:7-8,

"In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

In the instructions Paul gave Titus regarding his teaching of the comportment of young men in the fellowship, he urges him to display integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech in his teaching. Paul's ultimate concern, he says, is that "those who oppose you" will be without a credible charge and ashamed in their opposition. The result of them having nothing bad to say about "us" refers to Paul's concern for the unhindered advancement of the kingdom of God through the gospel enterprise. His concern is not that believers have difficulty in their application to the local golf club, etc. but that the gospel not be hindered by possible bad behavior of those who claim to have responded to the gospel. I think you get my drift here...

I note Paul's concerns extended beyond the personal. It was the welfare of the gospel enterprise and the kingdom of God Paul had in focus in this letter. In the direction Paul gave Titus regarding older women, his concern there was "that no one will malign the word of God." Titus 2:5. In regard to slaves, it was, "in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive." Titus 2:10. Again, the focus in these concerns is primarily the advancement of the gospel.

I can't help but see a contrast between Paul's concerns with many in the church today. Today we see the preaching of biblical admonitions relative to how these admonitions can promote personal interests. We are told by many in the church that if we respond to the gospel, God will unveil a perfect plan for our lives... a plan that has more to do with the success of our own personal lifestyle than the enhancement of the kingdom of God. We are told by many in the church today that if we would conform our lives to biblical principles, we will achieve personal success in marriage and family, financial success and prosperity, influence to enhance our prospects of advancement on the job, etc.

I'm not saying never, but it sure seems there are few who echo Paul's perspective for the broader, loftier concerns to be considered in conforming ourselves to the things that please God. It is not that the admonitions to godly lifestyles in Scripture should not impact us in a personal way-- the Scriptures themselves speak to the personal benefit we gain if we conform ourselves to what we read in Scripture. And, I'm certainly not missing the point that often it is not an issue of "or": is it God's interests or my own I am focused on... it could be both in the same instance. I'm just pointing to what I see as a needful emphasis - an important emphasis on God's agenda that should often eclipse the fascination for our own personal interests.

Maybe I'm off the mark here. What do you think? 

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

Make 'em miserable, but don't take revenge - 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 Proverbs 25:21-22,

"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you."

The book of Proverbs is an amazing book filled with all manner of wisdom. The counsel it provides is of a very practical nature. Consider 25:16-17, "If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit. Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house— too much of you, and they will hate you." How can advice be more practical than that? This couplet takes us from something we have all experienced to a truth some may need to learn: don't overstay you're welcome.

I find our above verse just as practical. If you want to have a meaningful impact on someone who has wronged you, treat them well. The better you treat them the worse they feel about how they treated you. Paul quotes these verses in Romans 12:19-20 where he cautions against taking revenge. "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'"

Paul's counsel is to let God repay whomever may have treated you wrong... and while you are letting God take care of it, you can have an impact on your enemy in a very positive way. Grieve his conscience for treating you badly by treating him well.

Try it sometime. You may be very surprised how effective the truths contained in Proverbs play out. He who designed life has the inside scoop on how to live it wisely.

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, accomplishment and fulfillment - 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 Titus 1:1-4,

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior."

In this passage, I note that Paul mentions he was entrusted by God to preach the hope of eternal life. What a responsibility! Paul specifically was tasked to take the gospel to the Gentile people, Galatians 2:8. "God our Savior" engaged Paul to the work of the gospel, this very important task... delegated to a man! This is astonishing to me as I think of it. The next phase in the outcome of the suffering of Jesus Christ, the cause for why he faced that cross with joy, Hebrews 12:2, was given to people! Peter was sent to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles. Many participated in the effort then and many still do so today.

Why would God entrust such an important task to people? Would people be the most effective way of communicating the message? Would people be the most faithful in following through on this important task? Would they be the most productive, the most careful in executing the responsibilities in preaching the gospel? Why did God decide to use people to carry his gospel in his pursuit of those with believing hearts following Jesus' payment for sin on that miserable cross?

I'm not sure those are the questions to ask when considering why God engaged the services of men to take the gospel to the world. Considering the importance of the gospel task, I am certain our sovereign God would have no problem supervising and insuring the effective and productive execution of it. I think one answer as to why God uses people to take the gospel to others, as well as other tasks over the ages, may be found in another place - something illustrated to me as a child.

One of the most fond memories I have of my father was of a time when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old - in the mid 1950's. He had asked me to help him put up Christmas lights on the outside of our house. I can still recall going out and helping him, handing him lights and doing the other various things that needed to be done. As a small boy I recall feeling a sense of worth, a sense of recognition, that I mattered, that I had been asked to help the old man (he must have been in his early thirties at the time!) At that young age I recall how wonderful it felt to be allowed to participate in something so important as getting those lights up. As a boy I felt I had an important assignment to carry out - an assignment that made me feel I was engaged in something worthwhile. I felt a genuine sense of fulfillment and purpose. I'm certain when we got done and went inside, I stood a little taller as I had been allowed to enter into that mystery of doing important "man stuff"!

I'll bet you have memories of like things in your past.

God has created mankind with certain things that are important to us, that are part of our design, a part of what makes us tick, things that if missing, can be destructive to us. Things like relationships - meaningful contact with others, communication, affection, a sense of self-worth and so forth. Among these are purpose in life and a sense of fulfillment. I believe these are a part of what makes us "made in the image of God." I have a strong feeling God involves us in his activities to bring us a certain sense of purpose, as well as a sense of accomplishment which follows appropriate purpose pursued well.

In that I believe in these things, it colors my perspective of what eternal life will be all about. Some have a notion that existence in heaven is some kind of reward where all is accomplished, all is done, no effort, no work, just an existence of life on the front porch in a rocker with an iced tea (worse yet is that perspective of being some kind of winged angel sitting on a fluffy cloud playing a harp all day long - perish the thought!)

No, my suspicion (since I don't really know) is that we will be engaged in meaningful activity. Activity with a view toward the accomplishment of things that need pursuit. I don't anticipate a reality where "everything is already done", but one where things need to be done, need to be pursued, need to be accomplished. I think I will still be taking drum lessons to get better (I don't think my resurrection is going to obviate the need for practice and further lessons), I think we will be helping others, I think we will be getting things done. Again, I don't really know, so keep in mind I am just speculating here. 

Here is what we are told heaven will be like: "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.

I don't see anything in the description provided above that says we will not be engaged in the industrious pursuit of things to accomplish born of purpose we are given. Since we see God providing us these things in this life, why should we think anything different for the next? 

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

Appointed seasons - 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 Titus 1:1-4,

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior."

In his salutation to Titus, Paul mentions that the promise of eternal life has been brought to light through the preaching entrusted Paul. Paul says this eternal life was promised beforehand and that the advent of the preaching of it had come at God's "appointed season." These things of God do not unfold willy-nilly but are predestined and planned. What we learn is that God has appointed different seasons for the different things he does within the affairs of mankind. Failing to recognize this just might cause us some misunderstandings.

An example of God appointing certain things for a certain season may be seen in God's disclosure of the "new covenant" he will establish with his people. It will be different from the covenant he had already made in Moses day. In Jeremiah 31:31-34 we read, "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them', declares the Lord." Here we see God doing a new thing in a new season, at a new time.

Jesus spoke of a new age coming when he comes back to planet earth. "And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door." Matthew 24:30b-33. A new thing happening in a new season!

If we attempt to live within the confines of what God was doing with mankind in a different season, say, the garden of Eden, or during the patriarchal times of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or from the time of Moses to John the Baptist, we are going to become confused and find we are not living out what God has for us. God's revelation to us is progressive as are the things he has for us from age to age. Living within the age we find ourselves is important.

We need to acquaint ourselves with the things of God and to know their seasons! 

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

They cried out, the Lord delivered - 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 Psalm 107:6,

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress."

This phrase is repeated four times in this psalm, once each in the four accounts of "the redeemed". In verse two we read "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story..." and four stories are provided. We read of desert wanderers, prisoners chained in darkness, rebellious fools and sea merchants. At the end of the psalm, verses 33-42, we read of how God brought misery on the wicked and blessings on the needy - the psalm making clear the needy who call out to God for relief. At the very end, verse 43, the wise are told to heed and ponder these things. The accounts of the redeemed included suffering at the hand of God.

This psalm brings the same message as the book of Judges. In that book, the nation of Israel is seen first experiencing God's blessings, then their seemingly inevitable straying from God into sin and rebellion, then disasters brought on by God to get Israel's attention, then Israel repenting and turning back to God, and then God blessing them. From here they would begin to stray in rebellion to God all over again. Around and around the cycle went - it repeats many times throughout the book.

In the past my understanding of these things was quite simple: please God and get rewarded, displease God and suffer the consequences - make your choice. Some depth has crept in to my understanding over the years and my perspective has broadened. What has not changed for me is the understanding that God is both loving and just. He blesses us out of his love, but his justice brings us pain for sin and rebellion in our lives. Jesus taught us that we reap what we sow.

What has come to my attention is best summed up 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 freedom and glory of the children of God." God brings difficulty on our lives to help us see the need we have to be saved. He uses frustration and difficulty in our lives to get our attention. The hope is that we will cry out to him, to reach out to him and receive his salvation.

God uses the difficulties we experience in this life to draw us to him. He brings them to us for our good, that we might avoid his coming judgment at the end of the age. God wants all to come to him, as we read in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, "God our Savior... wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." To aid in that, the Lord actively draws us to himself, using a variety of means, "And I [Jesus], when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32.

The purpose of suffering in this life is often serving the purpose of life itself. We find ourselves in this life for God to build his family to enjoy in the next... and he will go to amazing lengths to bring us to himself. It all comes down to whether we will embrace him in faith, and, at times, out of his amazing love for us, he will bring trouble in to our lives that we might reach out to him and find him.

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

Beyond the dimensions of time and space - 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 Titus 1:2,

"... the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time..."

So many aspects of God that are revealed to us fascinate me, as does most of us, I am certain. Often these are the things I have limited knowledge of, that cause the "circuit breakers" in my brain to blow. In Paul's salutation to Titus, he mentions that the hope of eternal life was promised by God before the beginning of time. I don't know about you, but when I attempt to conceive of "before the beginning of time" another circuit breaker blows!

Here Paul tell us God predestined, that is, promised the hope of eternal life. He tells us the promise was made outside of the dimension of time. "Before the beginning of time" is a reference of an occasion that took place outside of time using a pointer or measure of time, "before". What is that?! If I say, "before time began", isn't that a reference of time? "Before" and "after" are words that only have meaning in a reality where time exists. Yet, in a timeless existence, God did something "before" time! I'm sure there are many who have a much better perspective on this than I do... 

I can talk about it and think about it, but I'm pretty limited in understanding these things. What I do know is that God's existence is outside of the dimensions of time and space. I picture him as existing above or beyond the creation as we know it. Time has no constraint on God. Peter tells us, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." 2 Peter 3:8. Some knuckle-heads miss the point of this verse and attempt to use it as a key for the timing of prophetic events. What Peter is saying here is that time has no bearing on God - he resides outside its dimension.

Because God exists beyond the dimensions of time and space, he can look in on anything anytime (from our perspective). As the Creator, he "looks down" on his creation, any part of it, at any moment in its history. This is where we gain our understanding of God as "eternal". Another way to capture it is from what the writer of Hebrews has said, "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." Hebrews 1:1-2. Through the Son of God, God created the "universe", the cosmos, and, so, time began.

As I think of God's existence outside or beyond the dimensions of time and space, as I think of God's amazing ability to know all there is to know, as I think of his tremendous power and the grandeur of his pristine character and nature, I am reminded of his transcendence. As we piddle around in our worship services focusing on how we ought to attend better, sin less, put more in the offering plate, be more devoted to our "denominational distinctives", and quibble over styles of worship, I can't help but think we are missing the big picture of God at times, his awesome nature and presence, his glory and majesty, his eternal divine qualities. Maybe if we focused more on our breath-taking God, all the other things in our lives, including our weaknesses, just may all fall into place.

Just a thought... What's your thought about God today?

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 wonderful offer, predestined! - 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 Titus 1:1-4,

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior."

Here in Paul's salutation to Titus, he speaks of something wonderful God predestined before the beginning of time: the hope of eternal life!

Paul says this hope has now been brought to light through the preaching God entrusted to him. He says he was set apart for the work of preaching this gospel, this "good news", Romans 1:1, and that this gospel had been promised beforehand through the prophets in the Scriptures, Romans 1:2. Paul was eager to preach the gospel, Romans 1:15 and that he was not ashamed of the gospel because it was God's power to bring salvation, eternal life, to all who will embrace it in faith, Romans 1:16. This is because those who embrace its message by faith, "by faith from first to last" receive a right standing with God, Romans 1:17.

The gospel is not just another religious message - it opens the door to eternal life for all who will respond in faith. So excited Paul was in proclaiming it he says, "So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ." Romans 15:9. He says it is by the gospel people are saved, "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you." 1 Corinthians 15:2. I note he didn't say people are saved by being do-gooders, or by being slipped a date-rape drug by God on the sly. Very simple: gospel given and either accepted in faith or rejected. Those who embrace it in faith inherit eternal life, those who reject it are cast in to a lake of burning sulfur at the end of the age. Very simple! Here is how Paul put it to the Ephesians, "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14.

Paul felt his primary responsibility from God was to preach the gospel, that he wasn't sent to baptize folks or anything else, 1 Corinthians 1:17. Paul even made the comment, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" 1 Corinthians 9:16.

Paul, contrary to what is thought by many who reject its message, said the origin of the gospel is not something made up by some religious person, "I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:11-12.

What an amazing message the gospel is! It has its own power in its ability to save people, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes..." Romans 1:16. And, as Paul says to Titus, it was predestined by God before the beginning of time.

Here is the gospel message in Paul's nutshell, "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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10.

How wonderful is that?! Make sure you don't miss out on what is literally the offer of a lifetime! 

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

Did God tell you to read this? - 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 Titus 3:12,

"As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there."

In some personal notes to Titus, as Paul brings his letter to a close, he mentions something that catches my eye. It is a comment that is at odds with the perception of many folks within the church today. That comment is his cause for wintering in Nicopolis: not because God told him to, but that Paul himself decided to. I'm certain Paul made his choice based on factors that had to do with what would be best for pursuing his ministry to the Gentiles together with the specific circumstances he found himself in. I'm certain if God told Paul to winter in Nicopolis he would have done so, but he would have also said so.

I have run into many in the church that have an odd notion that God wants to make all our choices for us, that our every move must be directed by God. "God has told me to go to this school", or "God has told me this is where I need to live...", etc. followed with some kind of comment that they are waiting to see from God what their next move is.

To their credit, I'm certain the underlying motivation for many is a pursuit of being "directed by God" - insuring they are smack in the middle of his will. Many, sad to say, seem to be playing the "holier than thou" card in an effort to show all around just how tight they are with God. Worse yet are those who hide behind "being directed by God" as an excuse for irresponsibility. I've had more than one man's wife tell me that God called her to another state to do so-and-so as she leaves her husband behind. I've seen many examples of folks making irresponsible financial decisions, claiming God has "told them" to buy this or that, leaving everyone else around them without ground to question. I'll bet you have seen this yourself.

For whatever reason, there are those who feel God should make all our decisions: which house or car to buy, what career and school to go to, who to date and marry, etc. Where do folks get the notion that God has taken upon himself such a thing? He has given us a mind and he has given us a free will. While there certainly are many occasions I read of in my Bible where God tells certain individuals to do certain things, as, say, Nathan being sent by God to confront David in his sin with Bathsheba, the Scriptures never present God has making our decisions for us as a general rule. On the contrary, what I read of is God telling us what pleases him, usually in a general sense, and then asks us to make our own decisions.

An example of this is where Paul discusses whether one should marry or not in 1 Corinthians 7:36-37, "If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing." Paul says he should do as "he wants".

The question is not whether we should be making our own decisions but that those decisions we make are wise and consistent with the Scriptures, what God has indeed told us.

I'm not sure life would be the same if all of our choices were prescripted by God. What kind of a life would that look like?

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

What is sound doctrine? - 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 Titus 2:1,

"You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine."

We read of "sound doctrine" in the Scriptures. Sound doctrine is that group of teachings that have their origin in what God himself has revealed to us. Sound doctrine does not depend on whether I understand it or not, whether I agree with it or not, whether I know it or not. It is objective truth given us by the source of truth, God himself. It stands on its own and does not establish its authenticity, authority or legitimacy based on what any of us may think of it. We are all subject to it and we will all be judged by it. Contrary to so much faulty thinking today, sound doctrine is objective. Not the fantasy of "your truth is what you make it to be". If we wish to cling to the lame notion that truth is subjective, keep in mind that junk will accompany you into that horrific lake of fire with you at the end of the age.

There are and have always been many who stray from sound doctrine. Paul speaks of those he encountered, "For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain." Titus 1:10-11. Consequently, Paul charged Titus with the duty of appointing elders in the various fellowships they established on Crete. An elder, among other things was to, "... hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." Titus 1:9. Titus himself was to "... teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine." 2:1.

We can have assurance we hold to sound doctrine if we follow what the Scriptures teach us rather than the other way around. The problem many of us have is we drag our preconceived notions, what others tells us, doctrines du jour, into our reading of the Scriptures. While I may think I hold to sound doctrine in the different things of God, the Scriptures are "sacred ground" upon which nothing I assume I know should trod. As I enter into the Scriptures I need to constantly remind myself to leave all at the door and allow the Scriptures to form my thinking, to frame my understanding, to shape what it is I know of God.

While this may seem a bewildering task, we are not alone, we have help. God wants us and helps us arrive at truth, at sound doctrine. John told us, "I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him." 1 John 2:26-27. This passage reminds me of another in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "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."

It appears to me that sound doctrine is arrived at in the pursuit of two things: opening our Bibles - something many find challenging - and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us into its truth.

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 God knowable? - 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 Titus 1:16,

"They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him."

"They" in this passage refers to folks Paul observes as "detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." Let's call them the folks from the "DDU" bench. I know the DDU bench all too well as this is the very place from which I heard the gospel message. I too was "detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." (Some may say I still am!) And, I have to say, by my actions, even though I may have claimed to know God, I didn't. However, the gospel did make it's way to me, and having responded to God's invitation, I am now headed in a new direction. In this new direction, can I now know God... truly know God?

Since the fall of man in the garden, mankind has been estranged from God. A simple review of the world's religions precludes the notion that many in the world really know God well at all, given so many different perspectives and teachings. We don't have to go further than that to see man's separation from God and a literal ignorance of him. The Scriptures, however, tell us we can know God.

Paul's prayer for the believers in Ephesus acknowledges they knew God, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." Ephesians 1:17. It was Paul's prayer that these believers would know God better. To this same church, Paul prayed they might know the full dimension of the love of Jesus Christ, 3:17-19. Paul prayed the Colossians would grow in their knowledge of God and God's will in matters, Colossians 1:9-10.

Peter speaks of grace and peace that believers can experience by their knowledge of God, 2 Peter 1:2. Peter points out that it is through our knowledge of God that we can live a godly life, participate in "the divine nature" and escape the corruption of the world. 2 Peter 1:3-4. John tells us that those who truly love have been born of God and know God, 1 John 4:7.

The Scriptures are clear that we can, indeed, know God. Listen to this fascinating passage, "We declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: 'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived'— the things God has prepared for those who love him—  these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, 'Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

It all begins with placing our trust in Jesus Christ through the gospel message and then availing ourselves of God's revelation to us through the Scriptures with the wisdom the Holy Spirit provides. "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.

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

Interacting with God today? - 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 Titus 3:1-2,

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone."

Paul's purpose for this statement can be easily seen in his concern the gospel remain attractive to those yet to be evangelized. For believers to be anything other than what Paul says above would bring disrepute to the gospel and to the Lord among the unsaved. In any event, this is how we are to live our lives in a manner pleasing to God as we remain in this life.

Paul's reference to being subject to rulers and authorities brings to mind another passage that has a different concern attached. In Romans 13:1-5 we read, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience."

In this passage we are reminded of God's vast involvement with the affairs of this world, today's world. The authorities that exist are established and used by God for his purposes. I'm prone to assume someone else has established some of these authorities, so it is a good reminder for me. 

I'm certain Paul is not referring to every possible contingency relative to authorities in all people's lives, but generally speaking. What I mean is that if an authority is hip-deep in evil, slaughtering people, etc. is not a part of what Paul has in mind here. He is providing a general observation that the authorities that exist have been established by God - don't rebel against them. Paul is not assuming an authority cannot become corrupt, but generally speaking, if we rebel against that authority, we are rebelling against what God has established. When it comes to threading the needle here, I would think that Jesus' comment in another place would be very appropriate, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Matthew 22:21. If Caesar begins to engage in what is what God finds detestable... you get the idea.

Where many people cannot seem to see God at all, as they are about their busy lives today, God is right here. These passages remind me that he is right in our midst and actively involved in the affairs of mankind. As Paul says in Philippians 4:4-5, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." I am reminded that I will be somehow touched by God in one way or another today, there will be some kind of interaction. I can confidently say the same for you as well. As the Creator and Sustainer of our world, he touches each of us everyday and is active in the world, active in our lives much more that we might possibly think. 

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

Who's invited to the party? - 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 Titus 2:11,

"The grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people."

To whom has God offered salvation? How many are invited to join God's family? Which sinners did Jesus Christ die for on the cross as he paid for sins?

Some have a notion that Jesus only died for certain ones. His death only paid for a relatively few people's sins. Only these few have a legitimate offer or invitation to his family. In fact, they don't really see an invitation at all - what they see is the command of God, his fiat, that a few be transferred into his kingdom by no choice of their own. What is taught is not salvation by faith, but salvation by appointment. In their minds, faith is reduced from the causative agent bringing salvation to merely the manifestation that God has transferred them into his kingdom. In their view, the grace of God that has appeared does not offer salvation to all people, but only a few - and it isn't an offer, it is an induction, like when I was drafted to serve in the army. 

I couldn't disagree more. I'm not one of the special "chosen ones", not in the way described above. I am a simple sinner saved by Jesus dying on the cross for my sins. When he made his offer to me through the gospel, I made a choice. I placed my trust in him, I accepted his offer, I responded to the invitation. My Bible tells me of a love God has for all mankind, every person. "For God so loved the world...", John 3:16. That is pretty much everybody. God's heart is big and his love encompasses all people, not just a few. When he sent his one and only Son to pay the penalty for sins, he did it to bring an offer of salvation to all people. Jesus said, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32.

God's offer is truly an invitation in that it can be refused or rejected. Jesus tells us why God's wonderful offer of salvation is rejected by so many, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people 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 their deeds will be exposed." John 3:19-20. People choose to stay in their sin rather than accept the invitation God offers them. We are told, "Many are invited, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14. This is the "punch-line" of a parable Jesus gave that told of folks who were invited to a wedding and chose to refuse the invitation. Those who are "chosen", God's elect, are all who choose to embrace Jesus Christ in faith as a response to the gospel, his invitation.

If the desire of God's love was realized, how many would be saved? "God our Savior... wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3b-4. Also, "He [the Lord] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9b. God love us all, including the ugly ones like me, and he wants us all. In his sovereign will, he leaves the choice of response to his invitation up to us.

How unfortunate so many are unable to see the full panoply of God's great love for all mankind. While mankind has turned his back on God in sin and rebellion, gone his own way, God reaches out through his Son to make a way for all at great cost born on that wretched and precious cross. I am reminded of Isaiah 65:1-3, "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— a people who continually provoke me..."

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

Self-control or God-control? - 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 Titus 2:11,

"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

From behind the pulpit the pastor cries out, "Who is at the controls of your life? If it is you, then maybe you need to slide over and let God take over!"

So, who is it that should be controlling our lives? If we listen to Paul in his letter to Titus, it is clear God wants us to take control of our own lives, that is, to be "self-controlled". If we listen to our pastor, he says we need to get the "self" part out of the way and let God take control.

We normally associate "self-control" with remaining resolute with what we know to be right. However, it points to the conversation around who or what is in control of our lives. 

I'm still looking for that passage in my Bible where I am told that God wants me to abdicate my will so he can begin to make all the decisions for me, to take over "the controls" of my life. Absent Paul telling us to cease controlling our own lives so God can, he exhorts us repeatedly to be self-controlled. He speaks of it four times in this chapter. Older men are to be self-controlled, older women are to urge the younger women to be self-controlled, younger men are to be self-controlled and our above passage tells us that the offer of salvation within the gospel, the expression of God's grace, teaches us to live self-controlled lives. Indeed, in Galatians 5:23 we read that self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit active in our lives. The whole specter of Job's story is not God making decisions for Job but God and Satan observing Job exercising his own will, his own control of his life.

It makes no sense to me whatsoever that there exists some kind of metaphysical and mystical dynamic where I can transfer my will to anyone else. Even if that prospect were possible, it could not happen at the exercise of my own will to bring it about anyway, now could it? It would obviate any exhortation to do so. If I were to allow my wife to make all my decisions for me, would that not be an exercise of my will at every turn to do so? In fact, I would be deferring to her (and certainly much better) judgment which really means I am exercising my own will, I'm still at the controls deferring to her better judgment. (I'm certain she would tell you it would be much better if I did more often.)

Not to be too hard on the pastor above, we really know he is not suggesting that we abdicate our wills, but to exercise them in the pursuit of deferring to God's direction, God's desires in the choices we make. However, we live in a time in the church where much of contemporary evangelical theology struggles with the notion of free will, that we are free to make our own decisions. The challenge for some is that they are unable to conceive how God can be still be sovereign in his creation if he allows his creatures to exercise the volition he himself gave them.

I have to admit I am fully perplexed at the inability of so many to understand the transcendence of God's sovereignty over and beyond the will he has given each one of us. For me, it is as simple as seeing a father who tells his daughters to go to their room. They can do whatever they want in there (with some obvious guidelines) but  they have to stay in there while doing them. Has the father of these girls abdicated his authority (his "sovereignty") in letting the girls do what they want in their room? Is he not exercising his parental authority in sending them there and yet letting them decide how to spend their time? Hopefully you get the idea here. God's sovereignty over his creation is in no way threatened by allowing his creatures to exercise their own wills, to make their own choices. After all, he was the One who created us this way. Adam and Eve made a choice, and each of us have a choice to make when we are confronted with the gospel.

Here is a thought: Is God glorified through my decision to follow him in a matter, recognizing him as the Lord of my life? Or, conversely, is he glorified by my actions as he makes the choices in what I do? How do you see the account of Job fitting in here?

Just a few thoughts this morning...

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

How faith is grown - 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 Titus 1:1,

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness..."

I note in Paul's salutation in his letter to Titus that he speaks of his purpose in furthering the faith of God's elect. I also note the proximity of "knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness" to this furthering the faith of God's elect.

"God's elect" in this verse refers to the ones he has chosen out of all mankind. We are told that God had determine ahead of time that all who would embrace him in faith would become his children. "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. God did not choose blond haired people and not brunette. God did not choose tall people and not short. God did not choose pretty people and not ugly. God did not choose intelligent people and not the unintelligent. God chooses those who embrace him in faith. When the gospel is given, those who will respond to God's invitation by receiving him in faith become his. I am reminded of Paul's great statement about the gospel, often referred to as the theme of the book of Romans, "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.'" Romans 1:16-17.

Paul makes clear the opportunity for faith comes when the gospel is given, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17. It is when we hear the gospel message we have opportunity to place our faith in God or reject him. Jesus told us why there are those who will not embrace him in faith. In his conversation with Nicodemus he said, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people 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 their deeds will be exposed." John 3:19-20. It comes down to a choice between accepting God's invitation to his family or rejecting God in favor of hiding our sins. We all have a choice to make and God's choice is for those who trust in him.

I make this point on salvation by faith for two reasons. First, salvation by faith is currently under attack in the church today. A gospel of salvation by appointment is replacing the biblical message of salvation by faith in many quarters in the church today. Secondly, and interestingly, Paul makes a fascinating observation about faith: it can be furthered.

I observe in Paul's salutation that it is in those who are already chosen by God, "God's elect", those who have already placed their faith in God, that he seeks to further their faith. It appears that saving faith is faith that can be built upon, "furthered". Faith does not make us perfect and faith does not make us instantly everything we can be in God's family. One aspect that needs development is our faith.

Paul makes another interesting observation in Romans 12:3, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." God builds upon our faith. I suspect what qualifies us for this increase in faith God sends our way is proportional to Paul's second purpose in his letter to Titus, that he seeks to further "their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness." It is when we study the Scriptures, when we apply ourselves to its teaching, as we ruminate in it and take it to heart, our "knowledge of the truth" grows and our faith is built up by God himself. In a listing of gifts the Holy Spirit bestows on us "faithfulness" is included.

Jesus taught, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20. It doesn't appear there is a huge amount of faith required for our salvation. What little faith it takes is something our Lord will build upon within us as his children. Do you struggle with a feeling of little faith? Spend time in the Scriptures to further your knowledge of the truth and watch how God builds upon the little faith you have! 

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

Godly sorrow - 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 2 Corinthians 7:10,

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

This observation comes from Paul in 2 Corinthians 7:10, something my friend Dillard got me to thinking about. Paul refers to his earlier letter that caused sorrow in the believers there. The painful things Paul said in that letter were inspired by God and Paul speaks of his happiness - not that they were made sorrowful, but that their sorrow led these believers to a needful repentance. Paul says, "you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us." Verse 9. Paul further observes, "See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done." Verse 11a.

Here is something that we may not always recognize. We often think it is when we experience those wonderful blessings we receive from God that he is active in our lives. But Paul also speaks of sorrow that God brings into our lives, "Godly sorrow", that may be needed because of something else we have allowed in our lives. I'd like to think I am perfect in all I do, but all you need to do is talk to those close around me to know there are some course changes I need, and at times God brings sorrow to accomplish that. He certainly did so here in the church in Corinth.

Often, a needed repentance is brought about in our lives due to our consciences being pierced. Guilt feelings are not always a bad thing. When directed by God, the appointed fulfillment of feelings of guilt and sorrow is our realization of how we may have strayed, how we may need to seek God and get right with him. Misdirected and misguided guilt can be harmful to us and those around us, ("worldly sorrow brings death"), but godly sorrow brings repentance and provides us motivation to get right with God. God is pursuing us.

We see this in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world today when it comes to salvation. Jesus told those listening to him that he would send the Holy Spirit after he went to heaven, "When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment..." When the gospel is properly shared with someone, the Holy Spirit brings to that person's heart the realization of his guilt before God. Those feelings of guilt can turn to either "godly sorrow" and repentance or to rejection of the gospel message and the Lord. Although the choice is ours, God is pursuing us. Here I see the intersection of the grace of God and our own free will. God draws us to himself, and yet, we all will have to make our own choice as he draws us. Jesus said, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32. Also, as John tells us, "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.

Another place comes to mind, Romans 2:4, "do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?" When someone recognizes God's kindness, forbearance and patience against the backdrop of their own sinful condition (the condition Paul is here referring to in this context), it should lead to repentance. It doesn't always turn out that way, as we all know. Often many refuse to recognize their own sinfulness. But when they do, the resulting sorrow, particularly cast against God's patience with them can and does lead to repentance. God is pursuing us.

I see this "godly sorrow" Paul speaks of as something that can be active in the unbeliever as well as the believer that needs a change of direction in their lives. I'm sure there are differences between the two, but God knows our hearts and he knows how to touch us in a way that can be very meaningful and effective. God can bless like no other and he can hurt us like no other. The difference between "godly sorrow" and the sorrow the world brings into our lives is that godly sorrow brings repentance and salvation with no regret, whereas worldly sorrow just brings sorrow, as Paul says, "death".

Here is something that speaks to God's reach for us, his pursuit of us. He is not merely satisfied with arms folded and willing to accept those who reach out to him. He pursues us, he reaches out to us, he brings things into our lives to draw us to himself. Are we not saved? His Holy Spirit convicts us of our need for salvation as we recognize the sin in our lives. Are we believers headed in the wrong direction? Again, his Holy Spirit brings us conviction, "godly sorrow". God is pursuing 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

How holy? How blameless? - 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 Titus 2:13-14,

"We wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

What Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross is breathtaking! In mission-statement fashion, he told his listeners, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10. Jesus' sacrifice of himself on that miserable cross paid the penalty for all our sins. Not some sins, but all sins. He "gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness." Not some wickedness but all wickedness. Some of us have a pretty big bucket full of sins we've committed. Some maybe not as many sins. Regardless the level, the amount, the nature of that wickedness, Jesus Christ has redeemed those who have embraced him in faith from it all.

We are told that he has done so in order to "purify for himself a people that are his very own..." How pure is "pure"? I have to think that when the Son of God purifies anything, it is as pure as pure can be. Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:4, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Holy and blameless in the sight of God the Father is as holy and blameless as holy and blameless can be. In Jude's doxology we read, "To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— " Without fault!

I suspect if God had a notion, he could have decided to forgive us our sins and yet regard us as "those..." the ones he had to purify. Sort of with the "red-headed stepchild" perspective. Had God done so, we would spend an eternity in the environs of God with a stigma, "a blot" against us. In heaven, to be sure, but there with an asterisk by our name. However, as Paul told the Ephesian believers, God decided ahead of time, he predestined, that all that who would embrace him in faith through the gospel message, he would adopt as his sons and daughters as "holy and blameless in his sight."

Just as pure as the wind-driven snow! How wonderful is that?!

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

Does everybody have a shot at heaven? - 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 Titus 2:11,

"The grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people."

I am aware there are those who teach that there are only certain ones God wants for himself. I can't help but notice, to a person, all I have encountered of that persuasion also claim to be among that group. I don't think I have ever run in to any one who buys in to that kind of theology also feels they fall outside the group... I think you see where I am going with this...

Our Savior, with a really big heart, wants all who want him. His invitation, his offer of salvation has been made to all people everywhere. When Jesus Christ died on that cross, he didn't pay a smaller payment for just a few. He paid a horrific payment for all the sins of all mankind for all time. Every sin that has ever been committed. I have little patience for those who hold to a minimalist view of how far Jesus' death went - as if it only satisfied God's justice for a few... how short an understanding of the things of God! How far short of the full counsel of the Scriptures! What must these people be thinking, when one day they will have to face the Lamb of God who shed his blood for so many... how will they answer?

God's offer of salvation to all people is represented in his gospel message that he has asked to be taken throughout the world. It is God's desire that all people be saved, 1 Timothy 2:4. It is for this reason that Peter tells us our God is patient, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. The only ones who will not be saved are the ones who reject this wonderful invitation God has extended to us through the gospel. No one will stand before the judgment throne of God and level an accusation that provision was never made for them, that they never had opportunity. No, the Lord has made provision for all mankind and he has left the decision up to us all as to whether we desire to spend eternity in his family or in a lake of fire. That decision must be made in this life, as the decision will be taken from us when we leave this life. We must embrace the Lord in faith, we must place our confidence in Jesus Christ to be saved, to go to heaven.

Unlike the "special ones" who reserve for themselves what they consider to be the "mysteries of God", the "select" who believe they are the only ones Jesus Christ died for on that miserable cross, I worship our big Lord with a big heart who has taken on himself the full wrath of his Father on the behalf of all mankind, to make a way 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

God's elected remnant - 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 Romans 11:5,

"So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace."

When God's Son came to earth, he took the good news of the kingdom of God to the nation of Israel. However, Israel, as a nation, never embraced Jesus Christ as her savior (not yet!) As Jesus observed when he approached Jerusalem just prior to his crucifixion, "... you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." Luke 19:44. What must not be overlooked is that the early church was comprised of some Jews (the apostles and other disciples), and, later, Gentiles that began to respond to the Gospel message. These believing Jews comprise the remnant that Paul speaks of above. His point is that even though the nation of Israel had not responded to Jesus Christ's offer of the kingdom, there was nevertheless some who had, and comprised God's "remnant."

Paul tells us God's choice, God's election, was that all who would respond to the gospel message, those who would embrace Jesus Christ in faith, he would give the right to become his children, "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. The gospel message of faith given to the church, and that the church was to take to the world, was and is God's decision, his choice, his election to bring folks into his family. Jews who responded to the gospel message in faith joined the "remnant."

We see the Jews failing to make it into God's family by any other means, while Gentiles did make it by faith, "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone." Romans 9:30-32. God's choice, his election, is that salvation is by faith. All who will embrace him in faith will be saved.

Of God's choice of faith, Paul says, "The righteousness that is by faith says... 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:6-10

It is the gospel message that provides the context for faith, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17. So important is the gospel message that 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.'" Romans 1:16-17.

In summarizing, we read, "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:22-24. To insure there is no confusion, Paul simply says, "For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." Romans 3:28. We can't get to heaven on our own by being good, we can only enter God's family through faith.

As in Paul's day, when he found himself defending the gospel of faith, we likewise encounter all kinds of "mysteries" and "deeper truths", other ideas that are advanced that oppose God's simple message of salvation by faith. Many claim today that only a select hand-picked few are manipulated by God into faith to force them into his family. Misunderstandings of the depravity of man, that somehow faith is a "work", that God forces us into his grace is a huge distortion of the simple gospel of faith we are presented with in the Scriptures.

Today I celebrate God's grace expressed in his invitation to join his family by embracing him in faith. I'll leave the theological "mysteries" - that only seem to be available to the theologians and their initiates - to them. I am excited and overjoyed by becoming a child of God by simple faith. 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