Devotionals for August 2009
August 4, 2009
Shamgar
While eating lunch the other day I was reminded of a little known biblical hero
that I had forgotten. His name appears only twice in Scripture. He's one of
those people that you read about in passing but seldom stop and think about.
The kingdom of Israel was in disarray. The people had turned to foreign gods and
were under God's judgment. War with the neighboring Philistines was an ongoing
problem. Scripture tells us that it was unsafe to even use the roads.
Judges 5:6 NIV
"In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
in the days of Jael, the roads were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths.
Shamgar rises to the need for a hero...
Judges 3:31 NIV
After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath,
who struck down six hundred Philistines with an ox-goad. He too saved Israel.
He killed 600 Philistines with an ox-goad. What's an ox-goad? It's a long stick
with a sharpened tip (sometimes a metal tip) used to poke the oxen pulling your
wagon or plow. That's it. That's all we know of the man.
I think we can safely infer that Shamgar was likely a farmer. After all, who
else would have an ox-goad? It would hardly be the weapon of choice for a
military man. Still, it's only an inference, not a known fact. Did the ox-goad
have a shovel at the end? Many centuries later, the ox-goads in England did, but
that doesn't mean the ones in Israel did. In fact, metal of any kind was hard to
come by during this time, so it seems unlikely.
What can we glean from this short account of Shamgar? I think there are two key
principles that we can see.
Firstly Shamgar must have had divine help. No one is going to kill 600 of the
enemy with a pointy stick without the help of God. The victory here belongs to
God, just as the victory of Gideon over the Midianites did.
Secondly we see that God uses ordinary people to accomplish His work. If God
wants a victory over an opposing army he seldom uses an army to do it. He uses
the most unlikely of us so that there can be no doubt who was behind it. The
story of Shamgar's victory brings to mind a passage from the New Testament.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV
Brothers, think of what you were when
you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were
influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of
the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the
strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the
things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast
before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become
for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
A farmer with a stick is a most unlikely hero. So it can be said of you and me
when the Lord uses us to accomplish his purposes. Still we know that God does
exactly that.
Shamgar is a man of faith used by God. When you trust God and follow His leading
the same can be said of you. We might not slay six hundred with an ox-goad but
we can minister to love of Christ in our ordinary lives using the simple gifts
and tools God has given us.
We don't need a title, or position, or anything else when we follow God. All we
need is a humble and willing heart. God will take your gifting and your tools to
put you to work for Him.
I don't doubt that Shamgar received a "well done good and faithful servant" from
the Lord. May your service generate the same response. May you make all you have
available to the service of the Lord.
Darrel Mason
August 5, 2009
Dark Sky
The sky to the east was covered with clouds as far north and south as I could
see and they were dark. It is not an overstatement to say they were ominous
looking.
A flash of light caught my eye. Lightning?
It wasn't lightning. It was a single bird flying across the face of the storm
and the sun in the west shone off the white feathers. The tiniest spot of light
had overcome the darkness and my eyes were drawn to it.
Darkness is trumped by light every time. The deeper the darkness the less the
light required to show against it.
As Christians we are admonished to live a lifestyle that stands out against the
darkness of a lost and hurting world.
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
"You are the light of the world. A
city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under
a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your
good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
We sometimes wonder if our little light makes a difference. The world is
watching. Just as that single gull lit up the sky, the smallest acts of Christ
likeness can be seen by many.
The world is watching. Sometimes they are watching to see us fail so they can
feel better about themselves. Sometimes they are watching to ridicule. Sometimes
though, they are watching to see if our Jesus really makes a difference in our
lives. They want to have hope, peace and joy but are afraid of being
disappointed.
The way we handle the struggles of life says volumes about our Lord. In many
ways, Christians have the same struggles as non-Christians. The difference
doesn't come in pretending we don't have problems. The light shines when they
see we have problems but we handle them differently.
When they see that many are drawn towards the light.
Don't be discouraged if your light has been shining and no one appears to have
noticed. They are watching and the light can shine a long ways. Sometimes it's a
long journey from our first glimpse of light to the source.
Until next time, keep on shining!
Darrel Mason
August 6, 2009
Here in Albuquerque we had a nice refreshing rain today. As I sat on the porch
praising God, I could feel not only I was getting refreshed but the earth as
well. You could actually see the plants lift up as before they were wilting and
drooping under the hot desert sun and temperatures.
After coming inside I looked the word “refreshing” up in a dictionary and found
the following definition: having the power to restore freshness, vitality,
energy, etc.
We all need refreshing at times. We need refreshing from the ruts of life or a
simple change of pace or scenery. Perhaps just a time to reflect and meditate on
God. Sometimes we are burdened and need a rest from the things that weigh us
down.
The concept of refreshing appears in Scriptures many times. David spoke of
meditating on the Lord. Jesus took time for prayer and solitude. The word
"refreshing" appears only once in the NIV and has a completely different
emphasis than we might expect.
Peter encounters a beggar at the Beautiful Gate and tells him ""Silver or gold I
do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, walk." The beggar responds by walking and leaping and praising God as
he went into the temple. That's where we usually stop thinking about the story.
The Bible however takes us deeper.
Peter preaches a sermon to the astonished crowd.
Acts 3:11-26 NIV
While the beggar held on to Peter and
John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place
called Solomon's Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of
Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own
power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him
over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to
let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be
released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the
dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you
see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through
him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But
this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying
that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins
may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he
may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus. He must remain
in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised
long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said, `The Lord your God will
raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen
to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely
cut off from among his people.'
"Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold
these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with
your fathers. He said to Abraham, `Through your offspring all peoples on earth
will be blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to
bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."
Of course the message offends the religious authorities so they jail Peter and
John. They don't want people to hear about refreshing in Christ rather than
religion.
Jesus cleanses us and refreshes us where we need it most. We are called to
repent and turn to Christ who will wipe out our sin. Who better than Jesus? He
alone has the power to truly refresh us for all of eternity.
We're stuck in the rut of our sin, unable to get out under our own power and
knowing the rut takes us straight to hell. Jesus came to refresh us and lift us
out.
The beggar left walking, leaping and praising God. How much more so should we do
the same because we've been set free?
Do you need refreshed today from:
Situations and circumstances?
From religion to relationship?
From family problems?
From marital issues?
From the burdens of life?
Do you need a cooling, refreshing rain of the Holy Spirit in your life?
There is only one place and one person who can heal, deliver and free you!
Until next time, rejoice in the refreshment only Jesus can give.
Refreshed again, I really needed that!
Thank you, Lord!
Darrel Mason
August 10, 2009
Roots Not Fruit
Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the
fire. Therefore by their fruits you
will know them. Matthew 7:17-20
We used to have an apple tree in our back yard. After years of picking up all
the rotten fruit that fell to the ground, we finally decided to cut the tree
down. Even after cutting the branches off, we had to finish the job, because the
trunk kept producing new sprigs. Even out of the ground new sprigs would
continue to grow from the roots. If we had left it alone, we would have
eventually had several new trees which would produce more apples. We had to get
rid of the roots to stop the production of fruit. Sometimes we try to get rid of
bad fruit in our lives only to find it popping back up again and again. When we
don’t like the fruit in our lives, we must dig deep within our hearts to find
out what we need to uproot so the fruit can no longer be produced.
God is more interested in your roots than the fruits you produce. Roots are
underground and hidden from the eye. Fruit is found above ground and visible to
the eye. That is why God’s word says you will know them by their fruits. We are
to see the fruits of ourselves and others to determine the kind of roots found
in our hearts. Matthew 12:34b tells us, “For out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” If you speak to someone
long enough, you can learn a lot about them.
Our mouths are tattle tales! They give away our heart. Have you ever been
speaking with someone and thought, “WOW, this person has a lot of anger, hurt,
and resentment.” Chances are they have a root of bitterness growing deep within
them—you are just seeing the fruit produced from that root.
Hebrews 12:15 says, “…looking carefully…lest any
root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”
Bad roots of any kind cause trouble and defile many just as good roots
bless many. Think about it. If a parent is an alcoholic, it has a negative
effect on the whole family and statistics show that the chances of his/her
children struggling with alcohol are high.
If a man comes to the saving knowledge of Christ, many times his entire
family is saved as a result. Biblically we know that Deuteronomy 5:9-10 says,
“For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth
generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who
love Me and keep My commandments.”
Christ is the Root and the offspring of Jesse according to Revelations 22:16.
That’s why when we are born again, God isn’t worried about the fruit we come to
Him with, because we are given a new taproot and in time will produce the fruit
of the Spirit. Our job is to totally destroy the old root system so that it
cannot spring up and cause trouble, defiling many. When we recognize the fruit
of the old root system, we need not worry about the fruit, but instead, get to
the root in our heart and utterly destroy it all. If you are ministering to
others, help them to recognize the fruit in their lives can only change if they
do something about their root system.
May we bear fruits worthy of repentance, being rooted and grounded in love.
God bless,
Janet Fairbrother
August 11, 2009
Revealed
There is something about the sun shining through stained glass, or through thin
slabs of semi-precious stones that just seems to warm my heart.
I find stained glass a little boring if the sun isn't shining through it, but
once it's lit it gains a beauty all its own. I've spent many a moment watching
the sun dance across the work of a glass or lapidary artist.
Looking through stained glass at clouds, then seeing the sun break through is a
special moment. The colors and images gain a new vibrancy. Suddenly, you can
sense all the passion and delight of the artist. The subtleties of the colors,
the delicacy of the lead work, the very heart of the image becomes revealed.
It's the same with a set of wind chimes I had long ago made of agate. No two
slabs are the same and their beauty really becomes apparent when the sun shines
through them.
Even something as simple as a mason jar of marbles take on a new beauty when the
sun lights them up. The colors leap out and the shape of the marbles reflects
the sun in marvelous ways.
I think these things are an ideal metaphor for Christians. When the "Son" isn't
shining through, our beauty isn't revealed. We have potential, but other than
perhaps superficially we're not all that great.
When the love of Jesus shines through us, people get a taste of all that He
created us to be. We mirror His love and it attracts people to Him. He created
us with a special purpose and when we allow Him to work we become things of
beauty in His eyes.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is
light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with
him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7 NIV
His love and mercy is revealed when we let His love shine through us.
The most magnificent stained glass pales compared to the beauty that is revealed
then.
Often in life, the enemy tries to cover us up so that the “Son-shine”
can’t get through or the image of Christ in us isn’t revealed in all the glory
it should be.
Are there spots that need dusting off?
Are the places that need a thorough cleaning?
How long has it been since you have been washed by the water of the
word?
Today’s a good day to ask God to help cleanse you in the areas where you
need it!
Someone is waiting for the beauty of Christ that can only be seen through you!
Until next time, may the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ wash and renew you. May
the love of God shine through you and light up someone else’s life.
They are waiting on you!
Darrel Mason
Rooted and Grounded in Love
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom
the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His
Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all
the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love
of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness
of God. Ephesians 3:14-19
This scripture is so full that every time I read it I get more revelation.
Today, however, I want to focus on what it means to be rooted and grounded in
love. This is important, because it tells us that to be able to comprehend the
immeasurable agape love of God for us we must first be rooted and grounded in
agape love. Now that sounds confusing. To understand His love we must have a
foundation of His love.
When we are first brought to salvation, we begin by understanding these basic
truths:
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 5:8 God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Simply put—I am a sinner, I need a savior, God loves me, and Jesus died to save
me. I begin my faith walk with the foundation that God loves me so much that He
made a way for me to fellowship with Him. The trouble is as we grow, we often
stray from that foundation. We begin to question how far that love goes. We ask
questions like:
·
Can God really use someone like me?
·
Does God really care about the little things that concern me?
·
I know God can _____ but will He do it for me?
·
What will I do if…? (all anxious thoughts)
All of these thoughts show a lack of comprehension of the extent of God’s love
for us.
We must go back to basics. We must be rooted and grounded in God’s love. Rooted
means to be anchored, firmly secure, and to fix or establish deeply. Roots also
support a plant and are the way a plant receives refreshment and its needed
nutrients. The meaning of the Greek
word translated grounded means to lay a foundation. This means our faith should
be built on the knowledge of God’s love for us.
We must know that everything God allows in our life and does for us is
based in His love for us. God is love. He operates out of who He is: LOVE. He
created me, saved me, blesses me, gives me favor, protects me, goes before me,
prepares me, tests me, corrects me, and even chastens me, because He loves me.
If I am rooted and grounded in love, I can begin to see no matter what is going
on in my life, He who loves me has let nothing slip by Him. I have no need to
fear or be anxious for anything. He is well aware of me, because He loves me!
Once we are rooted and grounded in His love, we begin to face life knowing
“that all things work together for good to those
who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created
thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:28-29, 35, 37-39) We begin to grasp the
measureless love of God which Ephesians 3 speaks of when it says
“what is the width and length and depth and height
— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.”
Look back to all the instructions God gave when He gave instructions to Moses to
build the tabernacle and everything in it. Look at the instructions He gave to
Noah to build the ark. He is extremely detailed. He gave measurements about
everything! There are no measurements about His love. It is immeasurablely wide,
long, deep, and high. We cannot truly know it—it surpasses knowledge. That is
what we are to comprehend. We are to be so sure of His love that fear cannot
enter us, because 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no
fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.
But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” God does not want us
tormented. His perfect love casts out fear and everything else not of Him.
We need to be perfected in His love more and more each day. The more we begin to
comprehend His love for us, the more we will not be moved by people,
circumstances, or powers and principalities.
Thank you Lord, for Your measureless love for me.
Deepen my roots and continue to build on my solid foundation of Christ, the
perfect manifestation of Your love. I love You, because You first loved me.
Thank you for choosing me. Help me to pour out Your love to others.
All praise and honor be to You!
Blessings,
Janet Fairbrother
Matthew 16:13 now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
Matthew 16:14 and they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and
others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
To some he was KNOWN as the TEACHER.
To some he was KNOWN as the PREACHER.
To some he was KNOWN as the PROPHET.
To some he was KNOWN as the HEALER.
To some he was KNOWN as the RABBI.
To a very select few he was KNOWN as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
To the demons he cast out of people, they KNEW HIM as "Jesus, the Son of the
Most High God."
Matthew 16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
To fail to KNOW PERSONALLY who Jesus IS; is a matter of receiving ETERNAL LIFE
or ETERNAL DAMNATION.
To the UNCONVERTED, UNREGENERATE HEART that can only see and perceive with the
natural eyes, Jesus was then and now ONLY a holy man sent from God like all the
other holy men that they had KNOWN all their lives.
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God."
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For
flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
But to those who heard his "message of the Kingdom" and were quickened by the
Holy Spirit to BELIEVE in Him, He became to them by revelation of the Spirit,
"Jesus the Christ, (the Anointed One or Messiah) the Son of the Living God!" And
with THIS REVELATION, we come to KNOW and FULLY UNDERSTAND that "there is
SALVATION in no other name."
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Some believe that Jesus was calling Peter a ROCK. But what He was really saying
to Peter and to us was, "Upon this ROCK" or upon this REVELATION that I AM the
Son of God and the long awaited Messiah, I will BUILD MY CHURCH and the GATES OF
HELL shall NOT prevail against it!" It is ONLY when the Holy Spirit gives us
REVELATION that Jesus is our SAVIOR, our REDEEMER and our LORD, will we come to
know REDEMPTION and SALVATION that leads to ETERNAL LIFE is found in NO ONE
ELSE!
Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever
you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven."
Only those who have been "born again from above" and who has been "baptized with
the Holy Ghost and FIRE" can receive the "keys to the kingdom". We know that
with KEYS we can LOCK and UNLOCK DOORS. The same is true in the SPIRIT REALM.
It is the Father that FORGIVES US, CLEANSES US and ACCEPTS our FAITH in Christ’s
finished work on the cross as PAYMENT IN FULL for our sins debt. John 3:16-17
It is Jesus who BAPTIZES us with the HOLY GHOST and FIRE. Matthew 3:11
It is the Holy Ghost that "works in us to will and to do His good pleasure" from
our conversion to our ascension into our heavenly home, through the process of
SANCTIFICATION.
It is the Holy Ghost who is the "Spirit of truth", who comes to give us
REVELATION to the nature and character of Jesus the Christ.
It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the FATIH to BELIEVE that we can DO THE WORKS
of Jesus and even GREATER WORKS because He has gone to the Father.
It is the Holy Ghost who gives us spiritual gifts and EMPOWERS us to be able to
"fight the good fight" and WIN!
All of this is in and through the REVELATION of Jesus Christ our Lord and our
KNOWING HIM and being KNOWN BY HIM!
So Jesus asks again, Who do YOU say that I am?
How well you know Him will be the answer to His question!
Darrel Mason
August 17, 2009
Deep Waters
I wasn't much more than a kid, certainly I wasn't a teen yet. To the best of my
recollection, it seems to me that there were three of us, two of my friends and
me. We were out fishing from a boat. That was a rare treat because mostly we
fished from the shore.
I don't remember the location, other than someplace around Amarillo,Texas. I
don't remember if we caught anything or not.
What I do remember is that the lake was deep. The water was clear and it dropped
off sharply right from the shoreline. As I recall, someone said it was several
hundred feet deep.
The idea of water of that depth was both terrifying and fascinating. I couldn't
comprehend lakes that deep.
The lake came to mind the other morning as I was reading Scripture. The Psalmist
cries out
Psalm 139:7-12 NIV
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where
can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I
make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if
I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your
right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and
the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
God's love is available no matter where we may hide. Four hundred feet was an
incomprehensible to me as a child yet God's love could have found me there. As
an adult I know that even the deepest of oceans or the furthest reaches of space
are not too far for God.
God's love is larger, more powerful and farther reaching than anything we can
imagine. The only way to avoid it is to choose to stay away from it, to reject
it.
As a believer when I face times of struggle I take great comfort in what the
Word teaches about the depths of God's love.
Romans 8:37-39 NIV
No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death
nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When we belong to Him, nothing can pull us away from His love.
John 10:27-30 NIV
My sheep listen to my voice; I know
them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is
greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the
Father are one."
In the hour of our greatest need when every help seems gone, when hope seems
nothing more than an empty promise and we wonder if anyone is hearing our
prayers we can take heart. No matter where we wander, no matter what we have
done, if we will simply cry out to Him, He is there.
In the darkness of the depths we may not understand His plans but we can take
comfort in His love.
Until next time, grab hold of Him with all you have and know that He will never
let you go.
Only one love is sure, only one love will last!
God loves you and doesn’t want you to ever forget that!
Reminded again of God’s love for me!
Darrel Mason
August 20, 2009
One Way Street
The street was clearly marked "One Way" and the traffic flowed in that
direction. The next block over it was marked "One Way" and traffic flowed one
way, but the opposite of where we had been. Pretty straight forward stuff and
accepted and followed by all.
We seem to have no problem with the concept of there being one right way to do
things. That is, until it comes to faith and all the wheels seem to fall off.
Jesus, the Christ, made some bold claims while He was walking the byways and
highways of the Middle East some 2,000 years ago. They are the kind of claims
that mean we must either accept Him as Lord or dismiss Him as liar. He never
intended to leave the options of prophet or good teacher open to us.
One of the more exclusive claims He made was in response to questions asked by
His disciples.
John 14:5-10 NIV
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we
know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as
well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
"Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you
such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,
`Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the
Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the
Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Jesus makes it very clear here to Philip and Thomas, and to us today, that He is
claiming exclusivity as the path to God. In fact He is making it abundantly
clear that He is God. We reject that claim at our peril.
There is only ONE WAY!
Whole books could be written about these verses and Jesus' claims, in fact they
have been. This morning, I simply want to look at part of Jesus claim. I am
the way and the truth and the life.
Note to begin with, the article used. Jesus does not claim to be "a" way, "a"
truth and "a" life. He claims to be "the" way, truth and life. What does that
mean?
The way means there are no other ways. No other god will do. No other means
leads to salvation. No other guru, prophet, teacher or preacher can do it. Jesus
Christ is the one and only.
The truth means just that. He is not a truth. All religions have some element of
truth to them, but that does not make all religions and faiths equal. Each of us
is free to choose our own belief system, but we must choose wisely, because
Jesus makes some very exclusive claims. There is no other truth.
The Koran may contain some truth but ultimately it must fail because it does not
recognize Jesus as the way. The Vedas of the Hindu faith may contain elements of
truth, but they, like the Koran must fail. The teachings of Joseph Smith, Mary
Baker Eddy, and so many more, fail for exactly the same reason.
It should not surprise us when the teachings of other faiths contain elements of
truth. If they were fully lies no one would believe them. Satan may well be the
father of lies, but he knows full well how to use bits of truth to cover his
deceit. He can even quote Scripture chapter and verse when it suits his purpose.
The Jesus is the Way. He points us to the truth that we must enter into. That
truth is that salvation is by grace alone, through a saving faith in Jesus
Christ alone. Through the truth we enter into the way.
Jesus is the way. The way to forgiveness; eternal life; sanctification;
justification; glorification and more He is the way to eternal life with father
in heaven. All other paths lead to destruction. With Jesus and Holy Spirit
indwelling the believer He leads us on the way to becoming more like Him and to
proclaiming Him to others through the way we live our lives and by word.
You may choose to do whatever you want to do with the claims of Jesus. Your
choice to reject them does not negate their truth. There is no other way. There
is no other full declaration of truth and ultimately there is no life.
One Way, One Truth One Life.
Make a decision today!
Darrel Mason
Big Dog
Today I took Masada for a walk at our local park. Coming towards us was a big
dog taking a lady for a walk. I think she was supposed to be walking him but it
wasn't happening that way.
When I say big dog I do mean big. He was a mixed breed, maybe
husky/shepherd/Saint Bernard and had to weigh in at well over 200 pounds. The
lady was small in comparison to this dog. If the dog was standing on his back
legs he probably would have been the taller of the two.
I stopped with Masada to give them plenty of room to get around us. When they
got twenty feet or so away, he looked at her, deftly backed up out of his collar
and came over to visit. Trying to hold
Masada, while the dog was introducing himself was a challenge. While the dogs
were introducing themselves she re-collared him and tried to pull him away.
Seeing her struggle with him I shouted
Go on, Go! That was all he needed and off he went.
Once the big dog recognized someone with authority he quickly complied. We're so
similar as people.
The guidelines for behavior for most people consist of what they think they can
get away with. If you don't believe that ask yourself why the slogan for Las
Vegas "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" works so well. Or consider the
number of people who slow down on the highway if they even think they see a
police car.
The world scoffs at the idea of facing Jesus return and even of facing His
wrath. They simply choose to believe they are free to do whatever they want. The
rebellion against authority exists even in believers and church members. They
look at their actions as a now thing and at obedience and consequences as a
maybe thing.
2 Peter 3:3-9 NIV
First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come,
scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this
`coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has
since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by
God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by
water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By
the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept
for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 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. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as
some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,
but everyone to come to repentance.
That's perhaps an understandable attitude for non-believers, but believers often
act in the same way. The language and jokes clean up, even for Christians when
the pastor stops by. Homes get cleaned up of anything incriminating and the dust
blown off the Bible if the pastor comes by for a visit.
It seldom fools the pastor and it never fools God.
I don't think we truly understand the magnitude of our sin in the eyes of God.
We do honestly repent of it and strive to turn away, but if we truly understood
how God sees it and the grace it took for His Son to come and die for us I
wonder if we'd be so flippant about it.
Sometimes we take the fact that we're forgiven for granted and abuse that gift.
We know that things are forgiven at the cross so we rationalize our sin and
think we're off the hook scot free. We may be forgiven, but sin still carries a
price in this world. It mars our relationship with Father and with other people.
Sin hardens our hearts and hampers our witness.
Think about the things you say and do. Would you do or say them if Jesus was
standing right beside you? The big dog listened when faced with authority. Will
you listen when faced with God's authority? If He was suddenly standing beside
you and telling you to do, or not do, something, would you listen?
You might not see Him but He sees all you do, say and think. He is right there
and His authority and wrath are real.
Until next time may you come to realize how close God is.
May the fear of the Lord bring you wisdom and obedience!
Darrel Mason
August 24, 2009
Things Unseen
Last night the clouds started
moving in preparing for today’s rain storm. Where there were lots of stars
before, now I could see none. Even the moon lay hid behind the clouds. Today the
sun was obscured from view most of the day.
I know the moon and stars were still there, even though I couldn't see them. The
night before last Masada and I were out, and the sky was a complete contrast.
The deep black velvet night seemed to stretch out into eternity. More stars than
I could count shone like so many jewels in the heavens and the moon looked like
an airport search light in its brilliance.
Life is like that. There is much that goes on unseen. We don't see the air we
breathe but we would be dead without it. The sun is still there even in the
black of night. God is ever present even though His face remains unseen in the
sky.
In the same way, battles still rage in the spiritual realm, invisible to the
naked eye. Angels and demons struggle against one another for the most important
thing in the universe, short of God Himself. They battle for the eternal souls
of people.
The struggle often manifests itself, at least to our physical senses, as
struggles against people and circumstances, but it runs much deeper than we can
see.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of
God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our
struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV
The people and situations are not the true enemy. They may be willing or
unwitting servants of the evil, one, but by themselves they hold no power. Our
battle rages in the unseen realm. That's why believers are called to wear the
armor.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you
may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the
breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the
readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up
the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the
evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers
and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the
saints.
Ephesians 6:13-18 NIV
If you've been a believer for a while, you knew I'd quote those verses, but
there are some other components of the armor that you might not be as familiar
with.
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake
up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first
believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside
the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:11-12 NIV
But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and
love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 NIV
There are more verses as well, but space is short, and this isn't intended to be
an exhaustive study. The battle rages in the spirit realm but there is something
we can do about it. We can stand equipped by God Himself to face whatever the
enemy throws our way.
Until next time, may you face the battle clothed in all the Lord has provided
for your protection and victory.
May you realize there are many things you do not see but must discern that are
occurring.
How is your discernment lately?
Are you prepared for the unseen things?
Darrel Mason
August 25, 2009
Arroyos
Areas of the landscape in New Mexico can be very misleading. In some places it
seems to be nothing but flat, arid land for miles, but it's not; even where it
does, the land has a beauty all its own.
The ground stretches out flat, sometimes for many miles, but suddenly, seemingly
out of nowhere, arroyos (small canyons) appear, often with rivers or streams
down at the bottom. Along the arroyo
walls may be sage brush, cactus and rattlesnakes, but down by the water things
are lush and green. Going from the top, down the arroyo walls and to the river
is like traversing three worlds.
While the land is arid, and much of it must be irrigated for farming, it's not
desert, although some of the arroyo walls must surely be close. I've seen a
couple of deserts first hand and they're a whole different ecosystem. Yet when I
read parts of Scripture, I think of New Mexico.
You see, the Scriptures often speak of God transforming the desert, a metaphor
the people of the middle east could relate to.
He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing
springs;
Psalm 107:33 NIV
See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each
man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like
streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
Isaiah 32:1-2 NIV
till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile
field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.
Isaiah 32:15 NIV
When I read verses like these, I picture the lush greenery at the bottom of the
arroyos and the cool refreshing water and I get just a hint of what the Bible
talks about.
The world can be a hurting and dismal place at times. We often think of those
circumstances as times in the desert. He promises it won't always be that way.
He'll restore the life and vitality to our lives and the world around us. That's
something to hold on tightly to in the desert days.
Perhaps you're in that desert and it looks the same as far ahead as you can see.
Remember the landscape of New Mexico and know that a refreshing stream may be
nearer than you think.
Until next time,
May you look past the desert to the
refreshing streams of living water that is flowing so close to you.
May you go a little deeper, a little longer, a little farther,
God is always there!
Darrel Mason
August 26, 2009
Permission To Change
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the
eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to
them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Luke 4:18-21
In this passage Jesus is in the synagogue
reading from Isaiah 61:1-3 and confirmed that Isaiah was prophesying of His
coming and the events that would happen in His presence. Change. Jesus came to
destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8) He came to make it possible for
change to occur. He died on the cross and rose from the dead so change could
occur. Jesus gives us permission and the grace to change. We do not have to
remain as we are.
Those who are sick may be healed. Those who are tormented by demons may be
delivered. Those who are slaves to sin may be set free. Those who feel no hope
may be full of joy and hope. Those who are lost may be found. Those who have
felt rejection may experience acceptance. Those who suffer torment may have
peace. He died and rose again so that all who are separated from God might be
brought near through the blood of Christ to obtain mercy and grace in their time
of need and live eternally knowing God. The following scriptures speak to us
about these changes:
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us
(for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"). Galatians 3:13-14
Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good
works. Titus 2:13-14
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will
of God. Romans 12:2
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the
Spirit of the Lord. 2
Corinthians 3:18
There are people in your life who won’t give you permission to change for
various reasons. Maybe they believe that is who you are, you have always been
that way, you were born that way, and they will tell you that you will never
change. Maybe there are people who don’t believe it is possible for you to
change. They will tell you not to get your hopes up, that is just the way it is,
that’s life, but the doctor said…and so on. Separate yourself from doubt and
unbelief! Believe God and His word. Surround yourself by people who will
encourage you and speak God’s truth to you. Christ and His work on the cross
made it possible and gives us permission to be different—to be a new creation
inside and out. Will you give yourself permission?
Forever changed and continuing to change from glory to glory!
Janet Fairbrother
August 27, 2009
Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and
see: The blind see and the lame
walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the
poor have the gospel preached to them.
And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
Matthew 11:4-6
John the Baptist knew Jesus was the One he came to prepare the way for. John
1:29-34 confirms this.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me
comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know
Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with
water." And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven
like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to
baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and
remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen
and testified that this is the Son of God."
Our scripture today however, comes as an answer to John’s disciples after John
had sent them to Jesus asking if He was the one or if they should look for
another. What caused John to doubt? Imprisoned and suffering the threat of
death, John found himself questioning what he knew to be true.
When you are in the midst of trials and suffering do you ever find yourself
asking, “Where are you God? Why are you letting this happen?”
The Jewish people knew of the prophesies of the coming Messiah. The prophesies
spoke of both a suffering servant and a reigning king. The Jewish people
were looking for someone strong to come and raise them out from under the
oppressive Roman rule. Jesus didn’t come as they expected. He wasn’t doing it
the way they thought it should be done. Luke 24:21 verbalizes what the people
were thinking after His death, “But we were hoping
that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.” Isn’t that exactly what
Christ did? He just didn’t do it their way. He didn’t meet their expectations.
Jesus answered John’s disciples by saying, Look what I’m doing. I’m fulfilling
what the scriptures said I would do. His response sounds like Isaiah 61. At the
end though is an interesting phrase.
And blessed is he who is not offended
because of Me. Now why did He add that in a list of miracles? He was
saying, “I may not be doing things the way you think I should. I may not be
redeeming you the way you thought I would. What you want is natural, but what
I’m doing is spiritual. Don’t be offended, or you will miss out on the blessings
I have for you.”
When people offend us, we most often walk away from them. We turn and leave. If
we walk away or turn away from God, we walk away from the best God intends for
us. Remember in John 6 when Jesus told His followers they needed to eat His
flesh and drink His blood? The people didn’t understand and said the saying was
too hard for them. They were offended and left. Jesus then turned to His
disciples and asked, “Does this offend you? …The
words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life…Do you also want to go
away?"
We may not understand everything God is saying or doing. We may not like the way
God is handling our life or the way he talks to us sometimes. If we don’t lay
down our agenda and accept His, we will not be blessed, because he will not
bless our agenda. God sees everything spiritually and works for our spiritual
good. Sometimes we get shortsighted and look only at the natural. Just because
we don’t see the good doesn’t mean God isn’t very much involved!
Let us not be as those Jesus spoke of in Matthew 13:13-17.
“Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and
hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
Lord, forgive us for being offended in you for Your ways are perfect. Open our
eyes of understanding, so we can see spiritually as You see. Give us spiritual
ears to hear, because only You have the words to eternal life. To whom else
would we go? We lay our will down for Yours.
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ
Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and
settle you. 1 Peter 5:10-11
Be blessed—Take no offense in God.
Janet Fairbrother
August 31, 2009
One Legged God
While talking to Janet the other day we got on a discussion of how some people
see God as all love and some see Him as all justice.
It got me thinking of games we played back when I was a child, particularly of
standing on one leg to see who could stand that way the longest or hop the
farthest. It usually wasn't very long or far. In short order we had to put the
leg down or fall over.
The fact is people were designed to have two functioning legs. Not everyone has
the luxury of two legs, but that was the initial design plan. Having two legs
keeps us balanced and helps prevent us from toppling over.
Many times, people try to make God with one leg instead of two.
Obviously since God is Spirit he doesn't literally have legs, but that's how the
people of Israel pictured Him. They considered the pillar of cloud and the
pillar of smoke to be His feet. The Bible refers to His footstool. He will stand
with both "feet" on the Mount of Olives when He returns. There is plenty of
evidence to hold up the idea of God having two feet as a metaphor.
The idea of a one legged God makes for an unbalanced picture.
To some God is only wrath. He is and angry, cold cosmic killjoy out to ruin
everyone's fun and squash people for the smallest mistake at a moment's notice.
To others He is only love and not even true love at that. They've reduced Him to
some senile old grandfather figure who sits there blindly ignoring their sin and
acting as some kind of cosmic genie to grant their every desire.
In reality, our God is a God of love and wrath. He is characterized as both from
the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation. His wrath is over the
obscenity of sin, and His love is for the people He created. That's why He sent
Jesus, to prevent those who would accept Him from His wrath over their sin.
Revelation 16:1 NIV
Then I
heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the
seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
1 John 4:19 NIV
We love
because he first loved us
There are consequences for our actions and lifestyles. There is also forgiveness
for those who accept Him. He stands with both feet firmly planted on the
heavens.
When it comes time to stand before God I pray all of us will be balanced,
knowing that He punishes sin but also has made a way for us through love and
forgiveness.
How many legs does your God have?
How many legs do you have?
Use them both to walk and stand, if not it won’t be long till you will fall
over.
Balance is the key to getting where you need to go.
God is a God of balance
And has two legs!
Darrel Mason