Love in Jesus

No, the announcement of the Savior’s birth did not come first to the religious elite in the hallowed halls of Jerusalem, nor to the political powers in Rome, but to shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem as they kept watch over the flocks by night.

Lowly, powerless, insignificant, nameless shepherds. Facing all kinds of fears, no doubt, from bandits, wolves, disease – and bearing the shame of high society.

How often do you suppose these shepherds may have wondered if God noticed them at all? If He really cared for them? Or if He even existed? Too many ticks on the clock with a flock of fickle sheep can trick your thinker into some discomforting theological pickles. And life certainly wasn’t blowing them any kisses.

Yet on that night with the brilliant light of God’s glory shining about them, and with the joy they discovered when they found the baby lying in the manger, every question was answered and every doubt and fear erased. This message of good news of great joy is indeed for all the people, and even these shepherds recognized their great worth in the eyes of heaven.

Friend, no matter how lowly or insignificant you feel, how unloved or unappreciated, or how shamefully others may treat you, and no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, this message of salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord is still good news of great joy for all people!

You are of such great worth in the eyes of heaven that Jesus literally came to give His life for you. The depth of God’s love for you is demonstrated at the cross, where mercy flows freely and grace abounds richly to all who believe and receive Him as Savior.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

May your Christmas season abound with the love of God through Christ Jesus!

Joy in Jesus

Do you ever find that your heart is not as full of the joy and wonder of your faith as it should be? Ever feel numb or indifferent to the spiritual things that you know ought to excite your soul and set your spirit ablaze?

Try beholding the glory of Jesus. John was absolutely captivated by the glory of Christ, and he never got over it. Writing his gospel account some 50 years after being with Jesus, he’s still in awe by the thought that he saw His glory.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Somehow, in some supernatural way, the Holy One from heaven, the all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent God Most High, Creator of all things, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God, the giver of living water and the bread of life, the light of the world, the Savior of the world – took on the flesh of mankind in all of its weakness, struggles and temptations.

And He revealed the very face and glory of the invisible God.

Re-ignite your complacent soul this season by gazing afresh upon the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. See Him with your eyes of faith through the Scriptures. Let His goodness and mercy and beauty recapture your heart and set your spirit ablaze.

And I still affirm that the experience of worshiping together with the body of Christ (the church) remains essential. That’s why we invite you to join us at Petersburg First Baptist Church every Sunday morning. We need the encouragement of fellowship and corporate worship experience. 

By the way, did you see the Gallup Health and Healthcare Survey released recently? It showed that the only demographic group who reported improved mental health in 2020 were those who attended weekly religious services! In a year full of stress and fears and chaos of all kinds, the fellowship of the church has become more important than ever.

Yes, we are taking all necessary safety precautions for your physical health. And yes, we respect the decisions of those who feel they should stay home and worship online instead. 

But we are created for community, and the community we find in Christ can be found nowhere else. The fire of a church set ablaze by the Spirit of God in worship of the Son of God will light up your soul with the glory of God! Come experience the joy and wonder together!

Peace in Jesus

I know the pressures and stressors of life are off the charts right now for many people, but I also know that peace is possible no matter what you’re facing.

When the angels announced the good news of great joy to the shepherds outside Bethlehem, they declared the glory of God in the highest and peace on earth to men. That peace is found in Jesus, and those who know Him as the Prince of Peace experience the blessing of His peace even in the midst of the storm.

If you find your heart in turmoil and despair, crushed under the weight of worry and anxiety, turn to Jesus and find peace for your troubled soul. Let me encourage you, friend, to take some time this season to meditate on these truths from God’s Word:

“For in him [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20).

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Again I say that when you fix your eyes on Jesus, trusting wholly in Him and walking in His ways, He will keep you in perfect peace. That doesn’t mean your problems will all disappear, but it does mean that the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus so that you will not cave to fear and anguish and panic but rather find the comfort of God’s presence and promises of His provision and protection to be real.

Now, a word of warning must accompany this truth, as well. While the Lord’s healing peace is made available to all, the unrepentant will never know it. “But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked” (Isaiah 57:20-21).

Friend, come to Jesus and discover peace you never thought possible. “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29:11).

Hope in Jesus

What are you hoping for today? Are you hoping the Bears get their act together before the season ends? Hoping we might still get to watch some Bluejays football or basketball sometime this year?

Are you hoping for peace in our nation? Hoping for a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19? Hoping for an end to world hunger, a workable answer to climate change, or a cure for cancer?

What are you hoping for? Are you hoping your car makes it through another winter? Hoping your job doesn’t get cut? Hoping you or your babysitter doesn’t get sick?

Are you hoping your marriage survives? Hoping your wayward son comes to his senses and returns home? Hoping that your mom in the nursing home is getting the care she needs?

Life can be filled with headaches and heartaches, anguish and agony. Indeed, life can be flat-out overwhelming. Maybe today you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of despair. The waves of trouble seem unrelenting, and you have no where to go, no one to turn to, and no hope in sight.

Friend, I want you to know that in Jesus there is hope for better things yet to come.

“Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever…The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in the land of deep darkness, a light will shine” (Isaiah 9:1-2).

The people of Israel in the prophet Isaiah’s day had turned away from God and faced the consequences of their rebellion – spiritual darkness, wandering, weariness, and hunger. Yet even then, rather than humble themselves in repentance to the Lord, they raged against God and cursed Him in defiance, which thrust them into further darkness and distress.

But when the light breaks through, the darkness doesn’t stand a chance.

God was giving His people hope by announcing the coming of their Savior. Even upon such a stubborn-hearted, stiff-necked, ungrateful and unholy generation, the Lord of mercy and grace was not abandoning His promise but fulfilling His Word with the hope of salvation.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

“…and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

If you’re looking for hope in your despair or light in your darkness, look to Jesus. The promise of His first advent (“coming”) brought hope to those in gloom, and the promise of His return gives us sure hope today for better things to come.

Is Unity Possible? There's One Hope

 We are the divided states of America. The media, of course, has long-since called the election for Joe Biden while President Trump has taken the count to the courts. Democrats are cheering, some Republicans are conceding, and a few holdouts are still hoping for a hail Mary.

Biden is claiming victory and calling for unity. How nice that would be! You know, just like the Democrats rallied around President Trump after his win in 2016 and like the Republicans joined hands with President Obama during his two terms. If only!

In order to achieve unity, somebody has to give up the fight. But we’re far too divided for that to happen. Fundamentally, philosophically, we are at odds on too many issues.

We can’t even agree on how to process ballots or battle this virus.

I know this sounds pretty pessimistic. But I’ll be honest: I don’t have much hope for America uniting together as one nation unless we truly humble ourselves under God. Unless we repent from our wicked ways and seek His face, there will be no healing in our land.

And listen, you don’t have to be a Bible scholar to know what’s right and what’s wrong. Isn’t it clear that abortion is wrong? Isn’t it clear that homosexuality is wrong? Isn’t it clear that lying is wrong? Isn’t it clear that greed is wrong? Isn’t it clear that slander and bitterness and pride and envy and divorce and drunkenness and violence and bribery and injustice and selfish ambition and sexual immorality and obscenity and stealing and sorcery and strife and anger all reflect the way of unrighteousness rather than the way of the Lord?

We need to confess our sins and repent! Nationally and individually, we need to beg the Almighty for forgiveness. We need to come to our senses, return to the Lord, and pray that by God’s mercy He will take us back.

I know that it’s possible! Our Father stands watching and waiting for His prodigals to come home. He has an incredible track record of showing compassion and steadfast love to those who trust and obey His Word. He has sent His Son Jesus to bring salvation to all who call upon His name, and in Him to unite all things in heaven and on earth. 

So no matter who’s in the White House, let us turn from sin and pursue righteousness and justice and peace and mercy and humility and honesty and kindness and patience and goodness and respect and love for one another before we devour each other and this divided house falls.

O God, send your Holy Spirit to invade hearts and lives across this land with the saving and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the good of this nation and for your glory. Amen.

You are loved!

For whoever needs this today – you are valued greatly and loved deeply.

I know the stress right now feels overwhelming. I know the nights are painfully lonely. I know the regrets of past mistakes haunt you.

But there’s a greater love. It’s the love of the almighty Maker of heaven and earth, the One who carved the seas and filled them with all kinds of living creatures. It’s the affection of the majestic Author of life, the One who set His glory above the heavens yet cares for every single sparrow and every single sunflower and every single spider that weaves such fascinatingly designed webs that it leaves one in wonder over the wisdom of its Creator.

And more than these – by a long shot – the Father in heaven loves those whom He has created in His own image. And that includes you.

You are not here by accident, chance, or coincidence. No, you were carefully, thoughtfully, skillfully “knit together” in your mother’s womb by God. You were “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Every single one of your days has been written in His book before you drew your first breath (see Psalm 139:13-16).

Oh, friend, if you could see yourself through the compassionate eyes of your Maker you would never again have reason to hate your life. Despise the sin within? Sure. But to detest your life? How could you, when you’re loved with an everlasting love by the One who is good and merciful, faithful and true?

Let me give you an illustration.

A man in Dundee, Scotland, was confined to bed for forty years, having broken his neck in a fall at age fifteen. But his spirit remained unbroken, and his cheer and courage so inspired people that he enjoyed a constant stream of guests. One day a visitor asked him, “Doesn’t Satan ever tempt you to doubt God?”

“Oh, yes,” replied the man. “He does try to tempt me. I lie here and see my old schoolmates driving along in their carriages and Satan whispers, ‘If God is so good, why does He keep you here all these years? Why did he permit your neck to be broken?’”

“What do you do when Satan whispers those things?” asked the guest.

“Ah,” replied the invalid, “I take him to Calvary, show him Christ, and point to those deep wounds, and say, ‘You see, he does love me’. And Satan has no answer to that. He flees every time.”    

You see, He does love you! No matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’re going through – look to the cross and see how much He loves you.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Why not join us this coming Sunday at Petersburg First Baptist Church, and we’ll bask together in the riches of God’s unfailing love!

Yes, you can memorize Scripture!

 

When was the last time you tried memorizing Scripture? You can’t, you say? I say you can! If I gave you a million dollars for every verse of the Bible you memorized, would that motivate you to give it a shot?

You’ve memorized the Pledge of Allegiance. You might have learned the Gettysburg Address. You probably know the Lord’s Prayer and maybe the 23^rd Psalm by heart. I think you can do it! 

Let me give you a few helps to encourage you to try to memorize one chapter from the Psalms. 

1. Choose a Psalm that you love. If your heart is engaged along with your mind, you’ll find great joy in the experience.

2. Remember the value of Scripture memorization. A soldier would never go to battle without his weapon at hand. When you have God’s Word abiding within, you’ll always have His truth at the ready. I could say much more on this point, but that’ll have to be another article. 

3. Set a deadline. This can vary by the length of the text as well as your own desired pace, but give yourself a month to memorize the 21 verses of Psalm 145, for example. But see No. 6 below. 

4. Be accountable to someone. This will keep you from quitting or putting it off. If you know that you’ll have to recite it in your Sunday School class or in a worship service, that will keep you moving forward. 

5. Ask God for help. Don’t neglect the power of God’s Spirit to impress His Word in your heart. Spend much time in prayer seeking the Lord. 

6. Read the passage out loud and often. Even before you start working on committing it to memory, read the entire chapter out loud at least 20 times. Maybe 50 times. 

7. Write it out by hand. This will help ensure that you are getting every word, comma, and period in place. 

8. Record yourself reading it, then play it back often as you’re out walking or driving. Try to read it with appropriate passion, emphasis, and context. 

9. Study the Scripture you’re working on. Who’s the author? Who’s the audience? What’s the occasion? What is God saying? How does it lead you to respond? 

10. Line by line, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, start memorizing it word for word. You might be surprised at how quickly it all comes together. 

Trusting in the King of kings

Who are you voting for in the upcoming Presidential election?

It’s already been a grueling election year – I suppose they all are – but the next couple of months could get ugly. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could learn to be nice to each other even when we see things from different points of view?

Certainly in terms of the future of our nation, however, there’s a lot riding on this election. The left and the right are fundamentally divided over the direction we should be heading. Differing philosophies, differing values, differing goals. It’s not just about the next four years; it’s about who we are as a country.

Yes, it is important that we vote. Christian, pray about your vote. Seek to align your vote with the principles of the God’s Word (as much as possible in an imperfect, fallen world with imperfect, fallen candidates). Honor the Lord with your vote. Love your neighbor with your vote. Seek the well-being of your city, your state, your nation with your vote.

But let me say that no matter what happens, our ultimate trust ought never to be in a mere mortal man, nor in a system of government, nor in the strength or prosperity of a nation. Our help is the God of Jacob and our hope is in the Lord our God.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright” (Psalm 20:8).

Nations rise and nations fall, and even the United States of America will not last forever, but the Kingdom of heaven will never fail.

“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19).

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations” (Psalm 145:13).

“The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 146:10).

In a world of much uncertainty and chaos, a world of turmoil and upheaval, a world of violence and wickedness and suffering, I say why wouldn’t you turn to Jesus as King of your life? Why not trust Him to rule in perfect righteousness and justice as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace?

No politician ever gave his life on a cross for the forgiveness of your sins, but the King of Glory did. No other world leader conquered the grave by rising from the dead, but the King of the ages could not be defeated.

So let us “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Let us pray for those in leadership positions (1 Timothy 2:1-2), let us strive for godliness as sojourners in this world (2 Peter 3:11), and let us keep our eyes on the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16), who will come again in power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).

He’s got my vote!

Wearing out your Bible

 

So I got a new Bible from my wife for our 27^th anniversary last week! Yes, she’s something of a saint for sticking with me all this time! Definitely my “good thing” from the Lord (Proverbs 18:22), a gift of God’s grace.

Do you know how hard it is to give up an old Bible? I’ve had this one since December, 2008, and have used it practically every day for almost 12 years now. There’s duct tape holding the outside cover together and packing tape on the inside. Its features include yellowed edges from fingerprints, a couple of coffee stains, underlined verses, and even faded maps.

Old Bibles are the best. The one I had before this was a Promise Keepers NIV Men’s Study Bible. That one was a Christmas gift from Amy in 1997. Nearly 1,600 pages of Scripture and study notes highlighting the godly character required of men. Remember Promise Keepers?

Here are the seven promises of a Promise Keeper, which are probably more relevant now than in the heyday of the big stadium PK events of the 1990’s:

Promise One: A Promise Keeper is committed to honor Jesus Christ through worship, prayer and obedience to God’s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Promise Two: A Promise Keeper is committed to pursue vital relationships with a few other men, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises.

Promise Three: A Promise Keeper is committed to practice spiritual, moral, ethical and sexual purity. 

Promise Four: A Promise Keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love, protection and Biblical values.

Promise Five: A Promise Keeper is committed to support the mission of the church by honoring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving his times and resources.

Promise Six: A Promise Keeper is committed to reach beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.

Promise Seven: A Promise Keeper is committed to influence his world, being obedient to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

That’s the kind of men we need in our world today! Let’s rise up, men, and live bold, faithful, purposeful lives that impact our homes, churches, communities, and nation for the Kingdom of God. Let’s forge a clear path for others to follow, especially our sons and daughters. Let’s refuse to compromise with worldly ways, and let’s reject passivity by accepting responsibility to lead, serve, and influence this world for good.

Start today by getting out your Bible and hearing what God has to say to you. The single most influential way to grow in your faith is the consistent intake of God’s Word.

Wear your Bible out. Make notes in the margin when God says something you need to hear. Underline key verses that help guide your steps. Read it. Study it. Meditate on it. Pray through it. Memorize it. And most of all, do what it says. You’ll be well on your way to being a godly man.

Hypocrisy at its worst

Double standards, different sets of rules, contradictions – is it any wonder why the public doesn’t have much confidence in the recommendations for mitigating the virus, when large gathering of protesters and rioters fill the streets with the praise of the talking heads, but you can’t have youth baseball practice anymore? When funerals for George Floyd and John Lewis draw hundreds or thousands, but you can’t have more than 50 people when your loved one dies?

I could go on for a while. When climate change protesters leave streets littered. When BLM activists rage against the few legitimate cases of police brutality but ignore the overwhelmingly greater issues of black-on-black violence, fatherless homes, and rampant drug and alcohol abuse. When the experts and politicians claim to be following the science and the data to save lives but can’t see the plain biology showing that life begins at conception and continue to promote taking lives.

But even worse, when those who say they belong to Jesus live like the devil, the impact on an unbelieving world can have dire and eternal consequences. Christian, I urge you to live by faith as a witness to the world!

Hypocrisy may be one of the most cited reasons why people don’t attend church. They know that professing Christians ought to be living to a different standard than non-believers. That’s very true. They should be.

Those who claim to know Jesus should be marked by attitudes of compassion, humility, gratitude, joy, peace, and so on. They should display gentleness, kindness, self-control, mercy, forgiveness, patience, etc. And they should be men and women who pursue righteousness and holiness and purity in every way, while renouncing ungodly and worldly passions.

If your primary excuse for not seeking after Jesus or the fellowship of His church focuses on the hypocrisy of self-identified Christians, first of all I’m glad that you see that there is indeed an expectation that Christ-followers should obey the truth of God’s Word.

And I’m sorry that the reality of our lives doesn’t always align with the righteousness of Christ Jesus. We all still stumble along the way. We wrestle with the old habits and lose. We still fall for Satan’s lies and foolishly indulge the desires of the flesh. At least sometimes.  

Christians are a work-in-progress. We are in the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus, but the construction is often slow and imperfect.

But let me urge you to keep your eyes on Jesus and not on the hypocrites. Listen, we know we’re imperfect. That’s why we know we need Him more than anything! We need His forgiveness. We need His guidance. We need His strength. We need His help.

And you know you do, too. “But God demonstrates His own love in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That’s an incredible kind of love that offers forgiveness and cleansing from sin. And the offer stands for you to receive salvation today.

Excuses won’t work on judgment day. Look to Jesus, the perfect and sinless Son of God, and believe in Him for everlasting life.