Pastor Goforth

Cavalry or Calvary?

October 3rd, 2017

So, years ago, in a small Central Texas town, there was a church, a simple little L-shaped brick church. The Calvary Baptist Church. Great name for a church. They built a sign out front and painted the name of the church, “The CALVERY Baptist Church”. It was a misprint that wasn’t noticed for a LONG time. But there is a bigger misprint going on with many people.

Today I was watching a TV show, and the actor said “The CALVARY is here”, when help arrived. That set my mind to spinning about the confusion with many Christians. Do we need the cavalry or Calvary?

The cavalry in the past were soldiers on horses. From old movies, we can hear the bugler playing, and the hooves pounding the ground, and feel relieved that help is coming. Today, the cavalry is the brave heroic soldiers in armored vehicles protecting from us evil.

But, Calvary is the English derivative of the Latin word for the hill called Gol’gotha, a place of execution, shaped like a skull, outside old Jerusalem. It is the place where countless, nameless, many were executed. But there is one name we know, it is where Jesus was crucified in the 1st Century, between two convicted thieves, though he himself was innocent of any sin or act against God or Man.

Why?

Calvary, in God’s court, is about atonement. The Old Testament is full of the concept of an innocent life becoming a substitutionary sacrifice of atonement, a propitiation, for the sin of man, seeking right standing with God.

Leviticus 16:34 (NIV84) – ³⁴ “… Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.” And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

But, as you can see, the Old Testament atonement was a temporary activity, over and over, pointing us to the coming of the final sacrifice, the last lamb.

So, why am I writing? We are often looking for Christ to be our “cavalry”, to come riding in, on a white horse, and save the day. The problem is that we don’t need the cavalry, we need Calvary. Often our cry for the cavalry is over things that are insignificant things, at least eternally. We get fearful and worried about things that don’t matter. As Jesus said, in the Sermon on the Mount, we run after food, clothes, and treasures. We lay up things, as treasures, that will ultimately rust and decay, or we fight to control our tomorrows. We run after, fight to protect, cry out to God, for the Cavalry, all for unimportant things. But Jesus says, in Matthew 6:33, “seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added …”

So, how do we attain position in the Kingdom of God? How can we achieve the righteousness of an All-together Righteous God?

All our righteousness is like filthy rags – Isaiah 64:6

There is no one who is righteous, not even one – Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 3:10-13

How can we, who are so far away from God, be brought near?

Ephesians 2:13 (NIV84) – ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

At Calvary

Years I spent in vanity and pride

Caring not my Lord was crucified

Knowing not it was for me he died

On Calvary

By God’s Word at last my sin I learned

Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned

Till my guilty soul imploring turned

To Calvary

Mercy there was great, and grace was free

Pardon there was multiplied to me

There my burdened soul found liberty

At Calvary – William R. Newell

We are sinners, our only hope is found at Calvary.

Romans 3:25 (NIV84) –²⁵ God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

Hebrews 2:17 (NIV84) – ¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

1 John 2:2 (NIV84) – ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 4:10 (NIV84) – ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

And there, on Calvary, love was personified as the Lamb of God gave himself, once and for all. Remember in the Old Testament the sacrifice was offered once a year for all sin. But at Calvary a sacrifice was offered once, for all sin, for all time.

Hebrews 7:27 (NIV84) – ²⁷ Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

Hebrews 9:12 (NIV84) – ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

1 Peter 3:18 (NIV84) – ¹⁸ For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

So, at Calvary, we are offered what we need for eternity.

Oh, there is nothing wrong, even everything right, with seeking the intervention of God in our every day, even temporal things, but set your heart on Calvary, not the cavalry. Set your affections on Calvary. There’s no better place where I can see God’s love poured out for me, than Calvary. Oh, by the way, longing for the cavalry is ok, matter of fact, that longing is right and will be fulfilled. THE Cavalry IS coming. We will have our White Horse Day, but all things in proper order, and for eternal things.

In Revelation 19:11+, Heaven will open and a White Horse Rider will emerge. He is called “Faithful and True“. With justice he judges and makes war. He will come, eyes blazing, with many crowns on his head. His robe has been dipped in blood, at Calvary, and his name is The Word of God. He is John’s “Word” from John 1:1. He is one with God, from the beginning, and himself God, Creator of all things. But when THE Cavalry of Heaven comes, it will not be for temporal things, but eternal. He is coming for his people, his land, his creation, his dominion, to fulfill his promises.

Revelation 19:14 says that the Armies of Heaven will be with him, also riding white horses, dressed in fine linen, white and clean. I believe this army includes the Raptured Church, dressed in the Righteousness of Christ, secured on Calvary’s cross, received by faith, by those who believe.

And the leader of The Cavalry, “Faithful and True“, the “Word of God“, will have a name written on his robe and on his thigh, “King of kings, and Lord of lords”. Could it be that this name will be written in blood, the blood of Calvary? I believe so. But why the thigh? The thigh contained the strongest bone, and the strongest tendon. Covenants were made by placing a hand on the thigh.

Jesus, because of Calvary, has made us a promise, and he will keep this promise. The Cavalry is coming, because of Calvary. A promise written in blood.

Where will you turn today? The Cavalry or Calvary?
Service Principles

September 22nd, 2017

John 13:13-15

You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘Lord’, rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should was one another’s feet. 15 I have set you and example that you should do as I have done.

The night before his crucifixion, in the upper room, Jesus taught his disciples much. He shared a Passover meal with them, and tied it to his coming sacrifice. He left the observance of bread and cup as a perpetual reminder of his sacrifice, and he washed his disciples feet.

what was Jesus teaching? He was teaching us how to be a servant, more than what to do. Sure, sometimes we have foot washing ceremonies, but that is not what Jesus was trying to accomplish. He was teaching the principle of service; see the need, meet the need. Jesus says (v15) “do AS I have done” … not do WHAT I have done.

So, quickly, what are the service principles I see here?

1. Recognize

you call me teacher and Lord

There is a difference in calling him “teacher and Lord”, and actually allowing him to be those things to you.

phoeo = to name, to call, to cry out. We have called him teacher and Lord, but are we actually learning from him and obeying him? We cry out to him for our needs, but are we listening when He calls to us to serve Him by serving others. We need to recognize him as teacher and Lord

Lord – kyrios = lord, master, owner, ruler. To be his servant we have to recognize he owns us, he leads us, he rules us, is the boss, Sovereign in all things including my life. If we recognize him as Lord, we will never say, “But Lord,”… we will just say “Yes sir.”

Teacher – didaskalos = master teacher. Sure we don’t always know how or what … but we have a teacher. He will teach us didactically, thoroughly, if we allow him. More on that in a moment. But

we also need to recognize the need. In this case, dirty feet. There were no servants in this house, so the custom was for the first guest to wash the other guest’s feet. But no one had recognized the need by action. Why? Pride. The disciples often fought over who was greatest. So, they weren’t going to serve. But Need is greater than pride or position. Recognize the need

Need > Pride/Position

2nd principle

2. Ask

To the disciples credit, they did often ask, when they didn’t know. Of course they spent 3 1/2 years with Jesus, who was doing stuff that they weren’t used to seeing. So, they often asked:

Lord teach us to pray

Lord Increase our faith

Lord help my unbelief

v6 Peter said “Lord are you going to wash my feet?” i.e. What are you doing? Why are you doing this?

We have to ask. Remember James 4:3, “you have not because you ask not.”

Jesus said “God is always at work around us.” If we want to know what the need is ask. If we want to know what to do, how to do it, ask. And our teacher and Lord will tell us, teach us, how, what, when, or who

principle #3

3. Watch / Listen / Learn

Can you imagine the stunned silence while Jesus didn’t scold them for their lack of service. They failed to do the most obvious thing in the room. This wasn’t something they didn’t know, they knew. This was custom, this was expected, they just didn’t do it. But often, refusal to serve is contagious. First guy showed up and no one was there to wash feet, so he should have taken up the towel and served, but he didn’t. So, the next arrives, and he doesn’t serve, “well he didn’t do it, he should have, well I’m not.” And then each one that arrived made the same decision. Pride reigned. But Jesus is Lord, they called him Lord, and when Jesus reigns, the need reigns. See the need, meet the need. So, Jesus took off his privileges, and put on service. This is Philippians 2:1-11 in action. When we watch our Lord and Teacher, we can’t help but serve.

now that I have … I have set an example that you should …

We have to pay attention. We have to practice, to try. Don’t fear failure IN action, but failure TO act. The only failure is if we don’t try. Trial and error is learning. Failure to try is disobedience and failure to learn.

The final principle is

4. DO

Trying, practicing, learning, leads to DOING as a lifestyle. Service then becomes ingrained in life.

This is not box we check with a one time action, and then we are done. We don’t get our “service badge”. No, we serve, humbling ourselves, recognizing the needs, following the example of our Lord and Master Teacher, laying down our lives for others. That is the love of Christ within us. That is a spring of living water bubbling up out of us.

Please know that I am not writing this as Mr. Service, like I have all this together, but as a learner trying to learn.

But as we learn. As we stop trying to please ourselves, serving others, we find our pleasure we find our happiness.

v17 “now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

– markarios = blessed, happy, fortunate. Oh we have it backwards. “If they would just do for me, I would be happy, fortunate.” NO … the blessing, the fortune, the real happiness, is in serving. Happiness follows service, because service follows Jesus, and following Jesus causes the Father to say, “well done.”
Rivers of Waters

September 6th, 2017

Rivers of waters … we have seen it this week, whether in person or on the media outlets

John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him (NIV84)

How do we survive the waters? How do we survive the toxic floods, the rivers and storms of life? It is not from being prepared, physically or even emotionally. It is not by building a wall around yourself. The way we survive is about what is within. In this life, how do we survive? Oh, we talk a lot about eating right, exercise, to elongate life and improve the quality of life. But ultimately, even the perfect specimens of health too will one day die. It has been appointed man once to die, and then the judgment. And that judgment will not rate the quality of our physical body. Their will be no after death assessment of body fat mass index or whatever. So, if we all are going to die, can I survive death? How do I survive death, because we ARE going to live on in eternity. So, how do we survive in life and in death?

Standing at the graveside of his friend, Lazarus, Jesus said, (John 11:25) “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies 26 whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believes this?”

Did you see the lynch pin? Did you see the key to unlock the door of life? If we are all appointed to die, and then the judgment, upon what is the judgment based? Jesus said, “He (she) who believes in me will live” Believes = pisteuo – to believe in, to have confidence in, to have faith in, to trust. Notice that it isn’t simply “be a person of faith”. No, my faith must be IN something that can do what I desire. I can believe that I can fly … but that won’t go very well. Or I can get IN a plane and actually fly. Jesus says “he who believes IN me will LIVE” = zao – to come back to life, to live again, to be resurrected. Praise the Lord … though we are dead, we can be resurrected. WHEN we die, we WILL be still living, if have have faith IN the only one who can guarantee us life … Jesus the Christ.

“But Pastor” Oh, I hear you out there, “But Pastor, sometimes I don’t get the pleasure, the relief of death to give me a passageway to real life. So, what do I do in the nasty now and now, while waiting for the sweet bye and bye?” Isaiah 43 (ESV) “But now, this is what the Lord says, he who created you … who formed you … FEAR NOT, for I have redeemed you …” (qal – to buy back) “… I have called you by name, you are mine…” Wow oh wow, have you ever felt like a forgotten dog at the pound? He HAS chosen US … called our name … and said “you are mine”. So, v2 “when (not if) you pass through the waters, I will be with you …” Oh, the waters will come in this life, but because we are chosen and have believed, we are NOT ALONE. “… and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you …” Sometimes we go through the rivers and sometimes they go through us, but we need not be overwhelmed = shataph – drown, overflow, gush out, flow out abundantly, to inundate. “… when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flames shall not consume you.” v3 “FOR, I am the Lord your God … your Savior” = mosia – to be spacious, ample, broad, to set free, to give victory. Oh Dear Fellow Traveler … when the flood waters rise, and the rivers crest and change direction, and ends up in our front yard, when it seems that it is all closing in, how, where, can we find freedom, a spacious place, an ample space to be free? The freedom comes from within.

So, John 7:38, and Isaiah 43:2 teach us something. IF the waters come around us, rise over us, they don’t have to gush out from us. As a matter of fact they CANNOT, if we place our faith IN Christ. Why? It is because something else occupies that space. The ESV says “whoever believes IN me, as the scriptures have said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

The toxic waters flooding around can’t overflow or gush out because I have a river of life flowing out of me. And by the way, the river flowing from within isn’t just a metaphor, no the river is Somebody. V39 says he was referring to The Holy Spirit, given to all who believe. Hallelujah, when I believe, Jesus, gives me access (Isaiah 12:3) to drink from the well of salvation, and places his Spirit within me and streams of living water flow within me.

Spring Up Oh Well!
What an Opportunity

August 14th, 2017

So, in the growing face of division on the ethnic front, my frustration is often that the church is either silent, or so loud that you can’t hear, and generally loud about the wrong things.

However, in the reality that the church, especially the church of a lighter hue of skin, is often silent on these issues, there is an opportunity.

Do you ever have a friend who never says anything, and then they finally speak, and everyone just stops and listens? Well, silent church, it’s time to speak. It’s time for the church to be the church. It is time for the church to model Our Lord, humble ourselves and get into the equation, in order to draw men to God.

The idea of one group or another thinking that they have supremacy over another is ludicrous. The idea of differing “races” is first designed to divide us. The truth genetically is that there really is only one race, the human race. There is so little difference between differing ethnicities that you cannot divide us into “races” genetically. A difference in hue of skin is not enough to call for supremacy. We are different ethnicities, we are different nationalities, we are differing cultures, but even those are not limited to hue of skin or language spoken. Some of the greatest atrocities in history have been carried out in the name of supremacy. Even if supremacy were a reality, what should be the attitude of the one who thinks themselves supreme?

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in the appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on the cross! (Philippians 1:5-8)

The most Supreme Being in the universe, who has lived in and out of time for eternity, who created all things, who is himself completely pure and holy, did not consider his Supremacy something to be flaunted, but emptied himself, made himself nothing, took up the clothing of a servant, and served!

What should the church, the people of God be doing in the world? No less. We may be ourselves “innocent” of any wrongdoing, though that is probably not true, but still even if we are, there is action to be taken. We are given the ministry of reconciliation by God in 2 Corinthians 5. That, I believe, includes reconciliation between God and man, and people to people. Why, because Paul also says in Ephesians that the great mystery of the work of God is that people who were separate are brought together by God. People who were God’s Special people, and people who were not, are brought together by the work of Christ at the cross. How can WE do any less?

The expectation of God has always been that his people would be loving toward outsiders in an effort to bring them inside. Oh I am not talking about our right and expectation to defend ourselves against those bent on destruction and desolation. But the issue is that God always has a place for the outsider who desires to be in.

Homeless/Displaced, Fatherless, Faithless, Spouseless, Voiceless –

God has always reached out and always calls his people to do the same. Why? Because we have ALL been on the outside. We all needed to be brought in, and Christ has made that possible for all of us.

I don’t want to take time for an exhaustive exposition of the scriptures on this topic, but let me bring up a few

Exodus 22:22–24 (NIV84)

²² “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. ²³ If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. ²⁴ My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

Expectation? Responsibility? Accountability? Yes, yes, yes.

Deuteronomy 10:18–21 (NIV84)

¹⁸ He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. ¹⁹ And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. ²⁰ Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. ²¹ He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.

Did you see verse 19 “and you …” there is an expectation and a reason … “for you yourselves were … (so) fear the Lord … serve … hold fast … he is your God”

In Deuteronomy 16:11 – every category or division of persons are called to Praise and Worship God together

Deuteronomy 24:17–22 (NIV84)

¹⁷ Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. ¹⁸ Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this. ¹⁹ When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. ²⁰ When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. ²¹ When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. ²² Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

What does God think about our failure to join him in these things? Notice here what God says, AND that the response of God’s people is “Amen” (so be it)

Deuteronomy 27:19 (NIV84)

¹⁹ “Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

Psalm 10:14, 18 (NIV84)

¹⁴ But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

¹⁸ defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

How do we understand love?

In 1 John 3:16-18, we see love, and see the expected response from those who know the love of God.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”

Love requires action and is directed toward those who need it, not just toward those to whom we want to give it, or to those who give it to us. But if the scripture stopped there, Jesus did that, we would be left to decide if we should just say “thank you” or if something else was expected of us in response. But then the Holy Spirit inspired John to continue in v17 …

and WE ought to LAY down OUR lives for our BROTHERS …
Then speaking materially John says if we see our brother in need (having ability to meet the need) and do not meet the need, how can the love of God be in us?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this takes the Spiritual response of Christ that entered the Physical Realm of laying down his life, then ties it to material needs … But the principle is there. If there is a need, and we CAN meet the need, but will not, how is that a reflection of one who is indwelt by the Spirit of God? So then John tells the Church what to do in v18 …

let us not love with words or tongue, but with action and in truth …

What should the church be doing and saying?

It is time for the church which is often silent, to speak up. Here is our opportunity. It is time for the church, which is often seen in the posture of kneeling in prayer, or standing in worship, to get busy walking in truth and acting in love. I tweeted out today, “if the church Lives Love, we earn the right to speak. When we do NOT love, we cannot speak, we lose our right to lead when we do not Live Love.”

So then, let me come back to two scriptures and close,

Psalm 146:5–10 (NIV84)

⁵ Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, ⁶ the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the Lord, who remains faithful forever. ⁷ He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, ⁸ the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. ⁹ The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. ¹⁰ The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.

This is what God does. He is our hope, he is the hope of the one who is hopeless and will but turn to him. Remember Isaiah quotes God as saying “Turn to Me and Be Saved all the ends of the earth.” Oh that the Church of the Lord would live like he lives IN us. That we would be a place that upholds the cause of the oppressed, hungry, the prisoner, the blind, the broken, the displaced, the fatherless, the spouseless. If God stands with them and for them, we better get on God’s side.

Then … here is a vision for the church in the world today …

Psalm 68:1–6 (NIV84)

¹ May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. ² As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. ³ But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. ⁴ Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds— his name is the Lord— and rejoice before him. ⁵ A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. ⁶ God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Oh could we tread on thin ice here and put ourselves, as imitators of God, in this equation? Let me say it this way …

Let The Church Arise, may the enemies be scattered; may their foes flee before them. As smoke blown away by the wind, as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. May the righteous be glad and rejoice, be happy and joyful. Sing to God, sing praise to his name, and rejoice before him. But may we be more than worshipers in a church building. May the church, modeling God, be a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, believing we must, because God is on his throne in the Holy Place. May the church be God’s instrument for settling the lonely in our families, leading forth prisoners with singing instead of stealing their song. May their ever be room, for all, in our walls, who are needy and seeking. May there be NO ROOM, for those who will abuse and divide.

Let us, dear children, love, not just with words or with tongue, in silence and separation, but let us love with action and in truth, out of the church and into the streets.
Do Not Be Afraid of Them

June 27th, 2017
“Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord – Jeremiah 1:8

Do not be afraid of them … There is always a “them” or an “it”. What are you afraid of? Hear the words of the Lord, “do not BE afraid“. The good news is that it doesn’t say “do not fear.” Things will make us feel fear. Fright happens. Something or someone jumps out at us and we feel fear. A circumstance arises and we feel fear. But the encouragement is “do not BE Afraid.” There is a difference between a feeling of fear, and a state of being that is afraid. Fear that is a fleeting is natural. Fear that stays is a controlling force that will shape us, hold us back, and transform us into people who are only a shadow of what we are or can be.

The instruction, admonition, to Jeremiah comes in the midst of an argument between God and the soon to be prophet.

The First Word of the Lord – v5 “I appointed you as a prophet before you were born”

The First Word of Jeremiah – v6 “I do not know how to speak”

The Second Word of Jeremiah – “I am only a child”

So, God has a revelation and an invitation and Jeremiah’s response is “yeah, no. My age and my education are lacking.”

Then comes the …

Second Word of the Lord. “I didn’t ask you that”. v7 – “Do Not Say, ‘I am only a child’, you must GO … I Send … Say whatever I command.” God is saying, “I hear your arguments and you are right, you ARE young (inexperienced), and do NOT know what to say (uneducated), but I just said “Go, no experience necessary, and say, tell them whatever I tell you to say.” Jeremiah didn’t need to know anything, he just needed to repeat what God said, where God said “go”.

What is the instruction? “Go and Say.” And there lies the FEAR POINT … Go …

God was sending. That means leaving where I am and go. That means taking God’s word, in this case, to people that do not want to hear it, and so the unspoken word of Jeremiah is …

“I Am Afraid.”

I believe fear, in most forms, is based on one or a combination of lies we believe, “I can’t”, “I don’t know how”, “No one cares”, “no one knows.” Or “I am unable”, “I am uninformed”, “I am unloved”, or “I am alone.” Those are the lies that make us afraid. So it is with Jeremiah, “I am too young, I don’t know how,” Jeremiah is afraid and so comes the …

Third Word of the Lord – v8 “Do not be afraid of them”

This is no basis for fear. The way we counter the lies that breed fear is countering with truth. Scared of the dark? Turn on the light. Afraid of being alone? Find out who is with you. Do not be afraid, because …

“I” – Who is speaking? God Almighty. “I am with you. You are not alone. Speak what I say. You will know. I will rescue. I am Able.”

Do not be afraid of them, do not focus on them.

I am … well … “I Am”
- the Creator
- the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
- the God of Moses and the Children of Israel
- the God of Joshua and the Promised Land
- the God of David, not Goliath
- I Am with you, instructing, sending, rescuing
I am Declaring this, not suggesting this. I, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, am Declaring. This is the word neum – a decision, a marker of authority. I, the Lord, have put a line in the sand, this is MY Declaration … and so comes

The Fourth Word of the Lord – v9 “Now”

“Since we have settled your weak concerns, your obvious unfounded fear, now …” “I am taking your words out of your mouth”. Fear, “I can’t”, “I am too young”, “I want to go”, all those words have to go … “Now, I have put MY words in your mouth.” So, God’s words, “go on mission, saying what i say”, fear replaced with confidence, lies exchanged for truth.

“I Appoint”. The same God who lays a marker says, “I have inventoried my army, and you are in my number. I have determined that you are mine and you have a value, purpose, and this is it.”

“I appoint you … for my ends.”

So the Lord asks, v11 – “What do you see?”

The first time God spoke all Jeremiah sees is himself in the mirror of his understanding. Now Jeremiah can look out … “I see the branch of an almond tree.”

And the Lord says “you have seen correctly”

Only when we banish fear and embrace the Word of the Lord can we see what he sees and say what he says.

And then it is as if we can hear the Lord saying, “Alright, now we can go somewhere … and v13 says, “The word of the Lord came … again.”
“He is Just Lost”

May 30th, 2017

Ian O’Conner reporting for ESPN today a aid “he is just lost in every possible way, literally and figuratively.”

The story hit yesterday of Tiger Woods’ latest scandal and as the details came out this morning it just got worse and worse. Everyone will be piling on, but I want you to know what I am hoping.

I am hoping that Tiger Woods wins 19 majors. Now if you know me you will know how strange that is. I am 52 and a lifelong golf fan. I grew up in Ohio. I am a Huge Jack Nicklaus fan. I am a single digit handicap golfer, was even employed as a teaching professional for a minute. I have a great appreciation for the golfer that Tiger Woods was. But I was never a fan. I didn’t like the hype, and I didn’t want him to beat Jack’s records. I didn’t want him to become the GOAT in golf, that was Jack’s domain. And it still is. Oh there are many great golfers, and many great for a time but whether Norman or Miller or Whomever, something always brought them down.

For Tiger to be the GOAT he would have to beat the record. It is the greatest of ALL time not just A time.

So there was a time when Tiger could be that arrogant guy that we saw on TV, and do the things we didn’t know were happening out of the spotlight, and still win. However, time, physical limitations, and these indiscretions have caught up with him, like an unseen foe in the night, and that greatness cannot just happen now.

Nevertheless, I hope Tiger wins 19 majors. Why? Because for him to win 5 more majors at this stage in his life, he will have to find his life. He will have to get his life together. He will have to get help and get healthy on every level. I, for one, pray that happens.

Jesus said “he who would find his life must lose it”. Jesus said “what does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul.”

Yes, Tiger is lost. He told police that he had been playing golf in Los Angeles, but he was in Jupiter, Florida. He has his coasts backwards, and his life too is upside down. If you are flying an airplane, and think you are right side up, but are upside down, when you pull “up” you will crash.

Yes, I am praying for Tiger. Praying that he will find the Author of Life. I am praying that he will turn to Jesus, and find that he has been there all the time.

Jesus said “I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus said “I have come that you might have life, abundant life”

Tiger and countless millions who are lost and lifeless need the Seeking One who gives life.

Will we pray for them?

Will we tell them?

“Lord open Tigers eyes, open his ears, open his heart. Bring someone across his path today, and tomorrow, and the next, and the next, until he says ‘Lord, I believe’.”
Making the Right Decision

May 25th, 2017

Genesis 13:9 “Is not the whole land before you?”

Decisions and Opportunity

You most likely know the story. Abram had been told to leave his family and family home and go to a new place, a place of promise. Abram made a mistake in choosing to take his nephew, Lot, with him instead of leaving his whole family behind.

But now, in the land of promise, Lot’s people and produce were at odds with Abram’s people and produce. The land could not support them both, so they needed to part ways.

So, Abram says v8, “let’s not have any quarreling between you and me … for we are brothers. v9 … Let’s part company. If you go to the left, i will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

So … it is often true for us … a decision is before us, but what we do will have far reaching consequences for us, as well as those close to us. What did Lot do?

v10 “Lot looked up and saw … the plain of the Jordan was well watered …(like Eden)”

v11 Lot chose for himself … and set out …”

v12 “Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom”

Have you ever been there?

Lot looked … but he didn’t examine, because v13 says “the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.”

You know the old saying “you can’t judge a book …” Well, when we simply go by what we see, we often get in trouble. Sometimes we miss the good, but sometimes we miss the bad and make poor choices.

Lot saw the land, but didn’t pay attention to the environment. He didn’t take into account the spiritual climate. He had a young family, and the choice affected them all.

When Abram left his family to go to a pagan land, he did so FOLLOWING God. He went LISTENING to God’s voice. God said “Go … to a place I will show you.” We don’t always know where God is going when he says “Go”, but if he is leading, then go, eyes on God. But that is not what Lot did … no …

v11 Lot chose for himself … and set out toward the east

again v9 Abram said “is not the whole land before you?”

Oh, we have the world in front of us. We have a world of opportunity, a world of decisions. But, Lot didn’t ask God! Lot CHOSE for himself. He made the decisions that HE wanted. He made the decision that he thought would best serve himself. Oh, but if he had just asked God.

Why did Abram and Lot have to part ways? v6 the land couldn’t support them … for their possessions were so great …” THEIR possessions were so great. Why? It is because God was blessing Abram for his obedience, and Lot was getting the overflow. God blesses obedience.

God doesn’t do as man does. he has wisdom that is beyond ours.

What if Lot had asked God? Do you think God would have told him about the spiritual environment in Sodom? Do you think maybe Lot would have been living in a different place instead of having to flee a place that was going to be wiped off the face of the earth, and erased from the sands of time?

Sodom was wicked, and worse yet, Sodom was on God’s timetable for judgment. I believe that was already set, but Lot, with the whole land before him, didn’t ask, didn’t investigate, didn’t listen, didn’t follow. Instead he looked, saw, and chose for himself.

The only choice for ourselves should be, “God, YOU are my God and earnestly I seek you.”

What might God have done for Lot if he would just ask and obey?

What did God do for Abram? v14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot departed, “… Lift up your eyes from where you are and look, north, south, east, and west … all the land you see I will give you …”

v17 “Go, walk … for I am giving it to you …”

Would God have given all to Lot as he did to Abram? Probably Not. But the best place to be is where God says “Go”. Look up from where you are, and be committed to being where God is. Trust him. Abram didn’t decide to pick first. He was trusting in God, and not in what he could see or decide.

One square meter in the desert, in God’s plan, is better than a vast lush plain outside his plan.

Where you go, I will go
Where you stay, I will stay

For YOU are God.
Since We Have Confidence

May 5th, 2017

Confidence it is a challenging concept. We can have misplaced confidence. We can have our confidence destroyed in a bad public performance. We can have a lack of confidence in someone because of past performance. Or sometimes we don’t trust because of our own baggage, usually not even connected to this issue, but we fail to have confidence in one that may deserve our full confidence.

That’s the word here in Hebrews 10:19, “therefore since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way opened up through the curtain that is his body

Sacrifices had been offered since the giving of the law. They followed set rules. If the sacrifice was unaccepted, the priest would die and the people would remain in their sin. But in Christ he was our High priest AND our Sacrifice. His offering was perfect and acceptable, and so he offered it. And no longer was it a curtain that divided us, but the blood of Jesus that opened the curtain to allow us access to our holy God.

V11 says that day after day they stood and offered the same sacrifices which did nothing to address the true problem of sin. But this priest, Jesus Christ, offered one sacrifice and offered it once for all. For all who would receive, and for all sin they had or would commit. Once for all people, once for all sin. And when he had offered that sacrifice he was able to sit down. Why because, as he said on the cross, “It Is Finished” “Paid in Full”. “Transaction complete’. “Battle won” “Purchase complete.” And so he has sat down until it is time to pick us up.

Notice the beautiful work. V14 says by one sacrifice, he has made perfect those who are being made holy. Such a beautiful picture of justification and sanctification. Without justification, a declaration of forgeivness and guiltlessness, there can be no sanctification, a state of perfection. So it is not a magic trick, or an immediate action order of GOD, it is a declaration of a project begun. The moment I trusted him, he began a work. And he who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it in me. So v17 says he will not remember our sins anymore. Then he says that because of the completeness of the forgiveness there is never a need for an act of sacrifice again.

So we have confidence in the completeness of the work, and the acceptance of the one to whom it is offered.

V22 let us draw near with a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith. Guilty conscience is gone, bodies washed. What is this confidence we have? It is is the comprehensive powerful work of salvation in the cross.

So …. let us hold on hard to the faith because it is all we hoped it would be and so much more than we can dream, because it is based on him and not us

And … encourage, spur, one another to do the right thing

And … not give up meeting together

If I realize what he has done for me. If i realize the completeness, the comprehensiveness, I will hold on and live out the truth. I will not try and make it something it is not. I will not let my brother flounder, but pick him up and encourage him. I will not miss an opportunity for worshp and service, not because of me but because of what was done FOR me and has been placed in me.

Oh the glory of confidence, real authentic, rightly placed confidence

I have confidence in my savior, sacrifice, priest and the work he has wrought in me.

Where is your confidence? Can I introduce you to the only confidence worth having?
Unveiled Faces

April 22nd, 2017

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV84) And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Is my face veiled or unveiled?

Why would we have veiled faces? This verse is referencing when Moses came down from God’s glory on the mountain and the people couldn’t handle the brightness of God’s glory on his face so they veiled him in their presence and then he unveiled himself when he came into God’s presence.

As this image runs over in my mind this morning, let me just “rif” for a minute on where my thoughts are.

Why do we have veiled faces?

First thought is that of a bride whose face is unveiled when she is pronounced married and prepares to kiss her groom. We, those in the number of the redeemed, those who have believed in Christ, left our own way, embraced him as Lord, have unveiled faces. That moment when we received him, John 1:12, were given the right to become his children, but we also became part of the Bride of Christ. And so, Ephesians 1:13, when we heard and believed, we were included in Christ and given the Holy Spirit. So, as we received him as Lord, believing in our hearts, confessing with our mouths, Romans 10:9-10, we became the Bride. Oh yes, he knows who will truly receive him and they are the promised Bride, but every Bride has to move from promise to possession, with the confession of “I Do.” Then we are proclaimed HIS, and the veil is lifted and as we kiss toward him, he kisses toward us, and we are his Bride with unveiled face. Oh what a beautiful picture.

Another image is that of veiling because of shame. We don’t want to be counted among the openly wedded bride of Christ, we are ashamed of his name and so we cover our faces. We all, perhaps, at sometime have been guilty of doing what Peter did in the Garden when they asked “aren’t you one of his disciples?” And we, veil our faces, and say, “no you are mistaken, I am not his, I am just a guy like you.” What a shameful thing, at the coffee pot at work, or in the marketplace, or on the ballfield, or in the neighborhood, to veil his glory within us and say, “no I am not one of his.” The truth is, if we belong to Christ, we can’t really hide it, the world can see the glory peeking around the veil, we can change our talk, call down curses, but we protest too much, they know it, we know it, but there we stand with pretend veiled faces.

Another similar reason for veiled faces is when we are out of fellowship with Christ, and we veil our actions, hide ourselves and hope he won’t notice. Like Adam and Eve, in clear disobedience to the instruction of God, they ate the forbidden fruit, and then tried to cover their nakedness, and they hid in the garden amongst the trees, when it was time to walk with God. Oh we are often so guilty of the same aren’t we? When we sin, though a child of God, we need not try and clothe ourselves, for no clothes will do, save clothing ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. But we try, and we hide, and we hope Jesus won’t come by today, we hope the Holy Spirit was looking the other way, we hope the Father’s love will cause him to overlook it. But we know, like Adam, God will say, “Where are you?” It is not that God did not know, he was saying, “where are you supposed to be, come here, you are naked, let me clothe you.” And the wonderful truth for the forgiven child of God, sadly trying to cover their sin, with a homemade bandage, is that, 1 John 1:9, If we but simply confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgiven us and cleanse us, to allow us to walk with unveiled faces again. Why? Because it is already provided in the cross, we just need to walk in it. Oh don’t let anyone lie to you and tell you that 1 John isn’t written to the church, the bride, because John calls himself “The Elder” or “Pastor” he is not writing to a lost world, he is writing to the redeemed, the Bride, and this promise is for every repentant one, but it is particularly written to the church.

Aother simple reason why our face is veiled, is already insinuated, and that is because one has never confessed Christ as Lord, believing in their heart that God raised him from the dead, Romans 10:9-10, they have never called on the name of the Lord for salvation, Romans 10:13. But you need not have a veiled face, the offer to be his bride is for you too. For every movie, or story ever written that found an attendant in the wedding, or a face in the crowd, that wished, hoped that they could take the place of the one being married, there is GOOD NEWS, the offer is for you too! As you hear the promises of love and provision, as you hear the officiant say “do you promise to love and obey, will you receive this ring?” All we must say is “yes, I Do!” And we become part of the Bride, faces unveiled, God’s great glory of redemption, and forgiveness, cleansing and restoration, is ours. Only Believe, only receive.

And so as I look back at the text, I thought of one more reason we veil our own faces, it is because, we don’t like what we see under the veil. We think, “I am not pretty enough, not handsome enough, and I have imperfections, so I must veil my face.” Oh and there the verse rings out the blessed truth …

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

There it is, we … all of the Bride, faces unveiled, are perfect within, but the outside still needs work. But the work is being done. when my face is unveiled, it is not me they see, but the glory of my Savior who loved me, chose me, called me, he loves me exactly as I am, but loves me TOO MUCH to LEAVE me this way. As I allow my face to be unveiled, he is, moment by moment, day by day, TRANSFORMING ME into HIS Likeness, with Ever-increasing glory. Oh I might not notice it from this moment to the next, but I can see a glimmer of it from this day to the next. I can seen an inkling of his glory, this year to the next. Oh Christ in me IS the hope of the glorification. It IS what I have been predestined to. What is God causing all things to work together for in Romans 8:28? It is revealed in Romans 8:29, those he forknew he predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ! Hallelujah there is it! Everything in my life is being used by Christ, because he loves me, because he knew I would be his, he is shaping and forming me so that my unveiled face will look like Jesus. So Romans 8:30 says those he predestined he called … justified … glorified. When I said “I Do” and he unveiled my face, and in worship I kiss toward him and he toward me, I am being transformed moment by moment, day by day, with ever-increasing glory. Ever single day, my unveiled face looking to him, shines his glory a little more, until that moment when I step into Gloryland and look and find that I look like JESUS !
“Oh how pastor, how can this be true for me … I can’t do that”?

You are right child you can’t, but remember this comes from the Lord, who is Spirit. The Lord Jesus is at work in you, and that is the hope, he has placed his Spirit in you to teach you, and remind you of all he has said. He is the one who has promised to make you look like Jesus. He is always a promise keeper, so take his hand, say “I do”, throw back the veil and see his glory revealed with ever-increasing glory.

Oh, there has been many a night camping, or early morning on the water fishing, when I began to see a slight glow in the eastern sky. It still looked like night, it certainly didn’t look like noon day, but the glow let me know something was happening. My experience told me that it would not always be night, and so the light came, with ever-increasing glory, the dawn came, with ever-increasing light, and eventually the glory of the noon-day sun filled the sky. So it is fellow-traveler, so it is that …

… we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
When You Offer …

March 14th, 2017

Romans 6:16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leds to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness.

“I am not anyone’s slave!” Really? That’s what we say, what we think. But we are all slave to something / someone.

Slaves – doulos = servant, slave – (Lexham Theological Wordbook) a doulos is someone who is a slave and obeys the commands of his or her master. Like Matthew 8:9 “I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes, and that one, ‘Come’, and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this’ and he does it.”

The one to whom we respond when they say ‘go’, ‘do’, ‘come’ that is the one to whom we are a slave.

Lexham says the idea of a slave carries the sense of belonging. For Paul “Christ has bought him and owns him”.

so, this doesn’t happen by accident v16 says “when we offer”. – Then we find ourselves slaves to a master we don’t want, perhaps we even loathe, and we ask, “how did this happen?” It happened at a moment in time, a moment when …. “when we offer”. Paristemi = to make available, to provide, to present to (Greek English Lexicon) without necessarily involving actual change of ownership. Oh sometimes we have offered ourselves to one to whom we don’t even belong. Oh somebody …

And there it is. It is when we make ourselves available, when we come near, we offer, yield, say “here I am”, when we offer ourselves to someone to obey – hypakoe = to obey, listen to, to heed, to obey

Then you are a slave / servant

Regardless of the master, good or bad. Regardless of the outcome, holy or sinful. Regardless of the timetable, eternal or temporal. In that instant we are slaves to a master.

Whether slaves to sin or slaves to obedience. It is an interesting choice of words that the Holy Spirit inspires in Paul, the one we obey is either sin or obedience.

Wait, I thought who I obey is what determines. Yes … but if we obey sin, then we are in actuality slaves to DISobedience. We are obeying disobedience. “Sin” is the word hamartia which means to “miss the mark” like an arrow missing a target. So, when we become slaves to sin, we are committed to disobedience, we are committed to missing the target. And Romans 6:23 says that the wage of missing the target is death. So here it says sin “leads” – eis = markers of a change of state.

“Don’t you know” v 16 begins … this is not inconsequential. When we offer ourselves to someone it is a marker leading to a change of state from … to … to … for .

Sin will seek to lead us from freedom to bondage, and from bondage to death. James says that temptation leads to sin, and sin when fully grown gives birth to death.

Oh but Jesus says “But I came (Hallelujah) that you might have LIFE”!

WOW, let me stop and shout for a moment! YES LORD!

But if we reject the master that leads us to miss the mark. If we commit to obedience, to hitting the mark, which is only found in surrender to the justification of Jesus (Rom 3:24) Then Obedience, hearing, listening, taking captive every thought and making it obedient to Christ (2Cor 10:5-6), then we CAN demolish ever pretense, every argument that comes against the knowledge of truth. Oh satan is a conman. He will lie to you, offer you 1000s of arguments, and alternate realities, counterfeits, but they are all ways that are committed to missing the target, and they lead to death!

But in Him, Christ, is life and that life is the light of the world. Walk not in darkness and death. Walk in the light as he is in the light and we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son, purifies us from all sin … if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:7,9)

So vv17-18 “But thanks be to God that, though we used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

When we offer … this moment … “Here I am Lord, reveal the righteousness that you have placed within me.”