Odds-on

Psalm 22:1My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 "He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!" 9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. 10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God. 11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. 13 They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. 19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!

If you correctly predicted the outcome of last Sunday’s Super Bowl, raise your right hand! (And – I’m not just talking about picking the winner - anyone could have done that! After all, you had a 50-50 chance.)

No, what I’m talking about is picking the exact final score. (That narrows the field a bit, doesn’t it?) Or – how about picking the exact sequence of plays, exactly as they played out? Do you know anyone who could have pulled off that feat? Do you know anyone that knew beforehand the Saints would begin the second half with an on-side kick? Do you know anyone that predicted the game-ending interception before it happened - or were all on pins-and-needles as the Colts drove down the field for the apparent game-tying score?

You had an “odds-on” chance to pick any of this stuff in advance. How well would you have done? Even the betting experts in Las Vegas had the outcome of the game wrong, having installed the Colts as “odds-on” favorites to win the game.

Can you imagine not just picking all the exact results of all these events before the game, but picking the exact results of all the events of the game a thousand years before the game? (And - 800 years before the game of football even existed?) God did that pertaining to the events surrounding the crucifixion of Christ. Simply amazing is ALL you can say about Psalm 22. Simply amazing.

-  Pastor Bill

Victorious

Psalm 16:1  Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. 2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You." 3 As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight." 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. 5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

David says, “Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.”

Preservation is a key to “life.” Where would we be without the refrigerator, or the freezer?

One of the greatest conveniences and blessings of modern life has been the development of various ‘preservation’ devices. Also notable are the numbers of foods now available at the grocery store which take advantage of modern scientific methods to ensure freshness for longer periods of time without refrigeration, even in the case of foods we would have previously thought impossible to preserve longer than a day or so.

David knew that preservation equals victory, especially when the Lord is the One doing the preserving.

This was Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. We have a prophetic record here in Psalm 16. Jesus’ victory would come through preservation. For all that Jesus was about to face on the next day of His life, He knew from God’s Word that He would not see corruption. God would not allow it. He would be preserved. The corruption of death would be defeated.

The resurrection of Christ is the greatest single event in human history. We look back on this historical event in the same way David looked forward to it, and Jesus trusted in it. Jesus’ example was to trust God’s Word, and to lay down His life for God’s purpose. He knew He could lay down His life, because He knew He had the power to take it up again. And that is glorious victory we all can share for the taking of it, for the proclaiming of it.

Does anyone ever remember who finished second?

-  Pastor Bill

Right or Wrong?

Psalm 11:1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain"? 2 For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do? 4 The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. 5 The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. 6 Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.

You would think people would value being ‘right’ about things encountered in their lives. We certainly want to be on the right side of the road, we want to be right about the foods we eat, and we want to be right about the marriage partner we choose.

Obviously, there are some things we cannot choose. We cannot choose our parents, and we cannot choose our children. We cannot choose our country of origin, and we cannot choose the time in which we live, among many other things.

But even in the areas affecting our lives which we cannot choose, we still need to make right choices regarding how we respond to those things in our lives we cannot change.

The most important thing to be right about is the god or gods you choose to serve.

That may be a startling statement to some, but the reality is your god is whatever or whoever you choose to serve. We live in a dangerous world with dangerous enticements, and we are constantly being tempted to serve new gods. It has always been this way, and the example of the Israelites demonstrates how “prone to wander” we are. We are certainly no different than they, and our flesh is always belligerently seeking to abandon the God of the universe for a new god. The latest god. The more fashionable god. The more palatable god. The more “reasonable” god. How foolish to be wrong about God, by focusing on and serving another god.

Fear is one of those gods. So is the god of ‘relationships.’ So is the god of Ferrari, and house, and fame, and finance, and even politics. Whatever may capture your whole heart in a given life situation has become your god. Oh, how willingly we sacrifice before these gods!

Being wrong about the god you willingly choose to serve is the greatest mistake anyone (including Christians,) could ever make. The Lord God of Heaven and earth, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is the Only One Who is Right! In Christ alone you cannot go wrong. He alone is righteous, and He alone is the Truth.

-  Pastor Bill

Consider the Source

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Somebody tells you something. It sounds really juicy. It’s a hot story. It fires your imagination. But - and here’s the really important part - is it true?

It really doesn’t matter how good the story is unless it’s true. (Unless you’re seeking to merely be entertained.) But in the case of useful information, we have to consider the source of the information equally important to the information received. Without the viability of the story related, the story is just vanity - even if it is really big news. Especially if it is very big news.

Consider the case of supermarket tabloids. You glide by in the checkout lane and the headlines scream out all sorts of fanciful stories. Large typeface screams out. Doctored photos seem to purport the truth of various celebrity lives. (Why we seem to care about celebrity lives is another story.)

But it doesn’t matter how big the news is, or how fantastic the story, because we know those tabloid rags are unreliable sources of the truth, and we understand in most cases those stories are lies – doctored news pretending to be true. We scan for evidence of computer enhancement in the photos. (We know there is some.)

This stuff is junk. Of no use to anyone except the rare individual, (and I guess there must be a lot of them,) who find some brief entertainment in reading made-up news about famous people. To me this is trash, and I would never invest in it.

How amazing it is we live our lives based on ungodly advice we receive from friends, TV personalities, websites, and family members. We are told to “get a divorce,” or “quit that job,” or, “take that medication,” at the drop of a hat. We value the advice based on how sincere the people are, or how much they seem to care for us, or perhaps how famous the person offering the advice is. But ungodly advice is just that: ungodly. Why would anyone receive and act on advice contrary to God’s perfect will for their lives as declared by His Word?

-  Pastor Bill

‘Changing’ Time

1 Cor 15:47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

‘Potential’ is a word often employed in life. We have great hope for certain things or individuals based upon their ‘potential.’

‘Potential’ indicates the best something or someone can possibly be. This is the basis for the hope that rests in the potential of something or someone – they are at their best. Absolute best. The bestest best. Better than you can imagine.

The “change” Paul speaks of here is like that. A change that comes to the life of a follower of Jesus Christ that makes them the best they can possibly be. A full realization of the potential anyone may have as God rearranges them to conform to the environment of heaven. (Whether through physical death, or through the rapture of the church.)

What an awesome thought for us: At some point in time we will literally undergo a metamorphosis from earth-bound to heaven-bound. The earth-bound body is corruptible. It is enticed by sin and the desire for the things of the world which bring corruption. The heaven-bound body is enticed by the Spirit of our Holy God in Christ, perfect in desire as holiness replaces corruption, and eternality replaces aging and death. Thusly our potential is fully realized.

For the follower of Christ, perfection in this life is not the issue. Following Christ IS. Jesus is the Author of salvation, and His demonstration to us is that He has the power to raise the dead. This is metamorphosizing power. The same power which raised Christ from the dead. The power to raise all of us in His Image. The power to erase the past in every way. The power to bring about the fullest and greatest ‘potential’ any life can experience. The only issue is: Will you receive this potential? (You must seek it.)

-  Pastor Bill

Death to Death

1 Cor 15:21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

How cool would it be to put death to death? To put a complete end to it? To no longer think of it?


Death. The greatest enemy to man. The single endpoint to every life – be it plant, animal, man, or you, or me…Death makes us lie awake at night…Death makes us contemplate the scope of the universe…Death makes us consider God…Death makes us consider what may save us from it.


Death. It is every bit of that. And the only way to escape any of this thinking about death, (and we all KNOW this,) is to simply think of other things – for as long as we can…But then death always returns to confront us. Death. That’s what death is…


By contrast we have life. Life as we know it. Life as we cherish it. Life appears to be everything death is not. It is animation, movement, independence, love…


How we desire long life. It is in every fiber of our being. We look at those whose life is perceived to have been cut short as being the most unfortunate among us. We pity them. We wish that never to happen to us. We wish to die peacefully in bed at 100 years old. But somehow death always seems to contravene that wish except for those precious few we regard as having very charmed lives.


In reality, living is dying. The philosophical among us say, “Dying is a part of living.” The aging process makes us aware this is going on bit-by-bit all the time. Wrinkled skin. Hip replacements. Disease. Baldness. They all come to call on us as reminders…We are literally dying from the time we are born.


Why is it then along with death we also consider eternity? How would a finite human being come to such a notion? Is it merely escapism from the thought of death that prompts us to imagine eternity – or is eternity a reality wired into our hearts as evidence we are created by an Eternal Being? What if it had been demonstrated and witnessed by many men that one man had died in your place – and then been raised from the dead to demonstrate you would never have to die? A fascinating thought, isn’t it? What if by merely believing this neither you nor your loved ones would ever die? Jesus came as the Author of eternal life. Never forget it.


- Pastor Bill

Edification

1 Cor 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

When we think about Spiritual gifts received from God, we must additionally think about the purpose for which those gifts have been given. Would the Lord give you a gift to keep to yourself? Would the Lord give you a gift to draw attention to yourself?

Of course, the answer to both of those questions is a definitive: “No!”

Why then do we see so much of this in the Corinthian church? We see some people keeping their gifts to themselves, never using their gift(s) in the Body of Christ for the benefit of the Body of Christ - and alternately we see some people using their gift(s) in a self-seeking way, attempting to draw attention to themselves that they may receive glory, as being “more Spiritual” than those around them.

Paul would bring all of this back to a baseline of LOVE. That is, what is the most loving thing we can do with the gift(s) we receive from God? Paul tells us we have received the gift(s) we have received singly in order to “edify,” or to build up the Body of Christ. This happens in two ways. One way is to draw new members into the Body of Christ. A second way is to somehow strengthen the existing members of the Body of Christ, (which we call ‘discipleship.’)

Each of us must have an eye toward knowing what our Spiritual gift is, and then how that gift is being employed: to be loving!

-  Pastor Bill