A Father’s Love

Mark 9:14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" 17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." 19 He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!" 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" 29 So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

Jesus has just come down from the mount of transfiguration to discover the turmoil of the world, and all the worst of what that entails. As Jesus approached, Satan had everything working in his favor. He had incited the religious fervor, (which is always in his favor,) by making sure the disciples were too distracted to bring a healing touch to the boy who was in need. (His need was, incidentally, to have a demon planted by Satan driven out.) So Satan was working all sides of the deal. He had the scribes stirred up from the beginning with religious principle, the disciples distracted, anxious, and unable to drive out the demon in the boy, and a father distraught – all in the presence of a great crowd.

While we can never know exactly when Satan will attack, we can say for certain it will always be in a time when we consider ourselves “separated” from Christ. (A time when our ‘perception’ is that He is away from us.) This was the disciples’ perception…after all, Jesus was up on the mountain. And here were the scribes…and then the crowd all stirred up…and then - in the midst of it all - a father in need of healing for his son. What a set-up for failure! What a grand public failure it was!

One thing Satan did not count on. When the disciples failed to heal his son, the father did not leave. His love for his son was too desperate for that. He waited for Jesus. He had brought his son to see Jesus, and he would not leave without Jesus’ personal touch for his son. What a lesson for us as fathers.         -  Pastor Bill

A Heart for Learning

1 Timothy 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

I read a report by an expert on education a couple years back, (I don’t remember the author’s name,) who stated a startling conclusion – and it was that the TV show ‘Sesame Street’ had done serious harm to an entire generation of American children. The harm done? According to the author of the report it was that ‘Sesame Street’ had demonstrated to an entire generation that learning must be fun.  

It was this author’s contention that learning – real learning – is almost never fun. And when a child is presented with a hard concept that takes real work to grasp, they will turn away because it is ‘no fun.’ Check out the education statistics in this country and see whether you think the author of the story has a point.

Learning takes diligence, faithfulness, and hard work. It also takes time and investment. Rather than judging the act of learning by how fun it is to learn, perhaps we should judge learning by whether it is a thing worth knowing. If it is worth knowing, it is worth learning about– no matter how much hard work may be involved.

There is no question this type of attitude has infected the church.  We are increasingly finding that the audience must be ‘entertained’ into learning, and a lack of ‘entertainment value’ will cause the sheep to look elsewhere.

We see here Paul advocating for a serious and solemn learning environment, and the preparation of the heart is as much a part of that as anything else.

-  Pastor Bill

A Grand Testimony

1 Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

When it comes to testimonials, this is one of the best. Of course, one of the strengths of Paul’s ministry life was his ability to succinctly share what the Lord has done for him.

One of the weaknesses of some of the testimonials I have heard in my life is that the person sharing speaks more about what they have done for God rather than of what God has done for them.

Paul has it right. He had it wrong - but now he has it right. A Damascus Road experience will do that for anyone. And see, it lasts a lifetime, and it helps others into new life of their own.

The main point is the Lord Jesus has done it all. We should never forget that part of our own testimonies. There is nothing you have to offer, except of course your giant heaping pile of sin. It is really quite a trade if you think of it. We give Jesus all the sin we have ever committed, and He gives us eternal life and fellowship with Him. How then can we take any pride whatsoever in our decision to simply receive what He offers us in trade?

But let us not lose heart! The main thing Paul is saying is the main thing any of us might say, and that is, “In spite of everything I have done - and it is worse than anything you could possibly imagine - Jesus has not only received me, he has placed me in ministry!” The excitement of that thought pattern is beyond comprehension. If God can and will use “the chief of sinners,” how will He use you and me if we only allow Him to?

-  Pastor Bill

The Need for Grace

1 Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 

One of the big problems for the atheist is to explain the notion of ‘goodness.’ An atheist may declare the inherent nature of man’s goodness, but from whence does this notion of ‘goodness’ come? Goodness according to whom?

While morality is a sliding-scale, (see the debate and votes on gay marriage in CA,) ethics never are – and there does seem to be an agreed-upon standard of ethical conduct among human beings since man has existed in human history. The question is: where did that standard of ethics originate?

The atheist says mankind is “inherently good,” and it is from that “goodness” that a code of ethics emerged. The problem is observation proves this is not the case at all. Man is not inherently good, man is inherently evil, and requires a code of ethics to bind his wicked nature. (This is easily proven by observing the conduct of a newborn baby. Are they good – or do they have to be instructed how to be good? (You already know the answer to that one if you have children.) Children are born into this world as accomplished sinners with wicked, selfish hearts, and must be instructed to be good. We call that “discipline.”)

And so, this “law,” (or ethical standard,) is good only if one uses it “lawfully,” as Paul explains. (This is because man is so inherently evil our first inclination is to use the law unlawfully – and to pound people over the head with it.)

Who better to present the standard of righteousness than one who is condemned under the law? (In reality we all are, but somehow we (being evil) are inclined to totally excuse ourselves. Along comes this preacher Paul who was so wicked, so evil, so guilty under the law, that he has become TOTALLY dependent upon the grace of God alone to survive. Who would preach grace while clinging to it so fanatically as the apostle Paul?

-  Pastor Bill

Making Disciples

2 Thess 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. 5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Jesus’ last command to His church, found in Matthew 28:19-20, is to: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of The Father and of The Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

If we break down what Jesus has commanded, (to ALL Christians, by the way – not just those who are gifted evangelists,) we see Jesus is telling us to “make” disciples.

How can you make disciples? I mean, it is easier to think about how to teach disciples or to lead disciples than it is to think about making them.

Hmmm…Where can we go with this? Well, thankfully Paul shows us the way through the ministry of the letters he has written to the church, and some primary instruction is found here in 2 Thess 3.

In essence, making disciples will always come under the heading of being totally dependent on the power of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability whatsoever to create new life in an unbeliever, but God does. Paul teaches us when it comes to making disciples it is not what we do, but what God does. The Lord is FAITHFUL, and so we can depend upon Him to do what He says He will do in the process of making disciples.

In essence: Let Him do it. Our job, so to speak, is simply to bring them to Jesus…and trust Jesus to do the rest. While this sounds simple - and is – it still places us in a place of total dependence upon God’s faithfulness with our lives – in order to possess the attractiveness to draw others to Him -  so they may be made disciples. Will an unbeliever be attracted to Jesus by my life if my life is filled with hypocrisy? Probably not. Will an unbeliever see the power of God’s Word when God’s Word has no place in my life? Probably not. You see, I have to allow God’s faithfulness in my life first, before others can see God’s faithfulness for themselves.

God is faithful. Have YOU noticed? How important this is in making disciples.

-  Pastor Bill

Don’t Be Confused

2 Thess 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 

Down through the ages, there has been much confusion on the subject of the coming of the “lawless one,” the “son of perdition,” the “man of sin.”

Paul, for one, is constantly dealing with this confusion, because confusion on this simple subject always seems to abound. Paul is reminding those at the church at Thessalonica what he had spent so much time teaching them about when he had been with them. The Rapture of the Church is imminent, but it has not happened yet. Paul says, “Remember the things I taught you about this subject?”

It certainly appears the church at Thessalonica has been troubled by those who have come along after Paul, teaching them the Rapture has already taken place – and they have missed out. Alternately, perhaps they have been told, “There is no such thing as the Rapture of the Church.”

Essentially, they have been told whatever it takes to confuse the issue – prompting this note of clarification from Paul.

Bluntly put, Paul says you can know the Rapture has not yet taken place, because the anti-Christ has not yet been revealed. He WILL be revealed after the Rapture of the Church.

The Holy Spirit, present within the Church, is restraining the spirit of anti-Christ until the Church is removed – and then the spirit of anti-Christ will be revealed. This is easily pictured since we can imagine how evil a place the earth would be if the Church were not present. We are talking about unrestrained evil to a degree we can only begin to imagine – which is yet one more reason to desire to be taken out of here with the Church – when the Church is taken out of here. Paul says to stay ready, because it has not happened. Yet.

-  Pastor Bill

His Mother’s Day

John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" 27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

The scene of the crucifixion is fraught with all kinds of imagery and pain. There is the imagery of the world closing in in its wickedness, the light giving way to darkness, the torn veil, and the intentional slaughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There is the pain of His suffering which goes beyond our ability to properly portray in word or art, because the true pain is the suffering of bearing every bit of the world’s sin – and having to see it, and taste it, and be it. A true curse. No person has ever been cursed to such an extent.

And yet, in the midst of all of this, (the culmination, the epitome of physical, psychological, and Spiritual pain,) there is a beautiful little flower which is formed and takes root.

Looking down from the cross, Jesus sees two of the ones He loves dearly. Since His love is unconditional, infinite, and eternal, we cannot say Jesus loved these two more than the others - but we can say He loved them, and that is more than enough for any of us. He loves us.

Need proof?

Here, in the moment of such intensity I don’t think any of us can even begin to relate to, Jesus’ concern is for His mother’s day. He knows what God has declared from the beginning, and that is that those who possess the love of God should care for widows. A widow’s plight could be quite harrowing in the day before welfare and social-safety nets. A widow would be alone and without means of support.

A motherless child is missing the love and concern and care so necessary for well-being, but also has support to offer.

So Jesus lovingly looks down from the cross of His suffering and declares this to be a day of adoption. Right in the midst of this very public judicial courtroom of Satan’s demise, Jesus says, “Woman, behold your son!” And then He says to John, “Behold your mother!” Jesus left no stone unturned in the final expression of His love for others. See how He loved them.

-  Pastor Bill