God

Empty Religion or Vibrant Faith?

Posted on by Bob Mathews

Malachi 1:1-14

The prophet Malachi wrote at a time when the nation of Israel faced a major problem. The people of God had grown complacent in their worship, falling into the trappings of religion rather than walking in a genuine relationship with God.

Do you prefer leftovers or a fresh cooked meal? Fresh cooked would probably be everyone’s answer. Imagine being invited to dinner but instead of sitting down to a fresh meal, you are served a bunch of leftovers. What message would that send to you?

The fact is that the people of Israel are giving God their leftovers and people today fall into that same snare.

God desires a genuine relationship.

In a book that is primarily a heavy rebuke, God still shows reminds of his love for the people in verse 2. In verse 6, He even compares the relationship to that of father and child. God desires a relationship over religion. Our lives should be a response to God’s great love for us. When God has shown us such an amazing love, our response should be to love him back and honor him with our lives. If He is our loving Father, then we should respect him as his children. If he is a loving master, then we should serve him with genuineness and reverence, rather than simply going through religious motions.

God is uninterested in empty religious motions.

Think of a time in your life when you had to do something, but your heart wasn’t in it. How difficult was it to continue what you were doing? This is were the people were in life. They were giving God their leftovers, (crippled and maimed animals) rather than giving their best. God is a relational God who desires sincere, heartfelt worship from his people. Israel was going through all the motion of worship – the people were going to the temple, they were offering sacrifices, and they were praying, but their hearts weren’t in it. They were focusing more on the acts rather than on loving and worshipping God. As a result, their worship had become mediocre and their lives had become hypocritical. God told them that he doesn’t accept halfhearted worship and that he doesn’t answer prayers coming from a hypocritical life.

God is great and worthy of great worship.

God reminds Israel of his greatness. God is a great king who is famous in all of the nations. God is seeking to be honored and worshipped by all people. Israel, however, was dropping the ball. Rather than honoring God with the best sacrifices they could offer, the people were content giving God the baseline minimum and their sloppy leftovers. The people had professed faith in God and worshipped him with their words, but their actions did not sync up. As a result, God did not accept their worship.

A Fresh Perspective

Posted on by Bob Mathews

We are coming to the end of 2020 and it is truly difficult to even know what to say. It has been a difficult year around the world. Unfortunately, the ramifications of this year are likely to continue to plague us. It would be nice if we could just hit the reboot button and get a fresh start. However, our very existence on this Earth means that we will have to deal with the happenings on it. None of us can fully avoid it no matter how much we might like to. So why is it, that even with all the turmoil this year has brought, some still hold their heads up high unfazed by the struggles? That question may not be answered the same way by all but let me tell why Christians have the ability to do this year after year.

In the book of James, he states early in the first chapter, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,” (James 1:2). To many this is an insane concept. Why would you ever be happy or joyful to undergo trials in life? First, think about what it says. The word “consider” in this verse has a awesome notion built into the root of the word that means ‘lead’ or ‘leadership.’ This means that James is telling us to lead our minds in this way. Simply put, it means we have to decide to have this type of attitude in our lives. God does not promise us that our lives will be easy, in fact, there is plenty said throughout Scripture that would prove otherwise. What we are asked to do is to have the right perspective in life. Bad times will come and go but we are told what these trials can bring IF we have the right perspective.

Continue looking at James picking back up at verse three, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let that endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:3-4). What we can see is that these trials or struggles that we deal with has value. Think of exercising, you put your body through difficult training so that your body will be strengthened. Your muscles may hurt and be sore but slowly you will see the benefit of that labor. From a spiritual standpoint this is what James is getting at. With the right perspective the struggles or trials that come are way can make us stronger rather than tear us down. This can lead to us becoming complete (mature) Christians that can endure what this world throws at us.

Maybe now it is easier to understand why, even when life is tough or the world seems to be falling apart around us, those who believe in God can continue pushing forward with a positive outlook. If you need a little more insight look at what James 1:12 says, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” We can push forward with joy because of what we look ahead to, what we have been promised.

I wish I could promise that life would get easier or better just because a digit changes on the calendar. What can be promised is that struggles and trials will always be a part of life. What perspective will you choose to view them through? If you want to walk through life with hope and joy ever before you then align yourself with God. If your really have a desire for 2021 to be an amazing year, then I suggest that your prepare your mind with a fresh perspective. One that will hopefully lead you back to God’s open arms. May this new year bring peace and joy to all, but especially to those of the faith.

Two Aspects of God

Posted on by Bob Mathews

Nahum 1:2-8

During the prophesying of Nahum to the people of Nineveh, we are given insight into two great aspects of God. We can see the severity and kindness of God. Nahum states how the Lord is a jealous and avenging God, as well as wrathful, and that His vengeance is going to come upon His adversaries. We also know that He is a God that will not leave the guilty unpunished.

However, God is also good and kind. Nahum says how He is a stronghold in the day of trouble and that He knows those who take refuge in Him. God will punish those that are against Him but He will also protect those with Him. And when it says that God knows it means that He truly knows those that are with Him and not just those who act like they are when it benefits them. God’s kindness is truly great for those with Him, but are you with Him? And being neutral is does not count in this instance. Because even if you live a life that consists of good and happiness you still have to be on one side or the other. You can’t live a life absent of God and be on His team. If we live for ourselves, even if that means we live a good and moral life, we are still adversaries of God because we are not His allies.

God wants us to be on His side and He wants to protect us from the death that is to come, but we have to make that choice. So what kind of choice will we make? Will we live for God and hold fast to all that He teaches or live for ourselves and be the object of God’s wrath in the end?       Jacob Saarloos

 

God Comes Through

Posted on by Bob Mathews

In 1 Kings 18:20 and following verses, Elijah, a great man of God goes up to Mount Carmel and sent a message to King Ahab to bring the people and the prophets of Baal up to the mountain. Elijah then proceeded to ask the people why they waffle between worshipping God and Baal. He tells them that they need to choose one or the other. After saying this he sets up a way to show the people that God is the almighty living God. He challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a duel. He had both set up altars and see which God would answer by fire from heaven.

Elijah gave an abundant amount of time to the prophets of Baal to attempt everything they could to try and get an answer from their god, even to the point of cutting themselves. Inevitably their god never answered them. Elijah stood up and built his altar to God, prepared the sacrifice, and then soaked it all in water for emphasis. As soon as Elijah prayed to God rained down a mighty fire that consumed the soaked sacrifice as well as everything else. God came through for Elijah to prove his point to the people that they need to choose the true God.

Today many people look at the world and see how many people, who don’t follow God, seem to be better off and more blessed in this life. However, just because they have what they want in this life does not guarantee their spiritual life. Many times the wicked people of the bible prosper, right up until God brings judgment on them. God’s judgment will come to all of us, but we have a sense of peace because unlike those who don’t follow God in this life, God will come through for us on the Day of Judgment, just as he came through for Elijah.                                                                                                              Jacob Saarloos

Do Not Fear

Posted on by Bob Mathews

“It is said that the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin so feared for his safety that his residence in Moscow contained eight bedrooms. Each night Stalin chose a bedroom at random to ensure that no one knew exactly where he was sleeping.” – Unknown

Stalin is a man with the exact opposite attitude of Elisha. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha is being hunted down by the Arameans because being a prophet of God he was sent word and warned the king of Israel where they were going to be. The king of Aram couldn’t have Elisha giving valuable information away so he sent a great army to go get Elisha. When that great army arrived, Elisha’s servant seeing the city surrounded went to tell Elisha because he was afraid. After telling Elisha the servant asked, “what shall we do.” Elisha simply answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Now the servant couldn’t see the physical presence of God and His army but Elisha knew that they were there and trusted in God, which allowed him not to be afraid.

Today we often forget that God is still there protecting us as He did for Elisha. We are more like Stalin afraid of the things that may happen or the people that may be after us. Jesus even gives us some comfort about this problem of fear. Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). If we are going to fear anything or anyone it should only be God. It is possible that something could happen and we may lose our life, but nothing can take away our soul but God. If we stay faithful and fully trust in God like Elisha even if we die in this physical world our eternal soul will be safely tucked away with God. So, what is there to fear other than being separated from God?       Jacob Saarloos

What Shall Come to Pass

Posted on by Bob Mathews

In the Old Testament Scriptures, we find something interesting that happens quite often but never ceases to amaze. God often relays to the rulers of the land through His prophets. And even at times, you will find that these rulers would do a good thing of inquiring from these prophets so they can hear from God what they are to do in certain circumstances, like before going into battle for example. The interesting thing is that even after hearing what God has to say some of these rulers choose to act upon something even when God told them the outcome would be bad. A good example of this is in 1 Kings 22. Ahab the king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel led a campaign against Syria. He was able to get the aid of Jehoshaphat the king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. However, before Jehoshaphat would go into battle with Ahab he required the king to get word from God through a prophet. Ahab reluctantly complied with Jehoshaphat’s request. The prophet then told him that not only would he be defeated but that Ahab himself would die in the battle.

Now here is the interesting part; Ahab had seen the work of God throughout his life, and every time a prophet was doing the work of the Lord in Ahab’s life, it came to pass. Ahab, hearing from the prophet that he would be defeated and even be killed, still chose to go to battle. It seems to be the opposite of what a rational person would do. But here is the important thing to take away from this event; we need to understand that what God declares will come to pass as He said. The good news is that for us today God has declared to us that we can obtain everlasting life through His Son. And as you will find over and over again throughout the Bible, what God says always comes to pass. So if everlasting life is something you seek Jesus is what you need.

Jacob Saarloos

Romans 8:28 – #2

Posted on by Bob Mathews

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 

I think the NLT has it more accurately translated:

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. 

See the difference? “Things,” much less “all things” are not always going to work themselves out, much less for my good.  The events and circumstances of life are under no moral obligation to benefit me. It can be a crap shoot at times. BUT, Romans 8:28 is God’s word about what HE is doing with the events and circumstances of human history at a given moment, especially as they bear upon the lives of His own in Jesus. Romans 8:28 is not about what is going on, but about what God has going on with what is going on. We cannot fathom the immensity of all the workings of God in time and space, which is the world in which we live. We could not grasp it were it tossed into our laps. It is infinitely beyond our comprehension. It is a God-thing. But the Lord tells us enough to trust Him in how He is managing it all for our good, including its ultimate outcome.

It is our nature to want to make sense of things. That is a repeated scene in the Psalms: If I am trying to serve and honor God, why do people hate me, why am I suffering and/or sick, why do bad things happen, etc? Add to that the fact that the ungodly often seem to have it better than I. What is the deal? How can this possibly be for my blessing? You see, we want to make sense of, to UNDERSTAND things that are happening. Here is a thought: instead of demanding to understand it all, why not STAND UNDER what I clearly do know: about God, Who He is, what He has already done, how He already has proven His love and faithfulness, so forth? (That, by the way, is how most of those Psalms conclude: with an affirmation of confident trust in the Lord and His unfailing kindness. Check it out in your reading.)

Just how well do I know God? How well acquainted am I with the Lord? And isn’t that the gist of David in Psalm 23: that He knew God so well from past experience that he would trust Him in the present and with the future?

This leads to another kind of question, a deeper one: just how well do I know God? Not know “about” God, but God Himself? Not just facts about God, or even Jesus. I can know facts about a person without ever really knowing that person, right? The important question is: How well acquainted am I with the Lord? If someone were to ask me how to really know God, how would I help them?

This is so important. Whether or not I ever know the whys and wherefores of life, I can know God in His Son Jesus. In Christ, we see and hear God on earth applying His control and power to life on a daily basis, in all walks of life, the good, bad, and the ugly. (That’s exactly what He was doing with the twelve, is it not?) If He did so then, will He not do so now? If He was in control then, will He not also be in control now? He was FOR us then, to the point of the cross – 8:31,32. Is He not FOR us now? He wants us to see and hear and feel and know Him. He was on earth for us not Himself. Consider that in how you look at you and Him. The better I know Him, the better I can trust Him to do what only God can do about the workings of life.

And isn’t that the gist of David in Psalm 23: that He knew God so well from past experience that he would trust Him in the present and with the future? A relationship like that does not happen in a vacuum. God had proven Himself to David over a lifetime. David had experienced God in a personal and intimate sense. So, though now in the dark valley,  David couldn’t forget that. It sustained Him in the presence of his enemies. It does the same for me.

Life will not always be my friend. I cannot really trust it.  But not so with the Lord! Is it not comforting to know that, when things have gone haywire, God has not gone anywhere! He is with me. Beyond that, He is over all that other stuff. God is not controlled by life. Earth does not run heaven! Heaven runs earth! That is why God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him. It is because He CAN!

What about the questions we ask when things are going badly?  Things can be just so very hard for us at times, right? Well, why not think about the questions we ask, and if they are the ones most helpful?

For example, we usually ask WHY, right? Why NOW, why THIS, why ME, why US? (By the way, I don’t see God striking people with lightning in the Biblical record when they cried out with their “whys.” He loves us far beyond our doubts and confusion. Never tell someone that they cannot ask God, “Why?” Sometimes we kick people when they already are down.)

But I will agree that WHY is not the most helpful thought for my heart when life seems to be imploding. Here is a thought: would it be more useful for me to ask the Lord HOW: as in how do You want me to respond to the circumstances I face? See the difference that can make? Another good question to ask could be WHAT: as in what do You want me to remember and/or see in this situation? Above these could be the question of WHO: Lord, how can I best acknowledge You and Your glory and Your faithfulness and Your control and Your kindness and Your love during this hard time in my life. I just want to know and see You, God, and trust Your perfect compassion and control above all that is happening.

Think about the questions which can hurt and help. Romans 8:28 lies within a context of suffering in the world but also of God’s supremacy and absolute sovereignty, to the point of superintending the outcome of it all – AND THAT FOR MY GOOD IN JESUS!

That will have to do until our next talk on it. Our intention is to help and not in any way to make things more difficult.

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

peek

God reigns!

Posted on by

We have seen, heard, and even experienced the idea of change. Politicians have used that word and have we ever seen the change that has happened in our country. We who have been blessed to get past being young and now are getting to be “old” have seen and experienced the changes that have taken place in our lives.

With all this change going on, we wonder what is going to happen next, what will be changed in the morning when I wake up to a new day? Most of us don’t handle change very well. We don’t like big changes in our lives. We don’t like to get out of our comfort zone. So we say, leave it alone, “If it is not broke, don’t fix it.” I know I feel that way a lot of times. However, from the above passage, let’s focus on two things when changes occur.

God…even the One who sits enthroned from of old—with whom there is no change.
                    Psalm 55:19

First of all it says that God is “enthroned.” When the children of Israel wanted a king like everyone around them, Samuel was disappointed, but God was even more so; but there is one thing that we can be sure of, God is on the throne! He is still in charge! He is still sovereign over all things. It is still true that we “live and move and have our very being in Him.”

One of the first things you notice about the book of Revelation is that John is allowed to see the throne room to see God on the throne. A lot of Christians thought God had left them alone, but He had not, so John sees and tells about God on the throne, ruling everything. When life gets tough, tedious and it looks like God doesn’t care, just remember, He is still ruling this world!

The second thing is that God doesn’t change. Oh, there are things about Him that change. His laws, for example, have changed. We don’t have to build an ark. We don’t have to offer up animal sacrifices. We don’t have to go to Jerusalem. But His nature does not change. He still desires the sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart over our sins. He is still looking for a demonstration of faith in our lives. He is still full of compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. He is still the same yesterday, today, and forever!

So, stop wringing your hands and trying to figure out what God is doing. He is still ruling like He always has done and He is not going to change, even if the whole world does. Rejoice and be happy, for He is so good, gracious, and faithful.