Heart Check-up

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.

(ESV)

As per statistics for 2017 released by the American Heart Association, heart disease still ranks number one as a cause of death in the United States with one in seven or 360,000 people succumbing to it annually.  (1)  While great advances in the treatment of this disease have been achieved, the fact that it still ranks number 1 as a cause of death only emphasizes the seriousness of the disease.  However, there is even a deadlier type of heart disease affecting not only people in the United States but people all over the world.  I am speaking of spiritual heart disease, resulting in spiritual death.

Jesus often taught using parables or stories.  Even today Christian authors like myself use fiction as a means of teaching Christian principles for living.  However, in Luke 8:9-10 Jesus explains why he used parables and it was not just as a means of teaching Godly principles but as a means of weeding out those that were serious about learning more and those just interested in receiving some miracle or goody from God.  In asking what Jesus meant by the parable of the seeds, the disciples were expressing a desire to learn more. 

The parable of the farmer scattering his seed does however show us the various spiritual heart diseases people suffer from and allows us to conduct a personal heart checkup so we can seek the cure to whatever disease is affecting our heart and preventing us from enjoying a new clean heart from God (Psalm 51:10).

Our spiritual heart, like our physical heart, can suffer from,    

1)      Blockage (Luke 8:4-5, 12) – Some individuals hear the message of the Gospel and reject it due to their desire to continue living in their sin.  Sin has blocked the life-giving flow of the sacrificial blood of Christ which can forgive them of their sins and grant them eternal life (1 John 1:7).  Just as medical doctors urge us to watch our diets and test our cholesterol levels to prevent physical blockages in our heart, we need the live giving blood of Christ to remove the blockage of sin in our spiritual hearts.  We all have sinned and therefore suffer from its blockage in our spiritual hearts (Romans 3:23) but there is a simple free surgery that can remove that blockage.  All we must do is believe in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus and confess that with our mouth (John 3:16, Romans10:9-10).  If you have not done this and are currently suffering from the ravishes of sin blocked spiritual arteries, I encourage you to enter the operating room and receive your cure by praying with me.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

2)      Irregular Heartbeat (Luke 8:6, 13) – I have worked as a prayer counselor at my church and witnessed firsthand the excitement people have once accepting Jesus as their savior.  Part of my duties as a prayer counselor involve encouraging people to pray regularly, study the Bible, and regularly attend church.  Many suffer from an irregular heartbeat which is deadly if not treated with medication or in extreme cases, the surgical implanting of a pacemaker.  For our spiritual heart, regular prayer, Bible study, and church attendance is how we prevent and treat an irregular spiritual heartbeat. 

3)      Congestive Heart Failure (Luke 8:7, 14) – God did not bless me with a green thumb but a brown one so it is probably just as well that I live in a desert.  A few years ago, I had to hire someone to remove a dead bush from my front yard.  The bush had died because of my failure to keep the weeds from growing up around it.  The bush died because the weeds had literally choked the life out of it.  Spiritually, the cares of this world and challenges of everyday living can choke God out of our spiritual hearts.  The way we prevent this from occurring in our spiritual hearts is to learn to cast our cares on Jesus knowing he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  

4)      Heart Health (Luke 8:8, 15) – A healthy spiritual and physical heart is not something we suffer from but should be our goal in life.  Those enjoying a healthy physical heart not only live longer but their quality of life is enhanced and they are able to be more active with fewer health issues.  Those that have accepted Jesus as their savior and making the decision to dedicate their lives to serving their Lord in whatever capacity He has for them enjoy the benefits of an enhanced quality in their relationship with God. 

I encourage everyone reading this to conduct a heart checkup.  For our physical hearts this involves having an annual physical and listening to what the doctor says if they detect heart disease.  For our spiritual hearts, we can conduct a self-checkup using the principles of Jesus parable of the seeds and if our heart disease is serious, seek the professional help of our pastor of a counselor. 

May we all enjoy both physical and spiritual heart health in our lives. 

1. American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2017 At-A-Glance. www.heart.org. [Online] The American Heart Association. [Cited: May 25, 2017.] https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_491265.pdf.

Faith Study (Part 5): The Product of Faith

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Luke 7:37-38

And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

(ESV)

What came first, the chicken or the egg.  This philosophical question has been the subject of humanity since the creation of chickens and eggs.  Those arguing for the chicken claim there would be no egg without a chicken to lay it.  However, those arguing in favor of the egg argue that every chicken started out as an egg.  Unfortunately, this circular argument means there will be no definitive solution to this argument in our lifetimes. 

The woman of the city mentioned in Luke 7:37 is displaying the product of her faith by washing the feet of Jesus with her tears and anointing them with ointment.  While foot washing and applying ointment to one’s feet is uncommon in our modern culture, it was commonplace in the time of Christ.  The people of that time had no cars or public transportation and either walked wherever they went or would have used horses, donkeys, or camels for transportation.  Much is said in our modern culture about pollution to the air caused by our cars but in the time of Christ, their transportation methods left behind a steamy form of pollution that if one were not careful where they stepped, left an unpleasant residue on their feet.  It was therefore customary for guests visiting someone’s home to have their feet washed and ointment applied for any wounds suffered by walking around with open shoes.  (1)  The women washing Jesus’ feet was ministering to Him out of love for what Jesus had done for her.  In contrast, the respected Jewish leaders sent by the centurion in Luke 7:3, believed the centurion was entitled to a miracle from Jesus based upon his good works (Luke 7:4-5). 

The chicken and egg argument in Christianity is whether the product of our faith is based upon our own works or the grace of God.  Those arguing in favor of salvation by works cite James 2:20 claiming the product of faith is a dead faith without good works.  Those arguing for grace cite Ephesians 2:8-9 which tells us our good works are inadequate for our salvation. 

Once again we seem to have a contradiction in scripture that must be resolved.  We therefore must come to a resolution by looking at the audience being addressed and the context of the text. 

1)      The audience – The audience of both texts is believers.  Unfortunately, this does not allow us to come to any resolution and even adds to the contradiction offered by these statements.

2)      Context – To resolve this contradiction we must therefore look at the context.  James 2 is a chapter dealing with a warning against prejudice (James 2:1-13) and a call for believers to demonstrate their faith through good works (James2:14-26).  While James 2:14 does question whether a faith without actions can save anyone, the answer is clarified in the next two verses where the example of a brother or sister suffering and a believer ignoring their plight and going on without offering any assistance.  The context is not implying that the believer has not received salvation by the grace of God but teaches that faith without good actions appears dead to others.  Ephesians 2 however, is in the context of a church inundated with false teaching that for one to be saved, they must adopt the Jewish customs.  These Judaizers originated from those in Antioch who wanted to make the churches founded by Paul more Jewish.  In this context, we rightfully interpret Ephesians 2:8-9 to be a word of encouragement to believers in Ephesus who were doubting their salvation.  (2)

Therefore, there is no contradiction between the writing of Paul to the Ephesians and the writing of James.  The chicken and egg argument between salvation by works versus salvation by grace is that we are saved through God’s gracious gift of salvation by Jesus’ finished work of the cross and that we are then to demonstrate our faith through good works.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we must make the product of our faith a loving desire to see others experience the saving of grace of God through our good works towards others for in so doing, they will be open to hear the life-saving message of the Gospel. 

1. Afshar, Tessa. Foot Washing. tessaafsher.com. [Online] Tessa Afshar, August 25, 2013. [Cited: March 20, 2017.] https://tessaafshar.com/foot-washing/.

2. Jerome Murphy-O'Conner, OP. Trouble in Galatia and Ephesus. www.goodnews.ie. [Online] [Cited: May 21, 2017.] http://www.goodnews.ie/troubleingalatia.shtml.

Time to Focus: Uniting for Spiritual Warfare.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 6:12

For we^[d] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

(NLT)

God created this world as a pristine place of beauty.  However, Satan the deceiver was also present in the pristine Garden of Eden and as he always does, used his deception to tempt Adam and Eve, leading to their disobedience and eviction from the pristine garden.  Fortunately for us all, before their eviction God promised Adam and Eve a savior would be born of the woman and provide salvation (Genesis 3:15).

One of Satan’s greatest strategies is one of distraction.  He uses this strategy to take our focus from the one who has the solution to the challenges we encounter in life and instead causes us to focus on the problems.  In Ephesians 6:12, Paul is encouraging the embattled church in Ephesus to refocus on the real enemy in our world.  He then goes on to list the weapons of spiritual warfare God has given us (Ephesians 6:13-17) thus changing the focus to God who has given us victory over Satan through Jesus’ finished work on the cross (John 19:30). 

Unfortunately, a splintered and divided church has been rendered ineffective in fulfilling its mission of spreading the Gospel around the world (Mark 16:15).  However, the good news is that it is never too late for the body of Christ to unite in its mission and on June 11, 2017, an event is occurring giving the church an opportunity to unite and give people the opportunity to accept God’s free gift of salvation.  This event is occurring in my home city of Phoenix Arizona at the University of Phoenix stadium and is called Harvest America. 

If you live in the Phoenix Area, I encourage you to make plans to attend.  If you do not live in the Phoenix area, do not fret for you have an opportunity to attend online by hosting the event either in your church or even in your home.  Details of the event can be found at https://harvestamerica.com/event-details and details about hosting the event if you do not live in the Phoenix area can be found at https://harvestamerica.com/host-the-simulcast. 

While events like this are great, they are only a door providing people an opportunity to begin the journey of a life serving Jesus as their savior.  The wonderful thing about this event is that it involves local churches both in the area in which the event occurs as well as local churches and communities remotely hosting the event.  This event has the unique ability to unite a splintered church through technology, fulfilling the vision of Christ of a strong united church (John 13:35).

In preparation for this event, I encourage those reading this to,

1)      Pray – We are in a spiritual war for the souls of men and women around the world.  Satan knows he was defeated at the cross and does not want people to know Jesus has provided salvation for their sins through his death, burial, and resurrection.  We therefore must pray for those we know that do not know Christ, praying that any obstacles Satan places in their path that would prevent them from attending this event are removed.

2)      Invite – People are not just going to miraculously show up for this event and must be invited.  Many reading this are probably uncomfortable sharing the gospel directly with their friends or family so this event is a tremendous opportunity to invite them to hear the Gospel from someone else. 

3)      Bring people with you – Unless distance prevents you from doing so, I encourage everyone to not just invite people to this event but to take them with you either to the event or to a location hosting the event. 

4)      Serve – There are opportunities to serve either at the event in Phoenix or at locations hosting the event.  If you will be attending the event in Phoenix, you can sign up to serve at https://harvestamerica.com/serve or get with the person or church hosting the event in your community and ask how you can serve.

Our lost and dying world must see a church united in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let us use this event as a springboard in beginning this unification process.  

Faith Study (Part 3): Struggling with Doubt

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Mark 11:22-24

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. ²³ Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received^[a] it, and it will be yours.

(ESV)

Many interpret Mark 11:22-24 to mean that doubt contrasts with faith.  While doubt does render our faith ineffective, it does not mean we lack a belief in Jesus Christ when we doubt but demonstrates a lack of trust Jesus can meet our need.  Doubt is therefore not in opposition to our foundational belief in Jesus as our savior but represents an obstacle to our learning to trust in God to meet our needs.  We therefore all struggle with doubt and must learn how to overcome this obstacle to live a life of total faith in God. 

Jesus declared that John the Baptist was the greatest man to be born of women (Luke 7:28).  However, John the Baptist, like all of us, struggled with doubt (Luke 7:18-20).  I personally find great comfort in knowing that someone as great as John the Baptist struggled with doubt as I do but also must look at the passage in Luke 7:18-35 to determine how to deal with my doubts.  In this passage we see,

1)      John the Baptist was honest about his doubts (Luke 7:18-19) – Our society, and even some in the body of Christ view doubt as a weakness.  Not wanting to be viewed as weak, we may suppress any doubts we have so as to put on an image of strength.  However, doubt, as with any other struggle we may encounter in life is never resolved until we acknowledge its existence.  (1) 

2)      John the Baptist confronted his doubt (Luke7:20) – Granted John sent some of his disciples but this is most likely due to him being imprisoned.  However, he did not let this prevent him from confronting his doubts.  In addition, John the Baptist did not seek out resolution for his doubts from others but went directly to Jesus. 

3)      Jesus actions demonstrated John’s doubts were unfounded (Luke 7:21-23) – Instead of condemning John the Baptist for his doubts, Jesus performed miracles of healing, cast out evil spirits, and opened the eyes of the blind as a demonstration of his power and authority.  While we as believers today cannot physically go to Jesus and directly witness him performing miracles, we do have the accounts of his miracles as recorded in the Gospels.  We can also find encouragement in the testimony of people who have experienced the miraculous intervention of God in their lives. 

Jesus warns us that in this world we will have trouble (John16:33).  However, this verse also reminds us that in Jesus we can have peace and that Jesus has overcome the world as demonstrated by the empty tomb.  Dealing with doubt therefore involves making Jesus the prime object of our faith for in so doing we,

1)      Can honestly acknowledge our doubts to him knowing He will not condemn us but give us his peace.

2)      Can honestly confront Jesus with our doubts knowing that God’s Word records the miracle working overcoming power of our God, dispelling all doubt.

One of my favorite Christian bands is Petra.  One of their songs is Jekyll and Hyde.  If you have never heard the song, I encourage you to watch this video.  (2)  The song speaks of the struggle we all have with the flesh, something the Apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 7:7-25.  While we usually equate this with our fleshly struggle with the temptation to sin, it also includes our fleshly struggle with doubt in our lives. 

I therefore encourage everyone reading this to deal with the doubts that present obstacles to effective faith by acknowledging that these doubts are part of our flesh, confronting God directly with these doubts through prayer, and finding resolution to these doubts through God’s Word and fellowship with other believers who have experienced God’s miracle working power in their lives.

Next Saturday we will look at the product of our faith.

1. Habermas, Gary R. Dealing With Doubt. www.garyhabermas.com. [Online] [Cited: May 13, 2017.] http://www.garyhabermas.com/books/dealing_with_doubt/dealing_with_doubt.htm.

2. Petra. Jekyll and Hyde. www.youtube.com. [Online] Youtube, October 22, 2009. [Cited: May 13, 2017.] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBQOCCGJ4U4.

The Force that Binds: Unity in a Divided World

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

(ESV)

The United States experienced one of the most divisive elections in my lifetime in 2016.  I do not say this lightly for in my lifetime as a voter I have participated in many contentious elections.  I remember my first election in 1980 where Ronald Reagan defeated an incumbent President, something historically difficult to do.  This is primarily because incumbents enjoy "Name recognition; national attention, fundraising and campaign bases; control over the instruments of government; successful campaign experience; a presumption of success; and voters' inertia and risk-aversion."  Even with these advantages, the incumbent has lost 3 of the last 10 presidential elections where an incumbent was running.  (1)

Then there was the contentious 2000 election where George W. Bush defeated Vice President Al Gore.  I remember the numerous recounts, and court hearings wondering if everything would be settled prior to Inauguration Day creating a constitutional crisis leaving the nation without a president.  The 2000 election was the election that seemed to go on forever.  (2)  I would label the 2016 election as the one we could not wait to be over for it was an election filled with vile hatred and negativity.    

The electoral process however is not the only place where divisiveness dominates our culture and society.  The shootings of police officers in Dallas illustrates the racial divide still present in the United States.  (3)  While the Bible teaches marriage is between a man and a woman (Genesis 5:2) and explicitly condemns homosexuality (Romans1:24-27), the church has a quandary for while it is on scripturally solid ground in taking a stand against the practice of homosexuality along with constitutional protection under the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, it also is to extend the message of the Gospel to those caught up in this lifestyle.   (4)  The divisive issue of abortion also continues to cause divisiveness in our societies.  This abundance of divisiveness leads us to ask the logical question, what can be done to restore unity to our nations and cultures. 

Erroneously, many well-meaning Christians believe Jesus came almost 2000 years ago to restore unity but as Jesus said in Luke 12:51, He came to bring division.  However, in what could be viewed as a contradiction, Jesus later told his followers to live in unity with one another (John 13:34-35).  Paul went on to emphasize this call for unity in his letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 4:1-16).  To resolve this contradiction, we must view these passages of scripture in context and take note of the audience being addressed. 

In Luke 12, Jesus is addressing his followers cautioning them against false teaching (Luke 12:1-3) and encouraging them to prepare for His return (Luke 12:35-48).  In John however, Jesus is addressing his disciples at the Last Supper, instructing them to live in unity as believers while living in opposition to the sin in their world.  Similarly, Paul is instructing the church in Ephesus to live in unity as a church body standing against the sin and pagan worship of their community. 

Unfortunately, the church has historically failed to follow the instructions of Christ and the Apostle Paul to live in unity and instead has a history of internal divisiveness.  (5)  In fact, the most dangerous guy in the church is not someone of a different race than us, someone with a differing sexual orientation, or someone who is pro-choice but instead it is the one bringing division in the Body of Christ.  (6)  The key, therefore, to bringing unity in our cultures is a church unified in fulfilling the great commission (Mark16:14-20).  This does not however mean that different bodies of believers cannot have differing interpretations of minor theology but that we all must unite behind the mission of spreading the Gospel for this was Jesus final word to his followers. 

It is this unity of purpose that shows our divisive world that we are disciples of Jesus (John 13:34-35) and what will draw the lost to accept Jesus as their savior for it declares that Jesus came to die, be buried, and conquer death through His resurrection (John 12:32).  I therefore urge everyone reading this that is a believer in Jesus as their savior to put aside their petty theological differences and unite in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a divisive world in need of a Savior. 

If you are reading this and have not made Jesus your Savior, I encourage you to pray with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Next Wednesday I will be letting my readers know about an event coming in June where many churches across the globe will have an opportunity to unite in sharing the good news of the Gospel with the lost in their communities. 

1. Weeks, Linton. Why It's Good To Be The Incumbent. www.npr.org. [Online] NPR, June 11, 2012. [Cited: May 13, 2017.] http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2012/06/11/154745966/why-its-good-to-be-the-incumbent.

2. Pruitt, Sarah. 7 Most Contentious U.S. Presidential Elections. www.history.com. [Online] History, April 26, 2016. [Cited: May 13, 2017.] http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-most-contentious-u-s-presidential-elections.

3. Clement, Joel Achenbach and Scott. America really is more divided than ever. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, July 16, 2016. [Cited: May 13, 2017.] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/america-really-is-more-divided-than-ever/2016/07/17/fbfebee6-49d8-11e6-90a8-fb84201e0645_story.html?utm_term=.9bd77887c8c0.

4. Lawrence, William B. The most divisive element in American church life is no longer racism; it's homosexuality. www.dallasnews.com. [Online] Dallas News. [Cited: May 13, 2017.] https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/11/22/divisive-element-american-church-life-longer-racism-homosexuality.

5. Williams, Bob. A History of Church Divisions. www.biblelessons.com. [Online] Biblelessons.com. [Cited: May 13, 2017.] http://www.biblelessons.com/church.html.

6. Raymond, Erik. WHO IS THE MOST DANGEROUS GUY AT YOUR CHURCH? blogs.thegospelcoalition.org. [Online] The Gospel Coalition, August 5, 2015. [Cited: May 13, 2017.] https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/erikraymond/2015/08/05/who-is-the-most-dangerous-guy-at-your-church/.

Faith Study (Part 3): The Object of Faith

By:  Dale Weckbacher   

Hebrews 12:2

 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

(ESV)

In February of 2012, as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration for Queen Elizabeth, the Arch Bishop of Canterbury welcomed the Queen to a multi-faith event at Lambeth Palace.  At the event were representatives of eight non-Christian religions, each presenting an object of their faith.  (1)  While religious objects can serve the purpose of reminding us of our faith, the Word of God is clear that we are not to worship such man-made objects (Exodus 20:4-6). 

Christianity has the objects of the cross, communion, and baptism but we are not to worship these objects only to let them serve as reminders of the one who is the object of our faith, Jesus Christ.

1)      The Cross – reminds us of the death of Jesus Christ for our sins.  However, in the protestant faith, the cross is empty indicating that Jesus is not there for he has risen from the dead.  As a Christian I do not worship the cross but instead use it to remember that Jesus is Lord of my life and my belief that God raised Him from the dead.  The importance of this knowledge is that this knowledge is what saves us (Romans 10:9-10).

2)      Communion – There is a difference in how Catholics and Protestants view communion.  For Catholics the belief is that once the priest consecrates the bread and wine, these implements become the body of Christ.  Non-Catholics may not participate in communion.  (2)  With Protestants, the implements serve as symbolic reminders of the broken body of Christ and his shed blood (1Corinthians 11:23-26).  While anyone, Catholic or Protestant is saved through a profession of faith in Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, the belief that the implements of communion become the body and blood of Christ borders on worship of these implements instead of their proper position as reminders of the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

3)      Baptism – Baptism serves as a public expression of something that has occurred in someone’s heart.  The act of Baptism is not what saves someone as some faiths believe (3) but symbolically represents someone surrendering their life to the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4). 

Luke 7:11-17 records the miracle of Jesus raising a widow’s son from the dead.  Scripture records that this widow not only lost her husband but this was her only son.  In ancient Jewish culture a widow without a son would be financially destitute with no means of economic support.  (4)  Every visible object of financial support this woman had has vanished.  She is mourning and no doubt wondering what will happen next.  Where will she receive her next meal?  Will she be homeless?  Will she live the remainder of her life in destitution? 

With knowledge of her plight, we see Jesus, out of compassion, reaching out to this desperate woman.  Jesus’ first words to her were “Do not Weep” (Luke 7:13).  Scripture does not tell us if this woman had ever heard of Jesus but since Jesus was just starting His ministry, it is highly possible she had no idea who he was.  This means she may have looked at Jesus and wondered who this guy was. 

Fortunately for her, Jesus then went over and touched the bier, told the bearers to stand still, and commanded the young man to arise (Luke 7:14).  I am sure the widow, and all the others witnessing this miracle, stood in shock.  I am also sure that any wondering about who this man was vanished as the widow now knew she would have a son to care for her financial needs.  Bereft of any visible object of faith this widow discovered the only object of faith with the potential of meeting our needs, Jesus Christ. 

As we discovered last Saturday, faith is knowing we need Jesus, believing Jesus is the Son of God and capable of meeting our need, and trusting Him to meet our need.  We also discovered that the greatest challenge for most of us is moving from belief to trust.  When we make Jesus and God’s Word, and not some object or ritual, the object of our faith, it becomes easier to trust God for our needs. 

This widow did not pray and ask Jesus for help yet Jesus gave her the miracle she needed to rescue her from a life of destitution.  Her faith was not based upon some great solid theology or some eloquent prayer of faith.  Her faith was not based upon observance of some ritual or some man-made object.  No, her miracle was provided by the only object of faith capable of meeting all our needs, Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:19).

Next Saturday we will look at the struggle of faith, doubt.

1. Williams, Dr. Rowan. Faith Communities Display Sacred Objects to the Queen. rowanwilliams.archbishopof canterbury.org. [Online] Arch Bishop of Canterbury, February 15, 2012. [Cited: May 6, 2017.] http://rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2355/faith-communities-display-sacred-objects-to-the-queen.

2. DW.com. The main differences between Catholics and Protestants. www.dw.com. [Online] DW Made for Minds. [Cited: May 6, 2017.] http://www.dw.com/en/the-main-differences-between-catholics-and-protestants/a-37888597.

3. Vatican.va. Catechism of the Catholic Church. www.vatican.va. [Online] The Vatican. [Cited: May 6, 2017.] http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm.

4. Henrich, Sarah. Comentary on Luke 7:11-17. www.workingpreacher.org. [Online] workingpreacher.org. [Cited: May 6, 2017.] https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=597.

Always on Time: God is Never Late, it is us Who Are Impatient

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Luke 12:40

“You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

(ESV)

We live in a culture of instant gratification where the idea of waiting for something is unheard of.  We have instant access to information on the internet with the word google now becoming a verb.  We have microwave meals where we can enjoy a warm meal in minutes.   However, instant gratification is not the way of the Lord for Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that our strength is renewed when we learn to wait on the Lord for God is always right on time and never late. 

Impatience and instant gratification is contrary to our fleshly nature and nothing new.  After their eviction from the Garden of Eden, Eve conceived a son (Genesis 4:1).  In her statement “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord” Eve was expressing her belief that the son she bore was the one to fulfill Genesis 3:15 only to have her belief shattered when Cain murdered Abel.  (1)

Another example of impatience in the Bible is found in Joshua 7.  In a rush to occupy the land Joshua sent men from Jericho to spy out the land.  The nation of Israel had experienced a tremendous victory at Jericho and thought they could just march in and conquer Ai without inquiring of the Lord first.  This impatience resulted in an embarrassing defeat.  Fortunately, this defeat was turned to victory after Israel confessed their sins to God (Joshua 8:1-29).  

Fortunately for us all, God’s timing is always perfect.  Take the timing of Jesus first coming for example.  Jesus first coming occurred during the Roman occupation of Israel.  As such, the people had no freedom and lived under the oppression of the Roman government and were desperately seeking a savior (Luke 2:1).  However, zealots in the time of Christ believed Messiah would march into Jerusalem and take over from the oppressive Romans.  (2)  Jesus however spoke out against such a violent take over (Matthew 26:52) and Instead died on a cross, rose from the dead, and after showing himself to many, ascended to heaven with the promise he would return.  It is at the time of His second coming that he will establish his Kingdom on earth with all earthly nations bowing to Him (Romans 14:11). 

The first coming of Jesus also occurred at a time when the Romans had constructed a system of roads and navigable routes on the seas to connect their vast empire.  It was these roads and waterways that made the spread of the Gospel possible.  At the time of Christ, Greek was spoken in most of the world making it possible for the written word to spread like the epistles.  (3)  With these tools, early Christians were able to spread the Gospel and turn their world upside down (Acts 17:6).

As we anticipate the second coming of Jesus, we can also rest assured that it will occur at just the right time.  We can also know that God is already setting things up for this glorious event.  For example, we have our own version of the famous Roman Roads in the information superhighway.  Through social media, email, and blogs on the internet, the message of the Gospel can now be instantaneously spread to anyone in the world from anywhere.  (4)  In addition, google even has the technology to translate text, such as what you are reading now, into other languages making it possible for them to hear the message.  (5)

The second coming of Jesus is delayed because in His mercy, God is not willing that any should die without the opportunity to be saved (2 Peter 3:9).  In this age of instant gratification God has also provided powerful tools such as the internet, social media, and even blogs like this one empowering us as believers to fulfill the great commission of spreading the Gospel to every nation (Mark 16:15).  In addition to these cyber tools, we can also share with those we meet face-to-face while living our daily lives.  Unfortunately, a tool left in the toolbox is useless.  I therefore encourage everyone reading this that is a believer in Jesus as their savior to use these tools to insure everyone has an opportunity to accept Jesus as their savior. 

If you are reading this and have not made this decision, I want to encourage you to do so now.  Romans 3:23 says that we all have sinned and Romans 6:23 tells us that the penalty for our sins is death.  However, in fulfillment of Genesis 3:15, God sent his only Son, Jesus to die for our sins and provide eternal life for anyone choosing to believe (John 3:16).  All we must do to be saved is confess Jesus as Lord of our lives and believe that God raised Him from the dead (Romans10:9-10).  I therefore encourage anyone reading this that has not accepted this gift of salvation from God to do so now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Now, use the tools you have available and share this good news with everyone. 

1. Stewart, Don. What Did Eve Mean, I Have Gotten a Man from the Lord. www.blueletterbible.com. [Online] Blue Letter Bible. [Cited: May 4, 2017.] https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_713.cfm.

2. Reed, Doug. Who Were the Zealots. www.thorncrownjournal.com. [Online] Thorncrown Journal. [Cited: May 4, 2017.] http://www.thorncrownjournal.com/timeofchrist/zealots.html.

3. Jeremiah, David. Why Did Jesus Come When He did? www.cbn.com. [Online] The Christian Broadcasting Network. [Cited: May 4, 2017.] http://www.cbn.com/special/TheNativityMovie/articles/DavidJeremiah.aspx.

4. Wise, Justin. Social Media and Christian Ministry: Reaching the World for the Kingdom of God. www.christianitytoday.com. [Online] Christianity Today. [Cited: May 4, 2017.] http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/february/social-media-and-christian-ministry-reaching-world-for-king.html.

5. Agapiev, Borislav. How does Google translate work? Do they have database for all words of a particular language? www.quora.com. [Online] Quora, December 4, 2016. [Cited: May 4, 2017.] https://www.quora.com/How-does-Google-translate-work-Do-they-have-database-for-all-words-of-a-particular-language.

Faith Study (Part 2): Definition of Faith

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

(ESV)

One definition of faith found in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is “firm belief in something for which there is no proof.”  (1)  Hebrews 11:1 provides a more Biblical definition that on the surface seems to somewhat agree with the definition found in the dictionary for both seem to portray faith as some blind belief in something unseen.  However, Biblical faith is not something that is blind for even though it is a faith in an unseen God, it is not something without proof.

Luke 7:1-10 provides the account of Jesus’ healing of the Centurion’s Servant.  While Hebrews 11:1 provides a general definition of faith as being an assurance of things we hope for and a conviction in the existence of things not seen, the account in Luke provides a more detailed definition of Biblical faith and is something we should look at more closely.

1)      The Centurion had a need (Luke 7:1-2) – The Centurion had a highly-valued servant that was sick to the point of death.  The fact that the Centurion had a need is not an indication of lack of faith but something everyone reading this, and might I add the one writing it, experience in our lives.  While many of us like to think of ourselves as independent and able to handle our needs, the truth is we are all dependent.  For example, you do not want me to fix your car for I lack expertise in auto mechanics.  As such I am dependent upon others to fix my car when it breaks down.  Romans 3:23 reminds us that we all have sinned and fallen short God’s standard.  The consequence of this sin in our lives is death (Romans 6:23) but because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can all be rescued from this death sentence.  Therefore, we all need a substitute to die for us in order to escape this death sentence.  That substitute is Jesus Christ.  If you have not accepted Jesus substitutionary death for your sins, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

2)      The Centurion knew about Jesus (Luke 7:3) – At this point in His ministry, Jesus had performed many miracles of healing.  Having heard of these reports, the centurion sends messengers to Jesus.  When we have a need the next step is finding someone we know can meet that need.  Using my car analogy again I know and have a good mechanic that can fix my car when it breaks down.  I know this mechanic is good because of my history with him and good word from others using his services. 

3)      The Centurion believed Jesus could heal his servant (Luke 7:3) – Just knowing Jesus is insufficient for even demons know Jesus (James 2:19).  Knowing must become a belief that Jesus can meet our particular need.  Most medical doctors display their diploma in their offices.  While this diploma is just a simple piece of paper, it symbolizes the fact the doctor has completed a level of training in medicine.  The displaying of the diploma is to help instill belief that the doctor treating you has expertise in the field of medicine and able to treat your illness.  Our faith in God it is found in the written accounts in God’s Word that help instill belief. 

4)      The Centurion humbly trusted Jesus (Luke 7:4-7) – So humble was the Centurion that he did not even feel worthy to have Jesus come to his house.  So trusting was this Centurion that he trusted that just a word from Jesus would heal the servant.  It is this trusting part that most of us, including myself, struggle with.  We know we have a need, we know of Jesus, and we believe the Word of God is true yet when it comes to trusting God with our personal need, we have doubts and believe we need to fix things ourselves.  Some of us may even be like the elders of the Jews, believing we are somehow worthy of a miracle based upon our good works (Luke 7:4-5).  In the Centurion however, we see a humble man not even feeling worthy to have Jesus visit him yet a man understanding Jesus authority from God and trusting this authority granted Jesus the power to heal his servant with just a word (Luke 7:6-8). 

This passage in Luke concludes with Jesus commending the Centurion for his great faith and using it as a teaching moment (Luke7:9-10).  May we all strive to have a faith defined by the Centurion who knew of Jesus, believed he could perform a miracle for his servant and trusted that just a word from Jesus had the authority to perform a miracle. 

Next Saturday we will explore the object of our faith. 

1. Merriam-Webster. Definition of Faith. www.merriam-webster.com. [Online] Merriam-Webster. [Cited: April 30, 2017.] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faith.

It’s a 4-year Term not a 100-day Term

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Isaiah 40:31

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

(ESV)

Isaiah 40:31 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.  I find that when I face something, pray, and nothing happens, this verse reminds me that I must wait on the Lord to receive an answer to my prayer and trust that the answer I receive is exactly what God wants for me.  In these troubling times, it is wise for us all to learn to wait humbly and patiently on the Lord for He is never late and his plans for us are for our good (Jeremiah 29:11). 

Daniel experienced the pain of waiting when he spent three weeks in mourning over the plight of his people (Daniel 10:1-13).  In this passage, Daniel finally has a visitation from an angel that tells him his prayer had been heard three weeks earlier but that the Prince of Persia stood against him and with the help of Michael the angel was able to deliver the answer to Daniel’s prayer.  Often the answer to our prayer may be obstructed by the spiritual battle we are in at the time and we must wait, as Daniel did, allowing the Lord to renew our strength. 

Ever since FDR, new Presidents in the United States have been judged by what they accomplish their first 100 days in office.  (1)  While this measurement provides a benchmark measuring progress towards the agenda the new President campaigned on and sets the tone for what is to come, it is unfair to judge the new President a failure based upon failures during the first 100 days.  This is because in the United States, Presidents are elected to a 4-year term and not a 100-day term. 

Unfortunately, however, in our instant gratification society, voters can be fickle and change when they become impatient.  Couple this with a media out to destroy the new President and his agenda, (2) and you have an electorate easily manipulated by a liberal media or like what President Trump calls it, fake news that does not report the truth but instead promotes a liberal agenda. 

In addition to the media spreading fake news, the Trump Administration is also dealing with hold overs in the bureaucracy or what some call a shadow government or deep state.  (3) (4)  Since these holdovers are government employees and not appointees of the President and since they are unionized, it is difficult to get rid of them.  This is nothing new for all modern presidents have faced this challenge.  I recall the opposition President W. Bush endured when he fired 46 U.S. Attorneys.  (5) 

President Trump also faces challenges from Congress who is not 100 percent supportive of His agenda.  One would believe a Republican President with a Republican House and Senate would have smooth sailing with his agenda but many within the Republican party view President Trump as an outsider.  This means members of Congress may agree on some issues but long-term questions still loom.  (6)  The recent failure of passage of a bill to repeal and replace portions of Obamacare is an example.  While most all Republicans, including the President, ran for office promising to repeal Obamacare, the debate over the legislation revealed questions over how to go about it.  Similar questions are coming up regarding the funding the Donald Trump’s signature issue, the building of a wall along the southern border of the United States.  However, before everyone supporting Trump in the elections bails on him, we must be patient and give the President Trump an opportunity to work out the details of the deal so Obamacare can be repealed and the wall built. 

President Trump became a billionaire working real estate deals.  These deals always involved back and forth negotiations and thus did not happen immediately.  However, Donald Trump’s massive success tells us he usually prevails in negotiating a successful deal.  Therefore, we the voters and citizens of the United States must be patient and allow President Trump to work out the details of the deals, remembering that Donald Trump did not run for President for personal gain but out of love for his country.  Therefore, let us not confine President Trump to a 100-day window and instead give him his four-year term.  Let us also continue to pray for President Trump and our other government leaders, praying that God’s will is done for our nation.

1. Elving, Ron. The 'First 100 Days' Presidential Benchmark Goes Back To FDR And Napoleon. www.npr.org. [Online] NPR, April 23, 2017. [Cited: April 24, 2017.] http://www.npr.org/2017/04/23/525310208/the-first-100-days-presidential-benchmark-goes-back-to-fdr-and-napoleon.

2. Bardella, Kurt. Yes, it's war: How the media should fight back against Trump. thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, February 21, 2017. [Cited: April 24, 2017.] http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/media/320400-yes-its-war-how-the-media-should-fight-back-against-trump.

3. Graham, Chris. What is 'deep state' and is a shadowy network of Obama holdovers undermining Donald Trump? www.telegraph.co.uk. [Online] The Telegraph, March 11, 2017. [Cited: April 24, 2017.] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/11/deep-state-shadowy-network-obama-holdovers-undermining-donald/.

4. Greenwood, Max. GOP rep: Obama running 'shadow government' to undermine Trump. thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, March 10, 2017. [Cited: April 24, 2017.] http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/323457-gop-rep-obama-running-a-shadow-government-to-undermine-trump.

5. Pamela Brown, Laura Jarrett, Kevin Liptak, and Theodire Schleifer. Anger mounts over handling of US attorney firings. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN Politics, March 10, 2017. [Cited: April 27, 2017.] http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/10/politics/us-attorneys-resignation/.

6. Cowan, Susan Cornwell and Richard. Trump, U.S. Congress will agree on some issues, long-term questions loom. www.reuters.com. [Online] Reuters, November 9, 2016. [Cited: April 27, 2017.] http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-congress-idUSKBN13416D.