Comfort in Mourning

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

(CSB)

Anyone that has experienced the loss of someone they love would hardly consider mourning a blessing.  In fact, I do not recommended confronting someone in mourning by telling them how blessed they are.  Instead, it is best to let them know you are praying for them.  However, there is blessing in mourning when we find comfort in the Lord. 

When entering the synagogue leaders house in Luke 8:40-56 Jesus encountered those mourning the death of the synagogue leader’s daughter.  His words to them must have seemed cruel at the time but after seeing the girl raised from the dead, they found comfort.  The blessing therefore is not in the mourning but in the comfort that comes from the Lord.  However, when mourning we normally do not see the one whose death we mourn coming back to life leading to the question, how can we find comfort from the Lord when the one we love is gone?

1)      If they had accepted Christ we will see them again (2 Corinthians 5:6-8) – I lost my dad in 2001 and my mom three years later.  While I still miss them, especially during Christmas, I have comfort in knowing they were Godly parents and I will see them again when I meet the Lord.  However, what about comfort for those who have died not knowing the Lord?  While it is easy to blame ourselves during these times, believing we should have done more to bring them to Christ, we must remember coming to Christ is a personal decision and that the seed of the Gospel is not always accepted (Matthew 13:1-9).  Since it is the heart of God that none parish (2 Peter 3:9) without having the opportunity to receive Christ, we must find comfort in knowing they heard the gospel but rejected it.  While this still saddens our hearts and the heart of God, we must let this motivate us to move forward in serving Christ, so others have an opportunity to receive Christ knowing that some of that Gospel seed will fall on good soil and be accepted (Matthew 13:8).   

2)      Their death was part of God’s plan for their life and it is good (Jeremiah 29:11) – The harsh truth is that all men and women will face death (Hebrews 9:27).  This represents the common event in the lives of all humanity with the exception of those caught up in the rapture but even they must wait for all those that experienced death to go first (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).  However, while death is part of God’s plan for everyone’s life, we still have a choice on where we will spend eternity.  Once again this should serve to motivate us in the church to be a witness to those who do not know Christ, pointing them to Christ through our words and how we live our lives.  This should motivate us to serve in our church and provide financial support, so they can reach out to the lost in their communities.  It should also motivate us to give financial support to missionaries around the world or even serve as missionaries ourselves if we feel the calling from the Lord. 

3)      While in mourning we can reflect on the sin in our own lives (2 Corinthians 7:10) – When someone we love passes away and goes on to be with the Lord, our mourning can become a desire to see them again.  However, if we have never accepted Christ as our savior, we must come to grips with the sin in our lives and accept Christ, to experience reunification with our loved one after our death. 

If you are reading this and have never accepted Jesus as your savior, 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.

You now have complete forgiveness of your sins and you will once again meet all of your loved ones who knew Jesus as savior when they passed away.  I now urge you to tell someone about what has happened in your life, find a church teaching the Bible so you can learn more about your restored relationship with your creator, and support that church financially and with your time so others can experience a restored relationship with God and find comfort in their mourning. 

Psalms of the Ascents: The Lord our Protector

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 121:1-2

I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

(CSB)

We live in a dangerous world for even a casual look at the headlines in the news reveals the danger and violence present in our society and culture.  To keep themselves save, people buy weapons something the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows and protects.  In fact, statistics show an increase in gun purchases after a mass shooting, especially in the vicinity of the shooting showing the strong desire of people to live lives in safety and security.  (1)  

Even though I presently do not own a gun, I support the right of anyone wanting a gun to do so for everyone has the right to a secure life.  While a gun gives personal safety from someone threatening to kill or injure another, there are also dangers in our world for which a gun gives little or no protection.  For example, a gun does little to protect one from a nuclear attack from Iran or North Korea.  However, there is a level of protection protected by the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the right to trust the Lord our protector. 

The topic of the Psalm 121 is the Lord our protector.  In this psalm, the psalmist declares his protection comes from the Lord.  Like the psalmist, we too must seek our protection not only from weapons we may possess but also through trust in the Lord for the battle we face is not against flesh and blood, rendering conventional weapons useless, but against dark and anti-godly spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12).  The psalmist finds his protection by,

1)      Looking up (Psalm 121:1) – When faced with drowning in the sea, Peter looked up and held his hand out to the Lord (Matthew 14:30).  However, prior to almost drowning in the sea, Peter had stepped out of the boat and walked on the water with the Lord.  It was not until he took his eyes off the Lord that he began to drown (Matthew 14:27-29).  The psalmist encourages us to look up when in danger for that is where our help comes from.  

2)      Looking to the maker of heaven and earth for protection (Psalm 121:2) – While a weapon provides some protection from harm, those that know Christ have the protection of the creator of heaven and earth.  As the creator, He has infinite power to protect us.  There is no greater protection available to humanity than that provided by the creator.

3)      Remembering our protector is trustworthy and never sleeps (Psalm 121:3-4) – Our protector is trustworthy promising that no weapon formed against His people shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17) and since God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19), we can trust His word to us.  God also has no need to sleep and is on duty 24/7. 

4)      Remembering the Lord is always with us (Psalm 121:5) – Not only does our God not slumber, he is with us wherever we go, even if we face death (Psalm 23:4). 

5)      Knowing absolutely nothing can harm him (Psalm 121:6-7) – Since no weapon formed against God’s people will be successful, what should we as God’s people fear.  This, however, does not mean God’s people should walk around oblivious to danger around them, only that the danger around us need not be the dominating thought of our minds, for our help comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:1).  Like Peter who began to drown after taking his eyes off the Lord, we can fall into despair and fear when we take our eyes off the Lord and focus on the danger surrounding us.  We therefore must do what ever is possible to protect ourselves like having a weapon but must also never take our eyes off the Lord, our source of infinite protection.

6)      Remembering the Lord’s protection is eternal (Psalm 121:8) – A gun only provides protection until it runs out of ammunition.  Even the best alarm system only works until the technology behind it fails.  God’s protection, however, is eternal and never ends. 

Dangerous times call for a dual level of protection.  Physical protection through offensive weapons and defensive alarm systems and spiritual supernatural protection provided by our creator God.  Interestingly in the United States, both the right to have a weapon and to practice our religion, including placing of our trust in God for protection have constitutional protection.  Let us pray these rights do not disappear but even if they do, God’s protection is powerful, eternal, and something in which we can trust. 

1. Nedelman, Michael. Why do people buy guns after a mass shooting? eee.CNN.com. [Online] CNN, May 1, 2017. [Cited: June 24, 2018.] https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/01/health/gun-sales-mass-shootings-study/index.html.

A Good Poverty

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

(CSB)

This posting is the first in the series on the beatitudes.  The beatitudes represent the core values of the church but like any stated core values, are useless unless placed into practice.  (1)  The beatitudes mirror the Ten Commandments as they represent a summary of the Gospel just as the Ten Commandments represent a summary of the law.  (1)  For example, the first commandment tells us not to have any other gods (Exodus 20:3).  This mirrors the first Beatitude which tells us that the poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3).  Being poor in spirit means,

1)      Surrender of one’s life to God (Romans 12:2) – One of the dangers of political correctness is its asks people to conform to a popular way of thinking, a way of thinking that usually does not conform to God’s Word.  To be poor in spirit requires one to surrender their life, including their way of thinking, to God.  This mirrors the first commandment but goes beyond just obedience to the law and calls for one to make the Spirit of God part of our entire lives.  In addition, obedience to this Beatitude does not mean avoidance of the curse of the law but instead the blessing of inheriting the Kingdom of God. 

2)      Learning to wait (Jeremiah 29:11) – While God’s plans for our lives are good, they do not necessarily happen on our schedule but on God’s schedule.  During the waiting period our spirits can become restless and we tend to take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on the Lord.  When this occurs, we tend to take matters into our own hands often sabotaging God’s plan for us.  Not waiting on the Lord robs us of the renewed strength that occurs through waiting (Isaiah 40:31).  Poverty of spirit means surrender to God’s plans for us which requires waiting. 

3)      Serving others as a servant of God (Matthew 18:1-4) – When asked about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of God, Jesus instructed His Disciples that it is the one who serves.  This line of thinking went against the thinking of the day as the people following Jesus lived under Roman oppression.  Modern leadership theory has begun to accept servant leadership as a viable model for leadership (2) but the child of God still experiences oppression as they live in a post-modern culture void of any standard of truth.  (3)  However, the calling of the church is making disciples of the nations (Matthew 28:19) and as such, we all have a calling to serve others by living for Christ even if it is not popular or even politically correct. 

Typically, the thought of being poor posits images of one being homeless and destitute, but this is not what living poor in spirit means.  Poverty of spirit means one surrendering their life to God, surrendering their will to God by waiting on His timing, and surrendering their service to serving others as they serve God.  Next Saturday we will look at the blessing of finding comfort in times or mourning. 

1. Guion, David. Beatitudes vs Ten Commandments. grace.allpurposeguru.com. [Online] Grace and Judgment, April 27, 2011. [Cited: June 23, 2018.] http://grace.allpurposeguru.com/2011/04/beatitutes-vs-ten-commandments/.

2. David E Melcher, Susan M. Bosco. Achieving High Organization Performance through Servant Leadership. docs.rwu.edu. [Online] RWU University Libraries, 2010. [Cited: 23 2018, June .] https://docs.rwu.edu/gsb_fp/17/.

3. Dulgnan, Brian. Postmodernism Philosophy. www.britannica.com. [Online] Encyclopedia Britannica, October 31, 2014. [Cited: March 31, 2017.] https://www.britannica.com/topic/postmodernism-philosophy.

Psalms of the Ascents: A Cry for Truth and Peace

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Deuteronomy 16:16

“All your males are to appear three times a year before the Lord your God in the place he chooses: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters. No one is to appear before the Lord empty-handed.

(CSB)

Deuteronomy 16:16 lists the three festivals requiring pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God.  Some refer to these festivals as the Pilgrimage Festivals due to the need for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  (1)  The Psalms of the Ascents (Psalm 120 – 134) are psalms that pilgrims would recite while making their pilgrimage to Jerusalem in order to prepare their hearts to worship God.

Even though Christians do not make these annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the emotion expressed in these psalms are truths that can draw us closer to God just as they did for those making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Over the next 15 Wednesday postings, we will look at each of these Psalms and discover how they apply to our relationship with God through Christ.  This week we will begin with Psalm 120.

We live in an age of fake news, cover-ups of criminal activity, and threats of violence and war.  Psalm 120 is a psalm crying out to God for truth and peace.  In the psalm we see

1)      The Lord answering the psalmist’s cry (Psalm 120:1) – Prayers are effective (James 5:16) and when in destress, prayer should be our first reflex action.  However, we should also communicate with God regularly through prayer and study of His Word knowing as the psalmist did, that God hears us. 

2)      The psalmist crying out for rescue from lies and deceit (Psalm 120:2) – Lies and deceit lead to lack of trust between people and one reason for the divisiveness we see in society and culture.  However, God is not a man that lies (Numbers 23:19) and therefore someone in whom we can have complete trust.  While we still lack trust in God at times due to our not being able to see Him physically, we must learn to accept that he exists in faith.  This faith comes through hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  Therefore, in these times of lies and deceit it is important for us as believers and followers of Jesus Christ to regularly expose ourselves to the Word of God in order to have faith to completely trust God.   

3)      Lying and deceit have consequences (Psalm 120:3-4) – Using metaphorical language the psalmist equates the consequences of lying and deceit to sharp flaming arrows.  The symbolism of sharp burning arrows would equate to one using guns and bullets today.  However, faith in the unchanging God works like a shield protecting believers from the fiery arrows or bullets of lies and deceit (Ephesians 6:16).  Truth also sets us free from the consequences of lies and deceit (John 8:32).     

4)      A hunger for peace when surrounded by violence and war (Psalm 120:5-6) – One of the signs of the last days are wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6).  However, this should not alarm us for these are but labor pains occurring prior to the birth of the second coming of Christ (Matthew 24:7-8).  Instead of worrying about these world events, the children of God should develop a hunger for peace by entering into a deeper relationship with the Prince of Peace through prayer and study of The Bible. 

5)      The psalmist’s efforts at peace met with violence and war (Psalm 120:7) – Even though the children of God seek peace, their seeking of peace goes against the strategy of the Devil which is murder and destruction (John 10:10).  However, the second half of John 10:10 reminds us that Jesus came to give us abundant life.  Even though our efforts to bring peace may incur resistance, we must draw closer in our relationship to the Prince of Peace and not allow discouragement to stop us for the devil’s time as ruler of this world is temporary and soon replaced by the millennial rein of Christ. 

A world of fake news, cover-ups, criminal activity, violence, and war needs Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace.  However, we who have a personal relationship with Jesus must not hide the light of God’s peace inside but must let it shine out in how we live and what we say (Matthew 5:16).  When we let this light shine, it will attract others seeking peace, thus spreading the Gospel. 

1. Kohn, Rabbi Daniel. What are Pilgrimage Festivals? www.myjewishlearning.com. [Online] My Jewish Learning. [Cited: June 17, 2018.] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/pilgrimage-festivals/#ampshare=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/pilgrimage-festivals/.

A Test of Commitment

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;

(CSB)

The ultimate measure of commitment to someone or something is when we place our trust in that person or thing.  However, trust placed in anything other than God is a misplaced trust in something imperfect that will eventually fail to meet up to our expectations.  It is therefore important for people to place their trust in God for God does not lie and delivers on every promise in God’s Word (Numbers 23:19).  In Proverbs 3:5-12 we have a test of commitment testing our,

1)      Trust (Proverbs 3:5) – What we treasure most in our lives indicates where our heart and trust is (Matthew 6:21).  If the treasure of our hearts is in anything other than God, it is a misplaced trust in something imperfect that will fail us.  This includes trust in our own abilities or understanding over Godly wisdom. 

2)      Making God part of all we do (Proverbs 3:6) – How we as believers act outside the four walls of the church indicates the extent to which God is part of all we do and also our level of commitment.  Is God just that Sunday thing we do and check off our list each week or is God something we involve in everything we do.  If one were to subpoena our coworkers, neighbors, and friends, including Facebook and Twitter friends, asking them under oath if we are followers of Jesus Christ, would they answer yes or no.  If the answer is no, we have to question our commitment to Christ.  

3)      Humility, reverential fear of the Lord and hatred of evil (Proverbs 3:7-8) – Pride precedes destruction and a fall (Proverbs 16:18).  In contrast, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7).  God also detests evil.  Our level of humility or surrender of our lives to God and obedience to the Word of God out of reverence and worship of who God is also tests our commitment.  In addition, a heart felt desire to no longer sin shows our abhorrence of evil and commitment to draw close to God by ending the sin that separates us from God. 

4)      Honoring of God with our money and time (Proverbs 3:9-10) – So important is tithing to God, that it is the only thing in scripture that God challenges us to test him (Malachi 3:10).  Giving of our money and time to the Lord is giving part of ourselves to Him.  It also tests our trust in God to support us out of the 90 percent that remains after the tithe. 

5)      Acceptance or rejection of God’s instructions or discipline (Proverbs 3:11-12) – Like a parent correcting a child, God corrects us, His children.  He does not correct oR discipline his children to exercise authority over us but instead does it out of love.  Commitment comes from accepting and not rejecting Gods instructions and correction. 

Just as God in Malachi 3:10 challenges us to test Him with our giving, I want to challenge everyone reading this to test their commitment to God using the yardstick of Proverbs 3:5-12.  Using this yardstick, we can measure our trust, our witness to the lost, humility, reverence for God, hatred of sin, trust in God for provision, and our acceptance or rejection of God’s instruction and discipline.  From this foundation of commitment, we are prepared to live for Christ.

However, what does living for Christ look like?  The answer to this question is complex but Jesus gives simplification through the Beatitudes.  Over the next 9 Saturday postings, we will be looking at each of these guidelines for Christian living and how best to apply them to our daily lives.

May God bless everyone reading this.

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 22): The Cry of an Obedient Heart

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:169

Let my cry reach you, Lord;
give me understanding according to your word.

(CSB)

Matthew 14:30 contains one of the shortest prayers in the Bible with Peter sinking and crying out “Lord, save me!”  When in trouble our first cry should be to the Lord but sadly, it is often what we do after trying to fix things ourselves and making matters worse.  The psalmist in Psalm 119:169-175 cries out to the Lord from an obedient heart.  His obedient heart means he is not just crying out because he is in trouble, only to go back to doing what got him in trouble in the first place.  Instead his cries are for rescue with the intention to sin no more.  In this last section of Psalm 119 we see the psalmist,

1)      Crying out to the Lord for Understanding (Psalm 119:169) – According to Guinness, the Bible is the best selling and most widely distributed book in history with an estimated 2.5 billion to 5 billion copies printed between 1815 and 1975.  (1)  However, without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit the book reads like any book (1 Corinthians 2:14), but with the Holy Spirits enlightenment the words come alive in one’s heart and transform their life (Hebrews 4:12).  May we learn to make our first reaction crying out to the Lord for understanding. 

2)      Crying out to the Lord for Rescue (Psalm 119:170) – Peter’s actions in Matthew 14:22-32 teach a valuable lesson.  He begins with faith in Jesus by stepping out of the boat and walking on the water but begins to sink when he takes his eyes off of Jesus.  However, he cries out to the Lord and Jesus saves him.  We often begin with faith in God and take the leap but as the enemy hurls his fiery darts at us, begin to sink instead of putting up our shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) by crying out to the Lord, the source of our rescue.

3)      Praise for God teaching us His statutes (Psalm 119:171) – God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).  With this truth in mind, why not praise God for His statutes, inviting the Holy Spirit in to teach us. 

4)      Singing about the promises and righteous commands of God (Psalm 119:172) – Singing should be our response as we pause to reflect on the truth that the God who created the universe would bother to provide redemption at the cost of His only Son suffering a brutal death by crucifixion.  Jesus, God in human form (John 1:14), who knew no sin became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) and took upon himself our death penalty (Romans 6:23).  Even though we may not have a great singing voice, this truth should make us sing for joy.

5)      Expectation of God’s help through obedience (Psalm 119:173) – God is not a man and does not lie (Numbers 23:19).  When God makes a promise, He will hold up His end of the bargain.  When we couple that with obedience to God, we can have expectation of God’s help. 

6)      Hunger for salvation, delight in God’s instructions (Psalm 119:174) – Unlike the psalmist who looked forward to the coming Messiah that would provide his salvation, we can look back and accept salvation today through the completed work of Jesus on the cross.  Like the psalmist, however, we look forward to the return of Messiah to establish His kingdom on earth.  While we wait for this glorious event, we can take delight in the Word of God. 

7)      Living to praise God (Psalm 119:175) – Because of the amazing gift of salvation provided by God, we have eternal life and a reason to praise God knowing we have the Holy Spirit and God’s Word to guide us.

8)      A lost sheep needing God’s direction (Psalm 119:176) – Like the psalmist, however, we can go astray like a lost sheep but our loving God is never far from his sheep and seeks us out when we stray.  May we like the psalmist continue to take delight in the Word of God, even when we go astray for God’s Word is our road map back to intimacy with God. 

It is the desire of God to have intimacy and a relationship with His greatest creation, humanity.  Even our sin and straying from God does not change this desire as evidenced by God sending Jesus, the sinless lamb to die for our sins.  I would be remiss in my duty as a follower of Jesus to not extend an invitation to anyone reading this who has not entered into a relationship with God by accepting Jesus as their savior 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.

Congratulations, you have just committed the most obedient act one can perform, accepting God’s gift of eternal salvation (John3:16).  You now have a reason to sing and rejoice.  You should also have a hunger to learn more about God and with the help of the Holy Spirit now living in you (John 14:15-17) can experience the words of the Bible moving from words on a page to a living word that transforms us (Romans 12:2). 

This concludes our study of Psalm 119.  Next Wednesday we will begin a study of the psalms of the ascents (Psalm 120-134).  Invite your friends to follow these posts as we learn how to prepare our hearts for intimacy with God through these psalms. 

May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Guinness World Records. The Bible. www.guinnessworldrecords.com. [Online] Guinness. [Cited: June 12, 2018.] http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction/.

Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

(CSB)

Many years ago, I had a job that required visiting mine sites and conducting inventory.  On one such trip I visited a gold mine in Nevada that had a vain of gold so rich, visitors like myself could not even take a rock lying on the ground for the chances were, it contained Gold.  In fact, they had a practice of sifting through the slag pile of discarded rock and sand to insure they were not throwing away any of the precious ore. 

The craziness of this world that is on display daily on cable and network news, and the internet has one thing in common, it lacks wisdom and knowledge, leaving us lacking understanding of how things have gotten so out of hand.  Just acquiring knowledge is useless unless accompanied with understanding and wisdom in the application of knowledge in our daily lives.  Proverbs 9:10 provides biblical insight into this important process.

1)      Knowledge – According to Proverbs 9:10, knowledge is knowledge of the Holy One.  This knowledge begins with accepting Jesus as our savior.  However, this is the beginning of our knowledge of the Holy One and after our salvation, must continue with our learning more about Him through study of the Bible.  Jesus is our gateway to knowing God (John 14:6) for Jesus is God (John 1:1).  As Jesus reminded Philip in John 14:8-9, to see Him is to see God the Father. 

2)      Understanding – The very thought that God would come down to sinful humanity and not only live with them but also take on the death penalty for their sins is beyond our human understanding.  Agnosticism, derived from the Greek agnostos, believes understanding of God is impossible for humanity.  (1)  Left in this state, humanity would have no hope after the ascension of Christ for our source of knowledge and truth has left.  However, God does not want us to lack understanding of Him and His ways and is why God the Father sent the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascension (John 14:26, Acts 2:4).  This is a demonstration of the Trinity in action as God the Father becomes relatable to humanity through Jesus who cleanses us from sin, allowing individuals to have the Spirit of God with them and inside them (John 14:17).  However, focusing on the tongues part of Acts 2:4 causes us to miss the entire purpose of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, providing understanding. 

3)      Wisdom – Proverbs 9:10 teaches us that the gateway to wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  For those that do now know Jesus as their savior, this is a fear of judgment for sin (Romans 6:23).  However, once we accept Jesus as our savior, we no longer live under this fear of death in our sins for Jesus death has saved us and we have eternal life (Romans 10:9-10, John 3:16).  The fear spoken of in Proverbs 9:10 is a fear based upon the Holy One (Jesus) and understanding through the Holy Spirit.  Wisdom is practical application of this knowledge and understanding in our daily lives. 

Theology or learning abut God is not something reserved for those with degrees in theology but is something powerful when it occurs with ordinary people living in real circumstances.  (2)  Acquisition of theological knowledge through teaching and study coupled with understanding through the Holy Spirit opens the gateway to wise application of theology in one’s daily life.  Not only will this wise application enrich our lives but serves to demonstrate the power of God in our lives to those that have not accepted Jesus as their savior, creating a desire to know God through acceptance of Jesus as Savior. 

If you are reading this and have not accepted Jesus as your savior I invite you to do so now.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that salvation comes through confession of Jesus as Lord coupled with the belief that God raised Him from the dead.  I invite you to pray with me now and make this confession,

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.

I now encourage those that just accepted Jesus as their savior and those that already know Jesus as lord and Savior to diligently gain knowledge of God through teaching and study of the Bible, ask for understanding from the Holy Spirit that lives in us because of forgiveness of our sins through Jesus, wisely applying this knowledge in our daily lives.  This is our greatest treasure and one, unlike my restriction from taking a rock from the mine, available to all of us.  May God bless those reading this posting. 

1. Flew, Anthony Garrard Newton. Agnosticism. www.britannica.com. [Online] Encyclopedia Britannica. [Cited: June 9, 2018.] https://www.britannica.com/topic/agnosticism.

2. Doster, Richard. Practical Theology. byfaithonline.com. [Online] ByFaith, January 14, 2013. [Cited: June 9, 2018.] http://byfaithonline.com/practical-theology/.

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 21): A Vast Treasure of Wisdom

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:162

I rejoice over your promise
like one who finds vast treasure.

(CSB)

According to Kevin Breuninger writing for CNBC, the odds of winning the Powerball is 1 in 202.2 million and the Mega Millions is 1 in 302.5 million.  (1)  However, even with these extremely slim odds, millions play each week demonstrating the powerful lure of some great financial prize or treasure.  However, the greatest treasure available to humanity does not cost us anything and is available to us simply for asking and believing, this treasure is the free gift of salvation and redemption provided through the substitutionary death of Jesus (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:9-10, John 3:16). 

While this gift is free to us, it came at the cost of God sending His only Son to become human like us, live a sinless life, and die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).  However, unlike the lottery, this treasure does not have slim odds but is guaranteed through the Holy Spirit in our lives after accepting Jesus as our savior (2 Timothy 1:14).  If you are reading this and have yet to claim this treasure, I urge 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.

The psalmist in Psalm 119:161-168 praises the value of the great treasure he has discovered in the Word of God as he waits expectantly for the appearance of Messiah.  Even though Messiah has already come, and we have the opportunity to enter into a relationship with God through Him, we too like the psalmist can rejoice in the treasure of the Word of God as we wait for Jesus’ second coming.  As the psalmist waits he,

1)      Does not fear powerful men but only God’s Word (Psalm 119:161) – While the author of Psalm 119 is unknown, this verse leads us to believe he was someone persecuted, perhaps someone alive during the exile of the Jews in Babylon or Persia.  However, the psalmist does not fear the powerful princes persecuting him and finds comfort in the Word of God. 

2)      Rejoices and treasures God’s promises (Psalm 119:162) – The psalmist values the promises in the Word of God as if they were some great treasure. 

3)      Hates falsehood but loves God’s instruction (Psalm 119:163) – The psalmist also values the truth contained in the Word of God while abhorring falsehood.  The source of lies is the Devil (John 8:44) with Jesus being the way truth and life (John 14:6). 

4)      Is consistent in his praise of God’s righteous judgments (Psalm 119:164) – Praising God seven times a day symbolizes one consistently expressing praise to God. 

5)      Has peace and stability through God’s instructions (Psalm 119:165) – The instability of the world and the world system is all around us.  How fortunate we are to have access to the stability of the Word of God and a personal relationship with God through Jesus. 

6)      Obeys out of love while hoping for salvation (Psalm 119:166-167) – No one forces us to obey God for obedience to God is voluntary.  We also do not obey to earn our salvation but receive it from a loving God who sent His son to die for our sins.  Obedience is not to earn salvation but an expression of love for God who paid a high price for our salvation, something we should highly treasure

7)      Obeys because God knows all (Psalm 119:168) – The thought that God knows all can be terrifying for those with sin in their lives but provides comfort for the redeemed.  While God indeed knows our sins, he also knows what we need and lovingly takes care of His children.

While winning a multi-million-dollar lottery prize would be a great treasure, the greatest treasure available to humanity is free for the taking for those choosing to accept Jesus sacrifice for our sins.  I urge anyone reading this that has not asked God to forgive their sins to do so by accepting the gift of salvation provided by Jesus.  For those that have already accepted this gift, I urge you to place a greater value on what you have in Christ through study of His Word, and prayer as you get to know the Lord better. 

1. Breuninger, Kevin. The odds of winning those record Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots are beyond slim. www.cnbc.com. [Online] CNBC, January 5, 2018. [Cited: June 4, 2018.] https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/odds-of-winning-a-lottery-jackpot-are-worse-than-you-expect.html.

Preparing for Revival: Know How to Engage

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Esther 4:16

“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”

(CSB)

In the previous studies on preparing for revival we have looked at the importance of prayer, the importance of knowing the enemy, and the importance of knowing the weapons God has provided.  Now, the time has come to engage. 

The Book of Esther gives us an example of how God works behind the scenes.  While the book of Esther never mentions God, we see Him at work throughout the book.  This is especially true with how Esther engaged when faced with the decision of whether to engage and save her people at great risk or take the safe way and sit back continuing to live in the comfort of her position as queen.  Esther chose to allow God to use her and her high position as queen to save His people.  Esther engaged by,

1)      Waiting on the Lord before getting involved – In the king’s search for a new queen, many young women gathered at the fortress of Susa to audition for the position of queen (Esther 2:8-9).  Among those women was the Jewish woman Esther (Hadassah) cousin of Mordecai (Esther 2:7).  In obedience to Mordecai, Esther did not reveal her ethnicity.  While our passion to share the Gospel with others makes us want to share the Gospel with everyone we encounter, when we do so without waiting on God’s timing, we come across as preachy.  In John 16:7-11 Jesus tells His Disciples it is good that He is going away for then the Holy Spirit will come and convict the world of Sin.  Before coming out with our evangelistic sword slashing back and forth we must wait on the Holy Spirit to lead us for then He can do His convicting work on the souls of those we want to see come to Christ.  Jesus also told His Disciples to wait for empowerment from the Holy Spirit before engaging in ministry (Acts 1:8).  Waiting on the Lord renews our strength to engage with God’s power and blessing, not depending on our own strength (Isaiah 40:31).

2)      When dealing with an unpredictable person, trust God – One could only approach the king if summoned.  To approach the king without his summoning them meant the death penalty unless the king extended his gold scepter granting the person permission to live (Esther 4:11).  Even though Esther was queen, the king had not summoned her for thirty days leading to unpredictability of how he might respond.  However, Esther trusted God and entered even though it might result in her execution (Esther 4:16).  While in nations like the United States we typically do not fear loss of life for our faith in God, we face possible loss of friendship or rejection.  However, in many parts of the world being Christian carries with it the possibility of death.  In sharing the Gospel with the unsaved we deal with unpredictable people who may reject us or in extreme cases turn us in exposing us to possible death.  In either case we must like Esther, trust God for the outcome.   

3)      When working through an unpleasant situation, trust the Lord – While Esther could have chosen to remain quiet living out her life in the comfort of her position as queen, she would have done so knowing it meant the total annihilation of her people, including Mordecai.  While this situation is unpleasant, Esther chose the unpleasant situation of engaging, facing potential execution.  While both situations are unpleasant, Esther chose to engage trusting God in the process.  The fear of engaging someone with the message of the Gospel is unpleasant but not engaging with the prospect someone will die without hearing the Gospel is also unpleasant.  We therefore must like Esther engage trusting God with the outcome.

4)      When standing against an unprincipled enemy, ask the Lord for courage – Moses has died and Joshua sits on the border with the Promised Land.  During his forty years serving with Moses he has seen how rebellious the people of Israel can be.  This situation has much uncertainty for the people currently occupying the land are unprincipled people.  However, God instructs Joshua to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9).  Perhaps remembering the scriptural account of Joshua about to enter the Promised Land, Esther courageously enters the throne room of the king rescuing Gods people.

While preparation for revival through prayer, knowledge of the enemy, and use of the weapons God has provided are important, we must also engage.  May we like Esther not fear engaging after preparation knowing that God has placed us in our position in life with the purpose of living and sharing the Gospel with others.  We may not have a lofty position as Esther did but God has placed us in our present position, so we can live for Christ and share the Gospel through our actions and words.  May we like Esther courageously engage in that mission.