Awaiting the Return of Christ.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 130:5

I wait for the Lord; I wait
and put my hope in his word.

(CSB)

The next psalm of the ascents Psalm 130 has the theme of awaiting redemption.  The Jewish people waited several thousand years for their Messiah and then rejected Him.  Part of this was no doubt due to their growing impatient during this waiting process and in the process formulating nonbiblical beliefs of what Messiah would do when he came.  While Messiah has already come, we now eagerly await his return to straighten out the mess in this world.  However, during this waiting process we too may formulate nonbiblical expectations as we grow impatient waiting.  Therefore, before beginning the study of Psalm 130, we must review an earlier post on surviving this process. 

Isaiah 40:31 gives us the promises of strength, victory, energy, and that we will not give up while waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises.  While we find comfort in this promise as we are waiting for the Lord to provide what we need, most of us share the emotions of the psalmist in Psalm 119:123 during the waiting process.  Psalm 119:121-128 gives guidance for us during this waiting process and provides a sort of survival guide for this waiting process. 

The context of the psalmist’s writing differs from ours in that he is waiting for salvation from God through the coming of Messiah, unlike us who have salvation available to us for the asking because of Jesus’ work on the cross.  However, while we have salvation from sins through Jesus, we still live in a world dominated by evil, sin, oppression, and persecution and like the psalmist can grow weary looking for deliverance from these things with the second coming of Jesus.  However, even with this difference in context, we still find hope and guidance in what the psalmist writes in Psalm 119:121-128.  In this passage we see,

1)      Remaining faithful to God during the frustration of waiting (Psalm 119:121) – Since scripture reminds us that we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23), the psalmist is not declaring his self-righteousness.  Instead, the psalmist is expressing frustration at doing all the right things and yet suffering oppression.  The Book of Job in the Bible tells the account of a man severely oppressed.  While we know the reason for the oppression happening to Job (Job 1:6 – 2:10), there is no recorded record of Job discovering the back story of his oppression.  During the waiting period for Job, and the constant barrage of advice from his “friends,” Job shows frustration but never curses or turns his back on God. 

2)      Asks for a guarantee against the arrogant oppressing him (Psalm 119:122) – Notice that the psalmist is not seeking a guarantee against oppression but a guarantee against oppression from arrogant people.  Even Jesus the Son of God could not escape oppression from arrogant people with them putting Him on the cross because of the blinding of their arrogance, blinding them from truths in scripture pointing to Jesus as their Messiah.  This reminds us not to focus on arrogant, ungodly commentary in opposition to the promises in the Bible but to focus on the promises of God in scripture. 

3)      Be honest with God (Psalm 119:123) – During the waiting period we may experience times as the psalmist did when we believe we cannot continue.  The psalmist’s confession of feeling weary while waiting on the Lord appears to demonstrate a lack of faith in the promise of Isaiah 40:31. The truth, however, is that God knows our hearts and knows we grow weary during the waiting process.  We therefore must be honest with God about our feelings and trust that He will renew our strength during times of oppression. 

4)      Rely on God’s love and continue learning truth from His Word (Psalm 119:124) – Our fleshly tendency during times of oppression is to shake our finger at God asking why this is happening to us.  Job had his moments of finger shaking at God but in the end, surrendered to a loving God, receiving deliverance.  Instead of finger shaking we should search scripture to reinforce the truth that God loves us and is with us. 

5)      Ask for godly understanding of scripture (Psalm 119:125) – While we should daily read the Bible, it can become a routine activity that we check off our to-do-list.  While reading scripture in this manner may produce some positive results, the best results from reading scripture come through reading and asking God for understanding through the Holy Spirit.  Recently I began the practice of using a journal to write down scripture that God brings to mind as I read the Bible.  This causes me to continue meditating on that scripture throughout the day, taking Scripture from simple words on a page to something I can begin applying to my life. 

6)      Plea for prompt action against those violating God’s instructions (Psalm 119:126) – While asking for prompt action during a waiting period seems like a lack of faith and trust, the psalmist is not seeking prompt action on his request from God but prompt action against violators of God’s law.  Perhaps these are the same oppressors in Psalm 119:122, distracting the psalmist from his focus on God and His Word. 

7)      Continue loving the priceless Word of God and applying it to our lives (Psalm 119:127-128) – The constant struggle during the waiting period with God is allowing impatience, frustration, or ungodly advice to distract us from the truths in the Word of God and applying them to our lives.  After honestly expressing his honesty and impatience, the psalmist concludes this portion of Scripture with reaffirming his love for God’s Word and his commitment to continue applying it to his life. 

Our human nature is to dislike waiting.  We dislike long lines, being on hold on the telephone, and rush hour traffic.  Likewise, we dislike waiting on God, growing frustrated and impatient as we seem to see God leave our prayer unanswered.  However, the waiting process is where we receive renewed strength, and learn to soar like an eagle in the victory of our salvation in Christ, gain strength to go on without growing weary, and where we continue to go on without giving up.  Please Lord help us survive the waiting period.

God’s Rich Blessings in Christ

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 1:3

 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.

(CSB)

The word blessed can also mean happy so Ephesians 1:3 tells us that it is God’s good pleasure to grant us every spiritual blessing in Christ.  The fall of Adam and Eve greatly grieved God the Father and why he paid such a high price for our salvation.  When we make Jesus our savior we receive a new identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).  We are no longer sinners under a death penalty (Romans 3:23; 6:23) but believers with eternal life not subject to condemnation (John 3:16-18). 

One cannot study Ephesians 1:3-14 without encountering the topic of predestination.  This topic has resulted in divisiveness with some believing God predestines some people to salvation and others to eternal damnation.  The main flaw in this theology is that those not accepting Christ as savior greatly outnumber those accepting Christ, turning God into some tyrannical parent showing favoritism.  (1)  To add to the confusion, in the same letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul mentions salvation by grace (Ephesians 2:8).  Either Paul is conflicted, or we are not looking at the bigger picture of God presented in Ephesians. 

We must look at the issue from both God’s and our perspective.  Our perspective is one of free will with God allowing us to make our own decisions.  For example, Adam and Eve exercised their free will to disobey God, resulting in the fall of humanity (Genesis 3).  Even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane had an opportunity to forego death on the cross but instead decided to go to the cross, providing salvation to all choosing to accept Jesus as savior (Matthew 26:39). 

God’s perspective is justice for God hates sin with those committing sin receiving the death penalty (Romans 6:23).  Blood is the purging agent for forgiveness of sin requiring a blood sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:22).  Once Jesus offered His sinless blood as the ultimate purging sacrifice for our sins, God initiated a blanket pardon for sin.  In essence, God predestined humanity to forgiveness of sins through the blood of His son Jesus.  However, since God honors our free will, it is up to us to lay claim to the pardon through accepting Jesus death burial and resurrection.  There is therefore no contradiction in Ephesians with God satisfying his justice while preserving our free will.

Our new identity in Christ is a blood identity sealed in the blood of the Son of God.  God further sealed and protected this new identity with the Holy Spirit.  This blood covenant is what secures our salvation and provides eternal life. 

The good news of the Gospel is we are all predestined to salvation but must exercise our free will in accepting it.  If you have not accepted this gift of salvation, 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.

We all have a God given destiny in our lives.  While that destiny is unique with each person offering unique talents, everyone’s destiny has the common reward of an eternal relationship with God (John 3:16).  However, God honors our free will with this eternal destiny remaining unclaimed by many choosing not to accept God’s gift (John 3:18).  Do not exit this post before accepting God’s priceless gift of eternal life. 

1. Sarris, George. Predestination or Free Will? . . . The Debate Continues. blogs.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, July 22, 2011. [Cited: August 19, 2018.] http://blogs.christianpost.com/engaging-the-culture/predestination-or-free-will-the-debate-continues-6459/.

Psalms of the Assents: Protection of the Oppressed

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 129:2

Since my youth they have often attacked me,
but they have not prevailed against me.

(CSB)

Jesus does not promise a world void of trouble, only that His resurrection has overcome the evil in the world (John 16:33).  Jesus death and resurrection changed the spiritual and eternal state of humanity but not the location in which people live.  Not to fear, however, for as Jesus and the psalmist remind us, we have safety and security in Christ. 

The world in which we live is dangerous.  This morning police helicopters were hovering around my neighborhood.  We have no idea what was happening but when the helicopter is close enough to hear them talking with people on the ground, all you do is lock the doors and stay inside.  In addition, street racers continue to be a problem in the Phoenix area.  With two fatal accidents in Phoenix on Sunday morning, one must wonder if these fatal accidents were the result of street racing.  (1) (2)  Political divisiveness in the world is also placing one group of people against another creating potentially violent and even fatal situations.  While political division is nothing new (3), social media and the internet have made the spreading of hateful rhetoric instantaneous. 

Those professing Jesus as their savior have a high calling to spread the Gospel and make disciples of the nations (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15).  This is the unity in Christ spoken of in Ephesians 4:1-6 that is not uniformity as each individual retains his or her uniqueness but unity of purpose.  However, this unity of purpose in Christ will meet with opposition requiring spiritual warfare using spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6:10-20).  However, the provision of these spiritual weapons once again shows God’s protection for his people against oppression. 

As the Israelites made their pilgrimages to Jerusalem they would think of the words of Psalm 129.  Perhaps they would remember the accounts of their oppression as slaves in Egypt and how God miraculously delivered them from their oppressors.  Perhaps they would remember the oppression of the Philistines and how a young shepherd boy with the help of God defeated them (1 Samuel 17).  Perhaps they would remember their protection from antihalation as a nation during the time of Esther.  The bottom line is that the words of the psalmist in Psalm 129 are true with God always protecting His people. 

In today’s dangerous world God’s people must

1)      Know their identity in Christ (Ephesians 1-3) – All people have sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standard (Romans 3:23) but those choosing to make Jesus their savior have moved from a life of death in sin to life in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10).  Unfortunately, however, Satan reminds believers of their earlier sinful identity and if when they dwell on that identity, they become ineffective as soldiers of Christ with a calling to spread the Gospel.  Instead of giving in to the deception of the enemy, God’s people must know their new identity in Christ and remind Satan of their identity shift based upon scriptural truth. 

2)      Remain unified (Ephesians 4:1-6:9) – As stated earlier, this is not uniformity but unity of purpose with each believer in Christ using their unique talents and abilities to assist in spreading the Gospel. 

3)      Remain prepared for spiritual war (Ephesians 6:10-20) – Living for Christ placed us at odds with those choosing to remain in their sin.  The armor of God symbolizes the tools of truth, righteousness, the Gospel message, faith, salvation, and the Word of God that the people of God have to defeat Satan. 

It is a dangerous world and not a world one should live in without the protection of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus as your savior, I urge you to pray with me now,

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.

It is a dangerous world with even God’s people susceptible to danger, but God’s people have the advantage of the Lord’s protection against danger.  God’s people therefore need not cower in fear in a dangerous world but can live in the joy and strength of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10).  May everyone reading this find joy and protection in the Lord. 

1. Fox 10 AZ. 3 teenagers dead after a crash in Phoenix. www.fox10phoenix.com. [Online] Fox News, August 19, 2018. [Cited: August 19, 2018.] http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-news/3-teenagers-taken-to-the-hospital-after-a-crash-in-phoenix.

2. AZ, Fox 10. Glendale PD: 2 dead after a 5 vehicle crash near 91st Ave and Camelback. www.fox10phoenix.com. [Online] Fox News, August 19, 2018. [Cited: August 19, 2018.] http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-news/glendale-pd-2-dead-after-a-5-vehicle-crash-near-91st-ave-and-camelback.

3. Hanson, Victor Davis. It’s 1968 All Over Again. www.nationalreview.com. [Online] National Review, October 12, 2017. [Cited: August 19, 2018.] https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/10/divisive-american-politics-today-recall-1968/.

Prison Epistles: Ephesians Overview

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.

(CSB)

The themes of the Book of Ephesians are the Gospel of grace through Jesus Christ and living that Gospel in an ungodly world.  Ephesians 2:8 provides the thesis for the first three chapters, reminding us that our salvation is not based upon our own efforts but instead the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  Ephesians 4:1 is the thesis for the last three chapters reminding us to live worthy of the high calling of the Gospel of grace.  However, it is also important to remember the context and situation of the author’s writing the book.  The author, likely the Apostle Paul, is imprisoned for his faith but instead of complaining about his situation, has lavish praise for the blessing of salvation in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).  This post gives an overview of the historical context of the book and its contribution to scripture. 

The beginning of Paul’s ministry to the people of Ephesus is recorded in Acts 19.  His first encounter after entering the city was with twelve disciples of John the Baptist.  Paul discovers these men have limited knowledge of the Gospel, only believing in the baptism of repentance offered by John the Baptist.  Paul explains the purpose of John’s teaching was pointing people to Jesus the Messiah, leading to their baptism in the Lord Jesus as a profession of faith in His death, burial, and resurrection.  They then receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).  This context coincides with Ephesians 1-3 where Paul presents the message of the Gospel. 

As was His custom when entering a new city, the Apostle Paul then enters the synagogue, arguing and attempting to persuade his fellow Jews to accept Jesus as their Messiah (Acts 19:8).  While some become believers, others harden their hearts and slander the Gospel, leading Paul to withdraw from the synagogue and begin teaching in the lecture hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9).  During the two years of lecturing in Tyrannus, God works miracles through Paul as a demonstration of the power of God causing many in Ephesus to accept Christ (Acts 19:11-20).  This coincides with Ephesians 4-6 where Paul urges believers to live in unity to Christ, so they can carry out the Great Commission (Mark 16:14-18). 

However, this unity in Christ and mission will bring on opposition as it did in Ephesus (Acts 19:21-40).  This explains the reminder in Ephesians of the importance of engaging in spiritual warfare, defending the Gospel using spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6:10-20).  Just like the people in Ephesus, we too will encounter opposition after accepting Christ and sharing or new faith with others.   Paul knew all to well the opposition to the message of the Gospel as he pens this letter from a Roman prison. 

As we begin our verse-by-verse study of Ephesians, let us keep in mind these things,

1)      Our new identity (Ephesians 1-3) – We were once dead in our sins living according to the sinful desires of our flesh (Ephesians 2:1-3).  However, because of the grace of God and the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we are now made alive in Christ with a new identity (Ephesians 2:4-10).  Our identity is no longer a sinner destined to die in his or her sins but an identity of having our sins covered by the shed blood of Christ providing eternal life and forgiveness of condemnation (John 3:16-18). 

2)      The need to unify around Christ and the message of the Gospel (Ephesians 4-6:9) – While believers in Christ experience an identity shift, their location does not change.  This stresses the importance of believers unifying in Christ with the unified purpose of spreading the Gospel.  The world needs to see the miracle of a diverse group of people coming together with a unity of purpose to bring needed transformation to the world. 

3)      The need to prepare for opposition (Ephesians 6:10-20) – Satan will not be pleased with believers in Christ engaging in spreading the Gospel and will always present opposition.  For some this opposition comes with real threats to their lives.  For others, the opposition is soft opposition with believers suffering rejection from family and friends.  Whatever form the opposition takes in our lives, it is important for us to put on the full armor of God to confront this opposition in a Godly manner. 

However, before beginning this Saturday verse-by-verse study of Ephesians, I must invite those that have not experienced a new identity in Christ to discover this new identity 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.

I invite you to join us the next few Saturdays as we begin the verse-by-verse study of Ephesians and invite your friends by sharing this post through email and social media. 

Psalms of the Ascents: Blessings for Those who Fear God

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 128:1

How happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!

(CSB)

Although fear is not from God, the Bible also tells us that fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (2 Timothy 1:7; Proverbs 1:7).  Acts 9:31 records how the church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and received strength by living in the fear of the Lord.  However, we are not to live in fear of what men can do to us for we know that God is always with us (Hebrews 13:5-6). 

The solution to these contradictions in Scripture is knowing the biblical nature of fear.  The common view of fear is the opposite of courage.  The truth, however, is that fear is an emotion and just like any other emotion a part of how God has made us.  The enemy can take these emotions and corrupt them, bringing us harm. 

Satan can take fear of what people can do to us and bring paranoia which paralyzes us, making us incapable of serving the Lord or others.  Instead of living in the peace and joy of the Lord, one paralyzed by fear believes people are out to get them, damaging their relationships with others.  Properly directed fear is fear of the Lord who could destroy us through His judgments but instead has given a way out through the shed blood of His son Jesus Christ.  The beginning of knowledge provided by the fear of the Lord is knowledge gained through allowing the fear of the Lord drive us to our knees in repentance for our sins, receiving complete forgiveness through God’s grace (Proverbs 1:7; Ephesians 2:8). 

According to the psalmist who wrote Psalm 128, the blessing of fearing the Lord is,

1)      Changing direction from God’s judgement to God’s grace (Psalm 128:1) – Walking in the way of the Lord is a two-step process.  The first step is repentance or changing direction by acknowledging that you have sinned and changing direction through confessing a belief that Jesus died for your sins (Romans 3:23; 10:9-10).  The second step is the continuing process of sanctification as one loses conformity to their old way of living and learn to live following the example of Christ and teachings of the Bible (Romans 12:2). 

2)      Financial security (Psalm 128:2) – The financial security in this verse is not a promise that one will be rich and live a lavish lifestyle, but that one will enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Much of what drives one to become a workaholic, ignoring family and friends, is a fear of losing all that they have worked for.  However, when we realize that God owns all that is in the world, with us having the privilege to use it, this fear goes away. 

3)      Family security (Psalm 128:3-4) – The dissolving influence of family stability in our modern culture is creating instability that threatens the very foundation of civilized society.  Ephesians 5:22-6:4 teaches us what makes up a Godly family.  The blessing of such a familial environment are children raised in the instruction of the Lord, something they will remember as they grow older (Proverbs 2:6).  The hope for the next generation is a return to godly family stability.

4)      A legacy of prosperity and peace (Psalm 128:5-6) – Financial and family security bless the nation and culture with prosperity and stability. 

My prayer for those reading this post is that they would develop a godly fear of the Lord and begin to abandon any fear of what people can do to them.  The development of Godly fear begins with acceptance of the gift of salvation provided by Jesus’ death on the cross.  If you have not already done so, I encourage 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.

Fear of the Lord in your life is no longer a fear of condemnation but is now a reverential fear of worship of who God is and thankfulness for sending Jesus to die for your sins.  Allow this fear to captivate your life through prayer, study of the Bible, and regular attendance in church where you can worship God and learn more from the Bible.  I also encourage sharing of the blessings of fearing the Lord with others, so they too can experience these blessings in their life. 

Blessed Persecution

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 5:10

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

(CSB)

The title of this posting seems oxymoronic for how can suffering persecution ever be something blessing a follower of Christ.  However, in Matthew 5:10, Jesus pronounces blessings on those that suffer persecution, with them taking possession of the kingdom of heaven.  An example of an individual experiencing blessing in persecution is the Apostle Paul who authored the books of Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon while suffering in a Roman Prison for his faith. 

Life in a Roman prison was not like a stay at a five-star resort.  Overcrowding, lack of food, and lack of hygiene often contributed to prisoners dying from illnesses or even suicide.  (1)  Under these conditions, Paul could have written letters to the churches regarding the injustice of his suffering, calling upon the churches to petition the government seeking release from his bondage.  Instead, however, Paul wrote about his close relationship with Christ, calling upon the church to draw closer to Christ.  Scripture provides examples of these writings in,

1)      Colossians 1:15-20 - He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
¹⁶ For everything was created by him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through him and for him.
¹⁷ He is before all things,
and by him all things hold together.
¹⁸ He is also the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.
¹⁹ For God was pleased to have
all his fullness dwell in him,
²⁰ and through him to reconcile
everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace
through his blood, shed on the cross.  (CSB)

2)      Ephesians 2:14-16 - ¹⁴ For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, ¹⁵ he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. ¹⁶ He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.  (CSB)

3)      Philippians 2:6-11 - who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.^[a]
7 Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
⁸ he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
⁹ For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
¹¹ and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.  (CSB)

These are hardly words of one seeking pity for his circumstances and instead words of a man of faith exhorting others to develop a similar faith.  We should be thankful that Scripture records these words of encouragement penned during a period of persecution.  May these words offer comfort for those suffering persecutions in our times. 

Over the course of the next several Saturday postings we will be conducting a verse-by-verse study of the prison epistles of Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon.  As we conduct this study, please remember the context of suffering during the writing of these letters, for in doing so, we can experience blessing with these verses pointing us to the kingdom of heaven.  Please share these posts and invite your friends to join the study. 

May God bless everyone reading this. 

1. Apablaza, Simon. Life in Prison in 1AD. www.scribd.com. [Online] Scribd. [Cited: August 11, 2018.] https://www.scribd.com/doc/14354155/Life-in-Prison-in-1ad.

Psalms of the Ascents: The Blessings of the Lord

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 127:1

Unless the Lord builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the Lord watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.

(CSB)

We say bless you when someone sneezes and ask God to bless people when we say goodbye.  While we offer these words with good intentions, we often say them without realizing the immense value of the blessings of the Lord.  The psalmist of Psalm 127 understood the power of God’s blessings. 

The psalm begins with the psalmist speaking of the Lord building a house and watching over a city.  The psalmist is not speaking of God physically coming down with hammer and nails to build a house.  Instead, the psalmist is speaking of us being blessed as we partner with God in our labors, knowing the God watches over our work giving it purpose (Psalm 127:1).  We have the privilege of being Gods hands and feet with God blessing and watching over the work, making it successful.  Besides building, God’s blessings,

1)      Enrich our lives (Proverbs 10:22) – God’s blessings provide enrichment to our lives and as Proverbs 10:22 tells us the Lord adds no painful effort to it.  However, this does not mean we can just sit back and God’s blessings will just flow in.  Instead, it is a picture of God’s grace and a reference to the coming Messiah taking the death penalty and pain for sin on the cross, so we can have salvation.  There can be no greater enrichment to one’s life then knowing their sins are forgiven and they have eternal life with the Lord (John 3:16).

2)      Provide an abundant life (John 10:10) – John 10:10 presents the decision everyone faces in their life.  Do they continue a life without Christ subjecting themselves to destruction for eternity living in hell, or do they choose abundant life with Christ?  In John 10:11, Jesus prophetically tells the disciples his mission as shepherd is to lay down His life for the sheep.  In doing so, we can enjoy abundant living.  However, this does not mean we will have incredible financial wealth and possessions but instead speaks of the enriched life of one living for Christ with the promise of eternal life with the Lord as a reward. 

3)      Discovered in the Word of God (Ecclesiastes 7:12) – One of the greatest blessing in our lives is the written Word of God for in it we have the infinite wisdom of God.  God’s Word is a treasure and like any treasure, only available to those actively seeking to find it.  This stresses the importance of practicing the spiritual discipline of study of scripture with the purpose of discovery of the wisdom of God.

4)      The greatest treasure (Matthew 6:19-21) – While financial blessings are beneficial in one’s live, providing for their needs, the greatest treasure available is not one obtained with money.  This priceless treasure is inviting Jesus into our lives and having our sins forgiven.  The greatest news is that Jesus wants to provide this treasure for us and is only waiting for us to open the door and invite Him in (Revelation 3:20). 

5)      Take us through adversity (Colossians 1:15-20; Ephesians 2:14-16; Philippians 2:6-11) – After inviting Jesus into our lives, we must make Him Lord and allow Him to captivate our lives.  The Apostle wrote four letters while in prison.  Colossians 1:15-20; Ephesians 2:14-16; and Philippians 2:6-11 give a glimpse of Paul’s captivation with Jesus as his Lord.  It is this captivation that brought him through the trials of imprisonment.  While most reading this may not suffer in prison, we will experience imprisonment to our circumstances in life and can get through them as we allow the Lord to captivate our attention.

The blessings of the Lord are available to anyone that wants them but the key to unlocking these blessings is making Jesus the Lord and savior in our lives.  If you have never asked Jesus to save you from your sins and become savior in your life, I encourage you to do so by praying with me now,

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 have now opened the door to God’s blessings in your life.  I encourage you to take the next step to learn more about these blessings by finding a church teaching the Bible.  I also encourage you to develop the spiritual discipline of regular daily study of the Bible and prayer.  Also, allow Jesus to become the captivating object of your life, replacing the empty and destructive captivations once imprisoning your life. 

May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Peacemaking Sons of God

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

(CSB)

North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia.  There is no shortage of news about conflict in the world.  In addition, there is the continual drone of political confrontation causing division in nations, friends, and families.  Peacemakers are in demand but seem rare.  God calls believers in Christ to be peacemakers, receiving a reward of the title of sons, and daughters, of God (Matthew 5:9). 

President Reagan pursued and established peace by ending the Cold War through a strategy of “Peace Through Strength.”  (1)  While viewed as confrontational, this strategy actually served to reveal the Soviet Union was a paper tiger that would fall once confronted with a more powerful force.  (2)  President Reagan, while viewed by many as a war munger, was a peacemaker demonstrating that peace often comes through confrontation. 

Peace is often defined as the absence of conflict.  However, Jesus, the Prince of Peace did not actually come to bring peace but confrontation (Matthew 10:34).  While this seems to be a paradox, the three C’s of peacemaking resolve this paradox and provide a pattern for bringing peace into any situation.  Peacemaking involves,

1)      Confrontation – Not confrontation to start a fight but focused confrontation with the purpose of determining the source of conflict.  Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that the source of spiritual conflict is not flesh and blood but dark spiritual powers from Satan.  This conflict came into the world with the fall of Adam and Eve and quickly escalated into the first murder (Genesis 3 – 4:16).  Exposure of this evil was the sword Jesus brought into the world and what led to His crucifixion on the cross.  The resolution of the paradox of the Prince of Peace bringing conflict is resolved through His resurrection, conquering death.  At His second coming, Jesus will come as a conquering King ridding the world of the evil that entered in the Garden of Eden, ushering in a millennium of peace (Revelation 20). 

2)      Counsel – The peacemaker must seek Godly counsel.  This counsel consists of the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible study as well as seeking counsel from Godly people.  The seeking of Godly counsel helps insure one’s life is lived according to God’s plan.  When one lives according to God’s plan, the confrontation they encounter is part of God’s plan which results in good and not destruction for them (Jeremiah 29:11).  The goal of God’s plan for every believer is a peaceful eternity with God in Heaven (John 3:16).  However, the process of achieving this peaceful eternity involves confrontation with evil which is why believers must constantly seek Godly counsel.

3)      Connection with the Prince of Peace – The source of peace is a connection with the Prince of Peace, Jesus.  The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus wants to connect with us and why he left heaven to die for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).  We initially make this connection by expressing our belief that Jesus is our Lord, died, and rose from the dead for our sins.  If you have never made this initial connection, I urge you to pray with me now,

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 a connection with the Prince of Peace.  However, we live in an evil world and will experience confrontation (John 16:33).  Therefore, we must continually seek the counsel of the Lord through prayer, Bible study, and being with other believers in Christ.  May God bring peace into everyone’s life through Jesus.    

1. Cannon, Lou. Reagan: 'Peace Through Strength'. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, August 19, 1980. [Cited: August 4, 2018.] https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1980/08/19/reagan-peace-through-strength/f343ddc5-fbda-49fc-a524-6fbc29dfb312/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.673f6993aee2.

2. Richard Ned Lebow, Janice Gross Stein. Reagan and the Russians. www.theatlantic.com. [Online] The Atlantic Online, February 1994. [Cited: August 4, 2018.] https://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/politics/foreign/reagrus.htm.

Psalms of the Assents: The Joy of Restoration

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 126:1

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,^[a]
we were like those who dream.

(CSB)

While the context of the writing of Psalm 126 is uncertain, based upon the content many believe its writing occurred after the return from Babylonian captivity in the time of Ezra.  Israel’s history of calling out to God, rebellion against God, suffering the consequences of their rebellion, and experiencing restoration through repentance and turning to God is a picture everyone’s life.  However, not everyone takes the final step of turning to God and experiencing the joy of restoration. 

For the nation of Israel, the source of joy was not what brought about their restoration but rather their joy was a result of experiencing restoration.  This goes against some modern teachings like “fake it till you feel it” (1) or “Fake it till you make it.”  (2)  These strategies may provide temporary joy or happiness, but are like a drug that wears off, bringing us back to reality.  Lasting joy involves one going through the process of the three R’s

1)      Repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) – Repentance is the key to the gateway to salvation.  However, Godly wisdom must be more than just words and accompanied with action.  God was not moved by Israel’s words of repentance but when their words were accompanied with the action of ridding themselves of foreign gods, God’s heart was moved (Judges 10:10-16).  Unfortunately, the message of sin and repentance is missing in many modern churches.  (3)  Since repentance is the key to the gateway to salvation, salvation without repentance is one trying to achieve salvation without having the key to open the door.  Jesus is the way to salvation through his death burial and resurrection.  The key opening the door is repentance. 

2)      Returning to God – If one does not know where they are going in their life, they are guaranteed to reach their destination.  Repentance is a 180-degree change in direction but if the change in direction is not towards God, it is exchanging a purposeless life of sin for a purposeless life of trying to live a good life without the power of God.  Repentance must be followed with turning to God, the source of our salvation and the power to live for God (Romans 8:11). 

3)      Restoration (1 Peter 5:10) – After repenting and returning to Christ, the restoration process begins.  As 1 Peter 5:10 reminds us, this process establishes, strengthens, and supports us but only after some suffering.  James 1:2 teaches us to consider it joy when we experience trials in life.  This goes against the desire of our flesh to experience a carefree and trouble-free life.  However, James 1:3-4 goes on to teach that these temporary trials serve to build endurance and character.  Peter walked on the water if he looked upon the Lord but began to sink when he focused on the storm or circumstances.  The joy in trials is knowing that trials are tools in the hand of God that bring about restoration in our lives. 

Psalm 126 is a psalm of praise for restoration from God.  This restoration comes as we repent of our sins and return to God.  While this does not produce a trouble-free life, it begins the process of restoration, bringing the greatest joy anyone can enjoy in their lives.  To begin this process please pray with me now,

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 way is now open for you to enjoy the joy of restoration.  I encourage you to find a church teaching the Bible and connecting with other believers in Christ in that church.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

1. Rubin, Gretchen. “Fake It Till You Feel It” and 9 Other Tips to Boost Your Happiness. heleo.com. [Online] Heleo, June 14, 2016. [Cited: July 29, 2018.] https://heleo.com/fake-till-feel-9-tips-boost-happiness/4322/.

2. McCorquodale, Amanda. 8 "Fake It ‘Til You Make It" Strategies Backed by Science. mentalfloss.com. [Online] Mental Floss, February 2, 2016. [Cited: July 29, 2018.] http://mentalfloss.com/article/74310/8-fake-it-til-you-make-it-strategies-backed-science.

3. DeYoung, Kevin. The Missing Word in Our Modern Gospel. www.thegospelcoalition.org. [Online] The Gospel Coalition, February 20, 2018. [Cited: July 31, 2018.] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/missing-word-modern-gospel/.