The All-Inclusive Gospel:

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 3:6

The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

(CSB)

Caesarea by the Sea may not be on the top of the list of places to see when touring Israel.  (1)  Usually other sites like the Garden Tomb, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and Temple mount have more appeal due to their Biblical significance.  However, in addition to its rich historical significance, Caesarea by the Sea also has a spiritual significance mentioned in Acts 10. 

While it is uncertain if other Gentiles had come to believe prior to Peter’s sharing of the Gospel with Cornelius and his family, the vision given to Peter lets us know that the Gospel is all-inclusive and not only meant for the Jews.  However, it does not mean that the Jews are no longer a “Chosen people” as some teach, only that they must accept Jesus as Messiah to experience salvation like everyone else.  (2)  Instead the vision of Peter coupled with what happened to Cornelius illustrate that the Gospel is for all that choose to believe (John 3:16).

As a continuation of the teaching on unity in the body of Christ in Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul speaks of his ministry to the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-13).  Writing from prison, the Apostle Paul was concerned that false teaching would take over in the Church due to his absence.  Much of this concern stemmed from the teaching of some men from Judea, teaching that Gentile believers must adopt the Jewish traditions to find salvation (Acts 15:1-5).  This Pharisaical teaching stood in contrast to the teaching of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:8 and had the potential to cause division and confusion for these new believers. 

While the edict from the Jerusalem Counsel (Acts 15:6-21) supplied clarification urging Gentile believers to abstain from things polluted by idols, sexual immorality, anything strangled, and from blood, this false teaching continued to be problematic.  This false teaching continued, evidenced by Paul’s teaching in Galatians 2:1-5.  While the false teaching of Judaizers is not prevalent today, the enemy continues to spread false teaching, threatening to exclude some from the Gospel. 

While Jesus’ death and resurrection are not a blanket pardon for all humanity and conditional upon one making a public profession of faith (Romans 10:9-10), it is all-inclusive with no individual or group of individuals excluded from making such a profession.  (3)  Jesus said he was the only way to reconciliation with God (John 14:6), establishing the fact that He is the Lamb of God whose sacrifice on the Cross provides eternal salvation from sins (Hebrews 5:1-10).  The Jewish traditions are therefore not an end in themselves providing salvation but instead symbolic pointing to the Messiah who would once and for all provide a way to salvation and reconciliation with God. 

Like the edict issued in Acts 15:22-29, the edict for the church today is that Jesus provided the path to salvation for all through His death and resurrection, but that gift remains unclaimed if one does not accept it through a public profession of faith.  In addition, the sincerity of one’s profession of faith should have supporting evidence through good works (James 2:26) and a transformation in one’s thinking (Romans 12:2).  Jesus stands at the door knocking (Revelation 3:20) with no concern over the gender, race, or social status of the person on the other side of the door.  The question is, will you open the door and let Him in.  I encourage everyone reading this that has not previously done so to open that door 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.

I now encourage everyone reading this to continue the work of God in their lives through prayer and study of the Bible, allowing it to transform our lives and spur us on to good works of spreading the message of the Gospel and Love of Christ to others.  May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Tours, Inspiration Cruises &. Caesarea by the Sea. www.inspirationcruises.com. [Online] Inspiration Cruises & Tours. [Cited: September 29, 2018.] http://www.inspirationcruises.com/-/blog/2013/06/28/caesarea-by-the-sea/.

2. Jr., Clarence H. Wagner. The Error of Replacement Theology. www.idolphin.org. [Online] The Bridges for Peace. [Cited: September 29, 2018.] http://www.ldolphin.org/replacement/.

3. Hafley, Larry Ray. The God and Gospel of Exclusion. www.truthmagazene.com. [Online] Truth Magazine. [Cited: September 29, 2018.] http://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume35/GOT035214.html.

Psalms of the ascents: Living in Harmony

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 133:1

How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!

(CSB)

A disunified world yearns for some unifying force.  However, the disconnection that occurred in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) created a disunity that requires reconnection with God the creator.  However, human effort cannot bring about this restoration for it is only possible through the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8).  While reconnection with God appears simple, only requiring one to confess Jesus as their savior (Romans 10:9-10), the snake in the Garden, Satan, provides opposition (Ephesians 6:12).  To combat this opposition requires the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18). 

The greatest damage from disunity is disunity in the church because it causes those outside the church to see no difference, and therefore no reason to desire becoming a believer in Christ.  Those in the church that have experienced reconnection of unity with God have an opportunity to demonstrate Godly unity.  Unfortunately, however, in many cases the church today more resembles the world with its disunity than a unifying force.  It is therefore imperative for the church of Jesus Christ to unify to fulfill its mission of spreading the Gospel (Mark 16:15) and making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) through becoming a unifying force in a disunified world..

Psalm 133  has a theme of harmony.  The journey to Jerusalem was lengthy for many with plenty of time for disharmony to occur.  I remember as a child making the annual trip by car from Phoenix to Ohio.  During the three days of traveling in the backseat of a car, many opportunities for disunity existed.  Perhaps that is why the psalms of the ascents includes this psalm as a reminder of the need to maintain unity as they anticipated entering into the presence of God at the Temple in Jerusalem.  Unity in the church involves,

1)      Unity of purpose – Jesus last words to his followers was to spread the Gospel and make disciples of the nations (Mark 6:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  The enemy, however, seeking to take the church off focus on the mission manages to place theological wedges between believers.  Unity in the church involves not letting theological differences in interpretation of scripture distract from the spreading of the message of the Gospel.

2)      Unity of priorities – Matthew 6:33 reminds us first to seek the kingdom of God for when we do, God will provide what we need.  Seeking God’s direction should be the priority of not only the church body but each individual.  What we treasure most indicates where our heart is (Matthew 6:21).  Each believer and the church body must constantly ask itself if what they treasure most is God.  If it is not, then we may have found the source of disunity. 

3)      Unity of passion – Jesus told the woman at the well that true worshipers of Christ worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).  The truth component is the Word of God with the Spirit portion being the passion with which we worship our God.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit within us.  Passionate worship of God is not emotional hype but the Spirit within each believer bringing to realization the immensity of God providing reconciliation through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son.  A church unified around the spirit of this truth is a church unified in passion, priority, and purpose. 

It is time for the church to begin fulfilling its mission of spreading the Gospel and making disciples.  We can have theological differences but must insure these differences do not distract from the missional purpose of the church. A disunified world needs a unified church pointing it to Jesus.   

Unity in Christ: The Great Equalizer

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 2:14

 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh,

(CSB)

President Obama may go down in history as one that missed the greatest opportunity of any President in the History of the United States.  I am not talking about a legacy of the one who made healthcare affordable and available for all because Obamacare has been a failure.  (1)  Obama’s policies were also a failure internationally with the U.S. losing influence on the world stage as relations with allies frayed.  (2)  The missed opportunity I am talking about is the opportunity to bring unity to a divided nation as the first African American president. 

While the disunity in the world is alarming and dangerous, it is nothing new.  The church in Ephesus experienced disunity between the Jewish and non-Jewish believers (Ephesians 2:11).  Jesus prayed for unity in his prayer at the last supper (John 17:11).  The unifying factor for the church in Ephesus was Jesus Christ whose death on the cross broke down the wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles.  This wall of hostility references the wall separating Jews from Gentiles in the court of the Temple.  However, when the veil in the Temple was torn after Jesus said, “it is finished” there is now no separation between Jews and Gentiles with everyone now able to enter the Most Holy Place in Christ.

This unity however is a unity in Christ and not a call for the church to get along with the sin prevalent in the world.  Romans 12:2 reminds believers in Jesus Christ that the goal is transformation, not conformity.  Even Jesus Himself said he did not come to bring peace to the world but a sword, indicating continued disunity of God with the sin in the world. 

Jesus work on the cross was not a compromising unity of God with sin in the world but instead a bridge one can choose to cross over, moving from a life dominated by sin to a new life in Christ (Romans 6).  Jesus prayer for unity is a prayer that those choosing new life in Christ would be unified.  Unfortunately, this has not occurred throughout the church age and one reason why the world does not see the love of Christ in the church (John 13:34-35).  If you are interested in crossing the bridge of the cross from a life dominated by sin to a new life in Christ, 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, went to the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Most of the disunity in the church stems from disagreements in interpretation of portions of scripture.  One such disagreement is belief that one must speak in tongues as a sign of receiving the Holy Spirit.  With only three times recorded in scripture where speaking in tongues is demonstrated when one receives the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6) and Jesus promising the Holy Spirit to all who believe in Him (John 14:15-26), this is not an issue that should result in church division.  A disunified world needs an example of unity it can follow, and the church is the only organization on earth equipped to be such an example.  I pray the church would unite around the Gospel and the mission of making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) and stop the damaging disunifying and petty disagreements in scriptural interpretations. 

1. Thiessen, Marc A. www.washingtonpost.com. Obamacare disaster will be Obama’s enduring domestic legacy. [Online] The Washington Post, April 25, 2016. [Cited: September 16, 2018.] https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/obamacare-disaster-will-be-obamas-enduring-domestic-legacy/2016/04/25/a8c09b38-0ae4-11e6-8ab8-9ad050f76d7d_story.html?utm_term=.5d4b739962c2.

2. Boyer, Dave. www.washingtontimes.com. Under Obama, U.S. lost influence on world stage as relations with allies frayed. [Online] The Washington Times, January 15, 2017. [Cited: September 16, 2018.] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/15/president-obama-foreign-policy-widely-seen-as-fail/.

Psalms of the Assents: The Stronghold of God’s Presence

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 132:13

For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his home:

(CSB)

Prior to the finished work of Christ on the cross, God’s people had to go to the Temple to experience the presence of God.  In addition, not everyone could enter the Most Holy Place and those that could, could only do it once a year and not without blood (Hebrews 9:1-7).  It was this need for atonement, only possible through a blood sacrifice for sins that prompted the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, with the Psalms of the ascents recited along the way as a reminder of why the pilgrimage was necessary.  Thankfully, however, God has a better plan that enables everyone to enter the Most Holy Place at any time covered by the blood of Jesus. 

Psalm 132:1-5 serves to remind us of the desire of King David to build a dwelling place for God.  While God did not allow David to build the Temple, passing it on to Solomon, this desire demonstrates a heart that yearns to be with God.  It is therefore not surprising that God refers to David as a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).  The question everyone reading this must ask is does my heart have a similar desire to be in the stronghold of God’s presence. 

Psalm 132:6-10 provides a glimpse into the anticipation felt by those making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Bare in mind, these people were not traveling in the comfort of an air-conditioned car but were walking in the heat of the desert sun.  Having visited Israel, I can attest to the heat of the desert sun being like the heat of the Arizona sun where I live.  This context makes the anticipation of those making the pilgrimage even more incredible.  This leads to another question those reading this must ask.  Do I have a similar anticipation at entering God’s presence in prayer, worship, or study of the Bible?

While David was not granted the privilege of building the Temple, God gave him an even greater promise and privilege, an eternal kingdom (Psalm 132:11-12).  What makes this kingdom eternal is that it is not presided over by an earthly high priest that enters a tabernacle or temple made by human hands but Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  It is also not based upon the symbolic blood of goats and calves, but the Blood of the Son of God (Hebrews 9:11-12).  In essence, David did build a Temple for God to dwell in as one of his descendants, Jesus, would provide salvation from sin with God now able to dwell in the temple of the hearts of those that believe. 

Because of the shed blood of Jesus, the stronghold of God’s presence now lives in anyone that confesses Jesus as Lord of his or her life (Romans 10:9-10).  The Zion of God’s home mentioned in Psalm 132:13-18 is no longer a building one must make a trek to annually through the heat of the dessert sun for now God can live in our hearts.  I invite anyone reading this that has not prayed to accept Jesus as his or her savior to pause and 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 stronghold of God’s presence now lives with you, providing protection, strength, and most importantly salvation.  This salvation from sin through the blood of Jesus Christ means you have reconciliation and a relationship with God as He created you to have.  I encourage you to become better acquainted with God your creator through study of the Bible, the Word of God.  I also encourage you to pray regularly which is how we communicate with God and to also find a church teaching the Bible, so you can learn more and find others who believe like you do.  May God bless everyone reading this. 

From Death to Life

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 2:4-5

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,^[a]5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

(CSB)

The popularity of the Walking Dead indicates that programs and movies about zombies who come back from the dead are increasing in popularity.  One likely reason for this interest could be an interest in escaping death and living eternally.  For those watching these programs due to an interest with this purpose, I have both good and bad news.  First the bad news, death is inevitable (Hebrews 9:27), however, the good news is eternal life is available by simply believing in Jesus Christ as savior (John 3:16).  Ephesians 2:4-5 describes the ultimate zombification with those dead in their sins finding life.  However this is not live as a mindless zombie but abundant eternal life with Jesus (John 10:10).   

Prior to Jesus coming into our lives, we were in dire circumstances.  This dire situation was due to our living in obedience to the prince and power of the air, the devil (Ephesians 2:1-2).  Even the Apostle Paul acknowledges living in these dire circumstances (Ephesians 2:3).  This is the same power of the air that tempted Adam and Eve, bringing the curse of sin upon us all (Genesis 3:1-7). 

However, the good news is we do not need to remain in the dire circumstances of eternal death but through Christ and His mercy, love, and grace can have salvation and life (Ephesians 2:4-5).  However, the good news does not end with our moving from death to life for we are also raised up with Christ and seated, in a spiritual sense at this time, with Christ in the heavens (Ephesians 2:6).  From this spiritual position, Jesus will display his rich grace physically to the world in His coming earthly kingdom (Ephesians 2:7). 

Unlike other religions where one must work to achieve a good standing with god, Christianity is a religion of grace provided to those choosing to accept the substitutionary sacrifice of God’s own Son for sins (Ephesians 2:8-9).  This, however, does not mean we continue living as we did when under the death penalty of sin but live lives of good works that we were created to do (Ephesians 2:10).  Christians do not do good works to appease God but do good works out of love for God. 

The cross of Calvary bridges the gap separating death from life.  However, we cannot get to the other side without crossing the bridge.  If you have not crossed the bridge from death to life, I encourage you to cross the bridge 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.

The greatest good work anyone can do is share the message of Grace, so others can cross the bridge from death to life.  This does not require vast theological knowledge for all anyone that just prayed needs to do is share this post on social media or by email.  May God bless your new journey of life. 

Psalms of the Ascents: Hope in the Right Thing

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 131:3

Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
both now and forever.

(CSB)

Hope is an interesting word for while none of us desires living a hopeless live, the power of hope resides in what one places their hope in.  Candidate Barack Obama ran for President in 2008 on a message of hope and change.  A nation starved for hope after a protracted war on terrorism and an economic recession made Obama the nation’s 44^th President, placing their hope on his delivering changes the nation needed.  However, after eight years of an Obama Presidency, the administration was big on change, but offered little hope.  (1) 

People also place their hope in great riches evidenced by the millions playing the lottery.  Most do not approach the lottery as an investment plan and instead buy a lottery ticket with the hope it will materialize into great riches, understanding that it is gambling with the odds stacked against them.  (2)  However, people do invest in markets, real estate, and business with the hope this will materialize into a retirement nest egg, only to see their hopes dashed during the next economic downturn. 

People also place their hope in relationships with the expectation this person is the one they will spend the rest of their life with.  The alarming percentage of marriages ending in divorce demonstrates how these initial hopes end when one discovers the flaws in the one they believed was the one.  However, there is a relationship that is perfect and will never fail us. 

We all have sinned, with death being the sentence on all who sin (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23).  While this presents a hopeless situation for all humanity, there is hope in the fact that Jesus, a sinless man, offered himself as payment for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Through a relationship with Jesus Christ we have hope that,

1)      Rescues us from death (Romans 5:12-21) – God’s death sentence on humanity was satisfied with the substitutionary death of Jesus on the Cross for us with belief in Jesus as our savior providing eternal life (John 3:16).  This hope is what motivated the Apostle Paul to boldly ask death where is your victory and sting (1 Corinthians 15:55). 

2)      Sustains us through struggles (John 16:33) – Jesus did not promise a life free of trouble but a life with Him at our side, even through death (Psalm 23:4).  Hope in anything other than God is hope that will fail and disappoint us.  However, hope in God, even though it comes with trouble, has eternal rewards.

3)      Is supported by God’s Word (1 Samuel 15:29) – Since God cannot lie, we can have confidence what his promises in the Bible will come true.  This is unlike those promising an investment is secure, only to discover later they misrepresented the security of the investment as someone loses their wealth.  Likewise, one may promise to remain faithful in a relationship, only to be unfaithful when someone looking better comes along. 

4)      Is supported by the power of God (Romans 8:11) – Our human minds cannot fathom the power necessary to raise up Jesus from the dead after the brutal death by crucifixion he suffered.  However, this same power is in those that have accepted Jesus as savior, giving hope to overcome any obstacle in our path. 

If you want hope that rescues from death, sustains through struggles, backed by absolute truth, and powered by the power that resurrected Jesus from the dead, it is necessary to establish a relationship with Jesus Christ.  If you do now already have such a relationship, I encourage 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.

I encourage those that just prayed to feed this hope through study of the Bible, prayer, and finding a church teaching the Bible.  Temptations will still come to place hope in something else over hope in God, but we must be diligent in resisting these temptations for they will eventually fail, bringing frustration.  May God bring hope to all reading this. 

1. Lightman, David. Obama delivered big on change, less so on hope. www.seattletimes.com. [Online] The Seattle Times, January 14, 2017. [Cited: September 3, 2018.] https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/obama-delivers-on-change-but-hope-is-fading/.

2. Cuillebeau, Cjhris. HOPE, EXPECTATIONS, AND WINNING THE LOTTERY. www.chrisguillebeau.com. [Online] Chris Guillebeau. [Cited: September 3, 2018.] https://chrisguillebeau.com/hope-expectations-lottery/.

Christ, the Ultimate Demonstration of God’s Power and Dominion

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 1:22-23

And he subjected everything under his feet^[j] and appointed him^[k] as head over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

(CSB)

Political divisiveness is actually a power struggle.  Both the right and left sides of the aisle have an agenda and desire majorities in both houses of Congress plus the Presidency for power to implement their agenda.  However, the difficulties currently experienced by President Trump, even with political majorities in Congress, do not insure enough power to implement an agenda.  This is because there is also the media, education, and the administrative bureaucracy, or as President Trump calls them, the swamp. 

Political power is power allowing someone to rule over the lives of citizens and something Samuel warned the people of Israel against when they asked for a king (1 Samuel 8).  This request for a King , however, comes in the context of the failure of Samuel’s sons as judges to walk in the ways of the Lord instead perverting justice, taking bribes, and making dishonest profit.  This coupled with a history of failures of previous judges as recorded in the Book of Judges tells us that the people of Israel were seeking change. 

This desire for change differs little from the political discourse of today with each side believing they have the change needed for the nation.  However, change whether coming from the right or left is change implemented by flawed people and therefore will fall short of solving the root cause of the problem, sin in the hearts of people and the need for a savior to eliminate that sin.  This is the content of Ephesians 1-3 with Ephesians 1:20-23 reminding us of God’s power in Christ. 

Whereas political change brings change in government, Jesus death and resurrection results in life changing power for individuals and eternal life with God (John 3:16).  God’s power in Christ,

1)      Conquered death (Ephesians 1:20) – When Jesus died on the cross, Satan might have thought he had ended the threat of Messiah to his rein on this earth.  However, three days later when God rolled away the stone and Jesus rose from the dead, Satan knew once and for all God had defeated the enemy of sin and death.  Then a few days later when Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of God, he knew there was no way he could reverse what had just happened.

2)      Is the ultimate authority (Ephesians 1:21) – When an earthly ruler ascends to power, their rein is limited by the length of their term in office of their death.  However, with Jesus’ conquest of death, his rein is eternal.  This fact is why Satan knows he has no way to escape his fate and can only try to take as many people with him to hell as possible. 

3)      Is the power of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23) – One of the root causes of problems in the church at Corinth was their infatuation with religious personalities over Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10-17).  Modern media and social media have taken this infatuation to a higher level with slick charismatic individuals able to reach millions instantaneously.  The church is not a building or a personality but a gathering of people who have made Jesus their savior.  The power of the church does not exist in a charismatic personality but in Jesus Christ.  The mission of the church is simple, spread the good news of the Gospel and make disciples of the nations.  Jesus is the charismatic personality leading the church and must be its first love.  Sadly, even the church in Ephesus forgot this fact (Revelation 2:1-7).

However, the supremacy of God’s power does not mean Christians are to detach from any involvement in the political process, only that they also understand that God’s power reins supreme.  1 Timothy 2:1-2 reminds us of the importance of praying for our leaders as it leads to living tranquil and quiet lives with godliness and dignity.  However, the ultimate power of God in Christ is always under attack as Satan tries to demean its power, enticing people to follow him.  For this reason, God has empowered the Church through Christ as a means of counteracting these deceptions.  Let us as a church not fall for the deceptions of Satan but instead tap into the power of God in Christ available to us.   

Psalms of the Ascents: Awaiting Redemption

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 130:5

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

(CSB)

A world seeking instant gratification easily becomes impatient when having to wait.  On the highways this impatience has the potential to become dangerous as people in a hurry to reach their destination speed, tailgate cars they believe are moving too slow, and make unsafe lane changes trying to pass slower cars.  Financially this impatience leads to overuse of credit cards due to people having the attitude of I can buy it now and pay later because I just cannot wait.  Theologically this can also lead to false teaching as people grow impatient waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. 

2 Peter 3:8 is a reminder that the Lord operates on a different time scale then we do.  God is eternal and can see past, present, and future all at the same time.  Therefore, God is never late, never in a hurry, and always on time.   Our finite view of time remembers the past, lives in the present, and has uncertainty about the future.  When problems come, our minds go to memories of the past, with a tendency to remember the worst and apply that scenario to our present situation.  Our minds also search our past memories seeking solutions to our present situation that often do not provide a solution and make matters worse.  However, due to our impatience and belief that we need an instant solution to our situation, we apply our solution, and often suffer dire consequences. 

In contrast, Christians have a relationship with and access to God who knows our past, present, and future and has good plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).  Without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).  However, is it a lack of faith that leads to our impatience in waiting for the Lord or a lack of trust.  Romans 12:3 reminds us that all professing faith in Jesus as their savior have received a measure of faith from God, with faith, even in an extremely small amount, able to move a mountain (Matthew 17:20).  Therefore, with all believers in Christ having a measure of faith that could move a mountain, it is not a lack of faith that leads to impatience but instead a lack of trust.  In Psalm 130, the words of the psalmist demonstrate a high level of trust in God to provide redemption, providing lessons for us as we learn to trust while waiting on the Lord.  In the psalm we see the psalmist,

1)      Crying out to the Lord (Psalm 130:1) – Instead of impatiently solving his problem using what has worked in the past, the psalmist cries out to God.  This shows a high level of trust in God having the solution to his problem. The first reaction of a believer in Christ when trouble comes should be crying out to God.  However, sometimes our lack of trust causes us to become a problem solver applying our own solution which often does not provide a solution and instead makes matters worse.

2)      Plea for God to listen (Psalm 130:2) – This passage demonstrates some doubt that God is listening.  When we pray and do not receive an immediate answer, it may seem God is not listening.  In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus illustrates that even an unjust judge will answer the request of one persistent in presenting their petitions to him (Luke 18:1-8).  If even an unjust judge listens to a widow’s petitions, how much more can we trust God to answer our prayers.  We can trust that God is listening.

3)      God does not keep an account of iniquities for those He has forgiven (Psalm 130:3-4) – When waiting for God to answer prayer, our thoughts of the past may turn to some past sin leading to the belief that this sin is why God has not answered us.  However, if we have asked God to forgive this sin, it is totally forgiven (1 John 1:9). 

4)      States his trust in God (Psalm 130:5-6) – The psalmist states that his hope is in the Word of God.  As he waits on the Lord, he meditates on the promises of God contained in the Word and places his hope in them and not his own solutions.  Before implementing our own solution out of impatience, we should instead trust God by placing our hope in the promises of His Word.

5)      We can place our trust in God for God loves us (Psalm 130:7-8) – God demonstrated His great love for us when he sent His only Son to forgive and not condemn our sins (John 3:16-17).  However, if we continue to reject and ignore this great demonstration of love through rejecting Jesus as our savior, we suffer condemnation due to our lack of trust in God for our redemption (John 3:18).  I therefore urge anyone reading this that has not taken this important first step of trust by trusting God with our salvation 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 on taking this first step in learning to trust in God.  I now urge you and everyone else reading this, including the one writing this, to grow in their trust in God.  We accomplish this through consistent and continual practice of the spiritual disciplines of prayer, study and meditation on God’s Word, and association with others who have placed their trust in God.  My prayer is that all reading this will gain a greater trust in God. 

Thankfulness in Adversity

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 1:16

I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

(CSB)

In the United States, the last Thursday of November is Thanksgiving Day.  It is a day commercially equated with eating turkey and ham, gathering together with family, and football.  For Christians like myself it is a time to pause and give thanks for all that God has provided in my life.  While it is good to take time one day a year to pause and give thanks, a heart of thanksgiving is something believers in Christ should have every day of the year.

In a commercial sense however, Christmas, which occurs the following month overshadows Thanksgiving Day.  This is because the commercial value of Christmas to brick and mortar retailers who must compete with online retailers requires they put out Christmas displays months before Christmas.  For this reason, brick and mortar stores must prominently display Christmas decorations throughout stores, making Thanksgiving Day displays difficult to find. 

In his prayer for spiritual insight, the Apostle Paul expresses thanks and love for the saints in Ephesus (Ephesians 1:15-19).  It is easy to read this and believe this is something anyone pastoring a group of believers should do.  However, we must remember that Paul is writing this while imprisoned in a dingy Roman jail.  Paul is showing a thankful heart in the middle of adversity.  We too can have thankful hearts in adversity by,

1)      Keeping our eyes on the prize (Philippians 3:14) – Paul must have been a sports fan for he makes many references to athletic achievement in his writings (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).  We do not live in a Godly world and as such must endure constant temptation, suffering, and at times persecution.  As someone that has run 10K races, I am familiar with the rigors of training, and the wall that occurs at some point during the race when it seems you cannot continue.  The only way for a runner to get through this is to keep his or her eye on the prize.  The same is true in our walk with Christ. 

2)      Resting in a secure relationship with Christ (Hebrews 6:13-20) – Since all have sinned (Romans 3:23), we depend upon the grace of God through Christ for assurance of salvation.  However, it would be difficult to remain thankful if we lived under the threat of losing it all due to some sin we may commit.  Part of the armor of God is the helmet of salvation which protects our thoughts from doubting our relationship with Christ (Ephesians 6:17).  It would be cruel of God to leave us in this world and then remove our helmet of salvation because we make a mistake.  Thankfully we have the knowledge and security of our salvation as an anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19)

3)      Experiencing God and not just knowing Him (Ephesians 1:18) – Paul speaks of seeing with our hearts.  This is obviously a figurative reference for our eyes are on our head and not our heart.  Paul’s figurative reference means we must not just know of God mentally but have a heart experience that establishes a relationship with Him.  Unlike in the time of Paul, we have the ability today of watching a sporting event on TV instead of going to the game.  However, when we go to a game we experience a higher level of immersion in the experience.  In similar fashion we must immerse ourselves in experiencing God by having a heart, and not just head relationship with our creator through Christ.

4)      Knowing our present troubles have a purpose and are only temporary (2 Corinthians 4:18) – Thankfulness stems from the focus of ones heart.  If we focus our hearts on the troubles, it is difficult to be thankful.  However, when we focus on the unseen, Jesus Christ, and the truths in God’s Word, we achieve a heavenly perspective from which we can be thankful. 

Adversity will come in everyone’s life but by keeping our eyes on the prize of eternity with Christ, resting in the security of our salvation, experiencing God in our hearts, and knowing that the struggle is only temporary, we can be thankful.  I pray that those reading this will practice thanksgiving every day of their lives for we have much to be thankful for.  I also pray that the troubles of the world will strengthen, and not discourage us to press on towards the prize.