Jim Wilson's Blog, page 21

The Laugh of Faith

This post is an excerpt from The Lordship of Jesus Christ by Bill Pape.

The Devil defies God to deliver His people. He attacks Godthrough the Christian, which is the only way he can attack God. Deliverance isby referring the whole matter confidently to the Lord. [When the Assyrian armysurrounded Jerusalem and demanded surrender, saying that God could not deliverthe city] Hezekiah, in effect, prayed, “Hear what the enemy is saying aboutYou, O Lord.”

The king frankly admitted that the enemy had hadconsiderable success, but he saw equally clearly that the glittering victoriesover nations and their pantheon were not due to the greatness of the kings ofAssyria, but to the littleness of the gods of the conquered peoples. “They wereno gods, but the work of men’s hands” (Isa. 37:19). The prayer that began witha declaration of the greatness of God and continued with an exposure of thereal nature of temptation now admits that human effort cannot devise a methodof countering such an enemy. The world is strewn with the wreckage of schemesthat were intended to make men what they ought to be by delivering them fromevil influences. Satan has indeed “laid waste all the countries” in spite ofprofound philosophies, moral codes, new methods of education, and everyconceivable variety of religious system. The reason for defeat is evident: thegods were human inventions. There are no gimmicks to give victory over evil. Nomagic formula, and not even a verse of Scripture used as a kind of lucky charm,will preserve us from the pollution of sin. Deliverance is from God, the livingGod, alone.

Hezekiah knew that, and realized with crystal clarity thebasic reason why God delivers those who call on Him. “Save us from his hand,that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art Jehovah, even thouonly” (Isa. 37:20). The final answer to the defiance of the Devil is thedeliverance of the Lord who deals with the temptation for His own sake. God isconcerned that His people should be victorious over a mocking enemy, becauseHis own honor is involved, and every temptation is an opportunity for Him toshow that He can do what no other can.

The counterattack against the Assyrians was in two parts.First was the answer of Israel (Isa. 37:22) given to her by the Lord; secondwas the answer of the Lord (Isa. 37:23-38). Israel’s answer was the laughter ofconfident faith. “The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughedthee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.” What adramatic picture this is. Sennacherib, conqueror of nations, head of a mightyempire, and commander of the most powerful army of the day, laughed at by agirl. It is as if a dainty maiden, leaning over the ramparts of the city totake a look at the massed military might of the greatest nation on earth,should shake her head with uncontrollable mirth at the sight of the powerless hordes.She laughs in scorn at the incredibly silly idea that armed forces shouldattack the Holy One of Israel, and she despises any who think that God can bedefeated.

See it that way, and you also will laugh the laugh of faith.Much of our uncertainty about the outcome of a particular temptation originatesin matching our strength against the Devil’s and predicting the resultaccording to whether we are optimistic or pessimistic about ourselves at thetime. The way to victory is to be wholly pessimistic about ourselves andcompletely optimistic about the Lord. Defeat is born of doubt about God, orconfidence in ourselves; victory begins with a conviction that the Lord iscapable of dealing with the enemy. That is to say, we take our stand on thebasic truth that the Devil is not too strong for the Lord, and that we are nottoo weak for Him.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Joy to the World

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all thingswere made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life,and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it…. The true light that gives light toeveryone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the worldwas made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that whichwas his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him,to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children ofGod—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’swill, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Wehave seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from theFather, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-5, 9-14).

This is the Christmas story according to John. This is thereason for all of my descendants and many other relatives being Christiantoday.

My wife Bessie received Christ in 1935 at the age of 15 at arevival meeting in Edmonton, Alberta. I received Christ on October 18, 1947, ata Youth for Christ meeting in a Presbyterian church at the corner of NorthAvenue and St. Paul Street in Baltimore, Maryland. It was after a football gamemy second year at the Naval Academy. I had turned 20 on October 6.

The message preached that evening was by a Filipinoevangelist, Gregorio Tingson. His text was Psalm 40:1-4: “I waited patientlyfor the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimypit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm placeto stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many willsee and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.”

After the meeting was over, Willard Peterson (USNA class of’49) took me to another room and introduced me to the Father through JesusChrist. I wanted to sing for joy! If you do not know the Father, please readthe next five chapters of the Gospel of John.

My favorite Christian carol is Isaac Watts’ “Joy to theWorld, the Lord is Come.” Watts did not write this for Christmas day. He didnot believe in celebrating Christmas. Let’s look at it. Verse 3:

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

It sounds like the Second Coming when there will be greatjoy.

Look at Luke 10:17-21:

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even thedemons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightningfrom heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions andto overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do notrejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are writtenin heaven.” At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “Ipraise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden thesethings from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes,Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”

“Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

“But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered,‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them’ … ‘In the same way, I tell you,there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner whorepents’ …  ‘The son said to him,“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy tobe called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring thebest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For thisson of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So theybegan to celebrate’” (Luke 15:2, 10, 21-24).

God is into parties when sinners are saved.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Darkness for Light, Bitter for Sweet

In the book of Isaiah, several chapters stand out in mymemory. One of them is chapter five. Here are a few verses from it. It is God’srebuke to Israel, 700 years before Jesus’ time on earth.

“Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit,
    and wickedness as with cart ropes,
 to those who say, ‘Let God hurry;
    let him hasten his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.’

 Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and clever in their own sight.

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
    and champions at mixing drinks,
 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
    but deny justice to the innocent.”

(Isaiah 5:18-23)

These verses apply to the United States today. Verses 24 and25 describe the judgment of Israel because of their sins:

“Therefore,as tongues of fire lick up straw

    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,

so theirroots will decay

    and their flowers blow away like dust;

for theyhave rejected the law of the Lord Almighty

    and spurned the word of the Holy One ofIsrael.

Thereforethe Lord’s anger burns against his people;

    his hand is raised and he strikes themdown.

Themountains shake,

    and the dead bodies are like refuse in thestreets.”

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Every Effort

In the summer or winter Olympics every two years, we watchmen and women making “every effort” to win a medal. Regardless of the event,this means the ultimate in mental and physical effort.

The Bible tells us several times to make “every effort.”This is not the same kind of “every effort” that occurred in the Olympic games.How do we know?

The difference is described in two portions of Scripture:

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, becausemany, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to” (Luke 13:24).

“Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, areyou now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:3).

In Luke, we are to make every effort to enter. Thosewho try are not able to enter. In Galatians, we began by the Spirit, butcannot finish by human effort. It is foolishness! We see that every effortis not human effort. It is not by trying. Every effort is a spiritualevent, a grace and faith event. It is different from trying.

Here are a few other expressions regarding every effort:

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing withone another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit throughthe bond of peace” (Eph. 4:2-3).

Notice that complete humility and gentleness precede makingevery effort. Somehow, complete humility and gentleness is necessary in orderto maintain the unity of the Spirit. The result is peace. This is notaccomplished by human effort.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for lifeand godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory andgoodness. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faithgoodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and toself-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness,brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 3-7).

The words in verses 3 and 4 that precede “make every effort”are God words: His divine power, His glory and goodness, His very great andprecious promises, His divine nature. The words that follow “make every effort”are fruit of the Spirit. This “effort” then, is not human effort.

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God didfrom his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that noone will fall by following their example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:9-11).

Rest is the result. Believing and obeying the gospel is themeans of entering into that rest. This is not human effort.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Service without Fear

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he hascome to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation forus in the house of his servant David…to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness beforehim all our days” (Luke 1:68-69, 74-75).

This is part of Zechariah’s prayer when John, Zechariah’sson, was named. This part of the prayer is about the LORD Jesus. The secondhalf of the prayer is about John. Notice the last portion quoted: “to enable usto serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness beforeHim all our days.” This is loaded and amazing. We are enabled to:

·      Serve Him

·      Without fear

·      In holiness

·      In righteousness

·      All our days

This redemption, this salvation, is not just for everlastinglife; it is present tense (all our days). It is service without fear. It isservice with holiness. It is service with righteousness. God provides the meansof all this. It is part of our salvation.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Taking Care of the Poor

Today I want to bring to your attention several relatedpassages that are clearly directed to individuals or households,not to the whole church.

“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore Icommand you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needyin your land” (Deut. 15:11).

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled,the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you,you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:13-14).

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultlessis this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneselffrom being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and dailyfood. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16).

We have managed to evade these clear teachings by delegatingthe responsibility to the state, the church deacons’ fund, or charitableorganizations. Even if we give to these organizations, it is not the same asinviting the poor home to dinner. Or we get involved at Thanksgiving orChristmas and feel good about it, apparently not realizing that these peoplewould like to eat daily. Our response is that there are too many poor people.Yes, but that is not an excuse for not taking care of one of the many. When thestate takes care of the poor, the money may be there, but the love is not.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Teaching That Produces Faith

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the LordJesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:2).

There are many ways of teaching both truth and falsehood.One of the most effective ways comes under at least three different names:memorization, grammar, and catechizing.

Even when this effective way is used with the truth of thegospel, the teaching may not cause faith. When it does not cause faith,it is because some things are missing, generally in the teacher. These thingsare: 1) the power of the Holy Spirit, 2) love for the student, 3) preachingboldly, 4) preaching in the name of Jesus Christ, and 5) fear.

“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says,‘LORD, who has believed our report?’ So then faith comes by hearing, andhearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:16-17).

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets,some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers…that we should no longer bechildren, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, bythe trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but,speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is thehead—Christ” (Ephesians 4:11, 14-15).

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in thebody, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, wetry to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plainto your conscience” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).

It is much easier to just teach truth than it is to preachit in the name of Christ, in love, in the power of the Holy Spirit, inboldness, and in fear.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Thankfulness & Confession

This is a guest post from Brad Scheelke, manager of Oasis Books in Logan, Utah. 

Greetings in our kind and merciful Father.

“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who hasbecome for us wisdom from God —that is our righteousness, holiness andredemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in theLord’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).

Let’s thank the Father often that because of Him we are inHis Son.

When you think of wisdom, what do you think about? Is itabout how well or poorly you know the Bible?

When you think of holiness, what do you think about? Is itabout how consistently you obey God or how frequently you sin?

This passage states that the person of Jesus Christ is ourwisdom, holiness, righteousness, and redemption. It does not say that He has giventhese to us, but rather that He IS these for us. It does not depend onour performance, but only on whether we are in the Son. If we have Him, we haveall these things.

Therefore, let us boast (glory or rejoice) in Him. Manybelievers I know experience significant discouragement because they havedifficulty moving their eyes from their failures to Christ. This does not meanwe should excuse our sin; but we should see it in light of His holiness ratherin light of a perfect performance. If you happen to be one of those saints whohas difficulty seeing beyond your failures, I suggest thanking the Father forwhat you read or know from the Scriptures that He has done for you in His Son.Thank Him often and even out loud.

Twenty years ago, I wrote a short booklet entitled Thankfulnessand Confession, which tells how God the Father encouraged the heart of abelieving friend who was nearly always severely depressed and hardly eversmiled, in spite of spending most of his time listening to the Bible on tape,Bible preaching, and Christian music. But as he began to thank the Father forwhat He had done for him, his spirits began to rise, slowly at first, butsteadily. After a few years, he became one of the most cheerful saints I know.The old temptations to depression, paranoia, rejection, and condemnation arerare and easily resisted. For years, he had been fearful of speaking up inBible studies. Now he easily prays out loud and has led Bible studies. OurFather certainly is patient with those who are weak. If you would like to readhis story, followthis link to get a copy. The application is so simple that most readersseem to neglect to make the choice this brother made.

Brad Scheelke

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Peace, Quietness, Confidence

“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best fromthe land” (Isaiah 1:19).

“If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peacewould have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea” (Isaiah48:18).

“The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect ofrighteousness will be quietness and confidence forever” (Isaiah 32:17).

Isaiah’s views of obedience and the result of righteousnessare peace, quietness, and confidence forever.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Heart Obedience

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus asLord, continue to live your lives in him” (Col. 2:6).

We are to obey the same way we received Christ, that is, bygrace through faith.

Obedience is always from the heart. If it is from the headonly, it might be by the act of will only, and therefore it will be by effortand not by grace.

Before I became a Christian, I lived a life of “obedience” inthat I did not use profanity or slang, smoke, drink, or have sex. I wasimpressed with my goodness (or lack of badness). I impressed my non-Christianclassmates with my “goodness.” I did not impress the Christians.

I had two strong attributes which also happen to be the primaryattributes of Satan:

·      Arrogance: I was self-righteous and proud of it.Satan said, “I will be like the Most High.”

·      Lying: I lied very much. Jesus said of Satanthat when he lies, he speaks his first language.

I was being like the devil and thinking I was good. Thatchanged on October 18, 1947, when I came to know the Father.

Some things changed immediately: I confessed my sins and obeyedby grace.

Over the next several years, I memorized many verses ofScripture. At the time, I thought that it was a good spiritual thing to do.Under the conviction of Psalm 119:11 (“I have hidden your wordin my heart thatI might not sin against you.”), I memorized 108 verses in the first 14months that I was a Christian. The next year, I memorized 3verses a week. The following year, I memorized 5 verses a week.

During that year, I began to suspicious—I had memorized severalhundred verses, but I was still sinning.

The problem was that these verses were in my head, not in myheart. I realized that they needed to be hidden in my heart in order to keep me from sin.

Then on a canoe trip to Hudson Bay in 1952, our canoe gotswamped in some rapids we were trying to run. All of my cards with handwrittenverses on them got soaked and blurred. I had become arrogant about how manyScriptures I knew, and this wiped away the record I had been keeping of allthose memorizations. I thanked God. 

How do you hide God’s Word in your heart? By believing it and obeyingit.

 

Written 2022.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships