You Are What You Worship

 

Have you ever noticed the affect culture and trends have on our lives? Think about it. Almost every person I know owns and spends time on a smart phone, and things like movies, sports, clothing, and music have great influences over people. So, why are we so heavily influenced by the culture we live in? The fact is, in this day and age, everything around us is constantly clamoring for our undivided attention. The world is begging for our adoration. And all those distractions are rooted in idolatry and self when they get us to take our eyes off our heavenly Father and His great plan for our life. Whatever you’re consumed with, you’re going to reflect that in your life. In other words, we become what we worship. If you look up synonyms for worship in your thesaurus, you come across words like revere, adoration and idolize. Ask yourself these questions: “How much time do I spend flipping through magazines or Googling the latest celebrity gossip? How important is it that I fit in, look the part and am I successful? Do I measure my success based on the opinions of other people?” Now ask yourself this: “How much time do I spend reading the Word of God and allowing Him to speak to me? Do I respond to the things around me by first seeking God’s wisdom?” Our aim should be to approach earthly things with a heavenly mindset. But as we all know, this can be exceedingly difficult. When God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments, He started out the list by saying: “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourselves a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:3-4).

       [2 Timothy 3:16] How often have you been sitting in a worship assembly and listening to the ser­mon when suddenly a point that is being made from the Bible makes you wonder, “How did he know?” Something was said that really hit home. You are struggling with a temptation, a difficulty, or a Bible question and it was addressed as though the preach­er was talking to you! But the preacher had no way of knowing about it. That’s hap­pened to this writer both as a listener and as a preacher, repeatedly. That’s a demonstration of the power of God’s Word! The Bible, when preached, taught, or studied, has the ability to address the deep thoughts, struggles and guilt in an individ­ual’s heart, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and mar­row, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible will help us in our everyday lives. God’s word is not some antiquated book. What do I do about some conflict with another? How do I over­come a temptation in the workplace? Is there a way to put my priorities in order when life is chaotic and out of control? “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). The Bible has the ability to make us better people, a blessed people, a heaven bound people. “…as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue…” (2 Pe­ter 1:3). How God’s Word affects us, how­ever, is really up to us as hearers and doers (James 1:21-25). So don’t think too highly of the preacher if he says something that really helps or blame him if he says something that seems too direct, for the power is in God’s Word (1 Peter 4:10-11). If what you hear is appli­cable to your life, remember it is God speaking to you through His Word so that you may hear of the saving grace He offers through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 10:14-17), for he is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 2:9).

The Window of Encouragement

 

Two seriously ill men occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit upright in his bed for one hour each afternoon to help prevent fluid from settling in his lungs. The other man, with spinal injuries, had to spend all of his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end about their families, homes, employment, involvement in military service and where they had traveled throughout the world. Every afternoon when the one man could sit up, he would peer out the window next to his bed and would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the hospital. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods when his world would be broadened and enlightened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a beautiful, serene little lake. Ducks and swans were seen on the water and children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scenes. One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the bands, he could see in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days, weeks, and months passed. One morning the day nurse arrived to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had passed quietly in his sleep. His lifeless body was removed from the room and the other man immediately became lonely. As soon as it seemed appropriate, he asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to move him and after making sure he was comfortable she left him alone. Slowly, painfully; he propped himself up on one elbow to take a personal interlude of the much-missed world outside the window. As he strained to slowly turn and gaze out the window for the first time, he found that it only faced the blank wall of another building. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things to him each afternoon. The nurse responded that the man had lost his sight and couldn’t have even see the wall he was staring at each day. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”

[Revelation 12:2] “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” In so many ways, the very end of the Bible is a mirror-image of its beginning. Because of sin, man in Genesis is separated from God’s presence and is kept from reaching out to eat of the Tree of Life; in Revelation, that access is restored and intimate fellowship with God along with it. The account of the church, then, is really about man walking with God. It took a perfect God to take on flesh and live a sinless life as a man to become our Savior and sacrifice to do so. The vehicle God chose for His restored people is the church, or His body, or His bride. In Revelation, chapter 19, we have the Bridegroom, the Word of God, figured as a rider on a white horse “trampling out his vintage, where the grapes of wrath are stored” and winning those who are blessed to be invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. As important as it is to study the church as it exists in this temporary state, it is essential to fix our eyes on where it will be in its eternal existence. This gives us strength to persevere now and hope for our future. As the blind man described his memories of the world to the suffering one who needed daily encouragement, John was blessed to peer into heaven and describe it to encourage mankind of the beauty that awaits us outside the window of death.

All Are Terminal

 

December 14, 2016, in Albany, Oregon, a homeowner went outside following a winter storm to an unwelcomed surprise. From a distance he could see a soul lying in his driveway which looked a lot like his best friend right down to the beard on his face. Upon closer inspection he discovered the man was dead, partially buried in snow and ice. The man was not his friend, thankfully, but no ID was found either. There were no signs of foul play. He just died …in a stranger’s driveway. There was no abandoned vehicle nearby and no one seem to know who he was or why he was in the neighborhood. Was he lost? Was he just looking for a warm place to stay? Did the weather just overtake him?

Muretus, the Latinized name of Marc Antoine Muret (1526-1585), was a French humanist, author, critic of literature, and professor of Latin. Not very well liked in France, he lived his later years in Italy a very learned yet poor man. It is reported that on one occasion he fell ill and was taken to a place where the destitute were kept. The doctors, discussing his case in Latin to conceal their thoughts from Muretus, said, “This poor creature is of no use to anyone. It is unnecessary to spend time and effort on one so worthless.” Being the scholar that he was, Muretus spoke to the doctors in Latin stating, “Call no man worthless for whom Christ died.”

During a cancer seminar, a man shared one occasion when he was being interviewed about personally dealing with cancer. The young interviewer asked, “How does it feel knowing you’re going to die?” He simply returned the question to the interviewer, “How do you feel knowing you’re going to die?” She was startled having never thought of life and death in that way. The man was right – we are all going to die. We are all terminal. It is just some leave this world sooner than others. Doctors can only postpone the inevitable. One day their expertise and treatments will no longer work to preserve our life.

[Genesis 3:19; Hebrews 9:27-28] The fact is, life is fleeting. The Bible says: “…For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). The good news is that the Bible which tells us all will die also tells us what we can expect beyond the grave. First, we can expect to live beyond the grave. None of us know when we will step into eternity. For the baptized believer, death is not an ending but a wonderful beginning. The grave will not be their final resting place, nor will they cease to exist. “But now Christ has risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep; The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15: 20; 56-57). Through Christ the believer will overcome death and receive a body that is incorruptible, glorious, spiritual, and immortal (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). Second, the believer can expect to meet the Lord and Savior himself. After death believers will leave the earth and arrive in His glorious presence. The apostle Paul earnestly longed to leave this world and “…having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1:23). Most people desire to depart because of problems or pain, but Paul sought to go to Christ and partake of His glory and enjoy a closer fellowship with Him. We are all terminal. We will die; but there is an existence beyond this life. The big question is …where will you spend eternity? Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Luke 16:16). Fear God (Luke 12:4-6); Confess Christ before men (Luke 12:8-10); Repent of your sins and be baptized (Acts 2:38); And Christ will save the overcomer (Revelation 3:2-5). Those not found in the Book of Life will spend eternity separated from God (Revelation 20:11-15).

There Is An End To God's Patience

 

If the same reasons people use for not going to meet with the church were applied to one’s life, it would be easy to see how inconsistent our logic would be. For instance, one could conjure up “10 Reasons Not To Take A Bath”: 1) I was forced to bathe as a child. 2) People who make soap are only after your money. 3) I only bathe on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. 4) People who take baths are hypocrites – they think they are cleaner than everyone else. 5) I would bathe but there are so many different kinds of soap I can’t decide which one to use. 6) Bathing got boring, so I stopped. 7) The temperature of the bathroom is always too cold or too hot. 8) I’ll start bathing when I get older and dirtier. 9) I just don’t have the time to bathe. 10) None of my friends take baths.

I recently saw a bumper sticker that read, “No Matter what…God Is Not Mad At You!” I couldn’t help but think that someone has a misconception about the nature of God. Now, it is true that God does not get “mad” like people often do, by losing His temper, becoming flustered, turning red in the face. In the heat of an angry moment, many a person has done a thing they have later regretted. God does not do that. God is always in complete control; always takes the correct action; always acts in harmony with his infinite nature. If God were ever to get angry, it would be a perfect anger, for just reasons, executed in a perfect way. God does not throw temper tantrums. But is it possible for God to be “mad”? A quick Bible Concordance word search, depending upon translation, reveals that the phrase, “anger of the Lord” occurs about 36 times, and the similarly worded “wrath of the Lord” is found about 14 times in the Old Testament. In the first person, God speaks of “my wrath” 44 times and “my anger” 31 times throughout the Bible. Speaking of God’s anger in the third person, “his wrath” occurs some 20 times and “wrath of God” 11 times in the New Testament. In Jeremiah 49:37, God even refers to “My fierce anger…” Doubtless there are other passages that express the same idea, though worded differently. Surely this is enough for us to understand there is such a thing as divine anger toward a person or even all of humankind. Many want to perceive God as a grandfatherly figure in the sky who is rather harmless and doesn’t have the will to mete out genuine punishment which lasts for eternity. They think like that, not because the Bible teaches it, but they don’t know what the Bible does teach. The New Testament put us on guard against such delusions. Every right-thinking person wants to “avoid God’s wrath” (Romans 13:5) and living every day as a Christian is the only way to do so.

[2 Peter 2:1-11] Our God is a God of infinite virtue. His love is boundless. His mercy is absolute. His grace unhindered. But even our God in time will say “enough!” With the world of Noah (Genesis 6:5-7), with the world of Sodom (Genesis 18:20-33; 2 Peter 2:6; Jude 5-7), with the nation of Israel (Mark 13:1-23), the time came when God assuredly said, “I will go no further with these people!” (2 Peter 3:10-12). This is a lesson from the Word of God that people, nations, and even the Lord’s church can’t seem to learn. In time, sometime, in God’s own good time, He will bring an end to this foolishness; and one might say, the curtain will come down for the final time. Paul, writing to the church in Thessalonica puts it in these words, “…taking vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel…” (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). The Hebrews writer states, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31) “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). We worry about money, wars, sickness (Matthew 6:25-34) – all kinds of things take up our worry time. The one thing we should all be concerned with is when our God tells His Son and angels, “I’ve had enough!” (Jude 14-15).

Looking Back, Pressing Forward

 

“God the Architect” by Harry Kemp 1948 (today’s lingo - twb) Who you are I know not, But this much I know; You have set the Pleiades in a silver row; You have set the trackless winds loose upon their way; You have reared a colored wall between the night and day; You have made the flowers to bloom and the stars to shine; Hid rare gems of richest ore in the tunneled mine; But chief of all your wonderous works, supreme of all your plan, You have put an upward reach in the heart of man. As age progresses, life’s lessons leave behind what we have learned: You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk (age 7); When waving to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back (age 9); If you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up (age 14); Although it’s hard to admit, I’m secretly glad my parents are strict with me (age 15); Being silent company is often more healing than words of advice (age 24); If someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it (age 39); The greater a person’s guilt, the greater the need grows to cast blame on others (age 46); Singing “Amazing Grace” can lift my spirits for hours (age 49); One can learn a lot about a person by the way they handle, rainy days, lost luggage, and strands of tangled decoration lights (age 52); Regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them after they’re gone (age 53); If you want to do something positive for your children, improve your marriage (age 61); Life sometimes grants a second chance (age 62); If one pursues happiness, it will elude them. But, if one focusses on the family, the needs of others, one’s work ethics, meeting new people, and doing the best in all they do, happiness will find them (age 65); Deciding something with kindness is usually the right decision (age 66). Everyone can use a prayer (age 72); Even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one (age 82); Reach out and touch someone (age 85); I still have a lot to learn (age 92).

[1 John 2:15-17] With the arrival of 2022 many of us are re­flecting upon the past year and looking toward the hope and promise of the new. One passage we often turn to when thinking about hope for the future is Philippians 3:13-14. Paul talks about putting to rest things of the past, and pressing toward the future, ultimately the prize of heavenly reward! Putting away the things of the past can be very appealing to us. Sometimes we carry large burdens of pain, guilt, or stress that we are eager to dismiss from our lives. But when Paul says, “forgetting those things that are behind,” what exactly is he encouraging us to forget? The New Testament shows us that Paul did a lot of looking back upon his life. He looked back upon his achievements (Philippians 3:3-6), his failures (1 Timothy 1:12-15), his trials (2 Corinthians 11:22-33), his gifts from God (2 Corinthians 12:1-6), his infirmities (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), and even upon the people who had harmed him (2 Timothy 4:14). Why did he look back? It certainly wasn’t to despair or cause himself to be depressed (Philippians 4:8)! Instead, his looking back was always for two rea­sons. First, to remember the blessings that God had bestowed on him, and second, to draw upon his experiences to be better able to teach others. Paul doesn’t mean to total­ly forget the past. Instead, it appears Paul is telling us not to rest on past achievements, but to press on in new service to the Lord! So, as we enter into the new year, look upon the past year, find the blessings, and praise God! Also look upon the past year and find the disappointments. Consider how you might use these experiences to comfort or teach those in similar circum­stances. Finally, look upon the coming year as an opportunity to serve God more fully! Look back but press forward into the service of our Almighty God!