REMEMBER, JUST LIKE YOU, GOD’S MINISTERS ARE HUMAN

 

Dear Christian, what does it mean to be human? From the beginning, before God created Adam and Eve, He announced to the other members of the Trinity: “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us” (Genesis 1:26). And He did: “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). So, we had God’s perfect nature from the beginning, but unfortunately for man, things changed rather quickly; we added on a second nature- a sinful nature–through disobedience to God (see Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-7).  

Sin brought separation between God and man, which meant eternal separation after this life, also known as hell. But God, out of His abundant love, sent Jesus to pay the penalty of our sins; He died in our place, and so, when we acknowledge our sins and seek forgiveness through Jesus, He forgives and gives us a new nature with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing that we will be with Him forever in heaven after this life (see Ephesians 4:30). 

This new nature does not cancel out the sinful nature, however, so we are left with an ongoing battle between the two. As the children of God, when we want to do the right thing, our sinful nature tries to draw us to do just the opposite. The apostle Paul admitted to and lamented over this problem: “The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. … I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (Romans 7:14-22). 

So, if we admit to ourselves that we each have these two natures in a constant battle, it should help us to understand that no single Christian is perfect; be it the apostles Paul, Peter, or James, our pastors, or fellow believers. Let’s remember this, and try to cut each other some slack. We treat each other as though they, especially our pastors and leaders, have to be perfect, but they don’t. 

Our pastors have a lot of responsibilities, both at home and at church; we need to stop picking on them, and when we have to address an issue with them, do it respectfully and kindly. They have feelings just like we do. God didn’t call them into ministry because they’re perfect. He called them so that He could use them to grow the church and to demonstrate His power through them.

God called Moses to return to Egypt and ask Pharoah to let Israel go; Moses’ response, in short, was, “Not me! Find another person!” When he finally led them out of slavery, it was a tough responsibility for him, But God! Those people grumbled, murmured, tried to stone him; they made his life miserable; he was constantly praying (see Exodus 17:2-4). There’s no reason why anyone’s life should be made that miserable. We have an advantage over the Israelites because we have the Scriptures full of examples, and if we pay careful attention to what it teaches, we should do better. Let’s not repeat their mistakes. There have even been church splits because of misunderstandings. This shouldn’t be. 

In order to enhance our own growth and the growth of the congregation, in addition to the responsibilities I’ve mentioned above, let’s also pray for our leaders: pray to see how best we can serve and encourage them. Let’s help them enjoy their calling and responsibilities. The Scriptures charge us to, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).   

   When the Israelites were attacked by the Amalekites in the wilderness, Moses instructed Joshua to select some of the men to fight their attackers. Meanwhile, Moses stood on top of the hill with his arm raised with the staff. As long as his arm was up, Israel prevailed, but when his arm got too tired to stay up, the Amalekites prevailed. But thank God for Aaron and Hur; they got a stone for Moses to sit on while they each held up an arm. His arm stayed steady until sunset. Needless to say, the Amalekites were defeated (see Ex 17:8-13). 

Well, are we going to encourage and support our pastors, or are we going to be discouragers and troublemakers? Let’s come alongside them and cheer them on. What a big difference that will make.

THE BENEFITS OF ASKING

 

In many cases, when there’s a need, asking is a prerequisite for receiving. Quite often though, we receive without asking because of the generosity and kindness of others. What they give us could be something we desperately need, might need, or even not have a need for. On the other hand, if we have a specific need, don’t wait, hoping that someone might give it to us.  Just ask.

This principle works in our relationship with God as well. We receive many things without asking for them; God blesses so much, whether or not we have a personal relationship with Him. For instance, He tells us, “He [God] gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” (Matthew 5:45). And amazingly, because He is just, He vindicates us when we are wronged, whether or not we ask Him.

God, being our Creator and Lord, loves to meet our needs, sometimes before we even know we have them. For instance, when Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, they didn’t repent and seek God’s forgiveness for themselves and their descendants, but “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).     

There are other things He gives solely to us because we’ve become His children by placing faith in Him. First and foremost, He gives us the Holy Spirit as a seal and proof of ownership: “When you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people” (Ephesians 1:13-14). 

But in addition to all that He gives us, He encourages us to ask, and ask insistently. And when we ask, He answers our prayers. Asking shows our dependence on Him; it also shows we trust His promises and believe in His love and faithfulness. Asking also prevents us from being proud of our achievements when our prayers are answered, leading us to give Him the glory, and letting others know the source of our victories and successes—God. Here are some of the promises we can dwell on when we pray:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you’ll find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

“If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more would your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:11).

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6).

“You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure” (James 4:2-3).

So, knowing that God encourages us to ask, let’s not be afraid to ask Him for things we need for ourselves and others, but let’s ask in faith, knowing that He who promised is faithful and will answer us: “The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does” (Psalm 145:6), “He [the Lord] keeps every promise forever” (Psalm 146:6).

Of course, some conditions hinder our prayers, like unconfessed sins and lack of faith. The psalmist stated with certainty: “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened!” (Psalm 66:18). Two blind men once asked Jesus for healing; Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” The two claimed they believed; Jesus touched their eyes and said to them, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” (Matthew 9:27-30). And it did; their eyes were opened, and they could see.

We also need to be kind and generous with others; God doesn’t give to us so we can hoard. We need to understand that we are stewards of whatever He entrusts to us; the more we share, the more He entrusts to our care: “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38). Of course, receiving back should not be the reason we give; it should be because it is the right thing to do.

And as we ask for our needs to be met, let’s not forget to pray for the most important need—the salvation for our unsaved family members and friends. God desires to adopt all of them into His family through faith in His Son, Jesus! Keep asking!

BE ENCOURAGED BY GOD’S CONSTANT PRESENCE

 

A little girl who was afraid of the dark was encouraged by her mother, “Don’t worry. God is there with you.” The little girl responded, “I know, but I want someone with skin on.” The truth is, even we adults feel that way sometimes, although we don’t normally verbalize it.

As God’s children, we need to constantly focus on Scriptures that reassure us of His presence. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, God demonstrated His uninterrupted presence with them by the pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (see Exodus 20:21). When Jesus’ birth was prophesied to King Ahab as a sign to the royal family of David, God said, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel (which means ‘God is with us)’” (Isaiah 7:14). What a beautiful, reassuring name! Constantly thinking of God by His name should remind us that we’re never alone.   

The psalmist’s expression in Psalm 23 says it all. He experienced God’s presence, just like a sheep would with its shepherd—there’s protection, provision, direction, strength, correction, comfort, blessings, honor, goodness, and unfailing love. Oh, to God, that we’d live with a constant awareness that He is with us at all times: even when we momentarily forget. To all of us, His children, He’s promised: He will never fail or abandon us. (See Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6, 8).

When Jesus was going back to heaven after the resurrection, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with the church (John 20:22; Acts 2:1-5). So, God’s presence with His people has never been interrupted. Angels reassured the disciples on the day Jesus ascended to heaven, saying, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts 1:11). 

Our world is getting increasingly unpredictable and worrisome; a good reason to live in God’s ongoing presence, so we can be at peace and unafraid. And if we do get overwhelmed, let’s remember, He says to us, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world” (Psalm 46:10). God’s promises are not only for while we are here on earth; He has promised to come back to take us out of this world: “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:3). That will be the fulfillment of the angel’s message to the discouraged disciples. And in heaven, there’ll be no more fear, pain, worry, sin, or death. Hallelujah!

So, until we see Jesus face to face, let’s live with the comfort and assurance that God is with us every second, be it now or later. For now, He is only a prayer away!  

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

The fear of the Lord doesn’t mean the same thing to everybody. Do you fear God? Why or why not? There are two situations in which to fear God; fear as a Christian, or fear as a non-repentant sinner.

To the Christian, it means to revere, love, and obey Him (see Hebrews 12:28-29). The Christian understands that:

●     God is the Creator and owner of the universe and everything in it (see Psalm 24: 1-2).

●     He has absolute power and authority over all creation.

●     He is holy and hates sin, and therefore must and does punish sin. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

●     He has the power to make alive and to destroy, and no one can stop Him. “Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear” (Luke 12:5).

●     He is love and desires an ongoing Father/child relationship with us. Although He could demand that relationship of us, He doesn’t; he wants each person to make the choice willingly. And of course, He makes it clear to us what the implication of each choice would be. “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

●     He is faithful and keeps all His promises. “The LORD always keeps His promises; he is gracious in all he does” (Psalm 145:13).

●     He demands respect and obedience, and when He’s denied them, He has the power, authority, and responsibility to reprimand. “Because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5).

●     With all these attributes, one wouldn’t expect Him to be slow to anger, forgiving, and giving repeated chances for repentance - yet, that is exactly what He does. “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promises, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9).

But to the unbeliever, fear means the judgment of God and eternal separation from Him in hell. (See Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). So, why is the unbeliever’s fear so different?

●     The unbeliever knowingly or unknowingly denies God’s existence by not acknowledging or feeling accountable to Him. “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God'” (Psalm 14:1).

●     They don’t understand their sinful status and therefore don’t see the need for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standards” (Romans 3:23). 

●     He uses God’s name in vain. “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name” (Exodus 20:7).

●     He does not give Him thanks; he takes credit that belongs to God.

God declares that unbelievers are His enemies for rejecting Him, and for that, He’ll repay them by taking revenge on them (see Deuteronomy 32:39-41). This revenge isn’t going to be a small thing; the Scripture reminds us, “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

According to the Scriptures, the fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) as well as the foundation of wisdom (see Proverbs 9:10). So, if you claim to be wise, make sure the basis of your claim is the fear of God. Some people claim to be wise, but their claim is based on the fact that they’re able to get away with crimes like theft and scamming (street-smarts).

How do we develop fear for the Lord? Godly fear is only possible after one has been born again. Before that, people only use His name in vain, showing no reverence; they passionately use God’s name when they curse others. At conversion, however, when one understands who God is and what His role is in the world and in our lives, a change occurs. Scripture puts it this way: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). So, after conversion, because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, reverence for God and worshiping Him become second nature.

The fear of the Lord for a Christian is the show of respect and reverence that leads to adoration and obedience. If you love someone, you’ll go out of your way to please, respect, and do whatever is necessary to nourish and maintain a healthy relationship with them. If we can do that with humans, we should be able to do at least that much in our relationship with God.

The fear of God leads to knowledge and wisdom because God is wise and knows all things; as we seek to be obedient to Him, we’ll be doing things His way—the right way-- and thus our wisdom will be evident to the world. For instance, He commands us to, “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another” (Romans 13:8). If we obey this command, we’ll stay out of debt—a wise thing to do.

After the Teacher had examined and assessed life, he concluded, “Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). So, the fear of the Lord is a must for everyone, but surprisingly, God rewards those who fear Him, even though He doesn’t have to. After all, we must fear Him. 

How then does He reward us?

Our reward is the immense love He shows to those who fear Him; love that covers all aspects of our lives! See the verses below:

“His unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth” (Psalm 103:11).

“The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13).

“The love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commands” (Psalm 103:17-18).  

We’ve seen that God blesses those who fear Him. But how about those who don’t?

If unbelievers believed hell was real, they’d seek God while they still had time. Sadly, the devil has blinded their minds, so they think God will not send anyone to hell: “He is too kind to do that,” they say. They, however, don’t know or choose to forget that He is holy and just, and does not go back on His Word.

May God help us to continue to walk with Him in fear and reverence, and may He help us share the gospel with compassion and urgency. The window of opportunity is closing for many every day as they pass into a Christless eternity.