In the movie, The Lion King, young Simba “just can’t wait to be king” so that he can rule over the land. However, he learns just how
important and sacrificial being “king” really is through some hard twists of fate in his life. Being a king wasn’t about telling people what
to do, but to model the highest level of integrity, loyalty, and faithfulness to those in the kingdom.
Unlike Simba, Jesus understood the sacrifices of a king. In Luke 4 when Satan was tempting Jesus to abuse His power and seek more of
it by telling Him, “I will give you all [the kingdoms of the world, because] I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me!” But Jesus resisted the temptation to serve self. Instead, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:13, “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”
Even as a king, Jesus “didn’t come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45). In fact, His role wasn’t just making a kingdom stronger,
but saving it eternally! Paul would later say in 1 Timothy 1:15-17, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of
sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now
to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
As Jesus ministered among His followers (and ultimately the world), He modeled something that was truly inspirational, and even transformational. His way of living and teaching helped people see what God’s plan had been the entire time. As the fulfillment of his mission
drew closer to the end, more and more of the prophecies about the Messiah were coming to fruition.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, a handful of the Apostles witnessed Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the prophets) confirm Jesus as the one with true authority. This scene must have helped to give them even more confidence that Jesus was
truly the king of kings; and had they been in the room when Pilate interrogated Jesus by asking, “Are you the king of the Jews?” they
would have shouted, “YES!” However, they weren’t there, but they would do what Jesus asked Pilate about how He came to that conclusion, “Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about Me?” That’s our job – tell others about Jesus, our king!
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Friday, February 14, 2020
How's Your Sight?
What happens when you can’t see? Recently, my daughter got contacts and glasses because she wasn’t able to see as clearly as she knew she could. Now, she can see fine. There’s hardly a time that you wouldn’t want to see, right? We like to be able to see what we’re doing and where we’re going.
However, there are some things we don’t want to see. Bloody or mangled bodies (for most normal people), or rude or criminal behavior. In fact, one of the most recognizable symbols in our legal system in this nation is Lady Justice, a statue of a woman holding scales in one hand and a sword in the other, but she’s blindfolded. She symbolizes fair and equal administration of the law, without corruption, greed, prejudice, or favor.
Ultimately, that’s the exact picture God wants us to see of Him. That He is without corruption, greed, prejudice, or favor (Isaiah 53, 1 Peter 2:21-25, Philippians 2:5-11, etc.) Jesus wanted His disciples to see and understand this about Him most of all. Because through their words, the rest of the world would be told about God’s plan to save mankind.
God wants us to see Him for who He really is. Satan, on the other hand, doesn’t! 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Satan has always used corruption, greed, prejudices, or favoritism to ruin the work God is trying to do in all of us. Our propensity to please self gets in the way of doing the will of the father.
Jesus shares a timeless parable that depicts the battle for our allegiance to His way. Luke 8:4-15, “…[The explanation] Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”
How’s your Christ-sight? Do you see what He sees? Or does the “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” get in the way? It’s “not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:15-17)
However, there are some things we don’t want to see. Bloody or mangled bodies (for most normal people), or rude or criminal behavior. In fact, one of the most recognizable symbols in our legal system in this nation is Lady Justice, a statue of a woman holding scales in one hand and a sword in the other, but she’s blindfolded. She symbolizes fair and equal administration of the law, without corruption, greed, prejudice, or favor.
Ultimately, that’s the exact picture God wants us to see of Him. That He is without corruption, greed, prejudice, or favor (Isaiah 53, 1 Peter 2:21-25, Philippians 2:5-11, etc.) Jesus wanted His disciples to see and understand this about Him most of all. Because through their words, the rest of the world would be told about God’s plan to save mankind.
God wants us to see Him for who He really is. Satan, on the other hand, doesn’t! 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Satan has always used corruption, greed, prejudices, or favoritism to ruin the work God is trying to do in all of us. Our propensity to please self gets in the way of doing the will of the father.
Jesus shares a timeless parable that depicts the battle for our allegiance to His way. Luke 8:4-15, “…[The explanation] Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”
How’s your Christ-sight? Do you see what He sees? Or does the “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” get in the way? It’s “not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:15-17)
Saturday, February 8, 2020
The Right Heart
Recently, my family and I watched Aladdin, a movie about a poor “street rat (boy)” who found good fortune by finding a magical lamp, where a genie lived. Aladdin was given a chance to ask for three wishes. It’s probably a secret desire of most folks to have the opportunity to ask for anything and—“Poof!”—it shows up instantly. But that’s not reality!
However, there was a time in the Bible when a young king offered 1,000 burnt offerings to God, seeking His mercy, guidance, and wisdom. That night, God came to him in a dream and asked him what he really wanted, to which Solomon replied, “...Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” (1 Kings 3:9)
Was it the number of offerings he offered that helped him get his “wish”? Or the posture of his heart? Throughout the history of the Israelites, the people often used the sacrifices as a formula for blessings rather than an ‘appeal to God from a pure conscience’ (1 Peter 3:21). Too many times the feasts, the Sabbaths, the fasting’s, and any other “ritual” was misused.
When Jesus showed up, He was going to show what God was really looking for in all of those “rituals.” Soon after His ministry began, as He was drawing people to Himself through His teaching and healings, He also addressed the abuse in the religious system.
In Luke 6, we read the “Sermon on the Mount” as a reenactment of Moses reading the law on the mountain. However, here Jesus breaks down who will really be blessed by God’s way of living.
Luke 6:20-26: “Blessed are you…
who are poor (humble), for yours is the kingdom of God.
who hunger now (longing), for you will be satisfied.
who weep now (compassionate), for you will laugh.
when people hate you … because of the Son of Man (faithful)…
But woe to you who are rich (arrogant), for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well-fed (greedy) now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh (ignore the hurts of others) now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you (proud)…
Jesus presented a better perspective of what God had been requiring all along. Seeing how Jesus demonstrated His obedience to God by serving people (Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”)
Paul described this new paradigm shift this way in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Your heart matters! Give yours to God, and you won’t be disappointed.
However, there was a time in the Bible when a young king offered 1,000 burnt offerings to God, seeking His mercy, guidance, and wisdom. That night, God came to him in a dream and asked him what he really wanted, to which Solomon replied, “...Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” (1 Kings 3:9)
Was it the number of offerings he offered that helped him get his “wish”? Or the posture of his heart? Throughout the history of the Israelites, the people often used the sacrifices as a formula for blessings rather than an ‘appeal to God from a pure conscience’ (1 Peter 3:21). Too many times the feasts, the Sabbaths, the fasting’s, and any other “ritual” was misused.
When Jesus showed up, He was going to show what God was really looking for in all of those “rituals.” Soon after His ministry began, as He was drawing people to Himself through His teaching and healings, He also addressed the abuse in the religious system.
In Luke 6, we read the “Sermon on the Mount” as a reenactment of Moses reading the law on the mountain. However, here Jesus breaks down who will really be blessed by God’s way of living.
Luke 6:20-26: “Blessed are you…
who are poor (humble), for yours is the kingdom of God.
who hunger now (longing), for you will be satisfied.
who weep now (compassionate), for you will laugh.
when people hate you … because of the Son of Man (faithful)…
But woe to you who are rich (arrogant), for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well-fed (greedy) now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh (ignore the hurts of others) now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you (proud)…
Jesus presented a better perspective of what God had been requiring all along. Seeing how Jesus demonstrated His obedience to God by serving people (Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”)
Paul described this new paradigm shift this way in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Your heart matters! Give yours to God, and you won’t be disappointed.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Obedience Is Fulfilling
Many people struggle with faith in God because of unanswered prayers. However, with a more careful reflection of life’s issues, someone with faith in God might realize that unanswered prayers are actually answered in different ways. The key is aligning yourself to receive what you ask God for. What’s that mean? An expecting mother tries to prepare a room for their newborn before the baby is born. A teenager takes Drivers Ed and a test before they begin to drive. A wise person plans for retirement before they actually retire. Basically, they are aligning their life to accommodate what they are hoping to be blessed with: a child, a car, a relaxing retirement.
The same holds true in our faith. We ask God for blessings of all shapes and sizes. We ask because, at least to some degree, we’re hoping He will hear our request, our wish. Psalms 34:12-14 (1 Peter 3:12), “After all, who doesn’t have a desire for prosperity and good things in life? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from lies. Turn away from evil, and do good; search for peace, desiring it with all your heart. Because the eyes of the Lord are on those like that.”
Jesus reassured His followers of that basic idea about God. Luke 11:11-13, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Or John 14:13, “I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
The spoiled brat in all of us might be tempted to throw a temper tantrum if God doesn’t jump right on our request like a fearful servant. However, with maturity comes a broader view of our request and His answer.
When my view of my life is secondary to the expansion of God’s kingdom, I’m probably in the right mind-frame. This doesn’t mean we hate ourselves or neglect ourselves for the kingdom of God. Rather, we can see how our unmet desire--when handled properly--may do more good for others to hear about God’s kingdom (where eternal peace is extended to those who trust in Christ) over something more temporary.
The Bible is filled with situations where people weren’t able to think past today and right now in order to see tomorrow and the future. From people like Cain who went ahead and killed his brother-- a decision he later regretted--all the way to Judas who valued 30 pieces of silver for today more than the kingdom of tomorrow. Therefore, choosing to trust in God’s kingdom for tomorrow is the mature and wise approach in dealing with what we do today.
The same holds true in our faith. We ask God for blessings of all shapes and sizes. We ask because, at least to some degree, we’re hoping He will hear our request, our wish. Psalms 34:12-14 (1 Peter 3:12), “After all, who doesn’t have a desire for prosperity and good things in life? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from lies. Turn away from evil, and do good; search for peace, desiring it with all your heart. Because the eyes of the Lord are on those like that.”
Jesus reassured His followers of that basic idea about God. Luke 11:11-13, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Or John 14:13, “I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
The spoiled brat in all of us might be tempted to throw a temper tantrum if God doesn’t jump right on our request like a fearful servant. However, with maturity comes a broader view of our request and His answer.
When my view of my life is secondary to the expansion of God’s kingdom, I’m probably in the right mind-frame. This doesn’t mean we hate ourselves or neglect ourselves for the kingdom of God. Rather, we can see how our unmet desire--when handled properly--may do more good for others to hear about God’s kingdom (where eternal peace is extended to those who trust in Christ) over something more temporary.
The Bible is filled with situations where people weren’t able to think past today and right now in order to see tomorrow and the future. From people like Cain who went ahead and killed his brother-- a decision he later regretted--all the way to Judas who valued 30 pieces of silver for today more than the kingdom of tomorrow. Therefore, choosing to trust in God’s kingdom for tomorrow is the mature and wise approach in dealing with what we do today.