As 2015 draws to a close, and the new year approaches, there is much talk of resolutions. Many people make resolutions to lose weight, to get out of debt, to spend more time with family, or any of thousands of other well intentioned notions which they may or may not see through. Webster's dictionary defines the word "resolve" as "to make a definite and serious decision to do something." This is certainly a noble undertaking, as we all have areas of our lives which need improvement, aspects which we would either seek to minimize, or accentuate, or alleviate altogether. Let's look at a few examples of resolve throughout the bible and examine the process and the outcome of reaching a conclusion, and of making a definite and serious decision to do something...
The first example we'll look at is found in Genesis, chapter 6, verses 6-13, as Abraham is told by God that he must sacrifice his son Isaac..."And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to a place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by its horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son."
There are many things to be learned from this beautiful example of sacrifice, but let us focus on the incredible resolve of Abraham in this test of his loyalty and trust in God. When Abraham was told that he must sacrifice his only son, he did not question God as to His motives or intentions. He understood that God was all-powerful, and could, if He wanted, raise up another son to Abraham from the dust. He had what could only be described as "blind faith", trusting in God rather than in his senses, his emotions, or his circumstances. May we all develop a faith such as this. Yet, at some point, Abraham had to resolve in his heart that this thing must be done, for God has told me to do it, and whether I understand it or not, or agree with it or not, I must do it. Abraham's great faith in God was not misplaced. God provided a lamb for the offering, and the sacrifice was completed, as was the test of Abraham's faith. Because Abraham resolved in his heart to do what God had commanded, his faith was rewarded with the answer to his problem. This will work for us just as it did with Abraham, if we will work to strengthen our resolve to do what God would have us to do.
Our next example of resolve is found in the book of Daniel, chapter 3, verses 17-25, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego face the fiery furnace after their defiance of King Nebuchadnezzar's demands to bow down to him and worship the golden idol that he had set up..."If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
This is an amazing example of courage in the face of overwhelming odds. Our first definition of the word "resolve" was the verb use of the word, but "resolve" can also be used as a noun, defined as "firmness of purpose or intent...determination." This is certainly a fitting description of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They had resolve, that is, they stood firm in their faith, and in their defiance of the king's attempts to diminish it. They held fast to their convictions in the face of certain death. They did not know whether God would deliver them out of the fiery furnace or not, but either way they refused to compromise their beliefs.
They knew that if it was their destiny to die in the fiery furnace in defense of their faith, that God would have something much greater in store for them. However, they were delivered from the fiery furnace, and in a most remarkable way. Jesus Himself was with them, as Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged, and He delivered them. This is the courage of conviction and boldness that we as Christians so desperately need to reclaim today. As sad as it is to say, there are Christians being killed in our time, just as in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, and though we may hope and pray that we are never faced with this situation, let us also pray for this type of boldness if we ever find ourselves in similar circumstances. The knowledge that we are never alone, that Jesus will always be there beside us, will help us to find this boldness, and to obtain this courage of conviction.
Though there are many other instances of great resolve throughout the bible, we'll conclude our study with the ultimate example of resolve, which is the resolve shown by Jesus Himself. His determination, courage of conviction, and boldness are unsurpassed by anyone before or since. His willingness to suffer on the behalf of others in spite of the fact that He did not have to do it, is an amazing testament to His resolve. He made the decision to give His life in order to save us all. There were many tests of resolve in the life of Jesus, and one of the most powerful was in the garden of Gethsemane. Let's look at Matthew, chapter 26, verses 36-45..."Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And He cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh He to His disciples, and sayeth unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." This is a turning point in the life of Jesus. He fully understands the absolute necessity of His sacrifice to the saving of all of humanity. However, the human part of Him, it would seem, is hoping against all hope that, just as in the days of Abraham, an alternative could be found, that God would provide Himself with a lamb for a burnt offering. The first time that Jesus prays in the garden, we see His human side, as He asks the Father if there is any other way for this sacrifice to be made, and yet He defers Himself to God's will. We see this expounded upon as He finds the disciples asleep and then He expresses to Peter the great paradox of the willingness of the spirit in contrast with the weakness of the flesh. As He prays the second and third times, it seems as though He is coming to terms with what is about to occur, with the fact that only His precious blood can atone for the sins of humanity. And so, we see the ultimate display of resolve, as Jesus makes this definite decision, and with firmness of purpose and intent, resolves to give His life to save our souls.
As we enter this new year, let us resolve to spend more time with God's word, and rather than focusing on the superficial changes that we would like to see in our lives, let us rather resolve to take ourselves out of the equation. It is only when we lose ourselves that we can truly be found in Him. Let us resolve to allow His Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct our steps, to transform us into what He would have us to be.
As Christmas approaches, I'd like for us to take a look at Luke's often quoted and very eloquent account of the birth of Jesus, and the bringing of the good news to the people. It is found in Luke chapter 2, verses 8-14, and you may remember it as quoted by Linus in the Charlie Brown Christmas special, a touching and memorable way in which Charles Schulz brought the true meaning of Christmas to millions of children, many of whom might not otherwise have come to know it. It is a beautiful and poignant narrative of the events surrounding the birth of Christ. So, we'll begin by reading these verses, and then we'll look at them in detail...
Lights,please...
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Let us first notice that shepherds were chosen to receive this news, not the chief priests or elders, as they were not prepared to receive it. The humble shepherds, hard at work keeping watch over their flock through the night, were chosen by God to be the first to hear this miraculous news. Just as Moses and David were shepherds, and were called away to lead God's people, these shepherds were called to bear witness to the unveiling of the greatest gift that mankind has ever received.
"The angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid." This was certainly a terrifying event for the shepherds, as the angel appeared, and the glory of the Lord shone brightly, a heavenly glory, undoubtedly turning the night into day. We are told that the shepherds were "sore afraid", absolutely terrified, as any mortal man, conscious of his own sins and shortcomings, would be in the presence of the heavenly host. But their fear would be short-lived...
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." There is no reason for fear, for the news brought by the angel is most assuredly cause for the greatest joy and celebration, and this news is not only for the Jewish people, but for the Gentiles as well, and for each and every human being born before or since. This is joyous news to be shared with peoples of every nation, every race, every creed, every religion. Those who, in our present day turbulent times, would seek to kill us simply because we are Christians, this news is for them as well. While we must be vigilant in the defense of our nation, our values, and the principles upon which this country was founded, we have to understand that our first line of defense is to "preach Christ, and Him crucified." The joyous and life-changing news of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is to be the battle cry of every Christian, and His love should be reflected in the way in which we conduct ourselves. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44..."Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." So we see, these good tidings of great joy are to all people, and they need to be shared with those who have yet to hear them.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." The angel of the Lord here provides a very complete and detailed proclamation. "Unto you"...the Jews, and then the Gentiles, and then the world..."is born this day"...the day which was appointed since the beginning of the world for the birth of the Savior of mankind..."in the city of David"...just as the time of His birth was foretold, so also the place of His birth was foretold, and all these prophecies have now been fulfilled..."a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." He is born a Saviour, from the beginning, not that He would later become the Saviour. His deity is never in question, from the time of His birth, He is God in the flesh, come to seek and to save those who are lost.
"And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." This is certainly not the way that the shepherds would have expected to find the Son of God, to be sure. They might well have expected to find Him in a palace, or in a temple, attended by servants, but this was not the way in which Christ chose to enter the world, or to live His life on this earth. He was "a man of sorrows", of lowly estate, and the only distinguishing factor of His earthly existence was the degree of humiliation that He endured. He chose this degrading life to provide us with the ultimate example of humility, and His willingness to endure it is just another of the myriad of reasons why we should love Him more and more each day.
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." There suddenly appears a heavenly chorus, singing praises to God, glorifying Him for the manifestation of His good will toward men in the sending of the Messiah. Glory to God in the highest for His kindness, love, and mercy in sending His Son to be our Redeemer. He came to bring us into a state of peace with God by giving His life in order to pay the price for our sins, and we should live in a constant state of gratitude. All glory and thanks be to God, for He has blessed us with the greatest gift ever given!
This week, we're going to look at James, chapter 4, verses 7-10, and examine how our closeness and intimacy with God is dependent on our willingness to let go of self and outside influences and open ourselves up completely to Him.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up."
The first thing that we notice in our reading is that we are to submit ourselves to God. This is an entirely voluntary action on our part. Our submission is dependent on our understanding that, apart from God, and without His Divine intervention, and intercession, we are without hope. We all must come to this conclusion of our own volition. For most people, this realization is reached after many failed attempts at life without God's help. Even people who were brought up to understand God's love and sacrifice for them must fall many times before reaching a true understanding of what it means to submit themselves to God. It is a yielding of the will, of the free will that God has endowed us with. This is what true repentance is about. The understanding that, although God has given us a mind that has the ability to choose its own path, we choose Him, because we understand on the deepest levels that He is the only way. This is the "pearl of great price", the "treasure in the field", the coming to terms with, and acceptance of, our mortality in light of eternity. The understanding that our eternal destiny hinges on the yielding of our will, and our acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus as the payment for our sins. We will find no security in the things of this world. There is no peace of mind to be found in riches, or in the approval of others. It is only through our voluntary submission to the will of God that we can find lasting peace. The knowledge that the price for our sins has been paid, and that we have something so much greater that awaits us is where true peace is found.
"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." This is much more than just a solid piece of advice that James is passing on to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is a true declaration of war. We should have no misconceptions about the nature and intentions of Satan. His only goal is to ensnare us, to separate us from the love of God for all eternity. He is in a battle that he knows he will not win, and yet his hatred drives him to do all within his power to drag as many of God's people down with him as possible. Again, our actions determine our outcome. We have free will and we have the right to choose whether or not we will be overtaken by the devil's temptations. If we make the conscious choice to resist him, God has assured us that he will flee from us. This is a promise of God. It is our resistance that drives the presence of Satan away. He flees not only because we are not giving in, but also because evil, it would seem, flows just as water, following the path of least resistance. Of course, our resistance to the wiles of the devil must be a constant plan of defense, because though he flees, we can rest assured that he will return. He is very strong, and his hatred for God's people is equally strong. He will continue to tempt and try us at every opportunity. Let us rest in the knowledge that God will provide a way out. As we read in 1 Corinthians 10:13..."There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." So we see that we are never alone in this battle. God will always be there, and will provide a refuge for us in times of trouble.
"Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." We come now to our main focus. Closeness with God is something that seems, for many of us, to be a fleeting thing. To remain in a state of intimacy with God can prove to be a very difficult task. This is not because God ever steps back from us, but rather, it is due to our own tendency to step away from Him. God provides us with the ultimate example of politeness, of manners, and of gentlemanly conduct. He will not push Himself upon us. He has given us free will in order for us to learn that we need Him, and when we turn to Him, and submit to Him, He knows that we truly love Him. We have not been forced or coerced into submission, no one can make us turn to God, and so when we do, it is done out of love. Had we not been endowed with free will, this would not be possible. As we study and meditate on God's word, on His love and provision for us, we are drawing nigh to Him, and His intimacy with us is in direct correlation to our devotion to Him. Just as a parent teaching a child to ride a bicycle, we pedal with His hand steadying us, and we ride freely, the wind in our face, and then, we become overconfident, and slip away from the safety of His hand. We begin to wobble, and eventually we fall. Sometimes, we may fall on the grass, and get right back up, only having to dust ourselves off, but at other times, we fall on gravel, or pavement, and we get hurt. We lose some blood and we gain a new respect for the hand that steadies us. And so, to the degree that we are willing to submit ourselves, to surrender our will, and to draw near to God, He is more than willing to draw near to us. Psalm 73:28 tells us..."It is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works." Remember in the parable of the prodigal son, when the son was on his way home, after coming to his senses, that his father saw him from afar off, and ran to meet him, and gladly received him back home. This is the nature of our relationship with God. If and when we stray, He is more than willing to forgive us, and ready to run to welcome us back home. What an amazing love He has for His children!
"Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness." On the surface, these statements are somewhat confusing. Does God intend for us to feel sadness, for us not to have joy in our life? Certainly not. These phrases are meant to represent Godly sorrow, or repentance. Tears of mourning over sins committed, and heaviness of heart for the hurt that we have caused God, and for the supreme sacrifice that Jesus gave on our behalf are the first steps on the pathway to righteousness for the sinner and the double minded. We are to do our very best to remove any and all evil influences from our life, to change our minds about the path that we are on, and to allow the love of God to purify our hearts, and to change us in order to become what He would have us to be. This is an absolute necessity for our salvation. Our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior is dependent first and foremost on our understanding that we are broken, that we are beyond repair, and that only the ultimate sacrifice can save us. The blood that Jesus shed on the cross is the only thing that will put us in right standing before God, but before His blood can cleanse us, we must understand our inherent need for cleansing. The simple fact is, we are without hope if we are without Jesus!
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." This is a very powerful statement. So many times throughout the bible we are told how much God resists the proud, how pride goes before a fall, that if we exalt ourselves, we will be brought low. It is impossible for us to be humble if we are unwilling to submit our will, to conform to the will of God. The understanding of our need for a Savior leads us into the realm of humility. As we meditate on the amazing love of God toward us, and of our unrelentingly undeserving nature, of the constant intercession of Jesus on our behalf in spite of our shortcomings, we can't be anything other than humble. If His sacrifice is our focus, there is no longer any room for pride. The heart that overflows with the love of Jesus can no longer contain pride, but rather, from a place of peace and serenity, will humbly seek to share His love. As long as we keep God's love in the forefront of our minds, and as long as our actions, and our reactions, are based on His will for us, and not our own, we will remain in a state of humility. We can trust in His promises. He will lift us up when we are down, and He will lift us up in glory when this earthly life is over. Let Jesus be your source of inspiration and motivation. May His Spirit lead us into an ever deeper relationship with Him as we are transformed by His love into what He would have us to be.
This week, I'd like to talk about the unchanging nature of God, in contrast with our rapidly changing, and even declining, society. There is a beautiful old song called "Hold To God's Unchanging Hand" and I'd like to share the first verse..."Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved can stand. Build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God's unchanging hand."
The only thing that remains the same, and will continue to remain the same, is the nature and love of God. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8 tells us..."Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever." In Psalm 90:4 we are told..."For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." Things around us may change, but God will never change. James tells us that with God, there is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Let's think about this...not only will God never change, there is nothing about His divine nature that will even allow for a shadow of turning.
As we watch our society fall into ruin, and the values that it was founded upon are forgotten, left to the ages, the one thing that we can continue to hold onto, and cling to, is the unchanging love of God. We cannot allow the moral and ethical decay that we are forced to endure on a daily basis to shift our focus from the fact that our God is still in control. We are told in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that "there is no new thing under the sun", meaning that the evil that we bear witness to is the same evil that has plagued humanity from the beginning. Same devil, different tactics. Now, we have the internet, social media, television, so many things to steal our focus and so many avenues for evil to enter into our thoughts and minds. Political correctness has permeated the fabric of our society, like a cancer, and has spread the decay of conformity in the minds of formerly God-fearing people. Those who once spoke the truth in love now fear the repercussions that the truth brings, and so silence becomes their veil. We, as God's people, need to reclaim our boldness. Ecclesiastes 1:11 tells us that "there is no remembrance of former things." Just as in days of old, people are quick to forget the values that they were taught. Our nation was founded on Godly principles, and ethical values, and it seems as though now, there is no remembrance of these things. Families are torn apart, and corruption is at every turn.
The second verse of our song says..."Trust in Him who will not leave you, whatsoever years may bring. If by earthly friends forsaken, still more closely to Him cling." As much as it may hurt us, we must come to terms with the fact that friends and even family can turn their backs on us. Our consolation comes in the knowledge that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. His stability should give us strength. This is the very meaning of leaning on Jesus. Though we are weak, He is strong. We should rely on God with a blind faith, because we are unable to see the bigger picture. God is there, working behind the scenes, ensuring that His will is carried out. As we are told in Romans 8:28, "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
Sometimes, we do not understand the reasoning behind the things that happen. When we are in pain, or we see unspeakable evil done to the innocent, we, as human beings, cannot fathom the reasons behind these things. We've all heard the phrase, "why would God allow such a thing to happen?" Much of the evil that occurs in this world is due to the fact that God has endowed us with free will, and evil is simply the choice that many people make, but we must rest in the fact that God is ultimately in control. As we are told in Isaiah 55:9 that God's ways are "higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." We cannot understand, because we have a limited view. God created this world, He holds it in His hand, it is His to do with as He wills, and He knows what is best. Another thought provoking question that we hear is, "why are these people who are living in sin having such an easy time of things, and they never seem to have any troubles?" Satan is powerful, he is called the Prince of this world, and he has a lot of control over situations as well as people. The devil has the ability to make things very easy for people, if he chooses to. We know that Satan hates us, so why would he do this? Simply put, a lot of people will never turn to God as long as they don't have any problems. The devil holds many people right where he wants them simply by keeping them in a cushy situation. He has the ability to fulfill earthly desires, and for many people, this is enough. There are many examples in the bible of people who needed trouble or tragedy in order to push them into the outstretched arms of God. We must learn to rely on God's love and provision in good times as well as bad, knowing that He always has our best interest at heart. Sometimes, seemingly tragic situations are timed perfectly in order to avoid greater tragedy. Sometimes, as an example, we may be running late, and become stressed, lose our patience and our peace, never realizing that, had we not been late, we would have had an accident which may have taken our life or the life of someone else. It is this blind faith in the all-encompassing love and care of God which we must meditate upon and nourish in our minds. If we believe in our hearts that God is truly in control, we should not allow the situations which we find ourselves in to cause us distress. Not only should these day to day troubles not be able to overwhelm us, we should ultimately have peace in knowing that Jesus has paid the price for our sins, and that we can look forward to a home in heaven with Him when this life is over. As the final verse of our song says..."When your journey is completed, if to God you have been true, fair and bright the home in glory your enraptured soul will view. Build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God's unchanging hand."
