How Does God Speak? 4 Ways God Reveals Himself

I was recently asked the question How does God speak? I believe that a better question is How does God reveal Himself? God introduces Himself through creation, reveals Himself personally through Scripture and unveils Himself relationally through the Holy Spirit. Here are 4 ways that God does speak and a word of caution about how He doesn't.

1. God Reveals Himself Through Creation
God reveals Himself through nature, His creation. We call this General Revelation. It shows us how creative and powerful He is. Nature shows the amount of love and beauty God poured into creation. The wonder and awe He has created, the intricate design of our bodies and the detail and craftsmanship He put into designing this world for us showcase many of His qualities. Creation also shows his goodness and His providential care. There are also many object lessons from nature such as comparing God's protection of His people underneath the shadow of His wings to that of a bird protecting her offspring.

Human beings, created in God's image are inherently inquisitive and nature is meant to cause us to ask questions. Satan tries to manipulate us into satisfying this curiosity in unhealthy and inappropriate ways. God does not reveal future events through nature, or general revelation. Horoscopes, astrology, trying to predict human behavior or future events based on the observance of the moon and stars or by consulting any other element of creation is specifically forbidden in Scripture and Christians today still struggle with this trap.

2. God Reveals Himself Through His Word
The primary way that God speaks to people is through His Word, the Bible. The Bible reveals God's justice and his righteousness. It also reveals his merciful love, kindness and grace. Most importantly, it shows his plan of salvation. All we need to know for life and godliness, all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom are found in God's word. Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. This type of revelation is called Special Revelation.

Jesus is the central focus of the Bible. Sinful mankind tends to cherry pick tiny fragments of Scripture and misuse them for their own purposes. Satan, himself, misquoted and misused Scripture when he tempted Jesus. To understand what God is saying through His Word, we must read it in context, compare and harmonize it with the whole counsel of Scripture and determine what God is saying.

3. God Reveals Himself Through His Spirit
God speaks to us through His Spirit, this is also a form of Special Revelation. It is the Holy Spirit that calls us to repentance. He convicts the world concerning sin and righteousness, right and wrong. He draws us to God when the Word is read. He helps us understand Scripture. He reminds us of what we have learned in the moments we need it. He is our teacher, helping us to understand the Bible. He is our guide, leading us as we walk through this life according to God's word. The Holy Spirit also speaks through us by words of knowledge and words of wisdom. Prophetic words are given for comfort, encouragement and building each other up. He allows us to give wise counsel and advice to guide other believers through difficult life situations. The Holy Spirit will never contradict the Bible and we should use the Bible to discern whether something comes from the Holy Spirit or not.

4. God Communicates Through Dreams and Visions
The rarest way that God communicates is through visions and dreams. These were used to reveal all that we need to know about God's future plans in the Bible. With the conclusion of John's vision in Revelation, there will be no more dreams or visions about events relating to God's plan for the end times. The canon of Scripture is closed and absolutely no words will be added to it. God does use dreams to warn of danger, as He warned Joseph and the Wise Men concerning Herod's nefarious plans. Throughout the New Testament, when a dream or vision occurred, it was always Gospel-centered and required work and sacrifice. Peter had a vision that led him to minister to Cornelius' household and revealed God's ministry toward the Gentiles. Paul had a dream of a man in Macedonia asking him to come share the Gospel. These dreams and visions led people to go share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and minister to others. Dreams and visions are a way for the Holy Spirit to warn, protect and guide people into the work of God and to prayer. Anyone who believes they have had a dream or a vision should use those truths as guidelines for how to react.

Outside of the book of Revelation, a future event was prophesied in the New Testament, in Acts 11:27-30. In this instance, the people of Antioch sacrificed, taking up a collection to provide for the needs of the believers in Jerusalem. No one wrote a book or went on a speaking tour to get rich. The prophecy required financial sacrifice and selfless giving.

A Word Of Caution

There is much confusion today, with prophets for profit feigning divine revelation, claiming to predict the future through observing the times, reading the moon, the interpretation of signs, omens and so-called wonders. These practices are forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10-11. In the Old Testament, God revealed His power through signs and wonders performed through nature. He was demonstrating his power and control over creation. In the New Testament, Jesus and the disciples only performed miracles in ways that healed and helped people and when the Bible talks about them performing signs and wonders it is referring to such miracles. In Matthew 24:24, Jesus warns us against false prophets performing signs and wonders to mislead people. In the day we live in, the fake prophets refer to various natural occurrences as signs and wonders and then use them to sell their worthless books, claiming to have received revelation from God. Don't be naïve. Don't be taken in. Any sign or wonder that is real will never be self-serving or naturally occurring in creation. If there is a real sign or wonder, it will be beyond the natural, in service to others and it will not foretell the future. This is not a method God uses to communicate future events. A sign might BE a future event, but it won't predict one. To put it a different way: The Bible might predict a certain sign or event, but signs themselves do not predict future events.


Conclusion
If you are looking for a word from God go directly to Him for it. Consider this: When Gideon asked God for a sign, he did not have the Holy Spirit as we now do. If you need to hear from God, read the Bible, worship, be in relationship with other believers and pray. Prayer, worship and reading the Bible are ways that we have direct access to God. Just don't forget to listen for that still, small voice leading and guiding you.

Is The God of "The Shack," the God of the Bible?

Last night I went to see "The Shack." As a creative work, the film is poignant, powerful and provocative.  It asks the hard questions and invites, even forces, the viewer to think, and this is good. The setting, and in particular the garden, is stunningly beautiful and symbolic. The story is compelling, heartbreaking, and even encouraging. "The Shack" engages the audience in a way that I've never seen. This too is good because, from the lady drinking her stinky wine next to me, to the teenage girl in the "Momma Tried," skullcap, this LionsGate production drew in an audience that looked quite different from the usual PureFlix crowd. The movie provides many opportunities to engage with our culture and to have discussions, and YES, there are discussions which must be had.

I will confess that when I read the book a few years ago, I was not aware that the author,  Wm. Paul Young, is a universalist who believes that all people will be redeemed, or saved. I quickly recognized some theological mistakes, but I also respected the good aspects of the story. There are many moments in the movie that would lead one to believe he is a Christian, and a heartfelt defense put forth by his friend and famous Baptist blogger Wade Burleson attests to the fact. However, his personal theology is viewed by many as being heretical and some of these themes do surface in both the book and the movie.

First, I would like to say that there are many things Mr. Young gets right. The movie focuses on the relational aspects of God and His desire to have a personal relationship with us. This is very good. He affirms the Trinitarian nature of God and the roles of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in creation. He upholds the doctrine that Jesus is both fully God and fully man. He affirms the desire of God for all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. He attests that people will be saved from every tongue and tribe and nation. He shows that children who die before reaching the age of accountability go to heaven. He rightly explains that the sin of Adam has had a profound negative impact on all of humanity. He clearly teaches that God is not the author of evil and He teaches that Jesus Christ died for us out of necessity. He gives a nod to human volition, or choice, when it comes to our relationship with God. He rightly portrays Jesus as desiring friends, not slaves. He powerfully illustrates the principle of forgiveness. He shows the restoring redemptive work of God in families and highlights the importance of loving family relationships.

But there were also some very serious problems with his theology. Using a woman to portray God the Father, or Papa, part of the time was questionable, but I could have looked past that. Sadly, masked by the lovely performance of Octavia Spencer, was some serious false teaching and down right lies about the nature and character of God. Here are some examples:

1. As God, or "Papa," she makes the statement that she has never found a person she was not fond of. Proverbs 6:16-19 says that there are 6 things the Lord hates, 7 that are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies and one who sows discord among brothers.  That does not sound like fondness to me. God hates evil. 1 Timothy 2:4 expresses the fact that He desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth---this is because then they will not do evil any more and will not hurt others any more. God is not fond of evildoers. He is willing to forgive, IF they repent.

2. Papa says "I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it. It's my joy to cure it." This is a great example of the type of half truth Satan likes to tell, twisting a true statement together with an outright lie. This statement has more twists and turns than a roller coaster. On the one had, it is true that sin can eat us up and destroy us from the inside. But on the other hand, it is also true that God loves justice and He does judge evil. To say that a just God does not need to punish sin is an outright lie. God is a defender and He destroys the wicked. The story emphasizes redemption. A redeemer is a seeker and restorer of justice. A redeemer sets things right. Part of the job of a redeemer is to buy back or restore what has been lost. But a redeemer is also an avenger of blood. Universalists believe that when the bible says "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, that means everyone will be saved. The truth is that when Jesus comes back, those who did not acknowledge Him as savior during this life will bow down alright, BUT Isaiah 65:12 tells us they will bow down to the slaughter. God consistently punishes sin throughout Scripture. Sodom and Gomorrah were punished because of sin. Genesis 15:16 prophesied the destruction of the Canaanites because of their sin. Even His own people, Israel, were punished because of sin. God's judgement of sin is such a pervasive theme in Scripture that it is simply impossible for a Bible-Believing Christian to deny that God punishes sin.  

3. Papa acts like she has no idea what Mack is talking about when he asks about God's Wrath and claims that she is not like that. 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16 show how God's wrath comes upon people because of sin. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! While it is good to know that those of us who seek forgiveness will not face God's wrath, God also loves justice and He will absolutely bring judgement on those who persist in doing evil as he has done throughout the entirety of Scripture. Going along with the role of a redeemer as an avenger of blood and bringer of justice. Revelation 6:10, 16 and 17 describe Jesus as an avenger of blood and describe the coming wrath of the Lamb. Revelation 14:10 and 19 specifically record God's wrath and anger being poured out. A redeemer sets wrongs right. A redeemer would seek justice for a family member who had been killed or wronged. Revelation 19:1-3 record God avenging the blood of his servants. For those who do not accept God's forgiveness, retribution is coming.

4. Mack's dad, who was evil and abusive, is shown to be a religious fake who was not a believer and never repented of his sin, yet he is shown to be in heaven. Mack's father becomes furious when his son revealed his true nature to a pastor and unleashed his wrath upon his son. No one enters heaven without repentance, forgiveness and being born again through faith in Jesus.

While the god of the Shack is relational, loving and creative, like the God of the Bible, unlike the God of the Bible that god is one dimensional. That lowercase g god is entirely lacking in justice or a true sense of right and wrong. That god does not punish sin. Papa is fond of everyone, including the most evil people on earth. She isn't concerned with rule following and does not even know what wrath is. That weak one dimensional god is not the Capital G, God of the Bible, the Great I AM.

The movie does make an admirable effort to portray one aspect of God's personality, His goodness and compassion. Over and over, Scripture tells us as it does in Psalm 103:8: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast, merciful lovingkindness. He is the God who forgives iniquity, the God who does not stay angry forever, the God who loves us and provided a way for us to have a relationship with Him.

However, Psalm 33:5 tells us The Lord loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of his unfailing love. The love of right and justice is an aspect of God's personality that must not be overlooked. The god of The Shack is not interested in justice. The GOD of the Bible IS. Psalm 37:28 assures us: The Lord loves justice and will not abandon his faithful ones, they are kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked will be cut off.

There is a powerful moment in the movie when Mack has to choose to forgive his daughter's murderer and trust Papa to do the right thing. When I read the book, I assumed that justice was implied if the man never repented. Now that I know the background of the author, this does not seem to be the case. Could you really place your faith in a God who did not care about justice? I can fully place my faith in a God who hates evil and will ultimately destroy it. I am grateful that God is patient and offers all people the chance to be saved, born again, redeemed and forgiven. I trust Him to deliver justice to those who refuse as only He has the right to do.

I believe that the author of The Shack is to be commended, not for his theology, but for the courage and conviction he has shown in attempting to answer some of life's most difficult questions in a well-crafted, compelling and artistic way. While he does make some serious mistakes, as we all do, if we discuss them in a healthy, Biblical and brotherly way, then we can all learn and grow. The ultimate take-away from the movie is this: God is loving and forgiving and wants to have a relationship with us. But unlike the god of The Shack, the God of the Bible also loves fairness and justice and He will punish evil. A relationship with God is available to all people, but only if we repent of our sins, accept Jesus as our Lord, ask for forgiveness and welcome the Holy Spirit's redemptive, renewing, restoring, healing work in our lives. This is the decision that Mack had to make in the movie and this is the decision each person must make in this life. What is your choice?

You have a strong arm. Your hand is mighty. Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of your throne. Faithful love and truth go before you.  -Psalm 89:13-14

5 Reasons To Include Students In Your Worship Ministry

It saddens me greatly to see so few students leading worship in churches. As churches have turned to hiring professional musicians or designed systems with rigorous auditions to make their worship ministry more and more exclusive, many willing and capable volunteers and especially students are being left out and left behind. While a handful of "superstars," hog platforms across the country, others are marginalized and ignored. As choirs have dissolved in churches, so has the place of service and ministry for many good people. And even before that happened, few students were given the opportunity to lead together with more mature believers.

As a music teacher, my goal is to help each student reach their fullest potential and to provide them with a safe place develop, express and display their talent while growing as people. There is great joy to be found in walking alongside the next generation to train them up and in worshipping together. I've been a learning jazz performer for nearly 30 years and a jazz teacher for 18 years and the most foundational aspect of what we do is that we pass down what we know. How much more should we do this in the church?Here are 5 reasons to include students in your worship ministry:

1. Passion. If there is one thing that defines this generation of students, from middle school through millennials, it is passion. They are passionate about what they believe in. Guide them. Give them something to be passionate about. Let their passion revitalize, re-invigorate and re-ignite your times of corporate worship.

2 & 3. Connection and Retention. The fastest way to make a student feel unwanted is to separate them and leave them out. The silo the church has built called "youth ministry," is really just a stronghold, a wall separating students from the rest of the church. And no matter how much a kid may act like they don't want adults around, the truth is, when you separate and ignore them, it makes them feel bad and when you pay attention to them and show them you care, it makes them feel special, needed and loved. One of the biggest issues facing the church today is that students leave the church after high school. Students need meaningful friendships and mentors in the church who care about them, miss them when they are gone, and value their gifts and input. And here's a secret from this veteran teacher, they WANT those types of quality, respect-filled relationships. For all of the Oscar-the-Grouch-ing that "grown-ups," do about the problem with millennials, stop and think about it. They are telling you that they want to be valued, appreciated and make a difference. Instead of whining about them when they reach their 20's and 30's, why not include them in their teens. And here's one more tip. If there is one thing that church members, and especially older folks, love, it is being around young people. It brings back good memories and makes them feel young. Just watch them light up when they see young people serving the Lord.

4. Legacy: Preparing For The Future. Including students in worship helps them to be a valuable part of the church that makes a contribution, NOW. If I hear one more celebrity "Christian" personality lecture the young generation on waiting to use their gifts, or waiting to serve the Lord, or waiting to receive permission, recognition or affirmation from some spiritual "leader" I'm going to puke. That attitude is so selfish, so self-serving and so Un-Biblical. Recognize the important gifts and contribution students have to offer and set them on a path of lifelong vibrant church membership by including them now. Do it for the well-being of the individual. Do it for the future of the church.

5. The Gospel. Ok, I'm going to be a little bit raw here about something lots of churches are doing nowadays. Which is more touching to the heart of a parent; Hired pros playing along with Nashville recorded enhancement tracks, or watching young people serve God? I would a thousand times rather here mistakes than listen to something fake. The learning process is beautiful. Flawless fake performances are boring and meaningless. Children learning how to worship the Lord and be part of the community of believers is precious, beautiful and my favorite thing in the world to watch. No one cares how perfect your church production is, or at least they shouldn't. The whole point of what we do musically in church is about learning how to become the family of God, growing and learning together and praising Him. I believe in musical excellence. But True Excellence is when everyone gives the very best that they have as an offering to our King. I don't think anyone is really impressed with pretentiousness, but that unbelieving parent who comes to see their child sing or play in church, just might find their hardened heart melted enough to let the good news of Jesus sink in. And you know that being included, fitting in and being a part of something special, will have a lasting impact on the life of that student.

Our musical gifts are meant to share the good news of Jesus, celebrate what He has done in our lives, lead us to repentance, help us to enter into God's presence through worship, offer thanks to Him and express corporate praise as a family. If students use their gifts to seek glory and honor for themselves, that gift can harm them. We need to teach them the right way to use those gifts, talents and abilities and we need to respect the Image of God in them enough to WANT to see them develop those gifts to the highest possible level and to use them for maximum impact in the Kingdom of God.

------------------------------------------------
Read the other posts in my series on Worship Ministry:
http://thetrustworthyword.blogspot.com/2017/06/christmas-planning-in-july.html

http://thetrustworthyword.blogspot.com/2017/04/are-patriotic-church-services-ok.html

http://thetrustworthyword.blogspot.com/2017/07/milli-vanilli-worship-thoughts-on.html

As Scrupulous As Shepherds

The first people chosen to spread the Gospel, the good news about the birth of Jesus, were the Shepherds. You are probably familiar with Luke 2:8-20 which records the Angelic visit paid to those Shepherds, living in the fields outside of Bethlehem with their flocks. The Shepherd's listened to every word and then quickly and carefully followed the Angel's instructions to go and find the newborn Jesus lying in a manger. Afterwards, they faithfully and excitedly reported all that they had seen and heard, making the Good News widely known. Years later, Jesus would ask Peter to feed His sheep, His people. In fact, poimen, the word for Pastor comes from the Greek word for a Shepherd. I believe that the Shepherd's were chosen for a reason and there are some things we can learn from the diligent life of a Shepherd.

Bethlehem is just 7 miles from Jerusalem. The fields in between them would have been home to the flocks from which the lambs for sacrifices and the passover lambs came. With the entire nation being required to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem and the numerous and varied types of sacrifices that were required throughout the year, they would have needed tremendous numbers of lambs, these flocks must have been huge. Exodus 12:5 lists the requirements for the Passover lambs: 

Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

Deuteronomy 15:21 further explains that an animal offered to the Lord could not have any blemish, defect or flaw, that they could not be lame or blind. Leviticus 22:20 reads:

Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you.

Bethlehem shepherds had a very important job. The text tells us that they were WATCHING over their flocks by night. They were awake and watching. They lived out in the fields with their flocks. Some people might have brought their own sacrifices, but many would have needed to aquire a lamb when they got to Jerusalem. If an animal got injured, or blinded, hurt its leg or had any flaw, it could not be offered. They had to protect the animals, watch over them, prevent unauthorized breeding so that bad blood lines could not be proliferated and they had to make sure that no sheep wandered away.

For years, I have watched my Dad care for his cattle. He counts them morning and night, faithfully observes and treats any injuries, gives them medication when necessary, takes them to the veterinarian if needed. He observes each cow to know when she has been with the bull so that he knows when to expect a calf and then keeps an eye on them when they go into labor to make sure it goes smoothly. He keeps accurate records to have fall and spring calves, to avoid births during freezing winters and hot summers. He and Mom carefully choose and measure their feed, even watching them eat to make sure everyone gets some. He is a diligent grass farmer. Not only has he limed and seeded the land, but he has been seeking and choosing good hay sources for years, carefully moving the hay feeders to spread the good seed (and the naturally fertilizing manure) around. He wisely chooses good bulls and painstakingly selects the best cows to keep to improve the herd, breeding to promote the best characteristics. 

In the same way, Shepherds had to be diligent about their business. This is, perhaps, why they were considered trustworthy to be diligent in sharing the Gospel. 1 Peter 5:2 tells us: 

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly.

Here are some lessons we can learn from the Shepherds.

1. Feed The Sheep
In the same way that Shepherds carefully feed the sheep, taking them to green pastures and leading them beside still waters, Pastors must carefully feed their people the word of God and discern what they need for growth. Dad always says that cattlemen are grass farmers. The "pasture," is a good metaphor for the atmosphere of a church. A faithful Shepherd of God's people must cultivate the ground, providing a healthy, thriving environment for them to learn, grow and teach in. In the same way that a cattleman seeds the land, Paul taught us that Christians sow the seeds of the Gospel, water them (bringing them to the Living Water) and patiently wait for God to give the growth. 


2. Keep Watch
In the same way that Shepherds diligently keep watch over their flocks to protect them from harm, injury and predators, Pastors must diligently keep watch over their flocks to protect them from false teachers and temptations. Pastors watch over their flock to guide them away from temptation and to protect them from those who would expoit them, lead them astray or feed them poison, as the Bible calls them wolves in sheeps clothing. 

3. Nurse them to Health
In the same way that a Shepherd tends a sick or injured sheep, a Pastor tends to both the physical and spiritual needs of people. As a church, we show people how much we care for their soul by taking care of physical needs such as food, clothing, medical help and offering various types of assistance and work when needed. In the same way that a cattleman takes a sick animal to the veterinarian, we take people who are physically sick, and much more importantly, those who are spiritually sick to the Great Physician, Jesus who heals. 

4. Remember Whose Sheep These Are
Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. When Peter replied "Yes." Jesus said Feed my lambs....Shepherd my sheep...Feed my sheep. While the tasks of a Shepherd symbolically show us the tasks of a Pastor, what happened in this story is very literal. The Shepherds faithfully and enthusiastically shared the Good News, the Whole story, with everyone they encountered. The whole story is all about Jesus. The Angel told the Shepherds that JESUS was the promised Messiah. He was the one the one that had been prophesied. He was the saviour. A multitude of angels praised God and declared what an incredible act of peace and goodwill this was on His part. The Shepherds immediately went to see Jesus and then told everyone about Him. 

The Cycle of Faith
Ultimately, Jesus was sacrificed as our perfect Passover lamb, without spot and with blemish. Before He was qualified to be King, David was a shepherd, faithfully protecting his flock. It is fitting then, that Jesus, the Son of David is referred to as The Good Shepherd. All of these symbols point to one reality. We are Jesus' flock and He cares for us. There is a beautiful picture of the Great Commission given to the Shepherds and fulfilled by the Shepherds. In the same way that the Shepherds Heard the Good News, came to meet Jesus and then told others about him, we too are to share the good news so that others can meet Jesus and go on to tell even more people. I attend a service sometimes where the theme is "Hear, Believe and Obey." While the term is used to describe the life of a Believer, this is actually a great way to describe the 3 step process of the cycle of faith:

1. HEAR: We tell the good news of Jesus, just like someone told us 

2. BELIEVE: They believe the word and accept Jesus as their Christ, their Messiah, their Savior 

3. OBEY: They obey Jesus instructions at the Great Commission by going on to tell others and the cycle repeats. 

The plan for spreading the Gospel is introduced in this passage from Luke 2. The good news of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world and the Gospel is the only way for a person to become a member of God's flock. The word SCRUPULOUS means to be diligent, meticulous and careful. We should all be as Scrupulous as Shepherds when it comes to the things of God. 
__________________________________________________________________
Here is a link to my article on Psalm 23, which further demonstrates a Shepherd's care: http://thetrustworthyword.blogspot.com/2017/06/psalm-23-powerful-imagery-and-beautiful.html

3 Simple Words

In Vancouver over the weekend we came upon a young, pregnant woman begging for money at a stoplight, holding a sign that said she was hungry. We happened to have a $50 Visa gift card in the car, brought along for just such an occassion. The interaction didn't leave time for much conversation, just 3 simple, yet profound words: "Jesus Loves You." 

It is unfortunate that there are some Christians who would hesitate to say those 3 important words because of certain theological belief systems. In this post I will answer 4 key questions: Does Jesus love her? Did Jesus die for her? Does God want her to be saved? How do We know for sure?

Does Jesus love her?

This question is simple to answer and the answer is a resounding YES! 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16

Most of us can quote this verse by heart. I learned it from the old King James version. But notice a couple of things. Firstly, the word "world," or kosmos refers to the whole earth and everyone in it. It comes from a root word that describes belonging and ownership. God did not disown his creation. Jesus poured out His love on the cross for a world that did not deserve it. When God had every right to destroy us, He chose to love. Secondly, it says that "whoever," believes in Him will not perish. This word, pas, in Greek, means ALL. It means that anyone who believes can be saved.

Did Jesus die for her?

Again, the answer is a confident and resounding YES!

Jesus Christ, the righteous one. He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. -1 John 2:1-2

The word "propitiation," means "atoning sacrifice." Many versions of the Bible even translate it that way. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice to pay the price of our sin. He stepped in as our substitute in our place to suffer what we deserved. In this letter being read among Christians, John points out that Jesus did not only die for us, but he also died for the whole world. Jesus already paid the price for the sins of that woman on the street corner. He died so that she could be saved. In fact, Jesus' sacrifice is sufficient to save all who are willing to be saved, but 2 Peter 2:1-2 warns about those who teach falsely and follow their own desires even denying the Master who bought them. Jesus has paid the price for sin, paid the ransom for all people, but each person must make the choice to follow Him. As Christians, we can confidently look into the eyes of any person and tell them that Jesus died so their sins can be forgiven and they can be put into a restored relationship with God. 

Does God want her to be saved?
YES!

In 1 Timothy 2:1, Paul writes: I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be offered in behalf of ALL people.  Verse 2 exhorts us to pray for leaders, Verses 3-4 tell us that This is good and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

God desires all people to be saved. In translation to English, the idea of the Father's delight is not as evident as it is in the original language. The word "good," describes these prayers as being beautiful in God's sight and very precious to Him. When I pray for that poor soul begging on the street corner, my heavenly Father is pleased. God gladly receives and accepts such prayers. Because of Jesus sacrifice, God is overjoyed when we operate according to the New Covenant. Jesus already died for their sins. God wants us to pray on their behalf. This passage reveals the Father's delight in the deal He has made with us. He was a co-planner with Christ in our salvation and when it says he "desires," all to be saved. This means that He is willing for this to happen and earnestly wants all people to accept His covenant of salvation.

How do we know for sure?

2 Peter 3 speaks about Jesus coming back to fulfill His promises to us and about heaven. It also speaks about God's ultimate judgement coming on the earth when those who refuse His offer of salvation will be destroyed, along with Satan and all evil. But look at why He delays this event:

The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. -2 Peter 3:9

God is being patient. He is not "wishing," or not "willing" that any should perish. Jesus wants to save that pregnant woman on the street corner, just as He wants to save any person that we come across. We can boldly look any person in the eye and tell them God wants you to be saved. Jesus died for you. JESUS LOVES YOU. 

Top 10 Ways To Pray For Our New President

It can be really hard to pray for people that we don't like or disagree with. But, regardless of feelings, the Bible is clear, we must all pray for our leaders. 

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a peaceful and tranquil life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Here are 10 ways that we can pray for our new President:

1. Pray for them to have wisdom and understanding. 

         -Ephesians 4:17-18 warns about people becoming futile in their thinking and darkened in their understanding because of sin and refusing God. 

              -Romans 1:20-25 also warns about people becoming futile in their thinking, having their hearts be darkened, professing to be wise but becoming foolish and exchanging the truth of God for a lie. 

              -Daniel 2:21 He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.

2.  Pray for them to have clarity of thinking, discernment and good decision-making ability

       -In addition to the references above, The Bible also warns about people becoming spiritually blind and deaf who refuse God. This is a dangerous position for a President. We need to pray for our leader to think clearly and make wise decisions.

3. Protection from Deception and a Desire for the Truth

        -John 8:44 tells us that Satan is the father of all lies. Jesus is the Truth.  John 14:17 tells us that The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. 

4. Humility

        -Psalm 16:18 tells us that: Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 8:13 informs us that To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct and perverse speach. Proverbs 11:2 continues: When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. 

5. Compassion

        -One of the most frequently repeated phrases in Scripture is The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Mercy is also translated as compassionate. While steadfast love, or chesed, is also translated as lovingkindness and tender mercies. These are key components of God's character and are highly desired in our leaders. 

6. Safety, Protection and a Heart for Peace

        -Safety is a basic human need. If a President lives under constant fear and in danger, their decisionmaking ability and productivity can be compromised, but more importantly, our President needs to stay away from the warfare spirit. Vengeance belongs to God. Our President must not seek vengeance but must to seek to provide peace, safety and protection for our nation. 

7. Moral Integrity and a Love of Justice

        -By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice -Proverbs 8:15

        

8. Wise Advisors

        -Proverbs 11;14 informs us that Where there is no guidance, a people/nation falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety and victory (deliverance) 

        

9. A Sense of Purpose

        -1 Peter 2:14 tells us that those who govern are to punish evildoers and praise those who do good

            -Romans 13:3-4 describe just rulers: For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; For government is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God's servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 

            -Pray that our new President will govern fairly and fulfill the godly purpose of leadership

10. Salvation

        The best case scenario we could hope for is to have a President that has a heart full of God's love and the wisdom that comes from above. Isaiah 11:2 tells us that the Holy Spirit is the The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that the Holy Spirit gives us power, love and sophronismos, which means to have a sound mind, self-discipline, sound judgement, a calling and the ability to hold to ones duty. To pray for our leader's heart to be softened by Jesus is, above all else, what we need to pray over our leader. 

While it is our duty to stand up for truth and serve God first, suffering the consequences of necessary, in every way that we can, we should cooperate and work together with authority. This does not mean compromising on issues, but it does mean being good citizens and bright shining lights in this world. 

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. -Romans 13:1-2

It is not our place to rebel, secede, stir up trouble, say ugly things or smear the name of our new President. It is our place to pray for our new leader, remember that God loves them and desires them to be saved, and to cooperate with leadership in all ways where we are morally able to do so. 

I ask that you join together with me to pray for our new leader, in the hope of a peaceful and tranquil life where our dignity is preserved and we remain free to live godly lives and to share the good news of Jesus Christ openly without fear of persecution. 

        

         

A Passion To Serve

I originally submitted this article in response to a request from Gateway Life magazine that was sent to choir members for articles about "Passion." While, mine was not selected to be published, I thought my friends might like to read it: 

A Passion To Serve, by Jerry Schultz

Our passions, talents and abilities are gifts from God that give us purpose and a place of service. When we devote our time and dedicate our gifts to serving, we can experience a special kind of joy and connection to other believers.

For many years, I developed my skills and pursued excellence in my career as a music teacher, but did not use my gifts in the church. I didn’t intend for that to happen, but after graduating from college, moving around for my career and trying to find a new church home, it did. I went from being highly involved with church and campus ministries, leading worship and teaching Sunday School, to being an attender who didn’t serve at all. I had gone with friends to every revival, event or Christian concert I could. Now I sat through one service per week, often by myself, with few meaningful relationships in the church. Eventually, I stopped going. Gathering together with God’s people had been my favorite thing. Now I felt disconnected and alone. I had forgotten the importance of fellowship and I suffered because of it. Hebrews 10:25 prompts: Let us consider how to spur each other on to love and good works, not giving up meeting together…but encouraging on another.

Interestingly, it was an invitation to serve that brought me back. After an orchestra gig one weekend, a fellow musician asked if I would come play for the Easter services at his church. I received a warm, friendly welcome and instant comradery. I hoped he would invite me back and when the invitation was extended, I gladly accepted and soon joined the church. Within a year, I began planning a move to Texas to attend Seminary.

I am so grateful to have found the choir here at Gateway. (and the orchestra at NRH Baptist Church) It has been a place where I have received healing and ministered to others. I have grown, strengthened my craft, developed friendships and really connected to the Body of Christ. It’s fitting that our volunteer ministry is called “Serve,” because serving is the key to unlocking relationships in the church. I encourage everyone to find a place to plug in, serve others and connect.

It is important to be good receivers of God’s gifts. When we are willing vessels, dedicated to His purposes, God pours into us so that we can pour into the lives of others. Colossians 3:23 exhorts: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. We should passionately endeavor to steward our gifts by developing them to their fullest potential and using them to glorify God and strengthen the church. Don’t make the mistake I made. Don’t give up. Keep meeting together. Keep Serving. When we enthusiastically devote ourselves to finding and fulfilling our purpose, we can truly enjoy our role in the Body of Christ. Remember the encouragement of 1 Peter 4:10: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace.