March 26, 2022 -- James 5:19-20 & Galatians 6:1 -- How to restore a sinning brother or sister

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20 ESV

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
Galatians 6:1 ESV

As those who were ourselves sinners but who have divine forgiveness and the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, we know the pull of sin. The warnings of Scripture, not to drift away (Hebrews 2:1), are etched on our hearts and minds. We realize how easily sin can once again entangle us. Therefore, these two passages are powerful for us. We know the power of temptation. Each of us have particular sins that are more likely to draw us like moths to a flame back to old sins. When a brother, or a sister, is rushing towards to sin, because we know the particular signs of that wickedness and more importantly we know the power of Christ Who has overcome the world and every sin, we speak, calling this person back to Jesus, the way of life.

Notice the call to gentleness in Galatians 6. Jesus describes Himself as meek and lowly of heart (Matthew 11:29). It is hard for a sinner to hear a proud, hard, accusing helper. Interestingly, Jesus, our Rock of Help, is meek, He reaches out towards sinners with the greatest tenderness so that we are not consumed, and with the might all of heaven, He cradles the wanderer in resurrection power so sin is thrown down. Remember the pattern of Mathew 18, it is the first step to approach the brother who is in the wrong, and to do so privately, in order not to shame the brother, instead to win him back to Jesus and to reconciliation with you.

Finally, because you intimately know the fall from grace which is bruising your brother, beware so that temptation won’t take you out as well—ushering you back to old haunts of evil. Pray to the Father to give you such clear spiritual discernment so that you will not toy with wrong-doing—either consciously or unconsciously—as you seek to restore this brother or sister.

Look to Jesus and His throne of grace, where you will find grace and mercy to help you in every circumstance and situation (Hebrews 4:16)—and pray. Urgently and persistently pray so that every error and lapse into wrong-doing will be exposed and their powers thrown down before the omnipotence of Jesus. Be prepared to walk with this brother through the humiliation or embarrassment as you together walk back into the open arms of the Father Who welcomes prodigals.

Glorious Father, fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing all fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Ah, Triune God, strengthen us with all power according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, so that we may rightfully and constantly give You, Father, all the thanks and worship, for You have qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. You have delivered us from darkness, the domain of ruination and Your never-ending wrath and transferred us to the kingdom of Your beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Blessed are You, God of all mercy, Savior of the World and Spirit of all Comfort. Amen.

https://youtu.be/d4jcHf9k0RQ

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 25, 2022 -- Colossians 2:8-12 -- Understanding the significance of circumcision

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:8-12 ESV

Sicks days have this advantage: I can listen to many Christian podcasts. About a year ago a friend of mine was commenting how much he likes Tim Keller. To be honest, I had not read or listened to much of his work. So, having a few days on my hands, I took the opportunity to listen. His explanation of circumcision was so helpful.

Keller noted in the Old Testament a covenant (that is a binding promise between a powerful king and his conquered people) would be bloody. For example, a calf cut in half, and the conquered leader would walk between the severed parts and declare something to the effect: "let me be cut in two like this animal, rather than break my covenant with you, Lord." 

Circumcision is bloody. When a foreigner joined the people of Israel, he was subjected to circumcision. The foreskin of his penis was cut off. Why? That intimate cut declared, let me be cut off, and my descendants, be cut off of life, if I should disobey You, O Sovereign LORD of Heaven and Earth. Infants were circumcised, parents held up their sons in covenant commitment, declaring they would do all in their power to teach their little ones to know and serve the Living God. They would rather their child die than that he go after false gods.

Christians do not practice circumcision. Why not? Because Jesus was cut off. At the cross, He was cut off from the favour of God. God cursed His Own Son, punishing Him for our sins. In Jesus Christ we are the people whose sins are fully punished and therefore we walk in humble, awestruck love for Him. Jesus is our circumcision.

We obey Him, not because it earns us anything, we believe in Him and by faith are therefore set free from the curse. We can't earn it, it is a gift. We obey Him, because it is in Him we are already freed from punishment, hell and death. More even than this. We don’t obey Him just to save our skin—we follow Him because He loves us. His love fills our souls and captures our imagination. No longer do we chase after things which cannot fill our soul or satisfy our longings. The fact is Jesus is the Desire of All Nations. In Him our longing hearts are satisfied. In Him we are given glorious, God-directed lives which are powered for love and obedience by the Spirit Who lives in us.

This is also why Christianity is like no other religion on earth. All religions absolutely are not basically the same. That is blasphemous talk. Anything which belittles or glosses over the mighty, glorious, cosmos-purifying work of Jesus is to be quickly, heartily and thoroughly condemned. It is at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow. He was cut off so that we would not be cut off from God. Hallelujah!

LORD GOD ALMIGHTY,
 I ask not to be enrolled amongst the earthly great and rich,
   but to be numbered with the spiritually blessed.
Make it my present, supreme, persevering concern
   to obtain those blessings which are
   spiritual in their nature,
   eternal in their continuance,
   satisfying in their possession.
Preserve me from a false estimate of the whole
   or a part of my character;
May I pay regard to
   my principles as well as my conduct,
   my motives as well as my actions.
Help me
   never to mistake the excitement of my passions
     for the renewing of the Holy Spirit,
   never to judge my religion by occasional
     impressions and impulses, but by my
       constant and prevailing disposition.
May my heart be right with thee,
   and my life as becometh the gospel.
May I maintain a supreme regard to another
   and better world,
and feel and confess myself a stranger
and a pilgrim here.
Afford me all the direction, defence, support,
   and consolation my journey hence requires,
   and grant me a mind stayed upon thee.
Give me large abundance of the supply of
     the Spirit of Jesus,
   that I may be prepared for every duty,
   love thee in all my mercies,
   submit to thee in every trial,
   trust thee when walking in darkness,
   have peace in thee amidst life’s changes.
Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief
 and uncertainties.
"True Religion". The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Ed. Arthur Bennett. Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST, rpr 2020, page 118.

https://youtu.be/S1kuHmS2cyU

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 24, 2022 -- Hebrews 11:6 -- Hunger and Thirst

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 ESV

Those who believe in God seek Him. When you encounter God, it is the Spirit’s presence in you, awakening your soul so that the Scriptures live for you. What follows is a zeal to know Jesus Christ, through Whom you are called a beloved son or daughter of God. You will have an insatiable curiosity about Him, you will seek Him with the intensity of a parched man imbibing water.

Pew Research reported that in 2018 55% of Canadians called themselves “Christians”. What is fascinating is Statscan reported, in 2005, that only 21% of Canadians, 15 years old and over, claimed to attend church once a week. Do you see the discrepancy? How meaningful is the self-identification of “Christian” if one does not desire to please God, nor does he draw near to Him in worship?

Yes, I can hear you protest, but you don’t have to go to church in order to be a Christian. That is an empty argument! Someone who has faith—the deep assurance this world was made by God and Christ is the Savior-Redeemer of the world—will long to meet with other Christians in order to grow in his faith and encourage other believers.

Another silly argument is: If you are only drawing near to Him to receive His rewards, isn’t that false faith? Nice try. God the Father is the Greatest Good and the Source of Every Good (James 1:17). Any other pursuit is like trying to drink sand to satisfy intense thirst. The LORD Himself declared: “I AM Your Shield and Very Great Reward”. Why would one who claims to have faith go to anything or anyone else than the LORD Who Rewards His people?

What is blocking your zeal for God? What is keeping you from reaching out to Him and knowing Him more and more? Tear it out of your soul. Fight every hindrance to this soul-satisfying and life-giving relationship with God the Father given through the knowledge of Jesus Christ by the dynamic presence of His Spirit planted deep within you.

God of Splendour and Power—You hold the power which sustains the universe. You are great beyond description and have stooped near in Jesus Christ so that our souls can live. Forgive us for our tepid faith. Forgive us for pursuing other things and false gods. Forgive our waywardness and those tawdry, flirtatious interactions with the world. Father, giver of every good gift, renew in us the work of Your Spirit so that our every pursuit and desire and curiosity draws us ever closer to You. Lord Jesus, You declared “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied”. So in faith we pray satisfy us! As we exercise faith, continually deepen this holy hunger and craving thirst so that You will always, ever, only be our desire. Amen.

https://youtu.be/fWpvknKuYrg

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 22, 2022 -- Romans 12:1-2 -- When you present yourself a living sacrifice

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 ESV

When is it that Christians “present your bodies as living sacrifices”? The obvious answer might be, when the saints gather and praise God. That word ‘present’ carries the sense of giving an account to an official of the court. This might happen when a man who is released from the court, later, must verify his freedom.

Hmm. I wonder if this present, active tense of the verb to present leads the reader to consider a broader and bigger meaning? When you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, covered by His protection, are challenged in the world and tempted to go down old paths, sinful, familiar habits, it is at that very moment you present your body as a living sacrifice. You will not be conformed to the world. You will give evidence to the one who tempts you that you do, in fact, belong to the LORD in Whom you have your freedom. The Spirit of God will use those instances to transform your mind, to confirm Christ’s work in you, and to bring all the honour and praise to God, through whom you have received mercy. Such mercy is as confirmed by each act of obedience as a living sacrifice.

Jesus, our Master, meet us while we walk in the way, and are longing to reach the Country; so that, following Your light, we may keep the way of righteousness, and never wander away into the horrible darkness of this world's night, while You, the Way, the Truth and the Life, continually shine within us. Amen.
Mozarabic Sacramentary, before 700 A.D. edited from Old English

https://youtu.be/agROj9nTQP4

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March 21, 2022 -- Psalm 95 -- The LORD is a Great God

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the LORD is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
8     do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
    as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9 when your fathers put me to the test
    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
10 For forty years I loathed that generation
    and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
    and they have not known my ways.”
11 Therefore I swore in my wrath,
    “They shall not enter my rest.”
Psalm 95 ESV

What a stark warning. It is possible for a man to kneel before the LORD in prayer in the morning and later that same morning curse his brother. When his brother is stubborn that same man might harden his heart against his brother and act in anger. In very little time a man of prayer and worship becomes a grumbler and one who tests God—a man whose heart goes astray.

Examine your heart. With whom are you angry right now? What situation is making you grind your teeth? Where is the vexatious work of the Devil slipping past your defenses and gaining entrance into your heart? Confess it. Repent. Turn from you sin. For the wrath of the LORD, the God of vengeance, will repay the proud what they deserve. If your heart is proud and hardened against the LORD, tremble in fear. It is a terrible thing to face the loathing (that is intense disgust or hatred) of the LORD Who is the Great God.

Today, if you hear His voice, soften your heart toward Him. Humble yourself. Declare to Him your need for His Spirit to bring you to the cross of Christ, where the healing streams of God’s mercy flow down.

LORD, without Thee I can do nothing;
   with Thee I can do all.
Help me by Thy grace, that I fall not;
   help me by Thy strength to resist mightily
   the very first beginnings of evil,
     before it takes hold of me;
help me to cast myself at once at Thy sacred feet,
  and lie still there, until the storm be overpast;
  and, if I lose sight of Thee,
     bring me back quickly to Thee,
     and grant me to love Thee better,
     for Thy tender mercy's sake--Amen.
E.B. Pusey (1800 - 1882)

https://youtu.be/-3ksQDomRgk

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 20, 2022 -- Hebrews 5:12-14 -- Desiring solid food: the Word of Righteousness

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:12-14 ESV

These are harsh words. They are deserved. Believers who have known the Father because of the work of Jesus Christ and the testimony of the Spirit (Who illuminates the Word so that the Triune God can be known) ought to be growing. This solid food which the passage speaks of is the study of the word. It is listening to the public reading of the Bible. Solid food is receiving the sacraments as a means of grace. Feeding on the solid food of the Gospel means that Jesus is so precious that what has an appearance of good, clothed in light, can be distinguished from that which is a difficult path, but truly is good and coming from the Father of Light.

Training in distinguishing good from evil is also an important part of attending church. The focus of meeting with other brothers and sisters in Christ is not to make you feel good. It is not for the purpose of critiquing the music, seeing if it matches your taste or preferences. No! Believers gather together in order to receive the solid food of Gospel. Believers gather in order to become mature in this precious faith and to be trained in distinguishing good from evil. It is not easily done. One must constantly be honed in service to the King of Glory. One must constantly be stripped of pride which so easily clings to your thoughts and assessment of yourself. To be training in the Word of righteousness is to have the Spirit of God opening to you the terrible beauty of God’s just judgments, His wrath and His mercy.

Father in heaven, thank You for appointing Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, Who prays for believers. Thank You, Father in Heaven and Jesus our Priest, for the gift of Your Spirit, through Whom believers are trained in righteousness. Forgive Your people for the laziness which leaves the Word closed and the heart flabby and disinclined to know good from evil. Triune God, reawaken in Your people, a holy desire to grow in righteousness, to grow in discernment and to grow in holy zeal which carries the Gospel forward to the ends of the earth. Amen.

https://youtu.be/KtxE20nMZyk
 

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 17, 2022 -- II Timothy 2:24-26 -- What does it take to live in unity?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
II Timothy 2:24-26 ESV

Some of you are aware that I receive donated yarn from various sources and with it make blankets to be donated to the families of seminary students in the Ukraine. While listening to the Bible read to me via a Bible app., I go row by row, making something for those who are in need. There are times when a ball of yarn has a tangle in it. The knot is a mess. If I am the least bit impatient with it, the knot will tighten and become even harder to disentangle. Worst case scenario, I have to cut out the sections that are too tangled to be used. Why mention this? Good question. Today’s passage speaks of brothers or sisters who are ensnared by the Devil. That is they have become entangled in the wicked schemes or sins from which they cannot seem to escape.

How do you correct a brother or a sister who has become so caught up in evil? First, you who are strong in the faith, pray. Then, gently correct one who is so bound up. Recognizing pulling at the sin or speaking too harshly will leave one thrashing and getting more tightly bound up. It is God Who grants repentance. It is the Spirit of the LORD Who gives grace “according to the promised of the life that is in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 1:1). A brother or sister will not be won by your work or your anger or your words. It is prayer-filled, gentle correction which is Bible-based that will lead the one who is twisted up back out of the knottiness and get back into freedom.

The repentance the LORD gives may take time. What you have said must by applied by the Spirit to the places where the Spirit is working so it may take time for your words to get past the defenses of the one you care about. Or it may be this person’s conscience was already inflamed, on fire with guilt, and there needs to be time for the inflammation to decrease, which in turn allows for the loosening of bonds and a greater Spirit-aided facility to slip out of twisted situation.

It is the LORD our Father Who allows His Spirit to work in the life of the believer so that he will come to his senses and escape this trap. Allow the Spirit to work in the life of the one who is trapped. Trust that the power of Jesus’ resurrection will break every cord and the Father’s love will get past every impediment and this brother will rise, released from his captivity. Once released, when he remembers your Spirit-led gentleness, he will, unembarrassed or ashamed, be able to join you in blessing the LORD as a fellow servant.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.,
   and forgive us our debts,
   as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen!

Today's music is a rendition of Psalm 133:1

https://youtu.be/qAs3fKpZ4p8

March 16, 2022 -- I Timothy 6:12 -- In peace and in war, there is Jesus

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I Timothy 6:12 ESV

There is something about Zelensky that captures the imagination. Against overwhelming odds and being hard pressed on every side, he is working tirelessly to make the plight of the Ukrainian people known through-out the world. In war-torn settings, he is valiantly and constantly appealing for help and holding governments accountable for the promises that were made in peacetime. There is a stirring Bible-picture behind these actions, a backdrop that seems vast and right. But I would urge you to be cautious fellow believer; it is God alone Who knows the heart of every leader and every soldier. The Living God uses every circumstance so that people will not rely on their own strength or human help, which is vain. Instead, at the moment of truth, the LORD prompts you to ask: "where does my help come from?" (Psalm 121:1).

The Christian confesses the Eternal God is the shield and salvation of His people (Psalm 18:2). The man of God knows the LORD of heaven and earth will use every means necessary so that the thrones and powers of this age are exposed as evil and sin is thrown down; it is the LORD Who plants or uproots nations and powers (Jeremiah 1:10). His revealed purpose is that the whole earth will be judged against the standard of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:19-20).

The allegiance of the Christian is not primarily to a particular earthly country or kingdom—the Christian is a citizen of the Kingdom of Light where Christ is the King (Philippians 3:20; Colossians 1:12-14). The Christian knows that the order of this world will always be shattered and reshaped according to the holy purposes of the King of Heaven. Just think of the Bible example: Pharaoh thrown down; even God’s own kings, when they were unfaithful, were judged and thrown from power.

The good fight of faith requires the man of God to fix his eyes on Jesus Christ and serve Him only. The good fight of faith begins on your knees, appealing to God for His Spirit’s wisdom as you bury yourself in the Word of God. The good fight of faith recognizes that it is the good pleasure of the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth to uproot nations and overthrow kingdoms and raise others up in order that the glory of Jesus Christ will be revealed.

Pray that you will take hold of the eternal life which is given you in Jesus Christ.

Pray for the eyes of faith which will see this conflict in the light of God’s purposes—the elevation of Jesus Christ in the eyes of every nation, person and heart.

Pray for Christians in every land—Russia, the Ukraine, all the nations. 

Pray for Christian leaders, whom God has placed in strategic positions for a time such as this, to serve and act in accord with the eternal life to which they have been called.

Pray recognizing in the past the Sovereign LORD used faithless world leaders to discipline His people and bring about a change in powers which ultimately diffused greater evils and paved the way for renewal (think of the prophecy of Habakkuk).

O LORD, I have heard the report of you,
    and your work, O LORD, do I fear.
In the midst of the years revive it;
    in the midst of the years make it known;
    in wrath remember mercy.
  God came from Teman,
    and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
    and the earth was full of his praise.
  His brightness was like the light;
    rays flashed from his hand;
    and there he veiled his power.
  Before him went pestilence,
    and plague followed at his heels.
 He stood and measured the earth;
    he looked and shook the nations;
then the eternal mountains were scattered;
    the everlasting hills sank low.
    His were the everlasting ways.
   yet, I will rejoice in the LORD;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:2-6;18 ESV

https://youtu.be/I4O1ga4Ed_o

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 15, 2022 -- Titus 1:9 -- Holding Tightly to the Word

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Titus 1:9 ESV

Recently I have been reading a book recommended by a colleague. I have been going through it at an intentionally slow pace, in order to reflect on it as I read and to savor each page. The paragraph of explanation and application printed below is a direct quotation. It is unusually long for this brief devotion, but it is so captivating and worth mulling over. May it bless you.

     It is, somewhere, justly remarked, by one of the most eloquent
     of living preachers (Dr. Chalmers) that, of all kinds of truth, the
     pure gospel of Jesus Christ is precisely that, and that alone for
     which there is no natural demand among men. All other kinds
     of truth are called for, even by unsanctified minds. Literary truth;
     philosophical truth; commercial truth; mechanical truth;—for all
     these there is a steady, and growing demand, as population
     becomes more extended and active; because for all of them,
     there is, among the diversified classes of society, a deep-seated,
     natural taste. But with regards to the most precious of all truth -
     that which relates to God, and the way of salvation, there is no
     natural demand among the mass of mankind.
THE PASTOR: HIS CALL, CHARACTER, AND WORK. Chapter 7. Holding Fast the Faithful Word, Samuel Miller, Aug. 26, 1829. Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST. 2020, page 141

Yesterday I was listening to a podcast. There was a panel of well-known theologians and the audience was asking them a series of questions. Sinclair Ferguson was on the panel and in answer to a question (I don’t remember the question), he noted in reply, one of the Puritan writers used to say a believer sinned if he did not, in his heart and thoughts, long for the return of Jesus every day. I thought to myself, what a powerful image that is of a man holding firmly to the Word, grasping its implications and living it out, not merely as fact, but as a relationship with the Blessed God, Who is, forever more to be praised.

Our Father in heaven, thank You for Jesus Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Thank You for sending Him as the radiance of Your glory. Spirit of the Living God, awaken the minds of believers to be so captivated by Jesus that He is our best thought by day or by night; Spirit, stir our hearts so that Jesus is our deepest desire and our every longing will be centred on Him. God of Splendour and Majesty, may the word, so lived out in our thoughts and hearts, become so vibrant in us, it draws out curiosity from our family and peers such that they will ask to know Jesus. Amen.

https://youtu.be/RRbK4HG22WU

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 14, 2022 -- II Thessalonians 3:10-13 -- The place of work in the life of the Christian

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
II Thessalonians 4:10-13 ESV

In a time where many restaurants and construction sites are hanging out signs “help wanted” these verses are a strong command to believers today. I wonder how many people who call themselves Christian have inappropriately collected CERB (Canadian Emergency Response Benefit)? How many folks are capable of work but are collecting EI? How many are able-bodied but sitting at home collecting welfare? More than once the government has floated the crazy idea of a Universal Basic Income. It encourages people not to work. It is unpopular to speak this way, but Paul raises this point for believers.

Work is a creation order. Adam and Eve were commanded to work the garden. There is satisfaction in honest work. Those who are capable of working, but do not work, become lazy, busy-bodies, and begin tearing down their witness to Jesus. Those, who for reasons of circumstances (such as the loss of a spouse, or illness) cannot work, are to be cared for by family members or by people in the church. The reason is that a family (biological or spiritual) will not tolerate laziness and sponging behaviors.

Notice how deeply the people of Christ are called to know the lives of fellow believers. There needs to be accountability on how people in the family of God spend their time, their money, their energy and their free time. Those who are struggling need to be encouraged not to grow weary in doing good. That admonition in and of itself is significant. Given all the “free money” that is available, one might wonder ‘why bother’ to be good, contributing and hardworking, when the government is prepared to give money away? The bible forbids it. The word commands: do not grow weary in doing good. The reason for work or blessing those unable to work is grounded in the fact it is the Father in heaven Who has given strength, resilience, gifts and abilities for work so that Christians will be salt and light in the work-force and among their family members.

Thank You Father in heaven for the gift of work. Thank You that You have made Your people with gifts and abilities, talents and skills so that work is a joy as well as job. Father in heaven, by the powerful presence of Your Spirit in us and among us. Help us to use our work time and play time, our family time and retirement to bring honour and praise to Jesus Christ. Spirit of God, touch the conscience of those who are in the family of faith and are lazy or refuse to work. Convict the conscience of those who are not helping the Christian family in distress. Spirit of Truth, invigorate the sense of true community accountability among the family of believers so that working together and worshiping together, the beautiful Name of Jesus Christ is honoured to the praise and glory of the Father in heaven. Amen.

https://youtu.be/ccVEjKFkAV4

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 12, 2022 -- I Thessalonians 5:21 -- Rapid test for faithfulness

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

…test everything, hold fast to what is good.
I Thessalonians 5:21 ESV

By now, many of you are familiar with those pale green, oblong boxes that contain the COVID-19 Antigen rapid text kits. You could just roll your eyes at the remembrance of the first time you had to follow all the directions. Swab this. Put the liquid from the little pack into that tube. Wait this long for that and so long for this. It was confusing. There was one good thing which came from doing all the work: at the end of it, you knew if you tested positive for Covid, or negative. Based on the results you knew your next steps.

Why mention it? Paul, who with Silas and Timothy, planted the church in Thessalonica, gave important instructions on faithfulness. Likely they were not in the region very long; just long enough for the Spirit to use them to pull together gathering of new believer. So I Thessalonians has much instruction for the believers. At the end of this brief letter there is the command—test everything.

People who had not been Christians very long were exposed to all kinds of things in the world. Sins. Vices, Temptations that appear as light but are highly deceptive offerings which would drag one back to sin. Like the rapid test, at first it is more difficult to distinguish what things you need to do in order to prove you are free and clear of infection. Even believers, strong in the Lord, can be deceived if they are not on guard. Here is the test kit I Thessalonians offers. Let's see how free you are from sin's infection.

Examine your life, are you are imitating those who are godly in their conduct (1:6)? Do your actions bring joy to the Holy Spirit (1:6)? Is your conduct, public and private, a strong example of godliness to others who are new to the faith (1:7)? Is it your desire to please God, who tests hearts (2:4)? Do you readily and hungrily receive the word of God (2:13)? Are you are prepared to suffer for the sake of God and the Gospel (2:14)? Read the results now: are you infected with the vices and sins of the world? Confess your sins and be cleansed. Are you positive for full life in Christ? Call out to God in praise and thanksgiving.

Jesus, Ruler of all Nations, thank You for the rich salvation You have won for us at the cross so that we are named sons and daughters of God. Jesus, thank You, for sending us out, equipped with Your Spirit, to be an example of godliness to the world which is tearing itself apart in wickedness and sin. Triune God, forgive us for the times we have not tested our thoughts and actions to make sure they would be pleasing to You. Mighty God, for the sake of Jesus’ Name, direct us, once again, in the the life of godliness, that adventure of leaning fully into the life which pleases You and stretches the believer so that he will grow in healthy maturity by the power of the Spirit. O God of peace, sanctify us completely and may our whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until the come of our Lord Jesus. You are faithful! Amen.

https://youtu.be/BXfwBETWQiU

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 11, 2022 -- Jeremiah 1:4-5 -- He Formed and Consecrated You

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
   Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
   and before you were born I consecrated you;
   I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah 1:4-5 ESV

One of the most common questions I ask the men I teach is this: “How have your devotions been lately?” By that I am asking—what are you reading in the Bible? How consistent have you been with your bible reading? Are you praying? The answer I get more often than not is: “I don’t think God’s happy with me. So no, I have not been reading or praying lately”.

It is an answer I can easily identify with and one I know is quite wrong. First and foremost, if you think you can please God without turning to Him and asking for the protection of Jesus Christ, you are wrong. You can never please Him. That is why the Father sent the Son to those who are dead in their sins. People are unable to save themselves and He sent to the world the only hope of Rescue.

Second, look at what the LORD said to Jeremiah—’before you were born I consecrated you’. This means all the wrongs and sins and faults and rebellions of Jeremiah are fully known to the Father. He has provided the blood sacrifices—all of which in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus Christ in the New. To be consecrated is to be cleansed from sin and set apart for God.

Third, the LORD formed Jeremiah. By extension you should realize He formed every person for His holy purposes. The ultimate purpose is to glorify God  carry the beautiful new of His glory and His salvation to the ends of the earth.

Confess you sins. If the Spirit of God is convicting you, that is convincing you of your sins, admit them and ask for forgiveness and the strength to turn from them. Trust that your Father in heaven has cleansed you in Jesus Christ. You cannot please God without the intervention of Jesus Christ. So pray to the Father on the basis of Jesus’ accomplished work. Finally, know that the sins from which your Father in heaven has rescued you, are the very ones from which others around you need to be rescued. Trust the Father in heaven will use you to help others up out of the grave of death into new, purpose-filled life, which is consecrated to Jesus by the power of the Spirit.

When the weight of my sins make it so that I cannot lift my eyes to the heavens, Spirit of God, take my sighs of inadequacy and tears of frustration at the fact I am back in this same place again and bring them as broken-hearted confession to Jesus. Bring me to Jesus' throne of grace and mercy. Spirit of God, in Jesus’ Name lift the burden of sin from my shoulder and give once again the joyful salvation songs to my heart and lips. Thank You, Father of Mercies, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, for Your holy purposes in Christ. Amen.

https://youtu.be/YihKbG8-X3U

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 9, 2022 -- Isaiah 53:2b-3 -- Why I was made this way

People deeply loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

...he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
      and no beauty that we should desire him.
   He was despised and rejected by men,
      a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
   and as one from whom men hide their faces
      he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isaiah 53:2b-3 ESV

Many long-time Christians will recognize this Old Testament passage as one of the prophecies that foretold the coming of Jesus. It is a reference to Jesus as "the Suffering Servant" While reading Jerry Bridges, “Trusting God” He offered a wonderful insight. I am using and building on his ideas.

Hebrews 4 reminds the believer that Jesus was tempted in every way you are, but He remained without sin. He never once caved into sin. That would include the sin of complaining about His lack of majesty and His physical appearance. He never shook His fist at the Father and wondered, why am I not taller, not handsome? Why mention this in light of today’s reading? Glad you asked.

How many among you complain about how you’re made? You are too short. You are bald (ouch, that is cutting a bit close to home). You’re nose is too long, your ears stick out…you get the idea. Fill in the blank, the physical struggle which frustrates you and causes you to question God’s wisdom. Now, look again at the description of Jesus. He was not handsome. Contrary to many paintings and pictures and artistic renderings of Him, He was not physically striking.

No doubt Jesus would have agreed with the Psalmist: “I praise You, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Bridges draws together several strands of Scripture as he summarizes:
     This is the believer’s foundation for self-acceptance.
     I am who I am and you are who you are because God
     sovereignly and directly created us to be who we are. 
     Jerry Bridges, page 161
Bridges then quotes George MacDonald:
     I would rather be what God chose to make me
     than the most glorious creature that I could think of;
     for to have been thought about,
     born in God’s thought, and then made by God,
     is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing
     in all thinking.
Bridges, quoting MacDonald, page 161.

Are you physically weak? God made you for His holy purposes. Are you handicapped in some way? This does not surprise God, He has created you for His pleasure so that He would be Your strength and song. This is very personal to me as I have been wrestling with the long-term effects of concussions and beyond this, have already for years and years struggled with depression. (It means, today, as is very often the case, I am writing this and preaching it to myself!). Are you handsome but insecure? The LORD knows what He is doing in your life. No matter your physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual challenges, you have been made by the Father in heaven. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are more than enough to lead you, washed by His blood, to the Father in heaven. The Spirit of God is given in great measure allowing you to reflect on the fact that Jesus was not handsome or physically ‘all-that’ but in learned obedience through what He suffered (Hebrews 5:8) and in His life He obeyed His Who knit Jesus together in Mary’s womb.

God knew you before you were ever made. God put you together in your mother’s womb. You are no accident or freak of nature. You are made in the image of God, for the purpose of God and your life is designed for God’s glory and it is perfectly suited to bring Him praise. Now, serve Jesus with all you have and all you are. Offer to God even your vulnerabilities and trust that Jesus’ Name will be lifted high through that as well.

Glorious God, Who has knit His people together, one by one, each in his mother's womb, You are amazing beyond description. You are creative in Your every purpose for each person. Forgive us for the times we are griping and complaining about our lot in life. Now, especially as we are on the journey to celebrating Jesus' suffering, death, and His glorious resurrection on that First Resurrection Sunday, help us to trust Your holy reasons for making us as we are. May we bless You, Triune God, with the full knowledge that all You have done is for perfecting Your people in Christ. What we are and how we have been made is Your intentional design to cause us to lean fully on the Spirit's strength. All this taken together will bring You, Father of All Wisdom and Fount of Love, the praise and honour, glory and blessing that is so richly Your deserving. Amen.

https://youtu.be/YoBgjVsqC8s

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 8, 2022 -- Genesis 3:9-13 -- Sinner, Come home to Jesus!

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Genesis 3:9-13 ESV

You and I are very familiar with this one, the blame game. Excuses flow from our lips like pressurized water from a fire house. We spout: It is not my fault. He made me do it. They deceived me. Such excuses, and a host of others very family to you, are a story as old as Adam and Eve's Fall into sin. And excuses and justifications for sins have been spewed out ever since.

For a man or a woman to be released from slavery to sin and the traps of the Devil, he has to be completely honest. Confession is so powerful because it breaks chains and allows the work of God to take hold of the heart. David wrote these words, echoed through many generations and many church halls, recited from the lips of many broken hearts:
For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned
   and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You may be justified in Your words
   and blameless in Your judgment.
Psalm 51:3-4 ESV

What sin is weighing you down? What is keeping you from experiencing the sense of God’s nearness? What is it that makes you hide from the LORD God Who sees all? Think about it, He already knows your weakness and your need of His mercy. Confess you sin and find the freedom which only Jesus can bring.

Jesus, friend of Sinners, my Savior, I confess my sin. The repetitious, wearisome sin that obscures the face of my Father and deafens me to His invitation of mercy. Spirit of God, bring me out from my hiding places and put the steel of courage into my spine so that I may reach out for the grace that is so freely offered. When the burden of sin has, once again, been lifted from my shoulders, let me teach others Your ways so that sinners will join me in returning to You. Thank You, O God of my Salvation, for the rich promise that a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. What Good News that is! Blessed be Your Name, now and forever. Amen.

https://youtu.be/Ck58d3BMBX0

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 7, 2022 -- Philippians 1:9-11 -- The fruit of righteousness

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11 ESV

Paul is praying that the Philippians will be filled with the fruit of righteousness. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him have their sinfulness exchanged for Christ’s righteousness. It is imputed, that is, His righteous life and perfect sinlessness are credited to the believer. Whenever the Father looks on the believer He sees the holiness and perfection of Jesus.

What Paul is praying is something which results from being closely connected to Jesus' righteousness—that is—believers will bear fruit that is in keeping with this new nature. The Spirit of the Living God guards the believer in Christ Jesus, applying the work of Jesus at the cross. In John 15 Jesus notes He is the vine and believers are the branches. So a believer who is grafted into Jesus, from Him will receive life-giving nourishment which will lead to fruitfulness.

Righteousness, the word is used 273 times in the ESV translation of the Bible. It is obviously an important word for the believer to understand. When it is applied to the LORD of Glory, righteousness is displayed in the fact that the LORD always keeps the highest standard in all things He does. Every act of God is always right; He never violates His Own holiness.

The fruit of righteousness in the believer is displayed as he intentionally matches his thoughts and his actions with the high standards of Jesus life. Have you ever seen a horse that is being broken for a rider? Its trainer has a long lead and the horse is backing away almost falling on its haunches trying to pull away and by sheer force of strength the trainer is straining against this to make the animal obedient. Well, that image is exactly the opposite of the fruit of righteousness. One who is grafted into Jesus Christ finds new life welling up within him. He is not seeking to strain against Jesus’ leadership and power. Instead, he wants to match his steps and his life to the perfect obedience he sees displayed in Jesus. The act of keeping the law of love confirms the fact one is living for Jesus in the strength of His Spirit. Such life is fruitful, that is, beautiful to see, fragrant to the senses, and sweet to the taste.

Make us, O Lord, to flourish like pure lilies in the courts of Thine house, and to show forth to the faithful the fragrance of good works, and the example of a godly life, through Thy mercy and grace--Amen.
Mozarabic Sacramentary, before 700 A.D.

https://youtu.be/v289Oj1BbRk

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 5, 2022 -- Psalm 122:1-2; 6-9 -- Church is meeting tomorrow, are you prepared?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

A Song of Ascents. Of David.
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
Our feet have been standing
   within your gates, O Jerusalem!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
   May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
   and security within your towers!
For my brothers and companions’ sake
   I will say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the hose of the LORD our God,
   I will seek your good.
Psalm 122:1-2; 6-9 ESV

When you get ready to go to school, the night before you head off to class, you do your homework, make sure you have your binders for your classes, or your tablet to take notes, and your lunch is ready. If you try and get all that accomplished in the morning, eight minutes before the bus leaves, you know you’re euchred and your day is a wash. Preparation is necessary for so many things in your life. 

Then why is it that many Christians just flop their way to church; under-prayed, and under-prepared? Worse yet, after church, complain because it wasn’t good. As if church was about them and their feelings, rather than bowing before the Omnipotent (that is, All-Powerful) One.

Notice the preparation of the Psalmist—the anticipation of gathering with God’s people for worship. For Old Testament believers the city of Jerusalem held the temple, the place where the Holy One of Israel made His place on earth, the inner sanctuary of the Most Holy Place.

Today Christian when you meet with other Christians you are communally the place where the Spirit of God lives. Gathered Christians are the new temple. It is a great privilege to meet and sing together, gathered followers of Jesus Christ, freed from slavery to sin, now privileged and glad to bring praises to God, Who is in and among His people.

Look at verses 6 through 9 where the prayers are offered. These are the prayers offered as the people travel to Jerusalem, preparing for corporate worship. All along the way, their heads are getting wrapped around the fact it is not about them. Prayers are offered for peace (how relevant that is today!). Prayers are offered that others will know the peace of God. It is work to seek after the goodness of the LORD. Prayerful anticipation brings great reward as the people are gathering.

If going to meet with God’s people seems boring to you, give your head a shake! Examine your heart with the light of the Spirit’s presence and ask: “am I the problem?” Is my lack of preparation hindering my full participation in the act of worship?

True worship is sacrificing yourself in service to Christ, rededicating yourself in the commitment to turn from selfishness and sin and deliberately move closer to Jesus. True worship is thanking the Father for the richness of the salvation given in Jesus. Such worship is not mere emotionalism—it is submitting the will to God. It is yielding activities which are dishonorable and disreputable and trashing them in favor of dedicating one’s home and heart, finances and life, free time and worktime, present and future to the King of kings and LORD of lords. It is the reason the psalmist’s heart swelled with joy when his companions said to him, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”

Pray as you prepare to go to the churching building to meet with the people who together are being built up as the temple of Jesus Christ. Pray that the preacher will be strengthened by the Spirit to bring the Word of God. Pray that your soul will be hungry and thirsty for the things of God. Pray for those who are debating whether or not to go to church, that the Spirit will help them overcome the weakness of the flesh and stir them up so that they go to church and receive soul-reviving blessings. Pray for your own heart, that every weight and sin and anything that might drag you down and keep you from truly honouring and blessing God, all such burdens would be laid down, and your will and your mind, your heart and your attitude will all be lined up in praise and worship, honour and blessing which are directed to the High King of Heaven.

LORD our God, there is none beside You. No thing and no other is in Your league, for You alone are brilliance and glory, power and splendor. Father in heaven, send Your Spirit in rich measure to Your people so that hearts will be prepared for worship, souls will be revived from their stupor and minds will be focused on the beautiful gift of Jesus Christ--the Savior of the World. Enable Your preachers and missionaries, Your chaplains and padres, evangelists and exhorters to speak the word with all boldness, and the authority which is given in Jesus' Name. Convict the sinner and comfort him in Christ. Trouble the complacent Christian who is in danger of drifting away from Your goodness. Triune God, revive in us, holy gladness and joy at the prospect of gathering for worship. Help our brothers and sisters in Christ, across the globe who are kept from public worship because of war, persecution, or political interference. This we ask in Jesus' great Name, Amen.

https://youtu.be/4oGuGzCFEWI
 

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 3, 2022 -- Galatians 5:1 -- In Jesus' Name put down the burden of slavery to sin

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore,
and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 ESV

Just a few verses later Paul will list the evidences of the yoke of slavery—lust, sensuality, enmity, strife, jealousy, rivalry, dissensions, drunkenness—just to name a few. When Jesus Christ has set you free, walk in the freedom He gives you. Ask the Spirit of God (Who resides in you, by Whom you can declare, “Jesus is Lord”), in what areas am I voluntarily giving up my freedom?

Consider one evidence of the burden of slavery to sin might be worry which is creeping back into your life. You want to trust God, but your eyes are getting fixed on the things going on the world. So, you are letting your imagination run away with you, rather, than trusting Him, Who is seated in heaven at the Father’s right hand, Who has all things in His control.

When hard-hearted Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews go, the LORD revealed His battle strategy:
     For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people
     with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But
     for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my
     name may be proclaimed in all the earth. Exodus 9:15-16 ESV

The LORD our God knows exactly how to strike the blows which cut individuals from their sins. Jesus, ruling in power, knows precisely, what conflicts and places of peace, what plagues or what relief is necessary so peoples and nations are shaken from their false allegiances and given the opportunity to repent. The Spirit of God works in all these trials and upheavals so that the family of God is gathered in from all across the globe.

Ask the Spirit of God: today, where am I giving up my freedom in Christ and returning to old sins, old fears, old pathways? The Spirit will show you, and lead you, once again, in the path of righteousness for Jesus’ Name sake. When the burden of old sinful patterns are laid down, the believer is once again enable to pray, praising God, confident in Jesus’ victory, secure in the work which the Spirit is carrying out which only the eyes of faith can truly see.

Almighty God,
I  am loved with everlasting love,
clothed in eternal righteousness,
   my peace flowing like a river,
   my comforts many and large,
   my joy and triumph unutterable,
   my soul lively with a knowledge of salvation,
   my sense of justification unclouded.
I have scarce anything to pray for;
Jesus smiles upon my soul as a ray of heaven
   and my supplications are swallowed up in praise.
How sweet is the glorious doctrine of election
   when based upon thy Word
   and wrought inwardly within the soul!
I bless thee that thou wilt keep the sinner
     thou hast loved,
   and hast engaged that he will not forsake thee,
   else I would never get to heaven.
I wrong the work of grace in my heart
   if I deny my new nature and my eternal life.
If Jesus were not my righteousness and redemption,
   I would sink into nethermost hell
   by my misdoings, shortcomings, unbelief, unlove;
If Jesus were not by the power of his Spirit
   my sanctification,
   there is no sin I should not commit.
O when shall I have his mind!
   when shall I be conformed to his image?
All the good things of life are less than nothing
   when compared with his love,
   and with one glimpse of thy electing favour.
All the treasures of a million worlds could not
   make me richer, happier, more contented,
   for his unsearchable riches are mine.
One moment of communion with him, one view
   of his grace,
   is ineffable, inestimable.
But O God, I could not long after thy presence
   if I did not know the sweetness of it;
And such I could not know except by thy Spirit
   in my heart, nor love thee at all unless thou didst
   elect me,
   call me,
   adopt me,
   save me.
I bless thee for the covenant  of grace.
"Assurance". THE VALLEY OF VISION: PURITAN PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS. Ed. Arthur Bennett; Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST. reprint 2020, page 92

https://youtu.be/3lDvD-O9xhg

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 2, 2022 -- Isaiah 48:17-19, 22 -- God's gifts of peace and righteousness in a war torn world

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

17 Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you to profit,
who leads you in the way you should go.
18 Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river,
and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;
19 your offspring would have been like the sand,
and your descendants like its grains;
their name would never be cut off
or destroyed from before me.”
“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”
Isaiah 48:17-19, 22 ESV

How short the human attention span is! No so long ago a hue and cry was raised about refugees trying to enter Europe. Pictures of devastation as boats overloaded with people, sank and small, floating objects on the sea testified to the horrid loss of life. Then there were the boil water advisories on Indigenous lands—some of which had stretched out over a decade. Into the mix was appropriately raised the urgent concern for missing Indigenous women—even while the number of men who have gone missing and presumed murdered or dead is also a great, unspoken, scandal. Covid hit and all attention focused there. On the side the government of British Columbia took over a private hospice because it refused to euthanize the clients who specifically chose to go there in order to be freed from the government’s administration of death. Even in that once safe haven, the BC government began forcing the practice of murder, all the while, along with the Federal government was saying Covid is terrible and every life matters. In an almost hypocritical manner the whole country was locked up, to save life, and abortions continued through-out those times. Black Lives Matter protests erupted with fires and looting and toppling of historic statues and such abominations were called “relatively peaceful”. By comparison, the truckers’ convoy was peaceful, however it was smashed with the clumsy, sledgehammer weapon of the Emergency Act. All the while, for the last two full years money gushed from government coffers plunging Canada into an impossible, irresponsible fiscal situation. Now, even as the government continues to prosecute trucker convoy ringleaders, and do so behind the scenes and with barely anyone watching, the world is transfixed by the war over the Ukraine.

There is nothing new under the sun. When Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel, they were languishing in refugee camps and striving to make a new life in a foreign land, having been ravaged by war. The traditional boundaries of the Hebrew peoples were torn up by war, ravaged, and the people who remained on the land were the poorest of the poor at the mercy of all. When you read Isaiah, you understand the LORD used the sledgehammer of suffering to bring His people from their rebellion and waywardness to the place where they’d acknowledge they had trusted idols, which are demons, rather than gods. They had trusted their own power, rather than the Living God.

To all who will hear it, then, and now, know the LORD declares He is the Redeemer. No political force can save you. No movement or uprising will bring you relief. He is the One, and He alone, Who rescues His people from the grave, from their deadness in sin, bringing to life in Jesus Christ. Those who trust in Him have peace that passes understanding. Those who trust in Him, see the devastation all around, and even as they weep and cry out to God until their eyes have no more tears, there is a peace which is indescribable. The LORD is accomplishing His work in and through history, tearing down the strongholds of the wicked and bringing HIs people to the New Jerusalem.

How should believers live in these wild days? Listen to God—read the word and obey it. Trust not in your bank account, your skills or your prepper bunkers. Trust that the LORD Who has saved His people in the past, will work His righteousness and His salvation in the present. Walk with God. Pray with fervency. To live is to live for Jesus, to die is gain. So, as long as the Father lends you breath, praise Him, declare the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. There is judgment for the wicked. It is swift and terrible. Pray that God will turn many hearts and minds from their fast-track to ruin, and bring them to a place where there is in Jesus Christ, peace, like a river. Rely on the Spirit of God to guard you in perfect peace until Jesus returns. Encourage the faltering brothers and sisters with these words, looking to Jesus Who intercedes for you even now and brings all your cares and needs to the Father in heaven.

O God, the LORD Who spread out the heavens and spoke the swirling galaxies into existence and sustains them without any effort or loss of power, increase our faith. Let Your people look to You by the power of Your Spirit and see Jesus Christ, Him crucified and now glorified at Your right hand so that Your people will know how to live profitably in these dark days. Seeing by faith, Jesus the Redeemer, may Your people then find in You this promised peace that is as reliable as the course of a river and receive righteousness that is as constant and rhythmic as the waves which reach the shore. Amen.

https://youtu.be/ZYrL9ea1XUg

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 1, 2022 -- John 21:17 -- One consequence flowing from love for Jesus

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
John 21:17 ESV

The word of God is so rich and interesting and deep that you can read a passage dozens of time and still find new layers of depth and meaning. A colleague recommended the book: “The Pastor HIS CALL, CHARACTER, AND WORK”. It is a wonderful read. Chapter 5 is Archibald Alexander’s 1834 sermon focused on this text. So the credit for this reflection belongs to him.

Jesus had asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” To the number corresponds to the extent and depths of his denials Jesus is now evoking Peter’s repentance and renewing his expression of love. What Alexander connected for me, so beautifully in his sermon, is the simple observation that in order for Peter to feed Jesus’ sheep, Peter must first truly love Jesus.

There are many eloquent and gifted speakers who preach, but the message does not “stick around long” because the speaker does not love Jesus so much as his own performance or skills. There are men who can explain the word very well, but it is sand and dust because it is rules and laws, requirements and legalities all of which fail because there is no evidence of love for Jesus which shows Him to be the fulfillment of the law and our joy. 

Wonder why it is difficult for you to evangelize ? Ask yourself, how is my heart oriented towards the Savior? Do I feel I must appease Him? Then Jesus will be a hard task-master. Or do I see Him, with nail-scarred hands, reaching out in love inviting repentance, offering His extravagant forgiveness, and evoking a response of love? On the basis of His rich, sacrificial love, do I love Him? Does this love motivate me to speak about Him and tell others look to Him, love Him, learn more of Him and serve Him—yes, all of this is what it means to feed the sheep. Now more than ever our world, both the wandering sheep and those in the fold, need this Savior!

In confidence of Thy goodness and great mercy, O Lord,
   I draw near unto Thee,
   as a sick person to the Healer,
   as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life,
   a creature to the Creator,
   a desolate soul to my own tender Comforter.
Behold, in Thee is all whatsoever I can or ought to desire;
Thou art my Salvation and my Redemption,
   my Hope and my Strength.
Rejoice therefore this day the soul of Thy servant;
   for unto Thee, O Lord,
   have I lifted up my soul--Amen.
Thomas À Kempis

https://youtu.be/dnhCMThVADg

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

February 28, 2022 -- Exodus 9:13-17 -- Confidence in the LORD in these fearful times

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 17 You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go.
Exodus 9:13-17 NIVUK

The plagues which ravaged Egypt were sent for the express purpose of revealing the power of the LORD so that His Name would be known through-out the earth. Pharaoh, defeated six times already by the plagues of God, still acted defiantly, as the leader of his people he was taking them farther and farther into the wrath of God the True Sovereign. In this passage the revelation is given that the LORD could easily have wiped out all of Egypt from the earth. The All-Powerful One greatly restrained His wrath, showing it is mixed with mercy so that the people who witness these acts might have time and opportunity to repent.

Interesting to me also is the opportunity the Hebrews have to see the work of God and turn from their enculturation to the ways of Egypt. The LORD would bring His people out of Egypt, then He’d take the Egypt out of His people. Though they were freed from their slavery in that land, they would even as freedmen act as slaves. You read that over and over again in the Old Testament. In the passage today the LORD is showing His people His wrath and His mercy so that they too might repent and trust in Him alone for their salvation.

Yesterday a newscaster was telling parents and teachers how to comfort students in these confusing and agitated times. Think of it—Covid mandates are finally dropping and now these students are being whipped up by fears World War III might be on the horizon. The obviously-secular newscaster was saying it’d be good to explain the history of the conflict and the players involved, like the United Nations, which can contain the war. Such information may calm the students and give perspective. Hooey!

Why not teach the children the LORD of Heaven and Earth is in charge?! Jesus, the King of Heaven, rules the events of earth and even now is subduing all the rebellious ones, as did His Father against Pharaoh. The King of Heaven brings wrath and troubles in order to extract His people from the tyrannical sins of these days and to bring His people to the place of mercy and hope. The LORD of Heaven and Earth His Name will be exalted and His people will be delivered from the bullying of tyrants. Such as are delivered will also unlearn the ways of their former slavery and walk in new-life in Christ by the power of the Spirit.

Yes, there are fires and wars, there are plagues and earthquakes, all of these are signs the end is near and King Jesus is prepared to take all His holy ones from the earth to bring the redeemed of the LORD to Himself in the bliss of eternity. Pray for the world that many will know Jesus Christ. Pray for those afflicted by Russian aggression. Pray that false gods and demonic attempts at God-obscuring hopes will be exposed and thrown down. Comfort those who are afraid in these times with the great and glorious assurance the LORD is near. The Word is true. The Spirit will safeguard in you the rich blessings of the Father and the Son until the day of Jesus’ return.

LORD of Angel armies, King of Glory and Splendor, Spirit of Power and All-Comfort, let Your wrath bring many sons and daughters from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of the Son, Whom You Father sent in mercy and love, Jesus our Redeemer and Reconciler. Spirit of Truth, expose the false gods of our age and expose the final resting place of despots and tyrants: the dunghill of history books and just punishment of hell. Comfort Your children who are running as lost and frightened sheep. Jesus, Great Shepherd, bring hope and help: spiritual, mental, physical and emotional. Father in heaven, let such sustaining help given by Jesus in these days of battle revive our faith until the final trumpet call is sounded and history ended. Father in heaven and Jesus our Intercessor, keep pouring out Your Spirit so that Your people will be purified by these refining fires, prepared for the trials and suffering ahead, and sustained to endure until the final sounds of clashing swords is ended and You, Father, are all-in-all. Amen.

https://youtu.be/UV8bv4QuDtM

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.