Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning. Most people groan before diving into such a chore. Others detest it so intensely that they procrastinate doing it until the following year. Some ignore the idea of it altogether. Not me. I love to organize, sort, and clean. It brings me satisfaction to purge things I don’t need from my life, and reprioritize the things that actually help me live life and bring me joy on a day-to-day basis.

While “cleanliness is indeed next to godliness” is a quote from evangelist John Wesley and not the Bible, God isn’t silent on the topic. Genesis 2:15 says, “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” He also spends several chapters in the book of Leviticus defining for the Israelites what it means for a person to be clean or unclean. Throughout the Bible, God uses the term “unclean” to refer to something that is displeasing to Him, whereas “clean” symbolizes righteousness (II Corinthians 7:1).

In John 15:2-3, Jesus says, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” In other words, God gets rid of unfruitful branches, and prunes the good ones so they will become even more useful.

Of course, God isn’t merely referring to gardening; He’s comparing pruning branches with the Holy Spirit sanctifying believers. God used Paul to say, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid…” (Romans 6:1-2). The Holy Spirit prunes sin out of our hearts so that we can grow in Him (Galatians 5:22-23). God is, in essence, cleaning.

God uses another example to help us understand His cleansing work in our hearts. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” God is literally cutting away the clutter in our hearts.

Sin, or uncleanliness, keeps us from God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” Thankfully, God works to remove that separation to restore us to a right relationship with Him. Through God’s cleansing work, we can experience His joy daily (Psalm 16:11).

Do you need to allow God to do a “spring cleaning” in your heart so that “thou mayest live”?

Bon Voyage

On April 15, 1912, disaster struck. The largest passenger liner of that era foundered after striking an iceberg, sinking to a cold and watery grave. The ship said to be “unsinkable” turned out to be just the opposite. Due to poor decision-making and planning, there weren’t enough lifeboats on board for all the passengers and crew. Over 1,500 lives were lost. The story of Titanic is a familiar one, one that still teaches us an important lesson today: we can learn from past mistakes.

Mistakes aren’t fun. They can leave us feeling guilty, embarrassed, angry, or ashamed. However, Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…” When we make a mistake, we can pick ourselves right back up and try again. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Learning from past mistakes doesn’t mean that we dwell on them. In Philippians 3:13, God says through Paul, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…” We learn from them, and move on.

Again, God speaks through Paul, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). These subjects are profitable for our thought lives.

While we may not make a mistake that causes the death of 1,500 people, making mistakes is inevitable. We are human. Job 14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” In other words, everyone makes a mess out of things now and again. What matters is how we respond when we do. Are we going to wallow in self-pity or pretend they didn’t happen? Or are we going to glorify God by how we deal with them?

I Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” Not all mistakes are sins, but when they are, we should confess them to God. The Psalmist said, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psalm 32:5).

So learn from your mistakes, say, “Bon voyage” to them, and then “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

He Is Risen Pt 2

All was still. Light crept over the horizon. Sabbath had finally drawn to a close. Two women tiptoed through deserted streets into a garden outside the city wall. The weekend hours had passed slowly as they waited to anoint their beloved Rabbi’s body with spices where He lay in the garden tomb. Suddenly, an earthquake shook the ground. An angel, radiant with light, appeared before them. He rolled away the massive stone blocking the tomb’s entrance, breaking the seals put there by Roman soldiers. Sitting on top of the stone, he addressed the women:

“…Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you” (Matthew 28:5-7).

As the women joyfully ran to obey the angel’s admonition, they bumped into someone unexpected: Jesus, the Rabbi Himself! They fell to their knees and worshipped their Teacher, their Messiah, their Savior.

Jesus came “…to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). “…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Christ carried the burden of our sin for us, dying in our place (II Corinthians 5:21). He conquered death (I Corinthians 15:55), “and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (II Timothy 1:10). He lives, and through His sacrifice, we can, too (John 10:10).

The women who found the tomb empty that profound morning two thousand years ago responded with joy, obedience, and worship. As we continue to celebrate the Resurrection, let’s respond in the same way as the two women.

“O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Psalm 95:1-6
HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

To read the complete Resurrection story, please see:
Matthew 28:1-20
Mark 16:1-20
Luke 24:1-53
John 20:1-31

April showers

Here in California where Family Radio’s headquarters is located, we’ve been hurting for rain the past several years. Our lakes have all but dried up, our mountains are barren, the farmers are having trouble growing crops, and some of the tap water tastes the slightest bit like dirt. Even the seasons, mild as they may be, seem confused. The old adage, “April showers bring May flowers” simply doesn’t ring true for us anymore; our flowers bloomed in February.

In the Old Testament, Job had to grapple with not only losing his crops and animals, but his family. A long conversation with God ensued, during the course of which He challenged Job, questioning, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war” (Job 38:22-23)?

Many prayers have been offered to God asking for rain to end the drought. We don’t know the plans God has, or the reasons He does things. Romans 11:33 says, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” The rain will come in God’s perfect timing, like it always does.

God continued to question Job. “Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters…To cause it to rain on the earth…To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth” (Job 38:25-27)?

God is in control, and “He hath made every thing beautiful in His time…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He is always faithful to provide for our needs (Philippians 4:19). Matthew 6:26, 31-32 says, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? …Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?…for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

No matter how big our problems seem, there is no need to worry. Psalm 121:3 says, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.” Also, the Apostle John tells us, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us” (I John 5:14). God’s Word and His promises therein do not return void (Isaiah 55:11).

Instead of worrying, God has charged us to “…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Maybe that even includes a few May flowers…

He Is Risen Pt. 1

Everything in the Old Testament points to God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. These events fulfilled many prophecies, and affected many real people who lived through them. This blog article explores the circumstances surrounding the crucifixion as seen through the eyes of Mary Magdalene.

Night had fallen. Everything was quiet. It seemed strange, after all the commotion yesterday. What wasn’t quiet was my heart. Oh no, my heart screamed in agony. He was gone. Dead. There wasn’t anything I could do to change it. I was alone.

I had watched as the chief priests wrongfully brought charges against Him (Luke 23:2). I couldn’t do anything, couldn’t say anything amidst the tumultuous roar of men hurling insults and accusations against Him. He had saved me from seven demons who had commandeered my body, forcing me to behave in ways I still shuddered to think about (Mark 16:9). And there He was before me, His life hanging in the balance, and I couldn’t help Him. He didn’t even defend Himself (Mark 15:3)!

How could a city that celebrated Him on Sunday (Matthew 21:8-11), kill the same man on Friday? How could anyone believe that such a compassionate teacher deserved death? How could some of the same people He had healed, the same people who had followed Him, turn on Him? My thoughts whirled at a dizzying pace.

I thought He was the Son of God. He said He was our King…but He didn’t wear a crown, not until they shoved the thorns on His head in mockery (Matthew 27:29). He claimed to be “the resurrection and the life,” but how could this be if He was dead (John 11:25)? He taught using the scriptures of our forefathers, with more authority than the scribes ever did (Mark 1:22). I trusted Him.

He said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Ha! How could my heart not be troubled? My world has been turned upside down by His death. Yet, I still trust Him. I still believe in Him. His death doesn’t make sense to me, at least, not yet.

When He died, the sun darkened (Luke 23:45). The very ground beneath us shook (Matthew 27:51). The four-inch-thick veil in the temple separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place split from top to bottom (Mark 15:38). He had healed sicknesses (Matthew 8:3). He had performed miracles (Mark 6:40-42). He had forgiven sins (Luke 7:48). That couldn’t have been mere man on the cross.

The sun will rise in just a few more hours. Then, my agonizing wait for Sabbath to end would be over. Mary, mother of James, and I have planned to go anoint His body with spices, the body of the One who “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). I hope against hope that morning will provide some answers.

Come back next week for Part II!

To read the complete accounts of the Crucifixion, please see:
Matthew 27
Mark 15
Luke 23
John 19

Leaving a Legacy

A person’s last words before he or she dies are monumental. As Joshua neared death at the age of 110, he spoke to the Israelites. Having led them for the last 28 years, Joshua still gave them direction even at the end of his life. His advice? “…choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

Joshua was a successful leader. He received orders from God and passed them on to the Israelites, who enacted them. In Exodus 19:5, God made a promise to the Israelites: “…if ye shall obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people…” Throughout the book of Joshua, we are told of many battles the Lord enabled the Israelites to win because they obeyed Him.

Both the Israelites and God kept their covenant with each other.

Under Joshua’s leadership, Israel now had a home. Their arrival fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:8: “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” This home, though a blessing from God, was surrounded by other people groups who served idols and false gods. So right before he died, Joshua challenged the Israelites to choose to serve God.

“Choosing,” as Joshua says, isn’t passive. It is an action, not a happy accident. Jesus says, “He that is not with me is against me…” (Luke 11:23). In Revelation 3:15-16, Jesus tells John to write to the church of Laodicea, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” If we don’t actively make the decision to serve God, then Christ views us as His adversaries.

If we choose to serve God, then we need to serve Him alone. Mark 3:25 tells us, “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Joshua made it clear that his household would be united in serving God. Even at the end of his long life, that was the desire of his heart. Joshua’s example leaves behind a legacy of faith and obedience from which we can learn.

We can either serve God or chase the things of this world. What legacy are you going to leave behind?

This week’s blog was inspired by March 18th’s reading from Through the Bible in a Year, a Bible reading guide offered free of charge by Family Radio.

God's Workmanship

In 1994, the Craft & Hobby association deemed March “National Craft Month.” Their intent was to help others rediscover the joy of crafting and its many benefits.¹

 Creativity originated with God. God CREATED the world. He designed the universe, the plants, and the animals. Then, He created man. “And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…’” (Genesis 1:26). For everything else, God spoke and it came into being. When God fashioned man from the ground, He breathed into him the “breath of life” (Genesis 2:7), setting man apart from all other creation. He put a part of Himself in him. Ergo, we reflect some of God’s characteristics. This includes God’s creativity (although some may have a stronger portion than others).

 The Bible records many instances of mankind reflecting God’s creativity. God filled Bezaleel the son of Uri “with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” to help create the tabernacle (Exodus 31:2-3). When King Saul desired to listen to a “cunning harp player” to sooth his nerves, David was brought to him (1 Samuel 16). 2 Chronicles 2 tells of a man skilled in metallurgy, carpentry, and engraving. The Proverbs 31 woman “maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple” (Proverbs 31:22). Creativity isn’t limited to knitting a tea cozy or sewing a quilt, it includes music, architecture, and all manner of craftsmanship.

Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O Lord, Thou art our father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand.” Notice that this verse isn’t in past tense; it’s present. God didn’t just create our physical beings, He wants to continue to shape us and mold our character so we grow to be more like Him. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

 When we engage in creativity ourselves, whether through an art form or fixing a car engine, God is glorified that we are using the gifts He gave us. Colossians 3:23 says, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men….”

Take joy in your own creativity, glorifying the Lord in all that you do!

¹CraftPR. “March is National Craft Month.” Craft and Hobby Association. 2 March 2011. 3 February 2016