Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

You can blame this one on my brother, who gave me the idea.
            Throughout the Bible, and especially the Old Testament, the image of God as a warrior king is prevalent.  In fact, one of the most common "the God who" phrases in the Bible is the God who will fight for His people, just as we studied last time.  Over and over, He fights for His people:  Deut. 1:30; 3:22; 20:4; Joshua 23:3,10; 2 Chron. 32:7-8, and Nehemiah 4:20 are just some examples.  But why does God fight for His people?  It is because of the covenant relationship He has with His people.  God makes promises to protect and care for His people and His people promise to obey His commands.  Ex. 24:7 "All that Jehovah has spoken we will do."  This leads to the Blessings and Cursings of the Law.  To oversimplify, if the people obey God, He will fight for them:
Deut. 28:7  "Jehovah will cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thee: they shall come out against thee one way, and shall flee before thee seven ways."
            But if the people disobey God, He will fight against them:
Deut. 28:25  "Jehovah will cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies; thou shalt go out one way against them, and shalt flee seven ways before them: and thou shalt be tossed to and from among all the kingdoms of the earth."
          This concept is seen most clearly in the Exile of the people from the Promised Land to Babylon.  Jeremiah clearly saw what was taking place:
Jer. 21:4-5  "Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel . . . I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation."
          This is repeated in Lamentations:
Lam 1:15  "The Lord hath set at nought all my mighty men in the midst of me; He hath called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord hath trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah."
Lam 2:5  "The Lord is become as an enemy, he hath swallowed up Israel"
           In the Exodus we see God as Israel's warrior who led His people from slavery with a strong right arm.  In the Exile we see God as Israel's enemy who fights against His rebellious people and sends them back into slavery.
          Why?!  Why is God fighting against His people?  It is a simple answer.  They broke the covenant.  In Deuteronomy 28 you can find the main list of blessings and curses and if you read it over carefully, you will see that what takes place as the Israelites are sent into captivity is almost word for word exactly what was promised as the punishment for breaking the covenant.  You see, God keeps His promises, even the ones about punishment.  Again, Jeremiah understood this:
Lam 1:18  "Jehovah is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment"
          This concept is also made clear in the New Testament.  We have extraordinary promises made to us -- look at the first 12 verses of 1 Peter 1 -- if we will follow Him.  We are told, however, that if we enter into a covenant with Him and then break that covenant, things won't be good.
2 Peter 2:20-21  "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.  For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
Hebrews 6:4-6  "For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."
Hebrews 10:28-31  "A man that hath set at nought Moses' law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses:  of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
          This is why Jesus told His disciples to count the cost and make sure before they began to walk with Him (Luke 14:28ff). 
           If you are God's, He will fight for you.  Nothing will stand against you.
          If you turn away from your covenant relationship with Him, God will fight against you. 
 
Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

Christianity seems to have become a way to be happy.  Having marital problems?  Become a Christian and go to church and you will smile your way to wedded bliss.  Financial problems? Just join and be happy.  Health issues?  Join the right church and do the right worship and get on the prayer list and amaze the doctors at your instant cure.  Certainly, the above is a simplistic view of what much of our preaching and outreach has become but no one can deny that we have a huge problem.  The most common retort about one’s lifestyle may be “Judge not that you be not judged,” but close behind it is, “God would want me to be happy.”

It has been said often, “God does not care whether you are happy, he wants you to be saved.”  However, the problem seems not to diminish.  When faithful attenders (note that I did not say, “Christians”) find it a challenge to spend more prayer time than screen time, more Bible study time than game playing time, more money to church, preachers and poor than to our recreation, the matter has moved beyond a problem into a crisis.

We need not be in pain to be servants, but surely the easy measure of attendance on cushioned pews is not even on the bottom of the scale of servanthood.  Look at those who were written for our learning:

Abraham wandered homeless for 100 years and wondered for a quarter century when God would fulfill His promise.

David had one slip in an exemplary life and never had a moment’s peace thereafter.

Jeremiah probably never had one happy day in his life after he accepted God’s commission to be a prophet and was kidnapped to die in a foreign land after the horror of watching his predictions fulfilled.  Feel his pain by reading LAMENT-ations.  Also, read his curse on his own life and wish to never have been born (Jer 20:7-18).

Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch wished for something for himself for all that he suffered alongside Jeremiah.  God replied that He would give Baruch his life (Jer 45, only 5 verses)

Hosea was told to marry an idolatress (i.e. non-Christian).  The outcome of that was her predictable adultery.  His misery allowed Hosea to write eloquently of God’s misery at the apostasy of Israel.

Paul wrote of thorns in the flesh and sufferings and that was before his Roman imprisonment and shipwreck (2Cor 11:23-28).  James was beheaded.  Stephen stoned.  Unknown numbers of families were driven from their homes by Saul.  (Acts 12, 7, 8).

These all found Joy in serving God, but happiness was a foreigner in a faraway land.

Meanwhile, many who consider themselves faithful Christians can discuss some near-pornographic vengeance-filled movie or TV series with their co-workers and friends.  They consider it sacrifice to attend and deserving of extra credit to devote time to prayer and reading – scriptures, not best sellers.

It is a measure of the weakness of the faith of the many that I explained what to read.  “No,” one replies, “It is a measure of your attitude.”  It is not my attitude that most churches are declining, teachers cannot be found, members get ruffled at the slightest reproof and no one presses the “or perish” that goes with “Repent.”

We sing “The Servant Song” wherein we offer God a blank check to use our lives as He will.  Then we sissy out when we run into unhappiness.
 
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies; who is he that condemns? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that nothing … shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The part our mind refuses to see:
(1)  shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For your sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things...
(2)  neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature...

Keith Ward

Today's post is another in the continuing series by guest writer, Lucas Ward.

By far, the most common self-description of God is "I AM Jehovah who brought you out of the land of Egypt." It is repeated so often it almost becomes part of His name.  Quite often it is just mentioned as an identifier and perhaps as a justification for giving commands. Lev. 19:36  "Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."  See also Deut. 20:1 and Ps. 81:10.
            Other times God gives some of the reasons He brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt:  to be their God and to give them the promised land.  Lev. 25:38, Numb. 15:41, Judges 2:12.
            The most common reason given for God bringing Israel out of Egypt is to free them from slavery.  Ex. 6:7, Lev. 26:13, Deut. 5:6, 8:14, & 13:5, etc. They were in Egypt as slaves and He brought them out to be free.  In fact, this was meant to be a permanent situation.  God didn't want His people enslaved.  This was made part of the Law.  For example, one way to get out of a bad financial situation in that time and culture was to sell yourself into slavery.  God, in the Law, states that if one of His people is in that situation, you weren't to treat him as a bond slave but as a hired hand and he was to be released at the Year of Jubilee.  (Lev. 25:39-46)  The reason God gives is simple:   "For they are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen" (vs 42).  God had freed them from slavery and they were not to be enslaved again.
            God is the God who frees His people from slavery.
            This characteristic of God is clearly seen in the New Testament too.  John 8:34, among many other passages, tells us that "everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin".  God again found His people enslaved and led them to freedom. Rom. 6:17-18  "But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness."  How did God accomplish this?  Through his Son, God worked out a way to lead us from the slavery of sin.  Rom. 3:23-25  "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God."  We can have remission of sins through repentance and baptism into His Son. (Acts 2:38)  Our sins are blotted out (Acts 3:19).  We are now free from sin, free to serve righteousness.
            God also frees us from many worldly problems related to sin.  For instance, did you know that the #1 class of prescription drugs is antidepressants?  Because of sin many in this world feel dirty, worthless and unfit.  Paul tells us that, in freeing us from sin, God has washed, sanctified and justified us (1 Cor. 13:9).  We are no longer dirty, because God frees His people. 
            Lack of hope is another major problem for most people in the world.  Have you ever seen the bumper sticker "Life's a b****h and then you die"?  In fact, no hope in the world was the basis of several Greek philosophies.  Both the Stoics and Epicureans came to their conclusions from the premise of no hope.  The New Testament teaches differently.  75 times the word hope is used to describe the Christian life.  God is the God who frees us from hopelessness.
            God has made us free.  The only way we can ever again become enslaved is if we sell ourselves back to sin.  Let us instead rejoice in our freedom and our new chance to serve Him.
 
John_8:36  "If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
 
Lucas Ward
 
 

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

For those who have never tented, campgrounds have bathhouses. The people with RV’s or tow-campers also have a bathroom in those. But they often use the Bathhouse to avoid having to empty their sewage tanks.
 
Bathhouses are usually at reasonable intervals, each one serving a set number of sites. We have never preferred sites near the bathhouse since everyone in your loop walks past you several times a day—no privacy. But, this last one set a record. We camped in Black Rock Mountain, a state park on the Eastern Continental Divide. We had stayed there the past year and as our custom is, walked through and picked the best sites. Even the hosts said that our #21 was about the best, though they slightly preferred #16.
 
#21 is the highest site, a constant uphill walk, a steep incline.  Though we were a bit cramped with our huge tents (for comfort), we had a marvelous view every day of the mountains to the East and every night 3000ft straight down to sparkling city lights. It was situated so that a shoulder of the hillside protected us from the winds. But there was that hill to the bathhouse. You think, “No problem going down.” Hah! That shows your lack of experience. Walking down a steep hill stresses the muscles in a different way, but still leaves one sore. The climb up was difficult. The hill was about a 30 degree incline except in the steep spots (In some spots, even the rotund could have touched the ground by reaching downward only a few inches—it was right out in front of you.) I counted 140 left steps when going up. On level ground, you can tape measure my military correct paces at 30”. Correcting that due to the grade still leaves the uphill climb at 150 yards or more, several times a day.
 
I would carry Dene’s necessary bag down for her and wait to carry it back when we brushed our teeth morning and evening. I carried it down earlier in the evening for her shower and got the fire going and the coffee on and returned to carry it back (40 lbs penalty weight kept my pace down with hers).  Even so, sometimes we’d stop and catch a breath on the way back up (Of course, I was just being gentlemanly and courteous to wait for her).
 
Adds new meaning to, “I’m pressing on the upward way….”
 
Would we do it over, certainly. The good stuff is at the top. Views do not come cheap.
 
Breakfasts alternated between 1) bacon, eggs, biscuits. 2) sausage & pancakes 3) sausage gravy and leftover biscuits, and repeat. One day, fried apples by the fire for dessert—yes, dessert for breakfast.
 
I grilled over open coals from oak kindling for our evening meals—chicken, pork chops, steak with baked potatoes done in the coals, burgers, chopped sirloin, except for one night when we had spaghetti and another with sausage and peppers we packed from our garden.
 
Thanks to the hill, we gained little, very little, weight.
 
People want to reach goals without paying the price. Trying to be spiritually healthy without climbing the hill means you will just become a fat pew potato. Dene and I are often told, "I wish I had your Bible knowledge." We did not levitate to that site and the knowledge came step by painful step. Often, we paused for breath and wondered whether we would make it. People with strong faith usually climbed over some tough times, those who express tenderness and lovingkindness often got there by overcoming the same natural reactions that plague us all.
 
The quiet times, the good food and the view allowed us to "catch a gleam of glory bright." Who will pay the price to enter the narrow door without the glimpses of the hope that God has laid up for us in every beauty of life?
 
 "And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are saved?” And He said to them, “STRIVE to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will SEEK to enter and will NOT be able. “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank the Lord's Supper, and You were taught in our church’; " (Luke 13:23-26, modified, kw).
 
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, " (Rom 5:3).
 
Keith Ward

Today's post is part of a continuing series by guest writer Lucas Ward.

Lev. 20:24b "I am Jehovah your God who has separated  you from among the peoples."
            The story of the OT is largely the story of God attempting to have a relationship with the people of Israel.  To that end, God freed the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt and led them with power to the Promised Land.  "I am Jehovah your God who has brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Lev. 19:36 AND 26:13 among many others).  He freed them because He wanted them to be His people.  Ex. 6:7 "And I will take you to me for a people and I will be unto you a God."  God also wanted this to be a relationship closer than merely Master/servant.  He describes His intents in terms of close friendship and uses imagery from the Garden to get the point across:  "And I will walk among you and be your God and you shall be my people."  (Lev. 26:12).  The references to this relationship between God and Israel continue throughout the OT:  2 Sam. 7:8, 1 Kings 6:13, Ps. 50:7 etc, etc. 
            There was one slight hitch in these plans, however.  God is a Holy God (Lev. 11:45), and His chosen people were not.  As God could not become less than holy, nor could He remain holy if He closely associated with the unholy, God emphasized the need for His people to become holy and lead holy lives. 
Ex. 22:31 "And you shall be holy men unto me, therefore . . ."
Lev_19:2  "Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy; for I Jehovah your God am holy."
            This is what God meant when He said He had separated them from the peoples.  To be holy is to be set apart; to be designated for a special, specific use.  As God instructed Moses in how to build the Tabernacle, He repeatedly stated that the articles of the Tabernacle were "Holy to the Lord" (Ex. 28:36, 31:15, 39:30).  Those things were only to be used in the service of God.  In like manner, the people were to be holy and to live only for Jehovah, not for any lesser God or lesser purpose.  They were to learn to make a distinction between the holy and unholy, the clean and the unclean (Lev. 10:10, 20:25).  They were to keep themselves apart from the nations surrounding them (Ex. 34:11-16).  God had separated them from among the nations to have a relationship with them and they were to maintain that holy status in order to sustain that association. 
            All of this is instructive to us as members of the Kingdom of Heaven.  As God separated the Children of Israel from the nations, so we have been called out from among them (Rom. 1:6).  We are to be Holy, as He is (1 Pet. 1:15, 2:9).  We are His, and can only maintain that closeness if we remain separate from the world (Col. 3:12, 1 Cor. 3:23; James 4:4).  The Children of Israel failed to remain separate from the world and lost their relationship with God.  We are heirs to a better salvation and a closer relationship, but we, too, can lose that if we don't maintain our holiness.  We should learn from Israel's mistakes so as not to earn their fate, but instead, to one day be glorified with Him as His called out people.
 
2 Cor. 6:16  " . . . for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

One wonders how many times David said to himself, “That is why God gave me a neck.  Oh why did I look instead of turning my head?”

First, note that David was the one on the roof, not Bathsheba.  According to the practice of the time, she would have been in an enclosed courtyard, but from his rooftop, David could look over her wall.  And that word “saw”  is the same one used when Eve saw that the tree was good for food, when the sons of God saw the daughters of men, when Shechem saw Dinah and took her, et al., (Gen 3:6, 6:2, 34:2).  It implies more than inadvertently seeing and then averting one’s gaze, which can happen to anyone.  Bathsheba may be blameless.  Given the relative position of women in those days, against a king she was helpless.  Today, we would call a CEO vs a clerical worker, “Rape.”

How many times have we said, “But it was just a little thing, surely God will not care.” From David’s little failure to turn his head came adultery, then murder.  Little sins are stones sending ripples through our whole lives.

Then, his son Amnon emulated David’s unbridled lust by raping his half-sister Tamar.  How could David pretend moral high ground?  So when justice was not done according to the Law, Tamar’s full brother Absalom took the position of avenger of blood and slew Amnon and fled David’s wrath.  So David lost two sons.  But, he reconciled with Absalom after five years.  Then Absalom rebelled, aided by Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather.  Do you suppose David’s sin against her had something to do with the side he chose?  The revolution failed and Absalom was killed.  Some think Ahithophel may be the “familiar friend in whom I trusted, who did eat my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” that David referred to in Psa 41:9.  This seems unlikely in that David’s sin first betrayed Ahithophel.  Finally, imagine the leverage Joab now had over David.  David had bewailed Joab’s ambitious violence more than once.  Now, they are bound by it.
 
We have no idea what we set in motion when we commit a “little sin” like “looking.” The drug-addict did not choose that; he just had a desire to experience a high, to feel good.  Just this once.  The pornography-addict did not choose that, he/she just thought he would stimulate herself by watching pornography this once to be able to satisfy his mate (pronouns scrambled to indicate the ubiquitous nature of this sin). The thief intended only to “borrow” for a time and replace it later. The gossip did not intend to betray a friend.  Our lives may be destroyed, jobs lost, finances ruined, relationships demolished, futures forever altered. But, it is so unfair, it was just one mistake. Tell it to Uriah! Ahithophel! Tamar! Absalom! David.
 
And, “God has a better plan for you” is a lying solace. Where did God say he would do better with a person who chose to sin than with one who chose to be holy? Contrast David’s life ever after with Joseph’s who resisted stronger temptation and the same sin (Gen 39).
 
So, whatever the temptation, the sin is not a small thing.  TURN YOUR HEAD.  It is why God gave you a neck (made the way of escape from every temptation, 1Cor 10:13).
 
“But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT. " (Num 32:23).
 
"But do you suppose this, O man…that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds." (Rom 2:3-6).
 
Keith Ward
 

Today's post picks up a series begun earlier by our guest writer, Lucas Ward.

We've been learning about God based on His names and self-descriptions.  From a cursory look at His Name ( I AM -- YHWH or Jehovah, take your pick) and titles (God Most High, God Almighty, Everlasting God, etc.) one can quickly learn that He is a God who is a person, rather than an amorphous force, and He is present and active in our lives.  In fact, His name is used whenever He wants to emphasize His covenantal relationship with His people. It is His signatory promise to be there for His people.
            God also gives several self-descriptions which reveal quite a bit about Him.  The God who has dealt wondrously for His people.  And now, the God who fights for us.

Deut. 1:30  "Jehovah your God who goeth before you, he will fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes" 
           
             We are never told that the Christian life is going to be easy.  Yes, Jesus says His yoke is easy and burden light (Matt. 11:30), but that is only in comparison to the Old Law.  Jesus also says that we are blessed when we are persecuted for Him (Matt. 5:10-12, and that His disciples will be treated at least as badly as He was (John 15:20).  Paul reiterates that in 2 Tim. 3:12 "Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."  Not only do we face persecution but we are told that Satan is prowling the earth like a lion stalking us and that we must stand up against him.  (1 Pet. 5:8-9, James 4:7).  It can all be a bit much, a bit too scary.  It might make us wonder . . .

Deut. 3:22  "Ye shall not fear them; for Jehovah your God, he it is that fighteth for you."

            That lion stalking us is Satan, the tempter (1 Thess. 3:5) who seeks to lead us into sin that he may accuse us before God (Rev. 12:10).  And, boy howdy, does he provide plenty of opportunities to fall from grace.  Whatever your predilection might be, Satan has something available:  drunkenness/alcoholism, sexual sin, losing one's temper, thievery, and pride all of which will keep you from the kingdom of Heaven (1 Cor. 6:9-10, Matt. 5:22).  The temptations might not be as blatant as a loose woman plopping down in your lap; they can be as subtle as a difficult spouse who causes you to look outside the marriage or rambunctious kids who try your patience.  Or mean bosses, difficult brethren, dismaying political news . . . sometimes it is just all too much!  How are we supposed to fight all of this?

Deut. 20:4  "for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."

            Paul tells Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12) but often that fight isn't against the evil forces of persecution or temptation.  Sometimes life is just hard.  The Hebrew writer refers to a "conflict of sufferings" (10:32) which describes Christian life well.  I'm reminded of the character Gil on The Simpsons.  This poor sap could never win no matter how hard he tried:  he'd get a new job only to have the plant closed, he'd raise a successful crop as a farmer only to have a horde of Homers destroy the crop, etc.  Nothing ever worked out for him.  Life can feel that way sometimes:  loved ones become sick, you become sick yourself, jobs are lost, housing is taken away, you miss promotions and lose friends for being a Christian.  It is just too much.  I can't keep going.

Joshua 23:10  "One man of you shall chase a thousand; for Jehovah your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he spake unto you." 

            Sometimes it is our own relative wealth in this world that is the obstacle.  Earthly possessions and good times in this world can blind us to the needs for a better world, which is why Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:25)  But who wants to deny themselves all this innocent fun?  I'm supposed to set service to God and work for the brethren ahead of keeping up with all my favorite shows on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime?  I should avoid going to Prom and certain other parties my worldly friends are having as part of being a Christian?  I should focus my extra income on charitable endeavors rather than buying more toys for myself?  But I NEED that new Jet Ski, my old one isn't as cool as this model!  Even though my iPhone 10 is only 4 months old I NEED that new iPhone 11 to be able to keep up!  How can you ask me to give up my toys?

2 Chron. 32:7-8 ". . . for there is a greater with us than with him:  with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Jehovah our God to help us, and to fight our battles."
 
We can overcome temptation. (Rom. 12:21)
We can stand against the trials of the world.
We can resist the attractiveness of this world. (1 John 2:15)
 
Nehemiah 4:20 " . . our God will fight for us."
 
God fights for us.  With Him we cannot lose.  We just have to maintain faith.
 
1 John 5:4  "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."
 
Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
A few questions:
Why did Jesus so often say, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” instead of, “Your disease be healed?”  Why not heal everyone?  Not only did he leave many for the apostles to heal, there is no indication they cleaned up all the rest.
 
Of course, one of the reasons he said “sins…forgiven” is to emphasize to the scribes and Pharisees that if he could do one, he could do the other.  Certainly, since he healed one leper, he had the power with a word to heal all lepers, or to heal all blind.  The power was there.  The compassion that moved him to heal had to also tug at his heart in relation to all the un-healed lame and sick.
 
The questions bring our focus to the simple truth that sickness/infirmity was not the problem, sin was.    The compassion was moved within him to bypass these small things and focus on healing the root, the cause of all the misery that comes on man.  Healing the few he did was a pledge toward the healing of sin.
 
Sickness is really a part of death.    Healing is life triumphant, but Lazarus, the blind man, the 10 lepers, all still died.   Now, because he is the great physician, death is destroyed and we are all healed of death, not merely of a symptom like disease, and we will be raised (1 Cor 15:50ff).
 
So, the last question, "What occupies the bulk of your prayer time?"  A list of sick church members and friends?  Or, a list of sins and sin-sick souls?  I think my answer leaves me on the wrong side here.
 
Yes, I know the prayer of faith will heal the sick and I am by no means suggesting that any of us diminish that part of our prayer life.    I am thinking that I will greatly increase the part of mine that focuses on sin and the healing of sin and death.
 
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places," (Eph 1:16-20).
 
"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." (Phil 1:9-11).
 
Keith Ward

The last of a series by our guest writer, Lucas Ward.

2 Pet. 1:5-7  "Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love."
 
            In most of our discussions of love of the brethren, we've been discussing love as defined by the Greek word agape.  This is the word defined in 1 Cor. 13:4-7 and is the most common word for love in the New Testament, but clearly Peter has something else in mind as he differentiates between love and brotherly kindness.  The word used here for brotherly kindness is philadelphia (which helps explain why the city in Pennsylvannia is referred to as "The City of Brotherly Love").  See, in Greek there are four different words for what we think of as love.  Eros is physical love and passion.  Storge is the natural, almost chemical love parents have for children.  The first time you held your child and were overwhelmed with the need to protect her you were feeling storge.  This word is rarely used in the NT, primarily as a condemnation against those who didn't feel it.  Rom. 1:31 "without natural affection".  Then agape is the love of action.  There is very little emotion attached, rather this is love shown by doing what is best for the one loved.  It is the love we can show close friends and dire enemies.  The fourth love is phileo, a tense of which is used in Peter to become philadelphia.  This is family love.  There is some emotion involved, some affection, but there is also a strong sense of duty or obligation.  After all, brothers fight like cats and dogs sometimes but when one brother sees the other being bullied we suddenly hear, "Hey!  I'm the only one allowed to pick on him!" and the erstwhile adversarial brother is suddenly allied with the tormented one to face the world together.  That is philadelphia.  It is the idea that blood is thicker than water.  It is the concept of dropping everything else and running to help because that is what family does even if I sometimes get so angry at them.  
            There are two points that I want to make from Peter's use of brotherly kindness.  The first is that it emphasizes the family bond.  We don't just agape each other, we philadelphia.  While we are told clearly that we cannot allow our earthly families to come between us and Christ, that Christ must always come first (Matt. 10:37, 19:29), here is our true spiritual family.  This is family as it should be.  I am aware that I have been very lucky with my family.  My father was not only present, which would have automatically made him better than about half of fathers, but he actively tried to be the best father he could.  I know that not everyone is so lucky which is why the church as the family of God should be so inviting.  Again, family as it should be.  A family where we truly love each other.  After all, if earthly blood is thicker than water how much thicker still is spiritual blood?  This means, of course, that all those feelings of duty and obligation we normally feel towards our families we ought to be feeling towards our brethren in Christ.  If there is need, we drop everything and run to help, because we're family.  If others are attacking, we jump in to defend, because the only one allowed to pick on my spiritual brother is me!  Brotherly kindness demands that our spiritual families are now our priority. 
            The other point to make about how Peter uses brotherly kindness in this passage is that he shows that we can grow in our love for each other, whether agape or philadelphia.  Peter says we are to "give diligence" to grow in all of these areas.  He later says that if these "are yours and abound" we will not be unfruitful.  Diligence is the concept of earnest, continuing effort.  To abound means to fill to the overflowing.  We can improve, in fact, one of the most dangerous things a Christian can say is, "that's just how I am".  No, it's not.  We can grow.  The inspired Apostle Peter said so.  And no matter how good we are at something there is still room for improvement.  In 1 Thess. 4:9-10 Paul tells the church there that they are excellent at brotherly love. He holds them up as an example of how to do it right to other churches.  After this praise Paul then urges them to continue growing in that area.  'You are the best at this that there is, keep on getting even better'.  Rom. 12:10, often translated "in honor preferring one another" is translated in the English Standard Version as "outdo one another in showing love".  If that latter translation is the most correct one it means that while love does not envy, vaunt itself or seek its own, there is one area in Christianity where there is room for friendly competition:  love.  I can almost hear the trash talk:  "Hey, Bob, I'm going to show you up in love for the brethren"; "Keep dreaming, pal, everyone knows I'm the best at brotherly love in this church!" 
            No matter how good or bad we are at brotherly love at the beginning of our walk with God we can continue to grow in those areas.  As we grow in our faith, meekness, humility, godliness and righteousness our love for our brethren will continue to improve as well.  We will recognize God's love not only for us but them as well.  We will recognize our own failures and make allowances for others.  Our patience and long-suffering will grow the more we recognize our own struggles, which will lead to better love of the brethren.  The closer we come to Christ, the closer we will feel to His family and the more we will make them a priority.  After all, His blood is thicker than water.
 
1 Thess. 4:9-10  "Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more"
 
Lucas Ward

Some time ago, we made a presentation to the church's college age group about what you do when nothing in life turns out the way you planned.  We set out an idealistic young couple to be a preacher, raise a family and build churches.  Along the way came lies, firings, 90% deafness, vision problems that closed Dene's music studio, multiple job changes, being shot from ambush (I won!), multiple surgeries, and more.  Yet, we have been described as "the happiest here!" by a new member who did not know our names (to our son who they did not know was related).   This was a follow-up letter of all the things we forgot to say.
 
First was a question, "How do you keep from becoming bitter? Were there any particular passages that helped you?"
 
Some comes from support groups.  We always had a few, or at times, the non-influential majority who were there to help us.   Sometimes our help came from stubbornness.   We simply refused to let those people be right about us.   Being righteous and loving is the best way to “get even” in the face of false accusations.   Some was, as I said, the fear of hell.   Jesus was not ashamed to use plain old fashioned terror to motivate people to be good and at times, it is all you have.   Sometimes, as Dene said, we were good for the kids’ sake.   We might have given up with only our own souls in the balance, but could not do that to them.   In a lesser way, our weaker brothers and sisters can provide the same motivation.
 
Above all, perseverance came because we knew in whom we believed.   The blind man said, “One thing I know, whereas I was blind, now I see.”  We tried not to let our faith become complicated by the, "what if’s", and the unfairness, and “Why did this happen?”, and a hundred other questions.   We focused on the one thing we knew: that God knows what he is doing and that it is being done for his glory to accomplish his purpose in us--whether we ever understand or not.   From the beginning, we knew that it would be hard at times.   We had no clue how hard but our part is clear: faithfulness to the one who “so loved that He sent…”
 
God may not have a “better plan” for you.  Sin may have locked doors and blocked pathways that would have been better for you and for God.    Upon repentance, God will still use you.   The “better plan” sop some use when things “go wrong” can lead to a weak or lost faith.
 
Do not waste time trying to figure out God’s purpose for you or in things that happen to you.  Simply seize every opportunity to do any kind of work of faith that comes your way. 
 
We also understood that no longer being able to do certain things physically did not mean we were free to sit back and watch.   Disabilities mean you find something you CAN do, even if it isn’t what you dreamed, even if the disability makes it more difficult.   We owe God our service, in whatever our circumstances, in whatever way we can, for as long as we can.   Acts 13:36 says that David fulfilled his purpose and then he died.   To us that meant that he kept right on going until that time, doing for his Lord whatever was possible to do, which is ultimately, why we offered to talk to you as well.
 
"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2Cor 12:10).

"But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.  ​Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” " (Jer 1:7-8).
 
Keith Ward