DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- COMMUNION

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – COMMUNION

"Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you." (I Corinthians 11:17-19)

One has to wonder how a church could have so many problems and still be considered "saints," as Paul called them in his greeting to them in chapter 1. But here is another illustration of how far off they could get from God's calling.

In the early church, they had what they called "love feasts" – we would call them pot-lucks – where everyone brought food. The intention was for everyone share together in an expression of love for each other. Originally, it was a commemoration of the Lord's Supper – the last meal Jesus had with His disciples before He was crucified.

Instead, it turned into an orgy where people got drunk. In addition, some of the more wealthy ate their own food but would not share it with those who had nothing (vs. 22). This was causing a division in the church between the higher-ups and the lower-downs.

After rehearsing the real meaning of the Lord's Supper (vss. 23-28), Paul lowered the boom on them, saying that they were eating the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner because they were misusing the Communion time for their own edification, while putting down the less-fortunate. They were not discerning the Lord's body – that is, the Body of Christ, the church, their fellow believers – nor the true meaning of Communion.

Perhaps we do not have the same problem as the Corinthian church. But it is a reminder to us to keep the Lord's Supper sacred, and not turn it into a ritual or misuse it as a form or tradition. Communion is an opportune time for the Body of Christ to join their hearts together in celebrating the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus. May we always treat it as the high worship it is and also as a time of fellowship with the Lord Jesus, and a time when the Body of Christ is drawn together in love around the Cross.

Love, Dad

DAD;S RAMBLINGS -- THINGS WORTH FIGHTING FOR

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THINGS WORTH FIGHTING FOR

"But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God." (I Corinthians 11:16)

Here was another issue that was causing conflict in the church a Corinth. Some in the fellowship required women to cover their heads when praying or prophesying while men were to be uncovered. There were cultural issues which were involved in this practice. But it was not a mandate from Scripture or from New Testament teaching.

So Paul says in effect, this is not something worth fighting over. If someone wants to make a big issue over it, then they need to understand that there is no requirement for the churches.

We are so good at making mountains out of molehills. We disagree about the color of the rug in the sanctuary. We argue about music. We make issues out of clothes and hairdos and makeup. And a thousand other things.

To be sure, there are some things we need to be firm about. Things that are explicitly identified in Scripture as foundational to our faith are subjects where we need to stand our ground. But so many things that cause contentions in a fellowship are not mandated in Scripture. They are personal preferences or traditions that are passed down from generation to generation.

May God help us to focus on the things that are really important. People are on their way to hell while we waste our energy on peripheral concerns. Contentions about the lesser things only cause disharmony. They do not help us fulfill our main mission – of bringing people to Christ and discipling them in the faith.

May God help us to keep our priorities straight.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOOD, BETTER, BEST

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOOD, BETTER, BEST

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being." (I Corinthians 10:23-24)

We are all faced with the challenge of deciding the difference between what is acceptable and what is best. A certain thing may be acceptable according to our faith, but it may not be the best.

When Paul said that all things are legitimate, of course we understand that there are parameters to what is acceptable. Violations of the 10 commandments and the moral law are never acceptable. So we would have to limit the "all" to the test of what is morally acceptable.

But even within that parameter, we need to understand that even though some things are morally neutral or even good and acceptable, not everything is the best choice.

For example, helping the poor is good according to the Bible. But giving them money is not always the best thing we could do for them. Perhaps a better thing would be to help them learn to use their resources wisely. Maybe they would profit more by learning to budget their money. The question is, what would help their well-being more?

On a personal level, I may desire something, or to do a certain activity, but in the long run, it may not be the best for me, for my family, or for my Christian witness. I need to see beyond myself and my own desires to see how it will affect other people, what is best for them.

Scripture says that we should not be conformed to this world's way of doing things, but to be transformed by a new mind-set that we may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2). Discerning what is good and acceptable and perfect requires having our minds enlightened by God's Spirit. Seeking God's understanding is always a good thing to do.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LOVE EDIFIES

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – LOVE EDIFIES

"Now, concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him." (I Corinthians 8:1-3)

How we treat fellow believers in the Body of Christ is a demonstration of our love for God and for others, and how God's love flows through us.

The issue in front of Paul was that some believers at Corinth had freedom to eat meat that had been offered to idols, while other believers felt that it was wrong and their consciences were defiled (vs. 7).

Some were coming from the standpoint of knowledge. They knew that in God's eyes, there was nothing inherently wrong with eating meat offered to idols, because these idols were nothing and had no power over the meat. Christians had liberty to eat such foods.

However, not everyone had that knowledge and their consciences were defiled by people who ate such foods.

Paul's answer was that those who had freedom to eat meats offered to idols should, because of love, refrain from eating them if it would cause offense to a brother. Paul vowed, "If food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble" (vs 13).

We in our culture do not have the issue about eating food offered to idols. But we do have areas to which this principle is applicable. Drinking alcohol is one such issue. Some have freedom to imbibe and others do not. What should be my attitude in regard to this?

Love is greater than knowledge. I may be right and I may be wrong in what I can do, but that is not the issue. The issue is, am I willing to set aside my freedom or my belief because I love my brother, and do not want to offend him? Knowledge puffs our pride; love edifies others. Love is the better choice.  God knows those who love Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS

"A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives, but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains as she is [that is, unmarried], according to my judgment – and I think I have the Spirit of God." (I Corinthians 7:39-40)

This advice of Paul to the Church at Corinth is especuaIly appropriate to communities where there are lots of widows and widowers. Paul does not give hard and fast rules regarding remarriage of those who have lost their spouses. But he gives some guidelines.

First, he says that it is better to remain single because the surviving spouse has more freedom to serve the Lord without distraction (vss. 35-36). However, if a couple has a problem keeping the relationship pure, it better for them to marry. If they do remarry, they have not sinned.

In another place, Paul gives instruction regarding widows. Here are the biblical instructions given to Timothy: "Honor widows who are really widows....Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieve the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. But refuse the younger widows, for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry...." (I Timothy 5:3, 9-11). In other words, to consider a widow eligible for support from the church, she should be age 60 or more and dedicated to ministry to other believers.

It is not easy to be a widow or a widower. They have special needs, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. It seems to me that Paul had empathy to their plights, and gave them latitude about remarriage. But he also knew that remarriage brings its own problems. So he wrote that remarrying would "have troubles in the flesh," and he wanted to spare them from these pains (vs. 28).

Blessings on people who have suffered the loss of a spouse, but have dedicated themselves to serve the Lord. They have special ministries, like the widow Anna, who had dedicated her life to serving God with fastings and prayers night and day in the temple and got to see the infant Lord Jesus when he was brought into the temple for His dedication (Luke 2:36-37). May her tribe increase.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LIVING BY GOD'S NORMS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – LIVING BY GOD'S NORMS

"Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband." (I Corinthians 7:1-3)

It is good to remember what kind of society these believers at Corinth came out of when they converted to Christ. It was as corrupt, vile, and ungodly as one could imagine. The believers were saved out of this. In Chapter six, Paul listed some of the ungodly practices that they were saved from – fornication, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, sodomy, thievery, covetousness, drunkenness, reviling, and extortion. Promiscuity and immorality were the norm for the culture. But then he said, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God" (I Corinthians 6:9-11). In other words, they were living under a new culture where righteousness was the norm.

The church at Corinth had written Paul for some instructions regarding Christian marriage. He wrote back in this letter that marriage was to be between a single man and a single woman (vs. 2), ruling out polygamy. When they got married, they gave up their rights to their own bodies (vs. 3) and they were not to deny intimacy except by mutual consent for fasting and prayer (vs. 5). Propriety was to be observed in regard to physical contact between the sexes (vs. 1).

Divorce was not a option, in Paul's mind. "A husband is not to divorce his wife" (vs 11). There were situations where the spouse may have left because his or her mate was not a Christian. In those cases, the victim spouse was not under bondage. Separation was allowed because God has called us to peace (vs. 15) But even in those cases, there was hope that the offending spouse would still become a believer (vs. 16).

We live in a culture much like the Corinthians where moral purity has been abandoned, and marriage degraded. We need to be reminded that we do not live according to the norms of society. Such were some of us, but we were washed, sanctified, and justified to live according to the norms of the Kingdom of God. Our standards are not the norms of the world but God's norms.

Love, Dad

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DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TO SUE OR NOT TO SUE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – TO SUE OR NOT TO SUE?

"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?....But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!" (I Corinthians 6:1, 6)

What do we do when we have a grievance against another believer? Do we take them to civil court and sue for justice? Paul's answer is, "No." He taught by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that conflicts between believers should be taken to the church, and not to civil court.

Arbitration by the church takes precedence over civil litigation because the civil judges are not righteous people with godly wisdom. Maybe one reason these believers went to the civil court was that they did not have confidence in their church leaders to judge wisely. As a side-note, this highlights the necessity of having godly church leaders who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3).

Taking another believer to court – whether to civil court or the church – has consequences. It can cause irreparable damage to the relationship of the individuals, but can also bring harm to the rest of the body. It can also damage the reputation of the church of Jesus among unbelievers who watch Christian wash their dirty clothes in public. Actually, Paul said that it was better to be wronged and cheated than to take it to the civil court. It is better to bear the grievance than to get my pound of flesh.

So when, for whatever reason, we are reluctant to take a matter to the church for resolution, we need to be careful about going before the civil court.

Disagreements are bound to occur between both Christians and non-christians. We need to use great discretion in handling these grievances. Forgiveness is the best resolution, even if we are in the right. Our rights are to be in submission to love – love for God, love for His Church, and love for others.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A PURE BRIDE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A PURE BRIDE

"It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles – that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you." (I Cor. 5:1-2)

Church disciple is difficult. Meeting immoral conduct head on among church members is uncommon in our modern culture. In this case, it was incest – a man who was having relationship with his father's wife.

Why is church discipline so hard? The leaders of a church have to be concerned about the effect it will have on the perpetrator. Will it drive the perpetrator farther away from God? What effect will it have on other church members? How will it affect the church's reputation in the community?

But these do not seem to be the concern of the church at Corinth. In light of the problem they faced, they were puffed up – proud and arrogant. I am guessing that they were proud of their tolerance. They were proud that they had such an open heart to sinners. Instead of mourning over the sin, they were glorying in their acceptance of the sinner (vs. 8).

Paul slaps them along-side of the head, and bluntly said to dis-fellowship the sinner (vs. 13). The purpose of discipline is twofold. First is the concern for the sinner, that the fleshly conduct would be repented of for the salvation of the soul (vs. 5).

The second is the health of the whole body. If the "lump" of sin is not removed, it will affect the rest of the body (vss. 6-7). When we have a cancer, we operate and remove the cancer so that it does not spread to the entire body bringing death. That operation can be a painful process and may take time to heal, but it is absolutely necessary to protect the rest of the body.

We are given the mandate to judge sin in the church. We are not judges of the people of the world, those "outside" of the fellowship. God is their judge. But we do have to judge those who are in the church. This is not vindictive or censorious judging, but it is judging misconduct among those who profess to be believers in order to keep the church morally clean. The Church is the Bride of Christ – a pure and holy bride.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE PERFECT PREACHER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE PERFECT PREACHER

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of man but in the power of God." (I Corinthians 2:1-5)

Yesterday, we considered the perfect church. Today we are considering the perfect preacher.

As with our expectations for a church, we also have expectations for the preacher. We want him to be polished, smooth, a good talker, and well lettered by his seminary training. But what happens when the preacher stumbles around in his presentation, showing fear and trembling, weak, and with no outward charisma? If I take this admission by the Apostle Paul at face value, he would not pass the test of the pulpit search committee of many churches.

But Paul gave a reason. He did not want his presentation to be the focus of his ministry, but a demonstration of the power of God. He wanted their focus to be one thing: He "determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (vs. 2). The message was the most important thing – not the presentation.

As a young preacher, a wise older pastor gave me some advice. He said that no matter what the topic of the sermon was, all roads lead to the cross. No matter how polished the preaching is, unless it ends with the Gospel, it has missed the mark. I'm so glad that God has allowed me to attend a church where the sermon always ends with an opportunity for people to receive Jesus as Savior.

Now, I appreciate good preaching as much as anyone. A sermon that has content but still flows easily from the pulpit is a joy to listen to. But I think we need to be careful in our judgments to not let the presentation become the primary focus rather than the message. God speaks through the weak if we have ears to hear.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE PERFECT CHURCH

D'AD'S RAMBLINGS – THE PERFECT CHURCH – THE GLUE THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER

"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 1:1-3)

Do you want to belong to a perfect church? Then, don't consider going to the Church at Corinth. This letter addresses many problems of this body of Believers.

It is important to note that, even with all the problems in the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul considers them to be sanctified – saints – holy ones.

Another thing to consider is that he addressed them as "the church of God." This is not a denomination as we might think of today. But it is one church. 

 The first thing Paul addressed was the divisions that were in the Body. There were contentions among the various house churches. Some declared allegiance to Paul, some to Apollos, some to Peter, and even some who proudly claimed to be of Christ (vss. 11-12).

Paul encouraged them to forsake their parochial views, and be of one mind, centered on faith in the Lord Jesus. That is what binds us together as Believers – "Christ crucified" (vs. 23).

We live in the 21^st century with many options for fellowship of Believers that appeal to varying personalities and perspectives. There are as many expectations of a church as there are people. No church will fulfill all of these expectations. As the old saying goes, if you find a perfect church, don't join it because then it won't be perfect. That is when we need to set aside our personal preferences and focus on the Lord Jesus.

Of course, we take into account the beliefs and doctrines of a fellowship. It needs to be faithful to the revelation of God's Word. But our faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice for sin on Calvary is the glue that holds us together.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HOUSE CHURCHES

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – HOUSE CHURCHES

"Greet Priscilla and Aquilla, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus....Likewise greet the church that is in their house." (Romans 16:3, 5)

In many parts of the world, the churches meet in private homes that believers have offered to the saints for worship. Priscilla and Aquilla were the hosts of such a gathering. There are several reasons one might consider for the use of house churches.

One may be that the development of the church was such that there were not enough people to afford to build a sanctuary. It was much more financially feasible to meet in private homes. Many churches have begun in this manner.

Another reason might be the same as many believers around the world are experiencing today – persecution, when the civil authorities do not allow the Church of Jesus to meet for worship, instruction and mutual edification.

Another reason is that the Church functions best when it is not too large. Personal ministry is much easier as the body of Christ in small settings. Remember, Jesus only had 12 disciples.

Whatever the reason, the promotion of small groups in a house setting is a good way to express our faith and grow spiritually. New Hope Fellowship has what are called "Encore Groups," where believers meet in private homes for fellowship and instruction. There is a host family and there is a facilitator which helps keep the discussions on track.

The ability to develop intimate relationships with other believers is enhanced by these house churches. Just remember that the Church is not a building but a group of Believers who are committed to the Lord Jesus. He builds His Church, and He uses house churches to accomplish His plan.

I'm so glad I am a part of the Church – both the larger assembly and "house" churches. Following the Covid pandemic lock-downs, some people have abandoned church attendance and replaced it with private worship at home. That is not biblical. We need the Body of Christ – the Church.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DEBTORS

             

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – DEBTORS

"But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things." (Romans 15:25-27)

The Macedonians were debtors to the saints in Jerusalem, because it was from the believers in Jerusalem that they received the truth of the Gospel.

I also am a debtor. There have been so many people who have contributed to my spiritual development. I could not possibly know everyone I owe, let alone repay them.

I think of my parents, first of all. They raised me in the faith of the Lord Jesus, and I owe a huge debt to them.

I think of pastors and Bible teachers – especially, Pastor Beebe. He made a great impact on my life as a teenager. I can still remember standing outside the parsonage and listening to his fervent – and loud – prayers as he sought God, in addition to his preaching and his personal involvement in my life.

There were seminary professors, who set such a godly example for me along with their teaching.

And of course, there is my wife, who has developed me in innumerable ways. And thanks, kids, for your patience with me.

I think we are all debtors. None of us stand alone. If it were not for faithful people who nurtured and encouraged us by example, prayer, and instruction, we would all still be sucking our thumbs in the nursery.

I am a debtor to them. And I am a debtor to God for His grace. As the songs says: He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away. And now I sing a brand new song, amazing grace. Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.

Love, Dad

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PATIENCE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PATIENCE

" We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.' For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:1-4)

It's confession time. God's word has a way of hitting me right between the eyes and convicting me.

"Scruples" is defined as a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action. It is evident that Christians have different perspectives of what is permissible in the Christian life – areas such as dancing or drinking wine. We do not all have the same convictions. God calls us to be patient with people of different persuasions.

One of the many areas I have personally struggled with is this arena of relationships. Too often I have expected people to live up to my standards without considering where they are on their journey with Jesus.

I think of my children who did not always live up to my expectations because of their level of maturity. They were not able to please me because I had the bar set so high. At the time, I rationalized that it was for their good to develop their character, but in reality, it was to satisfy my own expectations and reputation in the community.

I think of the people I pastored. When they did not live up to my expectations, I was disappointed, and tried to make them conform to my desires.

I think of my poor wife, who wanted to be her own person, not the clone of my imagination.

God is gracious and helped people overlook my lack of patience. But it still makes me pause and question whether my attitudes toward other people are for their growth or to please me.

God's word is written for our learning, to help us grow in patience and in hope, and Jesus is my example. He put aside His own pleasure for me, and in love covers a lot of my personal weaknesses. Hopefully, I am farther along in my own personal development than I was a few years ago. God is so patient with me. Oh that I could be that patient with others.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE MEASURE OF FAITH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE MEASURE OF FAITH

"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

It is a common fault among humans to either think more highly of themselves or to think less of themselves than they should. To think too highly of ourselves is pride – thinking that we are better than other people. To think less of ourselves than we should is to discount God's work and purpose for our lives.

Paul's approach is middle of the road. We are all of value because of God's work in us. We are not all the same because God has gifted each of us differently. That is not to imply that one gift is greater or better than another. Paul used the picture of the body (vs. 5). We are all necessary and are dependent on each other.

God has dealt to each of us a measure of faith to be who we are. We are His workmanship, each with different talents and abilities. It is His choice and He knows exactly who we need to be. So we need to be content with His plan for us. That is not to say that we should not strive to be the best that we can. Nor does it give license to live in sin. But it does say that in the end, we are what we are for God's purposes.

This understanding eliminates jealousy of other people's gifts, or discontentment with who we are. Comparing ourselves to other people causes discouragement. That is why the Scripture says that comparing ourselves to other people is not wise (II Corinthians 10:12).

When the Bible says to be content with such things as you have and without covetousness (Hebrews 13:5), it is not just money or things. It is also to be content with how God is working in my life. Whatever gifts God has blessed me with – whether material or spiritual, they are all from God's gracious hand. God knows what is best for me.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BLESSINGS FROM FAILURE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BLESSINGS FROM FAILURE

"I say the, have they (the Jews) stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!" (Romans 11:11-12)

God is famous for His ability to bring good out of bad, of turning a negative into a positive. Throughout the Old Testament narrative, there were bad things that God changed into good. Take for example Joseph – sold into bondage to become the savior of the Jewish nation. Or Bathsheba who was violated by King David, only to have a son, Solomon, who became such a great king. Or Naomi, who lost her husband and two sons, but through her daughter-in-law Ruth and her Ruth's husband, Boaz, she became the Great-grandmother of King David. Or Job who suffered tremendously but in the end was blessed more than he was before he got sick. And the examples go on and on.

Jesus came to the Jewish nation and was rejected and killed. Even after His resurrection, many of the Jews would not accept Him as their Messiah. God is not willing than any should perish, so I'm sure that He was not happy with the rejection of His Son. But it was because of that failure to receive Christ that the whole world of non-Jews was blessed. Their fall became the avenue of riches of the rest of the human race.

As we saw in the Book of Acts, the rejection by the Jews prodded the Apostle Paul to go to the Gentiles with the Gospel.

So, even though it is not a pleasant thought, it was the failure of the Jews to accept Jesus that caused the Gospel of Christ to spread beyond the Jewish nation to the Gentiles. We are the recipients of the riches of that failure. Not that we should boast about it, but to be thankful for God's amazing grace. And because of His grace, He can bring something good out of the bad things of my life for His glory.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ZEAL FOR GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ZEAL FOR GOD

"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God." (Romans 10:1-3)

One does not have to look far to see this verse in operation. We are surrounded by people who think they can by their own resources establish their own righteousness, rather than submitting to God's revealed plan.

There are entire religious denominations besides the Jews that believe that if they live good enough, knock on enough doors, or do enough missionary work, or light enough candles and say enough prayers, they will somehow become righteous enough to please God. They have a zeal for God, but zeal is not enough.

And apart from religion, I know countless people who think that if they are good enough, they can receive God's commendation for how good they are. But none of their good deeds will satisfy God's righteous standard.

They are ignorant of God's righteousness. God's righteousness can only be attained by grace, His unmerited favor. We cannot earn that favor. We can only receive it as a gift from God's unfathomable love for us. Anything else falls far short of God's requirement.

So what should be our attitude toward them? The same as the Apostle Paul: earnestly desiring that they be saved and praying for them.

I am so glad for the freedom I have in God's grace. I don't have to wonder if I have measured up to God's standard. I know I can't. But I can put my faith in the One who did live perfectly up to what God demands. The Lord Jesus Christ lived without sin, and He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for sin. So I rest in that assurance. Praise God for His mercy and His grace.

Loves, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S SUPERNATURAL MERCY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S SUPERNATURAL MERCY

"So then it is no of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." (Romans 9:16)

It would be the height of folly to try to explain in a devotional Paul's argument in this chapter. It is too deep and full of theology to try to capture his thinking. But one thing stands out clearly. Mercy is God's prerogative and His doing and His alone.

God's righteousness is not attained by our willing desire or by our running, but by God's divine plan, His nature, and His character. His plan always has been and always will be salvation by grace through faith, and not by our works of righteousness (Ephesians 2:8-9). His plan of Redemption is evident in Scripture: "Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ...." (II Timothy 1:9-10). It is only by His mercy and grace that we have any hope.

This is 180 degrees opposed to human thinking. We naturally feel that we have to earn someone's favor or love. That's why God's salvation is supernatural – it goes beyond our natural inclinations.

I love the hymn: "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilled. Grace, grace God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within. Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that is great than all my sin."

Another hymn has always been dear to me: "Mercy there was great and grace was free. Pardon there was multiplied to me. There my burdened soul found liberty – at Calvary." What a merciful and gracious God we serve.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SET YOUR MIND

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SET YOUR MIND

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit, the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:5)

How often do we hear the phrase, "He set his mind to do it and he did it." There is value in setting our minds to do something. It shows commitment and determination to accomplish a task. It is our focus. It speaks to the value of what we are intending to do.

If I set my mind on the things of the flesh, that will be my focus, and I will do what the flesh does. People live according to the flesh because that is what they choose to do.

There is an alternative – to set my mind on the things of the Spirit, what I know is God's will and purpose for me. The expanded phrasing of this would be, "but those who live according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit." It is an intentional focus of my will to serve the Lord. It is purposeful choices to do what the spirit leads, not what my flesh demands.

I am reminded of how Jesus worked this out in His life. Luke 8:51 says, "Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem." He knew that there would be pain, rejection, and a cross that awaited Him in Jerusalem. If He had succumbed to the desires of the flesh, He would have said, "No way am I going to Jerusalem." But He lived according the Spirit which called Him to put aside the flesh and set His mind on the Spirit in obedience to the Father.

In the natural, we set our minds to do a lot of things – to accomplish some task or reach some goal. May our minds be set in the spiritual realm also, to be resolved and dedicated to fulfilling God's purposes.

I have decided to follow Jesus. I have set my mind and purposed to do it. There's no turning back.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FREE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FREE

"Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:11-14)

I recently read the book entitled, Unbroken. It is the story of Louie Zamperini, who was a bombardier during WW II in the South Pacific. His plane was shot down by the Japanese, and after drifting for over 40 days in a life-raft, he was captured by the Japanese and interred as a POW. He spent three years as a POW in various prisons. One guard he encountered in several of the camps was extremely vicious and brutal. He was called "The Bird" and unleashed his anger without provocation. He seemed to have a special hatred for Mr. Zamperini, and focused his attention on making life especially difficult for Louie. Somehow, Louie endured all of the suffering under the hand of The Bird. When the war was finally over, and his prison camp was liberated, there was jubilant celebration by the POWs. As the book describes it, "In the midst of the running, celebrating men, Louie stood on wavering legs, emaciated, sick, and dripping wet. In his tired mind, two words were repeating themselves, over and over. 'I'm free! I'm free! I'm free.' " No longer would he face the brutality of The Bird.

That is the testimony of the Christian who has been freed from the tyranny of sin. Sin is a hard taskmaster, and makes life miserable for the person under its control.

Paul goes on to elaborate with the analogy of the slave. "When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life" (vss. 20-22).

As Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote: "I'm free from the fear of tomorrow. I'm free from the guilt of my past. I've traded my shackles for a glorious song. I'm free, praise the Lord, free at last."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE

"Therefore. Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God....Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:1. 5)

If you could encapsulate the Gospel into three words, what would they be? It might be a difficult assignment to boil it down to three words.

There are so many words in Scripture that carry profound meaning. There is justification – the declaration of our righteous standing before a holy God. There is redemption – where our souls are purchased from sin. There is faith by which we are justified. There is grace by which God allows us to stand before Him. There is hope for a glorious future planned by God. And there is love – God's love that was demonstrated by Christ's death on the cross, and which has been lavished on us by the Holy Spirit.

But the three words which seem to be Paul's favorites are faith, hope, and love. Throughout his epistles, we find these words over and over again. In fact, he said that these three abide (I Corinthians 13:13).

It is our faith that sets in motion the work of God in our lives, bringing us to relationship with Him. It is the hope of eternal life and the deliverance from God's the judgment of God's wrath on sin that motivates us to trust Him for salvation. It is His love that makes all of this possible for us fallen creatures.

Although the other words – salvation, grace, justification, redemption, adoption as sons, forgiveness, and all of the blessings of God – are important, it seems to me that they all flow out of these three words – faith, hope, and love.

May we never forget His love toward us that makes all of this possible.

Love, Dad

DADS RAMBLINGS -- BELIEVING GOD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BELIEVING GOD

"For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' " (Romans 4:3, quoting Genesis 15:6)

Is there a difference between believing in God and believing God? I think there is. People can believe in God – that there is a God, and still not put their faith in Him. A Google search headlines a recent Gallup poll by stating that "the vast majority of U.S. adults believe in God." That is 81%. But for many, their actions show that thought they may believe that there is a God, but do not believe and live by what God says. Their lives are not impacted by what God has revealed in His Word. They do not base their lives on His promises.

Abraham certainly believed in God. God had revealed Himself to Abraham so that Abraham had no questions about the existence of God. But I think it went deeper that just believing in God. He didn't just believe that there is a God. Abraham believed what God said and acted on God's promises, and that was accounted to him for righteousness. He believed God.

It is true that whoever comes to God must believe that He is (Hebrews 11:6). Belief in God is pre-requisite to receiving His gift of salvation. That verse in Hebrews 11 goes on to say that we must believe that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

The person who is truly born again not only believes that God is, but also believes and lives by God's word.

For example, God says that anyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord will be saved. God says that anyone who receives Jesus as savior will be a child of God. God says that the prayer of a righteous person avails much. God says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins. To believe God is to accept that these things as true, and then apply them in my life.

It is not enough just to believe in God. We must also believe that His promises are true and act on them, just as Abraham did. That is what God accounts as righteousness – believing that what God says is true and then living out what God says in faith.

Love, Dad