Have you ever done a report on a famous person? If so, you probably used various resources to gather information on him or her. You may have read a summary on their life in an encyclopedia or biography. You may have read articles written about them or, if they are living, checked out their social media page or watched videos on YouTube. You likely took notes on basic information about where they grew up, how they rose to fame, and noteworthy things they accomplished. You may not have known anything about them when you started, or maybe you knew a lot already, but in either case you likely learned things about them you didn't know before.
Some people are mostly known for what they have done, such as being president, inventing things, or having a great athletic career. Others are not only known for what they did, but also what they said. For instance, you may know that Martin Luther King Jr. was a great civil rights leader who made many speeches and said, "I have a dream..." Or you might know all the words to the songs of your favorite singer and pretty much know what they stand for by their lyrics.
Growing up, I was raised to know a lot about Jesus Christ. From my earliest days I knew he was born in Bethlehem, had a mother and father named Mary and Joseph, and that He grew up to do many miracles and die on the cross for my sins. I knew He rose from the dead and went to Heaven and that someday I will go to live with Him forever. I knew he healed people and calmed the raging sea and fed a great crowd of people with a boy's small lunch. I also knew some of the things He said, such as "Do to others what you would have them do to you." (Matt. 7:12), and "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."(Matt. 4:19, KJV), which I mostly knew from the Sunday school song. But it wasn't until I was older that I read the words Jesus speaks in John 6:63: "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." By that time I had been reading the words of Jesus from the Bible on a daily basis for awhile, and I knew the truth of His statement. I knew His words moved me in a unique way. Even now I can't describe it exactly, but I haven't stopped, and I encourage you to read His words for yourself, rather than simply relying on what others say about Him. Whether you are feeling firm in your faith currently or a bit lost and confused, He has things to say that will lead you forward and deeper in your relationship with Him. I put together a few benefits of reading the words of Jesus using the acronym LIFE.
L is for Lessons: Jesus liked to tell stories, and the stories He told always had a point. We can learn a lot about the basics of following Him through the stories He told. We can learn the best way to live, the right attitudes to have, and how to handle difficult people or situations. Some stories are easy to follow and the lesson is pretty clear, other times more thinking might be required, but if you focus on what Jesus is trying to teach those who were listening, you will likely hear Him speaking to you as well. I is for Insight: In addition to learning the lessons Jesus wants to teach, reading His words can also tell us a lot about the heart of God. How He sees people and the love He has for them; What makes Him happy, sad, or angry; What He cares about most and what is really important. I hear a lot of people say they don't understand God or know how to follow Jesus. Reading His words can teach you a lot on both counts.
F is for Fruit: In John 15:7-8 Jesus says, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
One of the primary benefits of reading the words of Jesus, listening to Him, and following however He leads, is that you will be transformed. You will become more like Jesus. You will be more loving, more at peace, and have more joy. You will become more inclined to help others and share the truth of God's love. How you live and the words you speak will be more in line with what Jesus has for you and wants for you. E is for Enduring: In Matthew 7:24-25, Jesus says, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." Jesus had just finished teaching many basic principles of Kingdom Living when He gave His listeners this assurance. He was guaranteeing His words! In effect He was saying, 'If you listen and live this way, you won't be sorry. My ways endure. The truth is the truth and it doesn't change. When hard times come, you will stand strong.' If you're not already reading the words of Jesus on a regular basis, Matthew, Chapters Five through Seven is a good place to start, and many more can be found throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). They are spirit and life, and you will be blessed.
Praying hands, MLK sign, and berries photos courtesy of freeimages.com
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
What comes to mind when you think of a throne? Kings, queens, castles? Perhaps you play a video game or watch a show where thrones are involved. In simple terms, a throne is a chair where the leader of a kingdom sits, but it represents power, authority, and judgment. Whatever the person on the throne says is law--sometimes for good and sometimes not, but who is going to tell them what's right or wrong? Who's going to tell them how to run the kingdom?
In our modern, more democratic world, this kind of rule may seem mainly fictional--for books, movies, or games but not a way of life. History class may help us see and understand how societies of the past functioned this way, and some still do today, but you probably have a difficult time imagining what it would be like to live under strict dictatorship. But in Bible Times, this was largely the reality of the common people. Unless you were a member of a royal family or wealthy, you had little say in how the world functioned around you. Protesting or speaking up for what you believed would likely get you put in prison or killed.
I say all that to put the words at the top of the page in context. The Book of Hebrews was written to people who were accustomed to being ruled by those who had ultimate authority. The Hebrews (Jews) were either ruled by their own kings or by whoever ruled the kingdoms that had overtaken their land; and while there were some good kings in Israel's history, most of them were not good. People were often treated harshly, unfairly, or as if they didn't exist. To approach any throne and be heard was unthinkable, much like it would be today in a free society if I tried to see a president or monarch without an invitation or appointment.
So when the writer who sent this letter says,
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence,that would have been very different than the way the people usually thought about kings and thrones and kingdoms. Even approaching a throne room would have been unthinkable, let alone to come with confidence and boldly ask for mercy. For some this may have seemed perplexing. And depending on how you have been raised and your experience with God, it may sound that way to you as well. Personally, I was taught as a young child that I could come to God at any time with my prayers, and I did, and I've seen the truth of this verse--that I will always receive mercy and grace from God.
But what is grace? When we come to God, what can we expect to receive? Mercy is forgiveness for things we have done wrong, or help when we have fallen into circumstances where we're at the end of our rope. Without God's intervention and direct help, we will not survive, but He promises mercy to all who ask. Grace is a bit different. It's not just about being forgiven or rescued from peril, but also includes the ways God wants to bless us--to go above and beyond meeting basic needs to things that make life enjoyable, satisfying, purposeful, and good.
Grace can take many forms, and it's God's prerogative to determine what is best for each person. He is in charge, but it's not a type of rule we need to be worried about or afraid of. We can always trust Him to give us what we need and act in our best interests. We can rest in His love and goodness. I have gone to God many times asking for one thing and ended up with something else, but that's a part of His grace. He doesn't always give me what I ask for, but rather what I truly need.
And one of the greatest gifts of grace is already mine each time I go to His gracious throne--which is literally anywhere I cry out to Him. I don't have to go to a special place to be in His presence because He is always with me. And to lay my burdens and concerns and requests before Him, to climb up on His lap and sit with Him and know I am safe there, I am loved, and I am His precious child: Is there anyplace greater than that?
"The
kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls..." Luke 13:45 Imagine
for a moment that you are invited to a special party and you
go to the mall to get something new. What would you be looking
for? A pretty dress, sparkly shoes, and bright nail polish? Or would you
be more inclined to look for new jeans, a nice belt, and flashy
earrings? We each have our own style, but whatever we get
will likely be what meets our wish-list--or as close as we can get with
the money we have.
Let's
say you get exactly what you're looking for. It's nice. It's something
you want to show off. It's worth the money you paid for it, and
you wear it proudly. Who wouldn't?
In many ways our lives revolve around what we have, how valuable
those things are to us, and what we're willing to do to gain them. We
walk the neighbor's dog and do extra chores around the house to get
money to buy the things we want. We go to school to get an education
that can lead us to the life we want as an adult. We search for love and
happiness. We're not content with life being meaningless and without
purpose. But
why? Why are we so driven? What makes life so valuable? What does it matter if I have a new dress or wear an old
one? Why do we want the best things and the latest trends? Why do we want to do things that matter and have meaning? When
we were created by God, He gave us the inherent value of worth. He made
us in His image. In Psalm 8, David says He crowns us with glory and honor. He values us. And somehow, in a way I don't completely understand, He puts that into the very fabric of our being. In
Old Testament Israel, God's chosen people had the Law to guide them,
and the first items on the list were to have no other gods and to
worship Him alone. Why? He wanted them to know that their value and
worth came from Him. They didn't need any other gods because He
would never fail them. He valued them. He loved them. They belonged to
Him as His prized possession.
But some of them didn't understand. They worshiped
other gods and made idols for themselves because they didn't think He
would care for them. They sinned and feared His wrath and ran further
away. He still loved them and promised mercy and
forgiveness, but they didn't believe it because they did not see their
value. So, they worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves. (2 Kings 17:15) They were still valuable to God, but they didn't recognize that and saw themselves as worthless. This is what happens when faith is missing, and we usually try to fill that emptiness with other things: pretty clothes, relationships, good grades, well-decorated bedrooms, the best technology. We want things that
say we have worth.
That isn't to say we shouldn't have these things. Having nice things and pursuing our interests is fine, but we should see them as a way God has blessed us, not what gives us value. God gives us value, and searching for value in things only makes us feel worthless. This is idolatry. Worship is acknowledging the One who values us.
Jesus told a parable to illustrate the kingdom of God. He said, "The
kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he
found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and
bought it." (Luke 13:45-46)
I believe we can take this two ways, and
they are both necessary to living victoriously in His kingdom. We must
believe God is our greatest treasure and seek Him all of our days. We
may have to leave things behind to do that, but He doesn't hide from us
and will be found. Our pursuit of Him will have great rewards. But
to do this, we must also believe we are like that fine pearl of great
value to Him. You are His treasure, and He wants you to see yourself
through His eyes: loved, priceless, beautiful, the very best on His
wish-list; and He's never letting go.
So wear your best outfit and pretty jewelry, seek the good things God has for you, do the things you enjoy; But don't say, 'These things give me value. My worth is found in these things.'
Instead, declare this truth: "God gives me value. I belong to Him. He provides for me and cares for me. He is my God, and I can trust Him."
Photos courtesy of freeimages.com Video courtesy of youtube.com
Have
you ever felt this way? Can you relate to David's words, to the
desperate feelings of despair, pain, and hopelessness? Perhaps you are
there now. Perhaps you will be tomorrow. Life is full of the unplanned
and unexpected--the good, difficult, and more difficult. It can be hard
to understand why things happen, especially if you are striving for and
even praying for the opposite. When
things don't go the way we plan, it's easy to believe God has forgotten
us and to feel alone. It makes the most sense to our logical minds.
It's hard to believe God is near when we feel defeated, overwhelmed, or
confused. But it's also during these times when we can depend on Him the
most. In Psalm 13, David doesn't only express how he feels, because he
knows his feelings can be misleading; He also says what he believes, in
spite of his circumstances:
But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the LORD
because he is good to me.
Psalm 13:5-6
David
is honest about how he feels, and we should be too, but he doesn't stop
there. He turns the corner from despair to hope, from the lies to the
truth, from unbelief to belief. In Paul's letter to the Colossians, he
reminded them of an important truth about God: He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.(Col. 1:13 NIV)
Why did he remind them? Because he wanted them to live above their
circumstances. He wanted them to remember who they were. We know from
Paul's opening words he was writing to those who were faithful and holy
followers of Christ. He praised them for their faith and the love they
had for others, and he knew they were capable of pleasing Him in every
way, having great endurance and patience, and being joyfully thankful
for the inheritance of this kingdom of light. But
they, like David, probably didn't always feel that way. I'm sure they
felt defeated at times, scared, sinful, discouraged, overwhelmed,
disappointed, forgotten; So Paul
reminded them of the truth. He reminded them they were forgiven. He
reminded them God would strengthen them. He reminded them Jesus holds
everything together. He reminded them Christ lived within them. That was
their reality. Not shame. Not despair. Not abandonment. But life, love,
rescue, peace, and joy.
We
pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you
will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled
with joy, always thanking the Father.
Colossians 1:11-1
Have
you experienced God's rescue? His power? The joy only He can bring? Do
you believe it's a real thing? Do you believe He is with you, holding
everything together--holding you together? Do you believe, like David
did, that God is good and you are the object of His affection; His
Beloved; His precious daughter? Let Him restore the sparkle to your eye. Ask Him to fill your
heart with hope, belief, strength, endurance, joy, and thankfulness. He
will rescue you from the darkness and bring you back to the light.
He
has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless
as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to
believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the
assurance you received when you heard the Good News.
