Tag: Salvation

Today’s Word Is INFLUENCE

Mon-Jul-20-2020

“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?
I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give to each man according to his ways,
According to the results of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

The movie “Fireproof” is the story of a captain firefighter (Caleb) whose marriage is on the rocks. One of Caleb’s crew (Michael) is a man of strong faith. In one scene, Michael is talking with another fireman who is having a problem with a decision. He is telling Michael that he is going to “follow his heart” about this decision. This sounds like a good strategy and is often used in our society as a sensible principle to follow. But Michael can see that what his friend is getting ready to do, as he follows his heart, is not a good choice at all. So, Michael tells him, “Don’t follow your heart, lead your heart.”

Each of us has a body and a soul (personality). Within our soul are two factors at work, our mind and our emotions (we might also say heart or passion). These two factors are the influences on a third aspect within us, which is our will (or decision-maker). Some of us operate primarily by our mind, others primarily by emotions, although none of us is 100% one or the other, but some combination. Those whose mind dominates are likely to do the sensible or logical thing, while those driven mostly by emotion decide based on what feels good or is pleasing. Sometimes our mind and emotions agree, other times they are at odds.

Our hearts have been helpful all along in life as we make decisions, but sometimes the heart gets set on something that is not good for us or others. It is the same with the mind. Although our thinking is usually helpful, it is not perfect, and often misguided. As we grow up, our hearts and minds are hopefully learning how to guide us into good decisions. But our hearts and minds can fail us.

Thus, the prophet Jeremiah is right on target when he says that our hearts are in this sense deceitful and sick, meaning susceptible to error, prone to long for the wrong thing. And as he also says, our mind must be tested as well, because it cannot always be trusted to lead us to good “results of our deeds.”

But wait … there is a fourth aspect of our soul, which is spirit. Our spirit is in a sense dead or dormant when we are born. It is that empty space within us that longs to know God and to be filled by him. Our spirit comes alive by a process or event which Jesus describes as being “born again.” In John 3:5-7, a Pharisee named Nicodemus has come to discuss with Jesus the miracles he is performing. Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”

In other words, when we ask Jesus to come and live in us, the Holy Spirit of Jesus enters our spirit,  making us spiritually alive and “born again.” When we receive and are “indwelt” by the Spirit of God, we receive the perfect influence, power, and guide. We now have within us a better guide to life than depending on our mind and emotions to make our decisions. The Holy Spirit of God is perfectly reliable, far more than our mind and our heart.

Now a new process begins. As we operate under the influence of the Spirit of God to make decisions, a reversal of influence takes place. Instead of our faulty mind and selfish heart influencing our decisions (rather poorly sometimes), the choices we make under the guidance of the Spirit begin to influence and reshape our hearts and minds!

That is why Paul says in Romans 12:2 that we are to “be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” And Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will remove the heart of stone … and give you a heart of flesh.”

Notice that when Paul says to “be transformed,” there is an understanding that the Spirit can and will do this, but also a clear implication that this takes intention and cooperation on our part. The Spirit does not forcefully continue to renew our minds. We must desire it, giving permission and opportunity for this amazing transformation to take place. The challenge then is to keep our hearts and minds out of first place and let the Spirit take the lead.

Thus, it is not true that my mind and emotions don’t change, although some people contend it is true. They say, “I can’t change the way I am. That’s just me.” No, there is a higher me, to which I am being transformed by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Rather than our mind and emotions directly influencing our will, we live and walk by the Spirit in our decision-making. And as we allow the Spirit to be the greatest influence, our minds will be renewed, and our hearts softened.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is BURDENS

Wed-Jul-15-2020

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Jesus (Matthew 11:28)

Another version says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened…”

The heaviest burden many people carry is the load of expectations placed on them by others. Trying to live up to an image of who others think we should be can become a weight too great to sustain.

One of the reasons people flocked to hear Jesus was because he talked more about a God who cared, than one whose heavy hand wanted to control them and punish them for not being good enough or for breaking too many rules. I wonder if a single rabbi (teacher) had ever in their lives invited them to come follow so they could rest!

But Jesus was doing just that, which essentially was an invitation to live a life of trust in the goodness of God. Those who felt hopeless, oppressed, and tired of trying and failing were intrigued by these words … “Come to me, and I will give you rest.”

Now, this was not an invitation to stop trying, nor to escape responsibility, but to receive an internal shift from dependence on the approval of others to dependence on the grace of God. Worldly living says, “I will love you if” … and then there comes the expectation.

Kingdom living (God’s Kingdom, that is), says that you are loved by your Creator and your Savior for who you are, not for what you accomplish. The first step of Kingdom living is to get rid of the baggage, the load of expectations, the fear that you might not prove to be worthy, … and in exchange receive the following reality … You are accepted because God made you and loved unconditionally because that’s who God is and what he does.

After that, there are lots of things we do to accomplish Kingdom purposes, but they are not done to prove we are acceptable, they are done out of thanks that we were “declared” to be acceptable as God’s primary gift. (We call this salvation or conversion.) We are no longer laboring and heavy laden under a load of disapproval, but rather there is rest from it.

Welcome to the Jesus life. Now, I need to complete the picture. In the beginning, I only gave you one of three verses to describe the Jesus invitation. Here’s the “rest of the story”:

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

You may notice that after Jesus offered rest, he told us to take his yoke upon us, which is the equipment placed on the shoulders of oxen and other work animals, for the purpose of carrying or pulling loads. How about that! … Invited to rest and put to work! But that’s it! Rest, work, rest, work. Not work, work, work, work.

In the Pharisees’ world, the “working” at proving ourselves to be religious and obedient was primary. In Jesus’ world, the “resting” is primary. The Sabbath is the holy day when God rested. For God, six days was “enough” to complete creation. Get it? This faith we practice has works of righteousness involved, but not to prove our worth and not to the extent that they become a burden we can’t carry. The most important day of the week is Sabbath, meaning the most important aspect of the Kingdom life is rest.

Is this making sense? Jesus invited us to turn around, to stop thinking of religious performance as the basis of life, but rather to let rest and assurance be the focus of life, with an attitude towards works of faith that sees it as a joy, not a burden, and certainly not the way to prove anything to God.

The result is rest for our souls, because the yoke (workload) is easy, and it burdens us only lightly, because it was given to us by a Savior who is both gentle and humble.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

By the way … this has been my favorite passage of Scripture for 40+ years. When I was a young pastor, I had read this passage many times, but the first time I used it as a sermon text, I began preparing and spontaneously became overwhelmed with tears at Jesus’ invitation to come to him and get rid of my burdens in exchange for his rest and a yoke that was much easier than the burdens I had been carrying for such a long time.

I say this because when we are first saved, we understand our salvation as we experienced it at that point. But later on, more revelations of the nature and glory of this new life in Christ will touch us in deeper and richer ways. This passage became my best symbolism for the illustration of salvation … to give him what I have, and in return get what he has. That’s the best bargain anyone in the world will ever get!

Today’s Word Is AGREE

Wed-Jul-8-2020

I once had this conversation with a co-worker …

ME:        You’re very smart.

THEM:   No. Not really.

ME:        I’m smart. I made straight A’s mostly.

THEM:   Yeah, so did I.

ME:        Then you’re pretty smart.

THEM:   Well … hmmmm … Okay.

It’s okay to say you’re smart or talented in some way, or whatever your characteristics are, in an honest and humble way. It’s part of having a good, healthy, and accurate view of yourself. Many of us were taught not to compliment ourselves because it sounds like “bragging.” Often our solution is to belittle ourselves as a way of ensuring that we don’t think too highly of ourselves. It took me 40-plus years to stop this bad habit.

The Bible talks about how you should view yourself.

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” – The Apostle Paul (Romans 12:3)

A “sober judgment” means a correct evaluation. This means you should not think “too highly” nor “too lowly” of yourself. Now who do you think has the most “sober” or accurate evaluation and opinion of you? Well … It’s God, of course.

You should agree with God and his opinion of you. He knows your value, your potential, your strengths, your weaknesses. For some of us, it is a great discovery to learn that “God thinks of me more highly than I thought He did!” God is for us, not against us. (See Romans 8 below.) So, if someone has told you that God thinks poorly of you … that’s a lie. If you think you should deny your strengths as a way of being humble, consider that this is a form of false humility, and not at all biblical. Instead, affirm who you are and the gifts you have been given, and then delight in using them for God’s purposes.

In addition, don’t bemoan your weaknesses. Everyone has them. Accept them. Improve on them when you can. This is all part of agreeing with God about who you are and who you are to become. And if you can agree with God about the total you, there will be greater peace, and probably more smiles.

If you still are going to have a hard time with this God-centered view of yourself, then let me add this. Once you are saved, there is no condemnation against you. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1) Only those who are denying God or refusing Christ should fear condemnation.

Once you are born again, there is no issue that will cause God to reject you. You are his adopted child, an heir to the Kingdom. Every objection you have to your new position of worth in Christ, every struggle to accept your high value in his eyes can be answered by this … God our Father loves you, Jesus loves you, Holy Spirit loves you. You are loved, loved, loved. However much you think God loves you, it is more than that! Receive it. Return it. Stop any practice of self-condemnation and reject any tendency to expect punishment. God may discipline, but he does not punish those who are his. Smile and relax when you consider the amazing and wonderful love God has for you.

Agreeing with God about who you are is a good thing. Thinking that God is against you is not. No one can take your God-given value away from you. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Please don’t take as long as I did to internalize that and live with joy and freedom. If you truly do this, it will not create arrogance but humility and peace.

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is ASSURANCE

Fri-Jun-5-2020
It’s Humor Day!

Albert Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Dr. Einstein, the professor couldn’t find his ticket. He searched every pocket, his briefcase, the seat next to him. No ticket.

The conductor said, “Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.”

The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, “Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry. I know who you are. No problem. You don’t need a ticket. I’m sure you bought one.”

Einstein looked at him and said, “Young man, I too know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going!”

I hope you know where you are going. If we believe the Scriptures, then we know that born again believers are going to heaven. Many people, Christians and not, over the years have asked me, “How can I know, how can I be sure that I am going to heaven?”

This is basic, but important. I think these three passages can most clearly describe what it means to be saved.

The first is from Jesus, who told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) This does not describe how it happens, but rather what it is … namely, a rebirth. Just as we had a physical birth, so also, says Jesus, must we have a spiritual birth. In other words, not only must our body become alive, but also our spirit must come alive in a separate event. Thus, Jesus continued, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6) Up to the point of salvation, your spirit is dead, so to speak. So how does it come alive?

The other two verses say more about how it happens. The Apostle Paul says, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10)

And for the third, just to make sure we understand who does what, Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) It requires God’s grace and our faith. And the fact that it is a gift indicates that God’s part is the greater part.

God offers the gift, for which Jesus Christ has already paid the price, but gifts are only put to use when the recipient stretches out their hands to receive it, this being an act of repentance, humility, and faith. When this happens, the Spirit of God enters into your spirit and your spirit comes alive! You are “born again.” The Holy Spirit of Christ is living in you and through you! I like this phrase, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

If these things you have done, then do not be embarrassed to ask the question about “how do I know I am saved and going to heaven?” You are not alone. Many Christians are not fully “at peace” until one more miracle occurs. Apparently, some believers in the New Testament had the same question.

Thus, there is one more piece. Besides having salvation, it is great to have an “assurance” of salvation, and to be at peace. And this is supplied by the Holy Spirit. So Paul wrote this to them, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:16-17) How do I know for sure? We sang as children … “How do I know, the Bible tells me so!” But also, I know because I can hear, sense, and feel the Holy Spirit whispering assurance into my heart.

Come and join with me, children of God, and give thanks that we can be sure that we are saved; we are heirs, heirs with Christ, and heaven is our home!

There is one last testimony as a verification. We will indeed suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Yes, the life of faith involves suffering and hardship, but none greater than what our Master endured. And for this is offered all his glory for us to share, both now and forever.

Have a blessed weekend, including rest, family, and worship,

Chaplain Mark

NOTE … I know that there are people who will call me exclusive when I say that Christ is the only way to God. But I didn’t create this idea. I read it in the Bible, and I believe it. As my friend Dr. Bob Sanders used to say, “Don’t look at me! I didn’t write it! I’m just the messenger!”

ANOTHER NOTE: Please don’t use this devotional to scrutinize someone else’s life trying to figure if they are in heaven or not. Only God knows. Doing so can discourage you unnecessarily. Believe for the best, and wait.

Today’s Word Is UNCONDITIONAL

Tue-May-12-2020

Having God’s unconditional love does not mean you have God’s unconditional approval. – Pastor Miles McPherson, former NFL player

While attending seminary I found a stray puppy one day and decided to rescue her. She was brown and black and fuzzy, possibly part German Shepherd. I took her home and fed her. Then I put her in the sink and cleaned off a lot of fleas and dried blood. Next, I took her to the vet to get rid of parasites from her bloated stomach and to give her immunizations to protect her future health. I named her Ginger, and eventually had a friend come forward who wanted to adopt her and give her a permanent home.

Here’s my way of saying what Pastor McPherson is trying to get at: ”God loves you just the way you are. But he loves you too much to leave you the way you are.”

Some folks interpret God’s unconditional love as requiring nothing in the way of change or improvement. They would contend that if God loves me the way I am, he’s not going to make me change or do anything. I am what I am. What you see is what you get.

But think of this … Suppose I take in this stray puppy but do nothing to “fix it up.” I tell my friends about my new puppy, and that she is really cute and lovable. So, they come by to see this little rascal but are astonished at her sickly appearance. Obviously, they would think that I didn’t care very much about its well-being. They would, in fact, think that I was cruel to take it in and then let it suffer through fleas, worms, sores, and malnutrition. If I really loved this puppy, then taking it in is not enough.

In terms of the love of God for us, being “saved” is only the beginning. When I took in Ginger the puppy, unconditional love was at work. I gave her a home when she was lost, unclaimed, and belonged to no one. That was her “salvation.” But that unconditional love also led me to nurse her back to health by fixing what was wrong.

God loves you unconditionally, which means he wants you to come home to him, but because he loves you unconditionally, he also wants to work on what is not healthy in you. Those of us who are looking for change and transformation can be encouraged today that it is available. God will meet us where we are and take us where we need to be. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

In the case of this helpless puppy, I took charge and worked on her problems. However, in our case, when God takes us in, and by his grace and our confession and faith, we receive salvation, God is not going to force us into change. We are not animals, but humans with a will and a choice.

So, yes, “God loves us as we are, but he loves us too much to ignore us and leave us like we are.” He lets his desires be made known, offering to lead us into health and well-being. He does not demand that we change or force us into it. He waits for us to want it and to seek it and to seek him. This is the way to life as we are intended to live it.

God in his unconditional love saves us and then leads us through the changes we must make to become the person we are intended to be. This is a life-long process. We may need to remind certain people what the unconditional love of God is really like – He loves us like we are, but he loves us too much to leave us like we are.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

(If you’re interested) … The Miles McPherson Story: The man behind the Pastor

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in March 1960, the second oldest of five children, Miles McPherson was raised on Long Island in a strong family. After excelling in football throughout high school, he attended the University of New Haven, where he majored in engineering. McPherson was the university’s first player to achieve All-American honors in football and be drafted into the NFL. Strong athletics run in the McPherson family; Miles’ brother, Don McPherson, was a Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1987.

Miles played four years in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers from 1982-1985. It was during this time that he developed a cocaine addiction that found the NFL star in a tailspin as he began feeding his habit.

After his second season in the NFL and after a weekend-long drug binge, he called out to Jesus Christ, accepted Him and stopped doing drugs in one day. This turnaround put him on the road to becoming a pastor.

Today’s Word Is FINISHED

Good Friday
Fri-Apr-10-2020

The foundation of our salvation is the combination of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. There is not one without the other. It would be like asking, “Which is more important, breathing out or breathing in?” The Crucifixion is the breathing out – getting rid of the carbon dioxide, the poison, the sin. Breathing in is the Resurrection – filling with oxygen, new life, the Holy Spirit.

Today we focus on the Crucifixion. It was foretold in prophecy in numerous ways. Isaiah Chapter 53 is all about Jesus … (v.3) He was despised and rejected by men — (v.4) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows — (v.5) But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities — (v.7) He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,  yet he opened not his mouth — (v.9) although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth — (v.17) because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

King David said some prophetic things about Jesus in Psalm 22. And, among the seven “words” of Jesus from the cross, there is a quote from Psalm 22:1 … “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34)

In my early years, I had to struggle and come to terms with that verse. Many explanations that I heard did not make sense to me. Like this one … because Jesus took on our sin, God had to turn away from him because he couldn’t look at all that sin. Well, my thought is that God looks at sin all the time. He may not like the sin, but it is in his people, and he loves his people.

Another thought I have is that I thought Jesus’ death on the cross was part of the plan. So why would God have to look away from Jesus as he carried out the plan they made together?

If you read all of Psalm 22, you discover by the end that although David felt in his humanity that God had forsaken him, David finally affirms that God was there for him, and he was not really forsaken, but he did feel like it. This is what I think Jesus was experiencing. He knew the plan, that he would have to go to the cross. But while on that cross, he felt alone and helpless. It’s not that God was now rejecting him, it’s more like he was experiencing from a human standpoint what death and suffering felt like.

Besides his human emotion on the cross causing him to cry out to God about feeling forsaken, there is another angle to this. If you read all of Psalm 22, you will see that, just like Isaiah 53, it is a description of Jesus, with many details about the Crucifixion.

Psalm 22 (v.7-8) All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” — (v.16) For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet — (v.18) they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Now, the Pharisees and teachers standing at the cross should know about Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, right? And here is Jesus, dying on the cross as described in that Psalm. So, Jesus quotes the first verse as his expression of pain and helplessness. The teachers and rabbis who take students to school them in Scripture do an interesting thing. They will quote the first verse of a Psalm, perhaps, and the student is supposed to know the rest of the Psalm. It’s almost like Jesus is inviting them to quote the rest of the Psalm and discover that they are crucifying the Messiah … that they are, in fact, fulfilling a prophecy!

There is one other of the seven words of Jesus that relates to Psalm 22 … When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

He was, in effect, quoting the meaning of the last verse of Psalm 22 (v.31) They shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”

Yes! Yes! Yes! He has done it! It is finished! To his last breath he was obedient!

This terrible, dark day of the Crucifixion is for you and me. And, since we are now 2,000 years removed and understand its meaning, it is in one sense both the worst day and the best day. We get tears and agonize over his suffering, while at the same time find ourselves filled with thanksgiving and praise. We know we are not worthy of such love, yet we love the Savior who did for us what we could not do for ourselves — paying the price for every sin we ever committed or ever will commit.

Glory to His Name!

Chaplain Mark

The Crucifixion and the Resurrection Work Together in Salvation

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures …” (1st Corinthians 15:3)

And then … “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Today’s Word Is PROPOSAL

Holy Thursday
Thu-Apr-9-2020

I proposed to my wife on Labor Day weekend 37 years ago on a spiritual life weekend held at my grandfather’s farm in Little Creek, Virginia, while hiking in the woods. You know how it goes in our culture … you find someone you like, date awhile, fall in love, make a proposal, and if the answer is yes, you get married.

Ancient Hebrew custom was a little different … actually, a lot different. Two large families that had sons or daughters that “needed to be getting married” would discuss an arrangement. This was not arbitrary, it was well thought out, but guided mostly by the parents of the two candidates. The young man and woman were quite pleased with this arrangement and the two families were all in on the excitement. When a mutual decision had been reached to proceed with a marriage, the first step was the official proposal. The groom-to-be would go to the home of the bride-to-be to propose, and it might be local, or it could be quite a journey.

Now, before I tell how he proposed, let me add another twist that is quite different from our culture. Families stuck together … big families  … extended families. When the next generation got married, they would add on a room to the “big house.” It may or may not be physically connected, but it was close by, next door, sort of like a community, with generations and cousins. In fact, for a young man to take his bride and leave both their homes and move far away would have relayed the message that they were rejecting their families and breaking ties. You see, under their conditions, they needed to all stick together to survive and build wealth.

I am writing all of this for what we call Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday), our remembrance of the Last Supper of Jesus and the disciples. Jesus taught them many things that night, which are described best in John chapters 13-17 (yes, 5 chapters of what went on during the Passover meal and their walk to the Garden of Gethsemane). We know, of course, that Jesus offered bread and wine to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) … And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20)

Back to the groom-to-be proposing to the bride-to-be … but keeping in mind what happened at the Last Supper. The groom enters the home of his beloved and has a meeting with her and her father. He offers to make a new covenant with her in marriage. Then, he gets out … not a ring … but a goblet and a skein of wine. He pours it and then offers it to her. If she takes it and drinks it, then she has said “yes.” Now, he goes back to his father to “prepare a place for her, so that where he is, she may be also.” (Sound familiar?)

Jesus said to the disciples on their last night, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

You and I have also been invited into this New Covenant, and by saying yes, we enter his community, his Kingdom. It is good to remember each time we participate in Holy Communion, that by receiving the bread and the cup, we once again celebrate this gift.

This Kingdom is eternal. Someday, Jesus will return to take us home. When? No one knows the day or hour, but we must be ready. Jesus told the disciples, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32)

Why is that? Well, back to the groom and bride … when the son goes back to his father, he begins to prepare a home for his bride. How long will that take? Well, it could be weeks or months and often more. Only the father knows. The son might build something quickly and think he is ready, but the place must be to the satisfaction of the father. Dad might say, “Not good enough,” and tell him to fix this or add that. And when the father says it is ready, the groom goes to get the bride, bringing her home accompanied by her family, where there is a marriage ceremony, a great feast, and a few days of celebration.

In Scripture, the Church of true believers is called the bride of Christ. “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2) The Father will send the Son to come for us, at an hour we do not know, and take us home.

The Last Supper was an amazing evening, and we will discuss more of it in the days ahead. But for now, we know that Friday is coming, and Jesus will make a sacrifice sufficient to cover the sins of the whole world. I hope you have accepted this free gift of salvation and entered into a relationship with the Savior.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is TEMPLE

Tue-Apr-7-2020

In the Old Testament, the Temple represented the presence of God as the center of the faith community. There was an outer court where people gathered, an inner court or Holy Place where sacrifices took place, and an innermost room, called the Holy of Holies, where the Spirit of God dwelt. In this innermost place was the Ark of the Covenant, a large golden chest, which contained a golden pot of manna from the wilderness, Aaron’s wooden rod which budded, and the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments.

Cloth partitions divided areas, including an enormous high and thick cloth surrounding the Holy of Holies. This was the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would go out from there to do Kingdom work in the land where God needed it.

By the time of Jesus, the Temple had become a marketplace of vendors selling various animals to be used for sacrifice, as well as various religious trinkets. Activity was especially great during Passover. And during the final week of Jesus’ life, he entered this commotion to right a wrong.

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12-13)

The problem was that the hearts of the leaders were not right. In modern Western thinking, we consider that getting your heart right with God is about confession, attitude, positive thoughts, good intentions, and right beliefs. In the Jewish culture, the heart was a symbol of your will (your decision-maker). Thus, if someone wanted to check out whether your heart was right with God, they wouldn’t ask you what you believe, they would look at what kind of decisions you make, and what kind of activities are going on in your life. It was a contradiction to say that you loved God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and with praise and worship, and yet your life reflected something else.

Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple signified that what was going on in this Holy Place was not consistent with their faith. What was believed about the meaning of the Temple did not match up with what you observed when you were there. The next verse after the cleansing of the Temple says this, “And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.” (Matthew 21:14) Now that’s what is supposed to be going on in the Temple!

On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, great storms and earthquakes took place. And during this violent weather, a strange thing happened. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (Matthew 27:51)

My friend Charlie tells me this is the reaction of God to those who hated his Messiah so much that they would be the perpetrators of the crucifixion. The Jews had two practices that indicated their objection to something that was wrong. First, if there were someone making false claims or spreading bad teaching in the public places of discussion, listeners would bend over and pick up a handful of dirt and toss it in the air. (We would be more likely to “boo” them in our day.)

Second, if something blasphemous was said, they would tear their clothing. When Caiaphas the High Priest was interviewing Jesus, and Jesus said, “You say that I am,” (meaning the Messiah), Caiaphas stood and tore his robe in half, “top to bottom” (Matthew 26:65).

Well, when God tosses dirt in the air (earthquakes) and rips his clothing from top to bottom (the curtain in the Temple), he does it in a big way!!

What happened that day was that the Holy Spirit left the Temple in Jerusalem, and 50 days later at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to live in the hearts of believers. And that’s what happens to us when we repent, believe, and receive salvation … the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. Your spirit comes alive by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. (1st Corinthians 6:19)

My wife had a revelation several years ago, in which it came to her that Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple is a reminder to us that we, too, need to keep the new temple (our lives) cleansed. Just as Jesus got rid of those who robbed the Temple of its holiness, so we must get rid of those things which rob us of the peace, joy, and good things of God. We look to see if the activities and atmosphere of our lives reflect the faith, love, and worship which dwells in and sounds forth from the holy place called “me.”

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is COST

Tue-Mar-24-2020

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” — Muhammad Ali

Every accomplishment, every activity, every possession, and every relationship each has a cost and a benefit.

The prize fighter Ali knew that the great accomplishment of a world championship of boxing would come at the high cost of rigorous and relentless training. The world is full of people who have underachieved simply because they were not willing to do the unpleasant, difficult steps to become who they were meant to be and to achieve the goals along the way that lead to success in life.

Every activity in which we participate is the same. Going to the movies has a cost and a benefit. The same is true with our possessions. Sometimes folks pay more than what something is worth at face value because they may get an added intangible benefit. For instance, wearing a certain brand of clothing or watch, driving a certain car, or living in a certain neighborhood might seem of greater value than just the base value of the item.

Before we invest in something, we count the cost to see if it is worth it, and if we are willing or able to pay the price.

Jesus said, “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28)

There’s a hidden meaning here … You and I have enough resources to do lots of things in life. But only one had the ability and willingness to accomplish the redemption of mankind from sin. That was God. So, he “counted the cost,” which was the life of his son. And he was willing to pay thar price. The benefit of God’s restoring the relationship between himself and his people came at a high cost.

There are certain things that we can’t achieve on our own, because it is not within our ability to accomplish or we are unable to pay the price. The cost is too high. Salvation is one of those things.

Did God achieve the goal of restoring our relationship to him? Yes, he did. The cost was extreme. He sent his son, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Because of what was achieved “for” you, new doors are open “to” you. I would define success as living a life of deeply and fully loving God and passionately loving others with the love he gives us. There is a great cost and sacrifice for us in this. But his cost was infinitely higher. And the benefit is too extraordinary to measure.

The saying, “God helps those who help themselves” is not biblical. It is the other way around! God gave “his help” up front, for free. That’s what opens the door for us to achieve greatness. Once we receive this gift of salvation, we learn that we will have to make sacrifices in order to accomplish the purposes that God placed within us. But it is well worth it for us, just as it was for him.

Is there something difficult, unpleasant, or sacrificial that you need to do that has a higher purpose? Jesus set the example and unlocked the door for you to do that.

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is MISUNDERSTANDING … Plus Friday Humor

Fri-Feb-28-2020

Poor Leroy had fallen on hard times. He lost his job at the fertilizer plant, his wife had left him, his unemployment had run out, and he was evicted from his apartment. He packed what little he had in a knapsack, made a little sign that read “Will work for food,” and set off down the road on foot.

Toward the middle of the day, he came to a farmhouse. He was getting very hungry, and so he knocked on the front door. A woman answered, and Leroy explained his situation, and how he could do most anything and how hungry he was.

At first the woman wanted no part of Leroy, but he persisted. Finally she asked, “Can you paint?”

“Oh yes, ma’am,” Leroy said, “I sure can paint. I’ve done a lot of painting. Just let me show you.” The woman relented, found a can of paint and a brush and said, “You can go around back and paint the porch, and I’ll fix you some dinner.” Happily, Leroy went to work.

About 40 minutes later, Leroy appeared at the front door. “Are you finished so soon?” asked the woman. “Oh yes, ma’am,” said Leroy, “but I think you ought to know that it’s not a porch, it’s a Volvo.”

Misunderstandings can definitely create problems. I have dealt with many people who come to wrong conclusions about God because they do not understand his nature, his purposes, and his ways.

Isaiah tells us this about God’s “ways”: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

The Bible is best understood by someone who has made a commitment to Jesus as personal Savior. We make this profession of our faith based on our belief that God is a loving God, and that he provided a way for forgiveness, salvation, and freedom through the death and resurrection of his one and only Son, Jesus Christ. If ever there is a question about God’s ways and the events of our lives, we fall back on that basic belief, God is good and loving.

The story of Job in the Bible is one of suffering, as he loses his family and wealth, and thus falls into despair. How does anyone who experiences such tragedy interpret the ways of God? Well, in the process of trying to figure this out, Job has three friends who come with advice.

The first is Eliphaz (Job Chapter 4), who makes a long speech, essentially telling Job that he must be guilty of something because the innocent do not suffer such things. Job struggles with this idea, but contends that he can’t think of anything, and even if he could, it still doesn’t make sense. He wants to know why he was picked out for this.

Then comes Bildad (Job Chapter 8), who confounds Job further by asserting that God rewards good people, and therefore Job is mistaken about something. Job again mulls this over and is even more frustrated.

Finally, his friend Zophar (Job Chapter 11) gives Job a tongue-lashing rebuke, claiming all this happened because Job’s heart is not right with God.

Does any of this sound familiar? The problem with many people is that once something terrible and seemingly random strikes them, they abandon their basic assumption that God is good and loving, and has provided salvation, hope, forgiveness, and peace. Instead they assume that God is vengeful, capricious, and unfair.

To avoid adopting a misunderstanding of who God is and what he intends for us, we need to stick with that beginning assumption that brought us to Jesus. We should not come to the false conclusion that God does not love us. There must be another interpretation for the difficult events of life. We cannot let the enemy use them to lead us toward distrust and despair.

Ending today’s devotion this way seems to leave us hanging, with lots of questions for which a long discussion would be in order, but that is too much to cover today. Suffice it to say, in the long-run, sticking with our Father God, his Son the Savior, and the work of the Holy Spirit is the only approach that leads to life at its best … and certainly the only way that leads to life eternal. Like Job, we should continue the search and God will provide the answers.

Have a blessed weekend, including rest, family, and worship,

Chaplain Mark