Tag Archives: Jesus

Prosperity Gospel Is Not the Gospel

I wrote this several years ago…

ChaChing!

“How To Be a Millionaire,
God’s Way”

Sound like something you’d be interested in?

Yesterday I was watching the Trinity Broadcasting Network as a program with the above title came on the air. Paula White was talking with a very astute looking pastor and they opened the discussion by answering the question: Was Jesus poor? It went something like this….

Paula- “Now, a lot of people believe that Jesus was poor…”

Pastor- (Gets a bitter beer face and shakes his head.) “No, that’s wrong. You see Jesus was a descendent of Solomon, the richest man in all the world. Now, we don’t know how much trickled down to Jesus by that time, but…”

At this point I got a bitter beer face and changed the channel. First of all Solomon had 700 wives and innumerable descendants. Secondly, the wealthy king lived over a thousand years before Jesus was born (in a stable not a palace). It is absolutely incredible the lengths these people will go to in order to justify their greed. Yes, GREED. I noticed that Paula White was also a featured speaker at a recent Get Rich Quick conference alongside Donald Trump and other notables who want your money so they can get rich.

What does the Bible really say? Was Jesus rich? Does God want all of his children to have fabulous wealth?

Let’s start with the place Jesus was born. That’s right it was a stable. Even if all of the commercial accommodations were spoken for, with all of the poverty in a small town like Bethlehem if Joseph and Mary were wealthy don’t you think that they would have been able to pay someone to let them stay at a real house? However, God wanted his son to identify with the poorest of the poor, so the Son of God was born in a feeding trough, and poor shepherds were the first to worship him. Granted, the astrologers who came to visit a year or so later were wealthy and gave kingly gifts, but these were likely used for many years to support the poor family of Jesus.

Next, what did Jesus do before He became an itinerant preacher? He was a carpenter, right? That was only a part of what he (and his “step-father” Joseph) did for a living. The word typically translated “carpenter” (from Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55) has a much broader meaning. In addition to working with wood it also referred to stone masons and other laborers. It is very probable that Joseph and Jesus and his brothers (like James, the author of the New Testament epistle of the same name) were skilled laborers. Why would Jesus need to work, especially in such a lowly capacity, if he had any of Solomon’s wealth?

Additionally, when one considers Jesus’ and James’s affinity for the poor and disdain for the rich (ie. Luke 6:20-25, and James 5:1-3), it is easy to see that they did not come from old money (or new money for that matter).

Then, let’s look at what Jesus said about his living conditions during his ministry.
“And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’” (Luke 9:58, ESV).
The scripture also tells us that Jesus ministry was supported by women (Luke 8:3). This would likely have been considered rather shameful in that day, and quite unnecessary if he was a rich man.

Next, if Jesus family was rich, why wasn’t Jesus held in high esteem in his home town? In Nazareth they were amazed the son of a skilled laborer could speak so eloquently. Then they were not afraid to try stoning Jesus, which would not be the case if Jesus and his family were wealthy. See Luke 4:16-30.

Why did Joseph of Arimathea have to bury his body? If Jesus family was wealthy, they would have had their own tomb. See John 19:38-42.

While he was on the cross, Jesus gave care of his mother to John the beloved disciple. Why? Women had little or no ability to earn an income in that day. Apparently Joseph was deceased, since he is not mentioned in any Gospel after Jesus reaches adulthood. The last we hear of Joseph is related to the incident at Jerusalem when his parents lost track of him at age 12 (Luke 2:41-52). However, Jesus did have brothers, as I mentioned in the article (check Mark 6:3). If the family was wealthy there would be no need to get an outsider to take care of Mary. Jesus family was not wealthy, but John’s family probably was. The most significant evidence of this has to do with the fact that John was known to the High Priest (John 18:15). The office of High Priest was occupied by the wealthy; in fact, it was so important that bribery had gotten some into office. Wealthy people don’t pay attention to poor people or give them easy access to their homes. But John walked right into the High Priest’s courtyard. Addtionally, James and John of Zebedee, along with Peter and Andrew owned a fishing business. All of this to say, John was financially secure, as well as being Jesus closest friend on earth, so he gave the son of Zebedee charge of Mary (see John 19:26-27). This would not be necessary if Jesus family was wealthy.

Now, let’s look at some things Jesus said about wealth. First, there is the passage from Luke referred to above.
“And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh….’
‘But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. “Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way’” (Luke 6:20-21 & 24-25, ESV).

Sound like a teacher who’s trying to help us all become millionaires?

How about the story Jesus told about a man who likely was a millionaire in that day. The story is about a very successful farmer who had a bumper crop year:
“And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry”’ (Luke 12:17-19, ESV).
The man wasn’t evil, just very satisfied with himself. He trusted his wealth to give him what he wanted out of life. What did Jesus say about the man in the story?
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20, ESV).

“Ah,” Paula and the pastor may say, “but with the parable Jesus is trying to teach us not to idolize wealth.” True.

In the ancient world there is a very interesting word for “wealth.” The word is “mammon.” In the Greek it refers to money. However, “Mammon” originated as an Aramaic name for a god whom people worshiped. Jesus used the Greek term during His Sermon on the Mount in a warning against idolatry. The word is translated “wealth” in the ESV and “money” in other English translations.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew 6:24, ESV).

I believe that Paula White and many others like Creflo Dollar (not the pastor who was with her on the above named program but an unabashedly prosperity oriented preacher) are misleading people with an unbalanced, and at times unscriptural, message about wealth. Jesus was not rich, but he repeatedly warned the rich about the lure of wealth. Even the pursuit of it may become an idol. The possession of money often becomes a distraction before it turns into an idol.

The Apostle Paul gave clear warnings as well:
“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1st Timothy 6:3-10, ESV).

I am not seeking to be like the ones the Apostle mentioned in the passage above, who are interested in stirring up controversy. However, I do want to set the record straight. Jesus was not rich. It is not God’s will that everyone become wealthy. In fact, wealth (even a little of it) often leads people away from God. I am not saying money is evil, but I am saying what the Apostle Paul said above, “love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.” If you long for wealth and wonder why God hasn’t given it to you, you have your answer in your longing. Seek God first (Matthew 6:33). Don’t seek God so you can get a big paycheck, a successful business, a nicer house or car. No, the Presence of God, who is the Holy Spirit, is the reward (John 14:16-17, 16:7, Isaiah 62:11).

If God gives you success and money, use that to feed the poor and send the Gospel out to a lost and dying world. It isn’t for you! I saw the wedding of a prominent “prophetess” on TBN several months back. Now, having done a few weddings myself I could recognize that easily over a million dollars was spent on this event. Additionally, the rings she was given were the biggest, gaudiest diamonds I’ve ever seen at any wedding (live or tv, celebrity or royalty). Did this honor God. I don’t believe so, even though the wedding was a big time Christian affair with A-list Christian celebrities in attendance.”

I am reminded of something Jesus said.
And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’
“Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:6-8, ESV).
Interestingly, the context of Jesus’ comment above related to money as well. We cannot introduce our longing for wealth into Scripture and make the Bible say what we want it to say. Leave the Get Rich Quick conferences with all of their earthly principles for getting rich to the world. Stop using God for greed. For such practices false teachers will be judged, and I ain’t the judge.

I’m not telling you that everything Paula White says is un-scriptural, nor Creflo Dollar. I am saying that this practice of using God to seek wealth is wrong. Misusing Scripture to make people believe that giving to your ministry will make them wealthy is chicanery of the highest order. Don’t be fooled, friends!

It is right to give, but it won’t necessarily make you anything close to a millionaire. If you give wisely of your time, talent and money, it will open you up so that God can give you more gifts to give (and that includes money).
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38, ESV).

Most importantly, when you give it helps your church, the poor and those truly in need. TBN also features James Robison, whose ministry feeds and gives water to the poor in extremely needy areas (our church has given to his ministry on two occasions). God is watching and we’ll be judged for what we do with what we have. Those of you who give consistently know: it really is more blessed to give than to receive.

The Spiderman Sermon!

Spiderman: Brand New Day

1- Movie begins by showing how Spidey is a hero who has been successfully fighting criminals in NY non-stop for several years.

2- His identity as Peter Parker is unknown to everyone, except one new mystery villain.

3- Peter has no friends or family now. His Aunt May was killed, and everyone’s memory of his identity as Spiderman has been erased by Dr. Strange.

4- Spiderman used to have close friends who knew is true identity.

5- He tries to keep up with his former girlfriend MJ and his buddy Ned by following their Insta stories. But Peter is lonely.

6- Spiderman’s body is undergoing changes due to the changes to the spider DNA within him.

a) This gives him even greater spider powers: heightened senses, greater agility, more powerful web shooting ability.

b) The problem is, he can’t control this. It gives him a tremendous headache. He passes out at times.

c) He discovers that his constant stress in fighting bad guys, coupled with his lack of interpersonal relationships is contributing to the pain and lack of control.

7- Peter finds a way to superficially reconnect with his friends, but they don’t know that they used to be his friends.

Application to you.

1- You are a hero.

a) You work hard.

b) You take care of your family.

c) You try to do good and help people.

2- Perhaps you don’t see yourself as a hero, and sadly others may not recognize this either.

3- Have you lost connection to loved ones?

4- Are you working so long and hard that you have limited quality time with friends and family?

5- Do you feel lonely?

6- Does it seem that you aren’t recognized or rewarded for your efforts?

7- Are you going through changes in your life?

a) Physical and social changes associated with adolescence, adulthood, or middle age.

b) Changes in your health.

c) Changes related to your job.

8- Are you facing difficult challenges in your life?

9- God has supplied the possibility of relationships to carry you through changes, challenges, and difficult times.

You need three types of relationship in your life:

Family, Friends, Fellowship

Conspicuously absent: Followers & Fans

A) Family.

More than a group of people co-existing in the same house.
You need to work on family relationships.
First, with your spouse, then your kids, and even with your extended family.
This requires quality time, wherein you pay attention, communicate, and share.
If you are without connection to family; remember, God promises to provide, so seek.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” (Psalm 68:5–6, NIV84)

When you give your life to Christ, you become part of His family!

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—” (John 1:12, NIV84)

Have family members have abandoned you, or you have had to leave them behind because of your Christian faith. You have a new family now!

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29, NIV84)

B) Friendship.

Not familiar faces, aquantances, or social media friends; not coworkers, classmates, or like minded members of your political tribe, not fickle friends, or an object of your lust.

You need a few genuine, trustworthy friends:

Qualities of a Good Friendship: Freedom, Likeness, Respect, Communication, Honesty, Trust, Loyalty

You need to have friends you trust so that you can take off your mask.
You need to spend quality time with close friends regularly.
You need accountability and support from your trusted friends.
Jesus is the friend who will always be with you.

“Look, I will be with you always, to the end of the age!” (Matt. 28:20).

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24, NIV84)

The Holy Spirit lives within you when you put faith in Jesus. He is your Counselor, Comforter, Helper and Guide.

“How much more will your Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13)
“the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17, NIV84)

Jesus didn’t send the disciples out alone; they went out two by two.

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.” (Luke 10:1, NIV84)

C) Fellowship. Jesus established the church to surround you with Christian family and friends.

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25, NIV84)

10- To be in fellowship with the Lord is to be in fellowship with other believers.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7, NIV84)

11- Are you consistently involved in a local Bible believing church?

a) Consistency is key.

b) Involvement is essential— not just attendance. Participate in church!

c) The word translated “fellowship” refers to involvement and sharing with other Christians.

κοινωνία: an association involving close mutual relations and involvement—‘close association, fellowship.

d) We need each other even more when life gets tough.

The Apostles’ Creed Introduction

Apostles’ Creed Teaching Points

1- Pastor D believes the Apostles’ Creed to be the best brief ancient summary of what C.S. Lewis wrote about at length in his book Mere Christianity.

“Ever since I became a Christian I have thought that the best, perhaps the only, service I could do for my unbelieving neighbors was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times…. what Baxter calls ‘mere’ Christianity.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

2- Pastor D will venture to make the case that the Apostles’ Creed is a trustworthy summary of what Jude calls “the faith once for all passed down to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)

3- Each point made in the Apostles’ Creed is clearly backed up in the inspired Bible, which is where we must always go to determine the authority, authenticity and value of any statement of faith, even one as universally accepted and ancient as this creed.

4- Pastor D will use the Apostles’ Creed as the basic outline for the teaching series: What We Believe and Why We Believe It.

5- To be sure, there are those who would call themselves “Christian” who may reject various statements in the Apostles’ Creed.

a) “And this is true even of those articles which have been most assailed in recent times, as the supernatural conception of our Lord (comp. Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:35), the descent into Hades (comp. Luke 23:43; Acts 2:31; 1 Pet. 3:19; 4:6), and the resurrection of the body (1 Cor. 15:20 sqq., and other places)….’ (ibid. Schaff)

b) The Apostles’ Creed is so basic, so biblical, and so closely aligned with the teaching of the primitive church that we may reasonably question the authenticity of the faith of those who deny any part of it.

“The rationalistic opposition to the Apostles’ Creed and its use in the churches is therefore an indirect attack upon the New Testament itself.” (ibid. Schaff)

Apostles’ Creed (updated language)

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary

Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hades

The third day he rose again from the dead

He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead

I believe in the Holy Spirit

I believe a holy universal church; the communion of saints

The forgiveness of sins

The resurrection of the body

And the life eternal. Amen

Get God In Your Face!

1- From the time Moses met the LORD at the burning bush, they were in constant contact.

2- Moses was a prophet, relating the LORD’s message, and a priest, mediating between the people of Israel and the LORD.

3- Moses’ communion with the LORD is the defining characteristic of his life.

4- The LORD spoke to Moses “face to face,” indicating a personal relationship.

“So the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” (Exodus 33:11, NASB 2020)

“Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,” (Deuteronomy 34:10, NASB 2020)

5- Moses did not want to go anywhere apart from the LORD.

“Then he said to Him, ‘If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.’” (Exodus 33:15, NASB 2020)

6- Moses wanted to see the LORD’s glory.

“Then Moses said, ‘Please, show me Your glory!’ And He said, ‘I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.’ He further said, ‘You cannot see My face, for mankind shall not see Me and live!’ Then the LORD said, ‘Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.’” (Exodus 33:18–23, NASB 2020)

A) As you can see, Moses didn’t literally see the LORD’s face. He saw a symbolic form of the LORD.

“Now hear My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will make Myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. It is not this way for My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My household; With him I speak mouth to mouth, That is, openly, and not using mysterious language, And he beholds the form of the LORD.” (Numbers 12:6–8, NASB 2020)

B) The Bible teaches us that no one has ever seen God in a physical form, except through Jesus.

“No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1:18, NASB 2020)

C) It is likely that the the form of the LORD Moses saw was a theophany, which is a pre-appearance of Christ.

D) The only way anyone may know the LORD personally is through His Son, Jesus.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, except through Me” (John 14:6).

7- Whenever Moses spent time in the presence of the LORD, you could see it on his face.

“And it came about, when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.” (Exodus 34:29)

8- Moses put a veil over his face when he finished speaking to the people, and would leave it there until he met with the LORD again.

So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him.” (Exodus 34:29–35, NASB 2020)

9- The Apostle Paul made the point that this practice of Moses demonstrates the fading glory of the Old Covenant.

“and we are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away.” (2 Corinthians 3:13, NASB 2020)

10- Lessons for us:

A) Seek to be in the presence of God. Nothing else compares.

B) Never go anywhere or do anything apart from the Lord’s direction.

C) Put your faith in Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit. He will never leave you.

D) Don’t look for a physical form, or try to hear a voice in your ears. The Holy Spirit speaks to your spirit directly.

E) “Stop listening for a voice; look for a verse.” -Rick Warren The Bible is God’s primary means of communication to us. Read it and ask the Lord to apply it to your life.

F) Get God in your face!

Make communion with the Lord the defining characteristic of your life.

Spend time in the Bible,
and in worship.
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)
“Be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18)
“Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.” (Gal 5:16).
People will sense a difference in you, and maybe even see the glow on your face!

“Let your light so shine before people that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

Don’t Miss Out on Your Reward for Serving the Lord!

1- Moses had to lead a multitude of doubting, disbelieving rebels, who often complained, yearned to return to slavery in Egypt, and even threatened to stone him and Aaron.

10 Times Israel Grumbled Against God & Moses

(Acc. to NASB text note)

Exodus 5:21, 14:11, 15:24, 16:2, 17:2, 3, 32:1,

Numbers 11:1, 4, 12:1, 14:2

2- When they got to the edge of the Promised Land, they disbelieved and refused to enter and fight.

“So why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt!”” (Numbers 14:3–4, NASB 2020)

3- Moses would rightly feel great frustration at this point. Did he feel like a failure as a leader?

4- The Lord threatened to destroy all of the people and start again with Moses.

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will this people be disrespectful to Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst? I will strike them with plague and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.’” (Numbers 14:11–12, NASB 2020)

5- Moses interceded for the people (once again), appealing to the reputation of YHWH.

“Please forgive the guilt of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your mercy, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.’” (Numbers 14:19, NASB 2020)

6- The Lord relented, but pronounced judgment: the children of Israel would remain in the desert for 40 more years, until all the fighting men who rejected the Lord died.

“So the Lord said, “I have forgiven them in accordance with your word; however, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. Certainly all the people who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who were disrespectful to Me see it.” (Numbers 14:20–23, NASB 2020)

“In accordance with the number of days that you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall suffer the punishment for your guilt a year, that is, forty years, and you will know My opposition. I, the Lord, have spoken, I certainly will do this to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. They shall be worn out in this wilderness, and there they shall die.” (Numbers 14:34–35, NASB 2020)

7- Moses would now have to continue leading this people in the desert for 40 years!

8- Eventually, Moses got to a breaking point. In frustration and with a sense of entitlement, he took credit for miraculously providing water for the people.

“‘Take the staff; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it shall yield its water. So you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and have the congregation and their livestock drink.’ So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock. And he said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’ Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank.” (Numbers 20:8–11, NASB 2020)

9- The Lord performed the miracle through Moses, but was not pleased with His servant and pronounced judgment: Moses and Aaron would not enter the Promised Land.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Since you did not trust in Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, for that reason you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’” (Numbers 20:12)

10- When the 40 years ended, Moses pleaded with the Lord to let him enter and experience the land. The Lord refused, but allowed Moses go to the top of a mountain and see it.

“I also pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours? Please let me cross over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that good hill country, and Lebanon.’ But the Lord was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me; instead, the Lord said to me, ‘Enough! Do not speak to Me any more about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and raise your eyes to the west, the north, the south, and the east, and see it with your eyes; for you shall not cross over this Jordan.’” (Deuteronomy 3:23–27, NASB 2020)

11- Lessons for us:

A) God has promises and a plan for your life.

If you pursue your own plans and desires you will miss out on the much greater life God offers.

B) If you give up and turn your back on God, you will miss out on the eternal Promised Land, which is heaven.

C) Sometimes leading people can be frustrating.

What do you do when you are disrespected, unappreciated or under-appreciated?

Seek the Lord and His reward!

1- Don’t demand respect; be respectful and respectable.

2- Don’t give them what they’re giving you, but what you want them to give you.

3- Be merciful and gracious, not judgmental.

4- Don’t walk away, but pray for them.

D) Entitlement is dangerous. That is when we say, “I deserve _________.”

E) Don’t take credit for what God has given, or done in and through you.

1- Even all of your hard work results from the gifts and talents God has created in you.

“What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7, NASB 2020)

2- Your reward comes from the Lord, not people!

a) Don’t seek human recognition.

b) Don’t seek sympathy for your hardship.

c) Don’t seek financial renumeration.

d) Don’t seek promotion.

e) Don’t seek ease.

f) Don’t give up!

3- If you seek earthly rewards, you may put yourself under discipline from the Lord, and miss out on experiencing what He offers!

4- “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be aded to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33).

5- Turn your back on the world and follow Jesus for His promised rewards!

“Peter began to say to Him, ‘Behold, we have left everything and have followed You.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.’” (Mark 10:28–30, NASB 2020)

6- Let humble service to the Lord be its own reward.

“So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’” (Luke 17:10, NASB 2020)

Enter God’s Rest

Read Hebrews 4:1-11

“Wherever rest appears in 3:1 to 4:11, it refers to an experience of salvation we enter by faith in Jesus Christ.” (Tommy Lea, Holman NT Commentary on Hebrews).

The Sabbath is a symbol. The day has meaning beyond itself. That meaning has been fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17 & John 19:30), who is Lord over the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). We will realize it when we rest in Him.

The Sabbath was a perpetual reminder to the Jews to trust YHWH. “Cease striving and know that I am God.” The psalmist wrote that for Israel to sing (Psalm 46:10). Stop striving to please God on your own; instead, rest in Christ. He pleases the Heavenly Father. You and I fall short, even when we are at our best. Trust Him to care for you; trust Him to forgive you when you fail. Follow Jesus and obey Him by all means, but do so as the result of an active faith, not as an attempt to win his favor. His favor is given freely when you have faith.

The Pharisees never figured that out. Instead, they made the Sabbath a legalistic nightmare of rules to keep people from work, which caused plenty of strife and unrest. Ironic. Obviously, that is not why God established the Sabbath. As Jesus clearly stated, “God made the Sabbath for man and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

Sunday is not the same as the OT Law Sabbath. Saturday is. Our present passage is not teaching Christians to observe the Sabbath as a special day, be it Saturday or Sunday. It is leading us to understand the purpose behind the Sabbath, to enter God’s rest.

As those who are in Christ, we leave behind our striving to please God because we believe that Jesus Christ, who dwells within us, has fully pleased His Father. Therefore, we are pleasing to God as our Father, so long as we remain in Christ. We enter this rest by trusting Christ’s completed work at Calvary. “It is finished.” My salvation was bought with His precious blood. There is nothing more for me to add. Death was conquered. There is nothing more for me to fear. I am under Christ’s authority. There is no law for me to keep. I am already justified, made right positionally, even before I begin to produce the fruit of righteousness.

So, do not harden your hearts and go back to the old way of seeking to live a holy life on your own to please God. Legalism kills. You can never be holy enough for the Holy One. Trusting Him and admitting His Spirit into your heart, which is the inner chamber of your life, will make you holy. Do not doubt the love and goodness of your Heavenly Father when you are going through trouble. Trust Him to protect, and provide as He did for His people in the wilderness. That is rest.

Finally, realize that the Promised Land itself was the ultimate rest for the Israelites. That is what the author of Hebrews is speaking of here. When we strive to please God, we tend to make Him promises: “O, God, I’ll do this for You if you’ll just bless me.” “O, God protect me from this tornado,” or “from these terrorists, and I’ll serve you.” That is not New Covenant religion! God has made the promises. Discover them and trust Him to fulfill His own word. Jesus has promised, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these other things will be done for you” (Matthew 6:33), and “If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). Put your hope in these promises. Begin to ask and seek and knock (Matt. 7:7-11, Luke 11:9-10), and rest in the faith that your good and loving God will answer your prayer and give you “above and beyond all that you can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

You enter the Lord’s rest by faith. “This faith demands a dependence on God’s work instead of on our own works.” (Tommy Lea, ibid.) When you “believe in yourself,” rather than trusting God, then you will fall short of His rest. You will either start making up your own rules, or striving to keep your understanding of the Bible’s teaching on your own. This is not the way to live the life of a Christian as God designed it to be. Rule oriented religion is common; it is very human. We are competitive. We seek to perform, to earn. We want to deserve good things. The Gospel is nothing like this. Christ offers justification, being made right with God because of His sacrifice. Christ offers a free gift of eternal life if we will receive it by faith. Then we live our lives in gratitude for what the Lord has done. We are transformed by grace and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The fallen human nature is replaced with a spiritual one: I am reborn by the work of the Holy Spirit, and I begin to produce good works organically. Religion is inherently artificial. Genuine Christian life is supernatural, sustained by the Spirit of God. In Christ I don’t fear, I don’t strive, I am kept from falling or failing. That is rest.

When I have financial needs, I am stressed. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Interestingly, the Greek word translated daily may mean tomorrow’s bread, which I pray for today. The idea would be that I don’t worry about tomorrow, as Jesus plainly says (Matt. 6:34). Instead, seek His kingdom and righteousness and trust him to provide everything you need (Matt. 6:33). That is rest.

Never Take Revenge

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19–21, ESV)

We are living in a revenge culture. Witness the ever present “revenge porn” found online. It seems everywhere I turn, whether to those on the Right or Left, there are people angry at something someone has done to them (real or imagined).

A very visible example at the moment is the murder of Charlie Kirk, a Conservative debater, speaker and organizer. He was a gentle, but unrelenting and persuasive, even provocative promoter of Conservative political ideas. He was also an outspoken and unapologetic Bible believing Christian. He had great impact on college campuses, most of which have become bastions of Leftist ideals. He made enemies on the Left, and one of them murdered him in cold blood in the middle of one of his college appearances in Utah. This is likely seen as revenge by many of his political opponents and detractors, who hated him for what he stood for. I was not a Charlie Kirk fanboy, but I did appreciate his incisive and intelligent answers to college students who asked questions at his meetings. In the wake of Charlie’s murder, what should his friends and followers do?

What would Charlie do?

I don’t believe Charlie Kirk would seek revenge. He would seek to dialog with those who approve the actions of his assassin. That’s what he always did: have a conversation; ask questions; speak truth.

What would Jesus do?

Pray for the assassin. Offer forgiveness. Show undeserving love to those who celebrate this evil act.

What I see is Conservatives rejoicing over people losing their jobs because of impulsive social media posts. If you’re a Christian, a real one who follows Jesus, stop. Pray for these people.

What should genuine Christians do when we are the recipients of evil and injustice?

Leave it to the wrath of God. God is love, AND God is just. Only almighty God can dispense perfect, righteous justice to those who perpetrate evil.

“It is appointed for everyone once to die, and then comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27)

“We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10).

My anger doesn’t achieve God’s righteousness (James 1:20)

Jesus took upon himself the entirety of Almighty God’s righteous wrath against sin at the cross. As a result, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from that wrath, saved from eternal destruction in hell. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

Since I have been forgiven by God, I am commanded to offer forgiveness to anyone who has offended or harmed me. I am not justifying their hatred, harm or sin. I am giving them over to God. I will not take revenge. However, if that person rejects Christ and clings to their evil, they will pay the penalty for what they’ve done to me and others. It is imperative that we who claim Christ as our Lord, act like it. We must act like Jesus.

I saw a video of a march honoring Charlie Kirk the night of his death. An individual rode through it on an electric scooter (I believe) shouting disrespectful remarks. A mob knocked him off the scooter and began beating him. That is exactly what Jesus forbids. That is what Paul is speaking against. That did not honor Charlie Kirk. In fact, it plays right into the hands of his Leftist detractors, making them feel justified in their hatred.

At the root of revenge culture is self-righteousness. I am good; I am right; you are wrong; you have offended and harmed me, so I will harm you back. Justice demands an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, so I will poke out your eye or knock out your teeth. The trouble with this is, “there is none righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10/Psa 14:3), so I am hypocritical to hit back in anger. Revenge never ends. Soon enough we find ourselves in a blind and toothless world.

In reality, you may be right and I may be wrong, but only God can condemn anyone. However, the good news is: “there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). So, we all need to get right with God by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. My response to being offended and harmed must be love. Jesus gave practical application to this command to love your enemy.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38–42, ESV)

Jesus tells us how to overcome evil with good: Love your enemies.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43–48, ESV)

So, “Love your enemies and drive ‘em nuts!”

MANdate

Four things men are made to be and do from Genesis 2.

1. Protect & Serve

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.
Genesis 2:15-17 (NIV)

עָבַד
ʽâbad

1) to work, serve
1a1) to labour, work, do work
1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour
1a3) to serve as subjects
1a4) to serve (God)
1a5) to serve (with Levitical service)
Part of Speech: verb

Men are made for meaningful work.

Without meaningful work the mind and hands of a man wander
into evil places.

Without meaningful work a man will become depressed.

Men are made to serve.

Self serving behavior will always lack fulfillment for a man.

Men are no good without a Master.

Without a Master we are rogue warriors,
ronin,
angry, violent, unfulfilled troublemakers.

A man works to serve his wife,
but she is not his Master.

A man works to serve his children,
but they are not his Master.

A man works to serve his friends, his church, his neighbors, humankind, but none of these is his Master.

A man must submit to worthy superiors,
but no man is worthy enough to be the Master.

Jesus Christ is the Master.

שָׁמַר
shâmar
1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
1a3) to watch for, wait for
1a4) to watch, observe
1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)
1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain
1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)
1a8) to keep, preserve, protect
1a9) to keep, reserve
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be on one’s guard, take heed, take care, beware
1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain
1b3) to be kept, be guarded
1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed
1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from
Part of Speech: verb

Men are made to keep watch and protect.

Men must first guard their hearts from evil, duplicity and temptation.

“Guard your heart,
for from it flow the springs of life”
(Proverbs 4:23).

A man must watch over his own attitude and behavior.

“Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established”
(Proverbs 4:26, NASB).

A man must watch his mouth.

“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin”
(Proverbs 13:3).

Only after he has guarded himself from evil is a man capable to protect his family and friends.

It is precisely at this point that Adam failed Eve,
and we are the worst for it.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Genesis 3:6 (NIV)

Adam failed to guard his wife.

Instead of watching over her, he just stood by and watched the devil take her captive with lies.

Men of God, you must not follow Adam!

Protect your wife, your family and your friends
by speaking the truth in love
(Ephesians 4:15).

This may make you unpopular in your home or with your friends, but they will thank you in the end.

Of course, this assumes you’ve disciplined yourself to learn the truth of Christ and live by it.

2. Decide & Lead

“Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 2:18-19 (NIV)

Men are made to define, determine, make decisions.

It is not a lack of intelligence which keeps a man from making a decision, but a lack of determination and courage.

A man lacks determination who believes strongly in nothing beyond himself.

Our problem right now is too many men have grown up without strong Christ centered fathers and grandfathers.

We live in a world filled with pusillanimous boy-men.

Pusillanimous
Pu`sil*lan”i*mous\, a. [L. pusillannimis; pusillus very little (dim. of pusus a little boy; cf. puer a boy, E. puerile) + animus the mind: cf. F. pusillanime. See Animosity.]

1. Destitute of a manly or courageous strength and firmness of mind; of weak spirit; mean-spirited; spiritless; cowardly; — said of persons, as, a pussillanimous prince.

2. Evincing, or characterized by, weakness of mind, and want of courage; feeble; as, pusillanimous counsels. “A low and pusillanimous spirit.” –Burke.

Syn: Cowardly; dastardly; mean-spirited; fainthearted; timid; weak; feeble.

Where are the real men?

Where are the men of God?

Men, we must submit to the Son of God,
and His Father will become our own.

Then we will begin to be what we were meant to be.

Men are meant to lead.

“For Adam was formed first, then Eve”
(1st Timothy 2:13).

The leader goes first to chart the course.

The leader goes first to protect those following him.

The leader offers the first and the best to God.

The leader is first to look after the needs of his followers, and last to meet his own needs and desires.

“Rather, let sthe greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves”
(Luke 22:26, ESV).

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”
(Matthew 18:4).

“The greatest among you shall be your servant”
(Matthew 23:11, ESV).

As an example, the husband is called to love his wife sacrificially,
“as Christ loves the church and gave himself up for her”
(Ephesians 5:25).

A Christlike leader never strives to focus attention on himself.

A Christlike leader makes no selfish demands.

A Christlike leader doesn’t have to enforce his leadership with threats of force or pleading for obedience.

A Christlike leader is first of all a follower.

“Follow me as I follow Christ”
(1 Corinthians 11:1).

If you will not follow, you will be a poor leader.

Jesus Christ is our role model, men.

He is everything we are supposed to be.

Make the decision to follow the One who called himself
“Son of Man”
starting right now.

Jesus Is God, Accept No Substitutes

Jesus Christ is one with God the Father. In Christ “all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

Biblical Christians cannot accept any denomination, religion, doctrine or leader who will say otherwise.

–The ancient gnostics refused to believe that Jesus could be a flesh and blood man, and refused to accept that all the fullness of the Creator of the universe lived within him.

–The Jews refused to accept that Jesus Christ was one with God the Father, and rejected him as Messiah.

–Islam rejects Jesus claim to be one with God the Father. It is an offence to call Jesus the Son of God. They teach that he is a prophet, lower than Muhammed. The Koran teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross. Nevertheless, Muslims believe one thing that is true. Jesus will return to earth. What they do not recognize is that without Jesus death and resurrection no one can enter heaven (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).

–Mormons do not accept the truth that Jesus is one with God the Father. Indeed, this false religion is so metaphysically confused and theologically wrong that there is little to find agreement on, even though they would have you believe that they are worshipping the same God and believing in the same Jesus.

For the Mormon the incarnation is no big deal because they are taught human beings are made of the “same stuff” as God, whom they call Elohim. Of course Jesus is “fully God and fully man” because every man can become a God. “Divinity is the full maturity of humanity.” (http://lehislibrary.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/lds-christology-trinitarian-christology-a-comparison/)

For the Mormon, the God of our world is one of many gods throughout the universe. He is a physical being. He was once a man. Jesus is the physical offspring of this god, the result of Elohim having intercourse with Mary. Jesus is but one savior among many in the universe, since each world likely requires a savior.

The truth is Mormonism is a lie inspired and led by the god of this world, whose name is not Elohim. The god of this world is the father of lies. His name is Satan. He is blinding the eyes of many today. He is successfully misleading many Christians.

“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44, ESV).

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

“For false christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24, ESV).

This is why it is imperative that we hold to the truth that Jesus Christ is absolutely unique. He is the One and Only Son of the One and Only God.

“He is the image of the invisible God. The firstborn of all creation. In him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, rulers or authorities– all things were made through him and for him. And he is before all things and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent…. In him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily” (Colossians 1:15-19 & 2:9).

Church Is/Is Not Essential

Remember the pandemic? Of course you do. Remember when we all were commanded to “shelter inside”? Well, you could go outside if the government determined that what you were going to do what “essential.” Was your job deemed essential? What activities could you participate in during those dark days? Well, you could go to the store to get food; that was considered essential. You couldn’t go to a friend’s house if it meant there would be too many people (usually over 10). You could go to the liquor store; because, you know, alcohol is essential. In places like Colorado I believe the marijuana shops were open. You could go to Walmart, but in at least one state you couldn’t go to the garden section and buy seeds or tools to grow your own food. In fact, in my Walmart experience during the shutdowns, there were quite a few people who were meandering up and down the aisles—at least six feet apart, of course.

In many states churches were not considered essential and you couldn’t worship together. This lasted long after the official shutdowns. Church is just not essential, apparently. Better for us all to worship quietly in the safety of our homes. So, many churches learned to stream. Many people tuned in, kind of. In my observation of the statistics that Youtube provides, the average watch time for a 70 minute worship service was a little over 20 minutes. Yeah, church is really not essential, even to those who would say it is.

Now, we’re a good ways past shutdowns, masks, vaccinations, and church is still not essential to many people, even those who were once faithful participants in their respective local congregations. I’ve seen about one third of my congregation (or more!) who attend quite sporadically, or who have stopped coming altogether. Church is not essential to them.

Jesus thought church was essential, however. He established it. Let’s define church to understand exactly what Jesus intended. The Greek word translated “church” in the New Testament is ekklesia (yes, we get our English word “ecclesiatical” from it). Ekklesia could literally be translated “the called out.” God calls His people out of the world, and He calls them together to worship. Implicit in the idea of church is gathering together regularly. The people of Israel did this in the temple and in their local synagogues. From the beginning Christians gathered in the temple and in homes.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42, CSB)
“Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,” (Acts 2:46, CSB)
Yes, they did this more than just once a week. In fact, they gathered daily. Church was essential to them. God blessed these gatherings greatly. People were saved, healed, delivered from evil. They shared their worldly possessions. This essential church didn’t diminish but exploded with new members.
“Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them. Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” (Acts 5:12–16, CSB)
Church is still essential, regardless of what our godless government, and many faithless, consumer oriented Christians say or do. We are warned to continue meeting together, not for the sake of habit, but to worship and serve our Lord, and to encourage one another.
“And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
(Hebrews 10:24–25, CSB)
This is not possible when we are apart. It is not possible if you’re watching on your TV or computer or mobile device. We must gather. We must do this regularly. Church is essential. If you are a genuine believer in Jesus Christ, if Jesus is your Lord, you need to be involved in a local church weekly. Church is essential. If you neglect church, you’re simply living in disobedience to the Lord you claim to follow. Get back this week, participate, volunteer, and be consistent.

Pastor Darryl Hall

Quid est veritas?