“The Word of God is Powerful”

Bible history is fascinating and teaches us many practical as well as spiritual lessons. The prophet Nahum was sent to encourage the kingdom of Judah as they were being assaulted by the Assyrians. In particular it was the king of Nineveh who was brutal. If you think ISIS is brutal, you “ain’t seen nothing yet.” In a contest for the title of “most brutal”  Assyria would win hands down.

While Judah waits for Nahum’s prophecy to happen, God in His mercy places a righteous king, Josiah on the throne in Judah. Why did Josiah earn the reputation of a righteous king? He was transformed by the renewing of his mind through the power of the Word of God and that happens when the Holy Spirit steps in and convicts us of our sin. [Rom 12/John 16]

God’s Word pierced his heart. He “heard the words of the law scroll, and he tore his clothes,” [2Kings 22]. And like Jeremiah reminded us in ch 6, he knew he stood at a crossroads. He considered the path before him, sought wise counsel and followed through on it. The point of his story is not the discovery of the Law but that it led to a complete reformation personally and nationally. Josiah allowed God to reform his thinking and his actions and it will do the same for you. Take another example, Martin Luther. He too was transformed by the renewing of his mind when he read ““The righteous by faith will live.” He too stood at a crossroads and on Oct 31^st he nailed his 95 theses on the castle door and sparked the reformation that led to where we are today.

Both Josiah and Luther were reformed by the Word of God and it will do the same for you. But, be forewarned, when the Holy Spirit takes charge powerful things happen. King Josiah cleansed the temple, removed the idols, and deposed false teachers. Martin Luther caused the church to wake up and bring the gospel message to the people.

Are you ready for God to work in your life?

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Want Godly Children?

 It is an innate desire that we want to be known as godly parents/teachers and role models. We want and earnestly pray for godly children to be our legacy. How then does it begin and where does it begin? Paul gives us a glimpse as he writes this third chapter of 2 Timothy.

More than once Paul has commended Timothy’s mother and grandmother either directly or indirectly. It was because of Timothy’s heritage that he became who he was. Our children’s heritage, just as Timothy’s, begins at the knee of every parent where they learn godly traits. It is there that the scriptures are instilled into their lives thus fulfilling Ps 78: “tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord…” Why is this so important? It is the sacred writings/scripture that are able to give children wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. It is because scripture alone is “inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” It is scripture that prepares children to be adequate and equipped for every good work and it is scripture that prepares them to be able to handle the word of truth with accuracy.

We live in a world that seems to have gone awry. but is no different than in the time of Paul. Just read through the list of ungodly traits he lists in this chapter. It reads like the list of the worst of the worst in men and we are seeing it in living color today all across our globe. These children, now adults, are revealing the traits taught them from early on.  It is therefore imperative that parents, teachers, and other godly adults model and teach the scriptures which will help children to be able to discern good and evil. [Heb 5]. It is the scriptures that will help them to avoid people who hold to a form of godliness but deny its power, who are deceiving and being deceived. It will prepare them to stand strong should they face persecution such as the OT Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who when faced with certain death proclaimed that God could deliver but even if he did not they would refuse to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol god. It will prepare them to be like the children beheaded by ISIS just because they would not deny Jesus.

How are we doing preparing our children?

People of the Cross

This image has gone viral across the internet. The words of ISIS reverberate across our consciousness and the question arise: Are we really the people of the Cross? It is then that I recall the words of Joseph: “Gen 50:20 As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose….” What good can come out of something like this? It is this that OM Harris a blogger friend recently wrote: “We have a mandate to live in anxious anticipation, and in so doing I preach a gospel of repentance” Am I living in anxious anticipation? Do I really believe that God’s good will come from this?  That is what a true “people of the Cross” do.

This is the same message Paul left with the Ephesian elders as he met with them for the last time. “testifying …about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus….But I do not consider my life worth anything to myself, so that I may finish my task and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.” [vs 21/24]. Later Paul would write: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!” [2Ti 4:7]

But the race is not over! Until then we are the “people of the cross” with the message of truth: Jesus alone is The Way, The Truth, and The Life!  We are to be busy about testifying about the gospel message even when the wolves rear up. Remember this promise:  Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has a plan,” and it will be fulfilled. [Isa 14] Listen to these words: “Obedience is better than crumbling to the fears of speaking out.” [O.M. Harris]  Be faithful to pray that God release his angelic legions, miraculous signs and wonders so that the wolves’ mission of destruction is hindered; that they may have dreams that will convict and turn them from unbelief  to the true Messiah.  And how do we pray for ourselves? We must pray that we remain steadfast as the “people of the cross” and join Paul in saying: “I do not consider my life worth anything to myself.”

Are we truly the “people of the Cross?” That is the question of the day.