Dedication and Temptation

Today’s reading was Matthew 3:1-4:11.  These passages talk about the ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ temptation by Satan.  These events preceded the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and were necessary for Him to be able to begin proclaiming the Gospel message.  

I am struck by John’s dedication to his calling and the message he was given.  John was the fulfillment of old testament prophecy of  “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3).  His parents were told that he would be the one to announce the coming of the Messiah.  John lived a life that was dedicated to the simple declaration the Messiah was coming!  He included in his message a call for repentance, for the people to turn away from sin and turn to God.  He was not afraid of delivering this message to anyone.  He even called out the religious leaders of the day, blasting the hypocrisy of their message compared to their lifestyle as destructive to the people of Israel.  However strong his message and however large his following, John knew who he was and what he was about, for he immediately yielded to Jesus when the Christ appeared before him.

Jesus Himself was obedient to God the Father by going to John for baptism.  His was not a baptism of repentance.  He had committed no sin, and so needed no such action.  However, it was a baptism of identification, to let the world know that He was the long-awaited Messiah come to the people.

Finally, in Christ’s temptation, Jesus gave us the ultimate guide on how to handle temptation.  He fought Satan’s attacks with one weapon - the Word of God.  Each time Satan hit Him with a challenge, physical gratification, earthly treasures, or selfish action, Jesus quoted scripture that countered what Satan was trying to do.  He came out of the encounter with His body, His spirit, his integrity, and His perfection intact.  He walked with God through the trials by the very Word that He wrote and lived!  

Take the time each day to get into God’s written word so that you can know the Living Word, Jesus Christ!  It will change your life!

Searching for Jesus

An observation from from my bible reading today:

I read Matthew 2:1-12.  This passage details the visit of the magi to the young child Jesus.  Perhaps as much as a year and a half had passed since His birth, and these men had traveled from a country far to the east to see the child who was born king of the Jews.  What a trip for pagan men to undertake to worship a child that would have no direct authority over them, at least not as an earthly king.

Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."

These pagan men, who had dedicated their lives to watching the stars, had seen evidence of the Creator in the created.  They had acknowledged God, heeded His call, and, following His leading, searched and found Jesus!  

Now, I don't know if I will ever see these men in heaven.  I hope I do, because I would like to ask them questions about how they heard God call, and what it was like that day in Bethlehem when they worshiped Christ and gave Him their gifts.  But  I do know this - these men knew that they needed to find Jesus!  What a great realization to come to!  If you have never met Jesus, I pray that you would see God's irrefutable evidence that He  exists, and heed the call to come meet Jesus!

Trials by Fire

How do you approach God?

People have asked and tried to answer that question for many years.  Today I was given a very vivid reminder of how simple the answer is.  Today, sometime before 5:30 a.m., the education wing of our church building was engulfed by fire, damaging a large part of the building on both floors, and leaving the rest of the complex a smoky mess.  As of now, we can't use any of this building.  This fire has disrupted today's activities, and it has disrupted future plans.  This evening, I was able to walk through the building with my pastor, Rob Ray.  This is what I saw.



As you are walking through our gym from the undamaged area to the place where the fire started, this is what you see just to the left of the doorway leading into the hallway.  The wooden doors that were here were shut.  All that is left of them is the handles.  This is the place where the fire burned first and hottest. This cross apparently was on the wall behind the carpet and padding that had been placed on the wall.  As the fire burned away the carpet, the cross was revealed.  No one at the church knew this cross was here until today.  I thought it was quite a stunning picture - first you encounter the cross, then you encounter the fire!

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (I Peter 2:24)




This tapestry is hanging in the lobby directly off the gym.  Every surface in this room is black with soot.  You can see that at the bottom of the picture.  Every light fixture was melted or broken.  You could not see through the doors and windows in the room.  But this picture was perfectly clean.  It is a crocheted print of the Lord's Prayer.  It is as clean as the day that the picture was hung, which was at least 6 years ago, because it has been there as long as I have been a member of this church.  The frame is not dirty, burned, or nicked.  The print itself is white.  This print reminds us through the words of Jesus that God will provide for us and will protect us through all of life's trials, even a fire that destroys part of your church building.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (I Timothy 2:5)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

So, the answer is simple: you come to God through the cross of Christ and through prayer. Nothing else is required. All God asks is faith. Faith that He gives forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ, and faith that He will hear us in times of need. As a result, this is what we can expect:

For You have tried us, O God ; You have refined us as silver is refined. (Psalm 66:10)

The building will be rebuilt. It might not be the way we had envisioned yesterday, but that's ok. God will refine us and the plans for that building, and we will continue to serve Him. God will use this trial to His glory, and may all the praise go to HIm!