August 2, 2023 · 10:48 AM

God’s Early Warning System

Nobody likes bad news. On the other hand, nobody wants to miss an important warning about impending danger.

In the ancient world, cities were surrounded by sturdy walls. They offered protection for citizens from hostile enemies. During the day, however, many people had to leave the safety of the walls and work in the fields. Some people lived outside the walls. They were vulnerable if an army attacked.

The watchman had a vital duty. He stood on the wall and kept an eye out for threats. If he saw an enemy army approaching, he blew the horn to warn everyone so they could take the appropriate actions.

If someone working in the fields heard the horn and failed to run for safety inside the city walls, then he had nobody to blame but himself. The watchman had done his job and given him the chance to avoid death or capture at the hands of the enemy.

The Old Testament Prophet Ezekiel was appointed by God as a watchman for his people. He was a spiritual watchman. Instead of blowing a horn, he was to speak the word of the Lord. When the people were in danger of God’s judgment, Ezekiel spoke in the name of the Lord and warned them to take the appropriate action.

The appropriate action for the people of Ezekiel’s day was to stop disobeying God. They were to trust and obey the Lord. If they refused, they would suffer the consequences of God’s judgments.

Jesus was a faithful watchman, warning those who heard him to repent because God’s kingdom had drawn near. Jesus did not hold back. He warned about eternal weeping in outer darkness for those who refused to seek safety in God’s grace and salvation.

His early followers were also faithful messengers of God’s word. They called on everyone to be saved from the judgment to come. Not everyone responded positively, but many did.

For nearly two thousand years, the church has been God’s watchman, warning people to find safety within the walls of God’s grace. Now it is our turn to be faithful in our generation. We are the ones entrusted with this vital mission.

It’s true that people don’t like to hear bad news. The church is accused of being too negative with its ‘fire-and-brimstone’ message. Should we ‘soften’ the message? make it easier for people to hear and accept?

When Ezekiel spoke to the people, he often included the words, “this is the declaration of the Lord God.” He boldly proclaimed the unedited words of the Lord. We must also be true to the word God has given us. The gospel is clear, those who do not trust in God’s Son Jesus will perish. Those who do trust will have eternal life.

In the ancient world, if the watchman failed to blow the trumpet when danger approached, he was held accountable for the lives that were lost. Ezekiel was warned by God that he would be held accountable if he did not faithfully report to the people all that the Lord gave him to say.

We, too, are responsible to our Lord for being faithful with the gospel message. Like Ezekiel, we are not responsible for those who refuse to listen. Nevertheless, I hope we are moved by compassion to continue praying and to continue looking for every opportunity to persuade everyone we can to find safety in God’s salvation.

May the Lord inspire us and enable us to be faithful with his words,

Brother Richard

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July 5, 2023 · 2:58 PM

When God’s Truth Disrupts

A street preacher in Pennsylvania was arrested on June 3. He was reading the Bible in public. He was positioned across from a gender confusion pride event. The pride people applauded the street preacher’s arrest.

The police claimed the street preacher was engaged in disorderly conduct. More specifically, they claimed that he was “disrupting” the gender confusion event.

Once people heard about the arrest, the police station was flooded with unhappy calls. (Sadly, some of the calls were apparently crude and harsh.) The outcry from citizens helped persuade the police to rethink the arrest.

The charges against the street preacher were dropped.

The preacher should not have been arrested. Nevertheless, he was disrupting the gender confusion event. Yes. Simply by reading God’s truth aloud, he was disrupting their event. Why? Because they want a society that protects them from God’s Truth. Any time they hear an opinion that is different from theirs, they are disrupted, offended, distraught, and angry.

This unsettling event illustrates two things about the current state of affairs in the U.S.A. First, God’s truth disrupts this spiritually declining popular culture. Movements in our society have deviated so far from godly behavior that simply reading the Bible disrupts and offends them.

Second, speaking up can have a positive effect. People in that Pennsylvania town held their local law enforcement accountable by letting their voice be heard. They ensured that the street preacher was not denied his constitutional right to freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our nation. The right to peacefully speak our minds about important subjects like religion and politics is fundamental to our identity as a people. This right is currently being distorted and misrepresented. The definition of hate speech is being gerrymandered to favor certain radical groups and silence anyone who questions them.

If we remain silent, we may be silenced permanently.

Speaking the truth is a vital part of practicing Christianity. But we must always remember that our Lord insists that we speak the truth in love. Much is at stake. Emotions can burn hot and get out of hand.

Scripture lists the fruit of the Spirit in the book of Galatians. Nine items are enumerated, including love, patience, and kindness. Also included is self-control. Speech can sometimes be hateful, but truly hateful speech should never come from followers of Jesus.

The struggle between God’s truth and sinful culture is ancient. Early in the life of the Church, almost two thousand years ago, Peter and John came into conflict with public leaders who held anti-Christian prejudices. They were arrested for speaking God’s truth in public.

The authorities threatened Peter and John, commanding them to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. The two Christian leaders responded with these words: “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20, CSB).

In other words, Christians’ ultimate responsibility is to God. We must obey divine authority over human authority when the two conflict with one another. This principle is especially important when it relates to our core mission, which is to proclaim God’s gospel, the good news about eternal salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Jesus himself was threatened and persecuted for speaking the truth in love. He trusted and obeyed God, despite the great personal cost. His followers have walked in his footsteps for nearly two millennia. Now it is our turn.

May the Lord inspire and enable us to always speak the truth in love,

Brother Richard

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June 6, 2023 · 9:15 PM

Hell’s Highway or the Path to Peace?

David was a shepherd-singer who became a warrior king. He had big successes (uniting Israel, defeating dangerous enemies, and establishing Jerusalem as the capital) and big failures (adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband). How did this larger-than-life man choose what pursuits in life were worthy of his efforts? To what authority and direction was such an influential and powerful man willing to subject himself?

Psalm 25 was written by King David. It begins with the words, “Lord, I appeal to you. My God I trust in you” (CSB). David knew where to go for answers, for help, and for encouragement. David knew where to go for direction in life. He went to the Lord.

In Psalm 25 verse 4, David writes, “Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths.” He asks God to make his ways known. In other words, David wants to know what lifestyle choices are pleasing to God and will be blessed by God.

David implores God to make known his ways, to teach his paths. David knows that we do not naturally know or understand the ways of God. This broken world is filled with darkness and deception. Our own hearts are confused by sin and they often lead us astray. God must reveal his ways to us. We cannot find them on our own. God must teach us his paths. We cannot understand them without his instruction.

The Bible often contrasts the ways of the Lord with the ways of the wicked and foolish. In this world, we are tempted to turn away from God’s ways and follow selfish desires, popular opinion, peer pressure, or one of many other destructive pathways. The first step toward God’s blessings is to turn away from the world’s empty promises.

“Teach me your paths,” David writes. God’s ways are like paths. We must walk in them. We must decide to follow the direction of the path, trusting it will lead us to the right place. God’s paths always lead us to him and to his blessings.

The other pathways in life lead to destruction. Yes, they may offer pleasure or excitement for a short time, they may be popular, they may even be easier, but they always end in disaster. They don’t lead to God. They pull us away from God.

David asks to know God’s ways, not for God to bless his ways. David is choosing God’s ways over his own ways, knowing that he is a sinner, knowing that he is prone to wander away from God, not toward him.

Heaven’s blessings don’t come to those who walk on hell’s highway. We cannot pursue the lies of sin and expect the joys that come from God. The peace of God comes to those who walk the paths of God.

When we follow the Lord’s paths, he promises to walk with us and strengthen us along the way. He promises to be by our side and correct us if we begin to stray.

Jesus pictures this truth with memorable words. He says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

In another place, Jesus says that he is the Gate. He also says, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). In fact, in the New Testament, following Jesus is called The Way! Jesus is the way that pleases God. He is the way that leads to God and to his eternal blessings. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He is the way to peace with God.

Seek the Lord’s way and walk in it!

May God bless us with a desire to walk his pathway,

Brother Richard

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May 3, 2023 · 9:48 AM

They Don’t Know Who Daniel Was

One evening in April, we were visiting folks in a neighborhood in our city. As we walked down the street, I met a young man named Jacob. After speaking with him about the Lord for a few moments, I met another young man named Jeremiah.

I can be slow, but I made the connection the second time. Both young men had Bible names.

Jacob got away before I thought about it, but with Jeremiah, I told him that he was named for a prophet in the Bible. He was all ears. He listened with interest as I explained how Jeremiah was chosen by God to bring his message to his people, a difficult message that the people didn’t want to hear. I told him how they threw Jeremiah in a pit and burned up his scroll, but God was faithful and protected him.

Then, we met a boy named Daniel. And Daniel told us he had a friend named Mark. So, Jacob, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Mark – all within a few moments of each other. I was amazed!

By now, I was ready. As with Jeremiah, I told Daniel that he was named for a prophet in the Bible, someone who lived many centuries ago. This caught his interest. I asked if he knew the story of Daniel in the lions’ den. He said that he did not. A boy about nine-years-old or so and he had never heard about Daniel in the lions’ den!

Well, I had to tell him about Daniel, how he ended up in the lions’ den, and how God miraculously protected him from the hungry lions. Young Daniel was wide-eyed and mesmerized as he listened, anxious to find out how things ended for ancient Daniel.

What a joy it was to tell a boy the account of Daniel in the lions’ den for his very first time!

I was torn in two. Half of me was thrilled and honored to have such a wonderful opportunity. The other half of me was saddened to know that young people like Daniel and Jeremiah know nothing about their own Bible names. Somebody named them after men of God. Why haven’t they been told about those men and the God they served?

These young men represent a generation growing up without the benefit of hearing about the eternal truth that is recorded in Scripture. In the past, you could simply make a reference to the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son, and most listeners would be familiar with the parables of Jesus that these titles represent. No longer.

Nowadays, we cannot assume that people know the riches that are revealed in God’s Word. Instead, we should recognize open doors in everyday conversation to introduce people to the truth that awaits them in the Bible. This may be a simple statement or explanation. It may also include telling or summarizing an account in Scripture, like Daniel in the lions’ den.

Introducing people to the revelation of God in the Bible does not require that we have all the narratives in Scripture memorized word-for-word. We can communicate the essentials of various accounts in our own words. We pray that our efforts to relay Bible accounts will inspire people to read God’s Word for themselves.

God promises that his word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11).

May God’s Spirit inspire and enable us to be ambassadors for Christ to a world filled with need,

Brother Richard Foster

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April 5, 2023 · 10:39 AM

What Makes Jesus So Important?

Jesus shows us God in impressive ways. His willingness to come and live among us, to be like us; this speaks volumes. Nobody can claim to care about us if they are unwilling to spend time with us. Jesus is God with us.

Jesus demonstrates God’s authority over his creation. Who else can demand that a storm be silent, and it is! Who else can walk on water? Who else can multiply a few small loaves and fish and feed thousands?

Jesus exhibits God’s great compassion for people. Not only does he feed thousands in wilderness places, Jesus also heals people. He makes the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers clean. And even more, Jesus casts out demons by the power of his mighty word.

Jesus tells us God’s truth in unforgettable ways. His words speak directly to our hearts. His explanations of life and salvation shed light on our existence and experiences. What he says is truly a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.

Jesus displays God’s great love for us. Who else would drain away his own life in such horrible pain, subjected to heartless ridicule, shamed and shamefully exposed to terrible cruelty. Why? Why should he do that? What has that got to do with love?

Jesus’ suffering exposes the full extent of our wickedness. All he ever did was good. Nobody could make an accusation against him that was credible. Unfairly nailed to those rough timbers, he is an indictment of how evil has so thoroughly corrupted this world. See them trying to kill God, and all the while mocking him. And yet . . .

Jesus brings us into the very presence of God. He makes available to us what we surely do not deserve. He pulls back the curtain on the most holy place and gives us access to God’s throne of grace and mercy and blessing. He erases the stain of evil that each of us bears. For those willing to trust him, he is the Way to be right with God.

Jesus also proves that he is able to do these great unseen things. How can we know that we will go to heaven when we die? How can we know that we will go anywhere after we die? Because God raised Jesus up after he died and he walked away from his tomb, alive forever. We know because Jesus ascended to heaven. He is there now, at the right hand of God in majesty, our Advocate, interceding for us.

Jesus has defeated death and blazed the trail to heaven for us. Now, he beckons us to follow.

Jesus wants us to be sure about these things. He left behind eyewitnesses to testify about his marvelous deeds. After he died and was raised up, they saw him alive, heard him speak, ate with him, touched him.

Jesus pours out his Spirit in the hearts of all who believe in him, affirming the truth about him and his great work. Illuminating the things written in the Bible. Binding together the hearts of brothers and sisters in Christ. Sparking hope in every circumstance, even those that seem impossible.

Jesus promises to return for a great day of triumph. The ultimate homecoming. Suddenly, the trumpet of God will sound. The voice of the archangel will cry out. The Lord Jesus himself will descend from heaven. All who trust him will be vindicated, will be united with God, forever.

Jesus urges us to be ready for that day. Confess him as Lord. Trust him as Savior. Follow him and serve him. Share the hope. Share the victory. Share the glory!

May God make us ready for that great day,

Brother Richard

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March 3, 2023 · 10:17 PM

True Revival?

Many people have been watching the events at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY. After a chapel meeting on February 8, students stayed in the Hughes Auditorium and continued praying, singing, testifying, and reading Scripture. Their gathering became an extended time of worship that lasted for days and attracted large numbers of people. Attendees report a special sense of God’s Spirit moving among them.

Surprisingly, almost exactly the same events in the same location took place fifty-three years ago in 1970 (also in February!). In the months following the 1970 meeting, groups from Asbury visited other colleges and churches from New York to California and even into South America. Revival broke out in more than 130 locations by the summer of that year.

The history of God’s people is filled with spiritual ups and downs, times of wandering away or fading away from the Lord, sometimes over years or even decades, then times of returning to the Lord. This has been the case among Christians for the past two thousand years, and it was true in the Old Testament with God’s chosen people Israel.

Once, when Israel was experiencing a dark time spiritually, they suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Philistines. They foolishly took the ark of the covenant into battle. It was captured by the Philistines, who returned it after several months of suffering God’s wrath. Instead of placing the ark in the temple, where it belonged, the Israelites took it to Abinadab’s house.

The ark of the covenant was the special container made to hold the tablets with the Ten Commandments written on them. The commandments were a reminder of the unique relationship Israel enjoyed with God, and a reminder of their responsibility to worship and serve him only.

The ark of the covenant was at Abinadab’s house for twenty years, a constant reminder to the people that things were not right between them and God. Finally, they began to long for the Lord. They lamented the current state of things. They wanted to return to the Lord.

God raised up a spiritual leader for the people: Samuel. When Samuel saw that the people were ready for positive change, he called on them to put away their foreign gods, their idols, and to worship God only.

Samuel called the people to gather for prayer at Mizpah. When they came together, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. This act is unexplained in Scripture, but it is associated with fasting. Abstaining from food for a time was an established practice often observed during times of prayer and seeking God. By combining these two actions, the people seemed to be expressing a desire for God that was even greater than their need for food and water.

In addition to fasting, the people confessed. They admitted sinning against the Lord. Confession implies a willingness to repent, to turn away from sin. Returning to God requires turning away from sin. Confession can also be positive. God’s people confess their faith in God, expressing their desire to trust him by obeying his commands and following his ways.

When the Philistines saw what was happening at Mizpah, they attacked Israel. The people were afraid, but they continued to follow the leadership of Samuel and to trust the Lord. As a result, God gave them a decisive victory over their enemies and brought peace to their land.

Samuel set up a stone to memorialize the Lord’s work in their hearts and with their hands. He named it Ebenezer, saying that the Lord had helped them to that point.

So, Mizpah led to Ebenezer. In other words, Israel’s meeting at Mizpah inspired them to trust God for victory. Their faith and God’s power resulted in blessings memorialized by the Ebenezer stone.

People are asking if the events at Asbury in Kentucky signal a true revival, an authentic move of God’s Holy Spirit. If it is a true Mizpah meeting that inspires God’s people to trust the Lord for a great spiritual victory, then we will see an Ebenezer stone set up in the future. In 1970, the results were clear. In 2023, we hope and pray to see the same.

Israel’s revival began with a longing for the Lord, a dissatisfaction with the status quo. The next step was putting away the things of the world and worshiping God only. They gathered for prayer, commitment, and confession. And when the enemy responded by attacking them, they trusted the Lord.

There is no guarantee that God’s Spirit will move in a mighty way if we follow certain predetermined steps. God is sovereign. Nevertheless, Samuel’s advice is good. We should gather and pray, commit ourselves to the Lord, and confess our sin and our faith. Only then will we be ready to follow God’s Spirit to victory when he chooses to visit us in an extraordinary manner.

Let’s pray that we are seeing an authentic move of God’s Spirit, one that will result in victories that cannot be explained by the planning and performance of people, but only by the presence and power of the Living God!

May God inspire us and enable us to return to him with all our hearts,

Brother Richard

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February 18, 2023 · 1:26 PM

He Is The God Who Speaks

Samuel was just a boy. He was growing up in the temple in Shiloh, learning about the various responsibilities of a priest. It was a dark time spiritually in Israel. The word of the Lord was rare, but not silent.

One night, Samuel heard the Lord call his name. He got up and ran to his mentor, the old priest Eli. But Eli was not the one calling Samuel. Two more times Samuel heard the voice calling him and mistakenly thought it was Eli.

Finally, Eli realized the Lord was calling the boy. He instructed Samuel to go back to bed and wait. If the Lord called again, Samuel was to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). 

The Bible tells us that Samuel failed to recognize the Lord’s call “because the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him” (1 Samuel 3:7). He knew about God, but he did not know God personally.

To know God personally, Samuel, needed to have the word of the Lord revealed to him. The Bible speaks often about the word of the Lord. By the power of his word, God spoke into existence the universe, all that is, was, and ever will be.

Jesus quoted the Old Testament when he was tempted by Satan, saying, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The word of the Lord is life itself!

The frequent appearances of the phrase “word of the Lord” in the Bible remind us that he is a God who speaks. God wants to reveal his character and his plan to us. God’s desire is that we know him and that we share in his kingdom work and kingdom victory.

It is not enough for us to have a vague awareness of some “higher power.” God is powerful, yes, but he is also personal. He wants us to experience more than his power. He wants us to know his love, wisdom, holiness, grace, mercy, patience, kindness, and more. He wants us to hear his word.

Jesus is God’s ultimate communication to us about himself and his plan. Jesus is the Word who became flesh and dwelt for a while among us (John 1:1, 14). “My sheep hear my voice,” Jesus said, “I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). We are his flock.

God is both one who speaks and one who writes. Over a period of more than a thousand years, on three different continents, in three different languages, God patiently and carefully produced his written word, the Holy Bible. For thousands of years he has guarded and guided its transmission so that we can read his perfect word for ourselves in our heart language.

God has called, empowered, and sent his servants to preach, teach, and communicate his word. These gifted people are given by God to his people to give a human voice to his word.

By the power of his Spirit dwelling in the hearts of his redeemed sons and daughters, God gives believers the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to receive his word.

What an incredible effort God has made to speak to us! Will we take the time and make the effort to listen? Do we have a desire for the power of God’s word to take root in our souls and bear spiritual fruit that will last?

May God inspire us and enable us to hear his voice and to follow him faithfully,

Brother Richard

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February 4, 2023 · 3:14 PM

State Of The Church

How are things going in God’s house?

First Samuel chapter 2 gives an assessment about conditions in the house of the Lord in Shiloh during the days of the Judges. Eli was priest. His sons served with him.

The Bible tells us that Eli’s sons were wicked. Instead of serving God’s people, they abused their position and served themselves. They took the choice meat that people brought as an offering to the Lord and used it for their own selfish desires. They even engaged in sexual immorality with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

They had no respect for God. In fact, Scripture says that they did not know the Lord.

If we stop here, our assessment of the worship in God’s house in Shiloh would be very negative. But that would be an incomplete picture. God’s word has more to say.

A young boy named Samuel was also in the Lord’s house in those days. His mother, Hannah, had promised God that if he gave her a son, she would give him back. He would be dedicated to the Lord’s service all his life.

After years of marriage without any children, God answered Hannah’s prayer and gave her a son. Hannah was faithful to her promise. When Samuel was very young, she brought him to Eli at the Lord’s house in Shiloh and the boy grew up in the presence of the Lord.

Hannah’s son Samuel was a sharp contrast to Eli’s wicked sons. Samuel was not using the Lord’s house to fulfill his own desires. He was there to fulfill a promise to God. Samuel would grow up and be a mighty man of God.

So, a fair assessment of the ministry in God’s house in those days would include both the wicked deeds of Eli’s sons and the great potential of Hannah’s son, Samuel.

How would we assess the state of things in our churches today? As in the days of Eli, we can and should take note of both the ups and the downs.

In the aftermath of COVID-19, average attendance has decreased significantly in many local churches. As a result, budgets are tight and volunteer hours are harder to come by. The mission of the church appears more difficult than ever.

The pandemic seems to have accelerated trends that were already in motion. Many people are increasingly distracted by activities that compete with church. These activities are not necessarily bad or sinful, until they interfere with worshiping and serving God.

The results of eroding commitment to worship and discipleship are easy to identify: biblical illiteracy, moral confusion, false teaching, and eroding support for missions, to name a few. Of course, one might argue that the process works in the reverse: biblical illiteracy, moral confusion, false teaching, and lack of interest in missions may cause a lack of interest in church attendance. Either way, church attendance and spiritual vitality are closely connected.

Refocusing God’s people on God’s house is a worthy goal.

Can we identify anything good in our local churches? The gender confusion movement has forced many Christian groups to choose between worldly delusions and God’s Word. Sadly, some churches and denominations have chosen false teaching over Scripture. But not all.

Hundreds of Methodist congregations have chosen to remain faithful to God’s word, even though it means breaking their long-standing association with the United Methodist Church. They will take the challenging steps of finding or creating new groups for fellowship, cooperation, and accountability. Their willingness to take the difficult road of faithfulness to God’s truth is inspiring.

Groups like Southern Baptists have at times struggled with finding the proper response to the gender confusion agenda, but they have not suffered the radical division now disturbing Methodists (and others). We can rejoice that many Christians have not been led astray by a movement wreaking so much havoc and harm, especially on children and youth.

The assessment of God’s house in Shiloh included mentions of God’s presence, especially with regard to young Samuel. The boy Samuel served in the Lord’s presence. Samuel grew up in the Lord’s presence. And, God stood by Samuel one night and spoke to him in the temple at Shiloh. Despite the failed leadership of Eli and the wicked actions of his sons, God’s presence was still in God’s house!

Perhaps the most important measure of a church is God’s presence. The greatest thing we can say about any church family is that they experience and enjoy the presence of the Lord. People who are seeking the Lord can find him there.

The current challenges faced by local churches are multifaceted and they often seem overwhelming. Without denying the complexity of our times, God’s presence gives us a focal point that delivers hope. When Jesus showed up at Lazarus’ funeral, that sad and tragic gathering was transformed into a joyous occasion. God’s presence always makes the difference!

Jesus was no isolationist. He did not retreat into the desert with the Essenes. Neither should we retreat from the challenges we face. Nevertheless, our first love must be to meet with our Lord! Let’s continue seeking and serving our Lord with all our hearts, praying that he will always meet with us and enable us to be victorious, to bear fruit for eternal life.

May God inspire us and enable us to honor him and serve him in his house this year,

Brother Richard

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December 7, 2022 · 8:28 PM

God Is With Us – So What?

We often hear the name Immanuel during Christmastime. What does it mean? It means “God is with us.” Why is this name so closely related to Christmas? It goes back to the first Christmas.

The first Christmas started with a big disappointment for a good man named Joseph. He was soon to marry the love of his life. Joseph and Mary were “betrothed.” Betrothal in ancient Israel was somewhat like our engagement used to be, only stronger.

I write “used to be” because now many people (not all) who claim to be engaged feel free to live together as husband and wife, or at least to sleep with one another. Sex used to be a joy reserved for marriage. Thankfully, some folks still respect marriage, one another, and God enough to wait.

Joseph and Mary had respect for God and his institution of marriage. They also respected each other enough to save themselves for marriage. This is where the problem appears. Mary was pregnant before their wedding day.

People would conclude that either Mary and Joseph didn’t wait, or that Mary was unfaithful. Joseph knew the baby wasn’t his. He could only assume that Mary had been with another man. Imagine his heartbreak!

The Gospel writer Matthew tells us that Joseph was a “righteous man.” He knew the right thing to do. The Old Testament law said that a woman who was pledged to be married and slept with a man was to be stoned to death. This was a horrible thing for Joseph to consider. He still loved Mary.

Consider Joseph’s dilemma. If he acts according to the letter of the law, even if he just divorces Mary for cheating on him without taking any other action against her, he will expose the disgrace of the woman he loves. She will have a mark against her that will follow her the rest of her life.

On the other hand, if Joseph follows his heart, if he ignores her unfaithfulness and continues with the wedding, he is defying God’s law. He knows that God condemns adultery and sexual immorality. He would be deciding what is right based on what he wants. He would be rejecting God’s word.

Joseph struggles to find a way to be right and still be loving. He finally settles on a compromise. He will divorce her (that was necessary when two people were betrothed and ended their relationship without marriage). But he will try to do it secretly, so it doesn’t cause Mary too much trouble. Sounds weak.

This is when God steps in and gives Joseph the missing piece of the puzzle. Mary’s baby was conceived by God’s Holy Spirit. She has been faithful to him. Joseph can take her as his wife, knowing that the baby is a miracle from God.

And there is more. God tells Joseph to name the baby Jesus, which means “God is salvation.” Why? Because Jesus will save his people from their sins.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that all this took place to fulfill a word from the Prophet Isaiah: “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,” which means God is with us.

Jesus is God with us. When God comes to us in Jesus, he solves our greatest problems. He was the solution for Joseph’s heartbreaking dilemma. Jesus is the answer to our most deadly difficulty. He will save us from our sins and guarantee us eternal life with God in heaven.

Praise God for being with us this Christmas,

Brother Richard

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November 4, 2022 · 3:13 PM

The Invisible Hand of God

God’s invisible hand is at work all around us to accomplish his good purposes. We sometimes refer to this as God’s providence. God’s providence is his often-unnoticed guidance of events. God guides events toward two ends.

First, he provides for his creation. Jesus taught about this aspect of God’s providence. He said that God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good. He causes the rain to fall on the unrighteous and the righteous (see Matthew 5:45).

Another term used for this part of God’s work is “common grace.” Have you wondered why God sometimes blesses those who are wicked? It is an expression of his common grace. He gives the sunshine, the rainfall, and many other blessings to all creation indiscriminately.

Second, God’s providence works for the redemption of his people. To redeem is to gain back something that is lost. Because of disobedience and rebellion, people are lost from God’s favor and turned over to his judgment. God sent a Redeemer, a Savior to regain ownership of his people and restore us to his favor. That Redeemer is Jesus Christ.

When Jesus came, he was opposed by the religious leaders. They plotted against him, seized him, unjustly condemned him, and turned him over to be publicly executed like a man cursed by God.

Those enemies of Christ thought they were destroying Jesus, but by God’s providence they were unwittingly participating in God’s plan to provide the final and full atonement for our sins. Jesus’ voluntary death on a Roman cross was carried out by God’s design. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Then God displayed his victory over every enemy and his mastery over all history by raising Jesus from the dead and exalting him to the right hand of glory! What an impressive feat!

But what about the widespread spiritual darkness in our world today?

We live at a time when many people refuse to distinguish between a tumor and a baby, a time when our culture apparently cannot tell the difference between a boy and a girl, when many people confuse sexual immorality and faithful loving commitment. They hear someone speaking the truth in love and label it as hate speech. It is a time of spiritual deception when even the darkness is called light and light is called darkness.

God’s invisible hand of providence is at work despite this present spiritual darkness.

What about all the economic uncertainty?

Inflation is driving the price of everything higher, making the dollars we have worth less. Many of our leaders enact policies that make life more difficult, lowering our standard of living, decreasing our liberties, discouraging people from working, increasing the number of criminals who run free. Despair tempts us to give up hope, but we need not do that.

God’s invisible hand of providence is at work despite the uncertainties of this age.

What about heartbreaking family losses?

We want everyone to live long and happy lives, but in this world, that does not always happen. Unexpected losses can be devastating. Sometimes we fully appreciate a family member only after they are gone. Sometimes a wayward child or grandchild can cause great anxiety. Sometimes a marriage falls apart or disappoints. These and other family disruptions can truly be disheartening.

We need not lose heart. God’s invisible hand of providence is at work despite family disruptions and losses.

What about the faulty faith of God’s people? Who among us can say that our faith is a finished product? We are all works in progress. We gather regularly for teaching and preaching and discipleship so that God’s Spirit can advance his work in us, transforming us into the image of Christ, opening our eyes to see his hand at work in us and around us, opening our hearts to accept his timing and his methods.

God’s providence never slumbers. His plans are unstoppable. His love is immeasurable. His grace is unshakable. Our faith in Christ rests on a sure footing.

May God give us eyes to see his hand at work on our behalf,

Brother Richard

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