Tag Archives: faith

December 10, 2024 · 9:47 PM

Following Mary’s Lead at Christmastime

The angel Gabriel told Mary that her son Jesus would be the long-awaited eternal king of God’s people. Young Mary drew three important conclusions from Gabriel’s announcement which she included in her psalm of worship recorded in Luke 1:46-55.

FIRST: Mary had a profound sense of humility in the face of Gabriel’s announcement. Wondering about God’s choice of her, she said, “He has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant” (v. 48). Why should God choose her for such an important task, to be the mother of the Eternal King?!

Mary lived many miles away from the important city of Jerusalem in a relatively unimportant town called Nazareth. She was not from an honored or powerful family. She sprang from working-class stock. From what we know about first-century Jewish culture, Mary was probably a young teenager, perhaps as young as thirteen. She had not lived long enough to do anything of consequence. Who am I? she could rightfully ask.

God has a habit of choosing and using people who are marginalized or even disdained in this world. In 1 Corinthians 1 we read, “Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence” (vv. 26-29).

SECOND: This idea that God will humble the arrogant and exalt the humble brings us to Mary’s second conclusion. God’s choice of her, despite her humility, was a clear sign that he was determined to change the status quo in this broken world.

Mary’s praise included these words, “He has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty” (vv. 52-53). God is the original social justice warrior. Those who abuse their power and wealth to oppress and deny others will answer to him.

God told his people in the Old Testament that they would always have poor people in the land. They were to treat them with kindness. He also warned them against oppressing those who live on the fringes of society, those without influence in the halls of power.

THIRD: Mary is relating all these things to the child God has miraculously conceived in her. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises God made to his people throughout their generations. Her song of praise reaches its climax with these words, “He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors” (vv. 54-55).

Two thousand years before Mary sang her song of praise, God made promises to that great man of faith Abraham. Included in those promises, God said that he would bless all peoples on earth through Abraham, that is, through one of his descendants (see Genesis 12:1-3).

Jesus is sent by God to bless all peoples. Jesus is the one who has humbled himself so he can exalt those who are humble enough to trust him. Jesus is the one appointed by God to be Judge on that great and awesome day. As Jesus put it, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30).

Like Mary, we rejoice in our humility before the Lord, knowing that he has chosen to lift us up by the work of our Savior: Jesus Christ. Like Mary, we believe God’s promise to make all things right through the rule of his promised King: Jesus Christ. And like Mary, we worship God for including us in this great work of eternal salvation!

May the Lord give us eyes to see and hearts to sing at his great Christmas work,

Brother Richard

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November 13, 2024 · 8:58 AM

Will We Suffer Persecution For Our Faith?

Did the outcome of our recent election protect freedom of speech in America or endanger it? The political party we support will probably determine our answer to that question. What about freedom of religion? Are we holding our ground? losing ground? Not many would say that we are gaining ground on this vital liberty.

Whatever our beliefs about freedom of speech and freedom of religion at this moment in our nation, we should be aware of two things. Followers of Jesus continue to suffer persecution for their faith in other parts of the world. Christians in America may not join in that suffering anytime soon, but we should always be aware of the possibility.

David Lin is an American pastor who was recently released from prison in China. He was incarcerated there for almost twenty years. Hundreds of other American citizens are still imprisoned in China.

The Chinese government is using AI (artificial intelligence) and face recognition software to persecute Christians and other religious groups. The people have no religious freedom, despite the government’s claims. Instead, religious oppression and persecution are commonplace.

Sadly, some voices in the U.S.A. are casting doubts on our traditional beliefs in freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Some even want to scrap our federal constitution and replace it. They obviously want a governing document that does not include freedom of religion.

What should we do? As Christians, we should be exemplary citizens. We should be informed, vote according to our beliefs and values, and serve in government if and when God calls us to do so, representing him to the best of our abilities.

But how should we think about the increasingly negative attitudes about Christianity in our country and the persecution of believers abroad?

We tend to ask the question: Why does God allow his people to suffer oppression and persecution? Sometimes God uses governments to discipline his people. God used Babylon to discipline his chosen people Israel in the Old Testament.

But oppression is not always God’s discipline. God allowed Pharaoh to oppress Israel so he could demonstrate his power and convince Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the Israelites that he is the one and only true and living God.

What is clear, however, is the fact that God does allow governments to oppress his people. This is the testimony of Scripture from both Old and New Testaments. Why?

Sometimes God allows his people to be tested. Job was a man of extraordinary faith. Satan accused Job, saying that Job only trusted God because God protected him, making his life easy. Remove the protection, Satan challenged, and Job’s faith would collapse. God allowed Satan to test the strength of Job’s faith.

Revelation 13 reveals a time of great persecution against Christians at the end of this age, persecution that will be worldwide. God urges his people to be faithful when facing tribulation for their faith in Jesus despite the cost.

Persecution for faith in Jesus is as old as the church itself. In the early days of the church, Peter was arrested for telling people about Jesus. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, the same ones who turned Jesus over to be crucified, they threatened Peter and the apostles. And just to get their point across, they flogged them. These beatings were vicious. Sometimes people died.

Surprisingly, Peter and the apostles were rejoicing. Rejoicing! Why? Because they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus. They weren’t seeking pain or persecution, but if it came to them, they were honored to endure it to demonstrate their faith in Jesus.

Every follower of Jesus does not suffer persecution or oppression, but many believers have suffered for their faith over the past two thousand years and many brothers and sisters in Christ suffer today in certain parts of the world. Whatever our struggles may be, we tend to ask the same questions. When ‘squeezed’ we ask: Is Jesus really Lord? Should I keep my faith in Jesus? The answer from God’s word is emphatically, Yes!

God agreed to allow Satan to test Job’s faith, but he placed limits on Satan’s attacks against Job. Satan was not allowed to take Job’s life. At the end of this age, God will only allow the Antichrist to run amok for forty-two months. God decides the limits.

God is the ultimate power and authority. Satan can only go as far as God permits. We can be certain that God has not lost control, that Satan has not taken charge, that random forces have not become our master. And we can be certain that God still loves us and has a plan for us and wants the best for us. We can still enjoy his blessings now, sure that our struggles will give way to great glory forever.

May God empower us to remain faithful to him despite the cost,

Brother Richard

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July 23, 2024 · 11:37 AM

God-Talk In The News

I love it when God is in the news. He has been the subject of news stories a couple of times recently. Both instances are related to the current race for the White House.

After a disastrous showing in his debate against former President Donald Trump, current President Joe Biden faced calls to step down as his party’s nominee to serve as president for the next four years. He refused to give up. He insisted on staying in the race.

In an interview on ABC News just days after the debate, Biden was defiant, rejecting the notion that he should step aside and let someone else run against Trump. Pressed by his interviewer, Biden conceded that if the Lord Almighty told him to quit, he might quit. Might?

President Biden seemed to correct himself a moment later by saying that if the Lord Almighty came down and told him to quit, he would quit. But then he added that the Lord Almighty is not coming down. Hmmm. I took that to mean that he was not expecting God’s advice, nor was he seeking to get God’s advice.

Biden’s statements about the Lord may be confusing, but he introduced God into the public conversation. I always welcome that!

It didn’t take long for God to make the news again. Former President Donald Trump was speaking publicly about surviving an assassin’s bullet by the slimmest of margins. The attempt on his life happened while he was delivering a speech at an outdoor rally. At just the right instant, the former president turned his head and avoided death. The shot came so close to hitting its target that it bloodied Trump’s ear.

As the former president recalled this harrowing experience, he gave credit to God for saving his life. Others spoke about the providence of God or the hand of God’s protection in preserving Trump’s life. The circumstances certainly seemed to go far beyond mere coincidence.

Not everyone was comfortable with such talk. Some people seemed agitated by assertions that God acted on Trump’s behalf. Predictably, they invoked the separation of church and state as support for their criticisms. Their well-worn arguments always seek to silence those who dare to include God in the public dialogue. They imply that God talk is somehow a threat to democracy.

As Baptists, our heritage includes strong support for the separation of church and state. In the formulative stages of our nation, our Baptist forefathers insisted on religious freedom. They believed passionately in the distinctive realms of authority that distinguish religion and government. They worked hard for constitutional guarantees to protect the church from state control and to recognize the legitimate realm of authority granted to the state by God.

But a wise separation of powers does not require a foolish silencing of honest dialogue. Recognizing the legitimate realms of church and state does not force private citizens or government servants to edit their beliefs about the most important subject of all: our Maker and Savior. Separation of church and state should never be used as an excuse to silence the truth.

We live in an age that has been called the ‘cancel culture.’ Some believe that their political opponents should be canceled and excluded from public discourse. Sadly, it seems that a significant number of Americans are having second thoughts about our fundamental liberties: freedom of religion and freedom of speech.

One thing I know for certain: You cannot cancel God. Those who are hostile to God may be able to intimidate people into silence for a while, but God isn’t going away. God-talk isn’t going away. God is big enough to handle our dialogue about him, no matter how difficult the questions may be.

Let’s rejoice when God is in the news. Let’s keep God in the conversation.

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

Brother Richard

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July 10, 2024 · 4:21 PM

Church and State: David or Daniel?

The State of Louisiana just passed a law requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. This new law will undoubtedly face multiple legal challenges. Several groups have already announced their opposition, citing the separation of Church and State.

Opponents of Christianity have often used the separation of Church and State as a legal tool to deny Christians influence in the public square, including public schools. Sadly, this approach has been successful in many cases.

Why are the Ten Commandments so controversial? Why do we need a law to simply post the Ten Commandments for school children? Why do so many people see Christianity as a threat?

When King David ruled Israel some three thousand years ago, citizens expected the government and religion to work hand-in-hand. Aside from the occasional power struggles or corruption, the king and the priests shared common goals and worked together for the benefit of the nation. They recognized that national prosperity required a solid spiritual foundation.

At the beginning of our nation’s history, a friendlier and more cooperative relationship existed between the State and the Church. Citizens agreed that spiritual guidance was good and necessary for secular institutions. The Ten Commandments were not controversial. They were welcomed.

Our founding documents denied the government power to prohibit the free exercise of religion. It was common at the time for European governments to favor one expression of Christianity over all others, often coercing citizens and sometimes persecuting them. As a result, our founders limited the federal government from respecting an establishment of religion.

These wise words in our First Amendment were not intended to create an absolute wall of separation that refused any cooperation between Church and State. Primarily, they were intended as protection for the Church from a coercive State.

Things have certainly changed! We now live with growing hostility toward Christianity. Groups wish to use the government not to respect an establishment of religion, but to silence the voice of Truth.

Predictably, pagan expressions are encouraged, often promoted in attempts to compete with and defeat the efforts of Christians. If Christians start Bible clubs in schools, opponents start Satanist clubs. If Christians teach kids about sexual integrity and purity, opponents send drag queens to twerk for the kids at the library.

This is not the first time that God’s people have lived in a world that is hostile to godliness and spiritual truth. Some four hundred years after David was king in Israel, the people had become defiant and disobedient toward God. They refused to listen to his warnings. He expelled them from the Promised Land. They found themselves living in Babylon.

In Babylon, God’s people were a minority. They were often despised and treated as outsiders. Sometimes they were treated like enemies of the State. One man hated them so much that he tried to use the power of government to destroy them completely (see the book of Esther).

Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego lived during this difficult period. They were carried away from the Promised Land against their will. They were forced to live in Babylon, a pagan land hostile to their beliefs. Despite the risks of persecution, they decided to remain faithful to God.

Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for praying to God. His friends were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship idols. They stood for God and God stood by them.

Followers of Jesus in the U.S.A are finding circumstances to be more like Daniel’s were in Babylon than David’s in the Promised Land. But we need not despair. Even when we find ourselves in a hostile pagan culture, we can follow Daniel’s example. We can choose to be faithful to God despite the short-term risks and difficulties. God is faithful. We will share in the victory!

May the Lord inspire and enable us to always be faithful to him and to his truth,

Brother Richard

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June 5, 2024 · 6:51 PM

Who Tells You What To Think?

We love Vacation Bible School! The Bible verse for VBS this year is Romans 12:2. “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (CSB).

This present age will tell us what to believe, what to value, how to spend our time and our money, who we should be trying to impress, how to ‘get ahead,’ and how to define our identity.

Social media, internet, sitcoms and movies, news reports, influencers and popular opinions, celebrities and political leaders, all these and more tend to pull us in their direction, to conform us to this age. This age has a thousand avenues into our hearts and minds.

This evil age will not encourage us to believe God’s word, to value God’s ways, to spend time and money seeking and serving our Maker and our Savior. This wicked world cares nothing about pleasing the Lord or advancing his kingdom. This world avoids talking about or thinking about eternity, accountability, or judgment.

This wicked world is so pervasive and so invasive that it seems impossible to resist. In fact, without help, we get swept away by the beliefs, values, ideas, and lifestyle of this world. What can we do?

First, we decide not to give in, not to be conformed to this age. Second, we present ourselves to God to be transformed. Note that Romans 12:2 does not say, “transform yourself.” It says, “be transformed.” We don’t have the strength to overcome the ways of this world. We need someone who has the power. God is the one who is able.

God’s transformation starts with our thinking. It says that we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. In this world, people tend to be skeptical of God’s way of thinking. They tend to believe and trust friends, feelings, influencers, celebrities, anything but God or Jesus or the Bible.

As Christians, we have decided to trust Jesus. We believe his words and meditate on them. We think about how to live according to his words. God’s Spirit enables us to discern his will. In other words, we learn to recognize what is truly good, what pleases God. As Romans 12:2 says, we realize that God’s will is perfect.

Those who are conformed by the wicked ways of this evil age may have some fun for a season, but they are chasing the wind. The things of this world always leave us unfulfilled, needing more, endlessly searching but never satisfied.

In contrast, God’s will is perfect, whole, complete, without error or omission. We need nothing more than God’s will. God’s good and pleasing will touches every part of our lives, every circumstance, every need. When we pursue and practice God’s will, we need no supplements.

We no longer see social media as the world does, or the internet, or sitcoms and movies. We don’t decide how to spend our money and our time based on the world’s values and ideas. We choose to do what pleases God. We choose God’s good and pleasing and perfect will.

We pursue God’s will not because it makes our lives easier. In fact, we find ourselves at odds with the ways of this world. Nevertheless, we choose to be transformed because it is right in God’s eyes. It pleases God and that pleases us!

May God bless our kids and bless us with a fun and fruitful VBS in 2024,

Brother Richard

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May 8, 2024 · 8:51 AM

Is God Failing?

Things looked bleak. It seemed like everyone was giving up on God, turning away from worshiping him. There was a new god in town: Baal.

Elijah refused to give up on the God of Israel, the true and living God, Maker of heaven and earth. God blessed Elijah with a miraculous victory over the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18-19).

Despite the great victory over Baal’s prophets, things didn’t seem to get any better. Elijah’s life was threatened by the evil queen, Jezebel. She was a devoted follower of Baal.

Elijah was afraid. He was discouraged. He fled.

The frightened prophet ended up in a cave on Mt. Horeb. God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” The prophet explained that everyone had abandoned worshiping God. He was the only one left and they wanted to kill him.

God told Elijah to stand on the mountain in his presence. When he did, there came a mighty wind, but God was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. Then fire, but God was not in the fire.

After the fire was a still small voice. Elijah covered his face and went out to meet the Lord. The discouraged prophet told God all his troubles, how he was the only true worshiper left, how they were trying to take his life. What was the point in carrying on?

God responded to Elijah’s discouragement in two ways. First, he gave Elijah some things to do. It was no time to give up and stop working.

Second, God told Elijah that he was not alone. Seven thousand had not turned away to worship Baal. They were still faithful to the Lord.

Generations later, the Apostle Paul referred to Elijah’s experience. In Paul’s day, most Jews were rejecting Jesus as God’s promised Savior. Like Elijah, some people were questioning God’s work, wondering if it was failing.

Paul pointed out that God had a remnant chosen by his grace. God always has a remnant chosen by his grace, in the Old Testament, in the early days of the Church, and now.

Today, followers of Jesus may be tempted to adopt Elijah’s pessimism. We can easily feel outnumbered by those who have turned their backs on worshiping and serving God. After all, how would we assess the spiritual condition of our nation today? Things do look pretty bleak.

How would we assess the spiritual condition of the churches in our nation? It would be easy to give in to discouragement because of the spiritual decline we see all around us.

Remember God’s answer to Elijah. I have left seven thousand for myself. The first-century apostle put it like this: “In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.” Chosen by grace means it is according to God’s sovereign choice and plan. God has not lost control of the situation!

God’s people have always tended to be a remnant. If this is true in our day, we should not be surprised. Elijah implied that God was failing. God assured him that was not the case. Neither is God failing today.

Elijah was acting out of his fear of Jezebel. Elijah’s trust in God should have been greater than his fear of Jezebel. Our trust in God must be greater than our fear of this world’s powers.

God gave Elijah work to do. It was no time to quit. It is no time for us to quit. God has work for us to do because his kingdom plan is advancing toward the inevitable victory.

God does some of his best work when things look bleak. When Jesus was dying on the cross, God was providing salvation for the world. We can trust him and continue his work, for his work will overcome all obstacles and lead us to the ultimate triumph.

May God’s Spirit inspire and enable us to be faithful despite discouraging circumstances,

Brother Richard Foster

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April 3, 2024 · 5:28 PM

Praying Like Jesus

Jesus prayed to Abba. Who is Abba?

Abba is an Aramaic word. Aramaic was the language spoken by Jesus and his fellow Jews in the first century. It had taken over from Old Testament Hebrew as the common language in Israel.

Abba was a familiar term in the first-century Jewish household for addressing one’s father. Some people equate it with our word daddy,but that might be too informal. Something like dad is a close English equivalent, maybe papa.

Other Aramaic words appear in the New Testament. Mark’s Gospel records Peter’s eyewitness accounts about Jesus’ life and ministry. In some instances, Jesus’ words had left such an impression on the fisherman, that he related them in Aramaic then translated them into Greek for his audience.

When Jesus raised a little girl from the dead, he said, “Talitha koum!” which is translated, “Little girl! I say to you: Get up!” On the cross, Jesus cried out, “Eloi! Eloi! Lama sabachthani!” which means, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” These were certainly unforgettable events.

Abba is the word Jesus used to address God when he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before he went to the cross. “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup from me! But not what I want, but what you want.” In his humanity, Jesus struggled with the suffering he faced. Through prayer, he bowed to his Father’s will.

Jesus’ striking familiarity with God was a dominant feature of his ministry and teaching. In fact, Jesus irritated the Jewish religious leaders with his unusually intimate relationship with God.

It’s not that Jews or the Old Testament never spoke about God as Father. The Israelites did think of God as their Father. But Jesus did so in a new and remarkable way that made them uncomfortable.

And Jesus taught his disciples to do the same. “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father (Abba) in heaven.’” Followers of Jesus for 2,000 years have imitated Jesus in this practice. It is a sign of being Jesus’ follower, a sign of having a close relationship with God like Jesus does.

In Romans 8:15, we read that God’s Spirit enables us to cry out, “Abba! Father!” Of course, that’s just the beginning of the prayer. The content comes next. What is your prayer to the Father? How do you complete this prayer right now? Abba, Father! Thank you for. . . . Abba, Father! You are my. . . . Perhaps you have a cry for help. Abba, Father! Please. . . .

We have in our hearts the Spirit sent from the God of heaven and earth. And, we call the God of time and eternity our Father! The one who spoke the universe into existence and who gives us life, he is our Father!

Let’s rejoice over our privileged position before the Lord. And let us take full advantage of our access to the Almighty. Pray without ceasing!

May our Father in heaven always hear and answer your prayers,

Brother Richard

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March 1, 2024 · 4:07 PM

He Gets Us But Is That All?

He Gets Us. Jesus Gets Us.

Okay. So what? Why is that important?

“He Gets Us” is an ad campaign designed to remind people that the story of Jesus belongs to everybody. The ads have certainly stirred a lot of debate. Their most recent efforts included ads during the Super Bowl game. The ads featured several versions of a single theme. Each one depicts someone washing the feet of another person.

The idea of foot-washing comes from an incident in Jesus’ life which is recorded in the Gospel of John. The night before he was crucified, Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem. Walking on dusty roads made people’s feet dirty. Once indoors, a servant usually washed those dusty feet. On this night, the job was undone. So, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. He did the humble work of a lowly servant, even though he was their Teacher, their Master.

Surely the room was filled with silence by the time Jesus finished this menial task. Once he was back at the table with his disciples, he explained his act of kindness. It was symbolic of his servanthood, an attitude he wanted his disciples to adopt. If he was willing to serve them in such a humble manner, then they should serve one another in the same way, which includes far more than foot-washing.

On one occasion, Jesus said that he came not to be served, but to serve. His service was not limited to his close friends. Not only did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet, but he also reached out to people who were marginalized by the dominant cultural group at that time. Jesus courageously and lovingly crossed cultural barriers. The recent “He Gets Us” ads focus on this attractive aspect of Jesus’ life and teaching.

So, why have the “He Gets Us” ads been criticized? Simple: The ads present only a fragment of Jesus. True, it is a lovely fragment, but it is far less than the real Jesus. The foot-washing ads reduce Jesus to a super nice guy who encourages acts of kindness.

Yes, Jesus engaged in acts of kindness. Jesus has nothing against acts of kindness. I would certainly agree that Jesus is an advocate of acts of kindness. But is that all? Is that what has made Jesus the most important person who walked the face of the earth in the past two thousand years? his acts of kindness?

Jesus said that he came not to serve but be served. But that’s not all. He also said that he came to give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus not only gets us. He saves us. He transforms us. He makes us right with God.

The story of Jesus does belong to everybody, but not in the sense that anybody can rework and reinvent Jesus for their own purposes. The Jesus of history belongs to everybody in the sense that everybody needs the truth about Jesus, the real Jesus, the complete Jesus. Everybody needs the truth about Jesus because Jesus is God’s one and only Savior.

The reason we still discuss Jesus is not because he was a nice inclusive guy who advocated for random acts of kindness. The reason we still talk and write about Jesus is because his claims are off the chart.

He is sent by God. He is God’s one and only Son. He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He is Lord of creation. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Jesus. He has power over death. He is coming back to take his followers to be with God in heaven forever. Wow!

Not only are Jesus’ claims of cosmic proportion. They are true. Jesus still has a commanding place in culture not simply because his story is compelling, but because Jesus is alive and he is Lord!

May the Risen Lord Jesus Christ reign in our hearts.

Brother Richard

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February 9, 2024 · 1:34 PM

Disaster Relief and Following Jesus

Jesus called people to follow him. 

Those who answered his call had the wonderful experience of watching and learning from the Master himself. They learned Jesus’ message. They saw his compassion for people. 

Then Jesus sent his followers out. He gave them his authority so they could represent him, so they could do as he was doing. He sent them out two by two so they could encourage one another, help one another, and hold one another accountable. 

After going out, Jesus’ disciples would gather and report to Jesus all they had accomplished. These were times of rejoicing and affirmation. They were also times of learning more from the Lord so they could go and do more. 

Gather then go. Go then gather. This is the rhythm of a healthy spiritual life. Jesus calls us to himself, to gather with other believers. While gathered, we are equipped, encouraged, and empowered to carry out the mission, to be ambassadors for Christ in this dark and corrupt age. 

The Gospel writers tell us what the disciples did when they were sent out by Jesus. Mark 6:12-13 is typical: “So they went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons, anointed many sick people with oil and healed them” (CSB). In other words, they did the same things that Jesus was doing. 

They proclaimed Jesus’ message: “that people should repent.” To repent means to turn away from disobeying God and become followers of Jesus by putting saving faith in him. Christians are first and foremost a people with a message. Jesus sends us to tell others about the forgiveness and eternal life that is available because of his death and resurrection. We urge people to join us in following Jesus. 

The disciples also drove out demons from those who were demon possessed, and they healed people from their illnesses. Like Jesus, they helped people with both their spiritual and their physical needs. Meeting people’s needs was an expression of God’s love that highlighted their message and affirmed its validity. 

For two thousand years the church has tried to model the ministry of Jesus by proclaiming his message and expressing his compassion. Over the years, the church has developed many ways of expressing the Lord’s compassion by helping people with their physical needs. Hospitals and orphanages (now called group homes) are two examples among many. 

In 1967, Baptist men in Texas responded to the needs created by Hurricane Beulah. This marked the beginning of a ministry that has helped people caught in disasters for more than fifty years. When a need arises, Christians go and prepare meals, repair roofs, provide childcare, remove debris, wash clothes, rebuild homes, and tell folks the good news about Jesus Christ! 

This ministry is called Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. Members of Grace Baptist in Camden have participated in Disaster Relief after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and after Hurricane Harvey in Houston. 

Giving up a week of your life to go and help those who have suffered loss in a disaster is a sacrifice. It is also hard work. Some people cannot go because of their job or some other circumstance in life. But they can help by giving money to help send others and to help send much-needed supplies. 

God’s word says it clearly: “If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily foodand one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16, CSB) Saving faith is an acting faith, not to earn God’s gift of salvation, but to cooperate with God’s salvation working in us. 

You can learn more about Disaster Relief at abscdisasterrelief.org. 

May God inspire us and enable us to be like Jesus in the world today, 

Brother Richard 

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January 6, 2024 · 12:13 PM

Honoring God His Way

King David wanted to honor God. He made extensive preparations. He gathered a large group of people. It was a big congregation. He put together some wonderful music. They used all the latest instruments.

At first, things went great. But all the enthusiasm and the music came to a bitter end. One of the men serving that day died in the middle of all the excitement. He was struck down by God.

They were moving the ark of the covenant up to Jerusalem. The ark was the ancient container that held the people’s copy of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments reminded them of their covenant relationship with God.

More than that, the ark was a symbol of God’s presence among his chosen people, Israel. They were blessed because the God of heaven and earth invited them to approach him and to worship him.

God instructed the people to keep the ark in the innermost room of the tabernacle, the room called the holy of holies. It was seen only by the high priest, only once a year, and only with the proper sacrifices.

When it was necessary to transport the ark, only Levites were supposed to carry it. When David moved the ark to Jerusalem, however, it was transported on a cart pulled by oxen. The oxen stumbled. Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark.

That’s when it happened. The Lord struck Uzzah down. David was angry. But David also feared the Lord that day. He seriously doubted the ark could ever be brought up. He left it in the house of a man named Obed-edom.

David could have let his bitterness grow and become a permanent barrier between himself and God. Instead, David learned from his mistake. He adjusted. He tried again.

On his second attempt, David made sure the ark was transported as the Lord instructed: not by a cart, but by the hands of the Levites. He also offered sacrifices to the Lord. By offering sacrifices, David was acknowledging that sinners can only approach a holy God by appealing to his mercy and his grace.

This time, things went well. David and the people had a wonderful time worshiping the Lord. The ark of the covenant was brought into Jerusalem where the temple would later be built. There, God’s people would worship him for many generations.

Success! But not perfection. After the worship was finished, David went home to bless his family. His wife, Michal, ridiculed him for his passionate public display of worship. David had been dancing before the Lord with all his might. Michal accused him of making a fool of himself in front of the people. What a disappointment!

David did not let criticism change his mind about worshiping God, even though the criticism came from someone in his own household. He was committed to honoring God with his very best.

This episode in David’s life reveals important truths about seeking and serving God. David learned to honor God on God’s terms. Even though it required him to make adjustments to his original plans. David was committed to passionate public worship, even though it required him to suffer criticism inside his own household.

Let’s worship and serve the Lord with passion this year. Like David, we may sometimes need to make adjustments. And, like David, we may sometimes face criticism. But the Living God who loves us and saves us is worthy of our very best.

Honoring God his way includes participation in regular public worship. And, as New Testament believers, we honor God with the Lord’s Supper. Remembering Jesus’ sacrifice with the bread and the cup is the premier act of worship for Christians.

Honor the Lord his way, passionately!

May we seek to honor God with all that we say, think, and do,

Brother Richard

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