Category Archives: Encouragement

Repaired

Church Bulletin, Encouragement, Jesus,

hammer-586531_960_720It is true, Jesus Breaks Christians. He does not stop there. After Jesus breaks a man, he rebuilds him. He rebuilds him far better than he was before.

Here in Daphne, a small building recently burned. Flames destroyed much of the roof and most of two walls. Smoke infiltrated the remainder of the wood frame office and rendered the building a total loss. Now the heavy equipment has arrived, and the remaining building is scraped away. Nothing remains but the foundation. Soon, a new building will stand in its place. It will be an improvement over the original.  In the same way, Jesus takes away the debris of a hard life and replaces it with a spiritual man much improved over his original self.

God crafted Moses into a great spiritual leader. It was not because of any special talent he had, but he gave himself to God. In Exodus 3, Moses is weak, even spineless. He makes one excuse after another to God. He does not want to be bothered. H is happy with his life just as it is. However, God is having none of his excuses. He has plans for Moses.  In Exodus 3:14 the “anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses.” It was time to change weak Moses into a powerful leader.

For the next 40 years, Moses would face hardships that were physical, emotional and spiritual. He would face conflicts within his family (Numbers 12:1 ff), his brethren (Numbers 11:2), a world leader (Exodus 5:1 ff) and even God Himself (Numbers 11:10 ff). However, by the end of his life, Moses was so special that Scripture called him “a servant of the Lord” and God personally buried him (Deuteronomy 34:5, 6). The Lord broke Moses and then rebuilt him into a great servant.

You will face hardship in life. There are times when all hope is lost, and despair reigns. No self-help book from Amazon helps. Know that in these depths, God is near. He is the great Re-Builder of men and women who seek Him.

Consider the struggles of Paul:

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;  on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:24-28).

Is it not reasonable to conclude that apart from his struggles the apostle would not have become the man we know today?

Paul suffered an unknown thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7). He begged for its removal but God declined. Paul’s conclusion? “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Are you struggling? Is life hurting? In Christ, the pain can turn to rejoicing. Let our Lord brake down and rebuild!

 

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

Broken

Church Bulletin, Encouragement, , , ,

a broken man Jesus breaks Christians. It is a necessity. Every Christian breaks when Jesus shatters his common way of life so that holiness can rule.  Our lives, which seem good to us, are melted in the light of the true goodness in Christ. What seems clean and pristine is discovered stained and ruined when brought before the Lamb of God. Jesus said it this way:

 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17).

These words described a church that thought highly of their spirituality, yet, they were just the opposite. His stern rebuke warned the Laodiceans; he wanted them broken so they could serve.

God broke all of the great men and women in the Bible.

God broke Abraham when he required him to leave his home for an undisclosed home far away (Genesis 12:1). He again shattered Abraham when he told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Genesis 22:2). Can anyone imagine the agony of the three-day journey into the mountains of Moriah? Surely Abraham was tempted to turn around and go home. But he did not.

God broke Moses when the future leader was forced to flee the comforts of Pharaoh’s palace for a job tending sheep in Midian (Exodus 2:11-32). Moses would reach his breaking point again and again as he was tasked to lead the obstinate Hebrews out of bondage.

God allowed Job to be shattered by the whims of Satan. This godly man was wealthy and blessed but lost everything including his health (Job 1:13-19; 2:7-10). Through his struggles, he stood firm and today is an example for all who trust in God.

God shows no favoritism to women. He broke Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Hannah through the barrenness of their wombs. Living in a time much different from today, these women were thought cursed and were frequently the butt of jokes (Genesis 30:23; 1 Samuel 6, 7). Ruth faced the loss of her husband, her father-in-law, and her brother-in-law in a land with little support for the three widows. All of these women came to know God better through their suffering.

Jesus broke Paul as he traveled to Damascus. The apostle-to-be was a man of passion and dedication to the Law of Moses. Jesus had other plans for him. He blinded him (Acts 9:1-9) and sent a teacher who instructed him concerning Jesus. Paul soon found himself without friends and the target of murder. The Jews hated him, and the Christians feared him.

None of these, and there are many more, could effectively serve the Lord until God broke them. Today we must be broken too. We must separate from our former sinful ways. We face the chastening of God which, through unpleasant, brings growth (Hebrews 12:5-11); Revelation 3:19). Paul came to realize that the earthly struggles he faced were working a tremendous improvement in his life (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Let us accept the hand of God who breaks and chastens his people. Our struggles make for glory in the world to come. Our troubles are not pleasant but they do bring improvement and lead to glory.

 

 

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

What Now?

Bible General, Church Bulletin, Daily living, Encouragement, Jesus

256px-Christmas_tree_sxc_huChristmas is history. Presents exchanged, meals prepared and much love exchanged by family and friends marked the holiday. All that remains is to pack away the ornaments, throw out the trash and wave goodbye to family as everyone returns home to begin a new year. It’s been busy. Among all the food, frivolity and fun, you paused to think of Jesus. I don’t celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday because the original Christians did not. But I am thankful when people turn their hearts to Jesus. The challenge is to keep thoughts of our Savior alive for the entirety of the year, not just a couple of days.

Thursday was the last time many will think about Jesus until Easter.

Jesus used three descriptions of himself to show the daily necessity to commune with him. In John 4:7-15 Jesus is the giver of “living water.” He said, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  No one lives without water. Within a few hours a man becomes dry and uncomfortable and within days he dies. Common water, H2O, quenches the thirst for the moment but the water from Jesus ends our thirst forever. Every man needs the water of life from Jesus constantly.

Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51, 58; John 11:25). Five times in a single chapter Inspiration tells us that Jesus is the bread of life. For man, bread is an essential nutrient. There are other foods available but bread is the basis of life. Like water, man cannot live without bread. Like bread, Jesus sustains man. No one would feed their physical body as rarely as some feed their spirit. In John 6, Jesus reminds us that his bread is different from common bread. A man who eats physical bread will die but he who eats the bread of life will live forever (Exodus 16:15; John 6:48-51).

Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He is the life giver. Through living water and the bread of life, Jesus gives life to all who come to him. In the darkness of Eden a promise of redemption began to glow (Genesis 3:15). In Jesus that faint glow is fanned into a blaze. As Jesus gives resurrection and life! Where once only despair ruled, victory is found in Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Our point is simple: Living demands life and that life is in Jesus!

Christmas reminded you of Jesus. The Luke 2 narrative always touches your heart. Now what? How can you carry those warm Christmas thoughts through the year? How can the baby in a manager live with you for the entire year?

Know Him. We come to know a person by associating with them and listening to their thoughts and ideas. We know Jesus by listening to him – not what others think about him – but by listening to his words. The Scriptures are the word of God (1 Peter 1:23; c.f. John 1:1, 14) and they are given so that we might know Jesus.

Show Him. Do not be afraid to declare your allegiance to Jesus. Let the world know that you stand with Jesus (Mark 8:38). It is by our words, our confession, that we are led to salvation (Romans 10:9, 10). Through our actions others will come to Jesus too.

Share Him. The Christian is an evangelist. He speaks the good news of Jesus to all he can. He shares what Jesus has done for him (John 9:18-34). But the disciple also seeks the constant company of his fellow believers. Yes, he assembles with them for worship but he also engages with other Christians daily as he grows in his faith and encourages others at the same time (Acts 2:42-47, esp. 46).

So we ask again, what now? Commit to live every day in the presence of Jesus. Our faith is a daily faith, our Savior is a constant companion. Resolve to make every day a day for Jesus!

 Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

 

Shorty

Church Bulletin, Encouragement, ,

pekShorty was my first dog. He was a Pekingese mix and walked very low to the ground. When I was about 12, Shorty was injured in a dogfight and required several weeks of TLC before he

was back to his usual health. I remember taking him for a walk in nearby woods. The sun set too fast and we were in darkness. The fastest way home was through a patch of recently cut brush. On most days Shorty would have been just fine and would have hopped along happily as he followed. But not this night. Everywhere he turned there was more brush and debris that he could not climb over. He was trapped. Every direction was blocked. But I was there with him. So I eased him into my arms and carried him through the brush until we reached the ease of a gravel road. I put him down and he made his way home, following every step I made.

I learned a lesson that night about our Father.

Shorty got stuck. I get stuck. I am trapped by problems that I cannot overcome. When that happens, God eases me into his arms and carries me to safety. He does for me what I cannot do for myself. God carries me over the turmoil of life.

God carried Noah over the turmoil of a destroyed, wicked world (Genesis 6:11-14). God carried Abraham out of an idolatrous nation, led him through distant wanderings and made great and abiding promises to him (Genesis 15:1-20). He brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage but then protected them as they wandered 40 years in the hostile wilderness. He finally brought them into the land of Canaan. The Father brought the Son through the darkness of Gethsemane and Golgotha and set him over all others (Colossians 1:15-20).

He will do the same for you. Ask. Trust.

I once hesitated to ask God to deliver me from problems I created. I believed it was true that if I made my bed, I should sleep in it. But that is not Biblical. Each of us stands condemned of our own choices (James 1:14, 15) and cannot free ourselves from that condemnation (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). We sin and we ask God for deliverance as we should. God will help us out of our own foolishness. He will save us from ourselves.

Isaiah 59 is a powerful chapter. It opens with a declaration of God’s ability to save but mankind’s building of an impenetrable wall of sin. The prophet continues to reveal God’s displeasure at sin and his coming justice. But then at the end, “And a redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). When we’ve built a wall that separates us from God, when we are stuck, a deliverer will come.

Shorty understood deliverance. That night, I was his redeemer, his deliverer. I did for him what he could not do for himself. I wasn’t angry and was never agitated. I just loved my old dog.

At 6-1 I have never been called Shorty. But for today, feel free to call me Shorty. I’ll understand.

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

Farewell 2012

Culture, Daily living, Encouragement, General, God, Jesus, Satan, Sin, , , , , ,

2012 change 2013We close the books on 2012 today. It’s over and I’m hoping for a better 2013. It has been a difficult year in so many ways. Hardly a month has passed without some horrifying event taking place which rattles us and makes stop to ask “why?” Let’s think about the big events of 2012 and see if we can find some answers:

  • 12 were slaughtered in Aurora, Colorado
  • 27 died at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut
  • 3 dead in a mall shooting in Oregon
  • 125 died in Hurricane Sandy and her aftermath
  • In fact, there were 16 mass shootings this year which, together, took 84 lives.
  • The great winter storm of 2012 claimed 6 lives
  • Lies, name calling and rancor marked our national political system
  • The economy still struggles and many are still without jobs.

I could go on and on and on some more but you get the point. This has been a tough year in many ways. 2013 holds promise for better times or at least that is what we tell ourselves. But the truth is that there will be bad things happening in 2013. We shouldn’t be surprised, Satan is the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31). Although the evil one is greatly restricted his influence is great and his arrogance unabated.

Truth teaches that we will suffer in this world at the hands of the evil people. By inspiration Paul said,

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (1 Timothy 3:12, 13)

We are pilgrims (1 Peter 2:11) and just passing through this old world. As the song continues, “my treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.” Trouble comes but we are prepared.

What are we to do? If this world is bad and only going to get worse, what can we do? How to we survive? Paul answers immediately after his warning above:

” But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (1 Timothy 3:14-17).

There are three keys for continued life in this sinful world.

Continue and Do Not Give Up

Paul tells Timothy that he already knows and has been taught the truth. It came through the teaching of his mother and his grandmother and through his association with the “sacred writings.”  For Timothy, that would have been what we call the Old Testament. Timothy must not change because of the times. Instead he was to continue.

That’s good advice for us too. We know the sacred writings and we ought remain in them. We have firmly believed  and no matter what may happen in some place near or far we do not change. To surrender is beyond our comprehension.

Know the Book

Do you notice the very central place given to Scripture? We read of both sacred writings and Scripture. Both are the same and are first formed in the mind of God (1 Corinthians 2:11) and then given to man through the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

The necessity of knowing the truth cannot be overstated. We must take it in (Psalm 119:11) and dwell upon it. I fear that most do not give adequate place in their lives to Bible reading. A horrible pestilence of biblical illiteracy has settled upon us. That ignorance allows and sustains false teaching which arises from the devil himself. If we are to stand against the troubles of this world, we must know the book.

Be Equipped

Any soldier knows that his equipment is vital to the success of his mission and even to his own survival. There is no difference with the disciple. We must equip ourselves for combat knowing that Satan will assault us at every turn (Ephesians 6:16, 1 Peter 5:8). There are many tools with which we must equip ourselves (Ephesians 6:10-18) but none so important as a knowledge of the truth of God’s word. Everything we know about God, about Jesus, about sin and salvation, comes from the word of God. We cannot live without it.

We make so many preparations in this life. We prepare for emergencies with insurance policies, we prepare for retirement with Roths and IRAs, we prepare for a high quality of life with gym memberships and well prepared meals. Do we also prepare for life and the spiritual troubles that are certain to come our way? We must be equipped.

We welcome 2013 with open arms and great hope. We seek more followers for the kingdom this year. We seek to spread the word further. But we know that troubles are on the horizon. Nevertheless we do not faint for out hope is in an unfailing Lord who gave us all!

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.

Fear

Bible General, Church Bulletin, Daily living, Encouragement, ,

Today is Patriot Day in the USA. It is a day of memorial for those who died in the terror attacks of 2001. That attack was designed to frighten – terrorize – Americans and remove us from the national stage. It didn’t work.

Fear is one of Satan’s most powerful tools against the Christian. Fear stops evangelism dead in its tracks. Fear causes us to question God and his great promises. The paralyzing power of fear locks the faithful into a do-nothing life which is exactly what Satan wants. It is terrorism on a spiritual scale and it will not work. Continue reading Fear →

5 People Targeted by Satan

Encouragement, Satan, Sin, ,

target siteEveryone is a target of Satan. But among all the billions of people he pursued, only 5 were targeted specifically and personally by the old devil himself. I thought a quick review would be interesting.

Adam & Eve Were Targeted By Satan

It’s not surprising that Satan would  appear after creation. At the end of the creation week, God had declared his entire work “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was nothing in it our about it that was bad. But soon, Satan, working through the serpent, tempted the first couple. They sinned. Death followed and we all today suffer the influence of that sin.

Why Adam and Eve? Perhaps because they represented the purity and goodness of God. Maybe because they were the Creator’s prized creation. Whatever the reason, Adam and Eve were important enough to fall directly into Satan’s cross hairs – and they failed.

Job Was Targeted By Satan

The next ((Chronology involving Job is especially difficult since we don’t really know where to place him. I believe he lived prior to the coming of Israel so I deal with him here.)) to draw Satan’s attention was actually put there by God. Job is described as being “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). The New Testament describes him as patient or steadfast (James 5:11). What is so curcious about Job is that God appears to be bragging on Job to the devil.

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8)

Give some thought to what it must mean to be such a fine and upright man that God would single you out for your righteousness. It’s pretty amazing. Job did not have the chance to glory in that comment because he didn’t know about it. It happened behind closed doors. All Job knew was that he suddenly found himself without his children,without his servants, without his wealth and without his health. He was left with a wife and friends who all gave him bad advice.

Satan was given permission by God to do almost anything to Job. Only Job’s life was protected (Job 2:6). Remember that God maintained absolute control and protection over Job. Satan could do nothing to Job except through God’s permission. God knew how strong Job was and he allowed Satan to test him sorely. Unlike Adam and Eve, Job was victorious. Satan is not heard from again in the 42 chapters of Job after this conversation in Job 2.

Joshua Was Targeted By Satan

Joshua the High Priest, not Joshua the Israelite leader after Moses, was targeted by Satan. They story is revealed in Zechariah 3:1-10. Joshua was one of the priests who worked with Ezra to re-establish the sacrifices in Jerusalem after the return from exile.

Zechariah’s image has Joshua appearing before the Lord in dirty clothes. Satan is  there too rebuking Joshua for some untold error. The Lord however rebukes Satan and orders that Joshua be given clean clothes. He promises blessings upon Joshua if he obeys the Lord.

The Lord’s rapid protection of Joshua against Satan’s charges is encouraging. No claim can stand against God’s people.

Jesus Was Targeted By Satan

Satan didn’t get it. He was soundly defeated in Eden when God announced his gracious plan for a redeemer. He was beaten when Job would not cave into his horrible pressures and tortures and his plans backfired when he tried to accuse Joshua before the Lord. But Satan is nothing if not persistent.

Satan faced Jesus in the wilderness. Sent by the Holy Spirit Jesus faced Satan only after 40 days and nights of fasting. The devil brought three temptations to Jesus and in every case Jesus was triumphant. Satan appealed to his physical needs, his pride and even his divinity but our Lord defeated every one of them.

The importance of this moment is in two parts. First, we learn that Jesus faced the same struggles we face. The writer of Hebrews was correct that Jesus was tempted in all ways just like us (Hebrews 4:15). But this moment was especially critical for the plan of salvation. Only the innocent blood of Jesus could save from sins and if Jesus succumbed to those temptations he would no longer be innocent. He would own the guilt just as sure as we do. Theredemption of all mankind hung in the balance. Failure here and we would all be lost.

Jesus won and salvation is offered to all.

Peter Was Targeted By Satan

With overtones of Job’s temptation we see Jesus telling Peter that Satan wanted him. Jesus said to Peter, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-32). This must have been a sobering moment. Satan wants me, Peter must have thought.

Peter was an important piece of the coming church,  the body of Christ. Peter was part of those to whom the Lord promised a central role in unveiling the new doctrine that would mark out deep differences between the Mosaic faith and that of Christ. Peter was the one who would speak the first recorded gospel sermon in Acts 2:14. It would be Peter who carries the gospel to the Gentiles in Acts 10:34. Peter was part of the “hub” of the church which remained in Jerusalem during the terrible days of persecution. Peter would have been a prime target for Satan.

But notice that the personal interest of Satan brought the personal prayer of Jesus. True enough, Peter stumbled but in the end he gained the victory.

Am I Targeted By Satan

Satan wants us all and will stop at nothing to get us. His power is limited however and like Job and Peter he is restrained by God. But make no mistake: Satan is after you. This little trip through the Bible is not meant to imply that he wants you any less. It’s just a review of some of the people he went up against and failed. Even the one apparent success against Adam and Eve is mitigated by the coming of Jesus.

It is at the very time that we think we have arrived, that Satan attacks. Remember, “Pride before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18)

God the Remodeler

Daily living, Encouragement, Hosea, ,

Have you ever remodeled a home or office? It’s a mess. We’re doing some remodeling at the Eastern Shore church at the moment. Before anything new can be built the old stuff has to be torn away. Old ceiling, cabinets, walls, flooring; it all has to be torn down before the new materials can be added.  It’s a messy process but needed.

The same happens to the Christian. The old ways have to be destroyed before the regeneration (remodeling) can begin. God’s prophet Hosea said it this way:

“Come let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up” (Hosea 6:1).

We don’t normally think of God as one who destroys or tears down. We don’t think the Lord would strike us down. But Hosea says otherwise and other Scriptures support the idea.

In Romans 6:6 Paul says “our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing…” Our destruction comes before our reconstruction. In Ephesians 4:20-24 the apostle says we were taught to “put off your old self which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds.” Again, destroy the old so we can be renewed.

One more: “Do not lie to one another seeing you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:9-10). Clean out the old before putting in the new. It seems clear that there must be some tearing down and trashing of the old man before he can be remodeled. No one lays a beautiful new Berber carpet over a 1970’s era orange shag carpet. The old must go!

Hosea recognized that God can and will bring us down before building us up. It is often in the depths of our despair that we come to know God. Only when there is nothing left do we really see his love for us. Even Paul had trouble understanding this idea until he had begged for deliverance from some unknown “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:1-10). His conclusion was:

“I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

God’s greatest leaders have always been broken before they could be used. Noah spent 120 years laboring over a boat; Abraham wandered as a nomad; Moses fled luxury to tend cattle; even Jesus suffered in the wilderness. In fact the Bible says Jesus “emptied Himself” (Philippians 2:7) so that he could redeem mankind. Like these great men, let us surrender to God so that he might first break us and empty us before rebuilding and refilling our spirit.

When trouble comes, could it be the Lord working to tear us down so that he can rebuild us? It is a frightening thought but one that leaves behind the prospect of a God-built spirit. Remember the words of the psalmist: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain…” (Psalm 127:1).

Monday Memo: Righteous Abel

Encouragement, Genesis, Monday Memo,

Abel is a pivotal character in Scripture. Ironically, little is revealed about the son of Adam and Eve but his life marks an important point in history. Abel is first mentioned in Genesis 4:2 as the second of two children born to the first couple. His name appears in only 13 verses in the Bible and 6 of those are in the initial account in chapter 4. Nevertheless his life offers some important aspects for our learning.

Abel Teaches Us That Righteousness Is Best

Jesus himself observed the righteousness of Abel and highlighted his goodness (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51). The writer of Hebrews notes his excellent service to God.

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. (Hebrews 11:4).

We don’t know precisely why Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and Cain’s rejected except that it was offered in faith which is a part of his righteousness. But we do know that thousands of years later his goodness was known by mankind and was used by Jesus and the inspired writers of the Bible to teach us how important righteousness is.

There are few things that we can do today that will have long lasting effects. Personal righteousness is one of them.

Abel Teaches Us That the Righteous Suffer

It is comforting to think that if we live righteously God will protect us from trouble and strife. He does not. Abel was murdered by his brother. His only act that contributed to his death was his faithful service to God. His righteousness got him killed. God did not shield righteous Abel from an angry, malice driven brother.

We suffer today at the hands of people who are unrighteous. We suffer from their freely made choices and decisions that cause harm and mayhem to others.

Abel suffered at the hands of his brother (Genesis 4:8). David suffered at the hands of King Saul (1 Samuel 13:1-11). Peter and John suffered at the hands of the Sanhedrin Council (Acts 5:40-42).

Of course the ultimate example is Jesus who suffered for unrighteous men (Romans 5:8) at the hands of unrighteous men (Acts 2:36).

The unrighteous have always persecuted the righteous and always will – at least in this life.

Abel Teaches Us That There is a Right Way to Approach God

An outside observer might conclude that worship is open to any interpretation but the conflict between Abel and Cain suggests otherwise. Abel’s offering was acceptable to God because it was given “by faith.” We conclude that Cain’s was rejected because it was not by faith (Hebrews 11:4). We learn that men who approach God “by faith” are accepted by him (Acts 26:18).

The Bible teaches that faith is central to Christian living. Paul says “the righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11 quoted from Habakkuk 2:4). He says we are justified by grace which must be received by faith (Romans 3:24-25). This justification by faith sets us apart from Mosaic laws which were fleshly, even mechanical in nature (Romans 3:28). Of course James complements Paul’s writings when he says we are not justified by “faith alone” but by works as well (James 2:24). Notice we say they complement and not contradict one another. Works are a part of the Christian life. But works under the law of Moses, which Paul is speaking of in Romans 3:28, do not save. Indeed nothing in  the Mosaic law produced salvation (Hebrews 9:13).

We are saved today through faith and through obedience to Jesus Christ (Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17). Like Abel, there is a right way, and a wrong way, to approach God.

Abel is a great messenger of God even today. Let us learn from his example.

Lessons from the Cheesecake Factory

Bible General, Daily living, Encouragement

An evening with friends at The Cheesecake Factory in Birmingham, Alabama is a fine way to spend a Friday night. I was there with my oldest son, Isaac as part of the Alabama All-State Choir Festival. Founded in 1978 in Beverly Hills, California, the chain is now present in 34 states and boasts annual revenues of over a billion dollars. According to one report they are noted for their “large portions” and obviously, for their many varieties of cheesecake.
I enjoyed my evening with friends, old and new, but also learned a few lessons along the way. Here they are in no particular order: Continue reading Lessons from the Cheesecake Factory →