Power Verses

Today Lighthouse Christian Center is preparing to launch something new and exciting for us:  Power Verses!  During 2013, we'll be memorizing passages of Scripture each week.  My background with the Bible started in Christian education.  My parents sent me to a Baptist school that believed in the importance of hiding God's Word in your heart.  I learned the Christmas story from Luke and a few Psalms among other passages.

As a young man, the Holy Spirit stirred a desire in me to meditate on God's Word.  I would carry a note card with a few verses on it when I cleaned or did chores.  I memorized the Sermon on the Mount while vacuuming the foyer at church.  Older and a little wiser, I'd probably say don't do something like that if you're getting paid to do something else!

I went through another period of intense Scripture memory just a few months before I found out that Lighthouse Christian Center was without a pastor - God knew what he was doing in my life, even when I didn't!  Lately, I just want to fall back in love with God's Word and take as many people with me! If you're interested you can click this link to find out more.  Let me leave you with 7 reasons for memorizing Scripture...

Why Memorize Scripture?

1.  Memorizing Scripture Allows you to meditate on the Word of God, all the time.  

Psalm 1:2  ...but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

Meditation on the Word of God leads to deeper insight and wisdom.  If you’re going to meditate on God’s Word day and night some of it needs to be in your mind.

2.  Memorizing Scripture increases faith.  

Romans 10:17 (NASB) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

This can happen when you’re going over and listening to the memorized Word in your mind.

3.  Memorizing Scripture Shapes your world view.  

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Would you like to be able to have the heart of God on any given matter?  Would you like to have the thoughts and attitudes of God on today's issues?  Memorizing and consequently meditating on God’s Word can manifest, and put to use the mind of Christ that’s in you!

4.  Memorizing Scripture makes God’s Word more readily accessible when overcoming temptation and fighting the enemy.  

Matthew 4:10a Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written...”
Jesus gave Satan the Word - an unstoppable force!  You don’t argue with the devil.  You give him the Word and forcefully invite him to leave!

5. Memorizing Scripture makes God’s Word available when comforting and encouraging others.

Romans 15:4  For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

6.  Memorizing Scripture gives access to the truth when presenting the Gospel to others.

John 17:17b  Your word is truth.

7.  Memorizing Scripture teaches me the language that Jesus speaks.  

John 15:7  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

If you want to learn a foreign language memorize the Word.  It’s foreign to anything this world has to offer!  He speaks to me from His Word.  I speak to him through prayer.  And if my prayer is Word-based, then how can I not pray in his perfect will?

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ (www.biblica.com)

Scripture marked NASB, take from the New American Standard Bible^®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,
1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Google Apps Update

Just an update from Google.  I've been using Google Apps for a while, and I'm glad I still get to use it free for a while!  This was in my inbox last night:

"Here's some important news about Google Apps—but don't worry, there's no need for you to take any action. We just want you to know that we're making a change to the packages we offer."

"Starting today, we're no longer accepting new sign-ups for the free version of Google Apps (the version you're currently using). Because you're already a customer, this change has no impact on your service, and you can continue to use Google Apps for free."

I hope the free package I use continues to be free!  One of my favorite Google Apps is Drive (formerly, Google Docs).  I can compose text, presentations, spreadsheets etc. and share them anywhere I can get internet.  I've also been the guy at the office who can open almost any document - by uploading it to Google Drive. Hope to keep Googling for a while!

Too Sick To Go To The Doctor?

Image from vectorportal.com

“But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13).

The Pharisees were always upset with Jesus for spending time with, “sinners.”  They believed you had to earn your right-standing before God and in the community.  Those who hadn’t earned it didn’t deserve their time.  Jesus answered them,  "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Luke 5:31).

The good news of the Gospel is not just that God saves sinners.  Everyone who had the Old Testament knew that.  The Good News is that God saves sinners even while they are sinners!

Can you imagine waking up sick and deciding that you better try and feel better before going to the doctor.  “I’m just too sick to go to the doctor today.”  What’s even crazier would be hospital staff saying, “Your illness is too life-threatening for this hospital.  Try to get better before you come here!”

The religious often do that.  People need to try to clean up their act before they can enter some churches.  But there are only 2 kinds of people:  Those who think they are righteous and those who know they’re not!  And when those who know they’re not put their faith in Jesus they plug into His righteousness!  If we will continue to worship God, tell the Good News, and love everybody, God will take care of the sin-sick souls.  

We need to tell the Truth, but also trust the process.  The passage I started with says many sinners were eating with Jesus because many followed him.  Followers of Jesus who keep sinning, eventually won’t keep following.  And sinners who keep following Him won’t keep sinning!  

When Jesus said, “I desire mercy,” he was quoting, Hosea 6:6.  The Hebrew word for mercy in that passage is the same word used for faith-love, or kindness in Isaiah 54:10:  Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my steadfast love/my loving kindness/my loyal love/my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

God desires that we reciprocate and love Him back with faithful love.  He also desires and requires that we reach out with that kind of love to others!  Freely you have received - now freely give!

Partaking of Jesus

"Last Supper" (13th Century)
From the National Library of Scotland

John 6:54-55

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.  For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.  

This may be one of the strangest passages in the Bible!  It’s certainly one of the most unusual things Jesus said.  Jesus is Lord.  Jesus is Savior.  Jesus is Son of God, and Jesus is... food?!?

This statement reminds me of one of the objections people raise when being challenged to trust in Christ.  “Jesus taught some great things.  He always reached out in love to the needy.  But saying Jesus is the only way is shallow and narrow-minded.  I think all roads of religion lead to God.”

My first reaction is that no roads lead to God.  God exists outside of space and time.  How can we go there?  There’s no getting to God, He’s going to have to come to us.  The good news is that’s exactly what the life of Jesus is:  The Way to the Father.

The relief that there is a way leading to God is doubled when you realize that Jesus is not only the road to the Father, He’s also the means of transportation along that road!  Jesus is the track and the train that gets us there!  

Saying that Jesus is the only way to the Father is no more narrow minded than saying food is the only way to keep your body alive.  Can you imagine arguing, “Why can’t we ingest battery acid or stainless steel?  Eating only food is so narrow minded!”  The body shrivels up and dies without the nutrients it needs.  The spirit does the same without the Bread of Life!

I realize there are many kinds of food, but there’s only one food.  Something is either food or it’s not.  Jesus is everything we need:  Savior, Lord, Teacher, Friend, etc. but only One Jesus.  To eat His flesh is to spiritually partake of Him, or receive Him.  Thankfully, Jesus cleared this up in John 6:63.  To spiritually partake of Him is life!

John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed  in his name,  he gave the right to become children of God. 

You Are Valuable to God

Photo by John Whittington

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.  - Matthew 13:44 

Americans spend billions in counseling and medication trying to get a sense of self-worth.  The only way to understand our value is to see ourselves through God’s eyes.  Earlier in Matthew 13 we find that the field is the world.  There is a treasure in that field that is worth everything to God:  You!  Four factors help determine the value of something.  Let’s apply them to you.

The Maker

The maker or designer always affects the value.  Designer clothes  usually cost much more than generic.  Ephesians 2:10 says that you are God’s handiwork - His masterpiece.  Being designed by the greatest Designer makes you valuable!

Protection

Encourage a child to share toys with a friend.  Notice that he is free with some toys, while carefully guarding others.  He protects his favorites.  Psalm 18 describes God swooping down from the sky as a super hero saving the day for his beloved.  You are valuable to God!

Provision

Spouses desire to provide for each others needs.  Parents provide for their children.  We give them good food and clothes.  We send them to school.  We want the best, and only the best for them.  Jesus said, “If you, then, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:11)!  You are valuable to God!

Price

What someone is willing to pay determines the value of something.  I’ve heard of strange things selling for high prices on ebay.  If someone is willing to pay a few hundred dollars for a piece of toast with an impression of the virgin Mary, or a jar with a “ghost” in it, then that’s how valuable such items are to that person.  

The Bible teaches that God gave everything He had to give.  He gave His only Begotten Son.  The Bible also says that His Son was not forced, but freely gave Himself for us!  You’re worth everything to God!  What a statement!  When you’re struggling with whatever complex or inferiority, remember:

The maker determines the value - God is your Maker!

The protection determines the value - God is your Protector!

The provision determines the value - God is your Provider!

The cost determines the value - God gave His all for you!